Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic

If this Six Rings Warlock in front of him belonged to the New World Mutual Aid Society, then it made sense why, last time, he had cooperated with others in Tobesk in an attempt to intercept the Remains of the Nameless.

As for Shard’s attitude toward that organization...he didn’t really have one. As long as they didn’t get in his way, Shard couldn’t care less.

"I see."

He lowered his head to look at the three fossilized objects:

"You take two, I’ll keep one."

This wasn’t because Shard suddenly grew greedy, but because he thought of the Fragment of Poem Chapter "Hatchling Dragon, Seven-Colored Dragon Scale." Keeping one fossil might prove useful.

This time, that Six Rings Warlock didn’t object; after all, he really couldn’t beat Shard. So he let Shard choose first, but he didn’t immediately take away the other two Dragon Eggs. In order to avoid suspicion, he went out first; once Shard was done with his own business, he would also clear a portion of Freeman Hawthorne’s memory to prevent his identity from being exposed.

After the Silence Charm took effect and he was sure that no sound from here could reach the outside, Shard turned to look at the man writhing on the floor.

He crouched down and pressed the muzzle of the gun against the man’s forehead:

"I ask, you answer. Listen carefully. About ten days ago, you and Herman Wood, Freeman Hawthorne, and Georgia Black met at the Crowley Steam Bath. There were also three prostitutes present. What happened that night?"

Feeling the cold muzzle, Hawthorne’s eyes widened slightly:

"What happened...nothing happened."

Shard frowned, not because the other man was being stubborn, but because judging from his expression, Hawthorne really wasn’t lying.

He then pressed further about the details of that night and learned that the three of them had indeed been discussing business. When they left at around eleven o’clock, Miss Lisa, whom Shard had met, and the woman from the Parsifal Club stayed behind in the bath. The three men then took the remaining woman, that is, The Deceased, to another place to have some fun, and only parted ways after one o’clock.

Hawthorne seemed completely unaware of The Deceased’s situation, and he knew nothing at all about Miss Lisa’s claim that "I vaguely heard Mr. Black invite the other two to go see something interesting."

Shard also had talismans for lie detection on him, and when dealing with a thug who manipulated the city’s gangs, he didn’t hesitate to use coercive methods. In the end, he confirmed that everything Hawthorne said was true. Therefore, either Miss Lisa had been half-asleep and misheard that night, or Hawthorne’s memory had been altered—and the method used was extremely sophisticated.

"So that man with the black Dragon Scales on his face said I wouldn’t be able to find any clues at all. So the Church knows about the female Corpse, yet to this day their Investigation has made no progress..."

Having figured this out, Shard called in the Six Rings Warlock who had been waiting outside the door and watched him erase Hawthorne’s memories of the past two hours. Shard didn’t mention what he himself had done, but he learned that the man wielding the Sword of the Wind King would continue to stay in Moon Bay:

"John Sinclair."

He introduced himself, apparently believing he would cross paths with Shard again. Shard, however, didn’t stay on the ship for long and soon returned to the docks.

"If Miss Lisa misheard, then that means the Corpse has nothing to do with those three, and The Deceased was attacked on her way home...no, I still think it’s more likely that their memories were altered."

On the one hand, the appearance of that Circle Sorcerer from the Dragon Feast Cult meant the three men were definitely involved. On the other hand, he trusted his own inspiration:

"The Church has no idea that the Dragon Feast Cult is involved. Their Investigation Direction is likely being misled. Memory Manipulation...looks like I’ll have to ask Ciris for help."

Although the Cult of the Forgotten had already declined, Shard had no doubt about their professionalism in Memory Manipulation. And since Ciris was far away in Velindale, sending letters would be far too slow; he could only rely on the witches’ internal communication within the Council.

Since Mr. Benhart had been able to determine the identity of that nameless female Corpse and thereby trace Hawthorne, Black, and Wood, the Church would surely be able to do the same soon. The Circle Sorcerer hiding behind the three men hadn’t made them disappear, which showed how confident he was in his ability to alter memories. Therefore, Shard could only think of asking someone more specialized for help.

By the time he got home, it was already seven in the evening. The edge of Saint Delan Square was shrouded in the Glimmer of gas streetlamps, and inside his brightly lit house, with the curtains drawn, Mia was circling that fossilized egg. She quickly lost interest in the stone, while Luviya listened to Shard recount his experiences of the past few days.

"Light and Dragon, huh? The seventh Chosen One corresponds to ’Brightness’...the Ancient God of Brightness, the Dragon of Radiant Light, is the Guardian of Dragons and holds authorities such as Brightness, justice, and Power. The legends of this Ancient God still circulate in the Material World; the influence of Dragons in Ancient Times on modern culture originates with that Ancient God."

In the study, the purple-eyed Miss Diviner wrote down the line "Hatchling Dragon, Seven-Colored Dragon Scale," while two Coins of Feeble Healing and two Coins of Wrath of the Thunder God lay at her side:

"There are too few clues. I don’t recommend using these Coins for Divination right now. But the Circle Sorcerer Organizations involved in this matter are the Light Worshipper Training Association and the Dragon Feast Cult—the former studies Light, the latter studies Dragons. That definitely isn’t a coincidence."

"It’s just that they haven’t surfaced yet, so it’s difficult to carry out an Investigation targeting them. I’m actually looking forward to Miss Belindel’s Investigation of the seven families of glory; it was because of that that we found that piece of Dragon Scales and this Fragment."

Luviya nodded:

"We haven’t seized the initiative yet. With the clues still unclear, Miss Belindel’s role is indeed crucial...Shard, while you’re in Moon Bay City, don’t wander around too much. When you have time, go chat with that Witch and have some tea. That’s what really matters; don’t let other things distract you."

"Luviya, don’t you feel what you just said sounds really strange?"

Shard blinked, and the purple-eyed girl asked in puzzlement:

"What’s strange about it? Isn’t that how it is?"

With clues in such short supply, all Shard could do was wait for a new turn of events. So that night they didn’t keep talking about this matter. As it happened, at nine in the evening the Academy delivered the Ritual Materials he had bought that morning, and Luviya helped Shard hold the ritual in the attic. She knew Shard was studying some kind of Time-type Arcane Technique, but Shard hadn’t told her exactly what it was:

"It’s a very advanced Arcane Technique. Even if the ritual is performed, it doesn’t mean I’ll definitely be able to learn it. Luviya, if you’re free in the near future, could you talk to me more about the turning of the stars and the shifting of the Star River? I need that kind of knowledge."

"Mm..."

The purple-eyed girl smiled as she asked:

"Can I understand this as you inviting me to come over and spend the night here more often?"

And when midnight came, Luviya, curled up in Shard’s arms and fast asleep, naturally had no idea that Shard had once again entered that strange Dream.

In the dim-yellow sky, the black Sun with its flowing lines of fire seemed to be the unchanging scenery of this Dream. The long-haired girl sitting on the rooftop once again welcomed the man she loved; while boldly and passionately taking his Warmth, she also once more provided Shard with new information.

However, when the storm of passion had just subsided, the long-haired girl, feeling the warmth of Shard’s soul, spoke first of something else:

"Shard, did you meet Adel Isabella?"

Shard was taken aback and looked at the long-haired girl lying against his chest. Her eyes were misted with tears, not because she felt wronged, but because every time they were intimate she would cry; this was a trait the short-haired Luviya did not have.

"Not the current Adel—you met Adel from a Bygone Era?"

Shard was not at a loss. He had anticipated that Long-Haired Luvia might know, so he had no intention of covering it up with a lie:

"Yes. Last time, when I contacted Miss Feliana through the Poetry Cards at the Witch Council, I accidentally came into contact with her. I hadn’t figured out how to tell you about it yet, I’m sorry... Did you recognize the ritual I held tonight?"

Since it was Shard who had chosen to hide it, he offered his apology.

"My Knight, never apologize to me. I don’t recognize that ritual—I just smelled her scent from within your soul. She passed knowledge to you, yet didn’t realize she would leave a trace because of it. The arrogant Adel will never know why she ends up losing to me."

She hugged Shard tightly, listening to his heartbeat on that rooftop amid the swirling yellow sand:

"Did she tell you not to trust me? Did she say you should stop me?"

"Mm... yes. She also said that everything was..."

"All my plan. Everything is within my plan."

The long-haired girl pressed her lips together and lifted her head. Tears shimmered in those violet eyes so close at hand that Shard was almost maddened with fascination.

"She’s not wrong."

She spoke softly, then her lips, tasting faintly of tears, pressed against Shard’s:

"But just this once, this is not my plan. I’ve failed again and again. This time, I’ve entrusted everything to you—absolutely everything, my Shard."

This time she truly shed tears over this matter, once again lying face down against Shard’s chest:

"Go and trust Adel. Though she now lies on the destroyed side of that distant River of Time, she’s very capable. Seize her and let her become your Power as well. Just don’t tell her that I know about her; otherwise she’ll be even more suspicious that everything is my plan."

"What on earth did you do to her in the past... All right, all right. I won’t ask. Don’t cry."

Soul pressed against soul, and when Shard once more saw Luviya lift her head, he finally could no longer endure the impulse in his heart and gently kissed her eyes, then kissed away those tears.

The purple-eyed girl broke into a smile through her tears, and by his ear, "she" let out a faint, almost illusory voice:

[Pervert.]