Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic-Chapter 1535: Dinner Date

"Inside, some knowledge is overly dangerous, and some knowledge itself is a trap. In the notebook, I’ve marked out the knowledge you can learn, the knowledge you can use for reference, the knowledge you should only regard as informative, and the knowledge you better not look at. As long as you study according to my suggestions, there should be no problems. Of course, if there are any issues, be sure to come to me immediately, or use your [Night Watchman] to test yourself."

The doctor spoke very seriously.

"Thank you very much, doctor."

Shard placed the large book and notebook on the bedside table:

"Let me ask you privately about the Academy investigation business; are you ready?"

Among those few, Shard was actually most worried about Dr. Schneider, after all, Priest Augustus’s angelic power is not noticeable if not used, Luviya’s issue is undetectable even by the Guardian, and the peculiar soul connection between Dorothy and Lecia is very hidden. Only the doctor continually uses demon power, and even because of Shard, the entanglement with demons increases more and more.

"Don’t worry, demons are best at disguise and deceit. Although I am not a demon, don’t underestimate me. Ignoring the issue of luck, I have always been very reliable."

The doctor confidently said, standing up and picking up his hat to say goodbye:

"I remember you mentioned that Miss Danester, the librarian, gave you a very difficult Arcane Technique learning test. Don’t forget about this matter, there aren’t many days left in the Month of Rising Wind."

"Magic - Moon Dream."

Shard closed his eyes and sighed. When he opened his eyes again, the doctor’s footsteps were already heard downstairs.

After the doctor left, the house quickly fell into silence again. Shard flipped through the Demon Book for a while, around 5:30, Miss Galina brought the maids back from Yordle Palace and began to prepare dinner for Shard.

Although it is Saturday, both Dorothy and Lecia had other matters and couldn’t come. Tonight, the one responsible for taking care of the "seriously ill" Shard was the Witch.

This afternoon, before the meeting, Shard still felt a bit dizzy, but once he sent everyone away by sundown, the abnormal feeling in his body completely disappeared. Having not gone out for several days, he mentioned to Miss Galina his desire to go out for a walk and dine at a restaurant outside.

"That’s not possible, Luviya Annette has instructed that you can only go out on Monday. If I let you out now, what would they think of me?"

The Duchess spoke righteously to the young knight in pajamas, seeing Shard’s regretful expression afterwards, then bend down to pick up the cat by his feet, somewhat despondently returning to the bedroom.

Even though she knew this was deliberate by Shard, she still softened a bit:

"It’s not that I’m not letting you go out, we are concerned for your health."

Shard heard the wavering in her voice, so he held Mia and performed a backflip and aerial split, which finally made the Witch reluctantly agree to his request.

In fact, Miss Galina preferred Shard to go with her to the manor for dinner. Even though the restaurants on Silver Cross Avenue are good, they can’t compare to the Duke’s personal chefs. But now it was already evening, and the Witch didn’t want Shard to make a "long" journey, so they went to Silver Cross Avenue in the end.

Of course, even without an advance reservation, as the most powerful Duchess in the Kingdom, she need not worry about not getting the desired table.

After getting ready, for the first time in nearly two weeks, the seriously ill Shard finally stepped out of the house once again. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Time had reached dusk, and the last trace of the early spring sunset had not yet disappeared over the rooftops to the west of Saint Delan Square.

The fairly sparse flow of people traversed the square around the time work ended. At the center of the square, the jug in the arms of the girl statue still didn’t pour water. A young priest sent by the Church handing out flyers, bent over speaking to a newspaper-selling boy. Laborers pushing wheelbarrows carefully shrank their bodies, walking along the edge of the square toward the southeast of the Shard Family’s house, to that building with scaffolding erected outside.

"The neighbors over there, are they trying to catch the spring to renovate the house?"

This was another ordinary evening, the misty city seemingly unchanged since winter. But standing on the doorstep, Shard could feel the warmth in the wind.

Even though during his recovery, he could judge the warming of the weather by the plants Luviya kept on the windowsill. This feeling of missing an entire season just by opening and closing doors made him involuntarily sigh.

The cat in Shard’s arms, its fur reflecting the glow of the sunset. Its bright amber eyes stared at the pigeons in the square. Although Mia had no aggression towards pigeons, she always enjoyed watching them go back and forth.

"Why are you sighing?"

Miss Galina, who was beside Shard, asked, indifferent to the gazes of passersby. In a neighborhood like Saint Delan Square, where quite a number of citizens can recognize the Duchess.

"I’m worried I’ve missed spring."

"What nonsense are you talking, my knight, spring has just begun."

Shard originally thought that Tifa, sent ahead by Miss Galina, was only securing a private booth or a corner table for them. To his surprise, after arriving at the "Finsny and Clodia Restaurant" in the southern part of Silver Cross Avenue, Shard discovered she had booked the entire second floor.

The restaurant’s second floor features a spacious terrace, from which one can gaze at Silver Cross Avenue outlined by streetlamps, and even catch a glimpse of the windows of some buildings at the front of Yordle Palace, as well as the Kingdom Parliament’s meeting hall windows adjacent to Yordle Palace.

Seeing that Shard’s health was indeed fine, the "date" dinner was held on the terrace. The terrace, which could originally hold four tables, had only one square table set tonight. A white tablecloth covered the table, and the goldware candlesticks, expensive porcelain plates, and silverware, were brought from the manor by Tifa and Miss Maid—Miss Galina seldom used outside tableware.

The Duchess had her long hair woven into dozens of small braids, gathered at the back. While Shard lowered his head to eat, she tilted her head slightly, watching the street below that was brightly lit even at night.

"What are you looking at?"

Shard asked with a smile. The witch turned her head to look at the handsome face opposite her in the candlelight. Although there were clouds in the night sky tonight, the moonlight was still able to reach the ground. Even though the artificial lights symbolizing human Steam Age civilization dimmed the moonlight, Shard still seemed to have a faint trace of silver light on him:

"I was thinking that this moment is truly serene. And just two weeks ago, we went through so many experiences in the Randall Valley. If, and I mean if, you hadn’t made that decision back then, and the True God Church’s God Summoning Ritual had been delayed a bit, I wonder what we would be doing now."

Shard shook his head, set down his knife and fork, and after softly giving thanks, he received a napkin from the brown-haired maid behind him to wipe his mouth:

"That’s just a ’what if.’ We’ve done so much to avoid those things from happening, haven’t we?"

"I’m very worried. His Excellency the Speaker revealed some very troubling news to us after this incident."

The witch said hesitantly, as Tifa behind her bent slightly to pour the gemstone-colored red wine into their empty glasses. This is Blood Wine, a grape wine that Galina favors:

"His Excellency said some uncertain things, and I just feel like she’s trying to tell us about something like... the Apocalypse, a cataclysm."

Shard smiled, realizing that this matter, which started as mere speculation among sensitive Circle Sorcerer groups like the Guiding Light Hermitage and the Spiritual Practice Order, was now finally being acknowledged by more Circle Sorcerers.

"I know about the Apocalypse but it’s just speculation, and the timing is uncertain."

The red-haired Duchess nodded slightly, holding up the wine glass with her red-polished nails, swirling it gently without taking a sip:

"If the Apocalypse truly arrives, then the times we can have dinner together like this might be counted down, right?"

Shard set down his napkin and allowed the maid pushing the trolley to serve him another dish. He patted the little Mia on the high stool:

"That’s a pessimist’s thought."

"What’s the optimist’s thought then?"

The golden eyes looked at Shard, who thought for a moment:

"I don’t know how optimists think, but my own thought is, there will always be a way."

Galina Cavendish smiled softly, also having the maid serve her the next dish. She looked up at the night sky, at the stars sparsely visible behind clouds and mist. The candlelight and street gas lamps cast her face in intriguing shadows, adding to her mystery and allure, and the witch did not hesitated in showcasing her charm to the man in front of her:

"Nights like this truly feel like a dream. In my childhood, I imagined how I would spend those boring nights when I grew up. This is already better than I imagined."

Shard nodded slowly:

"According to the noble social rules and metaphors I heard from Lecia, should I not invite you to stay at my house for the night now?"

"According to social rules, you shouldn’t mention other women right now, even if she’s my grand-niece."

Miss Galina said with a smile, taking a sip from her cup, a faint blush appearing on her face.

Shard felt something rubbing against his leg under the table, reminding him of the few hits he took during lunch today.

"Since that wonderful night when the Knight presented five treasures to the Duchess he served, he hadn’t contacted the beautiful Duchess again."

The beautiful lady, left despondent by her lover’s neglect, lamented under the moonlight.

This time, Shard had no opportunity to grab anyone’s shoes. The Grand Witch, who had learned her lesson from the afternoon encounter, first took off her shoes before extending her foot.