North Tivian, a certain street.
In the winter sky, a rare sun disperses the clouds, casting gentle sunlight onto the chilly streets. The snow on the rooftops glistens brightly due to the reflection, and melting ice drips from the eaves, splashing onto the sidewalks.
Taking advantage of the rare sunny winter day, many citizens of Tivian have chosen to step out of their homes and onto the streets. Coincidentally, the tense security situation in Tivian has recently eased, allowing the relieved citizens to enjoy the precious sunlight.
On a bustling street, at a table by the window of a restaurant, a white-haired girl in a white cotton coat sits, eating grilled sausages while observing the street scene. Across from her sits a young man in a plain black cotton coat, looking haggard.
This young man is Gregor. Having endured over a week of New Year overtime, he finally found some time to meet with his sister, thanks to the recent easing of the high-pressure crackdown by Tivian’s official Beyonder institutions. However, he was surprised to learn from her that she had some unexpected news.
"Um... Dory, did you just say you need to go on some kind of study tour? You won’t be staying at school for a while and are planning to go abroad?"
With clear astonishment, Gregor addresses his younger sister, while Dorothy nods, continuing to eat her grilled sausages.
"That’s right, Gregor. As you know, our middle school is affiliated with Royal Crown University, and it has deep ties with the university. Every year, Royal Crown organizes study tours for students from certain departments to broaden their horizons. This year’s tour is about to start in a few days.”
"Some professors at Royal Crown believe it’s beneficial for younger students to see the world early, so this year they’ve made an exception and offered a few spots to our middle school. Students with excellent grades can join the tour, and since my grades are pretty good, I was selected. I just received the letter two days ago."
As she speaks, Dorothy finishes her grilled sausage. After hearing her explanation, Gregor frowns slightly."So, how long will this study tour last?"
"Hmm... Let me think. Probably around two to three months," Dorothy replies. Gregor continues to question her.
"Two to three months? That’s quite a long time. Won’t being away from school for so long affect your studies? And isn’t it a bit too early for you to go abroad alone at just thirteen?"
Gregor speaks with concern, but Dorothy waves her hand dismissively.
"Don’t worry, big brother~ We’ll be accompanied by school teachers the entire time. We’ll be traveling as a group, so there won’t be any issues. Besides, it’s not just our middle school teachers; there will also be professors and seniors from Royal Crown. Traveling with them, I won’t have to worry about falling behind in my studies. In fact, this trip is a great opportunity to broaden my horizons and learn more.”
"Plus, being selected for such a rare opportunity will be a big boost for my future studies. The tour is organized by Royal Crown, and my goal is to get into Royal Crown University. Participating in activities like this will leave a good impression on them, and who knows? It might even help me get directly admitted!"
Dorothy’s words about the possibility of being directly admitted to Royal Crown University immediately catch Gregor’s attention.
"Direct admission? You mean you could get in without taking the exams? That’s amazing!"
Gregor’s eyes light up. His greatest wish is to see his sister successfully get into university. The possibility of her being directly admitted to one of the nation’s top universities excites him.
"Of course. If you don’t believe me, take a look at this letter from Royal Crown."
With that, Dorothy pulls an envelope from her bag and hands it to Gregor. The seal on the envelope, though slightly damaged, bears the emblem of Royal Crown University.
With eager anticipation, Gregor takes the envelope and reads the letter inside. Seeing the official Royal Crown University stamp, his initial worries gradually fade. As he reads, a smile spreads across his face, and Dorothy, watching him, can’t help but smile as well.
She knows she’s finally convinced her big brother.
…
Not long after, Dorothy and Gregor finish their meal. After some more conversation, Dorothy bids her brother farewell and sets off on her journey back to Green Shade Town.
Inside the carriage, Dorothy gazes out at the bustling crowd outside the window and lets out a sigh of relief.
"Finally, I’ve settled things with Gregor. Now... it’s time to wait for the departure."
Sitting in the carriage, Dorothy murmurs to herself. What she had just done was the final preparation before her trip—convincing Gregor.
Ever since Dorothy learned that the Priest of Fangs possessed a bird corpse marionette with a residual spiritual thread connected to her, she knew she had to eliminate this potential threat. To sever the thread, she decided to travel far enough to stretch the thread beyond its control range, effectively breaking it.
After coming up with this plan, Dorothy immediately decided on her post-New Year travel plans and began thinking about where to go for this long-distance trip.
At the same time, Dorothy received messages from Nephthys and Vania, both of whom also had travel plans after the New Year.
Nephthys was participating in a school-organized study tour, while Vania needed to make a pilgrimage to a holy site for her promotion. Both were planning to go abroad. After considering their destinations, Dorothy quickly decided on her own destination—Ivengard.
From their recent conversations, Dorothy learned that Nephthys’ first major destination was Adria, a famous water city in Ivengard, where they would attend a cultural exhibition. Vania, on the other hand, needed to go to the Leichel Valley in Ivengard, a holy site for the church’s Holy Mother faction, where she would complete her promotion pilgrimage.
Although Vania and Nephthys had different specific destinations, their main goal was Ivengard. Naturally, Dorothy decided to set her travel destination there as well. Traveling together would allow them to support each other along the way.
"Ivengard... In the mystic history, it doesn’t seem like a very peaceful country."
Sitting in the carriage, Dorothy murmurs to herself, her mind filled with information about Ivengard.
Ivengard is a peninsula country located in the southwestern part of the main continent, bordering the Conquest Sea, which lies between the main continent and the Ufiga Continent. Ivengard is surrounded by the sea on three sides, with the Guardian States that defend the Holy Mount to the north. Among the countries along the Conquest Sea, Ivengard is an important one, serving as a trade hub.
In the history books Dorothy has read, Ivengard has experienced several civil wars and conflicts with neighboring countries. The most famous war occurred over four hundred years ago when Ivengard, led by King Leo the Arrogant, invaded the northern Guardian States, provoking the wrath of the church. Under the church’s call, the Guardian States and several countries across the sea joined forces to invade Ivengard, leading to the War of Retribution in Ivengard’s history.
Of course, this is the version found in secular history books. In the mystical text ’Faith and Sanctity’ given to her by Misha, Dorothy read the mystic history version of this war. According to the book, the war’s true cause was Ivengard’s public worship of the Abyssal Serpent, which enraged the Holy Mount. The church personally intervened, organizing surrounding countries to launch a holy war against Ivengard, ultimately purging all heresy from the land.
“If what ’Faith and Sanctity’ says is true, then Ivengard has a deep historical connection with the Abyssal Church and the Radiance Church, much like Pritt, with many dark secrets the church would rather not reveal.”
“But even with this dark history, it’s been over four hundred years. Such hidden turmoil should have long since settled. According to the newspapers, Ivengard’s current situation seems relatively stable. Traveling there shouldn’t be a problem, and it seems like there are plenty of interesting places to visit.”
Crossing her legs, Dorothy sits in the carriage, feeling pleased. Having just completed her advancement, she isn’t in a hurry to prepare for the next stage. Instead, she’s seriously considering taking a vacation to relax and unwind. After all, she doesn’t want to become an advancement machine.
To convince Gregor to let her go on this trip, Dorothy spent 100 pounds to have Beverly, using her position as the acting director of Royal Crown University, draft an official letter. With this letter, Dorothy has a solid reason to travel. After all, as a minor, she still needs to explain her plans to her guardian.
Now, everything is ready. In a few days, it will be time for Nephthys and the others to set off, and Dorothy is looking forward to it.
"Oh, right... Before I leave, I should make some necessary arrangements."
Suddenly, as if remembering something, Dorothy takes out her Literary Sea Logbook.
…
"Ho~ So you’re saying you’ll be leaving Tivian for a while? Detective Dorothy..."
In a private room at a bar in the East District, Adèle, dressed in casual disguise, swirls a glass of red wine as she speaks to Dorothy, who sits close beside her, fidgeting uncomfortably.
"Yeah... Due to some matters within the society, I need to go on a business trip for a while. I wanted to let you know that I won’t be around recently. If any conflicts with the Wolf Blood Society arise, you should be cautious and not act rashly."
"Is that so? Well, thank you for coming to inform me in person, Detective Dorothy. But don’t worry, with the recent crackdowns by the authorities, all the societies in Tivian, including the Wolf Blood Society, have been lying low. There won’t be any major movements for a while~"
As Adèle speaks, she gently strokes Dorothy’s silver-white hair, her narrowed eyes revealing a subtle expression.
“What do you mean, thank me for coming in person? I was planning to just send you a message through the logbook, but you insisted on meeting face-to-face for an important discussion. And now, here we are, drinking together!”
Dorothy’s cheeks flush slightly as Adèle leans close. If it weren’t for Adèle’s significant help during New Year’s Eve, Dorothy wouldn’t have agreed to come.
Being so close to Adèle, Dorothy feels a bit overwhelmed. When she interacts with Adèle using her corpse marionettes, she can remain calm and composed. But now, using her real body, she finds it harder to maintain her composure. After a while, she can’t take it anymore and tries to stand up.
"I... I think I’ll sit across from you so we can continue talking..."
"No need~ Sitting so far apart would feel too distant... Here, let’s have a drink."
Just as Dorothy tries to get up, Adèle places a hand on her shoulder, gently pushing her back into her seat. She then picks up another glass of red wine and offers it to Dorothy, who quickly protests.
"Wait! I’m only thirteen! I can’t drink!"
"Huh? You’re really thirteen? Not some old-timer pretending to be young? Well, in that case, I guess there’s no helping it."
Adèle looks slightly surprised and somewhat disappointed as she puts the glass back on the table. Dorothy, seeing this, breathes a sigh of relief.
"Honestly, if it weren’t for all the recent events, I’d love to go on a tour myself, traveling around different countries. There are some upcoming exhibitions I’m quite interested in."
Taking another sip of wine, Adèle speaks with a hint of regret. Dorothy, curious, asks.
"Exhibitions? Are you talking about the cultural exhibition in Adria next month?"
"Oh, that one? I’ve heard of it, but as a dancer, I’m not particularly interested in cultural artifacts. What I’m more interested in is this..."
As she speaks, Adèle pulls out a fashion magazine from her bag and flips to a specific page.
On the black-and-white page is a photo of a middle-aged man with a neat mustache and well-dressed appearance. Below his portrait is a bold headline:
"The Most Beautiful Sapphire in History—Deep Blue Heart—Will Be Publicly Exhibited for the First Time on the Luxury Cruise Ship ’Shimmering Pearl’ Starting January 25th! Renowned Jewel Collector Massimo Russo Will Showcase His Prized Possession to the World at Sea!"
"The most beautiful sapphire in history?"
Reading the headline, Dorothy murmurs to herself.
…
Time flies, and soon a week passes. The day of Dorothy’s departure finally arrives. After settling all her affairs in Tivian, Dorothy boards a passenger ship at the port in East Tivian, setting off on her journey.
Under the gray sky, a medium-sized white passenger ship sails across the vast ocean, leaving a long white trail in its wake.
On the ship’s deck, the sea wind howls, and few passengers brave the cold to stay outside. Among them is a group of young men and women led by an elderly man.
"We are currently in the middle of the Pritt Strait. Two hundred and twenty-seven years ago, our patrol fleet encountered the main fleet of Falano in these waters. Through brave resistance, our patrol fleet delayed the enemy until the main force of the Royal Navy arrived, leading to a fierce naval battle..."
In the sea breeze, the elderly man, with a scholarly demeanor, recounts historical events to the group of young people, who listen attentively, some taking notes.
On the other side of the deck, Dorothy, dressed in a black dress and a small hat, leans against the railing, watching the scene with interest.
After a while, the impromptu lecture ends, and the group disperses. Some return to the cabins, while others remain on the deck.
One of them, Nephthys, dressed in a trench coat, quietly approaches Dorothy.
"Phew... Finally, it’s over. Listening to a lecture in the sea breeze was freezing, and I could barely hear anything."
Standing beside Dorothy, Nephthys complains slightly, while Dorothy smiles and responds.
"Well, it seems like a unique experience. And it looks like your professor is in great shape."
"Yeah, Professor John. He may look old, but he’s as energetic as any young person."
Nephthys says, then glances around and lowers her voice.
"But speaking of which, I didn’t expect you to not only agree to join our study tour but also come along... Are you... perhaps on some secret mission for the society?"
Nephthys whispers mysteriously, and Dorothy chuckles in response.
"No mission, you’re overthinking it. I’m just here to relax and enjoy the trip."
"Just relaxing? I see..."
Hearing Dorothy’s words, Nephthys seems thoughtful. Just as she’s about to say more, a large wave hits the ship, causing it to sway violently.
Having been observing the sea, Dorothy anticipated the wave and held onto the railing, so she remained steady. Nephthys, however, loses her balance and nearly falls, barely managing to grab the railing to steady herself.
Afterward, Nephthys can’t help but complain.
"Ugh... This ship is too small and gets tossed around too easily by the waves... I can’t wait to get to Bass Port. Once we’re there, we can switch to the Shimmering Pearl. That’s a proper luxury cruise ship."
“Shimmering Pearl?”
Hearing Nephthys’ complaint, Dorothy raises an eyebrow.