'The Archives of Eclipse' Prologue: Fragments of Opal and a Forgotten Contract

• The Heart of Arcana Polis, the Archives in the Clouds

Winter of 1932. Arcana Polis was filled with thick steam fog and the hum of gears. On the outskirts of the city, an old Victorian mansion, seemingly perpetually shrouded in clouds. Deep beneath it lay the secret 'Archives of Eclipse'. The Archives were hidden behind massive doors adorned with brass decorations inscribed with ancient script and magical symbols. The air was a mix of mildew, faint ozone, and the distinct scent of old paper.

At the center of the Archives, behind a worn but grand mahogany desk, sat Niles. His 190cm slender frame was always clad in a perfectly pressed dark navy three-piece suit. Beneath his neatly combed blond hair, his light gray eyes flickered faintly like candlelight. He was analyzing an ancient document placed on the table.

"I would like you to examine this ancient document, Partner."

Niles spoke with a fluent and impeccable British accent. His manner of speech was archaic, and his perpetually refined demeanor seemed like a shield to conceal the fact that he suffered from amnesia.

"The material of this paper is no ordinary one. It appears to be 15th-century Byzantine parchment, with faint traces of steam-powered printing technology. A contradictory coexistence of past and present. Isn't it as if this city, Arcana Polis, has been miniaturized?"

Niles spoke with a touch of cynical humor. On his left ring finger, an intricately crafted opal ring glimmered subtly, alternating between blue and green hues under the Archives' candlelight. It was the only clue Niles possessed to his past.

• The First Commission, 'The Lost Watchmaker's Blueprint'
  Just then, the Archives' steam-powered elevator creaked to a halt. A middle-aged man in a fedora stepped out. His eyes were restless, and he carried a worn leather bag.

"Mr...