The leaders and bishops of the Quadrinity Church will gather on a ghost ship returning from Subspace to convene — an event so explosively surreal that, at any other ti, those hearing of it in the City-State would ponder whether to report it to the Judge or to a ntal hospital.
But now, it had actually happened.
Holoss arrived at the designated place at the designated ti — near Light Breeze Harbor, in the calm waters near the Storm Cathedral, it stopped there, and the "visitors" from the four Pilgrimage Arks gradually arrived by rowboats.
Sherry was peering over a railing at the stern deck, watching the clerics in the middle deck who were nervously looking around or feigning calmness and gritting their teeth; she muttered to the shadow beside her, "They really dared to co... See that bald guy? His forehead is so shiny, dripping with sweat..."
The muffled voice of Aho ca from the shadows, "It’s quite frightening... Back in the City-State, let alone eting dignitaries of this caliber, we would dodge even a few guards..."
"It’s a different ti now... Is that how you say it?" Sherry boasted proudly, "Now they are the ones who have to avoid us – at least on the ship. Hey, want to jump out and scare them? It’s a rare opportunity..."
"I could jump out, but you might get a thrashing from the captain afterward — should I really do it?"
"No no no, just kidding..."
On the deck, the magic doll Luny, who had arrived at Holoss with the hostess, was thodically guiding the "visitors" across the central deck toward the main doors that led to the cabins. She glanced back towards the direction of the stern deck and turned to a Deep Sea Cleric in bishop’s garb to explain, "That is Miss Sherry, the old master’s ’student’, you don’t need to panic."
"But I feel the presence of Profound Demons..." blurted the nervous Deep Sea Bishop, "right next to that ’Miss Sherry’..."
"That is Mr. Aho, Miss Sherry’s guardian dog," Luny explained calmly, "also a student of the old master, you don’t need to panic."
Deep Sea Bishop: "...?"
Luny, unbothered by the cleric’s suddenly perplexed expression, clapped her hands, looked up at the clerics who had just boarded, and reiterated so common precautions —
"The ropes on the ship sotis start moving on their own, if you get tied up, don’t worry, they’re just playing, a simple greeting should get them to let go; if you encounter a rolling bucket, don’t pay it any mind, they might just be transporting sothing; if you find a silver-haired doll’s head and can’t see the doll’s body nearby, please take the head to the mainmast and hand it over to a talking pigeon, the pigeon will help return the head;
"Additionally, do not stray into restricted areas, if you get lost, stop imdiately; the ship does not forbid prayers to the Divine, but the Divine cannot help you escape from locked cabins, so rember the ’rules’ I ntioned earlier; if you see a figure resembling offspring of the deep sea anywhere on the ship, maintain Calmness and leave, they are fish; do not be alard by unfamiliar shadows suddenly appearing in mirrors or dark corners, that is Mada Agatha taking a walk — she will not enter the visitors’ lounge...
"Always rember, the ship is safe and the atmosphere is friendly, if you feel you are dying, repeat in your heart: the ship is safe and the atmosphere is friendly, reflect on whether your own actions have violated the rules, rather than questioning if there is sothing wrong with the environnt..."
"Finally, may everyone have a fulfilling day aboard the Holoss—the al will be provided after the eting. Rest assured, it’s all substances consumable by humans."
The chanical doll smiled and bowed to the visitors.
"Next, please follow ; we’re headed to the great hall."
The clerics boarding the ship were either nervous, doubtful, or cautiously vigilant as they observed this Ghost Ship, shrouded in countless eerie tales and a dangerous aura. The "safety tips" given by a chanical doll on the deck did not alleviate the tension in the hearts of these normally rational people; rather, it added to the strange atmosphere they felt here—but driven by mission and duty, they had no choice but to dismiss their concerns and faithfully follow the bizarre chanical doll’s lead toward the direction of the cabins.
Fenna stood beneath a mast at a distance, watching Luny, who was busy in the distance, and couldn’t help but mutter softly, "I think Miss Lucricia shouldn’t have arranged for Luny to do the ’reception’—it would have been better to let and Mr. Morris go..."
"But I think it’s good," Helena’s voice arose from beside her. The dignified Female Pope stood next to Fenna with an inexplicable smile on her face. Her gaze landed on the distant deck, and her tone was sowhat cheerful, "This will make them realize why I emphasized ’don’t be too shocked’ before boarding and to ’take everything aboard the Holoss for granted’."
She paused, contemplatively looking at the vast silhouettes of the arks on the distant sea. "The bishops possess profound knowledge and superior Divine Arts, but they’ve stayed too long on ’normally ordered’ arks; that ’normalcy’ won’t last forever."
Fenna felt there was a deeper aning in the Female Pope’s words, but before she could open her mouth to ask, Helena spoke first, "Are you still getting used to being on this ship?"
"Uh... quite good," Fenna hesitated and hurriedly replied, "Everyone is very kind, and I’ve been exposed to many kinds of knowledge I’ve never heard of before. I’m also accumulating experience in combating heresy and blasphemy."
"That’s good," Helena smiled and then, without waiting for Fenna to speak, she went ahead towards the direction of the cabins, "We’ll talk after the eting—can’t keep the ’captain’ waiting too long."
Fenna paused, and then she noticed it seed as if a gaze was fixed on her.
Following this sensation, she looked towards where the gaze was coming from and saw an exceptionally tall figure on the distant deck, standing out among the crowd and looking towards her.
It was a Senkin person, wearing a plain short robe, his skin as grey-white as rock, his eyes deep and steady.
It was the leader of the Fire Transmitters, Frem.
This titan-like Senkin Pope nodded slightly from afar and then silently left.
Fenna was montarily stupefied; as her gaze t those calm eyes, she involuntarily recalled the boundless desert and the aged giant who had trekked through it with her...
The next mont, Fenna suddenly awoke from her reverie. After a brief hesitation, she also stepped toward the direction of the cabin.
The Captain’s call was resonating in her heart—it was ti.
Everyone had gathered in the largest cabin in the upper area of Holoss.
Though it was called a "eting hall," this place was essentially the dining hall of Holoss—Lukecrecia’s servants, sent ahead of ti, had tidied up the place sowhat and rearranged the tables and chairs to set up a venue for the eting.
Compared to the luxurious temples and grand temples on the Pilgrimage Ark, this "eting venue" obviously couldn’t be considered very glamorous.
But those gathered here dared not focus their attention on the supposed "modest" issue.
This was Holoss, a shadow returning from the Subspace, known as the "Fifth Ark" revealed and activated by the four divine entities—every inconspicuous corner of this ship held a different significance for this world.
rely being able to board this ship was already an unforgettable experience for anyone...even if they were distinguished bishops and "Inner Court Clerics" from the Pilgrimage Ark.
Unrelated personnel had already departed, and the Magic Doll servants sent from Brilliant Starship "to assist" closed the hall’s doors as they left.
Ordinary clerics sat around the periter of the eting space, while dozens of bishops grouped into four areas according to the different divinities they followed. A circle of chairs was placed at the center of the hall, where Helena, Frem, Banster, and Rune sat, facing across from them the true master of this ship and the master’s "followers."
Duncan had purposely instructed Lukecrecia to arrange the eting space this way.
He noticed that all eyes were focused on him—those glances were complex.
The atmosphere of tension had never dissipated from these people from the beginning to the end.
But he didn’t care about it.
"We et again," his gaze first fell on Helena across from him—the "Deep Sea Female Pope" was the first orthodox leader he had encountered in this world and one of the starting points of his contact with the civilized world, "Welco aboard my ship—I have kept my promise and still stand on the side of ’civilization’."
Helena politely and properly returned the greeting, yet her gaze involuntarily fell on Fenna, who was not far from Duncan.
The expression of the Female Pope was consistently calm and tranquil, but there was a hint of strangeness in the depths of her eyes.
Fenna had naturally taken a seat on the side representing Holoss...
The Storm Saint and Deep Sea Judge had done so without hesitation.
However, she quickly collected her thoughts and, after briefly composing her expression, she spoke up to break the sowhat frozen atmosphere of the scene.
"This is a closed eting. I presu everyone here already understands its nature—let us dispense with all formality and proceed directly to the main topic.
"Let us discuss what has happened in our world and what is about to happen."
She turned her head, her gaze resting on Rune beside her.
"One of our most learned scholars has brought sothing that might help those present who are still unaware of the truth learn what the ’Great Vanishing’ is."
Rune nodded, then gestured to soone nearby.
A scholar imdiately ca forward, handing him an object covered with a black cloth.
Duncan curiously observed this scene—he saw Rune unveil the black cloth, and what lay beneath it rather surprised him.
It was a birdcage.
The cage rely contained a small, unassuming black bird sitting quietly.
However, Rune’s expression turned serious. He lifted the birdcage in his hand, displaying it to everyone present.
"This is a Little Auk with black feathers, but it also has a more notorious na, well-known among scholars.
"The Mad Bird—in 1726, the infamous ’Hypa Incident’ gave this little bird its chilling nickna.
"Regarding the ’Great Vanishing’, I shall start with this little bird."
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