Chapter 1645: Chapter 1645

Jenkins tugged her firmly back into her seat, but Julia, clutching the hem of her maid's uniform, immediately tried to stand again. Jenkins insisted, and in the ensuing struggle, she lost her balance and tumbled forward. Caught off guard, the seated Jenkins had no choice but to catch her in an embrace.

The awkward position made them both blush. Jenkins's ears twitched, but he heard no footsteps from upstairs. Only then did he calmly help Julia to her feet.

"You nearly got me in a world of trouble,"

he teased. Julia knew exactly what he meant. Blushing, she avoided his gaze and, once on her feet, went to fetch her own plate and cutlery without another word of protest about dining with him.

Hathaway and Briny tended to wake a little later, but since this wasn't their own home, neither of them slept very soundly. The voices from downstairs stirred them awake, and before long, they too came down for breakfast.

"It's not the first time I've seen you two right after you've woken up, but I must say, even without a touch of makeup, you are absolutely the most beautiful women I know."

After the events of last night, Jenkins had decided to be proactive with his compliments. He hadn't anticipated, however, that his words would directly imply he had slept with both the blonde and the redhead. Instead of pleasing them, his comment earned him a sharp glare from Hathaway.

But one night of drama had been enough, and everything was now out in the open. Though Briny still claimed to be unhappy, she seemed to have accepted the situation. At the very least, she didn't mind laughing and joking with Hathaway during the meal.

Besides, no one dared to gossip about Jenkins these days. Both the royal family and the Church were highly protective of him, and for all anyone knew, Jenkins Williams could be the next king. So, at least until the succession was settled, the young women were unlikely to be bothered by much idle talk.

Today, the delegation from the Cheslan Kingdom was scheduled to arrive. Hathaway and Briny had to return home to pack, so they wouldn't be attending the reception. In any case, the matter had little to do with them.

Jenkins, however, as a member of the royal family, was required to attend. Julia also had to accompany Dolores. So after breakfast, the four of them parted ways. A carriage took Hathaway and Briny home, while Jenkins brought Julia to Pops Antique Shop to see if Papa Oliver felt like joining the festivities.

"You invited them to live at your place?"

Papa Oliver was clearly more interested in Jenkins's personal life than in the arrival of Cheslan's "Proud One" in Nolan. He wiped a vase with a grimy rag behind the counter as he spoke. After Jenkins confirmed his story and introduced Julia, the old man remarked with grave sincerity:

"If you get thrown out of your own house by those ladies after you're married, you can always come stay here. There are plenty of empty rooms upstairs."

This was obviously a jab at Jenkins, which he recognized but chose not to acknowledge. He believed he had handled the situation perfectly and that there would be no repercussions. Besides, the women he loved were all reasonable and hardly prone to violence. They would never do something like that.

When asked if he planned to go to the docks, Papa Oliver just shook his head. The old man continued to polish the vase at a leisurely pace.

"What does this have to do with me? I'd rather stay and watch the shop, might even make a sale this morning. And what's the point of going to the docks to bake in the sun when it's this hot?"

Papa Oliver had a point, so Jenkins didn't press the matter. He then brought up the two bodies found at the manor yesterday. Now they were talking business. Papa Oliver set down the vase, his tone growing serious.

"The seance failed. The souls of those two were likely absorbed by the Nightfall Manor. Because they died within its grounds, divinations about them have been largely ineffective. However, tracking their lives and movements was simple enough. The Twelve Orthodox Churches launched a joint investigation and found clues in their hometowns. We've essentially confirmed they were low-level members of the Gear Artisans' Association, with ties to other illegal organizations as well."

"The Gear Artisans' Association? What do they have to do with this?"

Jenkins asked, confused. He set down the cat he'd been holding and apologized to Julia, asking her to wait a moment longer. The young maid simply nodded and discreetly returned to the carriage outside.

"Based on the letters and clues we've gathered so far, our current hypothesis is that the Association received guidance."

"Guidance? From an evil god?"

"No, it was guidance from a machine skilled in divination."

At that, Jenkins understood. He gestured toward the ground beneath them, and Papa Oliver nodded, confirming his suspicion.

"The machine hidden deep beneath our feet has awakened, but its seals and damages prevent it from wielding its full power. So, under its guidance, the Gear Artisans' Association is searching for ways to break those seals and repair it. Summoning Nightfall Manor was one of their attempts. This implies that the true power of the machine beneath us is far more terrifying than the Church ever anticipated."

If that was the case, then the two people Jenkins had run into in Bel Diran, and that trader in the tavern, must have been using the Difference Engine's guidance to pinpoint those specific locations.

"So, does the Church know the machine's location yet?"

"No, and it's proving extremely difficult. The Church found an entrance to the underground before you returned to Nolan, but the downward exploration has been anything but smooth."

Jenkins proposed, but Papa Oliver immediately shot him down.

"Even if we were to send you on such a risky mission, it would have to wait until after the negotiations with the Believers of Lies. This matter is critical, yes, but it hasn't reached the point where we need you to go in person. Not yet, anyway. Besides," Papa Oliver added, "do you honestly believe you can defeat that thing lurking underground?" The source of thɪs content is novel·fiɾe·net

Papa Oliver continued, adding that once the delegates from all Twelve Orthodox Churches arrived for the summit, the problem would likely be resolved with ease. The Church currently had no idea what kind of machine was down there, let alone the truth that Jenkins knew: that it was the source of every sentient machine that had ever existed.

But Papa Oliver was mistaken. Drawing from legends and historical records, Jenkins suspected he would have to ascend to godhood just to stand a chance against the entity below. And that was only if the Difference Engine managed to break free of its seals and be fully restored.

After bidding Papa Oliver farewell, the carriage carried Jenkins and Julia toward the docks, where Dolores was waiting to meet them. Though the king of Cheslan was arriving, the king of the northern kingdom was also a guest in the city, so there was no protocol requiring him to attend the welcome.

Thus, only Queen Isabella would be officially present. The Stuarts would attend as accompanying guests, a gesture considered more than sufficient to honor "the Proud One."

Dolores had arrived even earlier than they had and was waiting in her carriage. When Jenkins stepped inside, he was surprised to find Alexia absent. He asked where she was, and Dolores shot him a glance, a blush creeping up her cheeks.

"My tutor was... 'grievously wounded' last night," she explained. "She's resting now."

Jenkins was baffled for a moment. He'd had Alexia play the part of a saint last night, but that hardly seemed like an activity that could cause injury. Then he realized what the princess was alluding to.

His own face flushed red, and he instinctively turned his head to avoid Dolores's gaze. As he did, however, his eyes met Julia's, who was watching him with a curious expression. She didn't fully understand their exchange, but seeing their reactions, she could piece together the general idea.

Dolores hadn't been idle, either. After checking on her tutor that morning, she had projected herself to Ruen to review the private letters concerning the Creation Slate, confirming the location pointed to by the clues. While there, she had also spoken with the young princess, Angelina Stuart, who was holding down the fort in Ruen. Angelina had complained to her older sister that Jenkins hadn't come to see her yesterday.

"Speaking of which, how are things in Ruen?"

Jenkins asked. He visited daily, of course, but his trips consisted of little more than chatting with the young princess and taking a spin around the city on his unicorn to check for any signs of major troop movements.

"It's confirmed. The three legions that were dispatched to the northern part of the kingdom last winter to fend off the snowmen never returned to their posts. They're marching on Ruen instead. The vanguard is already approaching the city, led by Duke Rwanda, my father's most trusted grand duke."

"So, it looks like things are about to kick off in Ruen?"

"It's about time. I was getting impatient waiting."

"The matter in Ruen is practically a foregone conclusion,"

Dolores murmured, boldly reaching out to straighten his collar. Jenkins moved to stop her, but after a moment's hesitation, Julia gently pressed his hand down.

"We can return to Ruen at a moment's notice. As soon as chaos breaks out in the capital, I'll be the most respected royal in the entire kingdom. Whatever contingency plans my father has left, he can't possibly get to Ruen before I do, let alone my siblings. The armies loyal to me are already on the move, and a third of the garrison outside Ruen is mine. How could I possibly lose? And besides all that," she added, "we have that ice castle outside the city. That is our true ace in the hole."

Julia, standing nearby, offered a faint smile. After all this time, her beloved princess was finally within reach of the crown.

"But seizing the throne this way... it will always be a moral compromise."

"That's why I need the endorsement of the Twelve Orthodox Churches. My father is certain to attend the great summit at the end of the epoch. When he does, I will need the Church's backing."

Dolores understood his point.

"I'll take care of it. I'll win the Church's support."

Jenkins affirmed with a nod.

"Then there's the matter of the Fidektri Kingdom. Miss Windsor and your two 'fathers-in-law' have already reached a preliminary agreement with us. All that remains is to see what the Queen decides. The situation here is actually much simpler than in the Hamparvo Kingdom. After all, from the very beginning, you've had rules and righteousness on your side."

When discussing matters of state, Dolores was no longer the sixteen-year-old girl lost in love. She was now poised and confident, her demeanor calm and resolute. A smile spread across Jenkins's face. He adored this woman.