Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic

Seeing the determination in Shard's eyes, Miss Feliana chuckled and shook her head:

"Helping us was never your responsibility. Although I don't know who assigned you the task, it probably wasn't mandatory, otherwise you wouldn't be so relaxed. Just do your best. While you're willing to call me 'teacher,' I'm not one to be very strict... What do you think about that?"

She suddenly turned to the Moon Witch, who was covering her mouth with laughter. The young lady with long blonde hair immediately covered her mouth and shook her head as if startled:

"Of course not, teacher. You're the kindest and most considerate witch I have ever met when it comes to students."

The Tree Witch also nodded in agreement, and Shard had a pretty good understanding of Miss Feliana's character by now.

The Key of 3002 allows Shard to stay for half an hour at a time. The earlier conversation about the God Summoning Ritual with Miss Feliana took quite a while. Afterwards, Miss Feliana finally inquired about Shard's encounter with the Evil God, seemingly to refine her own novel "Mana's Adventure Stories" and leave more experience for future witches on how to escape from Evil Gods.

So, after Miss Feliana had no other questions, Shard had only about five minutes left to stay.

The task of searching for lost ritual items in the woods certainly didn't require the involvement of a Circle Sorcerer with minuscule strength like Shard, so he planned to use the remaining time to ask the witches about matters related to the Ancient Gods.

"Whispering Verses" would not appear until two thousand years later so it couldn't be inquired, and modern events were too frightening for the witches to hear about, so he had no choice but to ask about them. Disappointingly, though Miss Feliana knew the secret of the Impermanence Card, the witches didn't know much about the Ancient Gods either. They had only heard about the special White Mist Space left by the Ancient Gods that Shard mentioned.

"I don't know how you perceive me, but at least the current me isn't the all-knowing person you seem to think I am," Miss Feliana said to Shard as he showed a regretful expression.

According to the Academy's historical records and legends, Miss Feliana was very young when she founded Saint Byrons and lived there for many years after establishing the Academy as its first principal. Thus, the Miss Feliana that Shard was meeting now, although already at the Thirteenth Rank, was still only in the early stages of her life and not the nearly omniscient principal of history and legend.

"Actually, my purpose in traveling through time, apart from witnessing more stories and completing some necessary tasks, is mainly to uncover the secrets of the Ancient Gods."

Shard briefly explained his thoughts, and Miss Feliana nodded without giving any opinion, probably just taking it as listening to a story from a young man. But the Moon Witch, who had finished copying the information Shard brought and was helping him organize his briefcase, suddenly spoke up.

The real ages of these witches are definitely greater than their appearances suggest, but their personalities closely match those appearances. In Shard's view, Miss Feliana seemed like a knowledgeable and composed lady, the Tree Witch was reserved and serene, while the Moon Witch was more vivacious.

This time, the young witch was quite melancholic:

"Is this your life?"

"No, time travel is just a small part of my life. I am primarily a detective, but my most time-consuming activity is taking care of cats."

Shard explained. The Moon Witch sighed, lowered her head and started organizing the documents in her hands:

"To wander through time and witness different stories, and then lead a fulfilling and peaceful life in one's own time... Sir, the life you have is probably the best kind of life I can imagine."
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"It sounds like you mean that I'm not treating you well?"

Miss Feliana asked somewhat displeased, but this time her student did not deny her previous words:

"Teacher, before I met you, I was just an orphan girl selling flowers on the street. It is only after following you that I have the life I have today. I am content with my current life; it is the best life one could have in this era. But sometimes I wonder, if I had not lived in this era but in a more peaceful world without wars, conspiracies, or even mysticism and the supernatural, what my life would have been like..."

Miss Feliana shook her head and said to Shard:

"Look, this is what happens when someone has been eroded by this forest for too long, causing instability in emotions and personality. Right now, it is just occasional low spirits and sentimentality like an ordinary woman during that special time of the month, but it could get much worse over time."

"Teacher, I... was just feeling a bit sentimental after hearing what the gentleman said,"

the blonde-haired witch whispered in her defense as her companion patted her hand, signaling her to say no more.

"Actually, my life is not so great either. Do you think being forced to face an Evil God is a good life?"

Shard retorted, understanding the Moon Witch's sentiment. Back in his homeland, Shard sometimes wondered what life would be like in a world with supernatural powers. But having arrived here, he found himself yearning for the stability of his previous life:

"You're only seeing the good side of my life, but you can't imagine that a few weeks ago, while walking on the street, I was almost killed by someone for no apparent reason."

"Is your era also one of chaos and disorder?"

Miss Feliana murmured softly, then signaled that Shard did not need to explain further.

"As for a world without the supernatural..."

Shard looked toward the campfire before him:

"The burden of life will crush us who have no home."

The canopy of the massive tree above concealed the night sky, and the reddish-gold campfire cast the shadows of four people in four directions. Watching the crackling flames, Shard thought of his two lives:

"When you can't have it, you envy others; when you have it, you think the original was best. So, to cherish the present life is right, and I am the one who envies you, ma'am, I truly envy you for having such a good teacher."

Miss Feliana, who had been praised by Shard, smiled at him, and the Moon Witch also looked up and laughed:

"You certainly have a way with words, the teacher loves to hear such things... Alright, teacher, I'll say no more. But sir, would you accept a gift?"

"A gift?"

Shard, not understanding, looked toward the witches in the brightness of the campfire, and all three smiled back at him:

"After you left last time, we discussed that your power is too weak. No matter what, we should give you some power. But the barrier of time makes many things difficult to accomplish, not to mention that our mysticism power systems are different. Fortunately, the teacher knows a bit about the Circle Sorcerer System and understands that the Deity's story is also power for you."

"But power isn't just obtained by listening to stories."

Shard wanted to elaborate on the matter of the Miracle Element, but Miss Feliana interrupted him:

"Through repeated understanding and listening, capturing the traces left by the Deity in the world at the instant when the Light of the Mind blooms—that is the so-called way to obtain a 'miracle.' Of course, the stories we tell won't help, but those inscribed on Deity Tokens might. Quite coincidentally, in preparation for a God Summoning Ritual, we do have some items like that, inscribed with the Deity 'Blazar Gate' story. Please listen carefully."

The two young witches each went into a single-person tent to retrieve items. Miss Feliana was handed an exquisite Seven-String Lyre, the Moon Witch held a wooden spindle, and the Tree Witch carried a twig with green sprouts.

All three items were infused with a rich Miracle Element, and their surfaces were intricately inscribed with stories.

Miss Feliana stroked the lyre's strings, and whether it was the power of the lyre itself or the witch's power, the sound of the music seemingly dropped into the heart like water, spreading with the wind through the forest.

"In that ancient time, even before myths were written, the Old God walked on Earth."

Her singing was soft but exceptionally enchanting. Her fingers plucked the lyre's strings, blending perfectly with the witch's singing voice:

"On the first day, He met a fawn and gained a loyal servant."

Miss Feliana stood up from beside the campfire and approached Shard, allowing him to touch the story-inscribed Lyre.

She continued to play the strings, and amidst the lyre's sound, the Moon Witch, with spindle in hand, began to sing in a deep, ancient voice:

"On the second day, He picked a flower, adding a striking color to Himself."

The Moon Witch stood up from beside the campfire and approached Shard, allowing him to touch the story-inscribed spindle.

Miss Feliana kept playing the lyre while the Tree Witch began to sing in a voice that seemed to come from a distant place, remote and serene:

"On the third day, He met the Tree of Wisdom, harvesting the secrets of old."

The Tree Witch stood up from beside the campfire and approached Shard, allowing him to touch the story-inscribed twig.

The light of the fire flickered; Shard sat beside the campfire as the three witches stood before him, singing softly together:

"At the end of time and space, He became the Gate Guardian, watching over the fawn, caring for the flower, and guarding the great tree. When everything at last comes to an end, He shall return with all that has departed."

The final note deepened almost to silence, and the canopy above rustled with the wind, as the fire on the ground swayed with the lyre's sound, creating shadows.

The witches closed their eyes together, letting the last note tremble on, while Shard felt a pull from behind—it was time for him to go home.

"The God once walked here, The God once stayed here. He had servants, He had colors. At the end of time and space, He has always been watching this place."

"You have listened to the story of the Old God 'Blazar Gate,' you have learned the miracle of the Old God 'Blazar Gate.'

"Sorcery or Spirit Rune?"

"Outlander, you have gained the Sorcery—Key of the Door. When you encounter a lock, you can open it."