Lord of The Mysterious Realms Chapter 1036

"The one I wrote for Briny?"

Hathaway asked, surprised.

"Yes. You said you were planning to give it to her for her birthday and asked me to keep it a secret. You told me when we were composing the opera."

The blonde girl immediately turned to Hathaway, who couldn't possibly contradict Jenkins and was forced to painstakingly invent a lie to explain herself. Of course, it was obvious to everyone that the piece wasn't Hathaway's work at all.

Lunch stretched on for quite a while. The scenery was simply breathtaking—one could easily spend the entire afternoon just sitting on the grass, doing nothing at all.

After finishing the song, Jenkins felt a strange, unusual connection to the grassland. He couldn't quite place the sensation, but he felt as though standing on this land allowed a ceaseless flow of spirit to gather within him.

It was an illusion, but a pleasant one.

Perhaps it was the song, but a steady stream of beautiful young women began approaching Jenkins to strike up a conversation. Some were even bold enough to openly invite him to join them that evening to "study sheet music."

This greatly displeased Hathaway and Briny, but Jenkins was, after all, a single man. So even when they were discourteous to the women who approached him, the ladies weren't the least bit deterred.

Chocolate had fallen asleep after the meal, and Jenkins tucked the cat into his pocket. His companions weren't tired, but they all agreed that exercise was a poor idea right after eating. Instead, they decided to walk over to a small estate on the eastern edge of the grassland, a place its owner used as a holiday retreat.

It was only half-past one in the afternoon. Unwilling to idle away the day indoors, Jenkins made an excuse to stretch his legs and left the estate, heading out into the grassland on his own.

It was early spring, so there were no large predators roaming the plains. Before he left, the estate’s steward asked if Jenkins required a servant to accompany him, but Jenkins simply waved a hand in refusal:

"I'll be back shortly, hmm... half an hour, I think. Weren't we all planning to see the orchard then? I'll be back before that."

One couldn't walk very far in just half an hour, so the steward didn't insist on having servants follow him. In reality, however, Jenkins had no intention of walking. As soon as he was clear of the estate grounds, he summoned his unicorn.

The pure white creature was thrilled to be out on the plains. It soared across the grassland with Jenkins and the bothersome cat on its back, reveling in the gentle sunlight and warm breeze of early spring. They finally touched down on a small, high hill. Jenkins stood at its peak, hands thrust in his pockets, gazing at the distant, snow-capped mountains. The unicorn settled quietly at his feet, its soft white coat seeming to glow as the sunlight spilled over it.

Standing atop the hill, Jenkins drew one deep breath after another. He could distinctly feel the spirit within him surging and singing with joy. Away from the oppressive gloom of the city, it was as if his soul and body had been freed from their chains. He had never felt so good, so alive. The stranger from another world loved it here. He loved this new world.

"Do you like it here?"

Hathaway's voice drifted from behind him. He turned to see her flying toward him from the distance. It was a new power she had gained from the otherworldly song Jenkins had shared with her. This world, where conviction could become reality, was just that absurdly fascinating—any epiphany could manifest as strength.

He said softly, "Thank you for inviting me on this outing. This place is absolutely beautiful."

He reached out and took Hathaway's hand while she was still hovering in the air. The red-haired girl descended gracefully, the toe of her right shoe brushing against a blade of grass before her whole foot settled on the ground. Her left foot followed an instant later.

Jenkins let his hand fall away naturally. Hathaway, unbothered, stepped to his side and looked down at the gentle unicorn.

She knelt, reaching out to stroke the fur on the unicorn's neck. The creature flinched instinctively, but for its master's sake, it remained still.

"It's so beautiful out here. What do you think is the most beautiful thing of all?"

The red-haired girl inquired curiously.

"What I see right now."

Jenkins said this, then lowered his gaze, meeting Hathaway's eyes just as she was starting to rise. A blush instantly spread across her cheeks, and she quickly turned her head away.

The two chatted a while longer before heading back to rejoin their friends. The afternoon's itinerary involved a tour of the estate's orchard. Since it wasn't the fruit-bearing season, however, there was little to actually see.

The group quickly tired of the grove and asked the old steward, who knew the area well, if there were any interesting spots nearby. The old man pondered for a moment before telling the youths about an ancient ruin located a short distance south of the estate.

"It's an ancient ruin, but there are only a few pillars still standing," he explained. "They emerged from the riverbed a few years ago when the course of the river was altered. Some professors from Nolan came to look at them that autumn, but they said too little remained to be of any real value. No one's paid them much mind since..."

Jenkins was always sensitive to words like that. He hesitated, then peered into the distance in the direction the old steward had indicated. It was too far; he couldn't see a thing.

Ultimately, the group decided to go see the ruins. Even if the site proved more boring than the orchard, they reasoned that the walk itself would be enjoyable.

Instead of taking a carriage, the party set out on foot. The young women walked together, chattering about the season's latest fashions and city gossip. Jenkins, carrying his cat, initially trailed behind them, but somehow, by the time they arrived, he found himself encircled by the young ladies.

Just as the old steward had described, the grassy turf thinned out to reveal a few bare pillars standing starkly against the landscape. The constant wear of water and wind had left them pitted and scarred. The sight was even more underwhelming than they had anticipated.

Still, the walk had been pleasant enough, so no one was disappointed. They ambled around the site for a bit before their guide began to lead them back the way they had come. Just then, another group approached from the opposite direction. They were all dressed in hiking clothes bristling with pockets and carried standard toolboxes. At their head were several elderly gentlemen.

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Jenkins immediately spotted the professor, who was wearing a tan jacket and a bowler hat. He looked weary from his travels and carried a small briefcase in one hand.

The professor's senses were remarkably sharp, and he'd already noticed someone watching him. Recognizing Jenkins, he waved enthusiastically, broke away from his party, and strode toward him.