Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic-Chapter 1019: Regent’s Park

I originally planned to ask Dorothy about the exam questions in the evening, but just as the two of them spread out the books in front of the fireplace, the searing badge on Shard’s chest reminded him that the witch had already arrived downstairs.

The ringing of the doorbell downstairs was slower than the heating of the badge, so Shard had time to look outside from the living room window. The familiar carriage coming from the snow-covered city indicated that it was Miss Galina visiting this time, not Miss Sylvia.

"What’s this about a demon?"

The Grand Witch acted swiftly, and as soon as Shard opened the door downstairs, she immediately asked. Behind the Duchess was the deep winter night, and Tifa had just stepped down from the carriage, giving Shard a concerned glance.

"Oh, Miss Galina, how did you find out about this?"

Shard asked curiously, then stepped aside to let the witch’s party enter.

The Duchess, full of vigor, took off her fur fox shawl after entering and handed it to Tifa:

"I just came back from Sylvia’s, and she told me about Margaret Anjou’s encounter with a demon. That princess didn’t mention who was with her when this happened, but we could guess that it had something to do with you. How could a young girl like Margaret Anjou understand how terrifying the Third Era’s evil spirits are? But don’t we know? What exactly happened?"

The concern in her tone was obvious.

"Let’s go upstairs and talk, but don’t worry, it’s not a particularly terrifying demon, and I’ve found a way to deal with it."

Miss Galina seemed to have hurried over, with only two maids, aside from Tifa, accompanying her. They went to the kitchen, joining Dorothy in preparing tea. Although Lecia didn’t like her aunt, Dorothy’s attitude towards the Duchess was relatively neutral, without any special thoughts.

"Shard, do you really understand what you encountered?"

After she sat down on the sofa, her tone remained stern, making Mia, who was warming by the fireplace, wiggle and look this way, as if worried Shard was being bullied.

"I’ve seen Daknis and Human Pus, so how could I not know what a demon represents?"

Shard said, handing over the continuously heating badge from his chest to her:

"After the Human Pus incident, I met some very capable friends who can help me banish demons. Look at this, I bought it from them for self-defense."

The "Witch Detection Badge" was something Miss Galina had helped Shard make, so she quickly noticed the bony white edge on the side of the badge. When Father Augustus crafted the bone emblem with angel bones, he took concealment into account, so generally no one could tell what the bone layer’s role was.

Even after the witch examined it, she couldn’t discover what it was until she took out a small bottle of black sludge-like substance and dripped it on the badge, igniting a black flame that relaxed her furrowed brow:

"What spellcasting materials were used to make this divine item? It seems you really have met an amazing master alchemist." freewёbnoνel-com

"Miss Galina, there’s no need to worry about the demon matter; I’ll handle it within a week, so you don’t have to worry about me."

Shard said again, then hesitated for a moment and grabbed the Duchess’s hand.

The Red-Haired Witch’s expression immediately softened, turning her head towards the window with a rare blush on her face. Standing behind the sofa, Tifa winked her left eye at Shard, an encouragement.

"If you think you can handle it, I won’t say more, but you must be cautious when dealing with anything related to demons. The Third Era’s evil spirits are undying and can even directly conceal themselves in people’s hearts."

"I have a lot of Holy Water at home, and after this is resolved, I’ll take a bath with Holy Water."

Shard said again, then changed the topic:

"Besides the demon matter, I learned something else. Yesterday at the Three Cats Inn, I encountered someone from the Apna Library again. I eavesdropped on their conversation with the Truth Society and the Pantanal Voodoo Society. The Poem Chapter fragments they sold were all incomplete. The location required by the Chosen One Ceremony is not on the water, but on the ’Island in Water.’

"The Church’s patience with the [Apna Library] is probably running out."

Miss Galina sighed, noting that Shard didn’t mention "Sir Plisha being the Chosen One," for Luviya hadn’t yet decided on an attitude towards the fourth Chosen One.

"However, the Pantanal Voodoo Society..."

She contemplated for a moment:

"Sister Delphine is currently investigating the Great Swamp Area, and the Council has collected a lot of information to assist her. I can’t think of why the Voodoo Society would be involved in the Chosen One matter; hopefully, they’re just hired muscle."

The maids brought in the tea while Dorothy directly entered the study, showing no intention of speaking with Miss Galina. The Duchess talked with Shard for a little longer, and after finishing her first cup of tea, she glanced at the clock in the corner of the living room:

"There are other matters tonight. Come out with me now, and you’ll be back in about two hours."

"No problem, but what are we going to do? Do I need extra weapons and spellcasting materials?"

Miss Galina thought for a bit:

"There shouldn’t be any danger; Sylvia is also coming with us. The Council found some suspected information about a ’Keeper of Secrets.’ We’re going to try our luck. You can bring weapons, but in my opinion, it’s unnecessary."

"A new Keeper of Secrets? Then let’s set out now."

Considering the demon was still peeping on him and Dorothy, Shard didn’t bring the "Night Watchman" but left the sword to the girl and the cat at home.

He prepared other relics and boarded the Duchess’s carriage in the night, which was carrying a group of people towards the eastern part of the city.

In the planning of the capital, Tobesk City, the eastern and southern parts are both affluent areas, except that the nobles mostly live in the south, while respectable middle-class people like Dr. Schneider are concentrated in the east.

The winter sun sets early, and the temperature long below freezing point makes people avoid being on the streets at night as much as possible. The nominal center of the eastern city is the local Nature Chapel, which the carriage did not pass, but in the night, Shard could see the grand side tower of the Nature Chapel several streets away, and the tower top seemingly shining in the faint moonlight.

Two streets west of the Nature Chapel lies the well-known Regent’s Park of Tobesk. It was built to commemorate Regent John about 200 years ago and is the largest park in Tobesk city area, with its establishment and maintenance also related to the Nature Chapel.

And tonight’s target is this park.

The carriage quietly crossed the bridge over the Nington River and stopped when it reached the bridgehead, where Miss Sylvia, dressed in a black dress, awaited them in the shadows not illuminated by the street lamps.

Not far from the witch was the riverbed of the Nington River, which, unlike the Terael River west of Yordle Palace, is only a small decorative river within the city.

Owing to the heavy snowfalls of previous days, the riverbed was now frozen, and snowflakes covered the ice. On the riverbank at night, the witch, lovely as if from a landscape painting, stared at the river surface and only turned to walk under the elegant gas lamp at the bridgehead after the carriage stopped.

"The demon matter, Shard will handle it himself."

The Duchess said simply and instructed Tifa:

"You, Julia, and Annie stay in the carriage and wait for us."

"Yes, ma’am."

So Tifa, who was preparing to get off, shrank back inside, handed a heavy cloth bag to Shard, and the silent coachman drove them far away.

"What were you just looking at?"

Miss Galina asked Miss Sylvia, also glancing at the starlit river surface:

"It’s surprising the riverbed here doesn’t smell; it seems the Church of Nature has done something."

"I was calculating the snowfall in Tobesk."

Miss Sylvia said simply and smiled at Shard:

"If my numerology divination isn’t wrong, this winter’s snowfall in Tobesk will far exceed that of previous years... Shard, do you really not need our help regarding the demon?"

"No need, I can handle it myself."

"I quite like snowy weather; let’s not chat here. This way."

The Duchess whispered, leading the way, walking down the bridgehead and turning left, arriving at the entrance of Regent’s Park.

Regent’s Park was originally a private royal garden, opened to the public since Lecia’s great-grandfather, and subsequently hosted the Draleon-Carsonrick Industrial Expo. Every summer, grand music concerts are held here without seating, and the Regent’s Lake in the center of the park is a perfect spot for evening strolls.

Dr. Schneider’s clinic on Rontgen Avenue is a 10-minute walk from here, and the doctor often comes for walks whenever he’s free.

Of course, the Regent’s Park is deserted on winter nights. Some years ago, steam engine parts were illegally stored in the park, causing residents nearby to file a joint protest, so the City Hall now strictly controls the park’s access and opening hours.

At this moment, entry to the park is prohibited, but for Shard and the two witches, that poses no problem.

They walked along the gravel path inside, stepping on the snow layer on the ground through sparse coniferous woods, and after passing the sloping earth, not far ahead was the dark Regent’s Lake.

The small lake here is only a quarter the size of Saint Delan Square, an artificial lake dug to connect with the Nington River.

"This is the place."

Miss Galina whispered, as the two witches walked on either side of Shard, who carried the canvas bag and looked at the lake by the moonlight.

"I don’t sense any elemental traces."

Shard whispered softly, while sniffing two different perfume scents. Though both are unique perfumes known as the "Witch’s Scent," the scents are actually different.

Noticing Shard’s subtle nose twitch, Miss Sylvia’s face reddened slightly, but she smiled without saying anything.

"Yes, I have recently reviewed the dossiers of Riddlevitch Field, and for the past few months, the only peculiar rumors coming from here are about young couples sneaking in at night for a rendezvous and hearing someone singing in the lake."

Miss Galina said, looking at Miss Sylvia, and the witch with short black hair paused for a moment before nodding:

"We need a special method to summon the Keeper of Secrets, but first, we have other things to do."

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