Chapter 105: Chapter 105

"What are you planning to steal?"

"It's not stealing. It's taking without asking." Follow current novels on NoveI-Fire.ɴet

She stressed the point again, flicking a lock of her fiery red hair before pointing at Jenkins's cane. "We'll need to be in disguise in a moment. What's that for?"

"Safety first. Its design is quite common, so it shouldn't draw any attention."

Jenkins was well aware that trouble had a habit of finding him, so he'd made it a rule to carry all his charms and weapons whenever he left the house.

It was a necessary precaution for a transmigrator, he figured.

The red-haired girl didn't press the issue. Instead, she asked:

"I need to know, what are you capable of?"

"I can project my soul from my body for short periods, becoming a spirit."

"More or less. Like I said, I'm just a quiet, peace-loving writer. If I hadn't stumbled into becoming an Enchanter, I would never have gotten involved in any of this."

The girl looked like she was about to scoff, but she checked herself, likely remembering she needed a reliable partner for this venture.

"That's not going to cut it. As an Enchanter, you either need to be a master of disguise or overwhelmingly powerful. Otherwise, life is anything but easy. I know someone who appears before me with a different face, identity, gender, and age every single time. Can you do that?"

Jenkins shook his head, a look of genuine admiration on his face.

Inwardly, he added, "Sorry, but that's me."

"I also know someone else—he even saved my life once. He wore a black robe and could fight powerful evil spirits head-on. Can you do that?"

Jenkins glanced down at his cane and shook his head again, looking a little sheepish. "Sorry, I'm afraid I can't do that either."

Inwardly, he added once more, "Sorry, that was also me."

A satisfied expression crossed the young woman's face:

"Mr. Williams, you have to understand, once you start down the path of an Enchanter, there's no turning back. If you help me this time, I'll make it worth your while. In the future, you can come to me with questions about the supernatural, and if I have time, I can introduce you to some smaller Enchanter gatherings. The era is changing. A new god's star has appeared in the distant heavens, and the birth of a great being is always accompanied by turmoil.

Oh, and of course, there's still the matter of Briny. Don't ever let her see us meeting in private."

"Absolutely. Thank you very much!"

Jenkins thanked her at once, his expression a careful mix of gratitude and modest restraint.

"The new god? That's me, too."

This internal monologue was starting to exhaust him.

Having achieved her goal, Miss Hersha toyed with the ribbon in her hair and smiled, satisfied.

Jenkins offered a shy smile in return.

The so-called disguise turned out to be a small, golden metal plate, though it felt more like copper to the touch. Miss Hersha explained it was called an "Elegant Lady's Cosmetic Charm." A strange name, she admitted, but for a few hours after activation, it could make moderate adjustments to the user's physique, clothes, and facial features, generally making them more attractive.

Certain Enchanters with special abilities could see through the glamour instantly, but Miss Hersha assured Jenkins that tonight, they would only be dealing with ordinary people.

"So, I still don't know what we're after."

They cautiously circled the entire opera house until Hathaway used a key she'd prepared to open an inconspicuous back door. The entrance was unguarded, secured only by an iron chain.

Their goal was the backstage area.

She whispered, then hesitated before adding, "It's a B-class Extraordinary item: B-04-4-8213, the Violin of the Ocean's Sound. Depending on the skill of the musician and the piece being played, it can summon streams of water. It's currently part of the Silver Jasmine Opera Troupe's collection—an heirloom from a former member, I hear. A few days ago, I was at a dreadfully boring party where they'd hired some actors from the opera house to perform. I knew right away there was something off about that violin..."

"A B-class Extraordinary item?"

Jenkins frowned. This was the second Extraordinary item he'd encountered connected to this opera troupe. Was he about to stumble into another dangerous affair?

He summoned the motes of light representing his abilities and carefully focused his mind on the purple one. There was no reaction. He let out a quiet breath of relief.

"Once this is done, I can pay you two hundred pounds for your trouble."

"Are you worried I might try to take it for myself? I hope you have more faith in my character than that. Besides," he added, "I can't even play the violin."

"Hmph. Mr. Williams, this is why I say you're naive. Do you think A, B, or C-class items are easy to come by? Regardless, I can afford two hundred pounds. Do you want it or not?"

Jenkins answered instantly. Were all nobles this wealthy? Damn it. He was so jeal... so envious.

"Gentlemen, this area is not..."

A man, likely a security guard on patrol, stood at the corner ahead. He barely got his words out before the beautiful young woman stepped forward, knocked him unconscious with a single punch, and dragged his body into the shadows of the corner.

The pair hurried deeper inside. Whether it was pre-arranged or just luck, the backstage corridor was completely deserted.

She really had done her homework. The young woman raised a hand, signaling for Jenkins to halt before a brown wooden door. She carefully produced three translucent threads from her waist. In a complex motion, she looped the six ends around the fingers of her left hand. After gesturing for Jenkins to cover his ears, she gently pushed the door ajar, held out her left hand, and began to pluck the threads with her right.

An incredibly faint melody reached his ears, and the girl began to hum along in a low voice. Jenkins had to bite his tongue to fight off a wave of drowsiness. Through his special sight, he saw a yellow mote of light in front of Miss Hersha flare to life. Based on the effect, it had to be the [Lullaby] spell he'd seen when he was first choosing his abilities at the church.

She stopped after a single measure, letting out a long breath. Miss Hersha turned to Jenkins. "Having you here makes things much easier. Now, use your spirit form and check if everyone inside is asleep."

Jenkins gave a slight nod. He set down his cane, slid down to sit against the wall, and activated his blue ability.

The familiar sensation of his spirit separating from his body washed over him. Miss Hersha, lacking the ability to perceive spirits, merely watched his physical form with curiosity, completely unaware of the black-robed figure that had just appeared.

Before his spirit was drained too much, he passed swiftly through the wall. His eyes swept over a room that looked like a dressing area, and then he hurried back to his body.