"It's been a few days already. And we've only been traveling by night. It was pretty easy traversing the shores of the Mirror Coast. Well, only because me and Trela's lives were dependent on the Holy Chaplain Knight and Holy Archivist," Dante thought to himself.

"Trela and I haven't really talked much after my resurrection. Although, she was extremely clingy to me. Like there was some unresolved fear within her that I might do it again."

He looks down at the waters of Liberty Sea as their rowing boat rocks about the waves, and the young boy sees his own reflection shimmering on the surface.

[Demonic Being Detected]

The text appeared on his screen, flashing in bright red letters that contrasted with the blue hue of the sea.

"Ravka Grimshaw, the blue-haired girl? She told me that Charisms have very different definitions from us. I guess I panicked. Because Holy, Human, and Demonic wasn't literal for the Gift of Discernment."

His black wavy hair, which had remained uncut for months, danced in the breeze as he contemplated the vastness of the sea. Meanwhile, Ravka Grimshaw, with her striking blue hair, stood with poise and focus at the prow of the rowing boat.

She channeled her magical abilities, maintaining a Holy Rune of Silence that shimmered softly, casting a tranquil aura around them.

The Holy Rune of Silence emanated a sense of divine stillness, silencing the chaos and disturbances within their immediate surroundings, ensuring safe passage through treacherous waters.

"The Gift of Discernment wasn't literal." Dante smirked, savoring the irony of the situation.

"When it said 'Demonic Being', it actually was saying... 'Hey look! This is one messed up individual! It's basically a demon!'"

"It doesn't make sense how I can access the Holy System... if I am messed up then... How does that even work!"

Dante stretched his arms against the sides of the rowing boat, feeling the weathered texture of the wooden surface beneath his fingers, as he watched the rhythmic motion of Sir Lysander and Ravka's companion diligently rowing the oars.

Their synchronized efforts propelled the boat forward, keeping them on course despite the challenges they faced.

He then looked under his right arm, and there Trela lay, peacefully sleeping on his lap, her chest rising and falling with each gentle breath. She clutched onto him, her small hands instinctively seeking comfort and security.

"Dante. Is everything okay?" Sir Lysander asked, concern etched on his face.

The young boy smiled, his eyes filled with a mixture of gratitude and determination, as he reassured Sir Lysander.

"Everything is alright, Sir Verinthal."

Sir Lysander nodded, acknowledging Dante's response, his gaze reflecting trust and confidence in the young boy's resilience.

Ravka closed her Scriptures, their worn pages rustling softly as she released the tension in her shoulders and slumped down onto the wooden boat's floor. Her exhaustion mingled with a sense of relief, as they had successfully navigated past the perils of the Mirror Coast, leaving its dangers behind.

She then asked, her voice tinged with curiosity, "By the way, Sir Verinthal. How did your rowing boat survive The Burning? It should've been burnt to a crisp, right?"

Sir Lysander's smile widened, displaying a glimmer of pride and amusement. He glanced at the sturdy rowing boat that had carried them through perilous waters unscathed.

"Well, it's pretty obvious... Even a child would know how it-"

A ship's horn echoes from the distant horizon, its resounding sound reaching their ears as it approaches. Rising from the waves, a vessel proudly displays a Freelandian flag fluttering in the wind. Its green sails stand out against the vastness of the sea, adorned with the symbol of a paw and hand crossing together, representing unity and strength.

Trela wakes up from the sound, her eyes widening with recognition and hope.

"Teih Rangers! We're saved!" Trela shouts with elation, her voice carrying across the water as she frantically waves her arms to signal their rescuers.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Lysander and Ravka exchange a knowing glance, understanding the importance of concealing their identities.

Simultaneously, they discreetly tuck away their Holy Insignias and carefully hide their sacred Scriptures, keeping their affiliations with the Church of the Holy System hidden from prying eyes.

Dante keenly observes their actions, realizing the need to remove any identifying marks that could potentially reveal their true nature as Holyfolk.

The Teih Rangers' ship approaches, drawing closer until it aligns with the rowing boat. Rope ladders are lowered, inviting them aboard their salvation.

As they climb up the ladders, Trela ascends with a mixture of excitement and anticipation. Her eyes meet those of a bearded and ragged man, and her heart leaps with joy. The man reaches out to her, raising her high into the sky, spinning her around with tears of happiness streaming down his weathered face.

"Daddy! You're alive! I've been looking all over for you!" Trela exclaims, her voice filled with unbridled emotion.

Captain Danka's eyes well up with tears of joy, his heart overwhelmed with love at the sight of his beloved daughter.

"I've missed you too. It's been a long journey, and I've heard about your business ventures with the infamous Danivio the dwarf-merchant. I'm just glad you're safe and sound, Trelly!"

In their jubilant reunion, Trela's excitement gets the better of her, accidentally kicking Captain Danka's chest.

"Aargh."

He lets out a slight groan, momentarily affected by the unexpected impact, but quickly recovers, a smile gracing his face.

"What is it, Father?" Trela asks, concern etched in her features.

"It's nothing, my child. Just a small injury," Captain Danka reassures her, his voice filled with warmth and reassurance.

Ravka's perceptive eyes catch the subtle signs of discomfort, but she remains silent, choosing not to draw attention to it. She and Lysander then step forward, introducing themselves to Captain Danka, their voices filled with respect and gratitude. Dante, on the other hand, greets Captain Danka with a sense of unexplainable shame, his remorse palpable.

In that moment, Dante's memories of the kidnapping flood back, reminding him of the dark times when he harbored false beliefs and tried to kill Captain Danka with the Holy Smite, wrongly believing him to have betrayed Marvia to the Aviaborn.

Trela, returning to the rowing boat, assists Dante in bringing up their belongings. Among their baggage, she proudly carries the rusty sword she discovered in the cave, a tangible symbol of her newfound strength and courage.

Captain Danka, overflowing with pride and love for his daughter, makes a grand announcement to all onboard.

"Crew! This is my beautiful daughter! And she is going to be the greatest merchant in the world!"

The Teih Rangers, with their distinct appearances and diverse backgrounds, cheer enthusiastically, their voices resonating with support and admiration.

They are a unique crew, different from the merchant sailors Captain Danka was once surrounded by. These brave individuals are Teih Rangers, volunteer recruits from Freelandia, bound for the Beastman continent of Teih.

Teih, a vast landmass, is home to a myriad of Beastman Tribes collectively known as the Jagged Fangs of Teih, a constellation of tribes embodying power and ferocity.

And these Teih Rangers were just adventurers looking for fame, glory, and to do good deeds in the name of their religions.

Weeks passed, and Trela had been spending more of her time with her father. Sir Lysander, Ravka, and her companion had isolated themselves in a cabin, and only talked to each other, rarely interacting with the Teih Rangers.

Dante entered the cabin, and asked them, "What are you guys doing here? Aren't you guys Holy people?"

Ravka gave her a smug look.

"You self-righteous people. You look down on these men, don't you? If you're all so high and mighty, why don't you help them out? Teach them about the Holy System? Maybe then, they could avoid being possessed... or killed by monsters... or accidentally try to kill themselves based on wrong informat-"

Sir Lysander punched the young Dante in the face. His eyes burned with rage that he was a master at controlling. Only he found it necessary to stop Dante from finishing what he was about to say.

The Holy Chaplain Knight answered, "We have! Dante! We have been trying and trying for hundreds of years! The Church of the Holy System does not do that anymore. We are either obsolete or tools to be abused!"

Dante looks down. He slightly rubs his right cheek.

Sir Lysander sits down, closes his eyes, and crosses his arms.

"The Church of the Holy System no longer evangelizes nor accepts converts. That has been a policy for centuries, and it has kept us out of trouble. If you studied your history and actually accepted that you are not in that cave anymore, you would open your eyes and see everything in a new light," Sir Lysander calms down and mumbles. "If you did, you wouldn't have done a stupid thing, like trying to kill yourself."

Dante smirks and stares Sir Lysander with hostile eyes.

"You talk big, for a suicidal knight."

Sir Lysander turns to Dante. But the Chaplain knight only sees dark and manipulative eyes that shouldn't belong to a child. The world of Gomorrah has many child geniuses, especially due to the effects of access to the Holy System, but he saw something in Dante that seemed unreal.

"You think, we don't know?" Dante hostily said, "How you ended up in the middle of the sea? Floating like a bag of shit? You killed yourself, didn't you? You killed yourself! Suicidal Knight!"

"ENOUGH!" Ravka screamed. She ran towards Dante and slammed him up against the cabin wall. "If it wasn't for that suicidal knight, you'd be dead already."

"Then I should have stayed- DEAD!"

Dante slid down the wall, and sat hiding his face in misery.

"I should have stayed dead. Literal demonic being or...figurative... or metaphorical... or rhetorical... Fucking dead! I should have stayed, dead. I don't deserve to be alive!"

The door opened. And Trela had heard everything.

"We're here..." She whispered and lacking interest.

"The Jagged Port should have lots of ships that can bring you Holyfolk back to where you came from."

Trela grabbed Dante's hand and pulled him out of the room, while holding back her tears.

"Don't mind them, Danny... They're selfish and self-righteous. They are just out there for themselves. That's how its always been. And why people prefer to stay in their own religions."