Chapter 590

Chapter 427: Critical Point

“There is evidence that the Abyss of the Sea has played the role of an instigator in a series of events involving our conflicts with the distant islands. This is also why I wanted to implement a more lenient policy, but I did not expect such a sudden incident.”

The woman in red, exhausted, rubbed her forehead and said, the situation before her was not optimistic.

“As far as I know, the indigenous people of the Summer Tree Archipelago are among the most stubborn in the Southwest Islands of Knossos, making conciliation unlikely. Even Archbishop Antonio had planned a forced relocation, but after this incident, the forced relocation might have to be escalated to a cleansing operation.

“At present, Archbishop Antonio is organizing a rescue mission for the pilgrims, but regardless of whether the rescue succeeds or fails, the outcome for Summer Tree will not be good. Archbishop Antonio’s plans will be disrupted, and the policies we are promoting will be hindered…”

The shadow nun continued to report to the woman in red, and as she listened, the woman’s expression grew even darker.

“What a terrible situation…”

“Is there no turning point for this matter?” the shadow nun asked tentatively, while the woman in red shook her head from her reclined position on the chair.

“Unless Summer Tree now declares their immediate conversion and repentance and voluntarily hands over all the hostages, there is no turning point. But given their actions to maintain abundance and resist forced relocation, this is impossible… So, there is virtually no turning point…”

The woman in red muttered with a hint of distress. Given the current situation, the outcome for Summer Tree was already predetermined.

For the Radiant Church, a massive supra-national institution, the matter of Summer Tree was a minor issue. However, due to its critical juncture, it held special significance. It could be exploited by different factions within the church, thus generating significant influence.

“Alright, I understand the situation. You may withdraw now. I still need to prepare for how to face those people tomorrow before the Holy See.”

The woman in red said to the shadow nun, who intended to take her leave. But after some thought, she expressed concern.

“Tomorrow, Sir Hilbert and his group will come with great force; I am worried about you…”

“Rest assured… The minor matters that Hilbert and his group can exploit, I have my own. The detention of the third escort fleet’s commander is the work of the Tribunal. With this matter, I won’t be too passive. You may withdraw now.”

The woman in red said to the shadow nun, who paused slightly upon hearing this before bowing and gradually disappearing from the room.

After the shadow nun vanished, the woman in red looked around the empty room. After a moment of contemplation, she murmured to herself.

“Abundance…”

Then, the woman in red began to draw a blank sheet of paper, placing it on the table and starting to write. After filling the page with neat and beautiful handwriting, she signed her name at the bottom—Amanda Petit.

…

Time passed swiftly, the moon set and the sun rose. Soon, the night passed, and daylight came.

The three hijacked passenger ships continued to sail across the vast sea, driven by the extraordinary power of water and the steam from the iron boilers, rapidly heading south away from the main continent.

After a long journey, the pilgrims aboard the three ships gradually realized they had been hijacked, leading to a small disturbance. Following the disturbance, the hijackers of Summer Tree maintained order through the display of force, locking almost all passengers in their cabins to restrict their movements. Trapped in their cabins, the pilgrims could only pray in panic, hoping that the divine grace of the Holy Mother would bring them salvation.

Vania, after treating all the sailors and hijackers, received a more comfortable living environment and tighter surveillance. She followed Dorothy’s advice and did not confront the hijackers of Summer Tree, instead trying to cooperate with them and earn their trust.

As for Dorothy, she had successfully arrived in Trua aboard her own ship. Instead of finding the White Stone Craftsmen Guild as originally planned, she checked into a hotel where she spent her days observing the three ships through Vania and the other three hijackers who bore the Puppet Mark.

Initially, Dorothy sought opportunities to seize control of the ships, but after considering the powerful capabilities of Water Mages at sea, she abandoned any thoughts of violence. She then focused on gathering intelligence, but due to the hijackers communicating in their own language, which she didn’t fully understand, her efforts yielded little progress.

Thus, as time passed, another day went by. On the second evening of the hijacking, after a high-speed journey, they finally reached their destination.

From the ship, one could see an island of considerable size. Through different perspectives, Dorothy observed the lush greenery and stone buildings under the glow of dusk. Among them stood out a massive tree, towering like a dream realm tree.

Unlike Dorothy’s previous imagination, the indigenous people of the Summer Tree Archipelago seemed to be far from primitive. They possessed a high level of culture. High lighthouses could be seen on the cliffs of the island, and in the bay, there was a well-sized stone port filled with various fishing boats, mostly wind-powered wooden ones, but also one with a chimney, clearly steam-powered. This indicated that the island was not entirely isolated and had interactions with the outside world.

After entering the bay, the port underwent an hour-long intense dispatch, eventually clearing enough space to dock the three ships. Then, a group of soldiers wearing simple patterned robes and carrying various firearms arrived at the port, working with the hijackers to herd all the pilgrims off the ships. The pilgrims, trembling with fear, were divided into batches and led along stone paths to different destinations. Meanwhile, the hijackers returned to their city amid enthusiastic welcome, awaiting a celebratory banquet.

Far away on the mainland, Dorothy waited for the night to fall, waiting for the moment when the exhausted hijackers, who hadn’t slept for two days, would finally rest.