Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic
Chapter 962 - 962: The Curse of Knowledge

After having lunch at Professor Drake's house, the maid rented a carriage from the city's four-wheeled carriage rental company, and then Shard set out with the professor, who had packed up.

Although their destination was very strange, the driver didn't ask any questions. After taking them to Loch Ness in the eastern part of Huntington City, he stopped by the roadside and watched Shard push the professor's wheelchair away.

The country dirt road was completely unsuitable for wheelchair wheels to turn, but luckily they didn't go far. Once the driver could no longer be seen, Shard pushed the professor down the lakeside embankment, gazing at the vast lake at Loch Ness.

This was a lake chosen randomly by Shard on the map in the west of the city. Loch Ness in winter was very calm; the lake surface was not completely frozen yet but had a thin layer of ice. The cold wind swept through, and Shard did not react much, while Professor Drake, wrapped tightly, shivered.

He saw Shard untie the cloth strip from the long, rod-like item he carried, revealing a longsword sheathed in its scabbard.

"Mr. Watson, this isn't your real name, is it?"

Moving his gaze away from the silver sword, the old professor pulled at his red knitted scarf, his eyes fixed on the large lake before him.

"Yes."

"You actually... no, nothing."

Shard glanced down at the professor, currently standing beside him:

"I hope when we return to the lakeside, you might thank me for this. The truth may be cruel to you."

"I might regret in the future, but at least I'm not regretting now."

Visiting the Lake Goddess this time required a sword. But even with a sword, one must still meet the condition of "forgetting the desire to visit the Lake Goddess." Shard hoped to distract both himself and the professor through conversation; the professor also intended this, casually discussing his knowledge of the lake ahead with Shard.

As they were talking, they suddenly heard a strange sound from the lake. Shard immediately pushed the professor closer to the shore, and then they both saw water ripples appearing at the shore, as if the lakebed was shaking.

The sound of lake water grew more frequent and dense, and gradually, a massive vortex appeared near the shore.

Shard held the Night Watchman, standing in front of Professor Drake, who was amazed to see the silver light emanating from the sword in Shard's hand:

"Mr. Watson, do you need any help? I also carry a pistol."

"No need, I can handle it myself."

In just those couple of sentences, a frog composed entirely of pure water, taller than Bizard, leaped out from the center of the giant vortex in the lake. It jumped high, blocking the sun in front of Shard and Professor Drake, causing the professor to shrink entirely into his wheelchair in fear.

And as the massive shadow of the frog completely engulfed Shard, he made a throwing motion with his empty left hand towards the sky:

"Thunder Spear!"

Silver White Thunder exploded in his hand. Accompanied by the throwing motion, the silver-white Thunder Spear centered at his palm erupted with intricate patterns, extending forward and backward. The Thunder Spear took form precisely at the moment it was thrown.

Professor Drake heard only a thunderclap and was curious why there was thunder at this moment, as the massive pure water frog had already burst into splashes of water falling back into the lake.

Continuous splashing sounds rang out in front, creating a large mist over the lake surface. Within that mist, two water arrows shot up from the lake near the shore, not directly into the sky but ascending and then drawing a curve to converge.

They formed into an archway, and as the archway closed, the water that fell after the frog burst filled the doorframe from above.

"This, this..."

The professor was too startled to speak.

"That frog was too weak; it seems the lady of the lake does not wish to trouble us."

Shard muttered, seeing that the water gate in the lake near the shore was still some distance away. With the experience from last time, Shard bent down, picked up a stone, and tossed it onto the lake surface, seeing the stone "float" in the air.

"The lake surface has an invisible hidden path."

Shard softly told the professor, pushing him onto the water. The professor looked downward anxiously, as such a scene was quite miraculous for an ordinary person.

"And then the door."

Pushing the professor to stop before the archway, Shard tossed a stone into the water curtain within the arch, only to see the stone bounce back as if it hit a hard wall, bouncing a few times on the invisible path beneath their feet before falling into the lake.

"Does this require us to solve a puzzle to pass?"

The professor, familiar with legends, asked.

"It's not that complicated."

Shard walked forward with the sword, slicing through the water curtain. The sword blade directly passed through the transparent water curtain, piercing into another space, and as Shard "lifted" the water curtain aside like silk, the water gate completely opened to them.

The professor remained silent, allowing Shard to push him through the water gate, arriving at the lake surface of Lake Cherub, surrounded by forest.

There was still invisible road on the lake surface, but after walking straight for just a few dozen steps, they reached Heart Lake Island.

Upon landing on the island, Shard once again saw the resurrected wild wolf by the "Swamp Witch," a creature revived by the Power of the Relic belonging to the undead. This wolf now showed signs of complete decay. Last time, it attempted to attack Mia, who had run to the island first, but was scared away by Shard; this time, it only dared to watch the two from afar. Upon seeing Shard, it immediately turned and ran away again.

"Is it here?"

The professor's hand gripped the wheelchair handle tightly, his face flushed with excitement.

"Can you remember anything?"

Shard asked, but the professor still had no memories of the place.

Soon they arrived at the center of Heart Lake Island, under the large stone in the center of Island Heart Lake, which seemed to be formed by the merging and joining of several slender boulders, the white-robed lady holding a staff still stood there.

Professor Drake's wheelchair certainly couldn't cross the lake surface like Sister Delphine. So Shard carried the professor on his back, then lifted the wheelchair with both hands, took a few steps to gain momentum, and leaped towards the center of Island Heart Lake.

After stepping on the water surface, he carefully put down the wheelchair. He made sure the wheelchair didn't sink before placing Professor Drake on it.

At this moment, the professor was too excited to speak, and Shard respectfully greeted:

"Good afternoon, madam."

"Good afternoon."

The white-robed lady emanated a gentle glow all over her body, responding to Shard's salute amidst the afternoon light on the mysterious and sacred lake surface.

"I am here to complete the second trial."

Shard glanced at the professor:

"Now to answer the three questions of the second trial, I think I've found the answers."

"Why did Kansas Drake, the retired folklore professor living in Huntington City West Old Town, Carsonrick of the Sixth Era, come to me?"

The white-robed lady gently asked.

"Because he was struck by the Arrow of Knowledge of Aikenora, became a Gifted One, and then, with the help of Halder Undiba, took on the job of Circle Sorcerer."

The professor looked up at Shard, Shard shook his head:

"But the death of his guide Halder Undiba frightened the professor about what he had always pursued. Yes, his life was dedicated to seeking knowledge and wisdom, and when he truly touched the inhuman knowledge and power, he became afraid, afraid of what he had pursued for his entire life, so he came here. This wasn't just about severing ties with Halder Undiba, merely fear of the knowledge and power of the Circle Sorcerers. Otherwise, I couldn't have found that photograph."

The professor pursed his lips, his face pale, lowered his head, and the white-robed lady continued to ask:

"What wish did he make to me here?"

"Professor Drake was completely afraid, so he asked you to erase the fact that he had become a Circle Sorcerer. Although the professor's wish essentially had nothing to do with Halder Undiba, the vision of the wish severed his connection with Halder Undiba. Therefore, over the years, neither the Church nor the Pantanal Voodoo Society managed to find the Arrow of Knowledge of Aikenora hidden in the hands of an ordinary person."

The white-robed lady nodded slightly, and the professor trembled all over.

"Then, what price did he pay?"

The Lake Goddess finally asked, Shard had a serious expression, and Professor Drake suddenly looked at Shard, as if pleading with him not to reveal the answer. He tugged at Shard's sleeve but ultimately didn't beg.

Shard looked down at the professor:

"Professor, this question you should answer yourself."

The professor took a deep breath and then exhaled tremblingly. He lowered his head, burying his face in his hands. Shard didn't urge him, merely watched him.

This is indeed a very sad story, those who chase knowledge yet fear the wisdom they pursue. Extraordinary knowledge and wisdom may truly be a curse, at least for Professor Drake.

After a long time, the professor finally lifted his head:

"The price was my legs."

It seemed that every mortal who made a wish to the Lake Goddess had to pay with limbs, but Shard didn't.

"And my memory, which might be part of the wish or perhaps the price. But the most crucial price was... my talent."

Shard looked at the professor, who was looking down at the water beneath his wheelchair:

"Although I still can't remember what happened then, I think I can understand myself from more than a decade ago. Using a lifetime to pursue a result, but when the wish was truly fulfilled, fear of what I attained. I suppose I was really afraid, wished to erase my power, then paid my talent and wisdom as the cost, completely... completely making it impossible to walk that path again under any circumstances.

I opened the door, saw the scenery behind it, and then went mad because of it, closed the door again in fear, and nailed it shut, but again asked someone after a dozen years to tell me what exactly is behind that door."

Ripples appeared on the water under the wheelchair, seeming like drops of water falling into the lake.

"Is it correct?"

Shard took a deep breath and then softly asked the Lake Goddess, opening that redwood box to reveal the arrow inside:

"Halder Undiba trusted Professor Drake very much, after helping him awaken and taking on the job, temporarily placed the arrow in his hands. This is Professor Drake's core, as proof of the second trial."

The white-robed lady slightly nodded, showing a gentle smile:

"Correct, you have completed my second trial."

Shard maintained a dignified expression but actually very much wanted to laugh a few times, although investigating Professor Drake's affairs didn't involve fighting anyone, the investigation itself was not easy at all:

"Your trial was interesting, at least these stories were very interesting. So, what is the third trial? I am already impatient to know, will the third trial be more complicated than the second one?"

"No, the third trial is very simple."

The white-robed lady replied softly:

"The third trial, now, here, defeat me."

Shard suddenly didn't want to laugh at all.

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