The room was filled with constant sighs.
Before Motifiel arrived—before Liang Lai had gone to sleep—our Saintess sat alone at her desk.
She still hadn’t figured out the Original Owner’s diary from last time, nor had she grasped the use of that ability… “Could it be that I really don’t have a talent for this?” she muttered, continuing to flip through the sheepskin pages.
However, just then, Liang Lai discovered that tucked inside the layers of the rolled sheepskin was a neatly folded note she had never noticed before.
She wasn’t sure whether it hadn’t been there previously, or if she’d simply overlooked it. If it was the latter, then she truly felt like a fool.
Liang Lai took the note out from the crevice of the book.
The note seemed quite old. It wasn’t pure white, but rather a faint yellow, crumpled as though someone had squeezed it in their hand, then opened and folded it neatly back into the book.
What could possibly be inside?
“You’ve finally found this note.”
“I suppose you’ve forgotten a lot of things. Or maybe… you’re not even the same person as before. But that’s fine. Now, I will tell you everything except for matters concerning the Divine Court—whether it helps you recover your memories, or lets you live with new ones~”
Oh?
Liang Lai raised her eyebrows.
She could hardly wait to read on.
“Beyond the Divine Court’s Territory lies the vast and barren land known as the Rust Frontier. Its resources are meager, the environment harsh, filled with the Saint Court Experimental Remnants and Outcasts who refuse to bow to the rule of theocracy.”
“Saint Court Experimental Remnants?”
Liang Lai’s brows furrowed slightly.
What she’d always heard about were only Outcasts who refused to bow to the rule of theocracy, or so-called Atheists.
She had never heard of these Saint Court Experimental Remnants.
Suddenly, she recalled those infants abandoned in underground sanctuaries—turned into weapons or vessels in the end.
Were those considered Saint Court Experimental Remnants?
Liang Lai couldn’t figure it out and could only read on.
“The ‘Rust Frontier’ consists of three groups: the rational Disbelievers, the Witches who dance with nature and forbidden knowledge, and the Bloodthirsters who rely on blood yet honor ancient oaths.”
Oh?
Things seemed to be getting interesting. So besides the humans, Darkspawn, and Shadowborn within the Church, there were also Witches and Bloodthirsters?
“This so-called Bloodthirster… isn’t that just a vampire?” Liang Lai mumbled.
“Disbelievers.”
“These are humans who, for various reasons, were declared ‘heretics,’ ‘corrupt,’ or ‘useless’ by the Divine Court and exiled from the core dioceses. They include: those who question doctrine, whose Sacred Brand naturally extinguished, researchers of science and reason, and commoners too poor to offer enough Light Honey.”
“So, there were even those exiled for not being able to offer enough Light Honey… I thought they were all just Atheist Commoners.”
Apparently, her understanding was far from complete, or perhaps the books in the library only showed what the church wanted them to see.
“They do not completely deny the existence of supernatural powers, but firmly oppose the Divine Court’s dictatorial theocracy and blind faith. They value reason, empiricism, and individuality, believing that human will and wisdom should not be shackled by theocracy. Their motto is: ‘Defend the right to think with iron and fire, not by kneeling for divine grace.’”
Seeing this line, Liang Lai’s eyes flashed with surprise.
The words gave her an odd feeling—like a primitive human suddenly discovering fire, or as if the world’s first generator had just been invented.
“If you think they live like beasts, tearing at raw meat, you couldn’t be more wrong… If you visited them, you’d be thrilled by their technology! Well, you’ve been there before—though perhaps you’ve forgotten all of it by now!”
“Tech…nology?” Liang Lai repeated the word, the strangeness in her heart intensifying.
This was probably the first modern-sounding word she’d heard since arriving in this world, making her feel as if she might return to her former world at any moment.
“No, that’s not it.”
Liang Lai shook her head, gaze dropping.
“They utilize forbidden Old World technology, namely steam, basic electricity, and chemical power, blended with bizarre relics excavated from the frontier—we suspect these might be ancient ruins, or perhaps failed experiments discarded by the Divine Court—to develop a unique and rugged Rust Technology! Their weapons are rough but effective rifles, flamethrowers, and crude powered armor, not crystallized powers or oracles!”
At this, Liang Lai’s eyes widened completely.
“Steam?”
“Basic electricity?”
“And chemistry?!”
She could hardly believe her own eyes, rubbing them twice to make sure she wasn’t seeing things, nor dreaming.
“Damn… how did the church manage to keep all information from leaking? And how do they just ignore such technologies…? Well, fine.”
If the whole world was flooded with magic and powers transcending technology, then it made sense that people wouldn’t pursue science.
But those without magic would certainly turn to technology.
“I used to wonder why Atheists appeared in this theocratic world… So, in the end, it’s because there is technology.”
Now, everything made sense.
“They’ve built several fortress cities in the frontier, focused on solid defense and self-sufficiency, such as the largest, the Unyielding Fortress. Around the cities are traps, watchtowers, and devices designed to interfere with Divine Court powers.”
“And, they abide by the principle of ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend,’ forging alliances with Witches and some Bloodthirsters.”
After reading this passage, Liang Lai felt her entire worldview was collapsing.
She’d been in this world for nearly a year, yet only knew a tiny fragment of what lay on the surface—what was hidden in the deep sea might be far more than what was written on this note.
“Damn, I really feel like a clown—kept in the dark for so long, and all because I didn’t find this note, damn it!”
Liang Lai rubbed her nose, feeling like it was turning red.
“The next two sections must be about the Witches and Bloodthirsters, right?”
Sure enough.
“Witches.”
“This is an ancient race made up almost entirely of women. Their power doesn’t come from faith or gods, but from a deep understanding of nature’s underlying laws—if you must put it plainly, it’s a profound grasp of elements, souls, and dreams, inherited forbidden knowledge, and pacts with certain ancient beings of the frontier. Yet, the Divine Court brands them as ‘dealers with demons.’”
This was a new term—Liang Lai had never heard anyone mention this race before.
Even the books in the library lacked any record of “Witches.”
Only a few unsavory, even forbidden, novels mentioned the word.
“They can command the violent natural forces of the frontier—Border Storms, Acid Rain, and Earthfire.”
“They also make potions and practice alchemy, skilled at crafting all sorts of medicines, poisons, and alchemical products from the frontier’s strange plants and beasts. They can enter others’ dreams, influence minds, even weave illusions—abilities wholly unlike the Psalm Power of the Divine Court and hard to defend against.”
“This is rather troublesome, because there are always traitorous Witches who sneak into Divine Court territories to work for the False Pope Claudious.”
Good grief, even Claudious is involved?
The church really keeps its mouth shut—never letting anything slip.
Could it be that they fear the capable and gifted will abandon them for the Rust Frontier?
“They organize into scattered Witch Covens, each led by one or more experienced Witches. They live in hidden villages, traveling caravans, or dangerous secret realms.”
“With the Disbelievers, they have a cooperative relationship—Witches provide supernatural protection, healing, and knowledge, while Disbelievers offer supplies, shelter, and military force against the Divine Court.”
After reading, Liang Lai’s mind was a tangled mess.
“So much new knowledge flooding in… this is too much information to digest at once…”
She put the book down, rubbing her tired brow.
“So, it really was too simple of me to think the border folk were all poor wretches… Never expected them to wield technology as their power.”
It completely shattered her understanding of this world.
“I guess I’ll have to rebuild my perspective from scratch.”
Moreover, Liang Lai felt a new impulse rising—a desire to cross into the Rust Frontier beyond the church’s reach.
She thought she might feel a sense of kinship there, as it was the place in this world most like the environment she once lived in.
After a brief rest, Liang Lai picked up the old sheepskin again.
Only the last section remained—once she finished reading, she could set it aside and take her time digesting it.