The reason Shade had been invited was that the Church wanted him to cast a spell on the bomb still counting down. All relics were difficult for Ring Arcanists' powers to affect because of the Whisper Elements they contained. Only sufficiently powerful Mystic Incantations could take effect on relics.
Even though the Rune Firepowder of the Ancient Gnomes had pitifully low resistance to the Power of Time, it was not something an ordinary Ring Arcanist could influence. Not to mention that mishandling this relic could cause catastrophic consequences. Since the Time Great Witch was absent, the most suitable person to handle it was undoubtedly the "God Summoner."
"Then let me give it a try."
They were speaking in the museum section of the Golden Music Hall. The museum's many exhibits concerning the city's musical industry had been put away the previous night. The brass-colored metal box now sat on a pedestal that had originally displayed the handwritten memoirs of Vesta City's first mayor.
Shade placed his hand on the explosive. After closing his eyes and sensing it for a moment, he released his hand.
"Should be no problem."
He then removed the key and softly said in his heart, In the name of Luvia Annette. A black staff appeared in his hand. He held it with one hand while gripping Adele's pocket watch inside his pocket with the other, then pressed the staff's front end, shaped like a bent question mark, against the relic.
"Time Stop!"
As spiritual energy surged, the ticking countdown vanished, and the changing time atop the box froze at 17:11. Shade narrowed his eyes slightly, and a translucent crystalline shell enveloped the exterior of the rune bomb.
Though this differed from ordinary Time Stop, everyone else sighed in relief upon seeing the bomb's countdown halt.
"This