Chapter 1442: Chapter 1442: Departure
"What kind of dream was that..."
Shard seldom has dreams so vivid upon waking up. When a Circle Sorcerer encounters such a situation, it’s ti to start wondering if it’s a special case like a "Prophetic Dream." The last ti this happened was when he first arrived at Randall Valley, suddenly riding a cat flying toward the sun.
"So, did I foresee encountering the Vampire God again, encountering Night Manor once more, or did I foresee Mia turning into a golden-haired shining big lion?"
Shard muttered softly, clasping the cat around the waist and lifting it up. Little Mia symbolically struggled twice before becoming docile and no longer moving. Only then did Shard realize that the scene at the end of his dream, where he was smacked on the chest by Damia, was likely because this cat noticed his unusual expression while he was asleep and jumped onto his chest as a result.
This also explained why Mia rolled off his chest when Shard was startled awake.
"I’m really sorry, I have to take you out for an adventure tonight... truly sorry."
He spoke softly to Miss Gawder’s cat, but the orange and white kitten just owed gently, as if comforting Shard.
The Outlander felt that this world truly treated him with kindness.
Since he woke up half an hour earlier than usual, Shard had ti to wash up slowly and go over his plans for the night in his mind again. By six thirty, he went downstairs, picked up the newspaper and goat’s milk from the door, and started his breakfast.
He originally planned to go to Randall Valley early to discuss the plan with the Witches again and then fulfill his promise to Ciris, but he realized he had packed too hastily last night for what he needed to bring. He had to confirm once more the relics he needed to carry.
Of the two Angel-Level relics, the "Aikenora - Arrow of the Chosen One," pertaining to the Chosen qualification, would cause significant issues if lost or damaged, so Shard would not bring it. The "Night Watchman," crucial for countering demons, of course, had to be brought to Randall Valley.
Among the two Sage-Level relics in his possession, the "God’s Gift Box" wasn’t much help for this operation and was also not easy to carry, so it stayed at ho. However, the "Yellow Moon Orb: Source of Chaos" would be carried with him.
Shard’s Keeper of Secrets Level relics were all small and useful, so he decided to carry the "Twenty-Sided Dice of Destiny," "Higgs Dragonhead Stone," "Perfu Bottle of Desire," "Desecration Cross," "Demon Hunting Seal," and the newly acquired "Blade of the Soul Drainer."
The Scribe-Level "Spear of Kindness" would be left at ho this ti, but the Poet-Level "Ti Key" and the two pieces of "Ever-Youth Leaf" he would take. If things went smoothly, perhaps by tomorrow evening, there would be three leaves.
The remaining special coin, the "Emperor’s Banquet Coin," was temporarily left with Luviya for safekeeping. And what Shard called "Mia’s Four Rings" — the Revivification, Fish Training, Vampire Kind, and Plague Doctor’s rings — were all unique in their functions, so those would be brought along, too.
Of course, according to the fundantal education of Saint Byrons Integrated Academy, carrying so many relics at once is quite a dangerous act, but as it’s the final battle of the Chosen of the Earth event, Shard couldn’t care less.
For non-relic essentials, there were spellcasting materials and alchemical items to gather. As he busied himself with these, the sound of a bell rang from downstairs.
"Who could be visiting
now... Could it be my client coming today?"
Before Shard could open the door, it was unlocked with a key, and a worried Dorothy ca upstairs:
"Shard, I just received a letter from Dr. Schneider. He said this week’s and next week’s group etings are canceled. He has an urgent matter to handle out of town and will strive to return within two weeks... Is this related to your incident at Randall Valley?"
She frowned, and seeing the pile of things spread out on the coffee table in the living room, she added before Shard could respond:
"I just asked Lecia, and she said Galina Cavendish is also not in the city. She claims to have caught a winter cold and is bedridden, even asking if Lecia could visit if she had ti. This is quite unusual. Since you are still here today, and the doctor is definitely out tomorrow afternoon, is sothing significant going to happen at Randall Valley tonight? Don’t tell
you’re packing these things for a field trip."
The kitten stood on the dining table, which Shard had just wiped clean, glancing at Shard on the left and the golden-haired girl who had just entered the living room. Miss Writer, who wrote detective novels, had a deduction ability superior to the second-rate detective Shard Hamilton.
Shard put down the potion bottle in his hand:
"Hmm... I won’t lie to you, yes. I’ve been planning this for nearly two months, and it’s finally ending tonight."
Dorothy nervously bit her lip:
"Does it have anything to do with the recent frequent earthquakes on the Old Continent, where the Academy sent letters reminding Circle Sorcerers everywhere to pay attention to local Earth Elental Titans and report any anomalies with the land?"
"Yes."
Shard nodded:
"Randall Valley is the mystically recognized center of the earth of the Material World, and what happens there will directly affect the entire world. Including this morning... I haven’t had a chance to leave the house, but it’s nearly eight o’clock now, and the dawn seed a bit too delayed, don’t you think?"
He walked towards the dining table, resting a hand on it beside Mia:
"Tonight, I am going to Randall Valley to do sothing very dangerous. But don’t worry, I’ll handle those troubleso matters."
The golden-haired girl approached and embraced Shard, only releasing him after so ti:
"I know you have your own goals and ideas, so I won’t persuade you not to go. But be careful, and don’t forget to protect Luviya. I look forward to eting at Dr. Schneider’s clinic so Saturday after this."
She pulled out three rolled-up parchnts:
"This is ’Cinderella,’ a copy of ’Grey’s Crystal Shoes.’ It’s not any modern version, but the one you told
about."
"Didn’t you already give
one last Saturday?"
Shard asked, reaching out to take it:
"Lecia was worried and copied more for you to take along. We all know how important this is to you."
Dorothy looked at Shard with considerable concern:
"Promise
you’ll co back safely."
"Yes, I’ll co back safely, that’s my promise."
Shard extended his hand to her, making a hooking gesture, and the golden-haired girl gently pushed his hand aside with a reluctant smile:
"I don’t want such childish actions, I just want you."
With that, she closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, it was Lecia looking at Shard:
"Dorothy has already said what needs to be said. Rember to co back early... Do you want us to look after your cat?"
"I’m taking her with
this ti; Mia will be useful."
Shard patted the cat standing on the dining table:
"If all goes well, I can co back by Saturday morning. If you’re really worried, you can let Dorothy sleep here waiting for ."
"Alright, we’ll wait for you at ho. And... "
Lecia looked up at Shard:
"Make sure to co back safely."
Shard made a reassuring gesture to her:
"In Mia’s na, I will... Do you want to go to Dr. Schneider’s with ? I need to temporarily leave a Roder Card with him."
They both went to Dr. Schneider’s clinic, and after temporarily handing over [Genesis: Darkness] to the doctor, Shard warned the doctor that the Randall Valley Region might be "lively" tonight.
After he and Dorothy returned to No. 6, Saint Delan Square, they commorated this short farewell with two kisses.
The reason for two was that both the golden-haired girl and Her Highness the Princess cherished this farewell.
Upon arriving at Randall Valley, the Church of the Forgotten was silent and empty. Shard, holding Mia, went to the main hall and retrieved the Worsent family photo from beside Mr. Lathis’s stone sculpture. He smiled at the family in the photo and then placed it in his notebook:
"First insurance."
Turning to look at the Holy Emblem hanging on the wall, he then patted the shoulder of the stone statue sitting there, and without looking back, walked towards the church’s gate along the carpeted aisle between the pews in the main hall.
This Friday, though it was supposedly the last day before the first Randall Flower of spring would bloom according to divination, when Shard walked out of the church, he found fine snowflakes dancing in the sky. This snow had apparently been falling for so ti; the courtyard of the church, which had been tidied up, was now covered in snow, and the snowflakes were of an unexpected gray color:
"What is this now?"
Shard bent down to touch the snow but couldn’t detect any elental traces.
And then "she" gently explained:
[The Ancient God - Earth Mother Goddess possesses the authority representing "keystones," and the transformation of the earth will eventually affect other parts of the world. Fortunately, the transformation hasn’t reached its final stage yet, which is why the last snow before spring appears this color.]
It was nine in the morning, but the color of the sky was as dim gray as the snowflakes. Apart from the overpowering sll of rotten eggs and vegetables blanketing the city, the sky itself was also disturbingly altered.
As for the sun, when Shard and Mia looked up, they could only see the shadow of a dim sun with a black outline behind the thick fog and clouds. Even when Shard stretched out his arms and shouted "Praise the Sun," he couldn’t activate the Arcane Technique that would enhance his power under the sun.
Standing on the church’s steps, gazing at the city, he could see two or three thick black smoke pillars rising in the distance. anwhile, the sounds of gongs and alarms incessantly echoed from all directions. Clearly, when he left last night, the city was only beginning to succumb to a disease, but this morning, it was evidently in the terminal stage of an incurable plague.
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