Chapter 2094: Chapter 2094

"You know, this is the first time I've ever seen Jenkins's cat with anyone but him."

Old Mrs. Alia, the last to enter, closed the door. It was Miss Bevanna who spoke, gesturing for Hathaway to sit on the sofa.

"Chocolate is actually quite well-behaved. He knows Jenkins had to leave, and that his master is doing something truly important, so he needs to be on his best behavior as well."

As if appeased by Hathaway's praise, the sullen cat let out a soft "meow" in agreement.

Miss Bevanna then introduced the other two women in the room. She took her seat behind her desk, while Miss Bennett joined Hathaway on the sofa. Old Mrs. Alia stood by a writing desk, and a Miss Marceau positioned herself before the window, its curtains pulled aside.

"The reason we've asked you here isn't anything complicated, really."

Miss Bevanna clearly had no desire to lead the conversation, but the duty had fallen to her, and she had no choice but to proceed:

"You see, during a routine investigation, we happened to discover that you are an unregistered Enchanter. There's no need to be alarmed. While the new treaty hasn't been finalized, the relationship between the followers of Pseudo-Gods and the Orthodox Churches is different now. And that's to say nothing of your connection to Jenkins."

"Starting with an unrelated topic, just as I expected."

"That's correct. Although I claim to be a follower of the God of the Earth, I am, in fact, a member of the Music Sect. My codename is Miss Skylark. I imagine you've heard the name."

She spoke without the slightest hesitation. Miss Bevanna and Miss Bennett exchanged a look, and then the Saint from the Church of All Things and Nature took over the conversation:

"Since that's the case, you'll need to complete a simple registration when you have a moment."

"Of course, no problem."

Hathaway replied, her expression perfectly natural:

"Truthfully, I should have done this when Jenkins confided in me about his status as a Saint. Thankfully, it's not too late to take care of it now."

"Speaking of Jenkins's status..."

Miss Bevanna awkwardly steered the conversation toward its true purpose. She chose her words with care, considering the potential impact of what she was about to say.

She had learned of Jenkins's role as a Savior long ago from Papa Oliver and Miss Bevanna herself. She had even suspected he was the most crucial Savior of this Epoch. But she never could have imagined that for the young man who had grown from an ordinary person into what he was today in the span of a single year, the title of Savior was utterly insignificant—

"We're not sure if you've heard about what happened in the city square."

"Are you referring to what happened before Jenkins left?"

"Oh, yes. I heard about it from Alexia."

The Church had no choice but to speak with her about this now. Alexia had gone underground, and there was simply no one else more suitable for this conversation than Hathaway.

"It's good that you know... In that case... are you aware..."

Miss Bevanna had never had a conversation before. When she first heard the news from Papa Oliver and Mr. Gilbert, she had assumed they were joking just to put her at ease. Even now, having not witnessed the scene in the city square herself, she still harbored doubts about its authenticity. She'd even considered it might be an illusion conjured by the Believers of Lies, a trick to drive a wedge between Jenkins and the Church.

But she had no choice but to believe it, because Papa Oliver and Mr. Gilbert weren't the only witnesses. The news had already reached the Holy See with incredible speed. It was only after they had inquired five times—asking if Nolan had been destroyed, if the messenger had gone mad, if there were any sane people left in the city at all—that they had grudgingly acknowledged the report.

They had only acknowledged the message, not believed it, and certainly not accepted it.

Miss Bevanna could only imagine the fierce debates that must have raged within the Holy See before they finally resolved to consult the Sage, to ask for His stance on the matter. No one wanted to risk angering their god over what might be a ridiculous falsehood, and this news, from every possible angle, seemed utterly unreal.

Just before this meeting, the Holy See had relayed the Sage's divine oracle. The news was a mixed bag: the Sage had essentially confirmed that Nolan's report was true. That was the bad news, as it directly addressed the problem with Jenkins. The good news, however, was that the Great One... the Great One they worshipped was not angry. On the contrary, He told his mortal followers not to be surprised.

The oracle had not been written in the common tongue, so any translation would inevitably carry slight shifts in meaning. Still, Miss Bevanna understood the general sentiment the Sage wished to convey:

"I have long known that Jenkins Williams is the God of Lies. Is this truly so surprising? Is it not for the better? He is the Saint I favor, and I am the god he trusts. Therefore, you need not be alarmed. Simply accept it."

This was the Sage's stance, as best as she could interpret it from the translation and her own deductions. Upon receiving this message, Bevanna had, for a moment, suspected that the entire city of Bel Diran had been annihilated, and that this was some malicious prank sent by an unknown entity.

The Church of the Sage in Nolan confirmed repeatedly that the message from the Holy See was authentic. After a brief period of suspecting the apocalypse had arrived, Miss Bevanna finally accepted the reality. Following the guidance of the Holy See, and considering the stances of the other Orthodox Churches after they too received divine oracles, she organized this "interview."

They certainly couldn't interview Jenkins himself now. Besides, even if he were still here, it was doubtful anyone would dare to. Thus, their only option was to speak with those close to him, which led to the present situation.

"So... are you aware of Jenkins's situation? Of... everything." Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs novel•fire.net

Miss Bevanna had finally found a suitable way to phrase her question. She had to be exceedingly careful with her words.

Hathaway nodded in understanding.

"If you're referring to that, then yes, I found out not long ago. It was around the time... when that treasure appeared in the eastern suburbs of Nolan, and he confronted the Difference Engine... you know. The day all of that happened."

"Oh, so it was that day."

Miss Bevanna nodded as well. The incident had happened too recently for her to have forgotten.

"Miss Hersha, please, don't be concerned. The Sage has already given us a divine oracle. Everything Jenkins has done has been at His behest."

This was news to Hathaway, so she offered no comment.

"So, did you bring me here just to confirm whether I knew?"

"No. We also need to know who else close to Jenkins is aware of this, besides you. This is not information that can be widely circulated. On our end, the Church can guarantee it will not be disclosed..."