Chapter 1549: Chapter 1549

"They all look to be the same age, all students, yet their circumstances and lives are completely different. Such is the tragedy of this era..."

That wasn't Jenkins speaking, but rather a young man, another tourist, who made the remark as they were viewing the oil paintings in the left corridor of the city hall's second floor.

He had said it quite deliberately, his voice just loud enough, likely hoping someone in their group would strike up a conversation. But in reality, no one paid him any mind. The girls were excitedly discussing the stories behind the historical and symbolic paintings, uninterested in social commentary.

"That's Briny's great-grandfather."

Hathaway raised her arm, gesturing for Jenkins to look up and to his left.

"It commemorates Earl Mikhail's overwhelming victory in the negotiations with Cheslan, forcing them to cede a small piece of territory on the edge of the central desert."

That generation's Marquis Mikhail was a foreign affairs official for the kingdom, not a military commander. The oil painting depicted a scene at the negotiation table, where one man in magnificent attire stood out most prominently—clearly Briny's ancestor from a century ago.

"Is the Mikhail family's history a long one?"

Jenkins asked as he walked forward.

Although it was a public open day, the city hall staff were still at work; only certain floors and office areas containing classified information were closed to the public. The guide they had hired was exceptionally skilled, quite knowledgeable about both the open and restricted areas. She led the group through the floors, expertly recounting the stories of every room and corridor.

During the tour, Jenkins heard mention of the Quake family again after a long time. The young Mr. Quake had been the true murderer in the blizzard mountain villa case during their winter trip, but because the matter involved many secrets, he was listed only as a victim when the results of the incident were officially announced.

Young Quake was the family's only son, so the Quake family had sworn revenge on the other six survivors. This retaliation had indeed caused trouble for Jenkins, even leading to an encounter with a Cursed Item, but in the end, the Quake family was annihilated.

During the recent investigation into the live sacrifice ritual in the basement of the Quake family's ancestral home, it was unexpectedly discovered that the Quakes were colluding with the Antak family of Cheslan. Both families held a grudge against Jenkins, but the latter was so far from Nolan that he hadn't yet had the chance to encounter any other members of the Antak family.

The handling of the Quake family's case was presented as a classic example of "making an example of them" during wartime. The city hall had dedicated a room specifically for this, a temporary exhibition for the public open day. Jenkins, intrigued, bent over to look at the replica letters displayed in a glass case. These letters proved the Quake family's unusual relationship with Cheslan.

"I wonder how Rick and Garcia are doing now. It feels like so long since the winter trip. After they eloped, we never heard from them again."

Hathaway and Briny were standing right beside Jenkins. Hearing the Quake family mentioned had made the blonde girl lament about the events of their winter travels. Hathaway glanced at Jenkins; just a short while ago, he had told her that the eloping pair had never even managed to escape Nolan before they were captured and placed under the care of the Sage Church.

The city hall was bustling on its open day. As one of the capital's centers of power, the large building was normally quite busy. Even with a limit on the number of tourists allowed inside, the place was still packed.

The members of their party were all ladies of status and naturally couldn't be jostling with strangers. So, their guide suggested they first visit the grand hall on the top floor and return to the second floor once the crowds thinned out. Everyone, of course, agreed.

"By the way, who were those people from Cheslan we passed just now?"

Jenkins asked Briny in a low voice as they climbed the stairs. The appearance of people from the southern kingdom was quite distinct from the population of western Fidektri, making foreigners easy to spot. Thıs text ıs hosted at novel✶fire.net

"Even during a war, we can't possibly expel all citizens of Cheslan. Judging by their attire, those men were probably merchants doing business in Bel Diran, perhaps dealing with tax matters,"

Jenkins nodded in confusion, turning his head to look at the foreigners who had already reached the second floor. Even with the floor between them, his eyes still detected an Enchanter among them, which was highly unusual.

"Jenkins, hurry up and keep up."

Hathaway called out from a higher step, and only then did Jenkins realize how far he had fallen behind the group. He nodded, watching the group of foreigners walk out of the city hall, get into a carriage, and drive away down the street without the slightest hesitation. Only then did he feel a small measure of relief.

The grand hall on the third floor served as the city hall's lounge. It was usually a place for employees to drink tea and enjoy the view, but on open days, it provided a resting spot for tourists. The girls from the tour group crowded onto two long sofas, chatting and laughing about their afternoon's sights and cheerfully planning for the days ahead.

Jenkins stood by a floor-to-ceiling window holding his cat, gazing out at the city. The third floor wasn't particularly high, but it offered a decent view of the nearest few blocks. On the wall beside him was a newly printed conscription poster, detailing military pay and the honor that service would bring to one's family. Jenkins could even smell the fresh ink. Farther away, a few men whose features clearly marked them as from the Hamparvo Kingdom stood in a corner, talking in hushed tones. Jenkins could just barely hear them discussing the body that had been found at the city hall entrance that morning.

Somehow, the ladies' conversation turned to the duel between Duke Antak and Jenkins at the Nolan theater several months ago. Their focus wasn't on the pistol that had unexpectedly misfired, but on the fact that the two had been dueling over Briny Mikhail.

Girls always loved such topics. Briny, the focus of the conversation, blushed and told her friends to stop talking nonsense, occasionally glancing over at Jenkins, who was looking out the window. They all assumed he couldn't hear their conversation, but with his hearing, he could hear everything perfectly.

"It's probably best if I act like I can't hear a thing," he thought to himself, feigning interest in the conscription poster on the wall. The cat in his arms wriggled free, leaped onto his shoulder, turned its back to him, and sniffed the air intently. Then, with a soft meow, it narrowed its eyes.