Chapter 324: Chapter 324

Reasoning that the day’s events would be forgotten anyway, Jenkins emulated the woman’s earlier action, releasing his purple pentagram emblem and layering it over the one on the carpet.

Surprise was plain on Miss Audrey’s face, but she didn’t question him. Instead, she remarked, “Not everyone possesses a talent for divination. However, a Soul Emblem bearing the color of destiny is a sure sign of aptitude. The Church of the Sage has already instructed me to teach you astrology for the next six months. We can delve deeper into these matters then.”

The two purple emblems settled upon the surface of the carpet where they knelt. As spirit flowed slowly from within them, the intricate patterns sketched in ritual chalk on the floor began to emanate a violet glow.

A sudden gust of wind swept through the room. The cards before them swirled into the air with a dry rustle, then settled with an almost deliberate uniformity upon the glowing violet patterns surrounding them.

Miss Audrey nodded, her long hair streaming out in the phantom wind. Then, the same card Jenkins had seen before—the Arsonist from the All-Seeing set—materialized between them.

“This is the core of our ritual,” she explained. “It serves as an anchor, to keep us from losing our way in the currents of destiny.”

“This one card will suffice. We are performing a cartomancy reading, which carries a relatively low risk. If, in the future, we were to use a crystal ball or attempt the far more perilous act of dream-walking, we would certainly need to set more anchors.”

She had, in effect, turned his scheduled astrology course into a practical lesson on divination, but Jenkins didn't mind.

He had felt this same presence the last time he watched her perform a divination.

The wind, once calm, began to whip about again, growing frenzied. This time, however, only three cards were lifted into the air.

While they were still rising on the wind, they burst into flames with a sudden whoosh. In the end, only a pile of ash settled before them. Even the All-Seeing card between them shuddered violently.

The woman opened her eyes. “But it does, at the very least, confirm that everything you’ve told me is true.”

With that confirmed, Jenkins felt a great sense of relief. He asked Miss Audrey to perform another divination to determine the nature of the “disaster that will destroy a third of the continent” that Mason Pisco had described.

But Miss Audrey said she was powerless to help, stating unequivocally: This update ıs available on N0veI.Fiɾe.net

“Divination isn’t omnipotent. We only ever see ambiguous, indistinct visions. In matters with such far-reaching implications, even the most gifted seer wouldn’t dare claim they could perceive the truth behind the mists of fate. You must understand, I could attempt another reading, but the result might very well lead to a far worse outcome.”

Jenkins had no choice but to give up. As he’d suspected, there were no shortcuts.

Since Mason Pisco had said that all these events would revolve around him, Jenkins reasoned that the potential cause of this great disaster must lie somewhere in his own life or the lives of his friends.

Miss Audrey hadn’t encountered any strange or troublesome matters recently, but she suggested Jenkins check in with Miss Miller. Apparently, she had been hired to track down some rather personal photographs, though Audrey didn't know if she’d had any success.

After thanking Miss Audrey for her help again and getting the address, Jenkins borrowed an umbrella and set out once more into the falling snow.

Miss Miller had no permanent residence in Nolan City. She was currently renting an apartment that also served as her detective office.

As luck would have it, when Jenkins knocked on the main door of the apartment building and explained his purpose to the landlady, he learned that Miss Miller had left just after six that morning.

He asked without much hope, already turning to leave.

The landlady eyed the young man, who was hunched against the cold, with suspicion. Perhaps disarmed by his youthful, handsome features, she answered slowly:

“Miss Miller is preparing for a long trip. She went out today to buy some winter clothes for her journey to the much colder Hamparvo Kingdom. I’d guess she went to Mrs. Baxter’s dress shop. It’s almost the only place she ever buys clothes.”

Mrs. Baxter’s dress shop was not a well-known establishment in the commercial district. Quite the opposite, it was situated on an inconspicuous street corner near the city's outskirts.

The shop stood at a rare five-way intersection. Two of the roads led back into the city, while the other three led directly out of it. Due to the intersection’s awkward design, the dress shop jutted out at a sharp angle, which, conversely, made it easier for passersby to spot.

On a snowy winter day, pedestrians were even less inclined to linger outdoors. The ground in front of the shop was paved with red bricks, and a few small, round tables, like those outside a patisserie, had been placed near the door for weary shoppers. Now, however, they were blanketed in snow.

Jenkins hurriedly stepped down from the carriage, pulled some money from his pocket to pay the driver, then opened his black umbrella and headed for the storefront.

Chocolate, his cat, restlessly squeezed his furry head out from Jenkins's collar. How he’d managed to wiggle through such a narrow opening was a mystery.

He opened the door, and a wave of warm air washed over him, making him sigh in relief. He glanced around but didn't see the familiar, petite woman he was looking for. There were only two young female employees organizing merchandise. The middle-aged proprietress wore a form-fitting black velvet dress and gold-rimmed spectacles, a tailor’s measuring tape draped over her left shoulder. Her golden hair was styled in deliberate curls, and a cross-shaped earring dangled from her left ear.

The woman motioned for her employees to continue with their work as she came forward to greet him herself. Jenkins was all too familiar with that sort of practiced, professional smile.

Her gaze lingered with interest on the cat’s head peeking out from his collar before moving on to appraise his attire.

Feeling awkward, Jenkins interrupted her appraisal. “Ah... I’m not actually here to buy clothes. I’m looking for my friend, Alexia Miller. Her landlady mentioned she might have come here this morning.”

“Miss Miller, you say? Yes, she’s in the fitting room at the moment. Please, have a seat. She should be out shortly.”

Even though he wasn’t a customer, the proprietress thoughtfully brought him tea and pastries, which only made Jenkins feel more ill at ease. He feigned a deep interest in the shop’s wares, deciding he should probably buy something inexpensive and useful to justify his presence.

“A hat should be cheap enough...” he mused.