Chapter 1488: Chapter 1488

"So what are you going to do next? I know you must have a plan."

The old elf saw Jenkins staring at the floor, silent, and assumed he was lost in worry. So, he prompted him.

"No, I don't have a plan."

Even though the truth was unexpected, Jenkins had faced countless major crises in the past six months. He wasn't about to be rattled by something this "trivial."

"Bloodline, the throne... none of it has anything to do with me."

"You don't want the throne?"

The old elf was a little confused.

"Why would I want the throne? To put it another way, what good would it do me? Do you really think there's something I lack at this moment?"

"Besides, my becoming king is only a possibility. But even if I were to accept the crown, wouldn't it come with all sorts of responsibilities and duties? I'm not some naive child who thinks being a king is all about lounging in a palace."

Jenkins explained, "My path to godhood is already more than halfway complete. I have a divine domain, followers, and I've reached level six as an Enchanter. I've uncovered countless secrets about the Mysterious Realms, their masters, and the gods. A dream that once seemed impossible is now within reach. I refuse to be distracted by temporal power. That would be like trading a priceless treasure for a handful of loose change."

"You're a frighteningly rational man," the elf observed. "Few people can remain so clear-headed when tempted by power."

"That's only because my ambitions are far greater than any throne."

Jenkins glanced down at his cat, a peculiar light glinting in his eyes. He had never forgotten his true goal. If he truly craved worldly possessions, he would have focused on adapting stories from his old world long ago, becoming a famous author or a wealthy merchant. The temptations he had resisted when he first arrived hadn't changed him in six months.

After bidding farewell to the surprisingly cheerful old elf, Jenkins left Nolan and traveled to Ruen. By the time he arrived, dusk was settling over the city, its lamps just beginning to glow. He found Alexia and Dolores at the small manor within the city walls.

They were delighted to see him, assuming he had come specifically to join them for dinner. But the first words out of his mouth after he appeared in the drawing-room were not what they expected:

"Did you two know all along? That the Williams family descends from an illegitimate child of the Middletons? That I'm actually eligible to inherit the crown of the Fidektri Kingdom?"

Dolores stood frozen, unsure how to respond. She could only gesture for Julia to lead her younger sister away. Alexia, who had been sitting on the sofa, set down the book she was holding.

"Yes, we've known for a long time. What are you going to do about it?"

She looked at Jenkins.

Though his tone was that of someone demanding an explanation, Jenkins knew there was really nothing he could do.

He said no more, instead sitting down on the sofa and holding his cat. Alexia shook her head and said:

"This is so immature. You're acting like a pouting child right now."

"And you know perfectly well whether I'm mature or not, don't you?"

Jenkins shot back with a rare, suggestive retort. Alexia didn't take the bait, but the look on her face—as if she were dealing with a petulant child—only fanned the flames of his irritation.

"Sit down and let's talk this through. We kept this from you only because we didn't think it was the right time for you to know the truth."

"It's obvious you have no desire to be king, so telling you would have only caused you needless worry. Besides, we had no way of knowing what the Queen of the Fidektri Kingdom was planning, or what the Legacy Sage Church intended to do. We decided it was best to wait until everything was out in the open before telling you."

"Alexia, have you ever noticed that you're not very good at lying?"

Jenkins's connection to the divine domain of lies wasn't entirely useless.

"Tell me. What have you and Dolores been doing since you learned the truth?"

Her Highness the Princess sat quietly on a smaller sofa to the side, saying nothing. In situations , it was enough to let her tutor speak. She had faith in her teacher's wisdom.

"We have decided to marry you. That gives us the right to have a say in our future life."

The petite woman stated, her tone completely serious.

"You want to be queens?"

"Is that not allowed?"

"...Of course, you can."

Jenkins paused before replying. Since they were going to spend their lives together, their living situation was something they had to decide together. He couldn't force them all to accept his lifestyle. Marriage was different from love, and with so many partners, he would have to compromise with each of them.

"So you and Dolores both want me to accept the crown?"

Alexia nodded without hesitation, then said with a light laugh:

"From what I know of you, the only reason you don't want to be king is that you think it would be a hassle."

She really did know him well.

"Even a young woman like Dolores is willing to bear the responsibilities of a monarch. Why can't you?"

she asked, and Jenkins immediately countered: Dıscover more novels at novel·fire.net

"It's not the same. I have more important things to do."

"No, you just don't want to leave the life you're comfortable with. Think about it, Jenkins. If you really took the crown, the amount of free time at your disposal would be far greater than what you have now as an apprentice at an antique shop."

As she spoke, she wrapped her arms around Jenkins's neck and leaned against his shoulder.

"You just hate change, Jenkins."

The cat on his lap let out a soft meow. It seemed to agree with the human female. Besides, the cat wanted a better life, too—one that included a much softer cushion, for instance.

Jenkins turned his head to meet Alexia's eyes, and she held his gaze. As they looked at each other in silence, Dolores felt as though she were intruding. She glanced at Julia, who gave a perfectly timed, discreet cough.

"I admit you have a point..."

Jenkins couldn't find a flaw in her logic, but he still couldn't accept the idea of being king. He had never intended for his life to take such a path.

"You must become king. Think about it—the end of the Epoch is upon us. As the Savior, you have to be able to lead the people. Can a Savior with no allies truly succeed? Even in your own stories, the hero who defeats the demon lord always has loyal friends by his side. There are some problems that, unless you become a god overnight, you can't solve no matter how powerful you are. But temporal power can solve them. Jenkins, you know that better than I do."