Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic

Old John observed Shard's expression:

"This is truly a fine item. If it weren't for the fact that you were introduced by Luisa and her crew, I wouldn't have proposed this trade."

Shard was very tempted, but he kept his composure:

"And the price? Or should I say, the side effects? It can't just be that Ash Water is hard to swallow, can it?"

"Side effects? Oh, there's not much."

Old John spoke lightly:

"Just some intense spiritual contamination. The stronger the transcendent ability branded, the more severe the contamination when drinking the water. But if one can endure it at that moment, then there won't be any major issues. Detective, what do you think, want to make the exchange?"

Shard was least afraid of spiritual contamination. In his Divine Afterglow State, he could even face Saints directly, and the contamination trait of a Relic was certainly not comparable to that of a real Deity.

"Although the 'Witch's Reproduction Paper' is quite good, obviously mine is of greater value. Immortality with a cost is still immortality."

Shard knocked on the counter.

"Of course it's not a one-for-one trade. Two pieces of reproduction paper for one of your finger bones."

The old man's face was filled with a smile, he believed Shard would not refuse.

"Alright, I'll think it over a bit more."

"What's there to think over? You want to add more money? Oh, young man, I really am not making a profit off you this time."

"No, no, no."

Shard shook his head:

"This item isn't mine to begin with. If I choose to exchange, and the other party doesn't want the 'Witch's Reproduction Paper,' where am I supposed to compensate thousands of Gold Pounds?"

He took out his wallet and paid the money for the Time Key, putting the exquisite wooden box back into his pocket.

"Then you get back to me as soon as possible. Business here is good, I can't hold onto it for too long for you."

"I'll come back in an hour."

Shard said, and Old John waved him off, picking up a newspaper from beside him with boredom:

"Make it quick then. If you want a commission, feel free to introduce your friends to my place, Old John's Pawnshop has everything!"

He still didn't forget to pitch his business.

"You do business with the True God Church too?"

"No, I don't deal with anything related to the True God Church."

"That's a pity."

Shard's original plan was to report to MI6 right after leaving the Pawnshop. But it was still early, and there was no rule that he had to report in the morning, so he spent money again to take a carriage to the address Miss Beyas left him the night before.

As expected, on Monday morning, Miss Beath, who had legitimate work, was indeed not at home. After Shard knocked on the door, the landlady who answered eyed him as if he were a thief, refusing to divulge Miss Beyas' whereabouts.

But thinking about it, Shard knew that if Miss Beyas was not out on a task, she was surely at the Blackstone Security Company's base. He knew the location of the security company, but what he was concerned about was whether it was appropriate for him, a Correspondence Circle Mage, to directly intrude on the True God Church's base.

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"But since I'm bound to become more deeply involved with Miss Beath in the future, it's inevitable that I'll have to get close to that security company. It's just a matter of time..."

He checked the items he was carrying with him and hid the "Spear of Kindness", "The Twenty-Sided Die of Destiny", and the "Corpse Relic" in places on his body where they couldn't be directly seen before he headed towards Blackstone Security Company… The company was only a half-hour walk from Miss Beath's rented apartment, and Shard wasn't going to spend money on a carriage again.

The location of Blackstone Security Company was situated between the North District and the West District of Tobesk. The security company occupied an entire three-story building, with a sign hanging outside.

The business conducted here overlapped with Shard's Detective Agency, but the security company ostensibly served as a cover for the Circle Sorcerer squad, so they usually did not accept commissions from ordinary people unless they were without any tasks at the moment.

Shard walked to this street called Swan Castle Street, looked at the towering buildings, and the hurrying people and knew it to be a famous commercial street in Tobesk's West District, where major factories' offices and merchants that conducted international trade were clustered.

The small building of Blackstone Security Company was inconspicuous on this busy street because one side was the Tobesk City Tax Bureau and the other side was the office of Coldwater Port City's "Tasty Water Products Joint Company" in Tobesk.

Both neighboring buildings were quite grand, which made the one between them appear less noticeable.

Shard looked up to confirm the house number was correct before entering the relatively narrow front door.

Directly across the entrance on the first floor was the reception, where a middle-aged woman in uniform was knitting from a magazine, with a white cat lying next to the yarn basket. At first glance, the place appeared to be an ordinary security company. Your next read is at empire

Noticing someone had arrived, the lying white cat curiously sized up Shard, while the middle-aged woman quickly put down her knitting:

"Sir, how may I assist you? Do you need to lodge a commission?"

"Circle Sorcerer?"

He wondered inwardly.

[Yes, but she's not very strong.]

"No, I'm looking for Miss Iluna Beath."

He simply stated, without any sign of nervousness but stopped at the entrance, not intending to continue deeper into the building:

"I am a detective from Saint Delan Square; she inquired into some matters at my place last week. She mentioned, should there be any details to supplement, I could find her here."

The middle-aged woman sized him up:

"Very well, sir. Please wait a moment."

She then hurriedly walked towards the interior of the building, and by the sound of it, she was ascending the stairs. The white cat that had been eying the yarn ball "covetously" suddenly leaped to Shard's feet, circling around and rubbing against his trousers.

"Hm? It seems after arriving in this world, I am always so welcomed by cats. Why is that?"

As he wondered inwardly, he crouched down to pat the white cat's back, eliciting a content "meow" from the creature.

"It's really unusual; the cats we keep here are usually quite hostile towards strangers."

Hearing Miss Beath's voice, Shard stood up. Unexpectedly, the white cat instantly stood on its hind legs, appearing to want Shard to pick it up.

Miss Beath and the middle-aged receptionist both laughed, and Shard could only lift the cat that was at least twice the size of Bimia, which seemed to also take quite a liking to Shard.

Perhaps because Shard had been welcomed by the security company's "domestic cat" and because of Miss Beath's familiar attitude, the middle-aged receptionist did not harbor any doubts about Shard's identity.

Shard subtly hinted that he had matters to discuss. Miss Beath, catching on, led him to an unused lounge on the first floor, a space for Circle Sorcerers of the security company to rest. The regular office area was on the second floor.

"Detective, why have you come to find me all of a sudden? We had just parted ten hours ago. Is there something you need help with?"

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