Chapter 1803: Chapter 1803
Jenkins had been run off his feet all day. From his business with Papa Oliver in the morning, to his first conversation with the Difference Engine in the mining district, and then spending the entire afternoon dealing with the matter of the young flower seller.
By the time he got home, he collapsed onto the sofa, not wanting to move an inch. Julia was in the kitchen preparing dinner; the ladies of the house were waiting for him to join them. Briny was upstairs organizing her clothes, while Hathaway had returned home almost as late as Jenkins himself.
It was not until after dinner that Hathaway suggested they speak alone. The two of them went to the ground-floor study, where Jenkins opened a window. Although the air outside was rather poor, the stuffy summer heat made it unbearable to keep it closed.
"There's something I have to tell you," she began. "I've been thinking about it for a long time."
Jenkins stood by the window while Hathaway leaned against a bookshelf, her arms crossed over her chest. It was a sign of nervousness; otherwise, she would have stood with her hands hanging naturally at her sides, or perhaps reached for a book behind her.
"Don't tell me you've fallen for Julia, too?"
Jenkins joked, but he could tell from the red-haired lady's expression that his attempt at humor was terribly timed. Chocolate, perched on the windowsill, looked at Jenkins, not understanding the significance of that little word, "too."
"Be serious. I really do have something important to discuss. If I recall correctly, you know quite a few of the Believers of Lies, don't you?"
He answered cautiously, wondering if revealing his identity now would put too much pressure on her.
"There's something... I'm not sure if I should tell you, but I think it's better that you know."
Hathaway bit her lip, her expression hesitant:
"The Believers of Lies are trying to win us over." Get full chapters from noveⅼfire.net
Jenkins froze for a moment, then, remembering he was the Saint Son of the Sage, he composed his features into a serious mask:
"I mean, they're recruiting the musicians who, like me, believe in our Lord, the [Wondrous Musical Score]. They hope to gain our support—or more accurately, the support of more pseudo-god sects—to secure a more favorable position in the upcoming negotiations with the Orthodox Churches."
Jenkins considered how he should respond. He had no intention of telling Hathaway he was a Believer of Lies—it was not necessary. After all, that identity was meant to suffer a "total defeat" in the negotiations. If Hathaway knew, it would only hinder the plan.
He planned to reveal those secrets later.
"I've heard about this," he said. "The Church has received reports as well. The Believers of Lies have been quite open in their efforts to recruit heretics; they haven't hidden their intentions at all. Hathaway, are you worried about where you stand? Yes, that's certainly something to consider. But you don't need to worry. I know there's a very capable lady within the Music Sect. As long as you follow your sect's lead, it won't be a problem whether you support the Orthodox Churches or the Believers of Lies."
In this whole affair, only the followers of the music god were in a position where they could not possibly lose. With Miss Stevel on the inside, if they supported the Believers of Lies and won, it would be a happy outcome for everyone. If they lost, they would still be credited for providing cover for Miss Stevel's operation.
"So it wouldn't matter if we supported the Believers of Lies?"
Hathaway asked again, her gaze drifting suspiciously to Jenkins's cat.
"It won't matter. Don't worry about this causing any trouble for your friends. I can guarantee that no matter the outcome, you'll all receive your due rewards."
"Are you being serious?"
Jenkins nodded slowly. He did not want to betray Miss Stevel. His senior sister had been undercover for so many years, and he refused to be the reason she was exposed. So he could only offer a strained explanation:
"I know a great many things, but some of them... I can't speak of them until the final moment arrives. But I can promise you this, Hathaway: no matter who you support, it will have no effect on the final outcome. No matter who you support, there will be no negative consequences for you. Don't repeat this to anyone. This is for you alone to know.
I give you my word as the Saint Son, Hathaway. You will not be harmed."
Hathaway nodded, asking no more questions. Jenkins was pleased by her understanding nature, completely missing the fact that she was actually staring at his cat.
Earlier today in the mining district, she had encountered the "Twin Demons" riding a unicorn. That member of the Believers of Lies, who had been very active last year but quieter this year, had an orange cat on his shoulder. It was then that Hathaway realized something: it seemed that whenever a Believer of Lies appeared, there was always a cat by their side.
It was an incredibly obvious characteristic. In fact, anyone with a lick of sense should have noticed it last year, yet no one had pointed it out until now.
This led Hathaway's thoughts to Jenkins. Of all the people she knew who kept a cat as a pet, not a single one spent nearly twenty-four hours a day with their animal.
If she had thought of this before Jenkins confessed to being the Saint Son of the Sage, Hathaway might have suspected he was actually a Believer of Lies—that carrying a cat was a tradition of their sect, like a token or a symbol of identity. But knowing his true status, she understood that such a guess was utterly impossible. A Saint Son of a Righteous God being a follower of a pseudo-god? The idea was too ridiculous.
And so, Hathaway began to consider other things, recalling a long list of nagging suspicions:
She hesitated, unsure if she should ask, her mind turning to the rumors that when the God of Lies had appeared in Nolan, he too was accompanied by a black cat.
Just then, Chocolate stood up, stretched its hind legs back in a long, lazy motion, and looked at Hathaway with its beautiful, amber eyes. Those eyes were full of innocence, yet they sent an eerie chill down Hathaway's spine.
"What's wrong with Chocolate?"
Jenkins asked, scratching the side of his face. He then recalled the events of that morning and could not help but complain:
"Are you asking why I cut its rations at dinner? It did something completely outrageous today, and it needs to be punished, or it will just do it again. Young cats need to be properly disciplined, otherwise they'll only become more disobedient later on."
Too embarrassed to admit the truth, Jenkins did not mention the part where he had been turned into a mouse and "held hostage" for the cat's amusement.
"No, that's not what I meant."
The red-haired girl shook her head. She remembered the spectacular performance of Mr. Candle's white cat, "Vanilla," during the dice game. She was not sure if Jenkins knew about his own cat's peculiarities, so she decided not to ask for now. Hathaway resolved to speak with Alexia instead; she was confident she could get an answer from her.
The next day was Friday, the fifth of July, with only one day remaining before the Twelve Churches Joint Conference. Early that morning, a letter arrived from Queen Isabella, insisting that Jenkins attend the Tri-King Summit that day.
Although the "Tri-King" summit was now down to two kings, the talks were still ongoing. This was because Tackwen's second son—the heir his father had actually chosen—remained in Nolan, continuing to participate in the meetings while communicating with his home country.
Furthermore, due to Tackwen's death, the second prince, Brier Alecio, had stated directly during negotiations that he was willing to pay a certain price if the Hamparvo and Fidektri kingdoms would help him reclaim his throne.
This offer created a breakthrough in the talks, which had been stalled for days, leading to significant progress just yesterday. The three great kingdoms had finally reached a basic consensus on a bill to limit waste gas emissions and had also resolved several long-standing territorial disputes.
To prevent any new complications from arising—and to avoid a repeat of a signatory dying after a memorandum of understanding was signed but before the official treaty—both monarchs agreed that the results of the conference should be put to paper as quickly as possible. Therefore, a grand banquet and reception were to be held today, where the momentous conference document would be signed in the presence of all the delegates.
As for Brier Alecio, he held little sway in Nolan until he could contact the Tree House, which had promised him aid. Moreover, with his elder brother having already declared himself king in the city of Dullin, he desperately needed the strong support of the other two nations.
As a member of the kingdom's royal family, Jenkins was required to attend the event. Even if he tried to make an excuse to help out at the church, Bishop Parrold would just send him packing to the banquet. So, Jenkins could only send word with the messenger that he accepted the invitation and then began to consider who he should ask to be his companion.
He turned to look at the young women in the house. He knew without asking that Julia would never accept; she would likely be by Dolores's side.
"Would you like to attend the banquet with me?"
Instead of choosing between Hathaway and Briny, he posed the question to both of them. It was far easier than a multiple-choice question.
"Aren't you going to invite Alexia and Dolores?"
The blonde girl immediately asked. Jenkins shook his head:
"There's no need. They're certain to be at the banquet."
"So you're inviting four beautiful young ladies to accompany you to the banquet? No, wait, five. Miss Windsor will definitely be there."
Hathaway challenged him. Jenkins wanted to admit it but was too sheepish, so he could only keep a straight face and say nothing.
The ladies would need the entire morning to select suitable attire, but Jenkins had no such requirements. He left after breakfast, as he had other matters to attend to. Of course, he promised he would be back before lunch.