Chapter 2196: Chapter 2196

In front of the automaton, Jenkins produced the bullet and slid it into the magazine of the pistol he'd had forged in the furnace. He'd known the caliber in advance, so when he'd instructed the furnace keeper to craft the weapon from the furnace's old materials and the Difference Engine's own special alloy, he'd made sure it was a perfect match.

"This pistol," Jenkins explained, "is forged from the materials of the ancient furnace, the demon's cocoon, and your own alloy. It was tempered in a special flame and, with the help of my [Principle of All Machines] ability, now possesses a unique characteristic: it can inflict special harm upon you and your creations."

He tucked the weapon back into his waistband. As for whether Jenkins truly considered this bullet his final gambit, both he and the Difference Engine shared the same unspoken thought.

"A fine strategy," the automaton conceded. "But before it comes to that, aren't you curious about the nature of this Mysterious Realm?"

"Its nature? How do you plan on cheating this time?" Jenkins retorted, stroking the cat on his shoulder.

"There will be no cheating this time. Aside from replacing its host, I have had very little influence here. You see, this Mysterious Realm was already an inherent part of Nolan's original clock tower. I did not move it here. It was waiting for you."

The statement, surprisingly, rang true.

"According to fate," Jenkins corrected, "it was waiting for us."

The automaton behind the counter offered a noncommittal response:

As it spoke, its metallic fingers flexed with fluid grace, the rollers in its joints spinning without the slightest friction. It tapped a single finger on the countertop.

Perched on his shoulder, Chocolate surveyed the counter and, to her delight, spotted her little cushion. Since Jenkins hadn't visited Pops Antique Shop for some time, it had been a while since Chocolate had seen her favorite resting spot.

"Alright, then," Jenkins said after a moment's thought, making a gesture to proceed.

"This Mysterious Realm encompasses an area roughly the size of Nolan itself. Our task is to visit seven different citizens. From each, you must acquire a specific item."

"Acquire? Are there restrictions on my methods?"

The automaton seemed to read his mind and shook its head.

"You cannot steal, rob, or use force. No coercion, manipulation, hypnosis, or deception. The item must be handed over willingly, a genuine gift from the heart. They may ask you to complete tasks, or perhaps simply answer a few questions."

"That's utterly uninspired," Jenkins scoffed. "Compared to the previous eight floors, this lacks any novelty. I thought that for the grand finale, you would have devised a rule with a bit more... astonishment."

"As I said, I have not changed the rules here much."

Jenkins shook his head, then gestured toward the door.

"Well then, shall we be off?"

"No, there is no need to walk. This antique shop is the nexus of the Mysterious Realm. From this starting point, we can travel across the city in an instant."

The automaton produced a folded travel map of Nolan from beneath the counter. Spreading it flat, it beckoned Jenkins forward to take a look.

He took a step closer to the counter, his damp boots leaving watery footprints on the antique shop's wooden floor.

Leaning over the counter, he saw seven red dots marked on the map. The automaton then retrieved seven small, brass-colored metal statues, each the size of a chess piece, and placed one atop each of the red points.

Each of the seven statuettes was a miniature human figure, representing the citizen at that specific location.

"Well, Williams," the automaton inquired, "where shall you begin?"

Jenkins leaned down to examine the map. The locations were not all within the city proper; some were scattered as far as the eastern mining district and the area near the docks.

"Why not 'choose three of seven' or something similar? Why must I visit all of them?"

He asked, but the automaton, naturally, did not reply.

He considered it for a moment. Seeing as this was the end of the journey, he decided to dispense with calculations of gain and loss, and simply choose based on personal preference.

He first selected the one located at a noble estate in the southern suburbs. He knew the place was a manor because he had been invited to a banquet there once. The hostess had been a friend of Hathaway and Briny. Of course, that same lady had been entangled in the Night Manor incident and was now in isolation at a church school in Bel Diran.

"This one, then." Jenkins pointed to the red dot. The small brass statue beside it depicted a young woman of about twenty-five, exuding an air of elegance and intellect. Her hands were clasped before her, holding a handbag with a checkered pattern. She wore a dress of an indeterminate color, a pair of short boots, and a soft hat with a lace-trimmed brim.

"Are you certain?" the automaton confirmed.

Jenkins nodded, stroking the cat on his shoulder, who, for some unknown reason, was growing increasingly excited. "This is the one."

"Then let us depart." With a single leap, the automaton was pulled into the map as if absorbed by the paper. Jenkins hesitated for only a second before gathering the cat in his arms, taking a leap of his own, and vanishing in the automaton's wake.

The man, the automaton, and the cat plummeted from a great height, only to have their descent suddenly slow as they neared the ground. In the end, their feet touched down gently on the path before the manor's gate.

A light rain was still drifting from the sky. The great gates to the estate stood open, and a man dressed as a butler held an umbrella, seemingly waiting for an arriving carriage.

The carriage had already arrived and pulled to a stop. Its coachman was frozen mid-motion, counting coins. The woman from the statuette stood beside the open carriage door, one hand holding her handbag, the other an umbrella, as she gazed up at the manor.

Time was still frozen. Jenkins looked to the automaton, gesturing for it to speak. It stood beside him in the rain, the water parting around it just as it did for him.

The automaton raised its right hand and wagged a finger.

"Behold. This lady is your target." Content orıginally comes from novｅlfire.net

There was only one woman present, so there was no mistaking his objective.

"And what must I acquire from her?"

"The Heart of Selfless Dedication."

He had heard it perfectly clearly, but he couldn't help but ask again.

"The Heart of Selfless Dedication?"

"Must I commend you on your excellent hearing?"

He had considered the possibility that his objective might not be a physical object, but this was precisely the most troublesome scenario.

"This... Heart of Selfless Dedication... what is it? If you expect me to acquire it, you must at least describe its appearance or form."

"It is a special substance that can be manifested within this Mysterious Realm. You can think of it as a fruit, condensed from personality, experience, a few residual fragments of soul, and emotion."

"If it's not a tangible object, then how am I supposed to acquire it?"

"That is for you to figure out. Savior, having come this far, I am certain you can resolve such a trivial problem."