Chapter 254: Chapter 254

The church had its own dedicated heating system, and since cost was clearly no object, the rooms were kept quite warm. Jenkins loosened the top button of his collar; what Mr. Bellini had just said was rather unsettling.

"If it was a direct bestowal, what did they want from Constantine?"

Mr. Bellini shrugged. He wasn't wearing his overcoat in the office, dressed instead in a shirt and a black vest.

"The locations where Cursed Items appear are generally impossible to divine, and the scene hasn't been fully cleared yet, so it's too early to draw any firm conclusions. But it was likely something to do with souls—who can really say for sure? In any case, the hidden dangers of fusing with a Cursed Item finally erupted at that gathering. As far as we know, no more than three Enchanters managed to escape safely. The Church plans to release a full report on the incident soon, as a warning to those well-meaning followers of pseudo-gods and all unregistered Enchanters. We want to urge them never to attend unfamiliar gatherings, to avoid being swindled, kidnapped, or..."

Jenkins listened, nodding repeatedly.

"The Orthodox Church's attitude toward followers of pseudo-gods is still so peculiar... Are they trying to protect them? What purpose do these Enchanters who follow false gods even serve?"

After Mr. Bellini finished his lengthy explanation, he noticed Jenkins's vacant expression and saw he had no intention of commenting, so he broached another topic.

"Ahem, very well. Let's leave that matter there for now. There is something else we need to discuss. Mr. Williams, it's been about three months since you joined us, hasn't it?"

"According to the Nolan diocese's traditional procedures, newly inducted Enchanters are given a three-month period to adapt to their new lives. Afterwards, we arrange for them to take courses in various essential skills and general knowledge, all of which are very important."

He paused, a conflicted expression crossing his face, then suddenly broke into a smile.

"But we never expected you, Mr. Williams, to advance to a level-two Enchanter within three months. That kind of speed... it isn't unheard of, but we certainly hadn't planned for it. I spoke with Mr. Oliver last week, and he filled me in on your circumstances. Your progress in your studies—mysticism, pre-epoch history, ritualism, and so on—has been remarkably fast. Therefore, while scheduling courses like arithmetic, etiquette, horsemanship, and basic chemistry might seem a bit late, we must still arrange them."

"Please, not a school! A private tutor would be fine!" Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on NoveIꜰire.net

Jenkins hoped fervently, though on the surface he simply kept his earnest gaze fixed on Mr. Bellini.

Seeing that Jenkins was listening intently, Mr. Bellini cleared his throat, signaling he was about to move on to important matters.

"We have many courses planned for you, but Old Daddy mentioned you're quite busy, so they won't all start at once. The Church leadership has also offered some recommendations. Based on past experience, the first set of courses will cover five subjects: combat, firearms, astronomy, arithmetic, and etiquette. These have been carefully selected as the most crucial. Old Daddy said your arithmetic skills are exceptional, and he'll discuss the arrangements for that course with you personally. Someone else will contact you about combat, firearms, and etiquette. What I need to discuss with you today is astronomy. Do you understand its importance?"

Jenkins sat bolt upright, like a student in a classroom. For the first time in a long while, he felt like he was back in his school days.

He answered cautiously, "Yes, sir. Astronomy is connected to important mystical knowledge like divination and rituals. The Astral Plane and the Shadow Realm are major focal points of contemporary mystical research. Some even believe that ancient stargazing rituals were responsible for the birth of the very first supernatural powers."

"Indeed, Mr. Williams. And how much do you actually know about the subject?"

He picked up a pen, ready to take notes.

Jenkins hesitated. The Star Spirit had gifted him a certain amount of astrological knowledge. It existed in his mind, instantly accessible when needed, but to actually quantify how much he knew was another matter entirely.

After all, the more one learns about astronomy and astrology, the more one realizes how little they truly know. It was a profoundly deep field of study; even the Star Spirits themselves wouldn't dare claim to understand all the secrets of the cosmos.

The cosmos was vast and boundless, and the Astral Plane held infinite secrets. Compared to all that, the knowledge stored in Jenkins's mind was utterly insignificant.

"I only have a superficial understanding."

As he spoke, he raised his right hand, pinching his thumb and forefinger together, leaving only the slightest gap between them to represent his reserves of knowledge. It was a gesture he had picked up from Old Daddy, and it felt perfectly appropriate.

"Honest and humble. Both are essential qualities for a Scribe."

Mr. Bellini offered the quiet praise while jotting a few words in his notebook. What Jenkins said aligned with the information he already had.

"The Church has entrusted me with the task of finding an astronomy tutor for you, as is customary. According to the Nolan diocese's procedures, these are a few trustworthy professors and instructors with extensive expertise in the field. Please, have a look."

As he spoke, he stood and handed Jenkins a file containing several documents, each clipped with a black-and-white photograph. Then he returned to his seat behind the desk.

Jenkins placed the file on the coffee table in front of him, sliding his teacup aside to avoid accidentally spilling it.

"Every year, the Church brings in a few new Enchanters, though the number is a bit smaller this year. These instructors who are willing to accept short-term teaching assignments are a mix of ordinary people and other Enchanters. The course will last for about six months, and we hope you'll gain a great deal from it. As for the time and location of your lessons, you can work that out with your tutor directly. And naturally, the Church will cover all expenses, so there's no need to worry about that."

As Jenkins reviewed the files, Mr. Bellini provided some quiet commentary. The first few candidates were perfectly normal: a professor from the astronomy department of a renowned Nolan university, a senior member of an astrology club... but the last few files, which listed only a name, were rather odd.

"Miss Audrey? Does this refer to the diviner who believes in the 'Hermit of Destiny'?"

He pretended to have only heard her name before, since she was a heretic, and being too familiar with one could attract unwanted criticism.

"Yes. Old Daddy has probably mentioned her to you once or twice."

"But isn't she a heretic? Don't tell me these last few files are all for heretic Enchanters, are they?"