Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic

Chapter 1955: The Final Divination

In the woods, at the Green Lake Hotel, the girls on the first floor tensed up following an explosion from the basement. Fortunately, a few minutes later, emerging from the dense fog of the basement was Miss Sylvia, who had painstakingly found the passage connecting the hotel in the city to this one.

The black-haired Witch led dozens of girls to reunite with Tifa and others stationed on the hotel’s first floor. After a brief exchange with Luviya, she led them into the fog, intending to support Miss Galina by the lakeside.

"Judging by the time, those off the island should have also entered the surrounding sea area by now."

Sipping her tea by the fire, Luviya muttered to herself. With the arrival of more reinforcements brought by the Grand Witches, the defensive pressure on the hotel lightened significantly, allowing more of the girls to relax by the fire in their leisure time, gradually making the atmosphere much lighter.

She sat together with Dorothy and Lecia, with Angelina cradling Mia beside them. The flickering but warm firelight illuminated the faces of the ladies. Although the situation on Shard’s side was still uncertain, they all felt at ease.

This opportunity was rare in itself; so many female sorcerers gathered together, roasting by a bonfire like camping. It was something they could hardly imagine before.

Though they stayed inside the hotel the entire night, the Little Princess, who had experienced some events, gazed blankly at the flames. Lecia, having finished discussing the last topic with Luviya, turned to her sister with a smile:

"After tonight, she will probably awaken."

She spoke with certainty:

"Angelina now is like a powder keg with a lit fuse; we don’t know exactly how long the fuse is, but an explosion is inevitable."

"That’s a strange metaphor."

The Blonde Writer said softly, then looked at Luviya:

"I’ve heard doctors say before that the offspring of those formally living in Saint Byrons, before officially awakening and receiving the admission notice, would consult Diviners about their future. Even if they can’t reach official Diviners, they’ll use Divination Cards for testing. Angelina is soon to awaken; how about you do a reading for her?"

Indeed, this was something well-off children in the Academy City of Saint Byrons Integrated Academy would experience. So Luviya took out her Divination Cards, asking Angelina to draw one at random.

The Little Princess and the cat in her arms both looked at the stack of cards, and the card the Princess eventually drew was the easily interpreted "Crown".

"Power and Authority."

It’s one of the earlier numbered cards among the 108 official Divination Cards, so even those unfamiliar with professional divination knew its meaning.

The three female sorcerers exchanged glances, thinking of the gift Angelina previously retrieved from Shard’s [God’s Gift Box], which was the Crown of the current King Larus III.

When they played with Shard at night, they would occasionally take out the crown as a pastime tool. Currently, the crown should be in the basement at No. 6, Saint Delan Square, alongside four 1 shilling banknote printing plates.

"This indicates that Angelina will become a very powerful girl in the future."

Luviya said encouragingly, and sure enough, Angelina smiled.

The subject didn’t continue; the purple-eyed girl then looked at Dorothy and Lecia:

"Although Shard doesn’t like me discussing this topic with you, now that we are at the end of the Green Lake incident, akin to the final act of an opera, I still want to talk to you about ’Whispering Verses’... You are in fourth order, preceded by that little girl and the Tomb Robber, and the Red Butterfly Sisters. But if, I mean, if..."

"Luviya, you don’t have to say it, we know what to do."

The Blonde Princess took the hand of the Red-Haired Princess proactively, their faint smiles resembling each other:

"Shard gave us that relic [Rift] and informed us about the ceremony content, implying he already accepted us as the final insurance. Understanding space, Ancient God Power, Ceremony. We don’t know how to ’create space’, but he said, when the time comes, fate will endow us with that power."

Luviya swallowed the words at her lips, absentmindedly toying with the [Home Coin] in her hand, ultimately not tossing it:

"Even I can’t decipher Shard’s intentions this time, but he always manages to guide the story to the best ending."

As the trio conversed, a figure burst into the hotel’s first-floor entrance. The light of the three campfires illuminated the soaking wet girl. She had clearly been through an intense battle; her sleeves rolled up above her wrists, her drenched long hair tied simply at the back of her head, and a makeshift bag she crafted herself strapped across her chest. Each small compartment held either a Potion Bottle, Holy Water Bottle or bore a Holy Emblem with a talisman.

Her belt draped at the waist displayed several small alchemical items and the relic [Judge’s Holy Bell], her eyes fiercely scanning the area while her left hand instinctively reached for a pair of lenses in one of the compartments.

Luviya stood up in surprise:

"Iluna!"

Dragged into the island like this hotel, Iluna, who had been missing all along, finally arrived here at this moment.

There were many idle people; magic potions, towels, and spare clothes quickly got brought over. Before entering the hotel, Iluna had already met Tifa and Miss Haley Aflora outside, so there was no need for Luviya to explain things here again.

She used a towel to dry the rain from her brown long hair, sat beside Luviya, and then put down a big pile of talismans, holy water, alchemical weapons, and even a few relics that Luviya had never seen before:

"I appeared in the southern part of the island and fought my way here. Although there were lots of supplies along the road, I also encountered the power projected onto the island by two Thirteen-Ring Sorcerers from the church, but tonight is still absolutely terrible."

Taking the teacup handed by the maid behind her, she softly thanked her, then very disarmingly gulped down the smoking hot tea. Luviya looked at her in an utterly parched state, her face showing a pained expression:

"Just rest here for now, Shard is about to finish over there."

"That’s why I need to go help him."

After finishing the tea, Iluna stood up, gracefully shook out the long hair she let hang for convenient drying:

"Let these witches’ followers cast some status-type arcane techniques on me, then give me two bottles of holy water, and help me replenish spellcasting materials. I’m setting out now. This base is really nice; previously, when we clashed with the Chosen ones, there wasn’t such a good place to rest. However, now isn’t the time to rest."

She had already regained her fighting spirit, turning her gaze southward:

"I can vaguely sense Shard’s location, and along the way, I’ve encountered some strange scenes and members of the Edwards family. Every time I encounter and resolve these things, blood-red trees appear, and when I touch those trees, I feel my connection with the island deepening. I even feel now that I’m able to partially influence the effect of the Edwards’ Ascension Technique ritual. Laplace Howard, Shard, and I—we three can all influence the ritual’s power. Although I don’t know the principle, Shard needs me."

"You all can influence that ritual?"

Only now did Luviya learn about this:

"Wait a moment. I still have one last coin left. Now that it’s the final moment, there’s no need to hold back. Before heading out, do you want to do one last divination?"

Iluna nodded:

"A divination on how to deal with the third generation firstborn, Envy Edwards, who transcends time and space. Shard has his own ideas, but to be safe, it’s better to have a backup plan; this guy might be even harder to handle than that Diviner."

She actually had other thoughts in mind; during the second game of "If," the Angel suggested she seek help from the Guardian of Time and Space, the Guardian of the Apocalypse, and the Fire Guardian.

The latter two she had guessed, but only the "Guardian of Space-Time" she initially speculated to be the "Shadow of the Tree Father" mentioned by Shard. But after getting to know Envy Edwards, she felt perhaps this person could lead her to the so-called guardian she was looking for.

"If it’s too simple to divine just one thing, then try divining how I’ll cooperate with Shard tonight."

Luviya nodded and finally tossed the last [Home Coin]. The coin decayed at its highest point, turned to ash before landing, and Luviya also received a satisfactory answer:

"He is very powerful; immortality, chaotic control over time and space, and even when killed by conceptual arcane techniques like ’Black Moon Insignia,’ he can still manipulate time to revive. Don’t try to defeat him head-on; it’s meaningless; he’s already lost in time, you need to make him destroy himself."

"That’s the method? Is there a more detailed plan?"

Iluna asked; Luviya shook her head:

"That’s the result of the divination. It sounds like something Shard might come up with. As for how you will cooperate with Shard tonight... Love God’s Sting, aim at the chest for the best effect."

Iluna blinked in bewilderment, then suddenly her face turned red:

"You mean, you mean..."

Lecia and Dorothy, seeing her shy demeanor, couldn’t help but laugh. Holding Mia, Angelina felt envious of this girl the same age as herself, and thought of her own situation; it instantly felt like the contrast between a pebble on the roadside and the sun, Iluna seemingly radiated light in her eyes.

The purple-eyed girl nodded with a laugh, patted Iluna’s shoulder:

"Remember to perform well, and after tonight ends, tell me about your feelings then."

Iluna nodded, pursed her lips to suppress her laugh. She briskly walked to Tifa, asking her to quickly prepare her magic potions and spellcasting materials, and then reentered the rain.