Chapter 1189: Chapter 1189: The Girl in the Moonlight
Luviya’s Casenric isn’t particularly standard; you can tell she’s a Draleon, but there’s no obstacle in communication.
Shard looked at Mr. Antonio, who shrugged his shoulders:
“This card already belongs to you, I have no right to question it. However, madam, may I ask who your friend is…”
[Forest Tale: Silver Snow Wolf] is only useful for card players with many special cards, thus Mr. Antonio was curious.
Luviya glanced at Shard:
“I forgot to introduce myself, gentlemen, I come from Tobesk City in Draleon, and I’m acquainted with ‘Rejed’s Hamilton’.”
Mr. Antonio’s eyes widened immediately:
“Hamilton? The legendary Roder Card player, the grand champion of 1854 Big City Player?”
His surprised voice was a bit loud, causing people at nearby tables to look at him. The playwright quickly apologized, then lowered his voice a little:
“Madam, you actually know that gentleman? I’ve heard many rumors about him.”
“I’ve heard of him too. Not long ago, the ‘Great Century Heist’ he solved in Tobesk made headlines in the newspapers.”
Shard also said, pretending to look seriously at Luviya. Selling the card to Luviya was obviously good as now he could openly use it in Tobesk.
“Yes, yes, it’s said that he’s also the lover of the Duchess of the Draleon Kingdom.”
Mr. Antonio said with a smile, and Luviya’s smile froze for a moment, then she nodded:
“The friend I mentioned is that gentleman, I have a deep friendship with him. In fact, I’m a diviner at the local Tobesk association, and Hamilton often seeks fate guidance from me, bringing his cat along.”
Her purple eyes watched Shard with a half-smiling expression:
“I want to bring him a Randall Valley souvenir. So, sir, would you be willing to give me this card?”
Shard only hesitated slightly before agreeing with a nod. So Luviya took out her wallet, paying 4 krone at Shard’s insistence. When handing him the banknote, Shard distinctly felt a scratch on his palm, which was followed by a note appearing in his hand.
After Luviya said goodbye to them and left, Mr. Antonio excitedly discussed with Shard whether [Forest Tale: Silver Snow Wolf] would appear in the next game linked to “Legendary Player”:
“I’ve always wanted to meet Mr. Hamilton, not just because of his identity as a Roder Card Player, but also because of those detective stories related to him. I bought a copy of the first volume of the Casenric ‘Hamilton Detective Stories’ when it was first released. But being from Tobesk, he’s a renowned detective and the lover of the Grand Duchess, having deep ties with the Draleon Royal Family, so he won’t leave Tobesk easily, which is truly a pity.”
Even without relying on the “God Summoner” identity, the Outlander already had quite a reputation in this world.
“Mr. Antonio, care to join me for lunch? Let me treat you, considering I just made a sizable profit.”
Shard proposed, his fingers brushing that note, Luviya had arranged a meeting with him in the evening:
“Perhaps we could talk more about this city. I find those stories, those customs, quite intriguing.”
(Mia running along…)
The Iff River originates from the central mountain region of the Old Continent, weaving through the Kingdom of Carsonrick, flowing through the eastern mountain range of Randall Valley, finally emptying into the ocean. It is one of the two main rivers crossing the city and forming the river valley plains.
In the deep winter of the Moon of Birth, even such rivers remain in freezing periods. However, the ice-covered river isn’t empty; a luxury cruise ship that anchored in the center of the river before the winter freeze gleams like a gemstone on the ice, serving as the famous “Ice Restaurant” of Randall Valley, welcoming the city’s affluent.
The sunset casts over the city built on the river valley plain, slanting down onto the expansive river surface at the foot of the mountains where the cruise ship is docked. At this time of year, the temperature isn’t suitable for dining on deck, so the upper levels of the ship are converted into a dining room, with tables arranged around the cabin, each with a window, offering quite a view. Of course, the prices are also steep.
Because it’s impractical to lay gas pipelines onto the ship, the lighting on the walls is provided by rather traditional kerosene lamps. The glass lampshades are very clean, and the bird-like design of the kerosene lamps is particularly unique.
Candlesticks are placed at the center of the white tablecloth, and Luviya and Shard are already seated at the table. Shard attached his fountain pen to the menu and handed the hard-paper menu back to the waiter. After the waiter left, he smiled at Luviya, who was resting her face on her hand and gazing out the window:
“How does Carsonrick feel, on your first day in Randall Valley?”
“Is this how you feel every time you arrive in a new city? It’s indeed quite different from Tobesk, but in fact, it’s just a sense of unfamiliarity.”
The purple-eyed girl turned her head to look at Shard, sitting across from the table, the lamp illuminating that familiar face:
“On Monday morning, you mentioned you’d come to Randall Valley to find me, and now it’s only Wednesday, and you’re already here, even faster than me.”
“It’s certainly not easy, but luckily, luck was on my side. However, the Ancient God Space entrance in Randall Valley really surprised me. The entrance is in town, under a basement of an abandoned church that can’t be seen in its normal state.”
He produced the miniature Silver Cube and placed it on the table:
“Do you want to hear a story? Look at this, Old John says this is an alchemical item made of mithril.”
Before the dinner was served by the waiter, Shard simply recounted his encounters in this city yesterday. Luviya listened carefully and only spoke after the waiter served the appetizer soup and left:
“Old God [The Forgotten Old Man]? Yes, Old John is right. In my memory, there is no information about this deity. Although the Old Gods have departed, their mighty powers still influence the mortals of our era.”
“Even though that’s the case, since I’ve come across the church, I plan to explore its secrets. Perhaps I can find out the secrets of the Spatial Labyrinth’s entrance and thus explore the stories related to that Ancient God of Space.”
Actually, it was to cover up his search for a Time Key.
“So, how about you, Luviya? What are the arrangements with the Prophet’s Society and the Academy?”
“The Society is in communication with a local secret order. They hold the Sublimation Codex, which records the Sublimation Incantation I need. Before that, the headquarters of the Society assigned me tasks to complete in this city. The Academy also sent me to Randall Valley to fulfill two Academy bounties. Surprisingly, there are no diviners among the local correspondence students.”
She half-complained:
“It feels like this business trip is even busier than when I was in Tobesk. For the next few days, I’ll be staying at the ‘Abundant Land Inn’ next to the Prophet’s Society. If you need anything, I can help you with some tasks.”
“No, no, just focus on your tasks and wait for the Sublimation Incantation. With the current situation, I can handle it myself. Randall Valley City is quite safe, the scenery here is wonderful, and I don’t think there will be any problems.”
Shard shook his head with a smile, and the “her” in his ear also chuckled:
“By the way, do you know how to contact the local black market? I’m planning to learn an Arcane Technique related to sound and need some local specialty.”
“Of course, I asked the Circle Sorcerer from the Society today, and I’ll give you that note after dinner.”
Luviya nodded and then jokingly said:
“I heard from the local newspaper that Princess Margaret is coming here on Friday. I imagine you’ll definitely have a chance to meet her, right?”
The face of the princess with long golden hair suddenly appeared in Shard’s mind, followed by the intertwined phrases “MI6” and “grey-headed eagle”:
“I just hope I won’t be forced into some political whirlwind again.”
He scooped up the red sour plum with a spoon, tilting his head to gaze at the western sky, the sun had almost completely set below the city:
“Randall Valley, I hope all is peaceful for you.”
After dinner, Shard took Luviya to Cherry Leaf Avenue, entering the abandoned Church of the Forgotten with her.
Although she had already heard Shard’s description, Luviya was equally surprised by the church.
Shard pushed open the closed church door with effort, and they both squeezed through the gap. Moonlight slanted through the breach in the church’s roof into the ancient chapel where nature and holiness coexisted, creating a scene like a cool-toned oil painting, causing Luviya to be momentarily dazed.
“I wonder if the Cult of the Forgotten still exists. I plan to use this as my base in the area, although I don’t own the land or the deeds, temporarily it belongs to me.”
Shard expressed his obsession with land and property, then stepped on the snow, walking down the aisle flanked by long stone benches covered in snowflakes and climbing vines, towards the pulpit at the end of the church, looking up at the wall where the Holy Emblem should be hanging:
“It’s a pity, I don’t know the appearance of that Old God’s Holy Emblem. Otherwise, I could forge one to hang here and clean it every time I pass by, not letting my occupation of someone else’s church be in vain.”
After saying this, he turned around to talk to Luviya about the incredibly lifelike stone statue of a man sitting in the first row of benches.
But only after turning did he see the girl with purple eyes was standing in the dilapidated church, standing under the moonbeam from the roof’s hole, raising her hand as if trying to catch the light.
In the deserted yet silent church hall, although the dress she was wearing wasn’t particularly luxurious at that moment, the combination of the decrepit church and the beautiful girl with light in her eyes created a scene that indeed shocked Shard. The snow beneath his feet, reflecting the moonlight, sparkled slightly, and the purple eyes in the moonlight were like the most precious gemstones.
The girl in the light noticed Shard suddenly froze, so she lowered her hand, clasped her hands behind her back, and smiled as she asked:
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing… you’re really beautiful.”
Luviya blinked and exchanged glances with Shard. Suddenly, she laughed, then tossed a key to Shard:
“A spare key to my room at the inn—today I’m a bit tired, but when you have time, feel free to come find me.”
She used her fingers to sweep aside the hair hanging by her ear under the moonbeam:
“I wouldn’t want, during the witch’s and my absence from Tobesk, you to only have that princess and Dorothy around… Dorothy is fine, but Princess from the House of Cavendish… truly something to be wary of.”