Sitting in her hotel room, Dorothy was seriously studying the neat lines gradually appearing on her Literary Sea Logbook, reading as Beverly introduced the situation in Busalet. She subconsciously touched her chin.
“Busalet… a chaotic zone filled with mixed forces and constant strife? Sounds like a place even more unstable than Addus… If I end up operating there in the future, it might be even more troublesome.”
As she pondered this, Dorothy picked up her pen again and wrote a reply on the page.
“I have a general understanding of Busalet now. I have another question—do you know anything about a place called Heopolis?”
Dorothy wrote this, and after waiting for a while, Beverly’s response gradually emerged.
“Heopolis… That sounds like a place from the First Dynasty era. I assume it’s related to what you're trying to find in Busalet. From what I know, Busalet used to be the core territory of the First Dynasty, and it hides many deep secrets from that time. If you're planning a deep excavation there, you should be wary of the Death Monarchs beneath the sands.”
“Death Monarchs?”
Dorothy echoed curiously at the unfamiliar term. Beverly quickly responded.
“They’re lingering undead pharaohs from the First Dynasty. The First Dynasty was held together by faith in Heaven’s Arbiter. The Arbiter was worshipped as the supreme monarch, and the entire dynastic religious system was centered on this deity. Internally, the dynasty was composed of various kingdoms, broadly centered around North Ufiga, extending into South Ufiga and the current main continent. The rulers of these kingdoms were called pharaohs. Among them, the pharaohs of the largest kingdoms were granted the title of ‘Sage’ by the Arbiter’s priesthood. Hence, they were known as ‘Sage Monarchs.’
“Every pharaoh bearing the title of Sage Monarch was among the most powerful Beyonders in the First Dynasty—pillars upholding its continued existence. When the dynasty as a whole fell due to a mystical catastrophe, not all Sage Monarchs perished. Some used certain means to become formidable Death Monarchs, continuing to exist within the tombs beneath the sands, surviving even to this day.”
As these new lines formed again before Dorothy’s eyes on the page, her brow furrowed ever so slightly.
“Death Monarchs… That’s the kind of being Hafdar was, isn’t it? So he used to be one of the Sage Monarchs from the First Dynasty. No wonder he wielded such immense power, even possessed a mystical item like the Golden Scepter… He must’ve held quite a high rank back in the dynasty.”
Dorothy mused silently, and after finishing her thoughts, she picked up her pen once more.
“Do you know anything more about these Death Monarchs?”
“More details… I’m afraid I don’t know that much. While these Death Monarchs are all incredibly powerful—strong enough to make even major secret societies wary—they’ve remained extremely low-profile for thousands of years. They’re almost never seen except in ancient ruins beneath North Ufiga, and have had little influence on the post-Second Epoch world. Some say they’ve been sleeping in ancient tombs all this time. Others say they’re secretly plotting something grand. In any case, no one can say for certain.
“The ones who’ve had the most contact with them would be the various treasure-hunting societies. During tomb-raiding expeditions, they occasionally trespass into the Death Monarchs’ territories and come into some degree of contact with them—or their powers. So they should know a bit more. But since most such encounters end in death or fates worse than death, even those societies might not have much intel. Still, if you want to learn more, these treasure-hunting societies remain your best bet.”
So advised Beverly in her elegantly inscribed reply. Reading her words, Dorothy silently nodded, then replied in writing.
“Understood. I’ll be careful to gather more intel on this front. Thank you for the warning.”
After that, Dorothy chatted casually with her automaton neighbor a bit more, then said goodbye and closed the Literary Sea Logbook. Having wrapped up their conversation for the day, she stretched deeply.
“Mm… time to travel again… No, wait—I’m already traveling. But the next destination is even farther…”
After stretching, Dorothy began massaging her shoulders, internally arranging her next steps.
“Now then… First, I’ll return to Tivian and check in with my brother before heading back out. Also, I’m running low on several key spiritualities—I’ll need to spend a bit to replenish them with some mystical texts. Traveling that far means I must top off my spirituality to a secure level. And I need to find a way to gather more intel on Heopolis and those Death Monarchs… Beverly suggested I ask a major treasure-hunting society—but I don’t know any. Well, except Garib from the Corpse-Sand Society, but he’s already in prison, so I can’t ask him.
“Wait—if I remember correctly, Shadi was once a treasure-hunter too, right? Maybe I can ask him. It might be worth a try…”
With her thoughts more or less settled, Dorothy packed up the guiding index and Literary Sea Logbook from the table. After a short rest, she planned to leave with Nephthys—bringing her journey in Falano to a close.
…
The sky was clear and the sun was bright. Deep, resonant bell chimes echoed among the spire-crowned buildings, intertwining with faint, continuous chants. These sounds drifted through the grand and majestic complex of structures, eventually reaching a small garden.
Shaded by dense trees and filled with the fresh scent of grass, the garden flourished with vibrant flowers of all seasons, blooming in an untimely riot of color. Birds chirped and darted among the branches, while small animals like squirrels and rabbits frolicked in the grass. At the center of the garden, a fountain gurgled softly, and the entire scene exuded peace and harmony.
In a pavilion tucked within the garden, a young nun dressed in pristine white vestments with platinum blonde hair stood silently. Although the surroundings were tranquil, her expression was tinged with nervousness. She stood in place, occasionally glancing around as though waiting for someone.
“Sister Vania…”
As she hesitated in her wait, a distortion of light and shadow appeared before her, and the translucent figure of a nun emerged. Seeing her, Vania paused briefly in surprise, then quickly gave a slight bow and spoke.
“Sister Ivy, you’re here… May I ask, has Her Excellency Amanda not yet arrived?”
Vania posed the question to Ivy, who replied with a gentle smile.
“Her Excellency has arrived. Look behind you.”
Startled by Ivy’s words, Vania turned around—and saw a tall, mature beauty with waist-length golden hair, dressed in a light, simple robe, walking slowly along the cobbled path of the grassy garden, heading toward the pavilion. Vania stared for a moment, then promptly bowed.
“Sanctus be with you, Your Excellency Amanda.”
“No need for such formalities, Sister Vania.”
The graceful woman walked up to the pavilion while gently nodding and speaking softly. Vania, hearing her words, lifted her head again to face the woman before her.
She had seen Amanda once before, when she first arrived at Holy Mount. Back then, it was within the vast, majestic cathedral. From afar, she had caught sight of the figure before the altar—a solemn woman dressed in a resplendent crimson ceremonial robe, crowned and exuding divine authority.
It hadn’t taken long for her to learn that this woman was one of the seven cardinal bishops in the upper hierarchy of the Radiance Church, a living saint known as Saint Amanda—her protector within the vast, perilous institution of the Church, and her greatest source of support.
Listening to Amanda’s voice, Vania raised her head again respectfully.
“I have been waiting here for Your Excellency, intending to welcome you when I heard the sound of your arrival… I didn’t expect you to come over so directly.”
Amanda, looking far more approachable now than during their first encounter, replied casually. Gone was the imposing air of sacred ceremony; she now appeared plain and almost personable—much to Vania’s surprise.
“All that pomp is excessive—troublesome and wasteful. Unless absolutely necessary, I try to avoid it. Besides, this garden is practically my personal space. Keeping up the full regalia here would only make things unpleasant for myself…”
Amanda glanced around the surroundings with a calm expression before continuing.
“Alright, let’s sit. It’s not convenient to talk standing.”
She sat down on a stone bench in the pavilion and gestured for Vania to do the same. Vania hesitated slightly but then took a seat not far from her, her posture stiff and unnatural.
“You’ve been staying here on Holy Mount for some time now. How are you feeling?”
Amanda asked gently.
Vania responded promptly.
“Very well, Your Excellency. Holy Mount is a sacred place that every follower of the Lord dreams of visiting. I am no exception. Its grandeur, majesty, and solemnity have deeply moved me. I feel honored to be allowed to live here for this long.”
“Heh… ‘Moved’ might not be the best word. I heard from Ivy that you’ve been rather on edge these days—nervous most of the time.”
Amanda smiled faintly as she said this, and Vania blinked in surprise before replying.
“Ah… Apologies, Your Excellency. It’s my first time on Holy Mount, and I don’t yet fully understand all the customs here. I’ve been overly cautious out of fear of accidentally doing something wrong…”
Amanda nodded slightly and continued.
“That’s a natural response. But truly, there’s no need to be so restrained. The ones who need to tread carefully are usually the lower-tier clergy from outside. With your standing, most people here have no right to criticize you. You can afford to relax a little.”
“I understand, Your Excellency. Thank you for your advice.”
Vania replied with a respectful nod.
Amanda then moved on.
“By the way, I heard you’ve almost completed all your rites. How do you feel now?”
“Yes… I completed the Purification Rite yesterday. As for how I feel now… there’s still a bit of lingering discomfort.”
Vania answered earnestly.
Amanda replied matter-of-factly.
“The Purification Rite requires full immersion in holy healing water. It affects every organ in the body, so some side effects are normal. You’ll feel better after a few days… But since you’re here now, I can help you a little. Hold out your hand.”
“Alright…”
Not daring to delay, Vania extended her hand to Amanda. Amanda reached out and lightly touched it, and at once, Vania felt a warm current spreading through her entire body from the point of contact, soothing her inside and out.
During the process, Amanda’s brows subtly arched for the briefest instant before returning to normal.
Once the warmth subsided and the lingering discomfort from the rite faded away completely, Vania couldn’t help but smile and say:
“Thank you, Your Excellency. I feel no discomfort at all now! I’ve never felt so comfortable in my entire life.”
“Glad to hear it.”
Amanda replied with a smile as she withdrew her hand. Looking once more at the nun in white, she continued.
“You’ve completed all the rites up to this point. You’re now only one step away from entering the Crimson rank—but this is also the hardest step. I called you here today to personally explain the final phase of your rite.”
“The final phase… Please, Your Excellency, what must I do?”
“The Path of the Holy Mother—also known as the Path of Redemption. So naturally, the final rite involves salvation. Let me be direct: to ascend to the Crimson rank, you must bring relief to one hundred thousand people.”
Amanda spoke with utmost seriousness. Vania froze, then blurted out.
“Relief… for a hundred thousand people? Is that really necessary?”
“Yes. To redeem all lives, one must first redeem the ones before them. Personal effort is required. Delivering one hundred thousand souls from suffering—that is the price for gaining Crimson-rank power.”
Seeing Vania stunned, Amanda continued gently.
“Relieving a hundred thousand may sound impossible, but it’s not as terrifying as it seems. Relief can mean helping the sick recover, feeding the hungry, aiding the victims of disaster to escape calamity.
“It’s shameful to admit, but even after a thousand years since the Church’s founding, disasters of all kinds have never truly ceased. Countless people still endure pain and suffering—those in need of salvation far outnumber those who provide it.
“Especially in the peripheral regions of the Church’s influence—places ravaged by war, famine, and plague—it’s not hard to find people in need.”