Chapter 1 The Puppet

　　"Aberrant 099 – Puppet."

　　That was all that was written on the parchment. It was the only information Vanna brought back from the nameless king's mausoleum.

　　The moment she saw those scrawled letters, Vanna's expression became somewhat blank. She could feel that Bishop Valentine and several other figures beside her were equally stunned. After a brief silence, a dark shadow of one of the saints suddenly spoke in a deep voice: "An existing 'Aberrant' has been altered out of thin air... and it happened outside the sight of the civilized world."

　　"It fell into the hands of the *Shixiang* (Lost Home) ," another saint nodded in agreement. "Perhaps the ghost captain did something..."

　　"But what kind of change could produce such a result?" The saint who spoke earlier seemed worried. "The difference between 'Puppet' and 'Puppet Coffin' isn't just a few words... Moreover, this change directly affected the nameless king's mausoleum, and even caused the guardian to suddenly summon the Listeners into the tomb to convey this information..."

　　The saints were discussing in low voices with solemn expressions, and their gazes eventually converged on Vanna. Vanna had now gradually recovered. With the help of Bishop Valentine, she stood up, looking at the only remaining piece of parchment in her hand. "I... I don't remember anything that happened in the tomb. I only remember walking in the tomb passage."

　　"Forgetting the experience in the tomb is a very normal occurrence. It's your mind protecting itself, which is why we need the parchment and quill provided by the guardian to record useful information," Bishop Valentine said slowly.

　　"But your parchment only... has these few words left. This situation is... not quite right."

　　Vanna stared blankly at her hands. After a long while, she muttered hesitantly, "Did I tear the parchment myself...?"

　　"Theoretically, it could only be you," Bishop Valentine looked at her. "There wouldn't be anyone else in the mausoleum. The guardian never interferes with the Listener's communication with the tomb's master, and the tomb's master won't take any extra action other than conveying messages." Vanna's heart was filled with confusion, but before she could continue speaking, a low and solemn female voice suddenly came from the edge of the plaza, interrupting the saints' conversation: "The time for the assembly to end is approaching."

　　The saints immediately stood at attention and looked in the direction of the voice. Vanna also quickly composed herself and looked at the figure at the end of the plaza—a woman who seemed to be wearing gorgeous attire was standing there quietly, watching the gathered saints.

　　The female figure was not accompanied by any followers. She stood there alone, exuding enough majesty and aura. Like other "souls," her figure also appeared as a black silhouette, but that silhouette was clearer and more solid than anyone else's, so solid that one could vaguely see the outline of her face, making it clear that she was a graceful and dignified woman.

　　Vanna bowed her head slightly towards the figure with reverence.

　　That was the leader of the Deep Sea Church, the Pope of the Storm Cathedral, the earthly representative of the Storm Goddess Gomona. This extraordinary individual who had received divine grace was so powerful that her soul had already undergone qualitative changes, and even in this spiritual energy assembly, she could faintly present the complete appearance of a "person."

　　It should be known that even the "saints," whose power far surpassed that of ordinary extraordinary individuals, could only barely maintain a human outline in this assembly.

　　Vanna felt the Pope's gaze fall on her.

　　"You have done very well, Saint Vanna," the Pope nodded slightly. Her voice was both dignified and gentle, comforting Vanna's slightly dejected mood. "How much information a Listener can bring back from the tomb has always been an uncontrollable matter, and often, the information a Listener brings back isn't limited to the parchment."

　　"You mean..." Vanna raised her head curiously, daring to ask.

　　"The less content left on the parchment, the more dangerous the information conveyed by the tomb's master. It's your spiritual warning driving you, causing you to destroy the words you wrote in the tomb, to prevent those dangerous truths from being revealed... This piece of information is enough. It's enough for the Storm Cathedral to use as a reference to formulate the next route and to offer specific prayers to Our Lord to seek guidance."

　　Vanna listened carefully to the Pope's words, and her mood gradually calmed down.

　　She knew that this was not just a casual consolation—the Pope would not do such meaningless things. Since the Pope had said so, it meant that this matter had been approved by the goddess to some extent.

　　She had brought back valuable enough information from the nameless king's mausoleum.

　　"Disperse," the graceful and elegant lady said softly. "This assembly ends here. The Storm Cathedral will carefully evaluate the signal conveyed by Aberrant 0144 this time—if necessary, I will issue an edict or summon the saints again."

　　Vanna quickly composed herself. She bowed respectfully towards the Pope, and then her figure gradually disappeared into this chaotic and vast space. The figures of the other saints followed closely behind. One by one, the black shadows disappeared from the plaza. In the blink of an eye, silence returned to this place.

　　In the vast assembly, only the ancient and cracked stone bricks, the pillars supporting the chaotic sky, and the soul projection of Storm Pope Helina remained.

　　This pope, who had received Gomona's favor, did not leave. After dismissing the assembly, she still stood quietly on the plaza, staring motionless at the open space in the center of the plaza.

　　After who knows how long, Helina suddenly turned her head and looked not far from her—the air there was rippling like water, and in an instant, a tall and thin figure appeared in her sight. The tall and thin figure seemed to be wearing a robe. Like Helina, his face was also faintly discernible—it was a serious and old man.

　　Immediately afterwards, another figure emerged beside this tall and thin old man. It was a short and stout old man with a vaguely discernible face and a kind smile.

　　"Banste," Helina first nodded to the tall and thin, serious old man, and then looked at the short and stout old man with a kind smile. "Luen—what, are you very free? Don't the Death Sect and the Academy of Truth need to patrol the border?"

　　"The border is most stable, with reliable monitoring," Banste, the tall and thin old man, said concisely.

　　"We temporarily entrusted the task of patrolling the border to reliable people," the short and stout old man named Luen also nodded. "This time, we mainly came to see how things are on your side... It seems the civilized world is not peaceful." "The last time a similar situation occurred in the mausoleum was also during the Deep Sea Church's watch," Banste said expressionlessly. "It seems like a century ago."

　　"You know that," Helina said lightly. "Of course, the last time was a century ago—that time, I entered the mausoleum as a Listener. At that time, I wasn't the leader of the Storm Cathedral yet. I remember it very clearly."

　　"Yes, you went in last time. I remember it very clearly too," the short and stout old man, Luen, stroked his beard and recalled with emotion. "You were also 'thrown' out of the mausoleum immediately after entering, and it took you a long time to wake up, and just like that little girl today, only a small note was left on the parchment you brought into the tomb, with only a few scrawled words on it... Helina, do you remember what information you brought back from the tomb a century ago?"

　　The leader of the Storm Cathedral was silent for a moment before saying softly, "I remember it very clearly—'Aberrant 005 - *Shixiang* (Lost Home)'."

　　Luen nodded lightly. "That's right, you were the first to bring back the news that the *Shixiang* (Lost Home) had become an Aberrant... And the few letters you brought back were confirmed in just one month. The phantom of the *Shixiang* (Lost Home) roared past the edge of the Death Sect's cemetery. Banste, that unlucky fellow, watched helplessly as his escort ship, which he had just built and hadn't even had time to cut the ribbon on, was swallowed on the spot, leaving only the rope used for the ribbon-cutting..."

　　The leader of the Death Sect, Pope Banste, gave Luen a blank look.

　　Helina, on the other hand, seemed not to have heard Luen's last few words. She was just thoughtfully silent, and after a long time, she slowly opened her mouth: "Whether it's 'Puppet' or 'Puppet Coffin,' it's just an 'Aberrant' with a ranking close to a hundred, not comparable to the Aberrant ranked fifth."

　　"It's not comparable, but you also know that the key to the problem isn't the information left on the note—it's the parts that couldn't be left, the 'truth' that can bring the saints' spirits to the brink of collapse, so that they must destroy it under instinct and bury it in the tomb," Luen's expression finally gradually became serious. "The name of Aberrant 099 changing from Puppet Coffin to Puppet isn't anything in itself, but the information related to it that has been hidden is the most deadly..."

　　"The only direction of speculation now is that this is related to that ghost ship," Helina said. "But a few days ago, I sought enlightenment from Our Lord..."

　　She suddenly stopped at this point, then shook her head, seeming unwilling to continue the topic.

　　"Why didn't Frem come?" She looked at the two figures in front of her. "Doesn't he always like to join in the fun?"

　　"Frem and his Torchbearers Church are busy with very important things," the short and stout Luen said with a smile. "The leaders of the four major orthodox churches can't all come here to join in the fun..."

　　"Very important things?" Helina frowned. "What is he doing?"

　　"Patrolling the border," Banste said concisely.

　　Helina: "......"