Chapter 240: Chapter 240

The three men stood grim-faced around the dark wood desk. The usual clutter of documents was gone, leaving only an exquisite teapot on its polished surface.

It was the activator for the Gem Assembly. Jenkins had grown wary of the gathering, and after the demon-summoning incident, he had left the teapot in the Church's care. It was his tacit way of stating his reluctance to attend again, and the Church had voiced no objections.

"Gentlemen, is something the matter?"

he inquired, puzzled, as he took off his hat and hung it on the rack behind the door. Mr. Bellini noticed Jenkins's cat slip in as well and opened his mouth as if to speak, but then simply shook his head.

Only after Jenkins had closed the door did the man begin to explain in a rushed voice:

"Mr. Williams, here's the situation. The Gem Assembly includes Enchanters from other Orthodox Churches who have been monitoring the activities of the Level 8 Benefactor, Constantine Sir. But there's a problem. According to intelligence from the Church of Sun and Justice, Constantine has acquired a terrifying Cursed Item and is attempting to fuse it with his own body."

Mr. Bellini glanced at the Keeper of Secrets, motioning for him to continue. Mr. Smith mopped his brow with a handkerchief, his words tumbling out just as quickly:

"It's A-12-02-4219, the Flesh of the Foul Devourer. Its origins are lost to history, but we know it can absorb any organic matter it directly touches, including living creatures. For that reason, it must be kept in a perfectly sealed metal or wooden container. During the few years it was in the possession of the Church of Death and End, they discovered it was alive, though it possesses no soul or consciousness. Constantine apparently hopes to achieve some goal by assimilating this flesh, but he has failed to realize that the flesh is assimilating him. We don't know what will happen if A-12-02-4219 consumes a Level 8 Enchanter—and frankly, we don't want to find out. This has to be stopped."

The elderly Keeper of Secrets placed a hand on his chest. His gaze, sharp and direct, pierced through the lenses of his glasses to meet Jenkins's eyes.

"Mr. Williams, you are the Saint blessed by the Sage. Your life is more important than almost any single incident. Word from the Holy See is that the decision should be left entirely to you. We can assure you, if you choose not to participate, it will have no bearing on your standing. The diocese in the Kingdom of Cheslan can handle this matter on its own. If you do choose to participate, we will guarantee your complete safety."

Jenkins nodded again. After only a moment's hesitation, he made his decision.

"What do you need me to do?"

He knew the mission was dangerous, but he also trusted their promise to protect him. Though being blessed by the Sage granted him an exalted religious status, this was the first dangerous task he had been assigned since becoming the Saint. If he refused this time, it would be all too easy to find an excuse to refuse the next time as well.

Jenkins had always done his utmost to avoid danger, but he was not a man to shy away from a challenge.

"Mr. Williams, have you really thought this through?"

Mr. Peters asked one more time. With Miss Bevanna away from the Nolan diocese, he was the highest-ranking combat commander.

Jenkins replied firmly. He set his cat down on the sofa, removed his overcoat to hang it on the rack, and then walked over to the desk, joining the three men in staring at the teapot.

Smith, Bellini, and Peters exchanged a look, as if steeling their resolve.

"I admire your courage, Mr. Williams."

It was Mr. Bellini who spoke. As this was his office, he took the lead.

"As a Scribe of the Sage, you have conducted yourself admirably."

The three men bowed their heads in unison, drawing the sacred symbol over their hearts. Jenkins was momentarily taken aback.

"Since your decision is made, allow me to brief you on the mission."

He picked up a sheet of paper from a nearby chair and handed it to Jenkins. It contained a detailed description of the mission.

"In a moment, we will use a sacred ritual to reverse-activate this item, causing your projection to appear directly in the basement where the assembly is held. You will not need to confront Constantine—he has gone mad. Your mission is to find a way to get outside and then infuse your spirit into this..."

Mr. Bellini set a brass-colored metal rod on the desk with a sharp clink. It was a hexagonal prism, about the length of his palm, with a smooth surface that emanated a golden spiritual aura.

"Infuse your spirit into this, and the local church in the Kingdom of Cheslan will be able to pinpoint Constantine's location. Any questions?"

Knowing time was short, Jenkins cut straight to the point. "How am I supposed to bring this with me? As you know, the Gem Assembly convenes via projection."

"Yes. We will use a special artifact to transport it with you. This will come at a great cost, but Constantine's situation escalated too rapidly for the Holy See to prepare a better solution."

In addition to the brass signaling rod, he produced two rings and set them on the desk. One was a plain silver band, while the other was adorned with a deep, black gemstone.

"These two items will also be transported with you as a safeguard. Pay attention. When you manifest as a projection, you normally can't interact with physical objects. Therefore, the ritual will be altered. You will manifest in a semi-corporeal form—not flesh and blood, but something in between. There's no time to explain the details; just think of it as an intermediate state between spirit and matter. As for this ring with the black gemstone, as long as you wear it, any harm you sustain will vanish upon your return." ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ NovєlFіre.net

"And mental corruption?"

"This," he said, indicating the other ring, "is forged from a high-density, psycho-resistant alloy. The Holy See just had it delivered from the royal capital by special means."

Jenkins examined each item in turn, confirming the presence of their spiritual auras before giving a final nod of acceptance.

The difficulty of long-distance teleportation was considerable. None of his personal items could be brought along. All he could rely on was the meager spirit of a Level 2 Enchanter... and his thirteen abilities and six Bestowals.

When he put it that way, it didn't seem so dangerous after all.