Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic-Chapter 1092: Informant

"I also heard a prophecy locally, regarding disaster and evil objects."

Shard continued to introduce the prophecy he heard from the Vampire Kind Diviner, Mr. Johnson. Miss Galina then smiled and said to Miss Sylvia:

"You see, I knew he would get involved in this for inexplicable reasons. During our journey, Shard has already found enough new information."

"So, we might really have to venture deep into the Great Swamp."

"Judging from the current blizzard, the Pantanal Voodoo Society has already begun the preliminary preparations for their ritual."

Sister Delphine said softly, and the three of them looked at her as the nun maintained the posture of her hands clasped on her lap:

"The only question now is, why does the Chosen One cooperate with the Pantanal Voodoo Society? According to Shard’s description, although Lakin Prisia frantically seeks knowledge, he doesn’t seem like someone who relishes the apocalypse and disaster."

This is indeed a very important question, and the answer to this question was revealed on Sunday evening.

Although Iluna and her group planned to enter the Pantanal Region from within Draleon, making Shard lose his most important source of information within the Church, Sister Delphine and the Church were in a semi-cooperative state. Now that the fourth Chosen One was about to appear, the Church also hoped she could enter the Great Swamp, so they shared some important information. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

To put it simply, although the specific location where the Chosen One Ceremony is held doesn’t greatly affect the ritual itself. As long as the ritual’s requirements are met, it doesn’t matter whether it’s on the Heart Lake Island of Tobesk or even near the Heart Lake Island of Coldwater Port City.

But the situation of the Chosen of Wisdom and Knowledge is somewhat special. According to the Fragment of Poem Chapter from the Apna Library, the importance of the Sage’s Glowstone was confirmed. However, the Sage’s Glowstone has not appeared because of the Chosen One Ceremony; this special item has existed since ancient times, often used in rituals to enlighten wisdom.

"The information Sister Delphine received from the Church is that in the heart of the central lake in the Pantanal Swamp, there is a ritual site that looks like a very ancient Stonehenge. The ritual has been fragmented, but it is definitely remnants from before the Fourth Era, and modern times can hardly replicate it. By filling the ritual with the Sage’s Glowstone, it can be reactivated and regain its effect."

That night at No. 6, Saint Delan Square, Shard introduced the situation to Luviya, the purple-eyed girl thought for a moment:

"So, five Sage’s Glowstones can activate two rituals simultaneously?"

"Yes."

"What is the purpose of that incomplete ancient Ritual Circle?"

She asked.

"The Pantanal Voodoo Society has researched it for years in the Great Swamp Area; they initially thought it was a ritual to seal an evil object, only to find out later that it wasn’t. The Truth Society played a role in it, revealing that it’s an ancient Sublimation Rite. It can awaken those sleeping ancestral powers, drawing strength from the past. For Lakin Prisia, this could probably stimulate his Cherub bloodline."

Shard watched the fire in the fireplace while holding the cat, a map of the Pantanal Region spread out on the coffee table:

"Moreover, the Blood Spirit School seems to be involved too. At the end of summer, Weeper Helmons’ wounds had not yet healed, but they have a collaboration with the Truth Society, providing some information. The Blood Spirit School has always been in pursuit of ’Golden Humans,’ hasn’t it? The ancient Sublimation Rite is believed to possess the power to purify human bloodlines."

"I knew things were going to get complicated... how did the Church suddenly find out so much about this? Prior to this, we had no clue at all."

Luviya asked again while sitting on the sofa with a teacup in hand. Shard looked down at little Mia; they started this conversation before the sun had set, so the gas lamps in the living room were not turned on.

The firelight from the fireplace cast the shadows of the two on the wall, their wildly dancing shadows appeared so bizarre.

"Apna Library said so."

"How much are they hiding?"

Luviya softly sighed, Shard shook his head:

"To be precise, they confessed. The Apna Library admitted to the Church that they sought help from the Truth Society, hence they came to know the Pantanal Voodoo Society, and through them acquired information on the Heart Lake Island within the central lake of the Great Swamp, confirming the remnants of the ancient Sublimation Rite..."

He looked at Luviya:

"Moreover, the Apna Library admitted that they knew Lakin Prisia was the fourth Chosen One long ago, just as the Church knew Iluna was the Chosen of Balance before all of this began. Everything the Apna Library did was for the enlightenment of wisdom during the Chosen One Ceremony, and if two rituals could be held simultaneously, the effect of the Enlightening Aura at that time could reach its peak."

"They knew long ago..."

Luviya seemed to have understood something:

"So, did they nurture Lakin Prisia, even going so far as to help him become a Circle Sorcerer of Xerxes Higher Medical Academy, or did they merely guide his actions?"

"I don’t know."

Shard shook his head slightly:

"The Xerxes Higher Medical Academy has already urgently begun an investigation. Academic espionage is a huge scandal... In short, things are a bit different from what we expected. The Truth Society didn’t play a big role in it. They just watched everything quietly and then gave a little nudge to the right person at the right time."

"That fits Miss Pavo’s personality perfectly."

Luviya said, and Shard gave her a peculiar look; he didn’t know Luviya was so familiar with the Vice President of the Truth Society.

"Shard, did you say that the Apna Library self-reported?"

"Yes, they deliberately met with Lakin Prisia and the Pantanal Voodoo Society, which was the encounter we stumbled upon at the Three Cats Inn. Afterward, Lakin Prisia obtained the complete Chosen One’s information from the demon. They merely fanned the flames — that’s what the library claimed. But even though they wanted to use the opportunity of Enlightenment to find that legendary library containing all knowledge and records, they still didn’t want to be completely eradicated by the church. So, after confirming that Lakin Prisia and the Pantanal Voodoo Society’s plan had commenced, they immediately severed ties with them and went to the church to confess everything."

Shard squinted slightly, his hand resting on Mia. This cat was exceptionally soft:

"In this way, even if the church wants to settle scores with the Apna Library, they’ll need to take them into the Great Swamp to resolve this matter first. After all, the Apna Library is the organization most familiar with everything."

"Once again, The Mad Seeker."

Luviya said softly:

"Both an informant and a Keeper of Secrets? After the matter in Pantanal is settled, the church won’t let them go."

"But at least, they do stand a chance of finding the so-called ’library containing all the records of past knowledge.’"

Shard’s fingers tickled the cat’s chin, and the latter purred from its throat. This cat was unusually well-behaved today:

"Wisdom is the enemy of the Sage... Lakin Prisia, leveraging the power of the Pantanal Voodoo Society, holds a ceremony on Heart Lake Island deep within the Great Swamp. The Voodoo Society is not aiding him for Enlightenment, but because the bloodline ceremony will severely damage the seal, and Prisia promises to help them further break the seal. In other words, they each get what they want. Once the Chosen One Ceremony is successfully held, the Voodoo Society will immediately break the seal, bringing many Evil Objects sealed in the swamp back into the material world from their slumber in the Subspace."

"Even though the Pantanal Swamp is rarely frequented, this is not a good thing."

"Yes. This time, the battlefield isn’t big cities like Coldwater Port or Tobesk, nor is it areas near cities like Sicarl Mountain. This time, it’s deep in the scarcely populated Great Swamp. But because of this, it’s unfavorable for the church to take action. Although the church failed to participate directly in the previous Chosen One Ceremonies, if they hadn’t restrained most of the enemies, my actions wouldn’t have gone so smoothly."

"Once the stars align correctly, will Lakin Prisia hold the ceremony on the Heart Lake Island in the center of the Great Swamp?"

Luviya asked, and Shard nodded lightly:

"But the exact timing, even the Apna Library doesn’t know. It’s the Voodoo Society’s secret. The Prophet’s Society should have received the task already, and I think there will be results soon. Today is Sunday; the ceremony is likely to take place within the next two or three days."

"Have you used your Time Key yet?"

Luviya suddenly asked, and Shard nodded again:

"The help from the key this time may not be greater than before, but this time it’s truly legendary. I will witness a truly legendary story, a legendary path..."

Shadow enveloped Shard’s face, as if in the fireplace’s glow at this moment, he once again saw Miss Chloe and her group climbing the snowy mountain ridge, their path swept by the gale:

"What I am going to witness is the demigod journey of a Thirteenth Rank Witch."

"A demigod?"

The purple-eyed girl also looked into the bonfire, but what she saw from the flame must be different from what Shard saw.

"Meow~"

The cat urged them to go out for dinner. The two had talked all afternoon, and the cat was already impatient.

The witches who arrived in Huntington City were preparing to use Spatial Leap to directly delve into the Great Swamp. Because after leading Miss Sylvia to touch the Ancient God Statue in the White Valley Vineyard’s underground cellar, the lady gained the ability to travel from Huntington City to Shard’s home at any time. Thus, Shard didn’t have to wait in Huntington City for news; the witches could inform him of the latest developments anytime.

So, on the following Monday, taking out this week’s gift from the God’s Gift Box—a set of red wool scarves—and accepting the task of gifting the scarf to a friend, Shard first took Luviya to the Prophet’s Society in the heavy snow. Then he was forced to accept a thirty percent increase in the usual cab fare to travel in a carriage to the east of the city, where he met Dr. Schneider.

Due to the terrible weather, many patients at the doctor’s had also canceled their original appointments, making the doctor quite free even on a Monday morning.

After explaining the situation of the afternoon patients to the reception at the clinic, the doctor went up to the second floor to talk with Shard, who surprised him as soon as he spoke:

"Doctor, do you have any powerful Demon Creations on hand? Weapons, alchemical items, magic potions, any of these will do."