"To Yangyang."
The setting sun had not yet fallen. Lights turned on in the top floor of the hotel. Noah bit the end of his pen and once again began writing the letter:
"Seeing this letter is like seeing me in person. May it bring you joy upon unfolding… hmm…"
Writing a letter a second time after already doing it once always felt like it lacked some vigor. He couldn't recapture that previous feeling of literary flair. Patiently, he continued writing:
"I am currently in Ragunna City, Rinascita… (introducing the city's customs)… I'm eating well and sleeping well… (conveying greetings)… I estimate I'll be staying here for about 20 days…"
After writing four or five hundred words and feeling he had expressed everything sufficiently, he hastily wrote an ending, then picked up another sheet of paper.
"To Jinhsi: Seeing this letter is like seeing me in person. May it bring you joy upon unfolding… I am currently in Rinascita… If you miss me, just write back…"
After three or four hundred words, he hastily ended it again and switched to the next sheet.
"To Changli: If you see Cantarella, please have her return to Ragunna as soon as possible. Tell her I can pull out Tyrvine."
No, no. That felt a bit too much like treating Changli as a tool. Noah crumpled this sheet into a ball and threw it away.
He pulled over a fresh blank sheet and copied some of the city customs introductions and greetings from the letters to Yangyang and Jinhsi before writing his request at the end.
There were still several more letters to write. Noah lost his patience, and the letters grew shorter and shorter.
"To Chixia, to Baizhi, to Jianxin, and Jiyan, Zhezhi, Verina, Danjin… Aalto."
By the last one, Noah shook out his hand and wrote only a single line with his address. He was truly too lazy to write more.
"Writing so many words — it's really hard on me!"
He asked the attendant for envelopes, slipped a few photos of Rinascita — more in some letters, fewer in others — into each, and sealed them all.
Finally, Noah entrusted the hotel attendant to deliver the letters to Lollo Warehouse.
Express delivery was a bit expensive, but it was extremely fast. They would probably arrive in Jinzhou by dusk tomorrow.
After finishing all this, Noah opened his task panel.
[Main Quest: Veils Off in Sun or Shadow has been activated.]
[Quest Description: To uncover exactly what role Gilberto played in the Echo runaway incident, you followed the trail he left outside the city. But the truth of the matter seems increasingly elusive.]
[Completing the Main Quest Veils Off in Sun or Shadow will reward: Radiant Tide *20, Lustrous Tide *10, Astrite *1600, Shell Credits *100000.]
As always, the in-game main storyline introduction text.
Noah began recalling this segment of the game's plot.
Rover arrives in Rinascita and is received by Zani. During a meal, they encounter an attack from a runaway Echo.
To investigate the cause of the Echo runaway, the two follow clues straight out of the city and discover that Echoes keep going missing outside the walls.
Thus, the two team up with Phoebe, friend of Echoes, capture Gilberto, learn that the Lord of the Sea of Clouds, Lorelai, is being controlled, and head to Nimbus Sanctum to free Lorelai.
He had only recalled the first half of this plot segment when his terminal suddenly rang. Seeing the caller's name, Noah excitedly answered:
"Your Eminence Fenrico, calling me — have you discovered a Fractsidus Overseer?"
"No. Righteous One, you once promised to help our Sentinel resurrect. The Order remembers this favor deeply."
Fenrico's voice came through the terminal:
"To welcome your arrival, I have prepared a welcome ceremony for you tomorrow. What do you think?"
"Forget it. I don't like that sort of thing."
Learning that Fenrico's call wasn't about a Fractsidus Overseer, Noah immediately lost interest.
For now, Fractsidus still didn't know he had secretly made a deal with Fenrico. He decided to wait in the shadows for the right moment.
"Keep our connection confidential for now. Don't tell anyone. When both Fractsidus Overseers appear, I'll catch them all in one net!"
"This…"
There seemed to be some hesitation on the other end:
"To be honest, Righteous One, because your intrusion into the cathedral yesterday caused too much commotion, there are inevitably some unfavorable remarks about you within the Order."
"If we do not reveal your relationship with the Order, I'm afraid the Order won't be able to serve as your backing — it might even cause you a little trouble."
"I've already restrained them. No one in the Order is to disturb you casually. But your every move will likely draw their close surveillance."
Surveillance?
Noah didn't mind. Being watched a couple times wouldn't cost him any flesh.
Back in Jinzhou, he had long grown accustomed to being the center of attention wherever he went.
"Compared to this minor issue, catching the Fractsidus Overseers is more important."
"Very well, Righteous One. I understand your decision."
…
A new day.
Outside the Agrotta Palace Hotel, Phoebe stood behind a sturdy load-bearing pillar, occasionally peeking out. Her gaze passed the pillar toward the hotel entrance.
"The sun's been up for a while now. Why hasn't that person come out yet?"
Phoebe covered her face in frustration.
It was all that bad guy's fault — intimately pinching her face in Liberty Square, which aroused Deacon Alessio's suspicions.
Now she had to thoroughly investigate that brazen fanatic's identity and report back to Deacon Alessio. Otherwise, she might be labeled a heretic by him.
Thinking this, Phoebe slapped her cheeks to psych herself up.
She didn't dare go looking for that brazen fanatic at night. He had dared to tease her in broad daylight with crowds around — in the quiet of a hotel at night, he would definitely be even worse!
Banishing some blush-inducing thoughts from her mind, Phoebe cast her gaze toward the hotel again.
Eh, there he is!
Seeing the figure in white casual clothes emerge from the hotel, Phoebe's face lit up with joy.
Suddenly, the figure vanished. The joy on her face turned to panic.
"Eh! How did he disappear in an instant?"
Hurriedly stepping out from behind the load-bearing pillar where she hid, Phoebe looked left and right but couldn't find Noah anywhere.
She suddenly turned — a large hand brushed past her cheek, pinning Phoebe against the wall pillar behind her in a kabedon, leaving her mind blank —
"Looking for me, Acolyte Phoebe?"
Noah extended his other free hand and skillfully pinched Phoebe's round little face, his eyes full of mischief.
The feel was as good as ever.
He had pinched it before anyway — one more time wouldn't hurt.
But why had Phoebe suddenly come looking for him without reason? Could she be the informant Fenrico mentioned?
Then… please let such an informant come every day. He happened to need a Ragunna tour guide.
Looking at that flustered, almost tearful, aggrieved round face, Noah spoke again:
"You've come at the perfect time. Want to do some fun things with me?"
As his words fell, he immediately felt the temperature between his fingers rise rapidly.
"Eh, eh, don't misunderstand. Just some good deeds I do every day."
Noah hurriedly explained, but the temperature between his fingers only rose more. Watery light shimmered in the girl's eyes. He cried out in alarm —
"Don't cry, don't cry! It's not what you think!