Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic-Chapter 1088: Astrologer Euclid

[Outlander, Desecration Spirit Rune - Crimson Moon, changed to usable state.]

[Outlander, Arcane Technique - Illusion of the Moon Shadow, changed to usable state.]

[The Spirit Runes of the Crimson Moon, Silvermoon, and Yellow Moon resonate. All arcane techniques related to the moon receive a permanent enhancement.]

Shard opened his eyes, looked up at the moon beyond the snowy window, and then examined the three glowing stone tablets spontaneously rotating around him.

Without speaking, he reached out to touch the final Crimson Moon Tablet. After a slight sigh, the knowledge of how to further elevate the arcane technique [Time Perception] to discover the true mysteries of time appeared fully in his mind:

"The ritual for elevating an arcane technique is truly complex, requiring at least an angel-level relic closely related to time as the core material. It needs powerful ancient forces for assistance, along with countless other ritual materials."

The ritual materials to elevate the arcane technique [Time Perception] are too numerous; he surely cannot gather them in a short time. Shard plans to commission the purchase first and perform the ritual after the matter with the fourth Chosen One is concluded. He cannot afford distractions now, and since the ritual is already determined, the timing does not matter.

"Moonlight Greatsword."

As he stood up from the ground, his right hand grasped a short sword with crimson moonlight from the air. It was an exceptionally ornate short sword, seemingly made of translucent pale red glass. This, along with the silvery Moonlight Greatsword and the yellow Moonlight Longsword, belongs to the spiritual weapons summoned by the arcane technique [Moonlight Greatsword]. The short sword’s form is due to the Crimson Moon’s connection with the God of the Vampire Race.

"The evil special attack of the silver moonlight, the normal attack of the yellow moonlight, the flesh decay of the crimson moonlight."

He murmured softly, dispelling the red short sword, then pinched the [Source of Chaos] with one hand and picked up Mia with the other.

Even though he had unlocked the spirit runes and obtained a powerful relic, there was still no hint of a smile on Shard’s face; instead, he was cautious:

"Acquiring powerful tools and strength before a great battle is not a good omen. But fortunately, [Aikenora’s Arrow of Knowledge] and [Source of Chaos] are only sage level."

But this still signifies many things, as the outlander knows the existence of what is called fate in this world. More gains often mean stronger challenges.

He looked again at the three stone tablets slowly floating around him. All three tablets were glowing, their surfaces adorned with the patterns: a silver full moon encircled by olive branches, a yellow crescent wrapped in a laurel branch, and a crimson new moon enveloped by a blood-rose.

"What exactly are these three stone tablets used for?"

Expecting something to happen when the three stone tablets gathered, or at least some enhancement of power, but it seems nothing did.

After placing the stone tablets, which currently have no function besides glowing and flying, back in the basement, and putting the [Source of Chaos] into the [God’s Gift Box], Shard finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The hidden compartment in Room 2 on the second floor, made by unknown means though not very large, provided a place to store the [Source of Chaos] for a hundred years. This relic is the most dangerous one he possesses and cannot be taken out in the presence of others; otherwise, there would be more madmen in this world.

According to the relic properties, although it had not directly been exposed to moonlight over the past century, as the wall faces the window, the moonlight’s power seeped into the wall, causing such a strong muddle effect of the [Source of Chaos]. Continuing to leave it on the second floor would further enhance the relic’s "muddle" trait. Temporarily storing it in the [God’s Gift Box], Shard can consult Miss Danester for better containment methods after the Chosen One’s matter is settled.

He does not particularly like this relic, even though it enhances moon magic’s properties, the danger is just too high.

Of course, although filled with doubts and apprehensions, acquiring a new relic and unlocking the [Crimson Moon] spirit rune still brought Shard joy.

Holding the cat, he returned to his bedroom and lay on the bed to examine the letter found with the [Source of Chaos]. As Shard expected, this was left by the Circle Sorcerer who hid the relic in No. 6, Saint Delan Square a hundred years ago, written in the common language of Draleon:

[This house is quite unsettling, even though I have only stayed here for three months, I still can feel something very wrong with it. I try to move around the house as little as possible, but occasionally I hear the sighs of the deceased from unknown origins, the roll of dice, and the crackling of flames.]

With the aid of the bedside gas lamp, Shard read this text clearly:

"The sighs of the deceased, perhaps he sensed the edge of life and death in the third-floor corridor, but what does the rolling of dice and the crackling of flames refer to?"

Shard looked around: so far, he had noticed three issues with this house. The basement’s space, the dangerous relic buried within the walls of Room 2 on the second floor, and the edge of life and death in the third-floor corridor. It seemed he hadn’t yet fully understood all the issues with this house.

"This house won’t scare me; it’s my house!"

With "her" laughter, Shard reaffirmed in his heart. He reached out to stroke the cat lying beside him and continued to read the letter:

[To the successor, if you have found this letter, it means you are also favored by the moon. I have pursued the moon through countless storms, only to discover some terrifying and bizarre truths in the end. Please make sure your mind can bear what follows before continuing to read the contents below.]

Shard slightly frowned, then it was no longer in the common language of Draleon, but in some ancient script whose origin he did not know, crawling across the paper like vines:

[In the beginning, there was only one moon, the Silvermoon.]

This was something Shard already knew, so the truth passed down from ancient eras did not affect him.

[The division of the moon seems to be related to the instability of the world. I pursued the traces of the Ancient God, but ultimately found nothing. The chaos and madness of the Yellow Moon must be connected to the deviation of the world’s essence. I plan to search for the legendary high tower, the one that buries the moon. To those who come after, I leave the relic of the Yellow Moon here. May we all receive the moon’s blessing.]

The signature reads "Astrologer Euclid."

"The instability of the world..."

Shard was silent for a moment and suddenly heard "her" beside his ear suggesting:

"There’s hidden text."

Shard slightly turned to the side, retrieving the reveal powder he bought from Priest Augustus from the nightstand. After applying it, he indeed saw a new line of text, written in Delarion with the same handwriting as the previous letters:

[I don’t know whether I should leave this message, nor do I know the era you are in, whether the murmuring grand symphony has begun. The reason I chose to rest temporarily in this dangerous house is because the stars and the fragment of the poem Chapter tell me that the Moon’s Chosen One will stay in this house. If you don’t understand this, just take it as my nonsense. Good luck.]

Shard was slightly taken aback:

"The matter of the Knowledge and Wisdom’s Chosen One has not yet ended, and you are telling me about the Moon’s Chosen One? Will they stay in this house? Does that mean the Chosen One will at least stay at my home for one night?"

He folded the old paper and tucked it into the book by his bedside, extinguishing the gas lamp and withdrawing under the blanket with countless thoughts to prepare for rest.

Staring towards the window, he heard Mia’s gradually even breathing and also noticed the snow outside gradually growing heavier:

"Silvermoon..."

[Why sigh?]

"Just... feeling somewhat bewildered... That vampire Duke told me at the party that the March gathering was significant for me, but aside from the increased power of the Arcane Technique, nothing seemed to happen... Am I being too greedy? I thought something more miraculous would occur."

[But, have you really fully mastered the power of March?] 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Shard smiled, closed his eyes, and fell into a dream in that endless wilderness where a large silver Moon Disk hovered.

(Mia running...)

Early Saturday morning, Shard was awakened by the howling wind outside the window. Sleepily getting out of bed and opening the curtains, he was surprised to see the heavy snow outside, and Saint Delan Square almost buried in snow:

"Is this the snowstorm Mr. Johnson, the vampire kind, foretold? No, this is just heavy snow, not yet to the extent of a snowstorm."

Though it’s just heavy snow, he could sense the exaggeration of the gale and snow outside even while indoors. The snow began last night when he went to the second room to find the Source of Chaos, and he didn’t expect it to turn into this scene.

Shard planned to inform Luviya of last night’s findings before the meeting in the afternoon, so after breakfast, leaving Mia at home, he set off alone for Huntington City. Today was the day the Steam Hover Zeppelin was to land.

Just stepping out of the underground wine cellar of White Valley Vineyard, Shard was immediately forced back by the gale and snow outside the door. In his memory, the City of Red Wine, with its generally good climate, had an unexpected heavy snow today as well.

The old vampire kind guarding the White Valley Vineyard, having heard from Shard yesterday about today’s visit, had prepared a carriage for him early in the snowstorm, as such weather certainly wasn’t suitable for riding a horse.

Before leaving, the old man commented to Shard that in his nearly forty years of living in Huntington City, he had never seen such heavy snow. Shard then inquired about the time the snow began, which was almost the same as the snowfall in Tobesk last night.

"I wonder if this kind of heavy snow will pose any danger to the Steam Hover Zeppelin."

This was Shard’s thought in the carriage.

When he met Sister Delphine at the Serpent Heart Hospital, his bad premonition came true; the Princess and her retinue had confirmed that they could not reach Huntington City today.