Chapter 355: Chapter 355

"Shelley Howell was a follower of the pseudo-god, the 'Five-Handed Stalker.' Not an evil deity, mind you, but this particular believer of his was addicted to theft. For years, Howell pulled off several major heists, with cases spanning almost the entire continent. Then he just... disappeared. Vanished without a trace. The Church suspected he'd been killed in revenge, but there was never any proof. To think he'd end up dead here, of all places."

Papa Oliver recounted the legendary tale of the thief Howell, sighing at the swift passage of time. But he eventually remembered why he was telling Jenkins all this in the first place:

"Howell's cause of death hasn't been determined yet. We can't use divination to find his killer, nor can we figure out why he was living under that identity. What we do know for sure is that this man is connected to dozens of missing, powerful numbered items. We have ample evidence that he stole them, and they certainly won't be found hidden in the opera troupe's luggage."

Jenkins nodded, his expression a mixture of surprise and understanding, showing he grasped the gravity of what Papa Oliver was saying.

"A master thief, missing for decades, turns up dead in a sewer... That's certainly shocking news," Jenkins remarked. "Do you think his killer was after those items as well?"

"That, I can't say," Papa Oliver replied. "But one thing's for sure: the Silver Jasmine Opera Troupe won't be leaving Nolan anytime soon."

Papa Oliver had a point. To track down the stolen goods, the Orthodox Church would have to question the people who knew Howell best about what he'd been doing all these years. The people of Aediran might still be waiting for the opera troupe's visit, but the Church wouldn't let them leave Nolan for at least a year—if only for their own protection.

"Aediran?" Jenkins thought to himself. "Ah, I should check on my accounts again soon."

With that thought, he settled into another quiet and peaceful day as an apprentice.

However, Papa Oliver believed Jenkins didn't need anyone to teach him arithmetic, and he had already begun his firearms training at the Oil Ink Mister Club. After lunch, a few simple questions for Jenkins only served to strengthen the old man's conviction that any further instruction in these areas would be a waste of time.

"So, I will officially be listed as your instructor for arithmetic and firearms, but in reality, we will continue our studies of ritualism and symbology as usual. Any objections?"

He asked in an offhand manner.

"Very good. You've fallen a bit behind schedule. My plan was to have covered the foundational content of the seven-star ritual formation before the start of November. That would have put us in a better position to explore the deeper realms of mysticism. Now, answer me: in the traditional sense of the old era, what were the seven fundamental elements corresponding to the seven stars? If your answer still includes elements like earth, air, water, and fire, then your weekend tasks will be considerably heavier."

Leaving Jenkins to puzzle over his master's question, the scene shifts. At that very same moment, amidst the ruins of the Ponton Winery, a woman named Bevanna stood with her head tilted back, gazing up at a frighteningly colossal tree.

The forest was not covered by the persistent snowfall affecting the rest of the region; here, the temperature remained in a perfectly suitable range. The accumulated snow had long since melted into water, absorbed by the rich network of roots buried deep within the earth.

Accompanying Miss Bevanna was another young woman. She wore the white robes of a scholar, emblazoned with the mark of a starry sky on her chest.

the woman murmured in admiration. She reached out and pressed her hand against a nearby trunk, and faint motes of green light seemed to rise from the bark and flow into her.

"What in the world happened here? Did those cultists who worship the 'Lord of Immortality' suddenly have a change of heart and convert to the 'Spirit of All Things'?"

"Divination is still impossible," Miss Bevanna said. "It's not just because of the surge in energy; the entire affair feels as if it's shrouded in a thin mist, obscuring the most crucial details." The source of thɪs content is novel(ꜰ)ire.net

She spoke while gazing up at the great tree's crown, its lush leaves rustling in the wind. She was fortunate to spot that sparrows were already preparing to build nests here; creatures of lesser intelligence were always more easily drawn to places .

"Just like everything else involving the New God Cultists."

the woman from the Church of Starry Sky and Equilibrium added. She was Carter Frida, the church's local demigod-level Enchanter, equal in status to Miss Bevanna. The recent events in the city had stretched their manpower thin, which was why two level-8 Enchanters had been sent to investigate the situation here.

"An eruption of life spirit can indeed force plant growth, but this tree was not formed naturally."

The follower of the stars squinted her eyes and concluded, "The special trees I know of don't seem to include this particular species."

"I can't identify what kind of tree this is, either."

Miss Bevanna admitted.

The two women took a deep breath in unison. Their powerful senses allowed them to clearly perceive the life spirit in the air entering their lungs and diffusing throughout their bodies with startling ease. Such a thing was unimaginable anywhere else.

"There is one other possibility..."

Miss Bevanna suggested.

"I know," Frida responded, "but how could the World Tree possibly appear here? The World Tree and the elven race both departed with the great Ninth Lord. Can it be that the long-ears wish to return to this world?"

The more Miss Frida spoke, the more absurd the idea seemed, yet when she mentioned the Lord, her tone remained one of utmost respect.

"It doesn't have to be the main trunk of the World Tree," Miss Bevanna continued her speculation. "Don't forget, quite a few of its branches were scattered and left behind. Moreover, the high priest of the great Lord of Blossoms, the Guardian of the World Tree, the Favored of the Life Spirit—the elven royal, Lachino—still has a diluted bloodline in this world."

Miss Bevanna continued to speculate.

"Doesn't that family lack any male heirs? Besides, the elven blood they possess is so diluted it's practically non-existent. How many epochs ago was that? If I hadn't spent time studying at the Frozen Spire in my youth, I wouldn't even know that bit of history."

Miss Bevanna nodded, reaching out a hand to catch a leaf as it drifted down from above.

"We will classify this as an incident arising from a conflict between the New God Cultists and the followers of the 'Lord of Immortality,' with a hazard level of 2-5. The next steps will be to assign personnel to track down the wanted cultists, while also intensifying our efforts to make contact with the followers of the New God."

"That's a sound plan," Frida agreed. "As for this area, we can divide it. My Church of Starry Sky and Equilibrium will claim two shares."

"The Church of Knowledge and Books will take two shares," Bevanna replied. "Coincidentally, we have new members in the church who have yet to complete that particular ritual."