In the church garden, Chocolate leaped down from Jenkins's shoulder and circled the flowerbeds as if surveying his domain, but he didn't seem as fond of the plants as he had been last year.
This only reinforced Jenkins's understanding of the cat's fickle nature, and he felt a pang of worry that one day, Chocolate might suddenly vanish from his side.
"Oh, sir, good afternoon!"
He finally found Fini just before dinner. The girl greeted him with a cheerful voice, said goodbye to her friends, and walked into the corridor where Jenkins was standing.
He said with a smile, pulling a beautifully wrapped box from his pocket and offering it to her, though he noticed a flicker of panic in her expression.
"A birthday present."
Fini didn't offer the usual protests of "Is this really for me?" or "No, I can't accept this." Instead, she hesitated, her gaze fixed on Jenkins's face, before reaching out to accept the box. Her eyes welled with tears, and it was a long moment before she managed to whisper the single word, "Thank you."
Jenkins just shook his head and gave her shoulder a gentle pat, reminding her to get ready for dinner.
Besides its beauty, Jenkins had also blessed the pendant. Though he hadn't inscribed any divine rituals onto it, his personal blessing should be enough to resist weaker spells or curses.
The only danger, he worried, was that his own bad luck might be contagious, spreading to Fini through the pendant. But he knew the thought was baseless—just him worrying for nothing.
"...blessing... thank you... sir..."
Not long after parting with Fini, as his thoughts turned to the evening ahead, a faint whisper brushed against his ear. It was just a few blurry words before it vanished. Jenkins froze, instantly on guard. A quick scan of his surroundings revealed no one nearby.
He even activated his Eye of Reality, searching for any suspicious glimmers amidst the sea of gold that flooded his vision, but he found nothing.
"Chocolate, was that you talking?"
His last resort was to eye his cat with suspicion.
The cat's meow was full of indignation. It was rare for Jenkins to accuse him so unjustly. Nᴇw novel chapters are publɪshed on NovelHub(.)net
The sudden auditory hallucination left Jenkins on edge. He believed that every anomaly around him warranted extreme caution. In reality, nothing else happened. He remained tense all the way through dinner, but the suspicious voice did not return.
After dinner, he even went for a check-up, going so far as to invoke the Sage's Gaze, but the examination revealed no curses or other foul influences on his person.
"Maybe you're just exhausted. Go get some rest."
The Keeper of Secrets advised, holding a silver platter. The offering for the divine gaze—a small silver statue—rested upon it, an antique that had long been part of the church's collection, he explained.
But Jenkins couldn't rest. Not yet. Despite enduring the battle with the pistol last night and the fight against the swordsman today, he still had duties to attend to.
After dinner was his weekly arithmetic lesson. His combat training with Miss Bevanna, however, had been postponed again, as she was unavailable all week.
He left the church under the cover of night, returned to St. George Avenue, and from there, went straight to Ruen.
Night had also fallen in the northern kingdom, where Miss Stuart and Alexia were waiting for him, seated in chairs by the study window. The room was warm and comfortable, filled with a faint, unidentifiable floral scent that Jenkins found quite pleasant.
He placed Chocolate on the table before sinking into a chair with a long sigh. He was truly exhausted. Even though being in Ruen always lifted his spirits, it did little to ease his physical fatigue.
Miss Stuart immediately gave Julia a meaningful look. The maid moved behind Jenkins and began to massage his shoulders. Jenkins wasn't accustomed to such treatment, but his shoulders were genuinely sore. Carrying Chocolate all day, no matter how light the kitten was, had taken its toll.
The air in Ruen was so much cleaner than in Nolan. The sky tonight was cloudless, and a turn of his head offered a view of the boundless river of stars through the window. This city always had a way of helping him relax and clear his mind, a fact he suspected had something to do with its frigid temperatures.
"Did something happen yesterday?"
Alexia slid a teacup in front of him. Jenkins nodded his thanks but didn't feel like drinking just then. His gaze shifted to the desk, and he was momentarily puzzled that Miss Stuart wasn't doing her homework, but then he remembered it was Wednesday, not Tuesday, and the thought passed.
"Not just yesterday, today as well... I imagine you'll hear the news by tomorrow morning. It was horrifying."
The Church hadn't yet discovered the battle that took place in the skies above a small rural town near Nolan last night. The police would likely file a report on the unusual gunshots, but thanks to this world's underdeveloped industrial level, the light from oil lamps and candles was hardly enough to reveal a flying god or a pistol in the night sky. And even if someone had seen something, there would be no evidence. The properties of that Cursed Item, combined with the nature of the God of Lies, ensured that any witnesses would never learn the truth.
He gave them a brief account of the last few days' events, and by the end of it, he couldn't resist the urge to press his temples. Jenkins was utterly drained. He craved a life of peace, even if it only lasted a week. Ever since the Year's End Festival, it had been one thing after another, leaving him with no time to even consider his third book.
"So, you're certain it was the sword that revived the undead?"
Alexia waited until Jenkins had finished his tale before asking.
"Yes, but it's probably more than just A-12-1-0044. The fact that he used the Living Corpse Gem as the core for a sacrificial substitute is proof enough that he possesses a host of other terrifying numbered items. I plan to use the gem's whereabouts as a lead for further investigation. The item is now in the hands of the Sage's Church, and I'm sure they'll be able to find some useful information from it."
Upon hearing this, Alexia nodded slowly, her eyes narrowing as she stared at a vase across the room, lost in thought. Miss Stuart, on the other hand, was still completely captivated by the story. Yes, she knew it was a real event, but she couldn't help but see it as a thrilling tale.
"Then do you require my assistance? I can dispatch people to help with your investigation in Nolan City."
Miss Stuart's eyes lit up with excitement as she spoke. Behind Jenkins, Julia frowned slightly but remained silent.
"No, no, you're too generous, but I don't think that's necessary right now."
Jenkins waved his hands dismissively, but in his haste, his rising hand accidentally brushed against the cat's tail. Chocolate let out an indignant meow, prompting an immediate apology and a comforting scratch from the man.