Alice in the Land of Steam

It was a city built on coldness, loneliness, and sorrow.

Under Iyeta's control, the Cloud Whale Sky Island slowly descended, passing through layers of grayish-white clouds. The clouds were thick and heavy, as if even the sky was draping a veil of mourning over this snowy kingdom. There was no dazzling aurora, no dreamlike colors; when Kazan truly came into view, everyone fell silent in unison.

Before arriving, everyone had heard Cecilia tell the legend of Kazan, the White River.

Kazan, meaning "lonely mountain" in the ancient language of Sint-Chiron, is not the highest mountain in Sint-Chiron, but it is the steepest and most difficult to climb. The entire mountain is composed of dark gray granite, its surface almost entirely devoid of vegetation, only covered by a blanket of snow covering the rugged rocks. Legend has it that in ancient times, a cataclysmic catastrophe struck, the Pangaea continent shattered, and the earth wailed in flames and floods. At that time, the Lord of the North Wind, worshipped by the Snowfall Order, awoke from his long slumber.

He opened his eyes and saw the people of the snow kingdom he cared for fleeing in all directions amidst the disaster, with corpses strewn across the land. He felt both pity and anger: pity for their weakness, for they presumptuously called themselves the masters of this snowy land yet were unable to protect themselves; and anger at their cowardice, for they only sought help from the strong and forgot their own power.

So the Lord of the North Wind uprooted a mountain from the ends of the earth and, with boundless divine power, placed it in the center of this snowfield. He sculpted the mountain into terraces, polished its walls into mirrors, and then sat atop it, beginning to judge every soul on this land. The frigid north winds would scatter all lies, the harsh frost and snow would freeze all sins, and finally, the eternal ice would seal away all suffering. Only those souls judged pure were allowed to dwell peacefully at the foot of the mountain; while those judged impure were swallowed by the wind and snow, never to be reborn.

Thus, Kazan acquired another name: the Mountain of Sin.

As for the Shirakawa River, its legends are even older and more sorrowful, supposedly dating back to the chaotic period before the cataclysmic events of the world.

This great river, which nourishes the 27 million people of São Chiron, originates in the snow-capped mountains, flows past the foot of Kazan, meanders through the entire city, and finally disappears into the depths of the snowfields in the far north. Its waters never freeze; even in the harshest winter, only a thin layer of ice crystals forms on the surface, which is quickly washed away by the undercurrents below. The river's color is a near-transparent silvery-white, shimmering faintly in the moonlight, like flowing tears.

The ancient ballad of Saint Chiron goes like this:

The Creator of the North Wind stood atop the mountain.

He saw that the moment of judgment was about to come;

The people of the Snow Country knelt at the foot of the mountain.
Pray for that lie that will never be forgiven.

Only the waters of the Baihe River flow ceaselessly, day and night.

Daughter of the West Wind, when will you return?
They shed tears for us, until day and night cease to exist.

While recounting this legend, Cecilia hummed this ballad for everyone. Although she didn't put much emotion into it, singing calmly, the melody and lyrics alone were enough to create a sorrowful image. It's worth noting that the creator of the North Wind and the daughter of the West Wind mentioned in the ballad are essentially the same person, or rather, the same god.

There are no inherently cruel gods in the world. The North Wind, who reigns supreme and judges the sins of all living beings, first appeared in the legends of the Snow Country people as a noble and kind woman. Born from the life-giving West Wind, she symbolizes the purest essence of the Snow Country. This gentle goddess could not bear to see mortals suffer in the harsh winter, so she brought them flower seeds, the warmth of fire, and the purity of springs. She also guided mortals to establish the first kingdom on the Snow Country, which was Saint Qilong, "bathed in the breath of the West Wind."

The story ends here, a beautiful legend. But no one knows what happened to drastically change the nature of a gentle god, turning him into a cold and ruthless judge. The life-giving west wind naturally changed direction, becoming a harsh and biting north wind. All that is known is that before this change, the daughter of the west wind perhaps foresaw something, and at that moment, she shed her only tear, from which the ancient river originated.

Thus, Baihe also acquired another name: the River of Tears.

Was He weeping for Himself? Weeping for the future of this nation? Weeping for the faith of His people and their endless suffering? For many years, tears have remained the underlying color of this river. Over countless years, this nation has endured countless disasters, and countless ordinary people, separated by life and death, have shed tears that flow into this river, mingling with the tears of the gods they worship, thus forming the essence of this land, this nation, and this city.

The White River and Kazan, the River of Tears and the Mountain of Sin, the capital of Saint Chiron: the White River Kazan.

After listening to Cecilia's tale, Medien couldn't help but think of her hometown, the city she had lived in since she could remember, a city also shrouded in sorrow because of loneliness, tears, and a story. People from all over the continent of Sigria kept their distance from it; even the people of Linwell City joked that there had never been such a heartless city in the world, always bringing tears to its people's eyes. Medien had felt similarly in the past, but having been away from her hometown for so long, she felt an even stronger longing for it. Now she understood that perhaps this was precisely a manifestation of tenderness.
Tears are shed because one wants to confide; if one says nothing and keeps everything bottled up inside, that is true heartlessness.

Why condemn the emotions that make you cry as indifference?
“He must be very gentle.” The pink-haired girl suddenly turned her head and said to Cecilia, who was still gazing at the distant city in a daze after telling the legend, “From the daughter of the west wind to the creator of the north wind, I don’t know what kind of changes that god has undergone, but He must still love this land and its people, just in a different way to protect them.”

Cecilia paused for a moment, somewhat unable to meet the girl's gaze, and instinctively looked away, only responding softly, "Mm."

Is it agreement, indifference, doubt, or simply expectation? At least for now, no one knows the answer.

Members of the Holy Feather Knights had given advance notice, so the approach of the Cloud Whale Sky Island did not cause much panic. As the altitude gradually decreased, the entire capital city became clearer in everyone's eyes. Surprisingly, as if to distinguish it from the snow of Kazan and the waters of the White River, all the city's buildings were constructed of the same black stone, deep and oppressive, as if absorbing all light. The architectural style was simple and heavy, without elaborate decorations or bright colors, only straight lines and sharp edges. The towering towers were like spears pointing to the sky, with cold iron statues standing on their spires. These statues depicted the saints of the Snowfall Order throughout history, some with hands clasped in prayer, some bowing their heads in prayer, and some raising their scepters. Each one had a solemn face and a compassionate expression, yet exuded a cold indifference that kept people at a distance. Constrained by the mountainous terrain, the streets of Shirakawa-Kazan are mostly narrow and winding, with endless stone walls and towering arches everywhere, cutting the sky into fragments. Viewed from above, it resembles a bottomless labyrinth, making it difficult to imagine the feeling of confinement while walking through it. Whether climbing upwards or groping downwards, one feels as if falling. As a religious city, shrines and temples are naturally ubiquitous. The shrines enshrine statues of saints or ancient symbols, while dim oil lamps flicker before the temples, casting long, distorted shadows. The air is filled with a mixture of incense, cold wind, and damp stone—cold and pungent, causing one to involuntarily hold their breath.

There wasn't much noise in the city; not only was it inaudible, but there wasn't even any visible liveliness.

There were no vendors' cries, no children's laughter, not even the rumble of carriages. Occasionally, a few muffled chimes would drift from a tower, echoing through the valley before being quickly swallowed by the wind and snow. The streets were nearly deserted; those who did appear all had their heads down, wrapped in heavy black robes, hurrying along without exchanging a word. They seemed oblivious even to the enormous whale slowly swimming overhead, as if there was no one else in the world worthy of their attention but themselves.

"It's so oppressive," Alice described her first impression of the city. Travelers had traversed the eastern and western continents, visiting countless city-states, but only White River Kazan gave her this feeling. Apart from that, even the heartbreaking city of Linwell, or the cold-night city of Sorrowful Harbor, couldn't compare to it.

The capital city is the soul of a country, and its appearance symbolizes the appearance of the country. After witnessing the silence and solitude of Kazan in Baihe, it is not difficult to understand why Saint Qilong is the most conservative, closed, and xenophobic country in the entire Southern Region and even the entire Eastern Empire Continent.

Cecilia did not turn around, but calmly said, "Welcome to Kazan, White River, everyone."

It sounded like just an ordinary sentence, but soon Alice and the others would realize that this was the warmest welcome they had ever received in the city.

……

Thanks to the guarantee from the Grand Master of the Holy Feather Knights, the travelers from Cloud Whale Sky Island also benefited, being able to land directly at the Twilight Palace, the highest point in Shirakawa-Kazan, instead of at the Grand Court Gate, located on the city's outskirts. Normally, that would be the first stop for outsiders entering Shirakawa-Kazan, and the place for welcoming and entertaining diplomatic missions. However, due to Saint Chiron's long-standing isolation and the restrictions of the Sacred Law, the Grand Court Gate rarely saw any visitors throughout the year, let alone foreign envoys. The long-term lack of activity resulted in it becoming even more desolate, with dilapidated infrastructure; staying there was practically no different from living in a prison.

Secondly, the name itself doesn't sound good either. The "trial" in "Great Trial Gate" used to carry the connotation of judging criminals.

In contrast, Twilight Palace seems much more normal.

Although this "normality" refers to the solemnity and oppressive feeling that it should have as a center of power, rather than the warmth and hustle and bustle of human life.

The Cloud Whale Sky Island slowly descended onto the vast platform in front of the Twilight Palace. The platform's surface was paved with single, dark stone slabs, each engraved with the same emblem—the holy symbol of the Snowfall Order: a snowflake entwined with thorns. The snow had been swept away, revealing the cold stone beneath, reflecting the faint glow of the eerie blue holy fire. The wind swept through the valley, emitting a low, mournful wail, like the sighs of a thousand buried souls.

Apart from the landlady and the bartender who remained at the hotel to take care of Brandy and the lamb, everyone else followed Cecilia's footsteps and set foot on this land where power and faith intertwined.

The stone slabs beneath my feet were icy cold, the chill seeping through my shoes and into my soles, making me shiver involuntarily. A deathly silence reigned all around. There were no welcoming processions, no noisy attendants, not even the gatekeepers, who stood motionless like stone statues. They wore black armor, their faces mostly obscured by masks, revealing only pairs of expressionless eyes, staring straight ahead, seemingly oblivious to this group of guests who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

"Is this the Twilight Palace?" Alice asked in a low voice.

Cecilia walked at the front without turning around, and calmly introduced, "To the left is the Niflheim Palace of the Royal Court; to the right is the Great Divine Court of the Holy See. You are here to see Her Majesty the Holy Maiden, so we will be heading to the Great Divine Court."

Alice looked in the direction she was pointing.

Behind the iron gates and frosty walls stood a magnificent yet oppressive complex of buildings. To the left, Niflheim Palace, imposing yet dark, its walls so thick they seemed capable of withstanding any attack, yet only allowing a dim, faint light to filter through. The most magnificent palace was the council chamber, its dome adorned with a steel crown emblem. To the right, the Great Sanctuary, however, was entirely different. While its buildings were intricately varied, they all adhered to the consistent style of religious architecture, their numerous spires soaring and sharp, like countless icicles piercing the heavens. At the top of each church, monastery, or bell tower burned a ghostly blue sacred flame, silent and flickering in the wind, never extinguished, enveloping the entire complex in an eerie yet solemn aura.

The two complexes are connected by a wide, elevated walkway, below which lies a bottomless abyss, and above, an ever-gloomy sky. It is said that the monthly meetings between the royal court and the Papacy take place in a stone chamber in the middle of this walkway.

Yes, it's a very meaningful layout.

Cecilia spoke with the officer guarding the main gate for a while, and could vaguely hear words like "Holy Maiden," "passage permit," and "alliance." After listening, the officer silently made a gesture, and the soldiers stationed on the city wall pushed the huge lever with all their might. Accompanied by a heavy roar like a giant beast awakening, the steel gate, which was thirty-three meters high and weighed more than a thousand kilograms, slowly opened, revealing a path to darkness to the guests who had come from afar.

The wind suddenly turned fierce. (End of Chapter)