Chapter 1608: Chapter 1608
The next day, Thursday, June 6th.
Jenkins, carrying a large bouquet of white flowers, boarded the train once more with his family. Because the flowers were so plain and unremarkable, no one questioned the strange gesture.
The train left the city and rumbled back into the open countryside. White smoke billowed from the locomotive's whistle, snaking over the carriages like a long dragon. The wheels clanked rhythmically, carrying the group westward. As the sun traversed the sky, moving from east to the zenith and then to the west, Nolan City drew ever closer.
This time, Jenkins had secured a window seat. He slid the window open and, in a rather precarious posture, leaned his head out to gaze at the distant city shrouded in smoke. He took a deep breath, hoping to catch that familiar, scorched scent—the first aroma he had grown accustomed to in this new world.
The train arrived precisely on schedule. Nolan, having prepared for a week, rolled out its highest honors to welcome the kingdom's own royal family and their foreign guests. Despite it being a workday, a great number of citizens had spontaneously gathered around the station. They stood within the decorated terminal, held back by a police line formed by officers from KalFax Field.
As the train roared into the station, the crowd's cheers momentarily drowned out the sharp pops from the internal combustion engine as it rapidly cooled.
The portly Mayor, Mr. Saks Luto, stood with the city's officials and nobles, dressed in a wine-red suit and dabbing sweat from his brow as he waited. The moment the train hissed to a stop, most of the welcoming party began to fuss over their hems, cuffs, and neckties. Once the white steam around the carriages dissipated, the doors opened from the inside. Led by the mayor, the group advanced toward the platform.
Inside the carriage, King Sarlisi II and Queen Isabella appeared at the doorway almost simultaneously.
Wave after wave of cheers erupted from the crowd. A flock of doves, released from an unseen location, soared into the air, flying over the train and out toward the distant coastline.
It had been three years since Queen Isabella last visited Nolan. The people adored their royal family, especially their queen, who had reigned for over fifty years. In a way, this woman, who did not carry the Middleton family bloodline, was actually more beloved than most kings who did.
The station's welcome ceremony was only the beginning. Afterward, Jenkins and his family accompanied the Queen to the residence arranged for the royal family in Nolan, which finally concluded their duties for the day.
But it was only the end for the Williams family. Queen Isabella and King Sarlisi II still had a banquet to attend, speeches to deliver, and interviews to give. None of that mattered to Jenkins, who had just returned to his "hometown."
He bid a temporary farewell to Hathaway and Briny, then waved goodbye from a distance to Alexia and Dolores. Only then did he hire a carriage to take his family back to Maidenhaven Road. After dropping his luggage at his own home, he and his unusually excited cat headed for Fifth Queen's Avenue.
Pops Antique Shop was open; Papa Oliver had gone straight there after getting off the train. Jenkins pushed the door open excitedly, and the familiar jingle of the bell filled him with a sense of blissful intoxication.
he announced joyfully, striding to the counter and running his hands over the wooden surface with delight. Chocolate leaped onto the soft cushion at the edge of the counter, patted it vigorously with his little paws, and then settled down with a look of pure contentment. It was the cat's designated spot in the antique shop.
"Stop stroking my counter. You look like you've lost your mind."
Papa Oliver remarked as he walked in from the back courtyard, carrying a cardboard box. But he was clearly pleased that Jenkins had come here first. He set down the box, placed his hands on his hips, surveyed his shop, and then proposed with a smile: Read full story at novel⟡fire.net
"If you don't have other plans tonight, help me tidy up the shop. It won't take long; I know you have to go to the church later. This place has been closed for three weeks and has gathered a layer of dust. We're officially reopening tomorrow. That batch of goods I bought from the antique market arrived in Nolan a few days ago. Want to come with me to pick it up tomorrow?"
"Of course, absolutely."
Jenkins nodded quickly. This was the life he loved, the place he knew best. With a contented smile, he accepted the cloth Papa Oliver handed him and turned to look at the shop, filled to the brim with antiques, and then out the window at the sunset painting Nolan's summer streets.
"This is where I belong."
Cleaning the antique shop didn't take long. Afterward, he, Papa Oliver, and the cat had dinner at a familiar nearby restaurant before he made his way to the Sage's Church in the city center. The moment he stepped inside, he saw Captain Bincy hurrying out with his squad. They were all familiar faces, and everyone was glad to see Jenkins had returned safely.
Next, he saw Bishop Parrold delivering a sermon to the congregation. The bishop stood behind the pulpit and gave Jenkins a quick wink, his voice never faltering as he recited the words he had been speaking for over thirty years.
Seeing that Bishop Parrold was healthy and in good spirits, Jenkins nodded in response before circling through the cloister. He greeted familiar priests and nuns as he made his way to the courtyard behind the main hall. After a quick scan, he didn't see Fini, so he headed toward Miss Bevanna's office.
He knocked lightly on the door. Upon receiving permission, he pushed it open and entered. Miss Bevanna was sitting behind her desk and looked up just as he came in.
"Oh, Jenkins, you're finally back."
She smiled, removed her glasses, and rose to greet him. After a brief hug, she gestured for him to sit.
"I thought you wouldn't arrive until tomorrow. I was just preparing to welcome the negotiation team from Bel Diran."
Although Nolan had its own branch of the Sage's Church with plenty of capable people, the Holy See was still sending a delegation for the summit and the negotiations with the Believers of Lies. The group was led by Mr. Josen Gilbert, who was quite familiar with the Nolan diocese, and another cardinal Jenkins didn't know as well. They were just the first wave; more teams would be dispatched later.
"I just came to check in at the church first, since I've been away for two months."
"How has the Nolan diocese been? Have there been any major incidents?"