Chapter 1301: Chapter 1301

Before leaving the church, Jenkins contacted Nolan again through the Phantasm Basin. They had somehow already learned about what happened in Ruen. But since it was a different diocese, Miss Bevanna and Papa Oliver weren't particularly concerned with the aftermath. Instead, they focused on asking about Jenkins's condition.

"I'm fine, nothing to worry about... As for the cane, I dreamt of an old elf who gave it to me."

That was Jenkins's explanation, and they all accepted it.

As for the situation in Ruen, a Mr. Rosier advised Jenkins not only to be careful but also to stay alert for any correspondence or notices from the Church. He also asked him to remind Dolores Stuart to keep a low profile for the time being.

"I expect the Church will issue a sterner warning to the royal family. While this will likely cause concern and discontent among the nobility of other kingdoms, no one can argue that it isn't justified."

Mr. Rosier added gravely.

By the time Jenkins returned to the countryside manor, the ladies were still out. The young princess and the old butler had already set the maids back to their duties. He changed his clothes, left a note for Alexia, and headed directly for Nolan.

He slipped out the back door, hopped the courtyard fence, and navigated a dark alley until he reached a main street bathed in the glow of lamplights. From there, he walked all the way to a rented apartment in downtown Nolan. It was already two in the morning, and just as he'd expected, the old elf was still awake, waiting for him.

"You're a bit later than I expected. I thought you'd arrive around midnight."

"Something came up in Ruen... but that's not what we're here to talk about tonight. You know why I've come. The mystery of the potion is solved—it was never a potion. It was a ritual to open a portal!"

He flopped onto the sofa as he spoke, grabbing a teacup and taking a long drink. The exquisite black cane lay beside him. It wasn't drastically different from his original Spirit Striking Cane, just a bit longer and better suited to his height.

But the old elf didn't even need to look at it to sense the vibrant life force radiating from within.

"If you touch any plant with this cane now, it'll spring back to life, won't it? Truly remarkable. What did you use for the third wood-heart? And have you named your new weapon? It seems to be the fashion these days. I've heard people even name mass-produced firearms, which is utterly meaningless. A named item must be one-of-a-kind."

the elf said, his eyes crinkling into a smile.

"...No, I don't want to discuss that," Jenkins interrupted. "I came all this way to bother you so late because I want a straight answer. Why, after everything, did you refuse to tell me the secrets of that place until the very end? I trusted you completely."

"Everyone is born into this world with their own responsibilities, and some are too immense for me to bear. Jenkins, you told me you were studying under a master of divination, so you must understand that destiny is a real and tangible force. Guiding you to that altar was not my fate to command; it was the responsibility of Saramanda, the elf you met. That is why I could not interfere."

The explanation ignited a strange anger in Jenkins, yet he found himself unable to argue. He knew, as well as anyone, that fate was real in this world.

"So, Saramanda guided me all the way there just to give me a new cane?"

He couldn't shake the feeling that there was something deeply strange about the whole affair.

"Yes. Is there something wrong with that? A middle-aged elf, quite by chance, encounters a half-elf from the material world. After a wondrous adventure, he guides the young man to acquire a potentially useful weapon. The logic is perfectly sound, isn't it?"

the old elf added, nodding.

Jenkins was silent for a long moment, unsure how to respond. Logically, the explanation held together, but they both knew it couldn't possibly be that simple.

"So, is there something special about my family's elven bloodline? I've noticed all the elves I've met treat me strangely. And a few months ago, in a tavern in Ruen, I dreamed of the Emerald Dream and learned Elvish from it. None of that is normal."

He had finally hit the heart of the matter.

"How would I know anything about that?"

"And even if you knew, you wouldn't tell me, right?"

Jenkins finished the thought for him, but the old elf offered no comment.

At first, he had merely suspected this body possessed elven blood. After confirming it, he began to suspect it wasn't just any ordinary elven bloodline. Jenkins was discovering that the deeper he delved into the history of the Williams family lineage, the more questions arose.

But one thing was certain: there were plenty of people who knew the truth. They were just unwilling to speak it.

Before he left, Jenkins also mentioned his discovery that Miss Capet was a relative of the Williams family. The old elf didn't know her and, after hearing Jenkins explain the circumstances, seemed completely unconcerned.

"Not all mixed bloodlines manifest outwardly. Look at your father and brothers—don't they all seem perfectly normal? As for that young human lady, it was pure coincidence that she was adopted by an Orthodox Church and came into contact with life-based abilities, which in turn stimulated her bloodline. Her desire to learn from a dragon-descendant how to awaken it further is likely part of her search for her own origins. That's completely different from your situation, Jenkins. When did you first acquire your life-based powers?"

"When I became an Enchanter, when I first stepped into the extraordinary world."

"That means your elven blood is purer than Miss Capet's, which is a good thing. Of course, if you wish to seek the truth about the Williams family with her, you are free to follow your own path. I cannot tell you the truth, but you can certainly pursue it on your own." The latest_epɪ_sodes are on_the NoveI(F)ire.net

The elf was right. Jenkins had already made his plans: after returning from Ruen, he would go with Miss Capet to see Miss Knight and inquire about awakening their bloodline. This body was far from normal—not even for an Enchanter.

He remembered from the original Jenkins's memories that his family members almost never fell ill; the person who got sick most often was the Williams children's mother. Elven blood alone couldn't account for such resilience. Jenkins had never heard of elves being completely immune to disease, so he was certain the Williams family's elven bloodline had to be something truly unique. Otherwise, there was no logical reason his core soul ability would evolve so powerfully the instant he touched the World Tree's dagger.