Chapter 1321: Chapter 1321

August sunlight is perfect for setting sail, silently urging the calm sea. The exploration fleet held a grand wedding, and after proclaiming the name of the Chief Divine, once again embarked from the newly established Lake Bay Port towards distant lands!

Exploration Captain Zuwaro and Scholar Mikki stood on the longship, gazing at the Wiyot people’s coast. The young priest Qinchongcan reluctantly saw them off, while the female chieftain Tulan wore a joyful expression. Behind them were the mixed kingdom crew and tribespeople. Seeing this, smiles spread across Zuwaro and Mikki’s faces.

"Praise the Chief Divine! Among the Wiyot tribes, in this peaceful Lake Bay, the seeds of faith are finally sown!"

"Yes! Chief Divine’s protection! The seeds have been sown, just waiting for time to nurture them, gradually growing and blooming, producing abundant fruits!"

The five longships continued northward, the mighty sea breeze carrying a chill. The distant Far North land was coming closer step by step. It was only when the Wiyot’s cottages and bay disappeared did Scholar Mikki retract his smile and coldly stare at Zuwaro.

"Zuwaro! You’ve hidden things from me once again! At the Yaolem Great Tribe, you promised not to act on your own!"

Upon hearing this, Exploration Captain Zuwaro rubbed his nose and lightly coughed.

"Cough! Mikki, listen to me, time was pressing, and the fleet needed to set sail promptly! I sought the consent of Priest Qinchongcan and then directly proposed... It wasn’t that I didn’t have time to tell you... Uh..."

Zuwaro tried explaining for a while, but Mikki’s clear eyes continued to coldly stare at him, as if he’d already seen through him. His voice grew smaller and finally, with resignation, he rubbed his face and answered seriously.

"Chief Divine bear witness! Mikki, letting the fleet members reside and intermarry with the local tribes is the quickest way to establish and spread the faith! You’ve also seen that with the joining of female chieftain Tulan and over a hundred tribespeople, the entire Lake Bay port camp can be established quickly!"

"Didn’t Your Majesty also say to learn from the local tribes! These tribespeople can teach the crew Northern survival skills and help spread the Chief Divine’s faith... And by spring next year, with this manpower, we can extensively cultivate potatoes and sweet potatoes, truly establishing a food supply port in the North, even supply the crew!"

"Therefore, just as I told Priest Qinchongcan, for the sake of the Chief Divine’s ministry and the kingdom’s exploration, what harm is there in sacrificing oneself? Moreover, he’s actually at no loss..."

Scholar Mikki pursed his lips, remained silent for a while, and then spoke softly.

"Zuwaro, Qinchongcan is one of the Crow Family’s heirs, a descendant of the honorable nobility. You’ve arranged him in such a way, his family doesn’t even know. How will you explain to the Crow Clan Leader when you return to the kingdom?"

"Ha! The Crow Family was reallocated north of the Lerma River long ago and is no longer as influential. Qinchongcan isn’t the most important heir; they sent him to Divine Might University to become a Kingdom Priest without any expectation for his marriage!"

Discussing these old nobles of the kingdom, Exploration Captain Zuwaro scoffed disdainfully. He stood at the prow, spine straight, gazing over endless waves, his face full of confidence and generosity.

"According to the Alliance’s teachings, low-level priests are not allowed to marry... Priest Qinchongcan was merely a small fish sent by the Crow Family to test the waters! Now, Priest Qinchongcan can preside over a port , make grand strides in the Northern land, branch out and establish an independent family... Isn’t this much better than being stuck in a fief of the kingdom, where there’s no upward path?"

"Haha! Zuwaro, you know very well! According to the Alliance’s teachings, low-level priests are not allowed to marry!"

Scholar Mikki widened his eyes, stared fiercely at Exploration Captain Zuwaro. As part of the new Divine Revelation Priest lineage under direct leadership of Your Majesty, he’s not actually concerned with those declining old nobles of the Tarasco Kingdom. He said what he did just to make this point!

"You’re ignoring the Alliance’s teachings, allowing Priest Qinchongcan to marry, and even assured him you’d advocate to Your Majesty!"

"Zuwaro! After you left the kingdom, did you treat the teachings of the High Priesthood as nothing more than South sea breeze, blowing by not leaving a trace?!"

"Uh... Alliance’s teachings, High Priesthood’s teachings..."

Upon hearing these words, beads of sweat finally appeared on Exploration Captain Zuwaro’s forehead. Suddenly realizing the crux, he looked at the stern Mikki, his thoughts quickly forming, and immediately grasped the Chief Divine’s emblem, making a sacred oath!

"Chief Divine bear witness! I’ve never ignored the Chief Divine’s teachings! I swear with my soul! My devotion to the Chief Divine has never wavered even slightly!"

"In the Wiyot’s lake garden tribe, I arranged Priest Qinchongcan’s marriage truly for the Chief Divine and the kingdom! The Wiyot proposed marriage seeing Qinchongcan as a shaman and priest of the Northern land. Northern shamans and priests can marry. If I were to refuse their sincere request, the kingdom would not only lose potential tribal support but might even gain a hidden enemy!"

"Moreover, I truly believe this teaching is an outdated provision by the Alliance! Back in the kingdom, Your Majesty didn’t really value this teaching. High-level priests marrying, that’s been happening abundantly. As long as Qinchongcan roots himself in the Northern land, develops a congregation of ten thousand, ascending to a high-ranked Third Level Priest is just a matter of time! Ultimately, it’s only a matter of procedure order..."

"Furthermore, we’re leading the fleet, exploring and colonizing in these Northern lands beyond the kingdom and alliance’s reach! In such circumstances, whatever method works, whatever means unite the tribes should be pursued without reservation! If we bind ourselves, clinging to teachings and fail to develop in the Northern land swiftly, that would be failing Your Majesty’s trust!"

Listening to Zuwaro’s passionate words and seeing his earnest look, Scholar Mikki pursed his lips, remained silent for a long time before releasing a long sigh.

"Ah! Zuwaro! You really are audacious and overly adaptive!... I finally realize why Your Majesty paired me with you to organize the fleet... Without anyone watching you, you’d certainly pierce the heavens!"

"Chief Divine, piercing the heavens is one thing! But if you ’adaptively’ spread the faith in the Northern land and form a heretical sect... I don’t want to go through all the hardships, return to the kingdom, and still be interrogated by the Inquisition! The conflicts between the Kingdom Priesthood and Alliance High Priesthood are already troublesome enough..."

"Chief Divine witness! You must promise me! Other than the priest’s marriage rule, do not create any other messy affairs!"

"Uh... Alright! I swear by the Chief Divine! I, Zuwaro, apart from the priest’s marriage rule, will not disregard teachings or act on my own!"

Under Mikki’s gaze, Exploration Captain Zuwaro solemnly held the Chief God’s Amulet and made a serious vow! Then, his eyes gleamed, with a brief thought, he keenly asked. Chapters fırst released on NoveI-Fire.ɴet

"Mikki, what did you say earlier? Conflicts between the Kingdom Priesthood and Alliance High Priesthood?! When did that happen? How come I don’t know?"

"Hmm... You’ve been out sailing all the time, of course you wouldn’t know. Since the High Priest went to the Divine Kingdom, there’ve been some conflicts over religious interpretations and priest arrangements between the kingdom and the alliance... The High Priest previously granted Your Majesty’s Kingdom Priesthood the religious interpretation rights of the Divine Revelation, but now the High Priesthood seeks to revoke or limit it... Also, for the administration of priests in the Otomi People’s territory, previously it was meddled by the kingdom, but now the alliance wants direct jurisdiction... But these conflicts are not severe at the moment..."

Scholar Mikki rubbed his forehead, giving a brief explanation. This sensitive topic he preferred not to delve into deeply, and it’s quite challenging to elaborate.

"Ah! Conflicts over religious interpretations and priest arrangements?..."

Exploration Captain Zuwaro pondered briefly, his expression becoming solemn.

"Such conflicts? These conflicts?... Mikki! Are they truly not serious?"

"Hmm. At least when I left Qinchongcan Capital, they were just budding issues... May the Chief Divine protect!"

Scholar Mikki closed his eyes, offering his devout prayer. Exploration Captain Zuwaro also remained silent for a long time, unable to find solace. Amidst the power struggles between two religious centers, two colossal entities, what do two Second Level Priests matter? Especially when they’re thousands of miles away, the only recourse they have is to pray.

"May the Chief Divine protect!"

Gently muttered prayers echoed along the desolate Northern Coast, quickly left behind by the ever-advancing fleet. Beyond the Wiyot people’s lands, three to four hundred miles out, mighty Tolowa tribes (Tolowa) would soon appear before everyone!