Chapter 367: Chapter 367

The Ouija board Jenkins had fished out of the sea last night was temporarily stored at his home. Since it wasn't a Cursed Item, it was somewhat less dangerous. Still, he didn't know how to use it properly; after all, the way those women had summoned an evil spirit seemed to be a complete accident on their part.

The board may have played a role, but it certainly hadn't been used to its full potential.

To be safe, he decided he would wait until he had time to call on the professor or Hathaway before experimenting with the board again. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ NovelHub(.)net

Papa Oliver returned shortly after, informing Jenkins that the Church would handle the rest of the matter and he no longer needed to concern himself with it.

But Papa Oliver's relief was short-lived, for before he could even take off his coat and hat, Jenkins brought up something else.

"Papa, last night when I faced the evil spirit, as we stood opposite each other, I felt a cold power press against my skin, trying to force its way into my body. Then... my Soul Emblem changed."

Papa Oliver let out a helpless groan. "Do you find it amusing, making me run back and forth ?"

He grabbed Jenkins, and the two of them rushed to the Church without a moment's rest, happening to run into Captain Bincy in a courtyard cloister.

"Something else came up."

That was Papa Oliver's only reply. When Captain Bincy saw Jenkins standing beside him, a look of sympathy immediately crossed his face.

This time, Papa Oliver took Jenkins directly to Miss Bevanna. She looked a little weary, but she listened intently as the two recounted what had happened.

The first order of business was to confirm that Jenkins was, in fact, Jenkins, and not an imposter who had been replaced by someone with a similar Soul Emblem.

This was simple enough to verify. Under the watchful eye of a Keeper of Secrets, he stood before the Sage's holy emblem on the Gate of All Things and called upon the Sage's Gaze.

A brilliant golden light erupted from Jenkins's body. A warm, gentle gaze, almost tangible, projected down from the void... and then nothing happened. Everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Miss Bevanna went directly into the Gate of All Things to retrieve an item, then returned with Jenkins to her office, while Papa Oliver and the Keeper of Secrets remained in the underground space.

"Mr. Williamette, you needn't worry. While a change in a Soul Emblem is extremely rare, it's not unheard of."

That was Miss Bevanna's opening line. She placed a book, bound in brass-colored chains, on the table between them.

The book's cover was leather, stained yellow and curled with age, and several words were smeared across it in a black, blood-like pigment. The script was ancient, one Jenkins had not yet learned.

"This is B-11-5-2938, Saint Pim's Collection."

"Saint Pim? Forgive me, but are you referring to the famous Saint from the Church of Travel and Contracts?"

"I am. Saint Pim was a Saint who lived in the 16th Epoch, and this is his collection. Like most believers in the Church of the Great Traveler, he had a great love for travel, and he would store items of sentimental value from his journeys within its pages. I imagine Papa Oliver has told you his story, hasn't he?"

Miss Bevanna asked, pushing a teacup toward Jenkins.

He thanked her quietly, unconsciously rubbing the rim of the cup with its lid as he recalled the story Papa Oliver had told him.

"Yes. Because so much time has passed, Papa Oliver believed the story might have some fictional elements. In the tale, Saint Pim was passing through a small village when he happened upon a breathtakingly beautiful valley—a valley that bloomed with the colors of spring even in the dead of winter. The villagers told him of this wonder, and he eagerly went to see it for himself. But it was all a conspiracy. The villagers had long been under the control of cultists—a cruel, selfish, and utterly ruthless people. Using some unknown means, they captured Saint Pim and murdered him."

Jenkins paused for a moment before continuing.

"Papa Oliver said it's a story every follower of the Traveler knows, meant as a warning to never trust strangers too easily."

The world's body of fairytale literature was not particularly well-developed, but its religious stories were filled with such cautionary tales.

"Yes, that's the version of the story that circulates today. The truth is a bit more complicated, a topic we can discuss another time, should we have the opportunity. Our focus today is the collection Saint Pim left behind. People discovered it while sorting through his belongings. Perhaps it was because he had collected too many extraordinary materials, or perhaps Saint Pim's own power was influencing it, but either way, this collection became a Series B Extraordinary item."

She placed her hand on the book before her.

"But if this item was left by a Saint of the Traveler's Church, why is it in our possession? I mean, shouldn't it be a holy relic of their church?"

"That touches upon certain events of the past. Hmm... let's just say that even among the Orthodox Churches, there isn't a complete lack of friction. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Miss Bevanna raised an eyebrow, her beautiful eyes fixed on the young man.

Jenkins was stunned for a moment, an expression of surprise on his face, before he slowly nodded.

"That would actually make sense," he marveled internally.

"In any case, for various reasons, this collection acquired extraordinary power. Theoretically, it can temporarily store and seal any item. After obtaining it, the Nolan diocese often used it to contain dangerous objects until more appropriate measures could be found. As a result, within the Nolan diocese, this item is considered extremely dangerous. Only three people in the diocese have the authority to bring it out from the Gate of All Things."

As she spoke, Miss Bevanna tapped the chains with her long, slender, white fingers. With a soft clatter, they automatically detached from the book and coiled themselves neatly on the other side of the table.

"Mr. Williamette, the rest of our conversation is highly confidential. I trust you are aware of the confidentiality pact."

He nodded. He could already see the faint glow of a divine art enveloping the room, a measure to prevent eavesdropping, divination, and other such intrusions.

"Currently, B-11-5-2938 contains a total of 37 numbered items: 34 Cursed Items, 2 Extraordinary items, and 1 Bestowal."

"Wait, do Bestowals also need to be contained?"

"They do. Some ownerless Bestowals are more destructive than Cursed Items."

She offered a simple explanation, not elaborating on what kind of Bestowal it was. Carefully, she opened the book to the first page. Sitting nearby, Jenkins could faintly smell the unique, musty scent of the ancient tome.