Chapter 1292: Chapter 1292

After dinner, Jenkins bid the ladies farewell and went alone to the Sage Church on the other side of the city. After explaining that he wanted to communicate with Nolan, the Church immediately made arrangements. A dozen or so minutes later, Jenkins was brought before the Basin of Delusions.

Since he hadn't notified Nolan in advance about this conversation, Jenkins would suddenly appear before the person he was thinking of. He ultimately chose Miss Bevanna over Old Daddy, because Miss Bevanna didn't seem like the type to retaliate if startled, but Old Daddy would definitely "repay" him with extra lessons.

"Good evening, Miss Bevanna."

The scene of a church office appeared in Jenkins's vision, indicating that Miss Bevanna was at the church. His face floated in the air, and he saw the woman behind the desk reading a novel. It wasn't a chivalric romance, the kind looked down upon by the mainstream literary world, but a detective novel. It seemed Miss Bevanna's work had been rather light recently.

"Oh, good evening, Jenkins. I thought you wouldn't be contacting us for a few more days."

Hearing his voice, Miss Bevanna looked up and saw Jenkins's face, shimmering with watery ripples, appear in mid-air. She slipped a bookmark made from a leaf into her book, then closed the novel and set it aside, smiling as she looked at Jenkins:

"How is your holiday in Ruen? Are you getting along well with the princess?"

"You know about that too?"

Jenkins asked, a bit sheepishly.

She stood up and walked toward the sofa, Jenkins's point of view shifting with her movements. On the coffee table in front of the sofa lay a stack of newspapers. Miss Bevanna showed Jenkins the article about him.

Thankfully, the article focused mainly on his speech and not his relationship with Dolores. Otherwise, he would have a headache figuring out how to explain things to Briny when he got back.

"My life in Ruen is going well. The local diocese has been taking good care of me, and I haven't been assigned any work yet. And Ruen has been quite peaceful since the riots two weeks ago... I'm actually contacting you this time to ask how things are in Nolan. Should I apply to return from Ruen immediately?"

He tried his best to show that he was worried about Nolan, not just curious.

"There have indeed been some troubles recently, but nothing as serious as the incidents before you left. Jenkins, don't make that face. I'm not implying you had anything to do with them."

As she spoke, Miss Bevanna picked up a yellowed sheet of paper from the bottom of the stack on her desk. It wasn't yellowed from age and oxidation; the paper itself was simply that color.

"First, about the tobacco. I hear they've found something similar in Ruen? Working with the Nightwatchmen, we raided a tobacco workshop in the mining district a few days ago and captured a large number of production staff. But they were all just hired common folk; there wasn't a single Enchanter among them. The good news is, for some reason, the gentleman known as 'Twin Demons' suddenly appeared at the workshop this morning and blew up half a wall. Beneath the wall, we discovered a hidden room containing some tobacco production manuals and correspondence.

It seems the intelligence from Turin was correct. This business is indeed connected to the Perfume Appreciation Committee. Furthermore, the tobacco production process involves blood sacrifice, and not to the pseudo-god Spiraling Mist. This is a very important detail."

This suggested there's a problem within the Perfume Appreciation Committee. Although the committee was mostly made up of followers of Spiraling Mist and was considered a religious organization, it was actually a legitimate organization active in the market, with its own industries and paying taxes legally. The committee also had other, non-believer members. Google seaʀᴄh novel⦿fire.net

Since the gods hadn't sent any divine oracles indicating that Spiraling Mist had shifted to the side of evil gods, it meant this was the result of a collaboration between some of the followers and outsiders. The Church had already contacted the priests of the pseudo-god Spiraling Mist to ask if they knew anything about the tobacco.

"I don't know if you've heard, but the Church of All Things and Nature has completed its initial human trials. Based on the data collected so far, the tobacco is actually a source of contamination that pollutes the souls of those who smoke it. There are many possible motives for this, but the most likely is sacrifice. The smokers' souls are polluted into a desired form, and this unique contamination also allows them to be marked all at once through a ritual."

Jenkins exclaimed in surprise, "So many people, and it involves the entire world... What kind of being are they trying to summon?"

"Sacrifice isn't necessarily for summoning. It could be for other purposes, like drawing power or bringing about some kind of miracle... The specific details are still under investigation. I'll let you know when we have more information."

Miss Bevanna then abruptly changed the subject and started talking about other recent events in the city.

"We received a message from the Church of the Starry Sky and Equilibrium. Recently, two of their astrologers entered a... strange world while traveling through Nolan. But the message they sent back was vague. It's unclear what those women were trying to convey. I suppose this also counts as big news in the city lately."

Most astrologers were women, and the Church of the Starry Sky and Equilibrium was almost entirely female.

"Has an unusual spatial phenomenon appeared near Nolan?"

Jenkins asked, feigning curiosity.

"I don't know. Our church isn't getting involved in this matter, so we don't have the latest news. But it's not unheard of. There are a few cases of people stumbling into strange spaces every year. Nolan had one last year."

Aside from this, Miss Bevanna didn't mention the fire at the suburban camp or the ghouls that appeared as a result, likely because she didn't consider it a major incident. Jenkins couldn't ask directly, so he couldn't get any firsthand information about those terrifying creatures. But he also subconsciously felt that compared to the other two matters, this one was probably not as dangerous.

After talking with Miss Bevanna for about half an hour, Jenkins prepared to leave. He asked Miss Bevanna to give his regards to Old Daddy, and also asked if everyone wanted him to bring back any special souvenirs from Ruen.

Miss Bevanna told him to just focus on his own safety. She also made a point of mentioning Fini's recent situation. The young girl was doing well and had caused quite a stir in the Church after being confirmed as an Enchanter. After all, she wasn't even an adult yet. To have successfully advanced at such an age meant her future was limitless.

"Fini Faithford has been wanting to send you a letter. It was mailed the day before yesterday, so you should receive it this week."

Miss Bevanna said, then looked at Jenkins very seriously:

"Since we're on the subject of Fini, Old Daddy asked me to remind you, she's still just..."

"I know, I understand. Old Daddy always likes to make these kinds of jokes."

If his head weren't submerged in water, Jenkins would have pressed a hand to his forehead and sighed at Old Daddy's peculiar way of thinking.