Chapter 1518: Chapter 1518

Taking advantage of the silence from Hathaway's room next door, the two whispered a few more sweet nothings before Briny carefully urged Jenkins to leave. After kissing his beloved girl goodbye, Jenkins grabbed his cat and, under the cover of the pre-dawn gloom, carefully leaped out of the Rosalia Inn's window.

Clutching his overcoat, he landed on the ground and didn't forget to look back at Briny's window. The blonde girl, dressed in her nightgown, smiled and waved, motioning for Jenkins to be careful on his way.

Only after he had completely left the street where the Rosalia Inn was located did Jenkins dare to walk openly, stretching and yawning as he went. He was exhausted from the night before, and on top of that, he had woken up very early, giving him the weary look of someone who hadn't gotten enough rest.

"Chocolate, what do you feel like for breakfast?"

His thoughts drifted to last night's dream as he stroked the cat on his shoulder. Chocolate meowed unhappily and batted his hand away with a paw. But Jenkins paid it no mind; instead, he wondered if the egg he had suppressed for so long in the story would finally hatch into the Calamity Beast, the Sin Nightmare.

"No," he mused, "the egg in the story never showed any dream-related abilities."

He dismissed the notion and paused at the street corner, a new, far-fetched idea already taking root in his mind.

Today was Wednesday. After yesterday's debriefing, his only remaining task in Bel Diran was to "broaden his horizons" with Papa Oliver. Papa Oliver had told Jenkins to meet him on Wednesday morning after breakfast, so after leaving Briny, Jenkins hadn't returned to his own lodgings. Instead, he had treated his cat to a grand meal before finally arriving at the inn where Papa Oliver and the Williams family were staying.

"I don't recall Father having any acquaintances in Bel Diran."

He voiced his doubt to Papa Oliver.

"Robert works for the mining company now, so it's perfectly normal for him to know some businessmen from Bel Diran. But let's not dwell on that; it's not our focus today. If you're ready, then let's get going. You're in for a real eye-opener today."

While Papa Oliver's official role was a semi-clerical one for the Church, tasked with collecting suspicious items, he was truly passionate about his profession as an antique shop owner. His mysterious air about this outing suggested it wouldn't be some run-of-the-mill auction or black market deal.

Jenkins followed Papa Oliver, merging with the morning rush of commuters, and before long, they arrived at a train station in northern Bel Diran. This station was primarily for steam locomotives hauling bulk cargo, and it was already bustling with activity. Workers loading and unloading goods and merchants checking their shipments shouted back and forth, filling the station and the small plaza outside with a clamorous din.

"Are we leaving Bel Diran?"

"No, our destination is right here."

With that, Papa Oliver led Jenkins into the station. He bought a ticket for himself, one for Jenkins, and another for Chocolate, then stood with him on the platform to wait.

Jenkins looked down quizzically at his and the cat's tickets. The departure time and platform number were nothing out of the ordinary. The strange part was the steam locomotive's identification number, which was completely different from any of the Fidektri Kingdom's domestic train numbers.

"Why did you buy a ticket for Chocolate too?"

This era was different from Jenkins's own time; in this world, no one batted an eye at pets on public transport.

"Just to be cautious. The organizers require that every living creature that boards, even a mouse, must have a ticket."

Papa Oliver explained. Seeing Jenkins was still puzzled, he finally revealed the truth:

"The train we're waiting for is actually an extremely rare Series B Transcendent Phenomenon, B-11-05-3900, the Antiquities Market. That train stops in the material world once every one hundred years, but its location can be determined through means like divination. When it appears, collectors and antique dealers from all over the world gather to take part in this grand event."

"Wait a minute, Papa Oliver," Jenkins asked, "A hundred years ago, I believe the prototype for the steam train had only just appeared. Are you sure it comes every hundred years? Wouldn't people a hundred, two hundred, or even more years ago have been puzzled by this mode of transport?"

"A hundred years ago, it was a caravan of carriages. This time, it's a steam train. Only those who have attended the market before can know the method and form of the next one in advance. I never attended the last one, but the old gentleman who taught me antique appraisal did."

Besides Enchanters like Papa Oliver who attended intentionally, B-11-05-3900 also actively drew ordinary people to the market. The ordinary people who took part in this event would lose certain key memories after they left, believing only that they had been lucky enough to stumble upon an excellent auction.

In addition to antiques from various eras, B-11-05-3900 also occasionally sold some Extraordinary items, even numbered ones. But these items were available only to Enchanters, so some well-informed Enchanters would prepare in advance, just like Jenkins and Papa Oliver.

But generally speaking, each time B-11-05-3900 had been held in the past, the majority of attendees had been ordinary people drawn in unconsciously, so the event wasn't particularly dangerous. Not to mention, the non-human entities that managed B-11-05-3900 also took it upon themselves to maintain order.

"So, what currency is used for transactions at the Antiquities Market? It can't be the currency that circulates in human society, can it?"

Jenkins asked again, guessing in his mind that it might be Sin Coins, but he didn't think everyone would have them.

"Gold, silver, and they also accept barter." ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ novel_fіre.net

Papa Oliver gestured for Jenkins to look at his briefcase.

"I've been preparing for this for a long time. I hope I don't miss out on any valuable treasures."

Papa Oliver had brought Jenkins along mainly so he could broaden his horizons and gain some experience, so he hadn't asked him to prepare any hard currency like gold for purchases. Jenkins didn't think he'd be that lucky anyway, so as he waited for the train with Papa Oliver, he was just wondering about the supernatural entities on B-11-05-3900 and whether they might accept Sin Coins in exchange for new abilities.

Not long ago, he had obtained twelve new Sin Coins in Black Town. Adding to the two Seeds of Blasphemy and one Ring of Greed he had left over, his "wallet" was reasonably full. If the opportunity arose, he wanted to try and find a new ability.