Chapter 1271: Chapter 1271

"Yes, you were only mentioned in a single line," Dolores replied casually. "I think it was in the context of cultural exchange and our shared heritage."

She answered with an air of nonchalance.

"As long as it wasn't a special mention, I'm fine with that... I figured as much. I'm just a minor baron, what reason would they have to single me out? Speaking of which, last month I was told the royal family had decided to promote me to viscount. Why haven't I received any summons to the capital yet?"

Both Dolores and Alexia knew the answer to that. After accidentally discovering the Williams family's secret, they had looked into matters in Bel Diran. They learned that Jenkins's next audience with the queen would likely be the moment the royal succession was announced.

Two or three of the most powerful dukes in Bel Diran were aware of this. The real reason Jenkins hadn't been summoned was that the various factions had yet to reach an agreement.

Driven by their own interests, the nobles were against an outsider taking the throne. For the same reason, the emergence of the Williams family was unwelcome in certain circles.

More importantly, Alexia and Dolores still had no idea what the Legacy Sage Church was planning. The church's stance on the Fidektri Kingdom's succession was deliberately ambiguous, yet they held all the cards.

More than one faction was working to keep Jenkins from returning to Bel Diran. As for the role the Church played in all this, only those directly involved truly knew.

After breakfast, Jenkins decided to go into Nolan to see the professor and find out how last night's incident had been resolved. Dolores had an important meeting to attend in the city, as the reorganization of the treasury and the reform of the national bank were at a critical juncture. Alexia had her own plans as well—Dolores had secured her access to the royal private library.

Dolores asked before she left, her face flushing slightly. Her sister, standing beside her, looked at Jenkins with the same hopeful expression. Jenkins, a little puzzled, glanced at Alexia. Only after she gave him an almost imperceptible nod did he agree to go.

It was the morning rush in Nolan. Apart from idlers like Jenkins, most of the city's inhabitants were already breathing in the smoggy air, starting their day's work beneath a gloomy sky.

Compared to the chill of Ruen, April in Nolan was unmistakably spring. It was a shame the city had no custom of planting trees along its streets, otherwise the season would have been far more apparent.

Jenkins donned his black robe and stood beneath the professor's apartment building. He looked up at the verdant ivy climbing the exterior wall and sighed at how quickly time passed.

Most of the apartments on this street had been built over a decade ago as low-cost rentals for the faculty of Noland First Higher Academy. Ownership had changed hands several times since then, and most of the units no longer had any connection to the academy's teachers.

Professor Burns, however, had wisely purchased his apartment outright early on. It was a shrewd move; since he bought it, property values on the street had at least tripled.

"Jen... James? Oh, come on up. You're here bright and early."

The professor opened the door moments after Jenkins knocked. He recognized him at once, thanks to the pre-arranged style of his clothes and hat. He glanced quizzically at the cat Jenkins was holding, Chocolate, wondering why it was here.

The entire four-story building, attic included, belonged to the professor. He lived alone in the spacious home. Unlike Papa Oliver, whose marital status was a mystery, the professor had married and had children long ago. His wife had passed away, and his children now had respectable careers in other cities, leaving him to a quiet, leisurely life.

"Have you eaten? Would you like some toast? I just bought a new toaster. Its only drawback is that it can't be connected to the steam pipes; it needs a small, external steam bladder, but otherwise it's perfect."

The professor was referring to the brass-colored appliance on his kitchen table. Being new, its metal was immaculate, reflecting the soft glow of the gas light.

"I've already eaten, thank you. I'm quite full."

Jenkins politely declined.

"How is the food at the church in Ruen? I took a group of students on a salvage dig near there a few years ago, and we all found the local fare to be terribly greasy."

"I'm not staying at the church," Jenkins replied. "I'm staying at... a friend's house."

He thought for a moment but decided against revealing Dolores's identity. The explanation would take up the entire morning.

the professor asked suddenly. When he saw Jenkins's cheeks immediately flush, a knowing, suggestive smile spread across his face.

Once they were settled in the living room, they began to discuss the previous night's events. Because of their status as Scribes, the professor and the old librarian had immediately drawn the Church's attention upon arriving at KalFax Field.

The Church's clerical staff at the police station reported the situation, and a Scribe squad was promptly dispatched to accompany the professor to the backyard of the Nolan Public Library to investigate.

With so many catastrophic events in the city over the last six months, the Church was on high alert, seeing threats around every corner. Accompanying the squad was an astrologer from the Church of Starry Sky and Equilibrium, who had been called in for the occasion. She used the stars to deduce the fugitives' whereabouts, then launched an overnight raid with a Nightwatch squad. By dawn, they had captured three unregistered Benefactors, destroyed their hideout, and confiscated...

"Wait, you can skip the formulaic details," Jenkins interrupted, holding up a teacup. "Are you saying the entire matter was resolved in a single night?"

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"Of course. This was merely a plot conceived and carried out by mortals. It had nothing to do with Cursed Items or heretical gods, so what trouble could it possibly be?"

The professor shrugged, then added:

"However, according to the letters we confiscated, the three of them belong to an organization called the 'Tree House.' I've never heard of it. Is it some cult serving a heretical god? I did once see a stone slate from the 17th Epoch that mentioned an organization with the same name, but that must be a coincidence."

Jenkins was even more astonished.

"You know of this organization?"

the professor asked, raising an eyebrow.

He shook his head quickly. He didn't want to drag the professor into a struggle with an organization of madmen. Since the Church hadn't told the professor about the Tree House, it was best he kept quiet as well, otherwise he'd surely be questioned about the source of his information.

As for the stone slate with five circular depressions, it was identified as a mundane object. Even though the mysterious Tree House had hired men to steal it, the slate was, in fact, completely ordinary—just as Jenkins's own eyes had told him.

Out of an abundance of caution, the Church hadn't jumped to conclusions, instead having a Keeper of Secrets examine it more thoroughly. They even managed to decipher the markings that looked like cat scratches, but in the end, the slate was just a slate.

"The markings were indeed words, spelling out two terms. The Keeper of Secrets wasn't sure whether to read them left-to-right or right-to-left, but they translated to 'Poem' and 'Misfortune.'"

the professor explained. He then told Jenkins that the slate had ultimately been completely disassembled and reassembled by a Benefactor with the ability to manipulate stone, confirming it was nothing more than rock. It was now being stored behind the Gate of All Things. According to the Legacy Sage Church's protocol, any object that could potentially be a numbered item but cannot be identified is stored for a considerable length of time to ensure an accurate assessment.

"It was a disaster out of the blue. Poor old Siffer was terrified. After signing the confidentiality pact last night, he immediately packed his things to leave Nolan. He left by train this morning. He even sold me all his belongings."

Normally, the confidentiality pact that ordinary people sign after witnessing the supernatural stipulates they cannot leave the diocese for a certain period. But this case was special, and with the professor acting as a guarantor, old Siffer's permitted 'area of activity' was changed to a city on the continent's east coast. He ought to be glad there's a Legacy Sage Church there as well; otherwise, the paperwork would have been far more complicated.

"So, did the Benefactors from that mysterious organization say why they were looking for the slate?"

"No, they were only following orders from a superior. We confirmed that from the letters we found. As for their superior, it seems they aren't in Nolan. According to them, the organization known as the Tree House suffered heavy losses in this city last year, and their current focus has shifted to the Hamparvo and Cheslan Kingdoms. For security, only the three of them were lying low here, and they maintained single-line contact with their superior... Are all these illicit organizations so cautious nowadays?"

the professor mumbled, not noticing the complex expression on Jenkins's face.

And so, the matter of the slate was concluded, at least for the time being. Making a mental note of everything related to the Tree House, Jenkins said goodbye to the professor. He decided not to return to Ruen. The ladies had their own affairs to attend to during the day, and if he went back, he would have nothing to do but stare at tedious documents. Instead, he thought he would head to Maidenhaven Road to see his family.

He crossed the entire city to the affluent district in eastern Nolan. Maidenhaven Road was as peaceful and serene as ever. It was a Thursday, so Robert and the eldest Williams son were at work, while the youngest was at school, leaving only Mary at home.

Disguised as a plump woman walking her cat, Jenkins ambled past the house with a well-behaved Chocolate in tow. Through the fence, he could see Mary directing a servant to trim the lawn. Spring had arrived, and the grass was beginning to grow wild. He recalled from the original Jenkins's memories that Mary planted new flowers in the yard every spring as a good omen for the year ahead.