Chapter 690: Relief
Sitting in her hotel room, Dorothy looked seriously at the neatly appearing characters on the book “Navigation of the Literary Sea” before her. As she listened to Beverly describe the situation in Busairite from afar, she couldn’t help but gently stroke her chin.
‘Busairite… a place with mixed crowds and numerous factions, constantly in chaos? It seems like a place even more chaotic than Adus… if I were to go there to act, it might be even more troublesome.’
Dorothy thought this to herself, then picked up her pen again and wrote a response on the page.
“I have a general understanding of Busairite. I have another question I want to ask you. By the way, do you know about Heoperis?’
As she wrote, it took some time before she received Beverly’s reply.
“Heoperis… This sounds like a geographical name related to the events of the First Dynasty. This is probably connected to what you’re looking for in Busairite. From what I know, Busairite was once the core area of the First Dynasty, where many deep secrets of the dynasty are buried. If you plan to conduct a thorough investigation there, you should be wary of those Undead Kings underground.’
‘Undead King?’ Seeing the new term in Beverly’s response, Dorothy asked curiously, and Beverly immediately answered.
‘They are the surviving wraiths of ancient pharaohs during the First Dynasty. The First Dynasty was maintained by their faith in the Judge of Heaven, who was revered as the supreme ruler, with the main sacrificial system centered around him. Internally, it was divided into many different kingdoms, which were widely distributed with North Ufeiga as the center, involving South Ufeiga and the current Main Continent. The rulers of these kingdoms were called pharaohs, and the pharaohs of the largest kingdoms were granted the title of sage by the sacrificial system of the Judge of Heaven, thus they were also known as ‘Wise Kings’.
‘These pharaohs with the title of Wise King were none other than some of the most powerful Extraordinary Beings in the First Dynasty, serving as the main force to maintain its existence. When the First Dynasty perished due to mysterious events, some of these Wise Kings did not perish along with the entire dynasty but used certain means to become powerful Undead Kings, continuing to exist underground in tombs until today.’
Beverly’s words gradually reappeared before Dorothy’s eyes, on the page. Looking at the new content before her, Dorothy’s brows furrowed slightly.
‘Undead King… Isn’t that like Hafdar? So he was one of the Wise Kings in the First Dynasty. No wonder he had such great power, possessing extraordinary items like the Golden Scepter… He must have held quite a high position in the First Dynasty.’
Thinking this, after pondering, Dorothy picked up her pen again and wrote.
“Do you know anything else about these Undead Kings?”
‘More information… I’m afraid I don’t know much about them. Although these Undead Kings are very powerful, possessing strength that many large societies fear, they have been very low-key for thousands of years. They rarely appear outside, mostly only emerging in ancient ruins underground in North Ufeiga. Their impact on the world after the Second Era has been minimal. Some say they have been sleeping in ancient tombs, while others believe they have been plotting something significant. In any case, no one can say for sure.
‘The ones who interact with them most frequently are various Treasure Theft Societies. They often accidentally intrude into the territories of these Undead Kings when looting ancient tombs, leading to some degree of contact with them or their powers. Therefore, they should have some knowledge of them, though the majority of these contacts end in d*ath or a life worse than d*ath. Even these Treasure Theft Societies may not gather much more information. But if you truly want to learn more about them, these Treasure Theft Societies are still your best choice.’
Beverly wrote to Dorothy on the page, suggesting this. After reading Beverly’s words, Dorothy silently nodded, then replied.
‘I understand. I will pay attention to collecting information in this regard. Thank you for your reminder.’
Afterward, Dorothy chatted with her mechanical neighbor for a bit, then said goodbye and closed “Navigation of the Literary Sea.” After finishing their conversation, she stretched deeply.
“Hmm… I have to travel far away… No, I am already traveling far away, but the next place I need to go is even further…”
After stretching, Dorothy began rubbing her shoulders. At this moment, her mind was arranging her upcoming itinerary.
‘Now, I should return to Tivyán first. Go back and say hello to my brother before leaving, and also, my current spiritual energy is not sufficient. I need to spend some money to buy a wave of secret transmissions to supplement it. Going so far, I must ensure my spiritual energy is at a comfortable level.
‘Also, I need to find more information about Heoperis and those Undead Kings… Beverly suggested I ask large Treasure Theft Societies… but I don’t know any big Treasure Theft Societies. I only know Garib from the Boneyard Society, but he is already in prison and can’t be asked.
‘Right, if I remember correctly, Shadi used to be a treasure hunter before, right? Asking him might yield some useful information… I’ll try that later…’
Dorothy thought to herself, and after roughly confirming her itinerary, she put away the Guiding Key and “Navigation of the Literary Sea” on the table. She planned to leave immediately with Neve after resting for a bit, ending her journey in Faraluo.
…
The sky was clear and sunny, with bright sunlight. The thick bell sounds echoed among the cluster of spires, intertwining with the faint chanting voices. These sounds drifted through the magnificent buildings, extending all the way to a small garden.
In the garden, dense tree shade and fresh grass provided a serene environment. Flowers from different seasons bloomed luxuriantly here, birds flew and chirped among the trees, and small animals like squirrels and rabbits played in the grass. The fountain in the center of the garden emitted a gentle sound, creating a peaceful scene.
Inside a pavilion within the garden, a young nun dressed in white stood there, her platinum hair flowing gracefully. Despite the tranquil surroundings, she appeared somewhat nervous. She stood still, occasionally turning her head slightly to look around, seemingly waiting for someone.
“Nun Vania…”
While the nun was hesitating and waiting, a distortion of light appeared before her. Then, an image of a translucent nun appeared before her eyes. The nun was taken aback and immediately bowed slightly before speaking.
“Nun Evie, you’ve arrived… Has Lady Amanda not arrived yet?” Vania asked Evie, to which Evie responded with a smile.
“Lady Amanda has arrived. Look behind you.”
Hearing Evie’s words, Vania was slightly startled and turned around. Then, she saw a mature beauty with golden waist-length hair, wearing a simple light-colored robe, slowly walking on the gravel path in the grass towards the pavilion where Vania was. Vania was momentarily stunned, then immediately bowed and said.
“Holy Peace, Lady Amanda.”
“No need for formalities, Sister Vania,” said the mature beauty as she walked up to the pavilion and nodded. Vania, hearing her words, lifted her head and looked at the woman in front of her.
When Vania first came to Sacred Summit, she had seen this person before, albeit in the grand cathedral where she was far away. At that time, she saw a woman dressed in a luxurious red robe, wearing a crown, solemn and dignified, standing before the altar.
She soon learned that this woman was one of the seven cardinal bishops in the upper echelons of the Radiant Church, a living saint named Saint Amanda, her protector within the church. She was the greatest support Vania could rely on in the vast and complex church filled with dangers.
Listening to Amanda’s words, Vania raised her head and respectfully said.
“I have been waiting here for your arrival, ready to greet you actively once your carriage arrives… I didn’t expect you to come directly.”
At this moment, the Amanda standing before her looked very different from when they first met in terms of attire and demeanor. Previously, she appeared very dignified and imposing, but now she seemed more approachable, catching Vania off guard.
“All those formalities are too ostentatious, not only troublesome but also wasteful. Unless it’s a necessary occasion, I try not to bother with them. Besides, this garden can be considered my private space. Wearing such cumbersome attire would only make me uncomfortable…”
Looking around the surroundings, Amanda spoke calmly, then continued.
“Alright, sit down. Standing to talk is inconvenient.”
As she spoke, Amanda sat down on the stone chair inside the pavilion and gestured for Vania to sit as well. Vania hesitated slightly, then sat down near Amanda, but her posture was stiff and unnatural.
“Sister Vania, how have you been staying here for a while? How does it feel?” After sitting down, Amanda asked Vania gently, and Vania immediately responded.
“It feels very good, Lady. Sacred Summit is a place every believer dreams of visiting, and I am no exception. The grandeur, magnificence, and solemnity here have greatly impressed me. I am honored to have lived here for such a long time.”
“Hmm… Impressive isn’t exactly the right word, but I heard from Evie that you’ve been rather tense recently, often feeling anxious,” Amanda smiled slightly and continued, causing Vania to pause before responding.
“Well… Apologies, Lady. Since this is my first time in Sacred Summit, I don’t fully understand the rules here, so I’ve been overly cautious at times. I’m afraid I might make mistakes inadvertently…”
Vania said, listening to which, Amanda nodded slightly and continued.
“This is normal. However, you don’t need to be so reserved. Those who always need to be cautious are usually low-ranking outsiders. Given your status, most people here don’t have the right to criticize you. You can relax more.”
“Mm… I understand, Lady. Thank you for your advice,” Vania nodded and said, and then Amanda continued.
“By the way, have you heard that your ceremony is almost complete? How do you feel now?”
“Yes… I completed the purification ceremony yesterday. The current situation is… I still feel a little uncomfortable,” Vania responded seriously to Amanda. Listening to her words, Amanda naturally replied.
“The purification ceremony requires soaking the entire body in holy water, affecting all organs. It’s normal to experience some lingering effects afterward, which should improve in a few days… However, since you’re here today, I can help you a little. Please extend your hand.”
“Mm…”
Listening to Amanda’s words, Vania did not dare to delay, extending her hand and placing it in front of Amanda. Amanda touched it lightly with her own hand, and Vania immediately felt a warm current spread throughout her body, bringing comfort both inside and out.
During this process, Amanda’s eyebrows barely flickered before quickly returning to their original state.
After the comfortable warmth in Vania’s body disappeared, the discomfort caused by the previous ceremony vanished instantly. Feeling this, Vania couldn’t help but smile and say to Amanda.
“Thank you, Lady. I feel completely fine now! I’ve never felt so comfortable in my life.”
“That’s good… ” With a smile, Amanda released Vania’s hand and continued after looking at the white-robed nun in front of her.
“You have completed all previous ceremonies. Now, you are just one step away from the Red Tier. However, this is the hardest step. Today, I brought you here specifically to personally inform you about the last stage of your ceremony.”
“The last stage of the ceremony… Please tell me specifically what it entails?”
“The Path of the Holy Mother, also known as the Path of Redemption. Therefore, the last stage of the ceremony is also related to redemption. Let me be direct: you need to relieve ten thousand people to officially ascend to the Red Tier.”
Amanda said seriously to Vania. Hearing her words, Vania was momentarily stunned, then blurted out.
“Relieve… ten thousand people? Is it really necessary to do so many?”
“Yes… To save the masses, one must start with saving those in front of them, taking action themselves. Helping ten thousand people escape suffering is what you need to do to obtain the power of the Red Tier.”
Amanda said, then looking at the stunned Vania, she continued.
“Relieving ten thousand people seems unattainable, but in fact, it’s not as daunting as it seems. Relief can mean helping patients overcome their illnesses, giving food to the hungry, or assisting disaster victims to escape famine.
“Although it’s shameful, we have to admit that since the founding of the Holy Church a thousand years ago, various disasters have never truly ceased. Countless people continue to suffer, and those awaiting relief far outnumber those providing it.
“Especially in the peripheral areas influenced by the Holy Church, wars, famines, and epidemics run rampant… In those places, it’s easy to find many people suffering.”
