Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic-Chapter 827: The Impermanence Card of the Prophet’s Society

"Because [Fate] is really too difficult to obtain."

Iluna complained softly.

Luviya smiled and agreed:

"Yes, [Fate] is the most unattainable Spirit Rune."

However, among the four core Spirit Runes of the purple-eyed girl—[Noble][Fate][Destroyer][Misfortune]—there is [Fate]. Luviya is said to be a "natural Diviner," and her core Spirit Runes directly point to the profession of "Diviner." Otherwise, the Prophet’s Society would not have entrusted her with the precious joint cultivation qualification.

Iluna then said to Shard:

"Tomorrow morning, the Midshire Fort Parish will help me perform a ritual for ascension. This way, I can officially become Inner Ring, so once again I’ll be one ring higher than you."

"Ever since I met you, you always seem to be one ring higher than me."

Shard was also very happy for her, and as for Luviya, she watched the two with a smile:

"Although there were many unexpected incidents along the way, the matter of the third Chosen One has finally come to an end. Shard, next week you will need to talk to Sister Delphine and inform her of what we are doing. Although she cannot be as close to us as Iluna, she is nonetheless a trustworthy friend."

This made Iluna even happier. The three were still three, and she was still the only Chosen One among them, which was very important to her.

"This trip to Midshire Fort was really exhausting, I truly hope that the fourth Chosen One doesn’t appear so soon."

Iluna leaned on the sofa, looking comfortably at Shard’s house:

"When I get back to Tobesk, shall we go to the opera together? It’s been a long time since we’ve relaxed."

She suggested, and of course, Shard and Luviya both nodded in agreement.

"Speaking of which, how is the Priest Augustus now?"

Shard asked again.

"I know that. The old clerics transferred from the Old Continent were split up and sent back to their original parishes on Thursday. The church is worried that the dense Breath of Death in Midshire Fort might affect them. Although I will take the Steam Hover Zeppelin tomorrow, Lat Augustus the Cleric may return here even earlier than I do."

Shard nodded. He had not forgotten that the cleric wanted to talk to him about the topic of "Angels."

Iluna and Luviya continued to discuss the Chosen Ones. Sister Delphine had not reappeared since the battle at Midshire Fort, but the church already knew from Iluna’s description that the current leader of the [Spiritual Practice Order] was the Chosen One of Death.

Although the [Spiritual Practice Order] is peculiar in its conduct, it is indeed a good-aligned Circle Sorcerer group overall. According to Iluna, the church is trying to contact the order—which is not difficult—and most likely Sister Delphine, who is currently in contact with the Witch Council, would not mind getting in touch with the church again.

As they talked, Shard took out his Roder Card deck from his pocket. [Genesis: Death] flew out automatically and hovered in front of Luviya. The purple-eyed girl refocused her eyes to see the card up close and reached out to "pluck" it down:

"Shard, how many times do I have to tell you, even if you have gained the power to handle the Impermanence Card, it is absolutely impossible for you to be..."

"No, what I mean is, I have to go to the Prophet’s Society with you later, and this card needs to be authenticated before it can be used, right?"

Iluna couldn’t stay in Tobesk for long, let alone leave No. 6, Saint Delan Square to wander the city. She soon returned from the basement to the Ruined Tower in the Sicarl Mountain.

Shard, holding Mia, walked with Luviya under an umbrella to have lunch on Silver Cross Avenue. At half-past one, he sent Luviya back to work at the Prophet’s Society, and then found the association’s Vice-President Mark.

The Prophet’s Society was still bustling on rainy days. The Roder Card appraisal section on the first floor had as long a queue as when Shard first visited during the midsummer.

Many people recognized the championship winner of the Big City Players, waving to greet him. Vice-President Mark, who was originally handling a counterfeit Roder Card on the first floor, temporarily set aside his work upon hearing that Shard had arrived and walked upstairs with him:

"Mr. Hamilton, haven’t seen you in several weeks. What have you been busy with lately?"

Vice-President Mark remained enthusiastic as ever, inviting him to sit in the upstairs office.

But Shard politely declined the invitation:

"I’ve been dealing with the last commission Uncle Sparrow accepted before he left. You wouldn’t believe the troubles I’ve encountered. There were some unexpected incidents; I was forced into an unseemly brawl with a drunk by a lakeshore in the countryside. In the end, though, I kicked him away and recovered those two precious butterflies."

Shard complained about his work, and Vice-President Mark sighed deeply, saying:

"The detective profession is truly not easy. Mr. Hamilton, you must be careful."

Shard nodded and walked with Vice-President Cyndia Mark to the third floor. Seeing no one in the corridor, he whispered:

"I’m here to appraise a Roder Card."

The tall, thin middle-aged man blinked, stopped, and leaned against the wall:

"If you made a special trip here, it must not be an ordinary card. Is it a very ancient card? Or a very rare Special Card?"

"A very ancient card."

Shard replied. Vice-President Mark took a deep breath, then slowly adjusted his breathing to calm his fast-beating heart:

"Older than that Demon Card?"

"Yes."

Shard nodded again, and the man in front of him widened his eyes:

"It seems this is another big deal. Now, you can give me the card."

Shard took out [Genesis: Death] from his pocket and handed it over. The man’s body leaned back immediately upon seeing the card face. Luckily, there was a freshly repainted wall behind him, so he didn’t fall:

"Oh, this is really..."

Breathing heavily, his face flushed with excitement, he held the card up high under the gaslight, like holding an invaluable treasure... Indeed, the Genesis Series Roder Cards are priceless treasures.

"Mr. Mark, I’ll leave this card at the association for appraisal. I’ll come back to retrieve it in three days. The association and I are so familiar; I trust you all."

Shard could draw [Genesis: Death] from his deck at any time, so Balance, Dark, and Death were not at risk of being lost.

"No problem, of course, no problem. Oh, Genesis: Death, I really didn’t expect it. It’s so beautiful."

Shard smiled and looked at the painting above Vice-President Mark’s head, a scene of a middle-aged professor teaching his students:

"This card is highly likely to be authentic. I hope the association can issue an appraisal certificate as soon as possible."

"Of course. Mr. Hamilton, this is already your fourth Genesis Series Roder Card, isn’t it? Silvermoon, Balance, Dark, Death."

Vice-President Mark groaned and continued walking to the office with Shard:

"Let’s have a drink to celebrate. I have a great 1843 vintage wine from Huntington City, the ’City of Red Wine’ in Carsonrick, in my collection."

"Yes, four cards. I want to inquire if the association has any intention to sell the two Genesis Series cards in its collection. While I certainly can’t afford them, I’d like to know."

Shard asked again. Vice-President Mark was not surprised by Shard’s thought; he smiled instead:

"Detective, you’re not the first Roder Card player to want to buy those two cards from the association, nor will you be the last.

The cards are currently under the highest security level in the headquarters of the Prophet’s Society in the City of Lain, the capital of the Duchy of Lagerson, in the central United Kingdom of Carsonrick. A longstanding association policy declares that those two cards are not for sale and cannot be exchanged in any form."

Shard was not surprised. If those two [Genesis] cards weren’t non-transferable, they would have already been bought. There are plenty of wealthy and fanatic Roder Card players:

"So, there’s no way for me to obtain those two cards?"

"Currently, that’s the case. However, I can ask President Stan, and we can jointly write a letter to the headquarters to inquire about the current status of those two cards."

He opened the office door; the room was well lit, but it was still raining outside.

"Please come in."

"Alright, may I know which two cards the association has?"

Mr. Mark recalled for a moment:

"One is [Genesis: Fate], discovered from the notes of an ancient Diviner."

An ancient Diviner was none other than Mr. Riddle, who played cards with the God of Gambling in the Horror Fortress during the Fifth Era alongside Shard.

"The other was found a hundred years ago by Mr. Charnham Road, the president of the Prophet’s Society who created the Roder Card game. It is [Genesis: Knowledge]."