Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic-Chapter 1527: Dawn Chapel of Randall Valley
"Good morning, Doctor."
Though distant Tobesk City welcomed early spring rain, Wednesday in Randall Valley greeted with a rare spell of good weather.
No snow, no earthquakes, and certainly no outbreaks of widespread infectious diseases; even the sulfurous gray fog that lingered all winter had vanished.
More than half a week had passed since the major earthquake, and the lives of Randall Valley citizens were gradually returning to normal. After all, everyone had to eat, everyone had to take care of their family. People didn’t forget the deceased, but living people were more important.
Thus, on this sunny morning, in front of the Dawn Chapel in the northeast part of the city, on the west bank of the Elon River, Shard waved cheerfully at Dr. Schneider.
The doctor clearly arrived earlier than Shard. He was seated on a long bench facing the entrance of the Dawn Chapel, located by the riverside, reading a local newspaper. On the other side of the bench, an old man leaning on a cane was bent over feeding pigeons, while on another nearby bench, a middle-aged gentleman was brushing dirt off his child’s knees.
"Oh, Detective, good morning. The weather today is really nice, it finally feels a bit like spring."
Dr. Schneider put down the newspaper and stood up with a smile, and Shard warmly shook his hand:
"How has the sightseeing around Randall Valley been these past few days?"
"Very nice. Ever since I started running my clinic, I haven’t been able to get out for a walk for quite a while. Perhaps I should take a short trip every year, it’s good for a psychiatrist like me to maintain a pleasant mood."
The doctor replied, folding the newspaper and tucking it into the outer pocket of his overcoat, then lowered his voice to remind:
"Turn up your collar, Detective, the marks on your neck are too obvious."
"Oh!"
Shard quickly bowed his head to look, then realized he couldn’t really see his own neck, so he had to turn up his collar. Luckily, the weather was still cold, so this attire didn’t look strange.
"Well, let’s go, hope Cleric Mephistopheles, I mean Bishop Mephistopheles, is at the church today."
With that, the two of them headed towards the bustling church.
The church faced the riverbank, separated from the gas lamps, benches, and rectangular wooden flower boxes along the riverside by a wide road. Crossing the street beside the river led to the small plaza in front of the church, followed by the steps.
And because it was adjacent to the riverbank, considering summer disaster prevention, there were thirteen steps in front of the local Dawn Chapel, making the church look even more grand.
Although it was a weekday morning, citizens, after experiencing such a great disaster, were evidently more willing than usual to frequently pray to Deities for peace. It wasn’t about placing their safety on external forces; they simply had no other choice.
Passing by those truly devout believers, Shard adjusted his collar and asked:
"Speaking of which, Doctor, any big news in Randall Valley these past few days?"
"Certainly, the identity of travelers in all city hotels is being verified. I was even checked three times over two days because of my Draleon appearance."
Discussing this topic, the doctor seemed rather displeased, then lowered his voice and muttered in the Northern language with a Tobesk accent:
"These Southerners, they just discriminate against Draleon people."
Shard didn’t ask the doctor how he evaded checks, nor did he remind him that "Southerners" was also a discriminatory term, but simply laughed as they climbed the steps, saying:
"Such inspections are bound to happen. I’m more curious about how the newspapers explained the landslide and fireball phenomena from early Saturday morning."
Although the final battle occurred outside the city, both the battle between the Thirteen Ring Sorcerers and the Guardians, Iluna’s Power of the Earth: Earth Energy Cannon, and the subsequent God vs. God battle all had effects of sound and light that could be clearly observed from within the city. The girls at Wilder Opera House could attest to that.
"These were all secondary disasters triggered by the earthquake. The landslide was due to the earthquake, the fireballs from ignited subterranean gas, the singing was an illusion, and the heavenly light was an unknown astronomical phenomenon akin to auroras before earthquakes."
The doctor said, people around didn’t turn their heads because of their conversation, as it was something everyone in the city had been discussing these past few days.
"I see..."
Shard nodded, reaching the end of the steps with the doctor, then they entered the main entrance of the Dawn Chapel along with the crowd.
The grand metal double doors of the church were clearly wide open, but upon crossing the threshold, you immediately felt the indoor temperature was at least ten degrees higher than outside, and the air was filled with a soothing aroma of incense. Additionally, the colorful stained-glass windows in the church’s nave, the walls, the dome’s religious frescoes, and the psychological impact of the miracle elements together instilled a sense of sacredness in the church.
"So how do you explain the monsters? In the city, there were also fossilized creatures and fallen elemental giants, right?"
Shard lowered his voice and asked, and the doctor looked at him with surprise:
"That’s a strange question. Explain? Why explain? The newspapers didn’t even mention it. Detective, what you mentioned are just rumors among the townsfolk. I think these must be illusions created by people in panic during the earthquake, in their fear and anxiety. Moreover, it was nighttime, which tends to amplify fear, making normal things appear monstrous. Through exaggeration in word-of-mouth, such urban legends emerge."
He said earnestly:
"As a licensed professional psychologist, I want to give you a suggestion. If you encounter such patients, you can refer them to me for treatment. ’Post-traumatic stress disorder’ after major disasters has been a cutting-edge research topic in the field of psychology in recent years. I am very willing to help these patients... My fees are quite affordable."
Hearing this, Shard knowingly nodded. Clearly, the City Hall would explain whatever they could, and remain silent on what they couldn’t. After all, in this already superstitious era, people would be more than happy to find their own acceptable reasons.
The local unicorn legends, rumors of the Elven Tribe, and those stories from Randall Valley that Shard had encountered, were mostly formed in this manner.
Only this land can remember the truth of all stories, as it did in the past, and as it does now.
"Excuse me, sir, are you a psychologist?"
Shard and the doctor did not stay in the nave since it was clearly not a place for conversation. They were whispering and walking toward the interior of the church. Although Dr. Schneider believed in the True God, the God of Nature and Malice, the Lord of All Things, Shard, at least outwardly, believed in the God of Light and Shadow, Mr. Dawn. Therefore, they originally planned to let Shard pray first.
But just as they passed through the nave, where a collective confession ceremony was being held, and came to the side corridor, before they could approach the prayer room to the side, an old man coming out of it curiously interrupted their conversation.
He was dressed in clergy robes, appearing older than Priest Augustus. Although his hair was white, he seemed in good spirits. When speaking in Casenric with a slight Randall Valley accent, his tone had a certain melodic quality.
"Who might you be..."
Shard observed the old man’s attire. Although it was the traditional style of clergy robes, the details, such as the robe’s edging, indicated his identity. Shard was familiar with Bishop Kanas Owen of his parish and well knew the bishop’s attire:
"Are you Bishop Mephistopheles?"
Neither he nor the doctor had expected to find their person so easily. They initially thought it would take some effort.
"Yes, friends from the Northern Country, I apologize for interrupting your conversation."
The old man said with a smile. As the corridor was momentarily empty, the three of them talked there.
The doctor introduced himself:
"I am indeed a psychologist. Do you have something you’d like to discuss?"
"Yes, since last week’s earthquake, the number of believers coming to pray in the church has noticeably increased. While I am pleased that people can take solace in our Lord, sometimes a few small psychological techniques can also help these poor souls quickly rid themselves of those dreadful memories."
Bishop Mephistopheles had the typical southern appearance, with notably high cheekbones yet a slightly lower nose. Like Dr. Schneider, his eyes were blue, but perhaps due to his age, the old gentleman’s eyes were slightly dimmer in color. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦
"Psychology can indeed be effective in such situations. I’ve always believed that priests should additionally study psychology beyond theology. Unfortunately, this discipline is not as recognized as ’mechanical engineering’ or ’business studies.’ For those suffering from major disasters, psychological counseling, after ensuring physical safety, is also crucial. The Draleon Psychological Association has compiled statistics showing that after disasters like earthquakes, tsunamis, or storms, there is a noticeable peak in suicide rates. The surveyed population wasn’t just limited to the poor but included the middle class as well."
The doctor spoke earnestly about his professional field and went on to discuss the differences between psychological studies in Draleon and Carsonrick.
This not only touched upon the funding differences between higher institutions in the two nations but also their peoples’ differing perceptions of psychology. The advent of the Steam Age has propelled social development, and rapid change means people cannot instantly adapt to all the transformations.
But it was clear that Bishop Mephistopheles was quite interested in the topic of psychology and chatted with Dr. Schneider for a full twenty minutes.
As the topic neared its end, Shard finally spoke of the real purpose of their visit today:
"Bishop Mephistopheles, we actually have something to discuss with you."
He took out a letter, which he had Dr. Augustus write at Dawn Chapel after leaving Galina Manor that morning:
"The doctor and I are actually Tobesk people. Before we left our hometown to come here, an Old Cleric from the Tobesk Parish entrusted us to deliver a letter to you."
