Chapter 314: Chapter 314

"Good morning, Mr. Goodman!"

Jenkins repeated the same greeting as yesterday, dispensing with any further pleasantries. He shot a hasty glance at the date on the newspaper by the fence, then rushed into the house without even grabbing the milk.

Mr. Goodman stood there, his hand still raised in a wave, a puzzled expression on his face. Something was definitely off with his neighbor today.

From beneath the bedding in front of the fireplace, he retrieved his spare ritual dagger, tossed aside the rug, and carved the holy emblem of the Sage directly into the expensive wood floor. "I ask for your gaze!"

Jenkins dropped to one knee. To find out what was truly happening, he chose an offering that was about to expire: the Water of Wisdom.

A divine gaze, almost tangible, pierced down from the highest heavens. The lip print on his forehead warmed in response. Jenkins felt as if a cascade of warm water was washing over him, and the stinging pain in his ears from the cold outside faded away.

But that was all. Nothing more. Perhaps because the goddess was particularly pleased with the offering, her gaze lingered for a full ten minutes before fading.

When Jenkins got to his feet, he felt his entire body surging with vitality. The colorless spirit within him was now tinged with faint golden traces.

"That was definitely the Sage's gaze, so this has to be the real world. Not a dream, not an illusion..."

Therefore, yesterday's thirty-first was real, and so is today's.

"Could it be that clock? The one that controls time?"

He ventured another guess, though the Bestowal wasn't currently in his possession.

But he immediately dismissed the idea.

"Reversing the world's time... in a world with true gods, that should be absolutely impossible."

It was his only lead. The only thing related to the concept of "time" he'd encountered on the "first" thirty-first was the Bestowal belonging to the clock shop's owner.

Taking a deep breath, Jenkins retraced his steps from yesterday: washroom, dining room, living room, and then, just as before, he headed for the clock shop. This time, however, he didn't bring the package for a Miss Mary. Instead, he clutched the metal block in his hand, ready for any unexpected trouble.

The middle-aged shop owner was busy in the backyard, just as before. At almost the exact same time as yesterday, he emerged into the shop carrying a stack of boxes and struck up an enthusiastic conversation with Jenkins.

This time, Jenkins paid no mind to the strange clicking sound of the Bestowal. He simply left his pocket watch and turned to leave.

"So it's not him..." The source of this content ɪs Novᴇl_Fire(.)net

Thanks to the Book of Memories, Jenkins's recall was exceptionally sharp. The shopkeeper's movements today were identical to yesterday's—down to the slightest muscle twitch, the precise angle he turned his head. This could only mean one thing: he had no memory of the previous thirty-first, no recollection that they had already met.

His expression grim, he walked to the intersection and hailed a carriage. He listened to the wheels crunching on the snow as the horse pulled them toward Pops Antique Shop.

He pushed the door open, a sliver of hope in his heart, but as the bell chimed, he saw that Papa Oliver's expression was perfectly normal.

"Wipe the snow off yourself and your boots before you come in."

Papa Oliver reminded him.

Jenkins nodded, but then a thought struck him. "Papa, I need to take the day off."

Papa Oliver didn't even look up from his book or ask for a reason.

Jenkins nodded and turned to leave, but then he hesitated. "Sir, I have a question. Is it possible for a Cursed Item to reverse time on a massive scale?"

"Don't be ridiculous."

Papa Oliver glanced up from his book and reminded him in a low voice, "Don't you realize? The Righteous Gods and Pseudo-Gods themselves are tied to the power of time. Every supreme being is suppressing... *cough, cough*... It means the divine powers are what keep time flowing normally. To reverse it... that would mean fighting the power of every god at once. Hah!"

Jenkins nodded and turned to leave. What Papa Oliver said made perfect sense, but that only made the situation more complicated.

"But it's not entirely impossible."

Papa Oliver continued, deliberately waiting until Jenkins was out the door. The topic touched on forbidden knowledge, and besides, he didn't believe such a thing could ever truly happen.

"A Cursed Item couldn't do it, but a handful of Bestowals and Extraordinary Items could. Like C-07-0-0001, the Millstone of Fate..."

He let out a small chuckle, as if mocking the absurdity of his own words, and muttered, "But how could that be possible?"

After leaving the shop, Jenkins stood in the snow for a moment to collect his thoughts. Then he hailed a carriage at the intersection to take him across half the city, to the main cathedral of the Church of Knowledge and Books. It was a workday, still early morning, and with snow still falling from the sky, there weren't many worshippers about.

Most of the church guards and clergy who greeted the faithful recognized Jenkins. He had just finished knocking the snow from his boots at the entrance when two nuns approached him with towels.

He held out his arms, feeling a little awkward, as the nuns brushed the snow from his shoulders. When a small cat's head poked out from the front of his coat, they covered their mouths with their free hands and stifled soft giggles.

After thanking the nuns, Jenkins crossed the courtyard where staff were still clearing away the snow. He walked down a long corridor adorned with oil paintings depicting legends of the Savior, and finally knocked on the door to Miss Bevanna's office.

A voice called from within.

Jenkins lifted the cat from his coat, quickly ran a hand through his hair, and smoothed the wrinkles on his overcoat before turning the cold metal doorknob.

The woman seemed surprised to see Jenkins at her door.

She sat behind a large desk, a cup of steaming tea warming her hands, a brown overcoat draped over her shoulders. The office was sparsely furnished with only the desk, a small bookshelf against one wall, and a sofa with a coffee table for visitors, yet the room itself was enormous, taking up nearly half the entire floor.

"Please, have a seat. I'm usually in the library over there in the mornings. You can find me there if you need me."

Jenkins nodded and sat down, feeling a bit stiff.

"It's been a while, Miss Bevanna. How did things go in New Truman City?"

He had to start with pleasantries. Even if he felt like he was about to burst with anxiety, he had to observe the proper etiquette.

"It went well enough, I suppose. The evil god's scion escaped..."