Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic-Chapter 840: After the modification: Waiting at Yordle Palace

Chapter 840: After the modification -840 Waiting at Yordle Palace

On Wednesday morning, Shard was awakened as usual by the cat waiting for breakfast. Yawning, he went downstairs to get milk and the newspaper, when he discovered the letter lying on the doormat.

The stamp showing the scenery of Tis Lake on the envelope was very beautiful, and the return address was from a small town on the Eastern Old Continent Tis Lake Shore. It was a letter from Miss Mia Sun Gold:

“It’s already mid-Frostfall Moon, finally Miss Gawder’s letter has arrived! I thought she had encountered some problem.”

Shard shifted his gaze from the letter, turned, and said to Mia Cat, who was waiting for him at the top of the stairs:

“Look, it’s a letter from your owner, Miss Gawder.”

“Meow~”

The cat licked its paw, showing no particular reaction.

Miss Gawder’s letter was supposed to arrive at the beginning of the month, and the reason for the delay was mentioned in the letter.

Unfortunately, the gradually declining small town experienced an already controlled plague last month. The church stationed in the town discovered some terrible signs and urgently requested assistance from the Church in the big city. Although the local residents did not know exactly what had happened, Miss Gawder had already heard some far-fetched rumors.

Even though her family had “already declined,” as mentioned many times in the letter, they were still a prominent ancient family in the town, therefore well-informed. According to Miss Gawder, something strange was found in the coastal bay caves, and subsequently, the investigation teams from the Church and police from the big city discovered items related to the plague’s source in the town’s ancient sewer systems.

Miss Gawder believed the Church had controlled everything. Miss Gawder herself, already suffering from a cold, had been recuperating all autumn. This incident had further worsened her condition.

Yet she still personally wrote to Tobesk, promising to come pick up her pet cat Mia next spring.

This made Shard very worried, not only about Miss Mia Gold’s health but also the potential separation from Mia.

But he couldn’t take advantage of Miss Gawder’s illness to propose buying Mia. Hence, he sincerely wrote back, using three pages to express his wishes for Miss Gawder and include an update about Mia Cat’s life.

Concerns about the situation in that remote coastal town being related to Circle Sorcerers and Relics prompted Shard to suggest in his letter that Miss Gawder frequently visit the local church. Since the Church was already aware of the town’s issues, the Circle Sorcerers stationed there would be much safer than staying in the “gloomy, desolate” old family mansion described by Miss Gawder.

“Anyway, I sincerely wish Miss Gawder a speedy recovery this winter.”

Shard expressed his heartfelt wishes, then sealed the envelope with glue and wax. Patting the head of the well-behaved sitting Mia, he couldn’t help but feel a bit worried about the coming spring.

After breakfast and writing the reply, he intended to mail the letter. However, upon saying goodbye to the unwilling-to-go-out cat and opening the door, he was met by his long-unseen superior, Mr. Dark Anros, the head of MI6.

This very ordinary-looking man, dressed in an unobtrusive black coat with hands in his pockets, wore a black hat on his head. Following him was an effeminately handsome man.

“A royal palace eunuch attendant.”

Shard immediately understood.

“Good morning, Mr. Hamilton,”

Mr. Anros greeted, shaking Shard’s hand:

“Ready to go out?”

“Oh, nothing much, just planning to mail a letter to a distant client.”

Shard patted the coat pocket containing the letter.

“Then mail the letter later; His Majesty wants to see you in an hour.”

Saying this, Director Anros introduced the royal palace attendant behind him, who respectfully greeted Shard without saying much else. Though Shard had known about this meeting two weeks prior, he still feigned curiosity and asked Director Anros about the purpose of meeting His Majesty the King.

But even usually friendly Director Anros didn’t provide an answer this time. He shook his head with a frown, clearly not wanting to discuss such matters in front of the kingdom’s guards.

Saint Delan Square was quite close to Yordle Palace, just a street away, but the three still took a carriage. Since Director Anros was scheduled to meet after Shard, before the stringent body search, Shard handed over his two guns and his various toy-filled coat to Director Anros for temporary safekeeping.

Then, led by the guard in a red coat and black pants, Shard departed from the waiting room, traversed the labyrinthine third-floor corridors of Yordle Palace’s main building, and stopped in front of a door guarded by two armor-clad, ancient-looking guards holding long rifles.

Shard couldn’t enter immediately, as Larus III was still conversing with someone in the study. The walls and the double metal doors were well soundproofed, so nothing could be heard from outside.

However, Yordle Palace itself was not quiet; it was not only the residential palace of the Royal Family but also the administrative and management center of the entire kingdom. When Shard entered from the first floor earlier, he saw many faces frequently featured in newspapers. Strangely enough, most of them even recognized him, greeting and chatting as if they had long known Shard.

The scheduled audience time was ten-thirty in the morning, but even near eleven, the door remained closed. Wanting to chat with someone, he found the stern-faced red-clad eunuch attendant an unsuitable conversation partner, and the guards at the door, looking more like statues than living beings, were unlikely to chat about the recent weather with Shard.

“Truly unpunctual,”

Shard muttered in his mind, but considering the generous salary, waiting seemed trivial. Bored, he began examining the expensive paintings on the wall, remembering Director Anros’s plan to give him a raise in the fall. Currently, Shard was receiving a major level’s weekly salary with reimbursement benefits, and due to the lack of continuous promotion opportunities, Director Anros seemed to find another way to give him a Tobesk City allowance — a housing subsidy for officers residing in Tobesk’s core area.

As Shard was illiterate, otherwise, he could even apply for an academic subsidy.

Thinking about his income, he wondered whether to spend his savings quickly or save for emergencies.

At that moment, a series of footsteps echoed from the other end of the corridor, indicating someone was approaching.

Turning around, he saw a tall red-haired man, in his thirties, leading the way on the red carpet. Although somewhat overweight, he was still rather robust:

“I’ve said many times, personnel appointments of the Pioneer Legion require Senate approval. I know father wants to train you both, but we absolutely cannot bypass the Senate!”

Following him was another red-haired young man, around twenty-five or twenty-six, thin, wearing glasses, and looking worried:

“The Senate process takes at least a month, but the Purple Gold Mine in Sector 28 of the New World needs immediate mining. Carsonrick’s spies have discovered those open-air mines; we must start work immediately.”

Further back was the red-haired Lecia, frowning slightly, clearly troubled:

“There’s no issue with logistics for now, but I need detailed reports on that large mine’s exact size to allocate new mining equipment. What are those leeches in the Finance Ministry hiding? Are those officials too satisfied with their jobs? Also, my shipyard project report — why has the Senate held it back again? I’ve even negotiated the general plan with the Aphrola Family; do you know how difficult Baroness Hevy Aurora is?”

The Draleon Princess and Princes, followed by their attendants and servants, arguing as they walked along the corridor to the study door.

Seeing Shard, they immediately ceased their discussion. Lecia, at the rear, smiled. Although using Dorothy’s body, they had met on the previous Saturday, she was now in her own body and in her home. She wanted to greet Shard but had to let her brothers speak first.