Chapter 167: Chapter 167

"I've been to Ruen, the capital of the Hamparvo Kingdom, but that was during the summer. To be honest, I've only heard stories about the so-called kingdom of ice and snow."

The portly publisher rubbed the ring on his index finger with his thumb. "Would you like me to find a few people who have been there for you? I have some young men in my caravans who've run that trade route. Brave lads, all of them. You don't find many ambitious young men like that these days!"

"Thank you, but that won't be necessary for now."

Jenkins politely declined. He remembered that, according to the first letter from his pen pal, a Miss Mary, she was a resident of Ruen. Ruen was the capital of the Hamparvo Kingdom, located in the northern part of the continent where winter lasted for half the year.

Jenkins's knowledge of Ruen was limited to the fact that it was home to an exceedingly strange Cursed Item: A-01-2-3000, the Unaging Spring. It was a spring that appeared only in the snow, and drinking from it would freeze one's appearance in time forever. However, no one who drank from it had ever lived more than ten years. They developed an extreme aversion to cold and, for the remainder of their lives, could never escape the eerie whispers in their ears and the splitting headaches that came with them.

"Perhaps I can ask for Mary's help in my next letter," he thought. "A girl who has lived there her whole life would surely know more about this so-called kingdom of ice and snow."

A successful book typically requires a great deal of time to write. The best authors all work on a scale of years, so there was no rush. Readers would understand.

Before he left, Mr. Bro handed over the royalties from the latest issue of the story collection, a sum of nearly three hundred pounds. Jenkins's expenses for learning rituals and purchasing materials had been significant lately. That night, sitting alone at his desk, he took out his cash and began stacking the banknotes. He licked his index and middle fingers and started counting the bills with practiced skill. In the end, he had eighty-one stacks of ten-pound notes and seventy stacks of one-hundred-pound notes, along with some loose change. Although one-hundred-pound notes existed, they were difficult to spend in day-to-day life, making the ten-pound note the largest practical denomination. Jenkins typically kept only coins and ten-pound notes in his wallet.

A faint smile touched his lips. Even with his recent, considerable expenses for learning the [Astral Perception] ritual, this amount was more than enough for an ordinary person to ascend to high society. With some wise investments, one could live a life of leisure. For an Enchanter, however, this was just the beginning.

During his breaks, playing with his cat helped relieve stress. It had been two months since he'd adopted Chocolate, and while the cat hadn't grown much, it was healthy, which was all that mattered.

Papa Oliver once again advised Jenkins to pay more attention to his social life, suggesting he take more days off. He told him not to head straight for the church or home after work, reminding him that Nolan City had plenty of interesting places to visit.

He recommended a few pubs and pointed out that operas, concerts, and charity events were all excellent ways to meet people. But Jenkins didn't drink, had no interest in operas he couldn't understand, and preferred to make his donations through the church—it felt more secure that way.

"Why can't you be more like the young people today? What's the word... indulgent? No, more focused on enjoying life?"

It was Saturday morning. Jenkins tidied the shelves briefly before starting his daily transcription of the tadpole-like script.

Papa Oliver held a golden goblet in his left hand, carefully polishing it with a clean cotton cloth dipped in alcohol. He had acquired it from a customer yesterday after Jenkins had left; it was a genuine antique.

"I think my quality of life is quite good as it is."

He replied, his head bowed, and gave his wrist a shake. He had considered using [Psychography] to transcribe the text, but the moment he tried to use the ability, his head had throbbed with a splitting pain.

Papa Oliver, standing nearby, was not surprised. Others had attempted the same thing, but all had failed. He attributed it to "the Sage's punishment for the lazy."

"You're suited to be an ascetic. I'm serious, don't laugh."

Papa Oliver placed the polished goblet into a wooden box, adjusted it a few times, and secured the box with a small lock inside the counter.

He continued the previous topic while wiping his hands with a towel.

"I admire young men with your character—diligent, humble, and talented. But if you don't get married because you're too busy studying under me, the Bishop will curse me even from beyond the grave!"

Jenkins laughed again.

"Oh, I'll definitely get married. I have my own house, substantial savings, a respectable job, and I'm an honorary baron. I imagine there aren't many unmarried men in this city with my qualifications."

"You've got that right."

Papa Oliver pushed up his glasses. "But what good is that if you're the only one who knows it? If you don't go out and meet any young ladies, it won't matter if you're the king..."

"Here comes the usual lecture again," he thought.

Jenkins looked for a way to change the subject. He was in no hurry to get married. Right now, increasing his strength, searching for divinity, and exploring Mysterious Realms were his priorities. This dangerous, bizarre world was no place for a quiet retirement. Until he could rely solely on his own power, everything else could wait.

He had no leads on divinity; the last time felt like it had used up all the luck he'd accumulated since his transmigration. He knew such an opportunity wouldn't come again soon, but he had to keep trying.

The firearms of this Steam Age were nowhere near as powerful as those from his memories. Moreover, the people of this world were so obsessed with steam power that someone had even proposed developing a steam-powered rifle.

Jenkins couldn't guess what the consequences of that would be, but the trajectory of technology had already shifted in a strange direction. In a few decades, a world with steam pipes crisscrossing the continent, steam airships slicing through the sky, and factories endlessly spewing white vapor might actually become a reality.

"Speaking of which, it's not safe for me to be carrying so much cash. I've also been thinking about investing. Do you have any suggestions, Papa?" Fresh chapters posted on novel⟡fire.net

He realized he'd been drifting off. He shook his head and repeated the question.

"Changing the subject again?" Papa Oliver pursed his lips. "Hmph. The safest option is to deposit it with the church, but you'd have to pay a storage fee every year. I take it you have no intention of doing that?"