Chapter 323: Chapter 323

"Greetings, great... ah, right. I won't say it aloud."

Mr. Pisco said awkwardly.

"I appreciate the compliment. Even knowing Mr. Williams's unique role at the end of this epoch, I am still astonished that a being such as yourself would deign to visit this world."

He offered his profoundest respects once more.

"Yes, what I just told Mr. Williams is all true. To prove my sincerity, I have also prepared a gift."

As he spoke to the languid cat, he produced the page from the Millstone of Fate. With a gentle push, it slid across the small wooden table and came to rest before Chocolate.

The cat waved its paw, and a black hand stretched out from the shadow of the armchair, bringing the paper to its mouth. Chocolate did not stand on ceremony, opening its little maw and taking a bite. It ate half of the blank portion of the page before letting out a small burp.

Mr. Pisco sighed. He rose to poke the fire, then stood at the window, gazing out at the dark street below. Jenkins happened to be turning the corner at that very moment, his footprints stretching from some unseen point. Pisco watched as the cat flowed out of the shadow at Jenkins's feet, a line of pure blackness that climbed up his leg and settled back in his arms.

"Their story seems far more interesting. What a pity I won't be here to see how it ends..."

To ensure he would be well-rested for the day, Jenkins took Chocolate home and slept for a little while longer, leaving the house just as the sky began to lighten. Around seven o'clock, he arrived at Miss Audrey's front door.

The snow, having fallen all night, had draped the courtyard in a silver mantle. The flowers in the beds had long since withered, leaving only a few dry branches standing tall, but even they could not resist the flurry of white sprites.

Jenkins paced hesitantly by the gate, feeling it was inappropriate to call so early. He held too many secrets, and discussing his current situation with the Church felt unsafe. That was why he had come to seek out this brilliant Benefactor.

If Jenkins had a smoking habit, he could have lit a cigarette now to pass the time. But smoking was an added expense and would bother the cat, so he had never taken it up.

But his luck was good. In less than ten minutes, the door to Miss Audrey's house opened, and two maids emerged one after the other, dressed in thick cotton coats and scarves, clutching brooms in their gloved hands.

The maid in front spotted Jenkins immediately and said something to the one behind her, who promptly dropped her broom and hurried back inside.

And so, Jenkins was smoothly ushered indoors. He now sat by a warm hearth, cupping a steaming mug of tea, and looked at the sleepy-eyed woman across from him.

He offered an awkward greeting. It really was too early.

"Good morning, Mr. Williams. Don't worry about it; this is about the time I usually wake up anyway. Would you care to join me for breakfast? Mrs. Stephen's cooking is quite excellent."

"No, thank you. I'm actually here on urgent business."

He lifted the teacup and took a sip. The warmth flowed down his throat and into his stomach, spreading through his entire body.

"Do you happen to know of C-07-0-0001, the Millstone of Fate?"

The woman's gaze sharpened instantly.

She hesitated as if worried about something. "A very special Bestowal."

"It's a relief that you know of it. What I need to know is, is it possible for a single page to come loose from the codex and fall into the hands of a Benefactor?"

Miss Audrey let out a long breath and, like Jenkins, raised her teacup for a sip. But Jenkins couldn't shake the feeling that she was trying to hide her anxiety.

"It has happened before. Even a single page of the Millstone possesses immense and wondrous power, but the price for using it is equally steep. Have you encountered something?"

"Well... alright. This is what happened..."

It was precisely because this thirty-first would be rewound again that Jenkins felt safe enough to explain what he had encountered. Of course, he omitted the part about the divinity. Chapters fırst released on NoveI-Fire.ɴet

Miss Audrey sat across from him, listening to his story in silence, not uttering a single word. Only when Jenkins had finished did she furrow her elegant brows.

"Please wait a moment."

She gave him an apologetic look, rose, and left the living room, returning shortly with a deck of divination cards.

But this time, it was not to be a simple card drawing. She summoned the maids and had them draw all the curtains and remove all the furniture from the living room, leaving only a single rug spread in the center.

Miss Audrey handed Jenkins a piece of ritual chalk and had him draw a series of strange symbols around the circular rug. The maids, meanwhile, brought ornate golden candelabras up from the cellar and arranged them in a circle around the two of them. The candles themselves were also specially made; a closer look revealed that golden threads were embedded in the wax, each thread intricately shaped into a rune.

Miss Audrey knelt alone on the circular rug, her expression solemn as she placed the cards from her hand onto the rug one by one.

Once everything was in place, the maids quickly left, bringing in several folding screens to enclose the area and create a darkened chamber. Jenkins also knelt on the rug, facing the woman.

Between them lay the divination cards, arranged in a strict, deliberate pattern.

The candlelight stretched their shadows long across the floor. They both closed their eyes and devoutly traced the holy symbol of their respective Righteous Gods over their chests. This was a necessary step before any important ritual could begin.

"Mr. Williams, I am about to lead you through a very formal divination ritual. Please follow my instructions precisely."

He nodded, a little nervously. To be able to participate in a ritual of this caliber was an opportunity in itself. Such ceremonies were not typically open to outsiders; diviners guarded their secrets jealously, as the discipline itself demanded.

"Now, please release your Soul Emblem. Let the emblem resonate with your spirit and expand its range to cover this rug."

As she spoke, she closed her eyes and tilted her head back. Her arms opened slightly, as if embracing an unseen figure in the air. Following this series of movements, a purple emblem materialized, its circular center bearing the image of a spindle.

The emblem formed above her forehead. Miss Audrey held her pose as it gradually expanded and descended, finally imprinting itself upon the plain, snow-white plush rug.

She opened her eyes and looked at Jenkins.

Jenkins nodded, but inwardly he was struggling with a question: "Which one should I use?"