Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic

Putting down the thick parchment, Shard found the ice crystal pendant from the pile of toys and pendants on the bedside table.

Shard stared blankly at the pendant, holding it in his palm, thinking of Miss Chloe's appearance.

Of course, he clearly understood the feelings the silver-haired, red-eyed witch had for him during their final goodbye, but Miss Chloe was also the witch most distant in time from the outlander's life.

With a slight sigh, he placed the ice crystal pendant beside the three slightly glowing stone tablets. Gently brushing his fingers over the tablets, he held the cat and, carrying the Aikenora - Arrow of the Chosen, went to find Tifa.

It was already dark, and through the manor's corridor, he could see the fine snow fluttering under the moonlight.

During Miss Galina's "bedridden rest" period, all the affairs in the manor were handled by Tifa and the secretary team. When Shard met Tifa, she had just finished arranging the itinerary for the next day in the study.

Seeing Shard enter, Tifa asked Miss Galina's personal maids to temporarily leave. The young ladies greeted Shard with smiles, then whispered among themselves about the rumored relationship between Shard and the head maid.

Once the door was closed, Shard gestured with the arrow:

"Tifa, do you need new power?"

He briefly explained the new function of this arrow now and attributed this entirely new function to the blessing given by Miss Feliana.

Although Miss Galina was not there, Tifa did not sit in the main seat behind the desk but placed another chair beside the elegant velvet-backed chair:

"No one would refuse new power."

She said with a smile.

"Then I'll give you a little prick, please roll up your sleeve."

Shard gestured with the arrow, and Miss Maid thought for a moment, unfastening the button on the front of her chest and looking at Shard, then pointed to the velvet chair, Miss Galina's seat, suggesting Shard sit down:

"However, Shard, could you help me get rid of the bloodstains that have seeped through?"

Mia was placed on the desk by Shard, curiously watching the two people in the room. Shard pursed his lips slightly while Tifa looked at him with a blushing face:

"To rush back before the Year-End Festival, Speaker Isabella will reward Miss Galina for her contribution this time by having Miss Sylvia collaborate with the Council's forces to open a direct return passage. This cannot be used frequently... She will return by this time tomorrow, which is Sunday night."

Saying this, her dark-brown eyes looked at Shard:

"Ah, Knight, the maid of the Duke can only... when the master leaves."

Shard sat down on the velvet-backed chair, and Tifa opened the left front, as the brass-colored arrow warmed by Shard's palm pierced the milky-white skin, with a slight gasp of pain as the round bloodstain lightly seeped out.

Shard removed the arrow, and as the Ring of Fate automatically appeared behind Tifa, she once again embraced Shard's head. Since the Duke was not there, Miss Maid also wanted to indulge herself a little.

In short, Tifa did not gain an arcane technique but acquired a new Enlightenment Spirit Rune, "Pain." With all the spirit runes of the Sixth Ring complete, she could hold the ritual to ascend to the Seventh Ring.

"Meow~"

The cat stared at the Ring of Fate, worried that Shard might suffocate.

Luviya was right to have Shard stay at Miss Galina's manor to rest, as Shard indeed had not yet fully recovered. It was a difficult feeling to describe, like an ordinary person not getting enough sleep.

However, given the overlap of "fainting after divinity overflow" and "weakness from forcefully using the Sublimation Incantation," this state was quite normal.

Before eight in the evening, Shard returned to his bedroom to rest. The maids prepared a night snack and hot tea for him, and the gas lamp and the small angel-shaped gas desk lamp in the bedroom were very bright.

Mia lay beside the pillow and was occasionally petted by Shard, who was carefully reading the parchment, wanting to select some interesting arcane techniques and spells to study.

The night's atmosphere was very serene. Shard felt that as long as he rested well, he would probably return to normal tomorrow. He had many things to do at hand, the Perfume Vial of Desire, the ritual to enhance Time Perception, the Dream Entering Ritual prepared for him by Dr. Schneider, and Miss Danester's Wordless Black Book.

Contemplating how busy he always was, he decided that once these tasks were handled, he would enjoy the Year-End Festival starting next Tuesday. He even wanted to postpone using the next key, allowing himself a good rest in the early half of 1854.

While thinking to himself, the bedroom door was knocked upon and then opened. Shard heard the sound of small leather shoes stepping on the floor, the standard attire for the maids of the manor, who typically wore white cotton socks inside their shoes. It is said that in the palace of Duke Galina in the County of Saradiel, the maids dressed in this manner.

Shard knew that the maids were coming to refresh the tea, so he didn't pay much attention. However, the footsteps quickly approached the bed, and a familiar voice softly inquired:

"Mr. Hamilton, Miss Servit has asked me to accompany you to sleep tonight."

"No, no, I don't need..."

Curious as to why Tifa would arrange such a thing, just as he was about to put down the parchment in his hand, a fair hand suddenly snatched it away. Then, a girl dressed in a maid's outfit bent over at the bedside and kissed Shard.

Shard's eyes widened, and after pushing her away, he saw that it was Luviya. However, Luviya was currently wearing a black and white maid's dress, and even her brown hair was styled in a way convenient for maids to move around.

She clasped her hands together and placed them against her chest, smiling as she asked Shard:

"Mr. Hamilton, should I stay?"

As she spoke, she lifted her right leg, clad in a white stocking, onto the bed, followed by her other leg. She kneeled on the bed, looking down at Shard. Shard heard the rhythmic sound of two small black leather shoes dropping onto the carpet beside the bed.

"Hmm...where did this outfit come from?"

"I borrowed it from Tifa, but unfortunately, I can't wear her clothes. We're about the same height, but...it's lucky that there is no shortage of these clothes here. Other maids helped me find one. I must admit, this outfit is more complicated and...prettier than I thought."

Luviya's face turned slightly red:

"But, I heard from other maids in the manor some rumors. You had quite a pleasant afternoon, didn't you, Mr. Knight?"

In places where ladies gather, there are no secrets. Even if Tifa and Shard are discreet, it's impossible to keep things completely unknown. Not knowing how to respond, the girl with purple eyes solemnly added:

"Mr. Hamilton, this is a kind gesture from Miss Servit, so don't refuse."

"Alright then, I do indeed need a maid to...accompany me to sleep."

Saying such a thing made Shard feel quite embarrassed, and the outlander chastised himself internally for becoming this kind of person.

Thus, Miss Luviya Annette, the "maid," kissed Shard somewhat "awkwardly." This night would likely be quite interesting...though Mia, rudely awakened, might not think so.

Early Sunday morning, feeling mostly recovered, Shard had breakfast and then headed into town with Luviya and Tifa, who coincidentally had business at Yordle Palace.

After dropping Luviya off at the Prophet's Society, Shard bid farewell to Tifa, agreeing to meet again tomorrow afternoon. Returning to his long-missed home, Shard first stored away the relics and special items he had brought with him. Then, using four rings to "entrap" the grumpy cat, he specifically allowed it to carry all four rings with its tail before heading alone to Heart Lake Island in the center of the Great Swamp.

Mia wandered around the house with the four rings, jingling amusingly.

Returning home in the early hours of Thursday morning, Sister Delphine had helped Shard touch the Ancient God Statue beneath the lighthouse on Heart Lake Island, so on his [Spatial Labyrinth] path, besides "Tobesk - Saint Delan Square," "Coldwater Port - Underwater Cliff Cave," "Midshire Fort - Mountain Ruins," "Huntington - White Valley Vineyard," there was now a fifth marker "Pantanal Swamp - Heart Lake Island Lighthouse."

The hidden space beneath the lighthouse was the same size and shape as the other five places, except there was a stone gray bookshelf here, but nothing on it.

Shard manifested his Ring of Fate and opened the passage to leave, which led outside the lighthouse's cellar. Unlike the cellars under Sicarl Mountain, this old lighthouse's cellar was still in use, previously utilized by the Pantanal Voodoo Society for storing tools for lamp maintenance and spare fuel.

Walking up the steps to the first floor of the lighthouse, Shard squinted and raised his arm when he was suddenly exposed to the light outside the lighthouse door.

In that light, a woman with gray hair, braided and falling behind her, dressed in a gray nun's robe, wearing a silver eye mask on her face, and with a gray shawl over her shoulders, turned to him with a smile and slightly bowed.

At this moment, only in the light near the nun did the scenery outside the lighthouse, illuminated by the gentle winter sunlight, become apparent. Shard paused for a moment, then smiled and walked over, waving:

"Good morning, Sister Delphine!"

The whole Heart Lake Island was currently under the curse influence of the Pantanal Evil Creatures, so the church did not set up a camp on the island, but on the surrounding shores. Only Thirteen-Ring Sorcerers and a few Twelve-Ring Sorcerers from the Church of Nature and the Sun Church could check the situation on the island.

With Sister Delphine accompanying him, Shard didn't worry about being discovered by the church. He also informed the nun of his intent to see a Level 0 Relic on this trip.

Having heard legend of [Desire], the nun carefully considered and decided to accompany Shard to meet the entity.