The Clergy proclaimed a crackdown on pirates, and the Alpha People replied, "Pirates are detestable; they must all be exterminated."
When the Clergy spoke of heading north to encircle the Ghost Ship, the Alpha People responded, "The Ghost Ship resides in the Misty Marine Region, be cautious of the heavy fog on the way."
With the conversation having reached this point, if they didn't go, wouldn't it seem like the Clergy were cowards?
Yet if they really took military action, a whole new set of troubles would arise. Although the Clergy's naval fleet was powerful, it also had a vast amount of maritime interests to maintain.
Besides a few heretics, most countries were paying Tithe to the Clergy, primarily due to the power they wielded.
Especially those small coastal countries that nearly paid their taxes in full, the deterrence of the navy played a critical role.
Apart from deterring nations, the Clergy also needed their own fleet to protect their maritime interests.
