Chapter 1320: Chapter 1320

"I've studied curses to some extent. If the full brunt of this curse spreads throughout Nolan, I'm afraid the city will become the next 'abandoned hospital'—a forbidden zone on the continent's west coast. If our friends bear the burden, I believe they could survive at least two or three more rounds. They might even find the source of the curse among these morgue drawers... Let's hope so. May my Lord protect us."

As she explained her reasoning, Magic Miss raised her right hand and traced the holy symbol of the God of Rituals and Mysteries over her heart with her left, offering a prayer.

Mr. White Cat and Jenkins, who had yet to state their opinions, exchanged a look. Outside, another crack of thunder ripped through the sky, and a flash of white light illuminated the two men. Even though Mr. White Cat wore a hood, Jenkins knew his expression must be one of deep conflict.

"I support Miss Skylark!"

As thunder rumbled through the rain-lashed city of Nolan, Mr. White Cat raised his hand, speaking just before Jenkins could.

"It's not that I've truly made up my mind," he explained. "But if I were to side with Mr. Hood and Magic Miss, they would have three votes, and I would essentially be making the decision for them. By supporting Miss Skylark instead, we create a two-to-two tie. The final decision will fall to Mr. Candle."

With that, he gave Jenkins a slight bow.

"My apologies, Mr. Candle. I'm not adept at making these kinds of decisions, so please forgive me for leaving the final choice to you."

The situation was now a two-two tie. Mr. White Cat's move was pivotal; with only five people voting, he had thrust Jenkins into the most critical position.

Jenkins hesitated, asking again to be certain.

"It seems we have no better option," Mr. Hood stated. "To be more precise, Mr. Candle, whatever you decide, I believe we will all accept it."

The others, including Hathaway, all nodded in agreement.

Jenkins sighed, his gaze falling uneasily on the five wooden sculptures arranged within the morgue diorama on the table.

"I wonder... is there a way to focus the curse from the fifth skeleton onto a single person, just as the five skeletons did before their deaths?"

"What do you mean by that?"

Mr. White Cat asked, confused.

"We don't want the city to bear the full weight of the curse, nor do we want our friends on the expedition to die from it. Therefore, the best solution is to concentrate the entire curse onto one person in the hospital—or more precisely, onto one of the explorers. That way, everyone else, and the city, will be safe."

"That wouldn't be difficult. A friend of mine, a viscountess, has knowledge of such things. She can make a living person absorb a curse; it's quite possible. So, you're suggesting..."

Magic Miss trailed off, her voice hesitant.

"Yes. I think we should have the writer bear the fifth portion of the curse." ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ noⅴelfire.net

Jenkins said, his tone full of regret. The cat on the table widened its eyes, and even the Corpse Gentleman turned to look at him.

"Mr. Candle... do you happen to know this Williams fellow? And hold a grudge against him?"

Mr. Hood asked suspiciously.

"No, it's not that I have a grudge against him. Haven't you all noticed? Since the story began, Miss Skylark has only failed a single dice roll. That's far luckier than any of us. I don't know if it's the writer's unique fate, or if Miss Skylark herself is an expert gambler or simply favored by destiny. But having the writer bear the curse is probably the best possible outcome right now..."

Jenkins wasn't particularly bothered by this act of self-betrayal. First, he wasn't certain the curse would even affect him. After all, he was under the protection of the Sage, and his soul was a true divine soul, rendering most ordinary curses useless. Second, even if the "story within a story" couldn't grant the writer character an immunity to curses, it wouldn't trouble Jenkins himself for the time being. Everything depended on the story's conclusion.

"That proposal is rather..."

Mr. Hood trailed off, unable to find the right word. Instead, he turned to Hathaway with a troubled expression.

"Miss Skylark, Mr. Candle was only making a suggestion. You don't need to be distressed by it. You can disagree, and we'll proceed with a second round of voting."

He said this, and Magic Miss and Mr. White Cat quickly voiced their agreement. They were all decent people; they wouldn't force someone to sacrifice their friend.

"Yes, Miss Skylark, you are perfectly free to disagree. It was only a suggestion... But you must understand: releasing the curse into the city could have irreversible consequences. And if all five of them final portion of the curse, the ordinary people among the explorers—I mean the sailor, the merchant's daughter, and the noble lady—will most likely not survive to see the end of the story."

Jenkins pointed this out, earning a sharp rebuke from Mr. Hood for the first time. In Mr. Hood's eyes, Mr. Candle was pressuring Miss Skylark to sacrifice her friend.

Indeed, that's precisely how the others saw Jenkins's words, but ironically, he was the one truly making a fearless sacrifice. After all, in reality, he was proposing to bear the curse himself—a genuinely selfless act.

Just as Mr. White Cat had passed the difficult decision to Jenkins, Jenkins had now passed an equally impossible choice to Hathaway. She opened her mouth to speak, then immediately closed it. Her gaze shifted from the diorama, where the wooden figures of Briny and the writer stood close together, to the view of storm-ravaged Nolan outside the window.

In the firelight from the hearth, her face was cast half in light and half in shadow, perfectly illustrating the war raging within her.

She didn't answer immediately. The others understood the conflict tearing at Miss Skylark and waited for her to make up her mind. But there was one person who had no intention of waiting.

"If you don't decide on the next round's action soon, I will assume the five explorers have stood around in a daze for a while, and this turn will pass with no action taken."

The Corpse Gentleman interjected, then looked at Hathaway.

"Please make a decision within thirty seconds. Do not delay the story's progress with silence."

The moment the Corpse Gentleman finished speaking, Hathaway cried out, startling everyone at the table... everyone except the Corpse Gentleman, who wasn't exactly a person.

Startled by the outburst, Jenkins, who had been petting his cat, had accidentally squeezed a little too hard. Now he had to contend with a struggling Chocolate with one hand while replying to Hathaway.

"Do you know Jenkins Williams?"