Chapter 475 Arrival
Inside her own cabin, Doro sat by the porthole, gazing at the “Navigation of the Literary Sea” on the table in front of her. As she looked at Beverly’s message, she fell into a deep thought.
‘There are no records of divine interference… This means that in this holy war closely related to ourselves, neither the Savior of Radiance nor the True Radiant Lord has shown any indication of involvement? Even the Three Saints have not participated directly?
‘The revelations of the Radiant Church are absolutely confidential, known only to the Cardinals. This means that any expressions from the deities of Radiance would only be available to the upper echelons of the Church, which in some ways counts as a monopoly on information…’
Doro pondered the information Beverly had just relayed. While there were numerous thoughts swirling in her mind, they remained just ideas due to a lack of further clues.
Shaking her head, Doro chose not to dwell on it any longer. After gathering enough information, she wrote a thank-you note to Beverly on the book’s pages, closed the “Navigation of the Literary Sea,” and set it aside.
Next, Doro closed her eyes and began to extract the elements related to Poison Recognition from the information provided by Beverly. Although the information was plentiful, the parts significant to Poison Recognition were relatively few. In total, Doro extracted 3 points of “Lamp” and 2 points of “Enlightenment,” bringing her cumulative Spirituality to the following:
28 cups, 8 stones, 20 shadows, 7 lamps, 14 silences, and 42 enlightenments.
‘It feels like ‘stones’ are still somewhat lacking. I supplemented them last time, but now there aren’t many again. Hopefully, I can find some in some ruins or ancient tombs in Northern Ufeiga. If not, I might have to buy secret transmissions in a big city again, but I currently have less than two thousand pounds left… I can’t buy many books with that…’
Doro thought to herself, letting out a slight sigh before pushing aside her concerns.
‘Forget it. Thinking too much now won’t help. Everything will be addressed once we reach Northern Ufeiga. According to the itinerary, we should be arriving soon.
‘According to the previous divination, my method of advancing to the Red Tier Level is located within the territory of Adus, and looking at the map, that’s near the capital of Adis. After we land in Northern Ufeiga, we’ll still have a long way to go. We need to prepare now for how to get to Adis.’
With those thoughts, Doro gazed out the porthole at the rolling waves of the sea, beginning to calculate the estimated arrival time in her mind.
…
Two days later, Conquer Sea North Shore, Kankdar Port.
In the sky of early April, the blazing sun hung high, and dazzling sunlight illuminated the earth. Under the direct rays, on the shores of the sea stood a vast expanse of low-rise buildings, their rooftops appearing like rolling hills from above.
Kankdar Port, located in the eastern part of Northern Ufeiga, is the estuary of the Starry River, which originates deep within the Ufeiga continent. The Starry River has brought countless gifts here, making the Skandar region much more fertile than large swathes of desert in Northern Ufeiga, forming a massive oasis. Coupled with the shipping advantages brought by the Starry River, the port has become the most important port city in Northern Ufeiga.
Kankdar originally belonged to the Kingdom of Tosep in Northern Ufeiga, but after Tosep lost to the joint intervention of strong nations from the Main Continent, this good harbor was ceded for use by powerful nations like Farano and Prit, serving as their stronghold to extract interests from Northern Ufeiga. Many countries from the Main Continent have offices and even stationed troops here, with most control held by Faraluo due to its significant contributions in the initial war.
Along a prominent street near the port, various architectural styles from different countries stood on either side, with numerous carriages rushing back and forth. Tall trees rustled in the wind, and pedestrians of all kinds walked along the sidewalks, some in standard Main Continent attire, while others donned long robes and vests, wrapped in turbans. Despite everything, the street had a distinctly different feel from that of the Main Continent cities.
“Is this really Northern Ufeiga? We finally made it… It doesn’t seem much different from the cities of the Main Continent, apart from the heat and some people dressing more loosely.” Standing at the street’s edge, Nephnis, dressed in a loose robe with a simple turban, looked at the scenery and remarked. Her eyes scanned the surroundings eagerly as she observed every familiar detail with curiosity. Born in Prit and deeply connected to Northern Ufeiga, she had finally arrived in the land of Northern Ufeiga.
“The reason it doesn’t feel different is that this is Kankdar, primarily a city built and inhabited by foreigners from the Main Continent. It’s not the same as the towns in Northern Ufeiga. Once we leave this city, you’ll discover that the land is completely different.”
Standing beside Nephnis was Doro, dressed similarly, who held out a newspaper while explaining. Upon hearing her words, Nephnis asked back, “When are we planning to leave the city, Miss Doro? If I remember correctly, we’re headed to Adus, right? Are we looking for a carriage team to get there?”
“The situation in Adus is a bit chaotic, with strife within… At the moment, there aren’t many carriage teams headed that way. We’ll need to find alternative routes.” Doro replied. During times of war, normal travel routes became unreliable. Thus, to reach Adis without crossing the border alone through a warzone, they would have to employ special measures.
Doro lowered her head, focusing on the newspaper in her hands. Her gaze settled on a major article headline that read, “The Sacred Summit is dispatching an envoy group to Adus, expected to arrive in Kankdar in two days…”
…
Time flew by quickly, and soon two days had passed. At the Skandar port in early April, crowds thronged under the radiant sunlight as people from all walks of life were gathering at the spacious dock, eagerly awaiting the arrival of a massive church warship.
When the powerful warship with its ramming horn docked, the gangplank was raised to the vessel. The nearby band began playing celebratory music. Amidst the music, figures started to descend from the ship.
Among the welcoming crowd, a middle-aged gentleman from the Main Continent, who was leading the group, stared intently at the figures coming down the gangway. His eyes scanned over the soldiers clad in armor combined with clerical robes before finally catching sight of a pure, bright white.
Upon seeing that white, the gentleman immediately signaled for a group of prepared children to come forward and present flowers. When he noticed the recipient, nervous yet surprised, accepting the bouquet, he smiled and walked towards her on the red carpet. Upon meeting the white-robed nun, who had just received the flowers and thanked the children, he extended his hand.
“Welcome to Kankdar, Sister Vania. I am Robert Brown, the mayor here. On behalf of all Skandar, I welcome you, the bearer of the Holy Mother’s Gospel, the symbol of peace.”
With a warm smile, Robert reached out his hand, speaking in fluent Prit. Hearing these words, Vania stood momentarily stunned, holding the flowers.
“The, the symbol of peace nun?”
‘Symbol of peace? Is it really that exaggerated? It can’t be to that extent…’
Vania thought to herself, completely unprepared for such a title. She had merely been pushed into this situation; how did she suddenly become the symbol of peace? It felt as if her responsibility entailed that if she couldn’t bring peace during this journey, it would be her fault.
She glanced past Robert towards the dock, where besides the upper-class figures, there was also a large group of ordinary citizens. They had huddled together, holding banners with phrases such as “Sister of Peace”, “Compassionate Educator”, “Bearer of the Holy Mother’s Gospel”, etc. Some had even come up with extravagant slogans like “Savior of Adus”!
This title of “symbol of peace,” which she had never anticipated, now weighed heavily on Vania’s heart, reminiscent of a mountain pressing down on her. The countless eager gazes at the welcoming ceremony made her feel somewhat breathless. Throughout her life, she had never been bestowed such a heavy-colored mission title.
Confronted with this grand spectacle she had never seen before and the weighty title, Vania found herself momentarily frozen, unsure of how to react. Just then, she felt a faint stimulation from the Puppet Mark on her body. The slight jolt brought her back to her senses, and she looked at Robert, still smiling and extending his hand, awkwardly smiled and said, “Ah… Thank you for the warm welcome, Mr. Robert. I apologize; this grand welcoming ceremony is a first for me, and I’m somewhat overwhelmed.”
Quickly extending her hand to shake his, Robert responded graciously after their handshake, “For someone who can bring peace to the war-torn people of Adus, this level of welcome is but a trifle.”
“Ah, Mr. Robert, the current situation in Adus is still unclear. It’s hard to say what impact my arrival will have at this point.” Vania said humbly, implying that she hadn’t done anything yet and didn’t fully grasp the issues in Adus. It was unnecessary to hold such a large event for her—what if she ended up achieving nothing? That would be quite embarrassing.
“Ha ha… Sister Vania, you are too modest. I’ve heard of your deeds; you managed to convert and teach tens of thousands of islanders at Conquer Sea in just a few days. With such an ability, surely you can play a positive role in the current situation in Adus. Many people around the world are waiting to see what results your trip to Adus will yield.” Robert continued to smile at Vania. Hearing Robert’s words, she inwardly shouted.
‘The situation in XiasTree is completely different from here! Not every situational experience is transferable…’
“Alright, Sister Vania, you’ve endured a long journey. The environment is noisy here; we won’t chat too much. I’ve prepared a banquet for you and your accompanying personnel at the best hotel in Kankdar. Let’s move over there and continue our conversation.” At this point, Robert continued to address Vania, making a gesture inviting her to follow. Upon seeing this, Vania nodded and was led out by Robert, her expression still tinged with nervousness.
As they walked, Vania occasionally stole glances at the bustling welcoming crowd, seemingly searching for something. After briefly locking eyes with someone in the crowd, her anxious expression eased a little, and she continued to follow Robert towards an awaiting luxurious carriage.
In the crowd, dressed in a long robe, Doro blended in. After watching Vania depart, her gaze shifted to the overly grand welcoming scene and the exaggerated titles written in multiple languages on the banners, which sparked a slight worry in her mind.
‘Is this what they call “praising someone to d*ath”? It seems… someone is intentionally trying to ruin Vania’s public image in Adus… The political struggles within the church have reached a fierce level…’
Doro thought to herself as Vania’s luxurious carriage gradually disappeared down the road.
…
Time passed, and night fell over Kankdar. The sweltering heat that had engulfed the entire city faded, replaced by a cool evening breeze.
Inside a luxurious multi-story classic mansion in Kankdar, important upper-class figures from various countries were gathered in a spacious dining room, sharing a dinner with the esteemed guests who had arrived that day. In an atmosphere of formality and elegance, exquisite dishes of different styles adorned the tables, as officials, nobles, and merchants dined alongside soothing classical music.
In this glamorous banquet, as the most notable guest, Vania drew significant attention. From the start of the feast, she tirelessly accommodated various toasts and greetings from the upper-class attendees. Fortunately, as a clergy member, she was not obligated to drink, but after several bottles of cool juice, her stomach began to feel uncomfortable.
Relying on her experience in Adria, Vania navigated from one prominent person to another, exchanging numerous pleasantries. Just as she began to feel mentally and physically drained, Robert reappeared before her. After sharing another toast, he finally steered the conversation towards practical matters.
“Sister Vania, we have prepared your means of travel to Adis. Given the distance, I recommend taking the train.
“The railway connecting Adis and Kankdar has been fortunate enough to remain undestroyed by the war. Currently, the fastest and most comfortable train, the Desert Arrow, is waiting at the station. You and your guards can board the train tomorrow morning and reach Adis in two days.”
Holding a glass of red wine, Robert slowly informed Vania. She paused slightly upon hearing this, then responded gently, “I’ve heard from other gentlemen about your arrangements for the train, thank you, Mr. Robert. However, I would like to delay our departure by two days, if possible.”
“Delay by two days? Why?” Robert asked, puzzled by Vania’s words. She continued her explanation, “I want to prepare some relief supplies before heading to Adis. The people there have suffered through war, and they are undoubtedly in a period of material scarcity and hardship. Therefore, I wish to spend two days in Kankdar to procure supplies and transport them to Adis.”
