Chapter 1527: Chapter 1527

"I'd only heard rumors that the Gear Artisans' Association was obsessed with mechanical body modification, but I never imagined they'd taken it this far."

Miss Capet remarked as she tended to Jenkins's wounds. She stood slightly behind him, clearly unwilling to get too close to the severed arm, her expression suggesting she found it as repulsive as filth.

"Is your wound alright?"

She had already noticed the gash on his left hand healing at a visible rate, but still worried the gear-sword might have been contaminated with something like the Gear Germs.

"I'm fine. It wasn't that deep."

With that, he placed the gear-sword and the severed arm together, sliding them toward the receptionist behind the counter.

"I believe the market offers complimentary shipping for its customers," he stated. "Please have these two items sent to the Sage's Church on the outskirts of Bel Diran."

Though the items were technically spoils for both Jenkins and Miss Capet, he had done most of the fighting. Consequently, she didn't object to his decision to send them to the Sage's Church.

"We can certainly arrange that... Now, shall we discuss the matter of compensation?"

"I believe we should first assess the value of the corpse,"

Jenkins countered, shaking his head.

After a round of amicable negotiations, and once the cost of damages was deducted, Jenkins and Miss Capet were left with a total of five Sin Coins. Jenkins took three of them—coins he identified as "Soul Gold"—and gave the remaining two to Miss Capet. This brought his personal collection to seven Sin Coins of four distinct types: three Soul Gold, two Jewels of Ages, one Seed of Blasphemy, and one Ring of Greed.

Miss Capet wasn't familiar with the use of Sin Coins, so Jenkins discreetly explained that they could serve as a valuable form of currency in certain circles. The blonde-haired woman nodded, looking slightly bewildered, but she understood they were something of great importance.

In addition to the Sin Coins, Jenkins also persuaded the receptionist to hand over the seemingly worthless letters found on the Gear Artisans' Association cultist. Since the man was on a field mission, it was unlikely he carried any classified documents. However, a few small notes and a memo tucked into the lining of his clothes suggested that two agents had been dispatched to Bel Diran to enter this market.

The Gear Artisans' Association was well aware of its own infamy. After last year's Gear Germs outbreak, any member who showed their face on the continent's west coast was likely to be captured on sight. Therefore, the agents sent on this mission were among the Association's elite. Not only were they formidable combatants with extensively modified bodies, but they had also all received a special "enlightenment" from beneath Nolan.

Given the circumstances, Miss Capet decided to stick with Jenkins. Upon learning that Papa Oliver was also somewhere in the market, she agreed that finding him was their top priority.

The train's convoluted layout, however, meant this would be no easy task. After leaving the antique clock shop's carriage, the pair resumed their aimless wandering. Since the train made no stops, they eventually found a dining car and had their lunch there.

Over lunch, Miss Capet joked that Jenkins's cat seemed to share a human's palate, a comment that clearly displeased Chocolate. When she learned that Chocolate had once ingested an Animal Intelligence Awakening Potion, she suggested Jenkins visit the Church of All Things and Nature to find methods for training animal companions. Most of the ancient druidic traditions, she explained, were now preserved by her church.

Coincidentally, the Spiritual Communion ability that Jenkins had acquired from the ancient hero was also part of the Church of All Things and Nature's domain. Miss Capet possessed this ability herself, so she and Jenkins spent some time during their meal comparing notes.

When she heard that Jenkins wanted to understand his cat's thoughts, she offered to give it a try:

"I've been able to communicate with the church's mouser cats since I was fourteen," she said. "I imagine this won't be too difficult."

She smiled, setting down her fork, and lowered her gaze to Jenkins's cat. Jenkins scooped up the wriggling Chocolate, forcing it to meet Miss Capet's eyes.

He gave his cat a little shake and whispered to it.

Pinned in Jenkins's grip, the cat let out a reluctant meow, its tail flicking restlessly against his chin.

"So? What was Chocolate saying?"

Jenkins asked his companion expectantly, only to see a puzzled expression on Miss Capet's face:

"Well... it said 'mrow'... yes, that's exactly what it said..." Read complete versıon only at NovelHub(.)net

"I'm sorry, I don't think I was able to read Chocolate's thoughts. The Animal Intelligence Awakening Potion must have had a rather unusual effect on him. It's not unheard of."

The afternoon passed, and they still hadn't found Papa Oliver. They continued to wander from carriage to carriage, filling the time with idle conversation. Their topics ranged from the weather in Nolan and Bel Diran to the political state of the kingdom, from ancient myths to modern occult research.

Miss Capet mentioned that she had read Jenkins's book. While she wasn't particularly fond of his second story, the one about the snow princess, she adored his fairy tales.

Jenkins suspected this had to do with her own childhood. No matter how well the church cared for children without families, it could never be the same as having parents.

By four o'clock, with the auction set to begin soon and still no sign of either Papa Oliver or the other member of the Gear Artisans' Association, Jenkins suggested they head to the auction. Miss Capet agreed, and they made their way to the first carriage.

Entry was restricted. To attend, one had to be an Enchanter and have spent a certain amount of money since the market opened. The receptionist stationed at the vestibule didn't give them any trouble, however; a single glance at Jenkins was enough to grant them passage.

The first carriage no longer resembled the high-end jewelry shop Jenkins remembered. It had been transformed into an auditorium of sorts, filled with rows of cheap folding chairs. To one side was a raised wooden platform, where one of the identical receptionists was busy hauling several large chests.

He scanned the room but saw no sign of Papa Oliver. The handful of Enchanters scattered among the seats were all strangers, and he couldn't detect any of the dark auras that would signify a cultist.

"Well, our luck isn't terrible, but it's not great either," he mused. "Looks like we missed our chance."

With that thought, he and Miss Capet took seats in the back row. He settled Chocolate on his lap, intending to just rest his eyes for a moment, but unexpectedly drifted off to sleep.

When he opened his eyes again, it was to the sharp rap of a gavel. He glanced around, recalling where he was, and rubbed his face. The number of Enchanters gathered in the carriage had grown to nearly twenty.