Chapter 2074: Chapter 2074
Just holding the green leaf sent a refreshing coolness through him. Jenkins then tried placing it in his mouth, but all he tasted was a sweet flavor, no surge of power.
“The leaf allows me to help you one time, but that's all,” the woman explained. “Beyond that, keeping it in your mouth will only grant you immunity to all toxins and any abnormal condition that might affect your body.”
Jenkins nodded, returning the World Tree's leaf to his spirit before getting to his feet. He knew it was time to wake up, but the World Tree had more to say, her voice tinged with sorrow:
“Little seedling, you absolutely must not let anything happen to you.”
“Everyone's been telling me that lately. Don't worry, I'll be fine.”
“If you truly don't know what power you still possess, try to think about your own essence.”
“Then what is my essence? My original form?”
He had heard that phrase many times before.
“Yes. Think carefully about what you truly mean to this world. Good luck...”
Above the surging sea of stars, the Star Spirit Rakul, who seemed as if she hadn't moved in a billion years, was smiling at him.
“I really am busy tonight.”
He sighed, then took the initiative to greet the Star Spirit:
“Good evening, God of Lies.”
Rakul cupped her hands, and a corner fragment of a stone slate materialized within them. Only three of its sides were smooth and flat; the rest was as rough and uneven as a common stone. Jenkins hadn't seen the piece in nearly a year. It was a fragment of the Creation Slate, which the Star Spirit had been safeguarding for him.
“Are you giving this back to me?”
“No. The material world still won't allow any more fragments of the Creation Slate to enter. I know you are about to face the final trial of this epoch, so I must remind you of something—this fragment will be of use to you.”
Jenkins stared at the stone, but he couldn't sense any power within it.
“You may call my name at any time, and I will personally deliver this fragment to you when you need it.”
He nodded. Though he didn't know how it would help, it was one more thing that might tip the scales in his favor.
“Furthermore, while my kind never interferes with the affairs of the material world, I am willing to offer my assistance once, so long as it isn't to directly help you fight the Beast of Calamity.”
Jenkins looked at Rakul, surprised. Such a promise was completely out of character for her.
“Do you consider me a friend?”
“Then as your friend, I cannot simply stand by while you are in danger. But I can only appear once, so you must make the opportunity count. While this bends the rules, I am required to personally escort this fragment to you. Therefore, my actions will not be a violation.”
“I understand. Thank you for going to such lengths.”
Jenkins nodded and sighed, hesitating for a moment before asking:
“Actually, there's one more thing I wanted to ask. Do you know of the Devouring Moon Spirit Cat?”
A smile touched Rakul's lips again. She met his gaze and nodded, but said nothing.
“You know, but you can't say, right? It's always .”
He muttered under his breath. After bidding the Star Spirit farewell, he finally awoke in his bed at the church.
“I feel more exhausted than before I went to sleep.”
He threw back the covers and sat up. The door was shut and the room was dark, but thanks to his Dark Soul ability, he could see perfectly.
Chocolate was gone, but Jenkins didn't panic. He got up, pushed open the door, and instinctively shielded his eyes from the hallway light. Turning left, he saw his cat, Chocolate, standing on the dining table in the adjoining room, along with the young women who had been waiting for him to wake.
He asked with a yawn.
“Eleven-twenty. We were going to wake you in twenty minutes.”
“It's fine. This is enough time.”
Julia pulled out a chair for him. As Jenkins sat, he stroked Chocolate's fur and asked,
“Did anything happen while I was asleep?”
“No, everything's been quiet.”
His gaze fell upon the sumptuous spread of food on the candlelit table. For a strange, fleeting moment, it reminded him of a death row inmate's last meal.
“What am I thinking?”
He shook his head forcefully, then pulled the affectionate cat onto his lap.
“Aren't any of you going to eat with me?”
“Jenkins, don't you know ladies have to watch their figures?”
“Fair enough. Speaking of which, I just remembered a love poem. How about I recite it for you all? It fits the current mood perfectly.
I don't think I've ever recited a love poem for you before, have I? This would be a first. Ahem—
I will wait, I will wait.
No matter how long...”
He wasn't sure why, but Chocolate's claws came dangerously close to scratching his hand, preventing him from finishing the beautiful little poem.
The Difference Engine had claimed the tower would rise at dawn on Sunday, but Jenkins couldn't just wait at the church for it to appear before making his move.
After his late meal, Jenkins joined Papa Oliver and the others to prepare for departure. With a great battle looming, none of the other women would be accompanying them, save for Alexia. Before he left the church, each of them gave him a kiss on the cheek. Dolores looked on the verge of tears, and after her turn, she clung to her maid and finally broke down crying. Googlᴇ search novel✶fire.net
“I'll be back. You don't need to keep reminding me.”
He told them with a smile, then added,
“Has that group photo we took been developed yet?”
“It has, but we wanted to wait for you to come back before we pick it up.”
“That's a nice thought. I hope nothing went wrong with the development, otherwise we'll have to take it again... although, another picture wouldn't be so bad. Next time, I'm definitely putting a bowtie on Chocolate.”
For once, Chocolate didn't object. Instead, the cat clung desperately to Jenkins's collar, refusing to be left behind. Jenkins didn't have the heart to pull him off. He could always leave the cat with Alexia before entering the tower. For now, he wanted Chocolate to be with him for this last part of the journey.
He took the hat Julia offered, placed it on his head, and smiled at the women.
“Then... come back soon.”
Only Sigrid managed to whisper, the others seemingly unable to find their voices.
“I will. As soon as I can.”
With that, he turned and walked toward the group waiting for him at the church doors. He heard the sound of weeping behind him but didn't dare turn to see who it was.
The Church had already established a defensive perimeter around the site of the black metal tower. All available combatants in Nolan, save for the demigods required to guard the Evergreen Forest and the church itself, had been gathered near the city square, waiting.
The church was close to the city square—both were in the heart of the city—so Jenkins and the others from the Church went on foot. He walked in the center of the group, surrounded by people carrying oil lamps and candles. He felt like a chosen hero being escorted to face the demon king.
Papa Oliver handed him a rucksack. It was stuffed full and weighed far more than it looked. It contained ritual supplies and other potentially useful items prepared by the Church, along with a few things Jenkins had packed himself.
Unfortunately, the Mysterious Realm had rules limiting the number of extraordinary items one could bring inside. Otherwise, the Church would probably have sent Jenkins in with an entire horse-drawn carriage full of them.
He took the backpack from Papa Oliver and shooed away his cat, who was craning its neck to sniff at the bag.
“Papa Oliver, let's just say... if I don't come back, has the Church made contingency plans for that?”
“Of course, we have. But we didn't tell you, out of consideration for your morale.”
Papa Oliver avoided his gaze, his own spirits low. He only had two apprentices left now; he couldn't bear to imagine the possibility of Jenkins not returning.
“Of course, you don't have to tell me. I just hope that if I don't make it back...”
He lowered his voice.
“...could you help me look after...”
“I've only got three days left myself. You want me to look after them?”
Papa Oliver retorted, then whispered something to a person nearby. A moment later, Miss Stevel was brought over. Though she had been "undercover" with the Music Cult, she was a powerful Enchanter and had resumed her true identity to take part in this operation.
“Jenkins has something to say to you.”
Papa Oliver told his former student.
Miss Stevel asked, leaning closer.
“If I don't make it back, please look after Hathaway for me. I know the Church will see to it that the girls are taken care of, but knowing her, she might do something foolish.”
Miss Stevel nodded silently, seemingly taken aback by his pessimism. The group continued walking, and it was a good ten seconds before she spoke again:
“Jenkins, I've been wanting to ask... being forced to face all this, have you ever considered...”
“I'm not being forced.”
He said breezily, cutting her off.
In the Church's eyes, he had only recently learned he was a Savior and had only just decided to take up the mantle and save the world. But in truth, ever since learning the secret of the End of the Epoch a year ago, he had been prepared to sacrifice everything for this path.
His goal had always been true godhood. He understood the difficulty of that ambition and was not so naive as to believe the path would be smooth. Even if he were to die along the way, it would be nothing out of the ordinary.