Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic-Chapter 447: The Gambling Table of the God of Gambling

Because they could only stay for twenty minutes this time, Shard had to avoid topics that would drive Mr. Riddle mad and patiently inquire about the situation here.

Upon hearing that Shard wanted to know about the room, the disheveled man lowered his voice, and with bloodshot, swollen eyes and a painfully grim smile, he looked at Shard:

"Horror Fortress has no exit—entry is possible but not departure. However, a few beings can escape by other means. Look at this, sir!"

He pointed to the square table in the center of the room, which the oil lamp only half illuminated:

"This looks like a table..."

"What is it actually?"

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"It actually is a table! But don't be disappointed, this table is what the witches call a Relic! This table can summon a deity! I have completely figured it out, using this sealed table here, if you win against a deity in a gambling game, you can make a wish to them, and then we can get out!"

"A Relic for summoning deities? Winning against a deity in a gambling game?"

Although he quite believed the judgment made by the woman's voice next to him, Shard still subconsciously took a step away from Mr. Riddle:

"Speaking of which, how do you manage to eat here?"

He asked nonchalantly:

"I'm getting a bit hungry, do you have any food that a human can eat?"

"That's simple, in one of my previous adventures, I got a Relic that can transform any ordinary object into food,"

Without any suspicion, Mr. Riddle pulled out a palm-sized, flat hexagonal prism-shaped bronze metal box from under his robe and handed it to Shard.

Shard hesitated before taking it and confirmed it was indeed a Relic. The lid of the box could be removed, and inside were some small biscuits.

"This can turn any ordinary object into food, although the taste isn't good, and it makes one crave the object before its transformation. I usually use stones and dust here, but I've tried, and it can even transform feces."

Mr. Riddle explained, and Shard thought he had heard of this from Priest Augustus, so he instantly lost any interest in the biscuits.

He was very interested in the Prophet's story of how he acquired this Relic, considering that the other person was just an ordinary human, Mr. Riddle was definitely the most admirable ordinary person he had ever seen. But that memory was also blurred, and Mr. Riddle could only say it was an adventure long ago, but he couldn't remember the specifics.

After returning the Relic to Mr. Riddle, the disheveled middle-aged man smiled happily:

"Getting drinking water is a bit more troublesome, but fortunately, it's quite damp here, and by using simple earthen methods, we can collect some dew when the temperature changes greatly each day. Are you thirsty? I still have some left here."

"No, no, I still have some water on me. I actually was..."

He wanted to fabricate his own identity, but Mr. Riddle shook his head:

"No need to tell me, as long as you are human and want to get out."

"Yes, I too want to get out,"

said Shard, taking out a wooden tube filled with water from his pocket and handing it to the other:

"Do you need water? I still have plenty."

Taking the container Shard handed him, and after hesitating, licking his cracked lips, the middle-aged man pulled the stopper and guzzled down all the water, Shard shook his head in commiseration:

"This gamble, you'll probably have to play, I can only help from the side."

Although interested in this so-called "gamble with the deity," Father of the Infinite Tree's request was to assist Mr. Riddle, not for Shard to personally gamble.

"Of course, I found this room, and I won't place my hope of escaping onto someone else."

After drinking water, Mr. Riddle, looking somewhat tired, thanked Shard:

"I can't even be sure if you are just an illusion created by my mind on the brink of collapse."

"Just think of me as a person sent by the deity to help you."

Shard casually said:

"By the way, Mr. Riddle, which deity do you worship? I didn't catch it when you were praying just now."

"Mr. Ring."

The middle-aged man spoke seriously, tracing a roughly circular holy emblem on his chest. Shard thought for a moment but indeed hadn't heard of this deity:

"Sorry, this is..."

"No need to apologize. This is an ancient deity who governs 'Fate' and 'Cyclical Recurrence.' Many believe He has long departed, but my companions and I have glimpsed His accomplishments in ancient scripts. Mr. Ring is a true creator deity, greater than all known deities, an Ancient God."

From his description, this Mr. Ring was very likely the Ancient God corresponding to 'Impermanence: Fate.'

Thinking about it, in the Fifth Era when ancient gods had long departed, the ancient god of Time sent Shard from the Sixth Era to save the faithful believer of the god of Fate. It seemed that Shard indeed was sent by the deity to help this gentleman.

"I've survived in Horror Fortress for a long time but still can't uncover any of its secrets. One day not so long ago, I finally accepted my fate of death and calmed down to pray to my Lord for the last time; as if fate itself guided me, I found this room and understood how to use this relic."

"How did you come to understand it?"

Shard asked curiously and then suddenly widened his eyes, thinking of a possibility:

"You didn't... hear a voice inside your own mind, did you?"

He suspected he encountered the first Circle Sorcerer in history, but the voice he had just heard said the man was an ordinary person. Moreover, Circle Sorcerers in the Fifth Era should all be women.

"No, no, although I'm on the verge of mental breakdown, I haven't reached that point yet."

Mr. Riddle shook his head:

"When I entered the door, the corpses by the wall chanted together. You can't imagine how terrifying that scene was. They informed me about this place and how to use what they referred to as the Unclassified Level Relic 'God of Gambling's Table.' I understood their different languages, which is why I knew I could understand all languages here. I was so scared I fainted on the floor... I don't know how long it was before I woke up. Sorry, my pocket watch broke a long time ago."

Actually, even if it hadn't broken, the pocket watch wouldn't necessarily be helpful. This place, like Hope Town and the Forest of Thousand Trees, lacks a clear time reference. Even Shard's 'Time Perception' could only know it was the winter of the Year 1784 of the Fifth Era.

But when Shard upgraded his 'Time Perception' to be able to discern the true time of the Sixth Era, he would also be able to know more specific time in such eerie places.

"Sir, I was hesitating whether or not to sit at the gambling table, but then you appeared. I think now is the time, it's time to start. Even if I have to gamble with a deity, I must confront it."

Mr. Riddle nodded solemnly at Shard, and Shard also nodded:

"Then let's begin, Mr. Riddle, I will assist you until the gamble ends."

"That would be great, having someone to talk to is much better than being alone... no matter what you are."

He probably still doubted whether Shard was just an illusion formed at the edge of his mental collapse.