Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic

During Shard's coma, the priest took the keys from his pocket, went to No. 6, Saint Delan Square, and placed the items that were inconvenient to bring into the church into his home. He also brought back a change of clothes and used the coat with one sleeve, which was imbued with Shard's scent, to bring Mia, who had temporarily no one to feed her, to the church.

"When I opened the door to your second-floor room this morning, your cat almost dashed up to scratch my face. The little fella probably thought I was a thief."

The priest said this but was not angry at the orange cat; he probably liked cats a lot:

"However, it is indeed well-behaved when it's around you. If you don't have time in the future, you can send it to stay at the Dawn Chapel. Not just for catching mice, the young nuns here are all very fond of cats."

Since Shard had awakened and it was confirmed that he had no aftereffects from facing the Evil God, the priest allowed Shard to go home. Of course, since it was already late, he invited Shard to have dinner at the chapel, and during the meal, he tried to ask if Shard was interested in understanding the faith of "Mr. Dawn."

Shard was actually very interested in the True Gods of this world and had a lot to say about religion, faith, and culture. But he was not in the mood to talk about these things at the moment, so after dinner, he bid farewell to the priest.

The two parted in Dawn Square where the Dawn Chapel was located, and the priest didn't forget to remind Shard to remember to wake up early the next morning, as they were going to visit the injured Dr. Schneider together.

Carrying Mia and walking away from Dawn Square in the night, Shard did not head directly back to No. 6, Saint Delan Square but took a carriage from Gret Street on the east side of the square, heading to Feather Quill Street in the Tobesk City University District.

As the capital of the Northern Kingdom, Tobesk City contains multiple higher education institutions. There is both the "Draleon Royal Mechanical College" related to steam and machinery, and comprehensive higher academies like "Tobesk University." These schools are all concentrated in the eastern part of Tobesk City, forming what is known as the "University District" within the city area.

Miss Luisa rented an apartment at Building B, 211 Feather Quill Street in the Tobesk University District. Although it was rented, the nearby environment was not any worse than Saint Delan Square.

The winding streets are adjacent to the "Draleon United Seminary," and most of the residents nearby were students, lecturers, or professors from the school, which is why Shard, when he first met Miss Luisa, thought that she might often live at school.

The night had deepened, and when Shard, carrying Mia, got out of the carriage, they were at the intersection of the broad shaded avenue of the seminary and Feather Quill Lane. On one side of the avenue was a grass lawn, under the gas lights, several young couples were strolling.

In Tobesk City, only the areas around Yordle Palace and here had security good enough for walks at night.

Quickening his pace, Shard looked for door numbers as he searched for the destination. Soon, he found Miss Luisa's address in the middle of the street lined with towering apartment buildings.

But before he walked over to open the door, he saw the apartment's door open, and the brown-haired female diviner came out of the door, while Miss Luisa, who appeared to have recovered, was standing at the door bidding her farewell. Miss Luisa wore a blue dress suitable for home, and her golden hair hung down her back.

The brown-haired Diviner, on the other hand, wore a well-fitting lady's dress with a cinched waist, which accentuated her figure.

Miss Luisa was the first to spot the detective holding a cat in the night, and after Shard approached, Miss Annette realized she was there.

The three greeted each other in the light of the foyer, and after making sure that everyone was in good health, Shard finally stated that he had something to discuss with Miss Annette.

"Oh?"n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Miss Luisa looked at the two curiously but didn't ask any extra questions, simply stating that she would see them tomorrow at Dr. Schneider's, and she seemed to have truly recovered.

The Diviner knew what Shard wanted to ask, but after saying goodbye to Miss Luisa, the two didn't chat on the street. Miss Annette's profession was a Diviner affiliated with the Prophet's Society. She was also heading back to the city center, so she boarded the returning carriage with Shard.

"We can talk now."

After the sound of hooves tapping the shaded avenue turned into a steady clopping, the woman in the carriage spoke. She had just quietly chanted a Spell Word, ensuring that the coachman wouldn't hear anything superfluous.

"You and Miss Luisa are both all right, aren't you?"

Shard, holding the cat and noticing the scent of the woman's perfume in the cramped carriage, asked her, while Mia brandished her claws at Miss Annette. The timid cat was showing its bravery in this way, letting others know not to harm it.

"Although you've already asked once just now, I'm still very glad the first sentence you asked is this. We're fine, the priest's Magic Potion helped a lot," said Miss Annette. Unlike Shard who sat up straight in the carriage, she relaxed and leaned slightly against the side of the carriage:

"Even without Divination, I know what you want to ask. Please go ahead."

She was fulfilling her promise that if everyone survived, she would explain it all.

The carriage turned in the middle of the shaded avenue, and Shard sat in the carriage with a serious expression:

"What is the 'Whispering Verses'? An Unclassified Level Relic?"

He had come here so late just for this question.

"You know about Unclassified Level Relics? Did Professor Garcia from the History Academy tell you?"

Miss Annette raised an eyebrow but then shook her head:

"The 'Whispering Verses' is not a [Relic], but a grand prophecy. Around the end of the Fifth Era, people found some relics of the last thirteen Witch Empresses. Not all were relics with the Whisper Element; most were ordinary items. There were strange sentences on those relics, cobbled together from various languages of different eras.

Based on the diaries left by the last Witch Empress, those sentences could form a complete poem, hence named the 'Whispering Verses'."

"The content?"

Shard pressed on, and Miss Annette didn't answer immediately but tilted her head to look out at the night view from the window. Shard waited patiently, knowing she must be mulling over her response.

After a long while, with the night breeze brushing past her, Miss Annette finally whispered in the midst of the clattering of horseshoes:

"The full content of the 'Whispering Verses' is probably unknown to anyone. All I know is that the poem prophesizes great events that will take place in the Sixth Era. Thirteen The Chosen Ones will appear in succession, like the heroes in ancient fairy tales or protagonists in knight novels, and after overcoming various troubles and dangers, ascend to the Thirteen Rings."

In Shard's mind, a lengthy, epic painting was already taking shape.

"And then? What is the purpose for these thirteen The Chosen Ones?"

Miss Annette continued:

"When all The Chosen Ones have appeared, and all the survivors have ascended to the Thirteen Rings or all have perished, a door will open, and thereafter, everything in the material world will change."

"A door? What door?"

"I don't know. I haven't had the chance to ask the clergy's higher-ups or the professors at the Academy about their opinions on the 'Whispering Verses,' but my view is that beyond the door lies the secret of the Old Gods' downfall, the truth behind the True Gods' rise.

The opening of the door will unlock ancient secrets and might even elevate the one who pushes it to godhood, but it could also unleash something terrible that leads to world destruction. It is destruction and also rebirth.

What's worse is that, according to the 'Whispering Verses,' that door is bound to be opened."

Shard frowned. If the information provided by Miss Annette was all true, then what lay ahead for The Chosen Ones would completely disrupt the world's order. Underneath this flourishing Steam Age, an undercurrent was surging:

"That's terrible, who are the thirteen The Chosen Ones?"

"I don't know, in fact, the identity of The Chosen Ones, unless you happen to have obtained the corresponding part of the 'Whispering Verses,' is unknowable to anyone. Of course, I haven't obtained it, I have other ways."

She was still looking out the window.

"Who is Miss Iluna Beath?"

"I don't know... I do know this."

She turned her head and gave Shard a light laugh, but her eyes were not smiling:

"Detective, I have not discussed the matters I talked to you about today with the doctors. Because you are outside of fate, it's absolutely impossible for you to be The Chosen One. The reason I told you about this is because I want to invite you to join me on this journey."

"To do what?"

Her purple eyes seemed to glow, yet they were truly beautiful:

"To find and witness the thirteen The Chosen Ones, to help them. Since the door is bound to be opened, and both danger and opportunity lie beyond it, I want to witness that door being opened with my own eyes and ensure it doesn't lead to the world's destruction."

She reached out her fair hand to Shard, her purple eyes locked with his:

"Shard Suren Hamilton, will you help me?"