Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic-Chapter 1658: The Game of "If

As the five members of the group left individually, preparing to start their new day, Iluna, yawning in the morning light, also arrived with her team at the vicinity of the warehouses under the abnormal black clouds in the sky of Tobesk Western District.

Of course, the Church noticed the abnormal phenomenon in the sky last night, and the reconnaissance results showed that an Angel-Level Relic might have appeared in the city. Hence, even the fully staffed team where Iluna belonged only took charge of the basic investigation work like disguising as police to inquire about last night’s situation from nearby people— the real disposal in the core area was handled by the Twelve Rings and two Thirteen-Ring Sorcerers.

The team’s investigation hadn’t been going on for long before Iluna was summoned away, coming to the empty warehouse.

If Shard were still here, he would certainly be surprised, as the warehouse hadn’t collapsed despite the massive loss of load-bearing walls.

"The problem is truly severe."

Looking at the street scene near the warehouse as if wiped clean with an eraser, the seventeen-year-old girl sighed softly. She looked around while walking, not feeling the danger here at all, because she knew this was related to Shard’s team’s action last night.

This warehouse area is closest to the church of the Church of Creation and Destruction. Thus, the thirteen-ring sorcerer of the Church of Creation, Mr. Sari Pirot, is responsible for this investigation task. As for why the Mechanic Church’s investigation allowed the Sun Church team to conduct external inquiries, it’s because the case involves an Angel-Level Relic, and per regulations, no single church can independently investigate.

"Miss Beyas, good morning, this way!"

Mr. Pirot, a tall, seemingly affable middle-aged man, greeted Iluna as she arrived. However, she knew the arm hidden within his right sleeve was extraordinary.

The Thirteen-Ring Sorcerer exchanged a few pleasantries in the warehouse with Iluna before explaining that he wanted her to try sensing what had occurred in this area. The chaotic spirits and restless Whisper elements hadn’t calmed until dawn; an ordinary person entering the warehouse now might undergo immediate mutations.

"Divination surely won’t work, and examining the traces at the scene only indicates that no fewer than three people were here. Investigations of carriages or other traces nearby last night show only the royal family’s, MI6’s, and police’s carriages passed, all with valid reasons. However, a nearby worker reported seeing a Skeleton Horse pulling a Pumpkin Carriage, which can’t be confirmed whether it was due to excessive fatigue leading to delusion."

Mr. Pirot explained, and Iluna nodded to signify understanding:

"I’ll give it a try."

She summoned the Ring of Fate, transforming it into a dark golden balance under the awe-struck look of others. Then, closing her eyes amidst the slight lift of her hair tips.

After a long while, Iluna finally provided an answer:

"I sense the force of ’Void,’ representing the power of emptiness and disappearance... This feels akin to the Sage-Level Relic, the ’Ancient Sage’s Smearing Pen,’ which I encountered during training in the Papacy, but much stronger."

Assigned work early in the morning, the brown-haired girl fulfilled her duties:

"It is indeed an Angel-Level Relic, and a strong one at that. I can’t track such chaotic elements, but I can try using the talent of ’Balance’ to normalize the element levels here somewhat. Still, without completely erasing traces, I suggest sealing this place; ordinary people shouldn’t use it for at least half a year."

Mr. Pirot also supported Iluna’s opinion, and thus she continued to hold up the dark golden balance, adjusting the restless Whisper elements to a balanced state opposite the Enlightenment elements. After inquiring about other investigation results and confirming no progress, she prepared to find her team and continue the investigation:

"What did Shard and Luviya go through last night; was their team mission really that risky? Saint Byrons is a bit harsh on correspondence students."

Thinking in her heart, she left through the warehouse door.

The police had blocked both sides of the street with caution tape, while the Circle Sorcerers of the Church of Creation wore police uniforms standing at the street entrance, preventing anyone from breaking in. As for the actual police, they were searching citywide for the carriage leaving tire tracks on the ground, but the carriage originally carrying the coffin had been erased by relics, making specific divination impossible. Meanwhile, Dorothy’s Pumpkin Carriage reverted to pumpkins at the docks and was turned into a toy by Shard and then burned with flames.

Thus, the investigation result was unlikely to yield anything.

"Hopefully, Shard and Luviya weren’t hurt in last night’s events."

Although she had faith in them, she still worried a bit inside. Meanwhile, Iluna had already entered the alley in front of the warehouse gate, intending to take a shortcut back. The alley was also sealed, but the guarding Circle Sorcerer stood on the street at the other end of the alley due to a wide-open view.

The alley was short, and if not for the obstructive trash, it would take just two to three minutes to pass through. As for trash, it wasn’t decaying food or dirty household items but metal products discarded by nearby factories. These included but were not limited to scrapped steam cylinders, severed steam pipes, and metal cabinets missing their doors.

While Iluna passed the metal cabinet leaning against the wall, she spotted a silhouette behind the cabinet in her peripheral vision. Instinctively, she turned to assume a defensive counter-attack posture, discovering that the figure behind the cabinet had no intention of attacking her.

It was a blond man in a white robe, holding a rolled-up Parchment Roll, bearing an enigmatic expression, likely only speaking in half-truths, gazing at her. His appearance seemed not just out of place in this alley but out of tune with this era.

During Papacy training, Iluna only saw the Scholar of Secrets, priests, and Secret Keepers wearing similar styles.

She slightly furrowed her brow, and her defensive vigilance didn’t fade but intensified. The stranger before her initially appeared normal, yet gradually, the Whisper elements became increasingly palpable. The man’s Parchment Roll and his two eyes gave Iluna a sensation remarkably like Luviya during Special Divination.

Carefully gauging the essence of this humanoid creature before her, she momentarily felt she had touched genuine fate. The future seemed condensed in this humanoid entity’s hand, with countless potential paths diverging from this singular point.

"Angel-Level? Are you from the warehouse...?"

Mid-way realizes it’s incorrect, for within the warehouse was clearly a power of erasure while before her was fate.

Iluna instinctively retreated a step, feeling her back unexpectedly drenched. The spring dawn’s sunlight wasn’t warm; instead, she felt the sun’s chill amidst her hazy thoughts:

"Are you... If?"

Eyes widened with disbelief, encountering the rumored Unclassified Level (0-level) Relic just like that.

"Indeed."

The man nodded, seeing Iluna glancing at the alley entrance intending to call someone, he reminded:

"Our conversation won’t be known to anyone, nor disturbed by anyone, I possess at least this basic ability. Honorable Chosen Hero, I mean no malice; rather, I wish to play three games with you."

"Games?"

Iluna inquired, then suddenly threw upwards the Sunlight Gun. Golden thunder exploded above the alley but no one came to investigate after quite some time.

"If" shook his head:

"Chosen of Balance, Chosen Hero, you need not have apprehension toward me, it’s merely a game."

While speaking, he unrolled the Parchment Roll facing himself:

"If, or rather, Suppose. Although the future is uncertain, we all know different choices lead to varied outcomes; however, people can’t ascertain what conclusion a choice might bring."

His gaze passed over the parchment and looked at Iluna:

"And this game called ’If’ begins with you proposing a choice for the future, and I will simulate everything that follows. This is not foretelling the future, nor is it splitting timelines to create parallel Space-Time. It is merely a game of ’If’."

Iluna did not relax her guard despite the other’s respectful address; her brows furrowed, and the dark golden Balance formed by the Ring of Fate had already floated behind her:

"What if I refuse? I don’t want to know things that haven’t happened; I want to see the future I create with my own eyes."

"Chosen Hero, the protagonist on the stage, please forgive my rudeness, but do not refuse me. Please tell me, what will you choose to do when you finish your work this morning?"

The man asked gently. Seeing Iluna still remain silent, he asked again:

"Then answer me another question: If, for the safety of this world, you had to sacrifice someone you love, would you choose to do so?"

"Of course not."

Iluna replied without thinking; this required no thought at all:

"Though people always consider me some kind of hero, I’ve never seen myself that way. I stand on the line between good and evil—yes, maybe not so neutral but more inclined towards kindness—but I would absolutely not sacrifice those I love... I am not a pure and orderly Circle Sorcerer; otherwise, I would have reported Sha... those actions that damage the church’s interests long ago."

She answered smoothly:

"Maybe some would indeed sacrifice everything for the world, but such extreme behavior isn’t something I would do. Good and evil reside in my heart; what I do is balance. Your question is laughable—if you ask me if killing ten thousand to save one person is worth it, I will tell you, it is."

Currently, among all the first candidates of the Chosen, apart from Iluna, the others have various unusual obsessions and ideas. Actually, Iluna does have "unique" ideas; it’s just that she met Shard and Luviya, and neither of them has ever compelled her to make any choices or decisions.

The man holding the parchment roll smiled, seemingly satisfied with the answer:

"The way of balance truly suits you. Then what if I said you could use ’If’ to peer into potential tragedies and thus avoid them? This isn’t manipulating Time and Fate, because it’s really just a game."

Iluna still shook her head:

"I won’t believe in an Unclassified Level Relic. The future is in my hands; I don’t need games."

"Well then—if you don’t play, you can’t leave."

The man continued to speak with a smile.

"You should’ve said this earlier, so as not to waste time. I’m heading to No. 6, Saint Delan Square next, to find Shard Suren Hamilton."

Based on experience from the "Dice Story Collection," when encountering something she can’t handle herself, seeking Shard’s help is the best choice.

The man nodded and looked at the parchment roll open in his hand, reading the words on it. As he spoke, golden threads in the air between them drew out the read contents with beautiful Draleon letters:

[You are Iluna Amelia Beath, the Chosen Hero, the Chosen of Balance, the protagonist on the stage.]

[This morning, you were awakened by knocking sounds and attended a unique investigation mission organized by the Church.]

[You completed the investigation in the warehouse district and learned that abnormal cat meows were heard nearby last night, but this didn’t point to anyone;]

[You concealed all truths you knew and applied for leave from your captain, who understood your busyness and agreed to your request;]

[You took a carriage to No. 6, Saint Delan Square, and learned about the coachman’s tragic life through conversation, which dampened your spirits;]

[You saw the battered door of No. 6, Saint Delan Square, and were puzzled by its dilapidation and the boarded windows of the house;]

[You sought information from a kind person walking their dog near the square, learning it’s a famous Haunted House in the area;]

[You still knocked on the door, which was opened. The Gatekeeper of the Apocalypse, Guardian of the Sanctuary, Undead of Everlasting Humanity, the Bound grey-headed eagle received you.]

"Wait? Who are these four at Shard’s house?"

Iluna widened her eyes in surprise, suspecting mysterious trespass into Shard’s home.

"No, these aren’t four people; they are four titles of the same person."

"If" reminded, and Iluna blinked, seeing the golden threads before her continue to flow, weaving new content:

[The soul opening the door asked: The end of time hasn’t come, Chosen Hero, how did you find this place? Did the Lady of Time Destruction who broke in here several times give you hints? No, she hasn’t defeated me yet, she can’t use this place at will.]

Iluna was completely confused by the situation but at least remembered that Shard said the "grey-headed eagle" was Sparrow Hamilton.

"I..."

[You couldn’t answer the soul’s question, but you know you shouldn’t be here at this time point;]

[The Gatekeeper attacked you;]

[You died.]

"Ah!"

Iluna exclaimed in surprise, watching the golden thread explode into light spots before her. She held her head, feeling as if it had been hit hard by a hammer, then touched her nose, blood slowly flowing to her lips; the taste of blood didn’t make her panic, but the fact she just learned caused panic:

"Sparrow Hamilton’s soul, hasn’t it already reached the end, how could it appear... wait! The dilapidated No. 6, Saint Delan Square? The boarded windows? He said I shouldn’t be here at this time? Guided by the Lady of Time Destruction? I understand, I understand, I understand, there’s only one truth—"

In the mind wracked with pain, thoughts became clearer than ever before. Iluna gritted her teeth, looking at the parchment roll in the other person’s hands:

"If... If... in the future you simulated, Shard doesn’t exist at all! This is a future without Shard!"