Lord of The Mysterious Realms Chapter 1025

Speaking of Turin, Jenkins's thoughts naturally turned to the Corpse Gentleman.

"The last time I wrote to Mr. Black Cat in Turin, I asked him to cautiously investigate a manor belonging to the Corpse Gentleman, provided it was within his means..."

The Corpse Gentleman had acquired that manor during one of the gatherings, and Jenkins had jotted down the address. He had initially been worried that asking Mr. Black Cat to investigate might endanger him. However, he later reasoned that the Corpse Gentleman was unlikely to visit Turin in person, and Mr. Black Cat was both cautious and powerful enough for the task. That was why he'd casually brought it up.

"Perhaps I could ask Mr. Black Cat to look into Miss Stevel's case as well, since her last known whereabouts were likely Turin... But is it fair to burden him with so many dangerous tasks? I don't have many friends..."

His mind was racing, but his expression remained placid. Yet, no matter how curious he was about Papa Oliver's former apprentice, Miss Capet could offer no more information.

Miss Capet did suggest that Jenkins ask others in the Church of Knowledge and Books, reasoning that Papa Oliver couldn't be the only one who knew the story.

But Jenkins regretfully informed her that everyone in the Church who might know the truth was unwilling to speak of it without Papa Oliver's permission.

Even those outside the Church who knew, like Miss Audrey, were unwilling to divulge what they knew.

Miss Capet left with a sense of disappointment. The moment she turned, Jenkins was struck once again by that strange feeling of familiarity. He could have sworn he'd seen a similar silhouette before, more than once, but no matter how he wracked his brain, he couldn't find any related memories.

A rather cliché possibility immediately came to mind: perhaps Miss Capet had visited Nolan as a child and met the younger Jenkins. But that was just an errant guess. The original Jenkins had a decent memory, and during the time Miss Capet would have been in Nolan, he hadn't met any unfamiliar little girls, pretty or otherwise.

Miss Capet had been gravely injured in the mirror realm. Though her body was unharmed, the damage to her spirit had been severe. Before leaving, she told Jenkins she would remain in Nolan for about two more months to recover before returning to the See of the Church of All Things and Nature.

During that time, she would be staying at an inn in the city center. If Jenkins made any new discoveries about Miss Stevel, he could write to her or visit her there in person. Fınd the newest release on novel⟡fire.net

Miss Capet departed into the night, leaving the writer and his cat to mind the shop. Jenkins flipped open the detective novel lying face-down on the counter, but he couldn't bring himself to read. His mind was still preoccupied with Papa Oliver and his former apprentice.

It was already past eight o'clock, and night had fully descended upon the city. The streets outside, illuminated by gas lamps, were far from empty. One could occasionally spot shabbily dressed workers or middle-aged men heading out for a bit of fun. Nolan's nightlife, after all, was vibrant and diverse.

Jenkins wasn't fond of the nightlife. Unless he was taking his cat for a walk, he usually stayed home in the evenings. Chocolate, on the other hand, would sometimes slip out at night, but he always returned quickly, likely just taking a stroll around the neighborhood.

After Miss Capet's departure, the antique shop fell silent once more. Jenkins mulled over the matter of the apprentice for another moment before losing himself in his novel again.

Chocolate had been hoping Jenkins might play with him for a bit, but after waiting a long while without so much as an outstretched hand, the cat flopped down in a huff at the far end of the counter.

Curled into a furry ball, it stared wide-eyed at the reading Jenkins. Jenkins noticed the cat's gaze. Seeing it lying there so pitifully, he extended his right hand and sketched some sliced fruit into existence, placing it before the cat.

With a soft sound, the slices of fruit landed on a small plate in front of the cat. But Chocolate merely stood, stretched his head forward to sniff them, and still felt utterly ignored.

Suddenly, a hand reached out and lifted Chocolate, setting him down beside the book. One hand rested on the page, ready to turn it, while the other began to gently stroke the cat's head.

Chocolate finally gave a contented purr, settling down quietly with his eyes narrowed as if he had fallen asleep.

But it wasn't long before someone else arrived at the antique shop—and it was an acquaintance. As the bell above the door chimed, Jenkins instinctively recited, "Welcome to Pops Antique Shop," only then looking up to see that the visitor was his neighbor, Mrs. Fortlant.

An equally surprised expression appeared on her face. She paused, still holding the door open, momentarily unsure whether she should enter. The woman had never expected to run into Jenkins here. In her eyes, her young neighbor was a promising young man blessed by the Orthodox Church, far more likely to be found in a young lady's parlor at this hour than reading a book in an antique shop.

"Welcome to Pops Antique Shop. Is there something I can help you with?"

Seeing the woman still hesitating, Jenkins repeated his welcome. He placed his book face-down on the counter once more and explained softly,

"Hello, Mrs. Fortlant. Yes, that's right, I'm working here. It's a sort of trial from the Church. They said that before one can take on greater responsibilities, one must... experience life at the ground level. Ahem, I mean, one must understand the lives of ordinary believers. The shop owner is Papa Oliver. He's out on an errand at the moment, but I'm his apprentice and can handle some business. Is there anything I can help you with?"

This explanation seemed to put Mrs. Fortlant at ease, and she finally stepped inside the shop. She was dressed as if for a long journey and looked like she had just returned from outside the city.

Jenkins noticed the soles of her shoes were caked with damp mud, leaving a trail of footprints by the door. It hadn't rained in the city today, and any puddles from the last storm had long since evaporated, which greatly increased the likelihood that the woman had indeed come from out of town.

"I'd like to sell some jewelry," she said. "I'm a bit short on funds at the moment."

This was likely the truth. For the sake of the Mysterious Realm in Shire, she had even sold her house in the city center and moved to St. George Avenue.

Mrs. Fortlant presented her jewelry box. Inside were three gold rings, a single gemstone ear stud, and a necklace with a tarnished chain.

Jenkins gave the items a cursory inspection, confirming the count before examining the gemstones and metal with a magnifying glass, just as Papa Oliver had taught him.

In truth, Jenkins wasn't worried about her trying to sell him fakes. After all, he was well aware of both her real and her false identities.

His preliminary inspection revealed that the gems and gold were genuine, but determining whether they were antiques would require further examination. Jenkins appraised the box of jewelry at twenty-three pounds and seven shillings, but Mrs. Fortlant was clearly dissatisfied with the offer.