Brant chuckled, "As expected of the God of Universal Love, nothing escapes your eyes."
"But please believe me, we bear no ill will."
Rover rubbed her chin, "At the very least, we've arrived safely in Rinascita."
Brant snapped his fingers, "Exactly—"
"Besides, such a quiet entrance doesn't suit the style of the Troupe of Fools. When our flower ship sails into Ragunna City, it should be accompanied by the grandest performance and cheers."
"When the time comes, make sure to have some colorful confetti ready in your pockets."
Lucian shook his head slightly, "Such a quiet entrance doesn't quite match the style of the God of Universal Love either."
Rover patted the back of Lucian's hand and whispered, "We're here to find the Sentinel, so it's best not to draw too much attention."
"And I'm a bit concerned about those families and the Order of the Deep."
"Let's wait until we figure things out before taking action."
Lucian nodded slightly, "You're right… I think, from the moment we set foot on Rinascita's soil, we've already been watched…"
Lucian's gaze traced back to a spot behind a cargo crate at the port, where a fleeting glimpse of a pink figure vanished.
Brant continued, "I'm sure we'll meet again soon…"
"By the way, if you get the chance, you must try the 'Honeydew Nectar'!"
"It's called the 'Droplet of the Divine,' and just one sip might let you meet the Sentinel in your dreams…"
"If you want to see the Sentinel, this might be a quicker way."
With that, Brant walked back toward the flower ship, waving goodbye over his shoulder, "Wishing you a pleasant journey."
Watching Brant leave, Rover held Lucian's hand and asked, "Did you notice something just now?"
Lucian nodded slightly, "As I said, someone's already watching us."
"Since we were invited here, it's only natural that someone would observe us from the shadows."
Rover asked, puzzled, "Do you think it's someone from the Montelli family?"
"Based on what we know so far, the Montelli family or the Fractsidus are the most likely." Lucian interlocked his fingers with Rover's, "Let's go. Brant said we need to take a gondola to get to Ragunna City."
Their current location was the Beacon of Dawn.
This was a small island across the sea from Ragunna City.
The island's area was even smaller than the space within Lucian's Sonoro Sphere.
The most striking feature was the massive lighthouse on the island, guiding ships to and fro.
Ascending the steps, they saw a group of finely dressed people surrounding a priest clad in a blue-and-white uniform.
"It's time to embark on your journey, pilgrims."
"May the Sentinel guide your path ahead, just as She guides the ships returning to port."
The priest's expression was solemn, flanked by two Echoes wielding giant swords on either side.
Lucian noticed that both Echoes had a small golden halo above their heads.
Rover whispered, "Is this a priest of the Order of the Deep?"
Lucian nodded slightly, "Should be. That's the typical priestly attire."
The pristine, holy uniform was the complete opposite of Brant's flamboyant, colorful, and playful attire.
The priest continued speaking to a man who appeared somewhat angry in front of him:
"Go forth, Andreas, no… Fool."
"The merciful Sentinel has granted you the glory of a pilgrim. May you find your rightful path through the trials of this voyage."
Fool?
The Order of the Deep calls these resistors "Fools"?
Perhaps Brant's Troupe of Fools is connected to this.
And pilgrimage… Lucian kept observing.
The man named Andreas snapped, "Then why don't you so-called devout people go?"
The priest remained unaffected by Andreas's emotions, still solemn:
"We remain here, of course, to guide those who are lost—I grieve for you, my brother, because… you simply fail to see the truth."
Andreas laughed bitterly, holding his forehead, "Heh… hehehe… the truth… how laughable…"
The priest stepped forward, "Before the sacred pilgrimage ship, I forgive your rudeness. Please board."
Lucian turned his head and saw a dusty-looking ship quietly docked at the shore.
Abby, perched on Lucian's shoulder, whispered, "This is the pilgrimage ship? It looks… too ordinary, doesn't it?"
According to Brant, the Order uses the guise of pilgrimage to exile resistors.
Lucian hesitated about whether to stop them, but he also wondered if Brant might be lying.
Besides, he and Rover were just tourists in Rinascita. What reason did they have to intervene?
If the Order of the Deep was truly as Brant described, stepping in now would only put them in the spotlight.
Their ultimate goal was to find the Sentinel, and being too conspicuous now wouldn't help…
At least they should first unravel the complex web of forces before making a move…
While Lucian hesitated, a male voice suddenly spoke beside them.
"Guests from afar… you may have doubts, but please do not interfere with their pilgrimage."
"Keeping silent might be more beneficial for you at this moment."
The speaker had golden hair and green eyes, dressed in ornate red garments, looking like a noble man.
His face was covered by a golden mask, concealing his appearance.
However, the color of his attire reminded Lucian of a certain man locked in prison, pedaling a sewing machine…
Lucian asked, puzzled, "Who are you?"
The man bowed slightly in apology, "Pardon me, allow me to introduce myself—I'm Cristoforo."
"Just a lowly playwright, here in Ragunna to gather material for a new work."
Rover nodded slightly, "I'm Rover, and this is Lucian."
Lucian sized up the mysterious man and probed, "What did you mean by saying silence benefits us? Do you know us?"
Cristoforo waved his hand with a smile, "Of course not. You're tourists, unfamiliar with Rinascita's customs, so I stopped you to prevent you from getting into trouble."
Lucian asked curiously, "You mean the pilgrimage?"
Cristoforo smiled and nodded, "Exactly. In fact, I'm working on a script about pilgrims sailing through hardships to reach the Sentinel's promised land…"
Lucian's eyes narrowed slightly. Promised land?
This was completely opposite to what Brant had said.
A promised land, in simpler terms, is a utopia of freedom and happiness.