Inside her own cabin, Dorothy sat by the porthole, gazing at the """wen hai hang zhi""" on the table in front of her, lost in thought as she read Beverly's message on it.
'There are no records of divine intervention... This means that in a holy war so closely related to themselves, neither the Radiant Savior nor the True Shining Lord showed any sign of making a statement? Not even the Three Saints directly participated?'
'The Shining Light Church's divine oracles are absolutely confidential, known only to the Cardinals. This means that if the Light deities made any statements, only the upper echelons of the Shining Light Church would know. In a way, this is a form of information monopoly...'
Dorothy pondered the information Beverly had just provided. Although many thoughts ran through her mind, they were just ideas due to the lack of further clues.
Shaking her head, Dorothy didn't dwell on it further. After getting enough information, she wrote her thanks to Beverly on the page. After ending the conversation, she closed the """wen hai hang zhi""".
Next, Dorothy closed her eyes and extracted the Spirit Sight from the information Beverly had just provided. Although Beverly provided a lot of information this time, there were fewer hidden parts with Spirit Sight. Dorothy extracted a total of 3 points of """Lamp""" and 2 points of """enlightenment""" from it. Added to Dorothy's current Spirituality accumulation, it was like this.
28 cup, 8 Stone, 20 Shadow, 7 Light, 14 Silence, 42 enlightenment.
'It feels like'Shi' (Stone) is still a bit low. I replenished some last time, but now there's not much left. Hopefully, this trip to North Wu will let me get some from some ruins or ancient tombs. If not, I can only buy secret transmission in big cities again, but I only have less than two thousand pound now, so I can't buy many...'
Dorothy thought this to herself, then sighed softly in her heart and stopped thinking about too much.
'Forget it, thinking too much now is useless. Let's wait until we get to North Africa. According to the schedule, it should be soon.'
'According to the previous divination result, my Scarlet Tier promotion method is located within Adus, right? Looking at the location on the map, it's right near Adus's royal capital, Adis. After landing in North Wu, it will still take a long walk to get there. I need to prepare now for how to get to Adis.'
Thinking, Dorothy looked out the porthole at the turbulent sea and immediately began calculating the estimated arrival time in her mind.
...
Two days later, Conquest Sea South Shore, Kankdar Port.
In the early April sky, the scorching sun hung high, its dazzling rays shining directly onto the land. Under the direct sunlight, a vast expanse of low-rise buildings stood by the sea. From a high vantage point, one could see countless uneven, continuous rooftops.
Kankdar Port is on the south shore of the Conquest Sea, located in the eastern part of North Africa. It is the estuary of the Yingxing River. The Yingxing River, originating deep within the Ufeiga Continent, brought countless gifts here, making the Skandar region more fertile than the vast deserts elsewhere in North Wu, forming large oases. Coupled with the shipping advantage brought by the Yingxing River, Skandar's port became the most important port city in North Africa.
Kankdar originally belonged to the North Wu's Tossap Kingdom. However, after Tossap lost the war to the joint intervention of the Main Continent powers, this excellent port was ceded for use by Main Continent powers such as Farano and Prit. As their bridgehead for exploiting North Wu's interests, many Main Continent countries have offices and even garrisons here. Because Faloro contributed the most in the war back then, this area is mainly controlled by Faloro.
On a certain large street near Kankdar Port, buildings of various national styles lined both sides. Numerous carriages sped back and forth on the road, and lush street trees rustled in the wind. People of various colors walked on the sidewalks along the street. Some wore normal Main Continent clothing, while others wore long robes and vests with headscarves. No matter how you looked at it, the streets here were clearly different from those on the Main Continent.
"Is this North Wu? We've finally arrived..." Standing by the street, Naifnis, dressed in a loose robe and a simple headscarf, looked at the street scene before her and couldn't help but exclaim. She scanned her surroundings with her eyes, curiously observing every point she was familiar with for a long time. This Prit person, born in Prit and having a deep connection with North Wu since childhood, had finally arrived in the territory of North Africa.
Standing beside Naifnis, Dorothy, dressed similarly to Naifnis, was also standing here, holding out a newspaper and reading it while speaking. After hearing Dorothy's words, Naifnis spoke again.
"Leaving this city... Miss Dorothy, when do we plan to leave here? If I remember correctly, we're going to Adus, right? Are we going to find a caravan to go there?"
"The situation in Adus is a bit chaotic right now, with widespread conflict... I estimate there aren't many caravans going there now. We'll have to go through other channels," Dorothy said. During wartime, normal modes of transportation wouldn't work. So, if they wanted to go to Adis without crossing the border and traversing the war zone alone, they would have to take some special routes.
Then, Dorothy lowered her head and looked at the newspaper she was holding, her gaze fixed on the news reported on one of the large pages. The headline of the news read:
"Holy Mountain Envoy Delegation Dispatched to Adus Will Arrive in Kankdar the Day After Tomorrow..."
...
Time flew by quickly, and the two days passed in a flash. On the Skandar Port in early April, crowds were surging. Under the dazzling sunlight, people from all walks of upper-class Kankdar were gathered on the wide pier, eagerly awaiting the slow docking of the massive Church warship ahead.
After the mighty warship, equipped with a ram, was securely docked at the pier, the tall gangway was pushed to connect to the ship's side. Then, the waiting band began to play celebratory music. Amidst the music, figures slowly descended from the warship.
Among the welcoming crowd, a middle-aged gentleman with a Main Continent appearance, who was at the forefront, was staring intently at the figures descending the gangway. After his gaze swept over the soldiers dressed in a combination of armor and priest robes, he finally caught sight of a pure white figure.
Upon seeing the white figure, the middle-aged man immediately signaled his subordinates to have the prepared boys and girls go forward and present flowers. Seeing the other party accept the bouquets with a mix of nervousness and surprise, the gentleman also smiled and walked forward on the red carpet to welcome her. After meeting the Sister in white who had just put away the flowers and finished thanking the children, he directly extended his hand.
"Welcome to Kankdar, Sister Vanya. I am Robert Brown, the Mayor here. On behalf of all of Skandar, I welcome your arrival, Evangelist of the Holy Mother, Sister of Peace."
With a kind and benevolent smile, the gentleman named Mr. Robert extended his hand towards Sister Vanya and spoke in fluent prite language. Hearing Mr. Robert's words, Sister Vanya, holding flowers, was slightly taken aback.
"A nun who symbolizes peace?"
'A nun who symbolizes peace? Is it that exaggerated? It shouldn't be to this extent, right...'
Sister Vanya thought to herself. She had never expected such a title. She was just pushed into this place, forced into the role, so how did she suddenly become a nun who symbolizes peace? It made it sound like if she couldn't bring peace on this trip, it would all be her responsibility.
Sister Vanya's gaze went past Mr. Robert in front of her and looked towards the scene at the dock. In the crowd behind, besides upper-class people from all walks of life, there was also a large group of ordinary people. They were gathered together holding banners, the titles on which read things like 'Nun of Peace', 'Teacher of Benevolence', 'Evangelist of the Holy Mother', and so on. Some even displayed exaggerated slogans like 'Nun Who Saved Adus'.
The title 'Nun Who Symbolizes Peace', which had been created at some unknown time, now pressed down on Sister Vanya's heart like a mountain. The countless eager gazes at the welcome ceremony made Sister Vanya feel suffocated. Since childhood, she had never been given a title with such a heavy sense of mission.
Faced with such a grand spectacle and heavy title she had never seen before, Sister Vanya was momentarily stunned, unsure of what to do. Just then, Sister Vanya felt a faint stimulation from the puppet mark on her body. Under the stimulation, Sister Vanya immediately snapped back to her senses. Then, looking at Mr. Robert who still had a smiling face and extended hand in front of her, she smiled awkwardly and said,
"Ah... Thank you for the welcome, Mr. Robert. I'm sorry, the welcome ceremony you arranged is very grand. I've never experienced it before, and I was a bit flustered."
Sister Vanya quickly extended her hand as well to shake hands with Mr. Robert, whom she had left hanging for several seconds. After shaking hands with Sister Vanya, Mr. Robert replied with a polite smile.
"For someone as esteemed as you, who can bring peace to the people of Adus who have suffered from war, this level of welcome ceremony is nothing."
"Ah ha... Mr. Robert, the situation in Adus is still unclear. It's probably hard to say what effect my arrival can have right now," Sister Vanya said to Mr. Robert with a humble expression, implying that she hadn't done anything yet and couldn't even fully understand the issues in Adus. There was no need for such a grand display. What if she achieved nothing afterward? Wouldn't that be awkward?
"Heh heh... Sister Vanya is too modest. I've heard about your deeds. Since you were able to enlighten and convert over a hundred thousand stubborn islanders on the Conquest Sea in just a few days, with such ability, you will surely play a positive role in the current situation in Adus. Many people around the world are now waiting to see what results your trip to Adus will yield," Mr. Robert continued to say to Sister Vanya with a smile. Hearing Mr. Robert's words, Sister Vanya couldn't help but cry out in her heart.
'The situation in Natsuki is completely different from here! Not all experiences from one scene can be applied to another...'
"Alright, Sister Vanya, you must be tired from your journey, and it's noisy here. Let's not talk too much here. I have prepared a banquet for Sister Vanya and her entourage at the best hotel in Kankdar. Please move there, and we can continue our conversation later." At this point, Mr. Robert continued speaking to Sister Vanya and then made a gesture of invitation. Sister Vanya nodded after seeing this scene, and then, with an uneasy expression, was led out by Mr. Robert.
During this process, Sister Vanya occasionally glanced at the lively welcoming crowd in front of her, seemingly searching for something. After meeting a certain gaze in the crowd, her uneasy expression immediately relaxed, and she continued to follow Mr. Robert towards the luxurious carriage specially arranged to welcome them.
Among the welcoming crowd, Dorothy, dressed in a long robe, was mixed in. After watching Sister Vanya leave, her gaze shifted to the overly grand welcome spectacle and the even more exaggerated titles written in multiple languages on the banners. A trace of worry couldn't help but surface in her heart.
'Is this what they call 'praise to kill'? It seems... someone is deliberately trying to completely destroy Sister Vanya's public image in Adus... The political struggle within the Church is also intense to a certain degree...'
Dorothy thought to herself. In her sight, the luxurious carriage carrying Sister Vanya gradually disappeared into the distance down the road.
...
Time flowed, the sun set, and the moon rose. Soon, night fell upon Kankdar. The scorching heat that had swept the entire city passed, replaced by a cool evening breeze.
Inside a large restaurant in a luxurious multi-story classical mansion somewhere in Kankdar, important upper-class people from various countries across the entire city were gathered here to share a dinner with the distinguished guest who arrived in Kankdar today. In a solemn and elegant atmosphere, exquisite dishes of different flavors were placed on the dining tables. In the gorgeously decorated restaurant, officials, nobles, and merchants enjoyed dinner together amidst the melodious classical music.
At this magnificent banquet, Sister Vanya, as the important guest, was the most watched person. From the beginning of the dinner, she was busy dealing with toasts and greetings from various upper-class people. Fortunately, Sister Vanya is a member of the clergy and doesn't need to drink alcohol in response, but after drinking several bottles of cold fruit juice, her stomach felt a bit uncomfortable.
Relying on her experience in Adria, Sister Vanya dealt with one important person after another, saying a lot of meaningless pleasantries. Just as she felt physically and mentally exhausted, Mr. Robert appeared before her again. After finishing his toast, he finally brought up some practical topics.
"Sister Vanya, we have prepared the means for you to travel to Adis. Since Adis is far from here, I recommend you travel by train.
"Fortunately, the railway line connecting Adis and Kankdar was not destroyed by the war. The most comfortable and fastest train in all of Kankdar, the desert arrow, is currently waiting at the station. You and your guards can take this train to Adis early tomorrow morning. At the speed of the desert arrow, you can arrive in Adis within two days."
Holding a glass of red wine in his hand, Mr. Robert slowly spoke to Sister Vanya. Sister Vanya paused slightly after listening, then responded to Mr. Robert in a gentle tone.
"I heard from another Mr. that you have specially prepared a train for us. Thank you for your arrangements, Mr. Robert, but I would like to depart two days later, if possible?"
"Depart two days later, why?" Hearing Sister Vanya's words, Mr. Robert spoke with a look of confusion. Sister Vanya continued to answer.
"Because I want to prepare some relief supplies before going to Adis. The people of Adis have gone through war and are definitely in a stage of material scarcity and difficult living conditions. Therefore, I want to spend two days in Kankdar purchasing supplies and then transport the supplies to Adis together."