CHAPTER 1061: CHAPTER 1061: RE-ENTERING SNOW MOUNTAIN

Perhaps for some people, Bella Brown’s defection and appearance are of immense importance, but to most citizens living in Tobesk, this matter won’t even reach their ears.

Miss Brown and her fiancé went south with the fleet, and time does not pause for anyone’s departure—everything continues.

In the two days after Wednesday, namely Thursday and Friday, nothing happened around Shard. However, Miss Sylvia made time to come to Saint Delan Square to discuss the topic of Spatial Power with Shard. Meanwhile, Princess Margaret replied to Shard; though Sir Plisha was surprised that Shard is a Circle Sorcerer, he also accepted Shard’s invitation, agreeing to meet Shard and his friends on Sunday afternoon at Saint Delan Square.

Thus, Shard had only one thing left to address: "Helping the bard find the yellow moon." Unfortunately, the weather was not favorable in Tobesk for the next two days, and the conditions at night weren’t adequate for Shard to use a ritual to resonate with the moon’s power. So, he invested his time in intense review sessions.

Meanwhile, other events were occurring in the city. While Shard was curled up by the fireplace at home reading, the Truth Society and other organizations, along with the True God Church and professors from the Three Major Academies, encountered other Keepers of Secrets in the city.

According to the information Shard received from Luviya on Saturday morning, the church seemed to have a vague idea that the ritual site of the fourth Chosen One was not local, but rather more to the south.

The church captured a Circle Sorcerer from the Pantanal Voodoo Society during a raid. Although the individual committed suicide in time and his soul couldn’t be conjured, the diviners of the Prophet’s Society found interesting information from his corpse.

On the other hand, Shard’s investigation into Sir Lakin Prisia hadn’t made much progress, but Iluna discovered some strange unsolved murder and theft cases surrounding Lakin Prisia.

Luviya was very concerned about this and urged Shard to uncover the truth about Sir Plisha quickly. She had a premonition that the matter of the fourth Chosen One would definitely conclude before the end of the Common Era Calendar 1853.

Now, it was the 14th day of the Slumber Moon.

Miss Danester arrived in Tobesk from Saint Byrons this Saturday. She did not visit Shard, but exchanged several letters with him to confirm the meeting about the "Guiding Moon" on Sunday afternoon. As a Thirteen-Ring Sorcerer, entering the core district of the True God Church was inevitably inconvenient, so she couldn’t meet with Shard casually.

On Saturday afternoon, Dr. Schneider also brought the group news about exam week. As the year-end approached, everyone was busy; last week, only Shard and the doctor attended the study session. This week, Priest Augustus, Dorothy, and Luviya had to leave before three o’clock, so the doctor made the message brief:

"This year’s exam week is scheduled after the Year-End Festival, and for our group, it’s probably on the first, second, or third day of the new year."

The other four calculated the time:

"So Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday?"

Shard asked.

"Yes, like the summer exam week, it also lasts a whole day. You, Shard, will have to cover content from two year levels, so your time will likely be the longest again. Also, I need to confirm whether we can still use your house as the exam location this time? After all, the space there is larger, and for everyone else, the distance is much closer."

The doctor asked again.

"Of course, no problem."

Shard immediately agreed, as it was more convenient for him that way.

Currently, it was the fourteenth day of the Slumber Moon, with two to three weeks left until exam week. Even with ample preparation, everyone was still a bit nervous. After all, aside from Shard’s special situation during the summer, there is only one chance to advance each year during the year-end. If this exam goes wrong, they’ll have to wait another year.

On Saturday night, Dorothy stayed overnight at No. 6, Saint Delan Square as usual, but when they returned home after dinner, Shard and Dorothy discussed canceling the Saturday date for the next few times, as Shard needed the girls’ assistance in obtaining the Four Rings Enlightenment Spirit Rune.

His Four Rings currently had four Spirit Runes: Miracle - Rage, Desecration - Red Moon, Desecration - Thunder, and Whisper - Power. As the story of the fourth Chosen One drew to a close, Shard had to consider advancing to the next Ring.

After all, advancing to the Five Rings not only meant an increase in power, but also that he could use his own Sublimation Incantation.

Sublimation Incantations cannot be used frequently and require preparatory rituals to prevent incidents like the doctor’s forced use at Lakeside Manor rendering him "bedridden." But Sublimation Incantations are indeed the closest power mortals can grasp to that of deities. Shard was very curious about the specific effects of his Sublimation Incantation, "The Echo of Space-Time Vibrates the Sleeping Power."

Shard chose the Four Rings Enlightenment Spirit Rune as [Water of Wisdom], which is related to the ancient story involving a sage he encountered at the ritual site atop the mountain.

Although Dorothy hadn’t acquired any Spirit Runes related to this, the ancient story was quite famous, and she and Lecia had considerable experience in obtaining Enlightenment Spirit Runes. On Saturday night, they wholeheartedly assisted Shard in learning, staying in the study until eleven o’clock before returning to the bedroom to rest.

The blond girl noticed Shard was mentally burdened, but did not question him. Instead, she gave him a very gentle hug. Miss Writer was always so considerate, even more so than Lecia.

Early Sunday morning, Shard awoke in the bedroom. Dorothy was still asleep, and Shard quietly got out of bed, washed up briefly, and went to the attic, then picked up the old-fashioned kerosene lamp from the table.

After handing over the small flames he collected this week to Sister Delphine, the embers finally gathered into a small cluster again. Following Sister Delphine’s method, Shard carefully extracted the flame.

Just as he was about to temporarily integrate the "Sunfire" into his flame and take it to the Fifth Era’s Snow Mountain later, he suddenly felt a strong gaze watching him.

Turning his head, the little Mia, who should have been sleeping by the pillow, had somehow made her way to the attic and was staring at him with big amber eyes.

"Meow~"

She swung her tail and came to Shard’s feet, rubbing against his leg very gently.

"Good cats shouldn’t play with fire."

Shard warned and then contained the flame as Sister Delphine had taught him.

Only he, with the remnants of the Fire of the Primordial, could do this, and harboring Sunfire for a long time could potentially imbue him with the Sun’s Power. However, this time, Shard didn’t do it for the "Sun" Spirit Rune but for Miss Chloe, who was still freezing on the Snow Mountain.

The slightly aggrieved and disappointed cat followed Shard’s footsteps back to the second floor and watched him pack his things for departure. Last adventure, Miss Chloe only asked Shard to prepare some very ordinary spellcasting materials, so Shard didn’t need to bring anything extra, only focusing on turning the fresh vegetables and meat he bought in advance into toys to carry with him.

And when he took out the Time Key to prepare for departure, the cat softly meowed and followed at Shard’s heel, as if wanting to accompany Shard to the Snow Mountain:

"It’s too cold there, little animals like you can’t handle it."

Without thinking, Shard rejected the cat’s request, but Mia was relentless in her cries, even waking Dorothy:

"If she wants to go with you, just turn her into a toy to carry. When there’s a safe and warm environment, let her out; if it’s continuously dangerous, just don’t change her back."

The blonde girl suggested from the bedroom, her tone rather lazy, so Shard turned the cat into a toy:

"You can sleep a bit longer, Dorothy, I’m heading out then."

"You better not come back with a strange perfume scent on you."

Dorothy said lazily, and Shard walked to the side bedroom door, officially beginning this journey:

"May the World Tree bless me in time."

Click~

Like gossamer white mist, it represented the story on the other side of the river of time.

[Outlander, you have stepped into the "Time Corridor."]

[Message from the Ancient God "Father of the Infinite Tree":]

[Winter, Year 903 of the Fifth Era, Northern Continent, Silver Mountains.]

[Event: Snow Mountain Lost.]

[Duration forty minutes (2/3).]

[You have obtained additional information.]

[The silhouette of the Father of the Infinite Tree watches you.]

[Your trial given by the Ancient God of Time will continue.]

[Assist the Deity ’Winter Maiden’ in escorting the Lost Person to the mountaintop.]

[Father of the Infinite Tree will grant you rewards: Arcane Technique - Binding Light, Sorcery - Flying Blossom Spell.]

Even though he was prepared, when Shard stepped out from the endless white mist of the "Time Corridor," he still sank into the snow up to his shoulders before stopping.

"Here we go again."

Shard resignedly took a bite of snow, waiting for the peculiar snow water, emitting a silver-white glow, to flow into his stomach before using "Lagre’s Leap" to jump to a nearby boulder, then removed his shoes to stand barefoot on the snow surface.

The majestic Snow Mountain, under a black sky with dazzling colors, exuded a peculiar luster. The current location was indeed no longer the same as it was when he left last time.

Judging from the height of the nearby mountain peaks, compared to the previous location, this time they were closer to the Snow Mountain’s summit, which meant during Shard’s absence, Miss Chloe the Witch and her two companions had moved a significant distance through the blizzard:

"Can you help me estimate the distance of the remaining journey?"

Shard asked, placing his right hand on his forehead and squinting at the peak.

[Comparing the mountain height from last time and this time, they have completed two-thirds of the journey during your absence. If their speed remains unchanged, they will successfully reach the summit.]