Chapter 1651: Chapter 1651: Remains, Coffin, and Promise
After bidding farewell to Old John, Mia would definitely not be able to join the group action for the evening, so Shard and Priest Augustus first returned to No. 6, Saint Delan Square. Afterwards, they had dinner and headed to the Tobesk Train Station located in the northern part of the city.
The priest changed out of his usual clergy robe, while Shard remained in his customary black coat attire.
As the sun set, the five arrived with a mission and secrets, eting at the entrance of Tobesk Train Station. After exchanging a glance, they split into two groups and entered the train station.
The light at the street corner quickly dimd, causing the shadows of hurried passersby to lengthen. Under the dusky evening light, the gas street lamps flickered briefly and began to illuminate one after another from far to near, creating a straight network under the night sky within the Northern Pearl.
Train after train ca and went, with weary travelers brushing past strangers, unaware of the rarity of this encounter that may never happen again. Police officers patrolling during this special period moved stop-and-go around the station, unnoticed by all. On the westernmost side of the platform sat two ladies on a bench, while three n stood at the platform edge.
Night was gradually drawing deeper. The spring evening was not very cold but rather gentle. However, the dust in the train station was significant, and the sll was difficult to tolerate. These elents, however, added to the sense of reality of the scene.
The dim yellow gas lamps illuminated the five waiting individuals. The train passing slowly stirred the corners of the three n’s clothes, yet at the end of the platform, they remained uninterested in the parting joys and sorrows of travelers preparing to depart next to them.
The steam train, having just started, was not quick. The rhythmic sound of the levers turned on each axle followed by the long whistles seed to make the land where people have lived for generations tremble.
Bill Schneider, dressed in a brown coat and wearing a black hat, watched the train passing by ahead. After the last carriage went by, he looked down at his silver pocket watch. The crisp sound of the watch’s cover closing attracted the attention of the two beside him and the two ladies sitting on the bench behind.
“It’s seven o’clock, there’s still one hour. As per the Academy’s request, I can now inform you of the relic’s information and the trouble we might encounter.”
He spoke softly and brought Shard and Priest Augustus to the side of the bench. Dorothy, dressed in a black gauze skirt, and Luviya, dressed as a man, stood up to let Dr. Schneider sit down—Luviya’s hair was naturally shoulder-length and, tied into a short ponytail, it appeared even more androgynous.
The doctor opened the briefcase he had clipped. After confirming that the Silence Charm was still effective, he briefly spoke:
“Tonight’s delivery target is the Angel-Level relic, ‘Remains of the Naless’. The coffin is a special containnt container made by the Academy. The first requirent of the mission is to under no circumstances open the coffin.”
He passed the black and white photo of the coffin for the four to view and continued:
“The earliest surviving record of the ‘Remains of the Naless’ cos from a Third Era stone tablet, with its origin traced back to early Second Era. The relic was lost in the late Fifth Era, suspected to be used for sealing with a counteractive nature. About three years ago, an archaeological team from Saint Byrons discovered its traces in the New World and successfully acquired it six months ago, completing containnt a month ago. Passing through Tobesk is part of the containnt asure, and our task is to keep the coffin safe until the next sunrise.”
He paused and told everyone:
“I have rented a carriage and a warehouse in the Tobesk Western District; we need to stay there overnight.”
Tobesk Western District is Tobesk’s industrial area, with steam factories and warehouses mostly concentrated around there.
“What is our enemy?”
Luviya asked.
“Two parts. One part stems from the relic properties. We cannot know all the relic’s traits, but what we do know is: after nightfall, the relic becos relatively active. During this period, its power might break through the coffin’s constraints, causing spatial dislocation and attracting monsters beyond human comprehension.”
“Can we deal with the monsters by killing them?”
“No, you also need to sprinkle refined salt on the coffin to reinforce the seal.”
“That sounds like peculiar superstition.”
Priest Augustus said quietly.
“The other part of the enemy cos from the New World. Apart from the Academy, others have also spotted the coffin. They wouldn’t dare directly confront the professors from the Academy in the New World, nor would they dare on the sea against the Academy’s relay boat. But after entering the Old Continent’s heartland, the Academy is restrained, providing an opportunity for those Circle Sorcerers.”
The doctor handed these docunts to the other four:
“But don’t worry too much. The Academy’s power cannot directly influence Tobesk, and those Circle Sorcerers from the New World find it hard to operate in Tobesk. After all, this is the Church of the Five Gods’ most valued parish. Therefore, the Academy only summoned our Circle Sorcerer team for action, which represents the Academy’s trust in us.”
Dr. Schneider was quite optimistic:
“The enemies this ti do not belong to the sa organization. They might co together or could be Lone Walkers. Once entering the Old Continent’s northern regions, Tobesk is the last place where they might succeed, so there is still so pressure tonight.”
He ensured everyone had seen the docunts. Once all five signed the papers, the doctor used the portable manuscript paper to transmit them to the Academy as proof of the legitimacy of the procedure.
Next, it was just a matter of waiting. Luviya, as the team’s Diviner, conducted a divination for the evening’s action. Due to its association with the Angel-Level Relic, the results were quite chaotic and hard to interpret, but at least she deed it was not bad news.
At 7:50 pm, three loud gunshots in close succession sounded from the east of the train station. Shard turned to look in that direction. Seeing that the others weren’t concerned, he pretended not to hear.
For tonight’s action, he not only carried the black Ti Key but also brought the Night Watchman along with him. The longsword was difficult to hide, so Shard wrapped the sword scabbard in cloth, carrying it as a long stick.
Unable to return ho for the night, he didn’t worry about Mia. Lecia had already agreed to care for the cat tonight. Earlier, Dorothy had hinted to Shard that Her Highness the Princess had seen Mia at No. 6, Saint Delan Square, and successfully used Shard’s coat to take the sowhat displeased kitten to Yordle Palace.
“Attention, the train arrived early!”
The sound from afar caught Dr. Schneider’s attention. He raised his right hand while speaking, prompting Priest Augustus and the two ladies to head in different directions for defense, while Shard, highest in rank among the group, and the doctor remained standing on the platform.
Before long, the whistling train ca to a smoke-filled stop. White steam rose to the platform from the carriage’s bottom. This was a freight train, so not many people were waiting to greet it. In the steam, the first carriage’s door was pushed open from the inside with a clatter, revealing an exceptionally spacious cabin with only a wooden box in the middle, surrounded by six seemingly sleep-deprived Circle Sorcerers who vigilantly scanned the platform.
All were Inner Ring, and two were even Eight Rings. Shard didn’t quite recognize them, but he was certain they weren’t correspondence students.
The party in the carriage nodded to the doctor, prompting him to board first for identity confirmation. Soon, he gestured to Shard below, who promptly entered the carriage as well.
“Final confirmation of cargo details.”
The bald man wearing a black hat and leading the carriage spoke. His figure was tall and extrely strong. The two Five-Ring Sorcerers, ranking the lowest, opened the wooden box not sealed up. The unveiled lid revealed hay inside, and brushing aside the hay exposed a black coffin with tal rods.
The held candles, kerosene lamps brought along, and the dim platform lights outside the carriage illuminated it. Despite the weak light, the glossy black tal managed to reflect conspicuous light. The coffin lid could even serve as a mirror; simply put, it was a polished, high-grade coffin.
Dr. Schneider, of course, didn’t know what Shard thought of the thing in front of him. He gave Shard a look, and Shard, with the strongest perception, reached out to touch the surface of the coffin. Although this coffin and the one on Green Lake Central Island were both black tal, the feeling upon touching them was entirely different.
Thud~ Thud~ Thud~
Even without closing his eyes, at that mont,[Heart of Stone]was unexpectedly triggered automatically, allowing Shard to hear the sound of a heartbeat, a sound more distinct than the noisy sounds of the platform. At the sa ti, elents that he could not perceive before were imdiately sensed as a whisper after contact.
[It should be fine.]
“She” said gently, so Shard nodded, and the doctor went to the head of the coffin, pushed aside the weeds, and saw with the help of a kerosene lamp held nearby, the coffin surface dotted with over thirty slots, though at this mont only seven slots housed rhombus-shaped gray crystals.
He pried one out and tossed it to the bald man with the hat, who exhaled a long sigh:
“It’s finally over. I’m never taking on this kind of task again.”
Every ti a different team receives the coffin, they have to remove one of the crystals to give to the previous team. This is part of the containnt ritual, though Shard didn’t sense any change in the coffin when the crystal was removed.
The bald man took a step back to distance himself from the coffin. Then he threw the gray cloth salt bag, tied with a thin rope, from his pocket to the doctor:
“Keep it for your use, but never use coarse salt, only refined salt. These expenses are necessary.”
He then said no more to Shard and the doctor, but with a smile, beckoned his companions to jump off the carriage and leave. From their conversation, it seed they intended to stay in Tobesk for a few days to sightsee, as they rarely ca here.
Once the group had gone far enough, Shard closed the wooden crate lid, covering the polished black coffin. The doctor waved toward the distance, signaling to Priest Augustus, who was keeping guard on the periphery, to fetch the porter they had prepared in advance.
Even if it was just Shard, he could have carried the coffin out, but as workers in other carriages were unloading cargo, carrying a coffin out would be like delivering goods directly to the Church.
Transporting the wooden crate and its coffin out of the station was uneventful, and the carriage rented by the doctor was parked just outside the station.
Speaking of which, Shard was familiar with the style of that carriage. On his first day in this world, the Corpse Bearer used a similar carriage to take away Detective Sparrow’s corpse, though this ti there was no Holy Emblem of the Church of Creation and Destruction hanging on it.
The coffin was placed in a narrow, enclosed carriage, but there was no driver for this carriage. For safety and assurance, Dr. Schneider drove it himself. The driver’s seat was spacious enough for two people, with Priest Augustus sitting beside him.
Shard and Dorothy entered the carriage compartnt, which was crowded due to the coffin, leaving no space for them to stay on either side, so they remained at the rear.
To prevent encounters where all five could be constrained together in case of danger, Luviya did not get in last. She would follow from a distance shortly after the carriage set off, ready to support the other four if anything happened.
Of course, Luviya wasn’t following the carriage on foot. She had borrowed the bone whistle from Iluna, which could summon the skeleton horse capable of moving over any terrain. Originally, the bone whistle could only be used by Iluna herself, but after obtaining wisdom in Pantanal and modifying it, it could be temporarily lent.
The Arcane Technique would call upon the powers of shadow and death, concealing Luviya’s tracks in the darkness. This high-mobility mount would be very useful for tonight’s operation.
“See you later then!”
Shard waved to the girl with purple eyes, and Luviya turned to leave. Once everything was ready, Schneider advised them to hold on to the carriage, and it set off with the four and the coffin. Shard and Dorothy held onto the carriage’s sidewall, watching the night and street scenes recede through the open rear door, while Dr. Schneider in the driver’s seat kept a vigilant watch on the surroundings.
Tobesk beneath the night sky was more peaceful and serene than at any other ti, seemingly just another ordinary night in the city. The coming of spring extended night activities slightly longer than usual, but as the night deepened, almost no pedestrians were seen on the streets.
The fog in Tobesk tonight was denser than in previous days, making the carriage racing down the street resemble a ghost in the mist. The starry sky was obscured by the fog, yet three crescent moons were still visible. This March, the moon phase was a waning crescent, suitable for performing mind and body healing incantations. Although the lunar cycles influenced Shard, whose core system was the “Moon,” he had only ever felt their enhancent and never the suppression of certain spellcasting abilities by different moon phases.
“By the way, Dorothy, did you know there’s a lunar eclipse at the end of the month?”
Though tense, Shard found the silence odd, prompting him to open his mouth while keeping an eye on the rear.
The carriage was narrow, the peculiar sll inside mixed with Dorothy’s perfu that reached Shard’s nose. Miss Writer used a sophisticated fragrance that, while unfamiliar, felt akin to Lecia’s perfu.
“A lunar eclipse? Yes, I heard it from ‘her.’ Phenona like lunar or solar eclipses require prior communication between the Church and the Kingdom to prevent any astronomical events from causing societal disorder.”
Though her voice was lowered, Dorothy worried the doctor and the priest might hear, so she avoided ntioning Lecia’s na directly. She leaned slightly closer to Shard, noticing his nose twitch, which brought an amused smile to her face.
“Indeed, I’m preparing to learn a powerful Arcane Technique called[Black Moon Insignia]when the eclipse occurs. According to the book, during the lunar eclipse, most Moon Magics, except for a few related to destruction and termination like[Black Moon Insignia], will be suppressed. It’s a low ebb for Moon-based Circle Sorcerers like myself. I hope to secure the day at ho.”
The writer’s green eyes subtly flicked toward him:
“Usually, saying that hints you won’t be ho on that day. Incidentally, the Day of the Red Butterfly was the closing of the Circle Horsemanship Tournant, which was the third of this month. 21 days later, the end of the month approaches with the eclipse… perhaps postpone it to that day…”
From the term “Day of the Red Butterfly,” Dorothy’s voice beca almost a whisper:
“Viya and I are curious to see if we can ‘defeat’ you during your weakest mont… Oh, Lehia, don’t laugh, haven’t you thought the sa?”
It seed she was using her newfound ability to communicate with Lehia at will.
“She” at Shard’s ear chuckled quietly for a reason unknown, like a gentle breeze through the long night, sharpening Shard’s focus:
“Dorothy, honestly, I don’t think the lunar eclipse will affect
much. However, people I know in Randall Valley and a nun with an eyepatch believe the eclipse is significant for … The Day of the Red Butterfly was no problem, but the precise date of the eclipse is uncertain, Luviya says it takes a few more days to pinpoint… Oh, why are we discussing this now? We’re in the middle of a task.”
Hearing Shard’s conclusion, Dorothy laughed again. Yet, just as the laughter began, the two pressed against the coffin saw the scene outside the carriage shift—from the city’s nightti street scene to a dim moonlit path in the forest.
The transition was remarkably smooth, as though the street indeed led to the forest.
“Doctor, there’s been a scene change!”
Shard alerted urgently, tossing the salt bag to Dorothy. The doctor’s calm voice ca from the front:
“The power of the relic leaked. According to the Academy’s information, we are currently simultaneously in Tobesk and the forest, in a state of space overlap. I’m slowing down to avoid smashing into walls. Resolve the situation quickly.”
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