Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic

At this moment, Shard had wrapped the scarf around himself, feeling a bit embarrassed as he said:

"I originally planned to give you your gift tomorrow... I've been gathering 'Sunfire' for most of the past month, I think you'll like it."

"Hmm, that's a nice gift."

Iluna nodded, and then the two fell into an eerie silence. Shard felt the atmosphere was a bit awkward because he didn't know what to say next, and getting up to leave immediately wouldn't be very polite.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the bright light from the gas lamp, the laugh in his heart probably belonged to "her", mocking Shard for not understanding the atmosphere.

[No, I just wanted to remind you, dear Outlander, that in the weaving of the scarf and gloves, she has woven in her own hair.]

Eventually, Iluna spoke first:

"Can... Can I ask for another Year-End Festival gift?"

"Of course."

Shard nodded, seeing Iluna looking as if she had summoned the courage to fight the Pantanal Evil Creatures again:

"I... You... I..."

Her hands twisted almost together on her lap, and after a while, she stammered:

"Can... Can you kiss me?"

"Of course, this actually doesn't count as a gift."

Iluna flushed and gathered her courage:

"Not in a friendly way, but... like how you kissed Luviya, and that beautiful Princess."

Shard looked at her, which made the seventeen-year-old girl's face turn even redder, but she still held her elegant and glowing neck:

"I think given our relationship, there shouldn't be a problem."

"Have you been reading those unhealthy books again?"

Shard hesitated a little, and for a moment, Iluna almost felt like she wanted to turn into an ant and hide in the cracks of the floor tiles. But she still gathered her courage, clumsily following what the book said, biting her lip, slightly bowing her head, and looked up at Shard.

The girl's awkward attempt at seduction showed clumsy trepidation, which instead made Shard feel a strange sense of guilt.

"Shard, I'm very aware of what I'm doing... Just like at the end of the battle at Pantanal, I kissed you."

She blushed as she finally uttered those words.

And "she" whispered with a chuckle in Shard's ear:

[What are you still waiting for?]

Shard flipped his pocket, took a petal, held it in the palm of his hand, and gently blew. A shower of flowers slowly descended from the ceiling, almost floating in the air due to sorcery.

Red butterflies flew from his sleeve, glowing transparent butterflies danced with the petals in the air. Shard stood up, clearly understanding the kind of emotion Iluna was expressing at this moment:

"Iluna, well then, happy Year-End Festival, you've worked hard this year."

Iluna controlled her laughter, feeling as if her heart was about to leap out of her chest. Sitting somewhat awkwardly on the short sofa, she then stood up before Shard, clutching her skirt hem to give herself a bit more courage, and walked towards him:

"I spoke to Luviya in advance, she agreed to allow you to kiss me, so there should be no guilt..."

Too shy and excited, just as she stood up, she stumbled and fell directly towards Shard:

"Oh!"

"So, that's the reason your mouth got hurt?"

Still on this night, at No. 6, Saint Delan Square, Luviya smiled as she listened to the just returned Shard recounting the earlier events. With his washing done, holding the cat coming out of the washroom, Shard nodded, and they headed to the bedroom together:

"Yes, she happened to trip and bumped into my mouth. You can't imagine how embarrassed Iluna looked at that time."

"And then what happened?"

The purple-eyed girl squinted and continued to ask, as Shard sat down on the bed a bit awkwardly, Luviya casually closed the door and turned off the gas lamp:

"Hopefully after that, when she kisses you, she won't bite your tongue."

"Of course not, the witches performed... I mean, I'm not that clumsy. But after we kissed, I left, otherwise, how could I have returned so quickly? Iluna seemed quite unaccustomed to kissing, she... looked like she was about to faint."

Luviya's lips curled into a faint smile, her fingers flicked, and the curtains drew open, moonlight illuminating him sitting by the bed and her standing by the window.

The latter picked up Mia, and in the grumpy expression of the orange cat, placed it into the wardrobe.

"Little Iluna has far more courage than I thought, I originally thought she wouldn't do anything in the end."

Saying this, she added with a laugh:

"If it were me inviting you to do that, you wouldn't be going home tonight."

"Are you mocking Iluna?"

"No, no, everyone loves a simple girl."

In those violet eyes, there was indeed a beautiful halo, and a tone tinged with amusement:

"How about this, to celebrate Iluna's boldness, tonight..."

She stood on one leg on the floor, with her other knee on the bed, slightly leaning forward:

"You can call me 'Iluna'. "

"Don't joke like that, I would never call any girl by the wrong name."

Shard complained, while "she" pointed out:

[Outlander, that's a lie. You cannot easily distinguish between Lecia Cavendish and Dorothy Louisa's souls.]

His hands were propped behind him on the bed as Luviya leaned forward and kissed him, preventing Shard from standing up for Iluna.

The shy girl had immature emotions, but to the Outlander, being seventeen was still somewhat inappropriate.

(Mia running...)

"Happy Year-End Festival!"

At the year's end, Midshire Fort was just as festively decorated as Tobesk City, with every door adorned with mistletoe decorations. Cassandra Auction House was particularly spruced up, and Shard arrived carrying gifts, astonished at the brass mechanical tree in the lobby that could spew hot steam. Miss Rita Swift, the Old Witch's apprentice with beautiful flaxen hair, laughed as she approached:

"Shard, happy Year-End Festival! Sister Delphine, the teacher, and the teachers' teachers are waiting for you."

She kissed Shard's cheek graciously.

In the Steam Age, the traditional Year-End Festival starts on the last day of the year and lasts for two days, theoretically holidays. On such an important day, Shard certainly wouldn't forget Sister Delphine, Granny Cassandra, Miss Swift, Helen, and Grace.

Especially the latter two, the Red Butterfly Twins were exceptionally happy for Shard's arrival, and each had prepared holiday gifts for him. Sister Delphine, though maintaining her usual calm expression, seemed to smile several more times today, and Granny Cassandra was also quite thrilled to celebrate the Year-End Festival enthusiastically, something very important for the aged Old Witch.

Shard had already received Sister Delphine's Year-End Festival gift by Pantanal Lakeside, permanently preserving the memory of her removing her eye mask to wish him happy holidays.

He gave Granny Cassandra a partially translated book of the "Immortality Magic," as he hadn't finished translating it all; he gifted Miss Rita Swift a small bottle of "Water of Moonlight." The young Witch Apprentice stopped Shard on the way to the washroom and passionately kissed him.

As for Helen and Grace, they had significant meaning to Shard, so he agreed to find time after the New Year to go to Tobesk with them, which was the best gift for them.

The group had lunch together at Cassandra Auction House, and before lunch, Granny Cassandra discussed the battle of Pantanal with Shard and Sister Delphine. The Old Witch didn't ask too many questions but seemingly knew it all anyway.

"Shard, be careful about your safety—in the Council, Galina mentioned a few days ago how you always love adventure."

The kind old lady shook her head, smiling, and recommended Shard try the Carsonrick style foie gras on the table.

The Old Witch's gift to Shard was three pieces of White Stone Crystal in a gift box, knowing Shard needed them. This mineral was not widely used, making it hard to find on short notice.

As for the gifts from Helen and Grace to Shard, they were given to him when they bid farewell at noon that day.

"See you after the New Year, sir."

Before Shard stood not the fifteen or sixteen-year-old Helen and Grace but Grace Helen, the fused form of the Red Butterfly Twins. The twins' appearance was almost identical to begin with, only growing older to become adult girls.

Wearing a black long dress with white patterns, she stopped Shard at the corner of the staircase on the second floor. Everyone else discreetly left, giving them time to say goodbye.

"See you after the New Year. After my exam week, we'll take a trip to Tobesk."

Shard said smiling, and the girl immediately nodded before embracing and kissing him.

Seeing Shard not resisting, the Red Butterfly Maiden showed even greater joy on her face. She gently pushed Shard, then amidst a group of red butterflies, transformed back into Grace and Helen.

"See you after the New Year."

Older sister Grace White waved her hand with a smile.

"See you after the New Year!"

Younger sister Helen Black seemed a bit shy, quite different from her pretending not to know Shard while leading him into the Ghost Village on Sicarl Mountain.

And as Shard left downstairs, he could still hear the twin sisters discussing the feel of the kiss from above the stairs:

"It's really different from kissing us..."

That was Grace's voice, and Helen softly added:

"Next time, sister, try a three-person kiss, just like the Maze Lock at the summit of Sicarl Mountain."

Shard stumbled on the stairs, suspecting they said it on purpose for him to hear.

[Their recovery speed is much faster than expected.]

"Her" voice came as a prompt in his ear, and Shard nodded. But this meant that the time Helen and Grace had to live as "normal people" was running out.