Chapter 694: Arrival at Port
During the day, on a vast sea somewhere.
The sky was clear and sunny, waves surged, and amidst the boundless sea, a large white cruise ship was slicing through the green-blue waves, heading forward. On the deck of this cruise ship, numerous travelers were gathered, taking advantage of the good weather to enjoy the scenery while sipping afternoon tea.
At a wide platform towards the rear of the cruise ship, near a fixed outdoor table with an umbrella, Dorothy, dressed in a white dress with a sailor style, with her hair tied up on one side, sat there enjoying the sea breeze while eating the sweets provided by the ship, leisurely drinking her afternoon tea. Across from her was Nephnis, wearing sunglasses and a checkered shirt with light-colored pants. At this moment, she was sitting with her legs crossed, gazing at the distant sea.
“Never thought that after just a year, I would have to go back to North Ufeiga again… Being an extraordinary being feels a bit like being an archaeologist; we often have to travel far for fieldwork…” Nephnis said as she drank her tea, and Dorothy raised her eyebrows slightly in response before asking:
“Oh, then Neph, do you think being an extraordinary being is more tiring than attending university?”
Dorothy asked, and upon hearing her words, Nephnis tapped her chin thoughtfully for a moment before answering:
“Well… In terms of feeling, being an extraordinary being seems more exhausting. First of all, there are too many dangerous things. Secondly, every trip is a long journey, often involving traveling abroad, which is very tiring. I feel that last year’s experiences were more than what I had accumulated over the past decade, and almost all of them were filled with fear. When I returned to normal classes, it felt so safe and comfortable…
“If it weren’t for the family curse, I might not have delved deeply into the extraordinary world. At most, it would have been just a hobby. But my family’s curse is destined, and I fear I cannot live such a peaceful life…”
Nephnis said with a hint of melancholy. Hearing this, Dorothy slowly took a sip of her tea and responded:
“Don’t worry, once your family’s curse is lifted, you can choose any life you want. But by then, having been deeply involved in the secret world, returning to a completely ordinary life might be challenging.”
“Haha… If only the Pharaoh’s curse could be solved, nothing would be difficult for me. Regardless, I hope this trip to North Ufeiga will help us find clues to lift the curse. I’ve taken so much time off, missing a lot of classes. It would be a waste if we came back empty-handed.”
With a light laugh, Nephnis said to Dorothy, who smiled in response.
“Don’t worry, your studies are the least of our concerns. If you’re really worried, I can spend some time self-studying to your level and give you special tutoring. I won’t let you fail.”
“Huh… Is that so?” Nephnis scratched her head, recalling her previous experiences of being taught by Dorothy. Honestly, the pressure back then was much greater than when she attended classes normally.
Seeing Nephnis’ reaction, Dorothy continued smiling and turned to look at the endless sea beside her. At that moment, she was also pondering what she might encounter on her return to North Ufeiga.
…
After a brief preparation in Tivyán, Dorothy, with the “school documents” given by Beverly, found Gregor again and told him she wanted to study abroad at a foreign prestigious university for a semester, so she wouldn’t be in Tivyán for a while. Since the matter concerned Dorothy’s education and Beverly had arranged for a prominent educational figure with connections to Crown University to oversee things, Gregor agreed to Dorothy’s exchange program without hesitation, feeling proud of his sister’s academic excellence.
Gregor readily agreed to Dorothy’s proposal not only because he genuinely cared about her studies but also because he had noticed that Tivyán was becoming increasingly unstable recently. The Eight Pinnacle Nest had deeply infiltrated official extraordinary institutions and remained persistent in their activities, leaving traces throughout the city. Last year, there were even instances of cults openly attacking churches. The Archbishop of Prit was injured and had to return to Sacred Summit to recuperate due to unknown reasons. The Chief of the An Yin Bureau was also injured during a public attack by the cult. The Holy Hymn Cathedral became a battlefield, and large-scale extraordinary phenomena raged outside the city outskirts.
After experiencing these events, Gregor felt that Tivyán, as the capital of Prit, was no longer safe. Various extraordinary forces were targeting the city, and even extraordinary beings at the Red Tier Level could not guarantee absolute safety here, let alone ordinary civilians. Although there hadn’t been a major disaster affecting civilians yet, Gregor saw signs indicating that such an event could happen at any time.
Therefore, Gregor was inclined to temporarily send Dorothy away from Tivyán to live elsewhere until the danger passed.
Thus, after obtaining Gregor’s approval and making preparations, Dorothy immediately purchased tickets to North Ufeiga and set out with Nephnis. This journey could involve encountering a Necromancer King like Havdar, and they hoped to find clues to lift her family’s curse. Nephnis readily agreed to restart the journey with Dorothy.
Dorothy and Nephnis set sail from Tivyán, transferring ships at various coastal ports along the way. After nearly two weeks, they finally arrived back at North Ufeiga, the hot sandy continent they had visited before.
Like many other travelers who had come to North Ufeiga, Dorothy and Nephnis’ first stop was Kankdal, known as the gateway to North Ufeiga.
In this largest port city of North Ufeiga, Dorothy and Nephnis paused their journey and stopped here. They rested and recovered from the long trip while revisiting the city and experiencing its recent changes. Of course, their wait was not just for rest but to meet someone.
…
On a clear and sunny day, several days after arriving in Kankdal, Dorothy and Nephnis came to the bustling port. The wide dock was packed with people.
Countless citizens of Kankdal had gathered, filling almost all the available space. Among them were people from the mainland and residents of the city outskirts with dark skin.
On this fine afternoon, these citizens of Kankdal had gathered, holding banners and braving the sun, eagerly watching the sea. Amidst the noise and excitement, they awaited the arrival of a familiar and respected guest.
On the water surface of the dock, a huge ship had already anchored here. It was adorned with thick iron armor engraved with religious stories, mysterious inscriptions densely carved, scrolls hanging like signal flags, dual-barreled heavy cannons installed on the front and rear decks, and a formidable ram… It had all the distinctive features of a church vessel. This massive warship, weighing thousands of tons, was quietly moored at the largest berth in the port.
The citizens of Kankdal had seen the church’s warships before, but none as enormous as this one. Its height was much taller than a typical building and larger than most warships docked in Kankdal. Even the knowledgeable merchants present had never seen such a warship. Only a few nobles, officials, and experienced sailors knew the general origin of this warship.
This was the main battleship of the church fleet, the true core strength of the church’s naval power. Although there were multiple levels of these main battleships deployed in different fleets, they rarely participated in escort missions and thus rarely appeared in the eyes of ordinary people. They usually only sailed between military ports and maintained themselves, typically executing destruction missions.
In fact, the main battleships of the church did participate in escort missions, albeit rarely. If a main battleship were to participate in an escort mission, the object of protection would be someone of extremely high honor and status. Generally, only the leaders of countries and the archbishops of the church had such treatment. However, this particular main battleship was currently on an escort mission, which it had now completed.
Amidst the cheers from the dock, a white figure emerged among the crowd on the deck of the huge ship. The moment the figure appeared, the cheers on the dock reached a peak. The atmosphere heated up, and many people shouted the name of Sister Vania.
On the deck of the huge ship, Sister Vania, dressed in her iconic white nun’s habit, was stunned by the grand and enthusiastic scene before her. She seemed to be shocked by the spectacle.
Actually, scenes like this were not unfamiliar to her. About a year ago, she had witnessed something similar, but the scale and enthusiasm then were far less impressive than now.
Although the number of people welcoming Vania last time was not small, it was mainly organized by the city administration of Kankdal, involving a few hundred people. Most of them were there out of courtesy to the church, rather than genuine enthusiasm. But now, the difference was significant. At least ten thousand people were welcoming her, mostly ordinary citizens. Their enthusiasm didn’t seem to be organized but spontaneous.
This change reflected the immense increase in Vania’s popularity within just a year. In the aftermath of events in Adus and subsequent incidents, Vania’s influence around the world had expanded significantly, rising from being merely a nun promoted by the church in newspapers to a global star.
In particular, the changes in Kankdal were notable. Due to the events in Kankdal, the citizens here had linked Vania more closely with the city. Her experience of being framed and falsely accused had become legendary, giving rise to numerous wondrous or eerie legends. Some of the assassination sites and the hotel rooms where Vania stayed were now small tourist attractions, attracting countless local and foreign tourists. This scene vividly represented Vania’s current popularity in Kankdal.
‘So many people… all looking up to me?’
Looking at the enthusiastic crowd, Vania was somewhat startled, thinking in her heart. Being loved and looked up to by so many people left her both overwhelmed and fearful. Her position was higher than ever, and she feared falling from such heights.
“Lord… please protect me…”
After silently praying, Vania mustered the courage to step forward, smiling and descending the long gangway amid the enthusiastic welcome of the crowd below.
At this moment, a thin chain hung from her neck, extending into her clothes. Inside her clothes, an old pendant of the Holy Mother swayed gently with her steps.
…
“Ahh… Sister’s popularity seems to have increased even more. It’s almost rivaling Miss Adele’s…” Nephnis, dressed in North Ufeiga robes, remarked as she watched Sister Vania descend the gangway surrounded by countless people. Beside her, Dorothy, wearing a smaller version of the robe, slowly responded.
“I think Adele’s popularity only surpasses Vania’s in Tivyán. Vania’s popularity worldwide is much higher than Adele’s. The church’s promotional capabilities are not something entertainment companies can match.”
“Hmm… Really? But I think if Miss Adele directly hired Miss Dorothy as her agent, her fame wouldn’t be much lower than Sister Vania’s. After all, spending time with you often leads to big news stories, and handling them well means no shortage of exposure,” Nephnis said with interest, teasing Dorothy. Dorothy smiled in response.
“In a sense, I’ve been your and Vania’s agent for quite some time now. I’ve even carefully designed your public images.”
“Huh? Mine? When?” Nephnis said, surprised by Dorothy’s words. Dorothy replied without changing her expression.
“Of course, it’s about Thief K. Your fame isn’t inferior to any ordinary celebrity, and your public image is one of my proudest creations.”
Dorothy said, and Nephnis felt awkward, scratching her head before continuing.
“Uh… Let’s not talk about that. Speaking of which, Sister has arrived. What’s next?”
“We’ll follow Vania’s team to Adus, and then transfer to Busairite. But before we officially go to Busairite, we need to meet some old friends in Adus.” Dorothy said with her hands crossed in front of her chest. Nephnis nodded silently.
“Old friends…”
