Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic
Chapter 996 - 996: The Last Adventure of the Year 5177 Era 5

Saturday night is the date night for Shard and Lecia. After Shard "awoke" from his "coma," he heard Luviya mention that Dorothy seemed to have made some preparations for this evening. But unfortunately, Dorothy's "special period," which started on Tuesday, still hadn't ended by Saturday night.

After the afternoon study session, when Her Highness the Princess's soul swapped into Miss Writer's body and saw Dorothy's message in the notebook, her expression was quite unpleasant.

Of course, although the "special period" did not allow her to eat cold food, it at least didn't affect the normal date time. Even though it wasn't snowing anymore, the winter chill and the snow-covered roads made both Shard and Lecia, in the body of the blonde girl, reluctant to go out.

That evening, the two of them sat on a clean carpet in front of the fireplace, each holding books to study for the exams at the end of next month. The firelight illuminated their faces, and a lazy cat curled up in front of the fireplace.

Although there wasn't much conversation between the two throughout the evening, Shard could tell that Lecia was quite satisfied with the night, at least before resting.

"Someday, I want to paint 'Shard and Dorothy by the fireplace' in oil and frame it to hang in my own bedroom. I'm quite good at oil painting and I should be able to finish it before the end of the year."

Lecia said to Shard before sleeping, wearing her pajamas and somewhat regretfully, in front of Shard, temporarily placed the [Ever-Youth Leaf] into the drawer in the study, her emerald eyes slightly lowered as she looked at Shard:

"What a pity."

Shard knew what this meant, and Mia, who hadn't had such a luxury in a long time since the first "Night of the Red Butterfly," was able to rest on the bedroom bed on this Saturday night.

Since they went to bed early on Saturday night, not only did Shard, who was preparing for the final adventure of the Year 5177 of the Fifth Era, wake up early, but even Lecia woke up early.

When the blonde girl opened her eyes, the familiar yet unfamiliar ceiling reminded her she was at No. 6, Saint Delan Square. When she got up, she found that Shard was already gone from the other side of the bed, but the sound of brushing teeth from the bathroom indicated he hadn't left yet.

On the four-poster bed, besides the sleepy Lecia, the drowsy cat outside Shard's fluffy pillow was also startled awake by Lecia's movement of getting up.

The cat, awake in the early morning, looked silly and lacked its usual cleverness as its eyelids drooped. It maintained its lying posture, looked around, making sure Shard wasn't nearby, then stood up. Its backside lifted slightly, its two furry front paws pushed forward, and its hind paws pushed backward, making a stretching motion. After stretching, Mia instantly perked up.

Without acknowledging Lecia on the bed, it nimbly jumped off and, after circling the bed, Lecia only saw the cat's figure flash past the bedroom door, hearing the sound of it heading to the bathroom to find Shard.

Her Highness the Princess looked at the pillow, ensured there was no hair loss, then slowly got up. Thanks to the steam pipes for heating, and since the fireplace fire hadn't extinguished, the house temperature was tolerable. She adjusted her pajamas, touched her chest to compare the differences between the two bodies, confirmed that Dorothy was still the same lately, and then happily padded in slippers to the window to draw the curtains.

"Oh, a silver-white city."

This morning was not too foggy, at six on the dot, Saint Delan Square was covered with snow, but clear footprints had already appeared on it. It seemed it had snowed again last night, as Lecia remembered the snow was all cleared from the square by the time she returned yesterday evening.

Saint Delan Square, being the core district of Tobesk City, the Northern Pearl, had the city hall send people to clear the snow off the square during snowy days; part of the city's public service, of course. Only a few places in the city enjoyed such treatment, so the high land and house prices in Saint Delan Square were justifiable.

However, the snow in front of the residences in Saint Delan Square had to be cleared by the residents themselves or someone they hired. Although not clearing it was fine, living in such a civilized neighborhood, if a neighbor's snow was all cleared while your own remained, that would make the neighbors look down on you.

"Today, let's send someone to help Shard sweep the snow."

Gazing at the winter morning snow scene, Her Highness the Princess thought to herself. Her hand played with the drooping golden locks in front of her right shoulder, admiring Dorothy's hair quality in her heart. Her eyes unconsciously saw the blurred indoor reflection on the glass, noticing the big bed, feeling a bit restless.

Shard, just like the previous weeks, planned to finish the adventure with the Time Key before coming back for breakfast. When Lecia walked out of the bedroom, she saw Shard packing books into a box, turning them into toys, then transforming the black suitcase back into a toy to pack it up.

Performing a spell again on the "toys" consumes more spirit, but Shard continued to repeat his actions.

"Why are you taking so many books?"

Lecia asked curiously, holding the cat by Shard's feet to prevent it from bothering the busy detective.

"Today's my last use of this key, and since I'm unsure what the final challenge will be, I'm bringing more stuff just in case. Items that aren't mission targets or relics can't follow me back to the past, so I'm bringing as many books as possible."

Shard replied, turning the last suitcase into a toy as well.

He picked up the glass bottle on the coffee table and downed the Holy Water No. 4 in one gulp to replenish his spirit. Even though the effect of holy water is significantly reduced if consumed in large quantities in a short period, it was his first drink of the day.

Lecia was somewhat troubled, holding the cat and watching Shard prepare to leave. After the Day of the Red Butterfly, Shard had also tried using a bedsheet to turn her and Dorothy into toys via the Arcane Technique [Toy Creation], only to logically fail as well.

Lecia remembered when Dorothy and Luviya discussed this in private, the Female Diviner was visibly relieved. Her Highness the Princess understood Luviya's thoughts but still hoped that she and Dorothy could show that connection through [Toy Creation].

"Meow~"

The cat in her arms made a soft sound, perhaps recalling something.

"Are you taking Mia with you?"

Lecia asked.

"No, no, it's still too dangerous, and look, this cat doesn't want to go with me either."

Shard said as he waved at Mia, the clever cat meowed at him, showing no intention of breaking free from Lecia's hands.

"See, it really doesn't want to move. Oh, let me think, water pouch, books, holy water... I've got everything."

He pulled out a Time Key covered in surface cracks and waved at Lecia:

"Wish me luck, Lecia, I hope everything goes smoothly this time."

"Yes, my knight, good luck to you."

Lecia came over and kissed Shard on the side of his face, Shard smiled and touched his cheek:

"May the World Tree bless me in time."

He inserted the key into the lock of the side room—

Click~

The key turned, and behind the pushed-open door was the familiar White Mist Gate.

For Lecia, Shard's adventure only lasted three seconds, so Shard did not say goodbye again and went straight in.

The familiar reminder from "her" came to his ears:

[Outlander, you have stepped into the "Time Corridor."]

[Message from the Ancient God "Father of the Infinite Tree":]

[Spring of Year 5177 of the Fifth Era, Shattered Isles, Lost Lake.]

[Event: The witch pursuing Eternal Beauty.]

[Duration thirty minutes (3/3).]

[You have obtained additional information.]

[The silhouette of the Father of the Infinite Tree continues to watch over you.]

[The test given by the Ancient God of Time to you will persist.]

[Help mortals visit the deity and learn the secret of Eternal Beauty.]

[The Father of the Infinite Tree will reward you: Ritual - Water of Moonlight, Ritual - Sunfire.]

"Speaking of which, I haven't had time to get the next key, where should I go to acquire a Time Key this time?"

Stepping forward into the white mist, he continued onwards, the curtain of mist pulling back to reveal the scene of the lakeside forest at night in front of Shard.

The temperature at home was comfortable, even a bit hot, but now the surrounding temperature plummeted. Shard took a deep breath, letting the calming mist disperse into his lungs, which helped his unusually active thoughts to settle a bit having just woken up:

"This is the last meeting with Miss Violet and Miss Teresa."

He gazed at Heart Lake Island on the dim lakeside and felt a bit melancholic realizing this. He traveled through past times, searching for and witnessing those lost stories, but at the same time, he also brushed past many friends. Everyone from the Fifth Era, whether witches or ordinary people, for Shard, who lived in the Year 1853 of the Sixth Era and continued moving forward, were certainly people who had already departed.

He was lucky to see the middle-aged witch on Sicarl Mountain, and the old man in leather armor, while many friends who brushed past him in past times are likely never to be seen again. The story of the Red Butterfly Twins even serves to remind Shard that for his friends of the Fifth Era, resting eternally in their own time is a more fitting story ending than to meet again across such long spans of time with him.

Feeling a bit melancholic, Shard attributed it to the unusually active thoughts from just waking up early in the morning. Strange noises were already coming from the eerie dense forest behind him, Shard did not stop, and directly stepped onto the lake surface.

When the enveloping mist blurred his departing figure, a swarm of red butterflies glowing with a crimson hue flew into the distance through the mist.

Lost Lake was much larger than Lake Cherub in Huntington City. Shard, moving silently across the water's surface, endured the extremely cold airflow surging from beneath his feet to his entire body, gradually approaching Heart Lake Island.