Dorothy’s Forbidden Grimoire Novel - Chapter 459

Chapter 459**Conqueror Sea North Coast, Adria.**

Dorothy sat within an opulent hotel suite in Adria, settled on a sumptuous sofa. The hefty volume of the “Sea of Literature Navigation Record” lay open on her lap. Having just dispatched her proposal to Beverly, she concentrated, awaiting a response. The reply manifested swiftly on the book’s communication page.

“An opportunity to entangle a Scarlet… Fascinating. I hadn’t anticipated your fortune running so deep, uncovering such a chance. Yet, my understanding of your precise circumstances remains too limited for instant commitment. At minimum, provide the essential overview so I comprehend the situation.”

Reading Beverly’s words, Dorothy detected distinct skepticism that someone of her White Ash rank could capture a Scarlet-level adversary. After brief contemplation, she lifted her pen and inscribed meticulously onto the page.

“Understood. My location is Adria. Acting on your intelligence, I arrived seeking Azam’s donations. Here, I uncovered Galeb also pursuing them. Given the donations reside on Church territory, I now possess a chance to expose Galeb directly beneath the Church’s scrutiny. Archbishop Antonio is currently in Adria, and he possesses the capability to manage Galeb.

“I have already secured all of Azam’s donations. Directly confronting Galeb poses unnecessary risk – he bears no personal enmity towards me. However, should you propose fitting remuneration, I wouldn’t object to orchestrating an intervention.”

Dorothy wrote steadily within the “Sea of Literature Navigation Record,” then waited silently. Soon, Beverly’s typeset answer materialized.

“Hah… using a tiger against a wolf? A quintessential stratagem from your playbook. Never expected you to target such heights against Scarlet rank. That demands considerable skill.

“Very well, consider compensation approved here. I shall coordinate with Central Forge later. They will not overlook an opportunity to penalize a Scarlet-rank betrayer of the Confederation. Proceed with assurance. Succeed, and the recompense will be significant.”

‘I *have* already succeeded…’ Dorothy reflected inwardly, observing the text. She wrote once more.

“Agreed. I will commence operations immediately. The matter will conclude today. Your side must maintain close observation on intelligence emerging from Adria.”

“Be at ease. Our intelligence apparatus is specialized. We will verify Galeb’s status. The instant he encounters difficulty, we shall know. Once his predicament is confirmed, I will contact you anew.”

Beverly’s reply reappeared. Reading it, Dorothy nodded in understanding, then penned her final message.

“On those terms, I act now. Eagerly anticipate your verification.”

Shutting the “Sea of Literature Navigation Record,” Dorothy returned it to the Magic Box and exhaled deeply, sinking back into the plush sofa.

Ensnaring Galeb via the Crown of Immanuel hadn’t featured in Dorothy’s initial scheme. Her objective was solely to exploit the conflict between Galeb and Antonio to pilfer Azam’s donations. Only during execution, observing their protracted struggle within the “Other Shore,” did the idea crystallize to leverage the Crown against Galeb itself.

Since the snare was already sprung, maximizing its benefit was essential – anything less would squander Galeb’s involuntary offering.

‘Now comes the waiting… Waiting for Azam’s donations to settle, waiting for the Craftsmen’s Guild to confirm Galeb’s predicament. Truthfully… I am also profoundly curious about what destiny ultimately awaits our Mr. Galeb…’

Seated on the sofa, Dorothy contemplated, her gaze directed out the window towards the sun descending the western sky.

……

Afternoon, on the Conqueror Sea southeast of Adria.

Beneath the sun, its light shimmering on the rolling waves, three swift, mid-sized Church frigates sliced through the water. Towing long wakes and plumes of smoke, they raced across the sea towards Adria.

Within the cabin of the lead frigate, Antonio sat stern-faced. He clutched a card, his brow deeply furrowed as he scrutinized the handwriting upon it.

“Thief K… Were we your puppets from the outset?”

Staring at the card, Antonio murmured. The reality was inescapable: a concealed manipulator had orchestrated Adria’s turmoil. The Scarlet-rank adversary he had relentlessly chased was not Thief K, merely Thief K’s sacrificial pawn.

During the previous night’s battle in Cathedral Square, Antonio’s forces had apprehended several prisoners. To extract timely intelligence on the fleeing Scarlet target during pursuit, these unconscious captives were brought aboard the frigate. They awoke recently. Initially reticent and loyal, their resolve dissolved instantly upon seeing their captured leader. They divulged significant information, shocking Antonio into recognizing the extent of his deception.

Per the prisoners’ accounts, they were members of the Sand Scythe Society, a treasure-hunting syndicate. Their leader was Galeb. Their mission in Adria was to steal artifacts donated by their former leader to the Net Flow Cathedral Museum. The Crown of Immanuel was never their objective. They had intended to act once Antonio departed, unaware his plans would abruptly change, stranding him in Adria. Galeb was not Thief K.

Reviewing the confessions, Antonio finally understood the sequence. Why would a Scarlet-rank tomb raider neglect to remove the Path-Guiding Rune when stealing the Crown? Evidently, he too had been duped by the audacious Thief K. Thief K’s target was never the Crown. The clash between Antonio and Galeb had been deliberately instigated by the true architect.

Amid the cabin’s gentle rocking from the waves, Antonio examined the Sand Scythe testimonies beside Thief K’s card. His expression remained grim and silent. A slow-burning fury ignited within him. For Antonio, an Archbishop governing a major diocese for over a century, such intense anger was rare in his long existence.

“Hmph… Truly a brazen thief… But do not celebrate too soon…”

Antonio snorted coldly. He had no intention of tolerating such insolence. Employing the Church itself as a weapon? It was an affront he would not disregard.

Upon return, Antonio planned immediate divination targeting Thief K. Yet, he held scant hope for success. Anyone daring enough to manipulate the Church so boldly would possess formidable anti-divination defenses. Common divinations would likely prove futile. Higher-tier, resource-intensive rituals necessitated reporting to Holy Peak – and this incident, though infuriating, probably didn’t meet that threshold of consequence.

After all, the thief ultimately inflicted little significant loss on the Church. The crucial Crown of Immanuel was retrieved. His own forces had captured a Scarlet-rank adversary and dismantled a tomb-raiding syndicate. In a sense, it was even a net gain for Holy Peak. While furious at being manipulated, the hierarchy might view the outcome as commendable for him personally.

‘Reflecting now, my unexpected stay in Adria seemed a chain of coincidences. But excessive coincidences cease to be chance. I altered my original schedule due to Summertree’s letter, opting to remain half a day. Then, Thief K’s calling card detained me another half day. Initially, I presumed the threat arrived anticipating my absence. Now, it’s evident she sent it precisely *because* I remained. She knew Galeb operated nocturnally, deliberately engineering my presence to counter him.

‘The Summertree letter itself is likely blameless. I’ve confirmed through multiple channels that Elder Anman did dispatch it. Furthermore, their intelligence concerning the Abyss Sect is genuinely valuable. How could Summertree, that secluded archipelago tribe isolated for centuries, with minimal mainland contact, conceivably connect with a master thief like Thief K who frequents luxury liners? Had Summertree merely intended manipulation to pit me against Galeb, their letter could have detained me directly until late afternoon or evening – rather than simply requesting a delay until noon.’

Antonio pondered deeply. Fluent in the Summertree language due to his critical work resolving their conflict, he knew the tribe maintained strong isolationist tendencies. Their sole external interactions depended on a handful of tribal merchants. Overall, their limited understanding of and ties to the mainland made an association with the recently notorious Thief K highly improbable – the gulf between reclusive islanders and mainland master thief was immense.

‘Discarding Summertree involvement pivots the issue internally, within the Church. Thief K dispatched her threat mid-morning specifically *because* she knew my movements contradicted newspaper reports announcing my departure. I hadn’t publicized the delay, awaiting the secure transmission of the Abyss Sect intelligence. Seizing this precise knowledge, she timed the delivery perfectly. Knowing my intended half-morning stay, she sent it precisely then.

‘Since my delay involved receiving classified Abyss Sect intelligence, confidentiality was paramount. If Thief K was privy to this secret – it proves she has embedded spies.

‘This informant could be among my retinue, within the Adria congregation, concealed amidst the local deep-cover Sentinels, or infiltrating the Cathedral Guard surrounding the military port. Personnel across these structures possessed awareness of my extended itinerary. Thief K undoubtedly gleaned my unexpected presence from one leak within these channels. Possessing this intelligence enabled her decision to dispatch the threat – effortlessly pinning me in place exactly as required.’

Sitting rigidly in his chair, Antonio mapped his deductions. He notably excluded the travelling congregation from suspicion – denied access due to insufficient clearance, they couldn’t penetrate his schedule’s secrecy. Even Valerie, the messenger nun, escaped Antonio’s suspicion.

His reasoning was straightforward: Anman’s message used the Summertree language. Who outside possessed fluency in such an obscure dialect? Antonio mastered it only upon assuming leadership of the Iwig Holy See to peacefully resolve Summertree’s demands. How could a nun, regardless of origin, comprehend such an arcane tongue? Her interactions in Summertree relied entirely on translators.

Excluding the congregation and Valerie narrowed Antonio’s investigative focus. His resolve solidified instantly: upon return, he would summon deep-cover military counterintelligence agents to collaborate with cathedral militia commands, launching intensive operations to root out compromised elements locally while simultaneously sweeping his personal retinue and the Order of the Holy War. His imperative was to identify Thief K’s assets; once uncovered, they promised invaluable evidence for escalating counter-espionage efforts.

“Arrogance… shall inevitably exact its price….”

Gazing at the turbulent sea beyond the window, Antonio affirmed his conviction in a low whisper.

……

Time marched relentlessly. The sun set, the moon rose and faded, the sun rose anew. A full day passed; Adria greeted another dawn.

Citizens residing near Cathedral Square encountered the fresh morning air. Stepping outside revealed a marked change: the Netflow Cathedral, which had vanished entirely the prior day, now crowned the public square once more, radiating its enduring magnificence. Its immovable presence, securing the city’s majestic pride, locked citizens’ dedication anew to its symbolic identity, stirring hopeful whispers of revival. Though sequestered behind enforced barricades with no official announcements, the interested sector understood the proclaimed outcome was universally accepted – the Sacred Immanent Crown, the ancestral heirloom transcending institutional bounds, had been recovered.

Reinstalled within its sacred geography, binding generations of remembrance alongside countless community stories, the pervasive narratives concerning Thief K fed street-corner debates demanding an indistinguishable vortex centered solely around the artifact’s emphatic return, seemingly concluding the investigation entirely.

Assorted rumors proliferated unchecked among the populace, as bonds of discernment loosened amidst denominational restraint. Multiple unfounded assumptions surfaced: some claimed the Immanent Crown’s return coincided with the arrest of a predatory prisoner. Others conceived it remained forever lost, the fugitive abandoning the spoils to divert pursuers. Alternate tales concluded the artifact was never truly rescued, merely decaying illusions masking administrative disgrace, or that fabricated copies were pathetically brandished. Further detours demanded consciousness of an unforgivable error, insisting the truth involved a personal return representing eternal judgment—

Legends spun wildly, controlling ignorant mouths that readily accepted the unquestionable certainty: Thief K, poised prophetically, had planned the successful theft, achieving near-divine status and cementing an immutable legacy along the coast.

……

Adrian alleyways overflowed with Thief K debates. Simultaneously, Dorothy – the intricately linked architect observing proceedings intently – felt no urge to indulge the sensationalism. Seated within her residence, her scrutiny deepened as she held an object aloft. Light rested suspended within her grip, an artifact forged with North Ufian traditional goldwork aesthetics, projecting flawless opulence and emitting a luminous purple resonance fused with coruscating vitality.

This extravagant pendant, a pinnacle of craftsmanship, was part of Azam’s donated artifacts. Yesterday it appeared utterly inert, devoid of any supernatural signature, meeting only humble expectations of latent power. Today, mysteriously transformed, it radiated exquisite amethyst light, shattering expectations with a glow perceptible beyond conventional senses, emanating stable, coherent “Lamp” spiritual radiance that compelled spiritual insight.

Deliberately reviewing this development, Dorothy recognized the unique item classified as “Enlightenment.” It represented the first step towards fundamental goals – achieving deepest penetration into spy rings, touching governing secrets, achieving the penultimate retrieval mission crucial to the Arcane Spirit Sight family legacy Azam personally contributed. Its discovery embodied the entire foundation driving the Ancient Sand Scythe Society, defining their specific identity and plight, irrevocably withholding profoundly necessary assets for unlocking sustained elevation intrinsically aimed at paramount glory.

Inspecting the pendant meticulously, Dorothy grasped its intuitive function: it enabled pendulum-based divinations pivotal for searches securing positional coordinates, triggering explorations to unveil deepest secrets and guide treasure trove discoveries, embodying the precious locations of the Star Chronology Scribe Society entirely.

……

Throughout Adria’s districts, every conceivable Thief K rumor proliferated unchecked. Yet Nevis felt equally disconnected from the discussion; chaotic events today were preempted by a rushed telegram announcing impending catastrophe.

Elsewhere within Adria’s luxurious hotel district, Nevis experienced an early dawn interruption. Vibrations sounded externally, igniting sharp knocks that brutally disturbed pre-dawn slumber. Groggily rubbing sleep from her eyes, she implored her roommate Emma to answer the door. Emma refused archly, remaining obstinately submerged in sleep, compelling Nevis to awkwardly rouse herself. Disregarding proper attire, she shuffled in slippers towards the entryway, unlatching it to confront a youthful uniformed hotel attendant poised immediately, articulating in fragmented Prutian:

“Pray confirm Ms. Boyle’s presence?”

“Ah, merely glancing… causes concern?” Nevis mumbled, disoriented.

“An extraordinary situation commands attention. Urgent telegraph documents of highest executive priority, verified legitimate, were specially deployed from the metropolitan translation station earliest possible. Designated for the household residing at the consecrated Tikvan geographical coordinates. Verification confirms your reception.”

Efficiently conveying the explanation, the attendant presented the translated telegram parchment. Seeing the official household address and recognizing no other candidate, Nevis accepted the envelope, a taxing confusion wrinkling her forehead.

‘Household complexities?… Mandating full notification?’

Manipulating the delicate surface, Nevis uncovered the contents. She inspected the paper closely, her inner turmoil expanding rapidly into horrific realization, culminating in a shocked exclamation.

“Grandfather Nuño… has gone missing?!”