Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic
Chapter 1076: The Princess’s 1,000 Pounds

Chapter 1076: Chapter 1076: The Princess’s 1,000 Pounds

Miss Pavo said that, only then did Shard remember, it was the Truth Society that first got involved with Margaret because they wanted to obtain something from the Princess. However, after arriving at Tobesk City, with the emergence of the fourth Chosen One, and tighter protection around the Princess, the people from the Truth Society have not appeared around her since the night banquet at Lakeside Manor.

Now, with Princess Margaret and her entourage about to leave Tobesk, Miss Pavo showed up again.

"Madam, what do you want to discuss with me? There’s no need to avoid Mr. Hamilton."

Margaret asked in a slightly serious tone, Miss Pavo smiled:

"Chased from Huntington City to Tobesk City, actually just for a very ordinary thing. Your Highness, our friends, some who fancy blood, gave us a page used by the Puppeteer of the Circus. With this script, we learned you have a very peculiar book in your possession."

"Book? What book?"

Princess Margaret frowned slightly.

"The book you borrowed from your Academy Library."

Miss Pavo said, and it was then Princess Margaret understood:

"The Immortality Magic... But I lost that book."

She explained:

"I lost it the night of the wedding banquet at Lakeside Manor. I didn’t carry it with me but placed it in the luggage at Canary Estate. After returning from Lakeside Manor, the book went missing. As a result, I had to compensate the Academy Library a hefty sum of gold."

Actually, Miss Sylvia took it, and the Witch Council repaid the compensation to the Princess. Now that book is in Miss Galina’s possession, and Shard has often seen the Duchess reading it, even bringing it along to Huntington City.

"The Truth Society was indeed after the Immortality Magic, wanting to see the Fragment of Poem Chapter... The contents of that fragment specify the number of Radiant Stones needed for the Chosen One Ceremony to be five. Speaking of which, aside from the Council, Guiding Light Hermitage, and us, it seems no one else knows this."

Shard thought silently, but outwardly pretended to be confused about what the ladies were discussing.

"Oh, madam, you don’t still think that book is with me, do you?"

Princess Margaret gave a mocking smile:

"If you investigate a bit, you’ll know I recently spent a large sum to resolve the Academy’s compensation issue."

Since explaining the origin of this money, the compensation did come from the Princess’s savings, but later the Council would compensate through Miss Aphrola by trade rather than directly giving money to the Princess. In today’s evolving tax system and banking industry, witches wouldn’t handle things so recklessly.

Pavo, standing in the snow, stopped spinning her umbrella, pressed her lips:

"Lost?"

"Yes, the Academy Library pursued it, later telling me not to bother as the book was taken by a group of lunatic women. If you want it, you can look for them."

"Lunatic women..."

Clearly, Miss Pavo immediately realized who was meant by this—though not famous, the Witch Council is significant to certain circles.

The Female Sorcerer opened her silver large book, checked a few pages before closing it:

"Indeed, it’s the witches... Well then, sorry for interrupting your date, Your Highness."

She held her umbrella and bowed slightly, politely expressing her apology:

"I still insist on my point, sometimes, ladies should take initiative."

She chuckled softly, stepped back slowly, and merged into the darkness where the gas lamp couldn’t illuminate, disappearing completely from the street.

[Gone.]

"She" whispered familiarly in Shard’s ear.

Princess Margaret looked at Shard, somewhat forlornly said:

"The atmosphere suddenly changed... I mean the storytelling mood."

"Let’s keep moving forward, the destination isn’t far."

Shard said, and Margaret nodded in agreement, continuing with the Knight. Both tacitly avoided further discussing the earlier story, though the Princess occasionally glanced at Shard, her pale hand hidden in the sleeve inching closer but lacking courage to grasp him.

"I am the Princess of the United Kingdom of Carsonrick, I will become an apprentice to the witches."

She reminded herself in her mind, though the more she thought this, the colder and more heart-wrenching the snow felt.

Turning right from Smith’s Walk, after crossing the well-known Queen Mary’s Avenue in Tobesk’s Southern District, the two in the snow finally reached their destination: the quiet Raven Alley.

Though said to be an alley, it is much better compared to the narrow, filthy, chaotic streets of the slums. On both sides of the alley, there are uniform three-story apartment buildings, quietly standing tall in the snow, welcoming the arrival of the pair at night.

"Margaret, let’s put on our cloaks and continue."

Shard suggested, donning the cloak with the Princess, and pulling up the hood. Margaret didn’t recognize the surrounding streets, unable to rely on her memory to identify the current alley’s name.

Thus, as she continued moving with Shard, she asked quietly:

"Where is this..."

"Raven Alley."

Shard responded, and the Princess suddenly frowned slightly, then looked suspiciously at the man’s back ahead:

"Raven Alley, isn’t this..."

The windows on both sides of Raven Alley were mostly dark now, with only a few still lit by gas lamps. Number 7 on the east end of Raven Alley was one of the few buildings still illuminated in the snowy night, a place that, of course, wasn’t merely a residence but had been converted into a general store.

As Shard, wearing a hood, pushed open the door to enter, the Princess looked up and saw the sign for "Smith’s Shop," finally confirming that this was the place she had thought of.

"But how could it be..."

They entered the shop, where the night clerk was a balding middle-aged man wearing round glasses with brown frames, idle with a novel in hand. If Shard wasn’t mistaken, it was the Hamilton Detective Stories, judging from the print quality and cover, it even seemed to be a pirated copy.

"Is there something you want to buy?"

Although the hooded figure seemed suspicious, the shopkeeper didn’t panic. He placed one hand under the counter while still holding the pirated novel that infringed on Miss Writer’s copyright with the other.

Shard guessed that the hand under the counter was gripping a handgun:

"I’ve come from the south, looking to buy a candle-brand matchstick."

The middle-aged man and Margaret both frowned slightly. The former put down the book and looked up to scrutinize the two who entered:

"Welcome, southern guest. Why not buy a gas lamp brand kerosene lamp instead?"

"Because I don’t have any charcoal-brand kerosene to light the oil lamp."

Shard said, then knocked on the counter:

"Candle-brand matches, not a full box, one that’s missing two sticks."

"Alright, sir. Please hold on, I’ll get it."

With that, he opened the counter and walked out, then quickly climbed the stairs on the side to the second floor.

Shard turned to the Princess in boots behind him, who kept her head down, hiding her face under the cloak, not allowing Shard to see her expression.

The shopkeeper soon returned with a black briefcase from upstairs, not handing it directly to Shard but first returning to the counter:

"The matches you wanted, a box missing two sticks, that’ll be 5 pence."

Shard grabbed the matchbox with one hand and pulled out a shilling bill with the other:

"Please give change."

"Here’s a total of £1000 in change. All are unconnected £10 notes."

The shopkeeper pushed the briefcase toward Shard and, looking at him with a hint of reverence, hesitated before speaking again:

"I never thought I’d see you in person. You truly are the ace; I’ve been waiting for you since autumn, and now you appear in deep winter."

He then laughed and shook his head:

"Of course, the you now may not be the you. Please keep these safe, thank you for your contribution, and have a pleasant evening."

Shard nodded, picked up the briefcase, and said in standard Casenric language:

"Eternal loyalty."

"Yes, eternal loyalty."

The shopkeeper bowed slightly to Shard in respect.

Turning to leave, he found Princess Margaret standing still. Taking the initiative, he reached out his empty left hand to hold the Princess’s right hand, causing Margaret to tremble slightly. Yet, she allowed Shard to hold her hand, and together they returned to the snow-covered Raven Alley.

"You..."

The Princess hesitated to speak as she followed Shard to the alley entrance, watching him remove his hood and take her hand away, his raised hand also removing her hood.

At this point, they were very close; the golden-haired girl bit her lip slightly, sulkily turning her head not to look at Shard’s eyes.

Then she felt Shard’s hand hold hers again.

Their pace unexpectedly lightened, and hand in hand they silently reached the alley entrance, where Shard proactively spoke:

"Next, we’ll take a carriage to Tobesk Public Cemetery to visit an elder."

"Mm."

Margaret didn’t understand why she obediently gave such a reply. She walked with Shard back into the glow of the street’s gas lamps but abruptly stopped:

"You... how old are you?"

[I knew she’d ask this first.]

"She" laughed in Shard’s ear, and Shard also stopped:

"Twenty-two. Miss Galina and Princess Lecia are quite aware of that. Come to think of it, you all seem a bit older than me."

The Princess pressed her lips together, an expression of displeasure. But she knew her displeasure didn’t stem from the previous events, rather from the young gentleman before her mentioning age:

"Are you his informant?"

Both knew very well who "he" referred to.