Chapter 550: Strategy
Inside a restaurant in the foreigner residential area of Kankdar, Doro was discussing Vania and the holy relic she guarded with Nephnis. After concluding her thoughts on the Radiant Church’s saint, Doro refocused her attention on Nephnis and spoke.
“By the way, Senior Neph, have you achieved your purpose for coming to Northern Ufeiga? Do you have any other plans? Are you thinking of going back to your country now?”
Doro inquired, as Neph’s main reason for coming to Northern Ufeiga was to find an appropriate spiritual field for her promotion. Now that her goal had been achieved and she had become a White Chalk Tier Soul Contract Holder, Doro deemed it necessary to discuss her next steps with Neph.
As Neph pondered Doro’s question, she took a moment after finishing her plate of noodles, grasped her fork, and replied.
“Well… I don’t really have any plans at the moment… The study tour back at school will probably last another month, and with the professor away, I wouldn’t have any classes to attend if I returned home, so I don’t plan on going back just yet. Right now, I think I want to further enhance my extraordinary power, but I’m not quite sure how to do that, considering my grandfather’s notes only go up to White Chalk.”
“Hmm… So I guess I’ll just continue to accompany you, Miss Doro, for now. After all, there’s nothing waiting for me back home, and I’d rather take the opportunity to explore out here. Though being with you is dangerous, the rewards are always plentiful after overcoming the dangers, and my extraordinary abilities might improve as well. It feels worth it.”
As she continued to ponder, Neph expressed her thoughts. Although she had faced many dangers during her journey to Northern Ufeiga, she had also gained several rewards, such as extraordinary items, advancements, and a significant amount of money. Thus, in her view, following Doro, despite the perils, was beneficial.
“Ha… You still want to stick with me? Your attitude has changed a bit, Senior Neph. You weren’t this eager to pursue extraordinary power before,” Doro chuckled in response to Neph’s words. Previously, Neph was an ordinary university student who enjoyed life and fashion, and while she had an interest in the extraordinary and the secret, she was never obsessed with it to the point of delving into dangerous pursuits. Now, she seemed more actively engaged.
“Well… it can’t be helped. Our family has been burdened by such a strong curse, you know? From my grandfather to my father, my uncle… even Nunut is threatened by this curse. Although we have that golden rod protecting us, who knows how long it can actually keep us safe? That ancient undead has its eyes on the rod, and if anything were to happen and it gets its hands on it, the Boyle family would be finished, and I wouldn’t escape either…
“So, for the future of the Boyle family, I want to lift that curse while I’m still alive, so our family can return to a normal life. Although I don’t yet know how to break such a powerful curse, I believe that if I become strong enough in the extraordinary domain, I will find a way. Currently, I’m the only one in the Boyle family with such a high extraordinary tier, so it’s up to me to do this…
“And for me, aside from my grandfather’s notes, my improvement in extraordinary ability has come from the Akka Church… and from your help, Miss Doro. So if I want to delve deeper into the extraordinary path, I can’t think of any other method except to continue following you for now.”
With a serious expression, Neph laid down her kn*fe and fork and spoke earnestly to Doro. It was evident that the recent events affecting the Boyle family, such as the loss of the golden rod “Enlightenment” leading to the surge in the curse, and the intrusion at the Boyle mansion resulting in Nunut’s capture, had a profound impact on her. She understood that, given her lineage, living a normal life was nearly impossible. Continuing to engage deeply with the extraordinary and lifting the curse was the only way for the Boyle family to return to normal.
Seeing Neph like this, Doro smiled and replied.
“Senior Neph, your sense of responsibility for your family reassures me. However, I need to remind you that the ancient undead known as Hafdar is quite formidable. It likely possesses a golden tier. Reaching a level where you can contend with it might be very difficult; it’s not something that can be achieved in one or two years.”
“That’s fine. If one or two years isn’t enough… then maybe three or four years! I’m still young, not even twenty yet. I know that advancing beyond White Chalk will become challenging, but I can accept becoming a Red Tier before twenty-five; I believe I will get there eventually. I’m not in a rush; I’ll take my time.”
Hearing Doro’s warnings, Neph appeared entirely unhurried, and Doro couldn’t help but be slightly taken aback. The juice she had just brought to her lips came to a halt as she realized Neph’s optimistic outlook on her extraordinary advancement.
“Wow… Accepting a Red Tier before twenty-five? Are you planning to reach golden before forty? This attitude is optimistic, making ordinary extraordinary beings wonder what to say…”
Doro mentally muttered, realizing Neph’s understanding of the Secret World was even more naive than her own. It seemed that Neph took her rapid advancement over the past year as normal, establishing a plan to achieve Red Tier by twenty-five. Judging by her expression, it was likely that she believed her own timeline to be modest, while her true expectations might be even earlier.
“Perhaps I need to introduce Neph to some of the older Bureau Chiefs in the An Yin Bureau, who are in their fifties or sixties, to correct her view of the extraordinary world. Staying with me will only skew her perspective further.”
Doro continued her internal musings, and just then, Neph seemed to think of something and asked Doro.
“By the way, Miss Doro, if my motivation for exploring the extraordinary is my family, what about you? I see you’re always busy seeking to enhance your extraordinary abilities. What drives your relentless pursuit of the extraordinary? Is it Akka’s will? Or is it your own personal desire?”
Neph inquired, and after hearing her question, Doro paused slightly before responding slowly after putting down her cup.
“Of course, there is Akka’s will involved… but more so, I want to uncover secrets.”
“Uncover secrets… what secrets?”
“Secrets about myself. I want to know why I am in this world…”
“Why someone would appear in this world… feels like a philosophical question…” Neph said, slightly puzzled. Doro continued with a smile.
“If it were merely a philosophical question, that would be fine…”
Doro mused, realizing that the mystery she wanted to solve the most was her own. She had always believed her sudden arrival in this world was no coincidence. The uniqueness of her identity in the body she had traversed into, the connection her system had with this world, all of these indicated that the event of her arrival was a massive secret.
Doro’s greatest wish now was to uncover this secret about herself, which could shed light on the meaning of her existence in this world and possibly even reveal a way to return to her original world. Although she didn’t currently have a clear path to solving this mystery, she was confident that by persisting on her extraordinary journey, she would eventually find clues to unveil it.
“Um… Although I’m not clear about the secret you mention, what are your plans for the future? Where will you go next?”
Neph followed up with her question, wanting to know Doro’s next move. Doro began to think seriously after hearing this.
‘For now, my main goal is still to locate the remaining Divine Blessings. I currently have the Divine Blessings of ‘Cup’ and ‘Silence,’ with opportunities to obtain the ‘Lamp.’ The ‘Stone’ has a route that I’ve established, and once Mazale’s assets are fully liquidated, I should be able to resolve most of my financial needs. As for ‘Enlightenment’… it requires extra time for experimentation to see if I can create it myself like the Holy Emblem. If not, I’ll need to consider other methods.
‘Calculating that way, the only Divine Blessing I truly need to search for is the ‘Shadow.’ Currently, I don’t have any solid leads for that either, and I can only consult familiar people for advice. The people I can consult seem to be the lady from the An Yin Bureau, and the little fox in my dreams.
‘However, that lady from the An Yin Bureau is only at the White Chalk level; she probably wouldn’t have any clues regarding this matter. Meanwhile, the little fox seems to be connected to the faith of the Butterfly God and appears to have some significant backing, so consulting them might yield better answers.’
In a flash, Doro formulated a rough plan for her next actions. She intended to communicate with Gregor in her capacity as a scholar, asking him to inquire about the ‘Shadow’ Divine Blessing from the little fox in her dreams. If he managed to get information, she would then decide how to proceed based on the results.
Coincidentally, now that Vania had officially become a holy relic holder and needed to embark on a pilgrimage, the route could be determined freely if no higher-ups arranged otherwise. Currently, Vania was instructed to wait until the situation in Adus stabilizes and the entire nation begins to get back to normal before conducting a pilgrimage there to reassure the public. This would likely take some time, at least a month or two before she could return to Adus. Therefore, Vania had the autonomy to decide her pilgrimage route before going back to Adus and was seeking Doro’s opinion on where her first pilgrimage should lead.
“Where to go next… I still need to think about that. I’ll get back to you with an answer tomorrow or the day after. For now, let’s take a couple of days to rest here in Kankdar.”
Doro replied to Neph’s question. After Doro’s response, Neph nodded and started sipping the tea they had on the table.
Meanwhile, Doro was contemplating how to best approach her upcoming contact with Gregor, whether communicating in her capacity as a scholar for the “Navigation of the Literary Sea” or sending regular telegrams for safety updates as a sister.
…
In the early morning, in an unknown location, in a sunlit room, a large dining table was set atop a complex and exquisite carpet, adorned with various delicate dishes. The aroma of grilled fish and chicken legs wafted from the plates, and at the edge of one plate was a black cat licking the milk from a dish. After finishing the milk, the cat lifted its head, licked the milk droplets off its fur, and turned to speak in a serious tone.
“Are you saying… the Rosy Cross people inquired about information again? This time, they’re asking about the Divine Blessings?”
Opposite the black cat sat a girl with a large bow in her chestnut curly hair, who nodded at the cat’s query and began to speak.
“Yes, last night, that black dog asked me if anyone among us knew of any leads regarding the ‘Shadow’ Divine Blessing. If we have any information, they would like me to relay it. That black dog has almost become a peripheral member of the Rosy Cross, so he probably asked on behalf of the higher-ups. I think they… must be searching for this item…”
Recalling the dream’s events, Shalia responded to the black cat, who furrowed its brows in thought before slowly replying.
“They want the ‘Shadow’ Divine Blessing? What do they want it for? Are they planning to hold some advanced ‘Shadow’ ritual? If I’m judging correctly, they shouldn’t be a society of ‘Shadow’… What could they want to conduct such a ritual for?”
The black cat pondered at the dining table, and after observing the cat, Shalia blinked and then spoke up.
“Grandpa… just because they asked for the Divine Blessing, you conclude they want to prepare for some advanced ritual. What basis do you have for that?”
“Well, obviously, if they asked for a Divine Blessing without specifying which one, it’s clear they are not focused on a specific Divine Blessing’s inherent abilities, but rather its role in facilitating a high-tier ritual. Divine Blessings are central to many high-tier ceremonies, so it’s likely they’re looking to position it at the core of a ‘Shadow’ ritual. What I don’t know is which ritual they intend to conduct…”
The black cat explained to Shalia, who nodded in understanding before continuing.
“So, do you know if there are any leads on the ‘Shadow’ Divine Blessing? They mentioned that if we have one, they would be willing to offer ample compensation for borrowing it for a while. If we don’t have it, they are still willing to provide a reward just for the information.”
“The ‘Shadow’ Divine Blessing… we used to have it, but unfortunately, it’s gone now…” The black cat sighed after hearing Shalia’s sentiment. Suddenly, it seemed to remember something and continued.
“However… I could give them a lead on the Divine Blessing. From my sources, at the end of June, Bartolomeu Ravana, who just returned from the Eastern Mysterious Sea, will hold an auction in Moncala to publicly sell part of the spoils from this journey. Many secret societies will send representatives attend.”
“Ravana… that famous explorer dedicated to unveiling forbidden zones? Are you suggesting he might auction off a ‘Shadow’ Divine Blessing, encouraging the Rosy Cross to bid for it?” Scratching her head, Shalia asked the black cat, which shook its head and replied.
“No… I mean, a prominent figure from the Black Dream Hunter Group places great importance on this auction and will personally attend. And on them, there happens to be one ‘Shadow’ Divine Blessing that the Black Dream obtained from us… the Mysterious Scale Incense Lantern…”
