Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic

Chapter 1978: The Heir and the Outlander Origin

To date, the Sun, Moon, and Stars ritual array, similar yet different to the Impermanence Card’s back pattern, has appeared in many mysterious places.

For example, on the ground of the Night Shrine, after Shard wrongly traveled through time, branding this pattern; or when the Black Time Key manifested as Yggdrasil’s Staff, the symbol appeared on the ground; and also, at the collapsed Moon Tower of Karas Mountain, where Miss Danester’s teacher disappeared, there are similar symbols.

However, upon reflection, no one ever said that the branded pattern on the Night Shrine’s land originally belonged to the Night Shrine. That symbol seemed more like it appeared after Shard used the Impermanence Card to trigger "Earth Memory." Conveniently, underneath the Night Shrine is where Long-Haired Luvia stored the "Memories of the Bygone Era."

Thinking this way, the symbol of the Night Shrine clearly relates to Long-Haired Luvia’s methods. Besides, "she" once said that the time travel was "wrong." This further indicates that the peculiar ritual circle on the ground wasn’t the power of Ancient Gods, and it’s more likely it was Long-Haired Luvia’s technique, helping the next Sixth Era version of her to "see" the stories of the bygone era.

As for that peculiar "Yggdrasil’s Staff," it is currently known that the birth of the Black Time Key is inseparably linked to Long-Haired Luvia. So, the pattern appearing when the Long Staff is revealed is most likely related to Long-Haired Luvia; maybe she even created that Relic herself.

Although "creating Relics" sounds incredible, it seems nothing unusual for Luvia, who has returned to the Sixth Era several times, after the destruction and rebirth of Space-Time.

If following this line of thought, then the "Sun, Moon, and Stars" ritual array Shard saw at the Night Shrine and Yggdrasil’s Staff is entirely caused by the bygone era’s Luvia. When combined with what the diviner standing before him, with back facing him, said—that this ritual circle was created based on the Impermanence Card—Shard had reason to believe that the bygone era’s Luvia, at "this time and place," fully received all research materials from Laplace Klein Howard.

In an unrecorded Sixth Era without Shard, Luvia defeated the "United as One of the Edwards Family," obtained and inherited that knowledge from the diviner of the Prophet’s Society, and subsequently conducted meticulous research and expansion, further deepening Laplace Howard’s studies on Impermanence, divination, and astrology, until, after countless ages, utilizing that knowledge to create more astonishing rituals and inventions.

Though there’s no concrete evidence supporting this conjecture yet, the more Shard thinks about it, the more he feels this is the truth.

It is currently known that the bygone era’s Luvia most likely ultimately inherited Sister Delphine’s "Fire of the Primordial" and Miss Pavo’s "Smowell Codex." With the personality shown by Laplace Howard before him, it was indeed possible for him, after failing, to understand Luvia as a diviner, and like others, hand everything over to her.

"How many people’s wishes did the former Luvia exactly inherit... But then what means Miss Danester discovered this ritual at the Moon Tower ruins of Karas Mountain?"

Shard thought this, but before he opened his mouth to inquire whether the prophet had been to Karas Mountain or seen Miss Danester’s teacher, the diviner with his back to him looking at Green Lake, said again:

"Do you know, more than two hundred years ago, it was from this pier that I first set foot on this island."

Shard looked up at the lake under the night sky:

"Do you mean the reality island or this Green Island you call it?"

"Both."

The diviner’s hoarse voice said, still with his back to Shard, raising his hand pointing to the lake:

"I jumped off the boat here, then carried a bag, walked along the pier to the beach. Before entering that forest path, I turned around and looked at the lake surface. I will never forget that day; it was also a spring night, the starry sky was even more beautiful than now. At that time, I hadn’t obtained the fragments of critical poem Chapters, nor had I planned Edwards’ Ascension Technique, so back then, I could never have imagined what I was going to do on this island next."

The cards making up his body were flying out one by one, then turning into ashes. Theoretically speaking, he had already died a few hours ago when defeated by Shard at that blood-red giant tree that was burning at the moment, but he gained one chance for rebirth utilizing those alchemical cards.

Yet after being jointly defeated by Shard and Sister Delphine, due to the fusion of evil objects, this second life of his was coming to an end. Being able to forcefully stay here, finishing saying these words, and explaining these things was already quite remarkable.

"How will your descendants be handled?"

In view of the fact that the diviner had given all his knowledge and assets to him, Shard asked. The diviner slightly shook his head:

"They will decide for themselves, or you decide."

As card after card was withdrawn, that figure became increasingly blurred. But the conversation wasn’t over yet; the diviner deliberately waited here for Shard, to speak the most crucial words at the final moment:

"After merging with my grandson Envy Edwards, I truly glimpsed an edge of that destroyed time; and united with the ’Door in the Bottle,’ I, amidst murmurs and whispers, heard its description regarding that time which should not be known."

He stood up with difficulty, supporting himself on the pier’s ground, and finally turned to look at Shard.

The Star River hung upside down above them, and in the shining Star Ocean, three moons illuminated the earth where sporadic battles still raged. Behind Shard, in the towering flames, the giant blood-colored tree continued to burn, the crackling of the fire perhaps lasting all night.

Laplace Howard’s transparent face showed an expression of utter exhaustion, yet he still seriously looked at Shard:

"You’ve known about past events, even more than I have. Someone came from that time to our present; I used to think it was you. That’s why you’ve displayed such astonishing power time and again, intervening at critical moments to save everything, as if you’ve read all the stories in advance. But now it seems clear that person isn’t you."

Shard’s lips moved slightly, but he didn’t speak.

The Diviner continued:

"I believe you know who that person is, the one who disrupted the instability of space-time and bears a curse of space-time stronger than that on my grandson. I just want to give you a piece of advice: don’t trust him or her; he or she absolutely hasn’t been truthful with you."

"I won’t easily believe all your words just because you’ve given me everything you have."

Shard frowned deeply but still spoke this way. Ever since he first met him on the island until now, the other has been making him doubt Long-Haired Luviya. But the Diviner, at this moment, should have no need to lie; he should be sincere, and that’s the reason for Shard’s frown.

One by one, the cards were swept up into the sky by the wind, turning to ashes when they collided with embers blown up; the increasingly transparent Diviner smiled;

"At least, you’ve been warned. In the future, when you make a major decision, you’ll remember what we’ve said at this moment. You can disbelieve me now; I understand your caution towards me, but you will understand what the space-time destroyer has done to our world.

If our world is a game with many endings, he or she has led us to the worst ending."

Shard pressed his lips without continuing to speak. Although he wouldn’t doubt Luviya, he would explore more of Long-Haired Luviya’s secrets if given the chance. Although he wouldn’t suspect that Long-Haired Luviya has been deceiving him all along, it’s still necessary to clear up those things. He wouldn’t persist in a certain idea just because of affiliation; investigation and practice are the means to reach the truth.

The time has reached its end, and Laplace Klein Howard’s second life has come to a close.

His gaze passed over Shard’s shoulder, looking at that burning giant tree, then at this island. Shard originally thought he would reflect on his life or ask Shard if he was a good person after all.

But he didn’t mention these things; Laplace Klein Howard considered his mission in coming to this world complete. Although he failed, he verified an impassable path and left his last glow for other explorers moving forward.

He chose to use the last few seconds of his life to continue the topic about the "Bygone Era":

"Destroying the existing space-time and restarting the Sixth Era, do you know what kind of miracle that is? If I had the chance, I would like to talk with the true space-time destroyer about things I don’t yet know."

He looked at Shard’s face and left the final words:

"That is an impossible accident, a chaos of collapsed time and space. Perhaps it is also the most desperate plea of the space-time destroyer. Under this series of errors, who knows what new stories the restarting Sixth Era will bring to this world. God Summoner beyond destiny, please sit before the stage and witness this story to its end. May we meet again after the conclusion."

He bowed slightly to Shard, and when the last thirteen cards flew to the lake and turned to ashes scattered in the water, the initial Lord of Green Town, the former traitor of the Prophet’s Society, then completely died.

Shard paused for a moment, the Diviner’s last words echoing in his ears. Suddenly, he took a few steps forward, standing where the Diviner had just stood, dazedly looking at the tranquil great lake:

"He just said... originally, originally..."

Looking down at his reflection on the water’s surface below the pier, the shadow kept shaking, even reaching out to catch, unable to grasp any truth:

"So, that’s how it is."