Chapter 644 : First Arrival in Rhine

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍flight altitude of the Airship was not particularly high; the entirety of Rhine City lay in full view.

All ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍of them had heard of Rhine before. They knew it was famed across the continent for its industry and stood as a symbol of the Empire’s strength.

In ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍their imagination, even if Rhine were not as prosperous as Castel, it should at least resemble a smaller Blood Harbor.

Yet ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍when they looked down upon Rhine from above, what they saw was an entirely different sight.

Throughout ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the whole city, sharp spires rose everywhere—that was the hallmark of the Church of Candlelight. Unlike the arched domes of the Silent Sanctum, the Church of Candlelight favored pointed rooftops. Seen from the sky, they resembled blades plunged into the earth one after another.

These ‍​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍churches were built exceedingly tall, rising straight up like slender giants.

Countless suspended arcaded corridors stretched through the air. At first glance, they appeared intricately interwoven, layered one upon another.

If the city of the Silent Sanctum felt vast yet thin, then Rhine seemed elevated by an entire dimension. It no longer existed solely upon the ground; like a building, the whole city was stacked layer upon layer.

“So this is why Rhine doesn’t match the records?”

Judging by its foundation alone, it did carry a trace of industrialization. The entire city was remarkably clean and orderly. It truly resembled the legends—clergy in long robes walking along the aerial corridors above.

Numerous statues and landmarks stood throughout the city, all in a tall and slender style. The most imposing were two hooded figures facing one another, as if bowing in prayer. Together, they lifted a long arcaded corridor that stretched across the entire city.

The two statues were immensely tall, their bodies extending downward, piercing through layer after layer of the city until disappearing into depths no longer visible below.

“I remember the records saying Rhine wasn’t this… tall. Or rather, it didn’t have this many layers.”

Rhine had always been an industrial city, its factories scattered densely throughout. They would have accepted billowing smoke, polluted water flowing through the streets, and the roaring of Steam Engines.

But the Rhine before them was quiet, peaceful, and immaculate. It was undeniably beautiful—yet there was no sign of factories.

There were no towering chimneys. Instead, all they saw were the spired rooftops of churches.

Gaia tugged at her hair, feeling inexplicably uncomfortable.

“No wonder the map sent by the Ashes’ Alliance divided Rhine into Upper Rhine and Lower Rhine… so that’s how it is.” Erwin frowned as he looked below.

The clergy within Rhine City had already noticed the Airship and were gathering.

The Airship had long since raised Hughes’s family crest, the sacred emblem of The Imperial Truth, and the flame insignia representing Castel—the latter closer to a trademark, engraved upon all Castel’s industrial products.

As a formally established church, The Imperial Truth had already reported to the Empire. There were no fewer than hundreds of lord-founded churches like this, most created to avoid the Church’s tithe. However, this was the first time such a church had formally visited Rhine.

The clergy were in disarray for a short while before calming down. Soon, several fully armed squads arrived at the city walls, waving flags to signal the Airship to lower its altitude.

“What do we do? Should we go down?” the helmsman of the Airship turned and asked.

“We go down. Follow their signals. Stoker, increase the rotation speed of the Steam Engine. If anything happens, we’ll ascend rapidly,” Erwin said in a deep voice.

“Understood!”

Under the operation of the Church Guard, the Airship gradually descended. Soldiers atop the walls waved their flags, guiding them toward the center of Rhine City.

At the very heart of the city, where countless suspended corridors converged, there was a circular central platform.

The platform was vast—large enough to dock the Airship. Erwin gestured at its size and suspected it might even accommodate the Celestial Behemoth.

Building such an enormous plaza in the middle of a city was truly extravagant. It occupied a great deal of land and would block sunlight from reaching the lower levels. Moreover, judging by the massive Church of Candlelight emblem inlaid into the stone of the plaza, both construction and maintenance costs must have been immense.

“Once the Airship lands, the members of our Delegation will disembark first. After we’re down, the Airship will ascend immediately and hover in the air. Do not let anyone from the Church of Candlelight board it, understood?”

“But, sir, if something happens, how will you get back up?”

“Gaia and Zoe are both Transcendents—what are you afraid of? Besides, this is Rhine City, the headquarters of the Church of Candlelight. If conflict truly begins, you’ll be lucky just to escape. Don’t think about rescuing us.” Erwin waved his hand. “Lower it. Open the hatch!”

The Steam Engine drove the propeller as the entire Airship slowly descended. Just before touching the ground, the sailors aboard cast down mooring ropes.

Soldiers below caught them and fastened them to the fixed mooring points.

“This platform of theirs seems to function as an Air Harbor. Judging by their reaction, it doesn’t look like they’ve never seen an Airship before,” Gaia narrowed her eyes.

“Remember the information from Moths Chasing Fire? The Mechanical Society once had steam-powered flying vessels capable of reaching the sky. But those were closer to hot-air balloons. In terms of size, payload, and reliability, they were far inferior to ours. With such pitiful load capacity, they could hardly be used for bombing.”

“I see… But now it’s the era of the Mechanical Sanctum. Those steam flying vessels might not have many left. The Mechanical Sanctum may even have lost the technology altogether.”

The mooring ropes were slowly tightened by winches, and the Airship came to a steady stop. Erwin nodded to the mechanic by the door. As he pulled a lever, the hatch of the Airship slowly opened.

“We can talk later. First, let’s meet our counterparts—don’t forget, we are also a church. The Church of The Imperial Truth.”

Gaia and Zoe swallowed, suppressing their unease, and stepped out through the hatch.

Their vision brightened.

Sunlight poured onto the plaza, glittering brilliantly. Only then did they notice that the platform’s floor tiles were inlaid with golden edges.

Two rows of soldiers with longswords at their waists stood neatly on either side of the Airship, holding halberds. Their armor was immaculate, forming a corridor between them.

Behind them stood low-ranking clergy of the Church of Candlelight, dressed in long robes. Their faces were hidden beneath their hoods, expressions unseen—silent and still, like eternally burning candles.

Several believers knelt upon the ground, crawling forward as they unfurled a soft crimson carpet across the stone. By the time the Delegation from Castel stepped down, the carpet had reached precisely to their feet.

The believers retreated backward, bowing deeply. Before the group could react, the soldiers simultaneously struck their halberds against the ground.

Bang!

The entire platform seemed to tremble. Sunlight scattered across the gold-inlaid tiles, flashing dazzlingly and momentarily blinding them.

When their vision adjusted, they suddenly discovered that one more person stood before them.