The restless sea breeze blew through the mirror-like calm sea, waving the ship's flags and hunting and flying, and the escort formation composed of many large warships sailed in the night, and inside the escort formation, a huge phantom was gradually emerging from the air.

On the pedestal of the ark, like a small city-state, a majestic church with a towering spire stands majestically, the lights between the multiple spires illuminate the nearby sea, and the main body of the church is guarded by towers and corridors, like giants standing on the edge of the ark—the Ark of the Deep Sea Church, which has finally returned to the middle of the infinite sea after many days in the southern sea.

Helena stood on the terrace at the top of the tower of the Cathedral of the Storm, looking out at the calm sea in the distance, while a middle-aged priest stood quietly aside, his head slightly bowed.

"The Goddess's condition seems to be deteriorating," Helena said suddenly, "and there is no one in the Infinite Sea who can hear Her voice clearly. ”

"There's similar news from the Church of the Dead," the middle-aged priest nodded, "and it's said that there have been episodes of the Dead in many city-states that have been in darkness for a long time—not just in the city-states protected by the Church of Death, but also in other city-states. ”

Helena listened quietly, let out a soft sigh for a long time, and sketched the emblem of the Storm Goddess on her chest—some kind of undulating pattern that has a mysterious meaning, but has no corresponding explanation or record in the Storm Codex: "...... The order of death and storm is receding from the whole world. ”

The middle-aged priest did not speak, but stood quietly.

Helena glanced back at him, "Are there many people who waver?" ”

“…… Recently, more people have been going to the confessional and the ministry to receive guidance, but on the whole, the Ark and its fleet are doing well, and the clergy still have a strong conviction that from the beginning we know that the world will decline, and that we are prepared for it—that the weakening of the Goddess is the test we will face sooner or later. ”

The middle-aged priest paused here and added with some hesitation: "But in some of the more remote city-states...... An atmosphere of unease is spreading. The presiding priests may still be able to maintain their faith, but they are struggling to cope with the growing number of wavering believers and clergy. ”

“…… Maintain order, cooperate with the management and emergency measures of the city-state authorities, and even if prayer is ineffective, the power of steam and grease is still there, and we still have fire and steel that will not betray," Helena said slowly, "to prove to the faithful that no matter what happens to the goddess, the Deep Sea Church will still be determined to do its duty—and most importantly, to divert everyone's attention from 'prayer'." ”

The middle-aged priest bowed his head deeply: "Yes." ”

Helena said "um", but her eyes were still looking at the sea in the distance, and she whispered to herself: "These days, I always feel that the sea looks a little strange...... But when I came back to my senses, it was as if it was all an illusion. ”

The middle-aged priest raised his head with confusion on his face: "The sea...... Is there anything wrong? ”

Helena frowned, and after a few seconds of silence, she waved her hand: "No, nothing, just some nonsensical thoughts." Stand down, I have other things to do. ”

The priest took the order to leave, and Helena blew the sea breeze on the terrace for a while, then turned back to the church tower, and she went through a spiraling staircase and a short corridor into the depths of the main building of the cathedral, and returned to her private prayer room, where she usually spends most time.

The prayer room was brightly lit, the oil lamps in the alcoves and the candlesticks in front of the altar were burning silently, and the brazier in front of the statue of the goddess was dancing with an unquenchable flame, and the illusory flame body was like a almost transparent ghost with a hint of unreal texture.

Helena went to the brazier and poured spices and essential oils into the almost transparent flames, and as the smoke rose, layers of whispers and murmurs popped into her mind.

She was in a trance for a moment in the "noise" that seemed to pollute her soul, but then regained consciousness before speaking to the flames: "Frem, I want to talk to you. ”

The flames crackled and jumped a few times, and the voice of Pope Frem of the Fire Bearer followed: "Is it about the 'Archives'?" ”

Helena snorted, "I know you have an archive project, and your ark is sailing north...... The destination is the permafrost, isn't it? ”

"That permanently frozen ice field is the most likely place to remain as a 'fragment' after the end of the world," Frem's voice was somewhat distorted in the flames, "Over the years, the Flame Bearers have been surveying the 'focus' of our world on the Infinite Sea, looking for the most stable part of the history and time stream, and this focus ultimately points north. ”

Helena hesitated: "Has the location been decided?" ”

"No, it's only certain in the north," Frem's voice was calm, "but we don't have much time to continue making accurate measurements, and the survival rate of the priests who have entered the world of historical measurement is getting lower and lower, and I can't continue to let them take risks...... Now we can only let the ark sail north, and I will determine the final position of that focal point for myself. ”

Helena nodded slightly, she pondered, and it took a moment to break the silence: "I will send a fleet to find you, and they will join you before the Firebearer's Ark enters the cold sea—those ships carry the most valuable and important documents that the Deep Sea Church has collected over the years. ”

The flames in the brazier crackled and jumped, and it was a long time before Frem's voice came: "Okay, I've made room for them." ”

Helena took a deep breath and exhaled a long "thank you." ”

"It's the duty of the firebearer." The voice in the brazier said slowly.

……

In the background of a uniform gray-white passage, the Lost Country and the Bright Star were floating as if sailing in an endless void, and the unmarked gray and white texture in all directions made it impossible to tell whether the two ships were moving forward or not, and after staring outside for a long time, Duncan even had a strange association that the ship had stopped and the Lost Country had been permanently trapped in a frozen space-time.

But he knew very well that the ship was still sailing, sailing through the twisted and chaotic structure of time and space beyond the border, and the fragmented phantom of the New Hope loomed over the Lost Land and the Bright Star, and the occasional flickering of the phantom was evidence that the "jump" was still going on.

Alice stood on the bridge at the stern of the boat, her eyes staring unfocused, still holding the steering wheel tightly, but her expression was not as agile as usual, but like a real puppet with an eerie emptiness and coldness.

Her consciousness was no longer in this shell, but merged into the Lost Country and the New Hope, maintaining the stability of the Leap Passage.

Duncan went to the bridge to check Alice's condition, and then returned to the cabin where the crew had gathered—in the dining room, Shirley was sitting at the table with a sad face, stirring the bowl with a spoon of delicately colored and textured soup.

After stirring for an unknown number of turns, she finally raised her head with a sad face and looked at Morris, who was sitting opposite: "Why don't I be in charge of cooking next time?" ”

"No, you're the youngest on this ship, and no one can take your turn," Morris waved his hand, and then his eyes became slightly curious, "I don't make it delicious?" ”

Shirley suddenly shrank her neck, and pulled the corners of her mouth with an unnatural expression: "Actually, it's still ...... OK. ”

Morris frowned when he saw this, and tasted the soup he had just cooked again, his eyes a little empty.

“…… I remember Heidi taught me how to make vegetable and mushroom soup......" The old scholar muttered blankly, "What went wrong?" ”

"It's hard to say what you're doing, but I'm sure Heidi's vegetable and mushroom soup is definitely not like this," Vanna, who was sitting on the other side of the table, looked at the soup bowl in front of her with an embarrassed expression, "Forget it, next time I'll cook, although it may not taste so good, but at least ...... Well, it's not that weird. ”

"I'm kind of missing Alice's scones and fish soup," Nina muttered, "at least the soup itself tastes normal when you get your head out......"

Duncan walked into the dining room at this moment, and he heard the resentful chatter of the crew, and the expression on his face couldn't help but be a little subtle: "Usually Alice doesn't have such a high opinion when she cooks, but now that she is at the helm, you have reacted." ”

When Fanna and the others saw the captain appear, they quickly got up to greet him, and Nina stuck out her tongue as she got up to say hello: "Next time I'll cook, I think I'm probably the best at cooking here now - I was in charge of cooking when I was at Plande's house." ”

Duncan laughed, took his seat, and joined the others in looking at the meal in front of him.

Expectant glances came from all directions.

After a moment, he sighed and snapped his fingers at the expectant gazes of the others.

An illusory flame rose across the dining table and condensed into a pitch-black mirror, in which Lucretia's figure became clear.

Miss Witch was sitting on her own ship, in the dining room of the Bright Star—a sumptuous meal in front of her.

"Good afternoon, Daddy," Lucrecia smiled, "and everyone, good afternoon." ”

Duncan thought for a moment and stretched out his head to glance at the cup and plate in front of Lucrecia: "Preparing for lunch?" ”

"Yes," Lucretia smiled and nodded, "Luni made baked apple pie, cutlets, creamy corncakes, and vegetable pies today—this salad was made by Nilou, and although she's only a third of Lunie's height, she's already learning to help me with something." ”

A tiny head emerges from the edge of the frame, and Nilou, a small figure who has recently become an official crew member of the Bright Star, pokes her head out of the table and greets the mirror.

Shirley stretched her neck and watched for a long time, hesitating: "Is it delicious?" ”

"It tastes good," Lucretia looked at Shirley with a smirk, "Luni's craftsmanship has been recognized by celebrity chefs." ”

Shirley licked her lips: "That's ......"

Lucrecia continued to smile, "Huh? ”

Duncan finally couldn't help but sigh, and looked at the "Miss Witch" in the mirror with his hands outstretched: "There's no one cooking on the boat here again - Alice is at the helm." ”

Lucretia finally burst out laughing, and then quickly adjusted her sitting posture reservedly and ladylikely, and sighed helplessly: "Come on, I've prepared a lot...... I knew it was going to happen. ”

As soon as Miss Witch finished speaking, Duncan heard the sound of chairs moving, and when he looked up, the surrounding crew members were almost already standing up, and then their eyes fell on his side.

He spread his hands with a smile and a smile, "Look what I'm doing—go, Iye will send you to the Bright Star." ”

"Aren't you going along?" Nina asked, a little curious.

"I'll have to stay here," Duncan waved his hand, "Alice is still at the helm, and I'm not worried about leaving the ship - go ahead, the food will be cold over there in a while, just bring me some when you come back." ”

Shirley and Nina cheered, and Lucrecia's voice came from the mirror: "Bring your own utensils!" I didn't have that much on my side...... Shirley, you put that basin down! ”

(End of chapter)