Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic

"You're looking at me strangely now."

The girl with beautiful brown hair said, before rising to her feet:

"It's getting late, so I should take my leave. Detective, our cooperation continues. If something comes up, I will write directly to you."

"Miss Beyas, where do you live? At the Sun Cathedral?"

"Certainly not, otherwise wouldn't that be directly telling others that Blackstone Security Company is a stronghold of the church?

She gave her own address, which, of course, was similar to Miss Luisa's rented apartment:

"I will continue to investigate the whereabouts of the Silver-Eyed One. So, goodbye, Hamilton Detective."

Shard escorted Miss Beyas downstairs and as he watched her leave Saint Delan Square, he suddenly realized that his relationship with Miss Beyas was strikingly similar to the "friendship" Miss Annette sought.

"If Miss Annette's side doesn't make good progress, perhaps relying on my progress here could make Miss Beyas aware of The Chosen One and willing to cooperate with us."

He closed the door and picked up Mia, intending to head upstairs. He acknowledged the time in his heart, it was eleven o'clock on a Sunday night, and although he had been invited to play cards again this Sunday, this time nothing untoward happened.

He heard the sound of a woman's light laughter in his ears.

"Well, there hasn't been much trouble. Last week I encountered an Evil God, this week just a Circle Sorcerer and a Keeper of Secrets Level Relic, comparatively speaking, can this even be considered trouble?"

He asked the woman in his heart, but she did not answer.

Shard, in high spirits, carried the cat upstairs; it was time to rest.

And so, Shard safely arrived at Thunder Moon, the second week of July in the year 1853 according to the Common Calendar of the Sixth Era. When he woke up on Monday morning, he was still summing up the gains and losses of the previous week. But it seemed that since the incident at Lakeside Manor on the last day of June, life had truly settled down and the events he encountered were not too dangerous.

After breakfast, he took a hired carriage to the psychological clinic on Roentgen Avenue in Tobesk Eastern District. It was not yet nine o'clock, but the clinic was already open for business.

When Dr. Schneider heard that Shard had come, he hurried downstairs from the second-floor treatment room, flustered:

"What happened? Shard, are you alright?"

His face was filled with panic, presumably worrying that Shard had encountered some dangerous situation and needed his help. Your next chapter awaits on empire

"I'm fine."

The two then moved to the upstairs parlor to talk.

"I've recently met some nice friends... their identities cannot be disclosed, but I've received information that Mr. Ponton from the steam engine special screw factory in the eastern city and Mr. Roosevelt, the accountant from Star Grass Public Tobesk Nursing Home, are closely associated with the Blood of Mercury, helping those hiding fellows take care of some relics."

"Hmm? Is the information reliable?"

The doctor immediately became spirited.

"Absolutely no problem, both of them are most likely ordinary people, though just most likely. But this news will be revealed to the True God Church on Tuesday, that is, tomorrow, so..."

"Understood!"

The middle-aged doctor clenched his left fist into his palm, a smile spreading across his face:

"As long as we have a lead, it should be easy to handle. Even if the items these gentlemen are guarding are not the Forged Philosopher's Stone, they must know more people who keep things for the Blood of Mercury."

Doctor seemed full of enthusiasm but was equally cautious:

"Shard, I need to prepare a little. I have to cancel the evening session that I was supposed to have treating the Earl's wife and daughter for Gluttony, then tonight I... no, along with Miss Luisa, we'll take action. Even though they're just ordinary people, we can't be careless. Do you want to come along? Think of it as a learning experience."

"Of course."

Shard was actually very interested in the relics kept by those ordinary people:

"I'll go with you. The friend who gave me the clue said that if the relic is not what we're looking for, we shouldn't take it to avoid disrupting the church's investigation."

"No problem."

The doctor waved his hand dismissively, clearly not a greedy man:

"I just want the Forged Philosopher's Stone, nothing else."

The two agreed to meet at Shard's house at seven o'clock in the evening, as his place was closer to both targets. And as for the information this time, the doctor believed it to be extremely valuable; he couldn't let Shard take a disadvantage:

"Aren't you still owing 20 pounds this month? If we find the Forged Philosopher's Stone later on, you don't have to pay me back; I'll cover it. If not, just pay back 10 pounds."

Although his financial situation had improved greatly compared to two weeks earlier, Shard was still pleased with the reduction in debt.

He didn't spend much time at the doctor's, so afterwards, Shard took a carriage to Old John's Pawnshop.

Because the distance was quite far, he felt the pain when he paid upon arrival. But now, with a regular income every week, Shard was convincing himself not to skimp on the necessary gold pounds.

He didn't consider himself stingy, it's just that he had been scared of poverty recently.

There were no customers in the pawnshop. Before Shard entered, the aging shop owner was reading a letter. Looking up and seeing a regular customer, he discreetly put away the letter:

"Detective, you look good for not having seen you in half a week..."

It was a routine greeting, but then he glanced suspiciously at Shard's face:

"You seem to have changed a bit... I'm overthinking it. What do you need? Regarding the relic you were looking for last time, I still have no leads."

"Do you have a Time Key?"

Shard stood in front of the counter, tapping the surface with his finger.

"Yes."

"Hmm?"

He had asked casually, never expecting an affirmative answer, so his excitement surged:

"How many?"

"One. Although these Relics do exist in multiples, do you think Time Keys can just be picked up anywhere?"

He left the counter, went out through the pawnshop's back door, and returned within two minutes holding a slender box.

Pushing the wooden box towards Shard, he opened it to reveal, lying on a red lining, a wooden Time Key.

"Is all this fancy packaging just a ploy to jack up the price?"

With permission, Shard picked up the key to examine it.

"It's a business strategy, young man. You wouldn't understand."

Old John waved his hand, seeing Shard's keen interest in the key and began quoting a price:

"I won't guess what you need the Time Key for, although I can probably imagine. Since Time Keys exist in multiples, their prices are relatively transparent. I'll go by the market average. I've checked the corresponding time for this key, it's around the year 3002 of the Fifth Era, mid-Fifth Era. Nothing significant happened that year, so this key should be quite ordinary, Poet-Level... 25 pounds."

Higher-Level Time Keys generally cost more than other Relics of the same Level, and those of lower danger Levels are cheaper. Shard had researched this and thus knew the price was relatively fair.

"20 pounds. Considering that staff you coveted."

Still, facing Old John, he was in the habit of haggling.

"How much longer will you bring up that staff? I'm not inflating the price this time; this is the right price."

"Drop it a bit more, my financial situation isn't great."

Shard put the key back in the box. The old man sized him up, apparently contemplating the thickness of his wallet:

"23 pounds and 15 shillings, can't go any lower."

"Deal."

Shard nodded, and the old man heaved a sigh of relief. One hand held onto the box, and the other twirled his fingers:

"Payment first, then delivery."

"No problem, but I'd also like to sell a Relic."

"A Relic? Why didn't you start with that? Bring it out and let me see."

Seeing Shard pull a slender object wrapped in newspaper from his pocket, Old John became interested. Perhaps more than making money, he was keen on seeing fresh curiosities.

"I mentioned buying first. With money in hand, it'd be harder to bargain, right?"

Shard said with a smile, unwrapping the newspaper to reveal the bones. This time, Old John did not complain about Shard's bargaining tactics but looked solemnly at the finger bone and after a brief examination exclaimed:

"Oh? Is it really this?"

"You recognize it?"

"Of course, the Keeper of Secrets Level Relic, Corpse Relic, which can grant Immortality. If I couldn't recognize these special Relics, what business would I have running a pawnshop?"

After getting Shard's permission, the old man solemnly donned gloves to inspect the Relic, then put on a gear-driven metal device resembling a monocle to closely observe the carvings on the bone:

"No problem, it's indeed a Keeper of Secrets Level Corpse Relic. Look at these inscriptions; they are the genuine writing of the Immortal Race from the Fourth Era, completely lost now. If not for the significant side effects, this Relic could be considered one of the most valuable Keeper of Secrets Level Relics."

He sniffed near the bone:

"The smell of a corpse and graveyard, oh yes, it's definitely this."

He placed the finger bone back into Shard's newspaper and removed his gloves:

"Nice piece, name your price."

Shard had done his homework on the general pricing of Relics and had discussed this the night before with Miss Beyas. Just as he was about to state his price, Old John raised his hand to stop him:

"Come to think of it, would you be interested in a trade? I can't afford to produce four or five digit sums in cash at the moment."

Adventure with Miss Beyas was dangerous but highly profitable. The money Shard had made in this world was not as much as he could get from this venture.

Shard eyed the old man before him, wondering if this was yet another bargaining tactic. But a trade was not out of the question, after all, he earned money to spend on Relics or knowledge:

"Let's hear what it is first."

Old John first stepped out from behind the counter to check the door, then locked it from the inside before returning to whisper to Shard:

"This is truly a remarkable item. I only recently acquired it. It's also Keeper of Secrets Level, but quite special, dubbed Witch's Reproduction Paper by the Academy and Church. It's an artifact once used by the Witch Empress of the Fifth Era. When first discovered, there were 108 sheets altogether, which later got scattered into the hands of different individuals.

Each sheet has the same effect, you place the Reproduction Paper against any active Arcane Technique, Sorcery, or ritual, and it will get imprinted upon the paper.

When a Circle Sorcerer burns the paper and drinks the ashes dissolved in water, they are highly likely to acquire an Arcane Technique, Sorcery, Divine Arts, or even Spirit Runes similar to the transcendent abilities that were imprinted..."