The rhythmic thumping echoed only three times before escalating into a resounding bang.
As the sturdy wooden door flung open, the corridor bathed in the glow of kerosene wall lamps revealed a darkness entwined with overgrown weeds. Crimson flames surged forth, casting an eerie illumination.
In Lugano's gaze, the illusion of the oak tree abruptly dissipated, along with Father Montserrat, cradling an unseen infant in his arms.
Amidst the fiery chaos, the weeds withered, and the shadows dispersed. Lugano found himself "returned" to the humble prayer room, now aglow with the crimson moonlight.
Lumian, sporting a golden straw hat, emerged at the entrance. His eyes scanned every nook, yet Father Montserrat remained elusive.
Powers akin to the Paramita world merged with other traits, albeit incapable of creating a sufficiently independent world separate from reality. It resembles Demon Warlock Burman gaining unique abilities through a forceful transition of pathways… Where is he hiding now? Drawing from Ludwig's knowledge from his food, Beyonders of the School of God's Descent can conceal themselves in woodwork. Although I can't confirm Father Montserrat's corrupted affiliation with the School, the influence of the Great Mother is evident… Lumian swiftly assessed the unfolding scenario.
The lack of resistance from Father Montserrat, who refrained from fleeing or hiding, didn't surprise Lumian.
Performing the wave magic in the ship's bar had been a casual display, not wanting to waste the temporary Governor of the Sea authority. However, the subsequent use of the colossal wave to "greet" Captain Pedro and Father Montserrat wasn't mere showmanship.
Unaware if the School of God's Descent incident had concluded or if hidden Great Mother devotees lingered on the ship, Lumian deliberately showcased the might of a demigod Governor of the Sea to instill fear!
If there were no other Great Mother adherents or lurking threats, his "greeting" actions could be seen as showmanship. But if danger lurked, it would make the elusive elements cautious, forcing them to retreat deeper into hiding. Lumian planned to let the ship reach the next port, leaving the Church of Earth Mother authorities to deal with them.
Father Montserrat, seemingly unwilling to face the adventurer Louis Berry head-on and his demigod prowess, opted for concealment, biding his time until the ship docked.
Had Lugano not luckily or unluckily stumbled upon the priest cradling the unseen infant, Father Montserrat might have continued portraying himself as a competent clergyman of the Church of Earth Mother, avoiding any confrontation with Louis Berry.
"F-Father Montserrat is a believer in the Great Mother! He was cradling an invisible baby!" Lugano hastily reported to Louis Berry, now realizing the gravity of the situation.
Cradling an invisible baby… He could be hiding within the ship's woodwork. Lumian scanned the surroundings, inspecting chairs, the floor, and the Sacred Emblem of Life adorning the wooden wall.
In an abrupt realization, he felt a stir in his heart as he approached the Sacred Emblem embodying Earth Mother.
Adorned with symbols of wheat, flowers, and spring water at the periphery, at its core lay a simple depiction of a baby.
A baby!
Advancing further, crimson flames radiated, setting the wooden floorboards and chairs ablaze.
Coming to a halt before the Sacred Emblem of Life, Lumian extended his right hand, gently caressing the baby's face.
The wood instantly deteriorated, exuding a yellowish pus.
It seemed that the depiction of a baby surrounded by wheat and flowers had long decayed, shedding tears of blood.
There's a huge problem with the Church of Earth Mother… Lumian narrowed his eyes.
While unable to pinpoint the elusive Father Montserrat, he unearthed decay and darkness lurking beneath the veneer of the Church of Earth Mother.
Observing the charred remains of the woodwork and finding no trace of Father Montserrat, with more wooden hiding spots on the steel steam ship, Lumian turned and addressed Lugano, "Take me to the captain's cabin."
"Alright." Lugano visibly relaxed.
Exiting the prayer room, the crimson flames within swiftly extinguished, ceasing their advance.
Inside the captain's cabin, Pedro, spotting a handsome brown beard, grimaced as adventurer Louis Berry approached.
Experienced as he was, he knew that there might be trouble on the ship.
During the School of God's Descent incident, Adventurer Louis Berry had only dispatched a servant to explain matters. Now, here he was personally visiting!
What did this signify?
It pointed to a more severe complication!
Without awaiting the captain's inquiry, Lumian calmly asserted, "Father Montserrat has succumbed, aligning himself with an evil deity. He likely colluded with the School of God's Descent's evil warlock."
Captain Pedro's mind jolted as if struck by a rod, momentarily buzzing and going blank.
After a brief pause, he cautiously inquired, "Have you already killed him?"
"Not yet," Lumian truthfully responded. "He escaped the prayer room and is now in hiding. Dispatch a telegram promptly, reporting this to the Church of Earth Mother and the Feynapotter government. My servant will provide the details."
In the face of Louis Berry's authoritative directive, Captain Pedro yielded without resistance. He shifted his attention to Lugano, absorbing the account of his conversion and Father Montserrat's description, cradling an invisible infant.
Upon hearing the revelation, Pedro wore a bitter expression and admitted, "I did sense something amiss with Father Montserrat, but I never anticipated it to be this grave."
"What's the issue?" Lumian inquired.
Pedro sighed, explaining, "He's a Favored, a Beyonder of the Earth pathway, the most orthodox clergyman. Typically, he needs a Blessed's help to conduct Mass, preach to believers, and guide others into the Church. However, he's the only Favored on this ship without a Blessed."
"I initially thought the shortage of staff in Port Santa was due to the sea prayer ritual, so I didn't pay much heed. But now, with Father Montserrat's fall…"
Only with the assistance of a Blessed can one conduct Mass and preach to believers. There's no Blessed following him… Lumian had previously learned that Favored of the Church of Earth Mother needs at least one second-in-command Blessed for their decisions to be considered valid. Otherwise, it risks being perceived as an influence of an evil god or a demon… An evil god… That Great Mother? Wh… Combined with recent events and his prior knowledge, Lumian suddenly grasped why the Church of Earth Mother maintained two distinct systems—
Blessed and Favored—rather than merging them.
Madam Magician of the Apprentice pathway had mentioned occasional influence from the Celestial Worthy, unsure if it was a revelation from Mr. Fool.
Similar to the Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings overseeing the Apprentice, Seer, and Marauder pathways, the Great Mother likely stood atop the Planter, Apothecary, and Villain pathways.
As a result, Favored Beyonders of the Planter and Apothecary pathways would also be under the influence of the Great Mother. The origin of the revelation, whether from Earth Mother or the Great Mother, remained unclear. Confirmation required the input of Blessed from pathways outside these two. Simultaneously, Blessed monitored the status of the Favored!
That explains it… Indeed, there's a profound and serious reason behind this seemingly absurd, wasteful, and unreasonable system design, Lumian concluded. Without further words, he instructed Captain Pedro, "Send the telegram."
After the captain relayed Father Montserrat's situation to the Feynapotter government and the Church of Earth Mother, Lumian contemplated how to locate Father Montserrat.
Considering the vast sea surrounding them, unless Father Montserrat possessed teleportation or exceptional underwater travel abilities, he could only be hiding somewhere on the ship.
Lumian dismissed the idea of involving his Major Arcana card holder for such a trivial issue and resolved to devise a solution himself.
Could I use the ship's megaphone to insult the Great Mother, provoking Father Montserrat to reveal himself? The challenge lies in the inability to lock onto a target, potentially yielding less-than-optimal results…
Burning all the ship's woodwork? Seems like a last resort due to the presence of valuable goods in wooden crates…
Borrowing a bottle of Prophetic Concoction from Franca? It requires a fresh corpse. Additionally, if Franca is involved, I could get her to directly employ Magic Mirror Divination…
Playing the Symphony of Hatred bone flute and informing passengers to cover their ears prior to that? But it only reduces damage without averting the effects…
Right, ask Ludwig if he recalls Father Montserrat's small…
Also… Yes, I can give it a try!
Lumian quickly came up with several solutions and decided to systematically test each one, reserving seeking help as a final option.
He bid farewell to the captain and, under the cover of night, led Lugano back to the first-class cabin suite.
"Do you recall Father Montserrat's scent?" Lumian inquired of Ludwig.
Ludwig shook his head.
"No direct contact."
"Fair enough." Lumian turned around, offering a reassuring smile to Lugano. "I have an experiment in mind. Work with me."
"What kind of experiment?" Lugano asked, a tremor of fear evident.
Lumian gestured towards the window.
"Go to the deck. It's more open there."
Uneasily, Lugano descended to the deck, bathed in the crimson moonlight. His employer pulled out a full-body silver armor from his Traveler's Bag, revealing an inscrutable smile.
Lumian recalled the Pride Armor's particular disdain for items from the Earth and Evernight pathways.
What if it wasn't an item but a Beyonder?
How would it react?
Could this hatred be harnessed to pinpoint Father Montserrat's location, given he was at least a Doctor, at a certain distance?
Lumian wasn't entirely sure, but he intended to experiment with Lugano, a fellow Beyonder of the Earth pathway, to explore the possibilities.
