Deep Sea Embers

Chapter 226 “The Wavering Faith”

Hurried footsteps broke the tranquility in the cathedral. Bishop Valentine, who was assigning affairs to the priests at the side, raised his head and saw Vanna walking over.

“I thought you would rest at home for two more days.” The head bishop waved his hand to have the assistants and attendants leave, giving the two room to speak.

“Unfortunately, it seems that I don’t have this spare time,” Vanna shook her head with a slightly serious expression. “What happened? I saw many priests running about, and I heard that a group of ascetic priests was sent into the stargazing well… Does it have anything to do with today’s sunrise?”

“Yes,” Valentine nodded, his expression looking solemn, “today’s sunrise is fifteen minutes later than usual—and it was not due to abnormal weather conditions. I received reports from other city-states and sea contacts confirming this fact through the psionic communication channel. Like us, their side also observed the abnormal sunrise.”

“This world has been illuminated by the ‘World Creation’ for fifteen more minutes…” Vanna frowned slightly, “Are there any reports of damage?”

“No, just postponement of dawn is not a problem. Fifteen minutes of more nighttime is still within the redundant range of the city-state’s safety measures,” the old bishop said. “The real disturbing part is that the same phenomenon is observed worldwide, which shows that the problem is not with the land surface or the sea.”

“The operation of Vision 001 itself has changed.” Vanna knew what the old bishop was worried about, “Is there no word from the Nameless King yet?”

Valentine shook his head slightly.

“There is no movement from the tomb, so this may just be a minor ‘change’. I’m terrified of is what the people will do when they find out. At the moment, most aren’t aware of this fact, and those few that did notice aren’t making a fuss yet. Until we can be certain the sun is back to normal, we can’t rest.”

After a minute of thought, Vanna finally asked, “So what measures have you taken thus far?”

“Nothing much. Aside from informing City Hall and asking them to pen a reassuring notice and guideline for the public when news breaks, we are going to keep monitoring Vision 001. It’s not a good idea to issue an overly positive announcement after experiencing a disaster of this magnitude. People will think we’re lying and trying to cover up the truth.”

Vanna silently listened to the old bishop’s analysis and didn’t interject anything. As an inquisitor who devoted most of her energy to combat missions, she knew she was not a professional in these arrangements.

“Do you have something on your mind?” Valentine asked with a worried face after noticing the lack of energy from the lady.

“I’m only just a little emotional,” Vanna sighed softly and shook her head. “Every time there is a great disaster, the more I’m aware of how fragile the world we live in today is… The city-states, the churches, the fleet, everything we are proud of, seem to be built on a thin, fragile layer of ice. Any crack not discovered in time will cause our world to disappear…”

“That’s why we’re always vigilant and tenacious,” Valentine said quietly, staring into the young inquisitor’s eyes, “Vanna, you rarely speak like this… What happened?”

Vanna fell silent again, seemingly in turmoil over what to say: “There are two things, the first one… I saw ‘Captain Duncan’ again yesterday.”

Valentine’s eyes were initially hard and serious, but they softened as he sighed: “Actually, it is expected.” He paused, then continued explaining why, “We still haven’t done anything about the mark that ghost captain left on you. Even now, the entire city-state of Pland may have established a connection with that captain. I knew it was just a matter of time before he came to you again. What did he tell you this time?”

“…… Mostly small talks,” Vanna said in a slightly strange tone.

“…… Small talks?” This time Valentine finally raised his eyebrows due to the unexpected answer, “Are you saying that the captain of the Vanished, the shadow who returned from subspace, the ‘Duncan’ who reversed the pollution of history and took away the sun fragment, specifically found you just for a chat?”

“I knew you would react this way. I couldn’t believe it either. Seriously, I would have believed him if he had told me he planned to conquer the world. But…” Vanna heaved a long sigh, and over the next ten minutes, she went over the conversation she had with Duncan last night.

Valentine rubbed his forehead as he listened to Vanna’s report. The old bishop, who had never faltered in the face of the doomsday crisis, finally couldn’t conceal the exhaustion and distress he felt inside.

But after a brief look of confusion, he raised his head and said in a somewhat complicated tone: “Vanna, actually, I have been thinking about a problem since last night.”

“What problem?”

“…… You had two direct exchanges with Captain Duncan. In your opinion, that ‘ghost captain’… does he feel like an invader from subspace?”

“You… what do you mean?” Vanna’s face got weird as she grew cautious, “It is a definite truth that the Vanished fell into subspace and returned…”

“I’m not denying that fact or questioning it. However, don’t you find it odd? In your own opinion, how should a person that has somehow returned from subspace behave? Are they supposed to be sane and able to converse with you like a sensible individual?”

This time, Vanna hesitated as if unable to give an answer to the posed questions. “Judging by past cases and basic knowledge of what subspace does to those people… that’s impossible.”

“That’s right, normally it’s impossible to converse with those lost to subspace. The pollution is too severe and cannot be saved.” Bishop Valentine nodded, “To us mortals, subspace is deadly poisonous, capable of polluting any blessing or protection provided by the gods. Yet, here we are, a ghost captain that’s been to and back from subspace conversing with you… if we apply some simple logic to the matter, perhaps…”

“You mean… that ‘Captain Duncan’ has most likely regained his humanity?”

“Not regain, taken back…” Bishop Valentine corrected the lady, “In the early records, there are clear reports of the indiscriminate attacks carried out by the Vanished following its sighting. Captain Duncan back then had clearly fallen into madness.”

Vanna mused over the information, and the more she mused, the more incredulous her expression became: “Is this possible? After being completely taken by subspace… one can still retrieve their humanity?”

“How else are we supposed to explain Captain Duncan’s current state? That person coming to have a small chat is not some small feat.” Bishop Valentine softly interrupted Vanna to remind her about a critical fact, “Don’t forget about that ‘law of zero’.”

Vanna made a stunned face, then got it: “There will always be anomalies and visions that do not conform to the regular parameters…”

A long silence fell over this great hall of the cathedral, leaving the two high-ranking clerics to mull over their next course of action. Eventually, it was Valentine who broke the air: “But we still can’t treat the Vanished and its captain as harmless on this basis alone, you understand?”

“In the end, he still went into subspace and came back. Regardless of him taking back his humanity, it’s difficult to say he wouldn’t suddenly go berserk one day on us mortals.”

“In addition, we can’t just make our own judgments on this matter. We must report all this to the Grand Storm Cathedral out at sea. Then, her Majesty the Pope will decide on what to do next.”

Vanna’s posture straightened to attention as she nodded solemnly in agreement: “Of course, I am very clear about this.”

Then she paused as her expression became a little strange again: “You know, it’s kind of weird knowing we’re discussing this topic within the sacred buildings of the church… If it was in the past, I would probably define myself as a heretic by now.”

Valentine sighed noncommittally, “You just said there are two things to report. Besides meeting that ghost captain, what is the second thing?”

This time, Vanna fell into an even longer silence, seemingly tied inside as to whether or not she should say this part. Eventually, the lady summoned up the courage and gazed at the goddess’s statue: “I… should repent…”

“Repent?” Valentine looked at her in surprise, “Why are you repenting?”

“I was shaken in my belief. I couldn’t stop my wavering.” Vanna took a deep breath and confessed dryly, “After that fire, I questioned my faith and if I should believe in her…”

She spoke out about her doubts and blamed the goddess for not doing more to save them.

On the other hand, Valentine didn’t comment and simply stood there for a good while, which in turn roused an odd look from Vanna.

“Vanna, if you came to me to repent… then where should I go to repent?”

A hint of surprise finally appeared in Vanna’s eyes.

“You are one, and I am the second. We’re both wavering followers of the faith here.” After that confession, the old bishop suddenly got older as if years had been tacked onto his skin. “Vanna, can you feel it?”

“Feel what?”

“…… The goddess is still blessing us.”