Chapter 383: Chapter 383

The wheels crunched over the snow, squeaking as the carriage carried the three of them to a nondescript street.

Julia led the two "detectives" out of the carriage. Stepping over snow and refuse, they entered a small alley, all three of them pinching their noses.

"The young miss was supposed to meet me here, but I waited for a long time and never saw her. There are no footprints nearby, either... What are you looking at?"

In Julia's eyes, the man and woman were holding kerosene lamps, their gazes fixed solemnly on the wall at the end of the alley.

The wall was covered in malicious and filthy graffiti, and a pile of garbage in the corner emanated an even more unbearable stench.

But in the eyes of Jenkins and Miss Miller, an endless white light was pouring from a glowing gateway on the wall. Deep within the light, it seemed someone was watching them.

"Is this part of your plan, too?"

He nudged the woman's sleeve with his arm and asked in a low voice.

"Of course not. If I had this kind of power, would I need to go to such lengths to come up with a plan? Besides, tonight's events have nothing to do with me. My plan hasn't even started yet. But this works out just as well..."

"Excuse me, what are you looking at?"

she asked quietly, afraid to disturb the detectives' train of thought.

"We have a good idea of where Miss Dolores Kingsley has gone."

The maid immediately took two steps forward and grabbed Miss Miller's hand. "Please..."

"But please, wait a moment. The situation is rather... unusual. I need you to answer a question for me, and it's very important that you be honest."

Jenkins subtly took a step closer to the two women.

"Is Miss Kingsley an Enchanter?"

A gasp escaped Julia's lips, but she quickly suppressed it. She watched the pair warily, her right hand instinctively reaching for her waist.

A professional maid, through and through. She was instantly ready for whatever might happen next.

"Don't be alarmed. If she is an Enchanter, then you must know a few things. For example..."

She took a step to the side, clearing the view, and pointed toward the wall. "The Mysterious Realm."

Julia didn't look confused; she merely shot it a probing glance.

"Yes, we're both unregistered Enchanters, but we're very low-level."

It seemed Miss Miller's talent for lying with a straight face was no less impressive than Jenkins's own.

At this thought, he gave Julia a solemn nod. Miss Miller pulled off her black woolen gloves and continued:

"I had no ulterior motives in approaching and befriending Miss Kingsley. I truly never imagined a young noblewoman like her would take the risks involved in becoming an Enchanter."

As she spoke, she reached out, took Jenkins's hand, and made to leave the alley with him.

"Julia, you must understand just how low the survival rate is in a Mysterious Realm."

Miss Miller cut her off with an apologetic expression, then asked:

"Given Miss Kingsley's status, it's impossible that she couldn't find someone willing to take risks for her. She can't have become an Enchanter just yesterday, so can she really not find a few friends she knows well to help?"

The question left Julia speechless. She couldn't very well tell these two that her mistress was actually a princess of the kingdom, who, to conceal her identity, never associated with other Enchanters as her true self. Furthermore, a Mysterious Realm could collapse at any moment. If she were willing to spend the money, she could find help, but she couldn't afford to waste any more time. And who knew if those mercenaries were even at the tavern?

An even more unspoken reason was that Julia always felt a sense of warmth and kindness from the short young woman before her. Though they hadn't known each other long, she had subconsciously come to see her as someone trustworthy.

"The Kingsleys always reward their friends."

After a long moment of thought, that was the only assurance she could offer.

"I need to discuss this with my friend."

Miss Miller said, her expression stern.

Julia nodded, backed out of the alley, and stood before the carriage.

"B-11-5-2305, the Homeward Ticket. It's not a single ticket, but a renewable Extraordinary item that can be found in the seams of books, scrap paper, or other documents."

"Like the Magical Conch?"

She nodded, looking Jenkins in the eye. "I have two. One ticket can transport a person from any location back to what they consider 'home.' It doesn't just work in the material world—it works in Mysterious Realms, and even in other worlds."

"I understand. I'll help you."

He nodded. He wasn't about to pass up an opportunity to explore a Mysterious Realm without any danger. But he still had one question:

"Why is the entrance still here if someone has already gone inside?"

"For two to three hours after the first Enchanter enters, the entrance to the Mysterious Realm remains visible. Anyone who enters during that time will appear inside at the same moment. Those fragmented spaces seem to have some sort of time-regulating function... You don't even know that?"

Jenkins turned his face away. Though he had experienced many Mysterious Realms, he'd never formally studied the subject.

"Is it worth wasting two special items just to befriend one person?"

He took the ticket. It was plain in design, and the material felt like stiff cardstock. Only a few words were written on it:

"It's worth it. This young lady's identity is not so simple."

Miss Miller quickly called Julia back over. The two moons now hung directly behind the man and woman in the alley. Though the light was dim, Julia could clearly see the resolute, death-defying expressions on their faces.

For a moment, Julia deeply regretted not having found some trustworthy Enchanter bodyguards for Her Highness. Now, she could only let these two new, enthusiastic friends take the risk.

Jenkins didn't approve of this method of "making friends" through deception, but he believed Miss Miller was a good person. She was only using such tactics to get close to someone who was otherwise unapproachable, not out of malicious intent.

"We can enter the Mysterious Realm to rescue Miss Kingsley, but this will be a one-time thing. I hope the Kingsley family will remember the risk we are taking."

"Of course, Miss Miller, Mr. Pollo. The Kingsley family will never be indebted to its friends." Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs NoveIＦire.net

Miss Miller nodded and looked at Jenkins, signaling for him to say something.

He said this with a deadpan expression, unbuttoning the top of his heavy black overcoat and pulling out a struggling Chocolate. He then nodded to Miss Miller, and the two of them walked side by side into the endless white light.