Northern Main Continent, Friesland.
During the day, bright sunlight shone for miles across the cloudless blue sky. In the northern part of the world, far from the extreme cold ice cap, in the northern part of the continent where light descends, there is a huge bay winding surrounded by land. Within the bay, the calm water reflects shimmering light under the sun. At the southernmost and deepest point of the bay, a beautiful city rises, which is the capital and largest city of Friesland, Aransdell.
To the north of the Main Continent lies the vast Aurora Sea. Deep within the northern part of the Aurora Sea is the Extreme Ice Continent, a forbidden zone of life perpetually frozen. Based on the structure of the Extreme Ice Continent, large ice sheets extend in all directions, reaching towards the southern land, until the warm ocean currents from the western Starfall Sea melt and block them.
The geographical environment of the northern Main Continent is extremely complex. The entire northern coastline of the continent is winding and distorted, creating a large number of small bays and peninsulas. In the southern Aurora Sea, there are countless islands of all sizes. These islands seem to have been broken off from the northern Main Continent and scattered into the ocean, distributed from south to north, from dense to sparse.
On these countless islands, there are many human settlements that once established countless kingdoms. Many of these kingdoms were fierce and brutal pirate nations in the distant past, and even now, many people still reside there. Although there are numerous countries on these northern islands and the northern coast of the Main Continent, they are generally referred to as the "North Sea" region according to geographical and administrative conventions.
Aransdell is located at the deepest point of the largest bay in the North Sea region, Broken Dragon Bay. It is a natural deep-water harbor and is also backed by the Bear Shore River and the Sword River, two long rivers that extend deep inland. Situated at the common estuary of the two rivers, coupled with the many canal networks it has excavated, this gives Aransdell a unique geographical advantage, making it the most important economic and trade center in the entire North Sea region, and also the capital of Friesland.
Under the bright sun, Aransdell's largest port, North Wind Port, is bustling with activity at this moment, exceptionally lively. Countless citizens from all parts of the City are gathered on the wide dock, crowding together in a bustling mass. Blocked by the police, they are whispering among themselves, eagerly looking north. At the berth on the dock there, a huge Church warship is docked.
On the strong and well-armed Church battleship, the tall ship's side is now connected by a high boarding ladder. Amidst the ceremonial music playing in unison below, a figure in white appears at the top of the boarding ladder. Then, amidst the enthusiastic cheers of countless citizens below, Sister Vanya Chafellen descends the boarding ladder with a smile.
'Phew... Finally, I see such a scene again...'
As she walked down the boarding ladder, Vanya couldn't help but think to herself as she looked at the lively scene before her. A year ago, she had seen such scenes many times, but her mood at that time was more or less nervous. But now, having long since adapted, she no longer feels at a loss when facing this situation. Not only that, but she even feels a little comfortable.
'Compared to Holy Mountain... I still prefer this kind of atmosphere...'
Vanya sighed in her heart. She had lived on Holy Mountain for a considerable period. The overall atmosphere of Holy Mountain was solemn and oppressive. Although the entire Holy Domain exuded an aura of piety everywhere, it was also extremely deserted. On Holy Mountain, other than occasionally being able to talk to Awei, Vanya didn't even have anyone to chat with on weekdays. When she met with others, including Amanda, they only discussed official matters. Her biggest confidante was Dorothy, whom she contacted through the "book-sea navigation record".
For Vanya, although the oppressive and heavy atmosphere of Holy Mountain was not unpleasant, she still preferred the lively atmosphere with many people like the one before her. Although it was troublesome and noisy, it was also more able to reflect the vitality of life, especially for her, a Scarlet of the Holy Mother's Path.
Taking a deep breath and relaxing her mood slightly, Vanya continued her steps. Protected by the guards behind her, she slowly stepped down the boarding ladder step by step, steadily stepping onto the floor laid beforehand on the dock ground, and then continued forward. In front, Vanya saw a row of unfamiliar figures.
In that row of figures, there were both men and women. Judging from their attire, there were both secular government officials and Church clergy. Standing in the middle, at the forefront, was a black-haired middle-aged woman wearing an Archbishop's robe, a crown, holding a scepter, with a slightly wrinkled face and a benevolent look. She was currently looking at the approaching Vanya with a smile.
"Welcome, Sister Vanya."
"Thank you for your welcome, Archbishop Sinclair."
As they approached, Vanya and the woman, who appeared to be in her forties or fifties, bowed to each other simultaneously and clasped hands. At the same time, outside the cordon, flashes of light continuously erupted. The reporters on the periphery were excitedly recording the scene before them, and some reporters without cameras were already nervously transcribing their conversation with pens.
"I have long heard of the deeds of Sister Vanya. Your compassion and contributions have deeply impressed me. I have always wanted to see you in person, the most outstanding emerging representative and rising backbone of the saint church's younger generation. May the Lord bless you, I finally see you today." Holding Vanya's hand, the Archbishop of Friesland named Sinclair said with a smile, and Vanya replied with a similar smile.
"You flatter me, Your Excellency. I am merely an ordinary member of the Lord's loyal servants. I have always only been fulfilling my duties... This excessive honor should not be placed upon me. The backbone of the saint church has always been loyal individuals like you who have silently held steadfast in one place..."
"Hehe... Sister Vanya is too modest. For the construction and reform of the saint church, people like you are much more useful than us Old things. Over a thousand years... The saint church is in great need of new vitality like yours now. To be honest, when I first heard that you had stopped your pilgrimage and returned to Holy Mountain and were involved in otherworld cases, I was quite worried, but now seeing that you can restart your pilgrimage, my heart that was hanging has finally settled..."
Continuing with a kind smile, Sinclair said with a smile while letting go of Vanya's hand, and Vanya also nodded in response.
"Thank you for your concern. Those were just some small misunderstandings. Under the clear judgment of the Saints, the misunderstandings have now been clarified, and restarting the pilgrimage is also my mission..."
"Has it been clarified? That's good... Then allow me to welcome your arrival in Aransdell once again, Sister Vanya. Alright, this is not the place to discuss matters. We have prepared accommodation for you, please follow me." While speaking, Sinclair made a gesture of invitation, and Vanya followed in response.
Outside the cordon, many reporters rushed to follow along the cordon after seeing this, wanting to take more photos and hear more conversations. Among these reporters, many had already begun to interpret the reasons for Sister Vanya's pilgrimage restarting after a long period of stagnation, and why she chose to arrive in Friesland, based on their own thinking.
...
It was still daytime. Just as Aransdell port was bustling with excitement due to the arrival of the celebrity Sister Vanya, in another part of the City, in the equally lively train station, a man's figure was standing there.
On the bustling station platform, a man wearing a dark gray trench coat, a short top hat, with a tall and thin figure, deep-set eyes, and a hooked nose was standing there, carrying a small suitcase in his hand, sweeping his deep gaze over the busy scene before him. Not far behind him, a huge train still emitting steam was parked there, and people were constantly pouring out of the opened carriages.
Lighting a cigarette with one hand, Ed, who had just gotten off the train not long ago, took a deep drag of smoke and then exhaled slowly. Then, carrying the suitcase in his hand, he slowly walked through the crowd on the platform. Although he was a passenger getting off, Ed did not seem to be in a hurry to leave the station immediately. Because the station exit was overly crowded at this moment, Ed chose to stand aside and observe the surrounding scene.
In Ed's eyes, he could see that the platform he was currently on was exceptionally crowded, much more so than the train station platforms he usually saw, blocking several exits completely. In a dense mass of heads, there were several train station staff members directing from makeshift wooden platforms, trying to maintain order for the entering and exiting passengers.
In Ed's experience, in terms of population density, the current situation at this train station was almost second only to the train station in Tivian during the World's Fair. However, because Tivian's train station was larger, with wider passages and more exits, its evacuation capacity was much stronger, so this place seemed to be more crowded.
Looking at the noisy scene before him, Ed paused slightly, then walked to the side of a staff member who had just finished their shift and seemed a little tired and was resting. While handing him a cigarette, he asked in fluent Friesland language.
"Is there some event happening in this City? Why are there so many people getting off this train?" Ed asked the staff member next to him. Because he had been in a first-class carriage with a separate compartment, he hadn't realized that so many people could be squeezed into the carriages behind. The train station staff member, after a slight pause, took the cigarette and replied.
"No events, it's always like this here. You must be from a small place. You should know that this is the most prosperous City in the entire North Sea. Even without any events, the crowding at the station is incomparable to some other small cities." The young-looking train station staff member said while starting to light his cigarette, and listening to the young man's words, Ed couldn't help but turn his eyes to the wooden platforms on the station platform that seemed to be temporarily set up for directing the flow of people.
"Is it always like this? Since there is so much passenger flow, why not consider widening the passages on this platform and setting up a few permanent command posts? Those platforms you've set up look like they're about to break?" Looking at the scene before him, Ed asked the young man curiously, and the young man, after taking a puff of his cigarette and exhaling a long stream of smoke, replied to Ed.
"Ah... Who knows what those officials are thinking, designing this station like this broken mess. The idle places are too idle, and the busy places are too busy. They're a bunch of good-for-nothings..."
With obvious complaints, the young man said while smoking, and at the same time, his gaze inadvertently glanced to the side. Ed, after hearing his words, followed his gaze and looked to the side, and saw another platform opposite the platform he was currently on.
That was an empty platform. There were no locomotives parked next to it, no passengers on the platform, and no staff members maintaining order there, forming a stark contrast with this side.
"That platform over there is so empty... Has the train not arrived yet?" Looking at the scene on that platform, Ed asked curiously, and the young man shook his head in response.
"No... No train has ever arrived there. That's a Abandoned Platform. I've worked here for several years, and not even one train has ever stopped there. It's completely useless, and I don't know what it was built there for? The officials who had the time to build that thing back then might as well have built the places where we are busy now a bit bigger, and we wouldn't have to be so crowded every day."
Waving the burning cigarette in his hand, the young man said to Ed with obvious complaint. Listening to the young man's words, Ed was also a little curious and continued to look at the empty platform.
"You've worked hard, rest more here..."
Ed said goodbye to the young man like this, and then quietly left and blended into the crowd under the young man's somewhat puzzled gaze.
Although the current flow of people had become slightly smoother, Ed, who had re-entered the crowd, did not immediately choose to leave the station. Instead, he quietly blended out on the other side of the crowd, and then with a skillful gait, cleverly avoided all eyes, and crossed several sections of railway tracks and platforms without anyone noticing, finally arriving at the platform that the young man called a waste of effort.
Standing on the deserted platform, Ed looked around, and then what he saw was a scene of emptiness and Silence. There was a lot of trash scattered on the deserted platform, a thick layer of dust accumulated on some seats, and even stubborn weeds had grown in the cracks along the edges of some floor tiles, looking like it hadn't been used for a long time.
Walking on the desolate platform, Ed looked around, and then on a pillar, he saw a rectangular sign hanging on it. There was a large arrow on the sign, pointing in a direction where the railway tracks in front of the platform extended. The sign read.
"To direction."
Looking at the obvious and abrupt blank space on the sign, Ed paused slightly. Then, after observing for a while, he came to the edge of the platform, then jumped off the platform and onto the side of the railway tracks.
Ed squatted down and began to carefully inspect the railway tracks corresponding to the empty platform. Then he found that compared to the dusty platform, the rail steel on the two railway tracks fixed by sleepers was not only free of dust, but also incredibly smooth. From the smoothness of the tracks, Ed could even see the reflection of the sky.
Looking at the scene before him, Ed couldn't help but frown slightly.
Then he reached out his hand, stroking the railway steel, checking for signs of rust while feeling its smoothness.
The railway felt the same to Ed as other tracks he frequently saw; it seemed to be in constant use.
After feeling it, Ed withdrew his hand, then silently stood up beside the tracks, turning his head to look in the direction the tracks extended, which was the direction indicated by the blank space on the sign above.
After gazing for a few seconds, he quietly withdrew his gaze and jumped back onto the empty platform.
Afterward, Ed silently returned to the platform with the normal flow of people.
Following the now much sparser crowd, he walked out of the platform, out of the station, and onto the street in front of the station.
Then, Ed saw the streets of Arlanstel for the first time.
Compared to Tivian's main streets, the buildings here seemed a bit lower, each building's street facade was somewhat narrow, the colors used by the shops along the street seemed brighter, and the wide roads had meticulously trimmed greenery on both sides and in the center.
Overall, it seemed more pleasing to the eye.
After standing on the street and admiring the view for a while, Ed began to prepare to hail a carriage.
After watching one taxi carriage after another drive past him, Ed's eyes narrowed slightly, and he directly reached out his hand, stopping a slightly different taxi carriage.
This taxi carriage was a dark grayish-yellow overall, like the color of mud.
It was slightly larger than a regular taxi carriage, with several nailed wooden boards at the back, and many parts of the wheels were clearly nailed with iron sheets.
On the coachman's stand, which seemed a bit out of tune with the overall carriage, an Old thing coachman with a white beard was respectfully doffing his hat to Ed.
"Hello, honored guest, please get in."
Listening to the coachman's words, Ed opened the carriage door, picked up his suitcase, and got in.
After he closed the carriage door and was seated, the Old thing coachman spoke again, asking,
"Distinguished guest, where would you like to go?"
"Hmm... I'm here to travel in this City.
Could you take me to see all the free attractions this City has to offer?"
Listening to the Old thing coachman's words, Ed thought for a moment, then spoke frankly, and the Old thing coachman immediately responded upon hearing Ed's words.
"Oh, tour guide services.
Then, honored guest, what kind of attractions would you like to see?
There are many places to see in Arlanstel."
The Old thing coachman asked Ed, and Ed thought for a moment before answering.
"Hmm... let's go to some historical and cultural attractions.
It would be best if they are a bit far from the bustling areas of the City, a bit remote.
I plan to visit those places later."
"Oh, I see.
Alright, but there are also many places worth seeing in the remote areas of our City.
You can't see them all in one afternoon.
I can pick a few for you, but the distances between these places are not close, so the fare..."
"Don't worry about that.
Just go ahead."
Ed said in a generous tone.
After hearing Ed's words, the Old thing coachman also smiled and said frankly,
"Alright, please be seated, honored guest."
Saying that, the Old thing coachman flicked the reins, controlling the horses pulling the carriage to start walking.
With the power of the two horses, the unique carriage began to move, driving on the street.
Sitting inside the carriage, Ed observed the scenery outside the window with a relaxed expression, observing this unique foreign landscape.
On the street, Ed did not see all the shops open as usual; some scattered shops were closed.
Some seemingly idle youths were loitering in front of these closed shops, and some were sitting directly on the street with troubled expressions.
Before passing a post office, Ed could even see many postmen holding signs and protesting.
After a period of driving, the buildings on the street scene that Ed was looking at suddenly disappeared, replaced by a long river.
Many small boats were sailing on the rippling water, and a stone bridge spanning both banks of the river could be seen not far away.
"Honored guest, if you come here to travel, you can also try traveling by boat later.
To facilitate transportation, Arlanstel has dug many canals, and these rivers are interconnected with natural rivers, making boat trips very enjoyable."
At this time, the Old thing boatman suggested to Ed, and Ed responded with great interest after hearing this.
"Many canals... it seems your leaders here attach great importance to transportation."
"Of course.
Since ancient times, Arlanstel has been an important trade node in the North Sea, the center of the Northern Trade Alliance.
Through Arlanstel, the entire Friesland... no, the entire North Sea countries are connected, and goods from various places are sold from here to the entire North Sea."
The Old thing coachman said so, with a hint of pride in his words, and Ed pondered for a moment after listening, then continued to speak.
"The center of the North Sea region... but recently, has the economy here been a bit bad?"
"Uh... bad economy?
How can you tell, honored guest?"
Listening to Ed's words, the Old thing coachman paused slightly before asking, and Ed spoke unhurriedly.
"Just now I saw that many storefronts on the street were closed, and there were some seemingly unemployed vagrants.
There were even employees protesting in front of the post office.
You, who were originally running long-distance passenger transport, have now switched to running a taxi.
These series of situations can roughly show that the economy of this City is a bit problematic now, right?"
Sitting stably in his seat, Ed leisurely responded to the Old thing coachman, who seemed a bit surprised after hearing this.
"How did you know I used to run long-distance?"
"Heh heh... it's very easy to tell.
The color of your carriage is a dark grayish-yellow instead of the traditional taxi carriage color.
This color is not good-looking but is resistant to dirt, which indicates that the places your carriage used to run were not the relatively clean roads in the City.
"Your carriage is larger than a typical taxi carriage, and there are signs of modification both outside and inside the carriage.
There should be more seats inside this carriage to accommodate more people, right?
Also, the obvious signs of repair on your wheels are more numerous than those on ordinary taxi carriages.
The road surfaces experienced and the usage time must be different from other taxi carriages.
Therefore, I conclude that this carriage of yours was probably used more on roads outside the City before."
Ed explained to the Old thing coachman with a smile, and the Old thing coachman suddenly understood after hearing this.
"Oh... honored guest, now that you mention it, it is indeed a bit obvious.
That's right, this carriage of mine was not used for running taxis before; it was used to deal with those dirt roads in the wilderness.
I also thought about changing carriages, but because I didn't have money, I could only give up."
With understanding, the Old thing coachman said with a slightly helpless expression, and Ed continued to ask curiously.
"How did you suddenly stop running long-distance passenger transport and switch to running a taxi?"
"This... tsk... it seems like it was a long time ago, I don't remember.
It seems like the road I used to frequently run on was broken and abandoned, is that the reason?"
While recalling, the Old thing coachman said to Ed, and Ed continued to ask after listening.
"Then do you still remember where the route you used to run was going?"
"This... hiss... it seems I've forgotten too.
It's broken, as soon as people get old, their minds don't work well, they forget everything.
Please forgive me, honored guest."
After thinking without results, the Old thing coachman continued to say to Ed, and Ed couldn't help but fall silent after hearing the Old thing coachman's remarks.
Then he continued to ask.
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"I guess... there must be other coachmen in Arlanstel who were forced to change professions like you."
"Ah... that's right.
Just as you saw earlier, honored guest, the economy of Arlanstel has been a little problematic recently, and some people have become unemployed or forced to change professions.
There are indeed other coachmen like me.
There are several that I know who used to run on the same route as me.
"The economy has started to improve recently.
During the most difficult months before, some of my colleagues changed professions, some sold their carriages, and many people running long-distance carriage passenger transport in Arlanstel were affected.
Even the postal service had problems; many postmen were suddenly laid off, and as you saw, there are still people protesting in front of the post office now."
The Old thing coachman said while driving, and listening to the Old thing coachman's words, Ed pondered and said.
"It seems that the transportation and postal industries in Arlanstel were not doing well for a while..."
"Hmm... honored guest, you are right.
There is indeed a problem in this area.
But it's not entirely problematic, and not everyone was affected."
After hearing Ed's words, the Old thing coachman responded, and Ed asked curiously.
"Oh... for example?"
"For example... those who run freight.
A good portion of us who run passenger transport are not doing well, but those who run freight carriages are almost unaffected.
They continue to run as usual.
Not only have the number of business orders not decreased, but they have even increased recently.
Many of my former unemployed colleagues are now converting their carriages to freight, and I have the same idea."
While driving the carriage, the Old thing coachman continued to speak frankly.
Listening to the Old thing coachman's words, Ed couldn't help but show an interested expression.
"Freight has become busy instead?
Do you know which specific routes are relatively busy?"
"There are many.
Derek to Arlanstel... Ethel to Arlanstel... In short, it's almost all two-point freight between other cities in Friesland and Arlanstel.
There are routes from various cities, and as far as I know, they are all similar.
You can't say which route is significantly busier."
The Old thing coachman said this to Ed, and listening to the Old thing coachman's words, Ed couldn't help but stroke his chin and begin to ponder.
"All... similar?"
Just like that, Ed sat in the Old thing coachman's carriage and began to tour the scenery of Arlanstel under his guidance.
After crossing several canals and visiting several attractions in the City, the Old thing coachman drove towards the outskirts of the City.
As they got closer to the outskirts, Ed could see the surrounding buildings gradually becoming sparse, replaced by natural scenery.
Driving the carriage, the Old thing coachman entered a small road and drove all the way up a small hill.
Then he called for Ed to get out of the carriage.
After getting out, Ed was guided by the Old thing coachman to look into the distance, and then he was rewarded with a beautiful view.
Beyond the scattered trees on both sides of the distant road, lush green grass spread into the distance, undulating with the small hills, meeting the blue sky.
Waterways extending from the City surrounded the verdant fields, and several tall windmills were arranged and stood tall in the fields.
Under the gentle breeze, the windmill blades slowly turned.
The colors of the sky, grass, and water blended perfectly, complemented by the dotted windmills and the gentle breeze.
Looking at this scenery, one couldn't help but feel refreshed and relaxed.
"Look, honored guest, that's a windmill village.
Foreign tourists who come here to travel like to see this.
How's the scenery?"
The Old thing coachman asked Ed while pointing into the distance, and Ed said with a smile.
"The scenery is good.
It seems you have many windmills here."
"Indeed, there are many windmill villages in Arlanstel, the most in all of Friesland.
In the past, during the busy farming season, when other places couldn't handle it, they would choose to transport wheat to Friesland for processing.
In the past, this place was the grain processing center for almost half of Friesland."
The Old thing coachman introduced this to Ed, and Ed asked in return after listening.
"And now?"
"Now, ha!
Now it's the grain processing center for all of Friesland and even the entire North Sea region!
After those large machines and factories were built in the east, Friesland's grain processing industry became the strongest in the entire North Sea, and it's not just for processing wheat.
"Fish from other places... wheat... fruits... after arriving here, they are processed into canned goods, bread, wine, and a series of other products, and then sold to the entire North Sea and even the world.
Arlanstel's brand name is very well-known; you must have heard of it elsewhere.
This is all thanks to the excellent food processing industry here.
This is our pillar industry."
The Old thing coachman introduced this to Ed with great enthusiasm, his tone carrying a hint of pride and satisfaction, and Ed also smiled and spoke to the Old thing coachman after listening.
"I see.
Knowing so much, Old thing Mr., your knowledge is truly quite extensive."
"Ha, of course.
I've been a coachman for most of my life.
I've carried many guests along the way.
Listening and talking more, it's not surprising to know a little more."
Praised by Ed in that way, the Old thing coachman also couldn't help but smile happily.
Then, after admiring the view on this small hill for a while, they got back into the carriage, and the Old thing coachman drove the carriage away from the original spot.
Next, the Old thing coachman continued to drive Ed around the outskirts, admiring various beautiful sceneries.
Their carriage drove further and further until it stopped after passing a large fortress that looked abandoned, covered in vines, and dilapidated.
"Guests, this is the Fort Punishment. This is a lesser-known attraction that general tour guides wouldn't bring tourists to see," the old coachman said, pointing at the fortress in front of them as Ed, who had just gotten off the carriage, observed the fortress and spoke.
"Fort Punishment? I see on this... it seems to have remnants of the Church's symbol. Is this a place of the Church?"
"Good eyesight, guests. This is a place of the Church, where the otherworld Judge of Aranster once was. You may not know, but here and even the entire Friesland once had a... hmm, a group of otherworld called the True God faction," the old coachman said, and Ed asked back with interest.
"Otherworld Judge? The Church dealt with otherworld here?"
"Yes, back then, the otherworld were everywhere, and the Church also sent people to arrest them everywhere. They caught so many, thousands, tens of thousands of people, and stuffed them all in here and locked them up. Not only locked them up, but also interrogated them... tortured them... killed them... When I was little, I could still hear screams when I passed by here.
"Because the Church was arresting people almost every day back then, it made the whole of Aranster... no, the whole of Friesland feel insecure. When this place was still operating back then, many people were sent in and many were sent out every day, going in standing... coming out lying down... many who didn't come out were buried directly inside. It is said that if you dig now, you can still find bones. It was truly terrifying. Many innocent people who were not otherworld were caught and died inside..."
Lowering his voice, the old coachman said this to Ed, and after listening, Ed paused slightly, then spoke again.
"Then... why was this place abandoned?"
"Of course, it's because Captain Sinclair came!" Upon hearing Ed's question, the old coachman's eyes lit up and he replied immediately, then continued.
"Since Captain Sinclair came here decades ago, representing the true will of the Lord, she settled the otherworld Judge that had been randomly arresting people for hundreds of years and killed countless innocent people. Not only did she release many innocent people and give them compensation, but she also declared the judges who had been high and mighty and committed many evil deeds in the name of the Lord as true otherworld, arrested them, and gave them a trial. Many were even sentenced to be burned at the stake, which made people cheer.
"For hundreds of years, Friesland was ruled by the Judge held by villains. That was a terrifying era where everyone felt insecure, until the arrival of Captain Sinclair, which completely ended all of this. After Captain Sinclair redressed wrongful cases and judged evil, she abandoned this fortress that symbolized terror and then rebuilt a new otherworld Judge. She is the benefactor of the people of Friesland and the true servant of the Lord. To commemorate her and the innocent people who died unjustly in this fortress, a monument was also erected here."
As he spoke, the old coachman pointed his hand in another direction, where Ed, as expected, saw a towering black monument.
Seeing the old coachman's pointing, Ed slowly walked step by step to the monument, then looked at the characters inscribed on it.
"This monument is in memory of the innocent people who died here. And the terminator of otherworld tyranny, the Lord's true Judge, Sinclair, Van Bass."
"Van Bass? Why is there a memorial to other Church personnel here besides commemorating Sinclair?"
Looking at the characters on the inscription, Ed asked curiously, and the old coachman quickly responded.
"That, that Mr. Van Bass, it is said that he was another judge who came with Captain Sinclair back then. They seemed to have ended the otherworld tyranny of Friesland together, but in the end, because Captain Sinclair stayed in Friesland to serve as Archbishop, and Mr. Van Bass went back, we are more familiar with Captain Sinclair."
Listening to Ed's question, the old coachman said frankly. After hearing the old coachman's answer, Ed couldn't help but nod silently.
After casually visiting the ruins that symbolized the era of religious terror in Friesland, Ed got back into the carriage and continued to be driven by the old coachman, continuing to tour the scenery of Aranster in the suburbs. After circling around, they started heading towards the seaside.
Not long after, the old coachman drove Ed to a steep cliff by the sea. On the steep grassy area by the cliff edge, at the side of a road, the old coachman stopped the carriage and again called for Ed to get off, pointing into the distance.
"Look, this is Dragon Shooting Cliff. It's the steepest and most dangerous sea cliff around Aranster. Guests, do you see over there? That is the oldest building in Aranster."
Listening to the old coachman's guidance, Ed squinted his eyes and looked into the distance. Then, on the edge of the steep sea cliff, he saw a dilapidated stone tower, a stone tower that was broken in two, with the upper part missing.
"What is this?" As he walked towards the broken stone tower, Ed asked the old coachman beside him, and the old coachman answered directly.
"This is Frost Watch Tower. It is said that a long, long time ago, in ancient times much older than the establishment of Fort Punishment, a huge evil cult came from the sea in the north. The cult king invaded and occupied the entire Friesland. It is said that those fierce cultists were all ferocious and wild, not afraid of death. They built many fortresses and castles in the former Aranster, but now they have almost disappeared. This half of the tower is the only remaining relic."
As he introduced it to Ed, the old coachman approached the tower with Ed. Upon closer inspection, Ed noticed that the tower appeared extremely rough in all aspects, perhaps due to the long passage of time. It looked as if it was built with rough square boulders, without any delicate carvings on it.
Walking forward, Ed carefully began to observe the ancient tower. After observing for a while, he found a few casually carved inscriptions on an inconspicuous stone, a rune that was completely unlike modern Friesland writing.
Keeping the characters in his mind, Ed continued to inspect. Then, in front of the isolated tower, he saw a circle of stacked stones with many newly charred black charcoal placed inside. A large, dark piece of charcoal stood in the center, and on top of the large charcoal, a similarly blackened helmet was placed.
Upon closer inspection, one could notice that this helmet seemed slightly different from other helmets. It had a pair of horn-like decorations added to the rim on top.
"These are..." Facing the scene before him, Ed spoke again, and the old coachman, acting as a guide, immediately responded.
"These are the remnants of the Dragon Burning Festival activity. Guests, you may not know, but the Dragon Burning Festival is a traditional festival activity here, meant to burn the Tyrant Dragon and pray for peace and happiness."
"Tyrant Dragon?"
"Hmm... Although there are many theories, the more mainstream one is that the Tyrant Dragon is the cult king I mentioned earlier. It is said that he could breathe frost and transform into a giant evil Dragon, bringing endless winter to the entire North Sea, hence the name Tyrant Dragon.
"According to legend, that Tyrant Dragon once reigned over the North Sea and was eventually defeated by the Lord and fell in Dragon Break Bay. Since then, during winter, to ward off the bitter cold, the people of Friesland would weave an image of the Tyrant Dragon with sackcloth and straw, put a helmet symbolizing the tyrant on it, pile up firewood, and burn it during a gathering.
"This tradition is widespread throughout Friesland. Originally, it was only held in deep winter as a festival to dispel the cold, but later, as people wanted to dispel more and more things, various misfortunes and illnesses were added. The time of holding it also became irregular, often with several events a year. It seems that one was held here not long ago. Since this tower is said to be the remnant of the Tyrant Dragon, many people come here for the festival."
Standing beside Ed, the old coachman patiently explained to Ed. Listening to the old coachman's words, Ed couldn't help but fall silent. His gaze was drawn to the charred horned helmet.
...
Across the ocean.
During the day, on the east coast of the New World, in one of the most prosperous colonial cities, the port of New Yak.
At the large and noisy port, Naifnis, wearing a sun hat and sunglasses and carrying a suitcase, was standing in the bustling crowd on the dock, looking around as if searching for something. After searching for a long time, she finally saw what she was looking for.
"Phew... finally..." Seeing the figure waving at her in the distance, Naifnis, who had been traveling for a long time, couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief. Then, she quickly walked over with her suitcase and came before the familiar brown-skinned young man in formal attire. The other party couldn't help but smile when he saw Neff.
"I finally found you, Thief Miss," Kapak said directly to Neff in front of him, and Neff nodded in response.
"Hmm... so how do we arrange things next? You must have booked a room for me, right?" Neff said this to Kapak. Having traveled on a ship for a long time, she was now very eager to sleep on a stable bed, and Kapak couldn't help but show a surprised expression after hearing Neff's words.
"Book a room? Ah... well, sorry, Thief Miss. According to the teacher's instructions, our time is very urgent and we need to go to the Ancestor Valley immediately. The Great Wilderness Sacrifice will probably start within a week. The teacher has already left, and we must hurry there as well!"
Kapak said this to Neff. After hearing that her stable sleeping room was gone, Neff was first startled, and after pausing for a while, she spoke directly.
"Now, go now? Not even a rest? This is too rushed!
"And... and you said to get to that Ancestor Valley within a week... I remember if Dorothy... Scholar said it right, your Holy Mother's Path is deep within the New World... That area is completely undeveloped wilderness, there isn't even a railway. Can we get there in a week?"
Neff asked in astonishment and confusion. At this moment, a bold and loud male voice suddenly sounded.
"Haha! You don't have to worry about that, pretty girl! With my Dragon ship, that distance will be covered quickly!"
Hearing this voice, Neff was startled, then turned her face to look in the direction the voice came from. Then she saw a floating male spirits in mid-air, who looked strong.
He was a strong man who looked to be around thirty or forty years old. His long beard was divided into three strands and braided, stained with what appeared to be blood. He was wearing a tattered chainmail, carrying a round wooden shield on his back, with a pile of arrows stuck in his body. On his head, he was wearing a horned helmet, one of the horns was broken.
"Mr. Haral! This is a public place, please don't show yourself! It would be bad if other'Silence' Extraordinary saw you!" Seeing the suddenly appearing spirits, Kapak said somewhat anxiously, and Neff said in astonishment.
"This... this spirits is..."
"This, this spirits is the Wilderness Spirit that the teacher specially invited to help us go to the Ancestor Valley, Mr. Haral..." Kapak introduced the spirits in front of Neff, and Neff opened her mouth in even greater surprise after hearing it.
"Wilderness Spirit? And human spirits Wilderness Spirit?"
"Yes... Although Wilderness Spirit mostly exist in animal form, there are also human form Wilderness Spirit. They are generally the spirits of Shamans from various tribes who have obsessions, but Mr. Haral is an exception.
"Mr. Haral was once an invader who invaded this Starfall Continent, but after his death, he repented and became a Wilderness Spirit guarding this land," Kapak introduced to Neff. However, Haral on the side waved his hand and said loudly in dissatisfaction.
"What repentance? Don't talk nonsense, kid! When did I ever repent of invading your weak land? I am the Great Emperor of the North, the Dragon of Death, the Master of the Frost Realm, a warrior of the great Inut! My plunder of the weak is justified, how can there be such a thing as repentance!
"Back then, I just couldn't stand your disgusting so-called spirits king too much, so I took the opportunity to take revenge. I somehow became like this, but I haven't repented at all!"