Deep Sea Embers

“I think… this is too sudden,” the young inquisitor racked her brain, completely clueless as to why the topic had suddenly shifted in this strange direction, and was now trying her best to catch up with the rapid pace of the conversation. “I understand the need to establish communication with the Vanished, but I think it should be gradual. Besides, if it’s just for communication, we already have channels for that, like Captain Duncan…”

“He visits you in dreams or talks to you through a mirror, right?” Helena gently interrupted Vanna, “I know, you mentioned it in your report.”

“But…”

“That’s not enough,” Helena shook her head with a smile, “That’s just ‘conversation’ – private talks between you and Captain Duncan. Such communication lacks both uniqueness and binding force. It’s far from being an official channel between the Storm Church and the Vanished. Vanna, you should understand the difference.”

Vanna’s lips moved a few times, but she couldn’t bring herself to say anything.

She was now sure that this was not a joke, nor was it a whim of the “spokesperson of the gods” before her. From Helena’s attitude and gaze, Vanna sensed something well thought-out and… some feelings that she couldn’t understand for now.

After a while, she suddenly asked, “Is it the goddess’s will?”

“You can understand it that way – if it makes you feel better.”

“…I understand,” Vanna took a deep breath, finally calming herself down, and resumed her usual serious demeanor, bowing her head. “Then I will obey this arrangement.”

“Go and rest first,” Helena nodded gently, “There’s still a lot to do tomorrow.”

Vanna bowed again before leaving the room.

Watching the young inquisitor’s tall figure disappear outside the door, Helena took a long time before looking away. She suddenly laughed and shook her head helplessly, “This child… didn’t even ask me how I plan to send her to that ship, yet she’s trying to appear calm…”

A calm and dignified voice, mixed with the crackling of flames, spoke up, “I’m curious too, how do you plan to send her to the Vanished?”

In the corner of the room, in front of a full-length mirror, the flames on several candlesticks suddenly turned dark green. The dim firelight illuminated the mirror’s surface, which showed a dark and deep abyss where Duncan’s image emerged and silently stared at Helena.

The Pope didn’t turn around. Even though she heard Duncan’s voice behind her, she continued to gaze out the window, “Ah, I knew you were watching.”

“I had no choice, your plan was too loud, and the beads even hit me in the face.”

“… What are beads?”

“This is a subspace joke,” Duncan said seriously. After all this time, he had grown accustomed to occasionally fabricating stories while conversing with people, and observing their puzzled reactions was his greatest joy in the process. As for how the other party would make up for it afterward…

In any case, people in this world usually came up with their own explanations for what he said.

Helena wisely didn’t inquire further. She still didn’t turn around and concealed her emotional fluctuations, her tone remaining calm and gentle: “Although you probably don’t need it, I’ll introduce myself anyway – Helena, a humble servant of the Storm Goddess Gomona. It’s nice to talk to you.”

“Duncan Abnomar, captain of the Vanished,” Duncan replied casually, “I prefer honest communication, so let’s be open – what is your purpose, or rather, what does the Storm Church truly intend to do?”

“We are focused on maintaining the order of the civilized world and responding to all unsettling changes within it,” Helena answered indifferently, “You must have heard what I just said to Vanna. This world is undergoing some changes – in fact, the situation is far more serious than what I told her.

“Many shadows are approaching our reality; the anomaly of Vision 001 may only be the beginning. The Enders’ destructive actions in Pland may also be part of a larger conspiracy. Some city-states have reported disturbing news in the north, and at the border, the ‘curtain’ is becoming increasingly unstable. Within civilized territory, border collapses are happening more and more frequently. Among all these changes, the Vanished may be the only one with the hope of communicating through rational means.

“We hope to establish stable and effective communication with you. Just as you want to know the purpose of the Storm Church, we… also want to know about the Vanished. So, why not build a bridge?”

Duncan frowned, “So you confidently arranged for Vanna to be that bridge – it’s a good idea, but how do you know I’ll agree?”

“You care about her and have helped her before. From your intentions, you seem to be very interested in the current civilized world,” Helena said, “You’ve regained your reason and humanity, so you need to reconnect with the civilized world. In my opinion, Vanna is suitable for this role – or would you trust a ‘strange messenger’ randomly selected by the Storm Church?”

“… Indeed, Vanna is at least an ‘acquaintance’ of mine. From your perspective, sending her over can ensure the safety of the messenger to the greatest extent,” Duncan said slowly, “But even so, aren’t you really worried that sending Vanna to the Vanished would be like sending a lamb into the mouth of a tiger? Given the good reputation my ship and I have in the civilized world, if your actions were made public, it would seem more reasonable to be regarded as a bloody sacrifice.”

Helena was silent for a few seconds, finally slowly turning around to face the mirror with flickering green flames.

“So, this matter will not be made public. After all, apart from the people of Pland, most people in this world still can’t discuss the Vanished without changing their facial expressions. Vanna will become a secret envoy, and only the high-ranking members of the Storm Church, a few city-state governors – or those who need to know when circumstances require it – will be aware of this.”

Helena raised her gaze and stared at Duncan’s figure in the mirror.

The shimmering and distorted starlight filled her vision.

“As for the ‘lamb entering the tiger’s mouth’ you mentioned… I’m not worried.”

Indescribable flowing starlight surged on the mirror’s surface, as if trying to break free from the fragile glass, presenting a sense of swelling and writhing. Fine black cracks spread from the mirror’s edge, filling the entire room, and a low, chaotic roar filled her mind. Within each roar, it seemed as if infinite knowledge from subspace was intertwined.

“I can hear your voice, and it’s full of calm rationality. I believe you have indeed regained your humanity, and this humanity is clear evidence that you stand in the camp of civilized order.”

The mirror seemed to transform into a vortex within her field of vision. From it, the starlight giant within the mirror had lost its form completely, and all Helena saw was endless starlight. The fragmented light and shadow exploded in her mind, but in the next moment, gentle waves echoed in her mind as a counter, reshaping her thoughts on the brink of disintegration.

“You are friendly and reliable. My deity has guided me, and I believe unconditionally in my deity. If she commands me to cooperate with you, I will do so.”

The writhing starlight in the mirror overflowed, a stream of light and shadow extended in the air, pulsating, slowly swaying in front of Helena as if observing prey or sniffing the scent in the room. The writhing starlight formed a light and shadow less than half a meter from Helena’s face, and within its tiny light points, countless eyes seemed to fill them.

Duncan carefully observed Helena’s expression through the mirror, trying to analyze her true intentions from the details of her words and actions. In the end, he found only calmness and honesty in her eyes.

After a long while, he looked away.

“Agreement reached. I’ll reserve a spot for Vanna on the Vanished, but in return, once on the ship, it means she becomes my crew member. She will follow strict rules, and her priority will even be higher than her status in the Storm Church. I hope you understand.”

He tried to speak formally and dignifiedly, making the matter seem official.

But in reality, he was overjoyed.

From a very early time, he had thought that Vanna was destined for the Vanished. He had been planning how to bring this high-ranking cleric onto the ship as a helper but had no suitable opportunity or reason. He never expected this chance to fall from the sky.

The Storm Church needed an official communication channel to understand the Vanished’s intentions, which would alleviate their unease. The Vanished also needed a bridge to communicate with the Church’s powers in the civilized world, which would aid Duncan in his future activities. This was a win-win situation.

“I understand,” Helena nodded slowly, “So, the agreement is reached.”