Chapter 1769: Chapter 1769

While a moderate rain fell over the city, the Evergreen Forest on its outskirts was only experiencing a light drizzle. But even with the rain, the forest was exceptionally lively today. The command post for the battle a few hours prior had been established in the Sage's Church nearest the front lines, but once the fighting was over, all materials, wounded personnel, and information related to the incident were moved into the forest.

Jenkins soon found his divination teacher beneath the giant tree in the heart of the forest. To his surprise, Papa Oliver was there as well, rather than back at the antique shop as he had expected. The two had been conversing in hushed tones before he arrived, falling silent as he approached.

Holding an umbrella, Papa Oliver walked toward Jenkins.

"It's confirmed," he began. "The Twelve Churches Joint Conference will officially open this Saturday. You'll need to find time this week to see the Bishop. Not only will you be speaking at the opening ceremony, but you'll also be required to attend nearly every important meeting. Unlike the Tri-King Summit, you can't afford to be absent from these. The schedule is still under discussion, but the Church will provide you with an itinerary as soon as it's finalized. I know you've never liked attending such formal meetings, but this time, it's mandatory."

"I know, Papa Oliver. You don't have to worry," Jenkins said.

He nodded. As they met, they tilted their umbrellas to the side, and Papa Oliver clapped a free hand on his shoulder.

"Also, don't forget you still owe a report on last night's events."

"And if you have time tomorrow morning, come by the shop. There's something I need to talk to you about."

"And another thing, Old Jack plans to come to Nolan in a few days. I thought we could go to the station to meet him. If I get word and can't find you, I'll just send a note to your house. Make sure to check your mailbox."

"Also, stop running all over the place. According to your report, that demigod from the Gear Artisans' Association is unconscious, but there's no telling if he saw your face or when he might wake up. It's a dangerous situation. If you can, stay at home or at the church. I assume you don't want to miss the opening ceremony of the conference."

Jenkins hadn't mentioned in his report that the man had recognized him. Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs novel⁂fire.net

"I understand that perfectly."

"And don't completely abandon the Tri-King Summit. I've noticed you haven't been to City Hall in several days."

"I'll go tomorrow morning after our meeting."

"Just as long as you remember."

Papa Oliver nodded. This time, he didn't add anything else. He simply held his umbrella aloft and walked away, following the path Jenkins had just taken.

"Does Papa Oliver seem a little... well... long-winded today?"

Jenkins waited until Papa Oliver was out of earshot before whispering to Audrey. He was hesitant to use a word with such negative connotations, but his limited vocabulary offered no better alternative.

"People get like that when they get older. Isn't it normal?"

The diviner shrugged.

"He may look old, but I've always thought he was young at heart."

He glanced suspiciously in the direction Papa Oliver had disappeared.

"It's rare to see him look so weary and worn down. Did something happen that I'm not aware of?"

"No, he's just worried about you."

Audrey replied, holding a black umbrella of a style identical to Jenkins's. The rain pattered softly against the fabric, beads of water merging and trickling down the edges in silvery streams—a typical summer shower.

"Don't pretend you don't know. All of Papa Oliver's former apprentices left him, for various reasons. It's almost like a curse... I'm sorry, I've only heard rumors, so I don't know the details. Last night's events probably made him realize that you, too, could be taken from him at any moment because of the dangers you face. When he thinks about his past apprentices, it's only natural he'd be in a foul mood and act the way he just did."

The speculation was probably correct, and Jenkins felt a pang of sadness. But he was certain he wasn't going to leave—at least, not anytime soon.

Putting the conversation about Papa Oliver aside, they continued speaking in front of a small pond beneath the great tree. While Jenkins had been sound asleep at home that morning, Miss Brolignans had contacted Audrey. Her discovery was related to the Millstone of Fate.

It was not that something recorded in the book had changed, but that the Church of Destiny had discovered a card had fallen from the Millstone of Fate.

"A card? An All-Seeing Card?"

Jenkins had encountered many of them and had even possessed the [Angel] card himself, though he had quickly used it.

"Yes, and it's an undocumented one at that. But that's not unusual. No one has ever known the complete set of cards in this fate-related deck."

"Which one was discovered this time?"

In the common tongue, many words meant 'world,' but Audrey used the most universal and specific term.

"So who does the card belong to? The person who found it?"

"No, the card slipped from the pages in front of many people, so it has no clear owner. My teacher said the Church is preparing for her to bring the card here with the next squad of Enchanters sent to support Nolan. If you're interested, you can probably take a look at it then."

The main reason Jenkins had come to see Audrey was to discuss his [Cycle] ability. On this subject, she strongly urged him to evolve it into [Recurring Destiny]. Although he would lose the passive effect of growing stronger over time, Audrey was convinced that the latter ability was far more potent.

The effects of [Recurring Destiny] were difficult to put into words. As Audrey explained, she delved into complex divination theories that Jenkins struggled to comprehend. As far as he could grasp, it allowed him to lock in a "destiny" that had already transpired over a certain period and then repeat it when necessary.

A simple example would be if Jenkins had a day where he kept winning at cards against the ladies; he could use the ability to record that destiny and have it manifest again the next time he played.

Of course, all fate-related abilities came at a price, and [Recurring Destiny] was no exception. Replacing the present with a past destiny did not make the present one simply vanish. Instead, that displaced destiny would have a profound impact on the future. Therefore, using such an ability required the utmost caution.

Besides [Recurring Destiny], Jenkins had another option. He hesitated for a moment after Audrey finished her explanation, then told her about [The Writer (Purple Destiny)]. He did not mention the ability's origin, and she did not ask.

After listening, she gazed at the giant tree before them and said nothing for a long time. She only broke the silence after the cat on Jenkins's shoulder yawned.

"Whether you keep [Cycle] or choose a path for its evolution—that's a decision you must make yourself. I have all the materials for the [Recurring Destiny] ritual. If you want to learn it, we can perform the ceremony once my teacher arrives in Nolan. Presiding over it alone would be a bit difficult for me. As for the materials for [The Writer], I'm not familiar with them, but I assume you can prepare them on your own. I can only offer advice; the path you walk is your own."

Jenkins could sense something in Audrey's attitude. She clearly knew more but was unable to say it for some reason. He thought it over and decided there was no rush. He could wait until Miss Brolignans returned and ask for her opinion then.

Besides, based on Papa Oliver's behavior, it seemed highly probable that [Cycle] was somehow connected to the [Evolution Key] in his possession.

As for what had happened in the Mysterious Realm, Jenkins recounted everything except for the final detail about Sigrid being "possessed." He still was not sure if saving the child on the roadside had been a historical event or an illusion. But it would not make sense if it were history, since the two monsters had only appeared because of the adult Sigrid.

"I actually think it was real history," Audrey mused. "You've once again clarified a murky part of the past. For both you and Miss Capet, this experience in the Mysterious Realm has created a perfect closed loop of fate. Now, there are no outstanding debts to the past. That's why I believe you genuinely stepped into a moment from long ago."

"I can understand Sigrid's closed loop of fate, but what does that have to do with me?"

Jenkins asked in confusion, tilting his umbrella to the side to watch the raindrops slide down in a continuous stream. Both he and Chocolate on his shoulder looked up slightly to watch the sight, the expressions of man and cat surprisingly identical.

"Did you think you could just take someone's World Tree Seedling and that a single Bestowal and one ability would be enough to compensate for it? A World Tree Seedling isn't something you can just change ownership of willy-nilly. Items of that caliber are tied to fate itself. Not everyone is qualified to possess one, and they can't simply be gifted to others. It's the same reason you can't just hand over divine artifacts—there are profound principles at play."

Audrey asked, touching a hand to her forehead as if Jenkins had posed a foolish question.

Only then did Jenkins begin to understand, but this led him to another thought.

"But I was also planning to ask for the Tree Soul. What should I use to compensate for that?"

Audrey still had work to do in the Evergreen Forest, cooperating with the Church's divination efforts to locate the demigod who had been rescued after falling unconscious yesterday. Based on the residual lightning marks and descriptions of the battle, the Church of Creation and Machinery had already identified the hammer used to attack Jenkins. As a result, they were even more desperate to find the fugitive than Jenkins was. After all, it could lead them not only to another missing Bestowal—the [Mechanical Heart]—but also potentially to the person who had destroyed the Stopped Clock.