Chapter 398: Chapter 398

The forest was thick with trees, but as Jenkins strode between them in his boots, it felt as though he were walking on a perfectly flat road. He cradled his cat, under the strange illusion that the forest itself was showing him kindness.

"When did I become so conceited?"

Although the rumble of explosions still echoed in the distance and the ground occasionally trembled underfoot, a sense of peace gradually settled over him.

His destination was the base of a colossal, towering tree. Gathered there was a group of young children in matching white robes. They were the only people present, members of the Church of Knowledge and Books—the children formed the choir.

The solemnity of the baptism was more than Jenkins had expected, and he hesitated, coming to a stop. He gazed at the thick, brown trunk, where branches and vines draped naturally over a carpet of lush green grass. Dıscover more novels at novᴇlfire.net

As if by design, a ray of sunlight pierced the canopy, illuminating a small, circular area at the base of the great tree. In that spot lay a pool, its crystal-clear water reflecting the daylight.

"Do I need to change clothes?"

He whispered to the professor, who stood among the crowd.

"You won't need to. You won't be wearing any clothes in a moment."

Before Jenkins could ask another question, Mr. Smith, the Keeper of Secrets, stepped forward.

He called out to the crowd. "Quiet, please! Our time is limited. In the future, you will all surely remember this day. It is our honor to baptize Mr. Williams. Those of you present, should you one day become true Keepers of Secrets, will understand just how momentous today is. Now, everyone to their places. The ceremony is about to begin. Gentlemen, quickly now!"

With that, he flicked his wrist. An invisible shockwave flattened the grass and stray branches, clearing a smooth path to the pool at the base of the great tree.

The children lined up on either side of the path and, at a gesture from the Keeper of Secrets, began to hum a soft melody.

"Miss Bevanna was supposed to preside over this, but you know the current situation."

He explained quickly in a low voice. Behind him, the clerics, each wearing a devout expression, approached the pool in succession. They carried various materials, which they carefully placed into the water.

"Do we really have to do this now? I mean, perhaps we could wait until all this is over."

"It must be now. The timing was determined by your date of birth."

Giving him no room to argue, he pushed Jenkins to the head of the path. The clerics, having finished their tasks, stood in neat rows behind the choir. From the crowd, the professor gave Jenkins a quick wink.

As if sensing the moment, Chocolate leaped from Jenkins's arms and scampered up a nearby tree. The Keeper of Secrets stood alone by the pool. He raised both hands, and the sacred song immediately swelled, growing louder and more powerful.

He had barely spoken the word when a tremendous roar echoed from behind the valley. The Keeper of Secrets didn't turn toward the sound; instead, his head snapped up, his face a mask of pure terror.

In the sky, a small sliver of the sun had vanished, and the gap was steadily widening.

Jenkins looked up as well. It was a rare astronomical phenomenon...

"That's not right! An eclipse is absolutely impossible today!"

Thanks to the Church of the Myriad Phenomena of the Starry Sky and the Church of Sun and Justice, celestial events in this era were predicted with extraordinary accuracy. Moreover, Jenkins wasn't even sure if this world was a planet; the principles behind a solar eclipse were very likely tied to supernatural forces.

The Keeper of Secrets' expression was terrifyingly grim. The clerics remained silent, but a stir of unrest rippled through the young choristers.

He stepped away from the pool, spoke a few words to the eldest cleric, and then the entire group began to withdraw.

"My apologies, Mr. Williams. A ceremony cannot be held under a celestial sign ."

He nodded. His months of study had already grounded him in the fundamentals of ritualism.

"The Church will reschedule and notify us," Smith said. "But this may be for the best. I need to see what's happening. Mr. Williams, we have other matters to attend to. It is time we brought the glory of the Sage to those damned heretics! But please, do not leave. This valley is absolutely safe."

After these hurried instructions, the choir and the clerics departed with him. The professor lagged behind the group; he clearly had something to say to Jenkins.

The professor's face showed even more anxiety than the Keeper of Secrets had:

"I had a very strange dream yesterday. Yes, very strange indeed."

He placed his right hand on Jenkins's shoulder. "I haven't had a chance to tell anyone, but you must not leave this forest. My sense of foreboding is growing stronger by the moment."

"What did you dream about?"

Jenkins couldn't help but ask. He remembered that the professor had first become an Enchanter after receiving guidance from an unknown entity in a dream.

"A great shadow shrouded the sky, the sun was devoured, and the stars hid in the darkness. Oh, gods!"

He let out a pained groan, bowing his head and quickly tracing the Sage's sacred emblem over his chest.

"My heart still pounds when I think of that dream. Here, take this..."

He pulled a book from a deep pocket in his robe. It was *Chronicles of the Kingdom*, the same one he had carried during his visit to the school for the Reading Festival.

Confused, Jenkins took the book. The professor then placed a hand on his forehead. Out of trust, Jenkins didn't resist.

To Jenkins's eyes, the points of light representing the professor's spell abilities flared brightly. As the old man chanted, ancient words and strange syllables spilled from his lips. At the same time, lines of ink seemed to crawl from the book's edge, spreading slowly from Jenkins's hands and across his entire body.

"This is a protective ability that can only be cast on others."

The professor explained hurriedly as Jenkins pulled at his clothes to inspect the runes that had appeared on his skin.

"I've never heard of such an ability in the Nolan diocese. Is this another gift from the entity in his dream?"

"This is all I can do to help. Jenkins, please, be careful."

"I understand. You be careful too."

The professor smiled, gave him a nod, then turned and hurried to catch up with the clerics, who were already far ahead.

He only remembered after the professor's figure had vanished among the trees, but by then, the old man was long gone.

In just a few minutes, the space beneath the great tree, once crowded with people, was empty. Jenkins was the only one left.

But that was just an illusion. As he scanned his surroundings, he saw countless points of light scattered throughout the forest. They were right—this truly was the safest place.

Tucking the professor's book into his side pocket, he hurried to the base of the tree and called up into its branches. But he didn't see the elegant silhouette of his cat leaping down from the dense foliage.

He spun around. Sure enough, there was Chocolate by the edge of the pool, looking eager to dip a paw in.