Free Web NovelChapter 2048: Chapter 2048: Moon Bay Affairs
The girls and ladies of the House of Cavendish did not stay overnight at the Shard Family home. Although Monday’s "birthday party" was interesting, it also indeed scared them a bit. So Shard parted with them at the gate of the Yordle Palace and, with Mia, returned to Saint Delan Square after observing the neighbor’s house to check the house number and wall markings were fine, before going back home:
"I should remind Dorothy, the priest, and the doctor. No need for Dorothy, she already knows; no need for the priest either, that relic shouldn’t dare to be the neighbor of the Dawn Chapel. As for the doctor..."
Considering the doctor’s bad luck, it’s still necessary to remind him about this Sage-Level Relic.
[So, if the friendly neighbor appeared next door to our house, what would you do?]
While Shard was holding Mia, treading the wooden stairs in the dim yet particularly reassuring stairwell, "she" asked gently.
"I’ll give it a nice look."
Shard replied in a good mood, possibly because of the phrase "our house" referring to it.
Silvermoon still shone upon No. 6, Saint Delan Square.
(Connecting to Fiona... beep~beep~beep... no answer...)
Upon waking, it was already Thursday morning.
Shard had planned to start the adventure with a brand new Time Key after breakfast, having not used a normal Time Key for a month, he even missed those Fifth Era adventures a bit.
But when stepping outside to fetch goat milk from the milk box under Mia’s urging, Director Anlos was seen approaching from this morning’s dense fog.
To be honest, after only mentioning it to Miss Galina last night, Shard felt quite sorry for possibly causing his superior to arrive, probably without breakfast, braving the fog to his home this morning.
He greeted Director Anlos at the door and invited him upstairs for breakfast. But Director Anlos apparently had other matters to attend to, politely declining Shard’s invitation, he only went to the second floor to discuss issues with Shard.
Seeing Shard casually placing the newspaper and goat milk on the dining table, the waiting-for-breakfast cat on the sofa seemed displeased. So, Shard placed it on his lap, and the cat settled down again.
"I’ve heard from Miss Galina about the situation, you’re going on a business trip to the Moon Bay Region soon?"
Director Anlos used a rather cautious phrasing, seeing Shard nod in agreement, he let out a long sigh:
"The situation in the Moon Bay Region is quite complicated now. Ever since the Green Lake negotiations broke down and the armies of two countries faced off at the Green Lake border, Moon Bay City appears calm but there is an undercurrent below the surface. If you are operating in the Moon Bay Region, you need to be mindful of the ’Seven Families of Glory Moon Bay’, who still control the city council, including Hawthorn, Edington, and Belindel, and the other four families which no longer have power at the core but still have significant influence in the Moon Bay Region."
He carried a document bag, opened it, and handed Shard some basic information:
"The Wood Family now controls the local lumber industry in the Moon Bay Region. The forested, mountainous areas have organized lumberjack workers into the Lumberjack Association. Their influence is far less than that of the Stonemason Guild in the Randall Valley, making the Wood Family the smallest force among the former ’Seven Families of Glory’.
The Blue Family, local wealthy merchants, hold many fleets traveling to the New World. However, they have been suppressed by the traditional shipping family, the Aphrola Family, causing slower development in recent years. They have a group of their own enforcers in the Moon Bay City Dock Area, rumored to have some relation to the Grey Glove.
The Black Family, notorious, with most infamous local gangs connected to them. Once regarded as old nobles, they have squandered all the nobility’s honor in recent decades. Notably, they have generational marriages with the power-holding Hawthorn Family, although the Black Family doesn’t acknowledge being a vassal to the Hawthorn Family, they are practically similar.
The Light Family transitioned to mechanical manufacturing and are now major factory owners in Moon Bay. Opinions about them are mixed; some think they provide numerous job opportunities to the poor in Moon Bay City, while others believe they exploit workers, feeding on their sweat and blood."
Director Anlos summed up:
"Although, compared to Hawthorn, Edington, and Belindel, these four families can no longer directly affect the city council, the seven families still have more or less connections, with exceptionally complex relationships due to years of intermarriage. Hence, they should not be underestimated."
"Actually, with all you’ve said, it’s hard for me to have any direct insight. Can you directly tell me which side MI6 is connected with?"
MI6 must have planted numerous agents and operatives in an important and complex area like Moon Bay City, making it impossible not to have connections with local forces there.
Director Anlos chuckled:
"You do get straight to the point. It’s the Wood Family. They are the easiest to get connected with. More precisely, the connection between the Wood Family and Draleon started since the Northern and Southern War of the Old Continent, before the Moon Bay Region fully belonged to Carsonrick. I won’t say the Wood Family will never betray MI6, but at least for now, they can still be trusted."
Shard nodded understandably, so Director Anlos handed him a new ID:
"However, don’t contact the Wood Family directly. I’ve arranged a contact for you, during your operations in the Moon Bay Region you can seek any help needed from this agent with the codename ’Boatman’."
The ID given to Shard was as a "Level 1 Sales Representative" for the "United Fruit Company", with text in Casenric Language and the name being a pseudonym "Sherlock Holmes", left during enrollment in MI6 for tax accounting convenience.
However, Shard had never heard of this fruit company, presumably one of MI6’s fronts in Carsonrick.
"So, do you know about a local organization in Moon Bay called ’Eternal Light’?"
Shard inquired again, and Director Anlos nodded unexpectedly:
"You even know about this? Eternal Light is a church-like organization that only developed in the past decade or so from the rural and Lower District areas of the Moon Bay Region. However, they don’t worship any deity but instead have a strong belief in the Light itself. Since they don’t cultivate followers in the traditional sense and their influence is limited to the Moon Bay region and remains relatively small, the Church of the Five Gods hasn’t intervened."
"So what exactly does this organization do?"
"Initially, they simply encouraged people to face life positively and occasionally organized some trauma mutual aid groups, helping those in distress after losing loved ones to become positive and optimistic. They even provided legal consultation at times, which earned them a good reputation in the beginning.
Later, Eternal Light started to encourage people to resist darkness and injustice. At this stage, they caught the attention of the Moon Bay City Hall. In recent years, their ideas have become... much more radical, and they have begun to widely promote their thoughts and beliefs throughout the city."
Director Anlos shook his head:
"Shard, you should understand well that the world is not black and white. Anyway, here’s their philosophy: Light dispels darkness. They want to change the Moon Bay region in their own way, so the Moon Bay Police Department has decided to change them first. Don’t feel sorry for them; there’s plenty of evidence that suggests there’s another group backing them, otherwise their financial strength couldn’t be explained.
Moreover, since the winter of 1852, the Moon Bay City Police Department has fully prohibited any Eternal Light propaganda in the city. But by now, the summer of 1854—even you, living in Tobesk, have heard of their name, which also shows they have some help."
"The Seven Families of Moon Bay?"
"That’s difficult to say, as our people in the Moon Bay region rarely come into contact with ’Eternal Light’."
Said Director Anlos as he got up to leave. He didn’t mention any tasks for Shard to complete in the Moon Bay region. But if there really were a necessity, he wouldn’t forget about Shard, the ace agent.
So Shard stood at the door seeing his superior off, quite curious about how Director Anlos really viewed him.
"Meow~ Meow~"
"I know, I know, time for breakfast."
"Meow!"
This cat is unusually easy to understand.
After breakfast, Shard took out the Time Key from the treasure of that Treasure Chest Monster obtained in the Green Lake Region. Having rested for a month, he had also properly prepared by placing the key under his pillow to dream and learn about the time it corresponded to.
It would lead Shard to another new adventure in the late Fifth Era. Yet who knows what kind of story this time will unfold?
"It feels like life’s back on track, late Fifth Era... see you in three seconds, Mia. May the World Tree bless me in time."
The bedroom door was opened, and the cat perched on the back of the sofa watched as Shard stepped into the dense, cotton-like white mist.
[Outlander, You have stepped into the "Time Corridor."]
[Message from the Ancient God "Father of the Infinite Tree":]
[Fifth Era, Year 5180, Spring, Outer Sea, Sea of Darkness.]
[Event: The "Radiant Messenger" cruise ship disaster.]
[Duration: Thirty minutes (1/3).]
"It should originally be a location on the Eastern Continent, Western Continent, or the Shattered Isles, but it’s become ’Outer Sea.’ Seems to be beyond the mainland. No light... the event description is straightforward this time. What is the task?"
[You’ve received additional information.]
[The visage of the Father of the Infinite Tree watches over you.]
[The Ancient God of Time presents a challenge for you.]
[Assist the Old God "Giver of Dreams" in completing four fishing endeavors.]
[The Father of the Infinite Tree will reward you with Arcane Technique - Dragon Roar, Arcane Technique - Corrupt Blood Fog.]
