Chapter 1611: Chapter 1611

The sheer number of loose ends was daunting, but upon his return to Nolan, Jenkins had revealed his intention to vie for the throne to Papa Oliver. The old man had nonchalantly remarked that Jenkins could do as he pleased, admitting he didn't understand the intricacies of politics. Jenkins, however, was certain Papa Oliver had already relayed the news to the Church. Though the High Tower Accord prevented them from openly supporting him, the followers of the Legacy Sage were spread throughout every corner of society. The aid offered by the Church from behind the scenes might prove more effective than any overt support.

Dolores and Miss Windsor had intended to make their move during the Tri-King Summit, but plans rarely survive contact with reality. The fleet from the Kingdom of Cheslan was scheduled to arrive at Nolan Harbor this weekend, but they ran into an unfortunate storm at sea. The fleet was forced to make an emergency stop at the nearest port to wait for it to pass, delaying their arrival.

With no word on when the southern kingdom's fleet would arrive, Jenkins immersed himself in the tasks at hand, shuttling across the city under various guises. On Tuesday, he finally saw Miss Capet again. He was helping Papa Oliver deliver some documents and files to the Church, and as he stepped out of the main gates, he bumped into his cousin.

Miss Capet had come to the Church of Knowledge and Books to deliver a letter. Preparations for the joint conference of the Twelve Orthodox Churches were in full swing, and communication between the dioceses had become incredibly frequent.

Since he had run into Miss Capet, Jenkins brought up his invitation for her to visit his family. He had returned to Maidenhaven Road the previous evening to see them, and his father, Robert, had specifically brought it up. Jenkins had planned on sending a formal written invitation, but this chance encounter was even better.

Miss Capet and Jenkins stood together under a white stone column just outside the church's main entrance. Near its capital was a carving of a cherub blowing a trumpet. She appeared a bit anxious, a feeling Jenkins could well understand.

"Alright, I think I can make it. When, exactly?"

she asked, her voice firming with resolve.

Jenkins replied, pleased.

Since neither of them had any immediate plans, Miss Capet brought up a long-standing request: her invitation for Jenkins to accompany her to see a Miss Knight and inquire about the secrets of bloodline awakening.

Miss Capet had originally hoped it would help her uncover the secrets of her own origins. And though everything had since come to light, her curiosity remained.

Seeing as he was free, Jenkins accepted her invitation. Since they were conveniently right in front of the church, he went back inside to arrange for a carriage, which then took them toward the Evergreen Forest on the outskirts of the city.

Nolan City didn't have a church for every one of the Twelve Orthodox Gods, so as delegations from the other churches began to arrive, finding suitable accommodations for them became the first major challenge.

Followers of one god were reluctant to stay in the churches of another, and hosts were equally hesitant to offer long-term lodging to those of a different faith. The initial plan had been to rent several large inns in the city to house them all together, but with the recent influx of people into Nolan, the Church had acted too late and couldn't find any suitable vacancies.

The next idea was to find suitable estates in the suburbs. As it happened, there were several excellent options in the valley containing the Evergreen Forest. The forest itself was also the most important church stronghold outside the city for the Nolan diocese, so the visiting church delegations were now all staying in its vicinity.

Because of her connection to the dragon, Miss Knight had been living within the Evergreen Forest, but with the arrival of the delegation from the Church of Sun and Justice, she had moved out to join them.

The estate where the delegation from the Church of Sun and Justice was staying was modest in size. Bathed in the twilight glow, Jenkins and Miss Capet stepped down from their carriage and saw numerous figures in heavy armor practicing their swordsmanship in the courtyard. The Enchanters of the Sun God were one of the few groups in this age who still maintained a regimen of physical training. Even the followers of the Lord of War had adapted to the times, embracing the power of spells and firearms. Only these stoic knights still adhered to the ancient disciplines. Thıs content belongs to N0v3l.Fiɾe.net

Although they hadn't scheduled a visit in advance, Jenkins had become quite famous during his time in Bel Diran, so most of the visiting delegations were aware he was the Saint of the Legacy Sage. Consequently, their request for a meeting with Miss Knight was not denied.

Soon, Jenkins and Miss Capet were brought before the young dragon knight. In her usual state, she showed no draconic features, save for her peculiar eyes. They seemed transformed by her awakened bloodline; staring into them felt like meeting the gaze of a wild beast.

Miss Capet gave Jenkins a discreet nudge, a silent warning not to stare.

After they were seated and had exchanged brief pleasantries, Miss Knight, clad in her distinctive armored skirt, remarked with a smile that she had never imagined a former adventuring companion would turn out to be a descendant of royalty. As a citizen of the Fidektri Kingdom, her opinion of the royal family was much like that of any commoner, so she was quite astonished to learn that both Jenkins and Miss Capet were descendants of the Middleton line.

Once the pleasantries were out of the way, Miss Capet got straight to the point. Since they were all acquaintances, she saw no need for ceremony and stated her purpose plainly:

"We've come to ask about the secrets of bloodline awakening. While neither Jenkins nor I have dragon's blood, the Middleton family did, in fact, leave certain... gifts for its descendants."

This wasn't a casual inquiry; Miss Capet was prepared to offer payment or a favor in return, but Miss Knight seemed hesitant. She didn't refuse them outright, but she didn't immediately provide an answer either. She set down her teacup, her silence stretching for a long moment before she finally asked in a low voice:

"Are you certain you want to know?"

Miss Capet replied without hesitation. Jenkins, seeing her conviction, nodded in agreement.