Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic

When talking about his family's past, the Earl sighed slightly:

"I only heard about this relative's matters through conversations and letters from these elders. He was not a traditional noble who strictly abided by the rules, nor was he someone who particularly defied them; rather... he enjoyed associating with some very special people. Being the second son of the family, he wouldn't inherit the title, but the family prepared a farm and factory for him. My great-grandfather had a very good relationship with him. However, one day in 1780, after leaving a letter at home, he ran away."

Shard nodded:

"Did he take those two medals with him?"

"Yes, he didn't mention in the letter why he took those two medals, but he clearly said he wanted to find the freedom he sought. According to the elders, my great-great-grandfather and great-great-grandmother nearly went mad at the time. They sent people everywhere to search for my great-uncle's whereabouts, a search that lasted over ten years, until everyone finally gave up hope and completely stopped."

The Earl said, looking particularly melancholic:

"I also have my own brothers and children, so I understand what such a situation means for the family."

"Was Mr. Thomas Granger never found later on?"

Shard asked again, and the Earl shook his head:

"No, my elders suspected he went on a sea adventure and then had an accident."

The discovery of the New World happened more than fifty years ago, so people at the time wouldn't have suspected Thomas Granger went there.

"That is indeed unfortunate."

"Mr. Watson, when you found those two medals, did you find anything else? Like letters?"

The Earl asked again with some expectancy:

"The elders left a will, hoping that if his remains could be found, he would be buried in the family cemetery."

This time it was Shard's turn to shake his head:

"When I saw those two medals, I knew there must be a story behind them, so I went to that antique shop to look for other similar things. Unfortunately, I didn't find anything else. As for that antique clock, the owner of the shop bought it on a rainy night more than twenty years ago from a poor pregnant woman, so it's now impossible to find the original owner."

The Earl sighed again, thinking of more tragic stories from Shard's casually fabricated account:

"If that pregnant woman knew what was inside the clock, she might have lived a happy life—these two medals are quite valuable... I wonder if the child was born successfully."

He probably thought she was a descendant of the Granger family too.

"If I can find more clues in the future, or even find the burial place of Mr. Thomas Granger, I will inform you."

Shard promised, then made a new request:

"I actually have one more request, I wonder if Mr. Thomas Granger left any relic? I would very much like to see it."

Given that Mr. Granger's disappearance happened more than seventy years ago, even if he were alive, he would be over a hundred years old, so referring to them as "relics" is not inappropriate at all.

"Mr. Watson, you want to see that letter? Of course, I'll have someone fetch it, but indeed, the ink has faded greatly over the seventy-plus years—it was a dozen years ago when I last looked at it..."

He called for the servant at the door but thought for a moment:

"It seems my great-uncle left something else... Oh, Mr. Watson, would you mind having lunch with me? I would like to rummage through the warehouse; it might take some time."

To thank "Mr. Watson," the Earl treated him to a sumptuous lunch. During the meal, the Earl wanted to chat about Velindale City with Shard, but Shard, who hadn't actually visited Velindale, deftly shifted the conversation. He claimed that he spent most of the year traveling around the Old Continent, seeking new inspiration for his stories. When discussing the scenery across the Old Continent, he could talk about the cities he had been to, which added authenticity to the identity of "John Watson."

After lunch, Shard also saw the letter Mr. Thomas Granger had left behind after his "runaway." As the Earl said, even though it was well-preserved, it had weathered the passage of time. Unfortunately, there was nothing special about this letter.

The other item the Earl showed Shard was somewhat surprising—a bronze metal piece. It was a cube, slightly rusted but not particularly rough to the touch. Probably to prevent injury, its eight edges and four corners were smoothed, and the surface area of each side was roughly palm-sized.

"A handcrafted piece, seemingly made by my great-uncle himself. When the elders discovered he had run away, it was on his desk, holding down that letter to prevent it from being blown to the floor by the wind,"

The Earl introduced it, and with permission, Shard picked up the metal piece to examine it:

"How interesting, the second son of a noble family who went missing knows how to craft metal. I think with some polishing, this could be a nice desktop ornament."

He suddenly looked up at the Earl, somewhat embarrassed, and said:

"I have another request, this..."

The Earl understood his meaning and nodded:

"Then let me give it to you, Mr. Watson. The medal returns to the family, and the story of the past draws to an imperfect close. Please accept this keepsake, which, though not valuable, holds great worth. I hope it will add luster to your story."

"Thank you for your generosity, this keepsake is truly wonderful."

Shard did not stay long at the Earl's. After receiving 10 krones in cash, he soon rose to take his leave. The Earl gave Shard one of his business cards and dispatched the old butler to escort Shard to the manor's entrance, promising that if Shard encountered trouble locally, he could come here anytime to resolve it.

Shard, on the downhill path outside the manor, narrowly missed a four-wheeled hired carriage. The old butler, seeing the carriage approaching, paused at the entrance.

The carriage alighted a young girl dressed as a maid, who produced a letter and handed it to the old butler:

"Madam agreed to meet with the Earl this afternoon."

"Oh, that's wonderful."

Thus, the old butler hurriedly returned to the study with the letter, where he found the Earl polishing a medal:

"The Golden Dawn Opera Group's Baroness Vanessa Benanis had a servant deliver a reply. She agreed to discuss the joint acquisition of the local opera house this afternoon."

The old butler placed the letter on the desk, and the Earl set down the medal to glance at the letter:

"I didn't expect she would actually agree. I heard rumors recently that she connected with Her Highness Margaret, and I thought she wouldn't be interested in my business."

(Mia running in the background...)

After leaving the Earl's Estate, Shard found the "Elven Poetry Inn" he had seen on his way here — an inn with a pleasant name — and rented a room on the third floor, taking the metal block with him into the room.

Unlike the sky-high prices in Tobesk, Randall Valley's housing costs were reasonable, and the inn's rooms were much more spacious than those Shard was familiar with at the Three Cats Inn at Hymn Square.

After entering the room, he closed the window, drew the curtains tight, checked the wardrobe and under the bed, then sat by the table and picked up the metal block.

Though not very evident, this metal block did indeed show element reactions, which should qualify it as an alchemical item. Shard guessed correctly that since Mr. Thomas Granger had left a letter asking a stranger circle sorcerer to return the medal, he would naturally also leave something at home for a kind stranger.

"So, how is this used?"

The heavy metal block felt completely solid, and Shard believed the Earl's elders had undoubtedly checked it more than once, so the clue must not be something an ordinary person could find.

"Could it be Spiritual Light?"

Summoning his own Ring of Fate, Shard let the light of the Spirit Runes shine on the metal block, but unfortunately, there was no reaction. Frowning slightly, Shard pondered for a moment. Since the gentleman left this item, it should not intentionally trouble a "helpful circle sorcerer." Therefore, the method to solve the puzzle should not be difficult for a circle sorcerer and should be easily conceivable.

"Could it be there's a note in the center of the metal block, and it needs to be destroyed?"

Possessing the "Breath of Ages" himself, which could reverse time, even an alchemical item would only consume a bit more spirit. So Shard didn't hesitate:

"Feliana's Witch Light!"

His right hand lit up with a golden glow. Shard placed his palm on the top of the metal block, and as he applied slight pressure, the metal began to melt.

At first, it went smoothly, but when the height of the metal block was reduced by a third, Shard felt his hand couldn't press further down.

The Witch Light couldn't melt just any substance, so he wasn't surprised. Upon lifting his hand, he saw a small silver block embedded within the copper metal block; it was unaffected by "Feliana's Witch Light":

"A small metal block within the large metal block..."

After melting all six sides of the large metal, Shard not only retrieved the silver cube but also obtained a small rolled-up scroll.

Strictly sealed within the metal, the writing on the scroll was still clear even after many years. The ornamental letters matched those in Mr. Thomas Granger's letter exactly, confirming it was left by him.

The silver cube, with sides less than a quarter of a palm's size, was extraordinarily light compared to metal. The elemental traces Shard had sensed from the large metal block actually originated from the small silver cube.

The scroll contained just one sentence:

"To the one who comes later — thank you for returning the family medal. May you enjoy my homeland; within the silver cube, I have left you a gift. Only sufficient stories can unlock it. This silver cube chronicles the stories of Randall Valley City; please tell it the story you wish to know."