Chapter 26: The Pilgrimage Path

Mel pushed open the door, casually set down her schoolbag, and went to the kitchen to start preparing tonight's dinner.

The sunset outside the window bathed the entire space in a warm, orange hue.

Mel took down the off-white, lace-trimmed apron from the rack.

The soft fabric still held the faint scent of vanilla from the last time she baked.

In the sink, water washed over the fresh onions she had just bought, and bright water droplets slid down their silvery skin.

Mel's slender fingers peeled the outer layer of the onion, revealing its pearl-like sheen.

"Shhh—"

Butter melted in the pan, making a slight sound.

The golden oil flowed at the bottom of the pan, giving off a rich, milky aroma.

Mel poured the thinly sliced onions into the pan.

Accompanied by a "sizzling" sound, a sweet scent filled the kitchen.

A potato, its skin still caked with black mud from the canal district market, had rolled to the edge of the cutting board at some point.

She peeled it and sliced it into translucent, crescent-shaped pieces, which then began to dance a duet with the caramelized onions in the pan.

A baguette was placed on a dark brown oak cutting board.

The girl picked up the bread knife and gently tapped the bottom of the baguette with the back of the knife, causing some of the softness to seep from the honeycomb holes.

She cut the baguette in half, saved the other half, and then diagonally sliced the remaining half to be used for tonight's dinner.

The onions in the copper pot gradually became transparent, and caramel-colored bubbles jumped at the edge of the pot.

The wooden long-handled spoon made a faint sound as it rubbed against the bottom.

The air was filled with the sweet aroma of caramel, as if the entire kitchen had been encased in a piece of amber candy.

Mel hummed a tune Veronica had taught her, the melodious rhythm blending with the roar of the steam engine and the sound of carriage wheels rolling over the cobblestone streets.

Just then, a discordant note broke the small tune before dinner.

A slight flapping sound came from outside the window.

Mel turned her head to look, and a white dove was perched on the windowsill.

Its jet-black eyes were watching her, and the silver badge on its chest swayed slightly with its movements.

"Burgundy purple onions will achieve their best flavor if simmered over low heat for forty-seven minutes," the white dove closed its eyes, seemingly sniffing the thick soup.

"It's a shame, though. If there was beef, this dinner would be perfect."

"Mr. Messenger?"

Mel was slightly stunned, and she subconsciously tightened her grip on the wooden spoon.

"Is there something wrong?"

"To be honest, I don't want to disturb your leisurely dinner time, Miss Rossetti."

The white dove said, "However, I'm afraid I have to remind you—the Omniscience Society has its eyes on you."

"What is the Omniscience Society?"

Mel didn't understand.

"It sounds like some kind of society."

"If there's anything these people have in common with a normal society, it's probably just the pursuit of knowledge."

The white dove's voice was full of sarcasm.

"It's just a shame that the way these people pursue knowledge is much more extreme than ordinary people—Jessica is one of them."

Upon hearing the name "Jessica," the wooden spoon in Mel's hand nearly dropped.

"What do Jessica and the others want to do?"

Mel asked, and the onion soup in the pot was already starting to give off a rich aroma.

"Of course, it's the quintessence in your body."

The white dove said, jumping from the windowsill onto the kitchen counter.

"According to our intelligence, the Omniscience Society seems to be preparing to hold a grand ceremony in Dunke City. They will use—"

The white dove paused, seeming to have thought of something, and then it didn't say what it was originally going to say.

"They are preparing to hold a ceremony to attract the attention of (Knowledge), so that they can be anointed, or even achieve the rank of Crown Wearer."

"Can you become an Anointed or even a Crown Wearer just by a deity's attention?"

"Of course not. The essence of the so-called ceremony is a huge act of pleasing the god. The person holding the ceremony is like an actor on a stage, and the god is the spectator high above. If the audience is satisfied, they will naturally give a reward, but this reward is not something everyone can bear—it's time to take it off the heat, or it will start to have a burnt taste."

Hearing this, Mel quickly turned off the stove and moved the pot away from the fire.

"Then who can receive the reward?"

Mel asked, pouring the onion soup into a bowl, "And what does this have to do with me?"

"Naturally, the protagonist of this stage is qualified. You can't let a few backup dancers receive the reward, right?"

The white dove jumped onto the dining table, its gaze falling on the steaming bowl of buttered onion and potato stew.

"And to be promoted to The Anointed, you must at least be at the Philosopher's Stone rank. Even Golden is barely enough, right?"

"What is the Philosopher's Stone?"

Mel's eyes were filled with confusion.

"Hmm, did Oliver not tell you?"

The white dove tilted its head, "After a Shepherd has passed the Stress Phase and Development Phase, they will become The Baptized, then Staff Bearer, and then Crown Wearer."

"He did... but Bishop Oliver didn't say anything about the Philosopher's Stone."

Mel shook her head.

"Simply put, Staff Bearer is divided into five stages, which can also be understood as the five periods of the pilgrimage path."

The white dove explained.

"First Stage Prima Materia, which can also be called mercury. In alchemy, the three elements of mercury, sulfur, and salt are the cornerstones, and mercury is considered the starting point of everything, transcending the solid and liquid states. Based on its characteristics, it is also considered a bridge connecting the human world and the divine kingdom, life and death. Then there is the Second Stage Silver. Silver symbolizes spiritual enlightenment and is one of the indispensable elements for achieving the Philosopher's Stone. It is also from this point that a Shepherd's physical quality will show a significant improvement and change. And if we say that a Shepherd in the first and second stages is still in the category of having some special abilities and a physique superior to ordinary people. Then from the third stage, a Shepherd truly begins to transcend the ordinary. Third Stage Stibnite."

There was a hint of mystery in the white dove's voice.

"In the 'Three Stages in One' of the Emerald Tablet, stibnite is the key catalyst for the 'Decomposition' stage, used to strip away metallic impurities. Therefore, when you step into the Stibnite stage, it declares that a Shepherd has truly begun to come into contact with divinity. At this stage, a Shepherd's body will undergo a fundamental change and begin to 'deify.' In layman's terms, you might grow multiple arms, or some other... phantom limbs, and once ordinary people look directly at these parts, they will fall into madness. But don't worry, you can still maintain your current appearance, just think of it as a disguise to protect others. And a Shepherd at this stage is like a walking alchemical reactor that can ignite fire on a conceptual level."

As if to prove this, Mel suddenly smelled a faint burning smell.

She was horrified to find tiny carbonization lines on the wooden handle of the spoon, and where the white dove was standing, a scorched mark was appearing on the counter.

"Stop, my truffle oil!"

The girl hurriedly pushed the glass bottle away from the danger zone.

The dark lines immediately receded, leaving only a few wisps of smoke to prove that it wasn't an illusion.

"Sorry, Quintessence resonance can sometimes overflow uncontrollably."

The white dove apologized without sincerity, bowing its head to peck at the onion strands that had floated in front of its eyes.

Mel sat down at the dining table with the thick soup.

The rising steam condensed into tiny water droplets on her fair face.

"What's the fourth stage?"

"Fourth Stage: Golden."

The white dove shook the feathers on its body and jumped towards a slice of bread.

"It's not the kind of precious metal you think of for trading and as a hard currency, but the Philosopher's Gold that has undergone three firings. Golden is the pinnacle of all rare metals, symbolizing the eternal nature of the sun and the perfect form of matter. At this stage, a Shepherd's body and Quintessence have perfectly merged, entering the so-called 'Rubedo Stage.' Therefore, some people also call a Golden-stage Shepherd a Red Staff. Achieving the Red Staff means that a Shepherd has completely transcended the category of 'human.' Generally, the Church and The Fifth Department will respectfully refer to them as 'Angels.'"

The tip of the white dove's beak lightly touched the surface of the bread.

"And then, there is the final stage, which declares the end of this pilgrimage path. Just their existence alone symbolizes a miracle. Even if they die, their remaining body will not dissipate. Its name is—"

The white dove suddenly spread its wings, and its voice carried a hint of excitement.

"—The Philosopher's Stone!"

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