Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic

Chapter 1923: Rain, Explosion, and Farewell

Shard ignored the Draleon People’s accusations and looked at the thirteen Carsonrickians:

"And what about you? They actually have a point, this is a Draleon city."

The leading burly man among the Southerners didn’t raise his gun. He sat on a long bench facing away from the table, pressing his hands against his legs, with a towel over his head. Although he was a Southerner, his Delarion was equally fluent:

"No one ever said the treasure belongs to the Draleon. Green Lake City has historically belonged to many countries, and the treasure supposedly flowing from the ancient tomb, who it really belongs to is something only scholars can investigate."

He spoke logically, and it indeed made sense for this Carsonrickian to lead them.

Shard nodded again, acknowledging that it was true. The treasure appearing in the Duin River, the wealth whose origins are unknown, indeed makes it hard to determine ownership. Therefore, the simplest moral to apply is that finders keepers.

This is the reason for their conflict:

He asked his second question:

"I’m looking for a boy; you must have seen him just now."

Both armed parties looked at Shard, and the Carsonrickian responded:

"The Draleon People knocked him out, then threw him into the river with the other corpses."

He looked at Shard, standing next to the huge knitted map of the Old Continent:

"This has nothing to do with us. You Northerners are really interesting, not going easy on your own people."

"Got it, thank you for your answer."

Shard said, deftly holstering his gun, then turned and pushed the door open to leave. Those aiming their guns at him didn’t shoot but immediately aimed at the other group after the door closed:

"You Northerners are truly hypocritical."

"Southerners, get out of our country!"

As for Shard, he and the little dog came outside, standing under the tavern’s eaves, looking at the rain-cracked sky above:

"Draleon and Carsonrick..."

He reached out to touch the rain, feeling calm yet certainly not indifferent inside. The raging anger and concern for the boy were enough to fuel the Arcane Technique——

"Passionate Ice."

Solidifying water into ice, soon a rough ice crystal about half a hand size formed in Shard’s hand.

"Let’s go, find your master."

He said to the little dog, opening an umbrella with a bang, and with one hand holding the umbrella, he tossed the ice crystal with the other hand as he once again walked into the rain, the little dog padding along at his feet. After walking about ten steps from the tavern, he tossed the ice crystal high, catching it, and casually threw it back.

Without turning back, the ice crystal struck the tavern glass, smashing it, and mingled with the shards inside amidst the tavern’s clamor.

"Three, two, one."

Boom!

The explosion in the rain could not be heard far, and the little dog, startled, tucked its tail and turned to look back, only to see broken glass, a half-collapsed building, and black smoke rising from the ruins, painting a different scene from a few moments ago.

"Oh, scared me to death,"

it nervously said, hurrying to catch up with Shard. As for the Outlander holding the umbrella, he did not look back at what was behind him; there were always divides between people, and he had no need to understand everyone.

Pursuing downstream along the riverbank, half an hour had passed since the little dog left to find Shard, yet he had not given up Hope.

Fortunately, it seemed Fate did not want to trouble the already unfortunate child. Shard, with the little dog, walked less than half a mile (around 0.8 km) downstream and saw on the riverbank’s grass three or four people with umbrellas. One, by his stance, was clearly a soldier, and another knelt on the ground holding a boy.

Shard took the ring off the little dog’s paw, and it raced ahead. Professor Boulanger, who was holding the boy, heard the barking and turned to see Shard approaching.

This folklore/minerology professor from Carsonrick Verendale City, seeing someone familiar, couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief, calling out loudly in Casenric Language:

"Oh, it’s Mr. Watson. Look at this boy, we found him in the river. Do you know first aid? He’s still unconscious."

Hearing Little John was alive, Shard sighed in relief as well. He quickly approached, knelt, and placed his hand on the boy’s neck.

[Drowned unconscious.]

Then he placed his hand on the boy’s chest and lung area, using a Sorcery to sense the water not belonging to the body, finally controlling it to slowly rise, then theatrically patting the boy’s chest.

Water continuously spilled from the boy’s mouth, mixed with blood and white foam. The boy coughed a few times before finally opening his eyes. The little dog rushed to lick his face, and the boy hugged his dog, trembling several times before he looked up to see Shard and Professor Boulanger.

"Sir, I..."

It was a look of timidity and shame.

"Don’t speak yet, I’m taking you back to that maid’s house now. Don’t run out again. I know you want to repay me, but I’m helping you not for you to repay me. If you really want to repay me, then grow up safely and do more things in this damned world."

Professor Boulanger didn’t know Shard’s relationship with the boy, but hearing this, he more or less understood.

However, the boy still needed some rest before moving, so the professor had his student take care of him. Once making sure the boy was out of danger, he and Shard went to the riverbank, holding umbrellas while looking at the Duin River, where Shard told the Carsonrick gentleman about what he had just encountered.

The professor listened silently, and after Shard finished, he repeated the word:

"Treasure..."

He shook his head:

"Isn’t this treasure just the Pantanal Region? Everyone thinks it’s theirs, and everyone thinks it should belong to them. In the end, who knows how many innocents like this child were thrown into the river during the disputes."

He removed his glasses, wiped them with a handkerchief, then looked back at the ripples on the river’s surface:

"It’s really chaotic, truly chaotic."

Shard didn’t expect the professor to immediately come to this realization, but on reflection, the tavern’s farce seemed not unlike reality.

"Professor, thank you for saving him. Is your investigation over? Will you continue to stay in Green Lake City recently?"

He asked again, to which Professor Boulanger shook his head:

"No need to thank me, whether Southerner or Northerners, who could watch a child drown without saving them. As for my schedule... although I have the bodyguard your friend loaned me."

That would be the soldiers Captain Lades found from the barracks, whom the professor’s group hired. The person Shard noticed earlier that looked like a soldier should be one of them.

"But looking at the current situation, Green Lake City no longer welcomes people with Carsonrick appearances like us. The investigation is not over, but we can’t stay any longer. I plan to leave with my students today. The border area is gathering troops, it’s too dangerous now, and we plan to first take a train northeast, and after leaving the Green Lake area, head south back to the Carsonick Territory."

He looked at Shard:

"Mr. Watson, it just so happens I’m meeting you today, so it’s considered an official farewell. Thank you for the help in our investigation. If you get a chance to visit Velindale City, be sure to find me."

Shard nodded:

"Your decision is right, though it’s a pity you couldn’t finish your investigation here, it indeed isn’t suitable to stay any longer. Go back to Velindale, I believe the border area will not be peaceful for a long time afterwards."

The professor quietly nodded, then extended a hand to Shard. Shard was a bit surprised, but also reached out and shook his hand:

"Farewell, Mr. Watson."

He said in Delarion.

"Farewell, Professor Boulanger."

He said in Casenric Language.

Although Shard’s interaction with Professor Boulanger wasn’t frequent, Professor Boulanger truly resonated with Shard’s temperament. At the riverbank, they solemnly bid farewell and agreed to meet again if given the opportunity. After seeing off the professor, Shard himself escorted the boy John to the apartment where the kind plump maid he stayed with temporarily resided.

The plump maid had worked for Green Lake Hotel for many years and loved children. Hearing from Shard that the boy swam during the rain and nearly drowned, she was both worried and angrily told the boy to come in quickly, get a bath, change clothes, and then scolded him.

John also said goodbye to Shard while holding his puppy, but before Shard left, he asked worriedly:

"Sir, are you going to do something dangerous tonight?"

He had been at the hotel the whole time so he could guess. However, after the Battle of Green Lake, the witches would erase the memories of those in the hotel who knew too much.

"Yes. Don’t worry, you can return tomorrow."

Shard, standing at the door, said.

"Then sir, good luck to you."

The boy pursed his lips, waving his hand, and Shard, with his blessing, also waved goodbye.

However, he didn’t immediately return to Green Lake Hotel but instead went to the Duin River again, folded his umbrella and jumped into the river, diving to the bottom, swimming upstream along the river.

"The power of space."

The voice of "her" suddenly reminded him, so after swimming in the river for twenty minutes, Shard surfaced. Raindrops fell on his head and then hit his face. Shard only exposed his eyes from underwater, glanced around, touched the jewelry and gold and silver ornaments picked up from the riverbed, then swam to the side.

This place was already near the city’s northern boundary; the western side of the river was no longer the city’s riverbank street but tall embankments. At the base outside the embankments, there were three spouts continuously discharging water into the Duin River. These connected with the city’s underground pipes but not the sewage and drainage pipes—after all, this was upstream, so the large discharge volume was all rainwater brought by the storm.