In that instant, it was as if the [Ever-Youth Leaf] had been placed before his eyes; information surged from the stone tablet into his mind. However, the amount of information was small, consisting entirely of fragmented sentences.
"I see, it really is one-third."
Far from being disappointed, Shade's face grew even more excited. Although the information was fragmented, Shade could confirm from the broken sentences that the knowledge within the tablet was absolutely related to enhancing time perception.
"Mia, I didn't pick the wrong target. This is exactly what I want—a way to enhance time perception and obtain the most authentic temporal information!"
Excitedly, he picked up the clearly reluctant cat. His heart beat faster, and blood rushed to his brain. His thoughts immediately diverged, as various possibilities were continuously proposed and discarded. Whether the Sixth Epoch was truly the Sixth Epoch, and whether "now" was truly "now," might not be important to others. But for Shade, who could travel through past times, it was profoundly important.
With a light tap of his finger on the tablet, it flew slightly backward, but soon stopped, hovering in the air level with Shade's eyes. Little Mia, who had been waiting for her chance, quickly escaped Shade's arms. After landing on his leg, she leaped upward, jumping onto Shade's shoulder, and then gave a sudden spring. She actually "caught" the flying tablet and stood upon it with astonishing balance.
"Meow~"
The orange cat looked at Shade triumphantly, and Shade looked back at Mia with a smile. As he reached out his right hand toward the tablet again, Little Mia jumped along Shade's arm back down to his leg.
Stroking Little Mia, Shade looked again at the tablet in the air
"I thought the tablet would turn to ash after giving me the knowledge, yet it still exists."
He touched the tablet with its silver corners once more, but the tablet did not transmit the knowledge a second time, indicating that its mission to "transmit knowledge" had been completed.
"Why wasn't it destroyed?"
Shade was somewhat puzzled. He had encountered several Old Gods, and whether they represented miracles or profanity, those deities would never allow objects they created to appear in places they shouldn't. Since the tablet transmitted the knowledge without being destroyed, it meant the tablet still had a use.
"Why did the [Grey-Robed Sage] leave it for me?"
With a gentle tap on the side of the tablet, it immediately began to rotate smoothly in the air. Silver light-dust continued to drift around it; Shade could easily imagine what a beautiful piece of art this would be in the lightless long night.
"It couldn't possibly just be a lamp for me, right?"
He took the tablet and placed it back into the box. Regardless, having an "artifact" left behind by an Old God that bore no ill will toward him was a good thing. Perhaps when Shade found all three tablets, the secret of the tablets would be fully revealed. Any interference the Old Gods who left in the Fifth Epoch made regarding the Sixth Epoch always had a reason.
Since the God of Vampires plotted for a thousand years just because he was bored and wanted fine wine, perhaps the Guardian God of the Library really just gave Shade a beautiful piece of art, or—
"Is it possible that transmitting the knowledge of enhanced time perception was just a side effect, and giving me the three wondrous tablets was that Old God's primary goal?"
"She" chuckled
【It is very possible.】
"By touching the tablet, can you feel anything special?"
Shade closed the box.
【Miracle elements, very pure miracle elements.】
"How pure?"
【As pure as the silver moon.】
Shade nodded, held the cat, and took the box to the basement, placing the tablet together with the four printing plates of the 1-shilling notes.
Before leaving, he took another look at the four "gifts" taken from the gift box
"What would happen if I, as the Grey Falcon, sent these four printing plates to Princess Margaret?"
This was a playful thought Shade had to himself before leaving the basement.
It was past ten o'clock by the time he finished dealing with the time tablet. Little Mia was unwilling to follow Shade outdoors, so Shade headed to the university district alone to visit Professor Manning.
Unlike the disabled Professor Drake, Professor Manning was in excellent mental and physical health, and therefore was not at home every day. That morning, when Shade arrived at No. 17 Cat's Tail Alley amidst the heavy fog, his knock went unanswered.
Fortunately, he had anticipated this. After waiting a while and confirming that neither Professor Manning nor the servants were present, he took out his notebook, intending to write a note to slide through the door gap.
However, before Shade could finish writing, he felt someone pat his shoulder
"Oh, Shade!"
Turning around, he saw a smiling Eluna behind him.
Standing in the fog, the seventeen-year-old girl wore a white ruffle-collared shirt with two rows of silver decorative buttons on the chest, topped with a brown warm lady's overcoat. A black silk scarf was tied around her neck, and she held a brown checkered handbag in her hand; it was quite formal attire.
The hazy light of Friday morning pierced through the thick fog; the grey world seemed to gain more color because of her presence. Every time he saw Eluna, Shade couldn't help but feel that she truly was like the protagonist of this world
"Oh, good morning. Eluna, what are you doing here?"
"I am currently acting as Detective Miss Bayes. I've been commissioned by the Ridwich Field to investigate a theft case here."
Eluna pointed to the police badge hanging from her chest. She remembered that the first time she visited Shade's house, she had used this identity as well
"Professor Tyris Manning, yes, No. 17 Cat's Tail Alley. Shade, are you also here to see the old professor?"
"Yes, Professor Manning is an old friend of mine, but he's not home."
Shade waved the notebook in his hand; the note was not yet finished.
"That's alright. I made an appointment for a visit at eleven o'clock before I came; the professor should be back soon," Eluna said, curiously eyeing the closed door. This was the first time she realized Shade knew this kind of elderly gentleman.
Shade nodded
"There are still ten minutes until eleven; let's wait together. But what kind of theft case is it that even the Church has to intervene? I just thought the professor had... never mind."
He felt he shouldn't speak ill of others behind their backs; besides, the professor's hobbies were simply a bit peculiar.
He tucked his notebook back into the inner pocket of his overcoat and turned his back to the wall of Cat's Tail Alley. Eluna held her handbag with both hands, standing by the lamppost and looking at Shade. On the street outside them, the grey fog seemed frozen; in this winter day of plummeting temperatures, one could only see the figures of pedestrians flashing by in haste.
No one could disturb them, and Eluna liked this atmosphere
"It's related to a relic. A while ago, the Church of Creation notified all churches in this diocese that a humanoid relic related to theft had appeared in the city. So far, no one has seen its true form. It is an invisible person."