Chapter 2051: Chapter 2051

An unexpected knock on the door made the old elf stop in his tracks, alert. Jenkins blinked at the door. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ NoveI[F]ire.net

"It's the Hooded Man... oh, I mean, the young Carmel."

Old Carmel was the old elf's friend and also the Hooded Man's biological father. A few months ago, he had been sacrificed by Jenkins to the first Elf's Arrow of Ruin to defeat four fallen angels.

From that perspective, Jenkins was, for all intents and purposes, the man who had killed the Hooded Man's father. That was why he had never mentioned it in his presence, and the old elf had also never told the Hooded Man the truth about Old Carmel's death or the lifting of their family curse.

"Should you leave through the window?"

The elf asked Jenkins.

"No need. As it happens, I was going to find him to say goodbye anyway."

He was wearing his own face, without any disguise.

He took a couple of quick steps down the stairs, drew a breath to compose himself, and then opened the door.

"Your Majesty, Williams?"

During Hathaway's dice game, he had gotten a very clear look at Jenkins's face.

"Good afternoon, Hooded Man. Please don't be alarmed by what comes next..."

As Jenkins spoke, he stroked the black-and-white kitten on his shoulder. The cat stood up on his left shoulder, leaped suddenly, and darted behind his head to his right shoulder.

It had been black and white, but when it reappeared, it had turned pure white.

The white cat, Vanilla, lay down again.

"Hooded Man, I suppose this is the first time we've met with me looking like my true self, isn't it?"

The middle-aged man outside the door felt as if he had forgotten how to speak.

In the end, it was the elf on the stairs who urged the Hooded Man to hurry inside and not leave the door open, waiting for monsters to appear. The elf pulled the Hooded Man in, and the three of them went upstairs again, each finding a seat in the living room, which was piled high with books.

The Hooded Man still couldn't believe that Mr. Candle was actually Jenkins Williams. After all, he had already received news that most of the followers of the God of Lies had been killed or injured yesterday, and that King Jenkins Williams was, in fact, the Saint of the Sages, acknowledged by the Twelve Orthodox Churches as the Savior of this epoch.

Only yesterday, he had been grieving for quite some time after hearing of Mr. Candle's death, but he soon decided that a cunning fellow like him wouldn't die so easily. Although his hunch had now been proven correct, and he was certain he still had a chance to repay the man, an even more shocking truth had emerged.

Thinking back, there had been clues all along that Mr. Candle was Jenkins Williams—Skylark Miss's dice game, for instance, the cat, and the detailed information he had provided at their gatherings over the past year.

Still, the Hooded Man couldn't bring himself to believe it. A corner of his mind insisted this was just another of Mr. Candle's clever schemes. After all, as a follower of the God of Lies, Mr. Candle's plans were surely not something he, who could only see a fraction of the truth, could ever fathom. The plot had to be as complex as a spider's web, and all he could see was, at most, a single thread.

But the old elf wouldn't joke about something . He helped Jenkins confirm it: the Saint of the Sages and the new king was indeed the elusive Mr. Candle.

For the Hooded Man, this meant that the mysterious person who had crashed his gathering last autumn was truly the Savior of this epoch.

"Should I congratulate you on your wedding to Skylark Miss?"

With so much on his mind, the Hooded Man hadn't expected those to be the first words out of his mouth.

"We plan to marry next summer in Bel Diran. You can offer your congratulations then."

Jenkins smiled and let the cat, which had been feigning good behavior on his shoulder, revert to its Chocolate form. The quiet white cat instantly became lively, only reluctantly ceasing its fidgeting when Jenkins pulled it onto his lap to lie down.

"I know you have many questions, but I don't have much time left. I was planning to find you to say goodbye, so it's good that we've run into each other."

"Goodbye? Where are you going..."

The Hooded Man frowned, then pointed in the direction of the tower.

"There? Why the hurry? I thought that after identifying the true Savior, the churches would first organize a large-scale expedition to test the waters. Why would they send you off to take such a risk immediately... It's like they're pushing you to your death."

"Don't say that; it was my decision too. The details are extremely complicated to explain. But to put it simply, if I don't enter that tower immediately, the material world will have to face the birth of a physical cataclysm. That's not something mortals can fight.

Besides, every disaster so far has originated from the machine hidden beneath this city. If we deal with it, people can absolutely change the course of the unfolding calamities through their own efforts. We turned the world into this, so we also have a responsibility to turn it back to how it was."

"That may be so... but isn't this too rushed? Mr. Can... Jenkins, are you very confident in yourself?"

He tried to get an affirmative answer, but Jenkins didn't give one.

"Something like that... I really can't answer."

The Hooded Man seemed to deflate in an instant.

"I never thought something would happen. My friend is the Savior—that's an honor, of course, but it's so dangerous... Last time, I said I wanted to repay you. With the help of Mr. White Cat and Mr. Black Cat, I've already found a great item, but it will take some time to get it. It's probably too late now."

"It's alright. In the current situation, a weapon or two won't make a difference anymore."

"But that thing is... Never mind. It's a real shame."

The Hooded Man cared deeply for his friends; when Mr. Birchwood died last year, he had been heartbroken for a long time. Now, he desperately wished he could help his friend but found himself utterly powerless. He didn't care what Mr. Candle's identity was. As long as he wasn't a bad person, the fact that he was Jenkins Williams was actually a good thing—it meant one less wedding gift to pay for.

"The calamities at the end of an epoch are always . Everyone wants to be involved, but only one or two people can play a decisive role."

The old elf spoke at the right moment, then asked:

"Speaking of which, what did you come here to see me for?"

"Oh, sir, with things as they are outside, I was hoping you would move in with me so we could look out for each other."

Only then did the Hooded Man state his purpose for coming, but the old elf immediately waved his hand dismissively.

"No need. I place. Jenkins even suggested I move to the Legacy Sage Church just now, but I refused. Don't worry. Since I've been lucky enough to live this long, I certainly won't be careless with my life. Neither of you need to worry about me. I'm quite safe here."

Because this might be their last farewell, Jenkins didn't want to leave with any secrets. So he told the Hooded Man the truth: that he was the one who had killed his father, the cursed Carmel.

The Hooded Man showed no surprise or grief. His expression was cold as he nodded, not even saying a word. This wasn't because he was angry with Jenkins, but because of the peculiar relationship between him and his father, Old Carmel. That complex tangle of love and hate would not be forgotten just because Old Carmel was dead.

He would never forgive his father, and he would never forget him. It was a hatred etched into his very bones, but at the same time, there was confusion as to why his own father would do such a thing, and a longing for a father's love that would never come.

But regardless, he was unwilling to speak of that man again. Even when he tossed and turned late at night, his mind would return countless times to the day he lost his arm, but he refused to speak of it to anyone, nor did he want anyone else to bring it up.

Relatively speaking, the fact that Jenkins had killed Old Carmel was of little consequence to the Hooded Man. By killing him, Jenkins had also freed him from his curse. Whether that act was right or wrong was truly difficult to say.

Before leaving the old elf's apartment, Jenkins asked the Hooded Man for the addresses of Mr. Black Cat and Mr. White Cat, planning to visit those two friends as well. At the same time, he told the Hooded Man that Magic Miss and Silver Flute Miss were currently at the Legacy Sage Church, so there was no need to worry about their safety.

"If something truly terrible happens, you, Mr. Black Cat, and Mr. White Cat can bring your families to take refuge in the church. Even if I'm not around, just say you know Skylark Miss from the Church of Music. Hathaway will find a way to let you in."

Jenkins said to his friend before they parted. The Hooded Man opened his arms and embraced him.

"We'll definitely see each other again, right?"

The middle-aged man looked a little sentimental.

"Yes, we definitely will. I'm still looking forward to the wedding gift you'll give me and Hathaway."

The old elf stood in the living room, watching from between the curtains as Jenkins and the Hooded Man parted ways downstairs.

The elf sighed, sat back down on the sofa, and rested his arms on his legs. With his feet apart and his head hanging low, he remained dejected for a long while before suddenly raising his right hand to his ear.

He looked up and spoke to the ceiling, then stood up again and gazed at the elven books filling the living room, murmuring to himself:

"Although I've never succeeded before, and I long ago gave up hoping I would, this time is different. It has to succeed. This time... it's not for me."