Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic

"The Academy must think similarly, after all, I haven't heard of any fresh Correspondence Circle Mage receiving a Keeper of Secrets Level Relic,"

Dr. Schneider also agreed with Miss Luisa's opinion that when it came to fate, Circle Mages were naturally very cautious.

Just by staring at that die, Shard felt a strong urge to pry it out from its setting. Fortunately, the die was still in containment, and Shard was fully able to resist this temptation.

Yet, he placed a finger on the die, wanting to feel its cold metallic touch.

In his mind, a whispering woman's voice suddenly emerged:

"The road of fate may fork under your feet, but with the right tool, one might choose the appropriate path. From 1 to 20, then from 20 to 1, you have seen your peculiar fate in the tumbling die. Now is the time to toss the die..."

"Are you sure you want me to roll the die now?"

Shard asked in surprise as the whisper resumed in his ear:

"Outlander, when you step on this path of fate, the choice has always been in your hands. However, sometimes, a reasonable attempt can help you understand your fate more fully. Through my vision, I have seen something interesting for you. Do you have the courage to challenge your luck?"

Shard thought it over; he was well aware of his "other self" having peculiar traits. Although unsure if this is a trait of outsiders or if something was amiss with the other party, the whispering voice had been trustworthy in all its actions to date. Despite his concerns and skepticism about this mysterious and eerie world, Shard was willing to offer some trust occasionally.

He picked up the die before the doctor and others could object, letting it fall onto the coffee table.

The metallic sound of the die striking the wooden coffee table startled everyone present. But the die quickly stabilized, displaying the number "20" on top. Shard was not so surprised; he only heard the pleasing laughter of the woman by his ear.

"Although you always doubt, I am you."

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The four of them stared at the die's number without speaking, and it was a while before Dr. Schneider sternly reminded:

"This time it's 20... This Relic belongs to you, and we have no right to interfere. But I must remind you, Shard, people are not always this fortunate. An impulsive act brought you a gift of fate, but next time might not be the same."

"Every gift from fate already has its price tagged. This 20... might consume your luck for a long while. I have always firmly believed in the 'Conservation of Luck.'"

Miss Writer also mentioned this, but Priest Augustus, being a clergy member, pointed out that the conservation of luck is a baseless superstition.

Shard heeded these warnings but did not intend to explain his motives. The unique voice in his mind was a secret solely his own, a trait of an outsider. That much he knew was sufficient, at least for now; he wasn't going to share this with others.

The consequences of rolling a 20 might not be evident yet, but considering the nature of the die, Shard would eventually learn, so all he needed to do was wait.

After all matters of his official admission into the Academy were settled, Dr. Schneider opened a bottle of champagne to celebrate the group finally having five members.

Shard wasn't much of a drinker, but since it was a celebration, he didn't decline. As the doctor poured the drinks, Shard curiously inquired whether it would be considered revealing the Academy's secrets if he accidentally lost the books he took home. However, the doctor assured him not to worry about it:

"The textbooks and materials of the first year don't hold any precious value. Not that the knowledge isn't valuable, but it can be obtained through other channels as well. So, even if you lose them, you'd only need to spend more Gold Pounds to buy another set from the Academy. It's only from the second year onward that some books start to be encrypted."

That reassured Shard greatly, and the doctor, writer, and priest, all speaking from their own experiences, encouraged Shard to study diligently. They unanimously agreed that his main task now was to inscribe his first Spirit Rune.

"The 'Fundamentals of Spirit Rune Theory (Part I)' course recommends the inscription of the first rune based on the talent of the Circle Sorcerer. What did the Academy recommend for you? Was it 'Light'?"

"Yes," Shard replied, flipping through the book in his hands.

"Usually, the Academy suggests inscribing a rune that represents an element for the first Spirit Rune, as it's simpler. You already possess 'Silvermoon,' and have a quite compatibility with 'Light' and 'Stars', even going so far as to actively create 'Light Spell'. But 'Stars' is too complex for a first-year, so it indeed is 'Light'."

Dr. Schneider laughed and then stood up, pulling a book out of the stack and handing it to Shard:

"'The Mad Light Chaser,' a crazy novel written by an unknown author during the Fifth Era, known for its 'Enlightenment'. This copy is a translated version. Reading it to attempt inscribing 'Light' is the most appropriate approach. Of course, very few can obtain Light directly—if you can obtain any extended concept of the Spirit Rune, you're considered competent."

Before today's gathering, Dr. Schneider had already shared information about the Sage-Level Relic 'God's Box' and the Blood of Mercury organization, through letters to others in the group; they all agreed to pay Shard 1 Gold Pound each for this information.

Shard didn't take the 4 pounds, which included those from Luviya Annette not in Tobesk City; instead, he used the money to partially pay off this month's debt of 10 pounds. The remaining 6 pounds would have to wait a while longer; after all, he still needed Gold Pounds to sustain himself and Mia.

It is said that orange cats have quite the appetite, and Shard needed to be prepared.

Dr. Schneider, extremely efficient, had more good news for Shard before the morning meeting ended:

"I found out from a real estate agent that No. 6 Saint Delan Square, the whole three-story building including the land, is all property originally owned by Detective Sparrow Hamilton. Did he leave a will?"

"He did, I've locked it away in a cabinet."

Shard was momentarily stunned by the good news, hardly believing he had inherited the entire building. All the gloom since arriving in the Steam Age seemed to dissipate with this news; he didn't realize how much he longed for a home of his own.

Priest Augustus remained expressionless, while Miss Luisa looked at Shard in surprise:

"Mr. Hamilton, you'll never lack Gold Pounds in your life now."

"But."

Shard didn't get too excited prematurely and looked towards Dr. Schneider, who indeed continued with this conjunction, his expression twisted, unsure of how to phrase it:

"But don't celebrate too soon; there's a problem with that building. No. 6 Saint Delan Square was bought by Sparrow Hamilton for 300 pounds two years ago when he first came to Tobesk City."

"How could it be so cheap? Even if it's a haunted house, it wouldn't be..." Miss Luisa frowned, questioning. 300 pounds was a lot, but keep in mind, this is Tobesk City, the capital of one of the two major human kingdoms of the Draleon Kingdom, the Northern Pearl, Fog City, a convergence point of Old Continent civilization—these are all titles for this place.

No. 6 Saint Delan Square can directly view the Yordle Palace architectural complex from its windows, where the soil is more valuable than gold.

Dr. Schneider owns a clinic, the priest lives in the church, and only the female writer currently lives alone in a rented apartment in the Tobesk University District, very sensitive to housing prices. Excluding the land, just the whole building in the Saint Delan Square area - you wouldn't find one for 300 pounds, not even for 20,000 pounds."