Free Web NovelChapter 2013: Chapter 2013: Iluna Returns Home
Amidst the sharp whistle, at the Tobesk Train Station during the end of Rain-Prayer Moon with heavy snow falling, Iluna stepped out of the carriage with a smile on her face, immediately seeing the teammates from the "Blackstone Security Company" waiting for her:
"Welcome back, Beyas."
"Good morning, Iluna. Do you need to have breakfast now?"
"Miss Beyas, today is Monday. Now that you’re back, you probably need to go to the church first."
The greetings from the captain and all the teammates made Iluna feel like she was returning to her familiar life rhythm.
She looked up at the heavy snow above the train tracks and reminded the Circle Sorcerers sent by the Sun Cathedral to help with her luggage, before she joyfully walked out of the train station with her teammates amidst the crowd. Captain Moody Robinson mentioned that while Iluna was away from Tobesk City, the workload of the security company seemed to have decreased a lot, while the Female Sorcerer Miss Farmir, whose lips were painted purple, mentioned that the team needed to make up a birthday party for Iluna.
Thus, the group left the train station, with Iluna smiling as she chatted with her teammates. But when she looked up, she suddenly saw a blonde man wearing a white robe standing right in the center of the exit, watching her.
The crowd rushing through the exit automatically moved to both sides upon reaching his position, making him appear like a massive rock in the stream. Oddly enough, even Iluna’s teammates didn’t notice him.
He held a rolled-up parchment roll in his hand, and while nodding slightly at Iluna, he wore a mysterious and inscrutable expression, as if he would only speak half his words.
Compared to the outfits of the surrounding travelers, he seemed like he had just arrived by train from a distant past. But Iluna knew who he was, as this was already the third time:
"If."
She silently spoke the name in her heart, then told Mr. Robinson, the bearded captain beside her:
"I suddenly have something urgent and need to go out for the morning... the whole day. I’ll report to the church tomorrow."
Mr. Robinson looked around cautiously, then nodded:
"Alright, take care."
After saying that, he watched with others as Iluna hurriedly pushed through the crowd and left the station.
"She just got back to Tobesk and already encountered trouble?" freeweɓnovel.cѳm
The elderly "Key Custodian" in the team shook his head, sighed, and said along with everyone.
Conversing with "If" at the crowded entrance of Tobesk Station was certainly not a good idea. Hence, when the man in the white robe saw Iluna jump onto a carriage, he didn’t think she was trying to avoid him in panic.
The coachman shook the bell, reminding nearby pedestrians that the carriage was about to start. The four-wheeled rental carriage didn’t take Iluna to 7 Charnham Street, her rented apartment. Instead, it carried the eighteen-year-old girl who just returned to Tobesk to Saint Delan Square.
As soon as she got off the carriage, Iluna saw the middle-aged man in the white robe, who seemed out of touch with this era, standing by the gas pipeline on the external wall of the Shard Family, looking at her. She still didn’t speak, but first paid the fare and then climbed the steps to knock on the door of the Shard Family:
"Shard! Hamilton Detective!"
She didn’t have the key to the Shard Family, even though Shard once wanted to give her the key so she could conveniently use the "Hall of the Keeper of Secrets" on the second floor at any time, but Iluna refused (Chapter 1323). And now, without a key, Iluna certainly couldn’t open the door here. With Shard still in Green Lake City bidding farewell to three doctors, the cat lying upstairs watching the pigeons heard the knocking but had neither the intention nor the ability to open the door.
Iluna felt a bit anxious, having thought up many possibilities for "If’s" final game but didn’t expect to be blocked by a door. Apologizing silently to Shard, she considered using unconventional means to open the door, but fortunately, her luck was good today, and someone came to open it for her.
"Miss Beyas, what are you doing here? Is this just off the train?"
The carriage sent by Miss Galina stopped at the door of number six, and then the beautiful Twin Great Witch with brown shoulder-length hair stepped down. Audrey appeared, and she smiled while asking Iluna, seeming in a great mood.
"Yes, I... I have to do something in the house, but it seems Shard isn’t home."
Iluna noticed that even the Witch before her didn’t look at "If," standing not far away, indicating only she could see that Unclassified Level Relic.
"Oh, you’re early. The detective is at the Green Lake Train Station now, seeing off friends. It will probably take him a while to return. But if you want to go inside... come in together. But once you see Shard, you must explain clearly to him that you entered the house while he isn’t home."
Audrey said, and Iluna quickly nodded, relieved she wouldn’t have to break Shard’s door lock. Then, she saw the Witch pull out a silver line from her neck, with the end holding the key to the door.
The Witch used the key to open the door and entered the hall with Iluna. Iluna stared at the key, hesitant to speak, and Audrey explained:
"He gave this to me this morning."
Iluna almost immediately realized what had happened. For a Circle Sorcerer, a door certainly couldn’t block the attacks of sorcery and arcane techniques, but the Shard Family key was a symbol in Iluna’s heart. And having one more key holder meant yet another person had preceded her in committing that shameless act.
The eighteen-year-old girl didn’t know what to say; her emotions were complex, yet she felt it was reasonable. She knew the story of Shard and the Great Witch of Wisdom, and she was also aware of the lady’s troubled background and unfortunate fate.
Now the Knight has saved the Witch, so the Witch follows the ancient tradition of offering herself, which seems perfectly fine. But thinking of that Knight as Shard Hamilton, Iluna felt somewhat disappointed.
"Actually, you can be braver."
Audrey saw what Iluna’s expression represented, lightly patted her on the shoulder, and felt it necessary to give this immature girl some advice:
"Endlessly waiting won’t lead to happiness. You must actively reach out and grasp your future; only the future you chose can truly belong to you."
"I know."
Iluna didn’t want to talk about this with the Witch who seemed to be showing off, but Audrey meant well. She only needed to guard against other witches, as in her view, apart from witches, other girls weren’t pretty or perfect enough, so there was no worry.
But seeing Iluna reluctance to talk further, Audrey didn’t say much more, only reminding her in the end:
"There are quite a few girls interested in Shard. If you keep being like this, you might even fall behind that Princess Angelina."
Iluna opened her mouth but felt that maintaining her current progress and advancing slowly was fine. Audrey then bid her farewell, not forgetting to remind her to lock the door if Shard hadn’t returned home by the time she left.
"You too, goodbye."
The Grand Witch waved to the cat that had appeared at some point at the top of the stairs, and the cat wasn’t very pleased; it felt someone had invaded its territory.
Audrey headed to the basement. After confirming she had truly left, Iluna saw the cat squatting on the high step, not coming down or darting out the door to disappear, then reopened the door to look outside.
The man in the strange white robe was standing under the eaves, just one step away from crossing the threshold to enter, but he stopped right there.
"If" with a smile, said to Iluna:
"You see, fate and time are so intriguing. The witch just now, faced a fate in most possibilities, though not dying at Green Lake, her soul suffering damage leads to only one soul waking up at the same time, while another slumbers, causing the two sisters, who are indeed merged into one, sharing the same body, unable to meet again."
He paused to let Iluna digest his words:
"Though this means they don’t have to suffer from mental breakdown, it’s a worse outcome for them. But now, both sisters are perfectly fine, even inheriting Edwards’ power, accepting Red Butterfly’s gift, allowing them to stand hand in hand together. Different choices lead to different endings, how amazing the possibilities are, what kind of choices could create such an ending?"
Iluna with a stern face:
"Does this count as you telling me a story of destroyed space-time?"
"Of course not, Chosen of Balance, just as I’ve said before, any information you get from me is just a game. As for whether it’s the past or the future, you’ll have to judge yourself."
"If" said, still standing at the door without coming in, so Iluna motioned for him to enter:
"Don’t talk at the doorway, it’s a bit strange."
"No need to worry, no one will notice here, I still have such abilities. As for coming in..."
He smiled, his gaze fleetingly viewed the young ginger cat with a scowl observing the conversation from above:
"Entering someone else’s house uninvited by the owner is not a wise choice."
Iluna wanted to ask questions, but his words interrupted her:
"So, Chosen of Balance, do you want to start the third, and final ’If’ game here?"
"Yes!"
Saying this, Iluna was quite confident:
"I got inspiration from Shard; he discovered that every time your story starts, although the environment changes around, my initial location remains ’now’. Then after I make a choice, it’ll lead into those past stories with my movement."
