"So Tivian has already sent people over? That's great."
Above the Church in the lake, Gaspare listened to Sister Vanya's words, a hint of joy appearing between his brows, and then he continued.
"After all, we are just a pilgrimage group, not an agency that handles these kinds of problems. Now that there are specialists to take over the affairs here, that's even better. This mysterious ruin is quite large, and it will take a lot of time to completely deal with it properly. We still have a lot of itinerary ahead."
Gaspare said to Sister Vanya, and listening to his words, Sister Vanya also nodded in response.
"For us, continuing the pilgrimage is the primary task, but I'm also a bit curious if the time chosen by those Tivian experts to perform the enlightenment ceremony after investigating here will be too long. If it's not long, perhaps we can witness or even participate in the holding of an enlightenment ceremony."
"Hmm... discovering an important ritual site of a cult or otherworld during the pilgrimage process, and then participating in the enlightenment ceremony to bring it under the Light of the saint church, this has a good publicity effect within the saint church for Captain Sister Vanya... and even for our entire pilgrimage group's holy artifact pilgrimage this time. This is indeed a good opportunity, a good chance to further enhance our influence within the saint church..."
Gaspare analyzed and said, and Sister Vanya also nodded in response.
"This is indeed one of the benefits, but on the other hand, I also want to see with my own eyes what this kind of sacred ceremony is like. After all, I was born in the Historical Scripture Department, so I am bound to have some curiosity."
"However, the final specific situation will have to wait until the Tivian experts arrive here and complete the initial survey. Perhaps the conditions here do not allow for the enlightenment ceremony to be held so quickly. If that's the case, then we can only regretfully continue the pilgrimage."
Sister Vanya continued speaking to Gaspare, and Gaspare continued to reply.
"Hopefully, there won't be any problems then. The pace of the pilgrimage has been a bit fast recently, one city after another, and everyone is a bit tired. It would be good if we could stay and rest for a few more days. This city feels quite nice."
"Let's hope so... Alright, I'm going to prepare for the reception of the Tivian expert team now. I'll continue to trouble you with the security work here." Sister Vanya said to Gaspare finally, and listening to her words, Gaspare nodded in response.
"No problem, leave everything here to us, Sister Vanya, you go and attend to your own matters."
...
After bidding farewell to Gaspare, Sister Vanya left the Church in the lake by boat and returned to the lake shore. Shortly after she stepped onto the shore, a young Sister wearing ordinary Sister's clothing approached Sister Vanya with a few documents in her arms and greeted her respectfully.
"Sister Vanya!"
"Uh... and you are?"
Looking at the Sister walking towards her, Sister Vanya spoke with a look of confusion, and the other party immediately responded.
"I am Perry, an affiliated Sister of the local Church in Glamorgan. It is an honor to meet Captain Sister Vanya. Didn't Captain mention to Archbishop Hogg earlier that new personnel from Tivian would arrive? So I was sent to handle the relevant matters. May I ask if Captain has any information about the new personnel arriving? We need to make preparations for their arrival in advance."
The Sister said solemnly to Sister Vanya, and listening to her words, Vanya immediately understood and responded.
"Oh, so it's about this. You've come at the right time. I have the list of personnel sent from Tivian here, including their departure and estimated arrival times, and which train they are taking are all clearly written on it. There aren't many of them, just a vanguard team of four or five people, no need for a big fuss."
Sister Vanya said, and then took out a piece of paper from her clothes and handed it to the Sister in front of her. The Sister immediately thanked her after receiving it.
"Ah, thank you very much for cooperating with our work! With this, it will be much more convenient for us!"
"It's nothing, just a small favor. Is there anything else now?" Sister Vanya said with a smile to the Sister in front of her, and the Sister immediately responded.
"No, Captain Sister Vanya, please continue to attend to your own matters. Leave the reception matters to us."
"Then goodbye."
Saying that, Sister Vanya slowly walked away with steady steps, and the Sister named Perry breathed a slight sigh of relief after Sister Vanya left, then unfolded the paper she held in her hand and looked at the contents.
And at this moment, around Perry, in places she could not see, behind her in the ordinary air, a faint blood mist subtly appeared, condensing into a blurry eye imperceptibly, staring at the document paper Perry held in her hand, staring at all the contents on it.
```
On the other side, after leaving Perry, Sister Vanya continued to walk along the edge of Dazzle Star Lake, strolling in the breeze while gazing at the pleasant scenery on the lake surface. When her gaze focused again on the center of the lake, on that towering Church, she couldn't help but stop in place.
Facing the Church on the lake surface, Sister Vanya momentarily recalled everything she had glimpsed inside the Church before, and a rush of thoughts surged in her heart, adding several layers of complexity and confusion to her expression. It wasn't until a voice sounded in her heart that the complexity within her temporarily subsided.
"Things are progressing smoothly, Captain Vanya, you did very well. You've worked hard."
Listening to this familiar sound in her heart, Sister Vanya's expression paused slightly. Realizing that this was a communication established through Aka, she immediately responded in her heart.
"Miss Dorothea... are you also using a puppet to observe my situation now? Didn't Captain say before that using a puppet in the Scarlet of the Eight-Pointed Nest would be very risky?"
"Yes... their blood mist, which is diffused in the air, if my puppet comes into contact with it and is infiltrated, any extraordinary anomaly within it will be discovered. My puppet involves the """Cup""", and they also have the ability to control the """Cup""", and are higher than me in terms of 'Overall Level', which is very troublesome..."
"So I'm not using a puppet to look at you now, but borrowing some high-level secrets contained within the lake itself that they haven't even glimpsed to observe. Although this observation ability is limited to this lake and the surrounding area, it's enough to deal with the current situation."
In Sister Vanya's heart, Dorothy's words sounded again. Listening to Dorothy's words, Sister Vanya paused slightly, then responded in her heart, thinking.
"The high-level secrets contained within this lake itself... are related to the reason for the Church in the lake, aren't they, Miss Dorothea? That Church... is it related to Aka? Why does the statue of the deity inside that Church look so similar to Captain... The deity sculpted in that statue... could it be..."
Sister Vanya seemed to want to say something in her heart, and at this moment, Dorothy spoke again.
"The profound mysteries within this matter... are related to some major secrets among the deities. Regarding the knowledge within, when the deities do not wish to share it with us, we should not forcibly seek it..."
"Regarding the secrets contained within that Church, I also have my own areas of confusion, but as long as we follow Aka's guidance and unravel the mysteries step by step, one day, any unknown questions will be known. And before the destined time arrives, do not rush for success. This is the same for you as it is for me..."
In a patient and profound tone, Dorothy said to Sister Vanya. Listening to Dorothy's words, Sister Vanya paused slightly, then frowned and pondered for a while, before speaking as if she had gained some understanding.
"Do not directly demand profound mysteries from the deities... What we need to do is, under the guidance of the deity, rely on our own wisdom and strength to solve the mysteries step by step. When the destined time arrives, everything will naturally be revealed..."
"This is Aka's teaching to us as the deity of knowledge, is my understanding correct, Miss Dorothea?"
Sister Vanya asked Dorothy with an enlightened tone, and the other party responded after a noticeable pause.
"Hmm... Ah... Yes, yes, that's pretty much the meaning. Vanya, Captain's understanding is very correct. In short, let's focus on the current task first. As long as we follow the guidance, the confusion in our hearts will be clear one day."
"Is that so... That's great, it seems I understood well." Listening to Dorothy's words, Sister Vanya felt a hint of joy in her heart.
"Although I don't know what Aka's purpose is, I believe in the deep meaning behind His guidance. The Eight Point Nest, as an evil organization with significant harm to the world, their schemes brewing here cannot be ignored. If the Holy Mother saw such a situation, she would definitely want me to do my best to stop them... I will continue to assist Captain to the best of my ability, Miss Dorothea."
Sister Vanya said to Dorothy finally, and after a moment, Dorothy's response quickly followed.
"Thank you for your constant trust, Vanya."
...
Behind the mirror, within the hidden space on the inner side of Dazzle Star Lake, Dorothy floated in the colorless space, floating above the Mirror Lake where the Mirror Moon Church was no longer present, looking down at the scene behind the lake surface, just as she did in Adis. Dorothy used these hidden demi-real spaces to peek into the situation in the real world.
Although the Mirror Moon Church had been raised into the real world, this space still existed. After Dorothy's ring was activated, she could travel back and forth between the real world and here around Dazzle Star Lake at will. Using this space, Dorothy was able to safely observe many movements of the Eight-Pointed Nest.
"Phew... managed to fool Captain..."
After ending the communication with Sister Vanya, the floating Dorothy breathed a slight sigh of relief. When Sister Vanya asked about the origin of the Mirror Moon Church and the statue within it, Dorothy was a bit troubled because she herself wasn't too clear about the specific situation of the Church and why the statue's face looked so similar to hers. She could only use Aka's name to say some ambiguous words about heavenly secrets not being revealable, but fortunately, Sister Vanya, as a clergy member, had good "enlightenment" ability and figured out the answer herself.
After comforting Sister Vanya, Dorothy slightly raised her head and looked into the distance, at the Mirror Moon Church which had been moved to the other side of the mirror. Looking at the Light believers stationed on the Church, she couldn't help but think in her heart.
'As expected... this group of people from the Eight-Pointed Nest, while they are insolent towards the An Yin Bureau, they are far less arrogant towards the Church. Just as I expected, they dare not make a big fuss under the attention of the Church... specifically the Holy Proximity Mountain Church, otherwise their national strategy will be affected and it will be difficult to clean up the mess.'
Making this Church public directly, letting it appear before the pilgrimage group that is the focus of Holy Mountain's attention, and using the deterrent power of Holy Mountain to deter the Eight-Pointed Nest so that they dare not act recklessly even if they see their target - this is Dorothy's strategy. As long as Sister Vanya is in Glamorgan for one day, the Eight-Pointed Nest will not dare to play tough.
This is the huge influence Sister Vanya has accumulated through a series of events concerning the dignity of the Church this year. Although her own strength is still Chalk, her influence inside and outside the entire Shining Light Church has surpassed that of ordinary Scarlet. Her popularity and prestige are higher than most Archbishops. In the Shining Light Church system, which emphasizes faith, this is a powerful intangible force, enough to deter the two Scarlet of the Eight-Pointed Nest and prevent them from acting rashly.
Now with Sister Vanya here, Dorothy has the capital for further delay. She doesn't have to worry about the Eight-Pointed Nest breaking the secret of Dazzle Star Lake and finding the Church when the full moon arrives. The replacement ritual is not simple. Now, neither Dorothy nor the Eight-Pointed Nest can occupy the Church alone to hold the ritual.
But delay is only delay after all, it cannot truly solve the problem. Now she and the Eight-Pointed Nest are in a stalemate, neither can do anything to the other for the time being, and this stalemate will not last forever. Both the Eight-Pointed Nest and Dorothy will actively seek ways to break the deadlock.
And given the current situation, the key to breaking the deadlock is not on Dazzle Star Lake for the time being, nor even in Glamorgan, but in the distance.
"Speaking of which... Neff should have almost returned to Tivian by now..."
Dorothy rubbed her chin, muttering while thinking about the situation in the distance.
...
Time flew by, a day later. On the east side of Purt Island, Tivian.
In the early morning, mist mixed with strange smells permeated the streets in front of the West Tivian train station. Busy carriages hurried back and forth on the wide streets, dropping off and picking up countless passengers carrying large and small bags on the sidewalks. Countless people flowed in and out of the station building's entrance. The humming sound of train whistles faintly sounded in the distance, and the surroundings were a lively and crowded scene.
On the second floor of a tea house by the roadside at the station entrance, a dark-skinned woman wearing a long women's coat and a wide-brimmed Madam's hat sat by the window, drinking tea while gazing at the flowing crowd below with sunglasses-clad eyes, seemingly waiting for something.
After the woman added water to the cup on the table for the third time, her gaze seemed to fix on something. She slowly took off her sunglasses, then looked at the crowd below, spotting several figures wearing long clerical robes and carrying large suitcases, walking towards the station entrance.
"They're here..."
Looking at those figures, Naifnis drank the tea in her hand in one gulp, then stood up from her seat.