Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic-Chapter 1023: Saint Byrons Under the Night Sky

Miss Danester contacted Shard this time without any special reason, she just wanted to inquire about his progress in collecting Spiritual Light.

Actually, Shard had made no progress, but at least he had established a connection with Princess Margaret and formed a relatively friendly relationship with Sir Prisia at the reading salon.

The Thirteen-Ring Sorceress was somewhat dissatisfied with Shard’s progress, but understood his difficulties and thus did not push him too much.

However, Shard asked a question and then got a surprising answer:

"Miss Danester, during my background check, I discovered that Sir Prisia’s family is quite ancient. It is rumored that many years ago, it was a renowned Circle Sorcerer family. I wonder if this is true."

"Yes."

The lady on the sofa nodded. Although it was already late at night, the Saint Byrons Library was far from quiet this evening. The Slumber Moon is the last month of the year. With the exam week approaching, students of the Academy were seizing the little time left in the year, supplementing their final knowledge for the most important upgrade exams at the year’s end.

The library even lit more lights for this. At this moment, the gigantic star map above was emitting a soft glow. Over those rows of bookshelves, golden candlesticks were scattered and suspended in the air, holding candles. Clearly, many people would be unable to sleep tonight.

"In fact, many surnames with long lineages in the present era had their own glories in the previous era or even older times."

Miss Danester wasn’t surprised at Shard’s question, she seemed a bit lazy:

"When I did a background check on Lakin Prisia, I looked into the history of their family. Before Lakin Prisia, the last confirmed Circle Sorcerer was born about 300 years ago, but he didn’t join the church or the Three Major Academies and unfortunately died in a relic out-of-control incident at the Second Ring."

She waved her finger, and the white porcelain teapot embedded with golden and silver embellishments in the shape of spreading mandala flowers poured her a cup of black tea:

"Going further back, it seems roughly every 300-400 years, a Circle Sorcerer would be born in their family. While this probability is a bit high, it’s not too exaggerated. If you trace back to the Fifth Era, there are many ambiguous accounts. If you’re interested, I can tell you about it, but I don’t think it will help with your mission, and most of those tales from the previous era aren’t true anyway."

"If it’s convenient, you could tell me about it."

Shard feigned a curious expression, and Miss Danester nodded:

"The knowledge you’re now exposed to already involves exotic species like Elves, Mermaids, and Vampire Kind. Although these exotic creatures no longer appear in human society in the Sixth Era, in the early Fifth Era, marriages between humans and exotic creatures were quite common. Allegedly, the Prisia family possesses the bloodline of an exotic species, sourced from the Feathered One race. Yes, it’s the kind with a very strong curiosity but incredibly weak mental endurance."

"Feathered One..."

"Of course, another viewpoint is that the Prisia family’s strange bloodline originates from an even older era. They inherited the power of an Angel, but due to the long lapse of time, the power of the bloodline has long since disappeared... Besides Feathered Ones and Angels, there are even stranger tales, but I don’t think we need to waste time on those stories."

The sorceress sipped her teacup while looking at Shard:

"Due to the trade negotiations, Margaret Anjou’s visiting group will probably extend their stay in Tobesk, but will also return to Carsonrick before the Year-End Festival. You need to accomplish your task before then."

"One week to bring the Spiritual Light."

Shard said, he must probe Sir Prisia’s attitude towards The Chosen One and the Poem Chapter within a week, which requires him to get close to the other party, so he must complete it:

"But I need more intelligence. Does Sir Prisia have any extraordinary talents? In the worst-case scenario, I might have to fight him."

"I’ve gotten information from Xerxes Higher Medical Academy that he is quite talented academically, and his Circle Sorcerer level also advances quickly..."

Pausing for a moment, she glanced at Shard:

"Of course, there’s no comparing him to a real genius like you. Lakin Prisia has considerable mastery over the power of the Enlightenment Element, especially the power related to knowledge and books. But I am unable to know his more specific Circle Sorcerer system, as he is merely a correspondence student and Xerxes itself may not be aware of all his abilities."

Shard nodded:

"I also have some findings that Lakin Prisia is quite close to the Apna Library."

He didn’t directly claim that the other party was an academic spy.

Miss Danester pondered for a moment:

"This involves Xerxes’ internal affairs, which we need not concern ourselves with."

It seems that Xerxes itself also harbors suspicions, after all, if even Saint Byrons can suspect Dorothy, it’s reasonable that the high medical academy, as part of the Three Major Academies, would notice a real academic spy.

"Furthermore, if I acquire the Spiritual Light that could truly assist us in unraveling the book’s secrets and finding the location of the Silvermoon Library, how do I bring it to Saint Byrons?"

Shard asked again, as the projection state would weaken the Spiritual Light, unable to allow the true Spiritual Light to shine on that secretive black book. He still harbored the idea of personally visiting Saint Byrons to search for the last piece of stone tablet containing knowledge on Time Amplification.

"If Lakin Prisia’s Spiritual Light is indeed suitable, I will personally bring the book to Tobesk myself."

The Thirteen-Ring Sorceress said with an easygoing tone, Shard was stunned for a moment before he reacted:

"What?"

He had never thought of such a possibility.

"Since you are all in Tobesk, why not I visit. Moreover, your city has recently encountered some issues again, and the Academy has already dispatched several professors, I can apply to join the second batch."

Her eyes assessed Shard’s expression:

"During the autumn, Principal Mr. Pigman also went to a church-governed city due to certain matters. There’s no issue if I apply to assist this time."

"Hmm..."

This indeed sounds like quite a good idea, but for Shard, it’s not a good idea at all. He wanted to object, but Miss Danester’s reasoning was flawless, and he couldn’t think of how to oppose it even after contemplating for a while.

"In any case, the most important task at present is still to collect spiritual light."

Thus, the sorceress said, and Shard nodded. Even though the stone tablet representing the "Red Moon" has not been unsealed, the supposedly last stone tablet in Saint Byrons must not be left unsearched. Even if there’s no chance to go to Saint Byrons this time, if they truly assist Miss Danester in finding the [Silvermoon Library], and he proposes to help him again to personally experience the atmosphere of Saint Byrons, this Lady of the Thirteen Rings certainly wouldn’t refuse.

After discussing these matters, Shard was ready to take his leave, but hesitated for a moment and asked:

"Ma’am, I actually have another question."

Miss Danester smiled and nodded:

"Is it an academic question? Feel free to ask, though I’m not responsible for your History Academy courses, I am also a lifelong professor at Saint Byrons."

Shard shook his head:

"It’s not an academic question, it’s like this, a few days ago I bought an old book on the local black market, which mentioned a name from the Fifth Era, and I wanted to ask if you know that person."

"What name is it?"

"Schultz Teresa."

When Shard and Miss Galina talked about the key from the year 5177 of the Fifth Era, this name was mentioned. At that time, Miss Galina was primarily focused on Miss Violet, so she didn’t pay much attention to this unremarkable Tenth Rank Witch.

By now, the adventure of 5177 is completely over, and if there are no accidents, the extravagant yet surprisingly reliable in some aspects Witch Empress Miss Violetta, and Miss Teresa, who was diligently working on her graduation thesis but whose character was actually strong, would never appear in the Outlander’s life again.

"This name is quite common, any other clues? Like the era they lived in, or any significant achievements?"

Miss Danester asked leisurely, and Shard nodded:

"The person with this name probably lived in the late Fifth Era, was a student of Xerxes Higher Medical Academy, and was a distant relative of a certain Witch Empress."

Miss Danester furrowed her attractive eyebrows in thought:

"I do have an impression of someone fitting your description, but your description is too broad. By the end of the Fifth Era, Xerxes was already one of the largest Arcane Techniques academies, with countless Circle Sorcerers graduating; and the distant relatives of the Witch Empresses were too many to count, just like how today’s Royal Family’s ’distant relatives’ almost encompass all the nobles."

She gestured with her hand, and in three seconds, a book with a red leather cover flew from the crevice of a distant bookshelf to her hand with a "whoosh." Miss Danester opened the book, then gently pushed it, and the book glided through the air towards Shard:

"Schultz Teresa, late Fifth Era, served twenty years as the principal of Xerxes Higher Medical Academy. Due to data loss caused by the era’s transitions, even Xerxes Higher Medical Academy itself cannot clearly account for this lady’s specific life events."

The pages opened before Shard, and the description of "Schultz Teresa" only covered half of the right side, with sparse text simply detailing the information that could still be found today.

While Shard was reading, Miss Danester continued:

"We no longer know which Witch Empress she was a distant relative of, but it’s said she was blessed by a deity, possessing very high wisdom."

"So, she successfully graduated."

Shard quietly lamented in his heart, his lips curling into a smile as he took the book and placed it on the coffee table:

"This shouldn’t be the lady of the name I saw, the description I saw... she was just a girl following beside her aunt, hating writing papers, and had very ordinary talent."

Shard hoped that when he said this sentence, his face wouldn’t show too many signs of sorrow:

"Then farewell, Miss Danester... see you in a week."

"See you in a week, I wish you all the best in your endeavors, and if you need help, feel free to contact me. Finding the [Silvermoon Library] is important for both of us."

said the sorceress, watching Shard rise and disappear into the opposite chair:

"Schultz Teresa..."

gazing into the white porcelain teacup full of red tea:

"Completed the Thirteenth Rank Secret Art, the ’Immortal Witch’ demigod, Schultz Violetta Teresa."

She murmured softly, imagining the power of the Grand Witches of the previous era.

After finishing the cup of tea, she looked up at the silver-blue star disk overhead, which also served to indicate the time:

"It’s already this time."

Putting down the teacup, she summoned a student, asking the elf girl dressed in robes to strike the golden bell at the entrance of the great library. The clear bell echoed throughout the brightly lit library, resonating through the silver-clad Far North night over Saint Byrons’s castle complex and spires, and throughout the vast city that shimmered on the Far North snowfield, built in reliance on Saint Byrons.

The elves playing the lyra in the night forest, the mermaids playing in the half-frozen lake, the winged people frolicking in the snowy sky, the vampire kind illegally trading pig’s blood in narrow alleys of the steam city to the west, the dwarves playing Roder cards in taverns full of medieval fantasy flavor, humans in academy uniforms on the central academy square talking and loving on benches, dragonfolk maids cleaning on the east clock tower top, liches shaking test tubes and conducting experiments with necrology apprentices in the cemetery, centaurs checking the sleeping conditions of chocobos at night in the northern pastures, elfin kind semi-mechanical creatures maintaining steam pipeline lines in the sewers... countless people all heard the spreading bell sound.

Outside the transparent membrane surrounding the city, a blizzard raged, the undulating snow mountains reminiscent of crouching giants in the night. Although the Far North scenery was majestic, the curfew time for lower-grade students was approaching, and failing to return to the dormitory in time would lead to deductions. The bell of Saint Byrons Library served as the curfew bell for this academy city during deep night. The librarian was also one of the city’s guardians.

The Saint Byrons Integrated Academy represented not just the academy itself but also a home of coexistence among exotic creatures, humans, and various miraculous lives in the Far North.

The night was deep, and in the glow of March, a city founded by the demigod witch Mana Feliana, located on the Far North Ice Cap and carrying on two eras of legacy, ushered yet again into a new peaceful night amidst the blizzard.

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