Tome of Blood

Chapter 581-80- Luna Coast City-State
The Theocracy is located in the central part of the Miriam continent, on the Yunete Peninsula in the Luna Inland Sea, and is also in the southern part of the Western Yunete Empire.

Charlotte had seen a map of the Western Unate region. If she had to make an analogy, the location of the Fallen Star Kingdom was very similar to Britain on the Blue Star, the location of the Crescent Peninsula was a bit like the Iberian Peninsula plus France, and the Unate Peninsula where the Theocracy was located was a bit like an enlarged version of the Apennine Peninsula.

There are generally three routes from the Falling Star Kingdom to the Theocracy.

One is to go through the northern border through Castel Territory to the East Yunet Black Land, then go south through the Kingdom of Koria, then turn west back to the West Yunet Empire, cross half of the West Yunet Empire and go south to reach the Theocracy.

The second option is to travel by land and sea, bypassing the Crescent Peninsula, entering the Luna Inland Sea through the Luna Strait, and then landing at the Luna Coast City-state on the Yunet Peninsula, then entering the Western Yunet Empire, and heading north to the Theocracy in the south of the empire.

The third option is to go directly through the Crescent Kingdom, enter the Western Unate Empire by land, and then go directly to the Theocracy.

Of these three routes, the third is the shortest, the first is the longest, and the second requires a long sea route.

Of course, this trip was invited by the Theocracy, and we can use the special teleportation arrays of the Holy Royal Courts in various countries along the way, so no matter which route we take, we can reach our destination in time.

Taking into account the relationship between the Crescent Moon Kingdom and the Falling Star Kingdom, Charlotte would naturally not take the third route. In addition, she planned to go to the Moon Coast City-State to explore the local ancient temple and faceless statue, so she naturally chose the second route.

As for the first route…she planned to take it on the return trip.

The second route is also the sea trade route between the Falling Star Kingdom, the Luna Coast City-State, and the West Yunate Empire.

Although the teleportation array cannot be used, a lot of troubles and socializing that might be encountered by traveling by land are avoided. The only risk is coming from some pirates from the South Continent active in the Luna Inland Sea.

Of course, for the Falling Star Kingdom, a maritime power on the Miria continent, these "barbarian" pirates that are a headache for ordinary merchant ships naturally cannot cause any trouble.

Charlotte set out from Falling Star Port and boarded the Roman, the flagship of the Falling Star Kingdom's royal family, and then set sail under the escort of the Falling Star Navy.

The mighty fleet bypassed the Crescent Peninsula, passed through the Luna Strait that divided the main continent of Miria and the southern sub-continent, and then entered the Luna Sea, the largest inland sea of ​​Miria.

Perhaps because we chose the sea route, we didn't encounter any trouble along the way. It was smooth and peaceful.

The only incident was encountering pirates along the way.

Of course, after seeing the majestic caravels of the Falling Star Fleet from afar, the southern pirates who terrified merchant ships and caravans fled away on their own accord.

Normally they just bully merchant ships. For these pirates, no one is stupid enough to actually attack a country's fleet fully loaded with magic crystal cannons.

It's a pity for Charlotte.

Life on the ship was so boring that she was still wondering if she could destroy one or two pirate dens on the way.

By the time Charlotte saw the prosperous port of the Luna Coast city-state, it was already a month after their departure.

The Luna Coast City-State is located on the west coast of the Yunete Peninsula, across the sea from the Crescent Kingdom, and is also the southern gateway to the Western Yunete Empire.

Historically, this was also the ruling area of ​​the Yunite Empire and the prosperous southern region of the empire.

Later, the Yunet Empire split, and this place became part of the Western Yunet Empire.

Over the past hundreds of years, the imperial power of the Western Unate Empire has been declining. In order to further strengthen theocracy and suppress the imperial power of the empire, about three hundred years ago, the theocracy joined forces with the Crescent Kingdom to support the independence movement in the southern part of the empire.

Since then, many states in the southern part of the Western Uneite Empire have been completely divided. Among them, although some states and city-states still belonged to the Western Uneite Empire in name, they actually became vassals of the Theocracy. The other states, large and small, united to form the Luna Coast City-State, and completely became independent from the Western Uneite Empire.

It was also from that time that the Theocracy achieved actual control over the Western Yunet Empire. Although the Theocracy was nominally a part of the empire, in fact, the imperial power had become a servant of the Theocracy.

For hundreds of years thereafter, the history of the Western Yunet Empire became a history of power struggle between the Theocracy and the Imperial Emperor.

Today, although the Theocracy's control over the Western Yunet Empire has become less than before due to the weakening of the Holy Court, it can still influence the political situation of the empire.

For hundreds of years, in order to gain more initiative in the power struggle with the Imperial family, the Theocracy has never given up its efforts to make the southern Luna Coast city-states its vassal.

However, due to the constraints of the Crescent Kingdom and the Corea Kingdom, this effort has not yet been realized.

But even so, the Luna Coast City-State is also the most powerful area of ​​the Holy Royal Court. As part of the central diocese, it is full of churches and believers. It is also an important source of religious tax revenue for the Holy Royal Court.

The Luna Coast city-state is not large, approximately equivalent to 1.5 Castel territories, a mere 18 square kilometers, and consists of eleven city-states, four counties and two small principalities.

However, the population is nearly twice that of Castel Territory, approaching 10 million.

Unlike other major countries on the Miria continent, the Luna Coast City-State practices an aristocratic republic. It is governed by a senate elected by the 17 states that make up the Coast City-State, and the chief archon of the city-state is elected from the 17 ruling families.

The place where Charlotte landed was the capital of the Luna Coast City-State, the largest economic and trade center in the southern part of the Yunete Peninsula, and also the largest state in the Luna Coast City-State - Catalia City.

Catalia is a port city that is as prosperous as North Port.

When the mighty Falling Star Fleet sailed into the Catalia Deepwater Port, the City-State Senate and the Holy Royal Court, which had already received the news, had sent messengers to wait at the port.

"Respected Queen of Falling Stars, Saint of the Royal Court, His Majesty Castel, High Priest Alberto of Catalia, Third Archon of the Coast City-State Giuliano di Piazza, welcome."

At the dock, the city-state's high priest in white priest uniform and the city-state's nobles in gorgeous aristocratic robes saluted Charlotte respectfully.

High Priest Kataria was an elderly priest, while the Third Archon, the representative of the Luna Coast City-State, was a black-haired nobleman who looked to be in his forties.

They were very enthusiastic about Charlotte, the Fallen Star Queen who came from afar, and the team welcoming the envoys filled the entire dock.

The Falling Star Kingdom is at least one of the top five powerful countries in the Miriam Continent. In the early days of the Star-Moon War, it was the most powerful country in the western part of the continent. Even though it has declined compared to earlier years, its status is still very important on the continent.

Coupled with Charlotte's status as a saint and the trade exchanges between Luoxing and Luna Coast City-States, it is normal for her to be warmly welcomed in the coastal city-state with a strong religious atmosphere.

"Your Majesty Castel, the city-state's chief governor, Lord Canossa, and the church's high priest, Lord Calabretta, have already prepared a dinner at the city lord's mansion and are awaiting your arrival."

Giuliano, the third consul of the Luna Coast City-State, said enthusiastically.

Charlotte nodded slightly and smiled gently in return:

"Thank you for your hospitality, Lord Canossa and Lord Calabretta. It is my honor to be here in the Luna Coast City-State."

"Your Majesty Castel, please."

The envoy of the Luna Coast City-State made a gesture of invitation.

Charlotte nodded, and gracefully boarded the magnificent carriage prepared by the city-state. Then, escorted by knights and city-state guards, she entered the city of Catalia in a grand manner.

When Charlotte arrived at the City Lord's Mansion, the nobles of the Luna Coast City-State were already waiting there.

Charlotte had attended many welcome dinners for the nobility and was already familiar with them.

However, compared to the nobles on the Crescent Peninsula, the banquets in the Luna Coast City-State were more grand and the food was richer.

In the Miria continent, the cuisine of the Luna Coast city-state is already very famous. In comparison, the cuisine of the Falling Star Kingdom is much more monotonous.

Here, Charlotte also met the ruler of the Luna Coast City-State, Chief Archon Catherine di Canossa, and the highest-ranking clergyman of the Luna Coast City-State, High Priest Calabretta.

Catherine di Canosa was a young woman who looked to be in her twenties, but Charlotte, who had already browsed through relevant information in advance, knew that she was at least fifty years old.

The reason why she looks so young is because she has elven blood and is a half-elf.

Not only that, the chief governor of the Moon Coast City-State is also a powerful transcendent, whose strength is close to legendary and has reached the level of the peak of the Blazing Sun.

As for the representative of the Holy Court, High Priest Calabretta, his strength is even stronger than that of Chief Archon Catherine.

Although this seemingly white-haired old man had restrained his breath, Charlotte could clearly sense the dazzling divine power in his body, the intensity of which was similar to that of the Crescent Parish Archbishop Charles de Loren whom Charlotte knew.

Obviously, this is a legendary priest.

Perhaps it was because they were close to the heartland controlled by the Theocracy.

Charlotte could sense that the clergy here were more than one level stronger than those in the Crescent Moon Kingdom and the Falling Star Kingdom, and were clearly on a higher level overall.

On the other hand, the nobles of the Luna Coast city-state have much weaker supernatural powers, and the most powerful one is only the Chief Consul Catherine di Canossa.

However, what surprised Charlotte was that she also sensed a familiar aura among the nobles of the Luna Coast city-state who attended the banquet.

Blood and blood.