Book 8: Chapter 3
The old capital of Lushan was a city situated in the heart of the West. It was the location where Levetia, the founder of the religion, received a revelation from God to embark on a pilgrimage. Obeying this epiphany, Levetia circled the continent once, spreading God’s Word and gaining converts. With these new followers, the leader founded the city of Lushan, which became the crux of the religion. It was the heart of the Western continent both geographically and spiritually.
In the present day, Lushan and the surrounding area were treated not as a part of a country, but as a vicinity directly under Levetia’s control.
“—The townscape is surprisingly average,” Ninym murmured as she stared out the window of the swaying carriage.
“Yeah, it’s pretty behind on the times, but it really does feel like your typical Western city,” replied her carriage mate, Wein.
It wasn’t strange, though. Lushan was the standard for Western architectural design. In other words, other Western cities were copies of Lushan, not the other way around.
“The vibe in the city feels different,” Wein pointed out.
“Yes. It’s almost eerily solemn and quiet… Its population is large, but most of them wear the Circles, and many are pious believers.”
The Circles were a symbol of Levetia that devout followers wore around their necks. Primarily made of metal, they consisted of two perfectly round, interconnected circles, each about the size of one’s palm. One represented God’s completeness while the other represented a continent where the word of Levetia reached every corner.
“From what I can tell, there are just as many pilgrims as locals. Makes sense since they set up a million roads to make sure these trips are easy to navigate.”