Chapter 15

The Fifteenth Igwente

The Kingdom of Prit is an island country separated from the mainland countries by a not very wide strait. As an island nation, the Kingdom of Prit consists of one large and two small major islands, with Igwente located on a protruding peninsula at the southwestern edge of the main island, Prit Island.

As an important city in the southwest of the kingdom, Igwente has developed well thanks to the mineral resources in the mountainous area of the southwestern peninsula and the fishing industry along the west coast. Although Igwente may not be among the top-ranking cities in terms of overall development within the kingdom, it still holds a significant position.

On a clear day, the bright sunlight shone down on the streets of Igwente. The multi-story stone buildings stood in rows on both sides of the street, with various decorative reliefs carved on their grayish-white facades, and some window sills even adorned with sculptures.

The ground floors of the houses facing the street were all put to commercial use, with rows of signs standing in front of them. The glass windows displayed a variety of goods, from the elegant dresses of noble ladies to the exquisite toys of children, attracting curious glances from passing gentlemen and eager gazes from street urchins.

The main thoroughfare was paved with stone slabs, though there were many damages, the carriages ran without stirring up dust. The sidewalks were laid with neatly arranged bricks, and street lamps were placed every few dozen steps. Compared to Vukan, the distant sky had more chimneys spewing black smoke.

Standing on the street of Igwente, a silver-haired girl wearing a gray plain dress, checked blouse, and black leather shoes curiously observed her surroundings while carrying a suitcase.

“This is… Igwente?” Dorothy exclaimed as she examined this unfamiliar city. In her original memory, she had always longed to come to this city since childhood. For many young people in the village, Igwente was a place where dreams converged. Regardless of gender or willingness, many young villagers came to this city to seek their fortune, and their connection with their families often consisted of sending a little money home each month.

No one dared to say that anyone had made a name for themselves in this city; most people just became cogs in the ever-expanding urban machinery, working tirelessly in dangerous factories. Gregor was perhaps an exception to this rule.

“So… when will my cheap brother arrive?”

Muttering to herself, Dorothy looked around again. This time, at the end of the sidewalk, she saw a familiar figure.

In the crowd, a young man with short chestnut hair wearing a jacket shirt and black trousers was looking around with a puzzled expression. When he saw the direction, his confusion vanished, replaced by a full face of joy.

“Oh… Holy Son above… Dorothy, you’re here!”

With a cheerful smile, Gregor warmly opened his arms and quickly walked towards Dorothy, his sister.

…

On the streets of Igwente, a black carriage sped forward under the driver’s control. Inside the carriage, Dorothy and Gregor sat opposite each other.

“Oh, you know, Dorothy, I was so worried when I read in the newspaper about a carriage being attacked by robbers on the road to Vukan. Considering your departure time, you were very likely on that road.”

Still smiling, Gregor said with relief, while Dorothy responded with a smile.

“I read that report too. It was indeed terrifying, but fortunately, I delayed a bit to buy some clothes in Purple Shirt, maybe that’s why I missed those robbers. Thank the Holy Mother…” Covering her chest, Dorothy showed a devout and relieved expression.

In this world, the most popular religion was the Radiant Church, also known as the Radiant Redemption Church or the Radiant Holy Day Church. Apart from some heterodox countries in the east, the mainstream belief in the rest of the continent was almost entirely the Radiant Church.

The Radiant Church worships a deity called the Savior of Radiance, who, according to mythology, expelled demons and evil deities that plagued humanity, bringing light to a dark, hellish world and salvation to humans.

After completing the mission to save the world, this deity returned to His dwelling, the Sun Temple. To continuously protect all living beings, He divided Himself into three incarnations to oversee the earth from the heavens, preventing the resurgence of demons and evil deities.

Although the Savior of Radiance is the highest god of the Radiant Church, He is not the primary object of worship. The Radiant Church primarily venerates the three incarnations of the Savior of Radiance.

The Holy Father represents judgment and authority, symbolizing order. The Holy Mother represents compassion and forgiveness, symbolizing mercy. The Holy Son represents conquest and expansion, symbolizing victory.

The image of the Holy Father is a majestic monarch, the Holy Mother is a kind woman, and the Holy Son is a young warrior.

Among the vast number of believers in the Radiant Church, few directly worship the Savior of Radiance; instead, they mostly worship His three incarnations. Those in power, such as royal officials and leaders, often believe in the Holy Father. Soldiers, officers, mercenaries, gangs, and various ambitious adventurers who deal with force almost exclusively worship the Holy Son. As for the largest group of hardworking commoners and vulnerable individuals, they embrace the Holy Mother.

For example, the former Dorothy and Aunt Hannah in the village were both part of the lower class, hoping to live a stable life, thus they were devout followers of the Holy Mother. Gregor, on the other hand, who had always enjoyed fighting since childhood, harbored great ambitions and hoped to achieve something in the big city, clearly had his heart set on the Holy Son.

“New clothes? Oh, I almost didn’t notice. You look really nice, Dorothy. Unlike back in the village, you’re not always covered in dust. Did you buy these recently?” Listening to Dorothy’s words, Gregor looked at her in surprise.

“Yes, I earned a bit of money teaching literacy and writing letters in town. I thought since I was moving to the city, I should buy some new clothes and spruce up. But I didn’t expect it would take me longer than expected and I missed the carriage,” nodded Dorothy, continuing. Gregor responded accordingly.

“It’s good you took extra time. Otherwise, if your carriage had met the robbers, it wouldn’t have been good. Besides, I had a last-minute trip out of town and only returned to Igwente this morning. If you had arrived at the original time, I wouldn’t have been able to pick you up.”

Gregor scratched his head, and Dorothy maintained a smile, knowing exactly why Gregor had planned the trip.

“By the way, brother, what good job did you find in Igwente that you can afford to rent a big apartment and bring me over? The three brothers from the Jack family have been in Igwente for four years but haven’t been able to bring their families over either?”

Dorothy tried to fill her eyes with curiosity and asked Gregor.