Time flies, and soon more than ten days have passed. As the pages of the calendar on the wall are torn off one by one, the year officially comes to an end. In just one more day, the new year will arrive.
December 31st, Tivian. Snowflakes drift down from the sky, and a thin layer of white has begun to accumulate on the rooftops. Although the temperature in the city has dropped to a new low, the streets are more bustling than ever.
East Tivian, Boyle Family Mansion.
Nephthys, who has returned home for the holidays, sits in her study. She is dressed in a sweater and long pants, seated at her desk with a burning charcoal brazier beside her. On the desk lies an old book.
Nephthys focuses intently on the contents of the book, which isn’t very thick. She has already reached the last page. After a short while, she flips over the final page and finally finishes reading it.
"Phew... I’ve finally finished this one too."
Letting out a long sigh, Nephthys closes the old book on the desk. She leans back in her chair, closes her eyes, and concentrates, beginning a prayer. After a moment, she opens her eyes again, her gaze clearer than before.
"Thank you, Aka... for Your blessings..."
Clutching her chest, Nephthys murmurs sincerely. With Aka’s help, she has now purified the cognitive poison in her mind and accumulated the corresponding spirituality. She then picks up the mystical text she has just finished reading and looks at its cover. The title reads "The Wolf Ritual."
“The Wolf Ritual is a mystical text that details the characteristics and advancement methods of the Beast Path within the Chalice domain. After reading this, I feel like I’ve accumulated a lot of Chalice spirituality. Combined with what I’ve gained from ‘The Queen’s Procession’ and the ‘The Song of the Lamb’ given by Miss Dorothy, I think I’ve fully met the spirituality requirements for advancement.” Looking at the mystical text in her hand, Nephthys thinks to herself. Indeed, after a month of diligent study, Nephthys has now met the spirituality requirements for advancement to the Black Earth rank. All that’s left is the ritual.
Since the incident with the mummy’s curse, Nephthys has become exceptionally diligent in studying mystical texts. Correspondingly, Dorothy has been continuously providing her with the mystical texts she needs.
First, Dorothy gave her a handwritten copy of the mystical text on Spirit Sacrifice obtained from the New Continent. Then, she received her grandfather’s notes from her butler, Nust. After spending more than half a month studying them intently, by the time Dorothy asked for her help in the transaction with the Nether Coffin Order, Nephthys had almost finished reading Davis’s notes and the Spirit Sacrifice text, extracting a significant amount of Silence spirituality.
After that, Dorothy gave her three mystical texts related to Silence—two books and one painting—obtained from the Nether Coffin Order, along with "The Wolf Ritual," which is packed with Chalice spirituality. Nephthys spent another half a month studying these, finally finishing them all. After more than a month of diligent study, Nephthys has successfully converted the mystical text resources Dorothy provided into spirituality. Now, both her Silence and Chalice spirituality meet the requirements for advancement to the Black Earth rank of the Body Possession Path. All that’s left is to perform the ritual.
Sitting in her chair, Nephthys recalls the advancement ritual for the Body Possession Path from her grandfather’s notes. As a Beyonder path that involves controlling spirits, the Body Possession Path requires the practitioner to voluntarily allow a strong, unbound spirit with high intelligence to possess them, and then subdue the spirit. This can be done either by directly suppressing the spirit with one’s will or by communicating with it and making it act according to one’s wishes.
“Subduing a spirit through possession... That’s the advancement method for the Body Possession Path. But in Tivian, most haunted places have been cleared out by the Serenity Bureau and the church, as Miss Dorothy mentioned. Where can I find a suitable spirit?”
Frowning slightly, Nephthys thinks to herself. She then shifts her gaze to the other side of the desk, where a portion of her grandfather Davis’s notes lies.
“I wonder if Grandpa knew where to find a suitable spirit for advancement in Pritt... If he did, he probably wrote it down in his other notes. Unfortunately... I only have this one notebook. The others are still in Nust’s hands. He’s still not willing to give me all the notes at once…”
Looking at the notebook on the desk, Nephthys thinks to herself. Davis had decades of experience in exploration and tomb raiding, so his notes naturally span more than just this one volume. After Davis’s death, all his notes were kept by his most loyal servant, Nust, who is now the butler of the Boyle family.
After the mummy incident, Nust agreed to give Nephthys the notes to help her officially embark on the Beyonder path. However, due to concerns about her ability to handle cognitive poison, he didn’t give her all the notes at once. Instead, he has been giving them to her one by one, allowing her to study them gradually.
Although Nephthys has often hinted to Nust that she has a highly effective method for dealing with cognitive poison and that it would be fine to give her all the notes at once, Nust doesn’t believe her. For safety reasons, he continues to hold onto the remaining notes. As a result, even if Nephthys wants to find a spirit through the notes, she has no way to do so.
“Forget it... I’ve only just accumulated enough spirituality. I’ll think about advancement later. Right now, there are other things to deal with...:”
Thinking this, Nephthys puts away all the mystical texts on her desk. She then picks up the brazier and leaves the study, heading down the stairs from the third floor to the first-floor hall.
After placing the brazier next to the fireplace in the hall, Nephthys quickly walks to the entrance, puts on her heavy winter coat, and prepares to go out. At this moment, a voice comes from behind her.
"Miss, are you going out?"
Hearing this, Nephthys turns around and sees Nust, dressed in his butler’s uniform, standing by the railing on the second floor.
"Yes, I have a friend from out of town arriving in Tivian soon. I need to go and meet them."
"A friend arriving at this time... I see. Will you be back for dinner tonight?"
Nust continues to ask, and Nephthys responds uncertainly.
"Well... I’m not sure yet. This year, Mom and Dad went back to the family estate to rest, so they’re not here. I might not come back. I might find a place to watch the New Year’s Eve show or something."
Tapping her chin with her finger, Nephthys speaks to Nust, who finally nods and says.
"Alright then. Be careful on the road, Miss."
After bidding farewell to Nust, Nephthys, now dressed in her coat, steps out of the house. In the cold wind, she tightens her clothes and then hails a carriage on the roadside. After getting in, she directly addresses the coachman.
"Please take me to Seagull Road at North Bay Port."
Following Nephthys’s instructions, the coachman drives the carriage toward the sea in the east. Sitting inside the carriage, Nephthys looks out the window at the streets adorned with festive New Year decorations and the bustling crowds.
“Arriving right at the New Year... this member from the New Continent really knows how to pick a time…”
As she gazes out the window, Nephthys thinks to herself. As the scenery outside quickly passes by, the carriage soon arrives at its destination—a crossroads near a harbor in East Tivian.
Amidst the distant sound of ship horns, Nephthys pays the fare and steps out of the carriage. The cold sea wind of winter makes her tighten her coat. After exhaling a few white breaths, she looks around and sees countless carriages loaded with goods moving back and forth on the road, many of them filled with barrels of fish. The air carries a faint salty smell.
Seagulls fly and cry in the sky, and the people on the ground continue to bustle even as the New Year approaches. Just after getting out of the carriage, Nephthys looks around the intersection, seemingly searching for something. Before long, she finds her target.
Near the harbor, under a streetlamp, Nephthys spots a figure who seems somewhat out of place.
It is a young man dressed in ordinary cotton suit pants and a low top hat, carrying a suitcase. His skin has a distinct brownish-yellow hue.
The young man stands under the streetlamp, looking around with obvious curiosity and nervousness. Nephthys, upon seeing this, immediately walks over. Without the man noticing, she approaches him from behind and softly whispers.
"Excuse me... are you Mr. Kapak?"
Hearing the voice behind him, the young man is startled. He turns around and, upon seeing Nephthys, is momentarily stunned. His eyes widen as he murmurs.
"I... I am Kapak. You... you are..."
"You can call me ’Thief.’ I was sent by ’Scholar’ to meet you. It’s a pleasure to meet you here, friend from the New Continent.
Facing Kapak, Nephthys speaks with a smile.
…
East Tivian, a teahouse near the Port District.
In a corner booth with a brazier, Nephthys and Kapak sit facing each other, sizing each other up.
"So... Miss Thief, you were sent by Scholar to meet me? You and Scholar, as well as Detective, belong to the same organization, one that worships Aka?"
With a curious tone, Kapak asks Nephthys, who puts a finger to her lips and whispers mysteriously.
"Shh... keep your voice down, Kapak. Our organization is a secret society on the mainland. Ordinary people must not know about it. When discussing such matters in the future, it’s best to be cautious."
"Ah... is that so? My apologies, Miss Thief. I’m from a tribe and have just arrived here. I’m not familiar with many things. If I’ve done anything inappropriate, please forgive me."
Hearing Nephthys’s words, Kapak apologizes. Seeing his attitude, Nephthys nods, feeling a bit of secret satisfaction. Kapak’s demeanor gives her the feeling of being a senior member of the organization.
"It’s alright. Just be more careful in the future. Actually, your behavior surprises me a bit, Kapak. Scholar said you’re a native of the New Continent. In our general impression, indigenous people are supposed to be more... um... wild and natural. But you don’t fit that image at all. Not only is your behavior not much different from ours, but your Prittish is even more standard than many people’s."
Nephthys says this, and Kapak humbly responds.
"My Prittish is a blessing from Aka. In my tribe, I’m a doctor. Since I often go to your colonizers’ cities to buy medicine, I’ve spent a lot of time in your cities. I’ve even managed to obtain a legal identity through some means. That’s why I was able to board a ship and come to this city so smoothly."
Kapak says this, and upon hearing his words, Nephthys’s heart stirs slightly.
“A blessing from Aka? So Aka’s blessings not only eliminate cognitive poison but also allow someone to quickly master a language... Ugh, I really want a blessing like that too…”
Nephthys thinks enviously. At this moment, Kapak’s expression becomes serious again as he speaks.
"Miss Thief, since you were sent by Scholar to meet me, you must know the purpose of my trip here, right? Time waits for no one. Sado and his group could act at any moment. We need to act quickly to stop him. Let’s finish this cup of hot tea to warm up and then set out."
With a sense of urgency, Kapak says this to Nephthys. After hearing his words, Nephthys is surprised and responds.
"Well... I know you’re here to find someone, but you’ve just arrived in Tivian. There’s no need to rush. You can rest for a day before starting your search."
Nephthys says this to Kapak. In her opinion, after a ten-day journey from the New Continent to Pritt, it’s only natural to rest upon arrival. However, Kapak doesn’t see it that way.
"Now is not the time to rest, Miss Thief. When I heard that today is your New Year’s Eve, I felt something was wrong. Sado came here specifically to cause destruction and make your people suffer. For him, New Year’s Eve is the perfect time to strike. Ruining a joyful moment with brutal destruction will surely create a lot of pain.”
"So, Sado is probably already hiding somewhere in this city, waiting for the right moment to launch his attack.”
"Sado could act today. What we need to do now is find him immediately and stop him."
Kapak speaks to Nephthys with a serious expression. Hearing his words, Nephthys can’t help but scratch her head.
“Act immediately? This is a bit rushed... It looks like I might not be able to celebrate the New Year properly this year…”
Nephthys thinks to herself, already foreseeing that she might have a busy New Year’s Eve.
…
South Tivian, Bishop’s Square.
In the evening, a large wooden stage is being erected in the center of the spacious square. The stage, made of wood, is mostly complete. Many workers are busy decorating it, making final preparations for the evening’s performance.
Although the New Year’s Eve show hasn’t started yet, a considerable number of citizens have already gathered in Bishop’s Square. They look expectantly at the nearly finished stage, eagerly anticipating tonight’s performance.
Since the upcoming show will be attended by very important figures, royal guards serving the royal family have already begun securing vantage points on the rooftops around the square. Even before the show starts, they are monitoring the entire square area in the cold wind, keeping an eye out for any suspicious activity.
At the edge of the square, in an inconspicuous corner, a large tent has been set up. The tent bears the emblem of the Radiance Church and is labeled "Emergency Medical Station."
Inside the tent, several neatly arranged beds line the space. In front of a small Holy Mother Altar at the edge of the tent, Vania, dressed in her nun’s habit, kneels on the ground, praying devoutly. As the cold wind blows into the tent, she suddenly sneezes loudly.
"Achoo!"
Taking out a tissue, Vania wipes her nose and murmurs.
"I never thought... that this New Year’s Eve, instead of praying in the church, I’d be assigned to this place for emergency medical duty…”
"This is the first time I’m not spending New Year’s Eve praying in the church..."