Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic-Chapter 1758 - 1757: Black Mist Camp

It was only at this moment that Shard realized the young witch’s mental state was unusually excited. It was definitely not the joy of being noticed by someone important, but rather a stress response after being affected mentally.

However, compared to being haggard and silent, this reaction was at least somewhat normal, and there was no need to worry for now.

So Shard turned to look at the boy holding the torch, standing some distance away, seemingly avoiding giving the impression that he wanted to eavesdrop.

From the clothing and accessories, the boy definitely came from a noble family. His build wasn’t robust, but he certainly wasn’t malnourished either. Judging by his height, he was probably about fifteen or sixteen years old.

"He arrived a little earlier than you, and since everyone here can only take one torch, it’s safer to gather together, so I didn’t drive him away."

Miss Higgins said, and the boy trembled as he thanked the witch and then answered the question:

"Hello, hello, and hello to you too. I’m Andor Ade, and I’m also here to buy things."

His current timidity was much more normal; ordinary people of this era had no means to protect themselves in such a strange place.

"Since we’ve all introduced ourselves, it’s your turn now, sir."

The young witch looked at Shard, so Shard gave his name:

"Shard Hamilton, something of a travel writer and detective."

The witch nodded slightly and continued to explain to Shard:

"The place we’re going next is the market hidden in the black mist not far from here. This is just the entrance to the market. You must hold a torch to move inside, and please do not extinguish the torch. As for leaving here..."

She looked around, the torchlight unable to pierce very far, the black mist quite oppressive:

"The Witch Empress of the desert will receive us at a specific time. But as you can probably feel, this is a place of time and space chaos, so it’s hard to say how long we’ll have to wait."

Though she said this, her tone was very relaxed:

"But it doesn’t matter to me. If I unfortunately die, Her Majesty will compensate my sister with a large sum of money. For a witch without any background like me, gambling on my luck is the only way to go further."

"Your sister isn’t a twin, is she?"

Shard hurriedly asked, and Miss Leah Higgins gave him a puzzled look:

"Of course not. My sister has just come of age, and I’m already... why would you think we’re twins?"

"Just pretend I didn’t say anything. So, the camp is over there, right?"

He pointed in the direction he was previously heading, and the witch nodded:

"Mrs. Miles wants to make up for past regrets, that boy’s country was destroyed, and he wants to rescue the tragedy. As for me, although I was hired, I’m also planning to make some trades. After all, coming to this kind of place isn’t for nothing."

She paused and cautiously added:

"Most transactions at the Black Mist Camp require currency, but a few need emotions, sin, or even souls. However, Her Majesty advises against using anything other than currency. Since you said you arrived here by accident, you probably don’t have any trade currency with you, do you?"

She took out a black coin from her pocket and showed it to Shard, deliberately bringing it close to his face.

Shard glanced at it and knew it was a coin he had never seen before. The black coin was about the same size as a one shilling alloy silver coin, with a portrait of the witch on one side and a symbol of money on the other. However, it wasn’t a relic. Of course, Shard also knew the young witch was deliberately testing him:

"I don’t have such things, don’t worry, I won’t try to seize it."

"You couldn’t take it even if you tried. These coins cannot have their ownership transferred by any means other than trade. See the portrait of me on this coin? It signifies I’m the owner of this coin."

"Then can you take me with you to the Black Mist Camp to have a look?"

"Of course, let’s set off now."

The witch said, actively supporting the elderly woman. Although she claimed to be hired, she was still very attentive. At the same time, Shard noticed that Mrs. Miles’ hat was adorned with small purple flowers, which seemed to be thyme.

The old woman smiled at Shard:

"As you grow old, you want to make up for past regrets before you die."

She voluntarily told Shard about what she intended to do:

"When I was young, my lover bade me farewell to partake in a distant war. I promised him that when he returned, I would marry him; in the end, I waited my whole life."

"Didn’t you try to divine his whereabouts? Isn’t your cousin very skilled?"

Shard asked curiously, and Old Lady Miles shook her head:

"He promised to return, and I believe he would not break his word... Even if he couldn’t come back, I wanted him to tell me in person what had happened to him. Look at this vintage hat, he gave it to me before he left. Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme are all that remain of my memory of that farewell day, and it was such a fine day."

She coughed a few times, and, with the support of the Red-Haired Witch, moved away from the bonfire onto the path. The boy held the torch and followed behind them but dared not come too close.

The witch gently patted the old woman’s back and continued speaking to Shard:

"We cannot stay in the marketplace for too long. It might be fine for you and me, but Mrs. Miles and the boy over there are regular folks; they need to return here before they can’t hold on anymore."

The group lifted their torches and walked into the depths of the black fog. Shard inquired:

"Roughly how long can we stay?"

"In a place where time and space are chaotic, it’s hard to give you a precise measure of time. When you can’t go on, you can’t... You must protect the flame; without it, you’ll be lost here forever. So, it’s best for everyone to move together. Even if one person’s flame goes out, others can protect them."

She supported Mrs. Miles as they walked behind Shard, and the boy trailed further behind. Away from the bonfire, the temperature dropped rapidly, and you could see your breath as you spoke. Visibility further declined, with the black fog becoming even thicker. The area illuminated by their four torches seemed to be the last safe zone left in the world.

"I have one last question."

Leading the way, Shard could already see shadowy figures appearing in the black fog ahead. Though his body could withstand the bitter cold, he couldn’t help but shiver:

"Does this strange place have anything to do with a deity?"

The Tree Father’s mission involves a transaction with the God of Commerce and Wealth, not with those bizarre entities gradually appearing ahead.

"I haven’t heard, I don’t know."

The young witch decisively shook her head, pulling up her collar. Although she was wearing a thick cotton coat, her hands holding the torch were turning white from the cold. Shard nodded while catching his breath, realizing that perhaps his main task was not to help each of them achieve their trades, but to find that deity first. At this thought, he quietly observed his three companions. The boy and the old woman also seemed unable to catch their breath due to the cold and oppressive atmosphere; their faces were pale, yet none of them faltered.

"I wonder if a deity has already ambushed us here, just like in the Forest of Thousand Trees."

With this thought, he didn’t forget to pull a cotton coat out of his pocket and put it on. The other three were also prepared, so they didn’t need Shard’s help.

The so-called "Black Mist Camp," was actually quite close to the bonfire but was unnoticeable earlier due to the effect of the black fog. As the group proceeded, shivering and holding their torches, in just over a dozen steps, they reached their destination at the end of the uphill path.

The terrain was expansive, with the odd weeds and wildflowers on the ground cleared away, revealing a black soil covered in frost. In the mist, shadowy figures appeared, half-transparent and void-like, as the fog dissipated under the torchlight. They either sat cross-legged or stood, each resembling the other in form, with their own wares and stalls in front of them.

But all the shadows here were completely motionless, and there was no sound at all. The place was like a frozen painting, with shadows, stalls, and the criss-crossing paths between them. As for the camp itself, it looked quite large, or maybe because visibility was restricted, they couldn’t see far, making it seem endless at a glance.

Besides the four of them, there should be no other guests here. The eerie scene illuminated by the torchlight made Shard and the others instinctively pause.

"Look over here."

At the camp entrance at the end of the path, a broken bulletin board was slanted into the soil. Holding up the torch to take a closer look, they saw various disordered claw marks forming crooked letters on the board. The densely packed letters were not only understandable to Shard, who could read all languages, but the other three could understand them too.

Because these were the words of the Fifth Era:

[Fairness, fairness, fairness]

"That’s not bad."

Shard murmured, his breath extending into the mist beyond the reach of the torchlight. Adjusting his breathing, he asked the young witch beside him:

"Who do you want to trade with?"

From the camp entrance, most of the goods on the stalls were obscured by thicker black fog, making it impossible to discern what they were selling. The few visible items were bloody limbs or strange meat chunks wriggling in filthy jars. Coupled with the indistinguishable shadows, finding a specific target wasn’t easy.

"I don’t know either, but since I’ve taken someone’s money, I can’t avoid taking any risks. I already have a plan, please follow me."

It was clear that she was also somewhat afraid of this place, but she bravely stepped forward. After shivering and giving Mrs. Miles a few admonitions, she bypassed Shard and, holding her torch, approached the stall on the left side of the camp entrance.