Chapter 136: Chapter 136

"By the way, Mr. Smith just mentioned to me that due to the recent incident with the demons, you acquired an ability you have no use for. Is it true you need to request a sacred item to have it removed?"

"Oh, no, sir, this ability is incredibly useful!"

Jenkins immediately raised his hand, making his stance clear. "[Psychography] is incredibly helpful for my writing. Besides, as a Scribe of the Legacy Sage, how could I not learn a single divine art?" Latest content publıshed on n0velfire.net

The old man immediately beamed with satisfaction.

"Do you have any other questions?"

Jenkins thought for a moment. He did, in fact, have a few questions.

"May I ask, have you heard of the Lord of Blossoms?"

The smile vanished from the old man's face instantly.

The temperature underground was perfectly comfortable, yet a bead of sweat still trickled down the old man's forehead.

He took a handkerchief from his pocket and meticulously wiped his face. It was a long moment before he spoke.

"You must have read those terms in some book of dubious origin, haven't you? A young man's curiosity is a powerful thing, and that's good. But... how can I explain this... those four phrases are all connected. I cannot tell you what they mean right now—not because you lack the authority, but because you are simply too young."

Seeing the lingering confusion on Jenkins's face, the old man tugged at his beard and whispered, "Tell you what. In the year you turn forty, if you still wish to know the meaning of those phrases—and if I am still among the living—come to the Holy See and ask me then. I promise I will answer you."

"Is it that much of a secret?"

"Yes. It relates to the End of the Era. Ahem, cough, cough. Alright, that will be all for today. I'm an old man, and a bit of rest is good for one's longevity. It's been a long time since I've visited Nolan, and I have several old friends to see. Farewell, Mr. Williams. Oh, and one more thing. This is compensation for that... unfortunate decision the other day. Stay well."

With that, he pressed a roll of something into Jenkins's hand and hurried up the steps without a backward glance. The tip of his long beard whisked around the corner, disappearing into the shadows where the lamplight couldn't reach.

Jenkins stood there for a moment, looking down at the object in his hand: a thick roll of banknotes, bearing the Queen's likeness and bound with a simple paper strip. He offered one last prayer to the holy emblem on the Gate of All Things, sighed, and then he too departed.

He might still be a magnet for trouble, but his financial luck had clearly taken a turn for the better. The wad of cash was at least eight thousand pounds, all in cash... The Church really was wealthy.

Could the golden ring's effect be a permanent Law of Gold?

Captain Bincy was waiting for Jenkins at the top of the stairs. The moment Jenkins appeared, the captain clapped a friendly arm around his shoulders, letting out a booming laugh.

As it happened, Jenkins had a few questions of his own, so he simply let the captain shower him with praise.

"You want to ask about what happened that night?"

"Yes, I'm just a bit curious. Did that Soul Box work in the end?"

He feigned a curious expression, though in truth, no one knew more about that night's events than he did—with the possible exception of Miss Bevanna. Come to think of it, he hadn't seen her at this important gathering.

"I can't go into detail, but since your status has changed, I suppose I can share a few things."

He led Jenkins back toward the dim underground staircase before speaking again.

"A Saint appeared. By the Sage, who would have thought the demon incident would draw out one of the great ones?"

"Was it last month's..."

Jenkins gestured upward, alluding to the star.

"Yes, but the Saint really did help us this time. If not for Their appearance, the situation that night would have been uncontrollable."

"Is Miss Bevanna all right? I didn't see her today, but Papa Oliver said she visited me yesterday."

"Yes, she's fine, but she isn't in Nolan City at the moment. I believe she's gone to New Truman. Don't mention that to anyone; it's a confidential mission. Speaking of which, your actions that night were far too reckless. Since Papa Oliver sent you to Shire City, you shouldn't have returned so soon. We all understood the intention..."

Jenkins nodded in understanding, murmuring a quiet prayer to the Sage.

"And what was the outcome of the riots in the factory district?"

"The factory owners were definitely in the wrong. Their exploitation of the workers was far too much."

Bincy stated with certainty, "But the workers were provoked. We've now confirmed that the Gear Artisans' Association—followers of the pseudo-god, the Gear King—were involved. So were the Splendor Cosmetics Conglomerate, who worship the Great Demon of a Thousand Changes, and that band of swindlers who follow the Prince of Lies. The City Hall and the Church issued a joint statement to pacify the workers, so things have calmed down for now. But as long as that bill doesn't pass, it's only a matter of time before trouble erupts again.

The police are handling the bulk of it now; the Enchanter side of things is mostly concluded. In any case, on the night of the riots, our church was focused on the demon affair, so I'm not clear on the finer details."

Because of their divine domains and the nature of their rituals, all three of the pseudo-gods Bincy mentioned were classified as evil gods. Jenkins had heard of the first two, and he doubted the followers of the third were any better.

"By the way, the person who stole from the church that day was a follower of the Great Demon of a Thousand Changes. But he was badly injured behind the Gate of All Things. That's why he dropped the mirror when you stopped him, and why that man in the black robe was able to kill him so easily afterward."

"So that's how it was."

Captain Bincy seemed to remember something else, fumbled in his pocket for a moment, and handed Jenkins a test tube containing a single black hair.

"I recall you learned some sort of cursing ability, didn't you?"

"Excellent. The Enchanter who committed that robbery and murder, the one who stole the Shard of Death's Cloak, has evaded capture. However, during the pursuit, a Gravedigger from the Church of Death and End managed to slice off a piece of his scalp. Since we can't find the man himself, we're not about to let him have an easy time of it. Every Enchanter in this city with a cursing ability has a duty to contribute..."

"That's a bit harsh, isn't it?"

Jenkins took the test tube, finding the whole situation rather amusing.

"This has always been the protocol. It's just that this time we managed to get a good amount of hair, and there happened to be a coroner on site who has an ability to preserve biological signatures. Just his rotten luck, I suppose."

Jenkins was curious about the resolution of the demon incident. Even though he had been part of the climax, there were still things he didn't understand—like what those two demons had come to Nolan City to do in the first place.

"We haven't figured that out, either. Miss Bevanna spoke with them for a good while to buy time, but their reason for coming to the diocese is still a mystery."

Captain Bincy's expression turned grim.