Chapter 203: Chapter 203

Mr. Bellini's appearance in the Theological Research Hall wasn't for some idle chat. He was there to transfer the handwritten copy of the 'Devil's Document' to the Special Items Handling Office for a more thorough inspection.

After chatting with the two gentlemen for a little longer, Jenkins picked up his cat and took his leave. While no one would have stopped him from going home, he knew Bishop Parrold would certainly be displeased.

He had dinner with Bishop Parrold, along with the priests and nuns who lived in the church. Unlike a meal at home, dinner at the church required a complex prayer ritual before anyone could begin eating.

The meal was held in a grand hall, its walls adorned with oil paintings of the diocese's successive bishops. Above, the ceiling was covered in a vibrant, religiously themed fresco which Jenkins believed depicted the story of Saint Dibaisis.

A long table, draped in a white cloth, occupied the center of the room. The old bishop sat at its head, accompanied by several of the church's high-ranking priests, while the others sat wherever they pleased. Silver tureens of soup and vegetables were arranged down the table. Though gas lamps lined the walls, a golden candelabra served as the centerpiece, its flames illuminating Jenkins. He sat near the middle of the table with Chocolate in his lap, conversing quietly with a few nuns who had eagerly taken the seats beside him. They were quite taken with the little cat.

It had been a while since he'd adopted Chocolate. Jenkins never skimped on its meals, always making sure to meet its dietary needs while keeping it healthy. He had even gone so far as to research feline care in the library and consult his neighbors, the Goodmans, who owned a rather elderly cat of their own.

Even so, Chocolate's size hadn't changed in the slightest, as if the kitten was frozen in time. Jenkins suspected the 'Potion of Animal Sentience' was the cause, and had even mailed a letter to Old Jack in Shire City to ask about it.

He had also enclosed three leaves from the 'Unfortunate Wishing Tree' (A-01-2-2221), carefully noting that he had come across them 'by chance.' He mentioned that they seemed to hold a potent life force and offered them as a gift for the Reading Festival.

He hadn't received a reply yet, but by his calculations, it should be arriving any day now.

At the head of the table, beneath the holy emblem of the Goddess, Bishop Parrold watched the scene with a look of quiet satisfaction. He saw Jenkins surrounded by the nuns, offered a brief prayer, and then gave a smiling nod to the young priest ladling soup beside him. The priest, in turn, could only offer a puzzled look.

"Chocolate really is the most charming cat there is," Jenkins mused.

While chatting with the nuns, Jenkins watched his kitten eat, perched on the table. He had no idea who arranged it, but someone had prepared a special meal just for Chocolate.

"Chocolate, are you getting heavier?"

He pushed an upturned fish head to the bottom of his thick soup, then picked up his knife and fork. Gripping the handles lightly with his index fingers resting on top, he carefully began to slice the large piece of meat on his plate. He glanced at his cat and teased, "Have you been sneaking snacks?"

The kitten, which had been lapping up milk with its back to Jenkins, froze mid-lick. It turned, padded over to Jenkins's right side with delicate steps, and lowered its head, rubbing its fluffy crown against his hand with a soft, pleading "meow~".

"You haven't actually been stealing food, have you?"

Jenkins asked, a note of suspicion in his voice. He set down his knife and dabbed his mouth with his triangularly folded napkin. Chocolate stood on the table, tilting its head back to look at him. From that angle, its eyes appeared large and teary.

"Don't tell me you've been chewing on someone's books here at the church?"

He'd started out joking, but now he was beginning to genuinely suspect Chocolate had gotten into some mischief.

The kitten instantly stopped its affectionate rubbing. It shot him a look, then turned its back and returned to its food. Jenkins couldn't be sure if he was imagining it, but he could have sworn he saw a flash of disdain in those vertical, amber pupils.

After dinner was finished, Jenkins joined the priests around the cleared table for a brief theological discussion. Afterward, he helped straighten up the library before finally heading back to his room to rest.

Bishop Parrold had intended to speak with Jenkins further, but a messenger arrived with news: a new child had been born to the family of an earl in the city, a devout follower of the Sage. The bishop left with a few accompanying clergymen to bestow a blessing. Jenkins had no interest in joining such an occasion—nor was it his place to—so he simply returned to his room.

The church had any book he could possibly want to read. Lighting the single candlestick on his nightstand, he settled in, poring over 'The Book of Roselle' by the flickering flame. It was a restricted text, unavailable to the general laity, and chronicled tales of aberrant life forms from the 14th Epoch. In light of the recent incident with the demon, Papa Oliver had moved up Jenkins's lessons on the subject, so most of his recent reading had been related.

The twin red and blue moons cast their eerie light through the window. Aside from Jenkins on the bed, one other living creature was in the room. It was crouched on the small, private balcony, staring blankly up at the sky.

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It let out a tiny burp, and the entire kitten seemed to flush with embarrassment. The stolen treats, it seemed, had yet to fully digest.

It glanced back at its master, who was still engrossed in his book. Seeing that he hadn't noticed, Chocolate opened its little mouth and coughed up a tiny, gleaming pearl. The bead hovered in the air, shimmering brightly. The kitten reached out a paw, batting it gently a few times before quickly swallowing it again, just before the sacred power of the Sage that permeated the church could detect it.

The kitten made a show of waving its right paw at the red and blue moons a few times, then padded lightly back into the room. It hopped onto the table, then sprang onto the bed beside Jenkins.

Jenkins couldn't very well carry the small urn for the Gem Assembly on his person, but considering the thing could activate at any moment, he'd had someone fetch it from his home that evening. Sure enough, it warmed up once during the night, signaling that Mr. Constantine had called another meeting. But Jenkins, fresh off the ordeal with the demon, was in no mood to participate. He simply set the urn aside and ignored it.

Before he went to sleep, a man in a white robe brought him a calming draught and assisted a doctor with a brief physical examination. Everything checked out fine. The doctor advised him to get some rest, and Jenkins was more than ready to comply.