Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic-Chapter 683 - Autumn Days

“A man like you who has been to bed with a girl can still be considered a child?”

This question made Tifa, who was leading the maids to serve tea and refreshments, smile.

“Anyway, that deity seems to think I am,” Shard replied, insisting that Tifa stand beside him before he reached into the box, which had its lid already slid open.

“Shard, this really is a strange superstition.”

Though Miss Galina said this, her curiosity remained piqued about the “gift” that would come next.

So, under the watchful eyes of all, Shard reached into the box and touched a metal object that was neither too big nor too small:

“Oh, an ordinary item, looks like a small box.”

Slightly disappointed, he took the box out, and both Shard and Mia blinked. The “unsophisticated” man and cat were unable to recognize immediately the finely crafted box with a small key in the lock.

It appeared to be a makeup box, but the weight was somewhat off. Although it felt like metal to the touch, the surface and part of the body of the box were enameled, looking very exquisite. This was likely a handcrafted item.

“What is this?”

Shard placed it on the tea table.

“Really brings back memories. I loved collecting these things when I was around twelve or thirteen years old.”

The red-haired witch nodded to Tifa standing beside Shard, prompting Miss Maid to hesitate for a moment. She lifted her skirt slightly, revealing a part of her black buckled shoes and white long socks beneath. She carefully squatted down, and while the attention of Shard and Miss Galina was drawn elsewhere, she twisted the key in the box on the table three times.

After letting go, she gently opened the lid and the regular sound of gears turning followed. Accompanied by the clear music, a metal white swan and a ballet-dancing girl popped up from the box, twirling and dancing to the tune.

The music was very pleasant to the ear, and even an outlander would know that it was a well-known folk song from the northern part of Draleon.

“A music box, it looks quite nice.”

Miss Galina said, and Tifa stood up, but Shard still looked at her:

“Then let’s give it to Tifa, it’s of no use to me.”

The dark-haired girl did not decline; instead, she curtsied while holding her skirt with a smile:

“Then I thank you for your generosity.”

Miss Galina raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

The gift still came with an easy task: this week, Shard must take at least two baths, as probably the “Creator of Innocence” believed it to be a good habit children must develop from a young age.

Of course, Shard’s visit to Miss Galina that day was not solely for the purpose of retrieving a gift from the box.

He also brought the sword he had taken from Midshire Fort the previous night, wrapped within a bedsheet. After unwrapping the sheet layer by layer, the longsword adorned with bright yellow runes appeared in the study of the manor.

“Miss Galina, I’d like you to help identify this, what is it?”

“Oh, this sword looks really nice.”

Tifa picked up the sword and carried it around the tea table to deliver it to her mistress. Miss Galina lightly flicked the blade and then stood up, skillfully executing a flourish with the longsword. Members of the Royal Family all underwent training with cold weapons and mounted archery; ladies of high society were not frail and useless. And Galina Cavendish, being a Duchess with her own lands, even had a specialized training ground and mounted archery range in her own castle:

“Relic-grade longswords are quite rare. Shard, where did you get this? And, you actually wrapped such a thing in a bedsheet to bring it here?”

“I didn’t have a scabbard, as for the origin, please look at this.”

Shard then lifted the suitcase at his feet onto the tea table, snapped open the latch, flipped the lid, and efficiently rotated the case one hundred and eighty degrees to allow Miss Galina to see the black stone in the bottle within:

“A severely damaged Flame Demon Heart, still warm since it recently died.”

“Flame Demon…”

The witch opened her mouth slightly, staring at the black stone in the bottle radiating a subtle warmth for quite a while before turning back to Shard:

“Shard, if I’m not misunderstanding, are you saying that you killed a Flame Demon?”

“No, no, no.”

Shard hurriedly shook his head:

“It was my friend who did it, and I merely got the spoils of war.”

Because he had to keep Dr. Schneider’s secret, Shard didn’t elaborate too much, merely explaining the location of the cave in the mountainside, the past images from the longsword, and the traces he suspected were left by the Grand Witch of the Fifth Era on the other side of the stone platform:

“I suspect that across that broken bridge, there may be ruins left by a witch. And since that place is so hidden, perhaps the mountain cave that corresponds to it inside the ‘Interstice of Life and Death’ is the passageway sealed by the Witch Empresses. As for these two items, I hope you can help me appraise the longsword and find a buyer willing to purchase the Flame Demon heart.”

“I’m still curious who could have killed a Flame Demon. Even if it was sealed for a few hundred years as you say, it’s not something a human Circle Sorcerer can easily confront.”

Miss Galina muttered, but seeing that Shard was unwilling to talk, she didn’t press further. She swept a stray hair behind her ear, and Shard’s gaze lingered momentarily on the amethyst hair accessory atop her head.

“Today is Monday, and the council meeting is at noon. Since we need to settle matters at Midshire Fort, the Grand Witches of the council will all be participating. I’ll inquire about a buyer for the Flame Demon heart for you. As for the sword, you should go to Granny Cassandra for appraisal. She’s the most skilled among us at identifying relics.”

So Shard and Mia had lunch at the estate together. The witches’ council meeting went on for a long time, and having nothing to do after lunch, Tifa took Shard to learn equestrian skills in the manor courtyard. Mia didn’t wander off either; she stayed in the library, taking a nap on the back of a sofa where she could bask in the sunshine.

It wasn’t until three o’clock, having barely mastered mounting and the technique of shaking the reins, that Shard finally awaited Miss Galina’s return.

She brought good news—the badly damaged Flame Demon heart had a buyer, but it wasn’t a witch from the council. Instead, Granny Cassandra purchased it for Sister Delphine of the Spiritual Practice Order.

Visit frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓ for the b𝘦st novel reading experience.

In order not to raise suspicion among the other Grand Witches about the origin of the heart, she had already given the Flame Demon heart to Granny Cassandra. Shard could go to Midshire Fort to collect the payment. She had also relayed the details of the mountain cave that Shard discovered to the council. The witches regarded this with great importance; even if it wasn’t a seal leading to the True Death, it was still of value to them since after all, it was a trace left by the witches of the Fifth Era.

“Also, Hevy will be arriving at Midshire Fort tomorrow.”

“So soon?”

“It’s already quite late, who knows what she’s been up to.”

Miss Galina huffed and then glanced at Shard:

“What exactly have you been doing at Midshire Fort recently? I thought you would get entangled with The Chosen One’s affairs, but how did you come across a Flame Demon? And this Wednesday, when Little Lecia found the Kingdom’s lost important confidential documents, that wouldn’t have anything to do with you too, right?”

“If you mean the mechanical information, then yes, it is related to me.”

“Your methods for charming the girls are indeed formidable.”

The witch teased, and seeing Shard wanted to retort, she gestured for him not to bother explaining:

“Lecia isn’t an easy person to get along with, she’s very ambitious, more full of desire and schemes than her brothers and sisters. I am quite curious, with your assistance, just how far she can go.”

Speaking of which, Galina had Tifa bring a glass of red wine and gestured for Shard to have a drink with her:

“The matter at Midshire Fort is coming to an end, and the ritual led by the Church of Nature is about to begin. Since there are rumors that the death of The Chosen One is key to resolving the Interstice of Life and Death, I think he’s surely about to appear.”

Galina clinked her glass with Shard’s through the air, lifted her fair neck, and downed the wine in one gulp:

“Even if Hevy has reached Milestone, you should still be careful. I just heard from Granny Cassandra that the people from the Truth Society have been spotted in that city. It seems they, too, have realized the matter of the third Chosen One. And where the Truth Society goes, various Circle Sorcerer Organizations are sure to follow.”

Compared to the time of the Chosen of Darkness, organizations outside of the True God Church and the Magic Academy were much slower in catching wind of the news.

“The Blood Spirit School isn’t going to reappear, is it?”

Shard asked hesitantly.

“I don’t think they will. Weeper Helmons was severely injured in Tobesk by the ‘Sunlight Greatsword,’ who has decided to stay in this parish. Even if the rumors are true that they’ve found the Creation Chamber, they won’t be able to heal themselves so quickly. Moreover, the Vampire Clan that supported them has had a falling out with the Blood Spirit School since a vampire of the Twelve Rings was captured in the Millwood Forest.”

The Witch said with a smile:

“At least this time, you won’t run into the Blood Spirit School at Midshire Fort.”

“Vampire Kind…”

Shard recalled the local Vampire Kind at Midshire Fort and the uncle and nephew—Benhart, whose reasons for being there were still unknown:

“The local Vampire Kind in Milestone seem to be making big moves as well.”

“That’s for Hevy and Granny Cassandra to worry about, it doesn’t concern me.”

The Duchess set her wine glass back on the coffee table, and only then did Shard notice he had only taken a sip, so he too tipped his head back and finished his wine. The red wine was much stronger than the apple cider he had had in Milestone, and he choked and started coughing.

Miss Galina laughed and signaled for Tifa to gently pat Shard’s back:

“Shard, do you have other plans this afternoon? Stay for dinner, we can continue our discussion about the Time Key you received from Granny Cassandra and the items you need. I’ve already bought most of them.”

Shard had to visit the doctor in the evening to deal with the exchange of the Corpse-Hiding Mirror for the Traveler’s Gate, so he wasn’t planning on going to Midshire Fort today.

Thus, he stayed at the mansion, spending this ordinary autumn afternoon with Miss Galina, holding a tea cup, and Tifa, who always stood behind the Duchess.

The yellowing fallen leaves almost covered the courtyard of the mansion. Looking through the bronze-framed lattice windows of the study, the servants could be seen sweeping earnestly or holding various objects and talking with one another about their work. Outside the mansion was the autumnal pasture that had changed color, with woods and rice paddies beyond, and then there was the City of Steam—Tobesk City—standing in the northwest of the Old Continent.

Compared to adventuring, Shard preferred these peaceful times.

The date was the seventh day of the Month of Withered Leaves (October), and deep autumn was approaching. Since arriving in this world during the high summer to the present, the Outlander had gained many things he was unwilling to give up.