Lucian held Phrolova, who was still in deep slumber, in his arms, while Rover sat beside him, hugging his arm.
Phoebe and Zani sat opposite them.
"Space is like a sponge—squeeze it, and there's always room." Lucian couldn't help but sigh at the warm, soft sensation transmitted from his arm.
The Gondola beneath them let out a howl: "You're comfortable, but you've worn me out terribly!"
Lucian chuckled and reached out to pat the side of the Gondola in comfort.
Phoebe gazed at the surrounding ruins and broken walls and sighed. "I never imagined the old seminary had become like this..."
Zani asked in confusion, "Have you been here before?"
Phoebe shook her head slightly. "No, I haven't."
"I've seen paintings depicting the old seminary in the cathedral. The seminary's dome was incredibly magnificent, with spires pointing straight to the sky."
"...Until the Cloudsea flooded the entire seminary, and it was abandoned by the Order."
The distance from the Cloudsea Dock to the Courtyard in the Clouds was very short; they arrived in just the time it took to exchange a few words.
As soon as everyone disembarked and looked around, they saw many priests wearing the Order's uniforms surrounding the area, seemingly praying to something.
A masked believer wearing a face covering turned around upon hearing the footsteps:
"You... are you also here seeking repentance and forgiveness?"
"The god has foretold a path for us, one that allows us to stay away from temptation and depravity."
"As long as we deliver everything we have... to Lorelei."
Phoebe, being a priestess herself, took the lead in explaining, "No, we're here to find Lorelei."
The masked believer shook his head slightly. "No need to be so hasty... I understand. You're eager to receive enlightenment, just like those newly joined brothers."
"Although you're not wearing masks on your faces, your hearts... are still shrouded in layers."
"The people here all wear masks."
"The people of Ragunna all wear a mask, unable to let go, indistinguishable from one another."
"This is precisely the source of our pain; the mask obscures our souls."
"Just like those newly joined brothers wearing strange and mad masks."
"They are tormented heavily by evil thoughts."
"May they find a moment of peace in Lorelei's embrace."
Upon hearing this, Lucian lowered his head to glance at Phrolova, whose beautiful eyes were tightly closed.
Strange and mad masks?
This reminded him of the masks worn by the Fractsidus believers.
Strange and mad—indeed, it fit their description perfectly.
Rover had also thought of this. "Strange and mad masks?"
The masked believer nodded slightly. "Yes, one shouldn't judge by appearances."
"Even villains have the chance to pray to Lorelei for their own redemption."
"This is the authority granted to Lorelei by the god; no one can take it away."
"As long as one can follow Lorelei's song and proceed along the guidance in their heart, they can obtain the opportunity to have an audience with Lorelei."
"But if one's sins are deep... irredeemable, you will be forever lost in the Cloudsea."
The masked believer's slow, drawn-out words made Zani lose her patience:
"Then, how can we have an audience with Lorelei?"
The masked believer said in surprise, "You want to have an audience with Lorelei?"
"You've come... at an unfortunate time."
"Lorelei is in a great rage; we mortals of flesh and blood cannot withstand her fury."
"Therefore, we have sealed the path to the audience."
Zani was about to say something more when Lucian reached out and stopped her.
"The path to the audience—is it over there?"
Lucian extended his finger, pointing to the very center of the Courtyard in the Clouds.
There, it was like an octagonal cage built of bricks and tiles, with several entrance gates covered in layers of mist, making it impossible to see clearly.
The masked believer nodded slightly. "Yes, but we have already sealed the path to the audience. Please leave."
With that, the masked believer turned back around and said no more.
Everyone gathered together, and Zani asked curiously, "Have you thought of a way to meet Lorelei?"
Lucian smiled awkwardly. "I have a method, but I don't know if it will anger Lorelei..."
The method Lucian mentioned was an item he had once obtained—the Half-Life Crowbar.
Also known as the 'Holy Sword of Physics.'
Once, a certain doctor had used this thing to charge in and out, invincible and omnipotent in battle.
And in the system's description, it had the effect of lockpicking.
This gate wrapped in a layer of mist... how could it not be considered a lock?
In any case, it was worth a try.
The only concern was whether forcing entry would anger Lorelei.
But with Gilberto wanting to exploit Lorelei's power, there was no time to worry about that.
Everyone arrived at the gate and discovered a line of small characters engraved on the side: We grieve endlessly over the martyrdom of the saintess.
Lucian pulled out that crowbar, red in the middle and silver at both ends.
Zani glanced at the crowbar with a bit of disdain. "Can this thing really open the passage?"
"No matter how you look at it, it doesn't seem reliable."
Rover, on the other hand, felt that if it was something of Lucian's, it would definitely work.
After all, Lucian always solved problems in an unexpected way.
However, Lucian held the crowbar and stared at the mist in front of him, falling silent.
Where should he start?
Lockpicking required a lock, right?
Otherwise, just stab it in and try...?
With that thought, Lucian did exactly that.
He thrust the crowbar forward fiercely!
The spot where the crowbar pierced the mist rippled.
The next second, the mist reformed as before, as if nothing had happened.
Lucian: "..."
Products from the system weren't necessarily all high-quality!
Rover patted Lucian's shoulder in comfort. "It's okay. Even a fine horse stumbles, and a person can make mistakes—this is normal."
Zani crossed her arms and shook her head. "I told you it wasn't reliable, but you wouldn't believe me."
Phoebe smiled and nodded, somewhat yearning. "This is the beauty of mutual trust in love..."
Zani: "Tsk."
Phoebe, what are you, an outsider, saying these things for?
Just as Zani was about to speak and suggest everyone look for more clues, a faint tremor suddenly came from the ground.
The vibration also startled Phrolova awake in his arms.
Lucian pondered for a moment. "Does this place get earthquakes too?"
Zani was stunned for a second before subconsciously saying, "Uh... probably not?"
As the ground's shaking grew stronger, Rover hurriedly grabbed Lucian's arm.
She pointed at the mist in front of them in surprise. "Look!"
The mist scattered slowly like ripples, dissipating completely in no time.
And the ground's vibration gradually subsided.
Zani's beautiful eyes widened as she couldn't help but swear, "Holy Pizza Tropicale, this works too?"
Lucian burst into laughter and took the lead in stepping inside. "This is the power of universal love!"
Entering the courtyard, though the sky was invisible, the overhead was a brilliant starry expanse.
As the stars twinkled, they reflected off the water surface below, creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene.
Just as everyone was immersed in the magnificent view, a mature female voice broke the tranquility.
"Who... disturbs me..."
The water surface surged with towering waves, gradually condensing into substance.
A Remnant being wearing blue star gauze, with skin as pale as the moon, emerged from the water.
Lucian clutched his head in shock. "This..."
"This is... an extra-large Shorekeeper!?"