As planned, Violet and her group’s next destination was the Holy Empire. After passing through some regions, they would head to Angel City to meet Edwina, who had set out ahead of them.
Of course, this was just a general direction for their journey, the exact route would depend on the circumstances.
Thanks to the convenient flying wings provided by Eilush, which even ordinary people could use, traveling by air was undoubtedly one of the fastest ways.
However, considering that the essence of the journey lay in the process itself, the priestess and her companions decided on a compromise after several discussions.
It is well known that the Holy Empire has the largest actual land area in the world, bar none. It is located in the center of the continent, bordered by the Azure Sky Kingdom to the south, the Human United Kingdom to the west, and separated from the Austre Empire to the east by several small buffer states. To the far north, it is not far from the Snow Country, which is frozen for miles. Thus, it can be said to be a hub of connections.
Furthermore, the Holy Empire is powerful, with its core organization, the 【Goddess Church】, advocating the concept of “equality” and boasting countless followers worldwide. Coupled with its strong and widely accepted faith-based magic, its comprehensive strength is undoubtedly the best in the world.
As a result, the Holy Empire is bustling with various merchants, travelers, and even smugglers coming and going from all directions.
Entering the country is quite easy for foreign visitors, without the cultural or geographical barriers found in the Human United Kingdom or the Azure Sky Kingdom.
So, after some discussion, Violet and her companions chose the simplest and most straightforward route.
First, they would head east, crossing several perilous peaks. After passing through the territory of the Steel Claw Clan, one of the three major pillars along with the Moon Shadow Demon Wolves, they would fly over the eastern half of the Ten Thousand Demons Mountains, which are geographically wider from east to west and shorter from north to south. After crossing the border, they would cross a river to enter the Holy Empire.
Incidentally, this long river, which separates the western Holy Empire from the Ten Thousand Demons Mountains, is one of the three longest rivers in the world. It is known as the Star River, alongside the Black River of the Beastman Kingdom and the Lo River of the Human United Kingdom.
The Star River flows from east to west, traversing the vast expanse of the Holy Empire, with countless tributaries. The name is said to come from a mysterious fish known as the Flying Star that inhabits this river.
An ancient myth from the Holy Empire describes it thus:
【There is a fish in the Star River, named Abyss Star. Its form is indescribably beautiful, with wings spanning three thousand juns. It leaps millions of miles, and wherever it goes, the sky shines as brightly as the starry river. It appears only once in a hundred years.】
A jun is a unique unit of length in this world, roughly equivalent to about one and a half meters. The “Abyss Star” mentioned here is akin to the Flying Star fish. This mysterious fish is famous not merely because of a fanciful myth but because it is a real creature.
Of course, the real “Flying Star” is not as exaggerated as the myth describes. It is impossible for it to have wings spanning three thousand juns or to leap millions of miles, but they are indeed very beautiful and can actually “fly.”
“Wow!”
A giant fish leaped out from beneath the water’s surface, its splash creating shimmering reflections in the bright sunlight.
A girl with green hair and green eyes widened her eyes, staring unblinkingly as the elegant creature flipped several times in the air before finally plopping back into the river with a splash. She exclaimed in disbelief.
“Miss Violet, Miss Violet! That was amazing! I’ve never seen a fish like that before! It can stay in the air for so long!”
The priestess, whose sleeve was being tugged back and forth by Theresa, smiled and affirmed.
“It is indeed beautiful. This must be the legendary mysterious fish, the ‘Flying Star.’ A unique creature that can only occasionally be seen in the Star River of the Holy Empire. Quite fascinating.”
An elderly man nearby, leaning on a pole, also laughed and joined the conversation.
“You young ladies are quite lucky to have encountered a Flying Star fish just as you arrived. In our Holy Empire, this is considered an auspicious sign. I’ve lived by this river for half my life and have only seen such a sight about ten times... Some people wait for years without ever seeing one. It seems someone among you has been blessed and favored by the Goddess, no wonder you all have such extraordinary presence.”
“You’re too kind, sir. We were just purely lucky.”
This chapter is updated by freēwēbnovel.com.
Violet replied with a smile to the kind-hearted old fisherman who made his living by ferrying and fishing. As she spoke, she also recalled the image of the creature they had just seen.
The Flying Star is called a fish, but it looks quite different from ordinary fish. The one they had just seen was about six or seven meters long, with a streamlined body of pale gold, smooth and scaleless. It had wide, elongated fins on either side that resembled gliding wings, making it not look much like a fish at all.
To be honest, it reminded the priestess somewhat of the legendary Kunpeng from Earth mythology. In fact, the myth of the “Abyss Star” that is popular in the Holy Empire is quite similar to the records of the Kun in the “Classic of Mountains and Seas.”
Although the Kunpeng is a fictional mythical creature, in this world filled with magic and fantastical elements, myths are not all just fabrications. The “Abyss Star”... it might really exist.
“Hehe, young lady, I’m not just making things up when I say this: ‘Those who see a Flying Star are surely blessed.’ This has been verified through hundreds of years of history in our Holy Empire.”
The elderly man, simply dressed and with patched clothes but still energetic and looking at least in his sixties, explained kindly as he slowly rowed the boat.
“Legend has it that the sacred beast ‘Abyss Star’ is one of the mounts of the Goddess of Light, and this Star River was once its dwelling place. The sacred beast has a spirit, and its offspring, the ‘Flying Star,’ carries a trace of the Goddess’s divine breath, naturally drawn to pure-hearted and light-seeking beings.”
“I’m sure you’ve heard of our Holy Empire’s three Saintesses, which are 【Judgment】, 【Redemption】, and 【Bright Light】. In the selection process for the three Saintesses, one of the tests is for the candidates to come alone to the Star River and pray. If within three days a Flying Star appears and meets them, they pass the test.”
At this point, the old man chuckled.
“I’ve lived by this Star River for over forty years, and I’ve personally witnessed the Holy Saintess selection ceremonies a few times, which is why I dare say that not just anyone can casually encounter a Flying Star. Some candidates wait for three days and nights without food or drink and see nothing, while others, like the esteemed Lady Frederica Cecilia, who became the new Judgment Saintess in her teens, saw a Flying Star leap out of the water within half an hour of arriving at the river. This is no mere coincidence...”
“Oh...? Such a thing really happens?” The priestess looked surprised.
If that’s the case, the appearance of a Flying Star is indeed hard to describe as a mere coincidence. Setting aside the notion of auspicious signs, Violet thought it more likely that something specific was attracting them.
The fact that the selection of the three Saintesses in the Holy Empire requires the validation of the Flying Star indicates that the stronger the attraction to these fish, the more suitable the candidate is for such a high position.
The key criterion for determining the three Saintesses’ qualification seems to be their ability to wield the three artifacts said to have been passed down by the Goddess of Light, Aurora...
Could it be... the affinity with light elements?