Chapter 145: Chapter 145

Chocolate rolled over on Jenkins's lap, inviting him to scratch its belly.

"So this is what the Wraith Knights from the Church of Death and End use for the ritual that gives them their special form?"

Staring at the black flame against the lamplight, Jenkins had to admit it possessed a certain charm.

"It's not that simple. This is just the core material for a blue heteromorphic ability, one part of a larger chain. Oh, you probably haven't heard, have you? Blue abilities represent heteromorphic types. That's quite a valuable piece of knowledge, you know."

Hathaway sighed softly. "White for basic, Red for martial, Yellow for spells, Gold for divine arts, Blue for heteromorphic, and then there's Purple—the legendary fate. I wonder how many other secrets Enchanters hold!"

He was playing dumb again.

"Yes. I happen to know a gentleman whose Soul Emblem is purple. He's incredibly powerful, ruthless, and skilled at concealment. He acts decisively and certainly wouldn't just grin foolishly when discussing gods."

Jenkins grumbled internally, but his face wore an expression of profound admiration.

"What's this thing used for?"

He gestured with the crystal in his hand.

"You crush it and absorb it directly. It's said to be able to evolve fire-type abilities, but I don't know anything beyond that."

She explained this rather irresponsibly, then reached out to stroke Chocolate, who immediately dodged her touch.

"Demons have appeared very rarely in this epoch. I only found a few clues by digging through some questionable old books, and those damned ancient scripts are so hard to understand. But someone on the black market would probably be interested in this. It's not something you see every day."

"I know. A broker on the black market mentioned something about it, but I suspect it might be the Church of Death and End trying to buy them all up..."

He gave a slight nod, letting the topic drop as a thoughtful look crossed his face.

"How is Miss Mikhail? I hope the demon didn't harm her."

"She's perfectly fine, not a scratch on her. It was a god-given stroke of luck. Oh, I'm definitely going to convince her to give up her search for mystical knowledge. To be honest, she just doesn't have the aptitude to become an Enchanter."

If they were seen emerging from the storeroom together, it would be impossible to explain. Jenkins coughed first, then pushed the door open just enough for Chocolate to slip out. After a couple of meows echoed from the hallway, the young gentleman and lady walked out openly.

Miss Mikhail's room was on the third floor. Hathaway asked Jenkins to wait outside while she went in to check on her friend.

Someone was tugging on the corner of Jenkins's coat. He looked down to see a little girl carrying an earth-yellow satchel. No, despite her short stature, her face was quite mature. He should probably call her 'miss'.

The strap of her satchel was so long that the bag almost touched the floor. The latest_epɪ_sodes are on_the novelFirｅ.net

"Is something wrong?"

The girl had no dark aura about her, but there were twelve points of light on her person.

"Mister, could I borrow some money?"

She looked up at Jenkins, her expression deadly serious.

That was his first reaction.

He was certain she wasn't a scammer now. A level-six Enchanter wouldn't go around trying to swindle people out of a mere five pence.

He didn't ask for a reason, simply took five copper coins from his pocket and placed them in the little girl's palm.

"Thank you! I'll pay you back!"

As she spoke, her little black leather shoes clattered on the stairs as she ran down.

Jenkins murmured to himself before the red-haired young woman called him into the room.

The room was more spacious than his own living room; in fact, it looked more like a bedroom. Facing the door was a row of floor-to-ceiling windows, with a brass-colored gas lamp mounted on the adjacent wall.

Miss Mikhail stood by the window in a short dress, fiddling with a complex mechanical contraption.

She forcefully turned a gear. With a series of clicks, the rectangular bronze box transformed into a cross shape, a sharp blade emerging from one end.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Williams!"

She seemed to be in good spirits, while Hathaway had reverted to her demure self, standing quietly by her side.

"I'm relieved to see you're unharmed. Those wretched cultists... the Sage will surely punish them!"

He spoke as he placed a fruit basket on the cabinet beside the bed. A vase of white lilies and a stack of pink envelopes already occupied the space.

"My luck was quite good. The police found the manor just in time. I never would have guessed that young Wellington was also a believer in a false god."

She let out a sigh. "But my friends weren't so fortunate. If my father hadn't ordered me to stay here, I would have had to attend many funerals these past few days."

As she spoke, she crossed her arms and began to pray softly. Jenkins remained silent.

"I'll be more cautious in the future."

She looked at the object in her hands with a hint of regret and tossed it onto the bed. It was just an ordinary creation, though the craftsman's skill and imagination were exceptional.

"Briny, it's not your fault,"

Hathaway comforted her gently.

"Papa Oliver warned me a long time ago. Perhaps he was right."

The young woman's mood turned somber, but Jenkins thought it was for the best. For a noble lady like her, staying away from Enchanters and their strange artifacts was the safest path. Safe for everyone, really.

Miss Mikhail also seemed to like Chocolate, but the cat hated being touched by anyone other than Jenkins. She smiled and shook her head, then turned to the quiet girl behind her.

"Hathaway, could you fetch us some tea? Oh, and some goat's milk, too. Kittens can't drink cow's milk."

Jenkins immediately furrowed his brow. "But I..."

"Oh, Chocolate is a special breed, so cow's milk is fine for him!"

With only the two of them and the cat left in the room, Jenkins suddenly found himself at a loss for words.

"Papa Oliver recently acquired a new batch of antiques. Among them is a gold coin of unknown origin. We all suspect it's not from this epoch."

She showed no flicker of interest, instead twirling a lock of her golden hair around her finger.

"Mr. Williams, I have a question I'd like to ask you."

A sense of unease crept over him, but he hadn't done anything to harm the young lady. It should be fine, he thought.

"Do you have a lady you're fond of? You look quite young, but you're a bit older than Hathaway and I, aren't you?"

An embarrassed expression crossed Jenkins's face. Lately, he hadn't even dared go home to Maidenhaven Road; Mary's enthusiasm for seeing him married was growing more intense by the day.