Starting as Cipher-The Flame-Chaser Identity System(Honkai Star Rail)

Douglas's audible gasp of shock naturally caught Cipher's attention. Rubbing her arms and taking a half-step back, she turned to him and said, "Look at him—so confident and bold! If you could approach people like that, you'd probably have a girlfriend by now."

Douglas stammered, "But... he... I..."

Oblivious to their exchange, the Bard continued, "So, fair maiden, might I have your name?"

Cipher retreated another half-step, positioning Aria protectively behind her. "My name is..." she drawled dramatically, before adding, "...none of your business."

This Bard is clearly trying to flirt with me! Cipher thought. If Yuna confessed her feelings, I might hesitate for a moment. But a boy confessing? Absolutely not!

Even if it was just a request for her name, she needed to nip this in the bud. He wasn't getting anything!

Witnessing the scene, Douglas couldn't help but sigh in relief. "See? See? If I hadn't tried to strike up a conversation, I wouldn't have been rejected so coldly, and I wouldn't be heartbroken. I was right all along!"

His words drew puzzled looks from Callum and Alvin, the two temporary members who had been chatting amiably with him earlier. "Senior, didn't you say you were..."

But before they could finish, Douglas interrupted them with a forced cough. Cold sweat trickled down his forehead as his mind raced, desperately trying to salvage his lie.

As for the bard, Dio, Cipher's clear rejection didn't dampen his spirits. He maintained his gentlemanly demeanor and replied, "That's quite alright. After all, this is our first meeting, so a refusal is perfectly understandable."

He continued, "My name is Dio. As you can see, I'm a bard, and I'll be staying in Cloudsea City for quite some time. I'll be performing here again tomorrow. If you're interested, please feel free to come and watch."

Dio? Hearing that instantly recognizable name, Cipher's first thought naturally went to the vampire with a Stand who could stop time. But clearly, this was just a coincidence.

After saying his piece, Dio bowed slightly, bid them a polite farewell, and left without any sign of lingering.

Feidric mused, "A half-elf? He doesn't seem to be from the Grand Duchy of Kandela, but that's not unusual for a bard." After all, Class Holders of that profession were known for their wanderlust.

"A half-elf?" Cipher blinked, watching Dio's retreating figure. Only then did she notice his pointed ears. She had been too stunned earlier to register the detail.

This marked Cipher's first encounter with a non-human race since her arrival in this world.

With this brief interlude behind them, the seven quickly arrived at the Adventurer's Guild in Cloudsea City. Though visibly reluctant, Yuna and her companions' time with the Hero Party had come to an end. Yuna put on a pitiful expression and waved goodbye to Cipher, her voice tinged with sadness. "Senior, will we ever meet again?"

Cipher waved goodbye, calling out, "We'll definitely meet again!"

But it was just a polite parting. The world was vast, and the chances of their paths crossing again were vanishingly small.

After bidding farewell, Yuna and her two teammates went to select a quest, while Cipher and her group routinely rented two rooms at the Adventurer's Guild and began discussing their next move.

Having learned about the Hell Book, they had impulsively rushed to Cloudsea City at Aria's urging, determined to stop the King from "creating hell." But how exactly were they supposed to do that?

They couldn't simply storm the Royal Palace in the heart of Cloudsea City, assassinate the King, and snatch the Hell Book, could they? The idea seemed utterly unrealistic.

Even though the Grand Duchy of Kandela was a relatively weak nation, it was still a behemoth compared to a small, four-person adventurer team. They stood no chance in a direct confrontation.

Feidric then suggested, "Perhaps we could leak information about the Hell Book to stir up chaos and muddy the waters."

When Feidric suggested "stirring the waters," he wasn't referring to leaking information about the Hell Book to the adventurers. After all, other adventurer parties and even Hero Parties were in similar situations. Even if they learned of the Hell Book and believed in its existence, whether motivated by selfish greed for treasure or selfless concern for the famine, they posed no real threat to the King.

In fact, to put it bluntly, even if all the adventurers in Cloudsea City united, they stood no chance against the Capital's regular army.

Feidric's plan was to inform the Church, as well as the surrounding Empire and Alliance. Any one of these three powers could easily overwhelm the Grand Duchy of Kandela.

After hearing Feidric's plan, Cipher couldn't help but ask, "I understand informing the Church, but what exactly are the Empire and Alliance?"

Feidric fell silent for a moment, inexplicably unsurprised by Cipher's question—a question so basic it bordered on the absurd. Before he could answer, Aria interjected, "The Dragon Ember Empire and the All Nations Alliance."

Four Great Nations and three major powers dominate the vast majority of the world's territory. The Four Great Nations are the Dragon Ember Empire of Dracos, the All Nations Alliance of Terracon, the Arcane Federation of Hetherland, and the Eastern Ancient Kingdom of Celestial Dragon.

The Dragon Ember Empire is a human-dominated, highly centralized state where all non-human races are enslaved. Its formidable military strength and vast territory make it an undeniable superpower.

In stark contrast, the All Nations Alliance is a confederation of countless small states and diverse races. While not literally comprising ten thousand nations, it undoubtedly numbers over a hundred. These smaller nations initially banded together to resist the Empire's aggression.

Over time, their ties grew stronger, eventually forging them into a unified entity. The Alliance's military power is not to be underestimated, and its territory far surpasses even that of the Empire, making it the largest nation in the world.

The Grand Duchy of Kandela was undeniably insignificant compared to the two giants flanking it, the Empire and the Alliance. Unfortunately, it was sandwiched between them, like a sesame seed between two slices of bread.

In other words, if either of these superpowers learned about the Hell Book, dispatching a small force to crush Kandela, kill the King, and seize the artifact would be child's play.

But the real question was: would these colossal powers actually heed a rumor from some backwater corner of the world about a Divine Artifact hidden here? And even if they did, how could such information even reach them?

That left only one other option: the Church.

The Four Great Nations had already been mentioned. The remaining three major powers were the Holy City of Canissa, the Far North, and the Great Forest.

The Holy City of Canissa was a single city, also situated between the Empire and the Alliance. Its land area was even smaller than the Grand Duchy of Kandela, yet this urban center represented all Church factions worldwide. The cathedrals of the Twelve Main Gods were all located here, and its influence spanned the entire globe.

Furthermore, the group didn't need to travel to the Holy City. To seek the Church's assistance, they could simply visit the local Church of the God of Life in Cloudsea City and inform the priests there about the Hell Book. The Church of the God of Life would undoubtedly take action.

If the local priests couldn't withstand the Grand Duchy of Kandela's regular army, they would request reinforcements from the Holy City. Once the Holy City issued a call to arms, countless devout followers and priests would converge upon the area.

After hearing Aria's explanation, Cipher pondered deeply before nodding. "I see. That makes sense." It felt as though a fog had lifted, illuminating the path ahead.

Feidric then spoke up. "Therefore, I recommend we head straight to the Church. It seems like our best option."

The only drawback was that whichever faction—the Grand Duchy of Kandela, the Holy City, or the Hero Party—arrived first, the Divine Artifact, the Hell Book, would likely slip beyond the Hero Party's reach.

However, this wasn't a major concern. After all, Aria, Feidric, and Douglas had no particular attachment to the Hell Book. While the artifact might possess great power, saving lives remained their paramount priority.

"I'm in!" Aria exclaimed. "When do we leave?"

Douglas, however, shook his head. "I'll pass on the Church of the God of Life. I'll wait for you at the Adventurer's Guild."

The Twelve Main Gods had their own alliances and rivalries, and it was clear that Douglas's patron, the God of War, didn't get along with the God of Life. Visiting the Life Church just didn't feel right to him.

Cipher chimed in, "That bard from earlier really made me feel sick. I'm too tired to move right now. I'll stay here and rest for a bit."

Feidric's lips twitched slightly at Cipher's strange excuse, but he didn't comment. He simply left with Aria, leaving Douglas and Cipher alone.

After a moment of silence, Douglas suddenly spoke. "Actually, I have a way to contact the Empire, Little Cipher. Do you think I should tell them about the Hell Book?"

Cipher stared at him, surprised. "You're from the Empire?"

Douglas nodded. The Empire was an aggressively expansionist nation where the God of War was the dominant deity. War Priests were a common sight in their armies, marching alongside the troops and casting powerful buffs to enhance the Empire's already formidable military might.

Douglas explained that when he left his hometown, he had originally planned to travel around the Alliance. However, while passing through the Grand Duchy of Kandela, he met Aria.

Aria was incredibly enthusiastic, telling him that her Hero Party was desperately in need of a Priest and inviting him to join. Douglas considered it—since he had nothing better to do, wandering aimlessly around the Alliance seemed no different from joining an adventurer's party, so he agreed.

Cipher was astonished. "So, you were actually picked up by Aria to join the party? I thought you two knew each other beforehand, like relatives or something."

Douglas retorted, "What do you mean 'picked up'? Wait, if I was picked up, doesn't that mean you were too?"

Cipher paused, recalling that a significant reason she had agreed to join the party was precisely because she "had nothing better to do." She had to admit, it was quite a coincidence.

After a moment, she suddenly asked, "Wait, what about Feidric? Could he have been picked up too?"

Douglas shook his head. "I wouldn't know about Feidric. He joined the party before me. If you're curious, you'll have to ask him yourself."

Returning to the main topic, Douglas continued, "In any case, I have a way to contact the Empire. But if they learn about the Divine Artifact here, they'll undoubtedly send troops to crush this place. Would that truly be in the best interest of the people?"

Famine and war—neither sounded appealing.

Cipher responded, "Since you feel that way, let's hold off on informing them for now. We should wait for news from the Church."

Douglas sighed. "My hesitation stems from my distrust of the Church of the God of Life. They're indecisive and slow to act. Even if they agree to help, by the time word reaches the Holy City and reinforcements arrive, it could be too late."

Cipher blinked, noticing the clear tension between the War Church and the Life Church.

Ultimately, Douglas heeded Cipher's advice and temporarily abandoned the idea of notifying the Empire. After a few more casual exchanges, Cipher excused herself, claiming she wanted to wander around and get a feel for Cloudsea City, the capital of the kingdom.

Her true purpose, of course, was reconnaissance. At the heart of Cloudsea City stood a city within a city—a massive walled fortress housing the King's residence. No directions were needed; Cipher spotted the imposing structure from afar.

P.S. If War Priests seem strangely like warriors, the Priests of the Life Church are entirely Japanese-style, clad in white priestly robes and often surrounded by beautiful and cute girls. While their melee combat abilities are weak, they can cast far more Divine Magic. Douglas's Grace Value is eight, while a Life Priest of the same level typically starts with twenty or more.

The Divine Magic of the God of Life encompasses healing, support, and offense, making it remarkably versatile.