Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic

The inn room was well lit, and Shard could clearly see that in the center of the emblem there was a rectangle, and above the rectangle there was a pointed hat, on which a face was outlined with three lines:

"What is this?"

Miss Annette explained rapidly:

"It's a new clue from the doctor. Wasn't he collecting information all last week? Since some people know the location of the ruins, naturally, others have entered there. This pattern was discovered in the ruins. I have always been unable to figure out what it is specifically, but I had never expected that Iluna would recognize it."

Miss Beyas smiled demurely and explained to Shard:

"I also just thought of it while I was waiting for you. This is the Holy Emblem of the fallen Old God, the 'Creator of Innocence'. In the foundational knowledge training for the True God Church's Ring Sorcerers, recognizing the Holy Emblems of the Old Gods is an important examination subject. This Deity is not well-known, which is why even though I scored ninety-one out of a perfect hundred, I only just remembered it."

The young lady's last sentence seemed like a self-compliment.

"Old God... 'Creator of Innocence'?"

As Shard looked at the Holy Emblem, an image popped into his head of that Deity suddenly appearing and saying "Surprise":

"It's not surprising. So, that underground ruin is..."

"Left behind by His believers."

Miss Annette said confidently, urging Shard to sit down first:

"This ancient Deity fell early in the Fifth Era, but His believers disappeared only in the Sixth Era, firmly believing that the God would return. Just as Iluna mentioned, there are very few records about this Deity, who was not powerful, and His believers were not zealous in proselytizing. Based on the timeline, both Iluna and I believe that Tobesk's underground ruins are very likely the last remnants left by the 'Creator of Innocence's' final group of believers."

Shard nodded, and Miss Beyas added from the side:

"In other words, apart from that Sage-Level Relic, it's highly probable that the ruins hide the majority of a lost Old God Cult's wealth and all their secrets."

Shard turned his head to look out the window toward the direction of Nock Printing House in the darkness of night:

"What else could there be?"

"That's hard to say, it's time we left."

After Shard checked his pocket watch for the last time for the two ladies, they verbally reviewed the action plan and precautions, then burned all the notes and materials in the room before leaving the inn.

The street where Nock Printing House was located is called Marton Market Street. After a day of rain had ended, the street was full of mud. The time had reached night, and fog was starting to envelop the streets again; it didn't seem like a good time to be out.

Dressed in a long skirt with glasses and a tired face, Miss Annette now appeared at the curb. She hurried to the outside of the printing house, but since it was after work hours, the iron gate to the printing house courtyard was already closed.

After a few light knocks, a small window opened up on that iron door, and a man stood behind the door, his impatience apparent:

"Who is it? We're closed."

"I'm Alina Fick, I placed an order for business cards here a few days ago."

The weary-looking woman with brown short hair replied, her tone equally impatient:

"Can I have those business cards now? I know you're closed, but I'm in a hurry."

The man looking out from behind the door had an unhappy expression, but still nodded:

"Yes, Madam; please wait a moment."

With that, he turned and walked toward the tallest building in the courtyard, which is the Nock Printing House office building.

When he left, he did not close the small window on the gate, allowing Miss Annette the chance to glimpse inside.

After confirming that the situation in the courtyard was the same as during the daytime reconnaissance, Miss Annette took something out of her handbag and held it in her palm.

And the man who went to retrieve the print products also quickly came back with a cardboard box. The small window on the gate was not large enough to pass the box through, so he also carried a bunch of keys.

After opening the door, Miss Annette did not immediately take the box. She looked down at the muddy ground, prompting the man also to lower his head with the box in his arms. The gas street lamps on this road were quite dim, and the printing house's yard also had little lighting:

"What's on the ground?"

The man asked, puzzled.

"Nothing."

As Miss Annette spoke, she suddenly extended her hand, slapping the object she was holding against the man's forehead:

"Arcane Technique—Thought Puppet!"

On the paper in her hand, ancient runes were sketched out in bright red ink. Miss Annette smacked them onto the man's forehead, and as the Arcane Technique took effect, red eerie glimmers flashed as though they were etched directly into the man's head.

The man's eyes widened as he tried to scream, but those glimmers then appeared in his pupils, and soon, what was reflected in his eyes were not the woman in front of him, but the Rune on his forehead.

His expression turned dull:

"Madam, here is your item."

"Thank you. Place it on the clean ground over there, someone will come to pick me up shortly,"

Miss Annette spoke, and the man did accordingly. After a polite exchange of greetings, he relocked the iron door from the inside and walked normally toward the building with only the second floor lit.

Then, Shard, wearing a black coat, also appeared. He shook hands with Miss Annette, pretending to exchange a few words of small talk before bending down to pick up the cardboard box, and then, together, they walked down the street into the distance.

"It went smoothly."

After moving a sufficient distance away, they turned into a narrow alley without street lamps.

Miss Annette immediately closed her eyes, waiting in concealment here, while Miss Beyas supported her.

The female diviner held in her hand a puppet tied up with white strings. The puppet was crudely made, not even as large as a palm, and the red runes on its head were flickering:

"The target is a First Ring Sorcerer, I can only control him for twenty minutes, after which he will fall asleep..."

Her eyes moved rapidly beneath her closed eyelids, her voice very low: Enjoy new stories from My Virtual Library Empire

"The Silver-Eyed One doesn't even trust most of the people within their own organization, so there aren't many who know this address. After the Blood of Mercury organization fragmented and hid within the city, their manpower here has also been reduced.

There should be seven people keeping vigil here at night, four of whom are Circle Sorcerers... Two Night Watchers were seen on the first floor... He's struggling, trying to break free from control, no problem, nothing abnormal detected, but his head might have issues later, though that's none of my concern...

The situation on the second floor, no problem, only two people are in the lit rooms, one of whom is a Circle Sorcerer. I'm greeting them now, and then there's the third floor... I can't go to the third floor, he's frightened, the people living on the third floor must have done something to him."

Miss Annette frowned deeply with her eyes still tightly shut, and it was a while before she opened them. By the time she took a long breath and her forehead was already covered with sweat:

"No problem now, I've had him return to the first floor, telling the other two he needs to rest for a while."

"Are you sure he won't wake up?"

Miss Beyas asked, still supporting Miss Annette, but the latter seemed to have recovered. She showed the other two the puppet whose head was almost torn off:

"He absolutely won't wake up within three days, and after he wakes up, he'll become an idiot and won't remember my face."

"Have you confirmed the positions of the four Circle Sorcerers?"

Shard also asked as the three of them continued deeper into the alley.

"The First Ring is now 'asleep,' the one on the second floor is probably a Three Rings or Four Rings, reading a knight novel. I didn't go up to the third floor, but from his reaction, he must be a very powerful Circle Sorcerer. Another one wasn't seen, but according to the doctor's intelligence, they should be in the basement guarding the gate of the Ruins they dug up; that person's level is completely unknown."

"That's already very good, it's impossible to know everything right away."

Shard nodded, the first step of the operation was successful.

He took out the relic[Bordeaux Candle]from his pocket:

"Let's enter the printing house."

"Are you sure you want to use this candle now? My Sorcery combined with Alchemical Items can also achieve invisibility."

Miss Beyas asked softly. Tonight, the young lady wore a tight white blouse with flared sleeves, the line of dark gold buttons down her front, and gathered at the waist. There were lace patterns on the collar and hem. Her lower body was dressed in relatively fashionable black trousers for the era because trousers were more convenient to move in than skirts.

Her long hair was tied up with a ribbon at the back of her head, revealing her ears, making her look exceptionally capable.

Shard nodded:

"Use it now. This relic is consumable, but we shouldn't treasure it overly. Tonight's goal is to make you The Chosen One, no matter the cost, it's worth it."

The three walked further into the alley, following Miss Annette's lead, constantly choosing forks in the road, and finally arrived at a small alley by the east wall of the printing house courtyard.

Making Shard and Miss Beyas step back, Miss Annette cautiously tossed a coin. Under the faint moonlight, after confirming the heads and tails, she nodded back at the two people behind her:

"Divination shows it's safe to act now."

Shard recited the Spell Words and tossed away the frog legs he held, then, with the candle in hand, he squinted slightly; the flame immediately lit the top of the candle. He vanished from the view of Miss Beyas and Miss Annette, who quietly waited under the wall.

After five seconds, Shard pinched out the candle's light with his hand, reappearing at the base of the wall:

"No problem, I just jumped to peek into the yard, no one was moving inside, but be careful of those hounds."

"Use this."

Miss Beyas took out a small pouch and had the others sprinkle the powder inside over themselves. The powder was also a type of Alchemical Product, able to block scent for a brief period, a standard supply for Church Ring Sorcerers.

Shard holding the re-lit candle, with Miss Annette and Miss Beyas clutching his arms tightly, one on each side:

"Get ready!"

He crouched slightly and took a deep breath before leaping forcefully. The weight of the two ladies dragged on him, but they still reached into the air in one jump, and then gracefully vaulted over the wall, safely landing inside the courtyard.

As soon as their feet touched the ground, something unseen, like the wind, suddenly sprang up from the ground. Miss Annette immediately shook the silver bracelet on her wrist:

"Stop!"

She commanded, and the security measures arranged in the courtyard became ineffective under the influence of the borrowed relic.

The use of the relic extinguished the candle in Shard's hand, but he relit it immediately, not causing any notice.

"Quick~"

Miss Annette urged, pulling at the hem of Shard's clothes along with Miss Beyas, led by Shard, they crossed the yard and entered the mansion.

Above them, the silver, red, and yellow moons were gradually obscured by floating clouds. Tonight, for Shard, would be a sleepless night.