Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic

"How does the consumption feel?"

Miss Sylvia, squinting her eyes, asked by the wall, and Shard, maintaining his spellcasting posture, replied:

"The consumption isn't very large, at least not when it's not under attack."

The "Divine Afterglow" state enhances all of Shard's Arcane Techniques and Sorcery. With regards to the enhancement of the [Heaton Seal], it doesn't allow the originally immobile Arcane Technique to move, but rather allows the originally fixed-sized shield to expand larger.

The [Heaton Seal] does not limit the number of people the user can protect outside oneself, but the volume of the shield summoned by the seal is a fixed value, barely enough to fully protect two adults hugging each other. But for Shard, he can expand the volume of the shield by paying extra Spirit. This expansion also has an upper limit, but it's more than enough to protect Shard standing with someone else shoulder to shoulder.

Therefore, the enhancement of the Arcane Technique [Heaton Seal] by the "Divine Afterglow" makes the technique more valuable. When Shard demonstrated the technique, he had already expanded the Golden Shield beyond its recorded size, but Miss Sylvia seemed not to notice this peculiar change and continued to say to Shard:

"Next, try testing the defense intensity. Don't worry, I'll control the intensity."

She was very enthusiastic about this testing.

Next, she tested the seal's intensity with a gently thrown stone, a slowly approaching Mia, Shard's revolver, a fully thrown stone, a fireball summoned by the Sorcery [Fire Manipulation], a Scribe Level Relic carried by the Witch [Anesthetic Pocket Watch], and the Arcane Technique [Spatial Cutting].

The firearm was completely unable to breach the Golden Shield, only causing slight ripples on its surface;

The slowly approaching cat of Shard scratched the shield a few times with its claws, but couldn't pass through;

The gently thrown stone was similar to hitting the wall, while the fully thrown stone shattered into powder upon contact due to its own strength;

The anesthetic needle fired by the relic [Anesthetic Pocket Watch] perished along with Shard's shield, but this relic itself is not known for its attack power;

The best effect was from the fireball controlled by the Witch's output; if it weren't for Miss Sylvia stopping in time, Shard nearly got blasted away, and his basement would probably have a deep pit;

As for [Spatial Cutting], [Heaton Seal] had no protective effect against spatial power. Miss Sylvia, who was proficient in spatial power, had already anticipated this, so with her precise control, the power of the Arcane Technique [Spatial Cutting] only cut open Shard's outer garment, leaving no mark on the skin.

As for the second effect of [Heaton Seal], which is to dispel the spell instantly upon contact with an attack, causing the shattered shield to deliver more powerful explosive damage to the enemy, this effect was not attempted by Shard. One, because the timing is hard to grasp, he needs a lot of practice, and two, because he's worried the so-called "explosive damage" might directly blow up his basement.

Although space was cleared out, the basement still contains compartments storing Magic Potion snow piles, as well as his crude Magic Potion Alchemical Workshop. He doesn't want to practice Arcane Technique at the cost of damaging his house; Miss Galina's manor has ample space for him to practice, and if necessary, he could also go to Coldwater Port to cause trouble for the Mermen.

"Overall, except for not being able to move while spellcasting, it's almost a perfect Arcane Technique."

When coming out of the basement, Shard praised Miss Sylvia while holding the cat, and the young Grand Witch chuckled:

"This is the signature Arcane Technique of the Sun Church, passed down through countless generations. However, be careful not to let the Church find out when you use it. Generally, this Arcane Technique doesn't leak out, as the core material to learn it is the piece of parchment you burned at the end of the ritual, and the Sun Church has a number for every piece of parchment."

Of course, the Witch did not inquire where Shard got the parchment detailing the ritual information. But Shard always felt that Miss Sylvia had already guessed the truth, just hadn't voiced it.

Just like during the first visit last week, Miss Sylvia did not leave Saint Delan Square that evening. She discussed the paper that Shard had already sent to the Old God with Shard until late at night. Miss Sylvia even intended to publish that paper and let Shard be the first author.

Besides discussing the paper, after learning that Shard was preparing for the year-end exam week, she enthusiastically helped Shard answer some academic questions and analyzed the Circle Sorcerer System he was currently constructing.

Miss Sylvia believed that Shard's low fourth-ring construction, although not centered around a specific Spirit Rune, was comprehensive enough in Arcane Technical learning and had found his own combat style. Regarding [Spatial Stabilization Aura] and [Lagre's Leap], she also gave Shard more usage suggestions and even suggested Shard attempt to practice carrying living beings for [Lagre's Leap].

"This Arcane Technique doesn't allow for the carrying of other entities, but just like how you expanded the Arcane Technique range, when you can change the Arcane Technique with your own power, you'll find some of the Arcane Technique's flaws can actually be avoided.

The metamorphosis of the Sorcery [Echo of Blood] you mentioned into the Arcane Technique [Echo of Blood] is a manifestation of human alteration of spellcasting effects. However, I don't suggest you directly try to bring people; maybe you can start by trying with ants. I'll give you some spellcasting tips and tell you about an auxiliary Magic Potion. Even if you can't carry living beings to leap at four rings, by the time you reach the Inner Ring, you should have mastered this technique."

Miss Sylvia still seemed intent on grooming him as her apprentice, but she didn't bring it up actively, only enthusiastically providing Shard with any help he needed.

Shard never accepts favors from others for nothing, but Miss Sylvia simply smiled and indicated that in the morning, she'd accept a breakfast from Shard as thanks. Shard considered having Miss Sylvia pick a piece of jewelry from the jewelry box, but ultimately didn't do so, as it would make him seem too opportunistic.

So before the night ended, Shard voluntarily spoke to the Witch about his adventure in Huntington City. He didn't mention the angel, only saying he found the "Lake Goddess," and then started talking about [Arrow of Knowledge of Aikenora] as an unrelated second item:

"I snatched it from the Pantanal Voodoo Society and attempted to shoot. But those Circle Sorcerers ran too fast; I only drew the bow without finding a chance to shoot. The feeling is truly terrible, like... tens of thousands of Mias crawling on you."

[Wasn't it thousands?]

"I can understand that feeling — forcibly stopping after accumulating power. If it wasn't using a relic but Arcane Technique, it would probably be very damaging to the body."

The witch on the sofa looked at the young outlander abruptly and grabbed his wrist:

"Hmm, what's the matter?"

Shard asked, while Miss Sylvia shook her head with a smile:

"Nothing, I was just intrigued by your story."

In any case, the young Grand Witch seemed to be completely familiar with Shard's character. On Wednesday morning, after breakfast, as he bid farewell to Miss Sylvia at the door, the outlander had no choice but to admit that the wisdom and talent of the Grand Witches were truly awe-inspiring.

Since Thief Jack still hadn't been caught, when Shard headed to Midshire Fort that day, he took Mia along.

Coming out from the ruined tower of Sicarl Mountain, braving the knife-like cold winter wind, he was amazed to see the snow-covered mountains and the flurry of snowflakes descending from the sky, painting the entire mountain white.

"Midshire Fort is snowing too! Oh, the snow has already covered the ground."

Not only was Sicarl Mountain covered in heavy snow; upon descending the mountain, he discovered that even the Midshire Fort city area was clad in a silver dress. Shard inquired from a newspaper boy dressed in an old cotton jacket and learned that this was not the first snow of the week.

The flurries of snow adorned the city in silver, truly heralding the arrival of winter.

Shard first went to deliver a letter to Sister Delphine at the House of the Blind on Ruff Lane, then went to wait for the nun's message at Cassandra Auction House.

The snow would not affect the business of the auction house. The bustling Saint Kara Avenue in the city center was still crowded, and the gentlemen coming and going from the auction house were endless. When Shard got off the carriage, someone was clearing snow at the entrance. Of course, people of this era wouldn't extravagantly use salt to speed up the snow melting, nor did the auction house try to use pure manpower to remove the ice and snow.

Robust servants were pushing a small-powered steam engine to the door. After connecting it to the indoor piping, the heat steam produced by the steam engine was directed at the ground, and before the hot steam's water mist had time to freeze, the solid snow on the ground was swiftly cleared away with tools.

Probably only someone as wealthy as Granny Cassandra could use such an extravagant way to clear snow. But the passers-by seemed accustomed to the scene, with only a few like Shard glancing up, watching the black smoke from the steam engine drift into the snowy sky.

The spray of hot steam made the temperature at the auction house entrance warmer than its surroundings, but it was the inside of the auction house that was truly warm. After walking in with his thick coat on, Shard even felt a little hot—the heating at Cassandra Auction House was certainly above the city's standard of centralized heating.

On this snowy day, the auction house hosts were all there. Shard first met the witch apprentice, Miss Rita Swift, with pretty flaxen hair, who hurried down from upstairs upon hearing he had arrived. Then he spotted Helen and Grace attending an auction on the second floor.

However, Granny Cassandra only appeared around noon when it was nearly time for lunch. By now, it was the end of the year 1853. Though the Old Witch needn't personally audit the accounts, she had to personally meet the representatives dispatched from branches in various locations of the Old Continent, one of the most important tasks of the year.

By noon, the blind nun also braved the heavy snow to come. Six of them had lunch together, during which Shard heard about Sister Delphine's "Serpent Heart Hospital" being established in an orderly manner around the Great Swamp, with the assistance of Cassandra Auction House.

With the already existing Serpent Heart Hospital as a base, Sister Delphine intended for the Spiritual Practice Order's influence to expand throughout the Great Swamp region. Therefore, not only Huntington City, the City of Red Wine, but even more places including the kingdom's capital, Velindale City, were the next focal targets for the development of the Serpent Heart Hospital.

Since the end of the Battle of Midshire Fort, the Mountain City had returned to its usual peace and tranquility. After the dangerous and tumultuous autumn, the winter city had reverted to an order dominated by ordinary people.

Snow drifted outside the window, the atmosphere in the third-floor dining room was cheerful. Sister Delphine mentioned the strange clouds that appeared in Huntington City yesterday, but no one could explain them. The Old Witch, having heard about the Tobesk incident, asked Shard about the progress in finding the fourth Chosen One.

The twin sisters, having seen the first snowfall of the year, eagerly asked Shard if they could visit No. 6, Saint Delan Square today.

Both the white-skirted Grace and the black-skirted Helen, girls of fifteen or sixteen, were quite excited. But Shard regretted to tell them:

"I'm sorry, girls. There is going to be an incident in my neighborhood tonight—some Humanoid Relic is invading there, attempting to steal my neighbors' belongings. I cannot involve you in this matter; if you want to visit my home, really, girls, just any day but today."

The black-skirted Helen glanced at her sister, their identical delicate faces wearing different expressions. Grace seemed to accept Shard's explanation, while Helen curiously asked:

"Sir, what level of relic is it?"

"Sage-Level Relic Thief Jack."

"Oh, it's just Sage-level. Sir, we can help guard the house."

Grace tugged at Shard's sleeve, while Granny Cassandra watched the scene with a smile.

"No, no, girls, your injuries are not yet healed, and Thief Jack grows stronger when encountering strong opponents. I know you are stronger than it, but you're not at your peak, and if I involve you in guarding my home, it's hard to imagine what might happen."

Shard patiently explained. Though Grace pretended not to care, she sighed lightly, while Helen wore a dissatisfied look. But there was nothing to be done; Shard truly didn't want the Red Butterfly Twins, who had finally gained their freedom and peaceful life, to be caught up in conflicts again because of him.