Lord of The Mysterious Realms Chapter 1172

Listening to the deafening roar of the train, the thought that he was now thousands of miles from Nolan filled Jenkins with a certain melancholy. He sat at the desk in his compartment, resting his face in his hands as he gazed out at the endless snowy mountains and plains, lamenting his misfortune.

"Is this some kind of cosmic balance for last night's good fortune?" he mused. "Did my bad luck have to arrive right on cue?"

He had been planning to ask Hathaway to a play tomorrow, but now all of his plans had gone up in smoke.

The cat stared at Jenkins with wide eyes, holding its gaze for a long moment before finally looking away.

Shortly after the train had pulled out of the station, before Jenkins could even open the copy of "Hamparvo Travel Guide (1865 Edition)" he had borrowed from the Church, a knock sounded at his compartment door. Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on novel fire.net

He initially assumed it was a steward or the conductor, but when he opened the door, he found a group of young women dressed as maids standing respectfully in the corridor. Leading them was a middle-aged butler, impeccably dressed with his hair not a strand out of place. Jenkins was certain he must be a nobleman's butler; his refined air was unmistakable.

Jenkins thought they must have the wrong door. Although his ticket was for the most expensive class, this level of service was unheard of.

"Are you Mr. Jenkins Williams?"

"Yes, I am. And you are...?"

Jenkins's eyes swept over the young maids in the hallway, confirming that they were all ordinary people. For a fleeting moment, he imagined them suddenly pulling pistols from beneath their skirts and opening fire, but the thought was too absurd.

"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Williams. I am Grate Reliant. Someone has arranged for a better car for you. If you don't mind, you need not remain here. As for us, our master was concerned you might be bored on your journey and arranged for us to attend to you."

He bowed slightly as a sign of respect, and the maids automatically parted into two lines. "Greetings, Mr. Williams," they chorused, gesturing toward the door at the rear of the carriage.

The compartment he was in was already the best available on this train; the Church was hardly so stingy as to book him a regular ticket. Therefore, the "better car" the butler mentioned couldn't possibly exist. But Jenkins paused, a flicker of understanding dawning on him. He gave a slight nod and asked the group to wait for a moment, then stepped back inside to pick up his cat.

As for the luggage the Church had provided, he was sure someone would take care of moving it.

He turned the handle and opened the door. It did not lead outside. The connection between the two cars had been paneled with wood to create a narrow but comfortable corridor. Pushing open the door on the far side, the full interior of the next carriage came into view.

The walls were covered in golden wallpaper, adorned with patterns reminiscent of mountains and rivers. There were no rows of seats or partitioned compartments; the entire carriage had been converted into a spacious and comfortable living room. There was even a stone-brick fireplace built into one side, with a real fire crackling within.

Several lovely maids were bustling about on a soft, white plush carpet. When they heard the door open, they immediately stopped what they were doing and greeted Jenkins in unison.

A soft blanket was already draped over the sofa, and a fruit platter and hot tea sat waiting on the coffee table. The bookshelf against the left wall held an astonishing number of books. There were even a few other cats playing with a vase on the dining table, and Jenkins immediately sensed Chocolate's rising indignation.

"I'm very satisfied," he began, "but I am a little curious. How did Miss... Stuart know I was here?"

He took a breath, still marveling at his surroundings, before directing his question to the butler behind him.

Upon hearing Jenkins mention the royal surname, the middle-aged butler instinctively bowed again, his voice humble and respectful.

"Her Highness the Princess's informants had an interesting adventure with you. After you parted ways, due to the unique nature of that adventure, your description and related information were immediately sent to Ruen by special means. Around three o'clock this afternoon, Her Highness's orders were relayed back to Spa Town through a private channel, and we immediately began preparing for your arrival. My apologies. We were unable to secure a better mode of travel on such short notice and could only attach these three carriages to the rear of the train. I do hope you find it satisfactory."

"Satisfactory? I'm extremely satisfied."

Jenkins spoke slowly, stroking his cat to calm it down. He then motioned for a maid to remove the other cats from the dining table. He knew, with a quiet certainty, that the next day and a half of travel would be anything but boring.

Although the butler claimed everything had been prepared "on short notice," in truth, Jenkins could find almost anything he could possibly want.

He even discovered a cradle next to the sofa. Later, when he placed his cat inside, he found it was almost perfectly sized for Chocolate. But Chocolate disliked the cradle, much preferring to curl up on a cushion or in Jenkins's lap.

Jenkins had no idea how Dolores's servants had managed to contact her and receive instructions from Ruen in just half a day, but he figured it couldn't have been by letter, as they had brought no correspondence for him.

His temporary butler, Grate Reliant, did, however, relay a verbal message from Dolores. Her Highness, the Third Princess, extended a warm invitation for Jenkins to stay in Ruen for a few extra days, adding that she had already prepared an enthusiastic welcoming ceremony.

"But I have no idea what the Church has planned for me," he thought.

He fretted for a moment, then recalled his meeting on Tuesday night when Alexia had mentioned that the Ice and Snow Festival was about to begin in Ruen.

"Well, at least I'll get to see this festival," he considered. "I hope it's interesting."

The day-and-a-half-long train journey became quite enjoyable thanks to the exquisite travel conditions. Jenkins found a selection of detective novels on the bookshelf. As it happened, he was currently plotting his third book, so he casually picked up a couple to pass the afternoon before dinner.

The maids brought some desserts for Jenkins and his cat. He was too engrossed in his book to notice, and by the time he looked up, the plate was empty. Only a lazy cat was dozing nearby, feigning sleep.

Dinner was served in the carriage behind the living room, an entire car that had been transformed into a luxurious dining hall. Although the only guests were Jenkins and his cat, the meal was an incredibly pleasant experience.

The menu featured dishes with a distinct northern flavor. While Jenkins had eaten some of them before via projection, the peculiar nature of that method had never allowed him to fully appreciate the true taste of the food.