Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic
Chapter 949 - 949 The Stolen Security Company

"Dorothy, do you know about the Angel-Level Relic, the Evil Mirror of Burgundy?"

When Shard returned to the second floor holding the cat, after moving the wooden box to the basement downstairs, the blonde girl was humming a song in a good mood while wearing an apron, placing plates on the dining table:

"Of course I know. It's rumored that anyone who gazes at that mirror will be instantly possessed by the powerful evil object within the mirror. Even Circle Sorcerers below the High Ring can't escape, and the process is instantaneous, with no possibility of resistance. That mirror is extremely dangerous. The evil object within the mirror is undead and indestructible, and can only be returned to the mirror after destroying the container. During the time it wasn't contained, this relic caused countless tragedies. I remember that over 300 years ago in the Sixth Era, it was contained by the Three Major Academies working together, and it's now in Saint Byrons. Why are you bringing this up?"

Dorothy asked curiously, wiping her hands with a towel, and finally brought Mia's goat milk next to Shard. In light of Dorothy making breakfast, Mia didn't dodge Dorothy's approaching hand this time.

"It's nothing."

Shard helped Dorothy pull out the wooden chair beside him and sighed softly:

"I just didn't expect the Thirteen-Ring Sorcerers' research to be so unimaginable... Do you eat such a small amount?"

On Shard's plate were two slices of soft white bread, two fried eggs, and half a tomato, along with butter, hot milk, and bacon. But in front of Dorothy, there was only a slice of bread, a cup of milk, and half a tomato, just a bit more than Mia's breakfast.

The blonde girl elegantly sat down:

"Even a Female Sorcerer has to maintain her figure. I don't want Lecia to say I'm fatter than her when she uses my body. Besides, more than food, what I need is... hydration."

She blushed slightly and winked at Shard, then wrapped an arm around his neck and kissed him passionately.

Though it was Sunday, Shard didn't plan to idle. He intended to find Iluna later to help investigate the cult information on the Old God, The Undefined Sage. Upon hearing that Shard planned to take Mia for a stroll in the city, Dorothy decided not to stay at No. 6, Saint Delan Square.

However, she planned to take Professor Manning's letters with her and help Shard organize all the letters today:

"And starting next Monday, Saint Delan Square District will begin unified heating. Lecia's suggestion is, since the basement's waterproofing is done, to have the firewood delivered by next Wednesday... Do you know how to use a fireplace?"

Dorothy asked at the dining table, and Shard put down the newspaper he had been reading—the third edition—news on Princess Margaret visiting the Kingdom's Department of Administrative Affairs. The back of this edition had news about the Kingdom's famous wrestler, "Durut the Bull," winning a match in Tobesk:

"Throw the logs in and light them."

After thinking for a moment, he added:

"Keep an eye on Mia, don't let her near the fire."

"Do you know how to control the flame and vent smoke through the chimney?"

"Um..."

Dorothy tapped her forehead:

"Once Lecia has the firewood delivered, I'll teach you how to use the fireplace. It's actually quite simple. When I was a child, I loved roasting things in the home fireplace."

She turned her head to look at the living room fireplace:

"The weather isn't that cold yet, but on snowy nights, turning off the gas lamps at home and sitting on the carpet in front of the fireplace with family, playing games or reading together by the firelight, is my fondest winter memory before leaving home in recent years."

"When the snowy night comes, you can come over to my place, and if the Day of the Red Butterfly happens again, call Lecia along."

Shard understood Miss Writer's hint, and indeed, it was a lovely scene.

After breakfast, Dorothy helped Shard wash the plates and cups, then left with the letters. Shard calculated the working hours of Blackstone Security Company and arrived at its location on Swan Castle Street at precisely nine o'clock. As the weather grew colder, the street scenery changed with the seasons. Holding the cat, Shard glanced at the clothing of the pedestrians at the street corner before entering the inconspicuous gray building.

Theoretically, Blackstone Security Company operates 24/7, serving as the base for Iluna's team and holding various relics they use. However, for the public, the business hours are from nine in the morning, so when Shard pushed the door open, he believed he was the first customer of the day.

In the reception area on the first floor, a plump middle-aged woman with curly brown hair was knitting a red sweater while looking at a magazine. A white cat lay beside the basket of yarn, using its paws to push a ball of yarn back and forth. The team leader, Mr. Robinson, also the nominal manager of the security company, stood in front of the reception desk, checking the entrance register.

Hearing the door, they both looked over. The white cat, pushing the ball of yarn, shrank back, seemingly a bit afraid of the Mia that was being held. Because Shard had visited several times, the middle-aged Seventh Ring captain recognized Shard:

"Detective Hamilton, do you have a commission this early?"

He asked amicably, discreetly closing the registry and placing a fountain pen at the page he had been viewing.

"Good morning, is Miss Beyas here?"

Shard asked, his apparent identity being a friend of Iluna, whom he met while investigating a case:

"I want to return the book I borrowed from her last time. Also, I'd like to discuss the Manning professor theft case with her, which she asked me to investigate."

Mr. Robinson nodded:

"Beyas is on the second floor, please wait a moment, I'll call her down."

Iluna was naturally pleased with Shard's visit. The two conversed in the first-floor reception room, where the second floor of the small three-story building served as the area for receiving clients, and the third floor was only accessible to team members, which Shard had never entered.

"We've had a theft incident."

As soon as the door closed, Iluna told Shard:

"I received a notice at six this morning. During the routine morning inventory of the warehouse's relics, one was found missing. The captain gathered the team members for an investigation, and initially, it was determined that the relic, Thief Jack, was responsible. The missing relic is Keeper of Secrets Level (Level 3), the Mandela's Serpent Nest Bottle. The captain will likely face serious consequences, and all our year-end bonuses may be gone."

Mentioning this, her tone suddenly fell:

"I didn't expect not to receive a year-end bonus in my first year of official work. Unless the stolen item is recovered, our team's evaluation results will likely be at the bottom this year."

"It actually dared to come and steal from you?"

Shard was taken aback, holding Mia as he sat on the sofa. He could understand Iluna's feelings; this was truly a disaster out of nowhere.

"In theory, it dares to steal from anywhere except the church."

Iluna sat dejectedly beside him:

"The theft of a relic is a big deal, especially when it's stolen by another relic. It's really unlucky. Just now, I was upstairs writing a review and an accident report. From the current clues, [Thief Jack] disguised himself as a client last night at five o'clock, came here, and sneaked to the third floor while no one was watching."

Judging by Iluna's worried look, she should have been here last night at five as well.

"Did anyone see what it looked like?"

"Just an ordinary middle-aged man, wearing a black trench coat with a wide-brimmed black laced hat. Claimed to live in the Tobesk Northern Area, hired us to investigate his neighbor as he suspected them of being a voyeur. We investigated the address, and although the address exists, the person is just an ordinary individual who recently lost something, too. It's reasonable to suspect it was also stolen by him."

Iluna gritted her teeth and said:

"Tobesk City is so big, although it leans towards stealing from Circle Sorcerers, I never expected it to actually steal from us. If I really encounter it, I'll definitely make it understand the power of the Sunlight Gun!"

She handed Shard the brooch capable of releasing the "Sunlight Gun," which Shard naturally put into his pocket. This relieved Iluna, who had been worried that after Shard learned the [Thunder Spear], he wouldn't need her "Sunlight Gun" anymore.

Shard could quite understand why the Blackstone Security Company was robbed, after all, Luviya had mentioned that various strange things would spontaneously happen around The Chosen One.

"Alright, enough about that, Shard, what did you come here for?"

"If you have time, you could help me investigate some things at the church."

Shard handed the already written investigation content to Iluna, who glanced at it:

"The Order of the Old God... no problem, coincidentally, the deity you want to investigate has some connections with the trial of Vynars. Writing to the Papacy for information won't arouse suspicion."

Iluna folded the letter paper and put it away, reminding:

"Shard, I think you should also prepare for theft prevention, be careful not to lose something like we did."

"Steal from No. 6, Saint Delan Square?"

Shard thought of the valuables in his home, his right hand stroking the back of little Mia, suddenly startled, and immediately asked:

"Could that relic steal living beings?"

Iluna understood his implication and softly reassured:

"So far, there are no precedents of it stealing pets. The Church also suspects that it is the 'Invisible Person' mentioned in Vynars' trial, and is investigating this relic, but it has no previous history of containment, we only have a few unreliable records."

Shard pondered:

"I should take little Mia with me when I go out recently, if this cat is really stolen, I wouldn't know how to explain it to its owner, Miss Gawder."

"Miss Gawder?"

Iluna had heard Shard mention that lady:

"By the way, you could find out what breed little Mia is, and if she has any siblings. I'd also like to have such a cute cat, but other cats just can't compare to yours."

Hearing the praise for little Mia, Shard was also in a good mood:

"No problem, after Miss Gawder writes next month, I'll ask for you in my reply, but judging from her color, Mia is probably just an inexpensive local stray."

He sincerely drew a Holy Emblem on his chest and said amidst "her" soft laughter:

"May Mr. Dawn bless, hope Miss Mia Sun Gold recovers from her illness soon, hope the declining family can prosper again, and hope the peculiarities in that small town can be resolved soon."

"May that lady be safe, but things in Tobesk won't be resolved as easily as in a remote small town."

Iluna counted on her fingers, listing:

"The Church has confirmed that with the buildup of rumors about The Chosen One and the Poem Chapter, more Circle Sorcerers have been attracted to the fourth Chosen One compared to Midshire Fort. In addition to the confirmed Truth Society, worshippers of the Evil God [Mr. Misfortune], the illegal organization [Blood Healing Club], the Cult Order [Unity of All Numbers Society], and the neutral organization [Emerald Alchemy Association] have all been confirmed to appear locally. Apart from this, there is no intel on any Thirteen-Ring Sorcerers outside the Church, but clear information indicates the [Truth Society] is preparing to utilize a high-risk level relic to complete Vynars' trial."

She looked at Shard:

"By the way, Miss Pawo, whom you encountered, is the Vice President of the Truth Society. Yes, she has only a Seventh Ring, but the Truth Society is not a power-based organization."

"Did the Truth Society really send out their Vice President this time? It seems they really value the fourth Chosen One."

"Oh no."

Iluna shook her head:

"In fact, we all believe that the purposes of the organizations listed above coming to this city are not for The Chosen One, but for the trial of the Keeper of Secrets."

She sighed softly:

"For most people, the epic is too distant, the Chosen One is too distant, but the opportunity for the Keeper of Secrets to fulfill their wish is right in front of them."