Chapter 636: Organization
On the eastern coast of the main island of Prit, in Tivyan.
During the day in Tivyan, under a gloomy sky, cold winds blew, bringing a slight chill of autumn. Light fog continued to envelop the entire city as usual. In a quiet city park in the East District, a few citizens were leisurely strolling. Inside a pavilion within the park, a man with deep-set eyes, hooked nose, and a slender figure, dressed in a gray windbreaker, sat on a stone bench. Not far from him, a woman wearing a well-fitted overcoat, with a round hat and scarf wrapped around her face, was sitting there, engrossed in reading a newspaper.
“According to the information I obtained, the activities of the Eight-pointed in Tivyan have significantly decreased again. It seems that your operation has achieved notable results,” Misha said slowly, still disguised. Meanwhile, Ed, standing nearby, was enjoying the distant scenery while responding calmly.
“Yes, the operation was quite successful. This time, not only did the Eight-pointed fail to achieve their goal, but they also lost some members. Their further contraction is foreseeable. This time, thanks to you, we managed to obtain Amper’s relics. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have had a clear understanding of the movements of those spider-like people.”
Ed spoke with a relaxed tone, and Misha continued seriously.
“I’ve heard about the situation in Gramorn. Since the Eight-pointed failed there, it shows that your plan to involve the Church has been going well. What exactly is the situation there? What is the Eight-pointed’s objective?”
“I don’t know much about the specific situation in Gramorn. I stayed in Tivyan and didn’t participate in the Gramorn incident; it was handled by another group within the Society. The Eight-pointed’s objective is currently unclear, but it seems related to the royal bloodline of Despenser and the ancient Prit faith before the Radiant Church. They went to Gramorn to seize and utilize the ancient faith ruins there. After we discovered their intentions, we created an opportunity to bring the Church into it, successfully hindering them from achieving their goal.”
Ed replied slowly. Misha had participated in the plan to involve the Church, so she could roughly discern the outline of the current event.
“The ancient Prit faith, huh? It seems that if we want to understand the true objective of the Eight-pointed, we need to delve deeper into the hidden secrets in Prit’s history. By the way, how is Professor John recovering? If he’s doing well, I would like to meet him and work together to explore this issue.”
Misha pondered aloud. Hearing her words, Ed raised his eyebrows slightly and then continued.
“So you’re thinking… you want to form your own team?”
“Something like that. When you asked me to act in front of those Church members, you taught me some lines, right? Things like the secret patriotic organization… That reminded me. Although these organizations are fake, they can indeed be useful…”
Misha said to Ed, her eyes flickering with a faint light.
“In the An Yin Bureau, I’m not the only one who noticed unusual activities above. Many others are wary and dissatisfied, but I am the most proactive among them.”
“It’s not just the An Yin Bureau. If the Eight-pointed are influencing the entire Prit leadership through some powerful means, other systems like the army, navy, or even the royal guard might also be affected. There must be many who feel something is wrong. If I can secretly contact these people and organize them covertly, we can form a strong force to counter the Eight-pointed.”
Misha said earnestly to Ed. Hearing her words, Ed was momentarily stunned before responding.
“You mean… you want to turn the Prit alert faction into a real one?”
“Exactly. After all, Prit’s problems should be solved by Prit people themselves. Relying too much on the Rosy Cross isn’t ideal. What do you think, Detective?”
Misha said to Ed. After some thought, Ed nodded slightly and continued.
“You’re right. In Tivyan, more power is never enough. If we can really draw manpower from various sectors of Prit’s military and government, that would be great. You are already close to the royal family and are more familiar with the upper echelons of Prit. It’s very appropriate for you to handle this matter.
“Go ahead, but be careful. If you need any help, let us know. We can provide some extraordinary technical support.”
Ed said. Dorothy knew that having extra help in opposing the Eight-pointed was beneficial. She also understood that Misha had always been somewhat wary of the Rosy Cross. She didn’t want security matters related to Prit to be entirely entrusted to a mysterious organization she barely understood.
Misha knew that the Rosy Cross helped her against the Eight-pointed because they wanted something from the Eight-pointed. They may not truly care about Prit’s future. Therefore, she needed her own plans, even if the Rosy Cross no longer supported her, she could still contend with the Eight-pointed.
“Thank you for your goodwill. Our new organization will need a lot of help from you at its inception. As a return, we will assist you in matters within Prit, such as sharing intelligence.
“To be honest, I’ve started recruiting people in Tivyan recently, gathering intelligence from various circles to understand the movements of the Eight-pointed. I’ve also picked up some interesting information.”
Misha continued to Ed, her expression carrying a hint of mystery. Hearing this, Ed asked curiously.
“Oh? Tell me more.”
“In recent times, there’s a rumor circulating in the unofficial secret circles of Tivyan. Archbishop Francesco of the Hymn Cathedral has been seriously injured and sent to the Sacred Summit for treatment. For some reason, the new Archbishop hasn’t taken office yet. Currently, Sister Vania Chafelin is acting as the Archbishop of the Hymn Cathedral…”
Lowering her voice slightly, Misha told Ed. Hearing this, Ed’s expression tightened.
“Oh… So it’s already spread?”
…
In another part of Tivyan, in a hidden corner, Dorothy was sitting there, recalling the information she had just learned from Misha, and fell into deep thought.
‘If I remember correctly, the Church didn’t publicize Archbishop Francesco’s serious injury or the news of Prit changing Archbishops to avoid trouble. The fact that Sister Vania is now the acting Archbishop of the Hymn Cathedral should not be known outside. Although the Church’s internal confidentiality in Tivyan isn’t strict, this information shouldn’t have leaked so quickly…
‘The only possibility is that the Eight-pointed deliberately spread this information. Although the Tivyan Church didn’t release specific details about Francesco and Vania, the An Yin Bureau, as an official extraordinary institution, should have a general understanding of the Tivyan Church’s situation. Both sides often work together, so the An Yin Bureau cannot be completely ignorant of the Church. Moreover, the An Yin Bureau is currently one-sidedly transparent to the Eight-pointed, so the Eight-pointed naturally can obtain this information.’
With a slightly heavy expression, Dorothy thought to herself. The Eight-pointed’s actions in spreading such information in the secret circles of Tivyan made her feel a bit uneasy.
‘Their move is clearly intended to cause trouble for the Church, responding to the events in Gramorn. Under the current circumstances, the Eight-pointed won’t have any ideas about the Church. By deliberately spreading this crucial information, it might stir up other societies…’
Dorothy pondered. For her, the Eight-pointed’s intentions were becoming clearer—they were retaliating against the Church. However, she wasn’t overly worried about it.
‘The Church’s massive structure is there. Even though the Tivyan Diocese doesn’t have a Red Tier guardian for the moment, no society would dare take advantage of this situation. A new Archbishop will eventually arrive. Even if someone takes advantage of this window to cause trouble, the Church’s retaliation would be too much for them. No foolish society would dare to take action during this period. I don’t need to worry too much about this problem.
‘For me, the most urgent thing now is to find some spirituality to alleviate the crisis after my next advancement. But the problem is, I don’t have much money left.
‘The ‘Divine Blessing Object’ stone I rented is still undergoing the refund process by the Artisan Guild. They’re reviewing the usage status to see if there’s any damage. It’ll take at least a month to complete the process, and I won’t get the deposit back. It’s difficult… This low-spirituality state will continue for some time. I must urgently find a new Secret Transmission…
Thinking about her current predicament, Dorothy frowned slightly. At that moment, a voice suddenly rang out.
“Oh… Why so troubled, Detective? Quickly, cheer up. I went through all this trouble to dress you up.”
Hearing this, Dorothy couldn’t help but twitch her lips. She then looked up in the direction of the voice and saw a large camera set up on a tripod in a dim room. Behind the camera stood a beautiful woman in a bright red dress—Adele.
“Are you happy?”
Hearing Adele’s words, Dorothy regained her composure and smiled at Adele, but Adele seemed unsatisfied.
“Too stiff. Relax a bit, relax. Don’t exaggerate the smile. Just a little. Also, loosen your body a bit. Don’t stand so straight.” Adele continued guiding Dorothy. Dorothy nodded repeatedly.
“Oh oh…”
At that moment, Dorothy was wearing the most luxurious outfit she had ever worn. She was dressed in a layered, intricately embroidered princess gown with a huge skirt and a tight-fitting top adorned with countless gold-thread embroidery. White gloves covered her hands, and her white hair was braided and coiled in a delicate style. A crown embedded with sparkling gems rested on her head.
Standing in the center of the room on a carpet, Dorothy followed Adele’s instructions to adjust her posture, mimicking the manner of a true princess attending an important occasion.
“This dress is so uncomfortable, so heavy and tight… It’s hard to pose. And this skirt… It’s too big and exaggerated…”
Looking at her heavy attire, Dorothy complained. On the other side, Adele spoke frankly.
“This is a genuine Faraluo court dress, one of my treasured possessions. The style of Faraluo nobles is like this—whatever is lavish and eye-catching. Comfort is not considered. This is the result of many years of competition and conformity among the nobility in the Palace of the Goddess. It’s very different from Prit’s emphasis on simplicity. I’ve long wanted to see you in formal attire. Today, I finally have the chance.”
With a slight smile, Adele said to Dorothy. Before this, when asking Adele for help, Dorothy had promised to come in person when the Eight-pointed matter temporarily settled. Initially, Dorothy thought this visit would be similar to last time, just drinking with Adele, but she didn’t expect Adele would want to take her photos, and in various costumes.
Finally, after numerous corrections, Dorothy’s posture reached what Adele desired. After a burst of light and smoke, Adele successfully took another photo. Dorothy then bent slightly to cover her sore waist.
“Hmm… This time, the effect should be good. Alright, Detective, now take off the dress. Let’s change into another one.”
Looking at Dorothy, Adele smiled. Dorothy, rubbing her waist, responded with some difficulty.
“There’s another one? Say, Adele, where did you get so many dresses for young girls? These aren’t your age-appropriate clothes, right…”
“Hehe… Beauty is distributed across different stages. I appreciate and collect different beauties. The budding stage of a young girl is one of the most beautiful moments. I can’t miss it.”
Adele smiled and continued, pointing at the court dress on Dorothy.
“Some of these dresses are specially bought for collection, and some are ones I wore before. Like the one you’re wearing now.
“Liking beauty is a woman’s nature. Every stage of beauty is worth celebrating and remembering. After this phase of your life passes, you’ll thank me for letting you wear so many beautiful outfits today.”
‘In the future… How long will it be? I’m currently at the Red Tier, and this phase might last for a while. If I advance to Golden, it’s even harder to predict…’
Dorothy muttered to herself. Suddenly, she remembered something and turned to look at Adele.
“By the way, Adele, do you have any leftover ‘Cup’ Secret Transmissions? If so, could I borrow one? Rent is negotiable.”
Hearing Dorothy’s words, Adele paused slightly and continued with a smile.
“‘Cup’ Secret Transmissions… I do have a couple. I don’t need them myself, so of course, I can lend them to you. But I don’t want rent. Next time, when I collect more beautiful outfits, you can come and take more photos for me.”
“Aah…” Hearing Adele’s words, Dorothy couldn’t help but open her mouth in surprise.
…
Under the misty fog, in a somewhat dark study in Tivyan, a figure sat in front of a large desk. In front of him was a piece of letter paper, and he held a fountain pen, rapidly writing on it.
“Kind Sister of the White Prayers, greetings. After a long time, I write to you again. Greetings, Mother of the Cup. May you be well recently.
“I apologize, as I have been preoccupied with trivial matters and couldn’t reply to your letters promptly. Recently, I finally found some free time. Now, we can continue our exchange and discussion on the common truths contained in the doctrines of the Holy Mother and the Mother of the Cup. I am looking forward to what results we can achieve in this round of exchanges.
“However, before that, there are some things I’d like to discuss with you, Sister of the White Prayers. Recently, some unsettling rumors have been circulating in Tivyan, related to the Hymn Cathedral. These rumors seem to suggest that the situation in the Tivyan Church is becoming unstable. I am concerned that you might face danger in this unstable environment, so I want to confirm your situation…”
