Chapter 1389: Chapter 1389: Three Enter the City of Eternal Night

This week Mia was always taken outside by Shard, and now that the weekend has arrived, the cat was determined not to go out any longer. So as soon as Shard got home and opened the door, it jumped out of his arms and dashed straight to the third floor, stubbornly refusing to come down from the expensive astrolabe in Luviya’s room, no matter how much Shard called.

Thus, Shard had to go to Randall Valley by himself. Upon entering the main hall of the Church of the Forgotten, he glanced at the old photo of the Worsent family placed beside Mr. Lathis’s stone statue, contemplating but deciding not to take it.

He borrowed a horse from the Wilder Opera Troupe, then rode out to Osenfort Estate outside the city. Due to the long journey, by the time Shard crossed the small bridge and saw the distant, slightly eerie forest landscape of Osenfort Estate, it was already two-thirty in the afternoon.

Ston Osenfort was once again not at home. If he hadn’t ever seen him appear with his wife before, Shard might have even suspected that the two were actually the same person.

In the quiet and slightly dilapidated estate, only Lady Haila Osenfort, along with the peculiar maid and the old butler, remained. Shard and Lady Haila Osenfort met once more in that familiar drawing room. After the maid exited, Shard handed her the letter and photographs he retrieved from Captain Woody:

“Your husband entrusted me to deliver this to the estate.”

Lady Haila Osenfort, still wearing a veil, was dressed in a black gown resembling a nun’s habit.

She silently took the items, placing them on her lap to peruse.

“I met Captain Woody and heard him talk about you and your husband’s past. It seems like you used to be very much in love, no?”

The eyes beneath the veil turned to Shard:

“I still love him.”

The voice seemed colder than it had in previous encounters.

“Alright, I apologize, my phrasing was off. Oh, and six days ago, this past Monday, I went to Worsent Manor.”

Shard continued, but Lady Haila Osenfort showed no reaction, as if it had nothing to do with her.

“That’s where your relatives used to reside.”

Shard reminded her.

“Yes, I know that.”

Lady Haila Osenfort replied.

Shard looked at her suspiciously:

“Perhaps I’m meddling, but I saw some ghosts there, heard them talking about the past. Three years ago…”

“You don’t have any other business, do you?”

The woman suddenly asked, catching Shard off guard:

“No, I have nothing else after delivering these things.”

Lady Haila Osenfort stood up and left through the door. The maid outside then entered, indicating that Shard could follow her out, forcing him to hastily end his visit:

“Did you see clearly just now?”

[Yes, even while dismissing you, her expression remained unemotional. This isn’t a deliberately feigned indifference; the facial muscle lines and pupils showed not the slightest change of emotion like surprise or sadness.]

Although Lady Haila Osenfort wore a veil, it wasn’t very thick, allowing such details to be clearly seen.

“I see… so, a new possibility has emerged.”

Since Shard didn’t linger at Osenfort Estate for long, he returned to the city by around four o’clock. He tarried in the city only briefly before heading home to focus on studying the memoir he found in the cave at the Night Shrine.

Starting to read in his study while the sky outside was still bright, by the time Mia hopped onto the table to paw at Shard’s hand, even the gas lamps in Saint Delan Square were already lit:

“Time really flies.”

Shard stretched lazily, closed the book, and recalled the story of Mr. Lyman that he just read.

That gentleman indeed took three Butterfly Ladies out of the Worm Cave, and perhaps because of this, even after leaving, he retained memories. After departing the cave, he moved with his family to the Randall Valley Region of the Fifth Era, where with Sister Perry’s help, the family prospered.

Shard didn’t finish reading the thick memoir, having read only a third of it, about up to Mr. Lyman’s thirty-second year. It was clear that his life was a happy one, living in the Fifth Era—a probably best outcome.

He planned to skim through the remaining content in the evening, hoping it might aid his visit to the old Granger Family cemetery tomorrow.

Today, Dorothy went back to her parents’ house for dinner, and Lecia also had no time to meet Shard. The house seemed somewhat desolate, so Shard went first to Old John’s Pawnshop to collect the paint he had prepared for painting at night. Afterwards, he took Mia to find Luviya in Randall Valley.

Stepping into the bustling warmth of the Abundant Land Inn from the winter night, Shard was called by the inn’s staff:

“Are you Mr. John Watson, renting room 302 on the third floor?”

This was because Shard needed a local contact address for correspondences from people like Osenfort, hence he rented a room next to Luviya’s.

“Yes, I am John Watson, is there something you need?”

“Half an hour ago, someone delivered a package for you. Please follow me to the counter to collect it.”

The package was delivered by a boy selling newspapers on the street, and there was no name left on the package. When Shard opened the package, he found a rather exquisite brass jewelry box inside. Upon opening it, a hexagonal white gemstone lay quietly within:

“It was delivered directly to me.”

Shard touched the gemstone to confirm it was what he was looking for, then went upstairs to find Luviya.

(Mia is running…)

On Monday morning, sunlight pierced through the thick fog filled with a stench that enveloped Randall Valley, shining into Room 301 at the end of the third floor of the Abundant Land Inn through the window whose curtains had been drawn back.

Beside the makeshift dressing table next to the large bed in the bedroom, Luviya, who had already changed her clothes and was ready to go downstairs for breakfast, was observing her complexion in the mirror. Her retractable makeup metal storage box, resembling a display stand, was opened, but the girl with purple eyes hadn’t decided which products to use yet.

Every time after spending a night with Shard, she felt as if her whole state was refreshed, feeling quite good.

Sunlight shone on her from the side, accentuating her profile with a strong sense of dimensionality. Luviya, admiring herself in the mirror, felt those witches were not so incredible after all.

Meanwhile, Shard had also put on his coat, returned from the bathroom, and put Mia, turned into a toy, into his pocket:

“Luviya, wait for me a moment, let’s go downstairs for breakfast together.”

He shook the Time Key in his hand, while Luviya continued admiring herself in the mirror:

“Then hurry up.”

She heard Shard softly using the Elf Language to say, “May the World Tree Bless Me in Infinite Time,” and heard the “click” of the lock, which should not have made any sound.

With a creak, the door was opened, and then Shard’s footsteps disappeared.

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

[A message from the Ancient God, “Father of the Infinite Tree”:]

[Autumn of Year 3028 in the Fifth Era, Northern Continent, City of Eternal Night.]

[Event: Whisper of the Veil of Eternal Night.]

[Duration: 40 minutes (3/4).]

[You have received additional information.]

[The Father of the Infinite Tree is watching over you.]

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

[Help the mortals break through the Maze of Eternal Night and uncover the truth behind the curtain.]

[The Father of the Infinite Tree will reward you with: Miracle Soul Rune – Night.]

Stepping out from the door into the white mist, then stepping into the pitch-black, chilly rainy night.

The smell of damp earth hit his face, but Shard didn’t mind this scent. The city, slumbering in the darkness, was still the same as always, and in front of Shard was the sign of the [Midnight Art Gallery] moistened by rain.

The rain soon soaked Shard’s clothes, and the flickering lights on both sides of the street were quickly disappearing, allowing a night that seemed to allow everything to slumber to gather around Shard.

This time, Shard did not hurriedly escape indoors but watched as the night drew closer, feeling the power similar to that of the “Night Shrine.” Just before the night could reach him, he pushed open the door to the art gallery and went inside.

Though the brightness inside the art gallery couldn’t compare to that of a café or clock shop, it was still bright enough after coming in from the rainy street.

Shard looked towards the corner where the luminescent tricolor thorn bush climbed on the simple fence, and at the center of the fence was a single tent. He could vaguely see a girl with a large tail curled up inside, Fiona was still in slumber.

Shard’s “Thorns of the Moon” would last until the next night’s arrival unless he actively canceled it or it was destroyed. Since Eternal Night City had no daytime, nor a subsequent night, theoretically, these thorns could last until the next Era.

Clap!

With a light snap of the fingers, the tricolor thorn bush dissipated into points of light. Shard then returned Mia to her original form and entered inside the fence. The reason he brought the cat along this time was that they needed to move around in Eternal Night City, and they would undoubtedly rely on Mia’s glowing ability to protect the safety of Shard and Fiona.

Of course, the most crucial task was waking Fiona up. However, when Shard opened the tent and saw the girl with the big tail curled up and hugging herself, the little flame at the tip of her tail was still burning, but she did not wake up immediately like the last time.

“Hmm?”

At this moment, Fiona’s entire body was covered by a layer of crimson glow, a glow Shard was quite familiar with, representing the moonlight of the Red Moon. Also, he noticed that the Red Dragon Girl’s back seemed to be protruding. Underneath the clothes on her back, something appeared to be restrained; then he realized it seemed to be a pair of small wings.