Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic-Chapter 464: Unconfirmed Hidden Dangers

"The Relic is housed in the Rhine Association in Carsonrick, Shard, you can no longer access it. The Society has reached an agreement with the Church of the Five Gods, this artifact that can usurp the powers of Circle Sorcerers is not allowed to leave the Association, and each use must be supervised by at least one High Ring Sorcerer from the Church."

Even if he could freely access it, Shard would not likely leave Tobesk to journey to a foreign land. Although Coldwater Port is far, the Ancient God Statue in the basement provides transportation, and Shard is genuinely unfamiliar with the Duchy of Rhine.

"I understand, but the God Summoning Trait of the Level 0 artifact is gone, isn't it? Could it be because that Old God has also passed away?"

Shard asked again, not knowing the title of the Old God, only that he was associated with "gambling," and depicted as a mysterious person shrouded in a black robe. These vague details made it impossible to gather any information.

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Luviya shook her head regretfully:

"I cannot answer that question for you, as when the Society took it in, the table was already in its current state. Compared to the Prophet's Society, you are the one who knows its original condition best."

Shard nodded:

"Last time at Horror Fortress, I spent too much time asking Mr. Riddle about the situation and had no time to explore other matters. It seems this time, I must find a way to gather more information related to that deity. Even if I can't win at the gambling table, I must find a way to win outside of it."

Shard expressed his thoughts and the girl with purple eyes smiled and said:

"So, you mean cheating."

"Oh no, Luviya, I don't have the courage to cheat in front of a deity. Everything I do is within the rules... It's just unfortunate that we're not playing Roder Card, otherwise, it wouldn't be such a hassle. The Impermanence Card is the only item that can be taken to the past, and carrying them would increase my luck in the games."

"But in that era, where would you find Roder Cards?"

The girl with purple eyes laughed prettily, then followed up with:

"At any rate, be careful tonight. Speaking of which, is No. 6 Saint Delan Square completely finished yet?"

"It's finished. I paid the final sum this morning, but they advised me to keep the windows open for a while to air out the smell. The third floor is now accessible, and I had them repaint the walls of the first floor and the basement. Renovations, furniture, plumbing, gas lamps, and steam pipelines are all complete; No. 6 Saint Delan Square finally feels like home."

"So are you still living on the second floor?"

She asked curiously.

"Of course, I'm used to living there. The second room on the second floor, where the mass suicide happened, I still feel uneasy, so like the third floor, I haven't placed any furniture there. However, since the wall between room one and two where Mia and I live is not load-bearing, I had them install a door in the wall of the living room for easy access. As for how the space in room two will be utilized, we'll decide that later."

"What about the first and third floors?"

"The first floor is used as guest rooms, featuring three large bedrooms, the master bedroom even has an additional washroom. The third floor currently has no furniture, it's left vacant for holding rituals, practicing Arcane Technique, and conducting dangerous alchemical experiments."

Shard was very sensible about the arrangement of the rooms:

"I heard from the Dawn Church that strange incidents also happened on the third floor, a missing persons case. A former owner of No. 6 disappeared after going to the third floor, and even their body was never found. For safety, it's best not to have people living on the third floor."

"Your house is really quite strange."

Luviya cautiously reminded:

"If the deaths of the two Circle Sorcerers on the first floor were due to a struggle over the secrets of the basement, driven mad by the power of the Divine Statue, then using the basement to explain the suicides on the second floor and the disappearances on the third floor seems a bit far-fetched. You should look more into the history of the house, take note of how each owner died, maybe there will be a pattern."

She thought for a moment, then smiled to relax Shard:

"But you and Mia have lived there for two months without anything happening, so maybe the house really doesn't have anything wrong with it. Maybe the dangers of the house are simply ineffective against you. After all, compared to the real dangers you've encountered, what's a house to you?"

Her point made a lot of sense, and Shard was very willing to believe that his house was fine, maybe Sparrow Hamilton's passing was merely an accident.

On his way home from the Prophet's Society, Shard secretly took some cat food from home and fed the stray cats nearby.

Back home, he was still a bit worried about Mia finding out, but the completion of repairs at No. 6 Saint Delan Square made Mia, who had become accustomed to living in the house, very happy. It didn't even realize that it had less food in its reserves, and that evening while Shard read about Mr. Riddle's life, Mia energetically scampered around the house.

Shard had very good hearing, and with the house also being very quiet, he could even hear the ginger cat jumping around upstairs.

As Dorothy had once "reported," it was very interested in room two on the second floor; Shard hadn't closed the doors to rooms one and two, so the cat eagerly dashed inside.

However, it didn't really have any purpose, just sniffing around as if searching for something.

With the usable space in the house increased, it also made No. 6 Saint Delan Square seem a bit emptier. Even though Shard didn't wander at night, he turned on the gas lamps in the stairwell and along the corridors of each floor, so the gas bill would probably be higher in the future.

"Should I invite someone to live here with me?"

Shard was hesitant about this idea. Dorothy and Iluna both rented apartments in the downtown area. If he invited them to move in, Shard wouldn't charge rent, which in turn, might make the house livelier.

But the problem was that the invitation itself carried an implication. Although the society was open and the aristocracy of the upper class had chaotic relations between men and women, a respectable girl would not live with a man before marriage.

"Still, we must first confirm whether this house is safe or not."

Sitting on the sofa and holding a document headed "Prophet's Society," Shard thought, then waved to Mia who had just slipped in through the door again. The cat immediately ran over and jumped onto the sofa, settling consciously on Shard's lap:

"But after all, life really is getting better."

(Mia running...)

"May the World Tree bless me in time."

Turning the key, the door opened to endless white fog.

As Shard stepped into the Mist Gate, a murmur appropriately arose at that moment:

"Outlander, you have entered the 'Time Corridor'."

"A message from the Ancient God 'Father of the Infinite Tree':"

"Year 1784 of the Fifth Era, winter, Northern Continent, Horror Fortress."

"Event: Gambit - Game of Life."

"Duration: twenty minutes (2/3)."

"You have received additional information."

"The silhouette of the Father of the Infinite Tree continues to watch you."

"The Ancient God of time challenges you."

"Help the mortal to win the 'Game of Life'."

"The Father of the Infinite Tree will reward you: Arcane Technique - Breath of Ages, a piece of true information - Dark Dungeon."

So far, Shard had never encountered a situation where the information given by the Father of the Infinite Tree had changed, so after hearing this series of information, he did not linger in the fog, but continued to step forward.

The fog dissipated, and cold air mixed with the smell of decay surged up. The bright white fog was replaced by dim yellow firelight, and an old corridor appeared in front, while behind him the feeling of being peeped at had already emerged:

"So, why can't you just transport me directly to my destination?"

This time, even before Shard had a chance to look around, the candlelight in the wall cavities had already begun to flicker violently. Chilling wind blew from behind, and a sense of unfounded fear forced Shard to run.

With the experience of last time, Shard knew this was a straight path, so he ran without hesitation. In just under two minutes, he saw the metal door with the coin flipping symbol ahead, he charged forward, pushing the door open and tumbling into the room.

The door, as if fitted with a spring, closed automatically, locking the unknown creatures of this eerie place outside.

Catching his breath, he stood up and surveyed the room. The room, with its rectangular stone-bricked floor, remained as before; one side of the central table was illuminated by a kerosene lamp, lighting up half of the room, while the candles on the other side had gone out, plunging the other half into dense darkness.

On the table, colorful illusory figures representing witches, evil spirits, and dragons floated eagerly over their respective slots. Mr. Riddle, wearing a brown robe, barefoot, with his head wrapped in a turban, was trying to stand up from the corner of the wall.

He widened his eyes, looking at Shard's gaunt face with an expression almost like on a pilgrimage, and then opened his arms toward Shard:

"Oh, you're back!"

Shard thought this lonely person, trapped here, wanted to embrace him, so without concern that the other might not have bathed in months, he too opened his arms to embrace him.

To his surprise, Mr. Riddle merely opened his arms and did not actually embrace, which made Shard feel somewhat embarrassed.

"Since I left, have you recalled more memories?"

Shard cautiously asked. Mr. Riddle, appearing dazed, shook his head, his mental state truly worrying:

"After you left, I hardly felt the passage of time. My mind keeps jumping between consciousness and unconsciousness. If not for sensing in the obscurity that Mr. Ring's mighty force is protecting me, I might have already stepped into the arms of the Grim Reaper."

He seemed weak in the legs, and after suddenly standing, he had to lean on the wall to remain steady. Shard moved forward a few steps and supported this pitiful man. Considering Mr. Riddle's distressing situation, Shard had prepared food for him in advance.

After Mr. Riddle recovered a bit, he turned those foods from toy-like to real items and handed them to Mr. Riddle.

Mr. Riddle, not minding the supernatural abilities Shard used, grabbed the dishes of fried vegetables, fish soup, vegetable salad, and fruit, and without even bothering with utensils, began to devour them sitting on the floor.