Lucian crossed his arms and snorted coldly. "But with your sparse-hair-like knowledge, you probably don't know my good brother Calcharo, do you?"
"My brother Calcharo can make any enemy tremble with fear just by making a move."
"When Calcharo looks in a mirror, he sees nothing, because there's no second Calcharo in the world!"
"Resonance abilities benefit those with talent, but Calcharo's talent makes resonance abilities shine!"
"That's my never-met good brother—Calcharo!"
Rover squinted with half-moon eyes. How do you know so much about a brother you've never met? You make it sound so real.
And the priest before them, indeed shortsighted, actually believed it to some extent.
He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, secretly pondering.
That person only told me to watch out for Lucian and Rover, but didn't mention anything about a Calcharo.
Could Calcharo be their secret weapon?
Indeed, with powerhouses like Lucian and Rover, how could they not have some trump card?
If this Calcharo is really that formidable, our Order of the Deep might not be able to withstand him.
After all, our 'Enlightened One,' Fenrico, is…
And it's true that no one in Rinascita has ever seen the Sentinel!
This…
Father Alessio fell silent for a moment. Even if Lucian hadn't mentioned this figure, he wouldn't have dared to act against them.
After all, this concerned their plan, which required Lucian and his group to follow the path set by that person.
Even though Father Alessio felt this was a lifelong stain on his reputation, he still didn't dare send the La Guardia to arrest them.
If the plan were disrupted, he might vent his frustration, but he'd surely face the wrath of the Fractsidus.
Moreover, Father Alessio seriously doubted whether the La Guardia could even apprehend them…
The priest coughed lightly. "Well…"
"Though I don't know who this Calcharo you speak of is, for our Order of the Deep, he must be a friend worth befriending."
The three women behind exchanged glances, caught off guard by the priest's swift change in attitude.
Just moments ago, he was fuming and ready to explode, but now he was suddenly calm.
Lucian raised an eyebrow disdainfully. "You old geezer, what makes you think you're worthy of being friends with my brother? First, consider if you're even qualified!"
Father Alessio: "…"
The priest took a deep breath. For the Order of the Deep, I'll endure!
As that other person had said, Lucian was indeed sharp-tongued, even besting that person once.
Father Alessio sighed, cursing inwardly. Why the hell didn't Fenrico come deal with him himself?
I'm really bearing the weight of words no one my age should have to endure for the Order.
"Ahem, Mr. Lucian is truly eloquent, but someone brought by Priestess Phoebe must have no ill intentions."
"And I've heard of your deeds."
"I also heard you wish to meet the Sentinel, likely because you're interested in following His path."
"But it seems you don't understand the significance of the Carnevale to us. I'm willing to explain a bit."
The priest quickly changed the topic, fearing Lucian's next words would berate him again.
Rover patted the back of Lucian's hand. She was indeed curious about the Carnevale.
Especially, what exactly happened at the Carnevale ten years ago?
When they arrived in Ragunna, they only knew that ten years ago, an Echoes-out-of-control incident occurred during the Carnevale.
It was even called divine punishment. Now, hearing it directly from the mouth of a priest of the Order of the Deep would surely reveal the Order's stance.
Rover nodded slightly. "Speak freely."
Father Alessio relaxed. It seemed this Rover was much easier to talk to than Lucian.
His eyes seemed to recall the past. "At the last Carnevale, sea mist blanketed the entire city."
"Echoes roamed the streets like ghosts, a dragon's terrifying roar echoed in the skies, and sea beasts stirred towering waves…"
"It was a 'divine punishment.'"
"A warning to people indulging in pleasure and acting selfishly."
The priest looked at the male silhouette on the steps. "This is our 'Enlightened One,' Archbishop Fenrico."
"He stood up at the end of that Carnevale and quelled the divine punishment for the people."
"Ragunna's history stems from its struggle against the sea. Its greatness and immortality lie in the 'unity' born from a common goal."
"People followed guidance, banding together in storms and tides, reclaiming land, uniting islands—an unbreakable dam can only be built by the 'collective.'"
"People should restrain themselves, not indulge in individual desires."
"Great cohesion and social discipline can only be strengthened through ceremonies and rituals."
"So, we expel those who stray from the true path and restrict those who harm the common good."
"We've made tremendous efforts for this."
Collective… Unity…
Lucian suddenly recalled.
The words Rover had heard about the Sentinel.
"Command, Unify, Ascend, Converge…"
Thinking about it, didn't that sound a lot like the Order of the Deep's current ideology?
Except for "Converge," which was unclear, the other three terms seemed to describe what the Order was doing to Ragunna's people.
All the rules and regulations were meant to 'corral' the people of Ragunna, labeling any dissenting voices as fools and sending them on pilgrimages.
It seemed the Fisalia Family's attempt to pin the Echoes-out-of-control incident on the Montelli Family would also benefit the Order.
After all, the Montelli Family had been pushing for the Carnevale and private terminals, making them heretics in the Order's eyes.
The Montelli Family's wealth and influence were likely the only reason the Order hadn't dealt with them yet.
If this incident were successfully pinned on them, the Montelli Family would surely face universal condemnation.
Especially during the long-awaited Carnevale.
Combined with the words Rover heard from the Sentinel, could this really be the Sentinel's decree?
If so, Lucian could only say that Sentinels differed greatly.
He much preferred Jué's approach to managing Jinzhou.
Rover pondered for a moment, then raised an eyebrow. "So that's why you're refusing to hold the Carnevale?"
Her tone grew colder. She found it hard to believe the Sentinel would act this way.
But based on the voice she heard earlier, could it be that the Order's actions were truly the Sentinel's will?
Or perhaps…
Recalling the voice closely, there seemed to be subtle differences in tone between the two parts.
The priest waved his hand with a smile. "Heh heh heh… us? No, no, no…"