Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic-Chapter 754 - : The Miracle That Will Never Happen
Chapter 754 -754: The Miracle That Will Never Happen
The Earl still stopped at two cards in the second hand of the first round, and the total points were surprisingly still 18.
Shard’s first two cards totaled 13 points, so he drew a third card:
“So have you quit Blood Brew now?”
He said with a laugh:
“Look, Sun 6, that makes me 19 points again.”
“Seems like luck isn’t on my side today.”
The Earl shook his head in disappointment, flung the two cards in his hand to one side, and then took the first hole card of the third hand in the first round:
“I know that drink is unhealthy, but ever since my lung disease healed, it seems that all my body’s hidden ailments have also disappeared. Even my private doctor says I’m very healthy, so…”
He shrugged, meaning he hadn’t quit.
Shard had no comment on this. Strictly speaking, the current Earl Darak was dead, so of course, the Blood Brew tainted with prohibited drugs couldn’t harm his health anymore.
“Speaking of the Sun 6.”
Shard glanced at his hole card, signaling Priest Augustus to continue dealing:
“In the Genesis Series cards, Sun 6 is ‘Genesis: Death’.”
“Yes, I’ve seen the face of the Genesis Series cards countless times in the Prophet’s Society’s paintings. Look, the second card is the Queen, my luck has come.”
The Earl said with a chuckle, while Shard’s third card was Moon 12, which busted him outright, making the first round temporarily two to one in the Earl’s favor.
“I’ve seen ‘Genesis: Death’ with my own eyes; it’s in Midshire Fort.”
Shard said softly, and the Earl’s eyes widened in shock:
“In this city? Mr. Watson, are you saying that card is less than 25 miles away from us?”
“Yes, but I cannot disclose who owns that card.”
“That’s really enviable, you’ve actually seen the Genesis Series.”
The Earl marveled softly, and after taking the second card, he muttered:
“What the devil.”
The two cards added up to still be 18 points:
“Mr. Watson, you don’t have 19 points again, do you?”
“That’s hard to say.”
Shard took the next card, then turned it face up:
“Look, I’ve drawn ‘Legend of the Hero: Bard Fletcher,’ Flower 9. When this card is drawn, if it is not the first card, it can be adjusted between 9 and 10 if the preceding card belongs to the Flower Suit and has an even number.”
He picked up his first hole card:
“Unfortunately, the first one is Flower 10. Whether I adjust it or not, I win.”
“Mr. Watson has won the first round.”
The old butler immediately announced, and Earl Darak shook his head:
“At least I won one hand. Compared to last time when I didn’t win a single hand in front of Miss Aphrola, my luck seems much better this time.”
He was very good at comforting himself.
After shuffling the cards used in the first round back into the deck, the second round began. Shard continued the topic of ‘Genesis: Death’:
“The gentleman who possesses ‘Genesis: Death’ is quite talkative. When I met him, he shared many interesting local legends. It’s said that Mountain City: Mid-Hill Castle has more frequent ghost sightings than anywhere else.”
“Indeed, even the bedtime stories for the children include some not-so-scary ghost stories. Mr. Watson, do you have any interesting stories to share?”
The Earl asked, receiving the second card and finding it to be Flower 1, he laughed immediately:
“This time I finally don’t have to stop at the second card.”
“A story? Certainly.
Shard glanced nonchalantly at his second card:
“Ghosts come in many forms, some quite terrifying, others just transparent, glowing figures, and some even look exactly like living people.”
Priest Augustus glanced at Shard.
Shard’s third card was Sun 9, which brought his total up to 20 with Sun 4 and Star 7. It was the perfect time for Shard to stop drawing, but he wanted to talk more with the Earl, so he continued to draw. The fourth card was Flower 3, predictably busting him.
Earl Darak won the first hand of the second game.
“Dead people looking like living people? I haven’t heard stories like that before.”
The Earl looked up at Shard:
“Tell me more; I’m very curious about these undead.”
“Although such a trait can be summarized in one sentence, actual occurrences would be more terrifying than malevolent spirits that commit murder. After all, we can observe when evil spirits appear, but the dead who look like the living may have been standing beside us without us even noticing.”
The Priest continued dealing, listening carefully to the conversation. The old butler’s eyelids drooped as if he was too tired and wanted to sleep.
The Earl asked curiously:
“Why fear them? If the dead can be like the living, then why not let these lifelike undead stay?”
“It’s not so simple. There’s a difference between life and death, just like ink and clear water. And when death invades the world of the living unheeded, even a drop of ink is enough to pollute a bowl of clear water. Even if the water turns only a little black, the world of the living is no longer just for the living.”
Second round, Shard’s two cards totaled 20 points, but the Earl continued to draw cards hoping to hit 21 points, unfortunately without luck.
“For the living, the dead must be banished.”
The Earl summarized Shard’s meaning, and Shard nodded:
“Yes, it’s something that must be done.”
He looked at the Earl across the table with some nervousness, grateful that the latter had not suddenly gone mad. Earl Darak looked down at his Roder Card, and Shard thought he must have realized something.
The dead who had been resurrected were just temporarily forgotten; sooner or later, they would remember what they truly were.
Priest Augustus dealt the second card of the third round at that moment, and Shard glanced at it—it was a 9 of Stars.
Neither of them spoke again as Priest Augustus continued to deal cards. Shard’s third card was a 5 of Stars, and his hole card was a 7 of Moons:
“Lucky me, look, 21 points.”
Shard said with a smile, while the Earl did not show any sign of annoyance but revealed his third card:
“[Ancient Fairy Tale: Sleeping Princess], Moon 5. To be able to adjust the card numbers within 5 or 6 if 10 or 20 is rolled twice consecutively on a 20-sided die.”
He flipped over his hole card:
“My hand is now 12+3+5=20. If the dice can pass judgment, then I too will have twenty-one points. Mr. Watson, if you can do it, then surely I can too.”
Shard did not look at him but instead touched his chin with his right hand, tilting his head slightly to look at the dense fog outside the window:
“Sometimes, we need to accept reality and not long for the unattainable miracles.”
The Earl cast his prepared metal dice, and as the rolling dice came to a stop, the face pointing upward was indeed a 10.
“Miracles are hard to come by, but this time, my luck has held up.”
“Yes, but now, you’ve only been lucky once.”
Shard said seriously, placing a hand on the table:
“You need to be lucky at least twice to tie with me. And even then, you will still need to pass a test afterward.”
“Yes, but one always has to gamble on luck, and I’m not content to concede defeat just like that.”
The Earl reached again for the dice and tossed them.
The gazes of the four people in the room followed the falling dice as they bounced with a clatter and finally began spinning in place.
“Fate can indeed be quite a curious thing…”
The gaunt middle-aged man stared absently at the spinning dice.
Shard, after a moment of reflection, cautiously asked:
“So, Earl, do you understand the situation now?”
No one spoke, only the clear sound of the metal dice spinning on the tabletop.
“If I don’t know that much, then I’m a little too daft.”
The dice’s speed slowed, and the owner of the dice looked toward his old butler:
“You’ve known all along that I have been resurrected, haven’t you?”
“Lawrence…”
The old man looked at him with sorrow, unable to utter a word.
While those who are resurrected forget that they have died, and the memories of others also contain no trace of such events, just as cognitive alterations by the Dark Realm are not utterly indiscernible, the modified cognition by the Interstice can also be recognized.
“Mr. Watson, have you come to usher me away?”
The Earl asked Shard again, his serious face betraying no other emotion.
Shard watched the tottering dice:
“Yes, you must leave, to the place where you should go.”
The dice came to a stop, revealing the number 1 on top. The [Ancient Fairy Tale: Sleeping Princess] did not pass the test, and Earl Lawrence Darak’s total points remained at 20.
Priest Augustus dealt him the next card, and as expected, he busted.
“Mr. Watson wins the second round’s third game. The score for the second round is now two to one, with an overall score of one to zero. Next is Mr. Watson’s deciding game.”
The old butler said tearfully, while Priest Augustus watched the scene with an expressionless face. The old cleric had seen too many similar events. He reached out to continue dealing cards, but Earl Darak shook his head:
“I know that dead people leaving the world of the living is the right thing to do, but I don’t want to leave. It’s somewhat unfair; why do you get to live? I got a second chance and still have to leave?”
A brief expression of rage crossed his face, almost causing Shard to draw his sword on the spot. However, the Earl managed to control his fury, which did not belong to him. He suppressed his emotions and stood up with a trembling voice:
“Mr. Watson, let’s have the final duel.”
His eyes slowly turned completely white:
“Now that I understand my situation, I can feel the power surging from beneath the Earth, and I can feel the raging anger within my heart, urging me to seek revenge against all who are alive. I can still suppress these feelings for now, so, in my last lucid moments, let’s duel, John Watson. If you win, I will leave; if I win, none of you shall leave…”
With a frown, Shard also stood up, and the Earl turned to his old butler:
“My will is in the drawer in my bedroom, you know where the key is. No matter what happens afterward, don’t give these two gentlemen any trouble.”
After speaking, he turned and walked towards the wall with the window, his body passing directly through it:
“John Watson, I’ll be waiting for you in the courtyard.”
