Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic-Chapter 1778 - 1777: Tomb Exploration

"I’ll handle the matter with Grace and Helen. They will soon arrive at Green Lake with Granny Cassandra, and I know what needs to be done. Now, we need more fragments of the Poem Chapter."

Shard said softly, and Iluna took on this task:

"When I arrive at the Papacy next week, I’ll find a way. We’ll meet again at Green Lake, Shard,"

"I’ve been considering whether I should also go to Green Lake. Just like in Randall Valley, to help you all."

Luviya added, but Shard and Iluna stopped her. Iluna felt this time was more dangerous than the last, and Shard, apart from this reason, also thought that if Luviya went to Green Lake, there could be a period when all five members of the group gather in that ancient city already full of conflicts.

Though there was no proof, Shard always felt that when all five group members appeared in one place, something big and unplanned would happen.

As Iluna was about to leave for a trip soon, that night, Shard, Iluna, Luviya, and Dorothy had dinner together. Although Saturday afternoons were reserved for the Princess and the writer’s date, Dorothy didn’t feel her time was being encroached; she enjoyed the company of the loyal reader.

After dinner, Iluna and Luviya left, and surprisingly, Dorothy also bid farewell with a smile. Around seven o’clock, Lecia’s carriage stopped at the entrance of No. 6, Saint Delan Square; tonight was Her Highness the Princess’s time.

Due to the "loyalty" challenge proposed by Desire underwater on Wednesday night, Shard had set the target for his final Enlightenment Spirit Rune of the Six Rings as the Lovers of the Bell Tower, which could achieve physical fusion.

So, during that night’s evening lesson, Shard posed a question to Lecia:

"Do you think I’m loyal?"

"That’s an odd question."

Sitting on the inside of the desk, Her Highness the Princess toyed with the pink "Love God’s Sting":

"You want to know if you’re loyal to what? The kingdom? Race? Faith? Or to a certain lady’s love?"

As she spoke, she aimed the "weapon" in her hand at Mia, who was lying lazily on a Parchment, said to be a 500-year-old transcription of the "Lovers of the Bell Tower." The cat, facing the weapon, didn’t flinch, lounging there with squinted eyes.

"Yeah, there are so many aspects of loyalty... but do you think I’m loyal to love?"

Shard sat obediently on the chair outside the desk, awaiting "judgment." Lecia smiled and poked the cat with the "Love God’s Sting," and the orange cat meowed, getting up to change position on the desk.

"Different people have different definitions of loyalty. I’ve heard that the Viscountess Lamalia living in the Tobesk Southern District has five or six young and handsome lovers, but the Viscount still believes his wife is loyal to their family and love... because she always cooks dinner for him herself.

"This... oh, stop teasing Mia."

Shard picked up the cat that was about to be poked again, and Lecia laughed as she stopped teasing the cat:

"The Viscountess Lamalia is an exception. If you think about it by the values people can accept, clearly you’re not loyal to love, my knight. But loyalty is relative. I don’t have particularly high demands on loyalty because if you were extremely loyal, Dorothy and I wouldn’t even have a chance... Answer me a question."

She pointed at the content of an illustrated storybook spread open on the desk. This story was also the "Lovers of the Bell Tower," but it was for children who had just started to read, so it was much abridged compared to the story Shard knew. In this version, the ending wasn’t "the knight and his lover’s corpse fused," but rather the knight, returning home, found his lover seriously ill and went to the witch in the forest, trading his arm for a Spiritual Medicine that saved the sick girl. They tightly embraced in the bell tower where they had parted.

Lecia asked:

"Shard Hamilton, if someday I am in danger, would you be willing to risk your life to save me?"

Shard nodded immediately:

"Of course, no matter what, I would never let go."

"You see, so at least I think you’re loyal."

She brought the pink crystal sting back in front of her, then poked it at her own heart:

"You know, loyalty is one of the qualities a knight should possess. Are you questioning your knighthood?"

She smiled and placed the sting into her heart position, then opened her right hand, and in the pink glow, the crystal cluster grew into a blooming flower.

"I don’t doubt that. I’m contemplating the end of ’Lovers of the Bell Tower,’ simulating the story’s power to merge with a lady."

Only after speaking did Shard realize that the sentence seemed to have some implications, and indeed, the red-haired girl teased with bright eyes:

"If you want to ’merge into one,’ you don’t need to pursue supernatural power; you can experience it tonight."

Seeing Shard’s embarrassed look, she smiled and then placed the crystallized flower behind her ear:

"I understand what you mean. Maze Lock - Clock Tower Lovers, is it? A miracle realized by love, the story is so enchanting. I will help you, Shard, both Dorothy and I will help you. But if you succeed, can you promise me one thing?"

"What?"

He asked curiously, while Her Highness the Princess smiled:

"At that time, you must unfold your Maze Lock, I also want to experience what it feels like to become one with you in a different way. Would it be you turning into me, or me becoming you? Or perhaps something else entirely?"

That night, Lecia didn’t leave Saint Delan Square. With the entire Kingdom’s attention fixed on the Green Lake Region, and His Majesty the King staying in Tobesk busy with negotiations, no one would notice if Lecia stayed over at Shard’s place.

However, it was evident that the Blonde Writer, who wasn’t present but still felt involved, hadn’t forgotten how Lecia made her sleep until noon last week. It’s hard to say if this was an attempt to "take revenge" on Lecia, or simply to add more excitement to the Saturday date. Nonetheless, Her Highness the Princess indeed almost failed to get up on Sunday morning. The maids carried the drowsy Princess away, casting peculiar glances at Shard.

Shard hoped that no strange gossip would spread afterward.

After breakfast, he lamented that he didn’t use the black Time Key again last night, then bid farewell to the reluctant-to-move small Mia, heading from the basement to Green Lake.

He still entered the alley from the back door of the Green Lake Hotel. Today, Green Lake was just as foggy, and the stench in the alley behind the hotel was still the same. In the distance, one could hear the loud chants of the marching people, while the background of the pale yellow sky showed sparse black chimneys spewing black smoke into the sky.

This time, Shard didn’t just drop off food and leave. Instead, he talked with the boy John, whom he was already familiar with:

"I want to find you a job. Yes, a job. Although it may not have a salary, it provides room and board, and it’s warm in winter."

Shard hadn’t decided whether to ask Megan or Galina for help. Nonetheless, even if they helped, it would be after the Green Lake business concluded, and he wouldn’t involve the boy.

"John, are you willing to work?"

The dirty-faced boy, holding his small dog, looked up at Shard from the garbage can lid and asked:

"Can I continue to keep him?" 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Woof~"

The skinny little dog also barked at Shard, and it appeared to be older than small Mia, though it didn’t look very clever.

"Of course."

Shard nodded affirmatively, and the boy quickly nodded in response:

"I am willing, I am willing."

"Alright, but you’ll have to wait a while. Strange occurrences might happen in the Green Lake Region recently, so continue your life as usual, but do not venture to unusual places. Remember to come back and rest at night, and if you encounter something strange, contact me immediately or leave a note."

Although the boy couldn’t read, he could draw.

The boy continued to nod:

"Yes, sir."

He jumped off the garbage can, trying to bow in gratitude to Shard, but Shard stopped him:

"Thank me when I’ve arranged everything for you. Until then, goodbye, and good luck."

"Good luck to you too, sir."

He watched Shard walk away through the alley holding onto his little dog until he completely disappeared.

Today is Sunday. In the evening, there’s another banquet on the South Shore of Green Lake, which Shard planned to attend. But during the day, he needed to handle matters at hand, such as the Edwards family’s remains.

That morning, Mr. Soren Green was on duty at the Green Lake Hotel. Upon hearing Shard’s request, he agreed but first wrote a letter to Megan.

The reply came swiftly. Megan and Audrey had important matters to deal with that morning and couldn’t participate in this investigation, so they left it to Shard. Thus, Shard left the Green Lake Hotel at nine in the morning and took a carriage to the Green Lake City Public Cemetery, following the cemetery address provided by Mr. Soren Green.

It’s worth mentioning that as a relatively ancient lakeside city, the Green Lake Region’s funeral traditions differ from other areas. Besides the traditional earth burial and cremation, the locals here have a habit of submerging the deceased’s bodies into Green Lake. Before Green Lake Central Island became shrouded in fog, some citizens even insisted on burying the deceased on the island. However, these traditions have become faint echoes from the past.

Soren Green and Helena Green belong to the sixth generation of the Edwards family. Their father, Elder Green, and grandmother, Miss Maria Edwards, are buried locally. The youngest daughter of the fourth generation requested a traditional water burial, hoping to return to a hometown she was destined never to revisit, thus Maria Edwards’ body is unrecoverable.

This time, Shard’s visit to the cemetery was solely to pay respects to the grave of an elder named "Nicholas Green."