Chapter 1370: Chapter 1370

If he were in his original world, Jenkins would have immediately suspected the glowing orb was radioactive and called a doctor for help. But in this world, there was no need for such concerns. He just couldn't figure out what the orb was supposed to do.

"So what exactly does it do?"

Jenkins voiced the question on his mind.

"It would be fun to decorate a bedroom with it, wouldn't it?"

Dolores remarked, curiously touching the glowing back of the chair.

"Not all numbered items have a known purpose, and not all Series C Bestowals have some incredible function. Perhaps you could use it to decorate your bedroom. The luminous effect will probably last for a day or two. If you don't mind the trouble, you could make your entire room glow... something like that."

Alexia said with a nod, handing the orb back to Jenkins.

So, the orb was useless to Jenkins for now, and it would likely remain so in the foreseeable future. Fortunately, the main reason he had chosen it from the Mysterious Realm was to find a new toy for Chocolate, to stop it from sharpening its claws on that dangerous ring that sealed the Calamity Blackstone.

He had Alexia, Dolores, and Julia each try to see if they could claim the luminous orb for themselves, but unfortunately, none of them could form a connection with it.

Jenkins had no choice but to place the Bestowal next to his cat. The cat glanced at him cautiously, and only after confirming he wasn't joking did it gleefully begin batting the orb around with its paws.

Jenkins wasn't worried about Chocolate losing the Bestowal. The cat cherished all of its belongings, even old things it no longer used—like the first cushion it had received after coming to Jenkins's home, which it wouldn't let him throw away. So, it was safe to leave the orb with Chocolate for now, as long as Jenkins remembered to put it away before he went out.

He planned to let Hathaway try it next time he was in Nolan. It was a Series C Bestowal, after all. It seemed a bit too much of a waste to just use it as a cat toy.

"Next is this, C-03-0921, the [Silver Spoon]. This is the key the ghouls were trying to use to open the gate. Is this one famous too?"

He handed the key to Alexia, who looked at it with considerable interest. She studied the dizzyingly intricate and bizarre patterns on its surface, which were somewhat reminiscent of elven adornments.

"It's normal that you wouldn't know about it. Mr. Oliver probably wouldn't introduce you to items . The major Churches all have lists of lost designations—numbered items or events that haven't appeared for hundreds, or even thousands, of years. It's reasonable to believe that the things corresponding to these numbers have been destroyed. But updating the catalog is an extremely complicated process, even more so than verifying them in the first place. As a result, among all the currently active designations, about a third of them correspond to items and events that are pending review for potential delisting.

The Silver Spoon is one of them. From the limited ancient texts we have, we can see that the history of this key can be traced back to a very ancient era. It often plays a central role in various strange legends and terrifying conspiracies, and serves as a backdrop for one legendary adventure after another. The last time this key appeared, a malevolent being sealed in another dimension by an ancient god returned directly to the material world, which indirectly led to the collapse of an entire civilization. But that was back in the 16th Epoch. Now, only Church documents and a few relic stone tablets hold any record of it."

Alexia continued to display her extensive knowledge.

"Teacher, so does this key do more than just open gates to places outside the material world?"

Dolores asked, raising her hand obediently from her seat on the sofa.

"Its primary function is to shatter spatial barriers, creating temporary or even permanent breaches. If you want to open a specific door, you at least need to know its location. I suspect there must be a sealed or damaged ancient portal near Nolan, otherwise this key would have been useless to those ghouls."

Alexia explained, gently placing the key on the table.

"I suggest you don't keep it. Just give it to the Church."

"Alright, I'll go tomorrow... No, tomorrow is too soon. During last night's adventure in the Mysterious Realm, the Gravediggers and Night Watchers from the Orthodox Churches all knew the [Silver Spoon] had appeared, and that it was ultimately dealt with by the Believers of Lies. If I hand over this key immediately, it might attract unnecessary trouble. I'll wait a few months for things to cool down before I turn it in."

Jenkins said, feeling no regret about parting with the key. He fully trusted Alexia's judgment; it just wasn't the right time to hand it over.

"But why did you advise me not to keep it?"

"There are many unspoken rules concerning numbered items. For example, items with the suffix 'Heart of...' are usually incredibly powerful. Items with consecutive numbers are likely part of a set. And regardless of whether it's Series A, B, or C, items that are keys are almost always extremely dangerous. Dolores, do you remember what I taught you in class about the symbolic meaning of keys in mysticism?"

She directed the question to her young student.

"Connection, opening, liberation... and evolution."

The meaning of evolution came from the idea that a key could "open the next room" or "enter the next stage," thus carrying a connotation of ascension.

"Yes. Therefore, the creators of such items are, in all likelihood, beings we can only look up to in awe—the Great Ones or the Unspeakable Ones. When they create these permanently supernatural keys, they usually have their own purposes. Because these keys have a direct link to higher beings, and are even connected to the plans of certain higher-dimensional entities, their holders usually end up going mad over the long years. Newest update provıded by NoveI(F)ire.net

A madman with any key is a dangerous thing. Even if you don't go mad, these supernatural keys that can open 'doors' are often the source of disaster."

She pushed the small silver key toward Jenkins. He picked it up between his fingers and stored it within his spirit.

"In that case, the [Silver Spoon] is indeed dangerous. That name also reminds me of a terrifying story I once read... about traveling through a gate with a silver key... That's a terrible omen. I understand. In a few weeks, I'll give it to the Church. They won't shortchange me, and I might even get the chance to see the collection of Bestowals here in the Ruen diocese."