Chapter 40: Chapter 40

"These three wooden badges are quite unique. The patterns are unusual... I believe they're artifacts from the previous epoch. Of course, most records from that time were lost in the Great Cataclysm, so I can't pinpoint the exact period."

Papa Oliver pursed his lips and shook his head, making Jenkins tense up immediately.

"Based on the material, this one appears to be pure iron, and its weight is consistent with that. I don't recognize the script, but the decorative style matches that of the ancient Sicari Kingdom."

He appraised each badge on the table while Papa Oliver remained silent. Only after Jenkins had finished did Oliver begin his own assessment, following the same order.

"These three are indeed modern craftwork. However, this one, decorated with the wheat sheaf pattern, was a gift from the Church of Earth and Harvest to its core believers during the last Harvest Feast. Marketed correctly, a nobleman would gladly pay a hundred pounds for it."

The style of this piece is indeed from the founding of the Kingdom of Cheslan. A pity they used the wrong material; otherwise, it would have been an exceptionally clever forgery.

"These three wooden badges are modern trinkets. You can buy them three for a shilling at Aunt Sally's shop, just next door. Oh, and this 'pure iron' one as well..."

In short, Jenkins had misjudged every single one. As a result, he left that evening with three more massive tomes in his hands, which Papa Oliver demanded he finish within two weeks.

Of course, seeing as Jenkins was still busy with his family's move, Papa Oliver only asked for a five-percent commission—a very reasonable price.

The badge Papa Oliver had overlooked was one of the three wooden ones. It was only slightly larger than the brooch Bishop Parrold had given him, shaped like a common circle. A somewhat rusty pin was welded to the back, while the front was emblazoned with an upright longsword.

The pin itself didn't glow, which meant it had been added later.

That night, long after his family had fallen asleep, Jenkins secreted himself away in his bedroom to experiment with his new acquisition. Unlike the metal cube, which had shown no reaction no matter how much Spirit he poured into it, this badge began to glow instantly.

Jenkins held his breath, waiting for the light to fade, but the single point of light suddenly split apart. The motes spun like sprites, gradually filling the entire room. Once everything settled, tiny silver flecks of light permeated the space, rising and falling like a gentle tide, as mesmerizing as the stars.

"So, it's... an interior decoration?"

Jenkins gazed at the entrancing scene, complaining silently to himself. The last item he'd found with a blue aura was that fruit platter. The two had one thing in common: they were both utterly useless junk!

And so, the number of items hidden under his bed, alongside his collection of unsavory publications, grew to four.

The next day, Papa Oliver brought Jenkins some news.

"That stout woman from yesterday morning? She owns an apartment building on Hamster Street, down in the slums. One of her tenants, a man who lived alone, vanished without a trace, so she decided to sell off all his belongings."

"You went and investigated her?"

The realization dawned on Jenkins. Follow current novᴇls on NoveI-Fire.ɴet

"I did. One can keep the items, but the work still has to be done. The truth is, I report every customer who comes in selling something potentially 'valuable' to the Church for investigation. We've been shorthanded lately, with most of our people tied up overseas, so these cases have been piling up. I was worried you might get cheated, so I used my own channels to look into that woman from yesterday."

Jenkins scratched his head. Thanking him now would feel a little forced, he thought. He'd just have to get Papa Oliver a nice gift for the next holiday.

"Oh, right. The missing tenant was a badge collector. He had a sizable collection, but that woman sold it off in batches all over the city. So far, all the traced pieces have been mundane. The one we have is the only exception. Lucky us."

But Papa Oliver wasn't finished. He adjusted his glasses, his expression turning serious.

"That collector vanished three nights ago. He had no vices, made an honest living as a bookkeeper down at the docks. It's highly likely he ran into that octopus..."

In this context, 'that octopus' could only refer to the one that had killed the original Jenkins.

"Hasn't the Church requested aid from the other dioceses?"

Jenkins asked with some concern; after all, he was also one to venture out at night.

"They have. Because of the situation off the coast and the simultaneous appearance of Cursed Item A-01-2-0198, the cardinal on duty took the matter very seriously. He dispatched three elite Scribe squads from the royal capital to . However, while passing through New Truman City, they were caught up in a massive cultist sacrificial ritual. The cultists mistook the Enchanters, who were disguised as a merchant caravan, for sacrificial lambs. It's an absolute mess over there now. If our own troubles weren't so serious, Captain Bincy would have had to lead a team to reinforce them. I've even heard whispers that a heretical god has birthed a scion in our world."

Papa Oliver lowered his voice for that last part, but the fact that he said it at all meant his source was reliable.

"Compared to what's happening there, our alert level here is still considered manageable. But it means we'll have to live on edge for some time to come."

"A scion of a heretical god?"

Jenkins paused, the rag in his hand ceasing its motion across the tabletop.

"Just a rumor, and New Truman City is a good distance from Nolan. Even if someone's luck is about to run out, it certainly won't be ours."

Papa Oliver raised an eyebrow, trying to put Jenkins at ease, but Jenkins had a feeling it wasn't that simple.

Three days later, the badge Papa Oliver had taken for appraisal was back in Jenkins's hands. As luck would have it, the Church had a record of it. Oliver placed the transcribed information and the badge itself in front of him.

"B-10-5-9820, the Badge of Wisdom. Enhances the wearer's cognitive abilities and strengthens their resistance to abnormal mental states."

Jenkins read the description aloud.

"That's right. That's the official record. The classified section, which can't be copied, notes that it was first discovered in an underground palace from the 7th Epoch. Because it was rated a security level five, a powerful, unnamed figure from the royal capital was permitted to take it. A century ago, that figure vanished under mysterious circumstances, and the item was lost."

"Of course. The Orthodox Churches have lost track of quite a few things over the years. Just don't go advertising the fact that you have it."