Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic

After returning home from Coldwater Port, Shard, wrapped in a scarf, left home again with his own cat and the gifts prepared for his friends.

The city was already preparing for the Year-End Festival celebration. Next to the fountain statue in Saint Delan Square, workers climbed ladders, trying to hang ribbons on the girl holding a water jug.

Every household hung mistletoe wreaths on their doors. Middle-class families even spent extra gold pounds to decorate their yards and fences. Everyone on the street seemed cheerful, and even the coachman wished Shard a happy "Year-End Festival," for which Shard gave him an extra tip.

The festive atmosphere enveloped the entire city. In places Shard couldn't see, human civilization was celebrating the upcoming festival. The story of the Fourth Chosen One temporarily ended, allowing the outlander to fully enjoy this important yearly festival before a new story began.

The first stop was Professor Manning's house, located near Saint Delan Square in the University District. Although Shard hadn't scheduled a visit in advance, the old professor, as expected, had no travel plans before the Year-End Festival.

He warmly welcomed Shard's visit. Shard, who had hidden Mia in the inner pocket of his coat, handed over a small sculpture of a black cat as a festival gift:

"You've helped me a lot this past year."

Professor Manning happily accepted the gift and reciprocated with a very exquisite metal pen holder for Shard. It was a handmade, fully metal piece. Inside, there was a gear mechanism. Pressing the button hidden among the decorative floral patterns at the bottom revealed a small hidden compartment for concealing notes.

"I received a letter from Professor Drake a few days ago. It seems he's finally come around. There aren't many old friends left, and I'm truly happy for him."

Professor Manning said with a smile, and Shard, of course, didn't forget to prepare a gift for Professor Drake. That gift had been sent by Mr. Benhart's old butler in the name of "John Watson." Professor Drake would probably like the small angel statue Shard sent.

Shard didn't stay long at Professor Manning's place. The next stop was Dr. Schneider's. Shard hadn't attended the study group on Saturday, so the doctor already knew that he had embarked on an adventure with the ebony pistol. Seeing Shard return safe and sound, the doctor was naturally pleased.

"Though you said that Desire-augmenting demon was your Year-End Festival gift, I still think it's better to give something."

In the second-floor parlor, Shard took out a red silk scarf he had prepared. Of course, it wasn't pure silk but made of a blend of North Draleon highland sheep wool and silk.

The towel was quite expensive but suitable as a gift for the doctor. It was Dr. Schneider who led the fearful outlander onto the path of the Circle Sorcerers, something Shard always remembered.

"Why so formal?"

The doctor laughed and politely declined a few times before happily accepting the gift. He also prepared a Year-End Festival gift for Shard—a book titled "The Weaving of Emotions." The book's content wasn't about weaving techniques; it was a Circle Sorcerers' book documenting the story of a giant eight-eyed spider living in the Third Era. Even though it was a copy of a copy of a translated manuscript, reading it might help gain Spirit Runes or Arcane Techniques.

"Besides, the Dream Entering Ritual you wanted, I've also prepared it for you."

The doctor gave Shard a black briefcase, which was heavy to carry:

"I've written down the method of the ritual inside, and it's not expensive to prepare the materials I've also included. But we must agree, if Annette asks, I won't admit that I knew beforehand you wanted to enter her dream."

The doctor warned, and Shard nodded with a smile, placing Mia on the suitcase on the coffee table:

"The Dream Entering Ritual needs to be prepared in advance, activating when you fall asleep. I wonder if the ritual materials are volatile?"

"No, no, you can set it up in advance and use it within a week. I'm quite the expert when it comes to the study of dreams."

The doctor said with some pride, and Shard noted this before asking:

"Luviya has already told me that our group's exam is scheduled for this Friday, the third day of 1854's Moon of Birth. Doctor, Doctor, could you come to my place on Thursday, the second day of 1854? I want your assistance to conduct a ritual enhancing Arcane Technique effects. The ritual requires the participation of ancient powers, but it's not complicated and will end in at most half an hour... However, the ritual place is demanding; it has to be in the Bell Tower."

Shard didn't want to handle this before the Year-End Festival, so he planned to do the ritual after the Day of the Red Butterfly.

"Of course, no problem. Around the Year-End Festival, there aren't many patients coming to me. You helped me perform the promotion ritual, so I'm helping you with the Arcane Technique ascension ritual. What reason do I have to refuse?"

Shard then stood up to leave, and the doctor escorted him downstairs. Though the doctor had no family, he wouldn't be alone during the Year-End Festival. Most of the doctors at this psychological clinic bring their families to celebrate the holiday together, celebrating another peaceful year concluded. The clinic would be quite lively then.

Shard's second stop was Dawn Chapel, where the church was bustling joyfully in anticipation of the Year-End Festival. Children from the choir, dressed in cotton clothes, were building snowmen on the square under the care of an old nun, while volunteer believers scrubbed the church's windows. People arriving to offer their last prayers of the year were slipping banknotes into the donation box one after another.

The entire church and even the whole square were adorned with festive decorations. As Shard disembarked from the carriage, he was even handed an invitation to the grand outdoor banquet on the square for the following night. Unfortunately, he was sure to be busy then.

A tent was set up on the western side of the church for the Year-End Festival relief meal, while a stage for public performances was being constructed on the eastern side. Holding Mia, Shard observed all of this as he entered the church, which was livelier than usual. He found Priest Augustus while the old cleric was standing beneath a ladder against the side wall of the church's main hall, assigning tasks to visit the elderly in town to a circle of young priests.

This, of course, wasn't the Year-End Festival visit to the elderly that the Outlander remembered. It was the church distributing Year-End Festival gifts to elderly core believers—a tradition of the Church of the Five Gods.

After completing the arrangements, the old cleric began conversing with Shard, who handed him a fountain pen as a Year-End Festival gift. In return, he gifted Shard three books.

"Why is everyone giving me books?"

Shard asked with a laugh, yet he happily accepted the gifts. Unlike the books from the doctor that contained mysticism knowledge, the three books from the priest comprised one religious classic from the Dawn Church titled "Legend of Saint Sidis," and two other books titled "Friends by Your Side: Cat Care Guide (Part One)" and "Friends by Your Side: Cat Care Guide (Part Two)."

Though the latter two sounded ordinary, they were quite expensive, as both the covers and the internal illustrations and diagrams were in color. These weren't printed; they were handwritten and hand-drawn, with such handicrafts maintaining higher prices than past eras despite being in the age of steam industry.

"Meow?"

Seeing the colorful cat illustrations on the book covers that Shard held, Mia suddenly swiped a paw at the pages, expressing extreme displeasure with a cry, which amused Shard and Priest Augustus.

"Cleric, there's one more thing."

Though the main hall was full of people, most were either praying on the long benches or hurrying past, paying no attention to them, so Shard lowered his voice slightly:

"I'm using the relic at the base of the Divine Statue this Friday evening... I'll come to collect it Friday afternoon."

The cleric gazed casually around, nodding lightly:

"There's no problem. I won't repeat advice on being cautious, but remember to return it after using it. If it goes out of control again, I don't think Annette would feel confident to contain it once more."

Priest Augustus's Year-End Festival would be spent in this church; he'd spent countless Year-End Festivals here, witnessing half a century of ups and downs for the church. Even Bishop Owen, who was transferred to the local district from another place in his forties, couldn't compare to him.

So Priest Augustus wouldn't be alone during the Year-End Festival. On the contrary, he was likely the busiest among the four. Seeing someone else approaching the cleric, Shard bid farewell to the old man, first wishing the equally busy Bishop Owen a happy Year-End Festival, and then heading to the Prophet's Society.

Located on Silver Cross Avenue, the Prophet's Society was at the center of Tobesk City, the capital of the Draleon Kingdom. As the 1853 Year-End Festival approached, the changes here were more evident than in other parts of the city.

As the carriage carried Shard and Mia through the snow to this place, Shard looked up at the street in the distance. He noticed the colorful ribbons connecting street lamps on either side, extending far into the snow like gateways, reaching to an unseen road's end.

Gas street lamps had been replaced with new models without Shard realizing it, with the new light fixtures' glass covering looking particularly fresh. Workers were on ladders performing final inspections. Around Yordle Palace, fences and walls were already adorned with the colorful emblems of the Royal Cavendish Family, and atop every building flying the Draleon King's flag.

Sounds of chatter filled the air, and today's Silver Cross Avenue was unusually crowded. A long queue formed at the entrance to Yordle Palace, where His Majesty the King would meet many people today, though only a select few could enter.

Everyone wore cheerful expressions, and even the newspaper boy could earn more tips than usual. The festive atmosphere was spreading through the entire city with the arrival of the holiday, as no one wished to remain unhappy in the year's final moments.