Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic-Chapter 675 - Moonlight Final Payment and Nun

Shard thought to himself, but then considered that if he were to say this to Old John, the owner of the pawnshop, he would be met with loud laughter.

The acquisition of the “Yellow Moon” Spirit Rune didn’t just signify a new Spirit Rune and the Arcane Technique “Muddle,” but Shard also felt that all of his Moonlight-related Arcane Techniques had been strengthened as a result.

Not only that, but the Academy’s librarian, the Red Moon Witch Miss Danester, had been actively searching for a Circle Sorcerer possessing the “Yellow Moon” Core Spirit Rune, even going to great lengths to transfer a Correspondence Circle Mage from Xerxes Higher Medical Academy who had the “Guiding Moon” Core Spirit Rune to the Tobesk Region.

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Although the “Guiding Moon” hadn’t yet arrived, Shard had already acquired the “Yellow Moon.” Even if it was not a Core Spirit Rune, he thought it necessary to try whether he could open the book in Miss Danester’s possession and help her find the location of the Silvermoon Library.

Initially, he wanted to immediately inform Miss Danester of the news using a page of poetry parchment, but then he remembered that he had many things to do today and couldn’t afford to waste too much time in Saint Byrons.

After much deliberation, he decided to contact the librarian tomorrow or the day after; after all, this matter wasn’t urgent.

Even without having breakfast, Shard, holding the very reluctant Mia, took a carriage ride early in the morning straight to Miss Galina’s manor. It was only six o’clock when he left his house, so he arrived at the manor around seven.

Witches have very regular lives; seven o’clock was when she usually got up. Because she had to freshen up, she asked Shard to wait for a moment and had Tifa take him to the dining room in the meantime. The dark-haired Miss Maid seemed to have woken up very early, which made Shard wonder just how tough the job of a “maid” was.

“So early in coming to my place, do you wish to have breakfast with me?”

Seeing Shard on a clear autumn morning, Miss Galina was in a good mood. As she sat down at the table, she even joked with Shard.

Shard shook his head:

“It’s about the Time Key, the one Granny Cassandra gave me for the year 3024 of the Fifth Era.”

“Have you met Miss Feliana?”

“No, but I met her student, the very first librarian of Saint Byrons, Miss Briony Orland.”

While eating breakfast, Shard detailed his recent experience—or rather, an experience from an Era ago—to Miss Galina, who listened quietly until he had finished before shaking her head:

“It’s still not sufficient; I need to find Miss Feliana.”

“But Miss Orland is also a Thirteenth Rank Witch now.”

“Thirteenth Rank and Thirteenth Rank can be different.”

The Duchess laughed and shook her head like someone explaining a simple truth to a disobedient child. She dressed casually within her own manor, wearing a crimson dress with ruffled sleeves and a neckline, which looked quite nice.

“Alright then, let’s try our luck again next time. But the Time Key from that era won’t be so easy to find.”

After speaking, Shard took out the piece of parchment that had yellowed from traveling through time:

“Additionally, please help with the purchase of these items; I’ve translated the text into the contemporary language. These are life essentials required by the witches; once the procurement is done, I’ll give you the Gold Pounds.”

“Such things aren’t expensive; why the formality?”

The Duchess, supporting her face with her right hand and holding the parchment with her left, was illuminated by the morning sun shining through the large dining room windows of the manor, lighting up the Miss Maids’ white aprons and black leather shoes, as well as the Witch’s profile.

She was very beautiful.

“Look, they haven’t asked for much, just some inexpensive items. However, since it’s for preparing life essentials for former witches, I’ll get you some more expensive ones… Oh, this size… Who has such a fine figure?”

After speaking, Miss Galina glanced at Tifa:

“Tifa, how would these sizes fit you?”

The Miss Maid behind her bent slightly and looked at the content on the parchment:

“More or less.”

“Tsk, Shard, who might this be?”

“I prefer not to discuss ladies’ privacy.”

As Shard stroked the cat drinking sheep’s milk, he responded, sensing that despite being well-nourished, the cat’s size hadn’t changed since he adopted it, likely due to absorbing a part of divinity.

“Oh, indulge a bit of my curiosity, Detective.”

The Witch said again, her face breaking into a smile, leaving Shard no choice but to reply:

“It must be that young witch with the Red Dragon bloodline,”

“That’s impressive,”

Miss Galina laughed, then asked,

“How about leaving this parchment with me? Consider it a thank you for helping you with the procurement.”

The Grand Witches of the Witch Council liked to collect artifacts from witches of the Fifth Era.

“Of course, you can have it.”

Shard nodded, and Miss Galina brought up the topic of the Yellow Moon Spirit Rune.

“Similar runes usually work with similar arcane techniques. Since you have a talent for Silvermoon, try using the Yellow Moon to invoke spells associated with Silvermoon; this is what they call the structure of a rune system. Give it a try, Shard, I remember you have a talent for the Light Spell.”

“The Light Spell?”

Shard nodded, put down his spoon, and looked at his palm. As he meditated on the cycle of the yellow moon, a pale yellow moonlight actually appeared in his palm.

“Look, that’s how it’s done. I remember you have several Silvermoon arcane techniques. Except for those unique to Silvermoon, like Cyndia’s Silvermoon Blessing, other spells related to moonlight can also be attempted with the Yellow Moon,” she said, patiently instructing him, then she changed the subject again,

“Do you have plans today? The weather is nice; would you like to join me for a ride in the horse park? The horse park is lovely in fall, and I remember Tifa said you don’t know how to ride. That won’t do; you are a Hamilton Knight of Rejed. I can teach you how to ride while we talk about the adventures you’ve had during the Fifth Era.”

Shard shook his head with a slight regret,

“Sorry, I have to go to Midshire Fort today. I have an appointment with a nun there to see a boy who can predict death.”

“A nun?”

Miss Galina slightly squinted her eyes,

“You really do have a lot of friends.”

Tifa blinked at Shard quickly, and after a moment, he understood her meaning,

“How about this, Miss Galina, after I’ve finished with Midshire Fort, you teach me horse riding? Let’s agree that before winter comes, you’ll help me learn.”

At this, the red-haired Duchess finally showed a smile,

“Of course, it’s a deal.”

(Dorothy is rushing to meet deadlines…)

To go to Midshire Fort, one must first return to Saint Delan Square; since he left early in the morning, he only found the newspapers, milk, and letters delivered when he came back.

And Shard found, to his surprise, a remittance slip from a client, “Miss White,” on the doormat at the front door. It was the final payment for their commission, serving as evidence of its completion.

The final payment wasn’t much—just 7 pounds—the amount stated in the letter from the neighbor that arrived at Miss White’s residence when Shard and Tifa visited, which mentioned it would be sent at the beginning of the month. And the real name of Miss White on the remittance slip was indeed Grace White. In her letter, she stated that since the Hamilton Detective had found Helen Black of Midshire Fort, the commission was considered complete.

“Is the commission just ending like this? Aside from Mia’s issue not being completely resolved, Detective Sparrow’s other remaining tasks are thoroughly finished,”

Of course, to this day, Shard still didn’t know exactly what had happened with the twin girls, but he was really looking forward to seeing them again.

Leaving Mia at home, Shard set off for the Mountain City. As agreed, after leaving the Ruined Tower, he went straight to the House of the Blind. When he arrived at the House of the Blind, it was eight fifty in the morning, and Sister Delphine had already arrived.

Since they were going to visit the small Circle Sorcerer Organization known as the Raven Club today, she didn’t wear her signature grey nun’s attire but opted for a simple grey dress with a black cloth as a belt at the waist.

She couldn’t wear her silver eyepatch either, but since Sister Delphine was born with poor eyesight, she chose to wear a veil and sat in a wheelchair. Coupled with her naturally cold demeanor and unwillingness to speak much, she indeed resembled a young noblewoman with a disability.

The two were to pose as the writer John Watson and his sister Mary Watson, in search of the boy who could divine the fate of the future. Since they couldn’t bring a servant for the visit, Shard had to help push the silver wheelchair, and he didn’t mind doing so.

Leaving from the House of Blindness in Ruff Lane, the carriage brought them to Pig Tail Alley.

October is the Month of Withered Leaves, and it’s already getting deep into autumn. When Shard jumped down from the carriage, the cold wind blowing through the alley made him sigh at how swiftly time passes.

Seeing that Sister Delphine didn’t immediately get down, he remembered she was disguised as a young lady with a disability. So, he first moved the wheelchair down, took Sister Delphine’s hand as she reached out to him, and gently guided the nun into the wheelchair with gentlemanly care.

He then straightened his clothes, went up to the doorstep of building 8A, and knocked on the door in a pattern of three long, two short knocks.

“John Watson, the one who made an appointment last week, and this is my sister, Mary Watson,”

Shard said to the man who answered the door, then took out the brass badge with the raven pattern he had received after paying the appointment fee the previous time.

The man at the door looked them over, took the badge, and stood aside to let them in. Shard then instructed the coachman to place a wooden plank on the steps so he could push the wheelchair up. He then told the coachman to wait nearby.

“Is this your private carriage?”

The man at the door asked curiously.

“No, it’s rented,”

Shard shook his head and pushed the wheelchair into the house.

Building number 8 on Ruff Lane is a street-facing apartment building, not including the attic, with three floors in total. Each floor is at most half the size of each floor at Saint Delan Square, and there didn’t seem to be many people inside.

Considering that the Raven Club itself is a local, small-scale Circle Sorcerer Organization, perhaps its scale is even smaller than Shard had expected.