haptos calendar 1519, Deep Winter Month.
Holy Rotum Empire, Free City, Hamburg.
The Bernardo family, residing at 777 Santa Marta Street, appeared to be an ordinary household.
At least, that's how they were perceived by their neighbors in the early days.
This two-story red brick house stood quietly at the end of the street, with several old locust trees in the yard that would blossom with white flowers every spring.
Old Bernardo, who lived there, was once a very law-abiding man.
Unlike those young people whose heads were turned by the Great Excavation era's fervor, he didn't prattle on about the New Church Revolution, Divine Era Relics, or the Thirty Years' War, nor did he ever get involved in highly risky speculative ventures.
He never dabbled in mysterious or strange matters.
He had no interest in the so-called "Divine Era Legacies" or "Heretical Ways," and he didn't even inquire much about the Great Excavation wave that swept across New Terra, let alone the knowledge deemed "forbidden."
Neighbors described him as cautious, practical, and someone who knew the rules and wouldn't touch anything that caused trouble.
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However, twelve years ago, he brought home an orphan.
A "deformed child" with heterochromia.
—Zieg Bernardo.
Even in Hamburg, where faith was relatively free, such heterochromatic eyes were still considered an ill omen by many.
Their explanations for this anomaly were filled with fear and rejection; some called them "devil's eyes," others referred to them as "the witch's mark," and some whispered that the child's lineage might be impure, possibly carrying "the wolf's curse."
Had it been before the New Church Reformation, he would surely have been drowned in the river.
But even though times had changed, and no one dared openly practice witch trials anymore, these deeply rooted prejudices had not entirely disappeared.
People avoided him, rejected him, and even secretly cursed him behind his back.
And when Old Bernardo passed away from illness a year ago, this hostility completely surfaced.
The neighbors all believed that Zieg Bernardo, the adopted son, had caused his adoptive father's death.
And on this dim, gloomy night, an unusual guest—or rather, an unusual creature—arrived at the controversial heterochromatic youth's home.
*******
In the Bernardo home, the hearth fire in the hall burned, casting flickering shadows on the brick and stone walls.
The walls were constructed of red brick and lime, with rough wooden beams spanning the ceiling, and a sturdy oak table stood in the center of the hall, covered with a slightly worn wool tablecloth, surrounded by several high-backed wooden chairs.
In one corner of the room, an embedded chimney fireplace showed a gentle flicker of flames in its hearth, reflecting off the copper candlesticks, wooden spoons, and kettle on the mantelpiece, as well as some old parchment scrolls hanging by the wall.
The warmth of the fire dispelled the chill from outside, filling the room with the faint, smoky scent of burning charcoal.
Right in the center of this warm hall, a gray Winged Cat was perched on the table.
The gray Winged Cat was similar in size to an ordinary house cat, with wings extending from its strong shoulders, resembling bat wings, divided into arcs by hollow, elongated "finger bones," and covered with feathers on the membranes, with fluffy fur.
However, the Winged Cat's bat wings were currently wrapped in bandages, with a few strands of gray feathers drooping slightly from the wrapping, indicating the injuries its owner had previously sustained.
Beside the table, various medical supplies and tools for dressing wounds were still scattered on a wooden tray.
A corked medicine bottle containing ground dried herbal powder, emitting a slightly bitter scent; a strip of linen cloth with some bloodstains, used for cleaning wounds; a small pair of tweezers; and a pair of scissors still stained with feathers.
Evidently, this injured Winged Cat had just been carefully treated.
The Winged Cat Heidewig was now intently licking his front paw, his amber Cat Eye slightly narrowed, and his ears twitching sensitively. He asked in a deep, resonant voice:
"You are..."
"My name is Zieg Bernardo, I live at 777 Santa Marta Street, and I'm currently unemployed."
"I inherited Old Bernardo's workshop. I open based on my mood and demand, closing by six at the latest, and sometimes if I'm in a bad mood, I don't open at all.
I don't smoke pipe tobacco, nor do I use black lotus or floating cloud leaves. I've only had a slight exposure to the current New Youth wave on this land and haven't delved deep into it.
I usually go to bed at eleven PM, ensuring eight hours of full sleep. Before bed, I drink a cup of hot milk, then do twenty minutes of basic sword practice to warm up, and then I sleep. I can generally sleep soundly until morning."
"I am someone who is not bound by worldly prejudices and adapts very quickly to new things.
Therefore, helping a cat with bat wings that speaks standard Shinra Common Tongue is perfectly normal behavior; so, you don't need to ask questions like 'Why aren't you afraid of me?' We can now get straight to the point and discuss business."
Beside the table, Zieg answered without lifting his head, as he organized the medical toolkit in his hands.
The Winged Cat Heidewig: "...?"
No, you kid, you predicted my prediction!
Heidewig listened to the self-introduction, which was full of loopholes, blinked, but still couldn't resist asking:
"And your age?"
"Twelve, my thirteenth birthday is in another month."
Upon hearing the number twelve, Heidewig's movements paused slightly.
He raised an eyebrow, his amber Cat Eye fixed on the youth before him, scrutinizing him carefully.
Silver-gray hair, linen shirt, wool trousers, wearing leather gloves, and a pair of heterochromatic eyes.
As for his appearance, according to human aesthetics, he was handsome, like those bright, sharp-eared elves, possessing a good physique that could be used for... well, for making a good impression.
Most striking were the youth's indigo left eye and orange-yellow right eye...
Heidewig couldn't help but take a second look.
These eyes reminded him of his own kind.
Many of his "deaf" kin had heterochromatic pupils, mostly white cats, whose heterochromia was typically blue + yellow, and in most cases, the ear on the blue-eyed side of those white cats was deaf.
According to the Academy professors, this condition of heterochromatic pupils is called heterochromia iridum.
Deafness is a pathological manifestation.
However, not all white cats are deaf; some white cats with heterochromia have congenital heterochromia iridum—which is usually harmless and only affects appearance.
It seemed that the heterochromia of the kid in front of him should also be harmless.
While the Winged Cat Heidewig was observing Zieg, Zieg was also subtly observing him.
This kid wasn't short, but his demeanor was overly calm.
Normal people on this land, upon seeing a cat with bat wings, especially one that could talk, would mostly be scared out of their wits.
But Zieg, in front of him, was not only unafraid but had also preemptively blocked and skipped the classic opening of a normal fantasy story.
Heidewig's pre-prepared lines had all died stillborn.
What he didn't know was that Zieg, with his eyes lowered, was still outwardly organizing the medical tools in his hands, but in reality, a virtual azure frame, visible only to him, had quietly appeared on his retina.
Immediately after, azure data streams flickered before his eyes, and lines of information unfolded around the Winged Cat, visible only to Zieg.
"akashic records startup initiated—"
"*Arcane* Identification—"
"Identification passed!"
"Mental Body successfully passed the Gaia information barrier!"
"Monster Bestiary updated—"
—+ 【Winged Cat】 +—
【Damage Resistance】: Poison
【Phase】: Existence, Action
【Subtle Body Feature】: Mental Body
【Traits】: Detect Magic, Comprehend Languages (*Special*).
【Senses】: Darkvision, Passive Perception.
【Related Introduction】:
On city rooftops, in the magic towers of the Underdark, or even in deep forests, Winged Cats can find their own habitats.
These felines, born with a magical aura, are light-bodied, with soft wings on their backs, and they move like ghosts in the night, darting between rooftops.
They are more intelligent than ordinary cats, capable of understanding complex commands, and forming deep bonds with trusted creatures.
Although Winged Cats are independent by nature, they usually choose a trustworthy individual as a companion, accompanying them for many years.
Many mages, bards, and even rangers consider Winged Cats valuable partners because they are skilled at detecting danger and revealing the presence of invisible enemies.
However, Winged Cats also have their unique quirks—they detest snakes.
Whether natural snakes or magical creatures like snake-people and snake-demons, Winged Cats will not hesitate to issue threatening growls or even attack proactively.
Scholars speculate that this aversion stems from some ancient predator of Winged Cats, but the true reason remains unconfirmed to this day.
If you encounter a Winged Cat on your journey, don't rush to pet it—they don't easily trust strangers.
But if you can win its favor, this aerial hunter might become your most loyal companion, silently watching over your journey.
—
"Quest Log updated—"
"You have triggered a special quest: Cat's Gratitude!"
Zieg's gaze subtly swept over the virtual screen; of course, he wasn't helping the other party without any ulterior motives.
He needed an opportunity to enter Eden Academy, and the Winged Cat was the key.
If the information in the Quest Log was correct, the Winged Cat was a messenger sent by the three sages of Eden Academy to recruit students.
Eden Academy, a legendary academic institution said to house the most advanced technology and thought from the Divine Era of Terraria, is the most prestigious magical education institution hidden within the world's mysterious side.
Founded by the three sages, this academy specializes in teaching young mages magical knowledge and skills, and is dedicated to exploring the secrets of the "Celestial Conjunction."
Each year, the three sages dispatch specially trained Winged Cats, capable of human speech, to distribute admission letters prepared by the academy across the land.
And to enter Eden, he first had to find a Winged Cat.
In other words, this injured Winged Cat might be his only path into Eden Academy.
Therefore, saving him was only logical.
Not only to save him, but to save him completely.
Not only to save him completely, but to make this fellow owe a favor that couldn't be easily repaid.
At this moment, the Winged Cat Heidewig was unaware of the heterochromatic youth's thoughts.
He was licking his paw, currently more concerned with another matter.
"Did you see the bag I was carrying?"
Heidewig's amber Cat Eye narrowed slightly, his tone carrying a hint of tension.
That was the most important item for his current mission.
Zieg spoke:
"The bag is broken, but its contents are still there."
Saying this, he pulled an envelope from his embrace.
The envelope was made of thick paper, its edges slightly yellowed, with green ink writing on it, and sealed with a deep red wax seal, featuring an olive branch golden emblem in the center.
Zieg's gaze fell on the envelope, then he slowly read the Shinra text on it:
"To: Miss Helena Harriet Berengart."
"Bella Berlin, Kreuzberg District, Schleierhof Road 4, Apartment No. 7, storage room next to the cupboard under the stairs."
As he finished reading, he raised an eyebrow slightly, his gaze lingering on a few keywords for a moment, then he added meaningfully:
"Storage room next to the cupboard under the stairs... It seems this Miss Helena's life... well, it's quite 'lively.'"
The air fell silent for a moment.
This Miss Helena indeed had quite a "lively" life.
Just the words "storage room next to the cupboard under the stairs" already conveyed a certain impression.
After all, what decent person would live in a storage room next to a cupboard under the stairs?
The Winged Cat Heidewig licked his paw, glanced at his injured wing, then looked at Zieg.
Both stared at each other.
The fire in the fireplace flickered, illuminating two silent shadows.
After a long moment of unblinking eye contact, Heidewig finally drooped his wings, flicked his tail, and said reluctantly:
"Do me a favor, deliver this letter to Bella Berlin, and I will give you a generous reward."
Zieg asked directly: "What reward?"
Heidewig was silent for a moment, then said, as if cutting off a piece of his own flesh:
"...8 taler silver coins."
Zieg didn't even lift his eyelids, replying coldly:
"That's it?"
"What do you mean, 'that's it'?!"
Heidewig's ears shot up, his amber Cat Eye showing strong dissatisfaction, and his voice instantly became agitated.
"Don't think I don't understand Shinra prices just because I'm a cat!
This isn't the border or the frontier!
Do you think it's still the Thirty Years' War, when five hundred thousand marks couldn't buy a single loaf of bread?!
This cat has studied history! Ever since the Purple Robed Emperor enacted the Imperial Currency Law and the Silver Duke of the Rainsor Church initiated the Great Reminting, Shinra's previously awful prices have already stabilized!"
"8 taler is enough for an ordinary person in Shinra to live for several months! I'm just asking you to deliver a letter, and you want gold shields?!"
Zieg shrugged silently; the other party’s statement was indeed correct.
The Currency Reform Act and the Great Reminting Movement did have a profound impact on Shinra’s monetary system.
The Holy Rotum Empire (Shinra for short) is a diverse political entity composed of numerous feudal principalities, electorates, free cities, territories of the Twelve True Gods Church, and industrial and commercial alliances.
Although the various states within the empire theoretically honored the same emperor, with the Purple Robed Emperor as their supreme leader, in reality, their economies were independent, their monetary systems chaotic, and each region had different minting rights, tax policies, and currency units.
The Thirty Years' War between Shinra and the Hundred Races Alliance, with its thousands of bloody battles, further devastated the already precarious imperial monetary system.
In addition, New Terra entered the explosive period of the Great Excavation era.
As archaeological discoveries progressed, source stones became a core energy source and the backbone of the imperial economy.
To prevent monetary chaos caused by the private minting of various feudal lords, guilds, and mining magnates, the Shinra Emperor implemented currency reform, establishing a unified imperial monetary system based on a bimetallic standard of gold and silver, pegged to the value of source stones, to ensure currency stability.
The Purple Robed Emperor promoted unified currency standards, stabilized the economy, unified the weight and fineness of gold and silver coins within the empire, and restricted the chaotic minting of inferior coins by various states.
The silver taler became one of the representative imperial currencies under this background.
In subsequent reforms, the Purple Robed Emperor also abolished the complicated duodecimal and vigesimal exchange systems, fully adopting a decimal currency exchange mechanism.
The Great Reminting Movement, on this basis, collected all old silver coins and replaced them with brand new ones, while also laying the foundation for the subsequent promotion of the riel gold coin, which was primarily based on the gold standard.
The current imperial currency mainly includes four types:
Riel gold coins, also known as imperial gold shields, have the imperial double-headed eagle and crown on the obverse, and an olive wreath on the reverse; the currency material is 90% gold.
Silver taler, also known as imperial taler, has a silver gear engraved on the obverse and a picture of the first old-style steam engine excavated in the Great Excavation era on the reverse; the currency material is 92.5% silver.
Gulden, an old gold coin unit, now the imperial silver-plated coin, has the Shinra Colosseum engraved on the obverse and a sword and shield on the reverse; the currency material is 60% copper + 40% silver.
Mark, the imperial copper shield, has a hammer and sickle engraved on the obverse and wheat ears and wheat on the reverse; the currency material is 98% copper.
1 riel gold = 10 imperial taler = 100 gulden = 1000 mark.
The current minimum wage standard in Hamburg is 2 imperial taler per month.
And commoners with a monthly salary of 2 imperial taler mainly rely on manual labor or temporary work for their livelihood.
The current train ticket pricing standard in Shinra is: approximately 0.8 taler per hundred kilometers as the base, with service fees increasing or decreasing by class.
From Hamburg to Bella Berlin is about 280 kilometers, and the standard fare is 2.24 taler; if a round-trip ticket is purchased, a price subsidy can also be enjoyed.
Of course, the above is the standard fare; if a standing ticket for the simple cabin is purchased, it will be even cheaper, only 1.2 taler.
The simple cabin is a special subsidized “standing ticket discount price” by the Imperial Rail Authority to facilitate lower-class citizens getting on the train; it is a non-standard service cabin.
They are usually located at the rear of the train, merged with the cargo compartment.
Therefore, sending a letter for 8 taler, even after deducting round-trip travel expenses and food costs, is pure profit.
Heidewig’s behavior was purely that of a scatterer of wealth.
But...
What he wanted wasn't money.
What he wanted was an admission opportunity.
Now Heidewig’s wing is injured, so he can't deliver the letter.
He, a cat, can't even take the train.
To deliver the letter to Bella Berlin on time, he still had to rely on himself in the end.
Sure enough, Heidewig quickly compromised.
He slammed his tail on the table, staring at Zieg with amber Cat Eyes, an expression of resignation on his face.
“Speak, what do you want after all?”
Zieg smiled slightly, raised the letter in his hand, and said earnestly, word by word:
“I—want—to—go—to—school.”
Heidewig: “...?”
Zieg cleared his throat, put on a solemn and pious expression, and formally entered reading mode.
“I am merely twelve years of age, uneducated at home, and thirst for knowledge.”
“Since childhood, I have had no opportunity to enter a school of arcana, though my heart yearns for it. Yet, fate is unpredictable, and I spend my days studying by a solitary lamp, lamenting the absence of a teacher to guide me and none to impart knowledge.”
“Daily I gaze at the sky, lamenting the unfairness of fate, wishing I could immerse myself in the ocean of learning to enrich myself.”
“Yet, heaven does not forsake me! At this moment, I realize there is actually a school that has traveled thousands of miles, willing to send an admission letter to the storage room by the cupboard under the stairs.”
“Upon seeing this letter today, my heart is filled with surging emotions. After much thought, I wish to apply to this school, seeking the light of education.”
This flowery language, coupled with Zieg’s expressionless “deeply emotional” recitation, devoid of any emotional fluctuation, like a school-aged child reciting a textbook, made his acting superficial, yet his sincerity was deeply moving.
Heidewig’s Cat Ears twitched, and his expression changed from confusion to suspicion, then to speechless disbelief.
“Hey! Can’t you put some emotion into your acting?!”
“Act like a living person!”
The Winged Cat’s fur bristled, his tail stood straight up, and the entire cat looked as if he had been struck by lightning, his eyes filled with despair for the pretty boy actor.
Zieg raised an eyebrow, calmly put down the envelope, and shrugged.
“These are my true feelings.”
Heidewig: “...”
Since meeting Zieg, Heidewig didn't know how many times he had been speechless.
He felt that in these short few minutes, his patience was almost exhausted by this heterochromatic-eyed boy.
Heidewig could only sigh and say:
“I have no right to decide on behalf of the academy whether to admit you.”
“...The academy’s admission letters are all personally formulated by ‘The Pure One, gasper,’ one of the three sages.”
Heidewig flicked his tail, explaining in a serious tone:
“Eden Academy’s admissions are not granted casually!
All eligible students will be registered in the ‘Eden Register,’ and the Sorting Hat, an admission device assisting the management institution, will automatically leave an imprint.”
“After students turn 12, without additional application or examination, all children on the ‘Register’ will automatically qualify for admission.”
Heidewig spoke with righteous indignation, as if this were an undeniable truth.
“This practice is not affected by bloodline; pure-bloods, half-bloods, or those from ordinary families, regardless of their circumstances, the academy treats everyone equally.”
He paused, his tail gently sweeping the table, and added:
“This is a fair, objective, and efficient admission mechanism, ensuring that every talented registered individual has the opportunity to receive education.”
“If ordinary families cannot understand or accept their child’s arcane talent, the academy may arrange for specialists to visit in person to prevent the child from missing the admission opportunity—actually, as long as the child agrees to enroll, reassuring the parents is a consideration in line with the new era; in the past, we did not have the practice of reassuring parents.”
Therefore, in the past, various urban legends about devils kidnapping children circulated.
Zieg silently complained inwardly, then he unhurriedly spoke:
“Eden Academy’s method is entirely pseudo-random screening based on an incomplete dataset; it simply hasn’t fully adapted to the needs of the new era.”
Heidewig: “...?”
Zieg’s tone was calm, even somewhat like a rigid academic discussion mode, as he continued to analyze seriously:
“Eden Academy’s ‘Register Registration Mechanism’ is actually a typical ‘passive sampling bias.’
Its method of screening students fundamentally relies on existing records, meaning that—as long as a child’s existence is not known to the system, he or she will not be registered and will not qualify for admission.”
“This leads to two problems: First, the limitations of the data input directly affect the final screening results, creating a ‘no record, no qualification’ phenomenon.”
“Second, ‘treating everyone equally’ is only superficial fairness; in fact, this mechanism does not consider ‘individuals limited by their environment.’”
“For example, a child in a remote area who cannot access the extraordinary society, even if he or she is exceptionally gifted, will simply not appear on Eden’s register.”
“In other words, this so-called ‘automatic screening’ mechanism cannot objectively and fairly reflect the true situation of all age-appropriate children.”
Heidewig stared blankly at Zieg, his ears slightly perked, his tail nervously swaying in the air.
But soon, he suddenly snapped back to reality, his amber Cat Pupils constricted, and he retorted excitedly:
“The three sages are rarely wrong!”
Upon hearing this, Zieg glanced at him calmly, then asked indifferently in return:
“Why?”
Heidewig opened his mouth as if to say something, but for a moment, he couldn't answer immediately.
He paused for a second, somewhat incoherent; he didn't know how to explain it to this kid in front of him.
“Because... you simply don’t understand what kind of existences the three sages of Eden are.”
“They... existences like them... are rarely wrong.”
“Is that so?”
Zieg smiled slightly, didn't continue to argue, but directly extended both hands and slowly took off his leather gloves.
The fabric slipped, revealing his pale and slender fingers, and—
Heidewig’s pupils suddenly constricted.
“Source stone clusters... Oripathy?!”
On the back of Zieg’s left and right hands, a standard rhomboid crystal cluster was embedded on each, one white and one black.
The crystal cluster on the left hand was of the 【◇】 style, pure white and translucent.
The crystal cluster on the right hand was of the 【◆】 style, deep and dark black.
The two crystal clusters were symmetrically embedded in the center of the skin on the back of his hands, as if they were originally part of his skin.
“Isn’t this a ready-made example?”
Zieg looked at Heidewig, a faint curve on his lips.
“I am the child who was left out.”
After he finished speaking, he slowly walked to the table and gently touched the ceramic cup on the table with his left hand.
Heidewig was still immersed in shock, but the next second, his Cat Eyes widened even more.
The cup floated up.
It wasn't lifted by any visible force, but rather, as if it had lost gravity, it slowly rose into the air and hovered.
And Zieg, like a juggler, casually manipulated the cup, making it gently sway, rotate, and even flip in the air.
The entire process was smooth and unhindered.
Heidewig’s fur was almost bristling.
“...”
He stared at the cup, his mouth slightly open, as if he wanted to say something, but he just couldn't manage to speak.
Zieg looked at his expression, smiled lightly, and explained casually:
“These are my awakened... traits.”
“I call them “Clear” and “Turbid”.”
“The former—reduces local gravity, making the target lighter and faster.”
“The latter—increases local gravity, making the target heavier and restricting movement.”
“Through the perfect balance of “Clear” and “Turbid,” one can manipulate external objects like this.”
Heidewig stared at this scene in disbelief.
He took a deep breath, fixated on Zieg, his voice filled with unconcealed shock.
“You’ve already opened a slot?!”
“Are you sure you’re not manipulating this with a Pandora’s Arcane Card?”
Opening a slot, Arcane Card.
As these two words came out, Zieg’s eyes flickered almost imperceptibly.
He finally heard what he wanted to hear.
He indeed already had these two things.
But—it wasn't time to reveal everything yet.
Zieg gently hooked his finger, and the cup hovering in the air slowly descended, coming to a steady rest on the table without the slightest tremor.
The entire process was smooth and fluid, as if an invisible hand had precisely supported it, allowing it to return steadily under the pull of gravity.
He withdrew his hand, looked calmly at Heidewig, and said in a composed and matter-of-fact tone:
“An isolated individual like me, who has self-studied arcana, is both of eligible age and has mastered basic abilities, should naturally receive formal education at Eden Academy.”
“You don’t have the authority to admit students arbitrarily, but you can bring me to Eden, or introduce me to the academy’s mentors, so they can evaluate me and report it.”
“For you, this is merely a small favor.”
“And I will help you deliver the letter to Bella Berlin.”
“For us, this is a win-win situation.”
Puff puff~~~
The fireplace flames flickered gently, reflecting on the cup on the table and in the Winged Cat’s amber pupils.
Heidewig didn't answer immediately; he just looked deeply at Zieg, as if re-evaluating the young man before him.
His tail swayed gently, and after a moment of thought, he finally spoke slowly:
“...Deal.”
