ã€ŠSteampunk: Sixth Era Epicã€‹


 Chapter 1 The Dying Man

    "Did you remember everything I mentioned?"

    Finally snapping out of his daze, Shard looked around, puzzled by his surroundings. Just a second ago in his memory, he was helping a friend with funeral arrangements, and the next, he found himself here.

    This was a bedroom... definitely not a bedroom of the twenty-first century. The light inside was a muted yellow, not very strong; the somewhat darkened wooden floor was still clean, but the walls had begun to yellow. A stack of books piled in a corner seemed about to topple, while the bookshelf next to it held various ornaments like metal pots and picture frames.

    The photos were all in ck and white.

    Aside from the paintings, there were also two metal pipes on the wall. One could faintly see that the joints connecting the pipes had rusted, with one thin pipe branching off near the desk. That brown wooden desk was covered in papers, and its drawers were half-open, revealing documents inside.

    Attached to the brass-colored pipe, the deskmp was still lit, its heavy, bell-shaped head having an unusually novel design¡ª

    "Hmm? Not electric? Gaslight?"

    It was hard to tell by looking whether it was a gasmp, but the pipes clinging to the wall and the wallmps connected to these pipes certainly weren''t electric. The warm yellow glow wasn''t very bright either, only illuminating the area around the desk, but it inexplicably made Shard feel warmth.

    Guided by this light, he saw the decorative oil paintings on the wall, a ck-and-white photograph of a lone figure on the desk, and newspapers spread across the floor in the shadows. He couldn''t make out any of the words on the newspapers, but he could see that they were written in letters, not Chinese characters.

    The sense of being from a different era was overwhelming. No matter where this was, it was no longer his hometown.

    The air was permeated with a rotting scent, but it was more like the smell of a funeral home. Shard remembered the smell, for he had just been aiding a tragically deceased friend...

    "Did you remember everything I mentioned?"

    The voice echoed again, and only then did Shard fullye out of his stupor. He quickly realized someone was gripping his right wrist. Now fully conscious and aligned with his body, he thought to lower his head.

    He stood at the bedside of what seemed to be a neenth-century man''s bedroom. The bed was a four-poster, but with curtains on only three sides. The visible parts of the bed and headboard gleamed metallic under the bedhead gasmp.

    Themp at the bedhead was shaped like an angel holding it up, and Shard was momentarily captivated by the exquisite design.

    The person holding his hand was the man lying in the bed, presumably the owner of the bedroom. This middle-aged man, wearing a dark checkered nightgown, was covered up by nkets except for his head and right hand.

    His distinctly Caucasian facial features were gaunt, eyes sunken, cheeks drooping, and the hand gripping Shard''s wrist was terrifyingly skinny. The man looked as if he was about to starve to death, and Shard even believed that speaking too loudly might require him to plead with the man not to die.

    Shard really didn''t know anything now and needed to understand the situation from this man.

    "So... is this time travel?"

    He thought to himself, grasping a general idea of the current situation.

    Fortunately, although the man in the bed was weak, at least there were no signs of corpse discoloration. Otherwise, Shard would really be worried about his current predicament.

    "Did you remember everything I mentioned?"

    The frail man in the bed asked a third time, his brown eyes deeply recessed yet fixedly staring at Shard. Although Shard didn''t understand why he had inexplicably traveled to this ce, at least he knew it was best to y along for now, to grasp the current state of things before nning further.

    He tried to speak and only then realized that the man wasn''t speaking Chinese, nor anynguage he knew, but Shard somehow understood him. He tried to reply in the man''snguage, but only managed to slightly open his mouth; he understood but couldn''t speak it.

    "No way? I can understand but not speak?"

    Instantly, a buzzing sound arose in his ears and his back itched from nervousness. Being unable to speak thenguage of this Otherworld was not something he had anticipated, and it was the worst-case scenario.

    A humming noise filled his head, and he soon realized that this noise wasn''t due to his own nervousness. He understood the voice inside his head¡ªit was a woman speaking, a whispering sound:

    "Sixth Era, Common Era Calendar 1853, summer, the day of Silvermoon''s shine, you havee to this gloomy world. You understand you need an identity, so you must inherit everything of this inexplicable body. Now is the first step, to prove, prove that you can enter this world."

    "System..."

    His instinct was that this was the legendary system, but he immediately realized that it was definitely not the system.

    The woman''s voice was unusually elegant and soothing, like a whisper reciting a poem chapter, intoxicating to those who heard it. But thenguage she used was different from Chinese and from thenguage of the frail man on the bed.

    Thenguage was even older and more profound, like an ancient breeze that had traveled through the curtains of time and suddenly brushed the present. Thenguage itself was a manifestation of mystery. Even just understanding its meanings, Shard felt as though he was peering into the deepest darkness.

    Even though Shard understood this secondnguage, purelyprehending it made his head buzz and his new body''s stomach felt nauseous.

    It was a sense of spiritual oppression; thenguage used by the voice in his mind itself possessed extraordinary power.

    "This is thenguage system of this world! It''s not a system in my mind; this is something that originally existed in this body!"

    Shard made his judgment. As his pupils slightly contracted, a more terrifying spection arose before his eyes:

    "A new world, this world akin to the Victorian Steam Era, is a world where the transcendent and the mysterious exist!"

    He wasn''t the kind of person who rejected reality. Since transmigration had urred, the existence of the transcendent wasn''t entirely uneptable. However, his first task now was to rify the current situation, answer the man''s question, and identify his own identity.

    Therefore, Shard tried his best to convey information to the voice in his mind using hisnguage:

    "Whoever you are, listen well. I want to ept everything about this body, but I don''t have the memories of this body, nor do I have thenguage habits of this body."

    "Now, you do."

    It felt as if a brick had been forcibly shoved into his fontanel and maliciously stirred around. It was a miracle Shard thought he hadn''t passed out.

    He didn''t obtain the original body''s memories; instead, knowledge about "Common Language of the Northern Kingdom Human Draleon Kingdom Language" was stuffed into him. But this knowledge merely existed, like a trantor¡ªit didn''t immediately integrate and understand all the ngs, dialects, religious cultures, allusions, ornguage habits.

    "I apologize, sir, I''m not feeling well. Could you please repeat what you wanted me to remember?"

    With this knowledge, he tranted the Chinese in his mind into the "Common Language of Northern Kingdom Humans" of the Otherworld and deliberately spoke with a tranted tone. The frail man gripping Shard''s hand suddenly squeezed hard. It was hard to imagine that such a slender wrist could possess such strength:

    "You are still the same, your brain doesn''t function well... alright, I''ll say it again..."

    It seemed that the original owner of the body was not very bright, and Shard''s words for now did not raise any suspicions.

    "Shard (Shade)..."

    The pronunciation of the name was very simr.

    "I am about to die. I knew three months in advance that I would die, so I selected you from among the wanderers. I changed your life, gave you a new name, taught you basic literacy, and somemon sense. After I die, you will inherit everything I have¡ªmy detective agency and all my belongings. But you need to do something for me, a very simple thing¡ª"

    Though his tone was very weak, his terrifying eyes stared at Shard like a dying lone wolf. The great terror evident in his gaze chilled the heart of Shard, the ounder who still didn''t understand this world very well.

    But Shard kept his breathing as steady as possible and did not meet his gaze bravely. It was not that Shard was frightened at the moment, but from the previous statement, he had begun to understand the original owner''s situation.

    Therefore, at this moment, he should not meet the man''s gaze but should fearfully look away, which was more in line with the known character setting.

    "Inherit my detective agency, no matter what you decide to do with it, at least keep it running until September 5, 1853, three months from now. At that time, you will receive a letter. Fetch it and burn it¡ªthat is the price for inheriting all my estates."

    His hand gripped Shard''s tightly, and even as Shard acted with a slight struggle, he didn''t believe he could break free; the man''s strength was indeed formidable:

    "This is my, Sparrow Hamilton''s, only requirement for leaving the inheritance to you, Shard Hamilton."

 Chapter 2 The Detectives Last Words

    "Such wills and requests, you just know something''s off the moment you hear them."

    The expression on Shard''s face, who was having his hand held beside the bed, didn''t show much. But he clearly understood; a detective who precisely foresaw his own death and took in a homeless man with a feeble mind right before dying, leaving all of his possessions just for a seemingly simple request. That meant this simple request was definitely anything but.

    The other party was probably not just a detective, but the Shard now upying a new body wasn''t the original fellow either. Even if the original Shard was oblivious to the truth, the foreigner now understood that he should not get involved in matters that smelled fishy at first whiff. Otherwise...

    "If you don''t agree, I can guarantee that you won''t get a penny of my money after I die, and none of this will be yours. You''ll go back to being homeless, without gasmps, without a firece, without three meals a day, not even a bed. You''ll return to your former life..."

    But Shard had to agree; he had nothing in this world. Weighing the option of struggling from scratch as a vagrant against getting involved in a troublesome matter but gaining wealth, Shard knew neither choice was good, but he had to choose one.

    Moreover, now that he was standing here and had heard these words, he was already involved, so backing out wasn''t an option. Shard understood how to assess the situation and weigh his own circumstances.

    "Just, is the death of Mr. Sparrow Hamilton rted to the supernatural? Is it rted to the voice in my head?"

    He thought to himself, yet he couldn''t deduce any further conclusions. Unexpectedly, at this moment, the voice in his head appeared again:

    [It''s rted to the supernatural, he died due to a "Relic." It has nothing to do with you.]

    That voice was still so elegant, soposed. Despite the brevity of the information, the whispering voice still seemed as though it was reciting a Poem Chapter.

    "Relic?"

    In the ancient and elegantnguage used by the woman, this was a proper noun. Differentnguages carry different amounts of information, and in thenguage that the woman used, the term carried vast amounts of information, including the likes of "Sealed Item," "Containment Object," and "Cursed Item."

    Shard was d he understood thisnguage; from the vocabry, he discerned "special objects capable of exercising supernatural power but extremely dangerous."

    This made Shard harbor some rather ominous spections about this world.

    "So, who are you exactly?"

    The voice didn''t exin the term, so Shard asked inwardly. From the answers to his questions, he realized that the other party was also a thinking entity.

    [I am you.]

    The murmuring voice answered softly, its whisper-like assertion caused a chill to run down Shard''s back.

    But Shard hummed lightly; he was certain that this body was male, and the voice in his head could not be its original inhabitant.

    Looking at the shine of the bedsidemp, illuminating the tightly furrowed, lifeless ghastly skin of the man on the bed, Shard said to him:

    "I understand, sir."

    "Shard, I have ten minutes of life left, if there''s anything else you want to ask, go ahead and ask,"

    The other party said something very remarkable, his tone filled with fatigue. But Shard knew that if everything the other person said was correct, then the following questions would be key to his establishment in this world, and he must be cautious:

    "Your death... seems unnatural."

    He spoke slowly, faking the voice of someone slow-witted, which was quite taxing. The first question was about his own situation after the other''s death, and Shard had to make sure that the cause of the detective''s demise wouldn''t affect him.

    "We never discussed this before, and I know you''ve always been worried¡­ No need to worry about that. My death in a while might scare you, but there''s no need for fear. My death will not implicate you; I need you toplete a task three months from now, so I can assure you of this. The one who killed me will definitely not appear again. After all, we ordinary folks are not worthy of their attention."

    The information received was quite substantial, the man on the bed had no intention of hiding anything.

    "Ordinary... people?"

    This time, Shard truly hesitated.

    "You don''t need to know, and frankly, I don''t understand much myself. Those Circle Sorcerers, practitioners of the Four Elements: "Arcane Technique," "Enlightenment," "Desecration," "Whisper," the Church of the Five Great Deities and the Three Great Magics Academies, this terrifying world¡­ Forget what I just said, you''ll live better. Remember, you don''t understand anything."

    The man on the bed emphasized forcefully, leaving Shard to just take note of these terms and then nod:

    "Alright, I don''t understand anything."

    He guessed that "Circle Sorcerer" was a term for the Magicians of this world, and "Arcane Technique," "Enlightenment," "Desecration," "Whisper" were parts of a power system, while the True God Church and the Magics Academies were the major forces of Magicians.

    It was impossible for an ordinary person detective to know so much; there were indeed many secrets to the Hamilton Detective.

    But Shard did not continue to inquire on this topic. He had to make the conversant willingly divulge more information within the limited time, instead of mutually suspecting each other trying to discern lies and truths:

    "After you die, how should I... live? I don''t understand detective work, and I''m not well educated."

    Despite the urgency, he couldn''t speak faster. Not only because of the disguise but also because Shard still couldn''t master thenguage fluently. This situation of having to walk when he should be racing made him quite anxious. But he couldn''t show his anxiety, therefore he felt even more anxious internally.

    "It''s alright, what I have taught you is enough. You only need to stay here for three months. After three months, sell everything and move to the countryside, where it''s better suited for you, enough for you to live out your life in peace... after all, the cost of living is lower there."

    Perhaps trulycking the strength, the man in the bed didn''t utter a moreplete sentence. But Shard had no memories of the past, unaware of what the other had taught him, he sought help from the voice in his head, but it didn''t appear.

    "Is there anything else you need to entrust to me?"

    This was the third time Shard had asked the question, deliberating carefully before speaking.

    "Remember the words I told you over these three months; remember the simplemissions I left in the memo, you can try to do them to maintain the operation of the detective agency; also, the card in this diary..."

    The feeble man pointed to the bedside. He let go of Shard''s hand, and Shard bent down to pick up the diary. The brown leather cover was secured with a maic sp, and the diary had been well preserved by its user.

    Shard handed the diary to Mr. Hamilton in bed, but he shook his head, barely able to speak anymore.

    So Shard opened the diary himself, quickly flipping through, each page carried continuous dates, both sides were used. Most of the pages had only one sentence "Nothing happened today, not much savings left," while a few detailed the progression ofmissions received by the agency.

    When he reached the middle of the diary, the rustling of pages stopped and a stiff card was sandwiched at that spot. Shard controlled himself not to raise his eyebrows, seeing that it was a rectangr card smaller than the size of a hand.

    After taking it out, the surface of the card felt like it was covered with apletely transparent wax, protecting the card itself from environmental damage. But upon closer touch, it seemed to be ayer of transparent skin. Suddenly, Shard thought of human skin.

    The card was not thick, and under room lighting, one could see through it.

    What Shard considered the back had abstract patterns of the sun, moon, and stars intertwined into an oddbination; what he considered the front depicted ady with her head turned so her features were indistinct, side-sitting on a high stool, holding the moon.

    Silver hair, her profile outlined with a hint of a smile, wearing a long robe. However, the colors on the card weren''t rich, only featuring white, ck, and cool tones around those two colors.

    In the top right corner of the front, there was a number 3, and in the top left corner was a small symbol of the sun. Between them, at the top center of the card''s face, a white circle held a ck vertical line.

    Directly below the image of the woman, or the bottom front, there was a small nk space that held a line of small writing:

    [When using this card, the number can be adjusted within the range of 1 to 5.]

    The card did not appear very new, and with the faint light in the room, subtle damages not easily noticed could be seen, but it was also evident that the owner had tried hard to preserve it carefully.

    Surprisingly, Shard understood all the words on the card, just as he could understand the speech of men and women.

    "How strange, after crossing over, I can understand what I hear and read, but can''t seem to speak."

    As he thought to himself, he asked softly:

    "What is this?"

    "A very valuable card, interchangeable with themon deck of 54 cards we usually use, belonging to the four suits of sun, moon, stars, and flowers, representing the card [Sun 3]. But this card is a special edition, with rare patterns making it highly collectible.

    Keep it saved in the diary, don''t let it get wet or fold it, and certainly don''t show it to others lightly, but if you''re truly desperate, go to Birmingham Collection Hall in Tobesk City, the people there understand its value... the Roder Card, the most important collection of my life..."

    Shard nodded, noting the term "Roder Card," understanding this was amon card game in this world, and that [Sun 3] had the same nature asmemorative coins and stamps. So, he slipped the card back into the diary.

    Although the card was somewhat more exquisite, he deduced from the bedroom''s d¨¦cor that this era''s production capacity could manufacture such items, so there was no need for much suspicion.

    "Sir, is there anything else you want to say?"

    Shard asked again, now letting the other take the initiative to speak, rather than asking himself.

    "Shard."

    Mr. Hamilton took hold of Shard''s hand once again, his eyes looking tenderly toward the young man at the bedside:

    "I know I''ve never been a good man, but I''m truly sorry for involving you in this. Three months from now, leave Tobesk City. Such a grand capital is not suitable for you...

    But I think, if you were to understand, you''d believe that taking you away from a vagrant life was the right choice. Your mind isn''t sharp, remember, don''t trust others'' words so easily in the future, especially those trying to make you spend money... I''ve already made arrangements with Tobesk Public Cemetery for a gravesite. The Corpse Bearer wille shortly; you don''t have to follow.

    Live in this house for three months, ording to the life skills I''ve taught you.

    Shard, I am sorry... I wish you good luck."

 Chapter 3 Funeral

    Having settled his affairs, the detective on the bed closed his eyes, and Shard Hamilton, pursing his lips, waited a while before breaking free his hand and checking the breath and pulse.

    "Dead?"

    He couldn''t believe that the other had died so easily, and it really was about ten minutes.

    Before he could react further, a ck glimmer flickered across the face of the corpse. Shard felt a sudden tightness in his heart, and a wave of extreme terror overwhelmed him in an instant.

    But by the time he regained hisposure, the ck light had dispersed and vanished into the air.

    As the light disappeared from the body, the emaciated corpse that looked as though it had starved to death began to visibly plump up, as if someone was inting it from inside, until it transformed back to a normal-looking corpse.

    "How is this normal? What exactly is happening now?"

    In the silent room, Shard uneasily looked around, his unease not stemming from being alone with the corpse, but rather from the unfamiliar environment. This world was not the world of before; he had seen a corner of the mysterious and dangerous truth of this world.

    The voice in his head resounded once more, as if reminding Shard that this ce was not one for a "human":

    [You have encountered "Whisper."]

    "What encounter? What Whisper? Can you exin more clearly?"

    But the voice still did not answer.

    [Whisper] was one of the "Four Elements of Mystery" the detective had spoken of just before, clearly what caused his death was linked to these so-called [Relic], [Whisper].

    Although the oppressive and unknown truth left Shard bewildered, looking at the corpse on the bed, he surprisingly didn''t feel too horrified.

    "If all this is someone''s joke, that would be wonderful."

    He hoped at that moment it was all an act, yet reason told him it couldn''t be an act.

    After standing silently by the bed for a moment, he carefully and quietly moved around the four-poster bed to the window. He cautiously and calmly pulled back the heavy drapes, and instantly, the weak morning light, filtering through the fog on the street and the ss of the window, shone in.

    This light seemed to also temporarily disperse the unease in his heart.

    "Is it morning now?"

    Due to the thick fabric drapes, he had thought it was still night.

    Knock knock knock~

    The sound of knocking suddenly started at that moment, startling Shard. He unconsciously let go of the curtain but then immediately grabbed it and pulled it all the way open.

    Squinting out the window¡ªright onto the street¡ªhe didn''t have time to observe the odd scenery of the Steam Age in the mist, first looking downward to confirm it was the Corpse Bearer knocking, able to see the horse-drawn corpse carriage, before he turned to open the door.

    "Being able to know the exact time of one''s death so precisely, that''s why the Corpse Bearer was able to arrive with such uracy,"

    he muttered to himself, pushing open the bedroom door. Outside was the living room, also featuring simr Steam Age-style gas pipes on the walls, handcrafted wooden furniture, and various stacked up documents and books.

    The small ckboard hanging on the wall, the very formal coffee table, and fabric sofa set also resembled the style of a detective agency.

    The living room''s curtains were not drawn, allowing the dim morning light from the foggy outside to seep in, the light falling obliquely on the floor before Shard''s feet.

    In the light, dust particles floated quietly, like eerie tiny creatures swimming around. This sense of reality made Shard''s skin crawl.

    He unlocked the cold lock and security chain on the front door, directly opposite which was a spiraling staircase leading downwards, and next to it another door, indicating there were two residences on this floor, somewhat reminiscent of the apartment buildings in Holmes novels.

    Unable to find a light, he could only spiral down the oppressive dark staircase, his heart seeming to pound wildly with each step. In the dark environment, the overly imaginative Shard felt as though some terrible presence was peeping at him.

    From the second floor, he reached the first floor, the stairs leading directly to the hall. On one side of the hall, the passageway connecting to the first floor waspletely sealed with wooden nks, as if it were an enclosed coffin, making the hall the only essible area on the first floor.

    This scene, already making the anxious ounder suspicious, intensified his confusion:

    "Why seal the first floor? What exactly is going on here?"

    He passed by the shoe cab, casually lifting a fallen umbre, ncing at the gasmp above the shoe cab. With care, he turned it on, letting the light soothe his spirit.

    Taking a deep breath, he opened the front door.

    A silent old man in a ck coat stood at the doorway, a crossed leaves emblem hanging on his chest, behind him was the bleak sky and choking fog. The old man looked up at Shard, his voice as low as leaves scraping the damp, cold ground:

    "Shard Hamilton?"

    Thenguage he used was the same as the deceased detective''s, known as Draleon.

    "Yes."

    Shard nodded a bit awkwardly, motioning for the numb-looking old man to follow him upstairs.

    The old man gestured to the dejected middle-aged man who was soothing the horses behind him, his face as gloomy as the current weather.

    The three of them ascended the stairs together. Unsure of what to say, Shard silently led them to a bedroom on the second floor marked with a "No. 1" doorte.

    Throughout the process, almost no one spoke. The old man and the middle-aged man both smelled of the corpse. They put on gloves first, confirmed that the detective''s body on the bed was indeed dead, and then handed Shard a document requiring his signature.

    It was a confirmation document for the body to be managed by the city public cemetery administration, with the dual seals of the city public cemetery administration and the city funeralmittee at the bottom. At the very bottom was a prayer for the deceased, the trantion of which made the living Shard very ufortable.

    The old man and the middle-aged man examined the body, while Shard sat at the bedroom''s desk and picked up the cold fountain pen.

    His mind was somewhat muddled now, but he could understand and read, even if he could not write. Fortunately, the knowledge he had received just before gave him the ability to write as well. nning to sign his name tranted to the phically simr "Human Northern Common Language of Draleon," he decided to sign his name.

    On the cold sheet of paper, there was nothing noteworthy, just the confirmation of the body''s transfer and that the funeral expenses had been settled.

    "But looking at another signature on the document, belonging to themittee''s secretariat, the naming convention in this world is very simr to the Western style in my previous life, divided into three parts, official documents included adding a middle name. The first name is ''Shard,'' the surname could follow ''Hamilton,'' but the middle name..."

    The confused and uneasy Ounder didn''t know if the deceased Mr. Hamilton had given a middle name to the body''s original owner, but now was not the time to search through the room; he had to quickly think of a name to use temporarily.

    [Suellen.]

    That whispering voice resonated in Shard''s mind again, almost making him jump. The voice provided a word, which existed in both the ancientnguage used by women and themonnguage of the Northern Kingdom used by detectives, meaning "silver moon."

    "I can use this as my middle name, but you''ll have to exin it," he said.

    Shard tried tomunicate again, his heart extraordinarily tense, and the whispering woman''s voice actually sounded:

    [This is Fate, Ounder, the silver moon is your destiny. Once you gather the Four Elements and push open the Supernatural Gate, glimpsing this terrifying world, the meaning will naturally appear.]

    Shard frowned, suppressing the panic inside, and after a moment''s thought, he firmly signed his own name:

    Shard Suren Hamilton.

    The Corpse Bearers did not ask Shard for a death certificate or a report of the cause of death, nor did they intend to notify the police for an autopsy. It was as if the detective''s death was asmonce as a stray dog''s departure from the street.

    After retrieving the "Body Transfer Authorization" from Shard, they gave him a receipt with the location of the grave, and then silently carried away the body of Mr. Hamilton, still in his pajamas.

    Shard escorted them to the front door downstairs, but did not go out himself. He watched as the body was ced in a narrow coffin on the carriage, lined with a brown cloth that seemed stained with blood.

    The middle-aged man drove the horse-drawn carriage, carrying the coffin and the old man, deep into the foggy streets in the distance.

    "Well then, goodbye, Detective Sparrow Hamilton," he thought silently as he closed the door. Standing in the dim hallway light for a while, Shard then re-ascended the eerie dark stairs. The step of the Ounder was heavy, and though he was alone and tense, there was a strange sense of relief:

    "Simpler than I thought. No queries about Mr. Hamilton''s cause of death, no concern whether I truly am Shard Hamilton, not even a tip for moving the body... Detective Hamilton must have prepared everything in advance."

    The body left carrying many secrets, leaving behind countless mysteries for Shard, the despicable Ounder who had taken over another''s body. He still had many questions for Mr. Hamilton, and countless doubts waiting for answers.

    But the dead cannot be resurrected, and he had to ept the fact of the other''s death and strive to establish himself in this apparently abnormal world.

    The only good news was that the house on the second floor, previously owned by Detective Sparrow Hamilton, now belonged to Shard. He suddenly became a property owner in this world, simr to the Victorian Era of the mid-neenth century.

    The first floor was boarded up, the neighboring room "No. 2" on the second floor was locked from the outside, and the stairs leading to the third floor werepletely broken. Thus, in this empty house, there was now only Shard left.

    He returned to room "No. 1" on the second floor and meticulously checked every corner of the darkened study, living room, bathroom, and bedroom to ensure there was really no one in those shadows, then he exhaled deeply and sat on the living room sofa, slightly reassured as he looked out at the morning fog.

    Shard finally had time to sort out the current situation:

    "I''ve traveled through time, inheriting a detective agency. The body''s original owner might have issues, trained by the previous detective to help himplete an apparently simple task after his death... Detective Sparrow Hamilton had secrets, this world holds mysterious powers, and the detective''s death along with the voice in my head both prove this.

    What I need is to gather the Four Elements; the detective''s death has already exposed me to ''Whisper''..."

    Rubbing his face, though worried, the situation so far was at least not bad. Although Detective Sparrow Hamilton''s death was sudden, at least, Shard had a footing in this brand new world.

    This was sufficient to sustain his livelihood, to explore the secrets of this world, and possibly find a way back home.

    Shard was not a person who was content with circumstances, nor was he one toin about everything. It was unfortunate to have unwittingly left his homnd ande here, but all he could do for now was ept it, to live well here, and try to live even better.

    "Besides, to see this world possessing Transcendent powers, the Steam Age mysteries, those rituals, and Sorcery... how could one possibly be content with the ordinary?"

    Shard murmured to himself, as theughter of the woman in his mind rang out, as pleasant as a breeze over a field ofvender.

 Chapter 4 The Detectives Commissioned Task

    "Now that I have a short-term goal, the n is to check the room more thoroughly, search for currency, find a city map, and examine books. I need to understand the world through text, look into the historical context and religious customs, and cautiously adapt to this ce.

    I''m contemting whether to stay for three months, help the Detective with that matter, and then decide what to do after I understand everything."

    Shard summarized his current situation and epted the fact that the Detective was dead. The worst part right now wasn''t the mystery of this world, but rather thepleteck of the original owner''s memories, leaving him utterly clueless about this world. Apart from that, things weren''t too bad.

    Rising to his feet, Shard moved toward the washroom.

    The gasmp in the washroom had some problems; even set to its highest capacity, it emitted only a feeble light.

    In that dim light, he looked at the person in the mirror: dull golden hair, dark brown eyes, obviously a Western male face, around 20 years old, with an expression that seemed a bit anxious, and about 1.8 meters tall.

    After all, he had been a wanderer before, so his appearance wasn''t exceptionally outstanding, but ording to Shard''s own aesthetic sense, it was quite decent.

    "So this is me, don''t get scared by the stranger in the mirrorter on,"

    he cautioned himself in his mind, but he didn''t immediately leave the mirror. Instead, after cautiously looking around, he whispered:

    "Hey, hello, are you still there?"

    He tried tomunicate with the whispering woman''s voice again to ascertain what she really was. But after a long time without a response, he had to ept the reality and give up for the moment.

    Next, he needed to find currency. He hadn''t found any food while searching the kitchen earlier, and this body was clearly hungry, so he had to put aside other worries for the moment and get some money for food.

    But the unexpected happened once again. About half an hourter, Shard was seated back on the sofa bathed in the warm yellow light, his expression indescribably panicked.

    In his hand, he held a banknote with the number 10 written on it, a note full of folds and stains, even smaller than the ying cards found in the diary. On the face with numbers was a portrait, while on the back was the coat of arms of the Royal Family of the Draleon Kingdom where he currently resided.

    After searching the entire house and going through all the books and documents, and turning out every pocket in the wardrobe, Shard only found this single banknote that seemed to have identally slipped into a gap behind the bookshelf.

    "Could it be that the cost of living in this world is so unique that this single banknote could sustain me for three months?"

    Even if heforted himself with such jokes, he knew it was impossible.

    "This is bad,"

    he said, leaning back on the sofa, closing his eyes and tilting his head back as he looked at the white ceiling:

    "Mr. Hamilton, where on earth did you hide the money? I agreed to stay, surely you wouldn''t leave me without a penny..."

    Even though he was scared, he really wanted to catch up with that hearse and shake the dead body awake to question it.

    If there was anguage barrier, being clever might still get one by; if one had physical disabilities, bravery could suffice for survival. But without money, there was no way at all.

    It was obvious that Mr. Spike Hamilton did not cook at home; there wasn''t even a single vegetable leaf in the kitchen, so there wouldn''t be any mouse carcasses. Shard didn''t know when this body hadst eaten, but he clearly needed to eat now.

    Taking into ount the limits of human endurance, Shard had to immediately think of a way to get money, or find a manner to earn money, or he might well end up being forced, after the sun went down, to look for a restaurant on the map, then search for a garbage bin in the alley behind the restaurant and try his luck there.

    "No, it won''te to that,"

    he said, looking at the lone banknote in his hand with a terribly grim expression, dark as the sky outside:

    "Even though I don''t know its value, it is still money. And there''s also the [Sun 3] card from the diary; these things will help me survive. But since I can''t find money for the time being, I must think about a long-term earning strategy."

    A transmigrator''s knowledge might be quite valuable, but mizing knowledge in an unfamiliar ce is not only troublesome but also dangerous, not to mention that this world itself is imbued with mysterious powers.

    He remembered that this was a Detective Agency, and Mr. Hamilton had mentioned before his death that he left some safer tasks that ''not-so-bright'' Shard could handle to maintain the detective identity and keep the Detective Agency going.

    Since he hadn''t found the deceased detective''s money yet, he had to prepare for the worst and consider a way to make a living.

    "That being said, Mr. Hamilton knew that Shard ¡ª the original Shard ¡ª wasn''t very intelligent, so he must have left simple tasks to keep the Detective Agency operative. So, perhaps they have already been solved, and I just need to go collect the money! Even though there are mysteries in this world, at least, the life of ordinary people is mainstream."

    ```

    Shard suddenly had an inspiration and stood up to fetch the diary from the shadowy corner of the bedside table in the master bedroom, along with the ledger, memorandum, and work log that were relics of his days as a detective. Although he hadn''t found any money just then, he had found these items.

    Detective Sparrow Hamilton was a very orderly and meticulous man. Even though Shard hadn''t studied ounting or business administration, he was touched by the detailed records of the agency''s operations. Of course, it was mainly Shard who was moved, because the cases that the agency had yet to resolve were really quite simple, and most were already halfway topletion.

    "Finding Miss White''s runaway younger sister, tailing Mr. Lawrence''s mistress, searching for the lost orange cat Mia, inquiring about a doctor who can heal eye illnesses... they all seem simple and not very dangerous. Oh, Mr. Hamilton had already handled most of them. If I decide to stay and run this ce, resolving one case thoroughly in two or three weeks would be enough to keep it running."

    Shard summarized while flipping through the handwritten reports by Mr. Hamilton. But what he needed now wasn''t long-term operation of the Detective Agency, but to simply get some money for short-term living expenses.

    Comparing the remaining difficulty, the payment method, and the amount ofpensation for the four cases, Shard decided to take on the task of "tailing Mr. Lawrence''s mistress" first.

    ording to the case report, Detective Hamilton had been tailing her for months, only stopping recently due to ill health. The current report could actually be handed to the employer to settle the remaining payment. However, Mr. Hamilton had left a note in the report, taking special care of Shard''s limited literacy with simple words.

    The note said that if he intended toplete the assignment, it was best to have some recent records before submission, as this could likely fetch a higher reward and prevent the employer from bing suspicious.

    Which meant that Shard only needed to follow her one more time toplete the task. Although it wasn''t exactly perfectpletion, it would at least meet the requirements of the employer, that is, Mr. Lawrence''s wife, and earn him the remainingmission marked as "1 pound 7 shillings," which meant 1 pound 4 shillings.

    The tone of the detective''s notes suggested this was a considerably generous payment.

    Choosing this task was not just for the payment, but also because this type ofmission helping wives catch their husband''s mistresses was something Detective Hamilton had handled many times, and they were the simplest to finalize without any hitches at the end. Detective Sparrow Hamilton might not be a famous detective, but he was quite adept at investigating extramarital affairs.

    Not wanting to stay in this eerie house where someone had just died, drinking cold water and filling his stomach with paper pages, Shard prepared to set off for investigation, aiming to hand over the report to the employer before dusk.

    "It''s no problem, I''ll get the first payment through thismission, and then slowly uncover the secrets of the deceased detective, figure out the source of the voice in my head, everything will start to get better!"

    He encouraged himself inwardly and first found the city map. Using the notes from Detective Hamilton''s relics and the wall calendar, he deduced the potential locations of the mistress named "Lady Lassoya." These were simple tasks, but the most difficult step was finding his current location on that "Tobesk City Map."

    The Tobesk City map in the office was annotated by the previous detective and even marked with the pubs he frequented to gather information and the locations of ck markets dealing in "sensitive items."

    But the original detective, Mr. Hamilton, did not have the habit of marking his own home on the map. Fortunately, while Shard searched through the materials, he found a past tailing record, which included the route of that particr operation, allowing him to identify the location of this apartment as number 6 on Saint Dn Square in the center of Tobesk City.

    "Thanks to Detective Sparrow Hamilton''s meticulous records... this is... a house right by the central square, huh? How much would such a house cost?"

    Shard mused unexpectedly, and he found a pceplex called "Yordle Pce" just two streets away from Saint Dn Square.

    As per the crumpled newspaper, between the front-page news about "the third round of city-wide steam pipe renovation" and the report on "the copse investigation of ancient towers on Karas Mountain" on page three, the second page mentioned that "Yordle Pce" served as the residence for the Royal Family of the Draleon Kingdom.

    For Shard, whocked a home in his own world, his heart raced faster, his panic and tension momentarily scattered by a surge of excitement.

    He muttered to himself while looking at the papers in his hand:

    "Which means, my current location is presumed to be the capital of one of the world''s two great Kingdoms, the Draleon Kingdom, in a central square adjacent apartment... I actually have such a house, and I''m still worried about starving to death?"

    From the oppression he had begun to feel a moment''s relief, but a house wasn''t something that could be liquidated immediately, and Shard had no intention of truly abandoning the detective''s three-month contracts. At least having secure footing, he meant to ponder further.

    But at least a very sincere smile appeared on his face, recing the tension. With a house in such a location in hand, there was no need to worry about the future... the smile gradually faded away as Shard realized he had gone through even the will but had not found anything like a deed or title to the property.

    "Could this apartment be rented?"

    The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed. If one could afford a house in such an area, there''d be no need to run a Detective Agency, just collecting rent would be enough to support oneself. Even if the detective''s original operations weren''t just for the sake of money, looking at the interior decor, it did not seem like a house that Detective Hamilton actually owned.

    "Which means, I might very possibly have to pay an undisclosed amount of rent each month?"

    Shard incredulously reached this conclusion while looking again at the calendar hanging on the living room wall.

    It was the third week of Sunlight Moon, June 1853. If he really had to pay rent, it was very probable he''d have to do so at the beginning of each month.

    "This world too has a twelve-month system, and the dates are very simr to the past... otherwise I might as well run away, pack my clothes, drag my suitcase, carry a bucket, and start this mysterious world journey as a vagrant... Staying here not only means no ie, but there might also be debts left by Mr. Hamilton that I don''t know about."

    ```

 Chapter 5 The Real World

    Of course, Shard didn''t run away in the end. It was apparent to anyone that the three-month mission left by Mr. Hamilton was fishy, and Shard, already entangled, wasn''t going to leave, especially not after he hadn''t before his death.

    But to investigate that mission, and to explore Hamilton''s secrets, were concerns forter. Right now, the priority was to secure enough money to survive a week before making any other ns.

    He took the investigation report and map, and made sure not to forget thepass and pocket watch in the desk drawer. For safety reasons, although no firearms were found, a cane could serve as a weapon¡ªnaturally, he didn''t forget to bring along a fruit knife either.

    He opted for an inconspicuous outfit, a ck coat with matching trousers which was quite in line with Tobesk City''s dress code in early summer.

    In Room No. 1 on the second floor, which had a total of two bedrooms, Shard found clothes that suited his current size in the other room. Unfortunately, that room, presumably belonging to the original Shard, contained no diary or any other written hints that might have made life a bit simpler, given the original Shard''s pitiable level of literacy.

    Having prepared everything, the wall clock in the corner of the living room was approaching eleven in the morning.

    At the cab by the room''s door, Shard found the keys to both the room and the main entrance downstairs. He carefully locked the door, took a deep breath, and with gritted teeth, plucked a strand of hair from his head.

    He thenid down on the floor between the door and the stairs, cing the strand of hair in the gap beneath the door, squinting his left eye to make sure the hair was aligned with the protruding corner on the left side of the bedroom door inside the room.

    The stairwell windows were shut, the ground floor was sealed, and all internal windows were closed, so there was no need to worry about the hair being moved by the wind. As long as Shard took care not to stomp his feet at the door or be careless when opening the main entrance, the position of the hair would indicate if anyone had passed by or entered the room.

    Just as he was about to rise, he nced towards the locked door of Room No. 2 on the second floor. After some thought, he plucked another hair, despite the pain, and positioned it in the door gap, parallel to the lock.

    It was always good to be extra careful, for the secrets left behind by Mr. Hamilton were indeed plentiful.

    As he spiraled down the stairs, the tapping footsteps in the silent space inexplicably made him tense again.

    The stair railing was dust-free, and the decorative oil paintings on the wall looked like they were cleaned regrly. The closer he got to the downstairs, the faster Shard''s heart seemed to beat.

    He knew there was nothing to panic about, but this was after all the first real step into this world since entering this ce.

    Standing in front of the door, he changed his boots, then picked up the ck bowler hat from the coat rack and ced it on his head, taking a long time to finally grasp the doorknob and push open the door.

    His heartbeat elerated the moment he opened the door, the feeling ofpletely entering an unknown environment, epting the fact of his passage to this world, was indeed ufortable.

    Stepping over the threshold, he did not immediately look outside but quickly stepped out with his head down and then turned around, twisting the key to lock the door.

    With eyes closed, he slowly turned to face the street, stepping back to lean on the door, his head resting against the cold metal number te, "No. 6".

    "There''s nothing to be nervous about, it''s just entering an Otherworld, likely never to return," he told himself, trying hard to suppress the desire to take deep breaths, raised his head, opened his eyes, leaned on the door, and took in everything before him¡ª

    The air swirled with a hint of smog, darker than what it was in the morning. Despite that, the bustling square was still teeming with people¡ªgentlemen in suits with top hats,dies in dresses wearing makeup, porters carrying wooden boxes, barefoot newsboys shouting, bashful flower sellers soliciting customers, four-wheel carriages rushing by, and plump housewives with paper bags andce hats...

    There was a burnt smell in the air. The diverse crowd mingled on the smoke-filled streets around the square, with the vendors'' cries and the noise nearly ovepping entirely. Across the za, like the buildings behind him, stood three-story houses, with denseworks of metal pipes clinging to walls like vines or spider webs, reflecting the weak midday sun.

    In the center of the square stood a fountain with a maiden holding a water jug aloft. The fountain was dry, and the statue had turned somewhat yellow. A patrolling officer sitting by the fountain with a police badge looked curiously towards Shard. The middle-aged officer''s gaze asked if he needed help, prompting Shard to quickly look away.

    A newspaper boy passed by, the scraping of his feet against the gravel-covered ground made Shard''s hair stand on end; the ding-ding-dang of the bell on the passing four-wheel carriage, together with the inquisitive stares from the carriage windows, all contributed to the eleration of his heartbeat.

    Feeling his heart pounding, Shard threw his hands open and pressed them against the door behind him, instinctively leaning back in fear of the reality unraveling before him. Blood pressure rising, heart racing, the sudden tolling of a distant bell almost exploded in his head like a bomb, nearly causing Shard to faint.

    So real, so unbelievable, so contrary to themon knowledge of his past twenty-plus years. This was the Otherworld; he truly had left his homnd,e to the Otherworld, to apletely unfamiliar world.

    "Do not panic! Do not panic!"

    Shard repeated to himself over and over but couldn''t suppress his body''s innate response.

    "It''s okay, I will get used to all this, I will integrate here!"

    He desperately kept telling himself, yet his body still involuntarily leaned back against the door, his back soaked with sweat.

    Then, that woman''s murmuring voice rang out again, and while it was a sound of the Otherworld as well, it seemed to pull Shard back to reality, confronting everything. The murmuring voice proimed like reciting a Poem Chapter:

    "You have gained ''Enlightenment''."

    Shard''s heart slowed its frantic beating at the sound, and his heightened blood pressure also began to normalize due to the Whispering. The voice resonated within him.

    "What Enlightenment?"

    He hadn''t failed to hear it clearly; he simply didn''t understand the meaning of the words. "Enlightenment" was also one of the Four Elements of Mystery the Detective vaguely mentioned before his death, but Shard needed further exnation. He was now absolutely certain that the voice in his head wasn''t a system; rather, it was very likely a part of this world''s mystical framework.

    "You are me, and I am you. Foreigner, you manipte the course of Fate in front of the curtain; Fate unfolds because of you, and I touch the reality of the world from behind it. You grow strong through me. Though you hold suspicions, we are one and the same; there is no distinction between us."

    The woman''s voice answered not his question, and while Shard felt no anger, he found himself somewhat ted.

    His hunch was right¡ªthe voice in his head was probably a link to essing and using the Mysteries within this world''s system.

    The worldview of this world seemed to approach that of the Cthulhu mythos and cosmic horror, where the Transcendent and Mysteries held power, their very existence influencing the mundane, necessitating another kind of force to assist mortals in contacting those strange and dangerous entities.

    "You are me, and I am you. Even though you say that, you are definitely not like the usual circumstances."

    He wanted to verify his thoughts with the murmuring voice in his mind, but all he got was the woman''s lightughter.

    Regardless, he had at least made contact with the mystical elements of this world. Even if he understood nothing, at least he was standing here with his own goals.

    The earlier panic slowly subsided, as if he was getting closer to this smoky Steam Age world. The feeling of standing on solid ground gave Shard more stability. He told himself to gradually ept everything rather than panic uselessly:

    "Earn the money from amission, investigate Hamilton''s story, gather the Four Elements, study the voice in my head... move forward, do not panic."

    Repeating this mantra in his head finally allowed him to step away from the door. Discarding the idea of going back to change clothes, Shard carefully, very carefully, stepped down the three-level stairs from the doorway and stood on the street at the edge of the za, widening his eyes to look up at this world and let the world reflect in them:

    "Regardless, move forward."

    He said to himself, and after a brief pause, followed the n he made inside the house, walking along the round za street towards the direction of the exit to the main street that led away from the za.

 Chapter 6 Correspondence Education

    Leaving the house and stepping onto the main street, he truly entered this world. In contrast to the city''s noise, Shard, as he merged into it, seemed as inconspicuous as a droplet entering the sea.

    He spoke rarely, simply heading towards his destination, the "Nightingale Club." Along the way, he walked and listened, learning about this world, the city, and everything around him.

    Simply put, this world resembled the Steam Revolution of the 19th century, only the steam industry here was far more prosperous than in the past, seemingly advancing along the path of steam without any detour.

    While harmful ck smoke spewed from factory chimneys, various strange inventions were being created, and the economy soared with the growth of productivity.

    Just as Shard had guessed, the city he was now in was the capital of the Northern Kingdom, Draleon Kingdom, in Tobesk City. It was the jewel of the northern part of the continent, a convergence point of human civilization, and the essence of the era.

    A big city had the appearance of a big city, though constrained by the shackles of the era. Leaving the main streets and entering alleys, one inevitably encountered piles of feces and garbage, but the features of a big city still impressed themselves upon Shard within an hour''s brief journey.

    Fortunately, the "Nightingale Club" was not far from the city center. If he had to cross the entire city, Shard might not have reached it by midnight. The crucial point was that Shard had no money for a carriage ride.

    Along this journey, he also gained more information about this world from a bystander''s perspective. The most important piece was knowing the mary system, which was at least in this Kingdom, divided into Gold Pounds, shillings, and pence, with 1 pound equal to 20 shillings and 1 shilling equal to 12 pence.

    Of course, these denominations sounded very simr to British currency, not by coincidence, but because Shard had tranted three different currencies from thenguage of Otherworld into familiar terms, as the method of conversion was quite simr.

    Unfortunately, the fact was that the banknote Shard found, marked with the number "10," was worth 10 pence. As per the current purchasing power, this was not even enough to pay for a carriage ride from his own doorstep to the club entrance.

    But if he was frugal, using 10 pence topete with the children and housewives of the slums at a bakery about to close at dusk for the cheapest breadcrumbs, he could ensure he wouldn''t starve for three days.

    "At least it''s a time of peace. Our own Draleon Kingdom, being one of thergest human kingdoms, has asional friction with the powerful United Kingdom of Carsonrick to the south, but rtively speaking, this is an era of peace and development, an era of progress... I''m quite lucky."

    Shard was good atforting himself.

    The world was temporarily peaceful. The Draleon Kingdom in the north of the Old Continent and the United Kingdom of Carsonrick upying the south nearly divided the world. A full-scale war had ended decades ago, and although undercurrents still flowed, there was at least a fa?ade of peace.

    Club culture seemed to be a special culture of this era. From the investigation report, Shard knew that Lady Lassoya, the person being investigated, visited the "Nightingale Club" every weekend and stayed there for at least three hours.

    The report from Hamilton Detective spected that this was the ce where Lady Lassoya and Mr. Lawrence had their secret rendezvous. Whenever Lady Lassoya appeared in the club, Mr. Lawrence was sure to enter as well.

    This was a private club with membership ess, and since Shard had no entry permission, he walked towards Valente Walkway after turning at the street corner, and ording to what was recorded in the investigation report, stationed himself opposite the club in front of the news agency to observe.

    That was the news agency of the "Tobesk City Evening Post," rumored to have shares owned by the Royal Family. Saturdays were the busiest days for the news agency as it was the usual day for the King''s speech and the Council''s reports.

    The entrance to the news agency would gather a crowd at this time, waiting for new information to be disseminated. Professional journalists had of course already set out, while those who remained at the news agency''s door were people hoping for a stroke of luck.

    Shard nned to blend in with them. Although it was already midday, Lady Lassoya typically did not appear at the club in the morning. So, if lucky, he could quickly spot the target.

    As long as he could record thedy''s time of appearance and departure, the report would be consideredplete.

    Finishing this task so effortlessly gave Shard a sense of unreality. But after all, Hamilton had nearlypleted everything, so this was indeed one of the "inheritances" left by that deceased gentleman.

    Shard held one of Mr. Hamilton''s inheritances, a pocket watch in his hand, so when he stood by the mailbox outside the news agency, pretending to wait for someone while extensively observing the club entrance across the street, he finally saw the target appear and immediatelypared it repeatedly with the ck-and-white photo clipped in the report.

    He confirmed and recorded 1:23, the time when Lady Lassoya appeared.

    Thedy was fashionably dressed, withce trim on her skirt and gem-studded hair essories that clearly were expensive. She arrived directly at the club entrance by carriage, holding a fabric umbre even though the weather was overcast.

    She appeared to be about thirty years old, of average height but well-rounded in figure. Although her face was heavily powdered, she was clearly a beautiful woman.

    Concerned about being noticed and knowing hisck of experience in tailing, Shard averted his gaze soon after confirming the target.

    [Observe her ring.]

    "What?"

    The murmuring voice of a woman in his mind appeared again. Although Shard did not know exactly what she was, he still shifted his gaze towards Lady Lassoya.

    At that moment, the doorman of the club was greeting her. As the woman turned around, Shard clearly saw the ring. Strangely, the ring was not set with a gemstone or diamond but looked more like a small pebble.

    Of course, since he was observing from across the street and the pedestrians on the street asionally blocked his view, he was not sure if he had seen correctly. Lady Lassoya quickly entered the club, not giving Shard many opportunities to observe further.

    "What does it mean? Why ask me to pay attention to that ring?"

    He asked the voice in his mind again, but the murmuring did not respond to his inquiry. This frustrated Shard, but he knew he needed to control his emotions, as he was not a person who got angry easily.

    "Sir, what time is it?"

    Lost in thought, Shard suddenly heard someone speaking near him. Startled, he thought his actions of tantly watching the club entrance from across the street had been too conspicuous, but the voice made it clear that someone was asking for the time.

    "I''m sorry, I forgot to bring my pocket watch."

    A gentleman, around forty years old and looking quite refined and amiable, exined his abrupt inquiry. He was wearing a ck silk hat and formal attire suitable for a banquet, including a white shirt. His face was somewhat broad, his chin adorned with a neatly trimmed mustache, and his blue eyes were particrly likable.

    The middle-aged man smiled at Shard, and after a moment''s hesitation, Shard took out the pocket watch he had just ced in the right pocket of his jacket.

    "One thirty."

    He said, curious about why the middle-aged man was here, as his attire did not suggest he was a journalist waiting for news, unlike Shard, who was carrying a notebook and dressed ordingly.

    As if he had heard Shard''s thoughts, the middle-aged gentleman said with a smile:

    "Thank you for your time. I have an appointment with the editor-in-chief, and I thought I was going to bete since I didn''t bring my pocket watch, but it seems I''m just on time."

    He then handed out his business card. Shard politely epted it and also handed out his own. In reality, it was thete Mr. Hamilton''s card, which disyed the address and scope of services of the detective agency without a first name, just "Hamilton Detective."

    Since Shard had chosen the surname "Hamilton" for himself, he could use these cards. He was d there was no registry system here; he didn''t even need to forge any identification documents.

    The middle-aged man was Bill Schneider, who ran a private psychological clinic. Unlike Shard''s still unstable profession, Schneider Psychological Clinic was quite formal, and the ie from the clinic was obviously much more than that of a detective like Shard, who relied on inheritance for his first investigation.

    Evidence of this was that Shard''s card looked considerably cheaperpared to the doctor''s, both in terms of the paper used and the quality of printing.

    "You can find me here if you need anything."

    Mr. Schneider said amiably, pointing to the address of the clinic on the card, located in the Eastern District of Tobesk City:

    "My treatment range is quite extensive."

    He looked at Shard, and in a moment of confusion, Shard felt a chilling sensation as if he was being seen through by those blue eyes.

    "Including schizophrenia."

    The psychologist said kindly, proficient inmunicating with strangers.

    "What?"

    Shard was taken aback, but before he could inquire further, Mr. Bill Schneider quickly changed the topic:

    "By the way, Detective, have you ever considered taking adult education courses through correspondence?"

    "Adult education through correspondence?"

    The topic changed so swiftly that Shard couldn''t keep up:

    "I currently have no ns to study psychology."

    He mistook the other party for an enthusiastic alumnus of some psychology college.

    After being rejected by Shard, the doctor did not persist:

    "That''s fine then, goodbye."

    The doctor nodded toward the detective, pocketed the detective''s card, and then turned and walked towards the courtyard of the newspaper office.

    "Correspondence... What did Dr. Schneider specifically mean by calling out schizophrenia?"

    Shard stood there, silently pondering, then realized the voice in his mind seemed very much like what one calls "schizophrenia."

    "You don''t have tough in my mind, I admit yourughter is very pleasant and charming, surely you''re not a product of my schizophrenia."

    Shard spoke to the voice in his mind.

    Though certain that his situation involved the mystical and was definitely not schizophrenia, he wasn''t sure what the passing psychologist had discerned.

    "I just left the house and already encountered someone possibly involved with supernatural powers, bad luck or is the density of transcendent beings in this world greater than I imagined? Or, did the psychologist merely mention it in passing, and I''m overthinking?"

    Shard thought to himself, carefully storing Dr. Schneider''s business card. Regardless, the currentmission took precedence. Now that he knew the psychologist''s address, he could visit anytime.

    At least from the brief interaction, Dr. Schneider seemed to harbor no hostility. But brief interactions can be deceiving, and Shard still wanted to learn a bit more about this world before engaging deeper with others.

 Chapter 7 God and the Church

    "Could it really be just my bad luck?"

    Shard pondered over his recent encounter with Dr. Schneider. Fortunately, the grumbling of his stomach pulled him back to reality. Right now, themission was indeed the most important thing.

    Less than twelve hours since crossing over, Shard had to learn to endure hunger. If he had crossed into a forest, there might have been a chance to hunt; if it was a chaotic era, there might have been a chance to find food.

    But in a well-ordered big city, filling one''s stomach required adhering to the rules. Shard stood at the entrance of the newspaper office, watching the "upper ss"ing and going from the club nearby, hoping the sensation of hunger would pass. Fortunately, all he needed to do now was stand in the fog and wait. If he needed to pursue someone, he really would have been at a loss.

    "I haven''t heard of any transmigrators who starved."

    He wanted toin about his ipetence, but the current situation was beyond help. He could only hope that thedy would appear soon so he could submit his report to his employer.

    As he stood there thinking, someone handed him a flyer, and Shard took it mechanically. Looking up, he saw a smiling, round-faced missionary in a white priestly robe. A holy emblem of the church adorned his left chest, and a ck pendant hung at his front, as he distributed flyers to the nearby crowd.

    Looking down at what had been stuffed into his hand, it was promotional material belonging to the Church of War and Peace. While rummaging through items in the house, Shard had learned about the religious situation in this world, knowing this was one of the churches of the True God.

    In the past eras of this world, there were quite a lot of stories of deities, but in the current era, only five deities were officially recognized by both officials and the public; hence, the mainstream religion of this world was that of these five True Gods¡ª

    Father of Peace, also known as the God of War and Peace, bearing a holy emblem of a dove with tips of light gray wings;

    Mr. Dawn, also known as the God of Light and Shadow, bearing a holy emblem of a circle with a top notch, brass-colored;

    Lantern Bearer, also known as the Sun and Earth God, bearing a holy emblem of the Sun Pattern, golden in color;

    Lady of Creation, also known as the God of Creation and Destruction, bearing a holy emblem of a wrench, silver in color;

    Lord of All Things, also known as the God of Nature and Malice, bearing a holy emblem of two ovepping leaves, one yellowish-brown and one green. The old man who had transported a corpse recently, was a member of the Church of Nature.

    "Hmm? Why do the divine vocations advocated by the True Gods all seem to involve opposing concepts?"

    At that thought, Shard suddenly had more ideas about this world. Yet, the indescribable feeling could not be better articted to himself. In a blur, he seemed to touch upon some power, as a whisper echoed in his ears:

    [You have felt the ''miracle''.]

    This time it was one of the Four Elements, "miracle." So far, Shard had encountered all but one, Desecration. ording to the information mentioned by the voice in his mind, it seemed that touching all four elementspletely would qualify him to reach out to the mysterious powers and open the Supernatural Gate.

    "It seems simpler than I thought, having encountered three out of the four in just half a day."

    Then, a woman''sughter echoed once again in his head, sounding truly enchanting.

    The five major True God Churches were not hostile to each other, and their rtionships were much better than those between human kingdoms.

    The church''s strength varied from region to region, but in the northern gem, Tobesk City, the cathedrals of all five churches existed, each engaging in a rtively "friendly"petition.

    Shard thought about these matters, looking at the print material in his hands, and remarked that there was no need for him to "invent" the printing press. Although the print quality was not very high, at least...

    Suddenly, his eyes widened as he discovered important information. Most of the flyer was an introduction to the teachings of the True God, the "Father of Peace." It weed believers and heathens to the church to listen to scheduled sermons and preaching activities every week.

    Importantly, at the bottom of the page, it stated that by holding this flyer, one could queue at the church entrance at five thirty in the afternoon on the weekend to receive free relief food. Moreover, a line in smaller print stated that no matter how long the queue, as long as one appeared before six o''clock, they would definitely receive a meal ticket and definitely get food.

    Even though epting such charity was embarrassing, at least Shard knew he would not starve today. He touched his nose and noted down the address of the Church of War and Peace, then solemnly folded the strongly ink-scented flyer and tucked it inside Mr. Hamilton''s notebook.

    He silently thanked the deity in his heart; although he still felt hungry, his mood had greatly improved.

    "Luck isn''t actually that bad."

    As Shard thought this, he knew that once Lady Lassoya, the subject of the investigation, entered the club, she wouldn''t leave for an hour or two. He wondered if he could find the missionary to talk to.

    In this world, belief in gods was widespread; atheists were actually a tiny minority. Of course, as long as one didn''t publicly dere their disbelief, it was actually not a problem, but Shard was interested in understanding more about these so-called True Gods. In a world where belief exists, beingpletely ignorant of such matters was even more dangerous.

    He was thinking about how to start a conversation when the missionary walked away. Regretfully, he did not follow, instead continuing to stand and wait, knowing there would be time to learn all this once he was more firmly established.

    He wasn''t the only one standing at the newspaper office door; most were reporters waiting for news, and a few were idlers working for the newspaper. Today was Saturday, and even though the weather was foggy, Valente Walkway, being a main thoroughfare, was bustling, so the crowd there did not seem out of ce.

    Though called a "walkway," it was not prohibited for carriages to pass through. Shard observed the club while sizing up the pedestrians and carriages passing by, thinking this would help him better integrate into the surroundings.

    The air was filled with a scent of burning, which was, of course, the smog. The odor was not very strong, only the mist in the air thickening as the sun moved from overhead toward the west.

    Worried about his health, lost in his thoughts, Shard saw another carriage stop in front of the club. He immediately looked up, and it was Mr. Lawrence, the client''s husband.

    "Interesting, an unexpected gain."

    He whispered, noting the current time and writing the information down in his notebook.

    Mrs. Lawrence, the client, was generous. If he could catch her husband with his lover at the club on the day he submitted his report, she might even give him an extra reward.

    "But it might also be an angry woman implicating me."

    Shard pondered hopefully to see Lady Lassoya at the club''s door weing Mr. Lawrence, but unfortunately, Mr. Lawrence entered the club by himself.

    Even from across the street, Shard could see the smile and excitement on Mr. Lawrence''s face; he was definitely not at the club just to gamble on cards or drink tea.

    "Good luck."

    He thought to himself, shaking his head as he detailed Mr. Lawrence''s attire for today to validate the authenticity of his report.

 Chapter 8 Roder Card

    "If this deal goes smoothly, perhaps I can really try staying here under the guise of a detective. Once my life is stable, I''ll try to reach out to the Transcendent and see if there''s any hope of finding my way home."

    In the idle moments watching the entrance of the club, Shard, the Ounder, thought of his distant homnd and couldn''t help but sigh.

    He estimated the time again, and since Mr. Lawrence had also entered the club, it was impossible for both of them toe out within the next hour.

    "They''re busy now. Should I find somewhere to rest for a while?"

    With that thought in mind, his eyes scanned the surroundings andnded on a tavern called "The Screaming Hound" at the corner of the street.

    Taverns open during the day and located on the main road usually are not too chaotic, especially now at only two in the afternoon. Shard pinched the ten-penny note in his pocket, licked his somewhat chapped lips, checked the time, hesitated for a moment, then stepped towards it.

    Pushing open the door of the tavern, his first sight was a row of gasmps on the wall, illuminating the somewhat dim interior. The air was filled with a mix of the scent of alcohol and fermented food, making him, still hungry, feel slightly ufortable.

    Shard now understood that the lights used in this era were all gasmps. Climbing the walls, apart from the gas pipes, were generally also steam pipes¡ªthe gas pipes were the slightly thinner ones, covered on the outside with an instingyer for steam pipes.

    The round wooden tables in the tavern were all empty. With few patrons, only three customers were sitting around a table far from the bar, gambling with cards, beside andscape oil painting of snowy mountains on the wall.

    They were three men who didn''t seem very affluent; although their clothes had no patches, the dark garments were washed out, and their hats, obviously worn for a long time, were wrinkled and piled together on the table.

    Perhaps they were merely seeking a break on this leisurely summer afternoon. Shard did not disturb them and headed towards the bar where the bartender stood, intending to buy just a ss of iced water. Instead, he heard a cheer from one of the card yers:

    "I won again!"

    The middle-aged man with a bushy beard and messy hair stood up, very smugly tossing the cards onto the table:

    "Look, exact 21 points."

    He looked around proudly, but unfortunately, there were only his friends and himself. Seeing Shard who had just entered, his eyes lit up:

    "A drink of barley wine for this gentleman!"

    The man who won the card game but was not wealthy told the bartender, and Shard, surprised, turned to look at him and after a moment''s pause, he nodded slightly to show his thanks:

    "Thank you for the offer, but I think a ss of iced water will suffice."

    He was not good at drinking, and he did not know the alcohol content of the so-called "barley wine," plus he was currently on a detective assignment, so there was no need to indulge in alcohol.

    And clearly, a ss of water was much cheaper than a ss of wine. The three men thought Shard was trying to save them money, so they instantly took a liking to him. Seeing that Shard was withoutpanions, they invited him to join them in the card game.

    But Shard did not know how to y and could only watch them from the sidelines. However, the men were enthusiastic about teaching Shard the skill of ying Roder Card.

    The ying cards in this world were very simr to the poker cards from his previous world, with the same four suits and a total of 54 cards, only the suits were the sun, moon, stars, and flowers.

    The mainstream method of ying cards was simr to the "21 points" rule, called "Roder Card". Other games like Solitaire, Old Maid, and High-Low also existed, but Roder Card was the most popr worldwide, and it is said the inventor was named Roder.

    The ying cards were typically designed with a picture on the front and the suit and number marked in the upper left and right corners. Therefore, sets of special cards issued during specific times were particrly valuable.

    The most recent special series of Roder Card was limited to 1000 sets and named the "Fairy Tale Series".

    The three men ying cards were not wealthy and were not very familiar with the so-called Special Roder Cards, so they could only provide a rough idea.

    They only knew that a portion of the nobility was crazily pursuing those rare cards. Particrly, some cards had not only special patterns but also contained special game rules.

    Those cards were worth a fortune. There were rumors thatst year, the Biford Auction House sold a Special Card for twelve thousand pounds.

    Shard quietly calcted the costs and thought about the "Sun 3" tucked into his diary. He didn''t feel likeughing; he profoundly doubted whether the card he inherited was genuine.

    But if the card with the woman holding up Silvermoon was real, hisst bit of worry about future life would disappear.

    After chatting with the three card yers in the tavern for an hour, Shard got up and left. When he returned to the entrance of the newspaper office, the spot next to the mailbox had been taken by a young man in a brown vest wearing sses.

    That was probably a real reporter, so the young detective moved to stand next to a ck Iron streemp instead.

    The streemp was generally cylindrical and also used gas as its fuel source. Shard had been standing leisurely by its side, but his eyes inadvertently caught a nce of the namete. The te explicitly warned not to smoke under the streemp post, or bear the consequences oneself.

    Shard imagined what could happen and subconsciously moved away from that dangerous spot.

    The day gradually waned, and Shard kept patiently waiting. After the feeling of hunger reached its peak and disappeared in the afternoon, his body felt much better. He nned to wait until around five o''clock, and if Lady Lassoya still didn''t show up, he would head to the Church of War and Peace to collect Relief Food.

    He also intended to see what the church in this world was all about and verify whether the church possessed Supernatural Powers.

    "However, with that voice in my head, will I be captured as soon as I enter? And there''s the secret of the Ounder..."

    He was somewhat worried about this, but without any knowledge of the situation, Shard''s choices were actually quite limited.

    Perhaps noticing Shard was thinking about her again, the woman''s voice in his mind spoke up:

    [Observe his ring.]

    This message had appeared at noon, only the pronoun then was feminine, while this time it was masculine.

    Shard immediately looked up at the club entrance and saw a young man carrying a briefcase step out, with a white egg-shaped stone ring on his right hand, the same one he had seen on Lady Lassoya''s finger at noon.

    Because of its unique design, Shard was confident he was not mistaken.

    Both of them wore the ring on the middle finger of their right hand, but the voice in his head gave no further hints.

    "Interesting, why did the owner of the ring change?"

    As Shard thought to himself, he watched the man with the ring leave the club and, instead of looking for an empty carriage, blend into the evening crowd, following behind a fat man with a briefcase in a hurry, walking east along the street.

    The fog of Steam City blurred his figure, and if Shard did not pursue, he would soon lose track of the man.

    "Should I follow? The voice in my head definitely isn''t just speaking without reason."

    He thought to himself, then turned away from the direction of the club entrance, unfolded the map tucked in his notebook to one-eighth of its size, and looked for the direction to the Church of War and Peace. The church that distributed Relief Food was to the east of his current location, and it was already close to five o''clock.

 Chapter 9 Suspected Transcendent

    "Alright, since the direction and timing are right, let''s go after him. If we can''t catch up, just head directly to the church. In any case, I can''t go hungry on my first day in the new world... I shouldn''t think like that, otherwise, I''d start feeling sorry for myself."

    With this "simple" thought in mind, Shard gathered his things and started walking along the low wall beside the street, following the man.

    To avoid being spotted, though the fog in the city grew thicker as evening approached, Shard still didn''t dare to follow too closely. He was well aware that hecked the skills to tail someone.

    So, it was no surprise that, after about fifteen minutes, when they turned past the back wall of a milk deliverypany and entered an alley, Shardpletely lost track of the man.

    "Ha~ Should I say I knew I would lose him?"

    Standing bewildered in the alley and confirming that he had indeed lost his target, he shook his head and gave up the search. Without dwelling on the matter, since he had lost the trail, he decided to go get the "Relief Food." But¡ª

    "Where is this ce?"

    In apletely unfamiliar city, while trying to avoid detection and follow someone, Shard had no time to memorize his own route; all he knew was that he was now in a narrow alley with a very unpleasant smell.

    On the left was the outer wall of the milk deliverypany, and on the right was the side wall of a three-story apartment building. On both walls, apart from the rusty pipes scaling and connecting in various directions, there were alsoyers uponyers of filthy words and graffiti. Underneath the wallsy trash and feces everywhere.

    Only near the entrance of the alley, two or three thick rusty steam pipes were piled up, abandoned by someone.

    "Let''s check the name of the milk deliverypany and then find our current location on the map."

    With a n in mind, Shard no longer cared about the person he intended to follow.

    He turned and retraced his steps along the alley, being careful not to step on any of the unspeakable filth. As he was about to leave the alley, he also carefully made way, because a team of police officers in uniform hurried past him on the street ahead.

    The big, middle-aged man with a stubbly face at the back of the group even cast a nce at Shard, who in turn looked back at the man with an innocent gaze, so the officer did not bother with him.

    "Did something happen over there?"

    Shard stood at the entrance of the alley, looking in the direction where the police officers had run. Because he didn''t know which street this was, he also couldn''t identify what was in that direction.

    "It''s none of my business."

    He murmured softly as he walked toward the entrance of the milk deliverypany, carrying his notebook. This wasn''t a factory but just the office building for the delivery department, surrounded by a two-story yellow house with a yard where an old dog, looking quite aged,y at the door.

    The dog nced at Shard as he approached, but seeing that he only stopped at the door without entering, shezily stood up and moved to a spot where the sunset could reach andy down again.

    The name of the milk deliverypany was "Silver Parrot," a strange name, but indeed it was on the map. The former detective had even noted that a murder had urred here three years ago.

    The murder case naturally had nothing to do with Shard; while holding a quarter of the unfolded map, he continued walking, constantly making sure he hadn''t taken a wrong turn.

    There weren''t many pedestrians on the street, and walking with his head down didn''t result in bumping into anyone. Unconsciously, he reached the end of the street in the evening glow and heavy fog, following the direction of the wall beside the pipes spewing white steam.

    Ahead was a five-forked road, and ording to the map, taking the road diagonally to the left with a dessert shop on it would probably be a shorter journey.

    But the intersection was already almost blocked by the crowded masses. Closer to the eastern side, near the mailbox, was a silversmith''s store with a very clean sign, but something seemed to have happened there. The group of police officers Shard had seen at the alley entrance was maintaining order and preventing people from getting closer.

    As he stopped to observe, more four-wheeled carriages came from behind him and other intersections, and within a few minutes, even more police had appeared. Even some individuals who looked like schrs from a school alighted from the carriages, seemingly with some purpose.

    Shard originally had no intention of joining the crowd; getting the relief food was most important. But because there were just too many onlookers, as he tried to pass through the intersection, he was inadvertently squeezed to the front of the crowd.

    He wanted to retreat, but the people behind him wouldn''t allow it. The police in front kept shouting for people to disperse, that there was nothing worth seeing here.

    It seemed that seeing Shard being pushed forward without intending to get closer, a young police officer with a fountain pen in his breast pocket kindly reminded him to be careful of pickpockets.

    This made Shard slightly nervous, and he instinctively touched the ten-banknote in his pocket. After making sure it was still there, his gaze inadvertently caught sight of another group of armed police escorting three inclothes men into the silversmith''s store.

    The tallest man among them was exceptionally muscr, the young man in the middle had the air of a schr, while thest man looked familiar to Shard¡ªit seemed to be the missionary who had handed him the leaflet that afternoon.

    "Do missionaries in this world also work part-time for the police?"

    Thinking of this conclusion, which even he found hard to believe, he clenched the banknote and pocket watch in his pocket, nning to quickly leave the ce or he would bete.

    As he turned to squeeze back through the crowd, a strange premonition suddenly surged in his heart. Before he understood the reason for this feeling, he heard the sound¡ª

    Boom!

    An explosion took everyone by surprise. The nearly eardrum-splitting sound caused screams to erupt from the crowd. Although no mes were visible, the silversmith''s store''s ss showcase windows immediately shattered, and the walls seemed to tilt momentarily, causing the metal pipes clinging to them to emit a piercing sound of twisting metal.

    But fortunately, the police had not allowed the crowd to gather at the store''s entrance, so when panicked shouts rang out, no one was injured as a result.

    The crowd dispersed like floodwaters in an instant, and Shard, who stood at the front, also wanted to leave when he saw a middle-aged man with brown hair running toward the silverware shop''s entrance:

    "I''m a journalist! I''m a journalist! What happened here?"

    He was clutching a notebook in one hand and waving his credentials with the other, more excited than anyone as he rushed over, only to be briskly stopped by a young officer:

    "Gas pipeline explosion, sir, please do not approach."

    Shard didn''t believe this conclusion for a second; how could it be a gas pipeline explosion¡ª¡ª

    Boom!

    Another heart-stopping explosion erupted within the silverware shop, with the vibrating air nearly generating enough force to push people away.

    This time, even the second-floor windows of the silverware shop shattered, and the falling ss shards forced the police maintaining order to temporarily flee. As Shard backed away, he saw through the window two individuals fighting amidst a white haze on the second floor, and it seemed that one of them had a glimmering light on their fist.

    The distance was too great, and the evening mist that rolled in with the twilight was obscuring his vision, so Shard couldn''t see very clearly.

    "Transcendents?"

    He thought to himself.

    [Yes.]

    The woman''s voice startled Shard, but knowing she would not offer further exnation, he didn''t ask and quickly left the area.

    "The three individuals just now must be from the Church, and this incident urred right after they entered... Indeed, this world''s Church is most likely a transcendent force, closely intertwined with the Kingdom''s order... With this, the likelihood that I can trust the True God Church drastically increases. I wonder if I have the chance to, through the Church''s channels..."

    Now, he faced two choices: not only the psychiatrist''s office but also the five churches in the city presented opportunities for Shard to make contact with transcendents and unravel the mystery behind the voice in his head.

    "But howe I stumbled upon such an incident?"

    As he walked in the direction he had originally nned, along with the dispersing crowd, the woman''s voice in his mind repeated a sentence she had said before:

    [Observe his ring.]

    Although he still had no idea what the woman''s voice in his head was, Shard at least knew that she bore no ill will. He promptly heeded the voice and started to look around, only to see once more the young man with the pebble ring and carrying a briefcase who was walking not far ahead.

    "Such a coincidence... It''s impossible to believe it''s just a coincidence. Wait, the explosion just now, could it be rted to him? Why would I think that, when there''s no evidence whatsoever."

    With this thought, Shard hesitated to follow. If the man was able to produce explosions with his bare hands like the two individuals in the silverware shop, following him would be almost like asking to replicate the tragic fate of the previous detective.

    "No, no."

    Shard slowed his pace, aiming to let the man naturally disappear into the distance of his field of vision. However, to his surprise, the young man also stopped, like Shard earlier, to check a map and then entered a side alley with his briefcase.

    "To follow or not to follow?"

    The woman''s voice in his head had highlighted the ring three times; it couldn''t just be out of boredom. But Shard, who knew almost nothing of the world, had to ensure necessary caution.

    He continued walking ording to his original n. As he passed the entrance to the alley the young man had turned into, he casually nced inside and saw the man turning a corner and disappearing ahead.

    "To follow or not to follow."

    He asked himself again and suddenly realized that the decision he was about to make would affect his life for a long time toe.

    "To follow or not to follow?"

    He was questioning the woman in his mind when he heardughter, a whispering answer:

    [Fate unfolds before you, stranger in a foreignnd, are you content with the ordinary, or do you thirst for immortality? The world is like the ocean; do you have the courage to seek beyond the tranquil ind to the terrors beyond? Fate unfolds before you, one path leads to transcendence, another...]

    "Chase!"

    Shard clenched his teeth and hugged the wall as he too entered the alley.

 Chapter 10 Confused Genders

    The alley Shard turned into was merely a passage between two buildings, very narrow, so aside from trash and filth, there was no umtion of other things.

    His heart pounding wildly, Shard knew this decision was risky, but the voice in his head was right. Longing for transcendence meant embracing risk. Perhaps the channels through the psychiatrist and the church were safe, but he knew nothing; every path was, in truth, a gamble for him.

    To gain something, one must give something up¡ªrisk was a price he was willing to pay, albeit a small one.

    "If there''s any problem, I''ll leave immediately."

    Shard gripped his cane, tiptoeing forward as quietly as possible. At the end of the alley were some wooden crates with wanted posters, almost illegible, seemingly for a serial killer who had fled to Tobesk City.

    The entrance of the alley could turn left or right, directly into the slums of the Lower District of Tobesk City. Shard hid behind the crates, peering through the gaps at the man who had turned into the alley.

    There was another alley, where only a young man with a pebble ring was present. He now stood in the middle of the alley, cautiously surveying his surroundings. He even squinted at the sky for a long while before setting down a ck briefcase on the ground and then carefully removing the pebble ring from his right index finger, kissing it under Shard''s astonished gaze.

    The young man seemed to murmur something with his head still bowed, but Shard couldn''t make it out; the wind and space muffled his hearing.

    After kissing the ring, the young man appeared somewhat rxed.

    He put the ring back on his right index finger, and immediately thick smoke burst out from his body as if it were on fire. The smoke emanated from gaps in his clothing and quickly enveloped himpletely.

    Shard heard a whispering by his ear, but it wasn''t the elegant female voice in his mind. This whisper was indistinct, like chewing, or as if something was cursing.

    His head felt ufortable as if he had spun around several times and then attempted to walk in a straight line. The insane whispering grew louder, and at one point, Shard even thought he saw an evil spirit lunging at him.

    Fortunately, the illusion ended quickly, but as Shard gradually recovered, he still doubted his eyes because he saw, as the smoke dissipated, a person with a white pebble ring emerging, gently patting her skirt before bending down to pick up the briefcase.

    Lady Lassoya turned her head again, cautiously checking her surroundings, her lips seemingly curved in a slight smile. Only when she was sure nobody had seen did she finally lift the briefcase and walk to the other end of the alley.

    Shard covered his mouth and leaned against the wall, hiding in the crevice between the crates and the wall, daring not to move for a long time.

    Shard had been puzzled about his part-time job distributing flyers for the Church, but now it was clear; perhaps the other party, like the bumbling detective Shard, was also attempting to monitor Lady Lassoya outside the club.

    And by the time Shard stepped out of the alley again, the silver, yellow, and red triple moons were already hanging in the sky together, the yellow moon being lighter in color and the brightest of the three. The night here was as serene as it had been in his former world.

    This street was somewhat secluded, thus devoid of streetlights. In the dim light, Shard didn''t even know what his expression was. It took a long time before he took out his pocket watch; it was nearly eight in the evening, and he had stood in the crevice against the wall for two whole hours before he dared leave, unaware his physical condition was this good.

    "Forget the relief food."

    He shook his head somberly, the feeling in his heart indescribable. He walked down the street toward home. Even if he had to endure hunger, at least he had a house to stay in, so the situation wasn''t too bad.

    The key issue now was that the lucrative investigation into the mistress seemed untenable.

    Clearly, Lady Lassoya possessed the ability to turn into a man with the ring, or rather, the young man had the ability to turn into Lady Lassoya with the ring. Shard certainly couldn''t report this information to his employer, nor did he wish to submit the dead detective''s report, acting as if nothing had happened.

    Once the report was submitted, Lady Lawrence would inevitably cause conflict with Mr. Lawrence, making Lady Lassoya aware that a detective had tracked her without her knowledge. Even if the report contained no secrets, Shard wouldn''t dare guarantee what Lady Lassoya might do.

    "This world is really a bit more troublesome than I imagined... Did Mr. Lawrence actually fall in love with a man or a woman?"

    Perhaps Lady Lassoya was a good person, and turning into a man wasn''t meant to harm anyone. But having contacted such matters less than twenty-four hours after arriving in this world, Shard felt a significant sense of crisis.

    "Perhaps the transcendent in this world also follows the rule that transcendence attracts transcendence."

    He thought wearily, walking on down the street. Worried about being robbed in the dark, harassed by a drunk, or stumbling upon some illegal dealings, Shard, armed only with a cane and a fruit knife, didn''t dare take shortcuts through alleys on his way home.

    "Today really isn''t my lucky day..."

    Turning left at Old John''s Pawnshop on the street corner, the thought of having to sleep in a house where someone had just died only worsened his mood.

    "If there are transcendent beings, there might also be ghosts... Don''t scare yourself... Wait, where did I turn earlier?"

    He stopped, tilting his head and stepping back a bit, then looked again at the sign for "Old John''s Pawnshop" and the store interior still lit by gasmps.

    "Well, I didn''t expect that move; I guess it isn''t really bad luck. Things will get better."

    With a slight sigh, he clutched his pocket watch and pushed open therge door of the pawnshop.

    He didn''t pawn the pocket watch in the end but pawned the cane instead. The pocket watch was a very important daily tool, whereas the cane was not essential.

    More importantly, the pocket watch wasn''t highly valued; the owner of the store, an old man who called himself John Jones, was only willing to offer 10 shillings, reasoning that the pocket watch had many scratches, probably from being kept together with a set of keys.

    But for the cane, he was willing to offer 1 pound and 12 shillings.

    "Do you even understand? This is the heartwood of natural spruce from Ddo Mountain area. Look at this grain, look at this craftsmanship. If you could provide information about the craftsman who made it, I might even pay you more."

    The old man seemed to beining that Shard didn''t know the trade. After confirming that he wanted to pawn the cane, he advised him that if he didn''t redeem it within half a month, the cane would belong to the pawnshop.

    Shard certainly understood that the cane was worth much more than 1 pound and 12 shillings. But he really wasn''t in the mood to haggle, and eventually just took two 1-pound banknotes, signed the contract, and left.

    Based on the cost of living, that money was enough to let Shard live quitefortably for two weeks, or even stretch to a month and a half if he was frugal and that didn''t include potential rent. The money was even enough for him to dig up Sparrow Hamilton, ce an obituary in the newspaper''s advertising section, and hold a modest funeral for the detective.

    Of course, he had no such ns at the moment.

    "But having solved the short-term food and shelter issue, what should I do about the transcendental, about the mystical?"

    After having dinner at a nearby restaurant, where he savored the taste of thick soup matched with a steak, he walked home.

    When he returned to No. 6, Saint Dn Square, it was nearly ten o''clock at night.

    He checked that a strand of hair he had ced before leaving was still in its original position, then he entered the room. Cautiously, he twisted the gasmp on the living room wall, gradually illuminating the area, before wearily flopping down on the sofa. From the open door of the main bedroom, he could see the bed Sparrow Hamilton had once slept in.

    Shard decided he would explore the supernatural soon rather than living in ignorance. Although he hadn''t encountered any precise danger yet, the world wasplex, and Shard didn''t n to wait until he was in danger to start looking for solutions.

    The possible methods he possessed to explore the supernatural totaled three.

    First was Mr. Bill Schneider, the psychologist who had given Shard his business card; second were the Church of the Five Great Deities in the city, visiting the church might yield some insights;stly was Lady Lassoya herself, who surely knew about the transcendental, contacting her was also an approach.

    All three had their pros and cons, but ultimately, it was that Shard knew too little about this world and had no means to learn more. Before he left today, he had checked the map; this city didn''t even have a public library to offer free knowledge.

    There were, however, some private libraries in the city, but entry required an introduction from someone familiar, along with a non-trivial membership fee, and currently, Shard didn''t have the funds for it.

    He could only rely on the materials left behind by Sparrow Hamilton, but this gentleman had not been in the habit of collecting books, clearly a mere mortal.

    By following up on the death of Sparrow Hamilton, to investigate his cause of death, he might reach the supernatural, but this was undoubtedly a dangerous method, which Shard''s rationality refused to ept.

    "Can you provide any advice?"

    He tapped his head, but only heard the lightughter of a woman. It was the voice in his head that had helped himplete the investigation into "Mr. Lawrence''s mistress" in its entirety, for on his own, he would never have discovered the secret of the ring.

    He hoped for a hint from the voice again, but received no response.

    "One must rely on oneself."

    He muttered to himself, tilting his head to look out the window at the night sky where three moons had risen together, something he had never seen before. It was so magnificent, so mystical, so intoxicating. Especially the Silvermoon, whenever he gazed at it, he felt somewhat relieved of his oppressed mood.

    "No matter what, I can''t wait anymore. Even though I haven''t encountered any danger yet, since I have started to consider living on as a detective, I must be capable of defending myself, I must understand howplex this world is. Otherwise, the fate of Detective Sparrow Hamilton will be mine too."

    With some money in his pocket, he put aside the idea of continuing other investigations for the time being and shifted his primary focus to encountering the supernatural.

    "The church, the psychologist, Lady Lassoya..."

    He wasn''t very optimistic about thest option, as her appearance today seemed to coincide with the church and police investigations, so instinctively he felt she might not be a good person. He was somewhat interested in the first option; ording to his limited understanding, the Church of the True God in this world was rtively progressive.

    But that was just his understanding; he couldn''t n based on such a simple idea. Moreover, he wasn''t a believer in any deity, and as a vagrant, he had never visited a church; it was hard to say whether the church''s progressiveness applied to people like him.

    "Maybe...I can investigate for a few more days. For now, I don''t need to worry about starving, and if I pawn some more inherited items, I could sustain myself for a long time. As long as potentialndlords don''t appear, I''ll have plenty of time to investigate. Wrapped around these three options, I''m sure to find the most suitable one."

    With this thought in mind, he fell asleep in the bedroom of the original Shard in the apartment, spending his first night in this new world.

    In his sleep, he seemed to hear the woman''sughter in his mind again. Theughter unexpectedlyforted him, and that night, he had a very rxing dream, sitting on a ridge and gazing at the Silvermoon on the horizon.

    Surprises always disrupted existing ns, and Shard''s n to choose one of the three options was disrupted the very next morning.

 Chapter 11 Saint Byrons Integrated Academy

    Because he was sleeping in an unfamiliar ce, Shard woke up early the next morning. He touched the pocket watch by his bed, saw that it was six-thirty, and thought about going downstairs to see if there was a newspaper delivered, knowing the people of Tobesk Citymonly subscribed to newspapers.

    The former detective, who could be considered middle-ss and needed to read newspapers for his work, indeed might have allowed the current Shard to inherit the future newspapers.

    Wearing slippers, he walked down the stairs to the first floor hall, curiously looking at the sealed-off first floor, thinking that when he had the time, he could remove a nk and peek inside.

    Turning on the gasmp in the hall, unfortunately, he didn''t see a newspaper pushed through the door slot onto the front doormat.

    Slightly disappointed, he shook his head, thinking about changing into clothes and then going out for breakfast. But just as his slippers touched the first step, he unexpectedly heard the sound of a bell.

    The apartment building had an exterior door rope, pulling it would engage an interior gear mechanism, ringing a bell inside, serving as a kind of simple doorbell.

    "Newspaper delivery? No, why would a newspaper person knock... Maybe it''s time to pay for next month''s newspaper subscription?"

    Financially struggling Shard felt a flicker of panic, calcting his remaining money as he anxiously turned to look at the door. Whoever was outside, he was unlikely to know them; the likelihood of theming to collect money was not high, more probably someone looking for the apartment''s previous resident.

    "Perhaps a new client?"

    Under worse circumstances, maybe it was thendlording to collect the rent.

    With no peephole or simr structure on the door, Shard could only go to the door and using thenguage skills he gained yesterday asked:

    "May I know who it is?"

    He immediately got a response from outside, a familiar voice:

    "Is this Hamilton Detective Office? This is Bill Schneider, remember me? Yesterday''s psychologist, we exchanged business cards in front of the newspaper office across from the Nightingale Club."

    In this simrly fog-enshrouded morning, one of the few people in this world whose name Shard knew hade to visit him.

    Not expecting the visitor to be Dr. Schneider, Shard stood behind the door, unsure whether to open it. His moment of hesitation let the psychologist outside know the detective''s wariness:

    "Mr. Hamilton, you need not overthink it. Although it is strange to visit at this time, I have no malicious intentions, please just look at this since our time is short."

    The man outside spoke, slipping a piece of paper through the newspaper delivery slot.

    "Do you remember what I mentioned yesterday? Adult education, correspondence courses. Detective, you have a very special talent."

    Shard bent down to pick up the paper, then slightly raised the brightness of the gasmp in the hall. By that light, he saw that it was an enrollment brochure.

    "Hmm?"

    He wondered if his eyes were ying tricks on him or if he was still not fully awake.

    The piece of paper, about the size of A4, was bordered with a silver frame outlining the shape of a parchment roll, it was an admissions document from an institution called "Saint Byrons Integrated Academy." Aside from the emblem at the top shaped like a book bound by chains, there were not many illustrations; the majority of the paper was upied by printed text.

    Saint Byrons Integrated Academy was not recruiting ordinary students; they were enrolling "correspondence" adult students.

    Besides that, the paper listed the Academy''s ten faculties, detailed tuition fees, admission times, academic systems, admission criteria and restrictions, and rmended registration procedures. At least from these aspects, it seemed like an ordinary school.

    "But why is there no school address?"

    It took Shard a while to ask, then he was surprised he did not inquire whether the visitor had a mental illness,ing so early in the morning to hand a stranger an enrollment document.

    "Your observation is very keen."

    The psychologist outside praised, then asked:

    "So, may Ie in to discuss? Perhaps I could answer your questions about... the other you in your head."

    The voice inside his head did not appear because it was mentioned; Shard opened his mouth but ended up opening the door.

    The middle-aged doctor carrying a briefcase, dressed in a brown coat and wearing a small silk hat, stood on the steps with somewhat thick ck boots. Still maintaining his meticulous mustache, his blue eyes seemed very appealing:

    "Don''t forget your milk."

    He gestured towards the milk box to the left of the door, speaking in a standard ent, probably a local from Tobesk City:

    "The milkman had just left when I arrived."

    "Okay, pleasee in."

    Shard hesitated and nodded, sizing up the doctor and attempted to wear a kind expression. He picked up the keys from the shoe cab to unlock the milk box, while the psychologist followed him into the apartment after Shard fetched the milk bottle.

    He was surprised by the sealed-off section on the first floor, but the doctor didn''t say much, and in silence, they went up the stairs to Room 1 on the second floor.

    Shard asked the doctor to wait a moment while he went back to his bedroom to change his clothes, and then boiled some water to serve his guest. Although there was no food in the kitchen, at least there was tea for entertaining clients of the detective agency; otherwise, Shard would have had to serve in water.

    Once everything was in order, the two of them sat down to talk.

    The living room''s fabric sofa set seemed quite antique, but it wasn''t clear if it were truly so. Two long and two short, surrounding a wooden coffee table, it was very suitable for discussing business with a client.

    The doctor and Shard then sat down on the facing long sofas.

    "No need for introductions, first I need you to trust me," said Mustache, Dr. Schneider, as he smiled and thanked Shard for the tea:

    "I''vee because of the promotional leaflet I gave you earlier about the academy. First, let me describe your current symptoms¡ª"

    "Wait a moment, are the symptoms rted to the academy?" asked Shard, already having a suspicion. He was not a "local" and had seen those crazy fantasies, which made him more adapted to this situation. The "Saint Byrons Integrated Academy" mentioned by the other party was probably a school simr to Hogwarts.

    "Indeed, they are rted. Mr. Shard Hamilton, can you hear another voice in your head?"

    Although Shard tried to control his facial expressions, he could see from Mr. Schneider''s smile across from him that he had failed.

    The doctor added:

    "Is that voice, by any chance, speaking nonsensical things to you? And, are some of its words helpful to you? It whispers in your ear, speaking unexpectedly at times, yet holds no malice towards you."

    Shard knew he couldn''t hide it anymore and nodded.

    "Furthermore, detective, these symptoms must have appeared within thest 72 hours."

    "To be precise, 24 hours," said Shard.

    "That''s even better, then we have plenty of time, and it seems we are quite fortunate. After all, the awakening time for a Talent is 72 hours, so that gives me even more time to exin the situation," Dr. Schneider said with a smile:

    "The symptoms you are exhibiting are simr to those of schizophrenia, but in my eyes, they are not."

    Pointing to himself, his blue eyes met Shard''s as he spoke very slowly:

    "For a certain group of people, the existence of ''another me'' is a marvelous yet dangerous Talent. No, rather, it is an early manifestation of a Talent. If it can be guided properly, then you can see a more real world¡ªa mysterious and dangerous world. If not guided¡­"

    "It fades to mediocrity?"

    "No, worse," the doctor shook his head:

    "I don''t wish to deceive you, at least there''s no need for that now. To put it clearly, this signifies the manifestation of a ''Circle Sorcerer'' Talent, a very rare Talent. You could consider this a gift of Fate or a curse of Fate. Regarding ''Circle Sorcerer,'' think of it as a special profession, a profession that can wield...mysterious powers. I hope you understand what I mean."

    The doctor was deliberately observing Shard''s expression.

    In this era, still steeped in ignorance, people who believed in the True God generally did not ept concepts like ''witchcraft.'' Fortunately, just as the doctor''s investigation indicated, the detective across from him had mental issues just a few days ago and only returned to normal due to the awakening of his Talent, thus holding different views from the ordinary citizens.

    On the other hand, as his guess was confirmed, Shard hesitated and nodded slightly. He tried to pretend to be surprised, since a normal person would definitely be surprised, but at that moment his heart was unusually calm, even too calm, which he thought might be due to the stress from yesterday:

    "So, hearing strange voices in my ears is actually the manifestation of some kind of...system, a power system? Are there many people like this? Like some people see further, some hear more?" Shard asked.

    "Yes, ''I am you, and you are me,'' every Circle Sorcerer is like this. If you seed in bing a Circle Sorcerer, then this voice will apany you for life, helping you throughout. That voice is another you, just with a different perspective. It will help you touch this mad and noisy world in a truer manner, encountering the hidden and the bizarre.

    Knowledge, information, even words hold dangerous power, and outside the safe, ordinary world, we cannot approach these powerful forces directly with our souls."

    The doctor paused to give Shard some time to think:

    "However, the awakening time for a Circle Sorcerer Talent is very brief, from the first whisper by your ear to theplete disappearance of the voice, it usually urs within 72 hours, and not every Gifted One can often hear that voice and realize that the voice isn''t just their own thoughts. They might regard it as a hallucination or a hearing problem.

    Therefore, Detective Shard Hamilton, whether it''s the Three Major Academies or the church, recruiting and training new hands is extremely difficult. That''s why I say we are all very lucky."

 Chapter 12 Admissions

    Dr. Schneider, in the midst of speaking, lifted his teacup and took a sip, then looked somewhat surprised into the cup:

    "This ck tea is quite nice."

    "The Church and the Academy?"

    Shard paid no mind to the former detective''s taste in tea or what kind of person he really was, as he was processing this information.

    "Yes, the Church can also train Circle Sorcerers. In fact, the official channels for training Circle Sorcerers, at least in my view, are the Church of the Five Great Deities and the Three Great Magics Academies. Other organizations like the Church of the Evil God, secret societies, ancient organizations, and various messy groups, either have irregr methods or are fraught with hidden dangers.

    So, it was fortunate for both of us that you happened to meet me during your Talent Awakening period."

    "Then, the Church..."

    Compared to the origin-unknown Academy, Shard was actually more interested in a church that could cooperate officially with the kingdom. The doctor noticed this thought and nodded his head with a smile, understanding, then exined:

    "The Academies and the True God Church are not adversaries; they even coborate asionally. However, the Church dislikes students from the Academy, whether they are correspondence students or regr students, considering us... attractors of trouble and makers of danger."

    The doctor slightly raised his eyebrows, and seeing that Shard had no questions, continued:

    "Thus, we Circle Sorcerers from the correspondence Academy exist legally, but we usually do not let the Church know about our status and presence. I know you might be interested in the Church, so please answer my question¡ª"

    The doctor''s smile curved at the corners of his mouth:

    "Getting a job at the Church requires apletely clean background, even if it''s not clean and there are criminal records, aplete life track is necessary to confirm that you''re not a dangerous person, can you provide that?"

    Bill Schneider himself was a psychiatrist, and at this moment, it somewhat seemed like he was consulting a patient.

    "You''ve investigated me?"

    Shard blurted out, but immediately regretted saying it:

    "Not investigating would be abnormal."

    He thought to himself.

    "I only investigated some basic information. After all, the Academy''s enrollment also requires confirmation of the other party''s identity. I could not rmend a dangerous person to the Academy. But since we''re only correspondence, do you understand what correspondence means? Hence, the demands on identity are not as strict as the Church''s."

    Dr. Schneider smiled, looking across at the young detective sitting opposite:

    "The awakening of a Circle Sorcerer influences a person''s mind, which is why you''ve changed from the original Shard to the Shard you are now. Investigating your identity made me understand the fear and bewilderment in your eyes when I met you yesterday¡ªit was really about ''waking up'', wasn''t it?"

    He probably misunderstood the reason behind Shard''s change from supposedly low intelligence to his current self, but Shard was happy to let him think so, thus he nodded as if his thoughts had been seen through:

    "If I take this exnation to the Church..."

    "That''s also possible, but I would prefer you to first understand the Academy, to understand what a ''Circle Sorcerer'' really is. Wouldn''t making decisions be better after that? I believe you can understand, at least that I''m not a bad person," Dr. Schneider said. Shard nodded again, seeing the sense in the doctor''s words. He replied seriously:

    "That''s very good, thank you, Dr. Schneider, I would like to understand these matters first."

    The doctor took out a pocket watch from his pocket and nced at it:

    "We don''t have much time, the duration of Talent Awakening is typically around 72 hours, but it fluctuates with individual differences. To prevent missing the timing..."

    "What happens if one does not receive guidance during the awakening period and bes a Circle Sorcerer?"

    Shard interrupted the doctor, feeling somewhat embarrassed:

    "I''m quite curious about this."

    The doctor shrugged indifferently:

    "Curiosity is good; it shows that you''re not averse to Circle Sorcerers and Mysticism.

    You almost know nothing, which actually makes you more suitable for guidance. People fear transcendence and are frightened by mysteries, but you show no rejection, only curiosity, which pleases me. As for your question...

    I don''t have concrete data to hand, but I can tell you, most likely during the Talent Awakening of a Circle Sorcerer without guidance, they go mad, less likely their heads might explode. Yes, have you seen a scene of a hammer smashing a watermelon? Pink and white flying all over."

    The doctor politely inquired.

    "No need to describe further, that metaphor is quite vivid; I can almost see the scene now,"

    Shard said immediately, feeling somewhat nauseous as he had skipped breakfast.

    "Alright, of course, there''s a small chance that something unusual might have happened, but we can talk about thatter. First, let me introduce you to the Circle Sorcerer. Mere exnation isn''t very illustrative, so please follow me."

    Dr. Schneider stood up.

    "Where are we going? To Saint Byrons Integrated Academy?"

    Shard raised the Academy''s enrollment documents in his hand.

    "Certainly not, we correspondence students can only qualify to go to the Academy hidden beneath the Far North Ice Cap on the Old Continent after the fifth year. The address of the Academy is secret and rted to some subspace entrances and alien species attached to the physical world. Until then, we must continue with our lives and study within our own living sphere. Remember, Mr.

    Hamilton, we are receiving adult education, and we are correspondence students of the Academy."

    In other words, even if Shard joined the Academy, he would not need to study at a secret location like "Hogwarts." This had its pros and cons, but at least it allowed him some freedom while acquiring power.

    "Now, I am going to take you to find the person who killed Sparrow Hamilton."

    Dr. Schneider made a gesture of invitation.

    "What?"

    Shard stood up abruptly, stunned by the unexpected development.

    "Yes, this came to light while investigating your identity. Since there have been supernatural and mysterious entities around you, why not take this opportunity to help you resolve this issue? You might also be worried that the person who killed the original Hamilton Detective could involve you."

    It must be admitted that even though the original detective had promised not to involve Shard, Shard was still worried.

    "It''s not a very troublesome matter, and it seems the perpetrator didn''t make much effort to hide their traces because Sparrow Hamilton was just an ordinary person. Come with me now, I think we can resolve this before lunch. By the way, do you have a pistol?"

    Dr. Schneider asked again.

    "No."

    Shard shook his head.

    "Then please don''t stand in front of me, I assure you that as long as you stay behind me, there will be no danger today. After all, the person we are up against is not a Circle Sorcerer."

    Sparrow Hamilton had said as much before his death.

    "Ordinary people cannot distinguish, and tend to see anyone who can use supernatural powers as a Circle Sorcerer. But for officially appointed Circle Sorcerers, it''s easy to tell. After all, that person has no ''Fate''s Ring'', no umted Spirit, and cannot feel the four elements of ''Miracle'', ''Enlightenment'', ''Desecration'', and ''Whisper''; he is just someone who got lucky with a ''Relic''..."

    Dr. Schneider paused, then corrected himself:

    "No, an unlucky fellow."

    "You seem to have mentioned quite a few terms just now."

    Shard said, though he had already heard about the four elements and the ''Relic'', there was no need to show that at the moment.

    "No worries, we can talk as we walk."

    The detective profession was highly dangerous, and in his investigation, Dr. Schneider found that the former Detective Sparrow Hamilton had encountered an ident during a detective activity.

    Perhaps to prevent Shard''s investigation, Sparrow Hamilton had deleted all records of thatmission before his death, but Dr. Schneider''s informationwork hadpletely reconstructed the event.

    "Come to think of it, you figured out the whole thing in one night?"

    Shard did not forget to inquire, but Dr. Schneider evaded the question, saying he would tell him after this matter was over.

    "This is the ce."

    The two left the square in a carriage (Dr. Schneider paid) and after nearly a two-hour journey crossing the city, they got off the carriage beside the Osel River.

    As the water systems in Tobesk City, the Northern Royal Capital, are well-developed, ind water transport supports the thriving steam industry andmercial trade here.

    Several rivers flow through Tobesk Urban Area, among them, Osel River is the river that flows through the north side of the city. Now, in the wet season of summer, the river''s current was torrential.

    This area was close to the edge of the city. Dr. Schneider mentioned that the City Hall nned to establish a new industrial zone nearby, leveraging the river traffic of Osel River to seek new development opportunities for Tobesk City, and to connect the industrial areas of the Northern Kingdom as well asplement the Kingdom''s steam lotive railwaywork.

    But at least for now, there were stillrge swaths of wastnd nearby. After getting out of the carriage and looking around, only the buildings of Tobesk City were faintly visible in the misty distance.

    "To avoid startling him, we''ll start walking from here. I noticed your boots are well-suited for long walks. Mr. Hamilton, you probably haven''t had breakfast yet, so after we deal with this, I''ll take you for a meal,"

    Dr. Schneider said, carrying his briefcase alongside Shard, who clutched his notebook, as they stepped into the grass next to the main road. Soon, they spotted a narrow path.

 Chapter 13 Circle Sorcerer and Ring of Fate

    Thete Detective Sparrow Hamilton had taken on a particrly troublesomemission about half a year ago. The Baron of Tobesk City, Baron Huntington, tasked the detective with finding his missing maid. This maid had served the Baron''s family for many years and had recently resigned of her own ord.

    The Baron had his butler take a gift to invite the maid back, only to discover that she had vanished. Although the Baron possessed a certain social status, he was not the maid''s family, and he seemed to distrust the police, which led him to hire multiple detectives for the investigation.

    Truth be told, Detective Sparrow wasn''t any famous detective, and his usual assignments were trifles such as looking into affairs. The only reason a noble had approached him for this task was due to the introduction from a former client.

    Sparrow Hamilton took this matter very seriously; after all, a Baron was an important figure inessible to ordinary citizens. He investigated diligently, and this spring, after a month''s effort and following various clues, he located the abandoned sanatorium on the banks of the Osel River and was convinced this ce was the cause of the missing persons case.

    "This sanatorium was probably abandoned about thirty years ago. I was just a child at the time, and I heard my family mention it,"

    local Bill Schneider informed, gesturing towards the buildingplex that was gradually bing more discernible in the distance. Although the fog outside the city was still thick, one could make out the clock tower next to the main building and the spires and crosses decorating the top of the towers.

    "Back then, the Royal Family directed Tobesk City Hall to undertake a new urban nning to amodate the massive influx of people and the development of the steam industry. The policy then, roughly, was to relocate hospitals and other fundamental infrastructures into the city, and factories to the outskirts.

    This ce was originally a sanatorium for the nobility, and by that, I hope you understand I mean for bigwigs that we can''t even imagine. Following the call, the sanatoriumpletely moved out of Tobesk and relocated to a nearby city essible by a half-hour train ride, which actually turned out to be more convenient than here.

    So, the sanatorium was abandoned, and even the homeless wouldn''t stay here. The area is deste, and if you died here, no one would know."

    The surroundings consisted ofrge patches of farnd and wastnd, with the nearest rural town over an hour''s walk away. There was, however, a manor and a racetrack nearby belonging to a certain Earl. During the racing season, people would use this path that they were now walking on as a track, but currently, there were hardly any people around.

    Although this was an era of rapid industrial development, traces of the Steam Age could only be seen in the big cities. Away from the cities, everything seemed to regress back to a bygone era, something Shard understood well.

    The pair quickly made their way along the path to the vicinity of the abandoned sanatorium. The doctor did not mention its name, which seemed unimportant.

    From the outside, the wall paint waspletely peeled off, and all the windows and doors were missing. Surprisingly, the sanatorium''s perimeter wall still stood, but the courtyard inside was almost as barren as the surrounding wastnd, with no trace of its former garden.

    Tall buildings and spires stood solemnly in the wilderness, their fence gates decorated in a way that faintly showed past splendor.

    "Follow me, and we''ll talk as we go,"

    said the doctor, kicking open the rusted-together pair of fence gates. They fell with a crash, startling the birds in the nearby forest.

    Even at the city''s edge, the fog had only slightly dissipated. The gloomy sky looked like it could rain any minute, and Shard regretted not bringing an umbre.

    They entered the sanatorium''s courtyard, boots crunching through the overgrown grass:

    "A Circle Sorcerer refers to those of us who possess the ''Ring of Fate''."

    exined the doctor, ncing around and leading Shard toward the main building''s front entrance.

    "Ring of Fate?"

    "Space-Time, Age, Fate, Era, Civilization, World¡ªthese are the Rings forged for us, symbols of our existence. Take heed! I will show you theplete Wheel of Fate, not just a fragment. Watch closely¡ª"

    The doctor, striding through the wild grass, spread his arms slightly, palms facing up as if cradling something, and raised them to shoulder level.

    Everything behind him appeared hazy, as though ayer of white mist had been added. Yet he was unchanged, except for a faint smile on his face.

    Then, to Shard''s amazement, he heard the sound and echo of a train whistle in this deste abandoned courtyard.

    "What?"

    He hastily scanned his surroundings through the waist-high grass, and suddenly his skin began to sense heat.

    Turning around, behind the doctor was not mere mist, but steam. Scorching hot, unnervingly chilling steam that seemed to blur distance and space, and phantasmify everything behind the doctor.

    Among that steam, a massive shadow approached, the mass of steam behind the doctor seemingly containing infinite space-time.

    The whistle bellowed, steam exploded, and the shadow drew nearer. The rapid speed created a wind pressure that made the doctor''s coat, the weeds in the courtyard, and Shard''s overcoat flutter. He had to squint his eyes.

    Even more unnerving was the rising sense of danger in his heart.

    "What exactly is within that mass of steam?"

    It was getting closer. Behind the doctor, within the depth of that mass of steam, a colossal hammer, carrying momentum and energy, emerged. It was silvery gray and as tall as an entire building, striking the doctor amidst a deafening boom.

    The st made Shard''s ears ring, his vision blur, and he was overwhelmed by a strong urge to vomit, forcing him to clutch his chest. The ground shook, the wind howled, thunder shed, and amidst these sequences of illusions, that hammer seemed to create the heavens and the earth, as if striking Shard''s very spirit.

    Yet only the doctor was struck by the giant hammer. Immovable, Shard nheless believed he saw Dr. Schneider squashed into a copper disk.

    "Copper?"

    He found himself increasingly uncertain about his own senses.

    Indeed, it was a piece of copper, and after being hammered by a giant mallet, a huge rotating copper ring appeared behind the doctor, a brass-colored metal ring.

    The steam gradually dispersed, and the brass metal ring with a pentagonal cross-section rotated slowly behind the doctor. Strange lights apanied by more than twenty Spirit Runes wandered on this Ring of Fate.

    The halo reflected on Shard''s face, and the Ounder heard the lightughter of the woman in his mind, his eyes reflecting the magnificent, magical, and powerful ring.

    "This is the Ring of Fate, a Circle Sorcerer will only summon it in full during all-outbat. Otherwise, one need not summon the entire Ring of Fate, or even just a part of it... Do you have any questions?"

    The doctor stopped in the overgrown grass of the sanatorium courtyard and asked Shard, who was staring in amazement. Shard could still feel the heat of the vanishing steam from the doctor''s back and the high temperature from the enormous brass circle.

    The Ring of Fate was not an illusion; it was a physical entity:

    "Why steam? Why brass?"

    He didn''t even notice the urgency in his own tone.

    The middle-aged doctorughed:

    "Young man, one''s sess depends not only on personal struggle but also on the course of history.

    I told you, the Ring of Fate represents oneself and the world. This era is the age of steam and mechanics, hence the Ring of Fate emerges from the steam, forged by the pounding of the hammer, exhibiting a brass hue. If this were the era of rainbows, the Ring of Fate might be rainbow-colored, and if it were the deep sea''s era, then the ring would be water. Do you understand?"

    Shard nodded with effort, his heartbeat elerating due to witnessing the shocking scene:

    "Understood."

    He didn''t even want to blink, preferring to imprint the full view of the ring behind the doctor in his eyes. But with a wave of the doctor''s hand, the Ring of Fate slowly turned transparent and disappeared, leaving Shard to remember only a few of the runes.

    Even without the knowledge given by the woman''s voice in his head, Shard could understand and hear themonnguage of the Northern Kingdom, though he could not speak or write it. And now, Shard somehow understood the meanings of those powerful Spirit Runes he caught a glimpse of, which were "Joy," "Hound," and "Dust Particle"...

    Suddenly feeling a throbbing pain in his head, as if someone had knocked on the back of his skull, he gave up trying to remember those powerful runes.

    In this world, knowledge truly was power. Thus, it made sense that the Supernatural Organization the doctor invited Shard to join was an Academy.

    "But if my special trait allows me to understand and hear all writings... In this dangerous world, is that really a good thing?"

    Shard contemted his secret, while the doctor continued walking through the weeds, exining:

    "The cross-sectional shape of my Ring of Fate is currently a pentagon, indicating that I am a Five Rings Circle Sorcerer, as well as a fifth-year distance-learning adult student at the Academy. A First Ring Circle Sorcerer has a t, circr ring with runes on one side. The Second Ring also has a t ring, but runes can be inscribed on both sides.

    The cross-section of the Third Ring is triangr, and the Fourth Ring is quadrteral... and so on. Do you understand? The higher the ring, the closer it is to the most standard shape of a circr ring."

    "Yes, I understand."

    The two of them talked and entered the inside of the building. Over the years, countless people must have visited here. There was no furniture left, ayer of dust on the ground that could kick up at the slightest step.

    They did not linger on the first floor and walked up the seemingly unstable stairs to the second floor, Shard was worried about the safety of the dpidated building.

    "Spirit Runes are at the core of the Circle Sorcerer System; by inscribing Spirit Runes on our own Wheel of Fate, we umte Spirit, perceive the four main elements: ''Miracle,'' ''Desecration,'' ''Enlightenment,'' ''Whisper,'' and continually progress."

    "Spirit? Elements?"

    Shard asked, puzzled and excited at the same time, finally about to understand these things.

    The doctor led Shard up the stairs:

    "Regarding Spirit, in past eras, it has had many names. Magic Power, Aether, Mana, Spirituality, Light of the Mind, but the current era unifies it under the term Spirit. It is information, it is the element, it is energy, it is the sum of everything in the world you can understand, one of the disys of a Circle Sorcerer''s mind interfering with matter.

    The means of umting Spirit is through touching elements, and the safest way to touch elements is by reading those stories and knowledge from before the Era¡ªculture, customs, hero tales, and myths passed down orally.

    Touching this knowledge is also dangerous, as one can easily fall into madness if not careful. Hence, we usually read original manuscripts or tranted versions."

    Shard simply tranted ''Spirit'' into a blue stripe for himself.

    "But merely umting enough Spirit isn''t sufficient to advance to the next ring. The most important thing for a Circle Sorcerer isn''t Spirit, but elements. By umting runes of the four main elements, one can effectively increase the upper limit of Spirit, sublime the soul, and refine the body. The four main elements can be perceived in many ways..."

    Shard thought of the woman''s voice in his mind, hinting that he had encountered "Whisper," "Enlightenment," and "Miracle," when he witnessed Sparrow''s death, stepped onto the streets to see the world, and pondered the meaning of God.

    "Merely perceiving and touching is not enough; the elements must be inscribed on one''s own Wheel of Fate to prove the integration with the elements. With each advancement of a Circle Sorcerer, differentbinations of ''Miracle,'' ''Desecration,'' ''Enlightenment,'' ''Whisper'' Spirit Runes are needed. This is something I''ll exin to you if you decide to join the Academy.

    For now, let me introduce you to the differences between the four elements."

    The doctor paused, looked ahead with a smile and said:

    "I think the person we are looking for should be right here."

 Chapter 14 Four Elements

    The two reached the second floor, which was likewise covered in dust. Instead of heading to the third floor, they looked down the corridor. One side of the corridor had windows, while the other side was lined with rooms. The main building of the sanatorium was shaped like a concave letter, and at this moment, they were in the middle of the long side.

    The doctor said,

    "Arcane Technique, if you could engrave a ''Arcane Technique'' Spirit Rune, it would definitely be a golden rune. All ''Arcane Techniques'' stem from the stories and powers of deities, remember, the Five Great Deities are the only remaining benevolent gods."

    "Only remaining?"

    Shard was quick to grasp the essence and also understood the reason for his first contact with "Arcane Technique."

    "Yes, in past eras, there were many gods. If you join the Academy, in the foundation courses of Divinity Academy, you will learn this part. But most of the powerful gods from the past have vanished, perhaps fallen, perhaps departed, or perhaps sealed. But as it stands, only five benevolent gods are called True Gods, and their ability to intervene in the material world is not merely symbolic.

    Don''t view them as powerful Circle Sorcerers, they exist in a truly higher dimension... I hope you understand what I mean."

    Shard''s mouth twitched; he certainly understood.

    "The Circle Sorcerers of the True God Church, mostly specialize in the ''Arcane Technique'' element. But besides the True Gods, traces of the Old Gods still remain in the world. By touching these traces and learning the stories of Old Gods, with the help of ''another me,'' you could also extract ''Arcane Technique'' Spirit Runes."

    The doctor finally mentioned the essential "Voice in the Mind."

    "The voice in the mind is actually another you, not the real you, but indeed you."

    The doctor emphasized this concept again while Shard heard the woman''sughter in his mind once more.

    "This is the ''Arcane Technique'' Spirit Rune I engraved when I was at the First Ring."

    Behind the doctor, dense white mist appeared again, a part of the Brass Life Ring surfaced, revealing the golden rune.

    Shard also endured a headache to interpret the rune, which meant "Dust Particle," something he had just seen.

    "The miracle left behind by the ''God of Dust,'' also known as ''Earthly Giant Serpent,'' is one I learned through the Academy''s path by knowing Its story, hence obtaining the Spirit Rune."

    The golden glow flickered, illuminating the ground in front of them, where a series of footprints appeared:

    "But I am not suited for this miracle, having developed only such a simple Arcane Technique. The power developed by a Spirit Rune is called Arcane Technique, while themonly used power by Circle Sorcerers is called Sorcery, which will be introduced in the courses."

    The two followed the footprints onward, with their goal apparently on the second floor.

    "But remember, gods are dangerous. Not because They bear malice toward humans, but because Their presence is of such a high rank that merely touching any information rted to Them might cause harm due to the oppressive nature of Their divinity. It''s like how looking directly at the sun can damage the eyes."

    The doctor cautioned, then said:

    "Desecration, if you can engrave a ''Desecration'' Spirit Rune, it will surely be silver. All ''Desecration''es from those polluted concepts and Evil Gods. But remember, they are not among the Five Great Deities or those vanished Old Gods, but are existing Old Gods.

    From the ancient deities that persisted to today, aside from the five powerful benevolent gods, there are a few malevolent gods. These deities are rtively weak, born from concepts and desecration, and are terrifying beings indeed. They are truly gods recognized by the True God Church. It''s just that Their power is far less than that of the True Gods.

    This isn''t the True God Church boasting, but a fact."

    "So, the True Gods are the recognized and existing powerful benevolent gods, Old Gods are the vanished benevolent and evil gods, and current malevolent gods. Are the Evil Gods very terrifying?"

    Shard summarized.

    "Of course they''re terrifying, although They are weakerpared to the Five Great Deities, even knowing Their power can drive an ordinary person mad. The main mission of the Church is to suppress the asionally emerging Evil Gods and the ever-present cultists.

    However, ''Desecration'' Spirit Runes are not shunned, aside from the Evil Gods, some knowledge from the Fourth Era can also extract ''Desecration,'' the secret books record those terrible stories. This is also the mainstream way to extract the ''Desecration'' elements. Both ''Miracle'' and ''Desecration'' are rted to gods and must be connected to gods."

    It is currently the Sixth Era, a fact not recorded in any of the books Shard had seen, which only listed the years. But Shard knew it was the Sixth Era, as the Voice in the Mind had rified this point the first time it emerged.

    This seemed to further confirm the other''s uniqueness.

    "Now it''s the Sixth Era, while the Fourth Era was an era of darkness and chaos, very terrifying, exceedingly terrifying..."

    The doctor whispered, as if afraid of disturbing some presence. In the dense fog behind him, the silver Spirit Rune flickered, still revealing only a part of the Life Ring, with Shard interpreting the beautiful rune as "Desire."

    "Emotion, a very powerful Spirit Rune, originating from a terrifying story in the Fourth Era that I can never forget... I''ve developed various Arcane Techniques with this element, the simplest of which is detecting creatures with emotions around me."

    The silver glimmer shed on the Brass Life Ring, and the doctor had his answer:

    "Inside, he''s afraid. It seems he knows we''vee."

    The enemy couldn''t possibly be unaware, as the doctor made no attempt to hide his voice.

    "If the Voice in the Mind keeps reminding you of a ''Desecration'' nearby, don''t think, just turn around and run immediately. This element is very deadly."

    The doctor continued to impart basic knowledge as he and Shard moved forward. Shard also understood why he had contact only with ''Desecration.''

    "Enlightenment, if you can inscribe an ''Enlightenment'' Spirit Rune, it would definitely be a brass-colored Spirit Rune. All ''Enlightenment''es from civilization itself.

    Yes, civilization¡ªhistorical legends, religious and heroic tales, even fictional knight adventure stories, through certain mediums, can all extract ''Enlightenment.'' This is the element of civilization, symbolizing the light of our world."

    Although it sounded simple, it certainly wasn''t as easy as just reading a knight''s novel.

    The moment a Foreigner views the world and sparks firelight is indeed why one contacts the ''Enlightenment'' element right at their doorstep.

    "And not just our civilization, not even just human civilization but also civilizations of past eras can do so. ''Enlightenment'' may coexist with ''Desecration'' and ''Miracle,'' after all, the history of civilization can''t exist without the power of Deities, and the gods have never taken their eyes off civilization."

    From the dense fog behind the doctor, the corner of the Ring of Fate emerged again, revealing the brass-colored rune ''Beautiful Dream'':

    "This is the Spirit Rune ''Beautiful Dream.'' It''s not convenient to exin its origin now. I have good affinity with it; I''m about to use an Arcane Technique to put our foe into a dream state."

    A slight glimmer scattered, Shard could not see the specific effect, but he trusted the doctor wouldn''t fail.

    They finally stopped moving forward and turned into a room without any markings. The room was clean but devoid of people.

    The doctor, unruffled:

    "Finally, Whisper. If you can inscribe a ''Whisper'' Spirit Rune, it will surely be a ck iron-colored Spirit Rune. ''Whisper'' has a wide range of sources, and it''smonly believed that if ''Enlightenment'' is the light of civilization, then ''Whisper'' is the Darkness of the World. Whisper is almost a natural phenomenon, echoing throughout the material world.

    It is acquired through contact with knowledge of Evil Gods and by essing ''Relics.''

    The detective died due to a ''Relic''; hence, Shard could contact the ''Whisper'' element upon his death.

    The ck iron rune appeared, signifying ''False Reality,'' the mostplex of the four spirit runes disyed by the doctor.

    "This Spirit Rune was acquired a year ago while resolving a Keeper of Secrets Level, that is, Level 3 ''Relic'' incident. I don''t quite understand its power; it''s mainly used to break illusions for now."

    Under the glow of the ck iron rune, the clean room gradually revealed its true appearance. Newspapers and wooden nks sealed the drafty windows, the floors and walls appeared as if covered with ayer of sma, emitting a foul smell. The floor was filled with ss containers with human organs, haphazardly disyed as if in an exhibition...

    As the disguise disappeared, the stench of blood hit them. Shard''s stomach churned, finally realizing why the doctor had purposely told him not to eat breakfast.

    Enduring the intense difort and mental pressure, Shard''s eyes swept over the room that was nearly turning blood-red and spotted a young man sleeping soundly in the corner.

    He didn''t resemble a vagrant but rather a student; his clothes were clean, his appearance gentle, and his attire proper. He held a pistol in one hand and a brass box in the other, slumping there.

    "Bide Morode, 19 years old, a student from the Rx Mechanical Academy of Tobesk City. A year ago, he identally came into contact with a Level 5, that is, Poet-Level ''Relic'', and fell into madness due to the ''Whisper'' element within the relic. Consequently, his temperament changed drastically, slowly descending into a kidnapper and murderer of young women...

    This world, after all, is too dangerous for ordinary people."

    "So, what exactly is a ''Relic''?"

    Shard controlled his fear of the scene, suppressing the desire to vomit. The doctor, on the other hand, appeared quite calm, either having controlled his emotions well or being ustomed to simr scenes. The two stood at the doorway, with neither intending to step inside.

    "''Relics'' are remnants of the past, stemming from the curses of the First Five Ages. Some form naturally; others were made by powerful entities of the past.

    Remember, only the First Five Ages could give birth to ''Relics.'' To date, there are no records of ''Relics'' from our current Sixth Era. However, if you can discover one, maybe an entire academic year''s worth of practical credits would be enough...

    ''Relics'' can easily be distinguished from other alchemical items; only they could possibly carry the ''Whisper'' element, and there''s no man-made way to add ''Whisper'' to an item."

    The two gazed at the metal box held by the young Morod; that was a ''Relic''."

 Chapter 15 [Relic] Level

    Even from across the half of the room, Shard could sense the danger exuding from the object in the young man''s hand as he slept. It was as if the box was out of ce in this world, carrying with it an aura that could make all things wither. This was the Relic that Shard saw for the first time and believed he would never mistake in the future.

    The doctor surveyed the room and continued to speak:

    "Relics can be tangible objects but can also be events, or even just a piece of information, a phrase. The True God Church has ssified Relics into five levels, which the Academy has also epted and recognized:

    Poet-Level (Level 5), information that could be sung by poets, but only consideredmon hearsay or legendary tales, the standard measure being Poet Cohen''s Manuscript;

    Scribe Level (Level 4), which requires detailed recording and archiving of this relic information, with the information only existing on paper and not to be casually disseminated, the standard measure being Schr Unknown''s Thesis;

    Keeper of Secrets Level (Level 3), tightly trained guardians of secrets to specifically safeguard information about a Relic, which must be contained under non-special circumstances and used with extreme caution, the standard measure being Secret Keeper''s Eye;

    Sage Level (Level 2), only Grand Sages are privy to their information and containment status, and should such items be found uncontained, under the agreement, both the Academy and the True God Church must immediately notify each other, the standard measure being Philosopher''s Stone;

    Angel Level (Level 1), extremely dangerous, the descent of the Evil God and the loss of control of an Angel-Level Relic are generally considered as events of the same level. I''m only a fifth-year correspondence student. I won''t know the characteristics and containment measures of such items until the next grade, the standard measure being Heart of the Evil Angel."

    "What is a standard measure?"

    Shard asked.

    "A standard measure is a reference when grading a Relic. Should the danger exceed the standard measure, it immediately falls into the next level."

    Shard nodded in understanding, but since there was also a standard measure for the highest Angel Level, it seemed to imply...

    He did not ask further, as Dr. Schneider likely did not know either.

    He proceeded to inquire softly, muffling his voice as he held his breath:

    "So what we are dealing with this time is¡­"

    "A Poet-Level Relic (Level 5). I''ve confirmed it. It''s the Life Countdown Pocket Watch.

    Yes, it''s the object in that box over there; he dares not touch it directly. With a blood sacrifice, the pocket watch allows its bearer to rotate it within a certain range. Pointing the face of the pocket watch at any life form, the amount of life countdown it assigns depends on the angle of rotation.

    The shorter the countdown, the more flesh and blood is required, which is why Detective Sparrow Hamilton had such a long time."

    The doctor asked Shard to wait at the door, then he stepped over the blood mud on the floor, entered the room, and took the box containing the Relic. It wasn''t until he returned to Shard''s side and opened the box¡ªhe cautioned Shard to concentrate and not be influenced by the power of the Relic.

    As the doctor opened the box, an even more pungent stench of blood assaulted their senses, revealing a container full of blood inside.

    After pouring out the blood water, the silver pocket watch fell into Dr. Schneider''s hands.

    Without opening the watch cover, Shard could only see grimacing skull carvings on both the front and the back of the pocket watch. The watch cover was surrounded by rune scriptures, which he had also never seen before, yet Shard once again deciphered the inscriptions, confirming to himself he truly could understand all the writing from this Otherworld:

    "The price of life is the secret of flesh and blood."

    At that moment, he actually tasted blood in his mouth, as if he had just bitten into raw meat... Shard actually began to retch, fortunate that he hadn''t eaten breakfast and therefore had nothing to expel. The doctor promptly put the pocket watch back in its box and stowed it away in the briefcase he carried with him.

    "Is this the thing that killed Detective Sparrow?"

    After a while, Shard, who had recovered somewhat, murmured. The detective had taken him away from the life of a vagabond and given him all of his inheritance; he was more than happy to avenge him.

    "Yes, that''s it. People in a countdown state know their life deadline, but cannot reveal it to anyone, or they will die instantly. But this Relic, born of the Fifth Era, although very dangerous to ordinary people, Circle Sorcerers have ways to negate its influence, so it''s only the lowest Poet Level.

    "The Life Countdown effect, restrained by various ''Miracles'' and ''Enlightenment'' elements, is not highly dangerous and can only be considered amon Poet-Level Relic... Unfortunately, Mr. Sparrow Hamilton was just an ordinary person."

    Dr. Schneider shook his head regretfully:

    "In fact, I had been investigating this relic for several months, so I was able to understand your situation in just one night. However, with so many victims, although I saved a few, I ultimately didn''t manage to meet Detective Sparrow Hamilton in time. It seems he passed away in the early hours of the morning we met, which is truly regrettable..."

    What came next was simple, the two searched the nearby rooms, and the psychologist used the methods of a Circle Sorcerer to dispel the illusions brought on by the Poet-Level ''Relic,'' finding all the piles of bodies, making sure they didn''t mistake the murderer.

    Afterwards, when Shard refused to be the killer, the doctor directly killed Bide Morode in his dreams, a process that, in Shard''s eyes, took only a second.

    Having done all this, they then left the ce together. The doctor had written an anonymous letter that morning during his visit to Shard and had it delivered to Riddlevitch Field in Tobesk City, also known as the Tobesk City Police Department, through special channels by noon. Soon after, the police would discover this ce, thus drawing the attention of the True God Church.

    "This area falls under the jurisdiction of the church of that Sun God, they act quickly, so we need to leave soon."

    When they boarded the carriage waiting for them, the doctor still joked, but Shard was not in the mood for conversation. As an ounder with no attachments here, the bloody scenes he had witnessed still made him feel ufortable.

    It brought him a profound realization of the cruelty and strangeness of this world.

    Together, they returned to the city area and had a meal at a goose restaurant in the Tobesk City Eastern District. Of course, it was the doctor who treated. Shard didn''t eat much, though; the scenes he had witnessed earlier on the second floor of the sanatorium would likely trouble him for a long time.

    They then went to the doctor''s psychological clinic, which was located on Rontgen Avenue in the Tobesk City Eastern District, the wealthy district. Although not as bustling as Saint Dn Square in the city center, the neighborhood was very picturesque.

    Mr. Bill Schneider''s psychological clinic was nked by an antique shop on one side and a high-end tobo store on the other. The clinic was three stories, with the first two floors being the clinic and the third being the residence of the doctor himself.

    The clinic was spacious. In addition to Mr. Bill Schneider himself, there were five other doctors employed by him on staff, as well as receptionists, cleaning staff, a teady, and so on, all very formal.

    The doctor invited Shard to his second-floor reception room, which was a consultation room used only for important patients, to rest. It wasn''t until the servant brought over the tea that the conversation could continue.

    More like a study than a reception room, the curved wall was adorned with dark brown bookshelves, packed with leather-bound books. An imposing desk stood on the red carpet, and just by looking at the fountain pens in the pen rack, you could tell the owner''s financial strength.

    The sofa and coffee table arrangement wasn''t as formal as that of the Detective Agency, but the family-style tea set was indeed conducive to rxing visitors and allowing them to reveal troubles and secrets.

    "How do you feel about this trip?"

    The doctor asked casually, leaning on the single leather sofa, his right hand on the armrest and his fingers on his chin.

    Shard sat on the fabric long sofa, which was the one used by Dr. Schneider''s "patients."

    "Thank you very much."

    "For helping you resolve the hidden threat?"

    "Yes."

    Shard responded, his worries not any lighter.

    This outing was merely to avenge Detective Sparrow, and it also meant that Sparrow''s death was due to the detective assignment and not rted to the task he had entrusted to Shard. In other words, Shard still didn''t know what other secrets Sparrow Hamilton might be hiding.

    The current spection was that Sparrow Hamilton had a mysterious identity besides being a detective, but due to an ident in a detective case, he had to find someone to temporarily take his ce. However, that secret identity likely had nothing to do with the Transcendent; otherwise, the detective wouldn''t have known about his impending death and still beenpletely unable to save himself.

    Of course, there was no need to exin this to Mr. Bill Schneider. Although the morning''s events had led Shard to more or less trust him, he still hadn''t let down all his guard.

 Chapter 16 Correspondence Education Admission Invitation

    "Detective, now that the ident caused by the Poet-Level Relic has been resolved, and I have helped you clear up the trouble surrounding the death of your predecessor, let us return to the original topic."

    The blue-eyed doctor sitting on the single sofa looked at Shard:

    "What are your current thoughts regarding Saint Byrons Integrated Academy?"

    Because Circle Sorcerers only have 72 hours to awaken, the main method of cultivation by the True God Church and the Three Major Academies is actually to recruit from among their core believers and industry subsidiaries, which also makes it easier to observe.

    But, both sides don''t mind recruiting fresh blood, which has nothing to do with their own powers; it''s just that cultivation is different from that of the trusted Gifted Ones."

    "So, could you give an example of how ordinary people like us, who were originally unrted to the mystical, are treated after joining the Church or the Academy?"

    Shard thought for a moment, chewing on the implications of the words, feeling that it was reasonable to not bepletely trusted.

    "Of course, for the True God Church, those Circle Sorcerers who aren''t devout believers, within the first ten years of their employment, are not allowed to leave their diocese, and the support they receive from the Church will also be restricted. It takes at least 20 years to be fully trusted.

    As for the Three Major Academies, the conditions are a bit moreplex. We use a correspondence method to cultivate Gifted Ones who were not originally part of the mystical world.

    All external students receive instruction through correspondence and cannot directly contact the Academy itself, let alone enter the Academy. Based on the region, Correspondence Circle Mages are divided into different groups, each with 3 to 7 people.

    When a group has at least one Six Rings Warlock, one Five-Ring Sorcerer, and one Four-Ring Sorcerer, and meets the condition of having more than 5 people, the group as a whole can pass the trial and truly enter the Academy. It must be the entire group, with no one left behind, to ensure mutual monitoring and mutual guarantees within the group."

    The doctor exined, which made Shard raise an eyebrow:

    "If I join Saint Byrons Integrated Academy..."

    Dr. Schneider nodded, affirming Shard''s guess. He pointed to himself:

    "Then the group I''m in will once again have five Circle Sorcerers. We currently have four people; the specific information about others is not convenient to disclose before you join. But I promise, at least until you reach Three Rings, we''ll conduct the formal enrollment test. After all, we are still far from meeting the other conditions."

    That''s why Bill Schneider was so enthusiastic about guiding Shard to join the Academy; finding a "wild" Gifted One was very difficult, just slightly less so than finding a needle in a haystack.

    Seeing that Shard was still pondering, the doctor spoke again:

    "Mr. Hamilton, I am very satisfied with you, with your background, your origins, and your attitude towards the mystical. A few hours ago, when we both witnessed that horrific scene, your expression of pity and feignedposure were all quite good. Please consider my proposal carefully, the conditions here are very favorable."

    "I don''t understand, why are the True God Church and the Academies so... wary of people like us?"

    Shard was still hesitant, as Ounders find it hard to trust others easily during the initial stages of entering this world.

    "You are not yet a Circle Sorcerer, so you do not understand how dangerous this world can be. The world is like a mad ocean, and the normal world is just a tiny isted ind. Circle Sorcerers can delve into that deep sea and obtain more, thereby bing more easily mad, more easily twisted by the Malice from Evil Objects and the Whispers from nature.

    Even if we have ''another self'' to resist those twists and oddities, a Sorcerer without childhood training is more likely to take a wrong step and lose controlpletely, which would be a truly horrible thing."

    The doctor said simply, seemingly reluctant to speak too clearly. To Shard, it felt like the worldview of this world included not only steam and Mysticism but also elements of agnosticism or even the rules of Lovecraftian horror.

    "Then, is it possible to be a Circle Sorcerer naturally, without guidance and cultivation?"

    Shard asked again.

    "Absolutely not. You do not know what it means to be a Circle Sorcerer, or what it really is. This morning, we mentioned that within the 72-hour window of a Circle Sorcerer''s awakening, if left unguided, manyplications can arise. Most people go mad, some die, and a very small chance exists of bing something strange¡ªa heap of Flesh, a screeching Spiritual Body.

    Probably something you could imagine would give you nightmares just by looking at it."

    Having heard what the doctor said, Shard fully understood his current situation and straightened up to summarize:

    "I don''t have much time. I must make a choice soon. And if I don''t agree to join Saint Byrons Integrated Academy, then you definitely won''t let me leave with today''s memories."

    Shard looked towards the doctor, and the cautious blue-eyed doctor nodded:

    "As I mentioned at the beginning, students of the Three Major Academies hide their identity in regions where the True God Church is present. Yes, if you refuse, I will use some inconvenient methods to erase your memory. I am good at manipting emotions and dreams, so I am also skilled at altering memories.

    Of course, this is because you are just an ordinary person; it would not be so easy with a Circle Sorcerer."

    Shard didn''t interpret the doctor''s words as a threat; these measures were all for self-protection, and Shard knew nobody should cater to him.

    "If my memories of today are erased, I also wouldn''t know about the 72-hour limit..."

    He analyzed further.

    "Yes, I think Tobesk City Mental Hospital might have a new guest soon. But rest assured, I am acquainted with staff members in all the mental hospitals in Tobesk City... I''m just joking with you, detective. We can rx a bit."

    The doctor assessed carefully:

    "I won''t force you to choose to join Saint Byrons Integrated Academy, which I belong to, but as adults, we all must pay the price for our decisions. Besides,pared to the Church, bing a Correspondence Circle Mage actually offers more freedom.

    For an ordinary person like you who isn''t a believer, entering the Church''s training system would indeed ensure the Church''s care, but it would also limit your freedom to act.

    However, it''s different for Correspondence Circle Mages. As long as we pass the exams every semester, earn enoughpulsory credits,plete the practical contents, acquire enough practical credits, and don''t engage in crimes like murder or arson, the Academy doesn''t mind what we do.

    Now, do you understand the difference between Academy-trained Circle Sorcerers and those trained by the Church?"

    "I understand."

    Shard nodded his head. Just listening to the doctor, the Academy certainly seemed more advantageous.

    "The Three Great Magics Academies are Saint Byrons Integrated Academy, specializing in the containment and use of Relics; Zaras Literary Academy, skilled in developing Arcane Techniques involving Spirit Runes, which is the use of magic in stories; Xerxes Higher Medical Academy, which knows a bit of everything but is particrly proficient in alchemy.

    Mr. Hamilton, this isn''t just my opportunity, it''s also yours. Being able to enter the Circle Mage training system through regr channels, rather than through Cult Organizations and secret societies, do you know how rare this chance is?"

    The doctor said again, his profession making him quite skilled at persuading others.

    The hesitating Shard nodded again. Although the original owner of the brain probably wasn''t very useful, he was an ounder to this world, and even though he was only in his twenties, he had his own judgment:

    "So how can you prove that everything you''ve said so far is true? Up to this point, the information I''ve received has alle from you."

    Shard asked earnestly.

    Although it was a suspicion of the doctor, Dr. Schneider actually appeared pleased; it indicated that the young man before him was intrigued.

    "I could apply to the Academy for that Poet-Level (Five-Ring) Relic to prove my words. But once I do that, the Academy will know that a new Gifted One has been discovered here. The Academy won''t force you to enroll, but they will definitely record your identity information. So, would you like toe into contact with the Poet-Level Relic ''Dream of Saint Byrons Integrated Academy''?"

    "May I¡­ think it over? Give me two hours? No, one hour¡ªI want to carefully consider today''s events."

    With the overload of information, Shard couldn''t immediately make a decision. However, he was leaning towards trusting the doctor, which was why he asked for some time to think.

    "Not a problem, after all, for an ordinary person, this is a lot of information. You can think it over here, or you can leave. It just so happens that I have some minor matters to deal with, so we¡­"

    The doctor nced at the corner room''s mantel clock, within the ss cab the pendulum swung with a heart-shaped metal piece at its base:

    "Meet here at two o''clock in the afternoon."

    "No problem, I''ll stay here."

    Shard said, it made no difference where he pondered. If the doctor had meant him harm, he wouldn''t have waited until now; the sanatorium earlier was a perfect setting for murder.

    "If you stay here, there are some Academy recruitment materials that aren''t convenient to take outside; you could take a look at them. I''ll be back after I''ve handled my affairs, and if you need anything, Mrs. Kara can help."

    Mrs. Kara was the middle-aged maid who had brought tea earlier.

 Chapter 17 Steam Age College Fields of Study

    ```

    Having agreed on a meeting time in a while, Dr. Schneider handed Shard a file bag containing the Academy''s information. He then hurriedly left the room, clearly having matters to attend to.

    After the doctor left, Shard didn''t open the file bag but leaned back on the couch and stared at the ceiling. Just as he said, he couldn''t make up his mind immediately and summed up today''s events in his mind, recalling every detail from his memory:

    "The worst-case scenario is that everything is a scam, and the doctor is actually a cultist, wanting to take me for a sacrifice. But that possibility is not great..."

    He thought to himself and patted his head:

    "What do you think?"

    [You can trust him.]

    "But can I trust you? For instance, can you tell me who you really are?"

    [I am you.]

    "You are definitely not another me from the heart of a Circle Sorcerer, that much I''m certain of."

    Shard looked at the ceiling''s pattern made up of colored blocks and geometric designs, then at the rather fine crystal chandelier. He guessed at Mr. Bill Schneider''s ie, then realized it must be a considerable sum of Gold Pounds.

    "Anyway, there''s too little information at hand, or rather, no channels to obtain information, so I can only listen to what others say."

    In his own mind, Shard believed the doctor was trustworthy. All the information from this morning till now had neither contradictions nor logical ws.

    What''s more, the doctor''s words made sense¡ªthe hope of encountering a power willing to guide ordinary people into the transcendent and mysterious world was no simple matter. Shard had already gained a preliminary understanding of this era: the transcendent and mysterious were unobtrusive, the me of human civilization was fostering a booming steam industry.

    The mysterious and transcendent were just a small part of civilization''s shadow.

    From this perspective, Shard felt he should be grateful to the doctor. Without asking for any money, the doctor had revealed such precious knowledge.

    Shard knew he was tempted by Saint Byrons Integrated Academy and he wouldn''t deny it. The Three Great Magics Academies and the Church of the Five Great Deities were the only official routes for cultivating Circle Sorcerers, and those were the only options he would consider.

    The Academy and Church each had its pros and cons, but now the Academy had approached him first, and moreover, Shard had his doubts about his transmigrator status. Compared to the morex management of Circle Sorcerers, it''s more likely that the Church could see through his identity, especially since the doctor explicitly said that the gods truly exist.

    For now, knowing nothing of the deities'' powers, he couldn''t discount the possibility that they might be "omniscient."

    "I can ept an offer from Saint Byrons Integrated Academy, but I still want to first see what information that so-called [Relic] can provide."

    He decided in his mind, aware that this choice might not be the best, but Shard wouldn''t regret it¡ªit was his own decision.

    "Now, let''s take a look at this."

    Thinking this, he was about to open the file bag. But at that moment, the room''s door suddenly swung open. Since it wasn''t knocked on first, Shard thought it had to be the doctor returning early. However, the person entering was a young woman, who also seemed surprised to find Shard sitting there.

    "Sorry, I thought Dr. Schneider..."

    She appeared to be around 20 years of age and was the most beautiful girl Shard had seen sinceing to this world. Golden hair, green eyes¡ªa genuine "blonde-haired, blue-eyed" beauty. She had a serene air about her, resembling a student or teacher, wearing a very ordinary deep blue dress, decorated only with a butterfly hair essory.

    "I apologize."

    The blondedy said then immediately apologized after her surprise. Seemingly wanting to close the door again, she suddenly paused, her emerald eyes looking puzzledly at Shard, making him somewhat embarrassed.

    "This glimmer is... are you a Gifted One who''s currently awakening?"

    Now Shard understood why the doctor had spotted him right away at the newspaper office''s door yesterday¡ªpresumably, a Circle Sorcerer''s vision differed from a normal person''s.

    "Really a Gifted One?"

    While surprised, the blonde woman still maintained enough calm. She examined Shard with those beautiful eyes and smiled:

    "Did Bill actually find a Gifted One? When did he get so lucky? Did he use some strange [Relic] to borrow against luck?"

    "I..."

    ```

    Shard wanted to say something, but the other person shook their head:

    "Sorry, in our group, only fifth-year doctors have the qualifications for recruitment, so before you officially enroll, I can''t reveal any information to you. This is part of our contract with the Academy, and we must follow the rules."

    Taking a step back, he gripped the door handle, his face showing a hint of a kind, smiling expression:

    "But the conditions at Saint Byrons Integrated Academy are really good. It''s very lucky for you to have run into a doctor within 72 hours, so you should think it over carefully. Oh, and if you do join Saint Byrons, remember, don''t choose a major in the Chemistry Academy."

    Having said this, he nodded lightly in farewell and closed the door from the outside.

    "One of the four people in the Correspondence Circle Mage group that Dr. Bill Schneider belongs to... Did he really just happen upon me, or was he acting?"

    Sometimes Shard thought he was paranoid, buting to apletely unfamiliar world, he believed this made it possible to live even better.

    "However, a school that teaches Mysticism actually has a Chemistry major?"

    He spun open the envelope''s string tie and saw the more detailed Academy information. On top was the promotional leaflet that the doctor had brought out that morning, only behind it were the Academy''s true recruitment documents.

    Shard flipped through a thick stack of materials and finally realized. Under Saint Byrons Integrated Academy, there were ten specialized colleges, each with its own way of learning and body of knowledge¡ª

    Chemistry Academy, specializing in Herbal Medicine and creation of Magic Potions;

    Mechanical Academy, adept at Psychic Ability, cultivating Alchemical Abilities;

    Astronomy College, the training ground for Diviners and Star Observers;

    Academy of Ancient Literature, analyzing Spirit Runes and inheriting Ancient Languages;

    School of Mathematics, studying Ceremonies and Sorcery, Arcane Technique;

    Folklore Academy, researching history before the Sixth Era, gathering Ancient and Modern Literature, proficient in the element of "Enlightenment";

    History Academy, training Investigators, Space-Time retracers, proficient in the element of "Desecration";

    Academy of Library Management, training Keepers of Secrets and guardians, the main responsibility is to secure "Relics", and it is also the strongest specialism of Saint Byrons Integrated Academy, proficient in the element of "Whisper";

    Divinity Academy, teaching Theology, studying the history of the Old Gods, proficient in the element of "Miracle", cooperation with the True God Church is usually also managed by the Divinity Academy;

    Political Economy College, not open to Correspondence Circle Sorcerers, hence no information.

    The reason why the specialized colleges under Saint Byrons are referred to bymon academic names rather than simply "Containment Academy" or "Magic Academy" is to allow Correspondence Circle Sorcerers to reasonably speak of their studies to the average person, reducing the possibility of exposing the Academy.

    It was through these documents that Shard realized that the Circle Sorcerer system exined by the doctor was actually missing some important content.

    For example, once a Circle Sorcerer fully awakens, they generate Spirit Runes unique to their soul, also known as "Core Runes."

    The Core Runes are not etched upon the Ring of Fate but within the central hollow of Fate''s Ring, which rtes to the Sorcerer''s advancement. And the content of the Core Runes is also the basis for the Academy''s rmendation of joining a specialized college.

    For instance, Dr. Schneider, Shard guessed that his Core Rune would likely involve "Psyche", hence the doctor should be from the Mechanical Academy.

    "So, before bing a Circle Sorcerer, I can''t decide what I will learn. But to actually be able to traverse time?"

    He shook his head, feeling the culture and system of this Steam Age anew because of these recruitment documents.

    He scrutinized carefully, noting the significant information, and then repacked the read documents into the envelope, getting up to ce it on the office desk in his room.

    This reception room only hosted important guests, the office desk was scattered with many papers, the doctor probably hadn''t had the time to tidy them up, and he wasn''t worried about Shard snooping because most of it was about the clinic''s operations and a small part wasn''t even in themonnguage of the Northern Kingdom.

    Very unfortunately for Shard, for some reason, he understood those strange and peculiar writings, indeed possessing the special ability toprehend scripts.

 Chapter 18 The Forged Philosophers Stone

    The piece of paper that caught Shard''s attention seemed to be made of parchment. It was partially concealed by the book "Psychology and Abnormal Psychology," but only the signature was covered, not interfering with the main content:

    [Academy Bounty Notice

    An illegal organization "Blood of Mercury," carrying a Keeper of Secrets Level Relic "Forged Philosopher''s Stone," has been spotted in Tobesk City and the surrounding areas.

    An Academy Bounty is issued to all Circle Mages on correspondences in the area, to closely monitor the actions of "Blood of Mercury." If the "Forged Philosopher''s Stone" is submitted to the Academy, it will offset 5 practice academic credits for this school year, and the academic assessment grade for this term will automatically be upgraded to ''Excellent.'' For additional rewards, please consult with Professor Rogers of the Mechanical Academy.

    Note 1: This mission is extremely dangerous. It is not rmended for students of Three Rings (including) or lower to make any direct contact with the "Blood of Mercury" organization.

    Note 2: For detailed information regarding the Relic "Forged Philosopher''s Stone," please consult with the Academy.

    Note 3: The True God Church has been notified of this information. If you are interested inpleting this mission, please be cautious not to reveal your identity to the Church.]

    Below was the signature, obscured from view, seemingly a joint announcement released by the Public Affairs Administration of Saint Byrons Integrated Academy and the Mechanical Academy.

    "What if it''s exposed to the True God Church? I forgot to ask the doctor earlier."

    Shard thought, then he ced the document bag on the desk and sat back down on the sofa.

    So far, no one knew his secret of understanding various strangenguages, so the possibility of the doctor forging this was not high. On the contrary, the appearance of this Academy Bounty Notice was more likely to prove that what the doctor said was true.

    "However, academic credits, academic assessments... truly chilling terms. Who would have thought that even in the era of steam civilization, one could encounter such things."

    Shard mused to himself, recalling his life back home. It made him even more determined to delve into the mysteries and find a way to return.

    Only, he hadn''t expected to have to study and take exams, even in the Otherworld. And what''s more uncertain, he might even have to write papers.

    "There are always more solutions than difficulties."

    He thought to himself, patiently waiting for the doctor to return.

    Even though the doctor had treated him to lunch at the goose restaurant not long ago, Shard had barely eaten due to the horrific scene he witnessed in the morning, which had left a deep impression on him.

    Now, having made some ns for the future, and feeling a bit better, hunger started to set in. So he took the opportunity while the doctor was away to ask Mrs. Kara for some snacks, saying he wanted to have afternoon tea.

    It seemed the doctor had mentioned Shard was an honored guest, so when the maid wearing a floral apron knocked and entered, Shard saw that she was actually carrying a porcin te.

    "This is part of Mr. Schneider''s collection."

    The middle-aged maid smiled as she spoke. She looked to be in her forties, somewhat older than the blue-eyed doctor. Her figure was plump, fitting Shard''s image of a middle-aged woman from an ordinary family of this era.

    Although there was no great eastern nation in this world, porcin still existed and was still prized. Only special soil and techniques from specific regions could create such fine pieces.

    Shard thanked Mrs. Kara, not particrly interested in the porcin te. He looked at the exquisite yellow fluffy muffins on the te, and the shiny red cherry on top of each one, and he swallowed subconsciously.

    "Shard, don''t disgrace the people of the Otherworld!"

    The ounder, new to this ce, said to himself, and then, as expected, again heard the pleasantughter of the woman in his mind.

    They had agreed to meet at two, but the doctor was nowhere to be seen. If it weren''t for Shard stumbling upon the washroom and realizing there really was no one to stop him from wandering around, he might have suspected he had fallen into some sort of trap.

    Since it was someone else''s ce, Shard went back to the original room to wait after making sure he could leave at any time. He didn''t have the bad habit of rummaging through other people''s belongings, and he was also worried abouting across files he shouldn''t see, so he just sat on the sofa, bored, surveying the room''s interior decoration.

    Having been in this world for close to 40 hours, he had gained a greater understanding of the developmental level of the country he was in.

    The characteristics of the Steam Age were evident in all aspects of life, not just in the gasmps and steam pipes, but also in the intricate mechanical structures of sps on furniture, and the elevating tforms on the sides of bookshelves, controlled byrge gears, pulleys, and ropes¡ªall of which were new to Shard in his own world.

    He had never imagined he coulde to such a world, and while he felt lost, he also tried to exchange his knowledge for money. But he knew too little, and did not possess an exceptional eidetic memory. As such, he was still filled with anxiety about the life ahead.

    Dr. Schneider didn''t show up until half-past two. He had changed into a ck overcoat.

    He began apologizing as soon as he entered:

    "I am truly sorry, somethingpletely unexpected came up. I had ordered a batch of sensitive drugs on the ck market, no, please don''t look at me like that, they are not for the patients at the clinic, I don''t do that sort of thing. They were for my own arcane technique research, and there was aplication when receiving the order, such bad luck."

    As he spoke, he took his seat again, and the maid also walked in, bringing a fresh pot of ck tea for both gentlemen:

    "So, have you made up your mind?"

    The doctor asked earnestly, his blue eyes gazing into Shard''s. Shard had observed the color of his own eyes in this body in the mirror, they were still that ckish deep brown, the same as before.

    "I have made up my mind."

    Shard sat up straight and nodded, giving his answer with equal solemnity:

    "I want to try ande in contact with the poet-level relic, ''Dream of Saint Byrons Integrated Academy''."

    The doctor''s face lit up with a broad smile:

    "Although today''s luck hasn''t been great, I have found, Hamilton Detective, that anything involving you always seems to go smoothly."

    As one of the Three Great Magics Academies, Saint Byrons Integrated Academy had the ability to deliver relics over long distances. But since Shard wasn''t yet a formal Circle Sorcerer, Dr. Schneider naturally didn''t let him know how this was done.

    After waiting alone in the room for another ten minutes or so, the doctor returned carrying a ck paper box.

    It was indeed a ck paper box, with nothing but ck to be seen. Shard didn''t even immediately notice where the seams of the box were.

    "''Dream of Saint Byrons Integrated Academy'' is a product of thest era, from the Fifth Era to be precise. Back when the academy was just established, Miss Mana Feliana, the legendary founder and Thirteen-Ring Sorcerer, had a revtion during a summer nap and obtained this relic. This relic must be kept in a dark space, which is a rtively simple containment method for relics."

    "The academy was only establishedst era?"

    Shard was a bit puzzled; he had thought it was one of those ancient organizations handed down through several eras.

    "In fact, the Church of the Five Great Deities and the Three Great Magics Academies all came into existence during thest era. Remember thismon knowledge, the Fourth Era was a time of darkness and chaos, with wickedness and distortion rampant across the world.

    The Fifth Era belonged to the witches, where only females possessed spellcasting abilities, powerful Witch Empresses divided the world among themselves, and city-states fought each other. There was no progress in civilization and it was a wild and primitive era, but equally terrifying.

    In the Sixth Era, the transcendent beings faded, and humanity''s civilization was finally able to progress to the current age in the hands of ordinary people."

    The doctor didn''t borate on even older eras, and Shard didn''t ask, because the two were sitting on the sofa and Dr. Schneider had already opened the box.

    Peering inside, the box was lined with straw, on whichy a delicate enamel filigree snuff bottle, the size of a palm. The overall color of the bottle was a light blue, adorned with bright yellow sunflowers interconnected by golden lines, which irresistibly reminded one of joyful summer days.

 Chapter 19 The Female Writer and the Tuition Fee

    [You''vee into contact with ''Whisper''.]

    Just one nce at the exquisitely crafted snuff bottle was enough to deeply captivate Shard.

    Shard had seen more intricately crafted objects in his world, but at that moment, he felt an overwhelming desire to possess this one. Fortunately, the woman''s voice pulled his thoughts back on track, and Dr. Schneider simply smiled at Shard''spse:

    "Even a Poet-Level ''Relic'' can affect ordinary people, which is why the Church and the Academy try to contain and control ''Relics'' as much as possible. However, you have really recovered quickly... Once I open it, you will fall into a dream. The dream willst for 7 minutes and 23 seconds, during which you will understand the past and present of the Academy.

    This will help you believe what I have told you."

    "Such a precise time?"

    Shard asked, then leaned back slightly on the couch under the doctor''s guidance, assuming afortable position conducive to napping.

    "Almost every Circle Sorcerer who joins Saint Byrons via correspondence goes through this ''Relic'' to confirm the information they have received. It has been used countless times without fail,"

    the doctor said with a smile.

    This "never failed" phrasing, on the contrary, caused Shard some worry, but he did not voice his feelings and instead signaled the doctor to begin.

    "Alright, please prepare¡ª"

    The doctor stood up, covering his mouth and nose with a wet towel to prevent himself from falling asleep as well, and took a step back:

    "Begin."

    The lid of the pot was opened, and a rainbow-colored smoke billowed out, causing Shard to lose consciousness immediately.

    Shard had a dream, in which his spirit left his body and ascended into the distant sky above the bustling Steam City shrouded in grey fog, observing steam factories puffing out thick smoke in the distance...

    He then flew northward, over cities, over mountains, over grasnds, over forests, until he saw snow-capped peaks and, beyond the tallest mountain, the immense ice cap of the Far North.

    Perhaps it was only a moment, or perhaps it was several hours or even days, but the sky in the Far North grew dim. In that dark night, beneath the colorful aurora borealis, behind the luminous cial mountains, emerged a hugeplex of buildings.

    It was a strange dream like none he had ever had. When Shard woke up, he only remembered walking through the vast Academy, strolling through ancient castles, looking up at the starry sky from the top of spires. He weaved through amphitheaters with rows of seats, searched for herbal medicine recipes in the basement, and checked the list of contained ''Relics'' in the library...

    Mysterious, ancient, profound, secretive¡ªthat is Saint Byrons Integrated Academy, but also a meeting ce for Mystery Seekers. Standing from the remote past to the present, behind the ice ciers of the Far North.

    When he opened his eyes, his vision was still blurry, but Dr. Schneider''s figure across from him on the couch slowly came into focus. The doctor was frantically closing the lid of the snuff bottle and cing the Poet-Level ''Relic'' back into its box.

    "So, do you now know the Academy truly exists?"

    After putting away the snuff bottle, the doctor asked Shard with a smile. Shard let out a wistful sigh, finding himself missing the strange dreand.

    "Indeed, it is true. What the doctor said is indeed true."

    Even though it was just a dream, this special dream was enough for Shard to make the right decision.

    "The only side effect of this Poet-Level ''Relic'' is a very mild addiction,"

    Dr. Schneider''s voice was soft, carrying a strange power, as if trying topletely pull Shard back from the world of dreams:

    "Forget that dream, Shard Hamilton. But sooner orter, you will, as a Circle Sorcerer, join us on a steam lotive to the northern cities, walk through the auroras over the ice cap, huddle through the long nights of blizzards, and together we will assist in climbing the highest ciers, and then enter there, Saint Byrons Integrated Academy, the ce for Circle Sorcerers...

    my dream is to secure a lifelong teaching position at Saint Byrons after advancing to the Ten Rings level in the Academy. Shard, if you liked it there, then join us."

    The dream, both real and surreal, took some time for Shard toe to his senses. When the doctor once again formally inquired about his decision, this time, Shard nodded without any hesitation:

    "Yes, I hope to join the Academy and be a Correspondence Circle Mage."

    Dr. Schneider''s face revealed a heartfelt smile:

    "Then congrattions, Shard, please allow me to call you that. You are about to be the fifth Circle Mage of our team. Just wait a moment, Miss Dorothy Luisa just visited, and she will join me in presiding over your enrollment ceremony. I can introduce you two and let her know that I''m not always so unlucky.

    The enrollment ceremony requires at least two team members to be present to prevent new Circle Mages from being deceived."

    Even though the doctor had been quite enthusiastic since his visit to No. 6, Saint Dn Square this morning, his enthusiasm seemed to grow even stronger:

    "Oh, Luisa is a fourth-year Correspondence Four-Ring Sorcerer, whose main profession is a novelist. I know you''ve just ''awoken'' from Blind Foolishness, so you probably haven''t read her work, but she is somewhat famous.

    ''Dream of the Snail'' and ''Midsummer Night''s Wish,'' two short stories of hers, won the Kingdom''s literature award three years ago, and she even received an audience with His Majesty the King along with the other 35 awardees."

    "Actually, there was no need for you to mention the total number of awardees back then."

    The door was pushed open, and the blondedy he had seen earlier stood outside. She was dressed the same as before but seemed somewhat annoyed:

    "Doctor, is it necessary to divulge all the unimportant details every time you introduce a friend to someone else?"

    It seemed that the atmosphere among the doctor''s group of four Correspondence Circle Mages was quite good; they were all friends, at least, and Shard was happy about this. But he also guessed that this blonde novelistdy might have been listening in on the conversation outside the door.

    "It''s really not possible for everyone to bepletely off guard."

    He thought to himself, preparing to stand up and greet her.

    The doctor sidestepped the blondedy''s question with augh and gestured for Miss Luisa to take a seat:

    "Hamilton Detective has already epted my invitation, and now our group finally has five Circle Mages."

    "Doctor, are you sure you didn''t use some strange Relic to overdraw your luck?"

    She voiced her suspicion but still came in and extended her hand to Shard:

    "Dorothy Luisa, novelist and part-time journalist."

    Miss Luisa seemed very adept at what she was doing, so Shard also stood up and shook her hand lightly:

    "Shard Hamilton, I guess you could call me a detective."

    "That''s a rather fine profession, isn''t it?"

    As they sat down again, the doctor cleared his throat, hinting that he had some business to discuss:

    "Shard, please allow me to call you that. There''s onest thing before your formal enrollment, I need to talk to you about the tuition fees."

    A jolt went through Shard''s heart, and the blissful feelings were once again dispelled by the sad reality; he blinked:

    "Yes... tuition fees."

    He realized that when the doctor introduced the Church and the Academy, he hadn''t mentioned the significant downside of the Academy; for surely, the True God Church wouldn''t charge money to ept members.

    "The school''s fees are based on the academic level. Just a second..."

    Dr. Schneider took a document from behind a bookshelf at his desk, and the blondedy didn''t speak, instead looking on with interest at the two of them.

    "This is the fee schedule. Since we are correspondence students and don''tmunicate directly with the Academy, these documents were made by the Academy to prevent group leaders from overcharging... apparently, such incidents were quitemon centuries ago."

 Chapter 20 Genesis Silver Moon

    The document Dr. Schneider handed to Shard was a formal exnation of the fee standards for higher education institutions. It was a printed version that even had the Sun Pattern added to the top right corner and threebined gears drawn in the bottom left corner as page decoration. Even ordinary people wouldn''t find this strange.

    Inparison to the knowledge provided, the tuition fee for a first-year Correspondence Circle Mage was surprisingly cheap, at only 50 Gold Pounds. Shard knew that in this world, even the boys from middle-ss families at a medium boarding school would have tuition fees that amounted to about 100 to 150 Gold Pounds per year.

    He still looked troubled, for he couldn''t even produce 5 Gold Pounds in cash, let alone 50.

    But there were many of the detective''s Relics left in the house; selling them all would surely fetch 50 Gold Pounds, and besides, there were severalmissions that were about to bepleted, so Shard did have some options.

    "Do I need to provide cash right away?"

    That was indeed the most troubling issue.

    "The Academy requires cash in Gold Pounds, but they also ept other currencies, although the exchange rate would need to be verified. Of course, if you can''t provide the cash for the time being, the Academy does have loan programs, but the interest might be disadvantageous for you."

    As Dr. Schneider exined, Miss Luisa, with her hands ced on her knees, also kindly said:

    "However, in my opinion, the group can lend it to you, we have the funds. After all, besides rich people like the doctor, no one cane up with such an amount of cash all at once."

    The doctor with blue eyes touched his nose, looking slightly embarrassed.

    "I was in the same situation once, it''s quite normal, but you should consider whether you are able to take on this loan."

    Thedy with golden hair reminded him kindly.

    "This tuition loan doesn''t carry any interest, but starting from the date of the loan, you need to pay back 10 Gold Pounds the first month, and then 20 Gold Pounds each for the next two months."

    Dr. Schneider added:

    "There''s no need for coteral, I will vouch for you within the group. After all, I know your personal information; you can''t leave."

    Dr. Schneider knew Shard had just recovered from his "Blind Foolishness" and was very aware of his situation.

    Relieved, Shard took a deep breath; it seemed his luck was indeed very good. Of course, he didn''t forget to express his gratitude; he really had met some nice people:

    "I will repay the loan as quickly as I can, Mr. Schneider, Miss Luisa. Please allow me to thank you once again."

    While saying this, he suddenly remembered something. Because of the interest-free loan, he decided to trust Dr. Schneider and thedy writer in his group even more, so he took out the notebook he carried with him.

    Carefully, he peeled back the leather cover of the notebook and pulled out a card from the slot.

    On the front of the card was the image of a woman sitting with a Silvermoon in her support, which was the former detective''s most valuable Relic, the Roder Card with the "Sun 3" suit. Shard saw that his home''s lock could easily be chopped open with an axe, so he carried it with him:

    "Is this worth anything?"

    "Special Series Roder Card?"

    Miss Luisa immediately recognized the card before Shard handed it over, but she shook her head and suggested that he pass it to the doctor:

    "I don''t y cards often and don''t know the value of such things. How about letting the doctor take a look?"

    "Indeed, it is a Roder Card, not only with a special pattern but even a special effect¡ªis this genuine?"

    The doctor, curious, took the card and inspected it under the warm yellow glow of the gasmp on the wall. He didn''t want to reveal Shard''s identity and background to Miss Luisa, so he shared somemon knowledge with Shard:

    "Although I am not a collector, I know some Grand Nobles and enthusiasts who are madly after these Special Roder Cards. The special pattern alone is already very precious, and if there is a special rule... that kind of fanatic collecting is even stronger than men''s Desire for beautifuldies, which I cannot understand.

    I heard thatst year, in the Ford Auction House not far from your Saint Dn Square, there was an event... Hm? This is the Genesis Series Silvermoon?"

    The doctor suddenly asked in surprise.

    "What?"

    Shard didn''t understand, but the blondedy was very interested and stood up to look at the card.

    The doctor ced the card on the tea table in the middle of the three of them and introduced it to the two who were unfamiliar with Roder Cards:

    "Look, there''s a vertical line at the center of the top of this card. This indicates that it''s from the Genesis Series of Roder Cards, which was initially issued. It''s said that only 13 Genesis Series cards were issued 300 years ago, each with a different design and invariably equipped with special rules. ''Genesis: Silver Moon'' is one of them, hence its name.

    Moreover, each card from the Genesis Series has a significant effect in the Roder Card game system..."

    "I don''t y cards, but I think the rules you mentioned are indeed extraordinary."

    Dorothy Louisa, who had read the effects before anyone else, said, and the doctor also bowed his head to examine the effects on the card. He wasn''t a gambler or a fanatical Roder Card enthusiast but knew that under the rules of games simr to ''ckjack,'' a card that could adjust numbers from "1" to "5" would be incredibly fearsome.

    "Is this a genuine card? It must be worth a lot, right?"

    The blonde girl asked, and Shard was also somewhat hopeful, but the doctor resolutely shook his head:

    "Impossible, it absolutely can''t be genuine. Each of the Genesis Series cards is worth as much as a street of houses around Saint Dn Square, or even more, much more. It can''t be genuine. The Genesis Series was issued 300 years ago; they''re either damaged by now or tucked away in a Grand Noble''s tomb or family collection room, not something that would appear so casually."

    Knowing Shard''s background, he made such a judgment.

    "Is it still valuable if it''s not genuine?"

    Shard agreed with Dr. Schneider but still asked. He, too, didn''t believe it was genuine, after all, it was a 300-year-old antique.

    "Not worth a penny. People only support the original cards. Especially those special series Roder Cards, using counterfeit Roder Cards will be boycotted by all enthusiasts, so counterfeits aren''t valuable... But this copy really isn''t bad."

    The doctor handed the card to Shard with some regret:

    "I''ll lend you the money first... However, this ''Genesis: Silver Moon,'' you might want to get it appraised, trying your luck isn''t a bad idea."

    "Where can I get it appraised?"

    Shard became interested too.

    "I know this, the ''Prophet''s Society,'' they specialize in this."

    Miss Luisa the writer said, and the doctor nodded, giving a more detailed introduction because he knew Shard wouldn''t know:

    "The distribution of Roder Cards has always been managed by the organizations of the ''Prophet''s Society,'' and they also offer appraisal services for special cards. Appraising a card costs 5 pence, which is quite cheap. If it''s a genuine item, the Prophet''s Society will issue an appraisal certificate.

    When people want to participate in official Roder Card tournaments and mix special cards into their decks, they must present the appraisal certificate."

    Roder Cards were even more popr in this world than Shard had thought, but it wasn''t too surprising, considering they were just a card game. In the rtively liberated production conditions of the Steam Age, some special forms of entertainment were quite normal.

    The doctor continued:

    "The ''Prophet''s Society'' is actually an organization of Circle Sorcerers, but not very formal. They coborate with both the Academy and the Church, are recognized by us, and even have some connections with our group.

    Their initial business was divination and around the middle of the Sixth Era, in the 15th century, they introduced the special series Roder Cards to facilitate the promotion of divination services, after which Roder Cards became their main business."

    The doctor pursed his lips, not quite able to convey his feelings:

    "The society made a fortune by organizing various Roder Card tournaments, printing cards was like printing Gold Pounds... cough cough, I''m not envious of this trade. Of course, the ''Prophet''s Society'' still offers divination services, but it''s also involved in book publishing and newspaper distribution, and the local ''Threepenny Gazette'' is run by them."

    What a sinct name for a newspaper.

    "In a big city like Tobesk City, the ''Prophet''s Society'' has many branches and organizations. There''s one near Saint Dn Square that''s more official. Gosh, living in the city center would be wonderful. Even if there''s an extremely small chance your card is the legendary Genesis Series Silvermoon Card, you don''t have to worry about the news leaking, it''s a very formal organization."

    The doctor joked.

    "If this card is genuine, make sure you tell us, it might make for a great novel theme."

    Miss Luisa also made a joke; her attitude towards the stranger Shard was quite good, indicating she weed the group reaching its five-member quota.

 Chapter 21 The Entrance Exam with the Characteristics of the Era

    Shard nodded and noted down the doctor''s words on the Roder Card appraisal.

    But in fact, he hadn''t held much hope that the card in his hand was genuine, even though the demeanor of the previous detective on his deathbed had shown him to be a fervent Roder Card enthusiast. But after all, he was just an ordinary person, with an ie that barely qualified as middle ss, so it was unlikely that he possessed such a precious item.

    As for the museum introduced by the detective before his death, Shard guessed it was probably a ck market of sorts for counterfeit Roder Cards. Thus, he thought about visiting the Prophet''s Society for an appraisal when he had the time, to set his mind at rest before heading to the museum.

    Once he had ensured a loan from the group to resolve the issue of tuition fees, he officially began the admission process.

    Shard had thought someone from the Academy woulde to him, but all proceedings were handled by the doctor:

    "Remember, we are Correspondence Circle Mages. The Academy provides us with knowledge, and we need to meet mandatory credits through study and exams, as well as earn practical credits through Academy tasks. This is the nature of our rtionship with the Academy, somewhat like a special employment system.

    There''s no need to pay too much attention to the Academy, at least not until you climb the ciers of the Far North with us and enter the Academy."

    Dr. Schneider gestured dismissively while Miss Writer believed that Shard would deeply understand this point after a few weeks.

    The two official Circle Sorcerers then had to inform the Academy that a new Correspondence Circle Mage was enrolling, and the way to contact Saint Byrons Integrated Academy was through a Poet-Level Relic, the measuring item "Poet Cohen''s Manuscript".

    Poet Cohen had also been a student of Saint Byrons Integrated Academy, but that was a story from thest Era. Although the Fifth Era had only female Spellcasters, the Academy still epted a small number of male students for certain research that didn''t require Supernatural Powers.

    His Relic Manuscript had more than a hundred pages, and each page could be used to transmit information and small items to the cover of the manuscript.

    This was the main method Saint Byrons Integrated Academy used tomunicate with Correspondence Circle Mages, as well as for textbook distribution and assignment submission. Within the Schneider Group, the highest ranking doctor was responsible for keeping the manuscript pages.

    It was arge Parchment Roll, about the size of an open book. It was currently nk and looked quite old, to the extent that one could see the frayed edges moving on the paper.

    "First is your basic information, as well as the tuition fees."

    The doctor had Shard use a blue Fountain Pen to write down basic information such as address, age, upation, and past experiences on a piece of stationery, then ced an envelope filled with banknotes on the manuscript page.

    As the Glimmer flickered, both the envelope filled with Gold Pounds and the paper with information vanished.

    After a few dozen seconds, a receipt emerged from the manuscript page. In both Draleon and Carsonricknguagesmonly used in the Old Continent, the receipt listed the amount received and even bore the Academy''s official seal.

    "Quite professional."

    The receipt was temporarily kept with the doctor and would be returned to Shard once he repaid the money.

    "Next is the trustworthiness test. The Academy needs to test whether the Correspondence Circle Mages enrolling are Cultists or individuals concealing ulterior motives. The Academy has its secrets as well, which can''t be easily disclosed to outsiders."

    Dr. Schneider said this quite casually.

    "How is this test conducted?"

    Shard was a bit anxious, not worried about the original owner''s dull-minded past, but his own identity as a transmigrator.

    Upon hearing Shard''s question, Dr. Schneider had yet to speak when Miss Dorothy Louisa preempted with a smile on her face:

    "Ah, the nostalgia. This has already be the standard procedure¡ªplease write an essay of no less than eight hundred words on your thoughts on good and evil, order and chaos."

    "Huh?"

    Shard thought he had heard wrong.

    "This step is also to verify literacy. The Academy does not ept illiterate students. Shard, I know you are not very literate, so you can keep it simple," the doctor kindly said.

    "But why an essay? I thought it would be a kind of lie detector test."

    Just writing an essay relieved Shard, who was fearful of lie detector tests. If asked about his "past", he was worried he would run into big trouble.

    "Lie detectors can be cheated, after all, but an essay reflects a person''s continuous thoughts, attitudes, and even aspects of nature one may not be aware of. This is more reliable and has a unique signature of this Era.

    Oh, detective, this is no longer the chaotic Era of barbarism and steam. The entrance tests of the civilized Age of Enlightenment are, of course, more cultured," Miss Writer said with a casual lean on the couch, taking pleasure in the sight of others being forced to write essays.

    So Shard was coerced into the "entrance writing test" of eight hundred words. He could understand and read well enough, but speaking and writing relied on the knowledge provided by the inner voice, so it was still quite strenuous. However, this also confirmed Dr. Schneider''s investigations about the original Shard.

    Good, evil, order, and chaos were rtivelyrge topics. Eight hundred words might seem like a lot, but if taken seriously, it might not even be enough for the introduction.

    Shard, adhering to the principle of less is more, divided the entrance test into four parts: the first part for pleasantries, the second on good and evil, the third on order and chaos, and the fourth for conclusion.

    This made the thought process much smoother, and Shard was particrly adept at writing this way.

    While Shard was busy with his entrance test essay, Dr. Schneider was not idle either.

    The standard admission process of Saint Byrons also included having the Mage in the group lead the Gifted One to solve a mystical event once, in order to judge whether the Gifted One''s character was suitable to be a Circle Sorcerer.

    The earlier retrieval of the Life Countdown Pocket Watch would suffice, but it also required a report detailing the Gifted One''s performance.

    So while Shard wrote his essay, Dr. Schneider had to draft a report, which might be slightly more troublesome. Miss Luisa, however, was quite happy as she was the only one who didn''t have to write anything.

    While the two gentlemen were engrossed in writing, she sat there holding her cup of tea, watching them with an indescribable sense of contentment.

    The essay and the report were sent away by the manuscript together, and only after a good half hour did a notice of admission bearing Shard''s full name arrive. His admission evaluation was "excellent". During this time, the three of them had been talking, acquainting Shard with some basic knowledge.

    "In reality, the admission evaluation only consists of ''excellent'' and ''unsatisfactory'', unlike the annual assessment and year-end summary which are graded as ''excellent'', ''above expectations'', ''pass'', ''fail'', and ''abysmally bad''," the doctor whispered.

    "It''s a small trick of the Academy, to win over your goodwill," added the blonde writer.

    Shard found this amusing but it also made him realize that the Academy was indeed very formal, not some minor organization.

    "Well then, the next step is for me to help you formally assume the role of Circle Sorcerer and open the Supernatural Gate. Only after you receive your Core Rune will you be certain of the specialized Academy you''ll join. As for textbooks and study materials, they''ll be delivered to you in three days, as the Academy also needs to prepare these things."

 Chapter 22 Elements, Ringing Bell, Ignition, Propulsion, Hymn

    "Now to the ritual?"

    Hearing the doctor''s words, Shard suddenly became nervous; he hadn''t expected it to be so direct:

    "Here... in this ce?"

    "Of course, is there a problem with the doctor''s clinic? Besides, isn''t the 72-hour mark approaching?"

    Ms. Luisa, the blonde writer, was puzzled, but Dr. Schneider understood what Shard meant:

    "It is indeed here, oh Shard, let me emphasize again.

    Remember, we are correspondence Circle Sorcerers. Saint Byrons Integrated Academy has no special emotional ties with us, only responsibilities and obligations, do you understand? As for assisting you, it''s because I need a fifth Circle Sorcerer in the group, and the academy rewards the introduction of new Circle Sorcerers. It''s not because I''m a kind person."

    Dr. Schneider looked earnestly at Shard, his blue eyes conveying a warning:

    "Youckmon knowledge about this world, so I offer you the most crucial warning: Do not easily trust others."

    "He''s actually a good person, but he''s always so stern."

    Thedy beside him shook her head and said.

    Shard nodded cautiously, but he agreed with Miss Writer''s viewpoint; Dr. Schneider was a good person... at least for now.

    "Luisa, for the next part of the procedure, you only need to observe and prevent any unexpected deviations from the n. Please do not speak."

    "No problem, we''ve already been through this procedure twice before, haven''t we? When Ate and Augustus were inducted?"

    Miss Writer said, signaling Shard to pay attention.

    "A Gifted One''s awakening of the Ring of Fate first requires contact with the Four Elements, which is difficult for an ordinary person with no prior knowledge.

    Now is the Sixth Era, not the chaotic and dark Fourth Era, nor the Fifth Era ruled by the Witch Empresses. In this era where the supernatural is not prominent, steam and machinery are the themes. There isn''t much mystery here. Even if people are aware of the existence of mysteries, it''s hard toe into contact with them. Moreover, ordinary people cannot imagine the dangers of contacting mysteries."

    Dr. Schneider held up four fingers:

    "So Shard, of the four elements, how many have you encountered so far?"

    "I''m only missing ''Desecration'' rted to the Evil God."

    Shard responded truthfully, and Dr. Schneider did not inquire further:

    "Look at my Ring of Fate."

    Three silver runes shimmered simultaneously, and Shard interpreted their meanings as "Wrath," "Mud in the Heart," and "Malice."

    "You have touched ''Desecration''."

    Following this statement, a whisper recited another phrase:

    "Sixth Era, Common Era Calendar 1853, summer, the day of Silvermoon''s dark radiance, you have touched all four elements. Ounder, the Supernatural Gate will soon open, and the Path of Sublimation lies ahead."

    "Did ''your other you'' give you any hints?"

    Dr. Schneider let his Ring of Fate disappear into the steam, then asked.

    "Yes, it gave me a hint, telling me that I have touched all the elements and the Supernatural Gate is about to open."

    Dr. Schneider nodded in satisfaction:

    "The other me is the core of the Circle Sorcerer System. It is the backside of your soul, it is you, yet not you. It shares your knowledge, it shares your memory, but it can feel and see more, thus it can serve as a bridge between Circle Sorcerers and the world, preventing us from directly contacting knowledge and information that can taint the soul. I''ll repeat this hope you will remember."

    "So, the other me cannot know what I do not?"

    Shard asked, a thought striking him.

    Dr. Schneider nodded affirmatively, and Shard blinked; he had long suspected that his "other me" was not normal.

    "So it''s actually you, but you don''t know it. It shares your gender, so in my mind, it''s a man''s voice, while in Luisa''s mind, it''s a woman''s voice..."

    Thedy beside him nodded in confirmation.

    "It shares your memories, but it does not need sleep, so it may know more about the night than you do. But fundamentally, you and your other you are just different in thought processes and perspectives, so sometimes you might hear strange things; it can see more from the ordinary world."

    Dr. Schneider added, and Shard blinked again.

    Inside him, the lightughter of a woman seemed to nourish his heart, driving away thest traces of influence from the Poet-Level Relic.

    "Who exactly are you?"

    He asked inwardly.

    "Ounder, for now, I am you."

    "Element gathering" was just the first step; the subsequent ones are "Ringing Bell," "Ignition," "Pushing," and "Praise Song." Theplete five steps are the most orthodox procedure for the awakening of Circle Sorcerers, used by both the Church of the Five Great Deities and the Three Major Academies.

    "Ringing Bell" involves shocking the soul to initiate its initial sublimation. Although this soundsplicated, it really just involves drinking a Magic Potion."

    The Three Great Magics Academies and the Church of the Five Great Deities have different forms for the "Ringing Bell Potion," Dr. Schneider said. The potion from Xerxes Higher Medical Academy is said to taste the best, orange-vored and very sweet; however, the potion from the Church of Nature and Malice of the Deity "Lord of All Things" is the hardest to drink, somewhat like chewing dry bark.

    The Academy sent directly the "Bell''s Potion" through a manuscript, a conical ss bottle filled with bubbling purple potion. It felt somewhat cold to the touch, but it was warm when drunk.

    However, Shard felt that he couldn''t taste anything.

    "Look behind you,"

    the doctor reminded.

    After swallowing thest gulp, Shard wiped his mouth, put down the bottle, turned around, and ayer of white mist had formed behind him. He could faintly hear the sound of a bell, though it was not clear.

    He indeed felt what was called the vibration of the soul, but that might also have been an illusion in his stomach from drinking too quickly.

    "Ignition" meant lighting the collected Four Elements to spark the initial Soul Fire. This step only required the assistance of a Circle Sorcerer above three rings and some skill. The doctor ced his right index finger on Shard''s forehead. As a cold air flow slowly entered Shard''s body, the bell sound in his ears became clearer.

    He turned his head, the dense white mist behind him now held a scorching temperature, and the steam deepened, seemingly containing endless possibilities.

    "Propelling" meant allowing the soul to drive the ignited feeble spark, enabling the Circle Sorcerer to sense the Spirit and manipte the Four Elements. Specifically, this required Shard to feel the power, to sense the idealistic force of the mind influencing matter.

    So, Dr. Schneider brought a book with no cover:

    "For Circle Sorcerers, there are many ways to interact with the Four Elements. However, the method of engraving a Spirit Rune into one''s Ring of Fate is not encouraged to contact Deity, Mystery, or Strangeness; although it could work, it''s quite dangerous. The orthodox cultivation method is through reading books, absorbing stories from the past; other methods are considered to rely on luck."

    "Reading books?"

    This reminded Shard again that the supernatural organization he had joined was a school.

    "Yes, the Church, Academies, and few Circle Sorcerer Organizations, possess some special books, containing considerably dangerous knowledge and stories from past eras. These books are copied by hand from dangerous ancientnguages into contemporarynguages, which dilutes their power.

    Hence, reading those original or only once copied or tranted forbidden books is the best way for a Circle Sorcerer to inscribe Spirit Runes. And for you, this will be enough to let you sense your own power."

    He handed the book to Shard:

    "This is a manuscript of the first volume of the ''Book of Fire Worship,'' copied from the original at least six times, it''s the least dangerous book I have, and it''s not possible to obtain a Spirit Rune by reading this book. Take half an hour to read through itpletely, you can ask me about any words you don''t understand."

    Thus, Shard spent another half hour reading, equating his future path in the supernatural to reading and learning in his mind. He needed to disguise his current identity, so he could only sporadically select a few words to inquire about.

    During this time, the doctor and Miss Writer maintained enough silence, knowing this was an important moment for Shard.

    "Finished reading? How do you feel?"

    the doctor asked.

    "Somewhat hot,"

    Shard cautiously replied, putting down the book.

    "Ignite it,"

    the doctor then handed Shard a piece of paper. Shard held it, waiting a few seconds as the doctor did not say anything else, then asked,

    "Uh, did we skip a step or something... like Spell Words or gestures?"

    "Don''t understand, feel, guide this power. Unless your Core Spirit Rune is a concept like ''Extinguished Fire,'' this shouldn''t be a problem."

    So, Shard closed his eyes. He came from another world where the supernatural didn''t exist, but there was more knowledge and fantasy. He closed his eyes, rxed, imagined a warm flow moving with his senses inside his body, reaching his fingertips then bursting out sparks.

    Opening his eyes, the paper between his fingers had turned yellow due to the high temperature.

    From behind in the steam came a tremendous roaring sound, the ck shadow representing the hammer about to strike Shard''s soul.

    "Thest step is the anthem, you must acknowledge your identity, dere to the world that you have transcended the mundane."

    The doctor''s tone became serious at this moment.

    "How should I do that?"

    Shard was puzzled, his heart was pounding; he realized he was truly about to touch the supernatural, to enter the mysterious realm of the Steam Age.

    "Say anything you like, I just recited my name back then, Luisa read a famous short poem, Mr. Lat August prayed to God, Miss Luviya Ate murmured, so we don''t know."

    For Shard at this moment, the doctor''s words seemed toe from a distant ce. He looked at the white dense steam behind him, watching the hammer about to strike from behind the fog.

    A woman''s voice reciting Whispering Verses sounded again.

    Thus, almost synchronizing with the murmuring woman''s voice inside him, Shard silently dered:

    "The Sixth Era, year 1853 of the Common Era Calendar, summer, on the day of the dark shine of Silvermoon, I came to this world, I opened the Supernatural Gate, stepped onto the Path of Sublimation of the Four Elements. Shard Suren Hamilton, the path of fate branches out under my feet, I shall witness, I shall experience, I shall see all of this."

    The giant hammer, carrying tremendous wind pressure, swung out from the depths of the steam, striking the area behind Shard in a whirlwind.

    Boom~

    The soul was shocked, sparks sttered, Spiritual Light shed, elements overflowed. Amid that chaotic spray of white steam mist, with a strange luster, resembling the sun, a brass-colored Ring of Fate gradually appeared clearer.

    It spun, scattering sparks all around, the brass ring heated uppletely in the steam mist, and the Ring of Fate hovered behind him.

    In the center of the rapidly spinning ring, two brass-colored, gleaming Core Runes, symbolized Shard''s forting destiny¡ª

    "Space-Time" "Silvermoon".

 Chapter 23 Time Traveler

    Consciousness, in the instant the Ring of Fate was formed, seemed to once again soar into the sky as if in a dream, beholding the entire world and touching upon the world''s veins. Compared to an individual soul, the vast world was unfathomably deep, terrifyingly formidable, and overwhelmingly immense...

    Yet before anything more could be discerned, it immediately returned to the body, making Shard seated on the sofa realize what he was doing.

    Without looking back again, the meanings of the two Spirit Runes became known instinctively. These runes represented the traits of the soul and the world''s recognition of existence, which would not lie.

    "The Core Rune located at the very center of the Ring of Fate could only be a brass Enlightenment Rune, at least for ordinary humans, because the greatest strength of humans lies in civilization, nothing particrly special about themselves.

    But for believers favored by the gods, depending on the gods'' camp, it''s possible to receive a gold Miracle or a silver Desecration Core Spirit Rune when inaugurated, and such people are usually called the gods'' Electorate or the Saint Heir; whereas Circle Sorcerers who be so through certain special and imperfect inauguration processes, with the aid of the power of Relics, may obtain the ck Iron Whisper Spirit Rune, but this poses a great hidden danger to the soul."

    The doctor was exining, his low voice gradually pulling Shard back to reality.

    Since Shard''s inauguration waspleted, Miss Luisa regained the qualification to speak, and she added:

    "Of course, there are other exceptions, such as powers inherited from ancestors and the like, but these have nothing to do with us ordinary folk."

    Shard nodded, and upon seeing him look at the two, Dr. Schneider gestured for Shard to take a sip of tea:

    "Yourplexion is very poor, which is normal. The forging of the Ring of Fate is the transformation of the soul, and feeling pain is very normal. It takes a few days of rest to alleviate this. I felt nothing at the time, but I was in so much pain that night that I couldn''t sleep; it was as if someone was knocking on the gas pipes in my head."

    Although Shard didn''t feel his condition was bad, he still picked up the teacup as the doctor advised, letting the warm steam mist his face:

    "So, Mr. Schneider, Miss Luisa, the number of Core Runes..."

    Because of the voice in his head, the Ounder didn''t dare to confidently assert that he was normal, and therefore couldn''t be certain of the normal number of Core Spirit Runes.

    At this moment, Shard was trying hard to suppress the joy of sessfully making contact with the mysterious, yet maintaining the most basic sense of reason and vignce. He had already gained trust and could not show any abnormality in himself.

    The doctor showed a "you were bound to ask this" expression:

    "Generally, there are no more than three Core Spirit Runes, but ording to the Academy''s data, over eighty percent have two. After all, a soul cannot possess only one outstanding characteristic, but there are also umon cases.

    The highest record is approximately from the beginning of the Sixth Era in the year 306 of the Common Era Calendar, when Zaras Literary Academy once had a Circle Sorcerer with 7 Core Spirit Runes."

    No longer needing to pretend, Shard genuinely showed a look of surprise:

    "What level of Circle Sorcerer did he eventually be?"

    The blonde Miss Writer shrugged:

    "Don''t know, this person was just a minor character in history, not even his proper name was urately recorded. Oh, I get what you mean, but the number of Core Runes doesn''t corrte much with the height of achievement. The doctor here is an example of themon situation..."

    The doctor then revealed hisplete Ring of Fate, at the center of which were two brass Spirit Runes, Light of the Mind and Dream.

    "Let me trante, these are Dream and Light of the Mind. Generally speaking, the simpler the concept, the easier it is to interpret multiple meanings, to develop and create all kinds of Arcane Techniques, and the stronger it is. So personally, I find Dream to be somewhat more powerful."

    Because Spirit Runes do not use contemporarynguage, Dr. Schneider had tranted it; he was unaware that Shard had deciphered it at a nce.

    "I have three, but they''re not that special."

    As she spoke, white steam mist emerged behind Miss Luisa. Apanied by the booming hammering, a spinning brass-colored circle with a square cross-section appeared, on which were three Core Spirit Runes: [Writer] [Role ying] [Another Princess].

    She exined the meaning of the three Core Runes, and thought that "Writer" was her most useful Core Rune, which matched her profession as a writer well. Miss Luisa was proficient in the brass-colored [Enlightenment] element, adept at finding strength in stories and legends.

    "Thenguage used in Spirit Runes is that of bygone times. If one cannot find a way to trante them, one must ask the owner of the runes, who instinctively understands their meaning. So, Shard, what about your Spirit Runes?"

    Both the doctor and the writer had actively demonstrated their powers, partly to put Shard at ease so he would not feel the need to conceal his own. After all, Core Spirit Runes are rted to which academy and major one is assigned to after admission.

    "Space-Time, Silvermoon."

    Shard thought for a moment and decided there was no need for concealment. After he uttered the two words, indeed, he saw astonishment and curiosity on the faces of Dr. Schneider and Miss Luisa. He couldn''t say he felt smug, but at the very least, he had a pleasant surge of emotion because of it.

    "Both are rather broad concepts, which is good... The academy has many records on [Silvermoon] Arcane Techniques, and [Silvermoon] is easily developed into various new Arcane Techniques. This Spirit Rune is quite rare but not obscure. [Space-Time]... Are you certain it is [Space-Time], and not [Time] or [Space]?"

    Dr. Schneider leaned forward to confirm.

    "Positive."

    Shard nodded, and although he hadn''t experienced the ordeal of blowing up the test Crystal Ball due to an excessive talent, clearly his talent was not an ordinary one. Shard restrained his emotions, disying just the right amount of curiosity, and not deeper contemtion. These two Core Spirit Runes seemed to be a curious coincidence.

    Especially [Silvermoon].

    "Don''t you dareugh,"

    he told himself inwardly.

    "[Space-Time] has never appeared before?"

    He inquired aloud, as Dr. Schneider and Miss Writer exchanged nces before thetter exined:

    "Of course, it has appeared, but it is exceedingly rare, exceptionally so. The documented cases of individuals possessing this Core Rune, added together, would not exceed five. And Circle Sorcerers who obtained [Space-Time] Spirit Runes aftering into contact with the mystical and historical knowledge, and upon assuming their roles, historically are likely fewer than a hundred."

    Dr. Schneider looked at Shard somewhat hesitantly:

    "If it were only [Silvermoon], we would suggest you join the School of Mathematics, where you could be an expert in Arcane Techniques and a master of Spell Words. But since it is [Space-Time], you will surely choose the History Academy, be part of the Investigator team, joining the quest to explore the secrets of the past.

    Even if I do not rmend it, the professors of the History Academy would definitely not allow you to join another academy. No one else could be more suitable for this profession than someone with [Space-Time]. As you tread into the time gone by, you will face more dangers, but you will also learn more secrets... secrets about the fallen Old Gods."

 Chapter 24 Sublimation Incantation (Vote Request)

    "Investigator" or "Explorer of Space-Time" is not a special profession unique to Saint Byrons Integrated Academy.

    Circle Sorcerers who have Core Spirit Runes rted to the concept of [Time], or those who have obtained Spirit Runes rted to [Time], can use the Relic known as [Time Key], which fluctuates in level from Poet-Level (Level 5) to Angel-Level (Level 1), to travel through time and explore the past before the Sixth Era.

    The [Time Key] is a disposable Relic, and different keys open different eras. All Time Keys are connected to the fallen Old God, [Father of the Infinite Tree].

    This particrly powerful Old God belonged to the camp of Benevolent Gods. Contacting rted knowledge and traces, there is a chance to obtain the golden [Miracle] Spirit Rune. ording to legends and some ancient stele records, [Father of the Infinite Tree] fell during the Chaos Age of the Fourth Era.

    However, He merged His body with the continuous space-time using His "infinite" concept, creating a bridge to the past and future.

    The [Time Key] is a Relic left by this fallen Old God. Because the Old God exists within the continuum of space-time, the time jumps that His Relic enables are not limited to the time points before His fall in the Fourth Era.

    However, for some unknown reason, to date, there has never been a [Time Key] found that can return to any past point in the Sixth Era. This remains an important research topic for Circle Sorcerers studying time.

    In any case, the doctor asked Shard to draw those two Spirit Runes and, while conveying Shard''s Core Spirit Rune information to the Academy, he briefly introduced him to thismon knowledge.

    Spirit Runes belong to thenguage of the past and are essentially unique with no duplicates. Unless one has encountered Spirit Runes with the same meaning before, it is impossible to fabricate them, so they can serve as proof that one hasn''t lied.

    But before Shard could ask questions like "How about time stability?" "Won''t time paradoxes ur?", the Academy''s response had alreadye back:

    "If Shard Suren Hamilton is willing to join the History Academy, History Academy is willing to list him as a key figure for cultivation and will provide him with a Keeper of Secrets Level Relic for self-defense after he joins the Academy."

    "What does that mean?"

    Shard looked at the doctor.

    "They value your talent but still won''t change your status as a Correspondence Circle Mage. Being a key figure for cultivation means that you don''t have toplete additional mandatory practical credit tasks, and you can also get discounts when you buy books at Saint Byrons. As for the Keeper of Secrets Level (Level 3) Relic... it''s literal."

    Dr. Schneider shrugged:

    "They are always like this, generous to those with talent but absolutely will not break the rules."

    "So, should I ept?"

    "Unless you have a reason to refuse."

    Miss Writer answered simply, yfully flipping her golden hair at her temples:

    "Every year there are some key figures for cultivation, but I think there''s no harm in it."

    Thus, Shard sessfully became a first-year Correspondence Circle Mage under the History Academy of Saint Byrons Integrated Academy.

    To be a Circle Sorcerer, it''s necessary to engage with the Four Elements, and advancement as a Sorcerer simrly requires the Four Elements.

    For each Ring, at least one golden [Miracle], one silver [Desecration], one brass [Enlightenment], and one ck iron [Whisper] Spirit Rune must be etched onto the Ring of Fate to umte enough Spirit for the Ring to ascend.

    There is a limit to the umtion of Spirit at a certain Ring, so etching four Spirit Runes is the same as etching four hundred before ascending¡ªit makes no difference. Moreover, etching too many Spirit Runes is detrimental, because the Spirit Runes necessary for advancement must be etched at that particr Ring.

    Under normal circumstances, etching Spirit Runes is no simple task. Properly bncing the number of Spirit Runes with one''s study of Arcane Techniques and Sorcery is also very important.

    Magicians from First Ring to Four Rings are called Low Ring Sorcerers, those from Five Rings to Eight Rings are Inner Ring, and beyond Nine Rings are High Ring Sorcerers.

    This distinction isn''t just numerical, but rather at the point of ascension from Four Rings to Five, and from Eight Rings to Nine Rings, in addition to the required four Spirit Runes, the Sublimation Incantation demands that throughout this phase all sixteen Spirit Runes, one from each Ring, must align in meaning with the Magician''s Core Rune. This connects to create the "Sublimation Incantation."

    In Dr. Schneider''s team, only the doctor himself, a Five-Ring Sorcerer, haspleted four ascensions.

    When he advanced from Four Rings to Five Rings, he used the ck Iron Whisper of the First Ring - [Running], the Silver Desecration of the Second Ring - [Malice], the Brass Enlightenment of the Third Ring - [Hound], the Golden Miracle of the Fourth Ring - [Brightness], in conjunction with his Core Rune [Dream] to construct the Low Ring to Inner Ring Sublimation Incantation¡ª

    [The hound of light runs through the malicious dream.]

    The choice of Runes in the Sublimation Incantation is not restricted, and the doctor just happened to meet the four types.

    If the conditions of the Sublimation Incantation are not met, one can never advance from Four Rings to Five Rings, or from Eight Rings to Nine Rings. Since the four Spirit Runes used muste from different Rings, there is no possibility forpensation.

    Moreover, the choice of Sublimation Incantation can be aided by past examples, resulting in the [Sublimation Codex] that consists of thousands of records. Magicians refer to their Core Rune to look up examples and begin preparations from the start of each phase, hence every power cherishes its own [Sublimation Codex] as the most important secret.

    Low Ring, Inner Ring, High Ring¡ªthese three phases can all utilize the same Core Spirit Rune to string together the Sublimation Incantation. Therefore, having multiple Core Spirit Runes only increases the options avable without substantially affecting the difficulty of advancing.

    If one does not wish to rely on examples of past Sublimation Incantations, or if their Core Spirit Rune is extremely rare with no examples to consult, then one must try on their own. With enough luck, one can always satisfy the conditions for ascension.

    However, Shard will only qualify to view the Sublimation Codex of Saint Byrons half a yearter to determine the most important Spirit Rune for his First Ring. The Academy worries about the reliability of Correspondence Circle Mages and also wants to confirm that the Correspondence Students who have be Transcendent beings will not have a change of heart.

    Besides, advancing as a Sorcerer is inherently difficult, so half a year isn''t considered a dy.

    Although there is no limit to the number of Spirit Runes within each Ring, acquiring Spirit Runes is quite difficult. To advance in academic grade at the Academy, not only are mandatory credits from study exams required, but also practical credits from Academy tasks, along with the prerequisite that one''s academic grade corresponds to their Ring level.

    Therefore, it is rather normal for someone to spend two or three years in a grade, and if they can''t find the Sublimation Incantation Spirit Rune sequence they had nned on during the Four Rings, even if they meet the condition of the four types of Spirit Runes, they would still choose to postpone their promotion.

    Of course, regarding textbooks, basics courses for Circle Sorcerers, Keeper of Secrets Level Relics promised by the History Academy, and investigative tasks from the History Academy, these matters would be discussed after three days, once the Academy has organized Shard''s textbooks.

    At that time, not only will there be teaching outlines and cultivation ns given by the Academy, but all four members of the same group will be present to give Shard advice.

    Thus, after confirming his joining the History Academy, Dr. Schneider announced that Shard was free to leave.

    "Leave now?"

    Just a second ago, Shard was still memorizing these essential pieces of knowledge, so he asked with some surprise.

    "Is there anything else you need?"

    The doctor asked in surprise as well.

    "I mean, since I''ve joined the Academy, there isn''t..."

    Miss Luisa, still a woman, understood what he meant:

    "Mr. Hamilton, the enrollment process truly entails only these aspects. Let me repeat what the doctor said, please remember that we are Correspondence Circle Mages, and our contact with the Academy is not close. We cultivate ourselves, we extract knowledge from the Academy, and the Academy assigns us practical tasks to fulfill credit requirements. We are merely correspondence students."

    "I see."

    Shard, who had been sitting for almost the whole afternoon, stood up, and both the doctor and Miss Writer got up to see him off. Thetter had matters to discuss with the doctor today, so she could not leave yet.

    As Shard was about to reach the room''s door with the two of them, the doctor suddenly added:

    "Also, there are two taboos you need to remember. Saint Lawrence Integrated Academy stiptes that all its Circle Sorcerers are prohibited from setting foot in the New World; this is a taboo of the Academy. A universal taboo among Circle Sorcerers is the prohibition of suicide.

    Setting foot in the New World would be considered by the Academy as forfeiting one''s student status automatically, while a Circle Sorcerermitting suicide could at least trigger a crisis not inferior to a Keeper of Secrets Level Relic running out of control."

    "New World" refers to the geographic discovery made fifty years ago,nds found beyond the current "Old Continent," somewhat simr to the geographical discoveries of our past world. However, the New World is devoid of humans, yet is extraordinarily rich in resources.

    "Why?"

    Shard asked, puzzled.

    "We don''t understand the rules of the Academy. As for the prohibition of suicide..."

    Miss Luisa looked at the doctor:

    "The doctor believes that it probably has to do with ''another self.'' If wemit suicide, the other self might do something."

    Doctor Schneider shrugged his shoulders:

    "That''s the situation for now; we haven''t encountered a Circle Sorcerer who hasmitted suicide.

    Shard, remember toe here after three days, which is Wednesday morning at ten o''clock. Aside from the Academy''s matters, you''ll also need to be acquainted with the regr study gatherings within the group, as well as our fixed annual tasks. Oh, speaking of which, these next few days, you can try exploring your Spirit Runes on your own; this notebook is loaned to you."

    It was then he remembered and reached to unlock a drawer on the desk, from which he took an old ck-covered notebook and handed it to Shard:

    "Concerning the development of Arcane Techniques from Spirit Runes, you can give it a try, but as you''ve just acquired your power, it''s unlikely to be smooth. Your most important task over these three days is to rest. Inauguration as a Circle Sorcerer is harmful to both spirit and body, so use these three days of bed rest to read through the notebook. You''ll probably sleep till noon tomorrow...

    See you in three days, just remember you need to return 10 pounds within the month."

    The farewell seemed somewhat abrupt, but Shard knew he had overstayed his wee, so he organized his cluttered thoughts and said earnestly:

    "See you in three days, Dr. Schneider, Miss Luisa... Thank you."

    "No need to thank me; I was only here to act as a witness today,"

    Miss Writer said, though she seemed to be in good spirits.

    "And you needn''t thank me; as I''ve said, I was merely eager to find a fifth member for our group,"

    the blue-eyed doctor said to Shard in a very soft voice.

 Chapter 25 The Cat-Searching Commission

    Leaving Dr. Schneider''s psychiatric clinic, Shard found the outside world bathed in the glow of the setting sun. The city, shrouded in a light mist, reflected the sunlight in such a way that walking through it gave Shard an impression reminiscent of another era.

    Just half a day ago, he was an ordinary person, and now he could ignite a piece of paper with his mind...

    "Actually, it''s not that different," he muttered.

    Upon reflection, he realized that he hadn''t given up much to gain what he now had. This seemed a bit too lucky.

    "But ording to the doctor, besides thepulsory credits earned through study, each academic year requirespletion of the Academy''s practice tasks to obtain practical credits. Otherwise, even if one advances to the Second Ring, they would have to repeat the year."

    It seemed his life had truly gotten back on track, creating a sense of unreality for the Ounder who, just the day before, was contemting collecting relief food. With newfound strength, he could now continue working at the Detective Agency.

    Shard nned toplete the three-month task left by the previous detective; of course, the condition was to sessfully resolve at least one officialmission to see if he was suited for the job.

    To save money, he still walked home, but to celebrate, he treated himself to dinner at a restaurant.

    By the time he got home, it was already seven in the evening. After briefly studying Dr. Schneider''s notes, he learned that both Arcane Technique and Sorcery were formally taught at the Academy. But when it came to Spirit Runes, each person had to explore on their own, from which one could develop their own Arcane Technique. It could be shared or kept for oneself to study.

    With that in mind, instead of researching Arcane Technique by himself, it made sense to wait for the textbooks and start with some conventional ones. Nevertheless, Shard couldn''t contain his curiosity and spent the entire night exploring Spirit Runes.

    Thought affects matter, the mind interferes with reality. By bedtime, he was unable to draw upon the power of Space-Time at all, and could only make the tips of his fingers emit a faint Silver Light¡ªan Arcane Technique of the Silvermoon Rune.

    That light was incredibly serene, and gazing at it soothed Shard''s mind.

    "It''s not much use... At least it''ll save some on the gas bill... Speaking of which, do I have to pay the water, gas, and steam bills for this house?"

    With these disheartening thoughts, he fell asleep, exhausted.

    Outside, the night sky of March hung high, and although the brightest phase of Silvermoon had passed, it still shone upon him.

    Despite both Dr. Schneider and Miss Writer believing that the consequences of bing a Circle Sorcerer were not so easily overlooked and that the detective would likely need to rest in bed for three days,

    Shard woke up on time at six-thirty the next morning without feeling any different from the day before.

    Hey in bed for a while, contemting the connection between the world and life, then had his thoughts dragged down to a more prosaic and realistic level by his own dismal financial situation.

    Only then did he stretch out his hand in front of his face and noticed the faint silver light at his fingertips. He stared at that light for quite some time before heaving a small sigh of relief; the terrible mood brought on by the thoughts of his thin wallet instantly lifted, and he didn''t even consider the gas bill he had thought about before going to sleep.

    He got up, washed, and at just past seven o''clock, he was on time to wait for the newspaper and milk at the door. He hadn''t seen the newspaper yesterday because he had gotten up too early, but in fact, he had noticed the Tobesk City Morning Post and Kingdom Morning Post lying on the doormat when he came homest night.

    Of course, starting next month, he would have to pay for the newspaper himself.

    After downing two bottles of milk, Shard stepped out for breakfast and instinctively ced the empty milk bottles in the milk box by the door. Although Dr. Schneider had advised Shard to rest properly for three days, Shard didn''t feel anything amiss and attributed it to the strength of an Ounder''s soul.

    So today, he was still nning to try out themission left by the previous detective.

    If themission didn''t go well, he would consider pawning the detective''s inheritance to pay off debts.

    Mr. Lawrence''s mistress investigation, I''m not nning to get involved in it anymore. In three days, after asking the doctor and others about that pebble ring, I''ll make further ns.

    Of the remaining threemissions, finding Miss White''s missing sister and seeking information about a doctor who can treat eye disease are both somewhat difficult, so today''s task is to find the lost orange cat for Miss Mia Sun Gold.

    Actually, the former Hamilton detective had already found the cat, but left the simple task to Shard as he hadn''t handed it over. So all Shard needed to do was to pick it up and return it to the client.

    After having breakfast at a restaurant near Saint Dn Square, I rolled up the newspaper and tucked it under my arm, walking east along Charled Avenue. At the next intersection, I waited a moment, watching the crowd getting ready for work on Monday morning amid the thin mist.

    Then I turned left into the somewhat narrow Purple Iris Alley, ncing at the wall''s corner where the wild grass was unusually lush due to the onset of summer, carefully avoiding the barefoot children running wild in the alley. Based on the detective''s notebook, I stopped under the building with the sign "Good Man Peter''s Pet Shop".

    My nose had already picked up the smell of fermenting animal feces, but just as I was about to knock, the door of the pet shop opened on its own. A girl with brown long hair came out; she looked very young, clutching a reddy''s handbag in her hand.

    She also paused when she saw Shard, then nodded politely and walked past him along Purple Iris Alley toward the east.

    Shard''s gaze followed her, watching the brown-haired girl merge into the flow of people at the alley''s entrance.

    "She..."

    Naturally, it wasn''t love at first sight. The moment Shard saw her, he suddenly felt a strange sensation.

    "It was as if the light around us dimmed in that instant, and only a spotlight shined on her, making her the main character on stage..."

    "That''s a person from the Sun Church, young man, best not entertain any unnecessary ideas," someone said.

    Only then did I notice the middle-aged man in front of the pet shop''s door behind me, with a ruddy, heavily veined nose, watching Shard as he turned around.

    The man reeked even more strongly of a mix of fermenting animal feces and food. He was dressed in blue work overalls, a topcoat whose original color was indiscernible, and ck boots covered in mud.

    "Can I help you?"

    The middle-aged man asked.

    "Hello, I am from the Hamilton Detective Agency. I''vee to pick up... please wait a moment."

    Shard cast aside the odd sensation he felt for a second and looked at the note in the former detective''s notebook:

    "An orange cat, about half a year old, with a pure white tail. It has orange markings on its left front leg, the other legs are all white. Its name is Mia."

    He described the characteristics of the orange cat, but to his surprise, the color drained from the man''s face inside the door.

    "You''re not about to tell me that the cat is lost, are you?"

    Shard''s own face paled as well, pressing against the door frame and asking in a low voice. The former detective had paid to board the cat here, and the client¡ªdescribed as a "generousdy"¡ªhad offered a reward of two pounds and three shillings to find the cat, even allowing for reimbursement of reasonable expenses incurred during the search.

    This offer was extremely unreasonable but also showed the cat owner''s anxiety. If it weren''t for the fact that "Good Man Peter''s Pet Shop" was closed on weekends, the firstmission Shard would have chosen definitely wouldn''t have been Mr. Lawrence''s mistress.

 Chapter 26 The Sun, the Cat, and the Light

    "Of course I didn''t lose it, Detective, you shouldn''t make baseless usations about people. But that damn cat¡­"

    The man inside clenched his teeth as he spoke, as if the cat had devoured his entire possessions, his expression contorting:

    "Get that cat out of here, I''m never helping to look after an orange tabby again."

    "Alright, where is the cat?"

    Shard asked, not particrly fond of cats, but for a heftymission, he wouldn''t mind carrying one through the streets and alleys.

    "On the rooftop."

    The man pointed upwards, his teeth-grinding expression intensifying:

    "Ever since that Detective brought it here for foster care, this cat hasn''t let anyone touch it easily, and it''s scratched my wife and Miss Cindy at least twice. It won''t eat cheap cat food and keeps bullying the other pets here. I''ve been running this ce for so many years, and I''ve never seen such abative six-month-old kitten¡­ It must be up there basking in the sun right now!

    Just take it away, I can''t stand it anymore."

    Shard pretended not to hear the man''sints and stepped back slightly from the doorway, then looked up at the three-story building:

    "How do you expect me to climb up to the rooftop?"

    "In the house''s yard, there''s a staircase you can use to climb from the first floor to the roof. I''m not going to do it; I don''t want to see that cat ever again!"

    Shard certainly didn''t want to climb that high; he cared greatly about safety. He was thinking of convincing the man, who had a big nose and was middle-aged when thetter simply handed him a one-shilling banknote:

    "Hamilton Detective gave me one shilling and ten pence to take care of it for two months. Here''s one shilling back, just take it away! And never let that cat appear in this alley again!"

    The voice was almost hysterical, so much so that the children ying in the street and a woman opposite hanging out clothes all turned to look.

    It was hard to imagine the psychological trauma that orange cat had caused him.

    Following the middle-aged man through the house, they arrived at a backyard filled with empty pet cages. The middle-aged man steadied the long metaldder, and Shard carefully climbed to the rooftop.

    The roof was cluttered with various trash and misceneous items, and it was a mystery how these ended up here, considering one could only reach this spot via adder. In the southeast corner of the roof, the only area that seemed clean, Shard saw a cat sprawledzily on a metallic pipe, facing the morning sun of early summer.

    It was indeed a young kitten, lying limp as a puddle on the pipe. It wasn''t particrlyrge, actually quite skinny. Its fur shimmered slightly in the sunlight filtering through the mist¡ªa sign of good health.

    However, instead of an orange tabby, it looked more like a white cat wrapped in a warm orange nket¡ªonly when the cat stood up did Shard realize the striking orange-yellow hue was indeed its fur color.

    The cat stood on a metal pipe discarded on the rooftop, one end propped on a broken sofa cushion, elevating it slightly above the surrounding debris.

    With its back to the morning sun, its amber eyes fixated on Shard, sizing up this stranger. Shard had no experience with such animals, and given the big-nosed middle-aged man''s words, he was somewhat worried the orange tabby might pounce.

    But this orange tabby, also named Mia, didn''t appear aggressive. It observed Shard, who knew he was under scrutiny; thus, he tried to appear friendly, constantly reminding himself of the cat''s value:

    "I''m taking you to meet your owner, Miss Mia Sun Gold."

    He found a stable footing amid the debris, crouched slightly, and pped his hands with a forced smile. Then, unsurprisingly, his suspicious demeanor did not elicit a response from the cat.

    "Miss Mia Gold."

    It was the standard "Common Language of Human in the Northern Kingdom," also known as Draleon. This time, however, it was phrased with a slight Tobesk local ent, a skill Shard had picked up over the past few days:

    "I''ll take you to your owner, Miss Mia Gold."

    The orange cat''s delicate ears twitched, it lifted its right front paw to lick it, and after putting it down, it continued to gaze intensely at Shard.

    Shard pursed his lips, looked around, and after confirming there were no taller buildings nearby, he extended his right index finger:

    "Look."

    Silver Light gleamed upon his finger, and the orange cat''s amber eyes instantly widened. With a slight open mouth, standing on a rusty metal pipe, its whiskers trembling, it leaned forward to gaze at the light:

    "Miss Mia Gold."

    Shard continued, then slowly approached the orange cat. Gradually extending his left hand and suppressing his own worries about "wild animals," he gently scooped it up with one hand.

    The orange cat wasn''t heavy, at least not right now.

    The cat was still tilting its head to look at Shard''s right hand finger, but when the light on the finger extinguished, it did not attempt to escape from Shard''s embrace. It leaned against Shard''s chest and with the right amount of force, it swiped its two little paws at Shard''s previously glowing finger, seemingly very interested in the "new toy."

    "Good."

    The detective then let out a long sigh of relief, stood up, and prepared to leave the ce. While young orange Mia just squirmed ufortably but did not struggle excessively.

    "Not fierce at all, even quite well-behaved. It seems I also have a knack for making other animals fond of me."

    Shard thought to himself cheerfully, then noticed that under the pipe where the orange cat had beenying, therey something. Holding the cat with one hand, he bent down to pick up the object with his right hand, and it turned out to be a box of somewhat old Roder Cards.

    The Roder Cards could only be used when aplete set of 54 cards was gathered, and if there was a special card, it could be substituted based on suit and number since all Roder Cards had the same pattern on their backs.

    The box in front of him wasn''t anything special, simr to the set he saw the three men using in the tavern, with extremely simple card faces that could be bought for a few dozen pence.

    Seeing it was not something important, he casually ced it in his pocket. Then carefully, with one hand holding the cat, he climbed back down thedder into the courtyard.

    "I picked up an old set of Roder Cards from the rooftop, how much do I owe you?"

    Though the old cards looked like trash, Shard still mentioned it. The old cards weren''t worth much; Shard had nonchntly put them in his pocket because he wanted toplete a full set with the "Genesis: Silver Moon."

    And the middle-aged man with arge nose nearly cried in front of Shard upon realizing he was indeed taking the cat. As for the rooftop junk, he didn''t care at all.

    He then left Purple Iris Alley, but Shard didn''t aimlessly wander with someone else''s cat. Instead, he headed straight to Ms. Gawder''s house. During this time, little orange Mia aside from initially making a "purring" sound, kept wing at Shard''s sleeves and the front of his shirt without trying to escape his embrace.

    Miss Gawder, willing to pay such a high price for her cat, must definitely not be a poor person. She lived in a quiet residential neighborhood on Sandru Street to the south side of the city, where each household boasted its own private small garden, marked with their names on the gate fences.

 Chapter 27 Reunion with Lassoya

    Miss Mia Gold, the owner of the dainty orange cat, was not at home. Shard stood outside the fence gate, ringing the bell for quite some time, but no one came out to open the door.

    However, the sound did disturb the neighbor next door, an old woman who walked with a stoop and wore sses. Her gray hair was neatlybed and tied together, she was dressed respectably, and wore silver jewelry on her wrist:

    "Who are you looking for?"

    With a heavy ent, she stood in front of the fence that separated her garden from Miss Gold''s and asked.

    "Miss Mia Gold, she has entrusted us to find her cat."

    Shard also shook the cat he was holding in his arms a bit. The orange catzily meowed, turned over, and pressed its head against Shard''s chest¡ªthis cat really liked Shard.

    And even though the half-year-old orange cat was not heavy, carrying it all this way had already be somewhat unbearable for Shard.

    "Oh, that one, the naughty little thing,"

    the old woman clearly recognized the orange cat Mia, then she said something that almost made Shard''s heart sink:

    "Mia moved outst week."

    "Huh?"

    Thankfully, there was a follow-up statement:

    "Are you the Hamilton Detective looking for her cat? You''re much younger than Mia described. Don''t worry, she left a letter for you."

    With that, she turned and went back into her house to get the letter, and when she returned, she said:

    "There are some banknotes in the letter. Before you open it, check the wax seal to make sure no one has tampered with the money."

    The letter was left for Detective Sparrow Hamilton by Miss Mia Gold. In it, Miss Gold mentioned she had to move to arge estate in the countryside on the east coast of the Draleon Kingdom because of family matters and was going to live with her parents, thus she sold her property here.

    But Miss Gold still remembered her cat and the detective who took on themission. Without confirmation that the detective had found the cat, she left this letter in the care of her neighbor. If the detective found the cat, he would be able to receive this letter:

    [I cannot forget my Mia, but now is truly the time to leave Tobesk City. Detective Hamilton, if you are reading this letter, please provide temporary custody for Mia and send a letter to the address below. I wille to your office to pick her up within six months at thetest. At that time, arger reward will be provided.

    Postscript: In addition to the original detective fees, there is an additional five pounds in banknotes enclosed with this letter, for the temporary care of Mia. Please do not be overly harsh with my little mischief-maker.]

    The orange cat known as "Mia" wriggled a bit in Shard''s arms, looking like she wanted to sleep,pletely unaware of her owner''s departure.

    "Why..."

    "I''m allergic to cats, and Mia couldn''t find anyone else to take care of her cat. Plus, she didn''t originally think you would actually be able to find Mia."

    The old woman exined, having never seen Sparrow Hamilton, she mistook the young detective in front of her for the one Mia had originally described.

    "So I..."

    "You just take care of Mia for now. When Miaes to get her, she won''t shortchange you. Look, she even named the cat after herself."

    "You''re not the one who..."

    "''Mia dictated the contents of this letter before she left. Hmph, I''ve been her neighbor for so long, can''t she trust me with something like this?''"

    "All right, I''ll go post the letter now. Goodbye, ma''am."

    Shard harbored some suspicion that the old woman could read minds.

    "Goodbye, Detective. Remember, this cat can''t drink milk, but it can drink goat''s milk."

    The old woman''s voice came from behind, adding another expense to Shard''s list.

    Detective Sparrow Hamilton had known Miss Mia Gold for a long time, and this wasn''t their firstmissioned case, so Miss Gold gave the detective a great deal of trust.

    That trust resulted in Shard gaining the additional task of looking after the cat and an unexpected increase of over seven pounds in his savings¡ªMiss Gold was truly generous.

    With the remaining money from pawning his cane, Shard felt he could soon make up the ten pounds. And with a bit of luck, if Miss Gold received the letter and came over within a week, he might be able to pay off all of his debts for the month.

    Feeling cheerful, Shard walked back to Saint Dn Square with the cat in his arms, his steps feeling much lighter. On the way back, he passed by the Silver Parrot Milk Delivery Company, which he had visited not long ago, and went in to inquire¡ªit turned out they could also deliver goat''s milk.

    The salesperson who handled Shard''s inquiry even guessed that he intended to feed the kitten goat''s milk, thereby introducing him to more cat-rearing tips. However, his enthusiasm didn''t lead Shard to relent on the cost of ordering goat''s milk, fortunately, No. 6, Saint Dn Square, was right on the daily route of the busy Silver Parrot Milk Delivery milkmen.

    Therefore, there was no need for an extra route to deliver specially to Shard, so the actual cost of the goat''s milk was a bit less than expected.

    Shard considered the orange cat "Mia" his lucky charm and after leaving the "Silver Parrot Milk Delivery Company," he thought about indulging a little for lunch, perhaps in some better food.

    Just as he passed by the old dog lying at the doorway, the voice of a woman, which had not made a sound until today, finally rang out in his mind:

    [Observe her ring.]

    He immediately looked around and almost a secondter, saw Mr. Lawrence''s mistress, Lady Lassoya, emerge from the alley across from the milkpany, heading towards the direction of the silverware shop where a fight had happened the day before yesterday.

    She still wore that white, egg-shaped stone ring.

    "Is she changing from man to woman, or woman to man?"

    Shard spected but had no intention of following her. He valued his life, and having decided to give up the assignment, he would not change his mind out of curiosity.

    If he had the strength of Dr. Schneider or the female writer, Miss Dorothy Louisa, of course, he wouldn''t give up. But one must face reality, and he epted that he was still weak.

    With a pleasant mood, he casually walked through the streets with the cat in his arms and entered the candy shop across the street. Pretending to be curious, he asked about the price of the small cakes in the ss disy case, using his peripheral vision to confirm Lady Lassoya had walked away. Then, he immediately left the store and entered the same alley Lady Lassoya had appeared from.

    The alley was not deep and, like most alleys in Steam City, dirty and filled with odd smells. A quick walk took him to the end, where some abandoned pipesy, their surface even covered with ayer of disgusting green moss.

    And around the pipes, he saw a wall¡ªthis was a dead-end alley.

    The alley should have connected to another block on the other end, but the store at the exit had expanded its premises, effectively walling off the alley with its back wall.

    "Between this pile of pipes and the wall is an excellent blind spot. When Lady Lassoya came out of an alley with no exit just now, did she perform another ''Transformation'' by kissing her ring?"

    Shard thought, pleased with his caution and his swift action. Although he dared not follow her, it was no problem to investigate what she had done just now.

 Chapter 28 Remnants of the Old God

    In a very safe situation, having obtained intelligence that had nothing to do with him, Shard was satisfied and intended to turn around to leave, nning to share today''s experiences with Dr. Schneider.

    But at that moment, the woman''s graceful whisper came again in his ear:

    [You have encountered ''Enlightenment.'']

    He stopped in his tracks and furrowed his brows. The element of ''Enlightenment'' was rted to civilization, yet the rich traces of Arcane Techniques and Sorcery could also possibly lead to its emergence, but here...

    Standing in the narrow space between the pipes and the walls because it was a blind spot, there was less rubbish, and instead more animal feces.

    Shard examined the wall in front of him carefully, the wall was almostpletely covered with all kinds of filthy words and shapes representing private organs, along with many other strange traces that he was unwilling to imagine.

    His only two Spirit Runes, for the moment, did not have the effect of enhancing vision, but what really set him apart from others was his ability to decipher almost any text.

    Under the sentences that insulted the Deities, at a height above Shard''s waist, some strange patterns caught the young detective''s eye. Treating them as text, he was able to discern the meaning and pronunciation of those words:

    "Reveal."

    The ancientnguage took six sybles to express such a simple meaning.

    In the thin fog, a white light flickered before Shard. He stepped back but still stayed between the gap of the pipes and the wall.

    The curious cat was startled by the white light, while the person holding it saw a worn stone statue slowly rising from the ground.

    Its base was square, and the statue was only half the height of Shard, depicting a nobleman with bat wings and draped in a cloak.

    Shard closed his eyes, allowing tears of blood to seep out from beneath his eyelids. He covered the cat''s eyes, quickly turned around, and heard a whisper by his ear, a joyful whisper, reciting untold stories:

    [You havee into contact with the remnants of the Old God "Vampire Duke Lowell."]

    [The Old God born from the original blood of desecration, craving blood and driven mad by it. At the dusk of bygone days, he developed familiars with the curse of blood, his mind clouded by the blood curse, roaring in the depths of the castle in the dark night.]

    [You have heard the story of the Old God "Vampire Duke Lowell," and you have learned one of the miracles of the Old God "Vampire Duke Lowell."]

    "Can it inscribe a Spirit Rune?"

    A momentter, having confirmed that this was all the information, Shard, having emerged from his surprise, asked with an expectant voice, as the headache from being in close proximity to the Old God Statue lessened.

    Afterwards, Shard heard the woman''s voice in his heartughing softly:

    [You have acquired the Sorcery, Echo of Blood. You have not yet obtained enough stories of this Deity, outsider, miracles are not so easy to obtain.]

    As the whispering in his heart subsided, the Old God Statue transmitted a new power to Shard. The Ring of Fate hidden behind his soul began to rotate, drawing on slight golden elements, allowing the brass ring to be tinged with particles of gold, and extracting a spirit unique to the soul.

    Shard''s right eye suddenly turned a bloody red, and he gained the power to see inconspicuous residual traces of blood.

    Having fully understood what was happening at the moment, Shard didn''t check the power he had received first, but instead examined the cat he was holding in his arms.

    Although the cat had witnessed the entire process of the Old God Statue''s appearance along with Shard, luckily, it had been distracted by the scattering white light at that moment, so it didn''t observe the full appearance of the Old God Statue first like Shard did. Therefore, Mia was a bit listless but hadn''t suffered the mental impact in the same way as Shard.

    The power that Shard had acquired was, to put it simply, his right eye could now see the inconspicuous blood traces lingering on the air and the surface of objects when sorcery was actively triggered.

    This ability could also be achieved in Shard''s world through certain technological means. But when he used sorcery, he didn''t need instruments and merely needed to open his eyes; and as long as there were remnants of blood, no matter how faint, he could see them.

    Although it was not a particrly powerful ability, it surprisingly matched Shard''s profession as a detective very well.

    Shard had never heard of the Old God "Vampire Duke Lowell," in fact, he had not heard any names of the Old Gods besides the "Father of the Infinite Tree."

    The story of this Old God didn''t make Him sound like a Benevolent God. This judgment waspletely correct, therefore, after obtaining the sorcery and the story, the voice in his mind also hinted to Shard that he wasing into contact with the silver element of "Desecration," an element only Evil Gods would possess.

    But whether it was because he didn''t deeply perceive the "Desecration" of this Old God or because the power of the stone statue with a base leaned more towards "Miracle," Shard gained nothing from "Desecration."

    The gains from the sorcery were pretty good though, as Arcane Technique required the corresponding Spirit Rune to be used, while sorcery didn''t require a Spirit Rune and was a universal mystical ability of Circle Sorcerers. Since it was "universal," the effects of sorcery were often not as good as Arcane Technique, but in reality, certain sorcery also had usage restrictions.

    And judging from the doctor''s notes, the sorcery obtained through contact with remnants of Old Gods usually couldn''t be learned in other ways.

    So, Shard had incidentallye into possession of a rare sorcery, a pity that its effects were not very significant.

    Having gained the benefit, the next step was of course to leave immediately.

    Shard couldn''t take the Old God Statue with him; he didn''t even dare to touch it directly with his skin. The existence of the stone statue was clearly rted to Lady Lassoya, and it was impossible for the Old God Statue to naturally exist in the city; it had to be that she had brought it into this alley to hide.

    Such an act of bringing an Evil God Statue into the city was a serious vition of thew, so Shard had finally concluded that Lady Lassoya did not belong to the side of good.

    He then read the six sybles of the ancient script meaning "manifest" in reverse order, causing the Evil God Statue to slowly re-enter the ground.

    Only then did he cautiously slip away from the alleyway, not even bothering to save money, and immediately boarded a carriage at the next intersection, without any hesitation, taking the cat with him towards the psychological clinic of Dr. Schneider in the Eastern District of Tobesk City.

    But unfortunately, Dr. Bill Schneider was not in the clinic.

    The clinic staff still recognized Shard from when the doctor had invited him over as a guest the day before, so Dr. Krei, who was in charge of receiving him, informed him of Dr. Schneider''s whereabouts.

    An Earl in the city, who preferred not to disclose his name, had a wife and daughter who recently developed Gluttony. The Earl''s private doctor thought it was a psychological issue, hence they specially invited Dr. Schneider to diagnose and treat them. Dr. Schneider would be staying overnight at the Earl''s estate outside the city and would not be returning at least for today.

    As for the address of the estate and the surname of the Earl, they couldn''t tell Shard in order to protect the privacy of the patients.

    "But Mr. Hamilton, you can leave a note for Bill, and he''ll see it as soon as he gets back,"

    Dr. Krei said kindly, yet firmly refused to reveal the location of the Earl''s estate.

 Chapter 29 The Gambling Ghost

    Dr. Krei was a man approaching middle age but not yet fifty. His figure was slightly plump, yet he maintained it just below the threshold of obesity.

    His head waspletely devoid of hair, which is why he wore a decidedly noticeable brown toupee. This inevitably drew one''s gaze upwards during close conversations.

    "Dr. Schneider won''t be back today, right?"

    Shard, holding a cat, couldn''t help but confirm, while the ginger cat Mia seemed never to have been in such a setting before and was now excitedly looking around with wide eyes.

    "Yes, when the Earl''s butler came to invite Bill, he had already specified the time for the house call."

    The doctor repeated.

    "Then, do you know Dr. Schneider''s friend Miss Dorothy Louisa? Do you know where she lives?"

    Shard asked again. If he couldn''t find the doctor, then another Circle Sorcerer from the same group would do. The matter concerned the Evil God Statue, and he had to find someone capable of dealing with it discreetly.

    "Yes, of course, I know her. She''s a regr at our clinic, oftening in for issues with anorexia and insomnia... but I can''t disclose a patient''s information."

    Dr. Krei apologized, and Shard knew his request was somewhat overreaching, so he opted to leave a message for Dr. Schneider instead.

    The Evil God Statue, though not a Relic, still held considerable value due to its remnants of an Old God.

    Even though the Academy advised against Circle Sorcerers gaining the Four Elements by interacting with such bizarre objects, those professors at Saint Byrons Integrated Academy above the rank of Nine Rings, who held lifelong teaching positions, could potentially document the stories of Old Gods using powerfulnguage through the remnants of Old Gods.

    Doing so would be much safer than Shard being directly affected by the remnants of an Old God today. So whether out of concern for Lady Lassoya''s intentions or simply wanting to contribute by reporting this matter, it was necessary to let Dr. Schneider know about it soon.

    But since the doctor was not there, he had no choice but to wait patiently. Shard couldn''t just report the matter directly to the Church; it wasn''t about his concern for the Old God statue being taken away by the Church, but rather, he didn''t know how to make an anonymous report.

    "But the doctor will be back tomorrow. Waiting one more day probably won''t make a difference."

    With this thought in mind, he left the psychological clinic with the cat. However, a deep-seated unease lingered within him, distracting him so much on his walk back to Saint Dn Square that he nearly got hit by a carriage at an intersection.

    Shard had left home early in the morning, but since the quest for the ginger cat had gone exceptionally smoothly, he returned home by only two in the afternoon.

    He and Mia had already taken their lunch outside, so he temporarily had nothing to do.

    Shard set the cat down at home, and Mia seemed to adapt well to the unfamiliar environment, rolling around on the sofa and going to explore every corner of the room.

    Shard, on the other hand, began diligently recording the entire process of the cat quest in the ledger and record book left by the previous detective, strictly following the former detective''s format.

    After finishing, he flipped through the detective''s past records and nned toplete the remaining two simple quests¡ªthe runaway girl and the search for the doctor¡ªin the next few days as well.

    That way, after receiving the teaching materials sent by the Academy on Wednesday, he would have time to investigate the past acquaintances of the detective, seeking the secrets that Detective Sparrow Hamilton might have hidden.

    So Shader spent the afternoon organizing all of the former detective''s belongings and appraising his own assets. In the evening, he went out for dinner with the cat again. On the way back, he bought some breadsticks from a bakery near the square to have with the following morning''s milk for breakfast.

    Of course, he couldn''t forget about the premium cat food; having taken the money, Shard would take good care of that little orange kitten.

    Thus, just two days into this world, Shard had be a young detective living in Kingdom Capital Central Square, with a cat and a job in tow.

    "Thinking about it, my luck isn''t too bad... just short on money."

    In the evenings, he spent time continuing his research on "Space-Time" and "Silvermoon." Havinge into contact with remnants of an Old God that day, the umted "Miracle" elements transformed into more Spirit, making the silver glimmer at his fingertips even more dazzling.

    But it still had no Attack Power; it was sufficient for illumination, though.

    Shard also tried out the ability to ignite paper, which was likewise enhanced with the acquisition of that power. Although the young orange cat was scared by the warming paper in Shard''s hands and hid in his arms, refusing to leave, Shard was quite pleased with this ability.

    This learning session was interrupted at nearly nine o''clock that night. At that time, Shard was sitting in his study, reading Dr. Schneider''s notes and struggling with the doctor''s florid handwriting, when he heard the bell downstairs being rung.

    The cat, which had been resting on the desk before, immediately darted under the desk, as if startled.

    Shardforted the timid little Mia and, puzzled, walked out of his room and down the stairs to the hall on the first floor.

    "Could Dr. Schneider have returned to the city early and seen my note?"

    But it wasn''t him. When he opened the door, outside stood a somewhat nervous middle-aged man with short yellow hair, wearing a ck overcoat¡ªlikely a client seeking Detective Sparrow Hamilton.

    Shard''s first official client had arrived.

    The man''s name was Lagart Franklin, an ountant living in the west end of Tobesk City, employed by "Hunter and L''s Textile Factory." It wasn''t his first time visiting for business, and he was an acquaintance of Detective Sparrow Hamilton, so after being invited in by Shard for a cup of tea, he was greatly shocked by the detective''s death.

    "Sudden illness, even without effective treatment."

    This was the former detective''s exnation for his own death. Medical practices in this era were not advanced, and doctors were just beginning to move away from the customs of "bleeding" and "purging," so it was not umon for acquaintances to suddenly fall gravely ill and die.

    "I am the detective''s nephew from his hometown. I''ve inherited this detective agency, and Uncle Sparrow entrusted me with it before he died," said Shard, as he ryed the identity contrived for him by the former detective. Seeing that Mr. Franklin believed his story, he then asked:

    "Although Uncle Sparrow is no longer with us, I canplete the task... even at a cheaper rate. May I ask, what brings you here sote in the evening?"

    Whether moved by Shard''s sincerity or the promise of a "cheaper" deal, the middle-aged ountant hesitated a moment before finally discussing his predicament.

    Though the Franklins lived in the Royal Capital, they were just an ordinary family within the Northern Pearl of the Old Continent. Mr. Franklin earned a living as an ountant, while Mrs. Franklin worked as a copyist at a nearby private library.

    Their only child, Little Franklin, was the couple''s biggest headache. He used to be a well-behaved child in the family, but ever since he befriended a bad crowd on the streets, he began hanging out with them all day, gradually developing a gambling addiction. He frequented nightclubs and underground gambling halls, pilfering money from home to squander away.

    Mr. Franklin''s previous visits to the agency included a task for Detective Sparrow Hamilton to find Little Franklin, who hadn''t returned home for three days; the boy was found in an underground gambling den in the northern slums of the city. The second time was to extricate Little Franklin from the "Lucky Southern Cross Club," where he had been loitering for three days.

    That club''s main business was liquor, but at night it turned into an underground gambling den.

 Chapter 30 Lucky Southern Cross

    This was Mr. Franklin''s third visit to request an intervention, and once again, the task was to forcibly remove young Franklin from the illegally operating club where he was addicted to the Roder Card.

    Mr. Franklin had had enough. He nned to sell his properties and quit his job soon, abandoning the struggle he and his wife had endured for thirty years in the prosperous capital of the northern Tobesk, to relocate with his family to the western Kingdom, to the so-called "City of Art" in Atak City. Mr.

    Franklin''s brother had been living there for many years and could introduce new work opportunities for the family.

    Of course, more importantly, it was to keep young Franklin away from those bad influences, away from the Roder Card and gambling tables.

    "After I bring him back this time, I will lock him up at home. I will take him directly on the steam train next month after we finish moving," said Mr. Franklin. "So, Detective Hamilton, can you get my son out of that club?"

    The client confirmed the order.

    This matter only needed Shard to set off immediately to enter the club and then convince young Mr. Franklin to leave with him, so the ountant offered 13 shillings and 3 pence, which was just over half a pound. For an ountant earning around ¡ê70 a year, this was about a week''s wages.

    Themission fee included the club''s admission ticket and an extra subsidy for traveling at night. Although it was worth less than half a catpared to themission for finding Mia, Shard considered it and epted.

    He had only recently seen the Franklin family''s case in the records left by the previous detective, which included the process of the detective convincing young Franklin to leave with him.

    "It''s a simple task, without any potential mistakes," Shard remarked.

    The orange cat stayed at home, worried about Mia being frightened, Shard even left hurriedly without turning off the gas light. Mr. Franklin waited at home for news, while Shard, due to the long distance, chose to take a carriage to his destination.

    In Tobesk City, the fare standards for hired carriages varied depending on where passengers boarded and where they were headed. Within a 4-mile radius centered around Yordle Pce in the city center, destinations under 2 miles were charged 1 shilling, followed by a 5 pence charge per additional mile. For long-distance travel outside the central district, the fare per mile became cheaper.

    Shard''s destination was conventionally referred to as the Lower District, also known as North City. Considering the additional tips due to the night travel, he paid a total of 3 shillings when he got off at a dimly lit alley.

    Fortunately, the Franklin home was also in the North District, so no more carriage rides were needed after finding young Franklin.

    Meanwhile, the costly fares of the hired carriages made Shard aware of the stark disparities between the rich and poor in this bustling Steam Age, and highlighted the numerous challenges he faced as someone from the lower ss.

    The city night was quiet, but Shard, who had be a First Ring Sorcerer, felt a terrifying sensation akin to staring into the abyss in the silent, long night. Tobesk, thergest city in the north, and its secrets and unknowns, the eerie atmosphere of alley shadows and apartment corners, were most definitely plentiful, but thankfully, Shard did not encounter these this evening.

    "This world... is much more dangerous than I imagined."

    The club called "Lucky Southern Cross," had its main entrance located on Grass Hill Avenue. But to enter the gambling area of the club, one had to approach through a back door in the alley.

    Following the records left by the previous detective, Shard circled around in the dark until he spotted the silver-gray rusted iron door. Meanwhile, a stray cat suddenly leaped from a wall top, startling the detective and leaving him annoyed at his own "cowardice."

    After knocking on the iron door three times cautiously, and waiting for a full half minute, a tall man with a beard, dressed in a ck coat and leather boots, cautiously opened the door from inside.

    "This is no ce for young people," he said, ncing at the young detective and pushing him slightly. However, surprisingly, he failed to move him. Even as a First Ring Sorcerer, his physical condition had significantly improved.

    "Are the rules here that barbaric?" Shard inquired.

    He showed a Silvermoon 13 Roder Card, the one he had found earlier that morning on the rooftop of the pet boarding center, and then added,

    "I am here to see Mr. Roder for some matters concerning the table."

    He then provided three one-penny coins as the entrance fee.

    "Did you think you were...ing here for the first time?"

    The bearded man nced at the card, confirming the password was correct.

    "Someone rmended me."

    Shard answered in a deep voice. The bearded man sized him up once more before stepping aside to let Shard enter the dimly lit corridor lit by yellowish gasmps.

    The detective immediately raised the cor of his coat to cover half of his face and cautiously looked left and right in the alley before proceeding.

    "Although this is an illegal gambling den, you don''t have to do this..."

    The bearded man muttered behind Shard.

    The corridor was quite dark, filled with a disgusting scent of sweat, alcohol, and tobo. Only ten steps in, doors began to appear on both sides of the corridor, all slightly ajar, letting the harsh light from inside spill into the hallway and the sounds of chaotic shouting and hands striking tables could be heard.

    Shard didn''t enter any of the doors. He cautiously continued forward, quietly using "Echo of Blood" to check his surroundings. He didn''t detect any obvious bloodstains, indicating that there was no more serious illegal activity here, at least.

    "Although it''s not abat sorcery, it''s mysteriously very useful," he thought.

    The corridor led to the club''s brighter eastern hall, where dozens of tables covered with tablecloths were set up. Well-dressed gentlemen, drunks just out from the bar, and workers who had just finished their shifts were all gathered around the tables, excitedly waving their money in the still dimly lit area, watching the gambling taking ce on the tables.

    The Lucky Southern Cross Club was divided into three levels, and only guests with sufficient status could go to the gambling area upstairs. Little Franklin was obviously limited to mingling on the first floor. Thest time Detective Sparrow Hamilton visited, he found the young man lying drunk in a corner of the eastern hall.

    Because the hall was so crowded and Shard had only heard from Mr. Franklin about Little Franklin''s attire and appearance, he didn''t immediately locate the young man.

    He held a one-shilling note in his hand and quickly blended into the crowded hall. He repeatedly paused by different tables, watching to see if he could find the person he was looking for, but he definitely wouldn''t throw the note onto a gambling table. The cost of the carriage ride had already been painful enough, and Mr.

    Franklin didn''t reimburse unnecessary expenses incurred during the investigation.

    After half an hour, he had almost checked the entire eastern hall but hadn''t found his target. Instead, while pretending to study the betting at a table, he overheard gamblers chatting about an interesting event that had happened here an hour earlier.

    A young man with a gray hat, wearing a sailor''s shirt and his face full of freckles, had umted too much debt at the gambling table and was taken to the second floor to be forced "to pay it off."

    Shard didn''t know what "paying off" implied, but it didn''t sound like anything good. He knew he had discovered Little Franklin''s trail, and the young man''s situation seemed quite grim.

    Entering the club''s second floor required showing at least ten pounds in cash, and a rmendation from an acquaintance. Shard had neither money nor acquaintances, but he had to proceed to the second floor. It was not time to give up, especially since it was his first official assignment.

    After waiting for a while, fortunately, a group of about a dozen drunkards staggered out of a room on one side of the hallway and headed towards the second floor.

    "Great opportunity!"

    Shard moved to the side near the staircase entrance along with a few others but quickly steadied one of the slightlygging drunkards, enduring his smell of alcohol, and supported him as he blended into the crowd, finally reaching the second floor as a detective.

    "Making money is never easy," he thought.

    Compared to the noisy first floor, the second floor was much quieter and more elegantly decorated. Even at night, it still functioned more like a club for drinks than a gambling den.

 Chapter 31 "Captain Eight-Guns" Lades

    The corridor''s floor was covered with a red carpet, and a wobbly line of people, under the guidance of a waiter waiting at the second-floor staircase, headed straight into the second room on the left.

    The room inside was quite spacious, and the gasmps were turned up to their maximum power, making everything inside shine with golden splendor. However, having just left the chaotic environment downstairs, this ostensibly normal scene now felt oddly distorted.

    The interior of the room resembled amon parlor, but there was a huge gambling table at the center.

    The table was wider, the chairs more numerous. Against the wall stood a liquor cab, and two inappropriately dressed women with heavy makeup. Neither the drunkards nor the waiters acting as croupiers noticed Shard, the man who shouldn''t have been there, as the group moved to the new room to continue their revelry.

    Shard stood beside a sofa trying to avoid drawing attention as he looked for an opportunity to slip out into the corridor.

    He considered whether he should use his "Ignite" ability to create a small disturbance and attract attention when he heard the drunkard he had been propping up speaking to a man with a scar at the corner of his mouth, sitting on a sofa with his head down:

    "Captain Lades, tell us again the story about how you tried tomit suicide by firing eight shots at your own head to show your undying loyalty to the Kingdom when you were captured by those Southerners!"

    The drunkard burst into loudughter, and the ridiculed Captain Lades kept his head down, silently staring at his boots.

    "Lades has only just been ransomed back, let''s not talk about this... How about finding a pistol and letting him demonstrate for us, hahaha~"

    The man holding three cards at the card table also turned around and chimed in, filling the room with jovialughter. Shard took the opportunity while everyone was roaring withughter, poking fun at the "Captain Eight-Guns" who had just been captured and returned home, to slip out of the noisy room and back into the corridor.

    The walls and doors had excellent soundproofing, and a few stepster, Shard could hardly hear the raucousughter from the room. He walked along, hugging the wall, the deserted corridor working in his favor.

    Although he didn''t know where Little Franklin was, ording to the former detective''s records, the second floor of the Lucky Southern Cross Club had an emergency exit that led directly outside, so Shard wasn''t worried about getting caught.

    But as he thought this and turned a corner, he was met head-on by a man whose uniform was obviously different from that of the guards at the casino downstairs.

    Shard walked forward with his chest out and head raised, not showing any signs of fear, but even so, he was stopped by the man:

    "Excuse me, sir, please wait a moment. I don''t think I''ve seen you before."

    The man extended his hand to grab Shard''s shoulder, and although Shardcked hand-to-handbat experience, his instinctive dodge was unexpectedly sessful. This made him realize once again that the enhancement provided by a Circle Sorcerer was all-epassing:

    "Yes, I was invited up and had just gone to the washroom."

    He exined.

    "But isn''t the washroom that way?"

    The man pointed in the direction from which the detective had juste, giving him a puzzled nce:

    "You''re quite nimble."

    "...The washroom over there is broken, and the vomit from that group of drunkards clogged the toilets. Oh, I really don''t want to describe that scene to you."

    Shard was quite impressed with his own quick thinking, but the man who stopped him still furrowed his brow:

    "Sir, you''re not a guest on the second floor, are you?"

    Although it was a question, the tone was already affirmative.

    Shard smiled awkwardly, realizing that further denial was pointless. Thankfully, he didn''t have any dangerous items on him and indeed hadn''t done anything wrong in the club:

    "Alright, I was just curious about the second floor and followed some guests up when they were being taken up... I understand, I''ll leave the club right away."

    Faced with an unexpected situation, there was no need for Shard to argue with the gangsters running the gambling establishment over half a pound. As he moved to step back, he was again stopped by the man''s next words:

    "From now on, don''t go wandering off. The guests upstairs are all distinguished, and when you y here, you have to follow the rules. You don''t need to leave; you can continue on the first floor... Wait, you''re not here to look for that ''pauper'' Franklin, are you?"

    He frowned.

    "Hmm... All right."

    Considering the current situation, Shard thought it unnecessary to lie since the other party seemed to be reasonable for the time being:

    "If you''re talking about the young man with a gray hat, wearing a sailor''s shirt, and with freckles all over his face, then yes, his father sent me to take him away."

    "His father has sent someone again? Come with me. Once you''ve paid off his debt, you can take him away."

    The man waved Shard over, leading him down the corridor:

    "You should have said so on the first floor. For guys like him who owe gambling debts, we worry about how to find people to pay off their debts for them."

    The casino owner unexpectedly made a lot of sense.

    "I thought... How much does he owe?"

    Shard asked the crucial question. The ountant had promised that if his own son incurred a debt at the casino, the detective could pay it off in advance, and the money would be reimbursable, but Shard himself didn''t carry much cash on hand.

    "One pound and six shillings, add on the interest and his board for these days here, two pounds, and you can take him away."

    The stakes on the first floor were actually not that high; Little Franklin managed to lose so much within two days, probably never once betting correctly on the oues. But this wasn''t Shard''s concern. Mr. Franklin could pay off debts up to ten pounds, and Shard just happened to have two pounds.

    The man continued:

    "Of course, since you''re here on behalf of his father. Just likest time, if you''re willing to give us three pounds and six shillings, the casino can issue you a five-pound receipt to take to ''pauper'' Franklin''s father..."

    It took Shard several seconds to realize what the man meant. He had seen this kind of thing in his original world, but was still taken aback by the Otherworld casino owner''s business acumen. After thinking it over, he shook his head:

    "Thank you for the offer, but I''ll pass this time. A steady stream flows far."

    He felt some sympathy for Mr. Franklin who was about to relocate his entire family and didn''t think it necessary to make money this way. The guide didn''t mind, and actually agreed with Shard''s opinion:

    "You''re right, a steady stream flows far. Anyway, ''pauper'' Franklin wille back again."

    Shard admitted to himself that he had a very wicked idea of the club''s so-called "debt repayment," but in fact, Little Franklin was only forced to help wash dishes in the kitchen, and once he washed enough, he would be allowed to leave.

    When the man led Shard into the kitchen, they happened to see a fat man in chef''s attire knock the young man with the small eyes to the floor with a punch. The physically frail Little Franklin fell amongst the scattered Roder Cards, blood from his knocked-out teeth sttering on their surfaces.

    At the end of the kitchen, a bloody pig''s head was ced, with steam pipes spraying hot steam over it, which the fat chef seemed to have been dealing with earlier.

    "Stop it, someone hase to redeem him."

    The guide saidnguidly, waving away the kitchen smells in front of his nose, then stretched out his hand for Shard to pay. Shard handed over the two pounds he had prepared earlier, then pulled up Little Franklin from the ground:

    "Your father sent me..."

    "Mr. Nett, he can''t leave now. This damned kid tried to run and even bit me."

    The chef said furiously, showing off the bloodied bite mark on his chubby hand:

    "Give me half a pound, or he can''t go."

 Chapter 32 "Cheating

    Hearing the fat chef''s demand, Shard furrowed his brow and looked at the money collector, who was known as "Mr. Nett," and thetter shook his head:

    "This is a matter between you two, the club won''t stop him from leaving, but you have to convince Fat Jack."

    "I''ve got no money left."

    Shard pulled out the pockets on either side of his coat, which indeed held nothing but a keychain and a notebook because his money was in the inside pocket:

    "I didn''t expect he could owe so much money."

    Little Franklin had already stood up, his head lowered, silent beside Shard. Although he had caused some trouble, he knew that now he had to rely on this man, who didn''t seem much older than himself, to leave.

    "No money?"

    With a huff, the fat chef bent down to pick up the four scattered Roder cards from the floor and showed them to Shard, which were the Sun 1, Sun 8, Stars 13, and the Emperor.

    The Emperor and the Empress are independent cards outside the four suits, somewhat simr to the jokers in Shard''s world, but they y a very interesting role in the Roder card game simr to "ckjack."

    "Draw one from these four. If you draw the Emperor, you take him. If not, he leaves all his clothes, and you leave your coat."

    Saying this in a muffled tone, the fat chef began to shuffle the cards behind his back. Then with hands bearing the imprint of bloodied teeth, he held the four cards, fanned out with their backs facing forward:

    "Don''t say I''m a bad person; it was he who bit me."

    He said grumpily, indicating for Shard to hurry up and draw.

    Shard blinked and stopped Little Franklin who was trying to reach out:

    "If you''re lucky enough, you won''t need me to redeem you here."

    As he spoke, the Ring of Fate in his spirit slowly turned, the spirit activating elements, elements influencing reality. A subtle hint of red traced his right eye, the Echo of Blood allowing the bloodstains to reflect in Shard''s eyes.

    The world in his eyes changed, with everything taking on a wonderful glimmer. Even though Little Franklin had only sprayed a little blood onto the cards, and only on the front, the sorcery of the "Echo of Blood" still allowed Shard to see the faint red traces in the air, to see the different red mist glows around the four cards in the chef''s hand.

    He had already seen that the "Emperor" card had the highest amount of blood on it, so he knew almost immediately which card he needed to draw¡ªthe second one from the left.

    "Is this considered bullying? Bing a Circle Sorcerer and doing this, it''s not right."

    He thought absent-mindedly, examining his own morals and values.

    Then he reached out with his finger, touching the card farthest to the right. His eyes, however, didn''t look at the backs of the cards, but stared intently at the fat chef''s face, who tensed up and tried hard not to show any expression.

    Mr. Nett and Little Franklin at the side were both drawn to the scene.

    "Not this one."

    Shard whispered, moving his finger to the second card from the right, staring at the chef''s face for a few more seconds:

    "Nor this one."

    Shaking his head, this time he switched to the correct card, and after several seconds, slowly drew it out amidst the chef''s inadequately suppressed look of surprise:

    "This time it is."

    The card was slowly turned over, revealing the "Emperor."

    "This should count as taking advantage of ordinary people."

    He also thought to himself.

    "Damn, I didn''t realize you were an experienced gambler."

    After a moment of surprise, the fat chef angrily mmed the other three cards to the ground:

    "Take this damned kid away. Next time if he owes money and doesn''t pay, be careful not to fall into my hands."

    The pale-faced son of the ountant showed a relieved smile, while Shard nodded. He didn''t judge others'' actions, but knew that the sorcery "Echo of Blood" was indeed very helpful for his detective career.

    After handing Shard the receipt, to prevent Shard and the downcast Little Franklin from wandering around the club, the man intended to escort the two out of the club. However, just as the trio was about to descend the stairs from the second floor, they were stopped.

    It was a woman dressed as a maid, in her early thirties, with very ordinary looks, but a rather fine demeanor.

    She came down the stairs from the third floor:

    "Thedy wishes to see you."

    She looked at Shard and nodded to him slightly.

    "Do I have someone behind me?"

    Shard thought and immediately looked behind him, but no one was there:

    "Me?"

    "Yes, sir, please follow me, your friend can wait for you on the first floor for now."

    The woman spoke, and Shard, not understanding why, looked to the man leading the way, who shrugged:

    "There''s only one distinguished guest on the third floor tonight. If it''s thatdy, you''d better follow her upstairs; she''s a very prestigious woman. As for him, I''ll keep an eye on him for you and make sure he doesn''t get near the gambling tables."

    As he spoke, he patted Little Franklin''s shoulder forcibly twice, almost knocking him over, but Little Franklin didn''t dare to protest Shard''s departure.

    "May I know who thedy is?"

    Shard hesitated to ask, suspecting someone like the club owner or even Mr. Lawrence''s "mistress" Lady Lassoya had discovered him.

    But he didn''t understand the reason she sought him. The only interaction the former detective had with this ce was thest time he came to pick someone up; beyond that, Shard had no other social rtionships that could possibly link him to the club.

    He was also concerned about a cat at home and wanted to return as soon as possible to prevent the newly arrived cat from relieving itself on his bed or desk.

    "Thedy is a titled noble, the most distinguished guest we have tonight. For the sake of her reputation, you cannot know her identity for now."

    The maid-dressed woman said in the standard Draleonmon tongue, and Shard finally nodded slightly:

    "Then what does she want with me? Sorry, I don''t seem to know anyone of such distinguished status."

    "Pleasee with me."

    The lead woman turned and headed upstairs, Shard hesitated for a moment, and then followed her.

    Compared to the rtively quiet second floor, the third floor was absolutely serene. From the decorations, if Shard hadn''te from downstairs, he might even have believed he was on a floor of an art museum.

    He followed behind the maid, looking at the oil paintings on both sides of the wall as he walked along the carpeted corridor. He stopped in front of a pair of golden double doors, where the maid opened enough of a gap in the left door for Shard to enter:

    "Thedy is waiting for you inside."

    Shard nodded again, waited for a second, without the voice inside his head prompting him with a "clue", and then entered the room.

    The maid closed the door from the outside, Shard standing with his back to the door, looking at the empty reception room.

    Theyout here resembled the doctor''s reception and consultation room.

    One entire wall was taken up by bookshelves, and the entire floor was carpeted. Thebination of desk, coffee table, and sofa, and the wooden brown cabs, looked extremely businesslike.

    However, the brass-colored metal box on the coffee table was rather eye-catching. It looked like the so-called gear mechanism box, which required rotating the gears on all six sides to a specific arrangement to be opened.

    The steam and gas pipes on the walls blended well with the painted wall''s color, and there were two angel-shaped gasmps blowing horns on each side of the room, emitting a warm yellow light, but not as bright as the crystal chandelier hanging above.

    The three windows on the wall opposite the door were covered by thick, red-brown embroidered drapes, but Shard didn''t consider the possibility of someone hiding behind the curtains.

    It was eerily quiet, causing Shard to feel a chill down his spine. Someone was peeping at him, but definitely not within this room.

 Chapter 33 Relic Out of Control

    The silence was profound, and seeing no one around, Shard walked toward the sofa. He didn''t sit down, staying ready to leave at a moment''s notice.

    But his eyes once again fell upon the brass-colored metal gear box on the coffee table. ording tomon sense, Shard naturally wouldn''t reach out for any unknown object.

    However, up close, he saw not only the various sizes of gear knobs on the brass cube''s surface but also a line of twisted, musical-note-like script on its upright face.

    Though he had never seen them before, Shard still understood them:

    "I am watching you in the darkness."

    Immediately, a murmuring voice inside his mind reminded him:

    [You have touched "Whisper."]

    "What, this is a Relic?"

    Shard eximed in surprise, at the same time noticing that the bright gasmps and crystal chandeliers inside the room had started to dim.

    An inexplicable sense of dread led him to look down at the brass gear box, which had silently opened without notice, with its lid askew from the body of the box.

    As the lighting grew dimmer, billowing ck mist emerged from it, spreading like waves in all directions.

    "This is just like a scene from a horror novel... This is..."

    [Relic Containment has failed.]

    Shard hardly had time to react when the surging ck mist snuffed out all the light inside the room.

    It was pitch-ck all around, as if ayer of ck ink had been painted over his eyes. In the darkness, his fear intensified, causing Shard''s body to tremble involuntarily.

    In a world where Darkness Descends, the sense of direction had utterly vanished. Shard felt as if he had plummeted into the most terrifying abyss, both his body and spirit assaulted by fear, at times even believing he was being observed by an immense, indescribable entity within the darkness.

    The extreme panic made him want to scream, but the Ounder quickly calmed himself down, knowing what was the most rational thing to do at that moment.

    In the dark space, reason and emotion fought each other, this fear was not an emotional response but an instinctual one. And in the moments when the fear surged, whispers came from within the darkness.

    It wasn''t the pleasant sound of a woman''s voice in his head, but rather a loathsome whisper of hatred and resentment from what seemed like millions of people ovepping. It sounded like white worms squirming in his ear canal, raising goosebumps on the back of his exposed hand.

    "Hmm? Why can I see the back of my hand?"

    He looked down at his hands to see a faint silver glow covering them, preventing him from beingpletely devoured by the darkness:

    "Right, I''m no longer an ordinary person, I am a Circle Sorcerer."

    In the midst of fear, he barely calmed down, looking at his hands and feeling the slowly rotating Brass Life Ring in his soul, summoning it forth.

    The bell tolls!

    The body wrapped in silver moonlight made the white steam in the dark space seem to be tinted with silver light.

    The siren!

    A distant whine echoed through Space-Time, rocking the profound darkness.

    The gavel!

    The hammer struck from the depths of steam and darkness; as sparks flew, the Brass Life Ring appeared behind him in a high-speed spin, casting sparks into the darkness.

    "Silvermoon!"

    Even without mastering any Arcane Technique of Silvermoon, Shard still followed his instincts and, standing in this darkness, raised his right hand high and shouted.

    When the Life Ring fully appeared, it was the sorcerer''s strongest stance; the spark-emitting Brass Ring responded to its master''s call, the Core Rune of [Silvermoon] flickering.

    Shard seemed to hear a woman''sughter at that moment, and then the index finger of his raised right hand emitted a silver light as dazzling as the sun.

    The light of Moonlight gradually spread outwards, causing the surrounding darkness to retreat as if time was reversing.

    At the same time, Shard also noticed in front of him a golden light sketching out the silhouette of a seated woman, her glow also driving away the terrible darkness created by the Relic''s loss of control.

    "This is the person who wanted to meet me..."

    Shard thought to himself as he watched the light drive away the darkness, returning the surroundings to the appearance of a reception room.

    The darkness, unwilling to retreat, sought to tear at Shard, but it couldn''te near the radiance of Silvermoon.

    Whispering voices were also cursing the people emitting the light, their voices ovepping, almost indistinguishable. But Shard heard the most obvious voice among them, not just one instance of whispering saying those words, it wasn''t directed at him; it was an inadvertent mutter in the darkness.

    The Ounder understood this inexplicablenguage:

    "Old God! You damned thieves! Thirteen of..."

    The darknesspletely receded, and the silver glow from Shard''s fingers gradually faded as well. However, he felt that if he needed to, he could still use this power, which could be considered his first creation of an Arcane Technique, the "Silvermoon Light Spell."

    Although it wasn''t very useful, that is.

    Thest of the whispers echoed incessantly in his ears, and Shard was surprised by their content, but he didn''t know whether they were true or false. The content heard in the whispering of the out-of-control Relic was usually not to be trusted.

    He looked down at the brass cube on the coffee table, which was already closed, as if the emergence of ck mist from just moments ago was an illusion.

    Then, looking up at the spot where the figure of a golden-haired woman had been, he saw the wall where the bookshelf stood, with a wooden door slightly ajar at the bottom right corner of the whole bookshelf.

    The door handle was pure gold and blended well with the bookshelf, so Shard did not notice it when he first entered the room, stepping on the thick red wool carpet.

    Instinctively, he understood that his woman was in the room behind this door.

    The room was coolerpared to the hallway, given that the hallway itself was already cooler than the city on this summer night, and the temperature in the room seemed to be ofte autumn.

    "The temperature seems a bit off; I remember it was normal at the beginning. Has the aftermath of the Relic''s loss of control not ended yet?"

    "The power of a High Ring Sorcerer affects the environment, she must be quite angry."

    "High Ring? Above Nine Rings? Wait, how do you know? Also, why is she angry? Shouldn''t I be the one who''s angry?"

    Shard hesitated in thought when, finally, the woman''s voice came from behind the door:

    "You... um... probably understand what just happened, right?"

    There was a tone of helplessness and indignation in her voice, and it was the first time Shard discovered he could clearly discern someone''s feelings from their tone.

    "The Relic lost control."

    He replied honestly and then learned the truth of the recent events.

    "Young sir, you... I... I don''t know whether I should me myself or me you. That was a Poet-Level Relic, the ''Box of Darkness,'' which can only be contained when the opening Spell Words are chanted, and at the same time, one possesses Light and celestial-rted Spirit Runes. I only wanted to meet you; why did you do this? Don''t you know that you should not lightly read unfamiliar inscriptions?"

    She spoke not too quickly, in that entden Northern Common Tongue, with a voice that sounded to be no older than thirty but possibly just over twenty. Her intonation was very elegant, and even Shard could hear the unadulterated anger in her tone.

    As for the things she mentioned, Shard truly did not know. Although he maintained his usual caution, being new to this world, he could not have foreseen that muttering Spell Words in his mind could cause a Relic to lose control, but it was indeed an ident caused by his carelessness.

    He decided to take this incident as a lesson:

    "Madam, I am very sorry. I don''t intend to shrug off responsibility, it''s just... may I ask, what matter do you have with me?"

    He didn''t know how else to exin, so he could only express his apologetic attitude while probing the other party''s mood.

    Thedy behind the door could never guess that the guest she invited could easily understand ancient texts, nor would she know the guest''s Core Runes, so part of the responsibility for what had just happened definitelyy with Shard.

    He wanted to mentionpensation, but facing a High Rank Ring Sorcerer, he definitely couldn''t afford it, so he could only inquire about her intentions.

    A moment ago, both he and the other had used the power of a Circle Sorcerer, and thedy behind the door was not surprised, suggesting she knew the identity of the detective she invited to the second floor.

    This puzzled Shard greatly, he had only been a sorcerer for a day, and no one should have been able to see through him.

    But at the very least, the woman behind the door was not Lady Lassoya. Even without having heard Lady Lassoya''s voice, Shard was certain that a person of indeterminate gender could not speak with such an elegantly calm tone.

    "Never mind, an apology will suffice. I also shouldn''t have left the Relic out during a reception; we both bear some responsibility. This incident has reminded me never to leave Relics lying around carelessly; otherwise, who knows what kind of people mighte across them. I couldn''t have imagined that you could actually read those ancient Spell Words."

    Thedy behind the door sighed, and Shard breathed a slight sigh of relief, not because of the issue being brushed aside, but because through this incident he realized that the High Ring Female Sorceress behind the door was a reasonable person, making it quite safe to deal with her.

    "Back to the point, young sir, how should I address you?"

    The woman behind the door adjusted her mood and then asked. Shard couldn''t see through the room''s door to the other side, but he believed that she could see him. He could fully imagine the sight of the woman sitting behind a table, conversing with him through the door.

 Chapter 34 The Lady Behind the Door

    "Shard Hamilton, currently a detective. Good evening, Miss, my respects to you."

    Shard considered his words carefully, trying to make his speech more appropriate. It was wise to cooperate in conversation until he understood the other party''s purpose. And he genuinely regretted the incident earlier, although it wasn''t entirely his fault.

    "Let me say it again, don''tugh. I know it was my carelessness, and I will learn from it,"

    he said to himself.

    "However, I just knew that understanding allnguages is definitely not a good thing in this world. I must remember this lesson."

    Shard thought, the woman quickly adjusted her mood and continued in a softer tone:

    "Detective, it''s nothing serious that I called you here so hastily. The Box of Darkness was just an ident, and what I want to know from you is the whereabouts of that statue."

    "Sorry, what did you say? Statue?"

    Startled internally at the memory of the recent event, Shard expressed confusion in his voice, genuinely believing that he had an excellent talent for acting.

    "The statue of blood, or should I say... the statue of the Old God, Vampire Duke Lowell, do you know where it is?"

    The woman''s voice had regained itsposure, as though she were discussing the evening weather with Shard, only her tone had grown chillier, and the pressure was no less than before:

    "First Ring Sorcerer, there''s no need to lie. The sorcery you used between the first and second floors earlier had such a strong smell of blood.

    But you are clean, so I presume you are not a believer of that Old God, nor are you a member of the ''Blood of Mercury'' organization holding the statue.

    So, as a First Ring Sorcerer... True God Church? No, you don''t seem like the believer of a deity... But your method of employment seems quite regr... Magic Academy? Since you were so careless just before, I suspect you might be a newly enrolled Correspondence Circle Mage of some school.

    That''s even better; Correspondence Circle Mages have no loyalty to the Academy."

    She seemed to know a lot about Correspondence Circle Mages but didn''t give Shard the opportunity to respond, rather saying softly:

    "Actually, that''s all irrelevant. I don''t care about your identity, nor am I interested in probing whether you have any secrets. Now, Detective, please tell me, where is the statue of the Old God?"

    Shard looked toward the slightly ajar door with some surprise, but he understood that he needed to stay calm more than ever:

    "Madam, I''m not quite sure what you are referring to. You know I''m only a First Ring..."

    Today''s Tobesk was also foggy, and there was no way anyone could have seen him with the statue in the alley. He couldn''t even fathom how anyone could sniff out the scent of blood from his encounter with the statue. To think, not even the ''Echo of Blood'' could detect any trace on him.

    This was supposed to be a straightforwardmission, and in theory, the release of sorcery could only be perceived up close due to the fluctuations of the Spirit and the congregation of elements. No one had mentioned in the doctor''s notebook that someone could urately sniff out traces of a specific sorcery through twoyers of ceiling.

    Shard knew he had met someone extraordinary, but at least she wasn''t from the ''Blood of Mercury''.

    "Could she be a believer of a deity hostile to that blood-stained Old God?"

    For the moment, that was his only guess.

    "I possess special Spirit Runes, finely attuned to the power of Old Gods, so there''s no need to panic. Detective, do I need to emphasize my question again?"

    The room seemed to grow colder, and Shard shook his head, knowing that the person behind the door could see him through it, and so he said:

    "No, no need. The statue of the Old God, Vampire Duke Lowell... I did indeede into contact with it, just today."

    "That''s good to know. Even if you don''t wish to disclose the location, I believe I can find out where you''ve been today. But we could save some time, couldn''t we?"

    asked thedy behind the door, her voice tinged with pleasure, as she awaited the detective''s answer, confident that he wouldn''t disappoint her.

    Shard furrowed his brows and pondered for a moment:

    "Then, madam, may I take this as... yourmission for me, to find the statue containing the remnants of an Old God?"

    This wasn''t him indulging in a role-ying game as a detective; he was seeking rification, wondering whether she intended to take without giving or to trade. Although he was apologetic about the uncontroble relic, it didn''t mean he was willing to hand over something valuable for nothing.

    The situation turned out to be slightly better than Shard thought:

    "You may certainly take it as amission; I have always advocated for fair trade. Moreover, you hold no grudge against me... aside from the incident just now. If possible, I have no issue with conducting a trade. So, Detective, how much do you require for themission? Please name your price.

    And after this transaction, let''s consider the incident with the uncontroble relic as if it never urred; I won''t mind."

    The possibility of sudden wealth was right before him; thedy inside did not seem to be joking. Thebels of noblewoman and High Ring Sorcererbined, were sufficient for Shard to imagine just how wealthy she might be.

    Shard resisted the allure of money, stopping his mind from imagining counting a stack of coins in his study by the light of the deskmp, with the gaslight turned off.

    He had more pressing matters:

    "The statue is in the alley diagonally across from the Silver Parrot Milk Delivery Company, to the right of the entrance is an old bookstore. At the end of the alley, in the dead space between the pipes and the wall, that''s where the statue is hidden, but you need Spell Words, incanting a six-syble spell to make the statue appear. This is my sincerity; I don''t want money..."

    Not wanting money was, of course, a lie but could also be considered the truth. As for revealing such crucial information so soon, it was a tactic; Shard believed she could find the location by tracking his movements, so revealing it early could y in his favor:

    "I wish to trade the location and the incantation needed to reveal the statue for a power that I can use. It doesn''t need to be an equivalent exchange; as long as I can use it, that will suffice."

    The statue was certainly a lost cause, especially since Shard had no intention of holding onto such a dangerous item, nor did he have the capacity to take it with him. Therefore, a suitablepromise for greater benefit was the best strategy.

    Thedy behind the door got it right; trading the statue to the Academy or to her made no difference. Shard remembered the oft-repeated words of Doctor and Miss Writer¡ªthey were merely correspondence students, with no specific ties to the Academy.

    Thus, he wouldn''t consider trading the statue to someone else as a betrayal of the Academy. Besides, Shard wanted to make up for the incident with the relic a little, and it was beneficial for future dealings to be at a slight loss in a negotiation with someone reasonable and powerful.

 Chapter 35 Sage-Level Relic [Gods Gift Box]

    "Power? You are too weak, the power I possess is not suitable for you."

    This once again proved the other party''s strength, which Shard believed without a doubt.

    The woman paused for a moment before continuing, as if in thought. And the temperature inside the room had returned to the same level as the hallway, indicating that her mood had also returned to normal:

    "But I happen to have in my possession a decent Relic, though its value is far less than that statue of the Old God... No, not the Box of Darkness, that''s merely a Poet-Level (Level 5) toy. I offer you a Scribe Level (Level 4) Relic and will tell you the secrets of the Blood of Mercury, to help you avoid danger, in exchange for the address and Spell Words. How about it?"

    "No problem, thank you for your generosity, ma''am."

    Because saying nice things doesn''t cost any money, Shard was willing to use the "Northern Common Language Pack" in his head to trante his Chinese into the Otherworldnguage with a tranted ent to praise the other party.

    But this time, Shard didn''t take the initiative to reveal the contents of the Spell Words, and the woman inside the door surely understood his intention:

    "Recently, a Sage-Level Relic has appeared in Tobesk City."

    The first sentence was somewhat surprising; he had thought the woman wanted to discuss the Keeper of Secrets Level Relic rted to the Blood of Mercury, the Forged Philosopher''s Stone that Shard had seen on the Academy Bounty Notice at the doctor''s.

    But fortunately, it was only Sage-Level (Level 2), not Angel-Level (Level 1). But on second thought, it seemed unlikely for him to suddenly encounter an Angel-Level Relic; after all, Shard still had a certain level of confidence in his luck.

    The woman in his heartughed again.

    "This is not exactly a secret; at least the Church and the Academy know about it, as well as other fellows with spies in this ce... The Sage''s Relic is God''s Gift Box, an instrument once used by an Old God who possessed the power of Creation."

    The woman behind the door said with a teasing tone:

    "At present, the Blood of Mercury, which is ssified as an illegal organization, possesses this Sage-Level Relic.

    For some reasons, the Blood of Mercury is temporarily unable to move the Relic, so God''s Gift Box is still in Tobesk City. The power of the Relic is immense, every Circle Sorcerer who touches the box for the first time will automatically know a form for synthesis.

    By putting specific Relics into the box in a certain order, one can synthesize a more powerful and definitely fitting Relic for themselves. Detective, do you understand?"

    "I think I understand."

    Shard carefully memorized this information¡ªthis was the first time he hade across information about a Sage-Level Relic.

    "This is somewhat simr to the synthesis in the Study of Alchemy, but the side effects of a Sage-Level Relic... Diak, the ''Silver-Eyed One'' of the Blood of Mercury, seems to think that through this box, he can master the synthesis method for an Angel-Level (Level 1) Relic, the Blood of Mercury..."

    The woman wasughing, but herughter wasn''t nearly as pleasant as theughter in Shard''s mind at that moment.

    "The Silver-Eyed One is attempting to use this immovable Sage-Level Relic to synthesize the real Blood of Mercury, which was also the original intent for the formation of the Blood of Mercury organization, in pursuit of a possibly non-existent Relic... That''s why this group of people came to this city with all sorts of random items, including that statue.

    They say there are also a number of quite decent Relics, but for now, I am only interested in that statue."

    "So, what do you think of that Sage-Level Relic, the God''s Gift Box?"

    Shard hesitated, quite doubtful. If everything the woman said was true, he wondered if the Academy, knowing the truth, would inform the local Correspondence Circle Mages in this region.

    If they told the whole truth, then the Bounty Order seemed somewhat understated. Therefore, the Academy Bounty Notice he saw at the doctor''s might actually have "finding traces of the Blood of Mercury organization" as its real purpose, and the Forged Philosopher''s Stone was just incidental.

    The Academy currently had no intention of sharing this intelligence with the Correspondence Circle Mages.

    "I have no interest in that item whatsoever, I know exactly what that box is, so I will never touch it. It first appeared in the autumn of 1068 of the Fifth Era, very ancient, very powerful... If I were you, for the next few months, I would definitely hide in this fog-shrouded City of Steam from Blood of Mercury, those people are nearly going mad."

    "Alright, ma''am, I really appreciate your information. It''s a spell word..."

    He took a few seconds tomit the woman''s words to memory verbatim, then confidently recited a six-syble spell word. After that, he added that it was due to the effect of his Core Spirit Rune that he was able to learn it.

    But the woman seemed unconcerned with thatment, just as she was indifferent to why Shard could easily make the Box of Darkness go out of control.

    "Good, Detective, I appreciate someone like you, this was a rather nicemission. Now, please take care of this ''Relic''."

    From behind the door came the sound of a drawer being pulled open, followed by footsteps. But when the door was finally pushed open, only a young maid emerged. In her mid-twenties, she wore the ssic, sturdy ck and white uniform of a maid.

    Her ck hair wasted with white ornaments because she wasn''t working in the kitchen, so she didn''t have the apron around her long maid''s dress that Shard had envisaged.

    This definitely wasn''t thedy Shard had been conversing with. The contour of thedy behind the door had been depicted in golden hues in the darkness just before, quite different from this dark-haired maid.

    The maid opened the door at the corner of the bookshelf, immediately returned it to a slightly ajar state, preventing Shard from getting a chance to see the "nobledy" inside. Then, she carefully brought a small square box in front of Shard, cradled in both hands, the outside wrapped in red velvet. She held it in one hand and with a snap, opened it to show Shard the ring nestled inside the lining.

    A faint smell of blood was captured, but neither the naked eye nor the Echo of Blood could see any blood stains on the ring itself.

    The ring appeared to be made of pure silver, and the gem in the setting was a piece of yellow amber encasing an unknown insect. The insect, resembling amon midge, was entirely red as if it coulde to life from the amber at any moment.

    "You have touched ''Whisper''."

    "Scribe Level Relic ''Vampire Ring'', when worn on an injured state, directly touching any humanoid creature''s skin can draw their blood to heal oneself.

    It cannot cure diseases or curses, but it can provide relief. However, if the injuries needing healing are too severe, it could lead to the contacted person''s blood being drained instantaneously... But do not use the ring as a weapon, even if you are willing to hurt yourself, don''t do it.

    This is a Scribe Level Relic, frequently using the ring''s ability to heal oneself can lead to symptoms simr to Bloodlust Syndrome."

    That was the woman inside exining. She didn''t hide anything about the Relic:

    "Do not wear it when you''re uninjured, at least not for extended periods, or else I can''t guarantee what might happen. Of course, even if it isn''t because of the Relic''s side effects, it''s better not to wear it casually, because this is also something I took from Blood of Mercury, they don''t know who took it, so... you should be that cautious."

    For a moment, Shard didn''t know whether to fuss about the woman''s contradiction with Blood of Mercury or to ponder the rtionship between Blood of Mercury collecting so many blood-rted Supernatural Items and synthesis forms.

 Chapter 36 The Returning Doctor

    "Detective, you are lucky; if I hadn''t had this Relic on hand, the deal might not have gone so smoothly. After all, for a weak Circle Sorcerer, overly mysterious knowledge and too powerful weapons are equally dangerous... Detective, I won''t fuss over the matter of the Box of Darkness. It was a pleasure to cooperate with you."

    Thedy''s words behind the door seemed to suggest it was time for the guest to leave.

    Shard closed the ring box, taking it from Miss Maid. As Miss Maid moved back toward the door, instead of bidding farewell and departing, he collected his emotions and said aloud:

    "Madam, might I have the honor of knowing your identity?"

    "You do not have that honor, for the time being."

    The woman spoke bluntly, and Shard seemed to hear the ck-haired Miss Maid identally let out a chuckle as she pushed the door.

    "I know what you''re worried about. Now that I know your identity, your appearance, naturally I can find out your address, the identities of the Correspondence Circle Mages you work with... But what of it? The most important thing for Correspondence Circle Mages is not to let the church know their identities. So, do you think I am someone from the church?"

    Just as the woman did not believe Shard was a devout believer of the True Gods, Shard also did not take her for a devout believer:

    "You can talk about tonight''s events to the Correspondence Circle Mages you team up with; they naturally know the rules of this city. That includes our trade; of course, you can speak of it. Any more doubts?"

    She was probably in a good mood now, having obtained information from Shard, although there was some initial displeasure.

    "Your presence here tonight..."

    "Certainly not for you. Encountering you was purely idental. I appeared in this disreputable ce tonight only because I heard the club had a rare Roder Card."

    "Which series is it, may I ask?"

    "It doesn''t matter anymore, it was a forged Roder Card."

    "That''s truly unlucky... Then, goodbye, madam, may you soon touch the statue of the Old God."

    This was a reminder for her to search quickly, so that the Blood of Mercury wouldn''t have time to move the statue, preventing her from finding it and ming Shardter.

    "Farewell then, Detective... Speaking of which, I do appreciate a young man like you. Your reaction when the Relic went out of control wasmendable; most First Ring Sorcerers don''t perform like you do.

    If you ever need anything, you can reach me through this club. But you understand, all giftse with a price to pay."

    "Indeed, madam. I wish you a wonderful night."

    Clutching the ring box, Shard turned and left the premises, but as he reached the door, he suddenly looked back towards the slightly ajar door:

    "Madam, regarding the Box of Darkness..."

    "A rare Relic of the Third Era. Relics are built up from the resentment and hatred at the end of an Era; there''s no need for suspicion about hearing anything.

    The Fifth Era belongs to the witches, and the war of thest thirteen Witch Empresses almost brought forth terrible beings from beyond the material world;

    The Fourth Era was an Era of darkness and chaos, with darkness shrouding Earth, and strange creatures roaming the material world;

    In the Third Era, different races coexisted with humans, but at the same time, terrifying and bizarre humanoid creatures upied much of the material world¡ªthese were Evil Spirits born amidst the Whispers. Humans and other normal life forms lived on the fringes, protecting each other."

    She said no more, and Shard slightly bowed to express his gratitude for this free knowledge, then stepped out the door.

    The maid outside was waiting for Shard, guiding him from the third floor to the stairs on the first floor. There, Shard regrouped with the dejected Little Franklin, and together they left the club.

    Exiting the noisy interior back to the streets of summer night enshrouded by a thin mist eased the oppressive feelings significantly.

    Shard was still immersed in the sequence of events he had just experienced, remembering the moment when his fingers glowed, pondering the details of the trade.

    ordingly, there wasn''t much conversation between them as they followed the gas-lit streets, walking through the quiet night toward the apartment rented by the Franklin family.

    It was just as they were about to reach their destination and Little Franklin stepped into the shadow of an antique shop''s sign, where the gas-lit streetlights failed to reach, that he suddenly turned and ran. Prepared for this, Shard immediately gave chase, and they didn''t even make it halfway down the street before Little Franklin was knocked down by a kick from the detective''s boot:

    "Who on Earth has your father hired this time? Have you been practicing sprinting? Going topete in the Tobesk Youth Sports meet? What happened to thest detective?"

    Panting and hoarse, he was pinned down by Shard from behind. While asking continuous questions, he no longer tried to break free, as the young man was not good at running.

    "Still trying to run? Didn''t the detective catch youst time, too? Uncle Sparrow is dead, I''ve taken over his work, but I haven''t trained in sprinting."

    Shard felt the strength in his body, not just as a Circle Sorcerer; the physical quality of the body itself was quite impressive. It was a mystery how Detective Sparrow had transformed a vagrant into this in just a few months.

    As for impersonating someone else''s nephew, it wasn''t really a big deal, after all, Shard had truly inherited all of the detective''s relics.

    "Dead? That guy who pointed a gun at my head and told me to leave the gambling table is dead?"

    Little Franklin was somewhat surprised, but his tone was filled with joy:

    "Such a bad person, it''s not a bad thing that he''s dead."

    However, ording to the records ofmissions left by the detective that Shard had found, both times he had taken Little Franklin away from the slums'' underground gambling dens and clubs, it was through the power of words that Detective Sparrow Hamilton had portrayed himself as someone charismatic and particrly skilled at persuading others.

    "It seems his records can''t bepletely trusted... But he did have a gun... Thrown away? Or hidden but I didn''t find it?"

    "Speaking of which, how about you let me go? If I win at gambling, I''ll give you more gold pounds."

    Little Franklin was still trying to break free.

    "I really feel sorry for your father."

    "Come on, you''re only after me for the money."

    The young gambler scoffed, expecting a verbal counter from the detective, but to his surprise, the detective simply nodded:

    "Yes, gold pounds are certainly important. Otherwise, why would I leave my house on a foggy night, not staying in to tend to my adorable cat by gaslight, toe and catch you?"

    Although he encountered an unexpected situation at the club, the process of submitting themission and receiving payment went smoothly. Mr. and Mrs. Franklin didn''t give their son a hard time, and Shard just got half a pound as a reward at the door, and the two pounds of gambling debt paid in advance, and then he left straight away.

    When leaving, he also saw Little Franklin inside the house, making malicious gestures at him. Shard wasn''t angry, but he did genuinely feel a bit ofpassion for Mr. Franklin.

    "Every era, every family has its own stories, I should better take care of my own matters first."

    With his hands in his pockets, he walked into the long night, saying goodbye to his first official employer.

    It waste at night, and the detective, who was short on cash, still didn''t take a carriage but walked home. He had to gather 10 pounds within a month, even if he could pawn the inherited relics from home, but he also needed to develop the habit of being frugal.

    Therefore, by the time he got home, it was well past midnight, and he felt exceptionally lonely and forlorn climbing the dim staircase after leaving the hazy fog outside. Upon entering, he was worried that the orange cat "Mia" might have been defecating everywhere, but thankfully, she had dutifully used the pile of sand Shard had prepared on the balcony before he left to leave her "mark."

    As for the cat itself, it had rushed over as soon as the tired detective opened the door, wing at his pant leg, wanting to be held, and was unusually excited about Shard''s return. This made Shard, who had walked for hours alone at night, feel particrly moved and warmth in his heart.

    "Even if your owner doesn''te for you, I''ll take you in."

    "Meow~"

    He said after picking up the well-behaved cat, and Mia, the orange cat, rubbed her soft little head against Shard''s chest to express her affection. The detective then made a temporary little nest for Mia on the desk in his bedroom using a nket.

    It waste at night, and he did not continue to research the [Vampire Ring], but even though he slept veryte that night, he still woke up on time at just after six the next morning and didn''t feel tired in the slightest.

    The ordered sheep''s milk and cow''s milk, along with the newspaper, were delivered together, and Shard had breakfast for the first time in this house with the well-behaved orange cat Mia, nning his schedule for the day.

    Today was Tuesday, he didn''t need to see Dr. Schneider until the next day, but he would definitely have to visit the doctor because of the note left yesterday.

    Completing twomissions in one day yesterday gave Shard a great boost of confidence in running the detective agency''s business.

    But today, he didn''t n to handle cases left by the former detective. Aftering back from the doctor, he intended to thoroughly check his home for the pistol and to continue reading the doctor''s notes and pastmission records, studying his own spirit runes.

    It was still Mia who stayed behind to watch the house, and Shard carried the relic [Vampire Ring] with him, passing through the city in the thin fog.

    Walking from Tobesk City Center to the doctor''s clinic located in the eastern part of the city took up several hours of his morning, but the unique scenery of the unfamiliar Steam Age and the European architectural style intrigued Shard.

    Walking down the beautiful Rontgen Avenue in the affluent district and seeing the four-wheeled carriage parked outside the psychological clinic and the gentleman with the ck top hat getting off the carriage, Shard was still worried about whether Dr. Schneider was back.

    Fortunately, the hours-long journey was not in vain, as the blue-eyed doctor had returned, though he looked quite troubled while receiving Shard.

    Shard remembered Miss Luisa saying that his luck was usually quite poor, and this time he had encountered a troubling matter:

    "That''s why I hate dealing with nobility. If they can be treated, they take psychological issues lightly; if they can''t, they assume it''s because of my ipetence.

    This gluttony problem is quite tricky; thatdy must have hidden some secrets she''s unwilling to reveal. People always distrust doctors... Shard, if you ever getmissions from nobility, you''ll surely understand what I mean... Please take a seat; I''ve seen your note, but what exactly do you need?"

 Chapter 37 The Doctoréˆ¥æªš Praise

    Shard still met in the same treatment room, andpared to thedy he encounteredst night on the third floor of the club, Shard had a considerable amount of trust in Dr. Schneider. Thus, heid out everything that had happenedst night without believing there was any detail that needed to be hidden.

    Of course, this included matters rted to the "Box of Darkness"; only that Shard obscured the conditions under which the box''s containment failed.

    Upon hearing about the initial loss of control over the relic, Dr. Schneider stood up in surprise and began pacing the room; halfway through, as Shard mentioned the Sage-Level "Relic," the doctor stood still, covering his forehead. When he heard about the "Silver-Eyed One''s" mad idea, he groaned openly:

    "Such a madman, I had known before that the ''Blood of Mercury'' was in the New World, trying to use its unique minerals for alchemy. I never expected it would actuallye to Tobesk."

    As to Shard''s behavior in confronting the "Box of Darkness," he was very pleased, but he did not think the "Silvermoon''s Light Spell" was of much value¡ªsuch Arcane Techniques were all toomon. The Light Spell described by Shard, though exceptionally bright, was not too unique.

    Moreover, concerning Shard trading the statue that contained remnants of the Old God, the doctor thought he did the right thing. He hardly minded that the woman could possibly learn about the Correspondence Group based on Shard''s information:

    "Many people know about our existence; otherwise, how would we exchange materials or knowledge, or find talented individuals to assist us? Do we need to wear masks every time? It''s fine as long as it''s not the True God Church. If someone is willing to deal with a Low Ring Sorcerer like you, it means she is quite friendly."

    As for guessing the woman''s identity, the doctor could not think of who it might be, but he also believed that the Circle Sorcerer''s level was very high; otherwise, there was no reason to approach Shard in that manner, nor to know specific details about the Sage-Level Relic.

    "Regardless, this is a good thing. You managed to obtain a rare Sorcery and a quite nice ''Relic'' without risking your life. I believe this should be considered fortunate. The world is not safe, and one is not always so lucky."

    The doctor finally concluded about the matter.

    "Would it be considered lucky?"

    Shard asked, but after some thought, it indeed seemed very fortunate.

    With an Evil God Statue containing remnants of the Old God, even though Shard could only gain knowledge through the initial contact, the actual value of that statue was far greater than that Scribe Level ring. But if one added the free information and knowledge, as well as the unintended act of causing the "Box of Darkness" to lose control, this transaction could arguably be called "a fair trade."

    More importantly, "thatdy" was much stronger than Shard.

    Dr. Schneider was not very concerned about thedy in the club; after all, this was the Royal Capital of the Northern Kingdom on the Old Continent, and any level of Circle Sorcerer might suddenly appear. He was interested in the "Blood of Mercury":

    "In fact, the Academy has also issued a bounty rted to the ''Blood of Mercury'' organization recently. I was even prepared to participate... It seems I need to rethink it now, Sage-Level..."

    Dr. Schneider muttered to himself and then looked up at Shard:

    "Shard, all in all, you handled this matter quite well. You did not face any danger yourself and adeptly managed the transaction with an unknown Circle Sorcerer, providing valuable intelligence for the group. You''re getting the hang of it; this is roughly what your future life will look like.

    However, this intelligence is quite useful, and perhaps I should give you somepensation. Don''t refuse, although the five of us belong to the same group and may very likely cross the Northern Great Ice Cap together, some things need to be settled clearly. Ordinary information can be shared freely, but this time, it concerns such matters..."

    He paused for a moment:

    "How about four pounds, one pound from each of the other four members? This intelligence is roughly worth that much."

    This kind of crucial insider information wouldmand much more than four pounds if sold in the ck market,

    but sharing within the group of five, it couldn''t be priced that way. The four pounds were not so much a financial reward for Shard but recognition of his contributions to the group, clearly different in nature, indicating that the rtionship among the five was not merelymercial.

    "Four pounds, that''s about like taking Little Franklin back from the club eight more times, or like having one more orange cat, Mia."

    Shard calcted in his mind, equating the three rtionships, and because he did not desire more, he smiled at the doctor:

    "Of course, that''s fine. But doctor, I didn''t mention the information about Lady Lassoyast night. Will that have any impact?"

    Seizing the opportunity, he asked further, and Dr. Schneider shook his head:

    "Since the other party didn''t ask, you''re not in a position to tell. But you should avoid any further contact with thedy you mentioned. She''s likely a member of the Blood of Mercury. However, I haven''t heard that they possess a Relic capable of gender transformation.

    They probably prepared it for the synthesis form of Blood of Mercury, and the difficulty of that Academy Bounty Notice is greater than I imagined."

    The doctor frowned:

    "In any case, avoid anything rted to the Blood of Mercury.

    I''m likely to do something soon, but I am a Five-Ring Sorcerer, and you are not. The Blood of Mercury are a bunch of madmen who always believe they can produce a legendary Angel-Level Relic, but how is that possible?"

    "You''re right. If Angel-Level Relics could easily appear, then this world would be too insane."

    Shard agreed, truly believing so.

    The doctor with blue eyes seemed to have had an encounter with this organization, but did not want to share it with Shard, thus he changed the topic:

    "Shard, your task now is to learn more about everyday knowledge and get your detective career going. Get in touch with the ordinary world and, once you level up to the Second Ring or attain enough strength, then consider getting involved in the shadows of Tobesk City. This crazy world is always crazier than you think."

    "So, doctor, does the academy always withhold key information like this from us?"

    Shard took the opportunity to ask, but the doctor unexpectedly shook his head:

    "Don''t be too harsh on Saint Byrons Integrated Academy; they usually share appropriate information with us at the right time."

    "And when is the right time?"

    Shard inquired further, then saw Dr. Schneider lean back slightly on the solo sofa:

    "Only they would know that."

    After leaving Dr. Schneider''s psychiatric clinic, besides hearing about an idental gas explosion in the alley across from the Silver Parrot Milk Company at noon, nothing else noteworthy happened that day for Shard.

    No ouw organization approached him, no generous clients rang the bell downstairs, no acquaintances of Sparrow Hamilton came looking for him, but Shard''s solo research at home surprisingly yielded results.

    He was stillpletely unable to harness any Space-Time power, but regarding Silvermoon, perhaps due to its breakthrough use on the third floor of the club, besides Light Spell, Shard was now able to make the Silvermoon''s Glimmer adhere to objects in the external world.

    The most sessful experiment he conducted involved having the orange cat, "Mia," which had grown affectionate toward him, emit light for ten continuous seconds.

    This move frightened the cat so much that it ran wildly around the house, even dashing up to the third floor of the apartment through a broken staircase.

    It took Shard a long time to call the fleeing cat back, and this made him specte whether the detective had hidden his gun in the sealed-off ground floor, inessible third floor, or unupied Room 2 on the second floor.

    Unfortunately, without sufficient tools, he was unable to explore these three locations. But investigating these ces was already scheduled into Shard''s calendar, as he needed to ensure that the house he lived in was absolutely safe.

 Chapter 38 Priest Augustus of the Dawn Church

    Apart from the study of the Core Spirit Runes, Shard also experimented with other "simple" attempts mentioned in Dr. Schneider''s notebook.

    Dr. Schneider pointed out that the power possessed by Circle Sorcerers is the power of thought influencing reality, and therefore, even without learning any Arcane Techniques or Sorcery, they could use their own power, the so-called "mind over matter."

    The spontaneously used powers stemming from Core Spirit Runes were organized in ancient times and collectively referred to as "Arcane Techniques"; the power rted only to thought and used spontaneously without learning was organized into a system and referred to as "Sorcery."

    Of course, the Academy believed that the ssification of "Sorcery" also included "Divine Arts" rted to the True Gods, originating from faith and the direct grants of the True Gods, but Shard and the doctor''s studies did not involve these. The Church, however, believed that the ssification of "Divine Arts" should be separate from Sorcery, as they are fundamentally different.

    In the early stages of this era, after continuous fierce debates in the Circle Sorcerer academicmunity, the "Divine Arts" of the five True Gods as well as the existing Evil Gods were officially listed alongside "Arcane Techniques" and "Sorcery" as the most external expression of the Circle Sorcerer power system.

    The Divine Arts of the vanished Old Gods still belonged to "Sorcery," because their believers had no say.

    Therefore, the Sorcery known as "Echo of Blood" that Shard acquired from the Old God "Vampire Duke Lowell," in essence, should be seen as that Old God''s Divine Art, which couldn''t be learned through ordinary means without the power of this Old God.

    Thus, the core of the Circle Sorcerer System is [Spirit Rune], powerful and significant [Arcane Technique] which must be learned through Spirit Runes, [Sorcery] which is of lower priority but can be learned by all, and [Divine Arts] rted to gods and faith, which are the manifestations of the power of the Circle Sorcerer System.

    "To level up the Circle requires one Spirit Rune of miracle, desecration, enlightenment, and whisper each, and the rtionship between Spirit Runes and Sorcery, Divine Arts, Arcane Techniques is simr to that of [Way] to [Technique]. Indeed, obtaining Bnce Spirit Runes and learning Arcane Technique are also very important matters."

    This was the understanding of the Ounder.

    Shard attempting to ignite a piece of paper with just his fingertips belonged to the rudimentary form of simple Sorcery. And on this day''s experiment, he also sessfully performed telekinesis with lightweight objects using the power of thought.

    He seemed to have a remarkable talent for using this kind of spirit, for besides almost popping a blood vessel in his eye while moving a tuft of Mia''s fur and a Roder Card, when he concentrated on the target in front of him and clenched his fist to strike at the piratedpendium "Detective''s Lament," the book flew several centimeters without touching the dictionary-thick novel¡ªrather than toppling over from a gust of wind.

    This pirated detective novel wasn''t something Shard frivolously spent money on; it was a relic of the former detective, including "The Queen and Her Lovers," "The Silver Knight," and "Western Front Memorabilia," the only few novels he possessed.

    The first one is a colorful court novel, the middle is a very traditional knight adventure narrative, and thest is a novel leaning towards documentary literature.

    Detective Sparrow Hamilton often flipped through these books, and the telltale signs such as dog-eared pages and tea stains confirmed that this was his hobby.

    As for the only [Relic] in hand, the Scribe Level Relic [Vampire Ring], Shard couldn''t experience its specific effects as he couldn''t find a living person to test it on.

    But he had already dismantled the pocket watch chain and turned the ring into a pendant around his neck; this wasn''t considered wearing it, so as long as it wasn''t worn 24 hours a day, the impact on him wasn''t particrly significant.

    Shard nned to seek advice from the doctor and others the next day, the experienced Correspondence Circle Mages were sure to provide good usage rmendations.

    Finally, it was Wednesday, but Shard didn''t wake up early due to excitement; rather, he was startled awake by a nightmare of something heavy pressing on his chest.

    In the early summer morning, it was barely light, and the minimal brightness prated into the room through the tightly closed curtains. When Shard woke up, he still felt a stuffiness in his chest and realized about 5 secondster that a cat was lying there.

    There was only one fostered orange cat in the Shard household at the moment, so it was indeed Mia who had awakened Shard.

    Staring with her amber eyes, shey on the nket over Shard''s chest, watching him. When she saw that he had woken up, she immediately jumped off the bed. Judging from the thumping sound of her footsteps, she was heading towards the front door of the house.

    "You learned about it just aftering here yesterday? The milkman won''t be here for another half an hour."

    Shard shouted at the cat, his chest filled with passion as he imagined the books and courses worth 50 pounds he would receive today, and only then did he leave the bed.

    The Number 1 apartment on the second floor was quite spacious, but it had only two bedrooms. Shard lived in the smaller one, which was also the dwelling of the original owner who had some cognitive issues. He didn''t feel frightened by the fact that the previous detective had died in therger bedroom, but he didn''t n on moving there either.

    Once he contacted a merchant to haul away the old furniture and asked Dr. Schneider about methods for detecting ghosts, he would consider moving into therger bedroom.

    After leaving Mia at home to watch the house and ensuring that her bowl was filled with enough cat food, Shard set out. He had an appointment with the doctor at ten in the morning, and the clinic was quite far from Saint Dn Square.

    Shard thought he could arrive around nine-thirty, but perhaps out of eagerness, by one minute to nine, he had already spotted the sign for Schneider Psychological Clinic.

    Without spending time elsewhere, Shard went straight in. The doctor had already instructed the receptionist that the Hamilton Detective, "sunk in sorrow because of his uncle''s death," woulde today, so he directly guided Shard to the psychological treatment room on the second floor.

    Right after Shard knocked, the doctor immediately came to open the door, where another person was already present in the room.

    The grey-haired old man, dressed in a respectable ck suit, stood up and nodded slightly with a smile towards Shard, exuding a friendly and pleasant demeanor. His eyes were themonly seen grey, wrinkled with age, seemingly well over fifty but looking very spirited.

    He was slightly taller than the doctor but shorter than Shard, with a build that was medium and leaning towards slim, giving the impression that his life wasn''t very affluent.

    Shard''s eyes were drawn to the ornament hanging from the old man''s chest¡ªa brass-colored broken circle pendant hanging from a silver chain.

    This was the holy emblem of the True God "Mr. Dawn," that is, the God of Light and Shadow. The practice of hanging the holy emblem on the chest ismonce among clergy members.

    "Hmm? A clergyman? Although the Academy isn''t hostile to the True God Church, but¡­"

    Shard was puzzled in his mind.

    "Let me introduce."

    Detecting Shard''s confusion, Dr. Schneider warmly said:

    "Shard, this is Lat August the Cleric, a Second Ring Sorcerer of our group, a faithful believer of Mr. Dawn. Despite being a priest, he didn''t be a Circle Sorcerer through the Church, but rather, he is one of the rare individuals who awakened his talent at an older age, and due to a twist of fate, joined the Academy as a clergyman.

    He holds no prejudices against the Academy, and as long as we do not harm the Dawn Church, he will not disclose our identities to the church. He can be trusted."

    Though the talent of Circle Sorcerer theoretically can appear at any age, it is generally concentrated between the ages of 16 and 40. Old Cleric Augustus is an extremely rare case.

    "Rest assured, I can swear upon my personal reputation as Bill Jane Schneider that Cleric August is absolutely trustworthy. His joining us was vetted by three of us, including myself, as well as the Academy. With Cleric August onboard, some of our operations will be quite convenient,"

    the doctor added. The grey-haired old cleric took the initiative to approach Shard for a handshake. Shard naturally trusted the doctor''s word and hastily extended his hand. The old man''s palm was broad and surprisingly strong.

 Chapter 39 A World of Respect and Kindness

    "Shard Hamilton, Detective."

    Shard introduced himself as they shook hands.

    "Bill has already told me about you. It''s lucky for us both that you could join."

    The old man said cheerfully. At that moment, Shard noticed the champagne in the ice bucket on the coffee table, likely prepared by Dr. Schneider because the financial situation of Priest Augustus seemed only slightly better than Shard''s.

    Priest Augustus the Cleric was a Second Ring Sorcerer within the group, having be a Correspondence Circle Mage three years ago.

    He was not a local born and raised in Tobesk City but hailed from a small town in the south of the Draleon Kingdom. Influenced by his family, the Old Cleric had believed in the True God "Mr. Dawn" since his teenage years and had passed the Tobesk Dawn Divinity Academy exam in his youth. At 23, he joined the Tobesk City Dawn Chapel, dedicating his life to the church without ever marrying.

    Although for 30 years Priest Augustus had not advanced further due to various reasons, no one doubted his piety. The Old Cleric had high prestige in the parish church, highly trusted by both clergy members and believers within the Dawn Church''s parish, and even the Archbishop of such arge archdiocese as Tobesk Parish consulted him on important issues.

    Because of the awkward rtionship between Correspondence Circle Mages and the True God Church, Shard would often need to conceal his identity in front of the church. Priest Augustus, meanwhile, had connections within the True God Church and was the best candidate to handle church matters for the group.

    Despite his advanced age and not being very talented as a Circle Sorcerer, the group of five could definitely not do without him.

    As a sign of mutual trust, Priest Augustus and Shard also showed each other their Rings of Fate. The clergyman fell into the unusual ordinary category, not like Miss Luisa with three rings, but only possessing one Core Spirit Rune "Glimmer."

    The identity and Core Rune of Priest Augustus were in line with the requirements of the "Divinity Academy" at Saint Byrons Integrated Academy. However, he did not join the Divinity Academy; he was currently a member of the Chemistry Academy, specializing in the cultivation, harvesting, and mixing of Herbal Medicine and Magic Potions.

    With Shard having met another member of the group of five, the remaining two who had not arrived were Miss Dorothy Luisa from the Folklore Academy, who might need some more time toe, and the Three Ring Sorcerer, Miss Luviya Ate, who could note today as she was temporarily out of Tobesk City.

    "Miss Ate is also different from us," he continued with the exnation. "Strictly speaking, she belongs to the Prophet''s Society as a Circle Sorcerer. Ate wrote to us to say hello to you; she might be back next month, but actually, it''s just a few days from today, next week."

    Dr. Schneider continued to introduce the situation of the group, implying that Shard, whose handshake had ended, could find a ce to sit.

    "Since she also belongs to our group, isn''t thatdy a correspondence student from Saint Byrons?"

    Shard asked bewilderedly, choosing to sit opposite Dr. Schneider.

    Although Priest Augustus had a church background, he received adult education from the academy, making him a correspondence student of Saint Byrons. Miss Ate, however, was entirely different.

    "No, she is also considered a correspondence student of the academy, belonging to the Astronomy College, expert in Divination. As for why she has a dual identity, are you familiar with ''joint training''?"

    Dr. Schneider asked. Shard, who had initially been only puzzled, was now genuinely surprised, reaffirming that the force he had joined was indeed a school.

    "She herself also belongs to the Prophet''s Society but has been cultivated by both sides. In fact, Saint Byrons Integrated Academy, along with many friendly organizations, including Zaras Literary Academy and Xerxes Higher Medical Academy but excluding the church, all have such jointly trained students; you''ll find out moreter.

    But you shouldn''t have any preconceived notions about Ate because of her identity; just treat her as an ordinary member. Would you like some tea? You had some nice ck teast time at your ce, and I''ve had the servants buy some too,"

    Dr. Schneider asked. Shard thought for a moment:

    "Yes, thank you. So, is Miss Luviya Ate just like us?"

    "There''s still a difference."

    Priest Augustus said while fiddling with his old pipe. Naturally, he would not smoke in the clinic; it was just a habit:

    "Apart from acquiring knowledge at the Academy, the Prophet''s Society also provides conveniences for Miss Ate, as the Circle Sorcerers there hold her in high regard. So rtively speaking..."

    The Priest nced at the doctor, who shook his head indifferently, signaling that the grey-haired Old Cleric could continue:

    "Although she is only a Three Ring Sorcerer, standing just one ring above me in the group, in a non-direct confrontation, even the doctor isn''t sure he could defeat her. Of course, this is also due to Dr. Schneider and Miss Luisa''s abilities, which aren''t suited for frontalbat."

    Priest Augustus believed that although Circle Sorcerers possess power, this profession is meant to explore the world, delve deep into oneself, and is not intended for killing and conflict. In the old man''s view, Circle Sorcerers are more like schrs, not mercenaries.

    He shared the doctor''s viewpoint that bing a Correspondence Circle Mage does not mean one should indulge the heart due to power gained but should rather be humble and cautious.

    In other words, they were subtly reminding Shard to be careful, to avoid getting involved in matters he shouldn''t, to patiently study, engrave Spirit Runes to umte spirit, read notes from predecessors, and learn more Arcane Technique and Sorcery ¡ª that''s the proper lifestyle of a Correspondence Circle Mage.

    Shard thus suspected that the doctor had already informed Priest Augustus about his encounter the day before yesterday. Priest Augustus feared that Shard, having suddenly gained power from remnants of the Old God, might crave more power through simr adventures.

    Priest Augustus was also a very nice person.

    "Speaking of which, I am quite curious about something."

    Shard then asked about the rtionship between Circle Sorcerers andbat:

    "Considering Circle Sorcerers themselves gather elements, and even engrave Spirit Runes because of these elements, would killing a Circle Sorcerer allow one to acquire their power, such as Spirit Runes or the scattering elements, or maybe their elements turned into artifacts?"

    "Oh, that''s a terrifying thought."

    The grey-haired Old Cleric shook his head and sped the Holy Emblem on his chest, closing his eyes in prayer. The doctor, looking very serious, shook his head and his blue eyes scrutinized Shard:

    "Shard, I don''t know where you got such a horrifying idea. But killing a Circle Sorcerer unrted to you, you would gain nothing but their corpse and a guilt that would follow you for life.

    From Draleon to Carsonrick, from the Old Continent to the New World, from cities like ours with steam industries to dark rural graveyards. Circle Sorcerers can appear almost anywhere, but remember, this is the age of civilization, not the dark forest of survival of the fittest. If someone attacks you, you can fight back, but do not kill for mere profit; it will make you more likely to lose control."

    Shard also realized that his words were somewhat out of line, spurred only by fantasy stories he had read in the past. The ounder had no desire to acquire power by killing; he was merely worried that others might:

    "Sorry, I was just curious. Yes, such a world would be too terrifying... like people could sustain themselves by consuming others."

    Priest Augustus, holding the Holy Emblem, looked at Shard. His gaze was not as stern as the doctor''s, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes gave a gentle expression:

    "Although our world is so bizarre and terrifying, teeming with countless Evil Objects, relics of past ages everywhere, dangerous and mysterious knowledge constantly challenging the sanity of ordinary people, Evil Gods walking the earth, and abyssal creatures lurking under the seas of the Old and New World, we are still happy that the world exists. Come gentlemen, to this kind world."

    The Old Cleric was moved by his own words, spontaneously lifting the cup of tea before him. The doctor nodded in approval, raising his cup, while Shard smiled. No matter how troublesome his experiences had been since his arrival, it seemed as if the world waspensating him by bringing such wonderful friends:

    "To this kind world."

    The three men said aloud together, the ounder''s smile genuine.

    Just then, the door was pushed open. The Blonde Writer, who hadn''t heard the earlier conversation, entered without knocking and saw the three men raising their tea cups, one looking sacred, one stern, and one smiling.

    Miss Luisa looked hesitantly at the men, wondering if she should withdraw:

    "What were you guys doing just now?"

 Chapter 40 Shards Required Course

    Although the blonde Miss Writer, Dorothy Louisa, had also arrived, the academy was still going to send over the items Shard needed upon his enrollment, ording to the original schedule. Therefore, half an hour before that, the four of them still had time to continue their conversation.

    Dr. Schneider, serving as the nominal host of the Correspondence Circle Mage group, was happy to bring up topics.

    Shard thus learned more about themon knowledge of Circle Sorcerers, such as the fact that under normal circumstances, encountering an unfamiliar Relic would not immediately provide clues from "the other me." Therefore, relying on "the other me" to find Relics was an impractical issue; the identification of Relics was a major research focus in the field of Academy of Library Management.

    Clearly, Shard was not normal.

    [Ounder, your soul is especially sensitive to the Four Elements, allowing me easily to distinguish Relics. This isn''t my specialty; it''s yours.]

    Exined the whispering voice by his ear, Shard initially thought it was an excuse, but after pondering, he considered the exnation quite reasonable.

    Even he wasn''t sure whether the specialty of "the other me" was genuinely special or special because of the Ounder.

    The middle name "Sulun" could exin that the person had foreknowledge of his own Core Rune; giving the "Northern Common Language Pack" could also be exined as the person obtaining the iplete memories of the original owner that he himself had not, owing to the trait of "the other me"; and the ring''s reminding was merely because she had detected that peculiar Relic.

    Thinking this over, Shard himself became confused...

    "No, why is the voice feminine?"

    Shard was nearly befuddled by his own thoughts.

    [Perhaps, you can''t fully understand your own persona either.]

    "Don''t talk nonsense," Shard retorted.

    Shard thought it was a suggestion that he might be somewhat effeminate.

    Besides the difficulty of casually discovering Relics, Shard also learned that Dr. Schneider''s group usually met every Saturday afternoon to share learning experiences, seek advice on problems, and contact the Academy through Dr. Schneider''s manuscript pages.

    Even without these pressing matters, they could share information, exchange goods, orin about the heaviness of their studies. Thisst item was usually the main content.

    The group would not impose mandatory tasks on its members, but if someone needed help, such as engaging in some Academy tasks that could earn practical credits, the others must consider first whether they had the time.

    As ten o''clock was about to strike, everyone tidied up the coffee table, allowing Dr. Schneider to ce the Poet-Level Relic''s parchment there. When the corner wall clock began to chime the first strike for ten o''clock, a parchment roll tied with a red ribbon appeared, flickering lights over the parchment.

    Shard quickly grabbed it, untied the ribbon, and unrolled the parchment¡ªthis was Shard''s correspondence first-year development n.

    Saint Byrons Academy usually held a unified grade promotion assessment at the end of every winter. As Shard had enrolled in summer, it was certain he could notplete all his courses this year, so it would likely take him more than a year and a half to finish the courses outlined in the tailor-made development n.

    "Actually, the first grade usually takes one to three years as it involves foundational courses... Oh, you are indeed going to be busy," remarked Priest Augustus, who was sitting next to Shard and thus clearly saw the list ofpulsory first-year courses that he had toplete:

    The Herbs We Know

    Basic Potionology

    Introduction to Elementary Alchemy

    Introduction to Astronomy

    Introduction to Mysticism and Ritual Studies

    Theoretical Foundations of Spirit Runes (Part I)

    Basic Course for Circle Sorcerer - Arcane Technique

    Basic Course for Circle Sorcerer - Sorcery

    Introduction to Ancient Languages (Fifth Era 0~2000)

    "Introduction to Ancient Language (Fifth Era 2000~4000)"

    "Introduction to Ancient Language (Fifth Era 4000~5793)"

    "Ancient Literature" (Serious Literature, Popr Literature, Others, choose one. Must bepleted before the fifth year.)

    "Folklore, Religion, and Civilization"

    "History (I)"

    "Theoretical Basis of Time Travel" (Core Academic Course)

    "Practical Training for Time Travel" (Core Academic Course)

    "Containment and Management of Relics" (Core Academic Course)

    "Basic Theology (Part I)"

    "History and General Education at Saint Byrons Integrated Academy"

    A total of 19pulsory courses, requiring 53 credits, by the end of this year, Shard needed to earn 15 credits to pass the end-of-year evaluation and continue other studies in the second year as a freshman.

    The books that were subsequently delivered totaled over 100, including textbooks, required readings, and some supplementary academic literature.

    Shard, along with three others, continually took the textbooks that appeared from the pages of poems and piled them to the side.

    Watching the height of the "mountain of books" grow, the Ounder''s anxiety about the future suddenly vanished; he felt as though he had returned to his homnd, back to school life.

    "How about it, the 50 Gold Pounds tuition fee is worth it, right? Thesepulsory courses are tailored for you by the school, all quite basic, as the first year is the time toy the foundations. But don''t worry, apart from the core academic courses, other courses provide three opportunities to fail an evaluation.

    Failing three times requires a deferral for one year to retake the evaluation, and you have to pay the tuition again, but you won''t be expelled," said Priest Augustus, thinking Shard was apprehensive about the sheer number of books,forting him.

    In this era of the steam industry, the illiteracy rate was still very high, and as an ordinary citizen, one might not encounter so many books in a lifetime, which is why the priest reassured the "inexperienced" young detective.

    Yet, it was precisely this kind of life with which the Ounder was familiar.

    Shard''s first-year curriculum included 19pulsory courses, requiring the submission of several papers or coursework assignments after self-study, with some requiring exams or practical evaluations.

    The end-of-year evaluations took ce at the end of the year, but exam seasons were at the end of July in the summer and in December in the winter. If Shard progressed quickly in his studies, he could pass some of the exams as early as the end of July, a monthter.

    All of the above mentioned only thepulsory courses for the Correspondence Circle Mage, but toplete an entire grade''s curriculum, sufficient practical credits were also needed.

    The first year required 40 practical credits, but the History Academy made strict rules about the source of these 40 practical credits. At least 10 credits had toe from "Time Exploration" activities.

    The History Academy was the academy with the fewest students within Saint Byrons Integrated Academy, and most of its students transferred from other majors in their senior years.

    The core of the History Academy was to rely on the Relic "Time Key" of the Old God "Father of the Infinite Tree" to perform time travel, which required Spirit Runes rted to time concepts.

    Shard''s core academic course "Practical Training for Time Travel" involved using the Academy-provided key to perform one instance of time travel under supervision, after which submitting a report wouldplete the course. However, performing nearlypletely safe time travel through the course did not earn practical credits.

    Finding Relics "Time Key" of different levels on one''s own or purchasing them from the Academy could yield high practical credits and other rewards upon returning with valuable information, history, and knowledge, such as Relics, Arcane Techniques, Sorcery, or precious knowledge stored in the Saint Byrons Grand Library.

    Therefore, the History Academy and the Academy of Library Management, time travel, and relic containment, could be considered the academies where it was easiest to obtain practical credits and academic rewards.

    "Although these basic courses might lookplex, once you get started, you''ll realize they are not very difficult. Look, here is the list of elective courses you are allowed to choose from."

    After the 100-plus books were finally delivered, a new Parchment Roll appeared on the table. Dr. Schneider helped Shard open it and took a quick look before handing it to him:

    "Elective credits can be converted, 10 credits for 1 practical credit. Moreover, these elective courses are the really valuable ones, showcasing the true expertise of the professors. Of course, elective courses cost Gold Pounds..."

    "Elective courses cost Gold Pounds?"

    Shard was startled but then realized this was not the world of the past. Besides, even in the past, back home, elective courses were free, but in some schools in western countries, elective courses did cost money.

 Chapter 41 Special Notice

    Shard looked at the parchment roll listing elective courses, which resembled more of a price list.

    Based on his actual situation (the city he lived in, his upation, his age), the academy he joined, and his core Space-Time Spirit Rune, nearly two hundred elective courses were made avable to him in his freshman year, including seemingly useful courses like "Inspiration Divination" and "Simple Acquisition of Spirit Rune of Four Elements".

    Some courses required thepletion of prerequisite courses or electives before they could be chosen, otherwise, even more options would have been avable to Shard.

    The fees for the cheaper courses exceeded 20 pounds, while the most expensive ones couldn''t be paid for with money; instead, they required Relics or other requirements and tasks as payment.

    Fortunately, elective courses could be chosen at any time, and he could directly contact the academy to register and pay for them during his weekly Saturday visits to Dr. Schneider.

    Dr. Schneider suggested that Shard familiarize himself with the basic courses for a while before considering electives; the Old Cleric rmended some particrly useful courses; and Miss Luisa helped Shard eliminate some of them from the list. She had spent a lot on courses in her freshman year due to receiving arge royalty payment, so she knew which ones Shard wouldn''t need for now:

    "Failing electives is not a concern for the academy and the professors. But electives are a good opportunity for us Correspondence Circle Mages to make contact with and get familiar with the professors of the academy. It''s important to know that whether certain valuable elective courses are offered can also depend on the professors'' own willingness."

    Having been introduced to the system, Shard was very familiar with it, and even though some aspects were slightly different from the past, he adapted well to these rules.

    As he read through the list of elective courses, he subconsciously flipped over to the back of the parchment. He had thought there would be no writing on the back, but to his surprise, there was indeed something written:

    [First Ring Sorcerer Shard Suren Hamilton:

    Please prepare four chairs in a vacant, empty room at midnight today. The chairs must be made of wood and have no deity holy emblems on them. Position the chairs to face each other in the exact directions of east, west, south, and north, encircling a non-pure silver basin filled with clear water.

    You need to sit on the chair facing due north before midnight, ignite the parchment roll, and drop it into the basin.

    Please dress formally, you may light the gasmp, close the curtains, and do not tell anyone about this, including your Circle Sorcerer teammates. Professor Hams Sanchez from the Academy of Library Management and Professor Hensinger Garcia from the History Academy request to meet with you.

    Saint Byrons Integrated Academy: Student Management Department

    Professor James Hams Sanchez]

    "What''s wrong?"

    Seeing Shard staring nkly at the back of the parchment, Miss Luisa also looked at the back:

    "What''s so interesting about a nk page? Oh, I see, you''re probably not familiar with parchment. It''smon knowledge that we don''t usually use both sides of parchment, so there''s usually nothing on the back."

    Miss Luisa was in a position where she could have seen the text, but she acted as if she saw nothing.

    "Only I can see these? What is the academy trying to say? Do they have a secret mission for me? Is it to speak with me alone, because my identity as an Ounder has been exposed?"

    Shard thought to himself, memorized the message, and then rolled up the parchment and ced it on the sofa.

    Because of Shard''s Space-Time core Spirit Rune, the History Academy had promised to provide him with a Relic for protection at the Keeper of Secrets Level once he joined. This Relic only appeared after all the books and documents had been delivered and Shard confirmed receipt with a note.

    The upper limit of what a Poet-Level Relic could transmit was restricted to Keeper of Secrets Level Relics, and only certain Keeper of Secrets Level Relics at that. Hence, it seemed that the History Academy had made quite an effort for Shard''s sake.

    The Relic was contained within a cubic rusted bronze box, norger than the palm of a hand, its surface etched with undecipherable patterns that resembled vines.

    Beneath the bronze boxy an exnation document, detailing the function of this "Relic".

    The Relic was not a gift for Shard; should he leave the History Academy or part ways with Saint Byrons Integrated Academy, he would need to return the "Relic", but not if he graduated normally.

    "You have touched the ''Whisper''."

    Common sense would dictate that Shard shouldn''t have immediately known it was a Relic, for he was unaware of its traits.

    "The Twenty-Sided Die of Destiny?"

    Without avoiding others, Shard directly opened the antique-like bronze box. Inside, the box was almost solid metal, with only a bronze-colored die embedded in the very center.

    The surface was covered in rust, a twenty-sided die, its numbers recessed into the metal, all in gold -- some almost merged with the rust, a testament to the passage of time.

    "I know this one!"

    Miss Luisa said, somewhat surprised, raising her hand as if to touch her earlobe, then shaking her head:

    "No, it should be ''another me'' that knows this, I probably came across information about this die unintentionally in a book... But why would the Academy give you such a dangerous Relic?"

    "All Relics are dangerous; they are the terrible remnants of echoes from times gone by."

    Priest Augustus reminded, but Miss Writer shook her head, her blonde hair swaying slightly:

    "This one is particrly dangerous. Its traits manifest in two aspects.

    On one hand, while carrying the die, most divinations cannot affect the carrier, but only while it is being carried. Carrying the die for a long time can lead to a permanent decrease in one''s own luck. I know luck is an immeasurable concept, but ''Whisper'' elements really can interfere with luck.

    On the other hand, actively rolling the die, only once per day is allowed. When the die is rolled, the good or bad fortune of one matter rted to the roller will be determined by the size of the number the diends on ¨C therger the number, the better the luck, and the result cannot be influenced by any skilled techniques."

    "Any matter rted to the user?"

    Dr. Schneider caught on to the key point; he was often considered unlucky by the others in his group, so he took a special interest in such a Relic.

    "Yes, usually after a roll, you won''t immediately know which matter has been affected, but you''ll inevitably find outter. That''s one of the traits of The Twenty-Sided Die of Destiny."

    The blondedy drew back a bit from the bronze box in Shard''s hand with a trace of fear:

    "But in most cases, it can only roll numbers below ten, leaning towards bad luck ¨C this has been statistically proven. And it''s said that if you roll a one, something more terrifying than death will happen. Why would the History Academy hand such a terrifying thing over to a detective?"

    The information provided by the Academy matched closely with what Miss Luisa had said. The die could only be contained in a bronze box made of a special material, and in its uncontained state, the die would always unintentionally tempt the holder to roll it.

    Furthermore, the probability of rolling was not uniform for each number; the chances were highest for rolling numbers below ten, leading to dreadful oues.

    Thus, Miss Luisa strongly advised that Shard not use the die''s active effect and to merely treat it as a "Relic" that distorts divination.

 Chapter 42, 8pm

    "The Academy must think simrly, after all, I haven''t heard of any fresh Correspondence Circle Mage receiving a Keeper of Secrets Level Relic,"

    Dr. Schneider also agreed with Miss Luisa''s opinion that when it came to fate, Circle Mages were naturally very cautious.

    Just by staring at that die, Shard felt a strong urge to pry it out from its setting. Fortunately, the die was still in containment, and Shard was fully able to resist this temptation.

    Yet, he ced a finger on the die, wanting to feel its cold metallic touch.

    In his mind, a whispering woman''s voice suddenly emerged:

    "The road of fate may fork under your feet, but with the right tool, one might choose the appropriate path. From 1 to 20, then from 20 to 1, you have seen your peculiar fate in the tumbling die. Now is the time to toss the die..."

    "Are you sure you want me to roll the die now?"

    Shard asked in surprise as the whisper resumed in his ear:

    "Ounder, when you step on this path of fate, the choice has always been in your hands. However, sometimes, a reasonable attempt can help you understand your fate more fully. Through my vision, I have seen something interesting for you. Do you have the courage to challenge your luck?"

    Shard thought it over; he was well aware of his "other self" having peculiar traits. Although unsure if this is a trait of outsiders or if something was amiss with the other party, the whispering voice had been trustworthy in all its actions to date. Despite his concerns and skepticism about this mysterious and eerie world, Shard was willing to offer some trust asionally.

    He picked up the die before the doctor and others could object, letting it fall onto the coffee table.

    The metallic sound of the die striking the wooden coffee table startled everyone present. But the die quickly stabilized, disying the number "20" on top. Shard was not so surprised; he only heard the pleasingughter of the woman by his ear.

    "Although you always doubt, I am you."

    The four of them stared at the die''s number without speaking, and it was a while before Dr. Schneider sternly reminded:

    "This time it''s 20... This Relic belongs to you, and we have no right to interfere. But I must remind you, Shard, people are not always this fortunate. An impulsive act brought you a gift of fate, but next time might not be the same."

    "Every gift from fate already has its price tagged. This 20... might consume your luck for a long while. I have always firmly believed in the ''Conservation of Luck.''"

    Miss Writer also mentioned this, but Priest Augustus, being a clergy member, pointed out that the conservation of luck is a baseless superstition.

    Shard heeded these warnings but did not intend to exin his motives. The unique voice in his mind was a secret solely his own, a trait of an outsider. That much he knew was sufficient, at least for now; he wasn''t going to share this with others.

    The consequences of rolling a 20 might not be evident yet, but considering the nature of the die, Shard would eventually learn, so all he needed to do was wait.

    After all matters of his official admission into the Academy were settled, Dr. Schneider opened a bottle of champagne to celebrate the group finally having five members.

    Shard wasn''t much of a drinker, but since it was a celebration, he didn''t decline. As the doctor poured the drinks, Shard curiously inquired whether it would be considered revealing the Academy''s secrets if he identally lost the books he took home. However, the doctor assured him not to worry about it:

    "The textbooks and materials of the first year don''t hold any precious value. Not that the knowledge isn''t valuable, but it can be obtained through other channels as well. So, even if you lose them, you''d only need to spend more Gold Pounds to buy another set from the Academy. It''s only from the second year onward that some books start to be encrypted."

    That reassured Shard greatly, and the doctor, writer, and priest, all speaking from their own experiences, encouraged Shard to study diligently. They unanimously agreed that his main task now was to inscribe his first Spirit Rune.

    "The ''Fundamentals of Spirit Rune Theory (Part I)'' course rmends the inscription of the first rune based on the talent of the Circle Sorcerer. What did the Academy rmend for you? Was it ''Light''?"

    "Yes," Shard replied, flipping through the book in his hands.

    "Usually, the Academy suggests inscribing a rune that represents an element for the first Spirit Rune, as it''s simpler. You already possess ''Silvermoon,'' and have a quitepatibility with ''Light'' and ''Stars'', even going so far as to actively create ''Light Spell''. But ''Stars'' is tooplex for a first-year, so it indeed is ''Light''."

    Dr. Schneiderughed and then stood up, pulling a book out of the stack and handing it to Shard:

    "''The Mad Light Chaser,'' a crazy novel written by an unknown author during the Fifth Era, known for its ''Enlightenment''. This copy is a tranted version. Reading it to attempt inscribing ''Light'' is the most appropriate approach. Of course, very few can obtain Light directly¡ªif you can obtain any extended concept of the Spirit Rune, you''re consideredpetent."

    Before today''s gathering, Dr. Schneider had already shared information about the Sage-Level Relic ''God''s Box'' and the Blood of Mercury organization, through letters to others in the group; they all agreed to pay Shard 1 Gold Pound each for this information.

    Shard didn''t take the 4 pounds, which included those from Luviya Ate not in Tobesk City; instead, he used the money to partially pay off this month''s debt of 10 pounds. The remaining 6 pounds would have to wait a while longer; after all, he still needed Gold Pounds to sustain himself and Mia.

    It is said that orange cats have quite the appetite, and Shard needed to be prepared.

    Dr. Schneider, extremely efficient, had more good news for Shard before the morning meeting ended:

    "I found out from a real estate agent that No. 6 Saint Dn Square, the whole three-story building including thend, is all property originally owned by Detective Sparrow Hamilton. Did he leave a will?"

    "He did, I''ve locked it away in a cab."

    Shard was momentarily stunned by the good news, hardly believing he had inherited the entire building. All the gloom since arriving in the Steam Age seemed to dissipate with this news; he didn''t realize how much he longed for a home of his own.

    Priest Augustus remained expressionless, while Miss Luisa looked at Shard in surprise:

    "Mr. Hamilton, you''ll neverck Gold Pounds in your life now."

    "But."

    Shard didn''t get too excited prematurely and looked towards Dr. Schneider, who indeed continued with this conjunction, his expression twisted, unsure of how to phrase it:

    "But don''t celebrate too soon; there''s a problem with that building. No. 6 Saint Dn Square was bought by Sparrow Hamilton for 300 pounds two years ago when he first came to Tobesk City."

    "How could it be so cheap? Even if it''s a haunted house, it wouldn''t be..." Miss Luisa frowned, questioning. 300 pounds was a lot, but keep in mind, this is Tobesk City, the capital of one of the two major human kingdoms of the Draleon Kingdom, the Northern Pearl, Fog City, a convergence point of Old Continent civilization¡ªthese are all titles for this ce.

    No. 6 Saint Dn Square can directly view the Yordle Pce architecturalplex from its windows, where the soil is more valuable than gold.

    Dr. Schneider owns a clinic, the priest lives in the church, and only the female writer currently lives alone in a rented apartment in the Tobesk University District, very sensitive to housing prices. Excluding thend, just the whole building in the Saint Dn Square area - you wouldn''t find one for 300 pounds, not even for 20,000 pounds."

 Chapter 43 Memories of 6 Saint Delan Square

    "I actually didn''t figure out the anomaly in the price by myself; it was Priest Augustus who helped find the information from the Church," Shard stated.

    The doctor gestured for the old cleric with grayish-white hair to speak. Thetter nodded, his graying hair appearing particrly decayed under the dim glow of the gasmp:

    "About 100 years ago, a horrifying murder urred at No. 6, Saint Dn Square. ording to Church records, it was actually two Sorcerers of Nine Rings, of unknown origin, who fought there and almost simultaneously died. Subsequent investigation reports indicated that they had lost control due to reading arge number of ancient books.

    Even though the Church believed this wouldn''t affect the house itself, since then, most of the house''s subsequent owners have died within its walls."

    "This sounds like the beginning of a horror story..."

    Shard thought to himself, then realized something else:

    "Wait a minute, it seems like I''m the protagonist?"

    The old cleric paused for a moment before continuing:

    "The Church couldn''t find any problems with the house and could only seal it off after purchasing it about thirty years ago. It was only after repeated checks two years ago that they sold the old house at a low price.

    However, wealthy people who tried to consult the housing prices at Saint Dn Square cared a great deal about such taboos; the poor, who didn''t care about these matters, would never ask about housing prices there. In the end, somehow, it ended up being bought by Sparrow Hamilton."

    It sounded like the former detective had picked up a bargain, then died.

    "Did the detective know about the house?"

    Miss Luisa asked curiously, as Miss Writer was very interested in such matters.

    "Of course, the Church wouldn''t hide such things, and they informed him about the past incidents with the house at the time.

    For safety, they sealed off the first floor where the ident happened a hundred years ago before the detective bought it, cut off the stairs to the third floor that had some safety issues due to long-termck of maintenance, and locked up room number two on the second floor where a mass suicide had taken ce seventy years earlier... Unexpectedly, this owner also ended up dying in that house."

    The old cleric couldn''t help but clutch the pendant on his chest, praying for Mr. Sparrow Hamilton''s soul to rest in peace.

    Shard, who thought he had an overly active imagination, was starting to get worried. Ounders like him had heard many such stories:

    "So, I..."

    "But I don''t think Sparrow Hamilton''s death was due to a curse, which is different from before. Previous house owners all died unexpectedly within a few months, with no discernable cause; whereas the detective''s death urred after living there for two years, and even his cause of death could be determined," Dr. Schneider said, his blue eyes looking toward Shard.

    "Of course, if you find the house ufortable to live in, you can sell it, but because of Sparrow Hamilton''s death... the price is likely to drop even further," he advised, quite reasonably.

    "I don''t n to sell it just yet. If it weren''t for the detective agency located in the city center, no one would take a detective with no reputation like me seriously. Besides, even if I sold the house, I wouldn''t be able to use that money to buy a better one in Tobesk...

    I learned from the newspaper that there are low-priced houses for sale in Tobesk University District, but the prices are truly more despairing than a Relic gone out of control," he said, and Miss Luisa immediately showed a look of agreement. The solitary blonde girl was also paying attention to such news.

    Since Shard didn''t have the money to move right away, he nned to live there for a few months to try it out and would move out immediately if any problem arose.

    ording to the information provided by the cleric, before their sudden deaths, all of the former owners had heard strange sounds in the house and seen suspicious shadows. Those who became alert because of this and moved out didn''t encounter trouble, but those who continued to live there all died.

    "This now looks even more like a tacky horror story, and I''m still the protagonist," he thought to himself before asking:

    "Although the house belongs to Detective Sparrow and I have his will, I have not seen any proof of real estate ornd ownership."

    The Old Cleric waved his hand upon hearing this, his face rxed:

    "Those documents are at the Dawn Chapel where I am located. The detective stored them there, after all, the church has its concerns too. If you want to im them back, just bring his will to me. Dawn Chapel is in the Tobesk Central Urban Area, a half-hour walk from Saint Dn Square. The tree-lined path near the church is quite nice, and there are plenty of public carriages."

    "But to keep the church from suspecting anything about the detective''s death and potentially initiating a new investigation into the house and eventually you, I''ll help you get a death certificate for Sparrow Hamilton''s illness and passing... This is not about making fake documents, what I get will definitely be real... consider it a gift for joining us. I won''t charge you for this help."

    So, the death of Detective Sparrow Hamilton waspletely sealed. With the documentation sufficient to deceive the True God Church, no one apart from Shard and the doctor would ever know the secret of the detective''s death.

    Before concluding their meeting that day, Shard brought up the matter of his Scribe Level Relic, the Vampire Ring. Regrettably, none of the three present had evere into contact with this [Relic]. However, the doctor mentioned that he could make inquiries through parchment to the Academy Library, though this likely wouldn''t yield quick results.

    Now that Shard owned two [Relics], and both were of a higher danger level, he could be considered a fairly wealthy Circle Sorcerer. The doctor suggested that once he mastered one or two powerful Arcane Techniques and Sorcery for self-defense, he could begin reading ''The Mad Light Chaser.''

    "No one will supervise your self-study progress; you are responsible for yourself," were Dr. Schneider''s words of advice to Shard before they parted.

    But after leaving the clinic, Priest Augustus told Shard not to mind the doctor''s attitude:

    "Bill is always like that; he may seem strict with people, but he is kinder than anyone."

    He said this as he packed tobo into his pipe, seeming as if he had been restraining himself for a long time at the clinic.

    "We have all faced his reprimands; you''ll understand after spending more time with him."

    Miss Luisa said so as well, stepping onto a carriage and departing straight from the clinic''s door, while Shard and Priest Augustus, being rtively less wealthy, both nned to walk away.

    Shard had to find a carriage to take his books back home, but a regr rental might not have enough space, so he nned to head to the nearest rentalpany.

    Shard noticed that Miss Luisa had been frequently attempting to touch her earlobe today, yet thisdy bore no jewelry on her ears. She had not exhibited such peculiar behavior when theyst met.

    He shared his observation with the Old Cleric apanying him, and at the next intersection where they parted ways, Priest Augustus told Shard not to worry about it:

    "It''s normal for Circle Sorcerers to act oddly asionally due to the presence of ''another self.'' But as long as it''s not a loss of control due to engaging with a Relic or ancient knowledge, those peculiarities are nothing to be concerned about."

    The priest chuckled, walking with Shard on Rontgen Avenue in the affluent area. Here, the people going about their business were well dressed, and the attire of Shard and the priest just barely passed muster:

    "Since a year ago, Luisa has been acting a little odd every few days. What you see now is still considered normal. Last summer, we even suspected that she was possessed by another spirit while reading an Ancient Fairy Tale."

    Shard stiffened at the mention and didn''t dare continue discussing the possibility of spirits possessing bodies. But this also informed him that even seemingly normal Circle Sorcerers may have peculiarities unknown to others.

    Circle Sorcerers are never truly safe schrs.

 Chapter 44 Increased Strength

    After parting ways with Old Cleric, Shard found a three-story gray building that housed a carriage rentalpany''s office three streets away, ording to the map. The main business here was to book carriage services in advance for important trips, but there were also carriages avable for transporting goods.

    Shard knew that it was best not to let ordinary people see his books, so he specifically asked the coachman if he would examine the goods.

    "We are a professional carriage rentalpany. Even if you''re transporting a corpse, no, even a whole carriage full of corpses, as long as you don''t leave any traces, it has nothing to do with us," the coachman said.

    The middle-aged ountant, who took the money from Shard''s hand, emphasized with drooping eyelids:

    "We are very professional."

    The carriage for hauling goods was much cheaper than the one for passengers, even though it was also taking Shard back. By the time Shard personally moved his books into his home at No. 6, Saint Dn Square, one trip at a time, he had spent less than 8 shillings in total.

    The number one room on the second floor had seemed quite spacious in the past, but after moving in so many books, the study felt cramped. While keeping his curious orange cat Mia from touching his books, Shard thought that when he had time, he definitely needed to develop the remaining space in the house.

    He didn''t go out again that day; the exaggeratedly heavy fog outside was not conducive to venturing out, so he honestly stayed at home and perused the books that had cost him 50 pounds, using up coal and steam whose price he did not yet know.

    Most of the first-year curriculum for Circle Sorcerers only involved knowledge, not transcendent aspects, so the majority were memory-based test subjects. As an Ounder who had gone through aplete educational system, Shard was good at this and believed he was confident in finishing most of the first-year courses by the end of this year''s exam season.

    As for the courses that required practical operations, he was very curious about strength and believed in his self-learning abilities, so he felt he wouldn''t need too long to get through those courses.

    Now that he had acquired the textbooks, of course, what Shard was most concerned about were Sorcery and Arcane Technique, as these were the paths to directly acquiring power. Although he remembered the doctor''s warning, Shard still believed he needed the most basic ability to protect himself.

    As a first-year Circle Sorcerer just starting out at Saint Byrons Integrated Academy, the textbooks "Basic Circle Mage-Arcane Technique" and "Basic Circle Mage-Sorcery" didn''t directly mention too much about Arcane Technique or Sorcery, and the few types that were described seemed fairly ordinary.

    Saint Byrons Integrated Academy provided three Sorceries and four Arcane Techniques for free to first-year Correspondence Circle Mages.

    The free Sorceries followed a standard system; no matter which Academy''s students, the first Sorceries they encountered were the same.

    The rmended initial Sorcery techniques to learn and use were Ignite, Water Summoning, and Moving Objects, which have been the forms of the most primitive mystical powers since ancient times, with more advanced Sorceries avable for further exploration.

    Moreover, studying these three Sorceries did not require a lot of materials, and spellcasting did not need Spellcasting Materials, making them the most convenient Sorceries. Shard learned and mastered them in just half an evening¡ª

    "Ha!"

    Staring intently at the newspaper in his hand, the newspaper finally emitted a puff of burning smoke, scaring the orange kitten on the other side who had been yfully batting at the paper into Shard''s arms.

    "Ha!"

    He continuously shook the empty cup in his right hand, and as he shook it, the inside of the cup began to dampen. Wiping sweat from his forehead, Shard ced the cup back on the table, but before he could check, the soft orange cat Mia curiously pounced on the cup.

    "Ha!"

    With a look as if his eyes were about to pop out and bleed, Shard stared at the cup on the table that moved back on its own. The orange cat that had pounced toward the cup changed direction in mid-air, pushed off the table with his little paws, and once again jumped back into Shard''s arms, seemingly frightened again.

    This was a somewhat timid cat, whose aggression towards strangers was merely a way to protect itself.

    At Saint Byrons Integrated Academy, the Arcane Techniques provided to first-year students were determined based on the Core Spirit Rune of the Circle Sorcerer.

    Shard''s talent was quite impressive; Space-Time and Silvermoon were rare but not obscure. In the basic ss of Arcane Technique, the Academy rmended a focus on techniques rted to Silvermoon, as for beginner Mystic Schrs, the Space-Time Spirit Rune was both dangerous andplicated.

    Therefore, among the four free Arcane Techniques provided by the Academy, only Perception of Time was rted to Space-Time, which was to grant Shard the ability to know his position in time at any moment.

    While this Arcane Technique seemed not very useful, it was quite troublesome to learn. Being a basic Arcane Technique provided by the Academy, the materials needed for study were naturally provided by the Academy as well.

    An old pocket watch with a hundred years of history was easy to find, but the "Four-Leaf Clock Flower," a peculiar nt, though cultivated in the Academy''s nurseries, had aplicated harvesting process. Therefore, Shard wouldn''t be able to obtain it from the physician until next month.

    As for the three Arcane Techniques rted to Silvermoon, the Academy provided the following:

    Cyndia''s Silvermoon Blessing granted healing abilities under the Silvermoon''s light, allowing one to heal oneself or others. This Arcane Technique was unique to the holders of the Silvermoon Spirit Rune and could only be used at night.

    From its naming, one could discern that this was an Arcane Technique developed by Academy''s Circle Sorcerers, using their names as prefixes. If Shard developed a strong enough Silvermoon Light Spell, he could name it Shard''s Silvermoon Light Spell.

    Illusion of the Moon Shadow allowed the casting of some simple illusions utilizing the power of the moonlight at night. Any holder of a moon-rted Spirit Rune could learn this Arcane Technique, but, depending on the Spirit Rune and the user, the illusions would have slight differences, and it could only be used at night as well.

    Silvermoon sh created a sh of silver moonlight in the air to attack enemies, dealing significant damage to those with Enlightenment and Desecration elements. This Arcane Technique was also exclusive for Silvermoon holders, but other holders of runes rted to moons, stars, and even the sun had simr techniques, albeit with different effects.

    It was the only attack-type among the three Arcane Techniques.

    In this world, there were three moons in the night sky: Silver, Yellow, and Red. Each had different meanings in Mysticism, with the Red Moon associated with flesh and reproduction, the Yellow Moon a "guide" and "Moonlight," while the Silver Moon represented the synonyms of "Guardian," "Sanctity," and "Mystery."

    Therefore, the Arcane Techniques rted to the Silvermoon concept were different from the other moons. Had Shard''s Spirit Rune been the higher concept of "Moon," he would have had ess to even more Arcane Techniques.

    The three Arcane Techniques were carefully selected by the Academy, each leaning towards healing, illusion, and attack, making them quiteprehensive.

    And the learning materials were still given along with the books: a mercury-like liquid inside a thumb-size ss bottle known as "Moonlight of Silvermoon," a piece of silver fabric embroidered with the Holy Emblem of an unknown Old God, and a silver knife broken so only the de remained, engraved with a waxing crescent moon.

    But having the materials didn''t mean one could instantly learn; Shard still needed to prepare the corresponding environment and master the relevant Spell Words. These were not issues that could be resolved in a single day, so until this night, he had only learned Silvermoon sh.

    The learning requirement for Silvermoon sh was simply for the Circle Sorcerer to be able to attach Silvermoon''s moonlight to the broken silver knife, which was quite simple for Shard at this stage.

    He repeated the process under the moon at night, and with each attachment of moonlight, the knife grew shorter. Upon the 13th adhesion of the silver moonlight, the light fully dissipated the Broken de. Looking at his faintly glowing hand, Shard had an epiphany and learned this attack-type Arcane Technique.

 Chapter 45 The Professors of Saint Byrons

    Using "Silvermoon sh" didn''t require Spellcasting Materials; one only needed to use their limbs to draw a Light Trace in the air. The silver Light Trace could be brought down with a sh, thereby unleashing its attack form.

    Before midnight, Shard had tried many times in his room with the curtains drawn, creating traces of light and then making them sh forward. He was extremely excited. Although he had tried Telekinesis, Echo of Blood, and Light Spell before, "Silvermoon sh" truly matched his vision of "power" and "mystery."

    Unfortunately, Shard was only a beginner and his understanding of the "Silvermoon" Elemental Rune was shallow, and his Spirit was weak. As a result, those Light Traces could not even leave obvious marks on the walls.

    But if it were merely to harm the fragile human body, close-range strikes would probably suffice.

    Although this Arcane Technique was currently of modest power, the Light Trace left in the air was extremely beautiful¡ªmore elegant and refined than the depictions in books, which captivated the curious orange cat, Mia.

    Of course, the above four Arcane Techniques from the courses were just provided for free by the Academy. And if Shard wanted to obtain more Arcane Techniques from the Academy, he could go to the library, look them up, and then pay for the knowledge of those spells.

    The various professors also had their own collection of Arcane Techniques and Sorcery, and getting high scores in their sses was another way to obtain free Arcane Techniques and Sorcery.

    ording to Dr. Schneider, the library''s prices were unreasonable, and it was the Academy''s "exploitation" of Correspondence Students.

    Shard preferred to buy from his groupmates and local Circle Sorcerers rather than the Academy, which he would use only as a source of rare Arcane Techniques and Sorcery.

    Whatever the case, the ounder had thoroughly stepped into the mysterious and transcedent gateway of the Steam Age.

    Summarizing his current situation, the Ounder found that his biggest deficiency was neither time nor experience, but Gold Pounds. Thus, he became even more determined to operate the Detective Agency, which was the best way he could find to make money at present.

    "By earning Gold Pounds from assignments and acquiring knowledge from Saint Byrons. Obtain the Four Elements Rune and keep advancing, and even if I can''t go back, I will witness this mysterious and magnificent world," he resolved.

    Now that he had his own house, Shard no longer felt the oppression that he had experienced in the past days.

    As for copying books from his past world or using knowledge from the past world to profit in the Steam Age, those ns would wait until he was firmly established here and had gained more power.

    Having spent the entirety of the day ying with the cat and reading, Shard, who had mastered his first Arcane Technique, was still very happy even though he hadn''t earned a penny today.

    So came the night. Upon seeing that it was eleven o''clock on the clock, Shard first locked the nocturnal orange cat Mia in the bedroom, then moved the coffee table and sofa aside to create space.

    He arranged the four chairs from around the dining table into the living room, adjusting their orientation meticulously with apass, and finally ced a full basin of water at the center of the chairs.

    He put on the only suit he had in his wardrobe, closed the curtains, and adjusted the gasmp in the living room to a dim, warm yellow.

    Only then did he sit in the chair facing due north, with a match in one hand and the elective ss list parchment roll in the other. Fixing his gaze on the clock as it approached twelve, he quickly struck a match along the armrest of the chair.

    Because he struck too hard, the match broke in half. Shard was slightly startled, but he immediately drew another match from the box on his knee.

    In this era, matches were not the safe kind - there was no friction strip on the side of the matchbox. Striking a match on the ground, the sole of a shoe, or a wall was themon practice.

    Finally, the second match lit sessfully. Shard looked up at the clock and, upon hearing the first chime, immediately ignited the parchment roll. The parchment roll caught fire almost instantly, and as soon as the me appeared, he promptly dropped the roll into the water before him.

    Although he had prepared himself, Shard was still somewhat surprised to see the submerged parchment roll dissolved into specks of blue light that scattered across the basin:

    "What is this?"

    As he pondered in his heart, the voice of the woman in his mind unexpectedly spoke:

    [It''s not an Arcane Technique or Sorcery, it''s an even older force of Mysticism, this is some kind of ritual.]

    "A ritual?"

    Before he could receive any further exnation, he saw the entire basin begin to emit a glimmer. With the windows closed, a wind arose inside the room at that moment, and within that wind, three beams of light were projected from the basin in the east, west, and south directions respectively.

    Consequently, three blue transparent human figures gradually became distinct from being blurry and appeared on the chairs Shard had prepared. Shard even noticed characters swimming within their translucent bodies, but even deciphering a single one caused his head to ache, so he learned from the lesson of the "Box of Darkness" and did not maintain such an ardent curiosity.

    The appearance of the three figures suddenly made the room feel colder.

    Sitting directly south, facing Shard, was an elderly man wearing round sses. He was dressed in formal ck attire and was even taller than Shard, with a pocket watch chain extending from the pocket on his chest fastened on the button in front:

    "Vice-principal of Saint Byrons Integrated Academy, Head of the Student Affairs Office, Professor Hams Sanchez of the Academy of Library Management."

    Professor Sanchez introduced himself in very standard Draleonnguage and nodded slightly to Shard.

    This name was the same one left on the message for Shard, the one who had arranged to meet Shard in this manner.

    The man sitting in the eastern chair looked to be in his forties, thin but with a resolute expression. Simrly dressed in ck attire with a white shirt, the cufflinks bore the emblem of Baylens Comprehensive Academy, a book chained shut.

    His ears appeared somewhat pointed, unlike an ordinary person:

    "Vice-principal of the History Academy, Professor Hensinger Garcia."

    His Draleonnguage clearly wasn''t as standard as Professor Sanchez''s¡ªin the present world, Southern Carsonricknguage and Northern Draleonnguage were widely spoken; maybe Professor Garcia was originally a Southerner.

    Thest person, sitting on the western chair, was ady in her thirties with curly hair. She wore a monocle over her right eye and was dressed in themon style of bluedies'' clerical uniform, holding a writing pad and pen in hand.

    She nodded to Shard in a friendly manner, her speech was not as formal as the professors'':

    "I am Lax Jones from the secretarial department of the Academy. ording to regtions, when an Academy professormunicates with a Correspondence Circle Mage in a non-teaching capacity, a secretary from the secretariat must record the content of the conversation and archive it. This is to protect both you and the secrets of Saint Byrons."

    "I understand, Professor Sanchez, Professor Garcia, Miss Jones, good evening¡­ would you like some hot tea? My ck tea here is quite good."

    After a brief moment of surprise, Shard politely addressed the three transparent figures. He wondered if this ritual was akin to the principle of a projector. Meanwhile, the chilly atmosphere suggested that perhaps the original purpose of the ritual was not intended for remote meetings.

 Chapter 46 The Legacy of Ancient Madmen

    "Good evening, Mr. Hamilton, no need to bother with the tea. Firstly, congrattions on joining Saint Byrons Integrated Academy: History Academy, but tonight is for two other matters."

    Professor Garcia, the Deputy Dean of the History Academy, said as he pped his hands lightly in congrattions, then stretched out two fingers without giving Shard a chance to speak. The professor was quite decisive:

    "First of all, regarding your matter, please present your Core Spirit Rune." Discover hidden tales at empire

    The heavy hammer fell, and in the sweltering Steam Mist, the Ring of Fate appeared, with the brass-colored "Space-Time" materializing before three translucent figures.

    Every time Shard summoned the Ring of Fate, he felt that this power system was especially... fashionable.

    Professor Garcia nodded in satisfaction and said in his not-so-fluent Draleon:

    "Very good, Mr. Hamilton, this is indeed "Space-Time", and you are now listed by the History Academy for special cultivation. Besides the Relic that has already been given to you, your Practical Training for Time Travel will be personally guided by me. ording to the Academy''s rules, this course would begin after you have engraved your first Spirit Rune.

    However, as a special cultivation candidate, the timing for Time Travel can be advanced..."

    "Advanced?"

    Shard blinked.

    "Yes, starting tonight. To be more precise, after we finish discussing all the matters tonight."

    Professor Garcia spoke without much emotion in his voice, giving Shard the impression that the other party was serious and rigid, but Shard quite appreciated professors with such character.

    "Most Correspondence Circle Mages, in fact, do not understand the special cultivation candidates.

    You are different from the typical correspondence students. Although rules can''t be directly bypassed to let you enter the Academy, Saint Byrons will provide you with many educational conveniences and more cultivation resources, but will also demand more from you. Mr. Hamilton, the History Academy is looking forward to the day you officially step into the Academy.

    I rarely praise students proactively, but please do not waste your Talent. Typically, the Practical Training for Time Travel of the History Academy is handled by ordinary lecturers."

    Having said that, Professor Garcia even squeezed out a somewhat odd smile at Shard, clearly not someone who smiled often. Shard nodded with a straight face; he was indeed happy about such matters but felt a bit uneasy about the impending Time Travel.

    "Before the course begins, there''s a second matter, which is unrted to our History Academy but concerns the group you''re part of."

    Professor Garcia gestured toward Professor Sanchez sitting opposite Shard. Although both were professors at Saint Byrons, it was clear that thetter held a somewhat higher position:

    "Mr. Shard Hamilton, I hope you can guarantee that what we are about to discuss will not be shared with anyone else."

    Said Professor Sanchez with a watch chain on his chest.

    "So, can the preferential treatment for special cultivation candidates be discussed?"

    Shard thought to himself but did not say anything like "the following words must not vite any morals" and instead just nodded. He seemed to hear the sound of a cat scratching the door and was quite worried that Mia might damage his household properties:

    "I swear to keep it secret."

    "Good, what we need to discuss is the five-person group you belong to, your group has significant issues."

    Miss Jones lowered her head to take notes, Professor Garcia sat listening to the conversation attentively, and Professor Sanchez, appearing to be over fifty, had a serious look in his eyes.

    He opened his mouth to continue speaking but suddenly paused, almost at the same time as Professor Garcia, they both looked towards the window of the living room.

    Shardplied with the request and closed the curtains. The thick fabric curtainspletely blocked out the warm yellow glow of the gas streetmps around the Ring za. And now, a faint silver steam mist, which had appeared at some point, was slowly spreading throughout the interior of the room.

    "Mercury Mist?"

    Even though their physical bodies were not present in the living room of this detective agency, the two professors with lifetime teaching positions still recognized what it was.

    "Mr. Hamilton, someone is attempting to invade this ce,"

    Professor Sanchez said, but remained seated without moving. He frowned and looked towards Shard:

    "Have you done anything in the past couple of days?"

    The detective who covered his mouth and nose, worried about mercury poisoning, nodded immediately. He understood as soon as he heard "mercury." Knowing it was not the time for secrecy, he revealed everything about the Old God Statue. However, he omitted mentioning the time and ce of his meeting with "thatdy," only stating that he had found a reliable buyer.

    The professors didn''t care that he had sold the Old God Statue instead of giving it to the academy. The two professors nced at each other, and Professor Garcia from the History Academy spoke in his somewhat imperfect Draleonnguage:

    "So, it seems we have some rity on the matter. The buyer you found helped you eliminate the tracking by ''Blood of Mercury'' on the discoverer of the statue, but there were still subtle traces left. They only intended to test, but did not expect that you would just happen to start the ritual, thus confirming to the other party that you are indeed a Circle Sorcerer."

    Shard didn''t know the professors'' method of reasoning, nor did he know how to describe this stroke of bad luck.

    "But do not worry. I was the one who chose the meeting location for tonight, Mr. Hamilton. I''ll handle this matter,"

    Professor Sanchez stated, looking towards the secretary, who responded clearly:

    "Compliant with the academy''s regtions, but I must remind you, professor, during the period of ritual projection, even a High Ring Sorcerer''s power will be diminished."

    "It''s all right, the ''Blood of Mercury'' organization may be ancient, but their strongest contemporary member is no more than the ''Silver-Eyed'' Sorcerer of Nine Rings,"

    Professor Sanchez exined, while taking the time to impart some knowledge to Shard:

    "Circle Sorcerers of Thirteen Rings, but there are very few of such sorcerers in this era, each with their own title. Saint Byrons'' Thirteen-Ring Sorcerer is our Academy Dean, ''Silver Guardian'' Professor Pigman, and the Saint Byrons Grand Library Librarian, ''Red Moon Witch'' Miss Danester.

    Below them, sorcerers of Ten Rings or more are qualified to be guardians of major archdioceses of the True God Church or to hold lifetime teaching positions at academies. Outside of the church and academy, sorcerers above Ten Rings are seldom seen.

    "''Blood of Mercury'' has an ancient lineage, said to have originated in thete Fourth Era, but now they''re in decline,rgely affiliated with the ''Blood Spirit School,'' which is hunted by the Church of the Five Gods. The sessors of Blood of Mercury are too obsessed with the Angel-Level Relic - Mercury Mist."

    The professor did not get up. As he spoke, the mercury mist was almost spreading from the edge of the window to everyone''s feet. Shard didn''t know if he should remind the professors that their projections needn''t worry about poisoning, but his own body was real.

    "But what is the ''Blood Spirit School''?"

    He trusted that a Saint Byrons professor wouldn''t stand by and watch him die.

    "A lineage even older and more powerful than madmen... Shall you go or shall I?"

    The Vice-Dean of Saint Byrons asked the Vice-Dean of the History Academy, who thought for a moment and said in calm but not proficient Draleonnguage:

    "Let me go first. We need at least to know who the other party is and how much information they have on Mr. Hamilton. Mr. Hamilton, pay attention¡ªthis is the power of space."

 Chapter 47 The Increasingly Complex Conspiracy

    Stay connected via empire

    ```

    The four of them were still seated in four chairs, and as Professor Garcia raised his hand, Miss Jones began to record the ensuing events with even greater speed.

    The slightly pointy-eared professor''s hands radiated a halo of light, and as he whispered and chanted the Spell Words, Shard saw patches of brilliant colors filling his living room lit by the gasmp.

    The entire living room was split in two; the normal part was the eastern side where the four were sitting upright, while the western side became blurry with the filling colors, yet gradually growing clearer.

    Only, the half that became clear turned into the likeness of a dim, low-ceilinged room.

    The low-ceilinged room was also split in two, connecting with Shard''s living room, and the light inside was extremely dim. Therey a squat bed with a dirty yellow sheet, a desk with a rusty gear-metal typewriter, and a bookshelf filled with various other reagents.

    Inside those reagents were human eyeballs of all sizes, and even a small, curled-up primate-like animal carcass with closed eyes, which made Shard feel quite uneasy.

    The room was unbearably dim, the old gasmp above the desk looked as if it would go out the next second.

    The man sitting hunched on the chair in front of the desk was scrawny, with patchy hair, wearing a brown coat, and looked like a rat. He twisted his head in shock, staring at the suddenly appearing unfamiliar living room and the four people in it.

    His face was pockmarked, with a red nose covered in ckheads. His pupil shrunk from terror, and in his left hand, a bottle was tilted, pouring mercury onto the table.

    "The Arcane Technique I''m employing is Spatial Segmentation, Spatial Assembly, which can only be learned at the level of Eleven Rings."

    Professor Garcia of the History Academy said.

    "Please tell the truth."

    Professor Sanchez, with a stern expression, extended his hand, pointing towards the man in the low half of the room, with an ambiguous pink glimmer on his finger:

    "Who are you?"

    The professor asked aloud.

    "Dwarf Rat Peter from the ''Blood of Mercury''."

    The small man, under the glow of the professor''s finger, had a zed look in his eyes. His ent was very simr to Professor Garcia''s, probably a former Carsonrickian. His bottle of mercury fell onto the table, and he waspletely unaware of it.

    "What are you doing?"

    Professor Sanchez asked again, the ambiguous pink glimmer on his finger growing stronger.

    "We''ve lost an important item¡ªan Old God Statue, ''Vampire Duke Lowell'', and wanted to take revenge on the person who stole the statue using a Keeper of Secrets Level Relic. But the adversary was too powerful. So, they made me use the Arcane Technique ¨C ''Rat Partner''s Sense of Smell'' to look for clues.

    The alley smelledplex and had witnessed a fight the night before. I searched all day and found that one of the individuals who had been there was conducting a ritual, and was very weak. Now, I''m trying to directly kill him using the Arcane Technique ¨C ''Mercury Poison Mist''."

    Professor Sanchez nodded, and as Shard watched the pink glimmer on his finger, he felt a bit dizzy himself. Professor Garcia exined:

    "This is ''Sorcery - Enchant Humans''. Its effect isn''t normally this strong, but because of Professor Sanchez''s Spirit Rune System and regr practice, it can manifest such a trait... Trying to get the unruly young students at the Academy to tell the truth about their homework is indeed not easy."

    "Who else knows about Mr. Hamilton''s affairs?"

    Professor Sanchez''s normal finger pointed at Shard, and Dwarf Rat Peter, with zed eyes, answered slowly, his voice getting gentler, as if he were speaking to his beloved:

    "Only I know. I have not yet had a chance to report it, wanting to take all the credit for myself. This move of mine has never failed, even the Silver-Eyed One has praised my Arcane Technique."

    "Have you ever killed someone?"

    ```

    The professor asked.

    "Yes, I have killed quite a few, many arcane techniques demand fresh human organs as..."

    "Alright then."

    Professor Sanchez''s pink glimmer on his finger extinguished, followed by a dark light flying from his fingertip, crossing the boundary between two houses. Dwarf Rat Peter''s corpse hit the ground, ushered into eternal sleep.

    Shard was slightly agape, gaining a newfound appreciation for the professor''s swift actions. It took him several seconds to remember to say:

    "Professor Sanchez, Professor Garcia, thank you for your assistance."

    This effectively solved the trouble caused by that Old God Statue for him.

    As for the deceased man, Shard felt no pity; the man was a viin to begin with, and had intended to harm him. He was even relieved that he didn''t have to dirty his own hands.

    "No need for thanks, if it weren''t for my meeting with you today, he wouldn''t have discovered your identity."

    Professor Sanchez said and then gestured for Shard to rise:

    "Go check his desk for any important documents, but don''t touch anything. We cannot leave our seats during the ritual, or else the projection will disconnect unterally."

    Shard nodded and got up, hearing Mia scratching at the door louder, the curious but timid cat was probably eager to know what was happening outside.

    He left his seat and walked to the other part of the bisected living room. As his body crossed the center line and stepped into the low-ceilinged house, a stench of long-unventted foul air and decay hit him immediately.

    He had traveled from the second floor of No. 6, Saint Dn Square, to a narrow and chilly rented apartment somewhere in Tobesk City. He did not check the line of reagent bottles on the shelf, but went straight to the desk.

    On the desk, other than a pool of mercury, there were also two arcane techniques for tracking clues and spilling mercury, along with the required spellcasting materials. The only document was an unfinished letter on the typewriter, written in Carsonrickian, and the end wasn''tpleted yet.

    Most of it was Dwarf Rat Peter bemoaning the troubles of his work, the dangers he encountered, and the heavy fog weather in Tobesk City.

    Thest paragraph only had the beginning written, mentioning their coboration with the cultists of the "Lord of the Blood Feast," and "Blood of Mercury" attempting to obtain some materials from the cultists.

    Another organization, "Blood Spirit School," had promised to assist them but seemed preupied with something to do with birthing houses in the New World, and so far, had only sent a Keeper of Secrets Level Relic as help, which greatly angered the Silver-Eyed One.

    The cultists of the "Lord of the Blood Feast," "Blood of Mercury," and "Blood Spirit School," suddenly, three organizations were implicated.

    Shard took note of this information and after returning to his own living room and sitting down, he reported everything verbatim. The two professors did notment on this, and Professor Garcia lifted the spatial anomaly, returning Shard''s living room to normal.

    Even the mercury mist had vanished, as if everything was just an illusion. This way, the cautious Ounder didn''t have to worry about dying from mercury poisoning.

    "In any case, Mr. Hamilton, as a First Ring Sorcerer, you''d better avoid getting involved in such dangerous matters. Where were we in our conversation just now?"

    To the two professors, everything that had just happened was a trifling matter not worth mention. Shard, too, felt relieved to be free from hidden dangers. After jotting down "Lord of the Blood Feast" and "Blood Spirit School," as well as the recent happenings, he sat up straight in his chair and said:

    "Just now we had mentioned two things. Professor Garcia said he was here tonight to guide my practice with time travel, and after discussing everything, we would proceed. The second matter was that you, Professor Sanchez, wanted to talk about something rted to our group of five."

    Professor Garcia nodded at Shard, and Professor Sanchez then pped his forehead:

    "Oh, right, about the group of five¨Cone of you in your group has a serious problem. One of you, ''another me,'' is not in a normal state, and the Academy considers it a major risk."

    Shard, who had just been relieved, felt a sudden tightness in his chest, hisplexion drastically changed.

 Chapter 48 The Problematic Group

    After Professor Sanchez finished his statement, he paused to confirm that Miss Jones was continuing to take notes before speaking again:

    "It was Mr. Bill Schneider."

    Shard held his breath, not daring to release it. He had indeed been frightened by the abrupt pause in the conversation, a habit he truly found unsettling.

    "Mr. Schneider''s issue was only discovered when he was in his third year, he himself being a psychologist, and his Circle Sorcerer System also involves dreams and the mind, but he harbors something very dangerous within. The Academy cannot determine precisely what it is, only that it is considerably hazardous. The Academy needs someone to monitor him, or rather, to keep an eye on his condition.

    Should Mr. Bill Schneider lose control, the Academy needs to be informed immediately for intervention," he continued.

    Professor Sanchez looked into Shard''s eyes, and knowing that the "person with the problem" wasn''t himself, Shard rxed significantly, yet he was still concerned about Dr. Schneider:

    "Dr. Schneider... could he lose control?"

    The doctor is a very nice person.

    "Currently, his psychological stability is highly rated, but the possibility of losing control cannot be excluded, although it is just a possibility. He may never face such an issue in his lifetime. Moreover, we have not fully confirmed what is actually within him, so there are no solutions. Mr. Hamilton, are you willing to take on this task?

    You don''t need to do anything extra, just ensure that if any issue arises, the Academy learns about it the first time."

    Shard did not immediately respond but instead nced at Professor Garcia, who nodded at him. Shard thought it over; if it was just about reporting at the final moment, it seemed manageable:

    "I think it should be fine, but may I ask, have you told anyone else about this? I have just joined the group..."

    It would be more suitable for the other members of the group to handle this matter.

    "Lat August also has issues."

    Compared to the serious Professor Garcia, Professor Sanchez from the Academy of Library Management was a bit more humorous. He gave Shard a regretful look:

    "You might know the story of Priest Augustus, and the other members of the group should know too. But I can assure you, he has never shared why, after so many years, he remains merely a priest, because even he doesn''t know."

    The professor with round sses suddenly lowered his voice:

    "Thirty years ago, in the third year after Lat August joined the Dawn Church as ayman, he was involved in a high-level relic containment incident that went out of control. The details of that incident are known only to the Dawn Church and the Church of Nature, and Augustus was one of the few survivors.

    To stabilize the psychology and spirit of the survivors, the Dawn Church erased that part of their memory."

    "A high-level Relic? Was it an Angel-Level (Level 1) Relic?"

    Shard asked, surprised, given that even the recently mentioned "God''s Gift Box" was merely a Sage Level (Level 2).

    But the professor shook his head:

    "A higher level."

    The young detective opened his mouth:

    "So, even Angel-Level (Level 1) Relics have a standard measure, which really makes sense."

    "I appreciate your acuteness, yes, Angel-Level is Level 1, but there is still a Level 0 above it, the Unssified Level. The incident Augustus was involved in was an Unssified Level Relic containment incident that went out of control," said Professor Garcia of the History Academy, with Professor Sanchez adding:

    "Externally, the descent of an Evil God is equated with the loss of control of an Angel-Level Relic. But in reality, the Academy treats the descent of an Evil God and the loss of control of Unssified Level (Level 0) Relics as disasters of the same caliber.

    The Academy suspects that Priest Augustus may have gradually recovered that memory over the past thirty years and joined Saint Byrons to discover the truth about that past incident, rather than the Church. We cannot be certain that the Unssified Level Relic hasn''t had a longsting impact on him, so althoughparatively less critical than the doctor, this priest must also be taken seriously.

    Of course, all of this is conjecture; the Academy will not discriminate against this elderly gentleman."

    "Should I also report to the Academy timely if Priest Augustus encounters any issues?"

    Shard asked, to which Professor Sanchez nodded:

    "The issue with August is a minor one, and if it''s convenient for you, you can monitor him as well,"

    "In that case..."

    Shard hesitated as he looked at the other person, considering another issue:

    "Miss Dorothy Louisa and Miss Luviya Ate aren''t also problematic, are they?"

    "Unfortunately, you are correct,"

    As Professor Sanchez nodded, Shard noticed the secretary, who was taking notes, trying to suppress augh. If Shard hadn''t been involved, he thought he might haveughed too.

    "However, the issues with these twodies are rtively minor.

    Luviya Ate is a Circle Sorcerer jointly trained with us by the Prophet''s Society. It''s not that this rtionship makes us distrust her, but the Prophet''s Society has shared some information ¡ª Miss Ate is rather peculiar... She is a Diviner, but some of her divinations are too urate. That''s not a good sign, and you''ll understand once you have a basic understanding of prophecies...

    Anyway, Miss Ate''s issue isn''t serious, but we can''t assign her the tasks of monitoring doctors and priests, and you need not be wary of her,"

    Professor Sanchez exined.

    "I understand, as if I never heard what you just said about her,"

    Only then did Professor Sanchez nod with satisfaction:

    "I appreciate someone like you, Mr. Hamilton, yes, that''s the spirit. Lastly, there''s Miss Dorothy Louisa, the novelist. The academy suspects her of being a spy, but that''s the least of the problems,"

    Professor Sanchez''s tone became more rxed when talking about Miss Writer.

    "A spy?"

    Shard was puzzled.

    "Miss Luisa has connections with the royal family of the Draleon Kingdom that we can''t trace at all. Moreover, just at the royal level, there is a rtively deep rtionship with Zaras Literary Academy, hence the academy suspects she might be a spy sent by Zaras Literary Academy to Saint Byrons for our knowledge and secrets,"

    Professor Sanchez raised his eyebrows to Shard:

    "You understand, although the Three Great Magics Academies have good rtionships with each other, this... isn''t really anything significant since we would do the same, ahem. We just can''t trust her with too many secrets, of course, it''s still just a suspicion, so the academy won''t treat her differently, but the tasks given to you can''t be given to her."

    "So, the academy wants me to stay in this group where everyone has issues and be responsible for reporting some matters in a timely fashion?"

    After thinking for a while, Shard summarized the information given by Professor Sanchez. He somewhat believed the information, but it didn''t cause him to feel resentment toward the other four in the group; instead, he marveled that those around an outsider were indeed never peaceful. Yet, the rest of the group seemed perfectly normal.

    A woman''s voice in his mind chuckled softly.

    "No, this isn''t a group where everyone has issues; you are without problems,"

    Professor Garcia, who had been listening to the conversation, corrected:

    "The History Academy has conducted a thorough investigation into your identity. Your background is very clean, whether it was your past as a wanderer, being taken in by Detective Sparrow Hamilton, or the awakening of your talent and the restoration of your normal intelligence, all clear. Therefore, the academy trusts youpletely and has shared these secrets with you,"

    "Completely trust me,"

    Shard said sternly, continuing to listen to the softughter in his mind while nodding:

    "Yes, I''m totally without issues; I am trustworthy,"

    Find exclusive stories on empire

    the outsider burdened with secrets said.

 Chapter 49 "Shards" Past

    Shard''s secrets were actually not many: his status as an outsider, the asional unusualness of the voice in his head, and his ability to understand any script he hade across so far; therefore, the problem wasn''t too significant.

    "Yes, the problem isn''t big."

    He convinced himself of this.

    "I''m d you understand. The Academy has pondered over the issue with the Bill Schneider Group for many years, even considering disbanding the group. Thankfully, you arrived. In fact,paratively speaking, even among all the correspondence Circle Sorcerers who have enrolled at Saint Byrons in the recent ten years, your background is the most trustworthy.

    Your past is very simple, and you''ve had no connections with the mystical or other powers."

    Professor Sanchez said with a smile. Since he brought up the topic, Shard took the opportunity to ask:

    "Professor, since you''ve investigated my past, does the Academy know how I became a vagrant? I apologize, I have almost no memory of that period."

    Judging by the scars on his body and his physical condition, it was impossible that the original host had always been homeless. As he posed the question, his ears twitched slightly. Mia seemed to havepletely given up on scratching the door; there had been no sound for a long time.

    Professor Sanchez coughed, clearing his throat:

    "Regarding your past, the brain issue has been there since childhood, and your vagrant life probably started at 16. Mr. Hamilton, your hometown is Green Shade Vige in the southern Carlton County of the Draleon Kingdom. That year, the entire southern region suffered a great famine, your family died on the road while fleeing, and you ended up alone in Tobesk...

    I apologize, if you''re curious about this, you can get the reportter."

    Professor Sanchez showed a look of regret. Shard pursed his lips and shook his head, saying nothing.

    His curiosity about the original host''s past was limited only to worry that the other might also have some major secret or concern. For example, perhaps he was a royal illegitimate child or the descendant of a grand noble. But now it seemed, such plotlines from knightly novels were unlikely to apply to him.

    That the original host had no leftover personal ties made things easier for an outsider with no inherited memories.

    "So, Professor, please allow me to ask one more question. Since you''ve investigated my background, does the Academy know about Detective Sparrow Hamilton, about his affairs?"

    Expectantly, he looked at Professor Sanchez, who nodded:

    "The Academy also found out about him, which wasn''t easy. But rest assured, Detective Sparrow Hamilton''s secrets have nothing to do with Circle Sorcerers or the mystical... Regarding his affairs, I''m not nning to tell you directly but let you investigate for yourself. This is also an important stage for you to integrate here, and I think you''ll understand."

    "Really has nothing to do with the transcendent?"

    Shard sought confirmation.

    "I swear on my honor, Detective Sparrow Hamilton''s secrets are only rted to ordinary people. Is that okay?"

    The professor joked with a smile, and Shard immediately indicated it wasn''t necessary.

    "By the way, since we just brought up the report, to facilitate your surveince of the doctor, ahem, I mean monitoring the doctor, the Academy will provide you with a Poet-Level Relic, ''Poet Cohen''s Manuscript.'' But this piece of paper should only be used when necessary, and normally you should still use the one from Bill Schneider to contact the Academy."

    Professor Sanchez continued.

    "How will I receive the paper? If it''s sent through the doctor''s channels, wouldn''t that expose this secret?"

    "It has already been mailed; it should arrive in your hands by tomorrow morning."

    "Mailed? Through the postal service? From the Far North to here? What about security concerns, or if it gets lost on the way..."

    Shard had never imagined the Academy would employ such a crude method.

    "Of course it wasn''t sent from the Academy; that would waste a lot of time, and it wouldn''t be safe. Saint Byrons Integrated Academy has many assets on the Old Continent, which also serve as ry stations for formal students'' external internships, as well as a means for the Academy to profit...

    Since we''re talking about profit, I think we can discuss the remuneration for your task of monitoring the doctor,"

    The topic shifted here suddenly, but Shard didn''t think it required any remuneration. He saw the doctor as a friend and guide, and was willing to contact the Academy to intervene when the other lost control, which was actually good for all three parties. But since the Academy was offering, he had no reason to decline, so he did not feign refusal.

    "Because this job doesn''t require muchbor, the payment isn''t substantial. However, the History Academy values you highly, and after negotiation, the dean of the Astronomy College conducted a divination for you this afternoon, to roughly foretell your fate in theing days.

    "After joining as a Circle Sorcerer, one often gets lost in the heavy academic workload, and divination can effectively point out a path."

    Professor Sanchez said, and then took out a simrly transparent piece of paper from the translucent pocket of his dress suit.

    Find more to read at empire

    He read in standard Draleon, as if delivering a speech to the Council:

    "I see Silvermoon, I see a young detective holding a Roder Card. I also see blood; the young detective should stay away from ces filled with blood."

    After finishing, he put the paper away:

    "Divination and prophecy usuallyck direct specificity and require interpretation. Mr. Hamilton, do you understand the meaning of this result?"

    "Yes, I understand... I''m not very clear about the warning that follows, it seems to guide me to stay away from danger and disputes. At least the first part, I understand very well."

    Shard nodded, suppressing the palpitations in his heart; hearing "Roder Card" made it clear to him. A certain possibility, one he had seen as nearly zero, was now infinitely amplified by the prophecy.

    He wondered if this was influenced by casting The Twenty-Sided Die of Destiny earlier that day, but on second thought, the professors just happened to help resolve the statue issue that evening, which also felt like a stroke of luck:

    "I''ll visit the Prophet''s Society for appraisal right after I feed the cat tomorrow morning."

    "As long as you understand, that''s good. But I must also remind you, Mr. Hamilton, while the Roder Cards are interesting, do not be obsessed with them. The night is deep, and our meeting for today ends here. Ms. Jones and I will leave first, and Professor Garcia will take over your lessons.

    I wish you good dreams,"

    The meeting that evening ended in such an atmosphere.

    Miss Jones also put away her fountain pen and stopped recording; she smiled at Shard. So, Shard rose to say goodbye, watching as the transparent figures of the two rose from their chairs and gradually disappeared into the air of the second floor at No. 6, Saint Dn Square.

    Professor Garcia still sat there and gestured for Shard to also sit down to talk. It was now time for the two of them to be alone, but Professor Garcia still looked just as serious:

    "Since the other matters have concluded, let us begin the lesson content.

    "It''s been a long time since I set foot on the Old Continent south of the Far North, and I am not quite used to conversing with students of ordinary origin like you, please excuse me. But the night is deep, and I believe we don''t need to talk much, Mr. Hamilton, for you are about to embark on your time-travel journey, please..."

    "Sorry, you''re noting with me?"

    Shard caught a different implication in that statement.

    "Yes, a key only permits a one-time, solo time travel."

 Chapter 50 Secrets of Time

    Discover more stories at empire

    Professor Garcia was indeed lecturing at the moment, and Shard thought maybe he should turn the gaslight up a bit to make the ce more like a ssroom:

    "As for the rules of the Time Key, they were mentioned in your ''Theoretical Basis of Time Travel'' course. Moreover, you needn''t worry about any trouble caused by time travel; our world is not as fragile as you imagine, nor are mortals as powerful as they believe themselves to be. In a world where thought can affect matter, it is the world itself that is the most powerful.

    Now, please take the key out of the basin."

    With a few words, he resolved all of Shard''s doubts, which were probably simr to those every student had during their first time travel.

    "The basin?"

    Shard looked at the basin glowing with a soft light, squatted down and dipped his hand into the water, which was warm for some reason, and indeed retrieved a key.

    It was a wooden key, so tiny it wasn''t even as big as Shard''s thumb. The t key had an ordinary shape with teeth on one side and was very smooth on the other. The grain on the surface of the key was exceptionally clear, and upon closer inspection, he found a line of letters carved into it, smaller than grains of rice.

    Although he had learned his lesson from the "Box of Darkness" incident, this time it was clearly safe. Therefore, Shard once again utilized his talent for trantion and deciphered it as:

    "World Tree blesses you in time."

    "The World Tree?"

    Shard was surprised in his heart, but his face didn''t show much expression.

    "The Academy has various methods of delivering ''Relics'', with the poet''s manuscript being the most basic. The method we are using now, though costly, is safer and can transport objects of higher levels."

    Professor Garcia continued, still in a lecturing tone:

    "The grading of the Time Keys ranges from Poet-Level (Level 5) to Unssified Level (Level 0), originating from the bygone deity ''Father of the Infinite Tree''. Since this is only a course teaching, the Time Key provided this time is of the Poet-Level."

    The professor avoided using the term "Old God," instead using the vague term "bygone deity," which caught Shard''s attention.

    "Do you know anything about this god?" the pointy-eared professor asked.

    "Only the name."

    "The ''Father of the Infinite Tree'' is a very special deity, whose uniqueness lies in being the World Tree itself."

    If Professor Garcia had spoken before Shard had interpreted the engraving on the key, his surprise at the moment might have seemed more genuine.

    "You don''t need to understand about the World Tree for now. As for using the key, aim it at any door''s keyhole, turn and push the door open, and you will be able to travel to a point in the past.

    Before its first use, every key reveals its corresponding time; the trick is to ce the key under your pillow before falling asleep, for the dream will disy the message left by the ''Father of the Infinite Tree'' within the key. We identify the level of the key by matching the message with big events rted to the Old Gods in that era."

    "Then, which part of the Fifth Era does this key correspond to?"

    Shard''s fingers traced the grain on the surface of the key.

    The Era of Chaos in the Fourth Era was too dangerous, and keys from the first three eras were strictly forbidden for Circle Sorcerers below the ninth ring, so this key could only be from the Fifth Era.

    "Fall of the year 1068 of the Fifth Era. Each key''s corresponding time point is necessarily rted to an Old God. Hence, the History Academy is proficient in the element of ''Desecration'', as only the Academy has the opportunity to safely obtain silver ''Desecration'' elements withouting into direct contact with the existing Evil Gods."

    Shard didn''t consider time travel to be a safe matter at all.

    "We are Time Travelers, Investigators. When entering the past, you cannot carry any items with supernatural powers, and even if you wanted to, they would fall before you stepped through the opened ''door''."

    Professor Garcia looked at Shard, who quickly shook his head to indicate he didn''t have it on him now. Both the Vampire Ring and The Twenty-Sided Die of Destiny were kept in the study room.

    "When we enter the time point of the past, our vision will be filled with a lot of white fog. ''Another me'' will also provide hints about the time points and event information obtained from the key of the Relic of the Fallen God."

    Throughout the investigation period, the white fog will not disperse, and the Investigator can only move towards locations without the white fog, to witness what happens. During this time, as long as you do not actively interact with the past, you will not be noticed. We are Investigators, witnessing and recording past events and bringing them back to supplement the missing history before the Era."

    "Are you saying that we are actually going to watch a realistic electr... opera?"

    Shard gave an example.

    "Quite a nice analogy."

    Professor Garcia finally showed a smile on his face; although this slightly pointy-eared professor looked stern, he was quite nice:

    "There''s an extremely small chance that the Fallen [Father of the Infinite Tree] will assign some tasks to you, but the probability is negligible... Now then, Mr. Hamilton, let''s get started."

    "Now?"

    Shard swallowed and looked towards the bedroom door, Mia must have been tired, so the sound of ws scratching at the door hadn''t been heard for a long time.

    "Do you have anything else to prepare? Oh, don''t worry, each open period of time will only allow you to stay for a maximum of three hours. And when you return to the correct time, it will only be three seconds after you disappeared."

    "I mean... isn''t it too hasty, this sort of thing..."

    Shard thought his mentor would provide some systematic training, but didn''t expect it to be such a simple introduction.

    "Circle Sorcerers must rely on themselves, of course, as well as ''another me'', but not on others. There''s no need to take notes with pen and paper, any matter you take to the past will revert to its original state when you return. Even if you truly have the ability to intervene in the past, it will only be a small ripple in the long river of time; do not underestimate time and the world."

    "Alright then, Professor Garcia."

    He stood up, walked to the bedroom door, and let the brass-colored light from the gasmp on the side wall spill over his head and shoulders.

    The small key was aligned with the keyhole and it went in perfectly, even though they were clearly mismatched.

    "Remember, when you turn it, recite the Spell Words, anynguage will do¡ªWorld Tree Blesses Me in Time.

    Mr. Hamilton, see you in three seconds. Please rx, the Academy has especially investigated that, in the year 1068 of the Fifth Era, nothing dangerous happened; it is very safe. Cherish your first journey through time; it will be a memorable and interesting trip."

    "Okay, see you in three seconds, Professor Garcia."

    With unease in his heart, Shard gently turned the wooden key in his hand, murmuring:

    "May the World Tree bless me in time."

    There was a click, but obviously, there was no way his own bedroom door lock could produce such a sound.

    Shard took a deep breath and finally opened the door.

    But behind the door was not the tired orange cat Mia and the bedroom. Wispy white fog moved slowly behind the door frame; behind was the Mist Gate shrouded in hazy white fog.

    He swallowed, hearing Professor Garcia''s encouragement once more, with his mind on the cat, he bravely stepped through.

 Chapter 51, 5th Epoch è·¯ 1068

    Upon entering the White Mist Gate, he didn''t feel anything out of the ordinary, merely stepping forward as usual. The ground beneath his feet was still firm, and everything around him was shrouded in white fog, as if he had entered the world of a surreal dream. Explore more at empire

    In the midst of this hazy and strange fog, just as Professor Garcia had said, the whispers in his ears seemed to speak more words than ever before:

    [Ounder, you have stepped into "Time Corridor".]

    [A message from the Ancient God, "Father of the Infinite Tree":]

    [Autumn of the year 1068 of the Fifth Era, Southern Continent, Hope Town.]

    [Event: The Old God "Creator of Innocence" has fallen.]

    [Duration: 10 minutes.]

    Apart from the sudden appearance of specific nouns "Time Corridor" and "Ancient God", the information so far matched what Professor Garcia had discussed.

    [You have received additional information.]

    [The visage of the Father of the Infinite Tree watches over you.]

    [The Ancient God of time presents you with a challenge.]

    [Witness thest wish of the Old God "Creator of Innocence" before His fall.]

    [The Father of the Infinite Tree will award you a gift: the Arcane Technique¡ªde of Chaotic Time, and the Miracle Soul Rune¡ªEcho.]

    The voice ceased, and Shard''s eyes widened as he stood bewildered in the mist:

    "Ancient God? Time Corridor? What are all these?"

    [Your soul is sensitive, so I''ve received more information than the "other self" of an average Circle Sorcerer. I don''t understand the meaning behind it, either.]

    "And the task?"

    [The Ancient God of time gives you a challenge...]

    "There''s no need to repeat what I''ve already heard, I know you''re not a parrot. I''m asking, what does this mean? Have I encountered one of the rare situations that Professor Garcia mentioned? And, this... Ancient God, why does His ''visage watch over'' me? Could it be that He has always existed and has not fallen?"

    He strained his eyes to peer into the depths of the fog but could discern no clues, as if this world known as the "Time Corridor" contained nothing but fog and endless void. Thinking this, Shard couldn''t help feeling a chill run down his spine. This world was definitely not as simple as what he was seeing now.

    [The Ancient God has given you a task,plete it, and receive the reward of the Ancient God. At least, this seems to have no downside. Also, there are 9 minutes and 23 seconds remaining.]

    "Can''t you be clearer?"

    [I would tell you if I could, but I cannot provide an answer.]

    Shard lifted his foot and took a step forward, but as he did, the surrounding white fog unexpectedly dissipated. Professor Garcia had clearly stated that it was normal for an Investigator traveling through time to be enveloped in white fog.

    What was more concerning was that Shard found himself standing on the street of a town that seemed to be a backward medieval vige, its roads littered with sewage and muddy pebbles, the air heavy with the smell of animal feces and rotting food. The houses nearby were low and dpidated, the sky unnaturally gloomy, covered by the dark clouds of impending rain.

    The townspeople, skinny and indifferent, dressed in dark tattered clothes, turned their heads to look at the well-dressed young man. This was nothing like the rule of not interacting to avoid connecting with the past.

    People from the past were observing the man from the future.

    "What is this..."

    [Look up.]

    ncing upwards, he saw therge, colorful sign of "Hope Town Toy Shop," seemingly the only ssh of color in this monochromatic, rundown picture. Shard understood his purpose; before the townspeople could crowd around him, he reached out and pushed the door open to enter the shop.

    The townspeople were isted outside, and it seemed as if the inside and outside of the door were two different worlds.

    The bell at the entrance rang, and the sweet smell of candy diffused throughout the shop. All sorts of colorful wooden, metal, and ceramic toys almost filled the shelves, and a sleepy-looking young man behind the counter raised his head.

    He was dressed brightly, wearing a ridiculous red hat with white polka dots, a jester''s hat. Unlike the townspeople on the street who seemed numb like corpses, he stood out. If it weren''t for the view of the outside through the toy shop''s window, Shard would have doubted whether this was still "Hope Town."

    "Wee to Hope Town Toy Shop, may I help you..."

    The young man in the ridiculous hat stopped mid-sentence as he locked eyes with Shard, who stood petrified at the doorway. The detective from the future felt suddenly as if his heart was about to stop beating.

    An immense pressure emanated from the man behind the counter, giving Shard the sensation of facing the abyss, of falling into the infinite sky, making him instinctively step back and lean against the door.

    Blood suddenly appeared before his eyes, and he realized his eyes were bleeding. Reaching out, he touched his ears, nose, and the corners of his mouth, and found blood flowing from them too. His innards ached severely, his head swelled, and even his spirit began to dissipate.

    Although the presence in front of him upied the space of a normal-sized human, the ce it upied in the world was far from ordinary.

    The toys in the shop came to life in his sight, and the voices of children forming a creepyughter echoed in his ears:

    "Saint..."

    Knowledge of the deity was the first thing Shard had checked after receiving the textbook.

    Deities are high-dimensional beings, which if they do not wish to warp the rules of the physical world upon appearance, must have avatars within the physical world to descend, which is known as a deity''s Saint Form.

    The man behind the counter, without a doubt, was the Saint Form of the Old God "Creator of Innocence," and if it weren''t for the fact that the other party had no malice and had reduced its power to the lowest level, the damage Shard suffered would be much more severe.

    He leaned against the door behind him, barely able to stand, as illusions and hallucinations took over his senses, but his spirit was exceptionally focused at that moment, even feeling a delusion like he was about to leave his body. He heard a song, a childish voicebining into a melody, incessantly luring his spirit towards madness.

    The whispering reminder of the "miracle" element''s presence rang in his ears, but without "Desecration," indicating that this deity was a Benevolent God.

    "Interesting, Man of the Future."

    The young man behind the counter said softly, which certainly wasn''t Draleonnguage, but Shard understood.

    "Didn''t Professor Garcia say that witnessing was enough? Howe I''m facing an Old God directly?"

    He leaned in pain against the door, the woman''s whispering in his ear seeming to say something, but it was no longer distinguishable. However, the woman''s whispering seemed to have a power that helped him at least not pass out immediately.

    "What do you intend to do?"

    The deity of Bygone Days asked softly, its appearance as a young man inexplicably making Shard feel as if it had aged. Seeing Shard''s pained expression, it reached out towards him.

    There was no light or shadow effect, but the pain in his body and senses vanished. Shard felt as if he was about to be soaked in sweat, with only a faint memory of pain lingering in his brain.

    "I want... to witness yourst wish. Thank you for the healing."

    Shard spoke with a quivering voice; although the pain was gone, the terrifying pressure he perceived still caused an instinctual difort in his body. The gods of this world were truly high-dimensional entities, and not merely powerful mortals. Mortals cannot directly gaze upon deities.

    The Saint shook its head:

    "I merely protected you from the essence of the god, a protection that can''tst too long. As for my wish? No, you are still too weak. To do such a thing, you need at least the God''s Afterglow. Go back, at least for now, you shouldn''t be here."

    "What is the God''s Afterglow?"

    "I cannot tell you, it''s God''s secret. Knowledge has weight, and you cannot bear it."

    The Saint''s voice was very gentle.

    "Then, can you at least answer one question for me, just one?"

    Shard extended one finger, seizing the rare opportunity; he couldn''t let it slip by. Although at the moment he felt a swelling sensation in his head as if hecked oxygen, he was still lucid and knew what he wanted to ask:

    "What is... an Ancient God?"

 Chapter 52 God of Sin

    "Oh?"

    The Deity of Bygone Days, surprised by this question, looked toward the Man of the Future:

    "You actually know about this? I had thought that in the future, such names would have vanished.

    The Ancient Gods were the first thirteen gods, truly born with the world itself. They represented the origin and the power of the world. The Ancient Gods have long perished, make no doubt about that, but their power was extraordinarily strong; even in demise, their power persists. No doubt your presence here is due to the power of that Ancient God of Time. And we, the Old Gods..."

    In thenguage used by the Saint before him, "Old Gods" not only implied "Deities of Bygone Days" asmonly understood in the Draleonnguage, but the Ounder made out the implication of ''God of Sin'' as well.

    "What exactly happened in the past? This world, really... "

    His thoughts were almost too chaotic to think.

    "Leave now. The past also imposes a burden on the souls of mortals; those stories have long passed, dust to dust, earth to earth, all gone... Mortals looking upon us is not good. Leave now, Man of the Future."

    "But!"

    "It''s for your own good. However, I am the God of Innocence, Protector of the children. Since you could appear here before Ipletely depart, it indicates we must have a connection by fate. If you still do not want to leave, would you like to hear a story?"

    "A child from the future?"

    Shard was perplexed by this reference:

    "Is it because my spirit has spent so little time in this world, thus you consider me a child?"

    But at least he understood the significance of "stories" to Circle Sorcerers, so he perked up and nodded, preparing himself to take in all the forting information.

    Despite his apparent youth, the Old God with an inexplicably aged quality gently sighed:

    "My story is actually quite dull; born from the infinite illusions of children, I possess their purest thoughts.

    In the past, I used my own power to create for that most beautiful Witch Princess, the Eternal me and the ever-flowing spring. But she asked me for immortality, which I could not grant, as it''s not a wish children should have; so, I left her."

    [You have listened to the story of the Old God, "Creator of Innocence," and learned about one of the Old God "Creator of Innocence''s" miracles.]

    [You have obtained Sorcery, "False Immortality." You have the ability to keep the severely injured alive, unable to die for half an hour.]

    "Mortals must eventually die; ''False Immortality'' is but aughable constion."

    The Deity of Bygone Daysmented, then pushed forward, making the stunned Ounder in the toy shop move backward like a marite.

    "Until next time, Man of the Future, may the grandeur of Time and Creation protect you."

    He pushed open the shop door, walked through the dense white fog that followed, and then fell heavily on the living room floor of Room No.1 on the second floor of No. 6, Saint Dn Square.

    [Ounder, you have returned to the present time.]

    [Message from the Ancient God, "Father of the Infinite Tree":]

    [Mission iplete.]

    [Time Key; Fifth Era: Year 1068 - Creator of Innocence, damaged 1/3.]

    [Next activation time, please wait one week.]

    "Wasn''t it a one-time-use item?"

    Despite his paleplexion, Shard immediately reached into his pocket, feeling the key now covered with cracks.

    "Mr. Hamilton, how was the journey?"

    Professor Garcia''s curious voice came from behind him, unseen by Shard, who could not guess what had just happened.

    Shard''s heart pounded, and in just a few brief seconds, he hadpleted all his thoughts. He turned around very slowly, not concealing the paleness of his face:

    "Fifth Era: Year 1068, the event was the fall of an Old God."

    Even though he had left the toy store, the immense pressure brought by the deity had disappeared, but the damage he had endured while facing the deity still lingered.

    But Professor Garcia''s expression turned even uglier than Shard''s current one in an instant. If it weren''t for the fact that it was a projection ritual, he almost would have jumped down:

    "What? How could this be? An Old God fell!"

    He opened his mouth in shock, but soon looked at Shard with concerned eyes, his unpracticed Draleonnguage speeding up so much that Shard almost couldn''t understand:

    "I''ve never heard of such an event in 1068; Mr. Hamilton, are you alright? If so, this Key isn''t Poet-Level! It''s definitely beyond Angel-Level!"

    The professor wanted to support Shard, but he couldn''t; he asked anxiously, clenching his fists:

    "Mr. Hamilton, do you need the Academy to send a medical team?"

    "Oh, no."

    Professor Garcia''s concern and anxiety were real, and so was Shard''s shock. But what he showed was the fatigue on his face; he walked back to his chair and sat down slowly, beginning to recount his experience:

    "I came upon a street, saw a store, and then... I can''t remember clearly."

    He still felt a throbbing headache, but he described the general appearance of Hope Town in detail, iming he wandered the streets for ten minutes before finally seeing the shop in the mist. Then he returned here and even acquired new Sorcery.

    And this time the investigation seemed only to have glimpsed that shop.

    "Good that you didn''t go in."

    Shard took ten minutes to describe his ten-minute experience, and Professor Garcia was filled with hindsight fear; Shard even saw sweat on the professor''s transparent cheeks:

    "Good that you didn''t go in, good that you didn''t! Damn, I need to make the student who investigated this Fifth Era: Year 1068 moment repeat a year until 1860! He imed that period waspletely safe, devoid of any issues!"

    It was now the year 1853 of the Sixth Era, and Shard was very worried about that unknown Saint Byrons student.

    "You don''t need to write the report for this incident; I''ll write it for you. I will report your time travel to the Academy exactly as it urred; the Academy won''t let you suffer unjustly! Damn, there''s a rotten apple in the History Academy! Who said that the Fifth Era: Year 1068 was safe... Mr. Hamilton, are you really alright?"

    Anger even brought out a few Carsonrick words, fortunately, Shard understood them all.

    "I want to sleep; I feel mentally scattered and can''t focus. Oh, sir, I am indeed very exhausted."

    Shard slumped in his original chair, but actually, his spirits were recovering quickly; the Creator of Innocence had granted him suitable protection.

    "Alright, you rest first. When the verses mailed tomorrow arrive, if you feel any difort, contact the Academy immediately. Damn, I''m definitely making that guy who wrote the Fifth Era: Year 1068 report repeat until 1870!"

    That added another ten years of student life.

    "Sorry, Professor Garcia, I''m indeed very tired."

    Shard, quite undiplomatically, made it clear he wanted to be alone, and the sharp-eared professor understood:

    "You need not worry; everything you suffered in the past will disappear once you return to the present, so any harm you feel is merely from what you think you suffered. It''s just, you actually saw the dwelling ce of a deity... Mr. Hamilton, go rest now, and remember to contact me if there''s a problem. Be very careful and take care of your health, oh, poor young man, to encounter such a thing~"

    The professor looked worriedly at Shard but still rose to leave. Strict though he appeared, Professor Garcia indeed cared deeply for his students.

 Chapter 53 The Desire Within

    After Professor Garcia left, Shard continued to sprawl in his chair with his eyes closed. It was several minutes before he quietly squinted around the silent living room, making sure the other person had really gone, before he sat up straight.

    He touched the sweat on his forehead and, under the light of the gasmp, his face betrayed the expression of someone who had just woken from a deep dream. Of course, the act he had just put on was deliberate; it seemed his intentional performance had been the right decision. To the professors at Saint Byrons, even just witnessing the abode of a god shouldn''t have been taken lightly.

    Looking down at the basin again, under the brass gasmp light on the living room wall, there wasn''t a drop of water left. Only the dry elective course parchment rolly quietly inside, with no text on the back.

    "What just happened?"

    He asked himself, while taking out a key from his pocket. It was the Time Key, indeed, but the surface of the key was covered with cracks.

    "Why can the key be reused? Why did I encounter a mission from the Father of the Infinite Tree the first time I traveled through space-time? Why is that god called an Ancient God? The Old God mentioned the first thirteen..."

    [Ounder, I am you, you do not know, and neither do I.]

    The womanughed lightly.

    [So far, all the abnormalities that I''ve disyed stem from your special traits. The knowledge of the Draleonnguage came from the fragmented memories of a soul that had inhabited this body before me; the ability to sense relics from up close is a particr trait of the Ounder soul. I am you, this is your specialty. You don''t know, and neither do I.]

    Her exnation aligned perfectly with Shard''s thoughts during the day.

    Shard, listening to the voice beside his ear, leaned back in his chair and gazed at the ceiling:

    "In this world, I''ve finallyid eyes on a deity."

    He sighed, and after his spirit had fully recovered, he started to think about even more things:

    "The thirteen Ancient Gods, why have I never heard of this notion before? The Father of the Infinite Tree... the thirteen Genesis series Roder Cards, thest thirteen Witch Empresses of the Fifth Era, what exactly is this coincidence? The number thirteen, must possess some special significance. Does everything originate from the Ancient Gods?"

    [Perhaps you can guess on your own. I think you must already have some ideas.]

    "Yes, but those ideasck evidence..."

    He sighed once more, summing up tonight''s "adventure":

    "This time, at least I haven''t lost anything."

    [You also acquired the Sorcery [False Immortality].]

    "But I did notplete the mission, nor receive the reward in Arcane Technique and Spirit Rune."

    [You still have two more chances.]

    "I don''t understand what the Old God meant by ''God''s Afterglow''."

    [But at least you''re still alive, and you still have infinite possibilities.]

    Shard sat up in his chair andughed:

    "Actually, I''m grateful that you can talk in my ear. Although I''m still not sure what exactly you are, it feels nice to have someone by my side all the time. Don;tfort me, I''m not that fragile. Now that I''ve seen the opportunity to gain power, I won''t let it go... God''s Afterglow... Maybe Priest Augustus would have some opinions."

    His eyes nced towards the slightly ajar bedroom door, from which the tired orange cat, Mia, emerged groggily, but surely cats aren''t that slim.

    Her amber eyes looked up at Shard, her little legs took a running start, and she pounced onto Shard''s knee. After lying down, she didn''t feel Shard petting her for a good while, so she unsatisfactorily tapped Shard''s leg with her paw.

    Shard then reached out to stroke Mia''s soft fur on her back; the orange hair was exceptionally soft and warm, like holding a little furnace.

    "Meow~"

    She rolled over on Shard''s leg, kicking her little legs about, exposing her white belly to Shard and looked up at him with big eyes while tilting her head. It was only then that the Ounder feltpletely free from the mental impact of what had just happened:

    "Thank you too, Mia. Thanks for liking me so much."

    He yed with the orange cat with his hand and looked up at the window covered by thick drapery:

    "Deity."

    The Ounder murmured to himself.

    (Little Mia running...)

    The next day was the fourth Thursday of the Sunlight Moon. In the morning, while picking up the newspaper, milk, and sheep milk, Shard did receive a letter from the "Taylor & Wanda Mining Co." in the southern part of the Kingdom, containing the parchment roll that would let Shard contact the Academy directly, identical to the one Dr. Schneider had.

    While having breakfast with little Mia, Shard hesitated for a while. Although Professor Garcia had said he could write the report for him, Shard eventually wrote another one himself and described his physical condition before sending it to the Academy through the parchment roll.

    The Academy''s reply came swiftly, and it seemed to be written by Professor Garcia himself, in a cursive that looked like a continuous vine. He advised Shard to rest and informed him that the credit and other rewards for this Investigator mission would be decided after the great assembly of the History Academy.

    This almost god-like Investigator incident elevated the level of the Fifth Era: Year 1068''s "Time Key" to Angel-Level. Thus, Shard spected that having truly seen a Deity, it should be ssified as an Unssified Level 0.

    After dealing with these matters and whispering a good morning to the woman in his head for the first time, he then slipped the parchment roll into the novel "The Silver Knight." The broken key was now locked in the drawer of his bedroom desk.

    And the spell "False Immortality" he acquired yesterday, which required a gravely wounded state to use, made Shard reluctant to seriously harm himself or the cat, so he couldn''t use it for the time being.

    But at least he had acquired a new spell, and judging by its effect, it was no ordinary one.

    He still hadn''t figured out what exactly had happened the previous night and nned to try opening a new "Time Key" after the History Academy''s summary of the incident, to verify if the previous night was an exception.

    Though he was eager to receive the Fifth Era: Year 1068''s mission rewards, the Arcane Technique - de of Chaotic Time, and the Spirit Rune "Echo," the Old God, Creator of Innocence, said he would need the power of "God''s Afterglow" toplete the task.

    So, until he understood what "God''s Afterglow" was, Shard wouldn''t waste the remaining two opportunities of the key in his hand.

    "Could this be caused by the uniqueness of my soul again? I won''t think too much about it for now; today''s goal is the Prophet''s Society."

    He said this while adjusting his clothes in front of the floor mirror, with Mia rolling and ying on the bed behind him.

    [Ounder, your soul is very special, and this is still an issue caused by your Trait. I am you; there''s no doubt about that.]

    The murmuring voice said, sounding pleased. Shard heard her speak like this for the first time; she seemed to be in a good mood, probably because Shard had said good morning to her.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 54 Prophets Society

    Mia stayed at home to look after the house, while Shard set out around eight-thirty to head directly to the "Prophet''s Society Tobesk Branch" located in the city center.

    The Tobesk City Prophet''s Society is an important branch of the Prophet''s Society across the entire continent.

    Apart from the headquarters established in the capital city of the Duchy of Lagerson in the central part of the United Kingdom of Carsonrick to the south, the Tobesk City Association is the most important institution within the entire society and also manages all other branches within the Northern Kingdom.

    It sits together with the Yordle Pce on the Silver Cross Avenue in Tobesk City, and together with the towering buildings in the city center, they form the most bustling streetscape of Tobesk City, the "City of Steam" in the mist-enshrouded Northern Kingdom of Draleon.

    There were many pedestrians and carriages on Silver Cross Avenue. Although it was still early, newsboys, coachmen, nobles, merchants, clerks, police officers, and various kinds of pedestrians filled the street, and the association had already opened its doors.

    Standing on the streets in the early morning, ducking through the flow of people in the hazy morning mist, he looked up at the three-story building of the society, its walls recently repainted, with steam and gas pipes crawling all over the exterior.

    Even though it was just past eight-thirty, the association''s main entrance still had a crowding and going. Most of them were decently dressed, so no one would disbelieve if you said this ce was a club for nobles.

    Therefore, Shard took special care to tidy up his clothes before heading inside. Fortunately, no one would stop a guest from entering because of how they were dressed.

    Upon entering the lobby, he looked up to see a series of Roder Card oil paintings hanging on the wall, alternating with brass gasmps to decorate the walls. One of the paintings was a side profile supporting Silver Moon, the "Genesis: Silver Moon" card, which startled Shard.

    He realized after checking the inscription that these thirteen oil paintings were the original Genesis series of Roder Cards, and the society had hung these paintings as amemoration.

    Because of the knowledge of the "Thirteen Ancient Gods"st night, Shard suspected some connection between the Ancient Gods and the thirteen Genesis Roder Cards, so he carefully memorized the facade of each of the thirteen paintings, and had more spections about the Prophet''s Society in his heart.

    He brushed past an old gentleman who was counting cards in his hands and nearly bumped into a worried young man wearing boots and a brown vest. Turning to look at the notice board located inside the entrance, it was covered with various notices; most of them were posted privately, attempting to purchase some special cards.

    Thergest and most central notice was handwritten, announcing the "Big City yer" Roder Cardpetition to be held in the city this fall, which would gather Roder Card yers and enthusiasts from the entire Old Continent.

    "Only in an advanced civilization like the Steam Age could so many idle people have time for such entertainment activities."

    Standing in the bustling crowd at the entrance, Shard murmured to himself, finally witnessing the poprity of Roder Cards in this world.

    The entrance hall extended into curved corridors on both sides, facing a row of counters in the lobby for consultation and guidance, with stairs next to the counters leading to higher floors, with metal handrails adorned with decorations of the four suits of Roder Cards in turn.

    But unlike the bustling first floor, there was no one going up or down the stairs. Continue reading on empire

    Holding the diary of his predecessor, Shard approached the counter with a mix of nervousness and excitement. A youngdy with brown hair wearing a brownish-red uniform immediately greeted him with a professional smile.

    "I''d like to get a Roder Card appraised."

    As he spoke, he put down his tightly clenched, sweaty five Copper Coins, that is, a stack of five one-penny coins.

    "No problem, sir, are you a member of the society? The appraisal fee is lower for members."

    This wordy subtly made Shard feel as if he had returned to his own world; he raised an eyebrow:

    "The membership fee..."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Is one pound per year."

    "First, authentication."

    Shard said, ncing around to make sure there were no other people nearby. Then, he opened his diary and disyed the Genesis Series Silvermoon Card with the "Sun 3" pattern nestled within.

    Even Dr. Schneider, who was not an enthusiast, could recognize at a nce what that was, and of course, so could the youngdy at the association''s reception desk.

    She only took one look and reminded Shard with a smile,

    "Sir, are you aware that if the Roder Card is identified as counterfeit by the association, the forgery is to be destroyed on the spot?"

    "Hmm?"

    This was something Shard did not know. Dr. Schneider and Miss Luisa probably didn''t mention it, not because they purposely withheld the information, but because they were likely unaware as well. The association''s policy was simr to a bank destroying counterfeit money, which was understandable.

    Had Shard not heard the divination from the previous night, he might have been quite hesitant. But he trusted the divination level of the chief of the Astronomy College at Saint Byrons Integrated Academy, who was probably the most formidable diviner within the Academy:

    "Yes, if it''s a counterfeit Roder Card, of course it should be destroyed, but I''m willing to have it authenticated."

    Although he said this, there was still an inevitable nervousness within him. Shard thought this was normal; anyone cashing in a "big winning ticket" they found would feel the same.

    The receptionist, having seen such scenes many times before, handled the situation with practiced ease, her smile never wavering. She was probably not a local of Tobesk City, that southern ent making it all the easier to believe in her professionalism.

    Shard noticed the brass-colored insignia on her chest, the Ouroboros, the symbol of the Prophet''s Society:

    "Then if you would, sir, please proceed to the waiting room number 13 on the first floor. There aren''t many customers ahead of you."

    Authenticating a Roder Card can''t take ce outside the owner''s line of sight. Otherwise, if the card was deemed a forgery, it could lead to unnecessary misunderstandings. But naturally, it couldn''t be done right there either, so the association had a specialized authentication room.

    Shard, holding the card with the number written on it, went to a room in the east corridor on the first floor. On opening the door, he found that the room wasn''t a private meeting chamber but a crowded reception room filled with coffee tables and sofas,cking even the offer of a cup of tea.

    Aside from the door connecting to the corridor, there was another door on the side wall that led to the neighboring room. Like the others there, Shard had received a number written on a stiff piece of paper. Every few minutes, someone was called into the neighboring authentication room.

    As thergest branch of the Prophet''s Society in the north of the Old Continent, the Tobesk Branch had numerous staff members, and it wouldn''t take more than half an hour for Shard''s number, 29, to be called.

    Even though it was early morning, the reception room was still crowded with people there for authentication, waiting for their turn. Groups of men holding number cards gathered to chat about Roder Cards and current political affairs, asionally discussing amusing stories about the royal family and nobility.

    A few individuals unfolded newspapers, leisurely enjoying the atmosphere as if they were in a private club. No one paid much attention to the young stranger who walked in.

 Chapter 55 Beginners Luck

    While waiting, Shard found an empty single-seater sofa to sit down, with a group of men who seemed to have just met each other by his side, gathering together over current political issues.

    Shard also listened in and discovered that they were discussing the possibility of a full-scale war breaking out again between the Northern Kingdom of Draleon and the United Kingdom of Carsonrick in the south.

    However, it wasn''t long before the topic shifted to maritime trade and piracy between the Old Continent and the New World. One of the men involved in the conversation, a middle-aged, overweight man who seemed to be a manager at a tradingpany, was very familiar with the situation in the New World. He believed that as long as adventurers had the courage to sail there, they could always win wealth.

    The New World was rich in resources, and although there were no natives, many relics of civilization could be found. Coldwater Port City, the most important port city in the western part of the Kingdom of Draleon, served as a connection point between the Old Continent and the New World, and opportunities were nevercking there.

    After the middle-aged man was called away for appraisal, the conversation finally switched to Roder Cards. The men, who did not know each other,pared their card decks, boasted about their newly acquired special cards, orughed together at theical stories of local Roder card collectors.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The conversation was dominated by a middle-aged man with a mustache, who wore a ck top hat and ced a gold-iid cane beside the sofa. He owned more special Roder Cards, including one that depicted "the Northern City of Arts, Atak City" with a value of 13 and even had a special rule:

    "When used, roll a 20-sided die, and if the die shows a 20, you can redraw without conditions."

    This was a genuine card as verified by the Prophet''s Society; hence, although the effect was fairly ordinary, it was still excitedly praised by the Roder card enthusiasts.

    Mustache man introduced himself as Mr. Lavende. Seeing the atmosphere warming up and having nothing else to do at the moment, he suggested:

    "Why don''t we y Roder Cards using the simplest rules. If I win, you need to pay me 5 pennies, and if I lose, I''ll give the winner 10 pennies. Oh gentlemen, let''s amuse ourselves this dull morning."

    The so-called "simplest rules" involved each yer drawing three consecutive cards and determining the winner based on the rules of 21. If both sides busted, they would draw another three cards each until someone won.

    The stakes weren''t high, and indeed, idle chitchat was boring here, so the troublemakers gathered around Mr. Lavende to watch the excitement.

    Shard also came closer to see what was happening, but deeply despised gambling, so even this small wager didn''t tempt him; thus, he only watched.

    Three men were willing to y cards with Mr. Lavende.

    First was Mr. Luke, who worked at a tobopany in the south of the city. He had just mentioned the tobo trade and tax issues between Draleon and Carsonrick but unfortunately busted out immediately with 25 points.

    The second was Old Mr. Ponton, who lived off rent from local real estate. Hisrge-knuckled fingers, bespectacled squinting right eye, but expert Roder card skills, pitted him against Mr. Lavende for three rounds before he finally won 10 pennies, earning apuse from onlookers.

    Last was Captain Seville, a burly man whose vessels plied the waterways of the Old Continent, mainly engaging in ind water transport. He was a regr here and known to many, including Mr. Lavende.

    Unfortunately, Captain Seville was out of luck; his first two cards already exceeded 21, thus, he could only regretfully give up five pennies.

    "Anyone else wants to y?"

    Mr. Lavende, now on a roll after defeating the third opponent, invited the onlookers to join. He was a well-known card yer in town, often visiting the local Prophet''s Society and various Roder Card Clubs, so the gathered men cheered, but no one was willing to step forward.

    After all, five pennies were still money.

    Mr. Lavende looked around and finally noticed Shard''s unfamiliar face in the crowd, also noting that it seemed to be his first time in such a ce:

    "Sir, would you like to y cards with me?"

    The middle-aged man extended the invitation kindly.

    "Sorry, I don''t gamble."

    Shard shook his head, but Mr. Lavende didn''t get angry, instead, he smiled and said:

    "Then we won''t bet money, just one game, how about it? I''m number 21, it''s almost my turn, we''re just ying one game to try it out."

    The people around also joined in, pushing Shard to the front.

    Explore stories on empire

    Shard thought about it, and since there was no betting, he figured ying one game could be a way to pass the time for entertainment. So, he took a seat on the single sofa opposite Mr. Lavende and handed his business card to the wealthy gentleman:

    "Shard Hamilton, Detective."

    "The profession of a detective, I''ve heard, is very adept at card ying."

    Mr. Lavende took the card and was surprised when he saw the address of the Detective Agency, clearly not expecting the young detective to afford an office in such an area.

    "But I''ve hardly yed before."

    Shard said, while taking out his own deck, the one he had picked up when fetching Mia. Each shuffled the other''s deck and then drew three cards from the top of their own.

    Mr. Lavende, with an excited expression, unveiled his cards. Among them were several beautifully designed special cards, and one of the three he drew was:

    "Look, Sun 5, Silvermoon 8, Stars 4, 17 points, my luck is really not bad."

    The people behind him whispered congrattions as well.

    Since there was no money involved, Shard felt no pressure; he flipped over the first card andid it on the table, it was the Sun 13, which immediately elicited sounds of pity from the crowd. Under the rules of 21, drawing two more cards, the chances of busting were quite high.

    Shard revealed the second card, which was Stars 7, making a total of 20 points already. But under the simple rules, he couldn''t stand; he had to draw all three cards.

    The crowd, caught in the atmosphere, swapped views about the detective''sst card.

    Shard too was curious about what his luck would be like today, so he picked up thest card and carefully looked at the numbers on its face. The people behind him also leaned over to check, and then they all eximed in unison; even thedy in his mind chuckled lightly, reminding Shard she had always been there.

    Shard''s face broke into a smile, as if all the stress fromst night''s events had vanished in that moment; ying cards indeed was a good way to rx.

    Laying down the Stars 1 on the table, the Mr. Lavende sitting across immediately leaned forward to see, then showed the same astonished expression as the onlookers:

    "Oh, 21 points. Beginners always have such strange luck, but Detective Hamilton, would you like to y another round? It has been a long time since I''ve been beaten by 21."

 Chapter 56 Special Treatment

    Even after Mr. Lavende lost cleanly to Shard, he was still thrilled. Unfortunately, it was his turn, and he regretfully stood up to leave, but not before solemnly pocketing Shard''s business card.

    After the card game ended, without the organizer, people were not interested in ying cards anymore. Shard, sitting there, was bewilderingly invited to join a discussion on royal gossip and was forced to give his opinion on the conflict between Prince Mogus Cavendish and Marquis Kd, themander of the Third Steam Equipment Division of the Navy, despite knowing nothing about it.

    Thankfully, when his number was called, seeing he had an excuse to leave, he stood up quickly, and took the opportunity to hand out his business cards to those around him¡ªit was an excellent chance to drum up business, as those who yed Roder cards were wealthy.

    He pushed open the side door of the room and entered, of course remembering to close it behind him. The previous Roder card collector had already left through the main door, and at that moment, only an elderly gentleman behind a desk, who yawned and beckoned Shard to sit down, was in the room.

    The room was not veryrge, even somewhat cramped. The only decorations were some paintings on the walls, while the desk of the Roder card appraiser took up almost a quarter of the room.

    As Shard took his seat, he noticed that on the desk, apart from several gasmps and assorted lenses, there was a conspicuous ck metal box containing destroyed Roder cards. At the top was the "Ace of Flowers" from the Draleon Hero Series that Mr. Lavende had shown off. It had no special effects, but it was very beautiful¡ªsadly, it was also counterfeit.

    "Do you know that counterfeit Roder cards must be torn up?" the old man in sses asked. Seeing Shard nod, he gestured that Shard could present the card for appraisal.

    Carefully opening his diary, Shard took out the "Three of Suns" [Genesis: Silver Moon] and ced it on the cushioned surface of the desk. The glove-wearing elderly man reached out, took the card, nced at it, and frowned:n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "A Genesis Silver Moon from the Genesis Series?"

    He looked up at Shard as if he were looking at a lunatic, clearly not believing someone woulde to have this appraised.

    Still, he dutifully pulled the lotus-mouth gasmp closer, turned the light to its brightest setting, and inspected the card details under the magnifying ss.

    Shard, waiting like someone anticipating the results of a scratched lottery ticket, sat there and suddenly felt less nervous. However, the man on the other side of the table grew increasingly tense with time, and it was almost dozens of minutester when he finally lifted his head and looked at Shard earnestly, sweat beading on the forehead hidden by his hair:

    "A Genesis Silver Moon?"

    The same question as when Shard sat down, but with apletely different tone.

    Shard, having a rough understanding of the result, just shook his head:

    "It seems so."

    He spoke modestly, even if he prided himself on controlling his emotions, but he still couldn''t suppress his joy at that moment.

    "Oh, sir, please wait, please wait. I cannot authenticate this card. I need to call someone else."

    The senior appraiser shakily handed the card back to Shard, removed his sses, took a towel from a rack beside him to wipe his face, then made his way to the door:

    "Sir, please don''t run away, I''ll be right back! Give me three minutes."

    His voice trembled as he spoke.

    "Why would I run?"

    Shard thought to himself, watching the door close.

    Then he looked down again at the [Genesis: Silver Moon] "Three of Suns," looking at thedy on the card cradling the silver moon in profile:

    "Speaking of which, I do have a strange connection with Silvermoon."

    The senior appraiser didn''t take three minutes, not even one, before he hurriedly ran back. He leaned on the door frame, looking almost out of breath from the run:

    "How wonderful, sir, you are still here."

    "Why wouldn''t I be here?"

    As Shard pondered this, he picked up the card and stood up. Only then did he hear more running footsteps from behind the senior appraiser in the corridor, and soon a tall and thin middle-aged man in ck leather shoes came running over. He was dressed in a ck suit, with a chest pin bearing the Ouroboros symbol:

    "Vice President Cyndia Mark from the Prophet''s Society''s Tobesk Branch."

    The middle-aged man, still catching his breath, stepped past the senior appraiser and came forward to shake hands with Shard.

    "You might want to catch your breath before speaking. I''m not going anywhere."

    Shard said, then asked in a low voice:

    "So, is this card real?"

    Mr. Mark invited Shard to the Association''s third-floor for a talk, this time in a very formal reception room, which even had servants hired by the Society to prepare tea for guests.

    Shard took a seat on the reception room sofa and, once he saw Mr. Mark sit down as well, noticed two appraisers, apparently older than Priest Augustus, hurrying over:

    "Regarding this Genesis Series Silvermoon, we need to conduct a more thorough appraisal, but right here, in front of you. Sir, could you please wait a little longer?"

    Vice President Cyndia Mark said while wiping his sweat, and Shard keenly noted that the shirt cor under his suit was soaked with sweat.

    "Of course, that''s no problem, but about the appraisal fee..."

    Shard deliberately hesitated.

    "Of course, it''s still five pence, you needn''t pay any more."

    Mr. Mark said, taking the business card Shard handed over, simr to Mr. Lavende''s earlier reaction, astonished at the address "No. 6, Saint Dn Square".

    He then asked:

    "Mr. Hamilton, would you like any refreshments?"

    "I think I''ll pass for now."

    Shard waved it off, for though the Prophet''s Society was a very formal, global organization, where incidents like murder to steal a card would not happen, as a loner and foreigner with neither influence nor strength, it was better to be cautious when away from home.

    He looked towards the three senior appraisers, who had been hastily summoned and were now at the other end of the reception room''s long table, spreading out a dense array of tools and lenses, and turning on various oddly shapedmps brought by the servants. The reception room''s stately floor-to-ceiling windows were tightly closed, shutting out the foggy early morning silhouette of Yordle Pce:

    "Regarding this Genesis Silver Moon... if it is genuine, I presume the Society wouldn''t broadcast it everywhere."

    Shard remarked without looking at Mr. Mark, as if he was stating an unconscious thought.

    "Of course, the Society is absolutely impartial concerning Roder Cards and would not harm any collector''s interests. That is our principle."

    Mr. Cyndia Mark assured him, assuming by default that Shard, in possession of the card, was a collector.

    With a side nce at Shard, who was decently dressed but did not appear wealthy and who possessed a very unique aura, Vice President Mark hesitated for a moment before asking:

    "Could you possibly tell us how you came by this card? I mean no offense by asking; thest time the Society saw it was roughly about 127 years ago during the ''Big City yer'' Roder Card tournament. That year, Baron Stilwell Byron made it to the finals with this card and became quite the sensation.

    We''d like to trace the card''s whereabouts over the past century, and it''s truly beyond my expectations to have the fortune to see it."

 Chapter 57 Immense Wealth

    "The origins of the card are somewhat inconvenient to disclose."

    Shard spoke cautiously, and Mr. Mark also showed a look of regret, the middle-aged man knew how to use a smile to defuse awkwardness:

    "No problem, after all, it''s your secret."

    Of course, it wasn''t Shard''s secret; although he had many secrets, this wasn''t one of them. However, Shard also didn''t know where Detective Sparrow Hamilton had obtained this card from.

    He just roughly understood why, in thest ten minutes before the detective''s death, he had made a point of insisting that Shard must safeguard this card. Detective Sparrow was a true Roder Card enthusiast.

    "A private detective who likes Roder Cards and novels, has a very good taste in ck tea, owns secrets, and specializes in investigating extramarital affairs... exactly what kind of person was Sparrow Hamilton?"

    Shard pondered in his heart.

    It took nearly two hours for the three appraisers to give their initial conclusion:

    "This ''Sun 3'' from Genesis: Silver Moon is very likely to be genuine."

    The three elderly men looked as if they had just run a marathon, quite exhausted, but they were very confident in their conclusions.

    As a result, the Tobesk City Association was willing to give Shard an authentication certificate, confirming that the card he held was authentic. In organized official Roder Cardpetitions, such as this autumn''s "Big City yer," each special Roder Card was required to have an official certificate issued by the association to participate, to ensure the fairness of thepetition.

    However, the appraisal wasn''t over yet, Mr. Mark apologetically informed Shard.

    Although the Tobesk City branch believed the card to be a genuine Genesis Series Silvermoon that had disappeared a hundred years ago, ording to the association''s regtions, the appraisal of such special series cards issued a century ago still required an expert appraiser dispatched from the Prophet''s Society''s headquarters in the southern Carsonrick for further validation.

    In other words, Shard could currently hold the authentication certificate, but he must return here in about a week for another appraisal topletely confirm the authenticity of the card.

    "Of course, that''s no problem."

    Shard epted this arrangement. He had already retrieved his card, his heart swirling with excitement, and any slight resentment he had felt towards Sparrow Hamilton for not leaving behind a wallet was now entirely let go.

    "Of course, Mr. Hamilton, we must remind you that the value of this card... is immeasurable. If it''s not absolutely necessary, you''d better not use it in unofficial Roder Cardpetitions, after all... you understand."

    Mr. Mark gave a friendly reminder, and Shard nodded:

    "Actually, I have no intention of participating in any Roder Cardpetitions."

    He had always detested gambling¡ªdid not wager in his hometown, and would not gamble in the perilous and strange Steam Age either.

    Even if the card in his hands was tantamount to an official Roder Card cheating device, he had no intention of using it to gamble:

    "I wonder if the association would be interested in purchasing it after the appraisal in a week''s time?"

    He waved his card slightly in front of Mr. Mark, whose gaze unintentionally followed the movement of the card. Shard was in urgent need of Gold Pounds due to his Circle Sorcerer Studies, aware of the value of what he held but without the intention to keep it long term.

    Perhaps owning a special Roder Card, beating opponents in various games of cards, and traveling around collecting Roder Card decks in this mysterious Steam Age would be interesting, but Shard had a greater interest in mystical powers.

    "You want to sell it? Sell a Genesis Series card?"

    Mr. Mark seemed to hear something unbelievable, he leaned forward slightly and exined:

    "Sorry, but collectors who have owned Genesis Series cards in the past, those fanatical guys, would not let go even in death... I see now. But sorry, the association never purchases Roder Cards."

    "Why?"

    Vice-President Mark regretfully exined:

    "To put it in gamblers'' terms, the association is the dealer and cannot easily intervene in the cirction of Roder Cards. Otherwise, I''d be willing to purchase it in my own name, even if it meant bankruptcy."

    "Then would the association be willing to act as a broker for me, to introduce a buyer?"

    Shard asked again, the museum mentioned by Detective Sparrow Hamilton before his death was probably also a channel for selling. Butpared to an obscure museum, Shard trusted such official organizations more.

    "Of course, this is one of the services offered by the association. However, you must understand that for cards like this, it''s not easy to find a buyer willing to pay the right price. Of course, all this should be discussed after the appraisal in a week. You can take this week to think about your target price. By the way, this is the association''s fee standard for introducing buyers...

    You are probably not a member of the association, but no worries, you are now, and you won''t need to pay any membership fees for ten years."

    Mr. Mark reached into his pocket and handed an silver badge to Shard, the symbol of membership to the Prophet''s Society. However, the badge did not bear the Ouroboros symbol, instead, it depicted a card. The Ouroboros seal was only for use internally by association members.

    The middle-aged man took out his notebook, hurriedly wrote down a number, and with a rasping sound, tore out the sheet and handed it to Shard:

    "If it''s this ''Genesis: Silver Moon'', this is the preferential rate for association members. Of course, we will only charge a fee upon thepletion of the trade, please be assured of that."

    Shard looked at the number written in pencil in fancy script and unconsciously took a deep breath. He calcted how many orange cats Mia this would be worth, then realized this unit of measure was too minor, so he calcted how many times he could afford to enrol in the Circle Sorcerer Studies first year just from the broker''smission from this deal...

    The woman in his heartughed out loud.

    "Tsk, tsk, how can I think of such unlucky things?"

    Then, he nodded slightly:

    "I understand, themission is quite reasonable."

    "Then we will meet in a week, Mr. Hamilton. Please make sure not to use this card lightly... You probably understand what I mean."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Vice President Mark cautioned him.

    "Yes, thank you, of course I understand."

    Filled with a sense of satisfaction, Shard ced the appraisal certificate and the card in his diary and was escorted by Mr. Mark to the staircase on the third floor of the association.

    Sinceing to this world, nearly everything had gone against his desires, even the hard-earned dwelling he had might harbor danger. Yet, this Roder Card seemed like a ray of light through the fog, giving Shard hope for a better life.

    With a sense of relief, he returned to the first floor of the association, nning to leave directly as he had nothing else to do and was nning to take Mia for a nice meal at a restaurant at noon.

    But in the hall on the first floor, he ran into Mr. Lavende again, who had yed cards with him earlier. It seemed like he was waiting for Shard,ing up enthusiastically as he saw Shard descending the stairs:

    "Oh, Hamilton Detective, would you mind if I took a bit of your time? I have amission I''d like to offer you."

    The middle-aged gentleman spoke, holding his gold-iid cane, his eyes full of anticipation looking at Shard. Shard instinctively tightened his grip on his notebook and thought:

    "Of course, the Detective Agency is always open. Shall we go to my office to discuss it?"

    No. 6, Saint Dn Square was not far from here, and even if the card in his hand was valuable, he still needed other sources of ie.

    "Oh, I don''t think that''ll be necessary. This way, please, I''ve already rented a reception room on the second floor of the association, we can talk there."

    Mr. Lavende led the way, and Shard followed him back upstairs. Because he was carrying something so valuable, he couldn''t help but question in his mind:

    "Is there something wrong with this man? Are there traces of elements around? Does he have a Relic on him?"

    "Get a bit closer... He''s an ordinary person. Sometimes you''re really too cautious,"

    "Aha! How do you know the other person is ordinary? A Circle Sorcerer can''t easily identify each other without disying power!"

    Shard immediately asked, with a whisper answering in his ear:

    "Your soul sensitivity, I''ve mentioned that before."

    "Being cautious is always good, especially since you know, I''m an Ounder, and in less than a week''s time here (note), I''ve already encountered plenty of strange incidents."

    He replied in his mind, but all he got back was the woman''sughter.

 Chapter 58 A New Mandate

    The main business of the Prophet''s Society is the Roder Card. The society itself does not set up gambling games but does holdpetitions to facilitate exchanges among Roder card enthusiasts, which is why they have meeting rooms avable for rent.

    Both men took their seats on the sofa, Shard slipped his notebook into the inner pocket of his clothing, while Mr. Lavende put down his walking stick and reintroduced himself; the middle-aged man with a mustache was not an ordinary citizen:

    "I actually have a baron''s title, but as you know, in Tobesk City, nobility doesn''t really count for much. This isn''t the countryside where some bankrupt noble can control a vige just because they own a little property. Although it''s an exaggeration, if you shout ''Baron'' in the street here, more than one person will turn around."

    He shrugged at Shard, who understood Baron Lavende''s meaning ¨C after all, this was the capital of the Draleon Kingdom, and a baron, especially one without property, was not so exceptional here.

    "Rtively speaking, I''m not very wealthy, but I''ve met some quite incredible people through ying Roder cards. Thismission is rted to Roder cards.

    Here''s the thing, this Sunday evening, I have been invited to a party at the Lakeside Manor owned by the Earl of Crown, outside the city. It''s the usual kind of outdoor party, with many attendees: men hunting for romance,dies lusting for pleasure, idle folks with nothing better to do, or others with different purposes...

    My friend Baron Rwanda is organizing a Roder card game at the party, betting on a Special Card."

    The middle-aged man with the mustache looked at Shard, gauging his expression. Shard thought for a moment before asking:

    "So, you want that card?"

    "Roder cards are important, of course, but I want to win against that guy even more. After I lost my fairy-tale themed deck''s Special Card ¨C the Matchstick Girl, do you know how he mocked me? So, Hamilton Detective, I n to find several skilled card yers before the party to help me defeat him at the game."

    Baron Lavende nodded at Shard:

    "Hamilton Detective, are you willing to ept thismission?"

    "Although I would like to take it, I really don''t know how to y cards."

    Shard hurriedly shook his head; he wanted to make money, but he wouldn''t take on amission that was beyond his abilities.

    "No, no, no, Roder cards are actually a game that really tests your luck. Knowing the rules is enough to get started."

    The baron also shook his head:

    "Sometimes luck is even more important than skill, and we generally believe that neers tend to be lucky. Like how you just beat me."

    "But that was just luck, and please don''t be superstitious."

    Shard emphasized, not wanting to invite trouble over amission. Moreover, he had sessfully obtained the appraisal certificate for Genesis: Silver Moon, which meant a windfall as soon as the final appraisal results were in. Although he would definitely continue to maintain his identity as a detective, it was no longer necessary to take on those riskymissions.

    "I''ve not only approached you, but a few other gentlemen as well. If you help me win the game, I''ll pay you one pound for just one victory; and even if you lose, I can still give you ten shillings. Plus, your travel expenses to and from the manor will be reimbursed, and you''ll get to enjoy the party for free. If you''re lucky, you might even encounter a beautiful girl."

    Baron Lavende continued to up the ante.

    Now Shard hesitated; if the baron didn''t mind him losing, then themission was eptable. He could earn at least half a pound in one evening, which was more than what some special professions could offer.

    Of course, he still had his doubts, as Shard was quite self-aware:

    "Sorry, my lord. You merely think I can help you because I won a single game against you? I mean, this is our first meeting, after all."

    "Actually, the first thing that caught my attention was the location of your Detective Agency, which led me to believe you must be no ordinary detective. Just now, I noticed you went to the third floor with Vice President Mark. Even if you don''t understand Roder cards, you certainly can''t be amon detective. It''s not so easy to get to the third floor of the Prophet''s Society."

    The mustachioed man grinned, then pulled out his deck of cards:

    "Since you still refuse, it shows you''re a very responsible detective. How about this, we draw three cards again. If it totals to 21 points or less, you ept mymission, how about it?"

    Shard became interested too, as the risks of thismission were even lower than Mr. Franklin''s, second only to searching for the temporarily missing family member, Mia:

    "Certainly."

    He took the Baron''s deck of cards, reshuffled them, and then drew the top three cards.

    This time it wasn''t a coincidental number like twenty-one; heid the cards out on the table in order¡ª

    Stars 1, Sun 2, Moon 3.

    Baron Lavende and Shard raised their eyebrows simultaneously:

    "See, Detective, I told you that a beginner''s luck is definitely good. Don''t touch the Roder cards again before Sunday; it will consume your luck."

    This kind of saying is probably amon superstition, much like the "Law of Conservation of Luck."

    Baron Lavende grabbed Shard''s hand:

    "Detective, you must help me. Damn that Rwanda, this time, I am destined to win."

    Strictly speaking, this should be considered the secondmission Shard had taken on (note). For formality''s sake, he had requested paper and pen, written out a contract ofmission by hand, after both parties had checked it, they signed it, and two copies were kept.

    Shard thought that the meticulous habits of the former Detective Sparrow were good, hence he nned to continue using the ledger, notebook, and file binder for recording any officialmissions.

    It would also be convenient for paying taxes.

    The invitation to the night banquet at Lakeside Manor, Baron Lavende would send it to No. 6, Saint Dn Squareter. At the dinner, they should not meet up but pretend to be acquaintances who met by chance and then y Roder cards together.

    Baron Lavende hoped to prove his luck to his friend, Baron Rwanda, in this manner.

    Shard expressed his concern about Baron Lavende''s idea, but all he wanted was that half a pound; winning or losing didn''t really matter to him.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "However, I wonder if the banquet''s food can be taken away, and what the dress code will be... I can ask the doctor about it on Saturday, he definitely looks like what they call an upper-ss person."

    His luck this morning had been too good, making Shard somewhat suspicious if he had really turned his fortunes around. After bidding farewell to Baron Lavende, Shard did not return home immediately, but walked to Old John''s Pawnshop, where he had pawned his walking cane, and redeemed the expensive cane that was said to be made from natural cedar from the heart of the Ddo Mountain Area. Discover hidden tales at empire

    It was still only the shopkeeper in the pawnshop, which was somewhat cool in the early summer noon, and the temperature was just right.

    Pawnshop owner John Jones expressed his regret at Shard''s decision and emphasized repeatedly that if Shard was in need of money, he could sell the cane to him. Old John was willing to spend more than the pawning price to purchase it outright.

    "So how much are you willing to pay?"

    Shard didn''t refuse the offer; if he wanted to use a cane, he couldpletely buy a cheaper one.

    "Hmm... how about 7 pounds, 6 shillings?"

    The old man, who was still wearing a red wool waistcoat in the summer midday, considered for a moment and named his price.

    His hands, with age spots, twitched slightly:

    "That''s not a low price."

    "Ten pounds."

    Shard immediately raised the price, knowing the other party would not ept it; he was waiting for the owner to bargain down. ording to the current purchasing power of money, ten pounds would even be enough to give Detective Sparrow Hamilton a grand burial, so such a price was definitely inappropriate.

    "Deal."

    Old John immediately agreed.

 Chapter 59 Mrs. Lawrence

    After agreeing on the trading price, seeing that Shard had a troubled expression, Old John added,

    "This price actually isn''t too much of a disadvantage for you, I can even give you a new wand for free, so we''re even."

    He pointed to the one hanging behind Shard on the wall of the shop, used as a decoration, with a lion''s head at the top. The dust that settled on it made it look very much like an antique:

    "I can assure you, even if you check the prices elsewhere, you won''t find a better deal... Come back next time to support my business, and I can offer you a discount."

    Shard stared at him, as Old John, smiling, took out ten one-pound notes from the biscuit tin under the counter:

    "You might want to think it over."

    After much arguing, Shard finally left with twelve pounds and five shillings, a new wand, and a membership of Old John''s Pawnshop.

    With enough money in hand to cover his debts for the month, Shard had essentially solved all the problems he had faced since arriving in this world. A new life was beckoning to him, and he was filled with hope for the future. Thus, when he returned home at noon, he had packed meals from the restaurant to share with the cat Mia, who was staying in his house.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Naturally, he only fed her what she could eat.

    Shard found that being a detective might be considered a home-based job, as he didn''t leave the house on Thursday and Friday, just stayed in and read books, but didn''t feel at all like his career progress was being hindered, which made him quite satisfied with his choice of upation.

    The two days of study were quite fruitful; Shard had gained a basic understanding of all 19pulsory courses. However, the study of Arcane Technique and Sorcery, "Perception of Time" couldn''t proceed due to ack of materials, and "Cyndia''s Silvermoon Blessing" was hindered by the continually overcast nights.

    The Arcane Technique "Illusion of the Moon Shadow" was mastered by Shard during the nights when the moonlight was obscured. ording to the requirements, heid t on the living room floor in the dark, his head facing the window.

    He covered his face with a silk cloth embroidered with the emblem of an Old God, provided by the Academy, and then enticed Mia to jump over his face. After the cat jumped over, keeping his lower body still, he sat up, and the cloth naturally corroded, enabling Shard to learn this Arcane Technique.

    Within the realm of Mysticism, Silvermoon also has the meaning of "Protector of Cats." It was fortunate that he had a client''s cat entrusted to his care; otherwise, Shard would have to find a cat himself.

    Although the above steps were odd, Shard had mastered the "Illusion of the Moon Shadow" in this way. Unlike the unconditional casting of Silvermoon sh, the Illusion Technique had to be performed at night, but it did not require any spellcasting materials.

    "Let''s give it a try."

    He turned on the gasmp, eagerly conjured up the Ring of Fate, and tried to cast the illusion technique to its utmost limit.

    However, as the Spiritual Light of the Core Rune flickered, all he could manage was to produce a thin silver mist that slightly obstructed the vision. This might confuse a creature of low intelligence like Mia for a moment, but it would probably be difficult to have an effect on humans.

    He still needed more practice and to further enhance his understanding of Silvermoon. Meanwhile, the orange cat Mia, bewildered by the faint silver fog for a while, was quite frightened by this strange phenomenon. After the silver fog dissipated, she immediately clung to Shard''s feet, and it took him a while to calm her down.

    She was a young cat and not very brave, but Shard liked her very much, and if her original owner, Miss Mia Gold, did not get in touch, then Shard was willing to adopt the cat.

    "Keeping a cat at home isn''t bad, at least there''s no need to worry about mice."

    That was his thought before going to sleep.

    But early on Saturday morning, an unexpected letter informed that Shard''s idea of "stealing the cat" was impossible.

    It was a reply from Mia Gold, the original owner of the orange cat Mia. She had received the information from Detective Hamilton, learning that the orange cat had been found, and also that Sparrow Hamilton had passed away, and now Shard Hamilton was operating the agency.

    But this fairly wealthydy informed Shard in the letter that she couldn''t cross half the kingdom to pick up Mia from Tobesk City anytime soon. She was equally uneasy about having the cat transported by mail.

    Therefore, Miss Mia Goldmissioned again, asking the young sessor detective to continue sheltering and looking after Mia. She would make time toe to Tobesk City as soon as possible, but that would definitely be in six months orter.

    Miss Gold''s family had undergone some changes, and she needed to handle troublesome domestic affairs.

    Besides the letter, Miss Gold also sent ten pounds in cash to Shard through a postal ount via remittance. She hoped the young detective wouldn''t be too harsh on the mischievous orange cat and would treat it kindly.

    "Does Miss Gold really trust me? Could it be that old woman next door who wrote to her describing my reliability? And why does everyone think you are so mischievous?"

    Shard sat on the couch, holding "A Detailed Exnation of Herbs of the Pan-Continental Northern Region" in one hand while stroking the orange cat beside him with the other. The cat squinted its eyes and twitched its whiskers to softly ''meow,'' expressing its contentment, probably the most obedient cat Shard had ever encountered.

    "Could it be that I got the wrong cat?"

    He thought in amazement, but this cat was indeed Mia.

    The ten pounds from the cane and Miss Gold''s ten pounds made Shard, who had been somewhat strapped for cash, suddenly well-off, but Shard didn''t n to spend these ten pounds. Instead, he decided to save them for exclusive use on Mia.

    He was a very principled man; in situations where his own life wasn''t urgently in need of money, such a significant remittance should be spent on the cat rather than on himself.

    This behavior gave Shard an inexplicable sense of self-satisfaction, so much so that when he received the second letter of the day, which included the gas bill, steam fee, and water bill for his apartment, his mood wasn''t too adversely affected.

    It was now the end of June, and these bills were due. However, being very frugal, which was typical of any Hamilton, the total of the three bills came to less than seven shillings, a sum that Shard found satisfactory.

    Because that afternoon was the time for the study gathering at Dr. Schneider''s Clinic, Shard ate his lunch and fed the cat early, wanting to start his journey as soon as possible¡ªit was quite a distance to the doctor''s clinic.

    But before he could leave, a visitor arrived.

    She was a woman in her thirties, almost as tall as Shard, wearing a wide-brimmed hat, who arrived directly by carriage at the entrance of No. 6, Saint Dn Square.

    She stomped up the steps in her high heels with amanding air but appeared very surprised when a young man opened the door.

    "Are you looking for Detective Sparrow Hamilton?"

    Shard asked in equal surprise.

    "Yes," Your next read is at empire

    said thedy, sizing up the young man who had answered the door.

    "Uncle Sparrow has passed away, and I now handle all his cases. May I ask who you are..."

    "Mary Lawrence."

    Shard should have immediately realized who this was, but since he was no longer nning to pursue thatmission, it took him a moment to recognize that this was Mrs. Lawrence, the client who hadmissioned the tracking of her husband''s mistress, Lady Lassoya.

    It was evident that Mrs. Lawrence, though regretful of Sparrow Hamilton''s death, also felt dissatisfied, expressing distrust towards the young detective in her tone.

    Shard didn''t mind because he indeed wasn''t a trustworthy detective. But since the client had approached him proactively, he could only let her in, and after they seated themselves, he handed her the report already prepared by the former detective.

 Chapter 60 The Persistent Woman

    Though the unexpected visit caught Shard off guard, luckily, Mrs. Lawrence was a reasonable person. After reading theprehensive report in full, her disappointment about today''s visit wasn''t as pronounced:

    "Now that the investigation isplete, why didn''t you immediately hand over the report to me? Was it because of Mr. Sparrow Hamilton''s sudden illness?"

    Thedy inquired politely, cing the report beside her. She was fashionably dressed, with a ruffled neckline that highlighted her pale neck. Although she seemed quite a bit older than Lady Lassoya, her demeanor was exceptional.

    "After taking over this office, I sorted through the remainingmissions from Uncle Sparrow. The original idea was to add the final tracking investigation ¨C which Uncle Sparrow couldn''tplete due to his illness ¨C at the end of the report, sost Saturday I tracked Lassoya once more..."

    Shard made a troubled expression and quickly shooed away the orange cat that came over worriedly. He sat on the single sofa, saying to the client with a very concerned tone:

    "In my investigations, that Lady Lassoya seems to have a background that''s not so simple. She seems... to be associated with illegal organizations locally."

    He tapped his fingers on the armrest of the sofa, betraying his anxiety:

    "It''s very dangerous."

    He then made an even more distressed face and did not continue, to which Mrs. Lawrence nodded in understanding.

    Shard didn''t know what she had understood.

    "You think that continuing the investigation would be dangerous and that submitting the report might alert that shameless woman to your and Mr. Sparrow Hamilton''s tracking activities, so you decided to abandon the investigation."

    Discover stories at empire

    Thedy concluded, almost guessing Shard''s thoughts:

    "Yes, that''s it. I don''t want to get into trouble over this. Of course, doing so means I''ve terminated the investigation voluntarily. If you need, I can return the advance payment Uncle Sparrow collected from you, and you can take the report, but I am no longer involved... Please forgive me for saying so, but I also hope you don''t get too entangled in this matter."

    Lady Lassoya was involved with the illegal organization "Blood of Mercury," which was nning something big recently. Since the professors had helped Shard cut off all ties with "Blood of Mercury," Shard didn''t want any further contact with the illegal organization.

    "Detective, thank you for your kind intentions, but I don''t care about the background of that sort of woman. Do you think I don''t have my own background?"

    Mrs. Lawrence, who was intent on finding evidence of her husband''s infidelity, spoke with her head held high.

    "But that Lady Lassoya, she..."

    Shard didn''t know how to properly express himself. He truly didn''t want this already pitiable woman to suffer misfortune because she misunderstood his intentions.

    "Not only does she have connections with the upper aristocracy, but she''s also involved with the local gang. Do you understand? She''s the type that... whether through legal or illegal means, could bring misfortune upon us."

    Shard exaggerated the power of the other party as much as possible.

    "Detective, I understand your kind intentions, but I am not just a housewife who stays at home."

    Upon hearing this, Shard immediately recollected the client''s basic information. Mr. Lawrence and Mrs. Lawrence might not be aristocrats, but they were major factory owners, with enough assets to intimidate a less experienced Ounder. Neither of them had started from scratch; both came from prosperous families, and their marriage was intertwined with business interests.

    If Detective Sparrow hadn''t been well-known for his skill in investigating extramarital affairs, a client of this caliber would not have sought him out. Therefore, when Mrs. Lawrence imed she was capable, it wasn''t just self-praise.

    Seeing that Shard wanted to say more, thedy shook her head and, pretending to be mysterious, said:

    "Detective, this world is not as simple as we think."

    Amon woman said to the ounder Circle Sorcerer, her perfume strong, but surprisingly not overpowering; at least, Mia did not show any dissatisfaction with the client.

    "The world is like an isted ind, detective, but beyond the ind lies the truth. In this world, there are some truly magical people who are powerful, effective, mysterious, and dangerous. I''ve met some of these people at afternoon tea parties with other housewives, and they can solve my problems."

    Shard certainly understood what she was reluctant to borate on, and he was so taken aback that he didn''t immediately know what opinion to express.

    The Kingdom and the True God Church had a deep cooperative rtionship. Even though the Three Great Magics Academies were hidden from civilized society, they also had more or less connections with the nobility and the Royal Family¡ªa point Professor Sanchez had mentioned when talking about Miss Luisa.

    And for Circle Sorcerers noting from a formal background, for Gold Pounds or other reasons, they might appear besidemoners as well, so Mrs. Lawrence''s im of knowing a Circle Sorcerer was likely not about knowing a fraud:

    "Is that so?"

    He believed his expression must be quite odd:

    "That''s good, but Lady Lassoya is really dangerous. No matter what means you have, please be very careful, extremely cautious."

    The young detective nodded and said.

    "Yes, of course I understand that. If I really intend to do something, I must be very cautious, and I won''t let myself be seen by the other party... This investigation report is very good. With it, I can grasp the whereabouts of that shameless woman and my husband."

    She rolled up the report and ced it in her small handbag. Then she took out her purse, opened the brass sp, and ced two gold coins, each representing 1 Pound, on the coffee table between them. Her fingers, polished with red nail polish, pressed lightly on the coins:

    "I''m sorry to hear about the death of Detective Sparrow Hamilton; he was a reliable person. This is the final payment for themission, detective, and whatever happens next won''t involve you or cause you any trouble."

    Thedy politely smiled at Shard, then straightened her skirt and stood up.

    The original final payment was "1 Pound and 7 Shillings," but it had now be "2 Pounds." Shard wasn''t sure if he should voice his thanks. He stood up to see the client out, out of courtesy, and at the same time, he faintly understood she would never appear in this house again:

    "Mrs. Lawrence..."

    In the entrance hall on the first floor, Shard still called out to the noblewoman who was about to walk out the door. Naturally, he could not disclose his identity as a Circle Sorcerer, but he also didn''t want her to meet with misfortune:

    "Please be careful, even if you have very capable friends. Lady Lassoya is a veryplex, and quite dangerous, person."

    Mrs. Lawrence turned and smiled at him:

    "Detective Hamilton, you truly are a good man. But I think thatpared to your uncle, you really aren''t cut out to be a detective here."

    "Hmm? Is Sparrow Hamilton''s reputation that bad? Little Franklin seemed to dislike himst time too," Shard thought to himself, standing on the stairs watching Mrs. Lawrence open the front door of the apartment and step into the carriage waiting for her outside.

    The young detective walked to the door, standing on the stone steps of No. 6, Saint Dn Square, watching the private carriage make half a circuit around the gloomy sky of the square and then depart. He was deeply concerned about what might happen next.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    It was a sultry summer in Tobesk City, and it seemed like rain was imminent.

 Chapter 61 Learning Meeting

    With concerns about the development of subsequent events, Shard went to Dr. Schneider''s clinic on Saturday afternoon. Since he had set off early, he arrived there quite early, and at that time, neither Miss Luisa nor Priest Augustus had arrived.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Shard shared this matter with the doctor, who also took great interest in themission rted to "Lady Lassoya":

    "We have basically determined that Lady Lassoya is a member of the Blood of Mercury. But this does not mean that the assistants mentioned by Mrs. Lawrence are necessarily not opponents of Lady Lassoya, whose gender remains unknown."

    Dr. Schneider said, sitting on the sofa. Seeing Shard''s confusion, he exined:

    "The assistants mentioned by Mrs. Lawrence are suspected to be acquaintances through thedies of high society. And you must understand, although in this era the Transcendents are not conspicuous, Circle Sorcerers are not a very secretive matter for the Grand Nobles, even the Royal Family is associated with the Magic Academy. To be fair, the Blood of Mercury is not a very strong organization.

    Although I do not know this Lady Lassoya you speak of, she probably is not more than two rings stronger than I am."

    Dr. Schneider pointed to himself and did not exhibit any undue arrogance in his manner.

    "That is to say, there is also a significant possibility that because Mrs. Lawrence is overly cautious, she has gathered astonishingly strong assistants."

    Shard asked.

    "Yes, although Circle Sorcerers above ten rings mostlye from the True God Church and the Three Major Academies and are not employed by regr people, non-formally trained Low Ring Sorcerers, for various reasons, mainly Gold Pounds, are very willing to attach themselves to the Grand Nobles."

    The doctor said, but after thinking, he added:

    "Of course, it''s only a possibility. After all, no one knows exactly what kind of formidable people Mrs. Lawrence is acquainted with. Shard, some things should not be approached with too much curiosity."

    "Of course, themission contract is over, and I''ve also warned the employer as much as I can."

    Shard nodded, deciding to put the matter aside for the moment:

    "Speaking of which, I still owe 6 pounds this month. Let''s pay off everything now."

    Miss Luisa arrived at the doctor''s clinic soon after, but as Priest Augustus did not show up despite the long wait, the three of them went ahead to the doctor''s reception room on the second floor to start the study meeting.

    For Shard, this was quite strange, as it was his first time attending a study meeting of Mystery Seekers, but it turned out to be no different from ordinary study activities.

    The three of them shared the difficulties they encountered in their study of Circle Sorcery and exchanged their new insights and experiences.

    Because of the incident with the Blood of Mercury the previous night, Shard shared his private meeting with Professor Garcia and imed it was a privilege granted to those students specially cultivated by the Academy.

    He concealed the bizarre encounter in the past Space-Time and, following the version he had told Professor Garcia, did not mention seeing a true god. Nevertheless, the news still took Miss Luisa and Dr. Schneider by surprise.

    As there had never been a student from the History Academy in the group, they did not know whether this was the norm and simply advised Shard to be very careful in all matters.

    He did not mention Professor Sanchez, let alone the professor''s warning about the issues with the other four members of the group. Instead, he discussed Dwarf Rat Peter of the Blood of Mercury, the believers of the Evil God, Lord of the Blood Feast, and finally the topics of Sorcery and Arcane Technique.

    Aside from the self-created Light Spell, the Sorcery that Shard nowmanded included three basic types, Echo of Blood and False Immortality; his Arcane Techniques consisted only of Silvermoon sh and Illusion of the Moon Shadow.

    Both the doctor and the writer thought that it was only after Shard fully mastered the remaining Healing Arcane Techniques and identified his specialty as a Circle Sorcerer that he should consider acquiring more Arcane Techniques and Sorcery through other means.

    The current problemy mainly in the learning of Arcane Technique.

    "Your understanding of your own Spirit Rune is not sufficient; this is the reason why the power of your Arcane Techniques is weak."

    Miss Luisa stretched out her hand and gestured as she shared her understanding with Shard:

    "You need to truly understand the power of Silvermoon, or at least have some experience with it, rather than just a literal understanding. For the study of Arcane Techniques, you can follow the standard process, but the path to mastery is different for everyone." Continue reading on empire

    Miss Luisa had Shard demonstrate the effect of the Silvermoon sh, and the brilliant silver Light Trace left the writer and the doctor slightly spellbound, but its destructive power, which only sliced an apple, caused them both to frown.

    Without asking Shard to demonstrate the Illusion Technique, Miss Luisa touched her earlobe and nted her head, leaning on the sofa, she asked:

    "Hamilton, what do you really think of the silver moon in the night sky?"

    "... It''s the same as what''s written in the books."

    Since Shard had only experienced the full moon for less than a week, he indeed didn''t have any profound thoughts about it; he thought the Silvermoon was very beautiful at most.

    "That won''t do. Maybe you could try other methods. For instance, interacting with items rted to the power of Silvermoon could deepen your understanding."

    The doctor suggested, which was amon practice among Circle Sorcerers. Without a Spirit Rune, they would interact with corresponding books and items; if there wasn''t enough understanding of an Arcane Technique, they would seek out forces rted to that Technique.

    "Borrowing books from the Academy?"

    Shard asked, while internally calcting his meager savings.

    "That''s possible, but it''s too expensive. Let me think..."

    Miss Luisa eagerly tried to think of a solution for Shard, furrowing her attractive brows, first looking at the doctor, and after he shook his head, she then said to Shard:

    "Our group doesn''t have any items rted to Moonlight at the moment, but there are plenty of Circle Sorcerers in this city."

    After giving it some thought, Miss Luisa handed Shard a piece of paper with an address written on it:

    "Go to this shop, Old John probably has what you need. When you meet him, don''t forget to mention that I referred you."

    "So, he will give me some discount because of your referral?"

    Shard looked at the address on the note and found it oddly familiar.

    "No, Old John will give Luisa amission."

    The doctor said with a smile, and Shard finally understood why the address looked familiar. That was the Pawnshop where he had sold his wand, and Old John was the owner, John Jones.

    The topic about Arcane Techniques concluded there, and the doctor was more concerned about Shard''s progress in engraving the Light Spirit Rune.

    Shard hadn''t been cking these past two days; he had read the entire 43-page book titled "The Mad Light Chaser" from cover to cover.

    "If I were to express my feelings about it, the book seems like a string of illogical ramblings or the mad delusions of a mental patient," he said.

    The textcked a coherent thread; one sentence had no connection with the next. If Shard hadn''t known about the book''s power, he certainly wouldn''t have bothered to read it a second time.

 Chapter 62 The Value of Literacy

    "So, after finishing this book, did you feel a headache?"

    Dr. Schneider asked again.

    "Did you? Probably..."

    He observed the expressions of the two:

    "Probably yes, I fell into a deep sleep after I finished it."

    Shard hesitated, actually he had spent some time ying with Mia in the evening which dyed him, and he read the bookte into the night until he could no longer stay awake. He indeed felt a headache, but it was likely because he had slept toote and was woken up too early by a hungry cat.

    "That''s normal. Books that contain frenzied knowledge will affect the reader. Even Circle Sorcerers have another self to block the direct power of knowledge, but Circle Sorcerers themselves will still be affected. Shard, actually, you don''t need to rush, acquiring the Spirit Rune requires a process."

    The doctor kindly consoled, and Shard nodded with his mouth closed, wondering in his mind:

    "Is my spirit strong, or are you the one shielding me from those effects?"

    [You are me, and I am you, there''s no difference.]

    During the learning session, Dr. Schneider and Miss Luisa mentioned difficulties encountered in Circle Sorcerer studies, Shard could only understand half of it.

    Dr. Schneider recently participated in an elective course called "Aether Mechanics," which was only open to magicians of Five Rings or above but did not teach power, focusing only on theory. The formal name of the course should be "Spirit Mechanics," which is the study of the spirit, existing as idealism, and its interaction with matter.

    However, the professor teaching this course, Professor Rutherford, preferred the spirit''s old nickname from past eras, which is "aether," hence the course was named Aether Mechanics.

    This course was very difficult toprehend and belonged to the forefront of theoretical courses for Circle Sorcerers. Of course, the doctor was not intent on pursuing theoretical research; he was not even interested in the course itself but wanted to use it to get closer to Professor Rutherford.

    This professor from the History Academy was quite formidable, having considerable skills in the arcane techniques of time and space, and Shard would also contact him in his senior years.

    Dr. Schneider could hardly understand the course content, doubting his own intelligence, while hoping to discuss topics like "thepletely different theories of spirit," "Hilbert Aether Space," and "transformation of appearances" with Miss Luisa, who was a grade below him, in search of new ideas.

    Shard believed, the bewildered expression shown by Miss Luisa at that time, looked very much like him when he first dipped into the theory of Mysticism.

    Compared to the doctor who had ambitiously chosen "Aether Mechanics" and thus fallen into deep distress, Miss Luisa''s problems were much simpler.

    She was preparing for the exams in July, nning toplete the non-practical course curriculum of the fourth grade. So recently, she had even temporarily put down her main activity, which is novel writing, fully focusing on memorizing and understanding the theoretical knowledge.

    The blonde writer''s biggest problem at the moment was Ancient Language, Shard''s course was just basic, whereas Miss Luisa already needed to apply it practically.

    She had already been informed that the examination content would be selected from the book "Chasing the Four Elements: Wind and Fire," written in thenguage of the Southern Tribes'' fourth season¡ªXavigonguage. The book itself is also one of the Mysticism books inscribed with elements [Wind][Fire].

    Miss Luisa hoped the doctor could help her with a preliminary trantion of this thick book of over a hundred pages, but the doctor just shook his head immediately after hearing the book title:

    "The dozen or so Ancient Languages I studied, I just passed the tests with barely passing grades. Luisa, it''s not that I don''t want to help you, but I can''t."

    He was clearly recalling the scene from many years ago when he prepared for his Ancient Language exam,pletely avoiding the book in Miss Luisa''s hands.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Seated nearby, Shard, taking advantage of the argument between the two on how to pass the exam, peeked at the opened old manuscript on page 29 with blue ink. Stay connected via empire

    He immediately understood the content of less than 200 runes on both pages, roughly describing a personified story of the wind element traveling through the Abyss of Frenzy.

    Feeling a slight throbbing in his temples, Shard turned his gaze away. He indeed read and understood anguage he waspletely unfamiliar with again, but the power of thenguage itself was harming him.

    "I think I can help you with the trantion,"

    Shard said softly.

    The so-called "Golden Finger" of foreigners in this world, that is, special ability, besides the woman with a pleasantugh in his head, was only the ability to understand allnguages. This ability was quite dangerous, as the older and more mysterious thenguage, the greater the danger. A recent example was the Poet-Level Relic, the "Box of Darkness," losing control.

    Perhaps one day, Shard might die from tranting something he should not have, with his head exploding.

    However, for the learning of Circle Sorcerer, this ability was very useful. He had considered hiding this fact from everyone, but evidently, revealing part of the secret would bring him more benefits.

    "Shard, can you understand this?"

    Dr. Schneider hesitated to ask as he had just leaned back on the couch to avoid Miss Luisa''s passed pen and paper, and now sat up straight, pointing casually at a rune on the page:

    "What does this mean?"

    "Abyss."

    Shard replied, then looked at the doctor, who then looked at the writer:

    "Is the trantion correct? I''m just at passing level, I don''t understand these."

    "It should be¡­ right."

    Miss Luisa, who was not even at passing level, said:

    "But how do you understand this?"

    "I''m not sure either. Just now, the ''Space-Time'' Spirit Rune suddenly shed on the Ring of Fate... and then ''another me'' hinted to me, and I understood thenguage."

    The doctor and the writer both showed a look of sudden realization:

    "At the moment of your contact with the ancientnguage, the power of ''Space-Time'' guided you to gain knowledge from the past, that''s how it is."

    They made an exnation for Shard.

    This was not just a random talk, because indeed, sometimes Spirit Runes do function without being touched at all.

    "So, Mr. Hamilton, can you help me trante this book?"

    Miss Luisa once again handed the pen and paper to Shard:

    "Two weeks'' time, by mid-July, a simple trantion will do, it doesn''t need to be very precise. On one hand, for your mental health, I wouldn''t want a Circle Sorcerer on my team to lose control due to my exam; on the other hand, if I score exceptionally well, I wouldn''t be able to answer the professor''s questions."

    Her considerations were very meticulous.

    "I think two weeks should be fine."

    Shard nodded, and Miss Writer finally showed a relieved smile:

    "I wouldn''t let you work for free, I can give you a rare sorcery, ''Frog''s Leap.'' This can give you enhanced jumping ability for a short period, apart from needing disgusting frog legs as spellcasting materials, there are almost no drawbacks. This is quite a rare sorcery; when I contributed it to the school library, I instantly received two practical credits."

    Of course, Shard didn''t refuse.

 Chapter 63 Attempting Sorcery

    Besides exchanging thoughts and grievances about their studies, the three also shared their recent ns. Shard did not mention his work on Genesis: Silver Moon, nning to bring it up only after the final evaluation next week, while the doctor had already epted an Academy reward to obtain a Keeper of Secrets Level Relic, the "Forged Philosopher''s Stone".

    Even though he knew this matter rted to the Sage-Level Relic "God''s Gift Box" and the organization "Blood of Mercury"''s insane n, the doctor still intended to participate. He nned to invite Miss Luisa to join his n but cautioned Shard to absolutely not get involved, as it would surely lead to a battle with Circle Sorcerers in the end.

    Compared to the Circle Sorcerers of Four Rings and Five Rings, Shard was still almost a mere mortal.

    Miss Luisa''s n for next week was much simpler. Other than assisting the doctor, she was determined to stay home and study, absolutely not leaving the house. She must pass at least five exams by the end of July''s examination season, only then would she have the hope of advancing to the fifth year by the end of this year.

    The golden-haired girl had already collected the four different Spirit Runes of Four Rings and was now waiting to hold the ceremony that would string together the Sublimation Incantation of a Low Rank Circle Sorcerer, instantly advancing her to Five Rings.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Saint Byrons had been notified about these matters, and the Academy would send a tutor to Tobesk in the autumn to assist with this critical advancement.

    Thus, the cultural and theoretical exams were the biggest obstacles preventing her from entering the fifth year.

    Diviner Miss Ate had still not returned to Tobesk City, and Priest Augustus had not shown up until this evening, so Shard did not have the chance to inquire about the "God''s Afterglow" mentioned by the former Old God.

    He did try to mention it in front of Dr. Schneider and Miss Luisa, but neither of them reacted, taking it as some sort of religious metaphor.

    "As expected, if such matters could be easily inquired about, it would not fit the level of difficulty corresponding to the event. Just like a simplemission could not possibly garner a high reward...except for Mia."

    Shard consoled himself inwardly and nned to visit the Dawn Chapel when he had the time to see Priest Augustus.

    Of course, the Priest''s absence wasn''t due to bad luck or an unforeseen ident. Heter sent a message via someone to the psychological clinic, exining that the church had suddenly scheduled a meeting that afternoon to discuss the uing Day of Prayer activities hosted by the Dawn Church in July.

    Dawn Church held a grand religious celebration every year during thest week of July, on the day with the longest daylight hours. Believers called it "Day of Prayer", while heathens referred to it as "Holy Prayer Day".

    Therefore, in the following month, Priest Augustus, an Old Cleric who had participated in countless Day of Prayer events, would be quite busy as an important organizer of these activities.

    And it was verymon for a study group meant for five to only have three attendants like today. Everyone had their own life and ns, and life was always full of strange interruptions, as Miss Luisa, the writer, had put it.

    "Ha, that line isn''t a quote; it''s something I said myself, written in my short story ''Midsummer Night''s Wish''."

    The golden-haired writer spoke with a hint of pride.

    That evening, after returning home to Saint Dn Square, Shard immediately studied the sorcery "Frog''s Leap", and with this, including the three basic spells, the number of sorceries Shard mastered had climbed to six.

    The sorcery learning materials were the Supreme Clear Liquid from the ground-up innards of a frog, as well as fourplete frog skins, all of which Miss Luisa provided for free. She even offered more than ten Dried Frog Legs for Shard to use as Spellcasting Materials.

    Shard had to prepare these things himself in the future, so the doctor advised Shard that he could set aside a special room in his own home for alchemy, magic potion preparation, and herbal cultivation.

    Shard nned to remove the wooden nks on the ground floor in some time and check whether there was any space in the basement. That night, however, both he and the orange cat Mia did not sleep well because of the smell of the frog materials.

    But at least he had learned the sorcery: he covered three-quarters of the supreme clear liquid on both of his legs, and wrapped four pieces of frog skin around his ankles and knees. Using a steel needle, he pierced the wrapped knees and ankles until they bled. In this injured state, he chanted the spell words provided by Miss Luisa.

    Shard once again demonstrated his ability to "understand and read but not speak or write," and after memorizing those bizarre sybles, he understood this was asking for help from the frogs that had been sacrificed, through the method of witchcraft sacrifice.

    "They were killed, and now they are being asked for help?"

    Although he did not understand this behavior, while enduring the nausea and vomiting, he drank thest quarter of the supreme clear liquid, and in the midst of retching, kept up the injured leaping until he finally mastered the sixth sorcery. Your next read is at empire

    "Since you are me, can you take my ce andplete this dreadful learning for me?"

    He still had the mood to inquire in his heart, but the usual murmuring of a woman by his ear did not appear this time.

    Having learned the spell, Shard cleared the furniture from the living room, leaving enough space to move. As he chanted the spell words, he rolled the dried frog legs with his fingers. As the sensation of strength in his legs gradually became apparent, he seemed to see a cyan glow around his legs.

    He tossed the frog legs aside, and with thepletion of the sorcery, he jumped vigorously upward. His whole body leaped into the air, performed a 360-degree spin, and thennded firmly on the ground with a thud.

    "Oh! This is really impressive!"

    Shard thought with a smile; the sense of power had not diminished, indicating that the power of the sorcery couldst much longer. He was about to try again when he saw the orange cat on the couch staring at him with wide eyes.

    Subsequently, Mia stood up on the couch, tried a few slow jumps, then suddenly leapt forcefully, mimicking Shard''s movements moments earlier. The entire orange cat made an elegant spin in the air before crashing down onto the couch.

    The couch was soft, and Mia hadn''t jumped very high, so after a struggle, it stood up and, seeing Shard looking at it, turned its back to him andy down again, curling into an orange ball in the corner of the long sofa, seemingly determined to ignore Shard.

    "Hmm..."

    Actually, having a cat at home brought enough joy to offset the cost of cat food and daily care. At least, seeing the money for the expensive cat food on the coffee table made Shard happy, but it wasn''t the kind of joy that came from deep within.

    Of course, there were unhappy things that evening as well. The smell of frog skin and the supreme clear liquid lingered until the next morning, and Shard suspected he would remember the taste in his mouth for a lifetime.

 Chapter 64 Orb of Silvermoon

    The Sunday dinner at Lakeside Manor was the most important event of the day for Shard. Yesterday, he had inquired about the dress code for the outdoor banquet from Dr. Schneider, who had told him to just clean up well. These types of banquets that allow strangers to attend usually have arge scale, so there was no need for overly formal attire.

    However, if one were attending the party to impress a pretty girl, then of course one should dress sharply. Shard still remembered Miss Luisa making that remark teasingly, seeming quite familiar with this set of rules.

    Since Baron Lavende had agreed to reimburse the travel expenses, Shard didn''t need to leave too early.

    He spent the morning ying with the orange cat and reading, of course, while he waited for clients to show up. Mia was the most well-behaved pet Shard could imagine, and she had adapted well to life at No. 6 Saint Dn Square, so Shard was veryfortable leaving her at home.

    After lunch, believing he wouldn''t be lucky enough to have a client show up, he went out again and headed to Old John''s Pawnshop.

    The address Miss Luisa had provided was indeed that shop not far from the Silver Parrot Milk Delivery Company. As Shard pushed open the door, the old man sitting in the rocking chair, who had been dozing, immediately perked up:

    "Oh, a familiar face. I certainly won''t be dealing with that cane again..."

    He stood up to wee the detective. Shard spoke softly,

    "Let''s leave the matter of the cane aside, this time I''m interested in... some intriguing items."

    He surveyed the cramped shop, where walls covered in bronze-toned wallpaper allowed the feeble gas light to shine as brightly as possible. Gas pipes climbed the walls, intermittently hanging with items like broken carriagemps, and longswords that only had their hilts.

    Most of the shop was filled with wooden shelves, on which items that appeared to be junk were disyed. Shard couldn''t understand the sense in disying Roder cards with ordinary patterns and empty ss bottles in this ce.

    The shop owner, Old John, had already returned behind the counter, where a stack of old booksy on the left side, and on the right was a small steam engine furnace, the left half wiped clean while the right was still covered with ashes¡ªa new addition since thest visit.

    Old John showed no surprise at Shard''s words:

    "Everything here is quite interesting,"

    he said, then quietly watched Shard from behind the counter.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The elderly man was slightly overweight, but his gaze was very sharp. Therefore, Shard cleared his throat and spoke the secret code Miss Luisa had given him, necessary for purchasing mystical supplies or even relics:

    "Because one plus one equals two, the sun will rise in the west. Oh, my Maria, I''m going to kick your... butt fiercely. Don''t go barefoot, or the curly-haired baboon will eat your decayed teeth."

    This was the contact code for the shop, indicating Shard was referred by a regr customer and also a Circle Sorcerer.

    But Shard was suspicious that this code was Miss Luisa''s joke on him, possibly giarized from the ramblings of patients at Dr. Schneider''s Clinic.

    However, Old John understood and waved his hand at Shard:

    "Oh, you were referred by Dorothy Louisa, haven''t seen her in a while. How is her new book, ''Mystery of the Blood Letters''ing along? She mentioned giving me a copy after publishing it."

    ''Mystery of the Blood Letters'' was a detective novel Miss Luisa was currently writing, nning to serialize it in a newspaper and had already contacted the press. Unfortunately, her writing had been interrupted by the exam season, and just yesterday at the study group, Shard had heard the young female authorin about this matter.

    "If I had said I was referred by Miss Luisast time, would the price for that cane have been higher?"

    Shard asked.

    "Of course not, that was already the highest price. Detective, are you doubting my integrity? Old John''s Pawnshop never cheats its customers... indeed, never, no doubts necessary, that''s just the way it is..."

    Facing the young detective''s skeptical look, Elder John coughed and quickly changed the subject:

    "Speaking of which, Detective, I didn''t expect you to be a Circle Sorcerer as well. Very well, what do you need? Considering ourst transaction with that staff, I can offer you a discount for the first deal."

    Shard had given Elder John his business card, so thetter knew Shard''s profession.

    Elder John Jones was certainly a Circle Sorcerer, but regarding his specific identity, neither Miss Luisa nor Dr. Schneider were clear.

    All they knew was that this ce was a channel for arge organization in Tobesk City to collect relics and other cherished items. As for whether Elder John belonged to the True God Church, Magic Academy, or some other organization, no one could be sure.

    Dr. Schneider''s group of four couldn''t even confirm whether Elder John was affiliated with Saint Byrons Integrated Academy. The old man, always smiling at his guests, kept his own identity a closely guarded secret, but at least he had good professional ethics and a rich collection of items.

    If it weren''t for a personal introduction, this ce wouldn''t receive unknown Circle Sorcerers, which was also a convenience of joining Dr. Schneider''s group.

    "Recently, I''ve been studying the Arcane Technique rted to ''Silvermoon,'' so I was thinking..."

    "Understood, so how much are you willing to pay?"

    The old man asked, pinching his right index finger and thumb together.

    After paying off the debt for the first month, Shard''s savings were actually not much, and so far, his biggest ie had still been rted tomissions involving Mia.

    But the Arcane Technique of ''Silvermoon'' was rted to whether he had the power to protect himself. Therefore, even with the money from selling the staff here, he still worried it wouldn''t be enough.

    After hesitating for a while, he unterally used ten pounds of Mia''s "living expenses," and before leaving, he even specially hugged the cat to apologize, promising to repay the money as soon as possible. The orange cat, of course, did not understand and, being drowsy at the time, showed no reaction.

    "Around 15 pounds,"

    Shard cautiously said, and Elder John nodded:

    "This price..."

    He took a thick ledger from under the counter and, after flipping through it for a few minutes, he lifted his head:

    "I indeed have a Poet-Level ''Relic'' suitable for your situation, but at a price of only around 15 pounds, you probably understand that it won''t be very powerful, only enough to help you feel the power of Silvermoon."

    Relics were generally expensive, and Shard nodded in understanding. Find exclusive stories on empire

    So, Elder John left through the back door of the shop, and about several minutester, returned carrying a wooden jewelry box.

    cing the jewelry box on the counter and opening it, Shard saw a round bead resting on a red velvet cloth. The top of the bead was connected to a tiny golden hook, which was tied with a thin thread.

    The bead was milky white in color, resembling a pearl but very small in size. If it weren''t for the thread connecting it, it would probably be lost if it fell to the ground.

    "You have made contact with ''Whisper''."

    The voice arrived btedly, as if to highlight the meagerness of the ''Relic''.

    "This is the Poet-Level Relic ''Orb of Silvermoon.'' Thest time it was documented was by one of the Three Great Magics Academies, the Xerxes Higher Medical Academy, but that was in the Late Fifth Era, so even if it''s brought out, it wouldn''t be considered stolen goods."

    Elder John slid the jewelry box toward Shard, who extended a finger to touch the small bead, and immediately felt a chill surge through him, even visually perceiving that lunar Silvermoon.

 Chapter 65 Lakeside Manor

    ```

    "The only trait of this Relic is that when touched with any finger of the right hand, the person touching it will see Silvermoon. Depending on the phase of the moon, the shape of the Silvermoon seen will also change. This trait might actually be somewhat useful.

    If you touch it while lost in an illusion, you might be able to break free from the illusion, considering the symbolic significance of Silvermoon itself... 14 pounds, for 14 pounds you can take it away."

    Probably knowing that this Relic wasn''t very useful, Old John''s asking price wasn''t very high.

    "But what are its negative effects? And the containment method?"

    Shard asked, already nning to buy it.

    "Do not touch it continuously over a long period, or you''ll dream at night¡ªbizarre dreams about Silvermoon, then fall into eternal madness. The containment method is quite simple, just submerge it in a colorless liquid for more than three seconds before midnight each day. If you fail to do so, it might directly interfere with the owner''s dreams."

    The negative effects weren''t too severe, but Shard didn''t immediately dere his intent to buy. Instead, he made a contemtive gesture, and after quite a while, he asked:

    "Can it be cheaper?"

    "This is already a discounted price, for that staff."

    The old man shrugged:

    "I usually don''t give discounts."

    "5 pounds."

    "Impossible, do you always bargain like this?"

    "5 pounds and a penny? Last time when I sold that staff, I learned my lesson."

    "...Remember not to bargain with others like this in the future, not everyone is as good-tempered as me. 13 pounds and 10 shillings."

    Old John said, shaking his head.

    "6 pounds." Read new chapters at empire

    Shard gestured with both hands the number six.

    "12 pounds and 17 shillings, that''s my final offer. Detective, there''s no lower price. I can throw in a piece of information for you, will that suffice?"

    The aged shopkeeper said, seeming unwilling to reduce the price further.

    So Shard thought for a moment, then made an expression of reluctant agreement:

    "Alright then, it''s a deal. But you have to tell me what the information is first, I really don''t want to hear about the recent rise in vegetable prices."

    "Young people are always like this."

    The shopkeeper behind the counter shook his head:

    "I''ve got wind of some news, about Blood of Mercury, you know?"

    "Of course I know, the news about them has almost spread everywhere now."

    The Academy had even sent out Bounty Orders to all Correspondence Circle Mages, which meant that the matters regarding Blood of Mercury in Tobesk no longer needed to be concealed.

    ```

    "''Blood of Mercury'' and a group of cultists seem to be up to something recently. That''s not the important part, though. My intel is that ''Blood of Mercury'' has a pretty decent Relic in their hands. You know, I''m sensitive to this kind of news since I deal with the recovery of Relics and hazardous items."

    But that illegal organization, in order to gather materials for the synthesis of an Angel-Level (Level 1) Relic ''Blood of Mercury'', has a lot of decent Relics in their possession.

    "What exactly are you referring to?"

    Shard asked, while the old man spoke evasively:

    "If my information was that precise, do you think I''d still be a Pawnshop owner? I''d have gone to the ck market to trade intel long ago. It''s a Keeper of Secrets Level (Level 3) Relic, but it''s actually part of an Angel-Level Relic (Level 1), whose traits have diminished after being separated... It''s believed to be rted to fate, capable of conveniently finding lost items."

    "Fate?"

    Shard raised his eyebrows slightly. For some reason, he thought of Dwarf Rat Peter''s letter, which mentioned that the Blood Spirit School had sent a Keeper of Secrets Level (Level 3) Relic to the Old Continent for ''Blood of Mercury''. Although the Silver-Eyed One was dissatisfied with their dyed response, it was obvious that the Keeper of Secrets Level Relic they sent must be extraordinary.

    "But what could it be? A convenient item finder, and it''s rted to fate?"

    He couldn''t figure it out, so, seeing that Old John had no more news to offer, he paid for the Relics he was purchasing.

    The ''Orb of Moonlight'' was now the fourth Relic Shard owned, but just like ''The Twenty-Sided Die of Destiny'' and the page from ''Poet Cohen''s Manuscript'', it didn''t enhance Shard''sbat or survival abilities; it could only be considered an auxiliary tool.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    He didn''t know whether other Circle Sorcerers possessed many Relics, but he resolved to buy a powerful Relic for self-defense once he was wealthy enough.

    With such grand aspirations, Shard boarded the carriage bound for Lakeside Manor. The manor was located outside of Tobesk City, to the south of the city, named for its proximity to Lake Schluch.

    This was one of Earl of Crown''s properties. The Earl held a high position in the Kingdom Army, belonging to the category of Grand Nobles with money and power. The banquet this time was hosted by the Earl''s second son, Little Clown, as a summer night''s entertainment.

    A smooth dirt road led straight from Tobesk City to the manor, and the carriage carrying Shard reached its destination as the evening sun appeared on the horizon. Having left the city area, the scorched smell in the air disappeared.

    The air outside the city was quite refreshing, and the young detective, who had felt lethargic after sitting in the carriage for too long, was invigorated by the fresh air.

    He wore his best ck suit, hat, and carried a cane as he stepped onto the stone pathway at the manor''s entrance, joining the other guests arriving one after another into the estate''s courtyard.

    The night had just begun, and there weren''t many guests. People were scattered in the courtyard, the maze-like garden, the buildings, and various corners of the estate, chatting with acquaintances.

    The arrival of summer had also changed the way of dressing, but in this rtively conservative era, certain sceneries were still impossible to see. Of course, had Shard known the right circles to join certain salons and parties, he would surely have been surprised by the activities of the nobility.

    The young detective didn''t know anyone here, but he had arranged a meeting spot with Baron Lavende, which was at the stone table under the grape trellis on the east side of the fountain at the back of the manor, where the Baron and his friends yed Roder Cards.

    But it wasn''t time yet, so he could only wander around the estate alone. Knowing that dinner would be served at the banquet, Shard hadn''t eaten much at noon, mainly feeding the cat.

    Now, seeing the long tables set out from the main estate building to the front gate of the manor, draped with pristine tablecloths, gleaming metal cutlery, and candlesticks illuminating the surroundings and the delicacies on the table, Shard, who wasn''t particrly hungry, felt his stomach rumbling with desire.

    He cared a great deal about his appearance, so he didn''t grab food without regard for image. He only took a little at a time, but by visiting different parts of the long table, he could serve himself multiple times, which was Shard''s strategy.

    Of course, while eating, he didn''t forget to distribute his business cards to drum up business for himself. It took skill; Shard usually approached people silently while they were talking, then took the opportunity to say a few words.

    When the time was right, he introduced himself and handed out his card. Since the address on the card was Saint Dn Square in the city centre, those who received his cards all mistook Shard for a very capable detective, and no one would refuse such a business card.

    Shard was more determined than ever not to move out of his current apartment unless absolutely necessary.

    Although he didn''t know many acquaintances in this world, as thest ray of the setting sun faded and nightpletely fell, Shard surprisingly saw a familiar figure. It was a ck-haired Maid, but her attire was clearly different from those maids in charge of meals and reception in the manor.

 Chapter 66 The Circle Sorcerer Squad Brushes Past

    The ck-haired Maid hurried along the gravel pathway from the entrance of the estate toward the imposing three-story mansion. If Shard remembered correctly, she was the very maid who delivered the "Vampire Ring" to him on behalf of "thatdy" on the third floor of the Lucky Southern Cross Club.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "''Thatdy'' hase too?"

    Shard stood by the long table, nced up at the manor not far away, and could only see a few youngdies in formal dresses chatting with each other on the second-floor balcony.

    One of them, holding a ss of wine, with long red hair, noticed Shard''s gaze and pointed him out to her friends.

    Seeing the girls from the second-floor balcony looking in this direction, although he did not want to invite trouble, Shard still nodded slightly as a salute before nonchntly moving away from that spot.

    "Seeing so many hair colors at once is indeed a novel experience," he thought to himself as he reached the backyard courtyard of the manor.

    Shard was not clear about the exact size of the Lakeside Manor, but even without counting the racecourse connected to the manor and the nearby farmstead, the area far exceeded the imagination of an Ounder.

    Behind the manor was a garden divided into different sections. Walking further back, the estate directly bounded Lake Schluch, and by theke, there was even a small dock with boats. Shard had already seen young men and women boating on theke with candles in hand.

    He did not get too close to theke, not because he did not want to admire the beautiful sight of the moon hanging over the clear waves of March at night, but purely because it was too cold by theke.

    The garden itself was enough for Shard to gain some worldly experience. Though he wondered whether it was customary, young lovers would always venture deeper into the garden. While they did not engage in indecent acts, merely confiding their feelings to each other on the benches still made Shard, who wandered everywhere, quite embarrassed.

    His aimless wandering was purely to gain knowledge and better adapt to life in this world. He looked for things to do to pass the time, but he soon realized that he was down to thest few business cards in his hand, which were meant for the friends of Baron Lavende and thus did not need to be handed out anymore.

    Thinking of finding a ce to sit down, he saw that many more gentlemen anddies had started to stroll among the flowers in the Garden Maze. So he left that area, intending to rest a while under the tulip sculptures on the other side.

    But before he could take a few steps, he saw a group of people emerge from a small path surrounded by fresh flowers on the side of the manor. It was the side gate of the manor''s garden leading to the racecourse, and under the guidance of an Old Man dressed as an old steward with an oilmp, they hurriedly entered.

    These were more than a dozen stern-faced individuals donned in uniform ck coats, members of the clergy. Seizing upon Priest Augustus''s recent talk about the Church Ring Sorcerer squad''s dress code and weapon carry requirements, Shard concluded that they belonged to a church.

    Although Shard did not see the Holy Emblem and thus could not determine which True God Church these people were from, there was no doubt they were dangerous.

    With this thought, he naturally took another path in front of the garden, brushing past the group.

    As they brushed past, the voice in his head concurrently reminded him of the presence of "miracle," "Enlightenment," and "Whisper" elements, which further confirmed Shard''s guess about their identities.

    Enjoy new tales from empire

    "However, if every encounter with a Circle Sorcerer and the troop of the True God Religion provided such an obvious reminder, then what covert operations could they speak of... It can''t only be you who can do this, can it? Lady iming to be another ''me''."

    "[Do I need to repeat myself?]"

    "This is because of my soul''s sensitivity," Shard said in his mind, and then heard the woman''s pleasantughter again.

    In the group of more than ten, the leader was a middle-aged man almost as tall as Shard but as burly as if he could punch Shard and his orange cat, Mia, to death with one fist. Most of the team members following him were men, with two women amongst them. One appeared to be in her thirties with purple lipstick, while the other looked to be no older than eighteen with long brown hair.

    Even Shard could tell she seemed somewhat nervouspared to the others.

    "Is this her first mission... Why does she look familiar? Oh, that''s right, I came across her the day I went to pick up Mia from Purple Iris Alley, and I had a strange feeling then (Note)."

    Shard thought to himself and didn''t look back at the group of people. Instead, the voice in his head spoke up, of course, not to tease him about noticing the strange girl:

    [Ounder, you have seen Fate.]

    "Hmm? Have I seen it? When did I see it?"

    He thought puzzledly to himself but kept walking forward, afraid of being mistaken for a bad person by the True God Church''s Circle Sorcerer squad.

    "But when I think about it, why am I nervous? I don''t seem to have done anything bad, so why the fear... I am a good person after all."

    His pace slowed but he still didn''t look back.

    [It''s hard to exin. Encountering her repeatedly, you''ve noticed something different about the strange young woman. You should have felt her difference, even if I didn''t say anything.]

    The voice whispered.

    "Can you express it in a way I can understand?"

    Shard retorted, pretending to be curious about the blue-winged butterflies in the flowers ahead.

    He had expected not to receive a response, but this time the woman''s voice seemed surprisingly understanding:

    [The person chosen by Fate is here, which seems to portend something significant is about to happen.]

    "''Thatdy'' has arrived, and the True God Church''s team is here too... Indeed, something seems off. So, should I leave?"

    He asked inwardly but didn''t get another response.

    Shard knew he had to decide for himself and couldn''t rely on the woman''s voice that imed to be his own.

    But after some thought, he chose not to leave. This was not because of the payment of at least half a pound and his yet-to-be-reimbursed travel expenses, but because suddenly leaving would be too conspicuous, and he was determined not to approach any dangerous ces or to engage with trouble proactively.

    "With the ce being sorge, as long as I don''t wander off and intentionally pursue danger, with the True God Church''s Circle Sorcerer squad here, how could danger possibly involve me?"

    He thought to himself as he returned to the long tablesden with food.

    Even among strangers, men could strike up a conversation overmon topics. Shard, thinking of finishing his supper early, found himself unwittingly drawn into the discussion about the "feasibility of New World colonization."

    The New World, discovered during the great geographical explorations fifty years ago, is vast in area with abundant resources and is dotted with mysterious ancient civilization relics and even tombs.

    However, to this day, no traces of any live native inhabitants have ever been found in the New World. Therefore, schrs from the northern Draleon Kingdom and the southern United Kingdom of Carsonrick of the Old Continent unanimously believe this is abnormal and have advised against hasty poption migration.

    For this reason, so far, there have been norge-scale official colonial activities between the two continents, just numerous military pioneers, adventurers, and ambitious individuals, taking their families and friends to settle on that fertilend.

    The kingdom''s officials are also considering this issue. More than fifty years have passed since the great discovery, and the first generation of adventurers who set foot on the New World are now old, and some have spent their entire lives there without any problems arising. So, the debate has heated up in the past decade on whether official poption migration is feasible.

    Men by the dinner tables at Lakeside Manor, dressed in proper suits, enjoying the cool early summer evening breeze, engaged in a spirited yet inconsequential debate on the issue¡ªnovelty views that made Shard nod frequently, knowing that in any era, people always enjoy such conversations.

 Chapter 67 Lawrence and Lassoya

    Shard also said a few words about the immigration issue, but in fact, he was fondling the small box in his pocket that contained the Relic, "The Twenty-Sided Die of Destiny." While his ears listened to the conversations about the feasibility of migration, his eyes unconsciously wandered about, and then, he actually saw Mr. Lawrence.

    Detective Sparrow''s report contained his photograph, and Shard had seen him at the entrance of the club not long ago.

    "Hmm? What is he doing here, have all my acquaintancese... Mr. Lawrence is a major factory owner, so of course, there''s no issue with him being invited to such a banquet."

    Shard thought to himself, shifting his gaze away to see if there was still some of that delicious sheep''s milk pudding on the table, thinking of bringing some back for the fostered orange cat at his home.

    But suddenly, the young detective thought of a question:

    "Since Mr. Lawrence is attending the banquet at Lakeview Manor in such formal attire, it wouldn''t make sense for him not to have adypanion. Has Lady Lawrence alsoe?"

    He carefully nced again out of the corner of his eye and saw that the woman standing beside Mr. Lawrence was none other than Lady Lassoya, dressed in a red, floor-trailing evening gown with its ruffled neckline, making the "woman" still wearing that pebble ring look exceptionally radiant this evening.

    "Oh, something big is really going to happen. The ally Lady Lawrence found won''t be confronting Lassoya here, will they?"

    He withdrew his gaze, thinking about whether to leave the ce. But suddenly he was tapped on the shoulder from behind, startling Shard, thinking he had been approached by Lady Lassoya.

    But when he turned around, he found it was his employer for the evening, Baron Lavende, apanied by several gentlemen of a simr age to himself.

    "Oh, my Mr. Dawn, it''s really Hamilton! It has been such a long time since west met!"

    The middle-aged Roder card enthusiast eximed in a very exaggerated tone, while winking at Shard and reaching out to shake his hand.

    "Yes, it has been a long time, Mr. Lavende."

    Shard immediately understood his meaning:

    "Thest time I saw you and yed Roder Card with you was, what, three years ago?"

    In order to show his dedication to themission, Shard also responded with an overly enthusiastic tone:

    "What a coincidence, I didn''t expect to run into you here."

    "Yes, such a coincidence, it must be the arrangement of the deities. Speaking of which, these are my friends, and I am going to y Roder cards with them over there. Would you like to join us? If you have other matters..."

    As he spoke, Mr. Lavende waggled the hand that was sped with Shard''s. Shard believed that if he did not agree with the other party, he would definitely not be let go easily.

    "Of course, I can join you. Oh, gentlemen, let us use Roder Cards to while away this dull night. The banquet is certainly interesting, and Lakeside Manor is very nice too, but Roder Card is still the best. Here''s my business card..."

    As Shard handed out his business cards to Mr. Lavende''s high-ss friends, he saw the Baron secretly giving him a ''well done'' gesture.

    While warmly greeting Baron Lavende''s friends, and with a nce out of the corner of his eye, Shard saw Mr. Lawrence and Lady Lassoya heading towards the mansion of Lakeview Manor. Only then he rxed and walked with Baron Lavende and his group towards the back of the manor, where the tense and thrilling Roder Cardpetition was about to begin.

    On the way, the group of travelers exchanged intriguing anecdotes about their Roder Cards, discussing rumors of special cards that had appeared on the market, and specting about the edition size and theme of the special Roder Cards that the Prophet''s Society might release this summer.

    Shard, in order to better fulfill hismission, also joined in the conversation. Continue your adventure with empire

    "I even heard a rumor that a Genesis Series Roder Card appeared in Tobesk City,"

    he said with an exaggerated tone. Though it was hard to say how many people believed it, the news still elicited surprised expressions from everyone. As Roder Card enthusiasts, it was impossible for them not to know about the "Genesis Series" cards.

    "Not long ago, I was at the Prophet''s Society on business. On the third floor, I overheard Vice President Cyndia Mark discussing this matter with someone. But the authenticity is hard to pin down, since it''s a card from several hundred years ago. Still, if a Genesis Series card really appeared, I would indeed be very curious to see it,"

    Shard shared his interesting piece of news, and his obvious passion for Roder Cards, as well as his widework of contacts, quickly transformed him from a stranger into an epted friend.

    By the time the group reached the stone table under the vine trellis, no one was wondering why Shard hade along anymore.

    Baron Lavende was very satisfied with the young detective he had hired.

    Baron Lavende''s Roder Card opponent, Baron Rwanda, was a middle-aged gentleman of simr age but of quite short stature. Shard was reluctant to use words like "dwarf" to describe others, but the term actually seemed quite apt.

    Despite the problem with his height, the features of Baron Rwanda were all mashed together on his face, making him seem exceptionally shrewd. Like Baron Lavende, he had alsoe to the card game with a group of friends who were Roder Card enthusiasts.

    When everyone met under the vine trellis, there were no unpleasant incidents. The two barons exchanged pleasantries, introduced their friends to one another, and chatted about the dinner at Lakeside Manor and the weather that day before taking their seats on opposite sides of the stone table.

    The men they had brought with them immediately surrounded the table instead of just standing behind them. Each face was filled with excitement and eagerness, as if the atmosphere had suddenly changed in that moment.

    This didn''t appear to be gamblers simply chasing thrills, but more like an audience anticipating a fascinating series of stories, or perhaps an entertaining opera performance.

    Due to Baron Lavende''s special arrangement, Shard found himself standing closest to the stone table.

    He saw the two barons each take out their stakes; Baron Lavende''s was his only Special Rule Roder Card, belonging to the "Northern City" series, the "Flower 13," which was the card that allowed a redraw if one rolled a 20. The card depicted the silhouette of Atak City, the city of arts.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Baron Rwanda, of course, brought out his Roder Card with special rules. He deliberatelyid both of his Special Rule Cards on the table, waited until all the onlookers had seen them, and then picked one to put aside as his stake.

    That was the "Ancient Fairy Tale" series card, "Star 6," featuring the "Matchstick Girl" that Baron Lavende had mentioned before.

    However, the special rule of "Ancient Fairy Tale: Matchstick Girl" was even more demanding than that of Baron Lavende''s "Northern City: Atak City," requiring that one roll a 10 or 20 twice in a row on the twenty-sided dice to adjust the card number between 6 and 7.

    While there are Special Rule Cards in Roder, most of them have stringent conditions of use. This ensures that Roder cardpetitions remain rtively fair and filled with intrigue.

    Like Shard''s "Genesis: Silver Moon," cards that allowed immediate use of special rules upon drawing were exceedingly rare.

 Chapter 68 Roder Card and the Doctor

    The Prophet''s Society issues no more than three sets of special series cards each year, with an uncertain number of issues in each set, but there will only be a maximum of 54 special rule cards among them, meaning there can be at most one of each card suit and number.

    It''s even possible that in a whole set of cards there are only two special cards, which are not sold on the market but given directly to people with special rtionships with the Society.

    Therefore, it''s difficult to get a card from the special series, and if that card alsoes with special usage rules, without luck one must have money to acquire it.

    Although Baron Lavende and Baron Rwanda are wealthier than Shard, they do not have enough money to purchase the precious Roder Cards. However, they are both Roder Card experts and rely on card skills to win cards from friends and Roder card enthusiasts from out of town. This kind of event is not happening for the first time today.

    The gambling match proceeds using a best of three rounds format, and Baron Lavende and Baron Rwanda must each participate at least once, while their friends can substitute for the remaining rounds.

    Since there are only two participants, each side uses their own deck of cards for thepetition, with Mr. Cand, a friend of Baron Lavende who works at the Prophet''s Society in Tobesk City, responsible for shuffling and dealing the cards.

    The first dealing is two cards each, with both sides deciding whether to stand or take more cards. A round ends when one side wins five times, scoring a point, and the first to gain two points wins and takes the opponent''s bet.

    The bet can be included in the card set, so after both sides present their Roder Card identification certificates to prove the authenticity of the cards, the game officially begins.

    "I have used this deck for 5 years, and it has won me over 100 matches!"

    Baron Lavende said, leaning on a stone table while waiting for the shuffle to proceed.

    "This deck of mine has been with me to battlefields, and though you can''t see the marks now, it has been stained with my blood."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Baron Rwanda clenched his fist and aggressively retorted.

    Shard activated the Ring of Fate in his soul and used the Sorcery spell "Echo of Blood" to nce at Baron Rwanda''s deck, then kept his face straight without showing any expression.

    The atmosphere under the grape trellis reached its peak during this moment of "exchanging tough words," and both Baron Lavende and Baron Rwanda chose to y the first round. The heated ambiance also attracted participants from the nearby garden''s trellis banquet, but only a few gentlemen chose to stay and watch after discovering it was a Roder cardpetition.

    Shard was forced to stand by the stone table, but actually had no interest in this fancy gambling. After noting the rules, he paid attention to the distribution of bloodstains on Baron Rwanda''s cards, but then stopped watching the game, unaffected by the tense and smiling atmosphere around him.

    "What''s so fun about cards?"

    Shard found this world''s people''s interests hard to understand, attributing it to cultural differences.

    So, he merely paid vague attention to the progress of the game, mostly looking around distractedly, wanting to know what major event the woman in his mind was referring to.

    During the first half of the first round, as Baron Lavende began to sweat while holding his cards, Shard saw a squad of Circle Sorcerers from the True God Church appearing on an unlit side path, away from the garden''s elegant gasmps and candles. They wereing from the direction of Lake Schluch, and must have been near theke for a while, though Shard hadn''t noticed them before.

    The squad onlyprised six people, but Shard recognized three of them, whom he had seen before near the explosion at the silverware shop not far from the Silver Parrot Milk Delivery Company.

    One was exceptionally burly, one had the demeanor of a schr, and there was another, who, on the very afternoon Shard had arrived in this world, had handed him a Church pamphlet for iming relief food.

    Explore hidden tales at empire

    "This is a Circle Sorcerer from the ''Church of War and Peace'' of the ''Father of Peace'', the True God."

    Shard shifted his gaze away from the group to prevent them from noticing him. Although the Circle Sorcerers also noticed the gathering under the grape arbor, they did not approach but took an inconspicuous garden path toward the front courtyard of the manor.

    "Now there are two squads of Circle Sorcerers here, probably from different churches... what exactly is going to happen?"

    He pondered to himself, then jumped at the exmations from the men by his side, as it turned out that Baron Rwanda had drawn that special "Ancient Fairy Tale: Matchstick Girl" card.

    The parties who hade topete in the Roder card game, of course, both brought dice, and although Baron Rwanda had rolled a 13 on his first try, meaning he couldn''t use special rules, this still excited the onlookers, with the not-so-tall baron himself feeling quite proud.

    This was something Shard couldn''t understand, after all, he had not activated any rules.

    Baron Rwanda carried this "good luck" into the first round, securing five victories first and defeating Baron Lavende. Thetter, pursing his lips, looked quite upset, but still managed a forced smile andplimented the other''s card skills as he stood up, hisical expression adding even more gaiety under the grape arbor.

    Although Baron Rwanda had won, he chose not to continue ying himself but asked his friend, Mr. Sic, a local flour mill owner, to enter thepetition. Simrly, Baron Lavende brought in his friend, Sir Sr, andscape artist who had managed the gardens at Cold Spring Pce.

    These were their real friends, who had appeared many times before, not hired friends like Shard.

    The game started again, and Baron Lavende, having already lost a round, was extremely tense. The gardenndscape artist, on the other hand, was very rxed, even casually holding a toothpick, twirling his mustache with his fingers, and exining that he was trying to quit smoking.

    By now, the night had fully fallen, and the three-round moon hung high in the sky. The light under the grape arbor came primarily from the elegant gasmps in the garden and the candlesticks fixed atop the tables by the people.

    The Roder cardpetitors under the warm yellow glow squinted at their hands, while the onlookers eagerly anticipated each reveal.

    Only the bored Shard was not attracted by the card game; he gazed at the purple-red grapes hanging from the grape arbor above and wondered if the owner of Lakeside Manor would mind guests unterally taking away some of these plump fruits.

    "Come to think of it, can cats eat grapes?"

    Shard''s thoughts drifted quickly, but his main focus remained on observing if there were any oddities nearby.

    As his eyes wandered, he saw two middle-aged gentlemen in ck formal wear, holding sses of wine as they passed by the garden path next to the grape arbor. They were discussing a topic on mental health, roughly whether striking the back of someone''s head with sanctified silverware could treat more serious mental disorders.

    Shard saw Dr. Schneider, who, also holding a ss of wine, asionally nced towards the people under the grape arbor during breaks in his casual conversation with a friend and caught sight of the youngest detective among the group.

 Chapter 69 Abnormal Good Fortune

    In the instant their eyes met, both Dr. Schneider and Shard widened their eyes, with Shard even reading a "What are you doing here?" in the other''s gaze.

    Indeed, Shard had informed the doctor about having to attend a rather formal dinner due to amission from his firm, but he didn''t mention it was the dinner at Lakeside Manor; nor did the doctor ask where it would be, probably not expecting Shard to show up at such a ce.

    Wanting to leave the card table and head over to the doctor, but the doctor, looking serious, subtly shook his head at Shard while continuing his conversation with a friend about the differences in the striking areas of silverware and goldware.

    As they passed by the grape trellis, some people at the card table greeted friends who were apanying Dr. Schneider.

    Without any verbal conversation with Shard, the doctor discreetly gestured a series of ratherplex hand signals, making sure Shard saw them clearly before leaving with hispanion.

    "But what do those gestures mean?"

    Shard stared at the grapes hanging above and wondered in confusion.

    Although he saw them clearly, he didn''t understand at all. Not knowing signnguage or hints, the rity of Dr. Schneider''s gestures was of no use to him.

    "However, now with Lady Lassoya of ''Blood of Mercury,'' the Circle Sorcerer squad of the True God Church, a High Ring Sorcerer of unknown level, ''thatdy,'' and Dr. Schneider all present in Lakeside Manor, what on earth is going to happen here... I''ll try looking for the doctor after the card game... I wonder if Miss Luisa and Priest Augustus are also here?"

    The second round of Roder Card between Sir Sr, the horticultural artist, and Mr. Sic, the owner of the flour factory, was evidently more interesting than the barons'' first round. The two were stuck in a back-and-forth pattern with one winning a hand and then the other, until both had sweat on their foreheads by the end.

    And as the second round continued to a four-to-four tie, not only the yers but also the onlookers hardly dared to breathe heavily.

    "This round, I win," said Sir Sr as he flipped over an "upcard 12" to uncover a face-down card, letting out a sigh of relief as the "Sun 9" was flipped face up. Mr. Sic, sitting opposite him, sighed deeply, turning over his face-down card, and even Shard couldn''t help but feel sorry for him.

    The card facing up for Mr. Sic didn''t matter because, astonishingly, when he flipped his face-down card, it was the "Queen." ording to thepetitive rules of Roder Card, once a yer draws the "Queen" or the "King," they must stop drawing cards. The other yer may continue to draw, but unless they end with exactly 21 points, they lose under any circumstance.

    If both yers draw a King and a Queen, with the same situation the other card ispared for value; with different situations, the King outranks the Queen. If a yer holds both the "King" and the "Queen" at the same time, they automatically win, though this situation can only ur during the initial deal.

    Therefore, Mr. Sic drew the Queen but lost to Sir Sr''s 21 points, which would provide onlookers enough gossip for months.

    Baron Lavende, his face flushed with excitement, craned his neck to look at the cards on the stone table, pping Sir Sr''s shoulder so hard that he almost knocked the toothpick out of the baron''s mouth.

    The yers rose from the table, and the atmosphere,pared to after the first round, was noticeably better. Sir Sr and Mr. Sic had no conflicting interests, shaking hands amicably, with thetter continuously expressing his regrets.

    Thus, the match was tied with each winning one round, and the choice of the final participant was particrly crucial. Baron Rwanda, looking very shrewd, decided to y again himself. Baron Lavende pondered for a moment, then took out a deck of cards, had his "friends" draw one each, and for some reason, Shard ended up drawing the King and was chosen to y.

    At this point, even Shard was at a loss for words:

    "However, this kind of luck is getting a bit strange."

    But Baron Rwanda had something to say, and being somewhat shorter than his friends around him, he seemed even more like a glowing potato after sitting down early:

    "Sir Lavende, we agreed to a fairpetition, inviting each other''s friends, not Roder Card experts hired with money, otherwise there''s no point in this game."

    He didn''t directly say there was an issue with Shard, but obviously did not approve of this stranger Shard ying against him.

    "Yes, this young detective is my friend, and we were just having a great chat,"

    Sir Lavende said unfazed, while Shard took the opportunity to hand out his remaining business cards to the shorter Baron, who, like the others, was somewhat surprised to see the address "No. 6, Saint Dn Square" and carefully put away the card.

    "Look, I''m a local from Tobesk, not an out-of-town Roder Card yer. If I were some amazing yer, you would have surely heard of me. Oh, Baron, if you don''t believe me, I can swear to the True God that I am definitely not a Roder Card expert."

    Shard stated earnestly, and though Baron Rwanda still regarded him with suspicion, he nodded to indicate that they could start the game. But before Mr. Cand of the Prophet''s Society could start to shuffle, Baron Rwanda spoke to Sir Lavende again:

    "Since Hamilton Detective is your friend, why don''t you give him my wager if he wins, and I''ll give you ¡ê20 as an additional wager."

    Baron Rwanda''s face was all smiles:

    "Since you are friends, I presume that won''t be a problem, right? You don''t need to increase the wager."

    Though ¡ê20 was a significant amount of money, it was still less valuable than the [Ancient Fairy Tale: Matchstick Girl] card. ording to what Shard knew about the market value, a [Matchstick Girl] with special rules could sell for no less than ¡ê50 if a suitable buyer was found, making it a true collector''s item for the wealthy.

    Sir Lavende didn''t want to agree, and there was no reason to ept such a request now. However, with everyone watching him, he steeled his heart and the issue of face instantly reached its peak. He said with his head held high:

    "Of course, Hamilton Detective is my friend. If he wins this bet, the wager goes to him... and your ¡ê20 goes to Sir Sr."

    As he spoke, he gave Shard¡ªwho had already taken his seat¡ªa vigorous pat on the shoulder, understanding that Sir Lavende would surely take the cards after the event butpensate him with a sum of money.

    "I have no objection either."

    Shard said, while Sir Sr, who stood by watching the game, nodded indifferently.

    So the third game officially began, with the decks still belonging to the two Barons, so after the shuffle was finished, Shard, with a faint red glow in his right eye, roughly knew the contents of the first two cards of his opponent.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    He certainly couldn''t remember the bloodstains on all 54 cards, but after using the Sorcery [Echo of Blood], he not only had a keen observation of minute bloodstains but also had his memory of those bloodstains enhanced, which is why he confidently believed he roughly knew.

    Discover more stories at empire

    "The opponent''s first two cards are flower 10 and flower 9, likely not to ask for more cards..."

    Shard thought to himself, noting that his upcard was the sun 1 and turning over the hole card to reveal the star 9. He gestured for Mr. Cand to continue dealing, and the next card revealed was moon 11.

    "No, this luck is absolutely wrong, what''s going on?"

 Chapter 70 Victory

    ```

    Shocked at the twenty-one points in his hand, he simply shrugged on the surface, trying to keep his facial expression calm, and besides Baron Rwanda, the other onlookers had already started to congratte him.

    In the second round, Shard saw that the opponent''s first two cards totaled eleven, and with the third card going over twenty-one points, he stopped with his own cards totaling sixteen and decided not to draw any more.

    The expression on Baron Rwanda''s face was starting to look odd.

    In the third round, Shard hadn''t been able to clearly remember what cards the opponent held, but when he saw that his upcard was the King, he was shocked again and almost couldn''t resist checking his surroundings.

    Because the upcard was the "King," he didn''t touch the hole card. Baron Rwanda, however, was not lucky enough to draw the King and Queen, nor lucky enough to hit twenty-one points, and as a result, lost again.

    In the fourth round, Shard''s upcard was the Queen...

    "Are you cheating?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Even he couldn''t help but question the voice in his head.

    The Circle Sorcerer''s ''Other Self'' cannot interfere with reality.

    "But you are not a usual case."

    I am special because of you, but I cannot directly interfere with reality. And even if I could, why would I interfere with a card game?

    The murmuring voice answered in his mind, still as pleasant as ever. Shard also believed the other party wasn''t so bored as to do that, so he trusted the words, but Baron Rwanda clearly did not trust Shard.

    Gulping for air, amidst the excited chatter of the people around the table, he stared at the Queen on the table for a good while before requesting a recheck of Baron Lavende''s deck. After the inspection, a different person was chosen for shuffling the deck in the fifth round; the initially suspected shuffler, Mr. Cand, was very unhappy and stood sulking under the grapevines.

    "Detective, I don''t care if you are just lucky or if it''s something else, but at least this time I have won."

    After dealing only two cards, Baron Rwanda said, revealing the hole card, the "King."

    The cards that were just used cannot be reintroduced into the game, at least not in this round. Therefore, it was impossible for Shard''s deck to still have a "King" or "Queen," so unless he drew twenty-one points, there was no way he could win this round.

    Shard''s upcard was the Sun 13, and the revealed hole card was Flower 13. Immediately, people gasped with excitement, not because the young detective had finally lost, but because the Flower 13 from Baron Lavende''s deck was the special rule card "Northern City: Atak City."

    ording to the rules, Shard could roll a die, and if the die showed twenty points, he could draw another card. At the current state, unless it was twenty points, he had indeed lost the round.

    Of course, Shard wouldn''t use his own "Relic," The Twenty-Sided Die of Destiny for such a game; he picked up the very one Baron Rwanda had used just before, his first time touching an ivory product.

    The people around immediately held their breath, and Shard didn''t understand their excitement; after all, even if the dice didn''te up twenty, he was still leading four to one in the third round.

    With a gentle toss, the white ivory die spun on the stone tabletop. Everyone craned their necks in sync, and when the number twenty stopped facing upward, Shard genuinely feared that Baron Lavende on his left might suffer a heart attack from the excitement.

    "This game will be talked about until the end of the year."

    The Baron with a handsome mustache quivered as he said:

    "Since getting this card, I''ve not thrown a twenty once."

    Read new chapters at empire

    Shard shrugged, without questioning the other''s poor luck. He picked up his next card, and knew the oue without even flipping it:

    "If this card is any suit''s number eight, then I''ve got twenty-one points and have won, but this kind of luck is definitely not normal."

    ```

    By the glimmer of the candlelight on the stone table, he tilted his head to sneak a peek from below and, after hesitating, observed his opponent, Baron Rwanda''s expression to ensure the man wouldn''t suddenly suffer a cerebral hemorrhage, before flipping over the Sun 8 card.

    Perhaps this game could be talked about by the surrounding Roder Card yers until the next year.

    "Did you really not interfere with the game?"

    He asked softly once more, then it was as if a woman whispered in his ear¡ªan odd experience given there was clearly no space behind him for someone to be:

    [Even if I had the ability, why would I bother doing such a trivial thing?]

    "But the current situation is obviously not normal!"

    While heughed and epted the congrattions, he thought to himself that Circle Sorcerers must be adept at multitasking like this.

    [You could think about what might be causing such an aberrant streak of luck?]

    Shard almost immediately got the answer; it was too obvious, given the few things he had experienced in this world:

    "The Twenty-Sided Die of Destiny? A roll of 20 points that has to bring good fortune? But why would Roder Card luck change? What''s the connection? Besides, the meaning of the dice should clearly reveal itself before me, right now this is just spection."

    Shard''s victory also meant that Baron Lavende had won two out of three games, and although he hadn''t won the first game, he had indeed won this game of Roder Card.

    Baron Rwanda, although quite peeved by Shard''s final Sun 8 card, gracefully adhered to the agreement, handed over the Roder Card with the special rule and design of the "Ancient Fairy Tale: Match Girl" to Shard, and gave the 20 pounds in cash to Sir Sr.

    This Baron indeed brought such a substantial amount of cash to an outdoor banquet.

    Despite his loss, Baron Rwanda harbored no negative sentiments towards Shard. On the contrary, he enthusiastically shook hands with Shard and invited him to y Roder Card together when time permitted, which Shard nomittally epted.

    "This card, I went through a great deal of trouble to win it."

    The Baron said as he passed the Match Girl card to Shard, ncing at Baron Lavende. Baron Lavende was the card''s former owner, and it was clear that Baron Rwanda was provoking him purposely.

    "Make sure to take good care of it, and when we y cards next time, I hope to see it still in your possession. Hamilton Detective, if you don''t wish to keep the card and you''re thinking of selling it, make sure to contact me first. I''d even borrow money to purchase it... Of course, enthusiasts like us wouldn''t sell a Special Card frivolously."

    He also threw a nce at Baron Lavende, signaling a warning that if he took the card from Shard, it could tarnish his reputation.

    Mustache Baron, receiving congrattions from friends beneath the grapevine, looked up slightly:

    "Of course, Shard, you must take good care of this card."

    The rtionship between him and Shard wasn''t close enough for first-name terms, and the statement meant Shard would now be a temporary card custodian.

    "Of course, I''ll take good care of it."

    Shard tucked the card into his notebook, then ced the notebook back into his coat pocket.

    Baron Lavende certainly wouldn''t discuss the "Ancient Fairy Tale: Match Girl" with Shard at the banquet, but he did want to invite Shard to spend the rest of the event with him once the game was over.

    Unfortunately, Shard was still concerned about Dr. Schneider''s matter and politely declined the Baron and his friends. After leaving beneath the grapevine, he walked along the path Dr. Schneider had taken, pondering his inexplicable good fortune.

 Chapter 71 "Her" Power

    Dr. Schneider and hispanion were headed toward Lake Schluch. By then, it was half past seven in the evening, and by theke, numerous young men and women dressed in tuxedos and beautiful long dresses were strolling.

    The mystical triple moons and stars reflected upon theke, the sparkling waters seeming to blend with the night sky. This scene caused Shard, who had emerged from a floral path into the moonlight from the dark surroundings, to pause in awe.

    In any of his lifetimes, he had never witnessed such a spectacle. Under the cool breeze of a summer night, the Ounder felt a striking impression:

    He hurriedly walked through civilization, and a fleeting glimpse seemed to touch the power of nature. In this rather idealistic world, such strange feelings represented power.

    "Don''t you want to say something?"

    He stood on a high spot away from theke, gazing at the calmke surface reflecting the moonlight and stars, feeling the night breeze of summer, and could only see the distant, faintly continuous mountains. This scene was truly breathtaking.

    [Are you anticipating a small impression to obtain power? No, it hasn''t reached that extent yet.]

    "I''m quite curious, the power perceived from nature, which element does it belong to?"

    [That belongs to your Enlightenment.]

    As the two conversed, the Ring of Fate within the soul slightly rotated, brass-colored particles clinging to the Ring of Fate, transforming elements into spirit during the rotation, stimting the enhancement of body and soul.

    Every profound impression held meaning, even if it was an insignificant power.

    [Active and deep contact with the Four Elements will elevate your spirit, refining your soul and flesh.]

    As he gazed over theke, a murmuring voice softly sighed next to his ear, as though a woman was resting her head on Shard''s shoulder and whispering.

    "So you''re saying, theoretically speaking, even if I remain a First Ring Sorcerer, but if I can frequently contact the Four Elements, I could also use physical strength to defeat a High Ring Sorcerer?"

    Shard asked, then heard the woman''sugh. It was quite pleasant; he might have misunderstood implications ofughs before, but this time, it was definitely mocking:

    [Ounder, you still haven''t understood the strongest aspect of the Circle Sorcerer System, the power of the Spirit Runes, you still don''t grasp it.]

    "What is that? How do you know?"

    [My perspective is different from yours, what I see differs from what you see.]

    "So, the sudden impression, is it a continuation of that luck earlier?"

    Shard hadn''t forgotten about it yet.

    [The oue of Fate''s dice will clearly present itself before you; all you need is to patiently wait.]

    The woman giggled:

    [I thought you had noticed it already, do you remember what I told you when I made you cast the dice?]

    Shard pondered then repeated while looking at theke with hands behind his back:

    "''Through my vision, I saw something intriguing for you.''"

    [Yes, in that moment, I saw someone using the means of Fate to kill you.]

    "Who is it? Oh, it must be the Blood of Mercury, is this what Dwarf Rat Peter meant by using a Keeper of Secrets Level Relic for a failed revenge? What did you do? Can you influence reality?"

    He was somewhat surprised.

    [Of course, I can''t influence the world. But you are outside of Fate, I merely used your peculiar fate with the power of that dice for retaliation; you can consider this as my unique power, born from your strength. Currently, the power I hold is limited to this, it''s what makes you unique.]

    "So you''re saying, you can help me resist all attacks from Fate?"

    Shard furrowed his brow, curious if the other party had any other abilities.

    "The other me" possessing some special abilities wasn''t very strange, although these special abilities were generally very weak and not worth mentioning, serving as passive eptance by "the other me" as the other side of the soul after bing a Circle Sorcerer, deriving from the elements and Spirit Queen and resulting in a "paranormal ability."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    However, the power disyed by Shard''s "other me" was indeed astonishing.

    [Your strength is merely strength; it still needs a tool, like that dice.]

    Shard nodded slightly and sighed deeply, still worried about someone wanting to kill him. His eyes noticed the distant boat on theke swaying gently, but he couldn''t see the people on it or know what was happening.

    But he had no mind to care about that:

    "Is tonight''s good luck because of this? But it''s still unclear."

    "Then just wait. The person intending to kill you will eventually appear before you. It''s destined by the dice."

    "How can I believe you are really me like this?"

    "But this power truly originates from you. Soon, you''ll understand that I am with you."

    Walking along the path by theke in the rear garden of Lakeside Manor, he saw no sign of Dr. Schneider. Giving up the search and thinking of heading back to the front courtyard of the manor, perhaps his good luck was still at y, thus he spotted Priest Augustus in the maze made of garden hedges.

    The priest wore a white robe with a pendant of the Holy Emblem of "Mr. Dawn" hanging on his chest, which was clearly the attire of clergy members.

    When Shard saw him, Old Cleric was talking to an old gentleman who leaned on a cane. The old gentleman wore a somewhat outdated brown suit, and therge gold ring on his finger caught Shard''s gaze for several seconds.

    Not wanting others to know that he was acquainted with Priest Augustus, Shard did not approach rashly. Instead, he walked past them as if by coincidence, allowing Priest Augustus to discover him on his own.

    Ten minutester, standing underneath the statue of a knight on a horse brandishing a longsword, Shard sessfully waited for the priest to approach.

    "Mr. Hamilton, what are you doing here?"

    Priest Augustus was surprised; he walked over briskly, his agile demeanor belying his age.

    "It''splicated to exin, but simply put, it''s regarding the Roder Card...that''s not important; I just saw Dr. Schneider."

    He immediately switched to business matters.

    "What, Bill is here too?"

    Old Cleric moved closer, allowing the circle of candles ced under the statue to illuminate them both. The cool night breeze of this summer''s night made the candlelight flicker. The wind rustled through the grass of the garden, producing a rustling sound. It was not quite the peak of summer, so the chirping of cicadas was absent, making for a very serene night. Find adventures on empire

    "You didn''t know?"

    Shard was even more surprised than Priest Augustus:

    "Just now, I also saw two squads of Circle Sorcerers from the True God Church. I didn''t recognize one squad, but the other was from the Church of War and Peace."

    He briefly described the first squad of sorcerers. Priest Augustus immediately realized that it was a squad under the "Sun and Earth Church," affiliated with the True God "Lantern Bearer." This also reminded Shard; he vaguely remembered the shop owner in Purple Iris Alley mentioning the identity of that youngdy with brown hair.

    "What is going on? Is something about to happen at Lakeside Manor?"

    Priest Augustus asked with some disquiet, looking up with Shard toward the grand mansion of Lakeside Manor, though nothing was happening at the moment.

    "Probably something''s about to happen. Just now, I even saw Mr. Lawrence and his mistress, Lady Lassoya."

    Shard added, thinking this was key, and thus suspecting that encountering so many acquaintance was also a part of his inexplicable good luck this evening.

    Sure enough, mentioning the right "keywords" gathered new information from Priest Augustus, who then had a realization:

    "I see, now I understand. Mr. Hamilton, although I am not a sorcerer of the church, I can receive some news about the actions of the church''s sorcerers. You mentioned Mrs. Lawrence''s intentions yesterday at the study group. Last night, I went to see the doctor, and he mentioned this matter to me.

    Can you guess which sorcerer Mrs. Lawrence found to help her?"

    The old man asked. Shard thought for a moment, incredulously:

    "She went to the True God Church?"

    "Yes."

    Priest Augustus nodded:

    "A nobledy you once worked for met at a tea party, having experienced a mysterious event, thus she knew of the church''s power. She introduced Mrs. Lawrence to the church. That somewhat recklessdy, without confirming whether Lassoya truly had any Circle Sorcerer background, directly reported her information to the church. It''s probably akin to a false report; Mrs. Lawrence just wanted revenge...

    Afterward, Lassoya''s details were thoroughly investigated, and indeed, he was a member of ''Blood of Mercury'', and moreover, the church has been looking for him for a long time."

    "Lady Lassoya is a man?"

    Even though he had suspected this, Shard couldn''t help but be astounded.

 Chapter 72 The Antique Revolver

    "Yes, indeed it was a man."

    As he spoke, Priest Augustus also revealed an awkward expression:

    "The Six Rings Warlock, originally named Jack Deon, male. That ring capable of realizing gender transformation, ording to intelligence,es from the Blood Spirit School you''ve mentioned. They''ve always been skilled in flesh-rted arcane techniques and possess a multitude of strange relics.

    Dammit, those madmen have all run off to the New World, yet they haven''t forgotten to cause trouble for us."

    The professors of Saint Byrons had said that the ancient organization known as the Blood Spirit School was pursued by the Church of the Five Gods.

    "The True God Church has known about his infiltration into Tobesk City for a while. Recently, they''ve been suspecting his concealment within the Nightingale Club, the ce you''ve mentioned before. Only, no one expected that he couldpletely change his appearance, which is why the church has been unable to find him. As for his rtionship with Mr.

    Lawrence, it''s not clear whether it''s due to the relic ring''s influence that distorted his orientation, or if there''s another reason."

    "Relics can even distort... orientation?"

    Shard asked, as the Old Cleric wore a look of regret:

    "Relics might distort any aspect of human personality and thought, depending on the nature of the relic itself. For instance, if there is a relic''s effect that involves creating food from excrement, then it might be possible... oh, never mind, I can''t even continue."

    He and Shard adjusted their expressions together, then the priest warned the detective:

    "Since both Lady Lassoya and the squad from the True God Church have appeared, the church is likely to carry out the arrest tonight. You must not involve yourself in this matter; it''s incredibly dangerous."

    "But the doctor might still be unaware of the Circle Sorcerer squad''s presence, should we tell him?"

    As he said this, the sound of young girls''ughter traveled from the garden path facing the statue; the Old Cleric and the young detective quickly moved to another path behind the statue: Find exclusive stories on empire

    "Bill might indeed be unaware."

    Priest Augustus pondered, then looked at Shard:

    "I saw Luisa just now, I thought like me she was simply invited by chance, surely here to aid the doctor. Since Lassoya has entered the big house at Lakeside Manor, you should stay away, go to the front courtyard and find Luisa, inform her of the current situation.

    I will go inside the mansion to find the doctor; since he''s not visible in the garden, he must already be inside preparing to take action."

    "Alright, no problem."

    Shard nodded solemnly, and Priest Augustus asked:

    "Do you have relics and spellcasting materials on you?"

    "I do."

    He patted his pocket.

    "That''s good, but unless it''s absolutely necessary, do not use the powers of a Circle Sorcerer in front of ordinary people. Hamilton Detective, be careful."

    "Priest Augustus, you too watch out for safety. Speaking of which, my luck seems to be quite good tonight."

    He hoped to gain some insight from the elder, but obviously, Priest Augustus couldn''tprehend how good Shard''s luck truly was:

    "Gifts from fate alle at a price, Detective. Magicians cannot rely on luck."

    So the two of them acted separately, since neither knew exactly how far things had progressed, both were in a hurry.

    After leaving the Garden Maze, Shard rounded the end of the small path, following along the shadow of the mansion to the front courtyard of the manor house. Before he had a chance to look around, a burly drunkard nearby grabbed him:

    "I''ve seen you! Tell them whether I am a deserter or not!"

    The middle-aged man, reeking of alcohol and robust in stature, forcibly pulled Shard to the side of the banquet table.

    It wasn''t until the light shone upon him that Shard recognized the drunkard as Captain Lades, who he hadst seen at the Lucky Southern Cross Club, and who had been mocked by hispanions for "firing eight shots at his own head in an attempt tomit suicide, to demonstrate his loyalty to the King."

    It looked like a simr situation this time: the intoxicated captain somehow recognized Shard, or more likely, just grabbed someone at random, and dizzily brought him into the midst of the crowd.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "Lades, your story is already ridiculous enough, do you also want to be disgraced at the banquet?"

    A brown-haired man in his thirties, holding a wine ss,mented. He was very tall, dressed in a ck formal suit, and while speaking, he smiled apologetically at Shard. The others tried to help this innocent bystander get away from Captain Lades, but were all pushed away by the drunken officer. He was somewhat unconscious by now, and his slurred speech made it hard to distinguish the words:

    "I''m not a coward, I really did not want to endure the shame of being captured, so I fired the gun at my own head! That gun, that gun I bought some time ago as an antique, was supposed to be just for decoration, I never intended to use it."

    "But did you manage to fire the antique pistol sessfully?"

    The man with the wine ss asked.

    "Of course, the bullet caliber matched the ones I had on me."

    The inebriated captain replied. Under the candlelight''s glimmer, Shard noticed that the front of his uniform was thoroughly soaked:

    "Since the bullet was fired, how could you possibly still be alive?"

    "How would I know! Is God joking with me? I put the gun to my head and pulled the trigger, eight times! Eight times! And the bullets all hit the person next to me! I copsed!

    I truly copsed! Oh God, do you no longer wish to watch over me?"

    Finally, the captain released Shard and leaned against the table, crying. Shard wanted to leave but suddenly noticed that the captain had put his hand inside his coat and then pulled out an all-ck revolver. It was clearly an antique, despite being well-maintained, but the passage of time could not be erased by mortal efforts.

    [You have encountered ''Whisper.'']

    "Hmm? Could this really be a [Relic]?"

    Shard thought, surprised.

    "Oh, why did you bring this thing to the banquet!"

    The friends of Captain Lades hurried over, worried that the captain waving the antique gun would rm the other guests. But they were not concerned about the direction of the gun''s barrel, as the revolver was supposed to be unloaded.

    "Put it away quickly!"

    People urged, but the captain staggered and reached for the person next to him, then grabbed Shard, who had not managed to leave in time:

    "Sir, look, it''s this thing, not me! I really fired the gun! I held it against my head but somehow couldn''t kill myself. The enemy snatched the gun and aimed it at me, and he... he ended up..."

    With a loud rip, the drunken captain exerted force, tearing off the entire right sleeve of Shard''s formal attire.

    Shard was still absorbed in Captain Lades'' incredible story and didn''t react in time, his mind preupied with how expensive the garment could be. Finally losing patience, Captain Lades'' friends restrained the drunken officer and took the antique revolver from him.

    "Sir, I am truly sorry,"

    One of them apologized to Shard. He ejected the cylinder to make sure it was indeed unloadable, and then, with the cold antique still in his hand, handed it over to Shard:

    "Lades has really had too much to drink. Take this gun aspensation for your attire. Sir, don''t be in a hurry to refuse. We believe that keeping this gun away from Lades might help him get over this quicker. We were not mocking him just now; it''s just that he got drunk and brought up this subject again... Who could understand such matters?"

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 73 Witch Council

    The other party didn''t even give Shard a chance to refuse; they just pushed the revolver into his hands:

    "Sir, if you are not satisfied with thispensation, I''ll leave you an address. Captain Lades is currently staying there. You can go to his apartment tomorrow and exchange this gun for morepensation."

    Shard couldn''t refuse and had to ept the gun. As he looked down at the gun in his hands, his fingers unexpectedly felt the raised, barely noticeable pattern on the surface of the barrel, which he interpreted as the words "Spear of Kindness."

    It took him a while to nod, not understanding what was happening with his luck tonight.

    He then received the address of Captain Lades, shared a moment with a group of people appreciating the topics of courage and loyalty, and continued searching for Miss Luisa. Of course, he couldn''t wear formal attire anymore, but being in a white shirt wasn''t particrly disrespectful:

    "But what exactly is the purpose of this gun? Does it definitely not hit its mark?"

    He wrapped the revolver in his coat, which was missing a sleeve, and continued on his way, thinking. But, since it was a free acquisition, Shard appreciated such cost-free items and nned to inquire at the Saint Byrons Library next Saturday.

    Earlier, while Shard was ying Roder Card under the vine trellis in the garden, the host of this summer''s outdoor party, who was none other than the younger son of the Earl of Crown, had already made an appearance in the courtyard.

    Now that night had fallen deeply, the atmosphere of the party was still pleasant. People gathered in groups of three or five, while young men and women would pair up amid theirpanions''ughter to stroll to the garden. Even if one didn''t like the atmosphere here, one could still stand alone with a wine ss and enjoy the night view.

    The Lakeside Manor was indeed toorge; Shard walked around and couldn''t spot Miss Luisa. But while leaning against a table and gazing at the grand manor house, worried about Dr. Schneider and Priest Augustus, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a girl with golden hair dashing near the stable on the side of the courtyard.

    The stable located at a corner of the courtyard was not part of the party venue, thus no candles were lit there, and the gasmps were off. The area was enveloped in darkness, an unlikely spot for regr guests unless they wanted to engage in some undisturbed, private activities.

    Golden-haired girls were not unique to Miss Luisa alone, but Shard thought the silhouette he saw resembled that of the writer, so he followed after, avoiding nearby onlookers.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    The manor itself was connected to the Earl''s horse grounds, and the stables inside the manor were primarily used for the manor''s guest carriages. Once he left the area illuminated by candlelight and gasmps, darkness enveloped Shard, giving him an ufortable feeling of creepiness.

    But that feeling quickly dissipated as he was choked by the pungent smell of the stables:

    "So that''s why the stables are built against the wall, purposely away from the courtyard."

    His eyes were almost teary, and as a young Ounder who had never been exposed to stables, he hadn''t anticipated this. Listening to theughter of women in his head, he leaned against the innermost wall of the courtyard, tears blurring his vision, unsure if he should get any closer.

    With no lights, the courtyard was already dim and with unstoppable tears, even if someone was standing ten steps away, Shard probably couldn''t see them:

    "This is terrible; this body seems to have night blindness."

    He couldn''t help but think, looking towards the distant outdoor banquet area, he could only see a blur of yellow lights. Looking towards the nearby stable, although he didn''t believe that ady like Miss Luisa would approach such a ce, he still cautiously took a few steps forward.

    Although this body had night blindness, his hearing was quite good. Standing beside the exterior wall of the stable and holding his breath, he then truly heard voices inside¡ªa man and a woman talking, but clearly not Miss Luisa.

    Since Shard hade, he wanted to listen to what they were talking about. Of course, it wasn''t out of a malicious interest in eavesdropping on a couple''s conversation; after all, it wouldn''t be a dating spot with such a smell, nor was this a remote ce without options. The densely bushed gardens of Lakeside Manor or the boats moored by Lake Schluch were far better ''open-air beds'' for lovers.

    "Jenny, are you sure ''the Council'' really has someone in Tobesk?"

    It was a man''s voice, sounding roughly the same age as Dr. Schneider. His voice was dull, as if his throat had been injured, and he didn''t speak with a Tobesk local ent.

    "The Council? Political schemes?"

    Shard thought to himself.

    Whether it was the northern Draleon Kingdom or the southern United Kingdom of Carsonrick, with the push of the Steam Industry Revolution, they hadpletely moved away from feudalism and even very. The political system here was simr to that of the western countries in Shard''s world; although the Royal Family still held absolute power, the nobility had already formed a council.

    "Yes, there is definitely a Grand Witch from the ''Witch Council'' in Tobesk City, and even the True God Church has not realized this. This is information I almost died obtaining, absolutely..."

    Shard didn''t continue to listen, instead, he carefully covered his own mouth and left.

    The term "Witch" used by Miss Jenny had a specific usage in the Draleonnguage, solely referring to the female spellcasters of the Fifth Era.

    The Fifth Era was the era of the witches, when only women could be spellcasters, and each Witch Empress ruled her own territory. With the mysterious end of the Fifth Era, the most powerful thirteen Witch Empresses all died, and thus the Sixth Era officially began.

    Shard had never heard Dr. Schneider and others mention the organization "Witch Council," but he understood that an organization daring enough to name itself in this manner might either be ignorant of everything or genuinely rted to the spellcasters of the Fifth Era.

    Therefore, Shard decided to slip away immediately. He knew from experience that such matters usually involved great trouble, and the young detective yearned for a peaceful life. Besides, he had a temporary responsibility to take care of Mia, the orange cat at home; he couldn''t afford to die carelessly.

    "However, suchrge open-air parties are indeed dangerous, and any type of person might appear."

    As Shard returned once more to the long banquet table at Lakeside Manor, he thought to himself, but he did not reach for any food; instead, he cautiously sniffed the sleeve of his shirt, feeling that it too might have picked up the scent of horse manure.

    After circling near the manor again, he still found no sign of Miss Luisa. Instead, he had a brief meeting with Viscount Lavende and his party, but Shard did not join their discussion about the card game under the grapevines.

    Owing to Priest Augustus''s instructions, Shard also dared not easily enter the main house of Lakeside Manor. Therefore, he thought of returning to the garden to try his luck once more.

    The night had grown deeper, but only a few of the guests had left. The garden area, muchrger than Saint Dn Square, seemed even quieter than when Shard had left it.

    He slowed his footsteps a little after entering the garden and did not dare to push aside the bushes or shrubs for fear of disturbing others.

    Unintentionally, he found himself back under that same grapevine-covered area, only this time, the stone table, where people had been ying cards, was now upied by a young poet with a wine ss, weeping. Shard had seen him earlier, before sunset, by the banquet table in the courtyard, where the poet was attempting to make conversation with a youngdy who was alone.

 Chapter 74 Miss Annette

    [You''vee into contact with "Desecration".]

    "What?"

    He had intended to bypass the grapevines, but suddenly, a voice emerged in his mind. Elements of "Desecration" were often rted to the Evil God, and Dr. Schneider had said that the correct response upon encountering such elements was to run away immediately.

    Shard also wanted to turn around and run, but there was someone else in front of him, a poet in tears, seemingly oblivious to Shard moving nearby.

    "Is the poet a Circle Sorcerer?"

    He continued to walk forward while uneasily asking himself.

    [No.]

    Shard breathed a sigh of relief, praising the usefulness of "the other me" in his mind while his steps lightened. He did not look around but instead walked straight under the grapevine-covered trellis.

    Only after he hadpletely left the area did he rx and stop, leaning against a flower bed, having truly worried that a pair of hands might suddenly drag him into darkness.

    "Is something concealed under the grapevine? Oh, it seems I can''t keep wandering around, or else real trouble might ur."

    The strange luck of the evening was truly unfathomable; Shard thought it best to find a safe ce and to stop wandering around.

    Once he collected himself, he looked around and realized he was in the garden maze area. A garden maze constructed from hedges and shrubbery, while not confusing enough to get lost in, certainly would take some time to navigate out of without caution.

    Shard nced at his pocket watch; it had been almost an hour since he parted ways with Priest Augustus. He did not know whether he could y a role in the forting significant events, but at the least, he could not afford to sit there all night.

    Continuing forward, he turned left at the intersection of fences and tree walls. Soon, he heard voices and was d, thinking he could follow others out, but upon hearing the conversation, he stopped:

    "Nightingale, do you even understand? You''re not Greyhawk. How could we who are concealed in Tobesk City not fear MI6? How dare you meet with me here? All for the glory of Carsonrick... Wait, did I just hear someone approaching?"

    "A spy from the United Kingdom of Carsonrick? This night, I''ve already encountered countless acquaintances, disheartened officers, strange Circle Sorcerers, foreign spies; what kind of mad night is this? Maybe the Roder Card game earlier used up all my luck for the day? How is that die with 20 points affecting me?"

    He turned and walked away, unwilling to get entangled with such trouble.

    At the next intersection, he turned right, and soon he heard footsteps again. These were numerous, clearly not just one or two people, and this reassured Shard. He quickly walked towards the sound and, upon rounding the corner at the end of the hedge, saw the Circle Sorcerer team under the Sun and Earth Church.

    Shard had seen them at the start of the banquet; a group of several dozen was now intact, also surprised by the sudden appearance of the young man from around the corner.

    The robust man at the front, who seemed to be the captain, scanned Shard for a moment before suddenly asking:

    "Sir, what is your purpose for attending the banquet at Lakeside Manor?"

    It was a standard sentence in ordinarynguage, yet Shard felt an urge to blurt out his inner thoughts.

    "The power of Circle Sorcerers! Luckily, he hadn''t anticipated that I''m no ordinary person."

    As he thought this, he didn''t resist the impulse to speak the truth, for it didn''t matter:

    "Of course, to y Roder Card."

    He spoke without hesitation, but once he finished, his face immediately disyed an intentionally surprised expression.

    "You, you, what power is this?"

    While speaking, he covered his mouth and stepped back, believing he might indeed be quite skilled at acting.

    The captain of the Circle Sorcerer team, the man who appeared quite strapping, gave Shard a look, then stepped forward amicably, patting his shoulder and meeting his eyes at close range, revealing the middle-aged man''s brown eyes:

    "Sir, forget you ever saw us, and then go do what you should be doing."

    Shard felt a slight dizziness.

    [Act as if you''re disoriented.]

    The murmuring sound signaled him, and Shard immediately narrowed his eyes, rocking his body clockwise like a roly-poly toy.

    He thought his disguise was ridiculous, but the Circle Sorcerers of the Sun and Earth Church obviously believed it. Thus, they paid no more attention to Shard and hurried past him with a team of people.

    Shard noticed the youngest girl in the group, with long brown hair, nced at him as she passed by, but she did not recognize him from their encounter in front of a pet shop a few days earlier and hurried away.

    Shard still maintained his absurd facade until he was sure he could no longer hear the footsteps of the Circle Sorcerers'' squad and then started to leave.

    "It seems my luck has suddenly turned bad, whether it''s eavesdropping near the stables, just now running into a foreign spy, or encountering the True God Church''s Circle Sorcerers here. Is this the price of good luck? However, running into the captain should be considered a good thing."

    Shard thought to himself, but the woman in his heart retorted:

    [Why can''t these be part of good luck?]

    "What''s so good about these things?"

    He asked, puzzled, keeping his head down and hurrying along the elegant path lit by brass gasmps. Suddenly someone patted his back, and Shard thought his "bad luck" was going to continue, but when he turned around, to his surprise, he saw the cheery blonde writer, Miss Dorothy Louisa.

    She was dressed in a beautiful, long evening gown that was fairly conservative in style, with the skirt''s pleats adorned with whitece.

    "Oh, this must definitely be good luck!"

    If they weren''t rtively unacquainted, Shard would have liked to hug her.

    "What good luck... What is that smell on you?"

    The blonde writer asked with a smile, her green eyes scrutinizing Shard curiously, wondering why he had his shirt on and was holding his coat. Shard, thinking that the residual smell of horse manure might still be on him, felt a bit embarrassed and patted his clothes.

    "Detective, what are you doing here? Just now, I happened to run into Luviya. She actually returned from Carsonrick yesterday but didn''t attend our study group. Let me introduce you."

    Shard puzzled for a moment:

    "Luviya? Who is that... Oh, Miss Luviya Ate."

    Miss Luviya Ate was the only Circle Sorcerer in Dr. Schneider''s group who had not met Shard. Three Rings, her regr job was with the Prophet''s Society, and she was a student jointly trained by Saint Byrons Integrated Academy and the Prophet''s Society.

    "Let''s talk about thatter; there''s something more important now."

    The two left the illuminated courtyard path and entered the dimly lit bushes nearby.

    Shard briefly mentioned his encounters with all sorts of strange characters that evening, leaving out the Roder Card part, and then spoke of his conversation with Priest Augustus an hour earlier:

    "Priest Augustus said that the church is very likely to make their move tonight, to capture ''Blood of Mercury''¡ªLady Lassoya, who is Jack Deon. The priest asked me to tell you to leave quickly and not to take a risk for the ''Forged Philosopher''s Stone''."

    At this, Miss Luisa''s expression became serious:

    "Indeed, tonight is not the right time to take action, but you are indeed lucky. A Circle Sorcerers'' squad from the True God Church usually avoids civilians, and you''ve encountered them three times in one night... Detective, make sure you stay away from the mansion. Since you parted ways with the priest an hour ago, then..."

    "Dorothy!"

    They both heard someone softly calling Miss Luisa''s name. ncing over at the gas-lit courtyard path, they saw a youngdy with brown, short, neat hair, wearing a blue evening gown, carrying two sses of wine as she walked towards them.

    Somehow, Shard realized that the slightly older-looking woman before him was Diviner Luviya Ate. Thest member of the Circle Sorcerer group had finally appeared.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Far from being pleased, he thought with surprise:

    "Wait, everyone''s here now? Oh, what exactly is about to happen?"

 Chapter 75 The Reward Collected

    The diviner with brown short hair also spotted the two figures in the shadows, hesitated for a moment, but did not step into the bush. Miss Luisa''s dress was rtively simple, but Miss Ate''s long gown could not risk being scratched by the bushes:

    "Here''s your champagne."

    She said with a smile to Miss Luisa, then looked at Shard as if she was observing a rare animal:

    Your adventure continues at empire

    "Hamilton Detective? Good evening. Dr. Schneider mentioned you in his letter. So, the doctor actually found a new Gifted One? Did he really use some precious Relic to overdraw his own luck?"

    The opinions about Dr. Schneider were really surprisingly unanimous.

    After exchanging greetings, Shard briefly went over the events of the evening again. Miss Ate, the diviner, did not show the same surprise as Miss Luisa:

    "In that case, I actually have something to say."

    She seemed a bit too calm.

    "What else is there?"

    Miss Luisa asked hesitantly.

    "Actually, I shouldn''t be telling you this. It''s information from the Prophet''s Society, and by the rules, I shouldn''t disclose it to others. But since we''re all here, I can''t let you walk into danger unknowingly... Do you not want to know the reason why Lady Lassoya is attending the banquet, as the detective mentioned?

    Is she really here just to apany her lover, influenced heavily by that Relic Ring?"

    Miss Ate''s index finger gently tapped the ss she held pinched between her thumb and slender middle finger.

    "What''s the reason?"

    Shard already had a bad feeling. With such strange luck around, it would be disappointing if nothing significant urred on this surreal night.

    "They want tobine a Sage Level (Level 2) Relic, ''God''s Gift Box,'' with an Angel-Level (Level 1) Relic, ''Blood of Mercury,'' which requires even stronger materials for support. Lady Lassoya''s presence at the banquet is for one of these materials. The ''Blood of Mercury'' n is to summon the Evil God, ''Lord of the Blood Feast,'' within the Lakeside Manor''s mansion.

    They need the power bestowed by the Evil God."

    "Lord of the Blood Feast?"

    Miss Luisa said in surprise.

    "Evil God? His arrival?"

    Shard did not even know what expression to make.

    The night the professors arrived at his home, he had heard of this Evil God and knew about the cultists'' coboration with ''Blood of Mercury.'' He just didn''t expect that ''Blood of Mercury'' would actually call Him, and that it would happen tonight.

    Miss Luviya remained calm, seemingly believing that the situation was still under control:

    "I only found out just now when I went to get the champagne. The Society passed the information to me and advised me to leave here as soon as possible. But don''t worry, the ritual to summon the Evil God won''t take effect until eleven sharp. The True God Church must have received the news by now, and it''s expected that Circle Sorcerers of Ten Rings or more will soon arrive."

    Shard pulled out his pocket watch:

    "It''s now twenty past ten tonight."

    "Dorothy, I''ll enter the mansion with you and get Priest Augustus and the doctor out. Detective, you stay here. Leaving rashly might raise suspicions, but also don''t get close to the mansion.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    ording to the information, cultists will primarily engage the True God Church''s Circle Sorcerer squad, and the ''Blood of Mercury'' members who came to execute the n include not only the ''Silver Light'' Lassod you mentioned, but also a high-ranking Circle Sorcerer known as ''Heart Collector.'' Be very careful."

    The diviner with brown short hair lifted her slender pale neck and downed the champagne in her hand, then with a rip sound, she tore her skirt and petticoat, making her expensive gown into an ordinary dress suitable for movement. Miss Luisa also nodded, raised both hands to gather her carefully styled blonde hair at the back of her head, then forcefully snapped off the heels of her shoes.

    Miss Luisa turned to Shard:

    "Detective, remember, under no circumstances approach the mansion tonight. If we all die, it''s your responsibility to inform the Academy of the situation."

    "Is that a possibility?"

    He asked with a hint of worry.

    "We must consider all possibilities, this is amon practice, and we cannot refrain from saving the doctors and the priests. Hamilton Detective..."

    The brown-haired diviner, Luviya Ate, gazed at Shard, and only then did Shard notice that thedy''s eyes were a light shade of purple. The purple color was stunningly beautiful, inducing an illusion of being drawn deep into it. Although purple eyes can ur naturally, they are extremely rare:

    "I am a diviner, destiny is revealing to me, another part of me is also warning me. I see an abnormal fate trajectory on you, something significant will definitely happen tonight, please be cautious."

    Thus, Shard watched as the twodies hastily departed. That feeling, as if sending women to the battlefield and being powerless oneself, was truly distressing.

    "I am still too weak, powerless to do anything."

    As he watched their graceful backs disappearing, Shard could not help but think. But before the voice of the woman inside him couldment, he remembered something he had forgotten to mention: there were elements rted to the Evil God near the grape arbor.

    "Could that ce be a node of the ritual?"

    ording to the history textbooks, the Circle Sorcerer System was formed in thetter part of the Fifth Era. Unlike the Arcane Technique and Sorcery, which only exist in contemporary times, "rituals" have been part of mysticism since ancient times and have functioned in both past and modern power systems.

    However, in the Sixth Era, due to the convenience of Arcane Techniques and Sorcery, Ritual Studies gradually declined, with only a few individuals still researching it.

    But this does not mean rituals are useless, although they require advanced preparation, usually involve immense consumption of materials, and need to meet stringent conditions, the effects ofrge-scale rituals are usually irreceable.

    Just like summoning an Evil God, something that no Arcane Technique or Sorcery can achieve alone, it requires a ritual. And since it is arge-scale ritual, it absolutely won''t be confined to a single table or room.

    If the information from the Prophet''s Society is correct, and the "Blood of Mercury" is indeed so dangerous, then the scale of the ritual to summon the Evil God could easily cover a small area of the garden from the vast Lakeside Manor.

    "Maybe I could try disrupting the ritual''s setup in the garden."

    Shard found a focal point and was pleased that he might y a role and do so without risking danger. He had already met a rtively friendly Deity of Bygone Days in the past space-time and didn''t want to encounter an Evil God in the current one.

    Upon returning under the grape arbor, the young poet who had been there earlier was gone. Now, there was only a middle-aged man dressed in fashionable burgundy attire sitting at the stone table, flipping through a small book with one hand.

    Shard approached, intending to find some excuse to make the middle-aged man leave, facilitating his search for a way to disrupt the ritual. Unexpectedly, the middle-aged man set down his book, turned towards him with a smile, and spoke first:

    "I''ve been waiting for you for a long time."

    This was not Tobesk''s ent; this man wasn''t local.

    "Waiting for me? I''m sorry, sir, but do we know each other?"

    Shard said in surprise. He was still some distance from the stone table under the grape arbor but had already stopped:

    "A Circle Sorcerer?"

    He asked inwardly, and the woman''s voice inside him responded:

    [Yes, quite a high level.]

    His heart seemed to skip a beat, but anxiety did not show on Shard''s face:

    "I think you''ve mistaken me for someone else."

    As he said this, wanting to turn and leave, the man called out to him, still smiling, but Shard felt a chilling danger, as if facing a primed shotgun.

    The man''s malice was no longer hidden:

    "No, I haven''t mistaken you. It''s you I''m looking for. Although I don''t know your name, don''t know your identity, don''t know your profession, don''t know your address, I am indeed looking for you..."

    He rolled up his left sleeve to reveal his arm, ck as if charred:

    "Has your luck run out? The gift of fate, now it''s time to repay!"

 Chapter 76 Dead End

    "Sir... I actually know a pretty good psychologist, should I introduce you to him?"

    Despite his shock, Shard asked politely. The man opposite him in the wine-red formal wear might very well be the Circle Sorcerer of "[[Blood of Mercury]]" that Miss Ate had just mentioned. He had just heard the news, and before he could turn around, he was caught; it seemed his luck had indeed run out.

    But there was no panic, Shard knew what he had to do.

    "No, I''m here for you; this book told me so."

    The man shook the small book in his hand at Shard. It was palm-sized, a size moremonly used for casual reading by travelers.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The cover of the book appeared to be made of wrinkled leather material, with nothing but a title and a single sentence. Shard had never seen thenguage used for the title and the sentence, but he still deciphered them:

    [[The Puppeteer''s Script]]

    [[Perhaps people think that they can control fate, yet they do not realize that all is already within the grasp of fate.]]

    "Do you need me to introduce it?"

    The middle-aged man rocked the book in his hand; he still sat by the stone table, at least ten steps from Shard at the edge of the grape arbor, but Shard dared not flee:

    "Our partners, the ''Blood Spirit School,'' haven''t sent anyone over yet, they have only sent the Angel-Level Relic ''[The Puppeteer''s Script]'' they found in the ''birthing room.'' Of course, this isn''t theplete script, just part of it that can be used ten times after being divided; I think it''s of Keeper of Secrets Level.

    It''s said to have been written by a mad puppeteer during the chaotic times of the Fourth Era, but the parts people get are nk. Under very stringent conditions, one can use their own blood to write on the pages and affect reality by paying a price."

    He was talking non-stop, eyeing Shard, who looked at his charred left arm.

    The detective wanted to back away, but the tingling numbness on his scalp made him too scared to move.

    "You don''t believe me? Even though the ''Blood Spirit School'' people haven''t arrived yet, this is enough. It''s fate favoring the ''Blood of Mercury,'' our goal will definitely be achieved. You might think theposition of the Blood of Mercury is insane, but with this, it''s not an illusion; it''s very convenient for finding things."

    This matched Old John''s intelligence report, the information from the stingy shopkeeper was surprisingly correct.

    The man gestured for Shard to sit opposite him, but Shard didn''t move:

    "So, what does this have to do with me?"

    He could feel his mind working furiously, contemting a way to escape.

    The man kept on talking incessantly, as if he had been preparing these words for a long time:

    "Not long ago, the statue of the Old God ''Vampire Duke Lowell,'' necessary for the synthesis of ''Blood of Mercury,'' was stolen. We tried to retrieve the statue through the pages of the script but didn''t expect that the holder of the statue was too strong,pletely unaffected by the iplete script, and Dwarf Rat Peter died while searching for it.

    So we thought of stepping back and finding and punishing the guy who discovered the statue. But in a very rare case, when I was writing your death ending, the writing unexpectedly failed."

    Shard heard the woman inside his heartugh.

    The man in the wine-red suit waved his charred left arm at Shard:

    "Just as I was about to finish that sentence, a drop of blood from a wound on my finger identally fell during the writing, altering the text. The ''Relic'' does not ept corrections, so it automatically modified the smear, resulting in a cost being paid by me, to have you favored by the Old God of Fate by midnight tonight."

    Among the five True Gods, none had "fate" as their main clerical duty. Therefore, the "God of Fate" that Circle Sorcerers often refer to is an Old God that has already fallen.

    His smile twisted, a hate that formed from long animosity towards an enemy. Although, just a few minutes prior, Shard didn''t even know of this man''s existence, their struggle had already gone through several rounds:

    "How lucky you are, young man. Can you tell me, how exactly did you cause that drop of blood to fall? The Silver-Eyed One tasked me with finding the lost statue; do you know how much I paid because of you?"

    The man''s voice grew increasingly somber and oppressive, but Shard remained silent, genuinely surprised that someone could harbor such deep hatred for him.

    "I''ve been looking for you all night, using the eighth opportunity this book provides to increase the chances of our encounter. But you''re just too lucky tonight, and I''m curious, why did you keep running around when you came to attend the banquet?"

    Despite the twisted expression on the man''s face in his wine-red suit, his tone of confusion did not seem feigned:

    "I set up multiple locations for you and went to search for you, but you kept moving, even near the stables, which almost led me into a fight with others. Did you reallye to attend the banquet, or were you here for a race?"

    Shard opened his mouth but didn''t know how to respond; this was something he couldn''t exin.

    "It should have been your opportunity when I was here ying Roder Card, right?"

    There was panic in his heart, but he maintained a calm tone. Escape seemed impossible, but perhaps he could use Sorcery "False Immortality" to feign death and bluff his way through.

    "But there were just too many people around, and for the ritual for the ''Lord of the Blood Feast'' to descend, I couldn''t disturb the True God Church before the ceremony began... Your luck even extended to frequent encounters with the True God Church''s Circle Sorcerer squad just as I was about to catch you. Young sir, do you know how much I''ve paid for your good fortune tonight?"

    His tone suddenly turned cold, shaking his sleeves to cover his charred left arm, and his snake-like yellow eyes fixed on Shard:

    "Look, you''ve finallye to see me. Luck is only luck, but what I possess is power! Damn it, in a moment, I must see what your heart looks like! Do you know how much I''ve paid for you?"

    This way of speaking made Shard''s scalp tingle.

    The man ced the small book on the stone table, then gestured for Shard to sit opposite him.

    Shard certainly didn''t want to do so, but as the man''s increasingly terrifying aura emerged, blood-red chains seemed to dance behind him. The chains writhed like snakes, and the stinging sensation in his heart forced Shard to walk towards another stone stool by the table.

    The man in the wine-red suit seemed less human and more like a wild animal, exuding a sense of ferocity and danger. The current situation could almost be considered a dead end.

    "Still too weak..."

    The oppressive atmosphere made it hard to breathe, but his heart held no despair; until the veryst moment, he would never lose confidence in survival.

    "Alright, sir, take out all the ''Relics'' you have on you. Take it slow, no sudden movements."

    After confirming Shard was seated, the man said, and then pulled out the fountain pen from his chest:

    "The ''Puppeteer''s Script'' has two opportunities left, and for you, I''m willing to waste one. But I won''t pay the price; instead of letting you die directly, I want you to feel greater pain!"

    He uncapped the pen and began writing in the ''Puppeteer''s Script,'' reciting the content as though reading a poem:

    "Oh you, the one across,

    Read exclusive content at empire

    Please disarm.

    Lay down your weapons,

    Cast aside your power,

    You,

    Will have nothing left."

 Chapter 77 Spear of Kindness

    "The script did not have coercive power; it couldn''t make Shardmit actions uncontrobly. But whatever was written on it was destined to happen, unchangeable, as if an invisible hand was manipting fate, leading Shard to appear under the grape arbor once more, just like it was meant to be."

    "Outmatched in power, Shard had no other option. He had never felt such a longing for strength before. It wasn''t that he hadn''t tried to be stronger in the past, but as an Ounder, he was still new to this world."

    "In this world, indeed, strength is required."

    After taking a deep breath to calm his spirit and suppress the unease in his heart, Shard stared at his opponent and slowly took out the pendant holding the Vampire Ring, to which the other party smiled andmented,

    "So this was also stolen by you."

    But it wasn''t.

    Shard brought out the box containing The Twenty-Sided Die of Destiny. The man opened it and looked surprised,

    "Is this that Keeper of Secrets Level Relic? The rare item that can interfere with fate? I see, so you used this to fight against the Puppeteer''s Script. How interesting, you''re a Correspondence Circle Mage from Saint Lawrence Integrated Academy?"

    He was obviously very familiar with these relics.

    Shard pulled out the Silvermoon Orb pendant from his chest, and the man nced at it and shook his head,

    "What is this mess? Quite peculiar."

    Shard made no further move; the man looked at him, eyes shing menacingly, and tapped his right hand on the stone table,

    "Moreover, you have something else quite extraordinary on you. Another told me about it; he wouldn''t lie to me."

    So Shard took out a bag of Dried Frog Legs, the Spellcasting Materials for Sorcery called Frog''s Leap.

    "Not this, what is this? What else is there! Are you mocking me?"

    The man momentarily showed shock, tapping his finger on the table, urging impatiently.

    Shard took out a diary and disyed two Roder Cards, but the man didn''t even nce,

    "So you''re a gambler too? No, Roder Cards aremon items, don''t you even know this much? Come on, take out what you''ve hidden. I know you must be counting on that item to turn the tables."

    Shard thought for a moment, then with a strange look in his eyes that made the man in the burgundy suit feel somewhat ufortable, pulled out the frosty antique revolver from within his sleeveless rolled-up jacket.

    At this moment, caressing the engravings on the gun, the Ounder felt as though he could really see fate. With a curious premonition in his heart, he knew that under the peculiar turn of luck, his n to feign death using the Sorcery called False Immortality was no longer necessary.

    "Oh? What''s this?"

    The man in the burgundy suit did not recognize what it was either but after touching it and inspecting it over, he realized it was indeed a Relic. He held it up for a closer look, opened the revolver''s cylinder, and found no bullets in the six chambers. But with a slight shake, bullets magically appeared in the cylinder.

    A smile curled on the man''s lips:

    "This is good, using Spirit to automatically replenish bullets. I''ve always wanted an offensive Relic; this is perfect. It seems my luck tonight isn''t so bad, what you owe me will eventually be paid back to me. Ha, fate is indeed fair to everyone! Thew of conservation of luck is definitely not superstition.

    I suppose, you know what this Relic does, don''t you? It''s not just about replenishing bullets, that''s why you wanted to hide it until the end, hoping that I wouldn''t notice and give you the chance to pull the trigger."

    Shard pursed his lips, unsure if he shouldpliment the man''s wild imagination. Perhaps the man sitting across from him should be a writer like Miss Luisa:

    "Sorry, I don''t know what use this revolver has either."

    Shard replied honestly. The man chuckled once, held the gun in his right hand, and with a click of metallic sound, his stout fingers pressed down the hammer, then he slowly raised his hand, aiming the dark muzzle of the gun at Shard''s forehead:

    "I used sorcery to prevent the gunshot from being heard outside, since you''re not willing to talk, let''s try and see what this gun can actually do. Do you want to die? Or tell me the answer,"

    The round stone table was quiterge, the handgun was raised above the table, and it did not cross the midpoint of the round table.

    Grapes hung from a trellis with gasmps overhead, and candles brought by the man provided light on the round table. The dim yellow light shone on the faces of the two people by the table, during that silent moment, not even the slightest breeze blew.

    Shard looked at the barrel of the gun, his lips trembling momentarily, even with his own n, his heart felt as if it was about to jump out of his throat, and he could feel the sweat streaming down his face.

    At this moment of life or death, it seemed he was only a step away from dying. Sinceing to this world, this was the most perilous situation he had faced. But out of millions of thoughts, he considered the possibility that he might survive.

    "My thoughts must be correct, my thoughts must be correct! The good luck I''ve had tonight can''t have run out yet!"

    Continue your adventure with empire

    He kept repeating to himself.

    "What exactly does this handgun [Relic] do?"

    The man asked again, Shard shook his head, unexpectedly reaching out in front of the man to pick up [The Twenty-Sided Die of Destiny] from the opened box.

    "The good luck generated by [Puppeteer''s Script] can''t affect [The Twenty-Sided Die of Destiny]. If you''re relying on your current good fortune to roll a 20 again, then don''t bother, you won''t roll a 20. Luck cannot ovee power. Using the script might indeed lead you to be misled by the traps of fate, but what can you do this time?"

    The man said in surprise but saw Shard proceed with the motion of throwing the dice, Shard''s back soaked through his shirt.

    [Are you ready?]

    The whisper came unexpectedly, she really understood Shard.

    "I''m ready."

    The middle-aged man in maroon suitughed at his action,

    "Since you''re not giving up, young Circle Sorcerer, goodbye."

    He pulled the trigger, and before The Twenty-Sided Die of Destiny was thrown, the antique revolver was fired normally.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    In the gunshot muted by arcane technique, which failed to cut through the night, a brass bullet spun out of the barrel, crossing the dim light of the gasmp and the evening breeze of a summer garden, leaving a trail of air vortex over the midline of the round table, flying towards Shard''s forehead.

    This was the real moment before death, Shard didn''t think of the people he knew in this world, instead, he clenched the dice that he hadn''t thrown and closed his eyes:

    "This has to be..."

    The bullet, covered in an odd ck iron spiritual light, didn''t continue forward but traced a perfect arc in the air and flew back.

    "What?"

    Bang~

    The bullet prated the brains of the gunman, his head exploding like a watermelon hit with a heavy blow.

    Red and white matter sprayed in all directions, the man''s body sat stiff, copsing amidst the echo of the gunshot and the white smoke from the barrel.

    Shard, covered in brain matter and blood, didn''t move, the candles were knocked over by the sttering blood, and the ss of the gasmps on the trellises were also covered in blood. The light suddenly dimmed, Shard opened his eyes, watching the gunsmoke drift into the night sky, then dissipating under the evening breeze beneath the trellis.

    The night wind blew, and he trembled as he let out a breath:

    "... the Spear of Kindness."

 Chapter 78 Blood Mist

    The evening breeze passing beneath the grape trellis caused Shard, who had narrowly escaped death, to shudder involuntarily. Even for a Circle Sorcerer, if one''s head exploded like a watermelon, it was certain death. He sat there, motionless, watching the scene before him as a voice whispered in his ear:

    "I thought you might throw the dice, trying to roll another 20 to turn the situation around."

    "No, I wouldn''t bet on luck. I just used the action of throwing the dice to force him to shoot, otherwise, if he became cautious and tried to kill me in some other way, I would really have to meet the Grim Reaper... Speaking of which, thest time I rolled a 20, it was to counter the ''Puppeteer''s Script'', so if the Blood Spirit School sends another page of the script, can you still help me?"

    "Of course."

    The woman chuckled softly in Shard''s ear, still pleasing to hear.

    A rigid smile appeared on Shard''s face, and his mood gradually settled down. He still sat there, muttering to himself in his heart:

    "This isn''t a stroke of luck for me. Since it''s called the ''Spear of Kindness'', and it doesn''t kill a suicidee, then perhaps under my luck tonight, the opposite might also work."

    "Do you have any other ns?"

    "The original n was to feign death, but whether I could fool the other party with a feigned death also relied on luck."

    After saying this, he took another deep breath and exhaled before feeling that he could control his body, which was numbed by the fear of impending death. His back was actually soaked through, and as the night wind blew, he couldn''t help shivering.

    Shard stood up, feeling as if he hade back to lifepared to when he had sat down a few minutes before. He calmly and carefully wiped the dice with the headless corpse''s clothes, then pocketed it along with the ring and the Orb of Silvermoon.

    When he retrieved the ''Spear of Kindness'' from the corpse''s hand, he discovered that blood soaking into the part of the gun where the bullets were held revealed a circle of tiny inscriptions that he hadn''t noticed before¡ª

    Do no harm to oneself, do no harm to others.

    "Ha~"

    Heugh dryly, his face and half of his shirt front now covered in blood, but he didn''t forget to take the ''Puppeteer''s Script'' from the stone table.

    The script''s leather cover seemed capable of soaking up blood, so it wasn''t stained. Unfortunately, the first nine pages had already been used, and in order not to let the holder notice the content used previously, the sentences at the front had been cked out.

    Shaking his head, Shard held the script in his hand. He didn''t bother cleaning the bloodstains and brain matter off the ground and table but dragged the headless corpse away from under the grape trellis and turned to walk into the garden''s maze.

    With the night wind blowing, his mindpletely cleared. After the feelings of horror and calmness had dissipated, he felt somewhat mncholic:

    "I must gain power, never gamble with my life again. I want to possess both God''s Afterglow and the power of the Circle Sorcerer!"

    "I will bless you, Ounder."

    Dragging the body into the bushes behind the hedge, he didn''t continue walking because he knew he couldn''t hide the blood trail on the ground.

    Shard sat down next to the body, breathing in the scent of the grass, recuperating his stamina, and pondering what he could do.

    He had no idea how long he had been sitting on the grass when he heard footsteps approaching. Before he could stand up, he saw Miss Ate, whom he had parted with just dozens of minutes ago, emerge through the hedge.

    The female Diviner with short brown hair tilted her head, nced at the headless corpse, and then at Shard with blood all over his face and shirt. Her lightly made-up eyebrows furrowed slightly.

    "I didn''t kill anyone."

    Shard, holding the gun and sitting next to the body, said, noticing that his voice had returned to normal. The fear had left him; now, he only longed for power.

    Miss Ate looked at the body again, raising her eyebrows in surprise and doubt:

    "Although there is no head, from the clothing, this appears to be the Heart Collector of the Blood of Mercury. He actually died at your hands, what exactly did you do in these past ten minutes?"

    "Has it only been ten minutes? It''s ratherplicated to exin. It''s a story of a revolver and luck, possibly moreplex than the incident itself. If you want to hear it, I can make a long story short." Enjoy new chapters from empire

    He said, but Miss Ate with purple eyes shook her head:

    "Then let''s not talk about it for now, there''s been an incident inside the mansion, and we need your help."

    She extended her hand to Shard, who looked at the blood on his own hands and, not wanting to dirty hers, eventually shook his head and chose to stand up on his own.

    "You were able to divine that I was here?"

    He asked while gazing at the distant mansion; in the hazy night, almost imperceptibly, it seemed that a very faint blood-red halo surrounded it. Not only that, but after he activated Echo of Blood, he discovered even the air bore traces of blood¡ªthis was a blood mist undetectable to the naked eye. And Lakeside Manor seemed to be enveloped by a gigantic blood-red cocoon.

    In his extraordinary vision, he seemed to see a huge, profound shadow creeping over the manor, with blood-colored blurry pirs of light connecting to the depths of the suddenly overcast night sky.

    He grunted and immediately closed off his sorcery; merely a glimpse had caused his head to buzz. He knew this feeling well¡ªit was the breath of a god, and the mere power generated from the ritual itself was already startling.

    "No, it''s just that the stench of blood here is too strong. I came to try my luck, initially wanting to catch a cat to assist me. Detective, now put on the clothes from the body and wear this mask, there''s no time for you to wash up."

    The wine-red formal attire of the headless corpse was not noticeably stained with blood, while the mask was a wooden artifact twisted into being by Miss Ate''s light caressing of the flower bushes, an ordinary design, tied over the head with a grass rope.

    "Has the Evil God descended already?"

    Shard asked, feeling his heart''s beating rate, his eyes could only perceive darkness shrouding the mansion. Mysterious and profound, Lakeside Manor seemed to havepletely transformed at this moment.

    "Not yet, we encountered Lady Lassoya, or rather, Sir. The individual is a Circle Sorcerer of Six Rings, and now a doctor, a priest, and Dorothy have trapped him, or perhaps he has trapped them. I need assistance."

    "It really is terrible luck,"

    he thought to himself.

    Shard could imagine the dangers of entering the mansion. He could choose to leave, but he couldn''t bear to watch his new friends, whom he had just met, die. Since he had be a Circle Sorcerer, he was prepared to face danger; he would not run away. Always running, there would inevitablye a time when he could not escape:

    "I will go with you."

    At this moment, his mood was surprisingly calm, even his lips subconsciously curled up slightly in pleasure; he knew he had made the right choice. Even if he truly died in the mansion tonight, he would not regret this decision.

    Miss Ate observed the detective''s expressions; the Diviner understood Shard''s feelings at present:

    "This is the life of a Circle Sorcerer, having stepped into the transcendent and the mystical, one can never turn back. Detective, you might have just faced a life-and-death decision not long ago, but for now, forget about that. I''m sorry, although it''s dangerous, you''re about to experience life and death with me once again.

    Your story, we can wait until tonight is over, then you can tell us all about it."

    "Will the Evil God descend? Also, I''ve noticed traces of the ritual within the garden."

    Shard asked, changing into the clothes and donning the mask, walking out of the bushes with the valiant Miss Ate. Thetter, facing the moonlight, shook her head, her purple eyes appearing luminous:

    "Whether the Evil God will descend, I do not know, we can only do what we are capable of doing. The Divine Descent Ritual is vast¡ªthe arrangements within the garden are peripheral, not important. What''s crucial is on the third floor of the mansion. Come with me, Detective."

    Leaving only the headless corpse lying behind in the bushes, clouds drifted from afar to cover the trio of moons, and the Star River ceased to glimmer. The headless body was gradually enveloped in shadows and blood mist, the area once again regaining its peace and serenity.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

 Chapter 79 Approaching

    As Miss Ate made her way through the garden, she realized that there were no longer any sounds of merriment in the manor, not even the chirping of insects on a summer night. It was only when she got closer to the mansion that she saw the guests who had attended the garden party lying unconscious on the ground, although there was no immediate danger to their lives.

    It seemed there was no longer any need to wear masks.

    Shard used the "Echo of Blood" again to observe and found that each person was marked with blood-colored patterns, except for himself and Miss Ate. This world was indeed very dangerous for ordinary people.

    "Although the ritual hasn''t fully begun, its power has already started to affect the surroundings. This was unexpected by both the association and the True God Church, but it''s better this way, since we won''t have to worry about ordinary people when we fight."

    Miss Ate exined.

    The closer they got to the mansion, the more they could smell a sickly sweet scent in the air. Upon actually reaching the perimeter of the mansion, they even saw that the vines crawling up the walls had sprouted bizarre blood-red flowers. Miss Ate even casually picked two, iming that they were rare supernatural materials.

    While Shard was hiding behind the hedge "contemting life" and waiting for things to end, unrest stirred inside the mansion. Although Lady Lassoya of the ''Blood of Mercury'' was unexpectedly trapped by the doctor and others, and the man in the burgundy suit was seeking revenge on Shard, the followers of the Evil God, the "Lord of the Blood Feast," had also entered Lakeside Manor.

    In fact, the cultists were in charge of the main parts of the ritual of the Evil God''s arrival, with ''Blood of Mercury'' merely providing assistance.

    One side coveted an artefact of the Evil God, the other yearned for the Evil God''s arrival, each getting what they needed.

    The Circle Sorcerers of the True God Church were the first to encounter the cultists, who triggered the ritual prematurely when things took a bad turn.

    Dr. Schneider, on the other hand, had made contact with Lady Lassoya first, as after all, he only knew that this gender-ambiguous individual was a member of the ''Blood of Mercury''.

    Because of this ident, Dr. Schneider now found himself face to face with Lady Lassoya on the third floor of the mansion, while the True God Church''s squads were on the lower floors, battling the cultists. Priest Augustus and Miss Luisa, who wanted to find the doctor, were consequently forced to remain on the third floor.

    Miss Ate''s departure from the mansion was not to evade battle, but because she had a scribe-level "Relic" in her hands that required two Circle Sorcerers to use.

    "Are we going to use this Relic to defeat Lady Lassoya?"

    As they hurried along, Shard asked the female diviner about their n.

    "Of course not. We''re going to use this Relic to identify the nodes of the Evil God''s arrival ritual and destroy the main nodes. Otherwise, once the Evil God arrives, no matter how many people we defeat, we won''t be able to escape. The presence of the ''Lord of the Blood Feast'' would destroy the entire Tobesk. Every time this Evil God appears, a Blood Feast ensues, devouring at least an entire city."

    Miss Ate seemed quite familiar with theyout of Lakeside''s manor house. She led Shard into the building through a service passage used for bringing in kitchen vegetables from the back of the house. Using the servants'' stairwell, they avoided the uninformed first and second floors and went straight to the third floor.

    Emerging from the staircase into the corridor, the increasingly dense blood fog surrounded them, the opulent passage seemed to be adorned with gold, but in reality, it was only the elegant gasmpshades on the walls that were deliberately casting such glimmers. A red carpet extended from one end of the corridor to the other, and the walls were hung with exquisite and expensive portrait paintings.

    The doors were all made of yellow solid wood, which, along with the smooth floor tiles and wall tiles lining the corridor walls, showcased the owner''s wealth.

    The silence was profound, as if not a soul was present. Shard instinctively felt danger in the silence of the third floor, as if an indescribable entity in the shadows was peeping at people in the light, a sense of danger even more terrifying than the man in the burgundy suit.

    Find exclusive stories on empire

    Even though the "Lord of the Blood Feast" had not yet appeared, his power was already unconsciously affecting the mortals.

    ```

    "The Evil God summoning ritual is taking ce on the third floor, which is why the manor owner Little Clown, deceived by the cultists, had everyone on the third floor leave in advance. Right now, Circle Sorcerers from the church are downstairs, and within the Tobesk Grand Diocese of the Church of the Five Great Deities, there are Thirteen Ring Sorcerers.

    Even though they do not know that the ritual was started ahead of schedule, based on past experiences, they will arrive within fifteen minutes."

    Tobesk City is the capital of one of thergest human kingdoms, the Draleon Kingdom. This ce is a true archdiocese, where even a Thirteen Ring Sorcerer is stationed, Sari Pilot¡ªthe ''Iron Right Hand'' under the Lady of Creation, a gentleman over fifty years old.

    "So, how much time do we have until the ritual fullyes into effect?"

    Shard asked.

    "Seven minutes."

    "Hmm?"

    He blinked, doubting he had heard correctly, but Miss Ate confirmed that he hadn''t misheard:

    "Yes, we are very unlucky. Now, only we are able to stop the ritual. Fortunately, both the Blood of Mercury and the cultists are tied up, so no one will obstruct our actions¡ªwe are safe."

    She noticed that Shard had stopped:

    "Detective, are you scared?"

    Shard shook his head:

    "I am just surprised, why have we be the saviors? Logically speaking, this is a task for the church."

    Miss Ate''s purple eyes revealed a hint of amusement; she did not show a trace of fear:

    "They have been deliberately tied up, and the other party did not expect a Circle Sorcerer from the Academy to be here. Detective, we live in this city, we live in this world; we are part of it. Some things can be avoided, but this is not one of them.

    The Evil God summoned by the ritual is not appearing in a holy form through human possession, but in its actual form¡­ This is a disaster no one can escape from."

    "I know, since I came with you, I won''t run away."

    The female Diviner showed a soft smile:

    "If it weren''t for an incident of this level, of course, we would run. But this time, there truly is no escape. But don''t worry, we are just doing what we can as best as we are able. It''s just unfortunate that we''ve been pushed to the forefront. We are now the only ones who can act freely, which sounds dangerous, but, in fact, it is quite safe.

    It''s the Circle Sorcerer squads from the True God Church who are undertaking the most dangerous tasks."

    She stomped her foot, with her heel-less high heel, signaling to the people fighting below.

    Shard looked down at her foot, and because he wore a mask, the action was especially noticeable, so he received a p from the embarrassed woman.

    In the fashion of this era,dies could even have their evening gowns cut to expose a small part of their backs, but revealing their legs was something only courtesans did. Naturally, staring at ady''s feet was also considered quite impolite.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    ```

 Chapter 80 Seriously Injured People

    "So, what needs to be done now?"

    Having fully understood the situation and adjusted his mindset, Shard asked. The current situation seemed no more dangerous than when someone had pointed a gun at his head moments ago.

    "Find the nodes of the ritual."

    Miss Ate pulled her skirt over her feet and took a handful of shiny powder from a small pocket at her waist. She ced the powder in her palm, and with her lipstick-coated lips, she gently blew, scattering the powder, which seemed to hover in the air under the gaslight.

    The blood mist had already blurred everything in front of her, and now with that dust, the corridor became even more elusive. Miss Ate took off her ruby hairpin, touched it lightly with her fingers, and handed it to Shard:

    "I will use the Scribe Level Relic ''Dust of Truth'' to enter the Illusionary Realm and cooperate with another version of myself. We will look for the ritual nodes from different perspectives. It should take about five minutes. During this time, you need to hold onto my keepsake to guide me back, or else I could fall into the seams of the Dreamscape."

    "I just need to hold onto it?"

    Shard asked, gripping the hairpin tightly.

    "Do not stray too far from the third floor, or I will lose connection with the keepsake. A keepsake must be held by a conscious living being, I would have caught a cat or a fish from the garden if I hadn''t found you. Remember, Detective, the Lord of the Blood Feast¡ªGod of Sin¡ªis arriving in seven minutes, and I will be in the Illusionary Realm for five.

    During this time, do not interact with anyone and wait patiently."

    She paused, her expression turning grave:

    "If I do not return within five minutes, leave via the main staircase. The team from the True God Church''s Ring Sorcerers will ensure your safety downstairs. I am sorry, Detective, but you shouldn''t have been involved in this being only at the First Ring." Read exclusive content at empire

    She pursed her lips.

    "It''s fine since I am here too."

    Shard clutched Miss Ate''s hairpin tightly, his expression serious. He did not know what woulde next, but since he was already here, there was no reason to leave:

    "Though I have just awakened from my Blind Foolishness and haven''t been acquainted with this civilization for long, since I cannot leave, I am part of this, and I should do what I must do."

    Of course, this matter wasn''t as dangerous as it sounded, which was also why.

    The diviner girl with purple eyes smiled, winked as if she had made up her mind, and said:

    "If I don''t return and the doctors have been killed, then the only safe ce tonight would be under the team of Ring Sorcerers from the Sun and Earth Church, led by the True God ''Lantern Bearer''."

    They were that team of about a dozen people Shard had encountered twice tonight.

    "More precisely, the safest ce will be near the youngestdy in the team, Miss Iluna Beath."

    "Why?"

    Shard thought of that somewhat nervous, brown-haired girl, Miss Iluna Beath, whose hair color was very simr to Miss Ate''s, though the Diviner had short hair.

    "Because she is the Chosen One, the protagonist of ''Whispering Verses''¡ªPoem Chapter... one of the thirteen Chosen Ones."

    "What?"

    Shard asked, his head snapping up as he grasped the severity of the information:

    "Again, thirteen? No, that''s not the point, what are the Whispering Verses?"

    "I haven''t even told the doctors about these things, but I would be happy to exin them to you afterward if we survive. Right now, there are more important things to do."

    The Diviner with purple eyes shook her head slightly and then turned to walk into the corridor where crystalline dust hovered. Her figure, along with those illusionary dust and phantoms, disappeared into the bright yellow light, and the blood mist refilled the space that had just been upied by the shining dust.

    Only the surprised detective remained:

    "What does that mean? Miss Iluna Beath is The Chosen One? Ancient God, God of Sin, Witch, Relic, Sublimation Incantation, Whispering Verses... What on earth is going on with this world? It seems like something big is about to happen in this era I''ve arrived in."

    In that moment, the deathly silent manor seemed to harbor only Shard as the living soul, though a battle should be urring on the second floor, not a single sound was heard. Standing in the blood-mist of the corridor, an unnerving sense of dangerpelled Shard to seek a ce to hide.

    Yet, Shard dared not enter any rooms, merely finding his way to the third-floor banquet hall, where Dr. Schneider and the two others were confronting Lady Lassoya.

    He had barely approached when a voice in his head warned him repeatedly of the four elements present, and Shard saw the densely packed rune shackles on the grand double golden doors.

    He dared not interpret those runes, fearful of fainting at such a critical moment.

    "Four more minutes, and Miss Ate will be back,"

    Shard thought, nervously standing by the entrance to the banquet hall. The banquet hall faced the central main staircase of the Lakeside Manor, and he was highly concerned that the cultists, having defeated the True God Church''s team of Circle Sorcerers, would burst into the third floor.

    "It''s not yet midnight; could this be considered good luck for tonight?"

    He pondered trivial matters, continuously checking the time on his pocket watch.

    In his mind, he wanted to take out the "Puppeteer''s Script" to browse through it once more, hoping to find a way to resolve tonight''s events in thisst use of the Keeper of Secrets Level "Relic."

    But perhaps Shard''s luck finally ran out before he could take out the small book, as the silent manor suddenly made a sound.

    The next moment, a shocking explosion emanated from the banquet hall beside him, shattering the peaceful moonlit night.

    The two golden doors were sted open amid mes and smoke, and Shard, who was by the door, was directly blown away, coughing blood as he crashed against the wall at the staircasending, tumbling to the cold ground along with the portrait of a bearded noble that had been hanging there.

    "Oh!"

    He tried to rise from the smoke and dust but found his body unresponsive; the impact had definitely caused internal injuries,

    At that moment, he also discerned the true cause of the explosion. The blond Miss Writer had flown out of the banquet hall, her body having shattered the two doors. Now, Miss Luisa was lying near Shard at the staircasending, half her body submerged in a pool of blood, her life hanging by a thread, her golden hair slowly staining with blood.

    "I knew it wouldn''t go smoothly."

    Shard, enduring the severe pain in his left arm and chest, struggled to his feet, and touched the golden-haired girl''s face, casting the sorcery "False Immortality" to ensure she wouldn''t die within half an hour.

    He wanted to help Miss Luisa flee to the other end of the corridor. Though hecked the time to check his pocket watch, he knew that Miss Ate would soon return, and he couldn''t leave the third floor now.

    Another loud noise came from the banquet hall, and the white steam of the Ring of Fate emerged, dispersing the blood mist and almostpletely obscuring the doorway. Shard heard Priest Augustus''s angry roars and prayers to "Mr. Dawn," never imagining the old man could possess such strength.

    "Hurry and go!"

    Dr. Schneider''s voice spoke from deeper within the banquet hall to Priest Augustus, but the next moment, a silver light pir struck the Ring of Fate behind the priest, and he staggered out of the room to the corridor, where he also saw Shard and Miss Luisa.

    Even though Shard had changed clothes and was wearing a mask, Priest Augustus recognized him:

    "How do you..."

    "Exining this is very..." Shard coughed and coughed.

    Not just Shard, Priest Augustus also coughed up blood, the air suddenly thick with the smell of blood:

    "It''s bad, the Divine Descent Ritual is about to start, we need to hurry."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The priest tried to help Shard and Miss Luisa up, but he too was severely injured, merely pushing through the pain. He barely took a few steps before copsing heavily, and he too passed out, causing Shard too to reach out and touch the priest, now harboring a very bad feeling.

 Chapter 81 The Hound of Light

    "This is bad."

    After having added Sorcery for the priest as well, Shard struggled to take out the little book. Using it required a price to pay, so Shard didn''t dare to write anything too extreme. Instead, he dipped his finger in the blood he had spat out and wrote on the nk page:

    "Even if primitive and evil forces cause me to fall into slumber, I will be able to awake at the appropriate time."

    This was to prevent himself from also passing out, ensuring that there would still be someone to lead the others in escape. Using such a precious Relic in this way was certainly wasteful, but it was the safest phrase he dared write with the Keeper of Secrets Level Relic.

    He could have written "Shard defeats the Evil God," but the cost of that might have sent him straight to Detective Sparrow.

    Dr. Schneider, who was currently battling Lady Lassoya, also retreated to the doorway of the banquet hall as Shard struggled to rise again. His boots stepped on the shattered red carpet from the explosion.

    Behind the doctor, a brass pentagonal metal ring was spinning at an unprecedented rate, with four-colored Spirit Runes fluttering above the Ring of Fate, but the doctor kept retreating. He too was close to not being able to hold on any longer.

    "How are you here?"

    Shocked by Shard''s appearance, and seeing that hisrades had all fallen, the doctor gritted his teeth and used his body to block Shard''s line of sight:

    "Shard, I have never mentioned to you the Circle Sorcerer''s strongest power; by rights, you shouldn''t have known about it now. But there''s no other way, please witness my power. I might fall unconscious after using this power. If I win, remember to take all of us..."

    A silver sh appeared from inside the banquet hall, and the doctor staggered backward. Astonishingly, a crack appeared on the Ring of Fate behind him.

    "Pay attention, Detective! This is not a power that can be lightly wielded. The Circle Sorcerer''s phase sublimation isn''t so simple!"

    Dr. Schneider suddenly shouted loudly and with the eruption of the repressed power, a new figure appeared through the scorching Steam Mist behind him.

    Shard''s eyes widened:

    "This is..."

    [...his ''other self.'']

    "What is the doctor doing? Wait!"

    Shard, by the wall, suddenly sniffed vigorously, and amid the scent of blood mist, he smelled a very distinct sulfur odor. He thought he heardughter, he thought he heard low sobs, but then he heard nothing:

    "Sulfur? Wait, Professor Sanchez said there might be something inside the doctor''s heart..."

    Shard hadn''t expected to encounter the truth for the first time in such a moment.

    The figure that emerged behind the doctor was indistinct due to the Steam Mist, standing behind the doctor nearly symmetrical across the Ring of Fate.

    Then, the blurred tall figure in the mist raised its right hand in unison with Dr. Schneider. Their voices ovepped, but whether it was the doctor''s Draleonian or the tall figure''s strange and evil tongue, Shard understood it all.

    Roaring wind burst into the corridor, and the light seemed to dim at this moment. A brand-new power surged within the doctor, altering the space because of this force.

    Both cried out loudly:

    "Hound of light..."

    Shard''s eyes widened.

    Behind Dr. Schneider, the golden Miracle Soul Rune [Brightness] and the brass Enlightenment Spirit Rune [Hound] detached from the ring, drifting towards the center of the spinning brass hoop.

    The voice grew deeper, and thest half of the sentence sounded like the final whisper of a life:

    "...running through a dreamscape of malice."

    The ck iron color of "Whisper," the silver of "Desecration," and Dr. Schneider''s core Spirit Rune "Dream," gathered in the center of the Ring of Fate, connecting the five Spirit Runes into a whole before emitting the same silver glimmer.

    In the midst of this sound, all brightness around disappeared. Darkness descendedpletely.

    Shard lost all sight as if someone had pulled him from a brightly lit corridor into an abyss. Chilling winds blew all around, and countless whispers and murmurs emerged by his ears, which was even more terrifying than when the Box of Darkness spiraled out of control.

    He felt like he was stuck in a quagmire of darkness, feeling as if countless hands were pulling at him. But then, a sudden burst of white light appeared, and he saw what seemed to be Dr. Schneider standing in the midst of the ck tar. The figure grew blurry, his eyes saw the doctor, but reflected in his pupils was a hound radiating with pure Holy Light.

    "Is this the Sublimation Incantation?"

    The hound in the Holy Light charged down the dark path, lunging at the enemy in this malice-filled muddy dreamscape.

    The power of this moment can''t be described by the inexperienced Ounder, but he actually felt a sense of decay incredibly simr to that of the Old God, the Creator of Innocence, who was on the verge of copse.

    The aura was majestic, yet it signified termination; it was not the power of mortals.

    "What exactly is the Circle Sorcerer''s Sublimation Incantation?"

    The racing hound of light seemed to draw power from the earth beneath and the heavens above. It cut through the darkness, charging forward, and there in the midst of the malicious dark dreamscape, Lady Lassoya appeared, struck head-on by the glowing Holy Light hound:

    "Damn it, it''s the Sublimation Incantation! Where the hell did youe from, you madman?!"

    The woman with smeared makeup cursed loudly, but as she came into contact with the light of the hound, her whole being exploded with light from within and vanished into the Holy Light.

    The darkness around vanished in the next moment, and the chilling wind along with the whispers and murmurs also departed. Shard once again smelled the air, rich as if dripping with blood, and saw the blood mist rising like curtains in the corridor.

    Looking ahead, the hound had disappeared, and Dr. Schneider, who had lost consciousness,y motionless on his back before Shard. Shard had never seen the respectable psychologist in such disarray. His eyes were tightly closed, his face ashen like that of Detective Sparrow Hamilton a week prior to his impending death, but at least he was still alive for now.

    So Shard reached out and touched the doctor, not expecting that his greatest contribution to the battle would turn out to be this.

    "Where''s Miss Ate? Should I touch her too when she gets back?"

    If it wasn''t for the fact that Sorcery effects didn''t work on non-critically injured people, Shard would have touched himself first.

    Struggling to his feet, he tried to move the doctor, the Priest, and the female writer together, to wait for Miss Ate toe back and take them away. But at that moment, the devastated banquet hall entrance, now descending with ashes and king wall paint, once again echoed with a voice.

    Shard looked up to see Lady Lassoya, head drenched in blood and looking as though she was on herst breath, crawl through the rubble of the grand entrance:N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "Your friend really is a madman."

    She appeared to be at her limit, but still looked at Shard with crazy eyes through her mask, her tone exceptionally frightening.

    Only then did Shard notice that the woman, her left hand charred and covered in scars, was holding her severed right hand.

    She pressed the severed hand with her chin, took the pebble ring from the severed hand with her left, and gently kissed it.

    "Oh no!"

 Chapter 82 Dream of the Moon

    Shard''s right hand traced a radiant glimmer in the air, and Silvermoon''s de sliced through the blood fog''s curtain, shing at the woman as she softly kissed the ring. But apart from leaving another wound on her forehead, it had no effect.

    The woman cackled wildly in her final moments,ughing hysterically as she uttered the spell words that Shard had failed to discernst time:

    "In the shift from yang to yin begins a new life''s spin!"

    She slipped on the ring, and her broken body immediately billowed thick smoke. Lady Lassoya slowly closed her eyes as life neared its end.

    At that moment, ck smoke enveloped the woman''s body. Shard, trying to stop her, once again heard the Whisper, the chewing within the smoke, and the curses of countless voices.

    He reached out to thrust his hand into the smoke, to at least do something. But a boot emerged from the smoke and kicked Shard, toppling him back against the wall.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The ck smoke dissipated, and a young man wearing a white pebble ring stood amidst the corridor''s blood fog. He rotated his neck and snapped his fingers behind him. Discover exclusive tales on empire

    With the arrival of Steam Mist and the sound of a steam whistle, the Six Rings Warlock''s Ring of Fate shone behind the man, reflected in the eyes of Shard, who slumped against the wall:

    "To change gender, to actually be able to..."

    The doctor''s desperate strike failed to kill the enemy, not because they were too weak. At this moment, Shard suddenly felt the dying man''s emotions, the man dressed in burgundy formal wear not long ago.

    "Indeed, the Keeper of Secrets Level Relic ''Transmutation Ring'', a gender transformation along with the exchange of an entirely different body. Although this damned ring has given me some preferences I never had before, the ring itself is worth those costs,"

    d in a sharp ck suit, his shoes shone under the gaslight. The dust and disarray behind him, alongside the copsed people in the corridor, seemed to highlight his triumph:

    "Hmm? Your clothes look awfully familiar. Oh well, it''s not important, although I have no idea where you folks came from..."

    He spoke aloud, as if delivering a speech at a significant public event, his artiction so precise it made Shard want to punch him. He was boasting, of the death-defying turnaround he had managed to pull off, how could he not gloat:

    "But this time, it''s clear that I''ve won."

    Spirit Runes flickered with Spiritual Light behind him in the circle of the Ring of Fate, interpreted by Shard as the ck Iron ''Spell Words'' of ''Arcane Technique'' which were initiating Sorcery. But this Sorcery was not released, instead deliberately halted, as the man gazed at Shard and suddenly burst intoughter:

    "The ritual''s need for living sacrifices is still insufficient; that woman over there is menstruating, her impure blood is not suitable, these two men are too old, the host of the feast wouldn''t like that."

    Two steps forward, he lifted the severely injured Shard and then tossed him into the banquet hall, where he "reunited" with the dozens already unconscious there. The Detective rolled on the blood-red wool carpet, only stopping when he collided with a leg of the long table.

    Struggling to open his eyes towards the door, he saw the double golden doors that Miss Luisa had previously broken slowly rise and close under the man''s ''Metal Repair'' Spirit Rune''s Arcane Technique.

    Shard, lying beside the banquet hall''s long table, saw through the narrowing door crack the man walking with his back to them, ignoring the other three fallen people, instead ascending the stairs; the circle of magicians below was his true opponent.

    The door mmed shut, the blood light flickered inside the room, gradually clouding Shard''s vision. He did not know whether this was a sign of his impending death or the harbinger of the Evil God''s forting appearance.

    His view growing blurry, he finally had the chance to cast Sorcery on himself, but the Sorcery could only ensure he wouldn''t die, not keep him from sumbing to unconsciousness due to severe injuries.

    But¡ª

    The small book in his pocket quietly radiated a soft glow, its sentences, written minutes before, now taking effect. The Poet-Level Relic, the "Orb of Silvermoon", hanging from his chest, was influenced by that light and emitted a silvery glow.

    This Poet-Level Relic was exceedingly weak and wouldn''t usually spiral out of control, but under the influence of the script, the orb cracked, and the silvery light shot directly into Shard''s head.

    Without surprises, he would have sumbed to permanent insanity because of Silvermoon.

    In hisa, Shard suddenly awoke in his own dream.

    The chaotic dream was reced with a familiar one; he felt the night breeze. Looking around, he stood on the ridges of fields in the night. Shard slowly raised his head and saw the massive silver moon hanging among the stars, above the Star Ocean.

    Beneath Silvermoon, Silvermoon in his eyes. The sanctified light intoxicated Shard, and the strange silver traces of light from Silvermoon, caused by the Relic''s loss of control, deeply imprinted themselves in his mind.

    He suddenly felt that he finally understood "Silvermoon", understood this arcane power. He stretched out his right hand, his fingers attempting to touch the moon disk in the night sky.

    Then, at that moment, the Ring of Fate deep within his soul began to turn, the Core Rune "Silvermoon" starting to glimmer. The enhanced understanding of Silvermoon stimted the resonance between the Rune and the Dream, forcibly rousing Shard and preventing him from sumbing to madness due to the Dream of the Moon.

    However, the full power of the out-of-control Relic was etched into this momentary memory, making Shard feel as though Silvermoon was truly within his heart.

    He had no idea how long he had been unconscious, but upon awakening, he could only see the dimly lit banquet hall, heavy with red blood mist as if painting the world crimson. The air was chillingly cold, the blood seeming to seep into his body through his pores.

    The shrill Whisper of insanity seemed to presage that something terrible was about to happen. Enduring the intense pain and trembling of his body, he felt that "False Immortality" had been consumed due to the severity of his injuries, the Sorcery''s effects extinguished as they were inflicted anew shortly after they were cast.

    "This is bad, I need to leave the banquet hall quickly, or else..."

    He propped himself up with support from the long table with a pure white tablecloth, but just then¡ª

    Ding-dang~

    The crisp sound seemed to ring directly in his head, as if someone was tapping a small hammer against a bell, the signal for the start of the banquet.

    The vibrating metal sound shook his spirit and soul, once again causing Phantoms to appear before his eyes, almost making it impossible for Shard to distinguish between reality and illusion. The blood-colored banquet hall took the ce of the normal banquet hall, and the living sacrifices that had arrived before him also awoke to the sound of the bell at this moment.

    The Blood Feast had begun.

    Shard turned to run toward the door, but his body waspletely out of control. The power of higher dimensions descended, and mortals, after all, were only mortals. Blood seeped from all senses simultaneously, and he trembled, slowly turning to look at the main seat of the banquet hall, looking towards the end of the long table.

    He heard it, the ringing bell that marked the beginning of the feast;

    He saw it, Goldware and Silverware filled with fresh human organs gradually appearing on the empty tabletop;

    He smelt it, the sweet scent of food amidst the thick blood mist;

    He touched it, the hanging bloodied corpses draped from the ceiling.

    He felt it¡ª

    He felt it! At the other end of the long table, a figure in a red robe, seemingly stepping across from a distant dimension, materialized, gradually bing clearer.

 Chapter 83 She and Him

    "Damn it! Evil God! Lord of the Blood Feast..."

    If it hadn''t been for the experience of facing a Saint before, upon the appearance of that figure, Shard would certainly have fallen.

    His vision blurred, a buzzing in his ears, disturbed sense of smell, loss of taste, disoriented bnce, disappearance of touch, fading memory, emotional disorder.

    Shard wanted to burst intoughter, wanted to scream in tears, wanted to kneel and pray, and also wanted to curse the heavens.

    Although his mind was abnormally calm, his body was alreadypletely out of control. The shadow from the moment before the appearance of a higher-dimensional existence, had almost driven this body mad.

    This was not possession by borrowing; this was the direct descent of the Evil God during the state of a Saint.

    "No, how could I go mad so easily? The doctors are still waiting for me to lead them away, Miss Ate is still waiting for me to safeguard her token, Mia is still waiting for me toe home!"

    The Foreigner had once been terrified in this world, but he was never cowardly. Human courage is a hymn, he scarcely had anything in this world, making him cherish everything he possessed even more.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    A stubborn will persisted, making him bite his tongue to wake himself with pain, but more crucially, the protection given by the Creator of Innocence exerted itsst power at this moment, finally allowing him to roughly control his own body.

    The mere arrival of that blurred figure had almost driven Shard mad; the deities of this world truly originate from a higher-dimensional existence.

    "This really is a mess now."

    Shard thought to himself. The Blood Feast had begun, and the other living sacrifices in the room hadpletely lost their sanity. They tore at each other, and at the moment the shadow of the deity had stepped in here, they had already walked towards death.

    [Since you are awake, should you escape?]

    The woman whispered, her voice brushed past his soul, unexpectedly making his conscious clearer. At this moment, Shard felt a separation between body and soul; his body was mad, but his soul remained stable.

    "Even if I could escape, what about here? What about the doctors? What about this city? I''m not some Emissary of Justice, but no matter what, I can''t leave now."

    The dancing shadows of the monsters were intermittently visible in the blood mist, and the human limbs served in silverware and goldware on the dining table, all beckoned Shard to taste them.

    He dragged his uncontroble body, approaching towards the slightly clearer figure in the red robe, The Great One.

    [You still have a way.]

    "Even if I die, I cannot die fleeing. I still have a crazy idea, though it''s just a Scribe Level [Relic]."

    [But it is your only idea now.]

    Shard nodded reluctantly amidst his trembling, bracing himself as he put on the [Vampire Ring].

    The ring could touch humanoid creatures to absorb their blood and help heal itself. All the living sacrifices had died, the twisted monsters within the blood mist surely didn''t count as humanoid creatures. But besides Shard, there was another.

    His vision thickened with illusions, the Blood Feast featuring hanging blood corpses was almostpletely ovepping with the banquet hall of the Lakeside Manor. The shadow of the Evil God had fully descended, next would be its true body.

    Supporting himself on the long table, he tried not to touch the empty chairs and the fine dining ware on the table. With each step he took, the real banquet hall disappeared a little more, and that illusory, bloody hall became a bit more real.

    By the time Shard, nearly unable to hold on, reached the banquet hall''s main seat, the only golden chair at the end of the long table, he even began to suspect that his entirely new life had also been a dream.

    "Sorry, if I die, you''ll probably disappear too."

    [Do you finally believe that I am you?]

    Impulse made Shard want to copse right there, but the courage and resolve in his heart still made him extend his hand wearing the [Vampire Ring], touching the still very illusory red-robed pre-descending reflection of the Evil God in front of the golden chair.

    His consciousness was about to fade, the blood mist damaging his body. The Great One''s reflection was right in front of him, he was finally about to fail. He felt like he was trying to touch the abyss, and the abyss was devouring all of him.

    "Whether you are me or not doesn''t matter anymore. Sorry, I couldn''t show you more stories, more journeys."

    At this moment, Shard really understood; whether she was him didn''t matter, but having someone apany him at thest moment of life, that was important. She really had always been with him, even now.

    The Old God''s reflection trembled slightly, turning towards the man about to copse beside it. The monumental pressure made him shake, the protection from the Creator of Innocence was about to fade, and once he fell in this Blood Feast, he would, like those living sacrifices, be part of the feast.

    His finger moved forward slightly, in his blurred vision, there was only an inch left between his finger and the shadow of the Evil God. But with a light cracking sound, amber cracks appeared on the ring''s surface, the ring could not endure the close proximity to the deity.

    "Indeed," a Scribe Level (Level 4) "Relic" could not possibly be of use to a Deity.

    He fell toward the ground, covered with a writhing, blood-red fungal carpet.

    "Of course it''s useless in the hands of others, but you are different, Foreigner, because..."

    "Sorry."

    "Why apologize?"

    A soft and warm female body embraced him from behind, steadying his stance. The woman''s head rested on Shard''s shoulder, her long hair gently brushing against his cheek. Was this reality, or an illusion? Shard could no longer tell.

    "Do you still refuse to ept my existence?"

    She whispered in his ear.

    Enjoy more content from empire

    "Are you really me?"

    He whispered in front of her.

    "What does it matter? You came here, you were supposed to ept all of this. If you can''t even ept the current situation, how can you ept yourself?"

    She asked softly.

    "Will you always be by my side?"

    He asked with what remained of his consciousness.

    A lightughter reached his ears, her hair touching his earlobe.

    Her hand took his hand, but Shard, barely able to open his eyes, could not see what that arm looked like.

    "Of course, Foreigner, I am with you."

    The two of them reached their hands forward together, and they whispered together:

    "You are me..."

    "...I am you."

    Shard''s hand touched the still-forming shadow of the Old God "Lord of the Blood Feast". The ring on his finger, cracked and drawing power, then the amber of the ring face shattered into dust, and the ring quickly corroded and split.

    As the corroded metal fell from his finger, the ethereal shadow of the Evil God was absorbed into Shard''s palm. He felt as if a mountain had been stuffed into his arm, a twisted and violent power surged through his soul.

    The Blood Feast before his eyes became even more blurred, his soul seeming to instantly swell to its limits, twisted creatures that may not have really existed roared in the blood mist, and for a moment, he actually saw himself sitting on that majestic golden throne.

    But he also felt an endless void in his stomach and heard the woman''s pleasurable lightughter:

    "You have touched the shadow of the Old God ''Lord of the Blood Feast''."

    "Born in the endless feast, immersed in desire and pleasure, taboo and desecration. In the twilight of bygone days, hiding in the shadows of human hearts, rampant at joyous banquets."

    "You have heard the tale of the Old God ''Lord of the Blood Feast'', you have learned of the miracles of the Old God ''Lord of the Blood Feast''."

    "Foreigner, you have engraved the silver Desecration Spirit Rune - Gluttony."

    The endless hunger allowed Shard to break free from the nearly dead illusion, the power extracted from the shadow of the Evil God restored his severely injured body and the insignificant price paid for writing the script.

    Behind him, the bell tolled, steam whistled, steam surged, and hammers pounded.

    The rotating Brass Life Ring appeared again in the material world, on it, a silver Spirit Rune "Gluttony" dripping with blood manifested.

    At the same time, a drop of golden liquid silently permeated into the Life Ring.

    "Shard, perhaps, this is the wee to your Blood Feast."

 Chapter 84 Under the Silvermoon (End of this Volume)

    A moment of dizziness passed as if awakening from a great dream.

    Shard sat at the head of the banquet hall table, rising from his seat in the now dimly-lit hall that had returned to normal, the stench of blood from the sacrificial ughter did not dissipate with the departure of the Evil God. But the blood mist had vanished, and the body behind him had disappeared too, as if that moment of tenderness was only an illusion before death.

    "Did you really appear?"

    He asked in a daze.

    [The Supernatural Gate has been opened by you, and the Path of Sublimation is now revealed. Ounder, you have discovered a special Path of Sublimation and have gained a drop of divinity.]

    The Brass Life Ring that was fading away behind him was entwined with gold shes that were hard to detect.

    "What''s the use?"

    Shard gazed at the silent banquet hall, where moonlight streamed in from the outside windows, falling at his feet, falling onto the remains of the living sacrifices on the ground.

    [You have gained information from the divinity.]

    [With each ascension, cleanse the corresponding Spirit Rune of the Sublimation Incantation with a drop of divinity. When you ascend to the Thirteen Rings, if youplete the cleansing of the twelve Spirit Runes corresponding to the three sentences of the Sublimation Incantation, then recite those Sublimation Incantations that belong to you, you will ascend to godhood.]

    The thought was unimaginable, yet Shard was surprisingly not too excited:

    "Can everyone do this?"N?v(el)B\\jnn

    He questioned in his heart.

    [No, you are special. Apart from you, no mortal''s soul can withstand the power of divinity.]

    "Did you manifest just now?"

    [The power of divinity allowed me to have a momentary physical form, that ring gave a fleeting chance, allowing you to absorb the Evil God''s power. Of course, He will also watch you because of this, and that deserves caution.]

    "Will you always be by my side?"

    [Of course.]

    Shard walked to the back of the banquet hall in this stillness, pushing open a door to a balcony on the third floor. The evening wind had cleared the blood fog, but the courtyard of Lakeside Manor was in utter disarray. He felt an unprecedented strong power within himself at this moment.

    "What else can divinity do?"

    [By burning divine power in the Ring of Fate as fuel, you can temporarily transform into a deity, gaining the brief state of "Divinity Overflow." You are not a god, but you can match any deity.]

    Shard fell silent, looking toward the courtyard of Lakeside Manor, where the spreading blood fog had cleared, and people were still lying on the ground.

    In the very center of the manor courtyard, the original long table had been smashed apart, and two squads of Church Ring Sorcerers from the True God Church were battling a middle-aged man with a silver glow in his eyes, who was protecting "Lady Lassoya" who had just seriously injured the three Schneiders.

    Shard murmured to himself from the balcony on the third floor:

    "The Silver-Eyed One of ''Blood of Mercury,'' he''se to assist that person. But I think there''s no need to use divinity for mere mortals."

    [Within the ten minutes of possessing divinity, due to the slight overflow of divine power, you have an almost immortal body and nearly limitless spirit, but once you use the overflowed power, you will fall into a longa afterwards, this is the state of "Divinity Overflow."]

    [While holding divinity, the power of divinity is locked within the Wheel of Destiny, the escaping glow will keep you in a state of ''Divine Afterglow'' continuously. During this period, any use of Arcane Technique, Sorcery, and ceremony will be strengthened.]

    "So this is what the Old God mentioned as the God''s Afterglow... So, is my task for the rest of my life to shuttle through past and present Space-Time, just to collect twelve drops of divinity? For you? For me?"

    [There is no task, everything is up to you to decide. Ounder, you are outside fate.]

    The Brass Life Ring with a nine-sided shape disyed the Silver-Eyed One''s power, with more than twenty Ring Sorcerers surrounding him, yet not one could approach.

    The luster of mercury revealed itself behind the Silver-Eyed One, and with the full force of the Arcane Technique, a huge Mercury Giant appeared. It was lifting the Silver-Eyed One, lifting the Wheel of Destiny, standing upon the courtyard soil.

    The power of the Arcane Technique prevented people from approaching, but Iluna Beath, a brte youngdy, was brave enough to stand in front of the wounded, protecting herpanions. Shard saw her, and she also suddenly looked up and saw the masked stranger on the third-floor balcony.

    "Then who is she?"

    [You should ask your friend Ate, not me. But clearly, even if this world has a so-called protagonist, it won''t be you. Ounder, no one can interfere with the choices of those outside fate, but spectators of the story cannot be the protagonists.]

    "With the Path of Sublimation connecting to the twelve divinities, I don''t want to be some troublesome Chosen One either. But are you an Old God with Silvermoon clergy? Are you the Witch Empress of the Fifth Era of Silvermoon? Have you chosen me to aid you in bing a god after my ascension? This is myst inquiry to you."

    [No, I am you.]

    Shard nodded, epting that the other was with him.

    Standing on the balcony, he took out a frog''s leg, rolling it between his fingers while reciting the awkward Spell Words, and he used the Sorcery "Frog''s Leap."

    With a graceful leap, he jumped from the third-floor balcony to the mansion''s rooftop, standing under the dazzling starry sky, next to the rooftop statues.

    The people in the courtyard also noticed the young man beneath the stars. He was high above, bathed in the radiance of the three full moons, but only the Silvermoon''s glow seemed to drape over him.

    Shard''s whisper sounded at this moment; the overflowing power of divinity and the memory of the recent Dream of the Silvermoon activated the Spirit Rune of Silvermoon to cast the Arcane Technique, Illusion of the Moon Shadow.

    Now, the Silvermoon in the sky appeared to break away from the other two moons. The silvery Moon Disk grewrger andrger until it appeared behind him, as though channeling its brilliance through his skull, casting light from his right eye. At the same time, the figure of Shard standing on the rooftop was reduced to nothing but a vague shadow.

    Shard recalled the Dream of the Silvermoon again, thinking of the trail of the Silvermoon''s Light Trace under the night sky.

    His feet came together, and his hands were slightly raised beside his body before he made a light leap into the night sky.

    The massive Silvermoon hung high in the sky, and Shard''s body turned in front of the silver lunar circle; when his body reached the center of Silvermoon, he was perfectly posed with arms raised, head pointed downward, and feet upwards, inverted before the Star Ocean behind Silvermoon.

    As his body fell, his left foot, shining with Silvermoon''s radiance, slid forward, drawing his right foot to follow downwards.

    Inverted before Silvermoon, Shard''s silhouette was nothing but a shadow in front of it, but his feet carved dazzling and resplendent silver Light Traces in the air. Those dazzling traces broke away from the trajectory of his feet, growingrger in the night sky.

    Shattering the night, cleaving through the peaceful summer night, beneath the stars, the shing Silver Light plummeted toward the courtyard of Lakeside Manor.

    "This is..."

    The color of Moonlight had momentarily stunned everyone, sprinkling everyone''s faces with silver light.

    Church Ring Sorcerers besieging the Silver-Eyed One began retreating with the unconscious guests around them; the Mercury Giant turned its massive body, raised its arms without resistance, and was evaporated by the splendid Silvermoon light.

    The Silver-Eyed One, suffering from bacsh by the Arcane Technique, spat blood, dropping "Lady Lassoya" to dodge, causing the uninformed "Lady Lassoya" to also evaporate in the Moonlight, with the white goose-egg-stoned ring falling on the ground below.

    The spectacr silver Moonlight finallynded on the ground, leaving a permanent Moon Track on the manor''s courtyard floor amidst an earthquake that shook the entire southern suburbs of Tobesk.

    The figure vanished in midair, and Shard fell onto the third-floor balcony, trulypsing into unconsciousness this time.

    Miss Ate reached out to pull him back into the shadows of the balcony, away from the eyes of the True God Church, then dragged him back into the third-floor banquet hall piled with sacrificial corpses.

    Priest Augustus, who had awakened, was looking after the still unconscious Dr. Schneider and Miss Luisa. Apart from his paleplexion, he seemed miraculously fully recovered.

    "Does he really believe that we would take him away in time?"

    Thedy with purple pupils softly said, looking at the sleeping face of the detective. She was the only one who had not been severely injured that night.

    "Hamilton Detective is actually a very trusting young man. He''s too young; he''s just woken up from Blind Foolishness andcks a great deal of life experience, which I''ll teach himter. But the detective is indeed a good person," said Priest Augustus, shaking his head, color returning to his face visibly, though hesitated,

    "That sh of Silvermoon just now..."

    "Each of us has our secrets, don''t we, Priest Augustus? Like you, no matter how severe the injuries, you always recover."

    Miss Ate said, her eyes flickering as she gazed at the sleeping young detective:

    "Like the prophecy that has always shown me our group would never have a fifth member. Hees from beyond Fate."

    "Let''s get moving, take the three of them and leave. I''ll hold off the Church''s Ring Sorcerer squad," the old man said wearily,

    "Today, we''re indeed fortunate that you ultimately disrupted the ritual node, preventing the Evil God froming into our world. Ate, you have saved the world again."

    "Yes, I did disrupt the node, but..."

    The brown-haired, purple-pupiled Miss Ate looked at Shard, but before she seeded, the Shadow of the Evil God had already partly appeared. Although it was only for three seconds, before a Deity capable of warping space-time, three seconds might not simply be three seconds.

    "It was his luck to have held out for three seconds in front of the Shadow of the Evil God, allowing me topletely disrupt the ritual."

    Shaking his head and preparing to leave, Priest Augustus straightened out his robe, looking at the chaotic banquet hall:

    "I have a feeling that this is absolutely not the end."

    Moonlight shone in from outside the window, casting the Priest''srge shadow onto the banquet hall wall, a shadow flickering as if a pair of wings flitted behind it.

    Miss Ate''s purple eyes softly glowed as she tenderly looked at Shard''s face, as if speaking to herself:

    "Priest, this is just the beginning. The epic of the Sixth Era has begun."

 Chapter 85 Moon Track

    Yellow, red, and silver moons hung high in the night sky above Lakeside Manor, unobstructed by clouds, with the dazzling Star River seemingly hanging upside down overhead, as if one could reach out and touch the ster glow.

    When the ident urred, the aftermath of the Divine Descent Ritual put the guests of the banquet into a deep sleep, so no one witnessed the unusual blood mist and fighting that followed.

    This, in fact, facilitated the exnation of tonight''s events¡ªthe organizer of the banquet, Little Clown, in coboration with followers of the Evil God, the Lord of the Blood Feast, had ced sleeping drugs in the banquet''s food and drinks. Fortunately, the True God Church, representing justice, arrived just in time to thwart their conspiracy.

    As for the recent earthquake, it was entirely coincidental and unrted to this ce.

    Now, Lakeside Manor was surrounded by a joint force of Tobesk military and police, while the guests of the banquet who awoke were politely taken by the True God Church to rest and be examined inside the grand mansion.

    This was partly to prevent too many people from seeing the Moon Track in the courtyard of Lakeside Manor, and partly to try to identify suspicious individuals who should not be present from among the guests.

    Teams of Circle Sorcerers from the Sun Church and Peace Church who participated in the great battle remained in the courtyard.

    Newly arrived police took charge of entering the mansion to maintain order, while a support squad of Circle Sorcerers from the town conducted a thorough search of the manor, documenting and destroying the ritual of "The Divine Descent of the Sun''s Moon, Sixth Era - 1853," and incidentally plucking those eerie blood-red flowers from the walls of the manor.

    This was indeed a precious material.

    Miss Iluna Beath, a youngdy with brown hair, stood with herpanions in the courtyard, in front of the terrible scar still emitting a silver glow.

    The Moon Track, nearly straight, extended from the main entrance of the mansion to the gates of Lakeside Manor, splitting the entire axis of the manor, and its residual power lingered for a long time. Even after half an hour had passed, people still dared not touch the markings on the ground directly.

    Miss Lanina Green of the Sun Church was the first True God Church Ten-Ring Circle Sorcerer to arrive at the manor. Dressed in a long blue gown, she stood beside the glowing ground scar, ying with the "Transmutation Ring," a relic that fell from Lady Lassoya after her death, listening to the Circle Sorcerers from the Sun Church recount what had just happened.

    Miss Iluna Beath, with brown hair, had no right to speak, simply listening to Mr. Robinson, the team captain, as he recounted, and after he finished, she added to the Circle Sorceress of their church:

    "I think I was the first to notice him, but I didn''t see his face or appearance. However, I believe it was a man. I noticed himing out of the banquet hall on the third floor before he jumped into the air."

    She was very confident about this.

    Miss Green smiled back at her, nodding in confirmation after ensuring no other clues were offered by the group, then lowered her head to look at the glowing ground marks.

    "Was the adversary strong?"

    Miss Beath asked, pinching her skirt, sounding somewhat uneasy.

    "Judging from the remnants of the Spirit, at least stronger than me."

    All present inevitably frowned, in the Sixth Era, High Ring Sorcerers of Ten Rings and above, while not exactly rare, were very hard toe across:

    "Miss Green, who could it be?"

    Team captain Robinson, considered strong enough by Shard to kill him and Mia with one punch, inquired with a furrowed brow.

    "It''s uncertain, but certainly not someone from the True God Church or the Magic Academy, as those professors rarely tread on the Old Continent. We should send letters to all three academies for confirmation; they might know who it is¡­ how coincidental that Mr. Sari Pirot, the Iron Right Hand of the Church of Creation, had just left Tobeskst week, and then this happened..."

    The Sorceress turned to look at the team of Circle Sorcerers from the Peace Church on the side, who had already met up with an Eleven-Ring Circle Sorcerer from the Peace Church.

    The Eleven-Ring Circle Sorcerer from the Peace Church was an old man who appeared even older than Priest Augustus, with white hair, dressed in a in clergy robe. If encountered casually in a church, it would be hard to believe he possessed such formidable power:

    "Mr. Modro, what''s your opinion?"

    Miss Green inquired as Old Mr. Modro knelt down, directly cing his hand on the ground scar:

    "Oh, this is quite powerful!"

    He immediately withdrew his hand, then looked at his palm, now covered in cracks, as the silver glow gradually faded:

    "Your view is simr... at least Twelve Rings, possibly Thirteen. The attacker didn''t reveal his Ring of Fate during the attack, indicating that it was merely a casual strike for him."

    Everyone present inhaled sharply; the old Eleven-Ring Sorcerer couldn''t help but marvel:

    "Impressive indeed, that sir probably knew from the start that the Blood of Mercury and the cultists nned to summon an Evil God here. Not only did he resolve the ''Heart Collector'' that the church had not discovered beforehand, but he also hid and observed our team of Circle Sorcerers in action.

    On confirming that the church could not ovee the adversary and that reinforcements from the town would not arrive in time, he alone disrupted the ritual on the third floor with exquisite skill and then wounded the Silver-Eyed One with a casual strike before quietly departing¡­ Which one from the New World has returned? Or, which Twelve-Ring Sorcerer has been promoted?"

    The old man''s voice gradually lowered, and he no longer reached out, but remained in a crouching stance looking at the glowing soil, saying:

    "Perhapster we could use Divination for guidance, but tonight, with the Evil God descending, the aura of a god will disturb the traces of Fate."

    "Evil God..."

    Miss Green looked up toward the third floor of the mansion, where the "Masked Person under Silvermoon" everyone had just mentioned had appeared:

    "But at least the person is not a foe, he stopped ''Lord of the Blood Feast'' from descending and even attacked the Silver-Eyed One and hispanion. The headless corpse found in the garden of Lakeside Manor just thirty minutes ago has been confirmed to belong to the Blood of Mercury''s ''Heart Collector.'' The individual seems quite familiar with Blood of Mercury, cultists, and our squad''s movements.

    Tonight''s operation seemed to be particrly aimed at Blood of Mercury and was very efficient. Could it be, he came here for..."

    She didn''t say the name of that Sage-Level Relic directly, but Old Mr. Modro, an Eleven-Ring Sorcerer, understood her intention:

    "Regardless, investigating the participants of this banquet and identifying suspicious individuals is essential. I think there should at least be a list. I''m curious to see if any Correspondence Circle Sorcerers were present. Given the current situation, even if one of the suspicious guests is adept at divination and has inside help at the church, they won''t be able to escape.

    Moreover, before we came and the Silver-Eyed One fled, did anyonee down from the third floor of the mansion?"

    He had grasped the key point.

    "No."

    Mr. Robinson, the captain of the Sun Church Ring Sorcerer team, said as he pulled out a small notebook and flipped through it:

    "We inspected the second and third floors recently, and only the guests trapped on the second floor left the mansion after the fight. Among them, several had somewhat sensitive identities and vouched for their own and their servants'' innocence using their honor; we checked thoroughly and confirmed that they were ordinary people."

    "Sensitive identities? Which member of the Royal Family is here tonight?"

    Miss Green inquired.

    "Duchess Galina Cavendish, she just came to Tobesk from hernds a few weeks ago."

    A Ring Sorcerer from the Peace Church answered, and everyone seemed quite confident about the Duchess, so they did not suspect her entourage.

    "Since it''s a suspected Thirteen-Ring Sorcerer, they obviously won''t be easily found by us."

    Miss Green said, her eyes gazing at the triune moon and twinkling stars above:

    "Issue a Bounty Order, offering a reward worldwide for members of the Blood of Mercury and believers of the ''Lord of the Blood Feast.'' This matter cannot simply end here. Although ''Iron Right Hand'' is temporarily not in this parish, I believe the Church of the Five Gods can temporarily assign another Thirteen-Ring Sorcerer to solve the issues of the cultists and Blood of Mercury decisively.

    As for that man..."

    Miss Green hesitated for a moment, so Mr. Modro from the Peace Church spoke up:N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "For now, use ''Masked Person under Silvermoon'' as a codename to inform the Dawn Church, Church of Nature, and Church of Creation, who were not involved in tonight''s operation, of that person''s identity. Since he prevented the descent of the Evil God, there''s no need to consider him an enemy for the time being. We can maintain a wait-and-see approach until he appears again.

    But Tobesk Parish needs to closely inspect unidentified magesing in over the next few months... Silvermoon, could it be the ''Grand Witch of Silvermoon'' from the Witch Council has arrived?"

    He pondered, but then stood up and shook his head:

    "I must be confused; there are no men in the Witch Council."

    Miss Green then mentioned thetest news:

    "We just received intelligence that those women have been active in Tobesk Parish."

    "Recently, it''s not just them that have been active in Tobesk, and, besides, don''t you know what these people are after?"

    Mr. Modro said as he nced at Miss Iluna Beath standing beside them, who was unaware of what they were discussing.

    "Anyway, the world is about to be chaotic again. How many years has it been since an incident of an Evil God nearly descending sessfully urred?"

    The old man spoke with concern.

    "Sir, why would it be chaotic? Isn''t it still a time of peace?"

    A young priest from the Peace Church team, who had once handed out Relief Food flyers to Shard, cautiously asked.

    Miss Green sighed:

    "The grand prophecy left by the Witch Empresses..."

    She looked at her church''s bewildered Miss Iluna Beath, who was surprised by her words. Miss Green shook her head:

    "No, it''s just a prophecy. Anyway, those who believe in the prophecy will soon gather in Tobesk City to fulfill the first section of the ''Whispering Verses.'' The city will see some odd fellows recently. I believe, the ''Masked Person under Silvermoon,'' too, was drawn here by the prophecy of the Old God''s resurgence and identally targeted Blood of Mercury. Twelve Rings, or even Thirteen...

    who could it possibly be?"

 Chapter 86 Awakening

    When Shard awoke from his long slumber, he found himself staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. The ceiling was not white, instead, it featured brightly colored and austere religious murals.

    He gazed at the painting of the saint preaching to believers by the riverside, but before he could utter an exmation like "unfamiliar ceiling," a voice came from the side:

    "You''re awake?"

    "Priest Augustus?"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Turning his head, he saw the priest sitting in a wrought iron chair by the bed holding a newspaper, dressed in the white robe of the clergy. Not far behind him was the wall adorned with brass-colored gas pipes and insted steam pipes climbing up it, with the gas pipes connected to a gasmp emitting a warm glow on the wall.

    The style of the gasmp was very religious, with a naked man raising both arms high, the light radiating out from between his arms.

    With the aid of this light, Shard saw that the newspaper in the priest''s hands was the Tobesk City Evening Post.

    Among the two pages of the spread-open paper facing Shard, the left reported on Princess Lecia''s visit to Carsonrick, while the top half of the right page reported on the frequent child abduction cases in the city, and the bottom half reported on an earthquake in the southern part of Tobesk City, which seemed to have caused no serious harm ording to the report.

    "Has there been an earthquake in Tobesk City recently?"

    Shard just woke up and thought, then noticed that today was Monday, and this paper was only published in the evening...

    "Finally awake? You''ve been sleeping almost a day, it''s already eight in the evening on Monday. How do you feel now?"

    The old cleric said jokingly, with a touch of reproach.

    "Monday evening? Damn! Mia!"

    Shard was stunned, and the next moment he practically leaped out of bed. He hadn''t expected to not make it home on Sunday night, and now the poor orange cat at home had gone a day without food; he feared it might not survive.

    "Where am I right now? A chapel? Priest, I must get home! Mia..."

    "Don''t worry, you are in the Dawn Chapel, it''s very safe here. Look, your cat is here too."

    The priest said, gesturing Shard to look towards the pillow.

    Indeed, the little orange cat was lying there, apparently about to be grumpy after being woken up by the detective and the priest''s conversation. But seeing Shard awaken, it happily rubbed its soft face against the back of his hand.

    The cat''s body temperature is slightly higher than that of humans, and Shard felt the warmth and softness of Mia who had just awoken.

    "Your cat is quite obedient, at least when she is by your side. Is she the pet of Detective Sparrow Hamilton? I thought detectives would prefer dogs with a keen sense of smell as pets."

    Priest folded the newspaper, stretching his hand to ce it on the nightstand as he asked curiously.

    "No, she''s the pet of a client. It was only one day''s sleep, I thought..."

    He had thought that using the power of "Divinity Overflow" would knock him out for at least two or three days. If it was just one day, then the price was eptable.

    "By the way, what about the consequences I suffered from using thest page of that script?"

    "Divinity even healed the damage you took from the Evil God, so what more of the consequence of using the Relic? From the situation at that time, it seems the price might be gradually losing your hair."

    She still whispered in his ear, which greatly reassured Shard.

    As he stroked the cat and let out a sigh of relief, a bit bewildered, the memories before his copse surged back to the forefront of his mind. Scenes from Lakeside Manor seemed to sh before his eyes¡ª

    The Roder Card, vineyards, revolvers, the Evil God, the Path of the Twelve Divinities, Miss Ate mentioning the "Whispering Verses," and... himself in front of Silvermoon:

    "Is everything over now?"

    He sat up feeling refreshed, full of energy.

    "If you''re referring tost night''s incident, it''s over, at least for us,"

    Old Cleric said, his words seemingly well-prepared as if just waiting for Shard to ask:

    "We almost got discovered by the True God Church, but with the help of your friend, everyone escaped smoothly, and nobody knows what we did. I brought you back to the church, iming you were my friend, to take care of you.

    Luisa is looked after by Ate, but the doctor''s situation is bad; he forcibly used the power of the Sublimation Incantation, and although he woke up in the afternoon, he probably won''t be able to get out of bed for several weeks, may God bless him... By the way, why did you sleep so long? But it''s good that you''re awake, you look well."

    The priest said, handing Shard a cup of tea. He had been unconscious for a whole day, and though he looked better than anyone, he should hydrate.

    Shard thanked the priest, holding the tea cup in one hand while continuing to stroke the especially lively orange cat that had been woken up. Seeing Priest Augustus''s demeanor, he knew that the doctor''s issue could probably be resolved:

    "Priest, how are you doing?"

    "Quite well, I''m probably the least injured apart from Ate,"

    The old man said with a smile, and Shard was fully reassured, then asked:

    "My friend helped us? Aren''t you guys my friends? Could it be Baron Lavende, but does he have such influence?"

    "It was ''thatdy'' you mentioned. She proved we were with her the whole time, not in sensitive areas. The True God Church''s people didn''t even see us."

    The priest said, standing up to check the door again, making sure it was closed, and turned the steammp shaped like a man with arms spread wider to brighten the room a bit more.

    "So, it was her."

    Shard, listening, picked up the cat single-handedly onto hisp and scratched its chin with his fingers; the cat squinted its eyes and stretched its neck.

    "However, before we left, thatdy left you a letter, asking you to read it when you wake up."

    Priest Augustus took an envelope out from the inside pocket of his robe, and Shard pulled out the letter, seeing the message written in a cursive stylemon among nobility, a variant of the standard Draleonnguage.

    "Oh? She wants me to write to the Lucky Southern Cross Club after I awake. She wishes to see me and has something she needs me to do?"

    Shard looked at the letter, raising an eyebrow.

    "Isn''t that good? If she had helped you for no reason, that would be cause for suspicion. It seems that thisdy is likely not a bad person."

    The priest spoke, then added:

    "I''ve also been in this city for many years, and in my opinion, ''thatdy'' probably has connections with the Royal Family. To have such power, to cover for us inst night''s circumstances, she''s not just a regr grand noble. I didn''t see her face either, but in all of Tobesk, no, the entire Draleon Kingdom, there probably aren''t more than five women who could do this.

    It turns out our information is still not enough; I''ve never heard of a High Rank Ring Sorcerer in the current Royal Family."

    "Do you know who she is?"

    Shard folded the letter and ced it on the nightstand to keep it away from Mia''s bites.

    "Although I don''t know, the possibilities are only a few. I will not specte; she will let you know in time if she chooses to trust you. Remember to send the letter early, and while you should be wary of strangers, don''t be overly suspicious of those who extend kindness."

    The priest imparted his life experience, and Shard nodded; he understood these principles.

    Perhaps finding the room stuffy after discussing such sensitive topics, the priest stood up, went to the window, and drew the heavy curtains. Opening the window, the cool night air immediately swept through, and both the priest and Shard let out a long sigh of relief.

    The summer nights in Tobesk were cool, with Julymencing and the peak of summer approaching.

 Chapter 87 The Unfortunate Doctor

    Outside the window, nestled under the night sky, was the garden of the Dawn Chapel. From the window, Shard could see the middle of the garden adorned with a huge Holy Emblem of Mr. Dawn,posed of blooming flowers, illuminated by a circle of candles at the edge of the flowerbeds.

    He took deep breaths of the air outside the window and after a long while, he said:

    "I was also present when Dr. Schneider used the Sublimation Incantation, and that power was somewhat too terrifying."

    "Of course, usually, to unleash the strongest power of the Sublimation Incantation, it relies on abination ofrge-scale rituals and Magic Potion. Even with prepared use, it inevitably leads to permanent reduction in lifespan, decline in power, and a short-term decrease in psychic resistance.

    Some even believe that the power of using the Sublimation Incantation makes it more difficult to engrave Spirit Runes. Bill really used it this time with a mindset prepared for death; without your Sorcery, his situation could have been much worse. Probably the woman we were confronting at that time didn''t expect him to be so reckless,"

    Priest sighed.

    "So, how many times has the doctor used the Sublimation Incantation?"

    Shard inquired further, and then received the answer that it was only the first time.

    After asking about the doctor, he then spoke of the other two girls in the group:

    "Is Miss Ate with Miss Luisa now? May I know Miss Luisa''s address? I think I should go see them."

    Actually, he couldn''t stop worrying about the "Whispering Verses" and the "Thirteen Chosen Ones," eager to immediately meet the purple-eyed Diviner.

    "Aren''t we going to see Bill tomorrow, and won''t we meet her then?"

    Priest Augustus said so, but still gave the address, and then continued with the previous topic:

    "Last night''s situation was still quite good. Ate terminated the ritual in time, and you didn''t break down in front of the Shadow of the Evil God. Even the ''Lady Lassoya,'' who saw what we looked like, was killed by you."

    The conversation reached this point, finally arriving atst night''s strike under Silvermoon. Shard weighed his words and wanted to speak, but the Old Cleric shook his head, an expression showing his understanding:

    "Everyone has their own secrets, just as I also have secrets I cannot tell you. So if you don''t want to exin, you don''t need to, we will keep your secrets, and no one will know the person under Silvermoon was you.

    But let me advise you, young man, poweres at a cost. I don''t know what you paid to do what you didst night, but make sure you are not tempted by power."

    "Yes, sir,"

    Shard answered earnestly, and he couldn''t help but ask:

    "Since you mentioned Lady Lassoya is dead, what about the Silver-Eyed One? Is the Blood of Mercury extinguished because of this?"

    He still remembered the Silver-Eyed One was protecting Lady Lassoya at that time.

    "The Silver-Eyed One was severely injured, and then ran away from the encirclement of the Church before the Ten-Ring Sorcerers from our diocese arrived. I heard news just before you woke up. The Church suspects that the Blood Spirit School, which fled to the New World decades ago, sent someone to aid them, ha, more madmen areing."

    Shard had heard about the Blood Spirit School from two professors at Saint Byrons, and the man who shot under the vineyard yesterday also mentioned it.

    "But no one knows what the few of us did, so there''s no need to worry about retaliation from the Blood of Mercury or the Cultists who worship the Evil God, Lord of the Blood Feast. Let the Circle Sorcerers of the Church worry about such things; it''s no longer our concern.

    The ritual to call upon that evil god requires fulfilling manyplex conditions, such as ''The Glutton,''" and ''the night''s banquet,'' among others. There won''t be more troubles for a while, which is quite good."

    The Old Cleric nodded, but his face still showed some worry:

    "However, more than one person saw the kick you deliveredst night, and the Church actually thinks you''re a Sorcerer of Twelve Rings or even Thirteen Rings, which is truly a headache. In theing months, you probably need to be cautious, not to associate yourselves with them, as this sort of thing is not easy to exin."

    "But you did well, you wore a mask, your clothes were not your own, and you even remembered to use the Illusion Technique to pull Silvermoon behind you, concealing your figure. The church now calls you ''Masked Person under Silvermoon'' and mes you for the headless body of a Circle Sorcerer found in the Garden Maze.

    The church believes you are a sorcerer skilled in the ''Silvermoon'' Miracle Element... Detective, had you wanted to do this all along? That''s why you prepared so thoroughly, even bringing ''The Twenty-Sided Die of Destiny'', which made it impossible for the church to divine your identity."

    When he asked thest question, Old Cleric''s tone became lighter.

    "No, it was just a coincidence."

    Shard shook his head, saying that everythingst night started just because of good luck caused by the dice. Unless Fate''s attack rebounded again, this type of incident would not happen again.

    He stopped stroking Mia, and nced at his hand under the dissatisfied gaze of the orange cat:

    "The power fromst night... indeed, it can''t be used again, and I think I won''t miss that kind of power..."

    Old Cleric showed an ''as expected'' expression.

    Shard felt quite guilty about deceiving a friend, but the matters of the Path of Sublimation to Divinity absolutely could not be known by others. Deification was tempting for everyone, but if this path was his alone to walk, Shard would not let anyone know this secret.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "It''s good you understand the cost of power, but having power is certainly not a fault, your kickst night was quite spectacr. I think after this event, your understanding of your Core Spirit Rune has probably deepened. Perhaps you might even have a chance to create Arcane Techniques on your own."

    Priest Augustus''s tone had a touch more cheerfulness as he walked over to the room''s wardrobe to fetch a coat for Shard:

    "So,st night''s oue turned out quite well, actually, we jointly stopped the Evil God, and even managed not to reveal our identities. You killed Lady Lassoya, experienced power, and the price was merely sleeping for a day. I truly need to pray to my lord, Mr. Dawn; it was an incredible stroke of luck."

    Of course, there was a slight imperfection. Dr. Schneider did not manage to get the Forged Philosopher''s Stone, and the high bounty, as well as the Relic Ring on the body of the ''Lady Lassoya'' Shard killed, certainly could not be obtained by him either.

    But nothing is perfect, and now that everyone is safe, things are already quite good.

    Moreover,pared to Gold Pounds and that ring, he now had a more important goal, more important than bing vastly wealthy in this Steam Age:

    "Divinity... twelve Sublimations... Deification..."

    Priest didn''t know what Shard was thinking and continued talking to himself:

    "Speaking of which,st night was really a coincidence, the five of us ended up there without having arranged it beforehand."

    "Yes, quite coincidental."

    This probably wasn''t due to his "luck," as it would have been better if the others hadn''t shown up at all.

    "But it seems Bill was indeed the unluckiest."

    Priest shook his head inmiseration.

    "Priest, what do you mean by that?"

    Shard asked curiously.

    "As usual, if we all go out together and someone gets injured, it''s most likely Bill. If many get injured, then the one most severely injured is most likely Bill. Being able to meet you and sessfully inviting you to join our group was probably the luckiest thing he''s experienced this year, oh, may God bless him."

 Chapter 88 "Whispering Verses

    During Shard''sa, the priest took the keys from his pocket, went to No. 6, Saint Dn Square, and ced the items that were inconvenient to bring into the church into his home. He also brought back a change of clothes and used the coat with one sleeve, which was imbued with Shard''s scent, to bring Mia, who had temporarily no one to feed her, to the church.

    "When I opened the door to your second-floor room this morning, your cat almost dashed up to scratch my face. The little fe probably thought I was a thief."

    The priest said this but was not angry at the orange cat; he probably liked cats a lot:

    "However, it is indeed well-behaved when it''s around you. If you don''t have time in the future, you can send it to stay at the Dawn Chapel. Not just for catching mice, the young nuns here are all very fond of cats."

    Since Shard had awakened and it was confirmed that he had no aftereffects from facing the Evil God, the priest allowed Shard to go home. Of course, since it was alreadyte, he invited Shard to have dinner at the chapel, and during the meal, he tried to ask if Shard was interested in understanding the faith of "Mr. Dawn."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Shard was actually very interested in the True Gods of this world and had a lot to say about religion, faith, and culture. But he was not in the mood to talk about these things at the moment, so after dinner, he bid farewell to the priest.

    The two parted in Dawn Square where the Dawn Chapel was located, and the priest didn''t forget to remind Shard to remember to wake up early the next morning, as they were going to visit the injured Dr. Schneider together.

    Carrying Mia and walking away from Dawn Square in the night, Shard did not head directly back to No. 6, Saint Dn Square but took a carriage from Gret Street on the east side of the square, heading to Feather Quill Street in the Tobesk City University District.

    As the capital of the Northern Kingdom, Tobesk City contains multiple higher education institutions. There is both the "Draleon Royal Mechanical College" rted to steam and machinery, andprehensive higher academies like "Tobesk University." These schools are all concentrated in the eastern part of Tobesk City, forming what is known as the "University District" within the city area.

    Miss Luisa rented an apartment at Building B, 211 Feather Quill Street in the Tobesk University District. Although it was rented, the nearby environment was not any worse than Saint Dn Square.

    The winding streets are adjacent to the "Draleon United Seminary," and most of the residents nearby were students, lecturers, or professors from the school, which is why Shard, when he first met Miss Luisa, thought that she might often live at school.

    The night had deepened, and when Shard, carrying Mia, got out of the carriage, they were at the intersection of the broad shaded avenue of the seminary and Feather Quill Lane. On one side of the avenue was a grasswn, under the gas lights, several young couples were strolling.

    In Tobesk City, only the areas around Yordle Pce and here had security good enough for walks at night.

    Quickening his pace, Shard looked for door numbers as he searched for the destination. Soon, he found Miss Luisa''s address in the middle of the street lined with towering apartment buildings.

    But before he walked over to open the door, he saw the apartment''s door open, and the brown-haired female diviner came out of the door, while Miss Luisa, who appeared to have recovered, was standing at the door bidding her farewell. Miss Luisa wore a blue dress suitable for home, and her golden hair hung down her back.

    The brown-haired Diviner, on the other hand, wore a well-fittingdy''s dress with a cinched waist, which entuated her figure.

    Miss Luisa was the first to spot the detective holding a cat in the night, and after Shard approached, Miss Ate realized she was there.

    The three greeted each other in the light of the foyer, and after making sure that everyone was in good health, Shard finally stated that he had something to discuss with Miss Ate.

    "Oh?"

    Miss Luisa looked at the two curiously but didn''t ask any extra questions, simply stating that she would see them tomorrow at Dr. Schneider''s, and she seemed to have truly recovered.

    The Diviner knew what Shard wanted to ask, but after saying goodbye to Miss Luisa, the two didn''t chat on the street. Miss Ate''s profession was a Diviner affiliated with the Prophet''s Society. She was also heading back to the city center, so she boarded the returning carriage with Shard.

    "We can talk now."

    After the sound of hooves tapping the shaded avenue turned into a steady clopping, the woman in the carriage spoke. She had just quietly chanted a Spell Word, ensuring that the coachman wouldn''t hear anything superfluous.

    "You and Miss Luisa are both all right, aren''t you?"

    Shard, holding the cat and noticing the scent of the woman''s perfume in the cramped carriage, asked her, while Mia brandished her ws at Miss Ate. The timid cat was showing its bravery in this way, letting others know not to harm it.

    "Although you''ve already asked once just now, I''m still very d the first sentence you asked is this. We''re fine, the priest''s Magic Potion helped a lot," said Miss Ate. Unlike Shard who sat up straight in the carriage, she rxed and leaned slightly against the side of the carriage:

    "Even without Divination, I know what you want to ask. Please go ahead."

    She was fulfilling her promise that if everyone survived, she would exin it all.

    The carriage turned in the middle of the shaded avenue, and Shard sat in the carriage with a serious expression:

    "What is the ''Whispering Verses''? An Unssified Level Relic?"

    He hade here sote just for this question.

    "You know about Unssified Level Relics? Did Professor Garcia from the History Academy tell you?"

    Miss Ate raised an eyebrow but then shook her head:

    "The ''Whispering Verses'' is not a [Relic], but a grand prophecy. Around the end of the Fifth Era, people found some relics of thest thirteen Witch Empresses. Not all were relics with the Whisper Element; most were ordinary items. There were strange sentences on those relics, cobbled together from variousnguages of different eras.

    Based on the diaries left by thest Witch Empress, those sentences could form aplete poem, hence named the ''Whispering Verses''."

    "The content?"

    Shard pressed on, and Miss Ate didn''t answer immediately but tilted her head to look out at the night view from the window. Shard waited patiently, knowing she must be mulling over her response.

    After a long while, with the night breeze brushing past her, Miss Ate finally whispered in the midst of the ttering of horseshoes:

    "The full content of the ''Whispering Verses'' is probably unknown to anyone. All I know is that the poem prophesizes great events that will take ce in the Sixth Era. Thirteen The Chosen Ones will appear in session, like the heroes in ancient fairy tales or protagonists in knight novels, and after oveing various troubles and dangers, ascend to the Thirteen Rings."

    In Shard''s mind, a lengthy, epic painting was already taking shape.

    "And then? What is the purpose for these thirteen The Chosen Ones?"

    Miss Ate continued:

    "When all The Chosen Ones have appeared, and all the survivors have ascended to the Thirteen Rings or all have perished, a door will open, and thereafter, everything in the material world will change."

    "A door? What door?"

    "I don''t know. I haven''t had the chance to ask the clergy''s higher-ups or the professors at the Academy about their opinions on the ''Whispering Verses,'' but my view is that beyond the door lies the secret of the Old Gods'' downfall, the truth behind the True Gods'' rise.

    The opening of the door will unlock ancient secrets and might even elevate the one who pushes it to godhood, but it could also unleash something terrible that leads to world destruction. It is destruction and also rebirth.

    What''s worse is that, ording to the ''Whispering Verses,'' that door is bound to be opened."

    Shard frowned. If the information provided by Miss Ate was all true, then whaty ahead for The Chosen Ones wouldpletely disrupt the world''s order. Underneath this flourishing Steam Age, an undercurrent was surging:

    "That''s terrible, who are the thirteen The Chosen Ones?"

    "I don''t know, in fact, the identity of The Chosen Ones, unless you happen to have obtained the corresponding part of the ''Whispering Verses,'' is unknowable to anyone. Of course, I haven''t obtained it, I have other ways."

    She was still looking out the window.

    "Who is Miss Iluna Beath?"

    "I don''t know... I do know this."

    She turned her head and gave Shard a lightugh, but her eyes were not smiling:

    "Detective, I have not discussed the matters I talked to you about today with the doctors. Because you are outside of fate, it''s absolutely impossible for you to be The Chosen One. The reason I told you about this is because I want to invite you to join me on this journey."

    "To do what?"

    Her purple eyes seemed to glow, yet they were truly beautiful:

    "To find and witness the thirteen The Chosen Ones, to help them. Since the door is bound to be opened, and both danger and opportunity lie beyond it, I want to witness that door being opened with my own eyes and ensure it doesn''t lead to the world''s destruction."

    She reached out her fair hand to Shard, her purple eyes locked with his:

    "Shard Suren Hamilton, will you help me?"

 Chapter 89 Shard and the Diviner

    "You... want to save the world?"

    Moonlight illuminated the city as the carriage slowly moved through the night in Tobesk, and Shard looked at the hand.

    "No, I just want to ensure the world doesn''t perish because of this. It sounds ridiculous, I know, not something a Three Ring Sorcerer should concern themselves with, but I have seen it¡ªthe survival of this world hinges on the chosen ones who will ultimately stand before the door. Whether all thirteen are present, just a few, or even one, each scenario will lead to different oues.

    The optimal choice¡ªI can only know once I have met them."

    Shard met the woman''s purple gaze for a moment, then reached out and took her hand. A smile flickered on her lips, but when she tried to pull her hand back, she found that Shard did not let go. Of course, he did not mean to take advantage, his voice was low:

    "Such a significant affair that affects the entire world, even if I wish not to partake, I will inevitably be involved sooner orter. I am willing to join you to witness and seek the thirteen chosen ones, to guide or assist them. But first, as a foundation of our cooperation, we should build trust between us."

    The path of the Twelve Divinities he wished to follow required drawing on divinity, which meant dealing with dangerous relics from an Evil God or an Old God, so proactively seeking the inevitably troubled thirteen chosen ones actually benefited Shard in his search for divinity.

    He firmly grasped the Diviner''s soft hand, looking into Miss Ate''s purple irises:

    "I can understand the meaning of any text, any text. But while I can read and understand, I cannot speak or write."

    Miss Ate''s eyes flickered:

    "I see. Well, I, at a great cost, can make almost wless prophecies. Until now, I have only been greatly mistaken once. I originally thought our group would have only four people, but then you showed up.

    You are only a First Ring, but I still invited you for this exact reason¡ªyou are the only person in this world who is definitively not one of the chosen ones, and I don''t have to worry about you learning too much about the secrets of the chosen ones from me, which could disrupt my observations of the future."

    Shard nodded slightly, then released the Diviner''s hand. She flexed her wrist, teasing:

    "Is this how you treat alldies?"

    "Sorry, that was indeed a bit rough. But back to Miss Beath''s topic, since we''re to cooperate, you should tell me some information."

    While speaking, Shard did not exin the reason he knew allnguages, nor did Miss Ate mention the reason she could make urate predictions, a form of tacit understanding.

    "Iluna Beath, a Second Ring Sorceress from the Sun Church, she is the first chosen one prophesied in the ''Whispering Verses'', representing the power of ''Bnce''. Regarding her identity, for now, only the Sun Church and you and I know. Of course, I know this secret because of my prophecy."

    "Bnce?"

    Shard contemted the meaning of the word while Mia had already fallen asleep beside him.

    He then asked:n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

    "So, about the matter of the Whispering Verses and the chosen ones, how many others are aware?"

    "Theplete ''Whispering Verses'' are not in any one person''s possession, the Church of the Five Gods and the three Magic Academies definitely know, and some ancient organizations like the ''Blood Spirit School'' and my ''Prophet''s Society'' certainly know as well.

    The relics written with the verses are controlled by different forces, and the Sun Church knows the most about the first chosen one. More coincidentally, Beath had joined the Circle Sorcerer''s squad of the Sun Church before she had even found her, as if the Sun God truly was blessing his own believers."

    Shard nodded, exhaling deeply:

    "So, what''s the n now? You''re going to reach out to Miss Beath, the first chosen one. What specifically will you do, do you need my help?"

    Miss Ate smiled:

    "Detective, I do not need your help for the time being. In fact, we have already made contact. I orchestrated an encounter when she was heading to the market outside the city, I disguised myself as an ordinary Prophet and helped her resolve some doubts.

    I believe she wille to me again soon, and then I will assist her as a ''Mystical Prophet'' until she recognizes I am a Circle Sorcerer, only then will I reveal my identity to her for cooperation."

    "That sounds like a good n."

    Shardplimented. This not only established a connection but also fostered Miss Beath''s respect for Miss Ate.

    "Once I reveal my identity to her, then I will introduce you. Detective, you definitely should not interfere in this matter. My n is already very detailed. Plus, you are still... not powerful enough. Your main job now is to strengthen yourself.

    Once you have power you can wield on your own, I will likely have many things that require your assistance."

    This arrangement made sense, Shard didn''t need to be involved in Miss Ate''s already perfect n, and indeed he needed time to learn. The Lakeside Manor incident, though theoretically solved by him, was actually just irreplicable good fortune. Miss Ate''s ns would surely involve conflicts among Circle Sorcerers, and Shard was not yet ready to rashly join in.

    "What if the other party initiates contact with me?"

    Shard countered, and Miss Ate evidently did not believe such a thing possible, but she answered nheless:

    "Then y your role as a in detective well. Until my n here isplete, do not let Miss Beath know you are a Circle Sorcerer. It would disrupt my clever scheme and increase your danger. Also, speaking of which, that power of the Thirteen-Ring Sorcerer, can you still use it? If it''s inconvenient, you don''t have to answer."

    Shard knew she wasn''t trying to pry into his secrets but rather to understand both of their bottom lines.

    He nodded:

    "It''s possible, but the conditions are stringent, and it''s very dangerous."

    But also very powerful, capable even of rivalling a deity.

    Miss Ate nodded slightly in understanding:

    "That''s good, at least we can avoid the worst-case scenario. But don''t worry, I''ll mainly handle the contact with the first Chosen One. I''m not just any Three Ring Sorcerer either."

    "I hope so."

    "There''s one more thing. I''m sorry."

    She looked towards Shard.

    "What?"

    Shard asked, puzzled.

    "I took you to the third floor of the Lakeside Manor and promised no danger, but in the end, you were forced to face an Evil God. While I could dismiss it as something I didn''t foresee, I won''t. I apologize for putting you in jeopardy; it was my greatest mistake at the Lakeside Manor. Detective, I''ll find a way to make it up to you."

    "That matter, don''t worry about it, I went with you voluntarily. And if it wasn''t for that, I... Who can anticipate everything? Your propheciese at a cost, you can''t divinate every event, especially those involving a deity."

    Shard said, listening to the voice of the brown-haired Female Diviner, holding the sleeping Mia, and looking out from the carriage window.

    The misty city went to sleep, under the serene night sky with its triple moons, illuminating the Earth unchanged over thousands of years yet unable to light up every shadow.

    The Chosen One, the great prophecy of the Witch Empress, they are all protagonists in an era of transformation. The Ounder didn''t know what role he would y in the story toe, nor what the future held.

    Nevertheless, he had learned some things, understood some things, and made some friends. It was only in seeing this tranquil night that he truly felt he had arrived here.

    "Say something."

    He said inwardly.

    [What would you like to hear?]

    "Anything, just say something."

    He watched the night view of Steam City, and amid the steady clopping of horse hooves, he heard a woman''s softughter:

    [Sixth Era, Common Era Calendar 1853, summer. Through the winds brushing this city, you have officiallye to understand this world. After weing thepletion of your Blood Feast, the story''s first protagonist is about to make an appearance. When the golden scales symbolizing bnce begin to tilt, someone must take responsibility for adding weights.

    You foresaw a grand epic, foresaw the Steam Age amid great transformations. Will you, forced into this and moving rhythmically with the hooves through the long scroll of an era, take action?]

    The Ounder tilted his head toward the bright moon outside the window. Miss Ate''s purple eyes stared at Shard. A sleeping orange cat looked towards Miss Ate as the moonlight shone on it through the carriage window.

    Indeed, it was a tranquil night.

 Chapter 90 Legacy and Spies

    When Shard returned to No. 6, Saint Dn Square with Mia, it was already 10 p.m. He changed shoes in the foyer on the ground floor and as he climbed the stairs, it felt as if centuries had passed since hest descended them.

    Priest Augustus had ced Shard''s belongings in his study. The Scribe Level Relic "Orb of Silvermoon" was damaged due to the dream from the day before, and the Scribe Level Relic "Vampire Ring" turned to dust for overreaching in its absorption of God''s power.

    Now, the only Relics Shard possessed were the manuscript pages of poetry, the "Spear of Kindness," and "The Twenty-Sided Die of Destiny." Even "Puppeteer''s Script" hadpletely lost its transcendent trait, as all its pages were used up.

    Looking at the calendar on the wall, the month known as the "Sunlight Moon," June, had passed. It was now July, a month people referred to as the "Thunder Moon."

    He sat in the chair behind his desk, examining the items on the opulent desk, summarizing his gains and losses from the Lakeside Manor affair. Because of Baron Lavende''s invitation to the open-air banquet at Lakeside Manor, he had acquired a special Roder Card "Ancient Fairy Tale: Matchstick Girl," got the gun, and gained divinity...

    Behind him, hot steam emerged and, turning around, he saw the silver Desecration Spirit Rune "Gluttony" moving along the metal ring on the rotating brass life ring. This was Shard''s first Spirit Rune.

    "With the Divine Afterglow State gained and ''Gluttony'' acquired, a Circle Sorcerer needs one of each of four different runes to level up. Now that I''ve easily met a quarter of the requirement, the gains fromst night far outweigh the losses," he murmured to himself.

    Moreover, "The Mad Light Chaser" would most likely bring him an Enlightenment Element Spirit Rune rted to the concept of "light" within three months; and from the task given by the Ancient God "Father of the Infinite Tree," he also awaited the wonder "Echo." Looking at this, if he disregarded pairing it with the Sublimation Incantation, it seemed he wasn''t far from reaching the Second Ring.

    In fact, he might even be promoted within a few months.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    The only pity was that although the Divine Afterglow had already appeared on Shard, the key to unlock it would take a week. It was only Monday now, and he had to wait until the early hours of Thursday.

    No matter the bounty reaped at Lakeside Manor, it was a result of very special fortune, and he didn''t believe that kind of luck would grace him again.

    Besides the silver Desecration Rune "Gluttony," (which was acquiredst night), the greatest gain was undoubtedly his understanding of the Silvermoon. Although he couldn''t replicate that inverted step in front of the Silvermoon, Shard hadn''t forgotten the scene of standing on the ridge and gazing up at the colossal Silvermoon in his dream.

    "From this perspective, the ''Orb of Silvermoon'' can also be considered a good value for money," he thought, recalling the Relic he had destroyed. His fingers traced the air, tempted to try the "Silvermoon sh" again, but suddenly stopped. After all, he was in his study, and he would be saddened if anything here were to be destroyed.

    Rising from his study chair, he walked into the living room, pushed open the door to the hallway and descended the stairs to the foyer on the ground floor. Standing in the foyer, he faced the sealed wooden boards on the first floor.

    Amid the sound of clock chimes and steam whistles, the giant brass life ring materialized in the steam behind him.

    He chanted ancient Spell Words, his fingers making a light gesture in the air.

    With a dazzling sh of silver light, an arcing Light Trace appeared in mid-air, followed by the sound of splintering wood. The sudden noise surprised Mia who was peeping around the corner of the staircase on the first floor, eager to see what Shard was doing.

    But this time, the orange cat wasn''t scared away; instead, it crouched with its tail between its legs, unsure whether it should go to "rescue" Shard.

    The foyer itself wasn''t veryrge, and Shard was struck by the splinters of wood, thankfully, with not too serious an injury; just a scratch on the back of his hand.

    "Hmm?"

    With the wooden boards shattered, a brown object fell out with a tter from behind the crack. Squinting under the gaslight in the foyer, Shard looked at the bulky wallet, clearly full of banknotes. His expression tensed as he contemted his initial "grand investigation,"

    "Come to think of it, I only thought that room number one on the second floor was the detective''s inheritance, I never checked the first floor... Hm..."

    In truth, even if he had searched the ground floor originally, it''s most likely he wouldn''t have found it; the wallet was too well hidden.

    Looking up at the tightly-sealed brick wall behind the wooden board on the third floor, a bleeding hand picked up the wallet:

    "That nk must be removable, so hiding the wallet here is indeed something no one would think of, and it''s very convenient to take money out whenever I leave the house. Detective Sparrow and the original owner should both know about this spot, but I haven''t inherited the memory."

    Shard didn''t know quite how to feel; happy that he had finally found the wallet, yet astonished that the answer was so simple.

    So he opened the wallet to check, and indeed it was all banknotes, totaling up to 28 pounds and 12 shillings, enough to sustain the operation of his office for three months, and support the modest lifestyle of a single man quitefortably.

    "But the value of that cane must be more than 15 pounds, and the price of high-end tea won''t be low either. The inheritance left by Detective Sparrow can''t be just these, could it be that he deliberately calcted this amount of money to be just enough for three months'' normal expenses?"

    Holding the wallet, he went upstairs, intending to clean the hallway, while summarizing his impressions of Detective Sparrow in his mind:

    "Very meticulous in his work, he wrote in his diary every day, and his ounting was clear and orderly. His detective skills were strong, but some of his detective records were not true; some clients had a poor impression of him. He had a high taste for tea, an expensive cane, and liked to read novels about knights, wars, and court affairs...

    Although this image became much more rounded, I still couldn''t see what secrets he might have."

    His footsteps suddenly stopped, prompting the cat that was climbing the stairs ahead of him to curiously look back. Shard squinted his eyes slightly, but in truth, he saw nothing:

    "Wait, if everything I experienced on that night at Lakeside Manor was the result of luck, then could the things I didn''t understand correspond to those unknown events?"

    Amongst the many matters at Lakeside Manor, the most iprehensible was the "Witch Council" intelligence he overheard by the stables, along with the intelligence of a Carsonrick United Kingdom spy he heard after breaking into the Garden Maze.

    "The Witch Council" definitely had nothing to do with Detective Sparrow; after all, any way you look at it, the detective was a man, and it was confirmed by many that he was indeed an ordinary person. On the contrary, Shard was somewhat suspicious that the intelligence about "The Witch Council" pointed to "thatdy" who was also present at the time.

    As for the spy¡ª

    "If I follow this line of thinking, the identity of a foreign spy indeed fits the setting of ''a person with huge secrets but just an ordinary person''."

    He continued to climb the stairs while thinking, and the cat, unable to wait any longer, already started scratching at the second-floor door:

    "Extremely meticulous in his work, which is the caution of a spy;

    Writing in his diary every day, a disguise of his identity and movements as an ordinary citizen;

    Clear and orderly ounting, so as not to leave clues for others and to facilitate the falsification of sources of funds;

    Strong detective abilities, in line with the characteristics of a spy;

    Unreal detective records, obviously covering up information, while strengthening the image of an ordinary detective;

    A poor impression with some clients, he must have done something extraneous or used a gun along with taking on assignments;

    High taste for tea, his true personal hobby;

    An expensive cane, possibly the only personal item he brought from his homnd, with sentimental value;

    Like novels, maybe those novels are codebooks, but I can''t understand them..."

    Shard opened the door for Mia, and the nocturnally active cat immediately leapt into the living room. Standing at the doorway, he looked at the ce where Mr. Sparrow had lived. The moonlight passed through Saint Dn Square and shone into the living room from the window, but the brightness stopped at his feet, leaving half of Shard''s face in the doorway shrouded in shadow:

    "So, Sparrow Hamilton, couldn''t really be a spy from Carsonrick, could he?"

 Chapter 91 Healing and Injuries

    Apart from the above doubts, if we follow this line of thought, it''s possible that acquiring No. 6 Saint Dn Square was the result of the espionage organization''s operations; and the detective''s professed specialty in investigating mistresses and extramarital affairs could have been a deliberate choice to get close to nobles and eavesdrop on their secrets.

    His ultimate death might have been as a result of his efforts to fulfill the noble''smission, which would also corroborate Shard''s conjecture.

    However, if this idea is correct, then Detective Sparrow''s mission could have been to lie in wait to be activated, or simply to infiltrate the upper echelons of Tobesk, or to join some event when the time was right. All of these possibilities vanished with the detective''s unexpected death.

    As for "Genesis: Silver Moon," it is unclear whether it was the detective''s personal interest, or if it was a stepping stone he used to knock on the upper society''s door during his three years undercover in Tobesk.

    "But all these are just spections,"

    Shard entered the door, ready to fetch the broom to clean the first floor:

    "In any case, Sparrow Hamilton is dead. All that''s left of his secrets is the letter that will arrive in September. The current guesses are just that, guesses; if he was able to approach the original owner a few months in advance, he surely could have destroyed anything rted to his identity a few months in advance as well..."

    Thinking of this, the fact that Detective Sparrow specifically sought out the brain-damaged Shard seemed to make sense:

    "Could it be that he was in touch only with the Carsonrick side and was a long-time secret undercover agent who would not be tasked until the moment was critical?

    Hence, after the incident, he couldn''t immediately inform his handler of his impending death; thus, he could only bring in a brain-damaged vagrant to see if the seemingly ordinary September letter would be returned, using it as a confirmation of his safety."

    Shard was almost certain that more than half of his theory was likely correct.

    But now there was no evidence to prove any of these hypotheses, unless he was crazy enough to report on Detective Sparrow and then have his own life affected:

    "However, maybe Miss Ate''s divination could be useful."

    He thought to himself:

    "There''s no need for her to attempt the kind of divination thates at a cost; even a ordinary divination may provide clues rted to Detective Sparrow."

    The thought that he didn''t have to wait until September to unveil this secret made his mood even better than when he had just found his wallet.

    Among the four free arcane techniques the Academy offered Shard, "Perception of Time" was unlearnable due tock of materials, and "Cyndia''s Silvermoon Blessing" required a very stringent moon phase environment to learn.

    While preparing a midnight snack for Mia, Shard noticed the cat was actually licking a bleeding wound on the back of his hand. Worried about his health, he decided to try and learn this healing ability, especially as the conditions that night were just right.

    He took out the bottle of silver liquid from a drawer in the study. This liquid, called "Silvermoon Glow" by the Academy, would cost 14 pounds and 3 shillings for a small 0.5 fluid ounce (approximately 14.2ml) bottle, if purchased normally.

    He opened the living room curtains, bathing himself in the tricolor moonlight. Extending his right arm, he then carefully removed the cat that had suddenly jumped onto his arm, cing the back of his right hand under the moonlight.

    The learning requirement for this ability was to have a wound on oneself, and under the current circumstances, there was no need for him to injure himself deliberately.

    Carefully, he poured the moonlight liquid onto the wound. The liquid did not flow down the back of his hand but instead gathered at the wound. Shard took a deep breath, picked up a match prepared on the windowsill, lightly struck it against the wall to light it, and then very carefully, turned his hand palm down to let the burning match head poke the wound covered in silver liquid.

    "Tsk~"

    The matchstick extinguished from the pressure, and the entire Moonlight potion in the moonlight surged into the wound, and the ability had been sessfully learned.

    Shard felt the new power, saw that the wound on the back of his hand was still there, and softly recited the spell words he understood as "praise the moon." A faint silver glimmer appeared in his left hand, which he immediately ced over the back of his right hand.

    Several minutester, he separated his hands, shook his right hand, and saw that only a faint trace of the wound remained, which would probably heal on its own very soon. The Arcane Technique of Cyndia''s Silvermoon Blessing actually leaned more toward using the properties of Silvermoon to heal the spirit and soul, with physical healing being a secondary effect, hence the mediocre oue.

    After all, in the cycle of three moons, the Red Moon represented the concept of "flesh," and the Arcane Techniques of the Red Moon were better suited for physical healing.

    "Meow~"

    Mia scratched quickly at Shard''s trouser legs, and having learned the new magic, Shard picked her up, nning to wash up and rest afterward.

    The Blood of Mercury incident hade to a temporary close, he had found Mr. Sparrow''s legacy, the study of the Circle Sorcerer was on the right track, and he even had goals for a long time toe. Shard was not dissatisfied with such a life; it was just like his thoughts when he first left Saint Dn Square to see this era and this world¡ªeverything would get better.

    The next day was Tuesday, and the affairs of Lakeside Manor had temporarily settled down, allowing Shard''s life to return to its peaceful routine.

    The most important thing for today was to visit the severely wounded Dr. Schneider, but although he was temporarily free, the other twomissions left by Detective Sparrow remained upleted.

    The detective''s intention was for Shard to graduallyplete fourmissions by September, thus maintaining the superficial operation of the office; therefore, the remaining twomissions were not tasks that could be easily aplished right away.

    He nned to get started at the end of this month or the beginning of next.

    Shard fed the cat early and first sent a letter to the Lucky Southern Cross Club via the post office, stating that he had woken up, then he met up with Priest Augustus in front of the Dawn Chapel, a twenty-minute walk from Saint Dn Square.

    The Dawn Chapel, located at the center of Dawn Square, was also considered andmark building in Tobesk. Even non-believers would be impressed by the grandeur of the building when passing by. Of course, ording to Priest Augustus, the building itself held power, and evil spirits and wicked things could not hide within the chapel.

    Therefore, people being impressed might also be influenced by the supernatural power of the ce.

    Although it was still early morning, there was already a bustling crowd in front of Dawn Chapel, with well-dressed gentlemen from the upper ss mingling with ordinary citizens, entering and exiting the church doors carved with the huge Holy Emblem.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Just yesterday, the priest mentioned that the most important religious festival of the Dawn Church, the Day of Prayer, would be held inte July, and believers who wanted to participate in church activities would visit frequently.

    Shard didn''t know if it was also customary in this world to bring gifts when visiting the sick. Since he had found the money left by Detective Sparrow, he had thought about buying fruit or eggs on the way to the chapel, but when he arrived, he came empty-handed.

    So he thought of asking Priest Augustus to pick some beautiful flowers from the church''s garden after meeting him, but once he saw the Old Cleric, he felt embarrassed to ask.

    Priest Augustus also didn''t n to buy gifts. After meeting with Shard, they took a carriage directly to Dr. Schneider''s clinic.

 Chapter 92 Holy Water

    Dr. Schneider had not been admitted to the hospital, as his ailment was not something that a regr physician could treat. When Shard and the Old Cleric entered the doctor''s bedroom on the third floor of the clinic, they found him in his pajamas, weakly leaning against the headboard of his bed, conversing with Miss Ate and Miss Luisa, who had arrived earlier.

    There were also two chairs beside the bed, clearly prepared for the two gentlemen.

    Theyout of the doctor''s bedroom resembled that of thete Detective Sparrow, featuring a canopy bed against the wall, surrounded by bookshelves, a wardrobe, and a desk. Even the lotus-shaped gasmp on the desk was simr, though it was clear that the doctor''s was more expensive.

    Shard noticed the gear knob on the side of the metal instrument, an indicator that thismp''s brightness could be finely adjusted, representative machinery of this Steam Age.

    "You have arrived."

    Bill Schneider looked pale as he watched the priest and the detective enter. He tried to sit up straight but, unfortunately, failed.

    Miss Ate and Miss Luisa also stood up to greet the two men. The former merely exchanged nces with Shard as if their conversation the previous night had never happened, while thetter appearedpletely restored to health, faring much better than the doctor.

    As Shard chose a chair to sit down, his eyes swept the room and noticed no gifts, deducing that the female diviner and the female writer hade empty-handed to visit the sick, which Shard found pleasing.

    "I am d to see you all here," said the doctor in a low voice, watching Shard and the Old Cleric sit down.

    "Bill, don''t talk. How is he doing now?"

    Priest Augustus asked Miss Ate, and the brown-haired woman replied with some annoyance:

    "He used the Sublimation Incantation without any preparation. The physical damage is manageable, your magic potion can handle that. Surprisingly, there has been no decay of lifespan, but his spirit and soul have suffered unusually severe damage."

    Shard thought back to the sulfur smell he had detected, and the injured doctor gave an awkward smile, fortunately without anyone asking him about it.

    "Then, the only solutions I can think of are Holy Water Essence No. 2 or No. 1, which can solve this issuepletely and harmlessly."

    Priest Augustus said. He was the one in the group best skilled in concocting magic potions and also acted as the group''s healer. After all, although Dr. Schneider was a physician, he was a psychologist.

    "Holy Water?"

    This was the first time Shard had heard the term, and Miss Luisa quietly exined to him:

    "The papacy of the Church of Nature possesses a setposed of five Relics, ranging from Poet-Level to Angel-Level, said to be statues of five angels. When they are soaked in dew, the dew is transformed into Holy Water with various effects, known as Holy Water Nos. 1 through 5.

    The Holy Water Essence itself is a very effective potion and has strong exorcism properties. When mixed appropriately, it can even be used to prepare various magic potions. No. 1 Holy Water is not made avable externally, while No. 2 Holy Water, per an agreement by the Church of the Five Gods, is a standard issue for the True God Church''s Circle Sorcerer squad.

    For injuries needing soul treatment like the doctor''s, simr magic potions are probably necessary for healing. Otherwise, it would require even rarer magic potions or Relics."

    "Is there any avability in the local ck market recently?"

    Priest Augustus asked with concern, hunched over in his chair.

    Miss Luisa quietly exined again:

    "The expensive Holy Water that asionally appears on the local ck market is rumored to be sold off by the Church."

    "There''s none at the moment, but I have contacted a friend in Carsonrick who has some in stock, but it will take at least a month to ship here," replied Miss Ate.

    "Is there any other way?"

    Shard joined the conversation, but Priest Augustus shook his head:

    "If he rests, Bill might not be able to get out of bed until the end of the year. Our group once possessed a Scribe-Level healing ss Relic called the Doctor''s Severed Hand that could heal the soul, but unfortunately, it was lost during a fire exchangest year. The Academy might be able to think of something, but their solutions are usually... expensive.

    This isn''t an ordinary injury, and injuries to the soul and spirit can''t even be healed by your Vampire Ring."

    "The Vampire Ring was destroyed yesterday when I faced the Shadow of the Evil God, along with two other relics I had on me."

    Shard said with regret.

    "That''s quite normal, Shard. You are truly brave."

    The doctor managed a weak smile at Shard:

    "You saved all of us at Lakeside Manor."

    "Some special healing arcane techniques, sorcery, or divine arts, can also heal the wounds of the soul and spirit, but we are not proficient in these abilities."

    Priest Augustus added.

    "Among the free arcane techniques given to me by the Academy, Cyndia''s Silvermoon Blessing should belong to healing abilities, specializing in the healing of the mind and spirit. I learned itst night."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Shard exined, his confidence in this ability bolstered by the Divine Afterglow State and his deepening understanding of Silvermoon. Unfortunately, this ability could only be used at night.

    "Divine Afterglow does not make you omnipotent. I think you''ll need to at least reach the Three Rings before you can use arcane techniques to affect the doctor''s condition," the whispering voice reminded.

    "As for Silvermoon Blessing..."

    Miss Writer Luisa thought for a moment. Currently, apart from the severely injured doctor, the Four Rings female writer was the strongest in the group:

    "That might work, but you are only a First Ring Sorcerer, so I think the effect might not be very significant. Otherwise, we wouldn''t need No. 2 or No. 1 Holy Water."

    Her opinion was consistent with the woman''s voice in Shard''s head.

    Miss Luisa then instructed:

    "Then we have to think of other methods. Ate, go check with Old Johnter. Priest, please inquire whether the Church of Nature will release the next batch of Holy Water soon. After I return, I''ll read the Ancient Fairy Tale ''Spring of Healing'' a few more times to see if I can learn any healing arcane techniques."

    As for you, Detective... don''t show your face these next few days."

    All four of them looked toward Shard. After hesitating for a moment, he brought up the topic:

    "That final Silvermoon sh that night..."

    "No need to exin. Everyone has their secrets. Besides, we have to thank you for killing Lassoya, otherwise our identities would have been exposed. Even now, we might face assassination from the Blood of Mercury and possibly the Blood Spirit School," Dr. Schneider said, leaning against the bedside cab. He coughed, prompting Priest Augustus to hurriedly hand him a cup.

    It wasn''t tea but a dark potion with a hint of mint.

    "What exactly is the Blood Spirit School? I''ve heard of this organization more than once recently, but I don''t really understand it."

    Shard asked, the information provided by Miss Ate from the Prophet''s Society being more substantial:

    "Some documents suggest that the Blood Spirit School can even be traced back before the lost Third Era. This organization specializes in the powers of flesh and was quite active during the Witch Era of the Fifth Era. They attempted to purify the blood..."

    The Female Diviner paused, contemting whether to continue:

    "To evolve humanity. These people believe that our current Sixth Era is the lost Brass Era, and that purifying the blood to a golden color, tracing the most primal power of mankind''s lineage from the Ancient Era, can achieve humanity''s ultimate evolution into ''Golden Humans.'' Of course, there''s no evidence to support these ims."

    Not only that, "the Blood Spirit School, due to numerous human experiments and ughter, faced pursuit from secr forces and the Church of the Five Gods. Decades ago, the main body of the organization moved to the New World. In the Old Continent''s Draleon Kingdom, only a few bases still remain," Miss Luisa said.

    "Also, there is a Thirteen-Ring Sorcerer within the Blood Spirit School, the 78-year-old ''Weeper'' Hermons.

    Extremely powerful, if he hadn''t been ambushed by the True God Church and severely injured thirty years ago when he was at Twelve Rings, the Blood Spirit School wouldn''t have been so quiet in recent decades," the Priest also indicated, with other members seeming to have different understandings of the organization.

 Chapter 93 The Submitted Report

    Shard wanted to continue asking, but the doctor spoke again:

    "In any case, Shard, your main concerntely should still be your studies as a Circle Sorcerer. The aftermath of the Lord of the Blood Feast and the Blood of Mercury has nothing to do with you, nor does the ''Masked Person under Silvermoon''. Let others worry about my injuries; you don''t need to think about it so much."

    Miss Ate, Miss Luisa, and Priest Augustus shared this sentiment. Shard thought for a moment and then summoned the Ring of Fate behind him.

    White steam mist filled the bedroom but, surprisingly, did not spread far. The other four saw that the single-faced Ring of the First Ring Sorcerer shone with an intense glimmer of the Desecration Spirit Rune "Gluttony," which had already been inscribed upon it.

    Even though Shard was not using any Arcane Techniques at the moment, the rune still sparkled as if it had been activated. He attributed this to the special origin of this Spirit Rune. It was not a tale of indirect contact with an Evil God but a direct swallowing of a portion of the Evil God''s power.

    "This appeared on that night at Lakeside Manor,"

    he exined.

    "Desecration? Indeed, it might appear aftering into contact with a deity, but..."

    The doctor on the bed pondered and asked:

    "Have you eaten since you woke up?"

    "I did. Last night, Priest Augustus and I took some boiled potatoes from the church''s kitchen, and this morning while feeding the cat, I drank two bottles of milk and ate some bread,"

    Shard recalled.

    "So, are you hungry now? Was there anything abnormal while eating, such as a desire to devour your cat?"

    Miss Luisa asked in ce of the doctor, and Shard shook his head in surprise:

    "Mia is so cute, why would I? Oh, I see what you mean now, but I haven''t noticed anything abnormal... though, the milk did taste a bit off. I suspect the milk deliverypany used milk that wasn''t fresh."

    "That''s not a problem, but having faced an Evil God directly, you''re bound to be affected. Watch out for the risk of losing control,"

    Priest Augustus advised, and as clergy members, even though he was not a Circle Sorcerer of the church, he had significant authority on this matter:

    "If you feel unwell in the next few days, you must tell us. Strange dreams, inexplicable illusions, or losing memories for a period¡ªthese are all warning signs."

    "And any physical abnormalities, like growing extra organs, or flesh sprouts on your skin,"

    Miss Ate also added.

    Shard nodded, taking note of these points, and then looked back at the Ring of Fate:

    "Now that my first Spirit Rune has appeared, should I inform the Academy and change my study n?"

    "Of course, this should be reported to the Academy along with our submitted report,"

    the doctor said, then signaled to Miss Luisa to distribute the documents from the bedside table to everyone.

    This was the "Report of the Blood Feast Incident at Lakeside Manor on the 30th Day of Sunlight Moon, Year 1853 of the Sixth Era," drafted by the doctor during his time in bed:

    "This incident must be reported to the Academy. We stopped an Evil God, and even though we didn''t obtain any tangible benefits, the Academy will reward such actions. Any act of justice is sure to bepensated."

    The Three Great Magics Academies also regarded Evil Gods as enemies, and even if, for unknown reasons, the Academy stayed away from the civilized world, the Three Great Magics Academies were undoubtedly forces of good.

    "This matter will involve future rewards, as well as some secrets of our own..."

    The doctor nced at Shard:

    "So, we must jointly modify this report. I''ve finished writing the part that I experienced. Do you have anything to add or change? Luisa, you will still be in charge of record-keeping."

    "Dorothy''s core Spirit Rune ''The Writer'' possesses Arcane Technique¡ªMind Writing, making her well-suited for record-keeping."

    He exined to Shard, who nodded while flipping through the report in his hand.

    The doctor himself certainly had secrets; even though they were not mentioned in the report, Shard had not forgotten. When the doctor used the Sublimation Incantation at the entrance of the banquet hall, there was a strong smell of sulfur on the shadow behind him.

    Even in this world, sulfur is rted to a certain abnormally evil race in ancient tales. Combined with what Professor Sanchez had said about Dr. Schneider''s "other self" being problematic, Shard could almost be certain that the doctor''s secrets were rted to devils or demons¡ªthough he did not rule out the possibility that the secret could be something as ludicrous as a Sulfur Slime.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "Demon Doctor, that title actually sounds quite interesting," Shard thought.

    Of course, he would not report this to the Academy. Since the doctor had protected his secrets, he should also protect the doctor''s secrets.

    He would continue to monitor and ensure that if there were any issues with the doctor, they could be dealt with promptly.

    To avoid suspicion, the part about Shard facing the Evil God, of course, could not be written. The events after the doctor fainted were fabricated as the detective and the diviner joining forces to decipher the nodes of the ritual, and during which, because of excessive inspiration, the detective was affected and obtained "Gluttony."

    Miss Luisa, after consulting with both men, added an abundance of details to showcase their efforts.

    As for the "Masked Person under Silvermoon", the consensus narrative was that he brushed past Shard and Miss Ate, and the two low-ranking Circle Sorcerers did not see his true face.

    Miss Luisa, indeed a recipient of the Kingdom''s literary award, even managed to capture Shard''s perspective in the report. She portrayed his nervousness when facing the "powerful" Circle Sorcerers and his perception of their might.

    In the report, both Shard and Miss Ate witnessed the scene where the "Masked Person under Silvermoon" kicked in front of the Silvermoon. The Blonde Writer focused on describing the shock of the scene with a string of adjectives, emphasizing the notion that "the suspected Thirteen Rings Circle Sorcerer is extremely powerful, so that person must be unrted to the group."

    "Miss Luisa, do you always take care of the group''s report?"

    As the Blonde Writer was "embellishing" the report, Shard quietly asked the priest beside him, who nodded:

    "This is her role within the group."

    Apart from the events on the third floor, before the five met up there, each person had also engaged in various activities. Those minor details also needed to be added to the report for the Academy to judge if they had any connection to the arrival of the "Lord of the Blood Feast."

    In his part, Shard pondered for a long time and decided to include the Roder Card, the good fortune of The Twenty-Sided Die of Destiny, and the matter of the gun. Of course, the reason leading to the roll of 20 points definitely could not be explicitly stated.

    "Actually, there was a significant reward for that ''Heart Collector,'' which you won''t be able to im. But,e to think of it, if your luck wasn''t so goodst night, nobody would be foolish enough to directly use a Relic with unknown effects," the priestmented.

    "If my luck wasn''t so good, I wouldn''t have survived in front of the Evil God either," Shard also found an excuse for himself, but upon saying it, he suddenly realized that this might just be the reality. After all, the good luck caused by the script had not yet ended when facing the Evil God.

    This report was finally revised... embellished after a morning''s discussion. Signed by the five people who experienced the event, the doctor then had Miss Luisa take a page from the poet''s manuscript from the drawer and sent the report up through the page.

 Chapter 94 Trait of the Spear of Kindness

    Under normal circumstances, correspondence students are handled by the Student Affairs Office of Saint Byrons Integrated Academy, but even with their high efficiency, it''s impossible for them to provide an immediate response.

    So, the group went to a restaurant for lunch, and of course, the doctor who imed to be "suddenly stricken with a serious illness" could only rest in bed, with the clinic''s servants bringing him food. His appearance of being at death''s door required no feigning.

    The four who went out had a rich lunch at "Good Man Richard''s Restaurant" on Rontgen Avenue, and by the time they returned to the doctor''s bedroom, the response from Saint Byrons to the report had just arrived.

    The Academy also attached great importance to this matter, otherwise the response to the report would probably have arrived only in the evening.

    "Let me take a look."

    Miss Luisa flipped through several pages of paper and, after reading, handed them over to the doctor, then announced the good news to everyone:

    "The Academy does not doubt the authenticity of our report and even praised my writing skills... at least for now there is no doubt. The professors are very satisfied with the intelligence we submitted, and they had also heard about the incident in Tobesk City, butmented theck of an agent on the scene and needed firsthand news.

    They also sent information on the gun used by the detective, and I didn''t expect that it would actually be a Scribe Level (Level 4) Relic, and it''s quite famous in history, known as the ''Spear of Kindness''."

    Miss Luisa handed Shard the exnation booklet of the "Relic" that was clipped between the pages, and Shard nced at it:

    [Scribe Level Relic - Spear of Kindness.]

    [It can use physical bullets, or a Circle Sorcerer''s spirit to replenish bullets.

    It does not harm the user; if the user aims at themselves and fires, it absolutely cannot cause self-harm; it does not harm others, when aiming at any life other than oneself, if there is no method to resist the lethal effect, and the trigger-pulling user''s own level is below level 9, then the user will undoubtedly die.]

    "So, the meaning of harming neither oneself nor others turns out to be that the wielder cannot harm themselves or others? Ha, I thought it was a judgment of alignment between good and evil."

    He eximed.

    "Detective, you''ve also taken the entrance test, you should know that good and evil are very difficult to distinguish. Therefore, there are rarely relics like the kind you mentioned."

    The purple-eyed female diviner, Miss Ate, reminded.

    The "Spear of Kindness" sounded very powerful because of its "lethal" effect, but as Priest Augustus had said, aside from those misled by fate or low-level Circle Sorcerers, few would actively use a relic without understanding its traits. Thus, the rating of the "Spear of Kindness" was only Scribe Level.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    "What about the characterization of this incident?"

    Priest Augustus was concerned.

    "The illegal organization ''Blood of Mercury'' and the believers of the Old God ''Lord of the Blood Feast'' were jointly nning this shameful terrorist attack. The Academy has issued a reward to all correspondence Circle Mages in the Tobesk region, offering a reward from the academy for providing their intelligence."

    Dr. Schneider read in a clear and resonant voice, obviously in better spirits after lunch.

    "What about the reward for this incident?"

    Miss Ate was concerned, and in fact, Shard was too, but he didn''t have the nerve to ask so directly.

    "The academy needs to verify the information we have provided, but it should have a result within a week at most. The current idea is that you and Shard get 20 practical credits as a reward, and are allowed to pick one Arcane Technique or Sorcery from the library, for which the academy can provide all learning materials and 10 Spellcasting Materials. Tsk, that''s really generous."

    Although Shard couldn''t see his own expression, he imagined it must be simr to the female diviner with brown, short hair.

    "Each of us three gets 8 credits,"

    the doctor pointed to himself and then passed the report to Priest Augustus, who was closest to him:

    "It looks like this Saturday afternoon, Professor Rontgen from the Divinity Academy wants to meet us."

    Priest Augustus shook the pages in his hand, and they all saw that on the back of the first page, there was a notification for a meeting. The method used was the same as the private meeting notice Shard had seen before:

    "The professor will ask about some matters to confirm the authenticity of our report, and then distribute our rewards. In addition, considering the special nature of this incident, the Academy will help Dr. Schneider heal his injuries as part of the reward for our team."

    Priest Augustus said, and everyone showed a smile.

    "With these 8 credits, it seems that the likelihood of me advancing to the 5th year this winter has increased."

    The blonde girl spoke softly.

    "That''s great, now I won''t have to lie in bed until the end of the year, I''d get moldy."

    The blue-eyed doctor was also delighted; it was rare to see him disy such an emotion.

    "I''ve been wanting to select a new Arcane Technique from the library for a long time, and now with this stroke of luck, I''m going to pick the most expensive one on the list."

    The brown-haired Female Diviner also sat quietly on her chair, her hands resting on her knees, smiling.

    "8 practical credits, looks like this winter, I might try to improve my academic rating by another level."

    The Old Cleric''s wrinkles smoothed out due to the good mood.

    Seeing that Shard had not spoken, the four of them looked at him:

    "Say something."

    Miss Luisa urged, and Shard thought for a moment. In his entire first year, he only needed 40 practical credits, of which 10 muste from Time Exploration, and the remaining 30 credits¡ªmiraculously, 20 were satisfied all at once:

    "Although the gains this time were huge, I certainly don''t want to go through it again."

    He meant every word, and the Old Cleric in a good mood patted Shard''s shoulder:

    "While you''re not wrong, how can a young manck such vitality? You don''t look like a 20-something-year-old. You should smile more often; that''s my secret to a long life."

    Given the average lifespan of this era, fifty-something-year-old Priest Augustus was definitely long-lived.

    Influenced by the atmosphere, Shard finally smiled too.

    Sinceing to this world, with no family, no friends, no memories of the past, no money, and even anguage barrier, to now having trustworthy people and his own strength, he truly had nothing toin about.

    Beyond the Academy''s response to the incident, the paper also revealed Shard''s academic status. He had unexpectedly obtained the Desecration Rune [Gluttony] by directly encountering an Old God, and the Academy was concerned about whether Shard had been affected.

    However, his original study n remained unchanged. [The Mad Light Chaser] and the Spirit Rune [Light] were still Shard''s most critical tasks six months from now, before reviewing the Academy''s [Sublimation Codex].

    But because of the unique nature of the History Academy, not only would Professor Rontgen from the Divinity Academy meet everyone this Saturday, but Professor Hensinger Garcia, the Vice Dean of the History Academy, would also appear topensate and reward them for the unexpected Fifth Era: Year 1068 time travel incident.

    "Professor Garcia is likely doing your course summary. That''s the Vice Dean of the History Academy, I never thought he would be the one to guide you, it looks like the History Academy really values your matter," Dr. Schneider remarked.

    But since the rewards for the Lakeside Manor incident and the Investigator incident were both happening on Saturday, Shard looked forward to the chance to talk privately with Professor Garcia. He wanted to preview the [Sublimation Codex], as the four different types of Spirit Runes were already very close to him.

 Chapter 95 The Library and the Philosophers Stone

    Having obtained the first Spirit Rune, Shard naturally wanted to try mastering the Arcane Technique corresponding to "Gluttony." The doctor and others agreed with this idea, believing that even if a Circle Sorcerer''s energy was limited and it wasn''t possible to deeply understand and explore every Spirit Rune, mastering at least one Arcane Technique for each Rune was the usual practice of the Academy.

    "The ways we acquire Sorcery and Arcane Techniques aren''t limited to the expensive Saint Byrons Library."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Miss Ate said, gesturing with her hand:

    "Tobesk City is one of the most important cities in the Old Continent, where countless Circle Sorcerers mingle, leading to a sizable ck market and trading channels. You probably know that you can buy Relics from Old John, but in fact, we also have channels to directly purchase Arcane Techniques, Sorcery, and even some books that might grant Spirit Runes after reading."

    She looked toward the bed where the doctor nodded, then Miss Ate took out paper and pen to write down an address, making sure Shard memorized it before using the me at her fingertip to burn it:

    "You can go to this ce, the membership fee is 1 Gold Pound, and I think this shouldn''t be too difficult for you."

    "Yes, I''ve had arge ie recently."

    Shard said, thinking of yesterday''s wallet and then remembering Sparrow''s secret. He nned on discussing the Divination matter with Miss Ate alone after the meeting ended.

    The address written by Miss Ate was for the "ck Raven Library," located in the Tobesk University District, very close to the apartment rented by Miss Luisa.

    On the surface, it was a private library and club for university professors, requiring permission from the owner and payment of a membership fee to share the books inside.

    But in reality, the ck Raven Library was involved in preserving and collecting knowledge rted to Circle Sorcerers.

    They had some knowledge of Mysticism themselves and opened it to trustworthy Circle Sorcerers who were introduced to them, but most importantly, they provided a tform for local Circle Sorcerers to anonymously trade books and knowledge-rted goods.

    There are many such ces inside Tobesk City, forming various secret trading venues for Circle Sorcerers great and small, but this library had the best reputation, which is why Miss Ate rmended Shard go there.

    "Remember to wear a mask and inconspicuous clothing. You can absolutely trust Old Man John, and our rtionship with him is deep, so no need for such precautions. But it''s different with the ck Raven Library; we''re only considered regrs, so it''s best not to reveal your identity."

    Priest Augustus cautioned, and Shard meticulously noted the information, calcting how many Gold Pounds he should spend on knowledge.

    He still owed the family cat Mia 10 Gold Pounds, which came from Lady Gawder''s remittance he used to buy the already shattered Relic "Orb of Silvermoon." And with the tuition he owed his group amounting to 40 Gold Pounds, his debts now totaled 50 Gold Pounds. Yesterday''s inheritance from Mr. Sparrow was clearly not enough.

    Fortunately, he could pay back 20 Gold Pounds a month at the end of the month, and he had also saved some moneyst month, so his financial situation was actually not too bad.

    After these matters were discussed, today''s meeting should have ended, allowing Doctor Schneider to rest. But Dr. Schneider announced another matter that made everyone stay:

    "Regarding the forged Philosopher''s Stone, I haven''t given up. Once I recover, I will take action again. At the Lakeside Manor, the ''Heart Collector'' and ''Lady Lassoya'' from ''Blood of Mercury'' were killed, and the organization''s leader, the ''Silver-Eyed One,'' was severely injured.

    I heard that the True God Church is truly enraged this time and might even summon a new Thirteen-Ring Sorcerer from the Papacy. Now is a good opportunity."

    "Bill, those five credits are not worth it, don''t forget the possibly existing ''Blood Spirit School''."

    Priest Augustus advised, but the doctor shook his head:

    "Of course, it''s not just for the five practical credits. You probably haven''t seen the Academy Bounty Notice; this task was posted by Professor Rogers from the Mechanical Academy. I want to learn a very important Arcane Technique from him, and this is an opportunity."

    As a doctor with a talent for mental and dream abilities, belonging to the Mechanical Academy, it seemed he had been preparing for this for a long time.

    "Besides, the ''Forged Philosopher''s Stone'' itself is very important. The Academy Bounty Notice only requires us to procure 3 fluid ounces, and we can keep the rest. Do you know the traits of the Keeper of Secrets Level Relic?"

    He looked at the four people, Shard and Priest Augustus shook their heads, Miss Luisa thought for a moment:

    "I once chose the elective course ''Dangerous Alchemical Replicas.'' I remember, Keeper of Secrets Level Relic ''Forged Philosopher''s Stone'' is a red liquid substance, the most dangerous imitation of the Sage-Level Relic ''Philosopher''s Stone.'' It is said to have been created by a great alchemist during the chaotic times of the Fourth Era.

    The Forged Philosopher''s Stone cannot be touched directly because it is highly toxic, and if the imitationes into contact with a real Philosopher''s Stone, the forgery turns into clear water. Although a failure, it inherited some properties of a real Philosopher''s Stone. An equal amount of ''Forged Philosopher''s Stone'' can be transformed into an equal amount of gold, but that would be a waste.

    The most important property is..."

    "The Forged Philosopher''s Stone can act as an almost universal ritual material, recing some impossible-to-find important ritual items.

    For example, for a ritual to summon an Evil God, the ''Blood of Mercury'' and Cultists who worship the Lord of the Blood Feast couldn''t possibly gather the materials easily, so they must have used the ''Forged Philosopher''s Stone.'' This was the conclusion of yesterday''s investigation by the association."

    Miss Ate added.

    "The advancement of Circle Sorcerers requires ritual assistance. Low-rank Circle Sorcerers'' advancement rituals usemon materials, but I''m about to prepare to advance from Five Rings to Six Rings. Some materials can be smuggled from the New World, some can be bought from the Academy, but some materials are quite difficult..."

    Dr. Schneider looked at the other four, and naturally, they had no reason to object anymore.

    However, there was no rush; Dr. Schneider wouldn''t know until Saturday whether he could recover. Until then, he could only spend his time reading in bed for the week.

    "The end of this month is the exam week. Reading a few more books now might help you attempt to pass those theoretical courses'' exams. Speaking of which, Doctor, how''s your study of ''Aether Mechanics'' going?"

    The blonde writer joked, everyone else showing a smile. Only the doctor leaned back on the bed headrest with a sigh, not at all pleased with lying in bed the whole time, nor particrly fond of "Aether Mechanics."

 Chapter 96 The Female Sorcerers Divination

    After the meeting concluded, everyone left, allowing Dr. Schneider to rest in bed¡ªthough he was rather reluctant to do so.

    Shard gave the Female Diviner a meaningful nce, indicating his desire for a private conversation. Despite not understanding the doctor''splex hand gestures at Lakeside Manor, Miss Ate easily deciphered Shard''s intended meaning this time.

    Thus, Shard took a stroll near Rontgen Avenue. After standing on the street corner for a while, he saw a carriage pull up beside him, with Miss Ate beckoning him from the window toe aboard.

    "Detective, what brings you here?"

    Since both of their destinations were the city center, Shard boarded the carriage and it set off once again.

    "This shouldn''t count as taking advantage... Perhaps I should give Miss Ate half the carriage fareter?"

    He thought to himself as he settled into his seat.

    "I wanted your help with a Divination, to inquire about Detective Sparrow. Oh, that''s the former Hamilton Detective."

    Shard exined in detail his suspicions about Detective Sparrow and stressed that they were currently just that¡ªsuspicions:

    "It''s roughly like this, I suspect that Mr. Sparrow Hamilton is actually a senior spy from Carsonrick. Although he''s dead, and it''s highly unlikely that his identity would affect me, I''m still a bit uneasy, so I wanted your help to divine Mr. Sparrow''s true identity."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The girl with the purple eyes listened patiently and her brow furrowed when she heard the word ''spy'':

    "While ordinary people have no ess to Circle Sorcerers, departments like the Kingdom''s Intelligence Department ¨C for instance, Draleon''s MI6 or the Grey Gloves of Carsonrick ¨C would employ Circle Sorcerers to perform Anti-Divination, but they''re typically not very powerful, since Diviners are quite rare."

    Miss Ate spoke with some pride, then extended her hand to Shard:

    "I can give it a try. Do you have a personal item of the detective''s? No need for the body, just something he used frequently would suffice."

    "I have something."

    Shard took out the former detective''s notebook, which contained daily entries of dubious authenticity, making it the most appropriate personal item.

    "One moment, please."

    Miss Ate undid the top button of her white blouse from under her coat and handed her butterfly-shaped hair ornament to Shard to hold for her. Once he touched it, a whisper at his ear immediately reminded him that it was a Relic.

    "The Whisper Element of a Relic can influence the oue of Divination, so it''s generally advisable not to carry any Relics during the process," said the Diviner. She stretched her arms behind her head, quickly tidied her brown hair, and tied it with a bracelet adorned with small purple crystals.

    She pushed her sleeves up slightly, exposing a part of her fair arms, and then ced the notebook on herp, hidden by her skirt.

    "Will it be troublesome?"

    Shard inquired curiously.

    "It''s quite simple, just an ordinary person and a general inquiry into his past, so there''s no need for tools like a Crystal Ball. Sparrow Hamilton was just an ordinary person, not someone outside of Fate like you. I am quite confident in divining such people."

    With that, she closed her eyes solemnly, cing her hands together on the notebook. At one moment, Shard could clearly see her sitting before him, but then felt as if Miss Ate wasn''t there at all. This illusion was followed not by any sound or light effects, but an indescribable change in the atmosphere around the Diviner Miss¡ªit became more profound, mysterious, andposed.

    She opened her eyes, and Shard glimpsed a sh of purple light in her eyes.

    "Ordinary Diviners shouldn''t have glowing eyes, should they?"

    He thought in amazement but didn''t ask further questions.

    The Diviner said hesitantly,

    "There is indeed a problem. First and for sure, this is amon person. His hometown is in the United Kingdom of Carsonrick. For the observation of a blurred past, most parts can be seen through the mist. However, for the years following his conscription into the military, no details can be seen.

    It''s a crude yet effective anti-divination technique, very much in the style of the Circle Sorcerers hired by the Grey Gloves."

    MI6 is Draleon Kingdom''s most mysterious intelligence department, but at the same time an organization well-known by ordinary folks in the streets and alleys.

    The name ''Six'' is quite simr to an institution in Shard''s hometown, and their functions areparable too¡ªthey are directly responsible to Cavendish Royalty of Draleon, in charge of infiltrating intelligence into Carsonrick and screening domestic spy organizations.

    The simr intelligence agency of the United Kingdom of Carsonrick is called the "Grey Gloves," equally mysterious to the public, yet almost anyone who reads the newspapers has heard of them once or twice.

    "What are the odds that Sparrow is a spy?"

    Shard returned Miss Ate''s butterfly hair essory to her.

    "Over eighty percent. I''ve encountered simr situations before. Combined with your spection, we can nearly confirm he is a spy."

    Shard took a deep breath, the secret he had been holding onto was finally bing clear.

    Fortunately, Detective Sparrow had ample time before his death to deal with his affairs, presumably eliminating all threats rted to his own identity, only needing to make one final contact with his handler.

    Therefore, Shard needn''t worry about the implications of an international spy''s identity on himself. As long as he burned that letter in September, the secret would have nothing to do with him anymore.

    "So he was a spy; that''s how he could happen to buy a house in Saint Dn Square, which also exins everything. Detective, although we are Circle Sorcerers, we shouldn''t underestimate an ordinary person with a gun. High Ring Sorcerers aren''t afraid of bullets, but you definitely should be.

    So, regarding Sparrow Hamilton''s matters, you can continue to investigate; you might find something interesting, but make sure not to get too deeply involved in political issues..."

    Miss Ate clicked her tongue,

    "It''s quite troublesome."

    "I understand. I just want to know who he really was. After all, to me, he was also a benefactor."

    Shard said, a mixture of mncholy and relief in his voice,

    "Thank you for your help this time."

    "It''s no big deal. I can''t divinate your matters, at least not without paying a price. Only a High Ring Sorcerer can see the fate of someone like you. But if it''s just an ordinary person, it''s a small matter. Speaking of which, are you heading home or do you want to check out the ck Raven Library first?"

    Shard looked out the carriage window, noting the daylight still bright:

    "Take me home first. I need to change my clothes and get a mask. As for the carriage fare..."

    "Don''t be so formal."

    Miss Ate waved her hand, looking out together with Shard. Nearby, a road was under construction with carriages queuing to pass through the narrow work area. This seemed to be Tobesk Municipal Department''s routine summer inspection and maintenance of the underground steam pipes.

    The afternoon sun shone through the haze onto the face of the girl with violet eyes, who rested her cheek on her hand, tilting her head as she watched the busy street the carriages traversed:

    "Compared to what we need to do, these are trivial matters."

    After getting home and greeting the cat that seemed to have just finished a nap, he changed into verymon clothes and found a mask to carry with him. There was no need for Shard to go out and buy disguise items because Detective Sparrow had kept a variety for such purposes in the second-floor room due to work.

    The main entrance to the ck Raven Library was on the street-facing avenue. Ordinary guests would, of course, enter through the main entrance, but the address Miss Ate provided was for a side entrance.

    The intersecting alleys near the side door had multiple exits. After arriving, Shard took a couple ofps to familiarize himself with the localyout. Only then did he duck into an alley, donned the mask, wore his coat inside out, put on a vest, and headed for the library''s side door.

 Chapter 97 The Arcane Technique of Gluttony

    Thework of alleys, like a maze, connected Tobesk Lower Town with the fringes of the University District. Walking along the alley and turning the corner, one could see a steam pipe, for some reason severed, leaking water outward.

    For the safety of his boots, he circled around the puddle. He then continued forward and soon spotted a rusted metal staircase clinging to the dark yellow outer wall.

    Thumping up the metal staircase to the second floor, it felt as if the entire staircase was shaking.

    After knocking, he said to the inside,

    "I was referred by Cuckoo, she mentioned there was a problem with the quality of thest book."

    "She always says there''s a problem with our books, that woman is too picky,"

    came a muffled voice from inside. After opening the door, a man with bare arms tattooed with an anchor led Shard down the hallway. Holding his breath behind him, Shard noticed the man had a strong body odor.

    "Do you know the rules?"

    "I don''t; I''ve just arrived in Tobesk from out of town,"

    Shard replied in a stifled voice.

    "So what do you want to do? Buy books at the library, or consign books?"

    "To buy books,"

    he said, muffled, since he was holding his breath, but luckily, since he wore a mask, the strange voice probably went unnoticed.

    "Alright, this way."

    The corridor''s floor was peeling up in many ces due to dampness, making squeaky noises as they walked. All the doors along the corridor were closed; it was unclear whether they were upied.

    The man led Shard up the corridor and turned left, directing him into a small room temporarily unupied to wait.

    The room was unusually dim, windowless, filled with an aroma of...canned fish, which Mia might enjoy. The space was smaller than the bathing area of the washroom at No. 6, Saint Dn Square, and contained only a sofa. Across from the sofa, the wall had a small square hole that was covered by a wooden board.

    On one side of the hole on the wall hung a rusted ck iron gasmp. The man leading the way lit themp, letting the dim yellow light faintly brighten the room before he closed the door and left.

    Shard sat on theparatively clean sofa and waited for a while, staring at an oil painting of an upside-down man on the wall. The straight gasmp pipe traveled around this painting before connecting to themp. Shard pondered why they didn''t just raise the gas pipeline to avoid having to route it at right angles.

    Suddenly, the wooden board was slid open, startling Shard.

    From behind the barrier, an impatient male voice asked,

    "What do you want to buy? Do you have a specific book title, or just a general request?"

    The man had a distinct Tobesk ent, and from his voice, he was probably only in his thirties. But the light was too dim to illuminate the space behind the board. As the board opened, the smell of canned fish grew stronger, evidently, the speaker was eating something earlier.

    "About the ''Gluttony'' Arcane Technique."

    Shard simply said, faking a non-local ent, which was easy since he indeed wasn''t a local.

    "''Gluttony''? Hold on."

    The man then fell silent, the only sound being the continual turning of pages from the back of the hole.

    "Gluttony" was not a rare Spirit Rune either and was actually quitemon. However, themon "Gluttony" runes were mostly Enlightenment or Whisper Runes, especially the ck Iron Whisper "Gluttony". By reading stories of the extinct Cannibal Tribes of the Fourth Era, one had a high chance of obtaining it. In contrast, the silver Desecration "Gluttony" rune rted to the Evil God was rarely seen.

    "Yes, what price range are you looking for?"

    It took at least ten minutes before the man''s voice responded. Shard knew there was no bargaining here, so he didn''t hide his intentions:

    "Around fifteen pounds will do; not more than twenty pounds."

    This was the answer he gave after considering his financial situation.

    The man did not reply but instead wrote swiftly behind the partition, likely using a fountain pen. Yet what he ced at the opening on the wall was a note and a pencil. When trading items here, the names of the items were not spoken aloud to prevent any leakage of information about the items.

    The note was sloppily written with two Arcane Techniques, presumably because Shard''s offered price was too low.

    The two Arcane Techniques were listed as "Parkinson''s Gluttonous Desire" and "Satiety Food".

    From the naming style of the former, one could tell it was an Arcane Technique recently developed, likely propagated from the Three Great Magics Academies. Its effect was to inflict a "Gluttony" state on a target, causing them to have an overwhelming desire to eat for a certain period.

    For ordinary people, this might lead to their death by overeating, whereas for Circle Sorcerers, the effect varied depending on the difference in levels among several other factors.

    This was an Arcane Technique consigned to the ck Raven Library. The seller set the price at 14 pounds and 3 shillings and did not provide materials for learning the technique. Learning requirements included having "Gluttony" and rted Spirit Runes, which had to be of the Enlightenment or Whisper type.

    Shard, even if he bought it, would not be able to learn it.

    "Satiety Food" was an Arcane Technique that could only affect oneself and had a rtively moreplicated effect. The user needed to set a target food item they could consume after using the Arcane Technique, and every ten minutes, they had to eat the food four times continuously, with each consumption more than thest. It was necessary to reach a state of fullness after the final consumption.

    Once the four consumptions wereplete and the "Satiety Food" effect was fulfilled, the chosen target food could be turned into a foodstuff that could satisfy one''s fullness with just one bite. It satisfied not only the psychological but also the physiological need to eat.

    More importantly, the target food consumed under "Satiety Food" had a healing effect, but regardless of the effect, it only worked on the user of the Arcane Technique.

    If one wished to change the target food, it would require at least oneplete lunar cycle.

    This Arcane Technique was also consigned in the library. Since the created food only affected the creator and the effects were not very pronounced, the price was very low, only 9 pounds and 7 shillings. However, if the buyer wanted the learning materials, they needed to pay 11 pounds in full.

    Learning this Arcane Technique could only involve Desecration-type silver Spirit Runes rted to "Food", which Shard happened to possess.

    "But is learning this Arcane Technique useful to me?"

    He asked himself, then decided it was very useful. It could not only save him money for food, but also in case of injury during the day, he wouldn''t have to rely on "False Immortality" to endure the pain.

    More importantly, even though the effects leaned towards mental healing at night with the Arcane Technique "Cyndia''s Silvermoon Blessing," "Satiety Food" could slightlypensate for this shortfall, though sadly, the healing effect of this technique was not very pronounced.

    "This may not necessarily be the case."

    A murmuring voice arose at the bottom of his heart.

    "Why?"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Shard asked inwardly, though outwardly, he still portrayed a hesitating and thoughtful demeanor.

    "Your Gluttony does not originate from the residual power of touching an Evil God, but rather seemingly from devouring part of a Deity''s power. This Spirit Rune, unlike normal Desecration Runes, is very powerful. Furthermore,pounded with the Divine Afterglow State, the Arcane Technique you learn from it might be very powerful."

    Shard also felt the uniqueness of "Gluttony", as whenever he summoned the Ring of Fate, "Gluttony" would sh with a silver Spiritual Light, a manifestation typical of a normal Spirit Rune taking effect.

 Chapter 98 Ways to Obtain Divinity

    "Hmm, this one is quite good,"

    In the dimly lit room, Shard, who had been looking down, suddenly said, and then he checked the box next to "Satiety Food" with a pencil, handing over the pencil, the note and 11 Gold Pounds in cash. The library''smission for facilitating trades was paid by the party offering the goods, which Shard didn''t need to worry about.

    Sounds of a door opening came from behind the partition, and then, after a wait of half an hour, someone returned, passing a book through a hole in the wall. The book''s title was "You Can Too: Simple Cooking of Lamb Stew."

    The recipe book was thick but surprisingly light; upon opening it, Shard found its inside hollowed out, containing specific information and materials for studying Arcane Technique. After carefully checking everything under the light with no issues found, he stood up, ready to leave.

    But the man behind the wooden partition called out to him again:

    "Since it''s your first time at the library, do you know about what happened at Lakeside Manorst weekend?"

    Shard was startled but managed to keep aposed facade:

    "I''ve heard about it. I heard that the Masked Person under Silvermoon kicked down half of the mansion in the moonlight,"

    He deliberately gave false information, which was promptly corrected:

    "Your information might be inurate. What I heard was that the man evaporated nearly half of Lake Schluch with a single kick,"

    Offering even more questionable information, the man told Shard:

    "Since it''s your first visit here, you probably don''t know we also collect intelligence. Right now, any information about that person is quite valuable. If you have any solid intel, you might consider selling it to us."

    "Alright, I''ll keep that in mind,"

    Shard said, hastily making his departure, not wishing to discuss this topic any further with others.

    Leaving wasn''t through the same door he had entered, but by continuing ahead along the corridor, exiting through a hidden back door in an alley on the other side of the library.

    Shard deliberately wandered through the nearby convoluted alleys, taking full advantage of the day''s particrly intense smog to ensure no one was following him. Only then did he remove his vest, correctly wear his coat, and take off his mask before rejoining the main road.

    His stay at ck Raven Library had taken some time, but the days were long in summer, so the sunset was just beginning to emerge from the western horizon.

    Mingling with the crowd on the street, Shard watched as carriages sped by, crossing from one side of the street to the other, then turning at a mailbox, heading forward along the street''s low wall, keeping pace with two rusting pipes.

    "So, the Spirit Runes absorbed from an Old God are different from ordinary runes?"

    He pondered to himself.

    [Yes.]

    Stopping at the uing crossroads, looking left and right, Shard hesitated over which path to take home. The mist was hazy as a housewife in a long dress andcy hat hurried past him, while uniformed policemen looked around on the other side of the junction.

    Shard questioned in his mind:

    "Does that mean bying into contact with an Old God and absorbing their power, I can not only gain Divinity but also exceptional Spirit Runes? Interesting, it''s almost tempting me toe into contact with an Evil God again."

    [I''m not tempting you, this is just the truth.]

    "I know."

    He chose the path on the right; although the one on the left would be shorter, he had never traveled the right path before and wanted to give it a try.

    Having made the decision, he stepped forward. The sight of the small building housing the printing factory''s office grabbed his attention for a few seconds¡ªHamilton Detective needed to reorder a batch of business cards:

    "That being said, what is the method to absorb a god''s power? I can probably figure out that I need to actively approach a Deity. But is that all it takes?"

    This was the most crucial question¡ªthe kind that should have been asked earlier, but he hadn''t stopped for a moment since waking up.

    "This is simple, just repeat the situation from that night, it doesn''t necessarily have to do with the Vampire Ring itself. You just need to find a way, simr to how the Vampire Ring works, a relic capable of absorbing the power of a god, even if only for an instant, could reproduce the scene from that night. Of course, this is also knowledge of Divinity that was revealed to me."

    "And then you''ll appear?"

    He thought of the soft body that had appeared behind him as he neared death that night; he longed for that feeling.

    He did not receive an answer, nor did he get scolded for his impolite thoughts, the woman simply chuckled, a sound that made Shard to rx:

    "But it doesn''t matter, the Divinity needed to cleanse the First Ring''s Sublimation Incantation Rune has already been obtained, and I won''t waste it. So, I''ll need another drop of Divinity at least until the Second Ring, which could take several years."

    The woman didn''t answer as Shard disappeared into the fog at the corner of the street, herughter still echoing in his ears.

    He didn''t immediately return to Saint Dn Square, because of a hint given by "another me," he went to Old John''s Pawnshop in the dying light of the sunset.

    Even though the city was foggy, the brutal summer sunset could still cast a fiery glow through the shop windows onto the floor. He pushed the door open and the bell rang, but there were other customers in the Pawnshop at the time, a middle-ageddy wearing a ntedce hat, conversing with Old John at the counter.

    The Pawnshop owner gave Shard a look, gesturing him to note over yet. After confirming that the woman was just an ordinary person, Shard did not pay her any heed and casually browsed the Pawnshop, taking an interest in the prototype of the dusty steam engine Mark Nine in the corner.

    "What, interested in this? I can sell it to you for a reasonable price."

    Once the woman left, her heels clicking satisfaction, Old John addressed Shard, who shook his head:

    "What would I want that for? I''m not running a museum. Speaking of which, you sure do have a lot of strange things here."

    He approached the counter.

    Out of courtesy, Shard refrained from using the word "junkyard," which would have been more fitting.

    "I run a pawnshop. As long as it''s not actual trash, even if it''s just a worn nket, I''ll take it."

    The old man was somewhat proud as he talked about it, removing his reading sses and closing his ledger.

    Shard looked at him with a hint of surprise:

    "May I ask why? This kind of business doesn''t seem profitable, does it?"

    A smile appeared on the old man''s face, as he waited for Shard to inquire:

    "What do you take me for? A miser who only thinks about Gold Pounds? Alright then, Detective, I''ll ask you a question. What do you see from all these items?"

    He gestured to the odd array of pawned items in the shop, among which were indeed valuable objects, such as the cane Shard had pawnedst time, but most were merely ordinary goods.

    "I see..."

    He hesitated, pondering.

    "If you can guess what I''m thinking, I''ll give you a fifty percent discount on this transaction."

    Elder John encouraged, and Shard''s spirits lifted. However, such an open-ended question was not easy to answer correctly. After much contemtion and failing to find a precise answer, he could only offer a broader one:

    "Society and life?"

    Old Johnughed:

    "Close, but no, it''s civilization."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Shard thought his answer was already far-reaching, yet John''s was even more grandiose.

 Chapter 99 Old John and Civilization

    "Civilization?"

    Shard pondered the meaning of the word as Old John said with a smile:

    "Yes, very close to your answer. Every item here bears the imprint of society and civilization, the traces of people from various strata. Each vintage object has experienced different stories with different people, and to me, that''s the best merchandise."

    "So, are you adept at the brass-colored ''Enlightenment'' element?"

    Shard asked with slight surprise.

    ording tomon knowledge among Circle Sorcerers, even though the ''Enlightenment'' element originated from civilization, people were more inclined to acquire ''Enlightenment'' through books.

    Take Miss Luisa''s Circle Sorcerer system for example, which is inclined towards fairy tales, interlinking the first four Rings with a certain ssic Ancient Fairy Tale to construct the Sublimation Incantation with a clear and simple context.

    On the contrary, Circle Sorcerers who experienced the ''Enlightenment'' element purely from the perspective of civilization itself were very rare.

    Because it required a strong innate talent, wisdom, perseverance, and a bit of elusive luck, something that wasn''t attainable for the average person. However, usually, the Circle Sorcerers who enlightened themselves through civilization itself were also quite powerful, possessing an array of unimaginable and unique Arcane Techniques.

    "Yes, Detective. For an old man like me, this kind of life is the best. I can satisfy my hobbies, continuously advance on the path of a Circle Sorcerer, and what could be better than this?"

    The old man said contentedly, then took a nce at Shard before he could ask further:

    "Speaking of which, Detective, have you heard about the incident at Lakeside Manor?"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    It seemed that the Sorcerers in town all liked to talk about it.

    "Of course, I''ve heard about it. I was even at Lakeside Manor that day, ying Roder Card with someone."

    There was no need to hide this matter.

    "You were there?"

    Old John said dubiously, probably thinking of the Silvermoon Orb, but since Shard was so weak, he didn''t draw any connection:

    "What a coincidence, the Thirteen-Ring Sorcerer who appeared in the rumors is also proficient in ''Genesis: Silver Moon''. I''ve heard that in the moonlight, he disyed the pose of the Hanged Man, and then nonchntlynded a kick that seriously injured the Silver-Eyed One. I''d bet that the Hanged Man''s pose is a specific position required for spellcasting."

    "Hmm..."

    It seemed the people of Tobesk had all sorts of misunderstandings about Shard''s performance that day.

    "Probably so, but the other party was really too strong."

    Heplimented himself.

    "Indeed, thirteen Rings, aplete three-line Sublimation Incantation¡ªthat is a height many will never reach."

    Old John sighed, as he put away his reading sses into their case and didn''t forget to remind Shard:

    "Detective, since the other party was so bold in taking action, they might still be in Tobesk. Perhaps, we might have the chance to see him again. A High Ring Sorcerer must be very wealthy. If you know him, remember to introduce him to shop at my ce. I can give you amission. Old John''s Pawnshop has everything."

    After finishing the chat about these matters, they then discussed the reason for Shard''s visit. Of course, he was there to buy something:

    "I''m looking for a Relic with the ability to extract energy or something simr, either tangible or intangible, from a living being and infuse it into the user''s body. As long as it has this function, that''s all that matters¡ªwhether it''s the primary function or whether there are severe consequences after use, I''m not considering that for now."

    He described his requirements as precisely as possible.

    Though the request sounded somewhat odd, Old John didn''t inquire further:

    "To harm others for one''s own benefit... Well, what''s the price range this time?"

    After feeling his pockets and confirming that "empty pockets" wasn''t just an illusion, Shard then said:

    "You quote the price first, give me some time to raise the funds."

    The price of Relics would not be cheap, even with the former detective''s wallet it definitely wouldn''t be enough, and besides, he had already spent arge sum earlier.

    "Your new bargaining strategy? That''s not bad, but wait, I need to check."

    He turned and left the counter, entering the back yard of the Pawnshop through a rear door. It didn''t take him long; he returned empty-handed after just ten minutes:

    "Indeed there is one, but it''s not mine¡ªit''s being sold by an acquaintance on someone else''s behalf. The asking price is 300 pounds. If you ept, I can arrange for you to meet. The price is for you to negotiate."

    "300 pounds?"

    Shard figured that was the equivalent of several Mia''s, but if he sold Genesis: Silver Moon, it should be enough. However, after the incident at Lakeside Manor, he felt an urge to keep the card, so he hadn''t made a decision yet.

    "Judging by the look on your face, I know you can''t afford it."

    Old John shook his head and then said:

    "Since that''s the case, I''ll keep an eye out for simr Relics for you. If there''s any news, I''ll write to your address. Remember to raise the money early, otherwise I''ll sell to someone else."

    "Of course... actually, I can ept anything under fifty pounds."

    That was because selling the furniture and detective Relics from Saint Dn Square without affecting his living was the limit, which was around fifty pounds.

    "That makes it much easier, then wait for my news. It''s not that my shop didn''t have what you wanted, it''s that you couldn''t afford it, so don''t say my shop doesn''t stock everything."

    Those words made Shard question whether the "300 pound Relic" really existed.

    As the timing was just right, he returned to Saint Dn Square at about six o''clock. Though he was in a good mood that day, considering the need to save on expenses, Shard did not dine at the restaurant. He had had a hearty lunch and it was okay not to eat in the evening.

    But Mia''s dinner could not be skimped on. Not long ago, after Miss Gawder transferred some money, Shard had prepared cat food for the cat. The high-end cat food of this era had already surpassed the cost of an ordinary person''s meal.

    But Shard wanted to be honest, so the cat food he chose for Mia was quite good, at least the young orange cat enjoyed it very much.

    Having been away from home all day, he couldn''t meet any visitors, so they could only leave a message.

    Shard saw two letters pushed through the door, one from Sir Lavende who wanted to discuss with Shard the matter of the ''Ancient Fairy Tale: Matchstick Girl'', the other from Captain Lades who, after sobering up from the banquet, deeply regretted his behavior and wanted to apologize to the Detective, but he didn''t mention anything about the antique revolver.

    "How did the Captain know I live here?"

    The suspicious Shard wondered, then realized that it was his own business cards distributed at Lakeside Manor that had done the trick.

    Without nning any more outings for himself that night, he managed to learn the Arcane Technique ''Satiety Food''. Learning this Technique was simple but the ingredients wereplex.

    Of these, "the stomachs of three different distended female mammals" and "hair from the scalp of a male infant born under the waning moon of the Red Moon" were the hardest to find, which also ounted for the main destination of the money Shard had spent on materials.

 Chapter 100 The Cat with Hiccups

    ording to the Arcane Technique "Satiety Food," Shard had to choose a consumable substance to start eating that night, and he needed toplete four meals before midnight.

    Discover hidden content at empire

    The range of food options was wide, but it had to meet the basic condition of being able to satiate hunger with normal consumption. That meant things like the northwest wind wouldn''t work since one couldn''t possibly eat enough air to feel full. However, theoretically, if it were a handful of dust, as long as Shard dared to eat it, it would meet the goal of the arcane technique.

    But Shard wanted to choose something "user-friendly" and readily avable, so he eventually chose water. Among the three simple spells he mastered, there was one to conjure water directly.

    "I hope I don''t die of stomach distension," he said.

    So, he began boiling water over and over in the kettle, frequently shooing away a cat squatting by the sink that wanted to drink from the faucet, worried about his bodily issues.

    He ced study materials including fetal animals'' stomachs, fetal hair, and bezoar into the kettle, soaked them thoroughly, and then, while stirring, recited the spell words and started drinking the water repeatedly.

    When the amount of water surpassed a certain limit, drinking itself became a very painful process. Shard was not clear what the so-called "state of satiety" actually was, so he could only drink as much as possible.

    Eventually, even the confused cat thought that Shard might encounter trouble if he continued drinking, so it stood on the dining table, using its tiny paws to stop him from touching the water ss. When Shard tried to push the cat away, Mia pped his chest with her paw.

    The small orange cat''s strength wasn''t great, but it still caused Shard to almost spit out a mouthful of water, so he thought he must be in a state of satiety by then.

    "Oh, I''m even at risk of water intoxication," he thought.

    When he finally finished the fourth drink, it was already eleven o''clock at night. Shard, leaning on the dining table, had never felt such aversion to water, but he still mustered his spirits for thest step.

    He took a clean, tall ss from the cab, carefully poured a little clear water into the bottom of it, then cut his finger with a fruit knife and let the blood drip into the water.

    After letting it sit for a moment, he called out the Ring of Fate from the steam mist, letting the gloss of the "Gluttony" rune align with the water ss. The blood diffused in the water immediately radiated a strange glow, and Shard promptly lifted the ss and downed it in one gulp.

    Then, with a great sense of nausea, he rushed into the washroom, taking a good while beforeing out wiping his mouth with a towel.

    "Meow~"

    Mia sat on the dining table, looking at him worriedly. Shard managed a weak smile at the cat, then sat down again. He poured a small amount of clear water into the ss again, pointed at the ss, and as a silver gleam flickered, the water surface also showed the gleam that represented the power of the Spirit Rune.

    Although he had vomited quite a bit just now, Shard wasn''t in the mood to drink water at the moment. So, he poured this silver-glowing water over the cut on his finger, and immediately, the wound on his finger visibly healed at a visible rate, with an effect much better than "Cyndia''s Silvermoon Blessing,"pletely acting as a decent healing ability.

    What she said was indeed right, the Spirit Rune acquired by devouring the Divinity of an Evil God truly had an extraordinary power.

    Sheughed softly in his ear.

    "It''s a pity ''Satiety Food'' can only heal physical injuries. With two types of healing abilities, the only thing I worry about now is suffering mental damage during the day," he thought.

    Shard pondered this, then saw Mia lowering her head and licking the silver-glowing water that had dripped onto the dining table.

    The orange cat suddenly raised its head to look at Shard, its fluffy cheeks lifting upward, its amber eyes meeting the detective''s gaze at the same time, its whiskers trembling from the movement. Its big eyes were extremely beautiful.

    Suddenly¡ª

    Belch~

    Mia Cat suddenly burped, attempting to cover her mouth with her right front paw, but still couldn''t suppress the burps. Mia then fell into a state of being angry with herself, sprawled over the dining table and rolling about, exposing her soft white belly.

    "It really is a case where just eating a bit reaches the state of ''Satiety''... Isn''t it supposed to be useful only for oneself?"

    Shard suddenly realized this and then understood that his special Desecration, "Gluttony", not only enhanced his power but even made the food created by Arcane Technique useful to other creatures.

    It''s just that the remaining liquid in the ss had a silver glow that has almost faded, indicating that the special Desecration Spirit Rune enhanced the Arcane Technique''s effect and increased its applicable range, but still could not create a potion that could maintain its effect for a long period, simr to a magic potion.

    This meant that Shard couldn''t profit from this.

    "[The effect of the Arcane Technique allows a cat to feel full with just a lick, and it''s also rted to your Divine Afterglow State.]"

    The woman inside his head murmured this into his ear, and Shard nodded:

    "That''s also pretty good. Although it''s not an offensive ability, my survival ability has greatly increased. For offensive abilities, that Moonlight is sufficient for now."

    With a smile, he happily picked up his still burping cat. The bad-tempered cat immediately swiped at Shard but also knew to control the force, so it didn''t even leave a mark on his hand.

    On Wednesday morning, because he had drunk too much water the night before, both Shard and Mia had little appetite for breakfast. Even when faced with their favorite sheep''s milk, the orange cat just licked it a few times and then left the dining table.

    Shard hadn''t received the usual two bottles of milk this morning, as the milk ordered from Silver Parrot Milk Delivery Company through Detective Sparrow had expired. If he wanted more, he would have to order himself from the milkpany.

    The news in the newspaper still wasn''t interesting.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    The earthquake that urred in the southern part of the city over the weekend was no longer reported, and now the front page of the newspaper was reporting that Queen Diana would be attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony of Tobesk Station''s east hall next week.

    The advertisement section in the "Tobesk Daily Newspaper" had several more wanted notices from Riddlevitch Field. This also reminded Shard of his agency''s advertisement, and he nned to ask Miss Luisa for some advice the next time he saw her.

    "If it''s a newspaper Miss Luisa is familiar with, maybe the advertising fee could even be discounted," he thought.

    After the major event at Lakeside Manor ended, life suddenly returned to a peaceful routine. Illegal organizationsy in wait, and the focus of the True God Church was no longer on "Masked Person under Silvermoon". Perhaps Tobesk could finally enjoy some peace for theing weeks.

    This also allowed Shard to rx, as tense days were ufortable. Having arrived in this Steam Age, he actually preferred to explore more, rather than always dealing with life or death situations.

    Not long after breakfast, a visitor arrived.

    The first to visit the Detective Agency was Baron Lavende, an enthusiast of the Roder Card, and his purpose, of course, was for the "Ancient Fairy Tale: Matchstick Girl".

 Chapter 101 Baron and Captain

    Shard met with Baron Lavende in the study of the detective agency, and as he handed over the Roder card to the baron, the middle-aged man with a lovely mustache seemed to tremble as he took it:

    "You''ve finally returned to my hands."

    The baron was probably one of those seasoned Roder card enthusiasts.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    However, due to the demands of Baron Rwanda, the other party in the Lakeside Manor''s card game, and for the sake of saving face, the baron could not yet take possession of the card. After gauging Shard''s intentions and confirming that the "upright and kind-hearted" detective had no desire to keep the card for himself, the baron signed a contract ofmission with Shard.

    The agreement was for six months, during which Detective Shard Hamilton would be responsible for keeping the "Ancient Fairy Tale: Matchstick Girl" safe and could use it freely as long as it was not lent out, rented, damaged, or lost.

    During the agreement, if Baron Lavende requested, the detective must temporarily hand over the card for his use and promised to sell the card to Baron Lavende for ¡ê5 after half a year.

    The fee for thismission was ¡ê5, meaning that Shard would earn a generous reward of ¡ê10 from this affair.

    Although the real price of the card exceeded ¡ê50, winning the bet at Lakeside Manor had been Shard''s promise, so the rightful owner of the card should indeed be Sir Lavende. As a result, it would be sold at an extremely cheap price after half a year rather than its true value, and Baron Lavende exined this point many times over, fearing that Shard might back out.

    In any case, as soon as the baron paid the fullmission fee and left the agency in high spirits after shaking hands with Shard on the first floor, Shard stood in front of the open door, gazing at the flock of pigeons on Saint Dn Square, pondering:

    "So not only do I get temporary rights to use the Roder card, but I also stand to gain ¡ê10... Am I taking advantage of Baron Lavende... But this was his request, and I haven''t done anything. Having a few noble friends sure seems beneficial, and Roder cards really are a good means of making connections... I should go back and do the ounts."

    Bending down, he picked up the curious orange cat that was poking its head at the doorway, both afraid and interested in the world outside the house. Standing up, Shard saw Captain Lades, a middle-aged military officer, walking down Ring za Street with a drooping head, passing by Baron Lavende''s carriage.

    He had wrapped himself in a ck overcoat, a broad brown leather belt looped around the coat''s hem, and the second button from the top was hanging loose, swinging at his chest:

    "Hello, detective, were you waiting for me?"

    Even though it was morning, he still gave off the impression of not having fully awakened. The captain''s circumstances didn''t look great, his expression a stark contrast to the jubnt Baron Lavende who hade here.

    But, at least his mustache and hair were well-groomed, and his clothes mostly neat. This indicated that the middle-aged officer, whose reputation had suffered because of the Relic "Spear of Kindness," had not yet lost faith in life.

    "...Yes, Captain, pleasee in."

    The captain''s visit was purely to apologize, and he had no intention of reiming that antique gun. He felt extremely remorseful about the incident at Lakeside Manor and insisted onpensating Shard for his ck formal attire.

    However, this dispirited middle-aged man looked even poorer than Shard and was not in good mental health, so Shard, who had benefited from the Spear of Kindness himself, did not ask forpensation. Instead, he kindly gave the captain a business card for the Schneider Psychological Clinic and introduced him to Priest Augustus of Dawn Chapel:

    "Both are friends I''ve met duringmissions; you might find it helpful to talk to them."

    Shard said most kindly, and suddenly realized how well the professions of psychologist and priestplemented that of a detective.

    At the same time, he was curious about the means through which Captain Lades had acquired the artifact known as the "Spear of Kindness" and wanted to see if there were any secrets behind it.

    But the captain, quite embarrassed, told Shard that he had won it a few years earlier while drunk, in a tavern at the frontline of Rising Wind Trail in the south, ying Roder Card with one of the tavern''s regrs.

    Because he did not want others to know he still gambled, he had told his friends that it was an antique he had bought. But after the indelicate incidents at Lakeside Manor, the captain no longer wanted to keep that pistol:

    "Honestly, after it left me, even my sleep tasted sweeter, as if I had suddenly shed a heavy burden. Detective, just keep the gun, and do with it as you please."

    The middle-aged man said this, but Shard knew it was the feeling of an ordinary person who had been under the influence of a "Relic" for a long time.

    He offered a few words offort to the captain and encouraged him to live well. It had probably been a long time since Captain Lades had heard such words, and his fondness for Shard grew immensely. He then remembered something else:

    "However, when I won the revolver from that down-and-out guy, there was not just the gun, but also a small essory I remember."

    Shard raised an eyebrow, considering the possibility that the essory might also be a Relic:

    "What kind of essory? May I take a look? The gun is very impressive, and I think the essory might be valuable as well. I''m willing to buy it."

    The 5 pounds he had just managed to get from Baron Lavende seemed like they had found a use.

    The captain thought for a moment, ran his broad palm through his hair with a tone of uncertainty:

    "You know, I''ve just returned to this city from Carsonrick as a released prisoner, and lost quite a few of my belongings while looking for a rental apartment. I never cared much for that thing, after all, only women... cough cough, I mean, only girls like to wear small essories. It might still be in my rented apartment, but I need to look for it."

    "No problem, do you mind if Ie along? I happen to be free this morning."

    Shard asked, and the captain dly agreed.

    Find adventures at empire

    Having just returned from Carsonrick as a prisoner, Captain Lades''s recent circumstances had been rather poor. Even with help from former friends, his economic situation was not good.

    He currently lived in Pig Tail Alley to the north of the city. While not a slum, it could be considered a part of Tobesk''s Lower District. It was a considerable distance from the city center''s Saint Dn Square, but neither Shard nor the captain mentioned the possibility of taking a carriage.

    The two men, neither of whom had any pressing matters, walked together through Tobesk Urban Area. They actually had manymon topics to discuss since the captain was not a man of manyplexities.

    All Shard had to do was mention something about the southern front, and he could get a lot of military information from the captain. Captain Lades was indeed a brave and loyal officer, and if not for the "Spear of Kindness," he might have sessfullymitted suicide by shooting... So in that regard, the gun could be said to have saved the captain.

 Chapter 102 Steam Bird Daily

    By the time he reached Pig Tail Alley in the north of the city, it was already noon. Although it''s called an alley, it was wide enough for a carriage to pass through; the alley was nked on both sides by towering, age-old buildings covered with climbing vines that virtually merged with the steam pipes.

    This was a distinctive summer scene of the city, furtherplemented by the chirping of little birds and the faint smell of cooking and smoke in the alleyway, creating a strong sense of life that really appealed to Shard''s taste.

    Of course, he definitely wouldn''t consider moving out of Saint Dn Square.

    Due to the way the sunlight hit it, the interior of the apartment was damp and dim. The corridor already smelled a bit foul, and without any windows, the space,cking a way to ventte, was filled with a mix of perspiration, food, and the odor of clothes that hadn''t dried properly, making it very unpleasant.

    As Captain Lades was casually chatting about the customs and practices of the kingdom''s southern regions while climbing the stairs with Shard, they came face to face with an adult cat that waspletely white except for a dark mark near its right eye, jumping down from the upstairsnding. It seemed skinny but had long, slender limbs, and wasn''t afraid of strangers.

    After giving the Captain and Shard a look, it continued on its way down the stairs.

    This cat didn''t look as clean as Mia, possibly because its owner didn''t clean it often.

    "That''s Mrs. Cullen''s cat from downstairs. It''s usually quite fierce with people, so howe it''s so docile now? Detective, it seems this cat really likes you," the Captain said curiously and then continued leading Shard upstairs. Captain Lades lived on the second floor, sharing a washroom with five other tenants.

    The wooden floorboards in the second-floor corridor were warped due to the dampness, creaking with every step. While Shard surveyed the surroundings, Captain Lades had already opened the door to Room 3. Following him in, Shard immediately noticed the empty bottles piled up on the desk.

    The middle-aged Captain gave an embarrassedugh.

    The room was very small, serving simultaneously as a bedroom, study, dining room, living room, and more, with furnishings quite simr to those in Dwarf Rat Peter''s room.

    It was unsurprising that a single officer wouldn''t clean his room often, hence it appeared somewhat disheveled. At least there wasn''t much of a strange smell; he often opened the windows for venttion.

    Captain Lades invited Shard to find a seat wherever he liked, while he went to rummage through some boxes of clutter piled up in the corner. Being cautious, Shard used the "Echo of Blood" to inspect the room. Although there were indeed traces of old blood, they had nothing to do with the current tenant.

    "Are you being too cautious?"

    A voice came to his ear.

    "When even attending a regr banquet can lead to encountering an Evil God, I can''t help but worry about everything I do," he answered.

    His gaze casually drifted to the dining table cluttered with unwashed dishes, utensils, and newspapers, and he even spotted his own business card in one corner of the table. After receiving permission, Shard picked up the newspaper to check it.

    It was the "Steam Bird Daily". Detective Sparrow had never subscribed to this newspaper, so Shard was not very familiar with it. The date was today''s, with the topmost page turned to the advertisements section, where information had been circled with a pencil¡ªCaptain Lades was probably looking for a job.

    "If I had not chosen to stay and had left immediately after the former detective died, I might also be living in this kind of cramped apartment now, flipping through the newspaper in search of a job," Shard thought.

    The sunlight nted through the window into the narrow apartment, the warm summer sun feeling veryfortable on the skin.

    The front page of the Steam Bird Daily reported that Princess Lecia, who is set to return to her homnd, would travel by ship along the west coast of the Old Continent, from the Kingdom of Carsonrick back to Coldwater Port City. She would stay in Coldwater Port for a week before returning to Tobesk.

    Shard showed no interest in this and turned to the second page, which to his surprise, featured academic articles published by Tobesk University about the recent abnormal celestial phenomena.

    Flipping further, there was debate about the renovation of the steam pipes in the old district of Tobesk, with editorialmenters calling the current n "a money-swindling scheme by the bureaucratic machinery of City Hall, a shameful conspiracy of academic and political bureaucrats." Turning the pages yet again, he found more news and articles of the academic report variety.

    He then realized that the Steam Bird Daily must be targeting students and intellectuals from Tobesk University District or the educated middle ss.

    "Hmm, this newspaper would be suitable for posting my advertisement."

    With that in mind, Shard noticed an announcement from Tobesk University Union about an uing academic presentation that weed participation from the public.

    He was genuinely interested in the university of the Steam Age, the real university, not the kind like Saint Byrons¡ªinterested in understanding the development of material science and technology of this era.

    After all, Shard had been a university student back in his homnd. If it weren''t for the existence of the mysterious and transcendent¡ªforces he aspired to¡ªit was quite possible that Shard would have spent the rest of his life in this world consumed by steam machinery and the fundamentals of physics and chemistry.

    He counted himself among the intellectuals, and would dly participate in the scientific advancements of the society atrge, provided he could find time amidst his busy Circle Sorcerer studies. Especially since steam machinery unique to this ce were truly fascinating.

    "Professor Shard Hamilton... Not a bad title."

    A slight smile appeared on his face, so he took out his notebook and jotted down the specific dates of the academic presentations, nning to go if he had the time.

    Since he didn''t hold much hope of finding the piece of jewelry in the first ce, Shard didn''t feel disappointed when Captain Lades regretfully said they might not find it today.

    Enjoy exclusive adventures from empire

    Of course, since "another me" could know which item was the Relic, he asked inwardly whether she could locate the jewelry in the confines of this narrow room, receiving this reply:

    "You have to at least see the thing before I can sense if it contains the necessary elements."

    But if Shard could see the piece of jewelry, he wouldn''t need to search for it at all.

    Since they got along well, and since they couldn''t find the pendant for the time being, Captain Lades wanted to invite Shard to a nearby restaurant for lunch, by way of a formal apology for the recklessness at Lakeside Manor.

    Having received favor from the captain, even escaping death from the Heart Collector thanks to the Spear of Kindness, Shard didn''t want the captain to spend his money. He offered to treat instead, after all, that antique revolver was worth much more than his own formal attire.

    As the two poverty-strickenpanions were exchanging pleasantries, suddenly, from downstairs in Pig Tail Alley, they heard a mor of voices, rough male voices uttering sentences so filthy that Shard had no desire to trante them.

    Following that, gunfire erupted.

    Shard''s first instinct was to take cover, but the middle-aged officer nonchntly waved his hand, as if it were nothing unusual:

    "No worries, no worries, this kind of thing happens around here often, although it is rare during broad daylight. We''ll go look for a ce to eat in a bit, these folks will probably clear out soon."

    Life in the remote Lower District waspletely different from Saint Dn Square.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

 Chapter 103 Afternoon

    Just as Captain Lades had said, the gunfire had sounded only once, and the noisy mor quickly faded downstairs. Shard breathed a sigh of relief and was about to continue the topic they were discussing when gunfire erupted again from below.

    Shard had assumed that Captain Lades would remainposed; however, the middle-aged man froze for a moment before his eyes widened with a look of shock and disbelief as he stared towards the window.

    "What''s wrong? Is there a problem this time?"

    Shard immediately inquired.

    "Three-four ckjack Bullet! Grass Pocket Single-shot Pistol! It''s MI6!"

    The man who had been calm was now shaking uncontrobly, his face filled with terror that seemed even more exaggerated than if Shard had seen the Evil God again.

    Shard also tensed and shrank back, but he quickly regained hisposure. Detective Sparrow couldn''t possibly be involved in the incident, and even if there were an incident, it wouldn''t involve him, so he didn''t need to be anxious.

    "What about MI6?"

    This organization probably had some connection to Shard, but the captain''s nervousness was somewhat odd.

    "They''re a bunch of devils; they trust no one! They''ll lock you up, shine a gaslight on you continuously to make you tell the truth! They''ll keep you in a dark cell, incessantly using noise to prevent you from resting! They will..."

    The petrified middle-aged man shivered as he spoke, and Shard began to understand. Captain Lades had been rescued from Carsonrick as a prisoner and, due to his reputation as "Captain Eight-Guns" at the front, was naturally suspected upon his return to the country.

    He had likely been interrogated by MI6 and had been left with some psychological trauma. Even though it was clear that the people downstairs were not there for the captain, the middle-aged military officer seemed to have flipped some switch and was caught in an immense fear.

    This kind of emotion was almost impossible to console; the captain huddled against the wall, not daring to move, as if the people downstairs could see through the walls to him. After a long while of silence downstairs, he gradually returned to normal, but Shard noticed his cor waspletely wet.

    "Captain, are you alright?"

    Shard asked with concern, the middle-aged officer shook his head, staggered over to the table to grab a bottle of liquor, took a big gulp, and then choked and coughed for a while before he recovered.

    "Sorry, you had to see that."

    He gasped, set the bottle down, and then slumped back into the chair in front of the desk.

    "Is MI6... that terrifying?"

    Shard cautiously asked, but also worried that his question might difort the captain. However, the middle-aged man was rather resilient, a strength that, perhaps, was bolstered by the shot of liquor:

    "People from MI6 are madmen who will not rest until they achieve their goals, probably more terrifying than the rumored Transcendents."

    The seemingly knowledgeable captain shook his head and said:

    "For the past few years, rumors have persisted that the Gray Glove from Carsonrick has dispatched some formidable spies, infiltrating Tobesk, which is why MI6 has been acting so brazenly. But what good does that do? There are even recent rumors that the Gray Glove is nning operations against the Royal Family.

    Oh, detective, you''d best never deal with them in your life; those people are all professionally trained, and I even suspect theyck anypassion or mercy."

    Only when the captain fully recovered from his recent scare and confirmed that the gunfire downstairs would not resume did the two men leave to have dinner. Of course, both men insisted on paying the bill, but it was the young and strong Shard who eventually got the chance to pay.

    The captain looked quite embarrassed and promised to continue searching for the ornament. Moreover, should the opportunity arise, he would introduce Shard to some business; he knew many people in this city.

    After dinner, the two parted ways; Captain Lades had to visit some acquaintances at the veterans club to see if he could find new work. Shard headed back to Saint Dn Square, yed with the kitten Mia for a while, and then tranted a dozen more pages of "Chasing the Four Elements: Wind and Fire."

    Around half-past two in the afternoon, while resting at his desk and seeing that the weather was nice, he decided to go out for a walk. Of course, this time Shard took the orange cat Mia with him. Since arriving at Saint Dn Square, aside from going out to eat, this cat rarely had the opportunity to venture outdoors due to being timid.

    It was a sort of cat-walking excursion, but since he didn''t have a suitable leash and he was worried about Mia getting lost, Shard actually carried the cat the whole time, and Mia certainly seemed happy not to have to walk.

    Shard had already had his fill of watching the pigeon flocks on Saint Dn Square from his window every day. Since the weather was unusually nice today, and even the fog that enveloped the city had dissipated some, he walked to the University District of Tobesk, which was more suitable for an afternoon stroll.

    The University District was mostly frequented by students and faculty from nearby higher education institutions. Although it looked the same as other parts of Tobesk, stepping onto the tree-lined paths gave one an instinctive feeling of greaterfort.

    [That''s your illusion, I didn''t feel anything.]

    The detective, holding the cat, peered curiously at people on the tree-lined path, paused at the Draleon Royal Mechanical College to check the facade of the Academy, and even, caught up in the moment, would sit for a while on a sunlitwn, to enjoy the rare summer sunshine.

    On thewn, a group of young people were ying Roder Cards, seemingly students from the Tobesk Seminary by their attire and the books next to them. Shard, drawn by the excitement, walked over to watch their game. From their conversation, he learned that the group was part of the "Roder Card Research Society" from Tobesk Seminary.

    "Why would a seminary have a Roder Card Research Society?"

    Shard found this amusing but didn''t join in the card ying. After standing there for a while and recalling that the Terael River crossed the University District on the map, he decided to take a walk along the riverbank. In a less crowded area, he thought that maybe kitten Mia could also have a chance to run around.

    But no sooner had he left thewn than he noticed a carriage approaching from behind on the dappled tree-lined path.

    Stepping to one side to avoid it, the carriage unexpectedly came to a slow stop next to Shard. The window was pushed open, and the face of the blonde writer appeared in the carriage:

    "Good afternoon, Detective. Oh?"

    She nced at the cat in Shard''s arms and smiled:

    "Out for a walk? Or on an assignment?"

    "Good afternoon, Miss Luisa. I''m out for a walk, with a side of cat-walking," replied Shard.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Shard tried to get Mia to greet Miss Luisa, but the petite orange cat, being quite shy, "roared" meekly at Miss Writer and then tucked itself inside Shard''s arms, refusing to move.

    "Since you''re free, would you help me with something?" Miss Luisa asked, flipping a lock of hair from her ear.

    "What are you doing?"

    Shard epted the invitation and Miss Luisa stepped down from the four-wheeled hired carriage, searching for change to give to the driver while exining:

    "I heard a strange rumor and want to go buy a very special item."

    Shard realized, she was going to acquire a Relic.

 Chapter 104 Professor Manning

    It''s already the third day after the Lakeside Manor incident, and Miss Luisa has recovered quickly. When she was strolling down the shaded path with Shard, no one could tell that just three days prior, she had been sustained by "False Immortality."

    Perhaps beautiful girls all like cute cats. Miss Luisa was very interested in Mia and even thought she was a pet Shard had adopted. Even after being told that Mia was just staying at his ce, the blonde girl still wanted to cuddle the petite orange cat, but Mia refused to leave Shard''s side.

    "Detective, you really do have a knack for raising cats."

    "Speaking of which, may I bring the cat along? Should I send Mia back first?"

    Shard asked again; he actually rather enjoyed the prospect of "seeing the world" with a high-level Circle Sorcerer.

    "No need, this trip is quite safe. Consider it an opportunity to gain some experience. Detective, you''ll eventually have to recover Relics alone."

    Miss Luisa said casually, then guided Shard to take a right at the next intersection onto Tian College Street.

    Just as Shard had guessed, Miss Luisa''s purpose foring here was to recover a Relic. It all started two months ago when an elderly writer, who lived alone and was acquainted with Miss Luisa, passed away. While people familiar with the old man were sorting through his belongings, Miss Luisa discovered from his diary that he owned a very magical fountain pen.

    "Can it write papers or reports automatically?"

    Shard spected, looking at the street where half of the houses were grey stone structures, strikingly simr in design and all three stories high. Stepping into this area felt like an instant transition from the Steam Age back to medieval times.

    However, steam pipes clinging to the stone walls, the fashion of pedestrians walking the streets, and the omnipresent sounds of haggling all served as constant reminders that this was the era of steam.

    Tian College Street must be part of Tobesk''s old district.

    "Detective, how could such a good thing exist, and besides, Relics can''t just be used recklessly."

    Miss Luisa stated, walking side by side with Shard. He noticed that today Miss Luisa did not disy the frequent small gesture of touching her earlobe.

    "I took the liberty of taking the diary and discovered that if the pen is filled with the writer''s blood and uses letters to sketch the figure of any human on paper, that figure can enter the writer''s dreams, and then..."

    She nced at Shard, who blinked:

    "Why did you stop?"

    Realizing with theughter in his head from the woman, he finally got it; he had not even thought in that direction:

    "No, no, there''s no need to exin, I understand now. But how can such a Relic still exist?"

    After passing Tian College Street, the pair continued eastward. After walking past the private Tian Mechanical Specialist Academy, they turned into Cat Tail Alley, their intended destination.

    "This is not even the strangest Relic I''vee across; I''ve seen stranger ones. But this Relic isn''t weak, I''ve found information in the Academy''s library. The ''Joyful Dream Pen'', ording to the ssification, should be of Scribe Level (Level 4). This pen actively tempts the user in their dreams to use it correctly.

    Ordinary people, under its influence, will try writing with their own blood out of what they believe to be normal curiosity, leading to tragic consequences. I suspect its former owner''s death is rted to it."

    Shard nodded, pondering the possible uses the pen might have for a Circle Sorcerer. Then he realized that at least this pen was of no use to him. The Dream Pen absorbed the blood of its user, not the enemy''s blood, and therefore it could not constitute a condition for absorbing the power of a deity.

    Miss Luisa continued to speak:

    "After the old writer died, the fountain pen mysteriously disappeared. I searched for two months before discovering that before his death, the writer sold this fountain pen to an old professor living nearby named Tiris Manning. Professor Manning is somewhat of a collector, and my purpose today is to visit him."

    Professor Manning resided in an apartment at number 17 Cat Tail Alley, and as they searched for the ce by following the house numbers, a young flower seller came up the alley toward them.

    The girl selling flowers seemed to misconstrue the rtionship between Shard and Miss Luisa, and she approached them to sell her wares. She was politely declined by Shard, and the flowers in her basket nearly got bitten by the cat he was holding.

    Seeing the patches on the girl''s clothes and the clearly ill-fitting shoes on her feet, although he didn''t buy any flowers, Shard still gave her three pence aspensation for the scare Mia had caused.

    "I didn''t expect you to have such a kind heart."

    Miss Luisa teased him only after the flower-selling girl had left, knowing that Shard''s financial situation wasn''t very good either.

    "We''re all pitiful people. Although I can''t help everyone, I''m willing to help those in front of me as long as it doesn''t affect my own situation. Mia, those three pence will be deducted from your dinner, so don''t eat anything you shouldn''t."

    As Shard spoke, he stroked the cat''s head, and the orange cat squirmed in dissatisfaction.

    Miss Luisa smiled gently:

    "You really are a good person. If the pitiful girls in fairy tales could meet you, there wouldn''t be so many tragedies."

    Number 17 Cat Tail Alley was a three-story apartment building with an attic, featuring a dark yellow facade. The bottom of its walls along the street was covered with moss. From Miss Luisa''s preliminary investigation, it seemed the entire building was owned by Professor Manning.

    Because they had arranged a meeting in advance, when they knocked on the door, a plump maid confirmed their identities and invited them in. Miss Luisa was the buyer on this asion, while Shard was hired by Miss Luisa as an attendant to protect the delicatedy who carried a substantial amount of cash on her.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    The apartment at number 17 Cat Tail Alley was divided into a left and a right side, one side was rented out, and Professor Manning lived in the right building. Under the guidance of the plump maid, they ascended a somewhat narrow staircase to the second floor, where the professor, in a crowded study surrounded by books, weed them.

    The study walls were adorned with pictures of Professor Manning in various ces on the Old Continent. He seemed to be a professor specializing in archaeology, having carried out inspections around the Old Continent in his youth. Even the books piled up in the study were mostly historical in nature.

    The price of professional books in this era was still very expensive, suggesting that the professor must be quite wealthy.

    Professor Manning was a tall, thin old man with round sses and a somewhat bald head. Perhaps because he had been teaching for a long time, even when he greeted Miss Luisa and Shard, his tone sounded as if he were giving a lecture. But the elderly professor was rtively kind and even served them with very nice tea.

    He also had a pet cat in the house, so he didn''t me the detective for bringing a cat along. However, his catpletely ck¡ªappeared to be fully grown and was very interested in Mia. It hid behind the desk, popping its head out to scrutinize the orange cat Shard held in his arms.

    But Mia seemed not to notice it, appearing to have no interest in ying with it.

 Chapter 105 Afterglow

    Professor Manning was quite familiar with Miss Luisa and began a conversation with her. From the content of their conversation, he seemed to recognize Miss Luisa''s father:

    "That fountain pen, I remember it. I bought it from an old writer who lived two streets away, introduced to me by a friend. The condition of the writer at the time was not good, with dark circles under his eyes and a dispirited look, as if suffering from a severe case of myasthenia gravis."

    Sitting behind his desk, the professor sped his hands together as he spoke. Behind him was an entire wall of bookshelves, but the books were not neatly arranged, and some even had slips of paper between them, fluttering in the wind from outside the window.

    But Shard found this style of decoration to his liking.

    Miss Luisa nced at Shard. The professor''s description of the old writer clearly indicated that the writer''s health had been drained by his obsession with the fountain pen. Presumably, he had decided to sell the pen and distance himself from those temptations just before death, but it was already toote.

    Fortunately, Professor Manning appeared to be full of vigor; it was likely he had never used the fountain pen and instead kept it purely as a collector''s item.

    "Yes, my purpose for visiting this time is to purchase that fountain pen from you. To tell the truth, that old writer you mentioned was my friend, and he passed away two months ago."

    Miss Luisa made a regretful expression, and Shard followed suit, setting down his teacup.

    "That fountain pen could probably be considered a relic then. I, too, was an old friend of that writer. I would like to buy it back. You can name your price, and I think as long as it''s reasonable, I can ept it."

    The professor thought for a moment:

    "If it''s a friend''s relic, of course, I am willing to sell it. Let me go up to the collection room and bring the fountain pen down. Please wait for me for a moment."

    With that, he stood up and also instructed the maid to bring some pastries for their guests.

    After the maid and the professor had left the study, and the ck cat had followed them out, Shard spoke with a hint of relief only after confirming that their footsteps had faded away:

    "So it''s just as simple as that; I thought it was going to be quite troublesome."

    "See, I told you, this matter is very safe, just consider it a learning experience," said Miss Luisa.

    Shard nodded, picked up his teacup again, and then asked curiously:

    "Then what are the side effects of the Scribe Level Relic, the ''Joyful Dream Pen''? Is it just to attract people to use it and then gradually deteriorate their health?"

    He was curious about this. While he already had several relics, this was the first time he had encountered such a novel one.

    "It''s not just that. If the Dream Pen is used for a long time and absorbs too much spiritual power and blood, it could make things from dreamse into reality. The terrifying entities born from the Dream Pen could simply be regarded as physical manifestations of nightmares. Therefore, it is ssified at the Scribe Level."

    The writer exined, and Shard made an impressed face, suggesting that this item was indeed quite formidable.

    Miss Luisa''s interest in this pen was not because she wanted to give it a try or to turn it over to the Academy for a reward. As a writer, her own Circle Sorcerer system also centered around the Core Rune of a [Scribe].

    Recently hitting a teau in her study of Arcane Technique, she wanted to find relics with simr powers for inspiration, much like how Shard bought the ''Orb of Silvermoon'' to enhance his study of the Silvermoon Arcane Techniques.

    The two chatted casually about the history of those who had previously owned the fountain pen, mentioning that the probability of the Dream Pen being owned by men was much higher than by women.

    When they heard footsteps, realizing the maid was returning, they switched their discussion topliment the lovely weather of the day.

    The plump maid wearing a headscarf brought them fresh tea and a stack of scones,plete with butter on the side. Professor Manning''s standard of living was indeed not low.

    "I''m sorry; I meant to find something for the cat to eat, but I couldn''t find anything appropriate on short notice."

    The maid apologized to Shard, and as he was about to shake his head and say it was nothing, he suddenly realized something:

    "You mean to say, Professor Manning doesn''t keep anything here that a cat can eat?"

    He grabbed the armrests of the chair forcefully, and Miss Luisa also looked at the maid with furrowed brows.

    The middle-aged woman didn''t know why they had such expressions, but she still hesitated and nodded:

    "The professor doesn''t keep pets, so no, there isn''t¡­"

    "Did you just see that?"

    Shard turned his head to ask Miss Luisa, whose rapid response came:

    "Of course, I saw it, that ck cat."

    Almost simultaneously, both of them stood up, Shard cing Mia on the chair instead of taking her with him.

    "You stay here and watch the cat for me, don''t let it run around."

    He instructed the servant, and Miss Luisa gently patted the chubby maid''s shoulder, speaking in a very soothing tone:

    "Stay in the room and don''t leave before wee back."

    The maid''s eyes immediately became vacant, and she nodded very stiffly. Shard had seen this trick before, in the garden maze of Lakeside Manor, where the True God Church''s Circle Sorcerer Captain had used simr abilities, but probably nonepared to Professor Sanchez''s "Enchanted Human".

    Leaving the cat and the plump maid in the study, Luisa led the way with Shard following behind as they made for the third floor. As they stepped onto the staircase, Shard couldn''t help but question in his mind:

    "Why didn''t you remind me about the ''Whisper'' element we encountered?"

    "Because I didn''t feel it."

    "But that cat was very close to me."

    "It''s not the actual being. Since it is born from a dream, the chances of it revealing its true self to you are very low. What you saw must have been just an illusion of the Nightmare, observing you."

    "So the weakness of ''the other me''s'' detection ability lies in the distance," Shard concluded in his mind.

    Following Miss Luisa up the staircase, they paused on thest step before the third floor. The third floor was still brimming with domestic liveliness, pictures of the professor hung in the hallway, and boxes whose use couldn''t be determined were stacked against the walls.

    But there was no sound on the entire floor, all the doors were shut tight. Luisa tentatively called out Professor Manning''s name, but there was no response.

    She cautiously said to Shard:N?v(el)B\\jnn

    "Follow me in a moment. Although the Nightmare is born from a Relic, judging by Professor Manning''s state, the Nightmare spawned by the out-of-control Relic must be in its nascent form. When I patted the maid''s shoulder, I checked her condition, she''s very ordinary, which means the Nightmare hasn''t even begun toy hands on anyone else in the house."

    Luisa said to Shard, and behind her, with a surge of steam, the brass Ring of Fate fully materialized.

    Shard nodded and followed the blonde girl off the staircase and onto the third floor. Luisa seemed to be testing something, pausing in front of each door on the third floor, then moving on to the next.

    Her silhouette was beautiful, and perhaps due to the hot weather, Luisa''s back was soaked through. Near her swaying golden hair, the back of her shirt seemed almost transparent, allowing Shard to see...

    "Hmm?"

    Shard grew alert and stopped in his tracks. Ounders are widely knowledgeable, and the situation at this moment made him suspect something was amiss.

    "Could it be I''m currently in..."

    He looked down at his own hand, feeling something. On the exposed back of his hand, the skin cracked inch by inch, and golden Light Traces shone underneath those cracks. Rolling up his sleeve, the cracks extended from his hand throughout his entire body. Almost in the blink of an eye, his whole body was covered with golden fissures, even appearing on his clothes.

    Brilliant golden light radiated outwards from within the cracks. Warm and soft, yet extraordinarily sacred and majestic.

    This was only a visual effect, Shard felt no pain, but rather a sensation of being filled with power and warmth.

    "This is..."

    He said in disbelief, as he moved his palms, golden light shimmered in the air. His body swayed, and the hem of his clothes drew out golden Light Traces.

    "You don''t think that the so-called afterglow is just something talked about, do you?"

 Chapter 106 Fire and the Frozen Dead

    "Is this what is called the divine afterglow? Why is it appearing now?"

    "Divinity is deep within your Ring of Fate and soul. It only manifests in this way at certain special locations or in environments where soul power is prominent. So, now..."

    Shard looked up to see Miss Luisa stopping ahead and looking back:

    "I see, we are indeed dreaming now."

    "Oh, Shard, what is the matter with you?"

    Miss Luisa asked in surprise, sizing him up.

    Only then did Shard notice that the blond girl, wearing light makeup, was particrly beautiful today. It was probably due to the heat; the three golden buttons at the bosom of her whitece-sleeved shirt had somehow be undone, revealing a glimpse of the garment underneath.

    "You felt it..."

    "No need to remind me. If I still don''t understand, that would be quite foolish. This trope is a bit vulgar and clich¨¦... and Miss Luisa never addresses me by my first name."

    "Shard, why aren''t you speaking? Have you found traces of that thing?"

    "Miss Luisa" asked in a gentle voice.

    She took a few quick steps toward Shard but somehow stumbled forward, about to fall right into Shard''s arms.

    But Shard did not reach out to catch her; instead, he thrust forward a curved de of silver moonlight. The brilliant light illuminated the suddenly dark third-floor corridor and passed right through "Miss Luisa''s" body.

    The blond girl disintegrated into ck smoke within the brightness and vanished into the air.

    Shard remained vignt, standing alertly in ce. The lighting in the corridor darkened abruptly, as if the corridor itself was absorbing the light.

    In such an environment, the golden afterglow on Shard''s body shone even more brightly.

    Gradually, whispers could be heard all around. However, it was not the whisper of a woman in the heart; it was the dream itself beginning to whisper. The chaotic and low voice seemed to be directly poured into Shard''s head. Meanwhile, shadowy forms started to emerge from the dimming lights, crawling around.

    These mud-like creatures from the dream, once appearing, almost directly affected Shard himself with their spiritual pollution. The intense dizziness made him want to pass out, but having faced divine beings twice before, he could bear this sensation now.

    Thus, silver moonlight lit up the corridor again, and the curved Light de flew from his hand. Although the light could not brighten the increasingly cold and dark corridor, it effectively cut through the dreadful things within the shadows.

    As strands of silver moonlight flew, the shadows from the dream converged into writhing sludge, with elongated tentacles clinging to the corridor walls, nearly devouring this space.

    Shard knew the situation was grim, so he summoned the Ring of Fate behind him, took a deep breath, and pointed forward. While employing his Arcane Technique with full strength, the silver in the moonlight seemed to blend with the golden Light Traces on his body.

    The curved Moonlight sh swept the corridor, severing the dreadful things that vited basic human aesthetics. They did not converge again; instead, with the bursting sound next to his ear, like soap bubbles popping, Shard flickered in consciousness and found himself standing in the third-floor corridor once again.

    But the lighting was normal, with no monsters in sight, only that Miss Luisa was gone.

    He looked down at the golden Rift on himself:

    "It seems we''re still dreaming. Can you detect which direction contains the Whisper Element?"

    "All directions."

    Shard nodded and looked around, sensing that this was still a dream environment, the light once again grew dimmer.

    He tried to exit from the third floor, but no matter how he tried, he couldn''t get close to the intersection with the staircase; it was as if the corridor itself was endlessly extending.

    Just as Shard was about to try to destroy the fabric of the dream itself, a door near the staircase on the right was violently flung open from the inside, and Miss Luisa charged out with great momentum.

    She looked furious, her face flushed red. Before Shard could test whether this time it was real or a trick, the blonde girl raised her hand towards him, and a bewitching red me appeared in her palm:

    "Hah, here we go again. Instead of turning into a detective, you might as well have turned into Luviya or Lei...Hm?"

    She looked Shard up and down suspiciously, then neatly retracted her hand, crushing the mes in her palm:

    "Is this for real? Detective, did you understand this was a dream before I found you? That''s pretty impressive, I seem to have underestimated you. But what are these golden cracks on you? They do look pretty, are you alright?"

    Shard took a careful step back, and after confirming in his mind that the girl in front of him had Whisper but also the full Four Elements, he breathed a sigh of relief:

    "It''s so good to see you, Miss Luisa. As for this... decoration, it''s useless."

    He pointed at himself, Miss Luisa raised an eyebrow, Miss Writer''s knowledge wasn''t enough for her to recognize what it was:

    "Well then, I''ll pretend I didn''t see it, as long as you''re okay. Since you understand that this is a dream, I don''t need to bother exining the situation. Really, I wanted to broaden your experiences, even promised there would be no idents, but something still went wrong, now I''m embarrassed."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    She spoke with slight annoyance, then pointed ahead:

    "First, let''s leave the dream and talk back in reality. Although the Relic is out of control only for a short time, the Nightmare isn''t very strong yet, but it''s foolish to confront it here in the dream."

    "So how do we leave?"

    Shard looked around, hoping that Miss Luisa could conjure up something like a portal out of thin air.

    "The Nightmare, born from the ''Joyful Dream Pen'', has only absorbed a portion of a regr person''s spiritual power and blood, so the capacity of the dreamscape it can create is limited. Let me burst it open!"

    Saying that, the Brass Life Ring of a Four-Ring Sorcerer appeared amid the rising Steam Mist, with various Spirit Runes on the ring flickering with Spiritual Light, illuminating the increasingly dim corridor:

    "Detective, hold onto my hand tightly, and don''t get lost in the dream. It''s a chance for you to see, the battle method of a Circle Sorcerer specializing in Enlightenment Element."

    She reached out her hand to Shard, and he directly gripped it.

    Miss Luisa''s Core Spirit Rune ''Writer'' flickered, followed by the Enlightenment Spirit Rune ''me'' also starting to flicker:

    "Detective, my Circle Sorcerer System maps the ''Ancient Fairy Tale: Matchstick Girl'' across the first four rings. Each ring contains runes linked to this fairy tale, used to build the Sublimation Incantation as one advances from four rings to five. It starts like this..."

    She touched the air with her empty left hand as if caressing it, and worm-like red runes appeared as if branded into the air, then the entire corridor burst into mes, yet Shard didn''t feel any heat.

    Amid the suddenly fierce mes, he thought he heard the sound of popping bubbles. Then the fire abruptly vanished, and they were standing in Professor Manning''s home on the third-floor corridor, where the lighting was normal, with no mes.

    Four-Ring Sorcerers indeed were powerful; Shard had just broken the dream relying on a slight power of Divine Afterglow, whereas Miss Luisa had effortlessly achieved the same with her simple Arcane Technique.

    "It''s still a dream."

    Shard looked around and then at himself again.

    "These marks on you are really handy, the doctor''s ability to enter dreams must really fear someone like you... Well then, let''s do it once more."

    As she spoke, Miss Luisa''s Core Spirit Rune ''Writer'' and the Spirit Rune ''Frozen Dead'' flickered with Spiritual Light. Ice-blue runes were inscribed in the space, and an extremely cold current instantly swept through the corridor, shattering the dream once again.

 Chapter 107 The Cat and the Professor

    "mes... Frozen Dead... Matchstick Girl? Hmm?"

    Shard found himself surprised by a sudden realization.

    At this moment, they had once again returned to the seeminglypletely normal hallway. Miss Luisa nced at the golden cracks that still had not faded from Shard''s body, while Shard learned from the woman in his mind that there was still a strong presence of the "Whisper" Element nearby.

    Just as Miss Luisa was about to raise her hand for the third time, she suddenly looked up:

    "Watch out!"

    ck mist shot toward Shard from the ceiling of the hallway above, and Miss Luisa hurried to block it, while Shard''s reaction, though not as quick as the Female Sorcerer''s, was also timely as he raised his hand towards the ceiling.

    But before the traces of moonlight could take shape in his hands, the golden radiance covering his body shed abruptly.

    The dark mist let out a dreadful scream, then darted into the floor and disappeared. In the real world, the Divine Afterglow State could only make Shard''s Arcane Technique and Sorcery a bit stronger, but in the mental world, no evil could approach him.

    The golden-haired girl holding his hand smiled and teased:

    "Quite a nice ornament."

    "Hmm..."

    "No need to exin, its willingness to attack us, risking exposure, suggests that we are about to leave the dream soon, which is a good sign. Detective, focus, we''re about to return to reality."

    This time, the two Runes that lit up were "Writer" and "Dream."

    Ripples like Runes fluttered from Miss Luisa''s fingertips, merging into the fabric of the dream. As everything before them shattered like ss, the two holding hands came back to their senses and found themselves once again in the normal third-floor hallway, with the golden cracks on Shard''s bodypletely gone.

    Reminded that the intense presence of Whisper Element around them had vanished, they both breathed a sigh of relief. It was only after leaving the dream to return to reality that they could deeply feel the difference between dreams and reality.

    Shard discreetly released Miss Luisa''s soft hand:

    "What shall we do next?"

    "Detective, follow me. I''m going to show you how to deal with a Relic gone out of control. Honestly, I told you this trip would be trouble-free, but here we are. That pen is truly..."

    Miss Luisa flicked her hair and summoned the Ring of Fate behind her in the real world. After a quick nce around, she approached the door next to the staircase and neatly kicked it open with the lift of her dress hem.

    A chill, bloody wind immediately surged out of the room, and by the time Shard caught up, Miss Luisa had already charged inside.

    The room resembled a storeroom or an antique collection room, with Professor Manning''s other antiques ced on shelves against the walls, with the more precious ones encased in ss domes.

    Now the Professor himselfy on the floor, curled up, with dark smoke rising from his head and connecting to the ck cat standing atop him. A fountain pen, ck with red stripes, was sticking out of the Professor''s wrist with the cap off.

    Reading the stripes as writing, Shard understood their meaning:

    "Blood weaves dreams, you possess me."

    The nib was inserted directly into the Professor''s bloodstream, absorbing his blood while causing the veins in Manning''s right hand to bulge rmingly.

    Looking at the pen, azy voice by her ear reminded her of the appearance of the "Whisper" element, and Miss Luisa furrowed her brows, pointing at the ck cat:

    "This is the nightmare born from Professor Manning''s dreams!"

    "But why is it a cat and not a person?"

    At this moment, Shard still remembered to ask questions, but unexpectedly, it was the ck cat that provided the answer, its voice scratching like fingernails on ss:

    "Because the image he poured his blood and affection into was that of a cat."

    "Hmm?"

    Imagining what might have urred in the dream where the Relic "Joyful Dream Pen" was created, Shard looked at theatose Professor Manning with awe and terror.

    "Circle Sorcerer, we bear no grudge, why take me away from his side? I love him, and he loves me."

    That slender ck cat''s mouth did not move, but its clear voice reached the ears of both parties.

    "Do you take us for fools? How many have you drained dry once the owner sumbs to temptation?"

    As she spoke, the Miracle Soul Rune "me" lit up in the Ring of Fate behind Miss Luisa. Golden mes leaped from her hands into the air, and as if the mes burned away space itself, a sound of shattering ss filled the room.

    The sunlight-flooded collection room vanished, and it turned out to be an illusion. What revealed itself before Shard was a dimly-lit bedroom, with thick drapes and a heavy strange odor, the floor littered with ck cat fur, and Professor Manning, with a fountain pen stuck in his wrist, still lying on the floor. The nightmare cat, however, was nowhere to be seen.

    "Over here!"

    The writer''s golden me rushed toward the ceiling, and with a nce upward, the ck cat appeared as if it had been mashed into a pulp and then spread out t, clinging to the ceiling.

    The ceiling was originally adorned with a pattern of the starry sky, now entirely covered by the semi-translucent ck cat skin, from beneath which numerous huge cat eyes emerged, as if the starry sky had opened countless bizarre eyes looking down on them.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

    Shard felt an instinctual difort, with that twisted shape and force of mental corruption, even a brief nce by an ordinary person would have been enough to avoid the need to be sent to Dr. Schneider. A sensation of nausea hit his stomach, and dizziness befell his head, fortunately, the divine glimmer was protecting his spirit.

    Worse still, although the golden mes sessfully touched the abnormal monster on the ceiling, they did not inflict any harm on it. Within the mush-like cat, clusters of small buds began to grow, and then, amidst the spine-chilling cries, those buds grew into long, spiked tongues lickering downwards.

    Shard did not wish to look up again, but upon hearing the noises from above, he managed to withstand the nausea, and the silver moonlight in his hand transformed into an arc-shaped Light de to strike above. Yet such an attack only held back the tongues but could not harm them.

    "It is semi-corporeal, with part of it still in the dream, watch me! What you''ve seen are just simple Arcane Techniques, now, the one I''m about to use, is my very own signature Arcane Technique!"

    Miss Luisa said, as the Core Spirit Rune "Writer" and Enlightenment Spirit Rune "Matchstick" lit up at the same time.

    She took out a rolled-up parchment from her pocket and tossed it into the air, where it burned as it fluttered, flickering with Spiritual Light.

    Miss Luisa softly recited the Spell Words, which were in themonnguage of Draleon:

    "Across reality and fantasy, within the glimmer of a matchstick, let me witness your story."

    The burning fire, like a lit candle''s me, made an image of a bare-footed, diminutive figure gradually be clear. Her legs were frozen to a blue and purple bruise, her single garment patched with five or six patches, her golden hair tied up as if unwashed for years, and her basket contained several boxes of matches.

    The only part that remained unclear was the face, but it faintly bore features simr to those of Miss Luisa.

    Shard''s eyes slightly narrowed, and he was nowpletely certain, "Ancient Fairy Tale: Matchstick Girl," was indeed the tale he knew so well.

 Chapter 108 "Light Spell

    "This is an Arcane Technique of my own creation based on the fairy tale ''Matchstick Girl.'' The spellcasting materials are the story handwritten by myself. This is my greatest achievement as a Low Ring Sorcerer thus far," Luisa exined her Arcane Technique while Shard looked on in astonishment and disbelief.

    By then, the figure summoned by the Arcane Technique had already shakily struck a match and stretched its short arms towards the sky. Under the faint light of the match, the ck "Cat Mud" actually let out a scream.

    "To deal with a monster that is half-real, half-illusory, you must use methods of the same nature," Miss Luisa said with a hint of pride.

    Under Shard''s amazed gaze, the figure of the Matchstick Girl continued to hold the match aloft. Hundreds of eyes within the ck Cat Mud wept blood tears. Subsequently, the room''s temperature plummeted again, and as the curtains were already drawn, the dim view darkened even more, suppressing the light of the match.

    "Detective, use the Light Spell. My Arcane Technique can handle it, so now it wants to extinguish the match. Use the Light Spell now to ensure it can''t suppress both sources of light from the Circle Sorcerer at once! It seems weaker than I anticipated."

    "No problem."

    Shard momentarily set aside his doubts, then raised his right hand high. A silver glimmer slowly appeared at his fingertips as he shouted:

    "Silvermoon!"

    The rotation of the Ring of Fate in his soul drove his spirit to influence reality through Arcane Technique. Silver light burst forth suddenly from his fingertips, improving visibility which had dropped drastically in the room. However, the silver light didn''t stop there but exploded out like the sun itself.

    "[Its power was already... have you forgotten you''re in a ''Divine Afterglow'' state now?"]

    The Arcane Technique itself did not harm its user, so Shard''s eyes were unharmed.

    But the sun-like bright silver lightpletely engulfed the room. Shard saw the me in the Matchstick Girl''s handbining with this moonlight to envelop the ck Nightmare. He heard a horrible scream from above, as if a million cats were releasing their resentment before death, but then he felt someone tugging at his sleeve.

    The Sanctity''s silver light seemed to be evaporating the entire room. When the silver moonlight finally extinguished, the Cat Mud on the ceiling disappeared. The bedroom felt instantly transformed from a chilly alley into a warm church hall, filled with warm and holy air everywhere.

    He looked toward the person tugging at his sleeve and heard Miss Luisa, covering her eyes,in:

    "Oh, my eyes! Detective, you actually call this a Light Spell?"

    Previously, Shard misjudged the Light Spell''s power when he used Silvermoon''s "Light Spell" to suppress darkness in a situation where the Relic was out of control.

    Fortunately, it was a fine day in summer, and the bedroom curtains were tightly closed; otherwise, the silver light that had just exploded would undoubtedly have attracted the attention of passersby on the street. The situation was not so favorable for Miss Luisa standing right beside Shard, who had been momentarily blinded by the intense light.

    But instead of tending to her first, Shard anxiously asked:

    "Is the Nightmare still here?"

    "I think it''s gone."

    Shard looked around the room, feeling a sacred atmosphere akin to that of a church. But as the moonlight faded, so did that feeling. But it was clear that the Nightmare, caused by the uncontrolled Relic, had vanished:

    "Your Matchstick Girl and my Light Spell seem to have dispersed it. Oh, Miss Luisa, are you alright? Do you need help with healing? I''m really sorry, I..."

    Temporarily ignoring Professor Manning on the ground, he assisted the blonde female writer to sit down in the chair in front of the desk; although she was a Four-Ring Sorcerer, she could not function normally without relying on her eyes.

    "The doctor said this is a Light Spell? Oh, no, this can definitely be called an Exorcism Spell. I should have thought of it earlier; this light could even suppress an uncontroble Relic, so it cannot be just a normal Light Spell."

    "We''ll talk about the Arcane Techniqueter, Miss Luisa. Can you see my fingers now?"

    If the writer were only temporarily blind, it would be fine, but it would be troubling if her vision were permanently damaged due to the recent incident. He waved two fingers in front of Miss Luisa, but she did not respond.

    "Let me heal you first."

    "But isn''t your ''Cyndia''s Silvermoon Blessing'' only usable at night?"

    "I''ve learned a new Arcane Technique, please wait a moment."

    He took out a small vial from his pocket, shook it slightly, and immediately droplets condensed on the wall of the vial. Then he treated these droplets with the Arcane Technique ''Satiety Food'', and finally had Miss Luisa tilt her head back and open her eyes:

    "If I didn''t know you, I would suspect you were trying to do something bad."N?v(el)B\\jnn

    The blonde writer joked and then lifted her head, feeling the droplets fall into her eyes. She instinctively closed her eyes, letting the warm liquid soak her eyelids, and then opened her eyes to find her vision hadpletely recovered, even the mild nearsightedness from staying upte writing seemed to have disappeared.

    Shard wanted to continue with the droplets, but Miss Luisa raised her hand to stop him:

    "No need, my eyes arepletely fine now."

    She said as she stood up and, from a very short distance, blinked her emerald eyes at Shard, the color in her eyes indicating their vitality. Shard blushed at Miss Luisa''s sudden proximity and took a step back, then, bowing his head, he put away the vial emitting silver light:

    "The new Arcane Technique I learned, I didn''t expect it to be this effective."

    Seeing Shard like this, the female writer smiled, refrained from teasing him, and instead instructed:

    "Now that you have healing abilities during the day too, that''s really great. But don''t put it away just yet, Professor Manning is still waiting for your help."

    After the uncontroble incident with the Scribe Level Relic ''Joyful Dream Pen,'' resolved by Shard''s ''Light Spell'' and Miss Luisa''s ''Matchstick Girl,'' the room returnedpletely to normal. However, Professor Manning, curled up on the carpet, had shriveled like a deted balloon, barely alive, appearing to have aged ten years in an instant and seemed unlikely to survive.

    When he was constructing dreams with the materialized Nightmare, too much life force was drawn away.

    While Professor Manning was not like Miss Luisa''s deceased friend who had used the Dream Pen multiple times and deeply immersed himself in it, the uncontroble Relic was far more terrifying than merely using it.

    Fortunately, he was still breathing, so after confirming that Miss Luisa was truly alright, Shard first used ''False Immortality'' on the professor, then pulled out the fountain pen stuck in his wrist, and used ''Satiety Food'' again on water for treatment.

    In treating external injuries, the Arcane Technique developed by Gluttony was very effective, but a drained body didn''t seem to qualify as an injury. Thus, Shard only tried it out with the idea of giving it a shot; after healing the wound on the wrist, he carefully fed the professor, who was still unconscious, some water emitting silver light to prevent him from choking.

    The shrunken body showed improvement, and ''Satiety Food'' turned out to be more useful than Shard had expected.

 Chapter 109 The Professors Hush Money

    "What kind of Arcane Technique is this, that it can have such an effect at the First Ring?"

    Even Miss Luisa was amazed by this. She asked for some water to taste, then had Shard continue to water the professor.

    Miss Luisa, being a Four-Ring Sorcerer, easily analyzed what Shard had failed to discern:

    "Is this really Gluttony''s Arcane Technique? It can actually transform emotions to replenish Life Energy. I see, it achieves Healing by replenishing Life Force. The feeling of fullness inside isn''t an illusion, but a true state of satiety. It can be learned at the First Ring and can even be used on others.

    As far as we can see, the only side effect is that the desire to eat declines significantly for a short period. This is really... *burp*"

    Shard turned his head in surprise, even stopping the act of giving the professor water. Miss Luisa''s face visibly reddened, her lips tightly closed, her shoulders shrugged, and she forcibly suppressed the urge to burp again:

    "What''s the matter? Never seen ady burp before?"

    Somehow, Shard was reminded of how Mia couldn''t stop burping after drinking water the day before, and how she got angry at herself.

    "Hurry up and awaken Professor Manning. I... will go to the washroom to touch up my makeup, and I''ll tell the maid downstairs not to panic. You be careful here as well."

    With that, she stood up with a red face and left the bedroom without looking back.

    Listening to the receding footsteps of Miss Luisa, Shard looked at the small water bottle in his hand:

    "This is probably a side effect as well."

    It took quite a while for Miss Luisa toe back from downstairs. Shard was very conscious not to bring up the burping incident again.

    Once he confirmed that Professor Manning could drink no more water, Shard stopped. From the outside, his body no longer looked so terrible, but the professor still did not wake up.

    "Why won''t he wake up? Could the fountain pen have caused severe mental damage? Yes, my Arcane Technique can''t heal mental injuries."

    Shard said, slipping the bottle back into his pocket.

    "I think this has nothing to do with mental injuries, Detective. Do you know who can''t be woken up?"

    Miss Luisa nced at the professor''s condition and roughly understood the reason.

    "People who are pretending to sleep cannot be woken up... Oh, I get it!"

    But Miss Luisa shook her head:

    "No, the dead are the ones who can''t be woken up. Since the professor won''t wake up, then we should just..."

    "Alright, alright, Luisa, stop joking, I''m awake. Young people, can''t you leave some dignity for an older person... *burp*"

    Professor Manning suddenly opened his eyes, then burped as well. His face somewhat pale, he got up from the floor and nearly fell, his legs weak, but Shard steadied him:

    "Your body hasn''t fully recovered, Professor. You''re likely going to need a long rest in bed, and you must abstain from any sort of desire, especially from engaging in mentalbour for extended periods."

    Professor Manning covered his face with one hand. He had feigned unconsciousness to avoid bringing up this issue and had almost been drowned by Shard''s water.

    "Young people, would you just take that fountain pen and leave, please? You can even take everything in my house, as long as you pretend this never happened, and I remained unconscious."

    The professor''s expression of pain probably wasn''t rted to physical weakness:

    "Why do you have to wake me? Oh, can''t you leave ast shred of dignity for an old man?"

    His face, which had been pale from weakness, was now flushed red. Shard nced at Miss Luisa, who motioned for him to speak:

    "Actually, we didn''t know that in your dream you were with a ck cat..."

    "Ah, fine, what do you want to ckmail me for? Take anything, everything you fancy, as long as you don''t speak of this matter. I just want myst shred of dignity."

    "No, no, that''s not what I meant."

    Shard exined:

    "I meant to say, about today''s incident..."

    "Nothing happened, and everything I saw will go to the grave with me! Nobody should even think about knowing what happened today! Absolutely not."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

    Considering Professor Manning''s current state of excitement, his physical condition and mental state were much better than Shard had expected.

    "Good, then this fountain pen..."

    Shard shook the Relic, and Professor Manning nced at it reluctantly before gritting his teeth and saying:

    "Take it, take it away quickly! It''s yours now."

    Shard nodded in satisfaction and handed the fountain pen over to Miss Luisa, who yed with the Scribe Level Relic, the Joyful Dream Pen, and seemed very happy.

    They helped Professor Manning to a chair and sat him down, also drawing back the curtains to let the bright afternoon sunlight flood in. The frail old man squinted into the light, his expression rxing significantly.

    "Actually, we want to know, besides yourself, does anyone else know about this pen?"

    Shard asked again, and Professor Manning stared into the sunlight, lost in thought, before he finally said:

    "How could I possibly tell others about such a thing?"

    "So, how did youe to know how to use this pen? Did that old author tell you?"

    Shard wanted to confirm there was nothing suspicious about it.

    "Of course not, I dreamt about it. On the third day after I got the pen, I suddenly had a dream about it, and somehow, I wanted to try it out..."

    He suddenly paused:

    "So, the death of the previous owner of this pen... was because of this?"

    "If you had continued to possess it, your fate would have been worse than death," Miss Luisa said coldly, her tone in stark contrast to the gentleness she exhibited while speaking with Shard:

    "You should be grateful that you fainted just now and didn''t see what happened. You''re a university professor; how could you not realize the oddity of this thing?"

    "I just...couldn''t resist the temptation," the professor bowed his head.

    Shard coughed to sum up the situation:

    "Professor, since we''ve saved your life, consider the pen a token of our gratitude. Also, let the events of today be as if they never happened, and nobody should speak of them."

    "I have no problem with that,"

    said Miss Luisa, having secured the Relic.

    "I have a problem!"

    The professor suddenly interjected, raising his head:

    "Luisa may not speak of it, but what if you do?"

    Shard expressed surprise:

    "Why would I speak of it? You probably guessed that we are not ordinary people; why would we risk exposing our identities..."

    "I have seen many things in my life; you don''t need to exin. How about I give you a little something, as hush money?"

    He presumably thought that since Miss Luisa had received hush money and the detective hadn''t, there might be some resentment. Shard was about to offer a polite refusal, but the professor directly called for the chubby maid upstairs, instructing her to bring something down to Shard.

    It was unbelievably a Roder Card, and not just any card, but one with special rules.

    [Northern City: Coldwater Harbor], suit of Moons number 7. After drawing and actively disying this card, if more than half of the cards in the deck have already been used, select one of your cards and shuffle it into the opponent''s deck.

 Chapter 110 110 Terrible Guess

    Although the usage rules of the "Northern City: Coldwater Harbor" card are not as strict as the two seen at Lakeside Manor, the effect of this card is actually more entertainment-oriented than practical. The Roder Card does contain special rule cards, but generally, the rules are fairly fair, allowing special cards to have the opportunity to y their part.

    This is also an important reason for the enduring poprity of this kind of game.

    Last time, under the grape trellis at Lakeside Manor, Shard had seen Baron Lavende holding a special card from the Northern City series as well, but that was Atak City, the City of Arts. It seems that these two cards are from the same set.

    "This card is worth at least 50 pounds, how about using this as hush money?"N?v(el)B\\jnn

    Judging by the professor''s expression, if Shard did not agree, he would certainly not let it go, so Shard could only reluctantly ept it. Even so, Professor Manning still insisted that the three make an oath to never speak of today''s events.

    Compared to the Circle Sorcerers who were worried about their identities being exposed, the professor was more concerned about his own reputation.

    Actually, Professor Manning was rtively lucky; ordinary people experiencing a Relic malfunction would have death as their best oue. The fact that he received immediate treatment upon encountering the malfunctioning Relic, and that the Relic itself did not have a strong intention to harm him, is actually quite rare.

    Of course, although Professor Manning had attempted to use the Joyful Dream Pen to write a cat, what he actually saw in his dreams was not a cat¡ªthat was too disgusting. It was only under Miss Luisa''s persistent questioning that he reluctantly admitted it was a girl with cat-like features.

    This caused the more experienced Ounder to marvel and disdain at Professor Manning''s imagination and hobbies, which surpassed those of his era. As for the young Miss Luisa, the expression on her face when she heard the truth was undoubtedly one of disdain.

    Of course, Shard was not particrly concerned with what the professor thought about cats. However, when the maid helped the professor say goodbye to the two of them, Shard still quietly hid Mia behind himself to prevent Professor Manning from having a chance to touch her.

    "What do you mean by this?"

    Since the maid was present, the professor being supported by her did not speak too clearly. Shard did not exin, merely shaking his head and holding the cat behind him with one hand. This action amused the blonde girl beside him, but she also understood Shard''s wariness towards the professor:

    "Professor, you should just stay in bed and rest for the time being. I''lle to check on you every three days to prevent any other conditions from arising. Recent symptoms of excessive sleepiness are very normal, especially since you''ve lost so much... If you experience strange dreams again, remember to find me immediately; I live nearby on Feather Quill Street."

    Although there was some unexpectedness along the way, the Relic "Joyful Dream Pen" ultimately was still recovered by Miss Luisa. She obtained the Dream Pen, and Shard obtained the highly valuable Roder Card, both very satisfied with their respective gains.

    Feeling good, and as a thank you to Shard for his help that afternoon, Miss Luisa invited Shard and Mia to dinner, as the setting sun already appeared on the distant horizon. Of course, as a singledy living alone, she did not bring Shard back to her rented apartment but treated them at a restaurant instead.

    During the meal, they talked about many things. Shard had many questions in his heart but did not ask directly. So, he first talked about the afternoon''s events, summarizing the experience when facing the Relic malfunction, and also discussed his Light Spell with Miss Luisa.

    This was not the topic Shard wanted to engage in, but Miss Luisa had much to say about it:

    "Silvermoon inherently conveys the meaning of ''Sanctity,'' so it has a significant effect against Whisper and Desecration Elements, but your effect was very pronounced. Although that Nightmare was indeed weak since it had just been born... it''s also a good thing.

    At least if you encounter an unforeseen situation with a Relic malfunctioning, you can first try out this Glimmer; run away if it doesn''t work."

    "Could this effect be because I have some special quality?"

    Shard asked, and Miss Luisa looked at him in surprise:

    "Special quality? Shard, you should be asking yourself that question."

    "No, I mean, is it possible for an ordinary First Ring Sorcerer to have such a powerful Arcane Technique?"

    "Of course, it''s possible. The power of an Arcane Technique is greatly rted to the understanding of Spirit Runes. After experiencing the events at Lakeside Manor, you have gained a significant understanding of Silvermoon; naturally, that exins it."

    [There''s also the ''Divine Afterglow'' status.]

    The whispering voice reminded.

    Shard nodded, and finally got to the question he genuinely wanted to ask:

    "Speaking of which, Miss Luisa, the Arcane Technique you used this afternoon was... it seemed rted to a fairy tale."

    Miss Writer was a bit smug talking about her own Arcane Technique. She looked around to make sure no one was at the neighboring tables before skillfully manipting her knife and fork and speaking:

    "I specialize in Enlightenment Elements, drawing on the power of civilization from words and stories. I''m best at fairy tales--the power you saw this afternoon came from the fairy tale ''Matchstick Girl''--the Spellcasting Materials were the story of the Matchstick Girl written by myself.

    By using the Core Rune [Scribe] to awaken the power in the story, or using the Core Rune [Role ying] to temporarily gain the power of the text, I''ve built my Circle Sorcerer System."

    That sounded impressive, and Miss Luisa''s Core Runes seemed to really be a good match.

    But what Shard cared about wasn''t that; it was the Matchstick Girl.

    He tried not to make a strange expression and clumsily used his knife and fork to cut his steak. Mia was ced in a small basket provided by the restaurant, set on a chair next to him, and now the cat was standing on her hind legs, paws clinging to the edge of the basket, her big eyes staring greedily at Shard''s food.

    Actually, since he first saw the card face of the [Ancient Fairy Tale: Matchstick Girl], Shard had his suspicions, and this afternoon, upon seeing the Arcane Technique summon the Matchstick Girl, he truly confirmed he wasn''t thinking nonsense. Different worlds might have simr systems or even cultures, but for a fairy tale to be exactly the same, that was too far-fetched.

    "Could you tell me in detail about the story of the Matchstick Girl?"

    Shard asked this and did not forget to exin:

    "I don''t remember this content from my past, but it seems to be a very well-known story."

    "Of course, only stories that are so well-known and be a part of civilization possess the power of [Enlightenment]. As for the Matchstick Girl''s story, due to its great age, there are many versions, and it would take all night to tell in detail. But the gist of the story is the same¡ªa poor girl selling matches, ignites four of them and then dies in a snowy night."

    "Hmm..."

    Shard''s hand, holding the knife, suddenly tightened, fortunately, the restaurant''s cutlery was of good quality.

    "The Matchstick Girl, the Little Match Girl... almost an identical story; this is beyond exnation by coincidence alone."

    He thought to himself, somewhat surprised.

    Miss Luisa, her head bowed mixing the vegetable sd, didn''t notice Shard''s odd expression, but Mia did. She mewed at Shard as if tofort him.

    Those amber eyes observed Shard, but sadly, at least this time, Shard didn''t notice.

    After all, even if someone was nning to club him from behind, he would probably fail to notice:

    "Has this world ever encountered other transmigrators?"

 Chapter 111 The Second Meeting

    "I think you must be the only outsider," a soft voice whispered beside his ear.

    "Why?" Shard asked.

    "The appearance of an outsider is luck within luck, a miracle to find even one. A second is simply impossible," the voice exined.

    "Then why does ''The Little Match Girl''..."

    "In this world, there are no coincidences, only the inevitable built upon the inevitable. Besides, haven''t you already guessed the reason?"

    Shard smiled. If there was no second outsider, the answer was indeed clear.

    Today was Wednesday, after midnight, exactly one week since hest used the Time Key:

    "It seems I, as an outsider, am not without possessions," he remarked.

    Again, the pleasingughter of a woman filled his ears.

    "Shard, did you hear that?"

    Realizing that Miss Luisa was talking to him, Shard looked up, embarrassed, and said,

    "Sorry, I was lost in thought. What did you say?"

    "I said, if you don''t take care of your cat, it''s going to jump out of its basket soon,"

    the blonde writer said, touching her earlobe.

    "Meow~"

    Mia made a "threatening" sound at Miss Luisa, almost managing to leap onto the dining table.

    After dinner, Shard bid Miss Luisa farewell. Before leaving, he inquired about cing an advertisement in the newspaper. Miss Luisa pulled a bunch of business cards from her handbag, all from newspapers she had worked with:

    "There''s bound to be one that suits you."

    Excited about the night''s events, Shard didn''t visit anywhere else after saying goodbye to the writer, but went straight home to Saint Dn Square with Mia. The usage of the Time Key needed to cross midnight, so from 6:30 pm to nearly midnight, Shard still had to wait.

    Of course, he didn''t waste the time but continued to help Miss Luisa trante "Chasing the Four Elements: Wind and Fire," and even took the time to keep reading "The Mad Light Chaser."

    Calcting the time and confirming that he could now use the Time Key, he excitedly stood up from the chair in the study.

    Mia had originally been lying on the desk beside Shard''s hand, asleep. Shard''s movement woke her, but the cat stillzily sprawled on the desk, just lifting her eyes to watch him.

    "Since Divine Afterglow has already brightened beside me, now it''s time to explore the tales of the past,"

    he thought excitedly, pulling out the cracked key from the locked drawer.

    Leaving all his "relics" on the table, he closed the study door from the inside, then gripped the key and whispered,

    "May the World Tree bless me in this time."

    The key entered the lock, and after a twist, it clicked again. Opening the study door, behind it was a Mist Gate sealed by thick fog.

    The orange cat watched the scene in astonishment, but before it could rise, Shard had already stepped into the Mist Gate:

    "Mia, see you in three seconds."

    As his foot touched the ground, he was surrounded by white fog.

    The whispering voice sounded in his ear, and after preparing himself, "the other me" received a message from the fallen Ancient God, "Father of the Infinite Tree":

    "Ounder, you have stepped into the Time Corridor," the message from the Ancient God "Father of the Infinite Tree" announced.

    [Fifth Era 1068, Autumn, Southern Continent, Hope Town.]

    [Event: The Old God "Creator of Innocence" has fallen.]

    [Duration 10 minutes (2/3).]

    [You have gained additional information.]

    [The figure of the Father of the Infinite Tree continues to watch you.]

    [The tests given by the Ancient God of Time will continue.]

    [Witness His final wish before the fall of the Old God "Creator of Innocence".]

    [The Ancient God of Time will reward you: Arcane Technique - de of Chaotic Time, Miracle Soul Rune - Echo.]

    Apart from the addition of words like "continue" and "prolongation", there is only a two-thirds mark after the duration, but it seems the time limit is still ten minutes.

    Having prepared himself mentally, Shard did not ask further questions. He wanted to step into Hope Town through the white mist. He could not afford to waste time here, but unexpectedly, the woman''s voice continued:

    [Manifest the Ring of Fate.]

    "Why?"

    Though he asked this, he did as instructed. Bells tolled, and steam whistles apanied by steam appeared.

    A brass ring rotated behind him, and as the Ring of Fate manifested, Shard was shocked to see his skin crack inch by inch, with golden Light Traces shimmering beneath those cracks.

    This was a condition he had seen in the daylight, but then it was due to being in a dream, highlighting the state of his mind and spirit.

    "Why does summoning the Ring of Fate here also reveal the state of Divine Afterglow on my skin?" he asked.N?v(el)B\\jnn

    [The knowledge within divinity tells me that the "Time Corridor" you are now in is a special space, where divine power is more apparent.]

    The murmur said, and Shard, holding up his hand, looked incredulously at his nearly shattered skin and the brilliant light below:

    "That is interesting. A spiritual state can withstand invasions from the dream realm, but what use is there for such a state to appear on the body?"

    [I think this time, at least, you can face Him without needing the protection of that Old God.]

    Withdrawing the Ring of Fate, he then took a step back into the thick fog, which cleared as Shard returned to the street that looked like it came from a medieval towngging in time.

    Different fromst time, it was deep night, and the town''s people were nowhere to be seen on the streets. Looking around, the entire town stood in the deep, dark night, with distant mountains resembling colossal beasts crawling through the night.

    The air still smelled acrid, and aside from the toy store in front of him, no other building had lights on.

    Looking up at the sky, clouds covered the stars and moon, making it impossible to use the constetions to determine his exact location.

    Shard wasted no time and walked directly into the toy store.

    The interior and exterior of the shop seemed to be two different worlds. Inside, there was not the slightest change, the air saturated with the sweetness of candy, and the shelves were full of a dazzling array of toys. A young man wearing aical jester hat stood behind the counter, woken by the sound of the bell as the door opened.

    He looked up to wee the customer, but upon seeing the young detective, he dropped the usual spiel.

    The Deity of Bygone Days said with a smile:

    "It seems you have indeed found the God''s Afterglow?"

    "Yes, and it surely wasn''t easy," replied Shard.

    Aside from himself, he didn''t think any mortal had a chance to attain "God''s Afterglow." Completing the task of the Ancient God was unimaginably difficult. Moreover, he even suspected that other investigators encountering the task given by the Father of the Infinite Tree were definitely not this challenging.

    Shard scrutinized the young man. Although there was still a great sense of difort, as long as he averted his gaze, maintaining normal activity at least wouldn''t be affected. The other party was right; without God''s Afterglow, he wouldn''t even have the privilege of a prolonged conversation with a deity. "God''s Afterglow" was the first step in carrying out this task.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!