The Bone Ring, a Revelation, and a New Skill

“You have even less to worry about regarding this. While this bone ring of mine isn’t exactly a secret, not many people know about it,” Hecate said.

“Only those who truly pay attention to me, the more devout ones, are aware of it.”

“Even if they were to see it, they wouldn’t harm you; in fact, they would treat you with even greater deference.”

“Even so, I…”

Iordera was about to find another excuse to decline, but then, a strange impulse inexplicably welled up within her.

“Very well, I’ll hold onto it for now.”

“Should you ever feel nostalgic, I can return it to you at any time.”

She accepted the ring, gently placing it into her pouch.

“Perhaps it will bring you good fortune,” Hecate said, smiling gently at her.

“Especially with the troubles currently weighing on your mind.”

Given the atmosphere, if they weren’t in a prison cell, Iordera might truly have believed they shared a deep bond.

“Hmph, then I’ll take your good wishes to heart,” Iordera said, standing up.

“I’ll go bring you dinner.”

****

The day’s agenda had concluded.

Not only had she performed her duties flawlessly, but she had also completed Andrew’s (TL Note: Dàshū means ‘uncle’ or ‘elder male,’ used here as a respectful address for an older man.) commission.

Yet, Iordera found herself entirely devoid of joy.

Upon returning home, she took up her pen to write a letter to Andrew.

[Andrew, I have completed your commission, but I only found Frank; everyone else is dead.

The situation seems rather peculiar.

Based on Frank’s testimony and my own suspicions, there might be an issue with the City Lord.

You should exercise caution and pay close attention to the project you are planning.]

After writing these words, Iordera pondered for a moment, then erased them all.

For one, these were merely conjectures, lacking concrete proof.

Secondly… secondly, Andrew and his team were operating within the core area of the City Lord’s project, meaning their correspondence would likely be intercepted and inspected.

Sending such a letter would be akin to walking straight into a trap.

‘Ah, what a headache.’

“Miss,” Nina observed, glancing at her expression.

“You don’t seem very happy today.”

Iordera yawned.

“That’s quite normal; you’ve said as much before.”

‘Hadn’t they previously remarked on her constant gloom, her propensity for wearing a ‘pain mask’ (TL Note: A slang term for looking distressed or suffering) at the slightest provocation?’

“No, today is different from before; it’s especially noticeable today,” Nina said, thinking for a moment before asking, “Are you tired from work?”

Iordera grimaced.

“What if I am tired? You two can’t help anyway.”

Upon hearing this, the two maids became visibly displeased.

Yuna, not even bothering to sleep, immediately sat up with a huff.

“Miss, do not underestimate us,” Yuna declared.

“We have learned all the skills a maid should possess; naturally, we are proficient in massage and beating (TL Note: Refers to a traditional Chinese massage technique involving rhythmic tapping or patting to relieve muscle tension), and alleviating fatigue is well within our capabilities.”

“All it takes is hands!”

‘Oh, so you two have been hiding your talents,’ Iordera thought.

She then lay down, allowing the two maids to approach and demonstrate their skills.

Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-tap…

“Alright, that’s enough,”

A few minutes later, Iordera was thoroughly disappointed.

“Your strength is so lacking; if I scattered rice on my back, even chickens would peck with more vigor than that!”

Yuna slumped onto the bed.

“There’s nothing for it, Miss; it is what it is, and we did our best.”

“Indeed, Miss, we are but weak women with no strength to speak of; this is all we can manage,” Nina said, spreading her hands.

“If this isn’t enough, perhaps we should call Andrew (TL Note: Dàshū means ‘uncle’ or ‘elder male,’ used here as a respectful address for an older man.) to give you a few hammer blows; he has quite the vigor.”

‘If a small hammer (TL Note: A common Chinese internet meme, ‘Small hammer forty, big hammer eighty,’ implying escalating force or price) at forty wasn’t enough, then a big hammer at eighty would surely make her Miss comfortable.’

Yuna also agreed.

“Exactly, Miss, you are an alchemical doll; being repaired with a hammer is just right.”

Iordera rolled her eyes, choosing not to speak.

‘As if I couldn’t tell that your subtext implies I’m ‘asking for a hammering’ (TL Note: An idiom implying one needs a lesson or a beating).’

“Speaking of Andrew,” Yuna suddenly mused, “after he left, the empty house next door has been uninhabited.”

“And the other neighboring houses have always been empty; it feels so quiet.”

Nina shrugged.

“Of course. Given the current situation in Juneburg (TL Note: 朱恩堡 directly translates to ‘June Fort’ or ‘Juneburg’), few people are willing to come here, so guesthouses and hotels naturally aren’t doing well.”

Iordera was jolted awake by a sudden realization.

‘That’s right!’

With the teleportation array entrance sealed, if Juneburg’s floating population (TL Note: Refers to transient residents or visitors) maintained a negative growth rate, how could the masked figures be endless?

‘Unless the masked figures were simply the City Lord’s own people, playing roles, and released immediately after being ‘captured’!’

All she needed to do was inquire at the various city gates about the daily comparison of incoming and outgoing populations, and she would have the most compelling evidence.

“Nina, Yuna,” Iordera said seriously.

“You two are, at times, quite useful.”

Nina looked momentarily stunned, then exclaimed with delight, “Although I don’t quite understand why, since Miss said so, does that mean as a reward, I don’t have to make dinner tonight and can have a day off?”

“Go make dinner!”

‘I knew I shouldn’t have given her a taste of something good.’

Nina diligently toiled in the kitchen, Yuna worked hard at accumulating nutrients in her chest (TL Note: This is likely a humorous, slightly suggestive way of saying she was sleeping soundly, implying growth or development in her dreams), and Iordera vigorously practiced her punches in the courtyard.

The three, master and maids, all had bright futures ahead.

With a clear plan now in mind, Iordera punched with immense satisfaction, continuing until she leveled up.

[You have leveled up to Level 22. Unused energy detected. Would you like to unlock a skill?]

Yes.

[Energy Imaging: Replaces the brain’s method of receiving external information from the eyes with an energy detection chip.

Effect: Centered on the user, it generates a three-dimensional image of people within a one-hundred-meter radius, displaying them according to their varying energy signatures.

Vision will be deactivated during use, and switching modes requires a 10-second channeling time.]

‘Equivalent to thermal imaging night vision? A good thing indeed!’

However, upon reading the subsequent description, Iordera pouted.

‘Right, for a robot, having two ways to perceive external information is normal, and only being able to use one at a time is also normal; it’s just that the switching time is too long.’

‘The technological sophistication still wasn’t quite high enough, though the magical component seemed considerably more advanced.’

‘One could only say that while its practical utility seemed low for now, it might prove useful in future special circumstances.’

As was her custom, Iordera once again bestowed upon the new skill the assessment of “promising for the future.”

“Miss, stop punching,” Nina called from the doorway.

“Come home for dinner.”

‘Eat, sleep, and then tomorrow, begin the investigation!’

As she lay in bed, Iordera picked up the bone ring and examined it.

Its design was quite elegant, and its lustrous white hue was appealing, yet knowing its true material always made it feel a little chilling.

Iordera carefully hid it beneath her pillow.

‘This item shouldn’t be casually displayed. If someone were to recognize it, and if they weren’t truly ‘the Witch’s minions’ (TL Note: A derogatory term, literally ‘claws and teeth,’ referring to a subordinate or henchman), I might face serious trouble.’

‘Although Hecate had said as much, times had changed. Those who once respected her might not be so steadfast now.’

‘A glance at Juneburg’s Alchemist’s Guild and Mage’s Association revealed that people in this other world also possessed a strong sense of allegiance.’

“Though I’m not sure why I brought you back,” Iordera murmured, patting her pillow.

“Goodnight, anyway.”

****

A new day dawned in Juneburg, and as the “deadline” set by the City Lord drew nearer, the streets grew increasingly sparse.

The people of the city believed that these few days would mark the masked figures’ final frenzy; as long as they endured, everything would come to an end.