Southwest Prit, Igwinte.
During the dark night, the cold and bright moonlight illuminated the dark land. In the distant suburbs of Igwinte, the Spider Queen's will-controlled Spider Head Projection began to collapse under Atcherly's attack.
The Spider Head Projection, bound by Chains of Fate, had its terrifying and repulsive head shattered by the beam shot from Atcherly's firearm. The shattered illusory head turned into wisps of Lakhman that dispersed around.
After the Spider Head Projection's head was shattered, the Spider Queen's influence over it plummeted immediately. Seeing this, Dorothy withdrew the Chains of Fate wrapped around the Projection and then continued to observe its condition. She saw a faint silver glow emanating from the headless Projection, and the nature of the power it emitted also changed slightly. Upon seeing this change, Atcherly, who had been preparing to step forward with her sword to continue slashing, couldn't help but pause. She stopped in place and looked towards the Projection with a solemn expression.
Having lost the spider head and the chains wrapped around it, the headless Projection's entire body began to return to an unstable state. Its entire translucent body flickered continuously, seemingly on the verge of collapse at any moment. At the Projection's head, new images kept appearing and flashing at a high frequency. These images included both the blurred face of a normal woman and the same terrifying spider head as before.
Watching this scene, Dorothy knew that the Spider Queen's influence had clearly not completely disappeared from the Projection. She and Atcherly waited somewhat nervously for the Projection to change, waiting for its state after it finally stabilized.
Finally, when the Projection completely stabilized, what appeared at its head was a flickering, normal female face. Upon seeing this scene, Dorothy let out a slight sigh of relief, while Atcherly, upon seeing it, bowed solemnly towards it, seemingly praying silently in her heart.
"Great Night Sky Empress, have you regained control here? Are you able to answer our questions now?"
After seeing Atcherly's actions, Dorothy also bowed slightly towards the Projection in front of her and spoke. She needed to confirm whether the Mirror Moon Goddess could communicate with them normally.
Listening to Dorothy's words, the Projection under the moonlight opened its mouth, seemingly wanting to say something, but what came out was only a series of sharp, chaotic noises. Seeing that it couldn't produce sound normally, the Projection began to condense threads of light in front of itself. Driven by power, these threads of light seemed to want to form a line of text, but they suddenly dispersed while the text was still being formed.
The Projection seemed unable to convey its information normally. Inside and around the Projection, dark red shadows were still disturbing it at this moment.
'The Spider Queen's influence has not completely disappeared. the Spider Queen is still interfering with the Mirror Moon Goddess's power projection...'
Watching the scene before her, Dorothy made this judgment in her heart. At this moment, her heart completely sank. After finally clearing the Spider Queen's influence, the Mirror Moon Goddess still couldn't communicate normally. All the previous efforts felt wasted.
Seeing that its information could not be effectively conveyed, the illusory Projection also paused slightly. Then, amidst a blur and high-frequency flickering, seemingly bearing some powerful resistance, it slowly raised its hand and pointed into the distance, towards the east.
After seeing this scene, a place name immediately appeared in Dorothy's mind: Tivian!
After finishing pointing, the Projection silently lowered its hand and then looked at Dorothy and Atcherly with a strange gaze, first at Dorothy, then at Atcherly. After being looked at by the Projection in this way, three images suddenly flashed in Dorothy's mind.
One image was a tall forest composed of countless giant trees. These towering trees that pierced the sky were rooted in a mesmerizing, colorful dreamlike grassland. Their thick trunks, nearly devoid of branches, shot straight up into the sky, penetrating into the vast and indifferent white mist. Between these thick and massive trunks, a dense white mist permeated, making the distant scenery completely blurred, with only some faint illusory shapes visible.
In the depths of the forest, within the dense mist, an enormous oval-shaped object loomed indistinctly. This oval giant object was vertically positioned between the giant trees, and countless fine filamentous structures extended from it, wrapping around the giant trees nearby. These filamentous structures thus suspended the oval giant object in mid-air within the forest. A sense of deep silence, confusion, and profound depth emanated from this scene.
The second image was a boundless Gobi wilderness. Beneath the gray sky was a vast and desolate land. Scattered across this barren land were numerous strange and varied wind-eroded rocks. These wind-eroded rocks seemed like giant soldiers, standing on this desolate land in various postures.
In the center of this Gobi, at the heart of countless wind-eroded rocks, was a simple high platform. On the platform was a stone throne. A figure clad in damaged chainmail and a tattered robe sat upon the throne. The coif of the chainmail covered his face, and a rusted crown was worn on his head. He sat hunched on the stone throne, leaning on a long sword with both hands, which was plunged into the stone platform in front of him. A sense of loneliness, desolation, and bleakness was reflected in the scene.
The final image, within a hazy halo, was a massive scepter emanating a golden glow all over. The majority of this scepter was white, and it was also adorned with gold and jewels. At the head of the scepter was a small statue, carved with the figure of a man standing straight with arms outstretched, his face blurred and wearing a robe. This statue was like a small cross adorning the head of the scepter.
When the third image appeared, Dorothy could perceive a slight tremor and distortion in the scene, but then the tremor and distortion quickly returned to complete stillness, as if nothing had happened.
After the three images appeared and disappeared in succession, the Projection under the moonlight silently watched the young girls in front of it. Finally, it met Dorothy's gaze, gave her a meaningful look, and then, seemingly having reached its limit, slowly dissipated, turning into wisps of light that vanished from the spot.
'What is this... an illusion?!' Seeing the Projection disappear and having seen those two images, Dorothy stood rooted to the spot at this moment, thinking with a solemn expression.
'What does the Mirror Moon Goddess want to express through these illusions? Since it can present fabricated illusions, couldn't it produce a bit more concrete information? Or are these not fabricated illusions... but projections of something that truly exists elsewhere? What does it want us to understand by showing us these?'
Frowning, Dorothy thought this in her heart. The scenes shown in the images just now made her curious and confused. She seemed to be trying to interpret them in her mind.
The first image, Dorothy could say, was the clearest to her. That should be a scene from the Dream World. The Dream World Woodland in the image had dense mist that didn't usually exist in the Dream World, and within that mist was the shadow of a huge oval object. Such a scene couldn't help but make Dorothy think of one existence: the Pan Moth's cocoon!
The god worshipped by the Black Dream Hunter Group, Pan Moth, seemed to have always been in the depths of the Dream World, existing within its cocoon. The Black Dream's goal all along has been to make the cocoon hatch, to allow Pan Moth to successfully become an adult insect, and to have their Dream God descend. That massive oval object in the forest is very likely the Pan Moth's cocoon!
As for the scene in the second image, Dorothy was a bit unclear. She had never seen such a desolate Gobi landscape covered in wind-eroded rocks before, nor did she know who the decayed king sitting on the stone throne was. From the style of the armor on the king, Dorothy could judge that it seemed to have an ancient Prit style. Dorothy had seen some traces of this style in Duke Barret's research materials before.
Regarding the scene in the second image, although Dorothy had many guesses in her mind, she couldn't confirm anything definitively. If Dorothy could make guesses about the second image, then the content of the third image was something she could barely even guess at.
Dorothy had never seen the exquisite and luxurious scepter in the third image, having no impression of it at all. She could only tell from some subtle symbols on it that this scepter seemed to carry a hint of the 'Light' within it. Other than that, she knew nothing.
'The first image... is the Pan Moth's cocoon, the second image is an unknown decayed king, and the third image seems to be a 'Light' scepter. Is there any connection between these three? What exactly does the Mirror Moon Goddess want me to do by showing these images? And the location it pointed to earlier should be Tivian, right... Will I be able to find answers there after I return to Tivian?'
'Also worth noting is when the last third image appeared...'
Dorothy quickly analyzed in her mind. When she realized that based on the information she currently possessed, she couldn't analyze any definite results for the time being, she chose to put the analysis aside for now and turned to look at Atcherly on the other side. At this moment, Atcherly's expression was also filled with astonishment and confusion. It was clear that the images the Mirror Moon Goddess had shown to Dorothy were also shown to her, and her current state of confusion was no better than Dorothy's.
'Night Sky Empress... is the Saintess? So... that's how it is? The true form of the Fourth Saint is a pagan god...' Atcherly thought this in her heart, her eyes slightly widened. When she heard Dorothy call the Projection earlier the Night Sky Empress, her heart couldn't help but tremble violently, but she didn't show it on her face.
In the scene, only Anna was completely bewildered, not knowing what had happened. She still held the spear in her hand, remaining vigilant towards Atcherly while also looking at Dorothy as if seeking guidance. However, Dorothy did not directly tell her what to do next at this moment.
Atcherly, who seemed to have also seen the same images as Dorothy, remained silent for a while. After a moment of confusion, she also shook her head slightly, not wanting to think too much, and then turned to look at Dorothy behind her, meeting her gaze. After seeing Atcherly's gaze directed towards her, Anna's heart tightened slightly. She then gripped the spear in her hand tightly and aimed it at the other person. She had gone through a very intense battle with the person in front of her earlier.
After Anna raised the spear in her hand again, Dorothy, who was beside her, reached out and blocked Anna's front, signaling her not to be so nervous for the time being. After seeing Dorothy's signal, Anna hesitated slightly in her heart, then also eased her combat readiness a bit. Next, Dorothy looked at Atcherly and spoke directly.
"Madam Atcherly, do you still want to keep fighting us like this?"
Listening to Dorothy's words, Atcherly let out a slight breath, then put her weapon back into the magic box and spoke.
"It's probably very difficult for me alone to capture all of you. I completely didn't expect that such experts would be hidden in this small place..." Atcherly said this. She had seen Anna's strength before, and she had just witnessed Dorothy's power. She wasn't completely ignorant of the state when she was being eroded by the Spider Queen. She clearly remembered the scene where Dorothy's chains tightly bound her. Just now, these chains also successfully bound the carrier of the evil god's will.
Atcherly could sense the powerful high-level power hidden within Dorothy, proving that she couldn't guarantee a victory against Dorothy and Anna in a head-on confrontation. This time, Atcherly wasn't on a mission that required her to fight to the death, so there was no need to risk her life.
The most crucial point is... the person before her has a very close connection with the deity she worships. Her own power is closely related to that deity. If that deity doesn't want her to fight the other party, she actually doesn't need to continue fighting.
"Yes, no one would have thought that this small area of Igwinte could be so full of hidden talents. Just like I completely didn't expect the Church's Bureau of Secrets Cardinal Council to suddenly come to this place, nor did I expect the Pain Lady's influence to suddenly extend here. Everything that just happened was actually an accident for us..."
Dorothy said this to Atcherly, and her tone became more calm and peaceful, while Atcherly asked directly again.
"What is your relationship... with the Saint... with the Night Sky Empress? Is the so-called Rose Cross the force left by the Night Sky Empress in Prit?"
"In a sense... yes, and not entirely... what is closely related to the Night Sky Empress is not the Rose Cross to some extent, but just me..."
Dorothy answered directly like this. Because she couldn't directly and clearly answer Atcherly's question, she began her traditional evasive and mysterious talk again.
"You... that is to say, you are following the will of the Night Sky Empress, and you are her representative in Prit." Looking at Dorothy before her, Atcherly said meaningfully, and Dorothy also nodded in affirmation.
"That's right, I am the 'pawn' left by Her Majesty the Empress in Prit. I act according to Her revelations. Due to being alone and without much power, I joined the Rose Cross organization during this process and carried out actions with their help."
"As for the purpose of my activities, I estimate you can probably guess a thing or two by now. The Pain Lady's influence is quietly expanding in Prit, and Her conspiracy is brewing. This cannot be completely ignored..." Dorothy said to Atcherly in a solemn and serious tone, and Atcherly immediately replied after listening.
"Then... why doesn't the Night Sky Empress entrust this mission to us? As the saint church's Bureau of Secrets, we have much larger forces and resources to investigate this matter. Why doesn't She let us do this?"
"All along, the Night Sky Empress has been secretly enshrined by the Bureau of Secrets under the name of the Saint. We revere Her as the Fourth Holy Deity besides the Three Saints, and we often receive Her oracles. This time, facing the Pain Lady's conspiracy, would She rather choose isolated individuals like you than us?"
With a slightly oppressive tone, Atcherly spoke seriously to Dorothy. After listening to Atcherly's words, Dorothy replied calmly.
"Bureau of Secrets Cardinal, there's no need to try and trick me like this. Her Majesty the Empress is in the Night Sea in the East, with important duties, and is unable to interfere with matters in the distant West. Even if you truly revere Her in the name of the Saint, She will not issue orders to you. After all, essentially, you are still people of the Church, aren't you?"
"Furthermore, although the Bureau of Secrets is secretive, due to the Church itself being too ostentatious, your existence is also known to everyone. For tasks that truly require secrecy, isn't it more suitable for them to be carried out by completely unknown organizations and entities?"
"I know you are here this time to investigate matters related to the 'True Crimson Mother'. I can tell you responsibly that we don't know much about the 'True Crimson Mother' at the moment. We don't have much connection with the 'True Crimson Mother'. Our target has always been the Spider Queen. The encounter with the Placenta Henchmen in this small town was just an accident."
Dorothy said this with a smile. She knew that Atcherly saying she could hear the Mirror Moon Goddess's oracle was a lie. Dorothy understood that there must be some powerful barrier between the Mirror Moon Goddess and the Western world, stronger than the boundary separation, because the Mirror Moon Goddess's influence was difficult to project over. Before the Spider Queen's influence grew stronger, in places like Prit, where the Mirror Moon Goddess's residue was deep, Dorothy still needed to rely on the Lake Fairy's anecdotal body to communicate with the Mirror Moon Goddess, let alone other parts of the Main Continent.
More importantly, if the Mirror Moon Goddess could truly communicate with her, and she truly listened to the Mirror Moon Goddess's oracle, would she still come looking for trouble with herself and Anna? She didn't believe the Mirror Moon Goddess would let Her own people fight Her. She knew the Mirror Moon Goddess valued her very much.
Atcherly's move was mainly to try and trick Dorothy into revealing whether she was truly obeying the Mirror Moon Goddess and whether she was truly a person of the Mirror Moon Goddess. Dorothy's thinking was also very clear: to tie herself firmly to the Mirror Moon Goddess. Whatever she did was the Mirror Moon Goddess's will. The Mirror Moon Goddess had the identity of a Saint within the Shining Light Church, and she could rely on this connection to avoid being targeted by the Church.
Hearing Dorothy's words, Atcherly fell silent for a moment. After a pause, she let out a slight breath and spoke.
"Considering your appearance, I will temporarily believe you are the Night Sky Empress's envoy..."
Hearing Atcherly's words, Dorothy couldn't help but pause, then she smiled and shook her head, taking off the hood on her head and removing her mask, revealing her silver-white long hair and delicate face, and also said with a smile.
"As expected, in front of the Church's higher-ups, these little tricks are completely meaningless. I should have taken it off earlier; I can breathe more freely."
Dorothy said this, and Atcherly, after looking at Dorothy's face for a couple of seconds, spoke silently.
"Dorothy Meshaus... A volunteer teacher Anna Field came into contact with during her time at the orphanage. Later, after Anna Field miraculously recovered from the hospital and was confirmed to be able to inherit the Field title, you were invited multiple times to visit the protected Anna Field."
"Her father was a hunter in River Valley Village, Igwin County, who died in a hunting accident in his early years. Her mother's identity is unknown and whereabouts are unknown. Her older brother, Gregorius Meshaus, is a Hunter of the Iggwente Secret Agency, young and promising, having repeatedly achieved military honors. He once participated in a protection mission targeting Anna Field and encountered an Extraordinary attack during the mission. Later, he was promoted to the Tivian Hidden Security Bureau for his meritorious service. Dorothy Meshaus was also recommended by the school to study in Tivian."
"By rights, you should still be attending middle school classes in Tivian... Perhaps evening classes just finished, Miss Meshaus."
With her hands behind her back, Atcherly said this to Dorothy, while Dorothy spread her hands open and spoke with a slightly wry smile.
"If you hadn't come here to investigate, I might still be studying in Tivian, Bureau of Secrets Cardinal. So, whose credit is it that my studies have been neglected?"
Dorothy said all this. Dorothy wasn't surprised that the Church had already obtained her information, because it was natural to investigate everyone Anna had come into contact with during her critical period when she was suspected. There was no problem with Dorothy being investigated during this time.
Although she had been mentally prepared, when Dorothy heard Atcherly read out all her information, she still complained in her heart, "As expected of the Church's intelligence agency, their investigation capabilities are indeed much stronger than the An Yin Bureau's."
"Alright, now that we are familiar with each other, we can speak more frankly about some matters. I can tell you directly, Bureau of Secrets Cardinal, that the Spider Queen's conspiracy has made significant progress at this stage. Her Majesty the Empress's influence in Prit has been greatly weakened, and even I am temporarily unable to hear Her voice. It is highly probable that the Spider Queen is currently brewing some major action. We must take action against this."
"I know you are currently very concerned about the 'True Crimson Mother' matter, but my suggestion is that this matter can be put aside for now. Let's focus all our efforts on investigating the Pain Lady's affairs. I have a premonition that their actions will be in the near future, right in Prit Tivian. We need to focus on watching that place. What do you think?"
Dorothy looked at Atcherly and asked for her opinion, while Atcherly looked at Dorothy, narrowed her eyes slightly, and then spoke silently.
"Are you so sure that I will cooperate with you? I was still trying to capture you just now..."
Atcherly said this to Dorothy, while Dorothy answered directly with a smile.
"Your attempt to capture us was just because of a small misunderstanding... I can see that you, Bureau of Secrets Cardinal, are someone who can distinguish right from wrong and have a broader perspective. After experiencing what just happened, I am certain you can distinguish which existences are truly harmful to the Church and this world, and which are not..."
"Compared to suspects, I believe you, Bureau of Secrets Cardinal, would be more focused on dealing with abominations... We are consistent in our stance towards the Pain Lady. What's wrong with cooperating a little?"
With a smile, Dorothy said to Atcherly. After listening to Dorothy's words, Atcherly was silent for a while, then spoke.
"Tivian? My thoughts are the same as yours. The place the Saint indicated before should be there."
"Alright... I will also return to Tivian immediately afterwards. We can start investigating there together. I believe the intelligence I have will not disappoint you."
Dorothy said this. At the same time, she couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement in her heart. Regarding the issue of the Eight-Pointed Nest, she had successfully won over the Church's Bureau of Secrets.
Compared to the An Yin Bureau, that riddled piece of junk, the Bureau of Secrets is much stronger. As long as Atcherly can cooperate, Dorothy is confident that she can achieve a decisive victory against the Eight-Pointed Nest in Tivian this time.
"Then I shall see what capabilities the envoy personally chosen by the Saint possesses. Leave a contact method, and we'll meet in Tivian."
Atcherley said calmly, while Dorothy smiled and took out a book from her magic box, handing it to the other person.
"This thing is much more useful than regular contact methods."
Handing out the book in her hand, Dorothy said frankly to Atcherley, who looked at the book in front of her, and then took it.
"Very good, then one last point, Your Excellency the Cardinal of the Bureau of Secrets, because of the Empress's mission, I hope my identity remains more hidden. Can you please not reveal my information to other Cardinals?"
Looking at Atcherley in front of her, Dorothy said frankly. Hearing Dorothy's words, Atcherley paused slightly, then spoke silently.
"I will subtly reveal your existence to other Cardinals, but I will not state your specific identity."
"That's fine, thank you very much..." After letting out a slight sigh of relief, Dorothy said to Atcherley. She didn't want the entire Cardinal Council to know about her yet. Some Cardinals among them were more rational and easy to deal with, capable of proper discussion and negotiation, while others who were abnormal were harder to predict. Once they knew Dorothy's identity, it was hard to guarantee they wouldn't take targeted actions privately.
And Atcherley also seemed to be very clear about the characteristics of her colleagues, so in order to maintain cooperation, she also chose not to reveal Dorothy's specific personal information to the Cardinal Council for the time being.
"Alright, by the stars and moon, may our cooperation be pleasant this time, Your Excellency Atcherley."
On the mountaintop under the moonlight, after almost everything was settled, Dorothy smiled and extended her hand towards Atcherley. Atcherley couldn't help but ponder for a moment after seeing Dorothy's action, then also extended her hand and shook Dorothy's hand.
...
In the lonely outskirts of Igwinte under the moonlight, Dorothy and Anna, who had disarmed, were slowly walking along the edge of a small Woodland. Anna walked beside Dorothy, sighing as she spoke.
"I didn't expect... such a powerful enemy could eventually become friends with you, Teacher. You are truly amazing, Teacher. I initially thought we would have to fight her to the end."
"Heh... it's not because of how amazing I am; it's because the situation has changed, and I'm just going with the flow. Besides, I haven't truly become friends with her; we've just temporarily cleared up misunderstandings and found an opportunity for cooperation."
Dorothy continued speaking to Anna as she walked.
"If we really have to give credit this time, perhaps it should go to that evil god who suddenly appeared and interrupted your fight. Although it was extremely dangerous, His appearance was the key to the change in the situation. Without Him, we might have truly fought that Cardinal of the Bureau of Secrets to the end..."
"Cardinal of the Bureau of Secrets... I didn't expect that important person from the Church to look so young, yet possess such powerful strength and status. He can even stand shoulder to shoulder with you, Teacher. Unlike me, I'm already twelve, and I'm still useless. Without the Teacher's power, I'm just an ordinary person..."
Anna said with a hint of disappointment. Seeing Anna's expression, Dorothy also spoke frankly.
"Getting involved in the path of the Extraordinary is not always a good thing. It is power... but also crisis. If it weren't for the inevitability of fate, ordinary people actually don't need to embark on this Extraordinary path.
"I used to think it was good for you, Anna, to be a noble in a peaceful place like Igwinte. You are too young, and there's no need to actively step into the crisis-ridden hidden world. But now it seems I was wrong. Once a person has left a mark in the hidden world, it's very difficult to completely wash it away and return to the secular world.
"Today's events are also a lesson for me. I shouldn't have thought of letting you return to the secular world. So from now on, I will formally guide you onto the path of the Extraordinary. Remember, you must grasp your power well."
Pausing slightly, Dorothy looked at Anna in front of her and said solemnly. After seeing this, Anna's eyes lit up, she jumped up happily, and immediately opened her arms to hug Dorothy tightly.
"Really? Thank you, Teacher! Long live the Teacher!"
Being hugged by a student only slightly shorter than herself, Dorothy also smiled as she looked at the night sky, and couldn't help but recall her conversation with Viarjatta from the past.
According to Viarjatta, the relationship between teacher and student seems to be the most important bond between Extraordinary within the """enlightenment""" system.
Therefore, as the first student who left a deep impression on her after coming to this world, Anna will undoubtedly become the second Extraordinary of """enlightenment""" in this world.
Dorothy was sighing in her mind at this moment, while Anna, who was hugging Dorothy, had other thoughts in her heart.
'Teacher Mesi Horse... came back after two years, and she doesn't seem to have grown much. Is it a physical issue? If this continues, will I be taller than the Teacher? A student taller than the Teacher... Hehe...'
...
After finishing the matters in Igwinte, Dorothy immediately set out to return to Tivian. Along the way, Dorothy began planning her next steps.
'These two waves in Glamorgan and Igwinte consumed a lot of Spirituality. The most urgent task now is to go back to Tivian, buy some books from the clockwork man, and replenish my Spirituality...
'My intuition tells me that if I want to obtain the secret history of Mirror Moon Goddess and see Her divine part, and complete the ritual task of promotion, I must follow Her will this time and help Her deal with the matters on Prit's side. As long as I can inflict some substantial damage on Eight-Pointed Nest in the next confrontation, it might weaken the influence of the Spider Queen, thus allowing the will of Mirror Moon Goddess to descend and help me complete the ritual.'
'The next conflict with Eight Point Nest will be very important. Judging from Eight Point Nest's plan, this might also be my largest scale conflict with Eight Point Nest. Fortunately, I found allies...'
Dorothy thought this in her heart, and at the same time, she was still very confused by some questions.
'It's obvious that Mirror Moon Goddess knows I am currently facing Eight-Pointed Nest and the Spider Queen, but in the revelation images given to me, why is there a Pan Moth cocoon? These are two different gods. Is there some other meaning? Or a reminder? Who is that king? What is the staff of """Lamp"""? Why, in the conflict of'Shadow', would He still reveal an item of """Lamp""", and when revealing that item...'
Various confusions swirled in Dorothy's mind, giving her many ominous premonitions. Next, she planned to contact Little Fox and Vanya later to see if she could obtain some intelligence information from them.
...
Central part of the Main Continent, Holy Mountain.
At night, the peak of Holy Mountain was still enveloped in a dazzling brilliance. Although there was no scorching sun in the sky, everything around was like daytime, bright and radiant.
The majestic phantom of the Holy Mountain Grand Church was located on the huge flat mountaintop, and on the tallest spire of the phantom, a dim yet bright light source was constantly emitting a soft, warm halo outwards, illuminating Holy Mountain in the dark night.
Far from the Holy Mountain Grand Church, on a balcony of a garden-like building entwined with green vines, Vanya, dressed in a white Sister's habit, was kneeling here, silently praying towards the distant Holy Mountain Church.
"Truly devout, Sister Vanya... The time you spend praying every day is comparable to some ascetics."
At this moment, a voice sounded from behind Vanya. After hearing it, Vanya paused, then stood up and turned around. What she saw was a phantom Sister floating behind her, looking at her gently.
"Sister Evi, how are you doing now? Are you feeling better?"
Looking at Awei in front of her, Vanya spoke directly, and Awei answered frankly.
"My hull has been transported back to Zhuguang Port for repairs. The situation is much better than before. Thank you for your concern. As for you, you haven't gotten tired of living on Holy Mountain, have you?"
With a slight smile, Awei asked Vanya, and Vanya answered frankly.
"It is a great honor to be able to live in the Holy Land. How could I possibly feel bored..."
"Indeed... For ordinary devout individuals, this Holy Land is naturally a good place for ascetic practice, but Sister Vanya, you are different. You are now a Scarlet, already qualified to be appointed to a high-level ecclesiastical position, serving the saint church as an Archbishop or other high-ranking clergy."
"However, the Holy See is not here now... Resolutions that should have been decided by His Holiness are now in the hands of the Cardinal Council. Given the tangled state of the Cardinals, who knows when your appointment will be decided."
Awei said this. Vanya, now a key figure in the saint church as a Scarlet, could no longer move about as freely as she did as a pilgrimage Sister. Without a position and responsibilities, she could only idle away time on Holy Mountain for the time being. Due to the bickering of the Cardinal Council, the exact position that should be granted to Vanya after becoming a Scarlet had not been decided for a long time.
Of course, Vanya's current situation is just a microcosm of the current political chaos on Holy Mountain. Due to the disunity of the Cardinal Council, the number of pending issues is unusually large.
"The Holy See... hasn't returned from heaven yet? How long has it been? If this continues, won't there be any problems..."
Listening to Awei's words, Vanya said with a worried expression, while Awei continued to speak solemnly.
"The Holy See ascended to heaven and has not returned for over a year now. This situation is unprecedented in the history of the saint church. The last time the Holy See was in heaven for so long was four hundred years ago, on the eve of the Great Holy War, but even then it was only nine months..." Awei said this, a faint trace of worry showing in her words.
"The Holy See's ascent to heaven and failure to return will naturally cause a series of problems for the saint church. However, Sister Vanya, you don't need to worry. These issues are just minor ones. Although conflicts among the various Cardinals are prominent, as long as they don't make fundamental errors in principle, there won't be major problems."
Awei said this, then looked towards the origin point at the top of the distant large Church, which was constantly emitting a gentle, radiant light.
"What's more, the Holy See left His'Staff of Holy Light' on Holy Mountain. With this sacred divine artifact guarding it, the saint church will not suffer any major accidents."