Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic

This time, Bella Belindel found her sleep especially comforting, a slumber oddly long and peculiar. She seemed to have dreamt of something, yet perhaps nothing at all.

When she was startled awake by a pair of suddenly appearing purple eyes, she realized her body was constantly moving, feeling the wind brushing against her. The Blonde Witch then noticed she was lying in Shard’s arms, as everyone was already on the way back to the city.

Her clothes had been put back on, with an additional hooded cloak for warmth. She was sitting sideways facing Shard, who held her with one arm, with her clothes and the person in front of her providing warmth.

Shard also noticed Miss Belindel waking up, his voice coming from the wind:

"Awake? The healing was very successful, we saw you were asleep and didn’t wake you. Please refrain from moving your right shoulder, we haven’t encountered any attacks, and we’ll soon reach the Saint George Stone Bridge. If you want to sleep, you can do so for a while longer."

She sensed her face and right shoulder’s "sense of absence" had vanished. Though the Spirit in her body and soul was still a bit sluggish, the Four Elements had barely returned to balance.

"Mmm."

Gently nodding in Shard’s embrace, the fatigued witch didn’t "rebuke" Shard for his current impertinence but instead inexplicably tightened her hold on his arm, then closed her eyes, leaning back into his embrace, falling asleep again.

When Miss Belindel awoke once more, the familiar ceiling greeted her:

"Belindel Estate... already back."

This was her own bedroom, and waking up, she felt completely normal again. It was still night outside, and upon hearing her voice, the maids came in, only to be asked by the Countess to prepare tea and a late-night snack:

"What time is it?"

Leaning against the bedhead in a daze, she realized she had already changed into her nightgown.

"Ten o’clock, Miss. We returned an hour ago."

Miss Matilda replied.

"And him?"

Though no name was mentioned, the Blonde Maid knew whom she was asking about, casting her eyes downward, she said:

"That gentleman left after returning to the estate with us. He left a magic potion recipe and will bring back that relic tomorrow morning. The precious ingredients needed to concoct the magic potion, like the Water of Moonlight, Sunfire, and Light of the Polar Day, are not sufficiently stocked in the estate, and the gentleman also said he would bring them."

"Mmm."

Humming through closed lips and slightly nodding, she turned her head to look at the gas lamp shaped like a lotus leaf on the bedside table:

"Matilda, was I very out of sorts tonight?"

Only towards her apprentice would the witch ask such a thing.

Although Miss Maid felt that tonight’s incident was beyond being merely "out of sorts," she still answered:

"If it was your own choice, there was no impropriety."

Her body curled under the quilt, and she lifted her hands to cover her cheeks. Then she looked down at her shoulder beneath the pink nightgown; the pale shoulder bore no scars, only a faint glow lingered. It didn’t seem strange at all; instead, it felt alluring even to the Countess herself.

"Miss, after the healing ended, your whole body emitted the Glimmer of the Silvermoon. It gradually faded by the time we returned to the city, and now there’s only a gentle glow on your shoulder and cheek, which that gentleman said would disappear by tomorrow."

Thus, the witch reached for her divination cards on the bedside, drawing the first card, which unsurprisingly was "The Moon":

"Silver moonshine..."

In a somewhat hoarse voice, she suddenly asked:

"Matilda, do you think John Watson could be a ’God Summoner’?"

Facing the witch’s golden eyes, the Blonde Maid hesitated for a moment, then shook her head:

"Tonight’s moonlight was indeed beautiful, but he’s Seventh Ring."

"Yes, Seventh Ring."

The witch curled on the bed repeated, her gaze vacant, as if still seeing the Woodland moonlight:

"If he was a God Summoner, many things up till now could be explained by many strange reasons."

Pressing her lips, she caressed her right cheek with her left hand:

"I feel I am becoming strange, Matilda."

"Miss, you need rest."

"Yes, I need rest... But if I see that silver moon again in my dream, what should I do?"

The loyal maid still looked downcast at the ground, while the wistful Countess gazed at her.

"Miss, perhaps meeting in the dream is not a mistake. Tomorrow, that silver moon will visit you again. No matter what decision you make... assign him some other tasks, test just what kind of person he really is."

The blonde lady on the bed nodded and leaned against the headboard, closing her eyes, saying no more. The Blonde Maid softly excused herself, leaving the room to inform the maids in the hallway to prepare hot water and new sleepwear for the master’s washing and dressing soon.

In the bedroom on the third floor of the estate, the curtains weren’t drawn, yet the city’s night obscured the clear view of the moon. Suddenly, those golden eyes opened again, turning to the window, and pitifully muttered to her reflection in the glass:

"Vanessa, you have certainly played a big joke on me this time."

The palm shifted to the shoulder:

"Is our encounter with that man truly a choice of fate?"

(Mia running...)

One hour ago, Draleon-Tobesk City-Saint Delan Square No. 6.

"Oh, finally back."

After confirming the bite mark on his neck had completely disappeared, the cautious Outlander stepped from the second-floor corridor into the room. The Red-Haired Princess, wearing a nightgown and reading on the sofa with her sister, lifted her head and upon seeing Shard return, smiled and stood up to help him take off his coat:

"Heading out again tonight, the witches in the Moon Bay Region are really impolite."

Upon approaching Shard, she took a light sniff, as expected detecting a strange perfume scent. But what concerned her more was the smell of blood. Passing the coat to the Maid, Lecia’s eyes showed a hint of worry:

"Were you injured?"

"I’m already healed, I am at the Seventh Ring after all, how many in the Moon Bay Region could be a match for me? Lecia, you won’t believe it, we actually encountered a werewolf tonight, which is quite a rare creature. Also, we came across a strange light, a light so intense it could nearly melt everything, but local witches got caught in order to protect apprentices, thankfully she’s okay."

Holding Lecia’s hand, he walked towards the sofa, Angelina also put down her book, sweetly greeting Shard. The cat lying on the back of the sofa stood up, giving an annoyed "meow" to Shard, who knew the cat was displeased with his scent.

"If that’s the case, using Space Power to cut through space should ward off those lights. Light’s propagation has spatial continuity, Miss Sylvia mentioned in her notes... If we could go to Moon Bay and help, it would be great."

Lecia pursed her lips, hearing a sincere apology from Shard:

"I’m truly sorry for having to leave Yordle Palace in order to meet you, only for me to have to head out again tonight."

But the Red-Haired Princess didn’t mind, her emerald eyes looked into his:

"What are you saying, isn’t tonight just beginning?"

The Maid brought new teacups, Angelina took one and poured tea herself, while Lecia continued speaking softly:

"If you’re feeling tired, you should rest tonight. I’m happy just to be able to see you."

Angelina’s ears twitched, a movement similar to Mia, who seemed to understand the dialogue. But the Little Princess was pondering where her sister would sleep, while the cat wondered where she would sleep.

"Tired? Lecia, are you underestimating me?"

Shard smiled as he retorted, Her Highness the Princess felt assured knowing he wasn’t seriously hurt despite the injuries tonight.

Squinting slightly, she reached for Shard’s collar and pulled out a long golden hair with a laugh.

The maids kept their mouths shut, Angelina’s eyes widened watching her sister. Shard immediately realized it was most likely Miss Belindel’s hair. This moment was unquestionably awkward, but Lecia wasn’t blaming Shard; she only intended to tease him. She just wanted to playfully say, "Apparently, you prefer Dorothy’s blonde hair over red hair," when Shard unexpectedly snipped off one of her red hairs and tucked it into his collar.

Her Highness the Princess tossed the hair away, playfully patting him:

"Honestly, don’t just pull my hair casually, that’s quite impolite."

Even Angelina could sense her cheer at the moment.

"Go take a bath, look at yourself now. I’ve had the maids prepare hot water, steam pipe systems are truly the greatest invention of this age."

She nudged Shard, who picked up the cup of tea, standing up with a smile, he took a sip and was about to head for the bath when Lecia told her maids and sister:

"Once you’re done with your tasks, go down and rest. Angelina, make sure to keep an eye on Mia tonight."

"Sister, I don’t want to stay downstairs, let me and Mia sleep in the side room,"

The Little Princess suggested, but Lecia regretfully shook her head:

"That won’t work, I intend to try the study tonight. Since the Princess could leave the palace to meet her knight privately, let’s enjoy it a bit. Shard hasn’t reached out to me since last month’s birthday."

Looking at Angelina, the Little Princess could surprisingly perceive traces of a threatening glance within her sister’s tender and gentle demeanor:

"Understood..."

"Ahem ahem."

Initially tempted to visit the third-floor new room or Green Island and attempt using the "Two-Handed Charge" Moonlight Wheel Miss Isabella mentioned, Shard ultimately decided that a small break tonight might not be so bad, considering Lecia and Angelina’s tone.

Thus Lecia led the maids to tidy up the bedroom, while other maids started preparing breakfast ingredients in the kitchen. The seventeen-year-old young princess pouted slightly displeased but then looked down at the teacup Shard had drunk from.

Widening her eyes a little, she cautiously glanced left and right, leaned back slightly, but her right hand began to subtly rise with the intent to take the cup.

"Meow~"

Suddenly, Mia’s call sounded again, prompting her to turn and see Mia standing on the sofa and eyeing her keenly.

"Oh, Angelina."

The Princess quickly slapped her own cheek, internally questioning how she could have such an odd idea moments ago:

"How embarrassing, I am a Cavendish Princess."

Thinking this, she naturally picked up the cup and sipped gracefully.