Sun and Shadow

The beginning of the Grand Route, where the Radiant Disc of the cathedral scatters the fog, the island of the pioneers.

At the Storm Cathedral on the Island of Departure, Edmond Tide, after paying his respects to the Lord of Storms, caught a glimpse of a pure white gate in a trance.

Coming to his senses, Edmond looked at the statue of the God of Storms in the distance, his heart unable to calm for a long time.

The 1500 revised edition of the Record of the Storm God records that the great Lord of Storms tore through the fog and opened the gateway to the New Continent.

In the new divine narrative, the honorific of the God of Storms has been changed to "Lord of Storms"; previously, only the Lord of Light could use the title of "Lord."

The description of the relationship between the Lord of Storms and the Lord of Light has gradually shifted from reverence during the Era of Light to equality.

To have information transmitted to him under the gaze of the Lord of Storms—what a secretive existence this must be!

Edmond Tide left the Storm Cathedral and returned to the captain's quarters of his Piranha, taking out a new Tarot card.

Using a ritual to sacrifice the Tarot card, he waited quietly for the Society of Hours to begin.

Fog City, Cathedral of Night.

Arena swung the sharp sword in her hand, tempering her swordsmanship; she, who was originally destined to drift with the tide, was determined to fight for a future of her own.

The advantage of Reilly Stuart was experience—experience that crushed her in every aspect.

Arena, who had been raised as a decorative vase since childhood, had no restrictions in the transcendent realm, but that was as far as it went.

In the battles she had experienced and the power struggles of her family, there had not been much hostility from the outside world.

Since she had no advantages, she would create them herself; suddenly, a pure white gate appeared before Arena's eyes.

She took a deep breath and stopped her training for the day, knowing that her only chance was to seek help from Mr. Mansus at the Society of Hours.

Secret Sect Long Table.

Arthur tapped the tabletop, pulling Miss Moth and Mr. Red Grail up to initiate a new round of the Society of Hours.

Arena changed into a long black dress to show her respect for Mr. Mansus.

"Mr. Mansus, thank you for your warning; it prevented a disaster from occurring."

Arthur knew Arena was referring to the Black Devil ritual, and his tone was indifferent: "A mere trifle."

Edmond listened to Miss Moth's words; was Mr. Mansus's warning referring to the actions of the Black Devil?

Recent news from the Old Continent showed no signs of Black Devil activity; it seemed he would need to investigate carefully upon his return.

Perhaps he could indirectly discover Miss Moth's true identity.

Arthur paused and gave a brief warning: "Miss Moth, be careful; that lonely, wandering pauper is very vengeful."

"Understood," Arena was slightly stunned, "Thank you for your reminder."

Mr. Mansus's tone seemed to hold a deep prejudice against the Black Devil—a lonely, wandering pauper?

Edmond was slightly startled; Mr. Mansus's name for the Black Devil carried a heavy sense of contempt!

Looking at the myths published by churches of different eras, the narrative of the myth would change with the status of the church, indirectly reflecting the status of the gods.

He must be older and more powerful than the Black Devil, otherwise, Mr. Mansus would not use such a tone!

Arthur tapped the tabletop and said calmly: "Are there any new Tarot cards?"

Arena lifted her skirt and bowed slightly: "Mr. Mansus, I have been quite busy lately and have not had time to search for special Tarot cards."

"It does not matter."

Edmond Tide bowed slightly: "Mr. Mansus, I have found a special Tarot card."

Arthur nodded slightly; he had already received the sacrificial ritual, but he was just asking out of routine to see if Arena had gained anything.

He raised his hand and summoned the Tarot card that Edmond Tide had obtained.

On the front of the Tarot card, the afterglow of a setting sun was depicted; under the radiance of the sun, shadows stretched into the distance—the sun and shadow running parallel.

On the back of the Tarot card, a line of small text appeared beneath the pattern of a pentacle: Sun and Shadow.

Tarot Card: Secret History Card.

Secrets hidden in history, transformed into a Tarot card under mysterious influence; interpret the secret history within the Tarot card.

Arthur raised his hand slightly, injecting mist into the Tarot card, and the ancient secret history flowed directly into his mind.

The ability of the Reader was unleashed at this moment, reading the secret history: Sun and Shadow.

The secret history transformed into images, flowing before Arthur's eyes, illusory yet real.

[Age of Navigation, Year 901, Author: Oscar Capac]

A dilapidated small boat sailed amidst the waves, and aged hands used cotton thread and llama wool to weave colorful knotted cords.

The "Quipu," unique to the Inca civilization, recorded information through the combination of colored knots.

In the woven "Quipu," the information recorded by Oscar Capac was revealed:

"I am a sinner; the Great Inti Empire has suffered a devastating blow due to my negligence."

"They disguised themselves as descendants of the sun, arrived at the capital of the sun on a drifting ship, and I received them with enthusiasm."

"Pure sunlight shone upon the summit of the high tower, and I mistakenly believed them to be the lost descendants of the sun..."

"A grave mistake! They are demons, envoys of the devil, the most sinful of men!"

"After the first month of their masquerade, they launched a divine war, and the great Sun God Inti was ambushed."

"On that day, the sun turned as black as ink, and the descendants of the sun suffered heavy losses in the divine war."

"Shadows shrouded the empire; the sun did not rise for seven days, and the great Sun God no longer answered the prayers of His devout followers!"

Arthur read the ancient Secret Histories. Judging by the descriptions of Oscar Capac, the author was a high-ranking official of the Inca Empire.

The events described referred to the revelry following the opening of the Grand Route, specifically the crusade of the Church of Light: "Spreading the radiance of the sun upon the barbaric lands."

A section in the middle of the Quipu knot was broken; Oscar had woven it only to intentionally cut it away, unwilling to let that piece of history remain.

"The great sun shall never return to its former brilliance; He has stolen the light that belonged to the gods!"

"The shadow behind the sunlight supports the great Father God; one day, He shall reclaim the radiance of the sun!"

"The darkness of the sun shall eventually pass. I, Oscar Capac, swear upon my life to forsake the glory and past of the Capac, to bury all that has come before, and to follow the Father God!"

The Secret Histories recorded in the Quipu ended abruptly there.

Arthur closed his eyes to digest this piece of secret history, which involved the divine war at the dawn of the Age of Navigation and the dark history of the most magnificent Lord of Light.

In the revised 1500 edition of the Gospel of Light, it is recorded that the magnificent Lord of Light brought hope and light to the New Continent, possessing also the mercy of shadows.

He had not read earlier versions of the Gospel of Light and did not know if the previous mythological narratives had mentioned "shadows."

Judging by Oscar Capac's records, the shadow seemed to have originated from the divine war between the Lord of Light and the Sun God.

Arthur suddenly recalled that the Shadow Temple of the Church of Light, their violent enforcement agency, had not been established for very long.