Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic

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Having agreed on a meeting time in a while, Dr. Schneider handed Shard a file bag containing the Academy's information. He then hurriedly left the room, clearly having matters to attend to.

After the doctor left, Shard didn't open the file bag but leaned back on the couch and stared at the ceiling. Just as he said, he couldn't make up his mind immediately and summed up today's events in his mind, recalling every detail from his memory:

"The worst-case scenario is that everything is a scam, and the doctor is actually a cultist, wanting to take me for a sacrifice. But that possibility is not great..."

He thought to himself and patted his head:

"What do you think?"

[You can trust him.]

"But can I trust you? For instance, can you tell me who you really are?"

[I am you.]

"You are definitely not another me from the heart of a Circle Sorcerer, that much I'm certain of."

Shard looked at the ceiling's pattern made up of colored blocks and geometric designs, then at the rather fine crystal chandelier. He guessed at Mr. Bill Schneider's income, then realized it must be a considerable sum of Gold Pounds.

"Anyway, there's too little information at hand, or rather, no channels to obtain information, so I can only listen to what others say."

In his own mind, Shard believed the doctor was trustworthy. All the information from this morning till now had neither contradictions nor logical flaws.

What's more, the doctor's words made sense—the hope of encountering a power willing to guide ordinary people into the transcendent and mysterious world was no simple matter. Shard had already gained a preliminary understanding of this era: the transcendent and mysterious were unobtrusive, the flame of human civilization was fostering a booming steam industry.

The mysterious and transcendent were just a small part of civilization's shadow.

From this perspective, Shard felt he should be grateful to the doctor. Without asking for any money, the doctor had revealed such precious knowledge.

Shard knew he was tempted by Saint Byrons Integrated Academy and he wouldn't deny it. The Three Great Magics Academies and the Church of the Five Great Deities were the only official routes for cultivating Circle Sorcerers, and those were the only options he would consider.

The Academy and Church each had its pros and cons, but now the Academy had approached him first, and moreover, Shard had his doubts about his transmigrator status. Compared to the more lax management of Circle Sorcerers, it's more likely that the Church could see through his identity, especially since the doctor explicitly said that the gods truly exist.

For now, knowing nothing of the deities' powers, he couldn't discount the possibility that they might be "omniscient."

"I can accept an offer from Saint Byrons Integrated Academy, but I still want to first see what information that so-called [Relic] can provide."

He decided in his mind, aware that this choice might not be the best, but Shard wouldn't regret it—it was his own decision.

"Now, let's take a look at this."

Thinking this, he was about to open the file bag. But at that moment, the room's door suddenly swung open. Since it wasn't knocked on first, Shard thought it had to be the doctor returning early. However, the person entering was a young woman, who also seemed surprised to find Shard sitting there.

"Sorry, I thought Dr. Schneider..."

She appeared to be around 20 years of age and was the most beautiful girl Shard had seen since coming to this world. Golden hair, green eyes—a genuine "blonde-haired, blue-eyed" beauty. She had a serene air about her, resembling a student or teacher, wearing a very ordinary deep blue dress, decorated only with a butterfly hair accessory.

"I apologize."

The blonde lady said then immediately apologized after her surprise. Seemingly wanting to close the door again, she suddenly paused, her emerald eyes looking puzzledly at Shard, making him somewhat embarrassed.

"This glimmer is... are you a Gifted One who's currently awakening?"

Now Shard understood why the doctor had spotted him right away at the newspaper office's door yesterday—presumably, a Circle Sorcerer's vision differed from a normal person's.

"Really a Gifted One?"

While surprised, the blonde woman still maintained enough calm. She examined Shard with those beautiful eyes and smiled:

"Did Bill actually find a Gifted One? When did he get so lucky? Did he use some strange [Relic] to borrow against luck?"

"I..."

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Shard wanted to say something, but the other person shook their head:

"Sorry, in our group, only fifth-year doctors have the qualifications for recruitment, so before you officially enroll, I can't reveal any information to you. This is part of our contract with the Academy, and we must follow the rules."

Taking a step back, he gripped the door handle, his face showing a hint of a kind, smiling expression:

"But the conditions at Saint Byrons Integrated Academy are really good. It's very lucky for you to have run into a doctor within 72 hours, so you should think it over carefully. Oh, and if you do join Saint Byrons, remember, don't choose a major in the Chemistry Academy."

Having said this, he nodded lightly in farewell and closed the door from the outside.

"One of the four people in the Correspondence Circle Mage group that Dr. Bill Schneider belongs to... Did he really just happen upon me, or was he acting?"

Sometimes Shard thought he was paranoid, but coming to a completely unfamiliar world, he believed this made it possible to live even better.

"However, a school that teaches Mysticism actually has a Chemistry major?"

He spun open the envelope's string tie and saw the more detailed Academy information. On top was the promotional leaflet that the doctor had brought out that morning, only behind it were the Academy's true recruitment documents.

Shard flipped through a thick stack of materials and finally realized. Under Saint Byrons Integrated Academy, there were ten specialized colleges, each with its own way of learning and body of knowledge—

Chemistry Academy, specializing in Herbal Medicine and creation of Magic Potions;

Mechanical Academy, adept at Psychic Ability, cultivating Alchemical Abilities;

Astronomy College, the training ground for Diviners and Star Observers;

Academy of Ancient Literature, analyzing Spirit Runes and inheriting Ancient Languages;

School of Mathematics, studying Ceremonies and Sorcery, Arcane Technique;

Folklore Academy, researching history before the Sixth Era, gathering Ancient and Modern Literature, proficient in the element of "Enlightenment";

History Academy, training Investigators, Space-Time retracers, proficient in the element of "Desecration";

Academy of Library Management, training Keepers of Secrets and guardians, the main responsibility is to secure "Relics", and it is also the strongest specialism of Saint Byrons Integrated Academy, proficient in the element of "Whisper";

Divinity Academy, teaching Theology, studying the history of the Old Gods, proficient in the element of "Miracle", cooperation with the True God Church is usually also managed by the Divinity Academy;

Political Economy College, not open to Correspondence Circle Sorcerers, hence no information.

The reason why the specialized colleges under Saint Byrons are referred to by common academic names rather than simply "Containment Academy" or "Magic Academy" is to allow Correspondence Circle Sorcerers to reasonably speak of their studies to the average person, reducing the possibility of exposing the Academy.

It was through these documents that Shard realized that the Circle Sorcerer system explained by the doctor was actually missing some important content.

For example, once a Circle Sorcerer fully awakens, they generate Spirit Runes unique to their soul, also known as "Core Runes."

The Core Runes are not etched upon the Ring of Fate but within the central hollow of Fate's Ring, which relates to the Sorcerer's advancement. And the content of the Core Runes is also the basis for the Academy's recommendation of joining a specialized college.

For instance, Dr. Schneider, Shard guessed that his Core Rune would likely involve "Psyche", hence the doctor should be from the Mechanical Academy.

"So, before becoming a Circle Sorcerer, I can't decide what I will learn. But to actually be able to traverse time?"

He shook his head, feeling the culture and system of this Steam Age anew because of these recruitment documents.

He scrutinized carefully, noting the significant information, and then repacked the read documents into the envelope, getting up to place it on the office desk in his room.

This reception room only hosted important guests, the office desk was scattered with many papers, the doctor probably hadn't had the time to tidy them up, and he wasn't worried about Shard snooping because most of it was about the clinic's operations and a small part wasn't even in the common language of the Northern Kingdom.

Very unfortunately for Shard, for some reason, he understood those strange and peculiar writings, indeed possessing the special ability to comprehend scripts.

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