Chapter 422: Chapter 422

Brilliant civilizations had risen and fallen in distant ages, and there was even ample evidence to suggest that the Steam Age was not the first of its kind to grace this land.

The rise and fall of ancient civilizations was a great mystery to the people of this era, and men like Professor Burns had dedicated their entire lives to unraveling it.

Few remnants of civilization could withstand the test of time, so after a while, they all started to look the same. But soon, he spotted a massive carved stone slab. The central figure was a man with his right hand raised, palm up, as if holding up the sky itself. Surrounding him were kneeling figures whose faces were obscured.

There was also writing on the slab, but Jenkins couldn't even begin to identify which civilization it belonged to.

Most importantly, in the section of carvings representing the night sky, there was only a single moon.

“Taking an interest in this piece, Baron Williamette?” Content orıginally comes from NoveI(F)ire.net

He turned to see an old gentleman in round spectacles standing behind him, also looking up at the slab propped against the wall.

“You are... Mr. Tiggle?”

Mr. Tiggle was the owner of the museum, a rather wealthy merchant, and also one of Professor Burns's friends and research patrons.

Cosmo was Professor Burns's first name. It was so rarely used that it took Jenkins a second to realize who he meant.

“Did you deduce I was Jenkins Williams based on that?”

“No, young man. My deduction was based on this morning's newspaper. Your photograph with the Queen was on the front page.”

He couldn't help but chuckle as he finished.

“Oh, right. Of course.”

Shaking his head in embarrassment, he turned his gaze back to the stone slab.

“If I may ask, what era is this slab from? It seems to be in perfect condition.”

“It was discovered in a ruin from the 16th Epoch.”

Jenkins froze. How could the sky of the 16th Epoch have only one moon?

“But the content itself is clearly not from that period.”

Tiggle took a step forward to stand beside Jenkins. “Cosmo mentioned in his letter that you also work in the antiques trade. In that case, you can surely see that the carving style is definitely not from the Sixteenth Epoch, nor does it even resemble the art of the Fifteenth. It’s far older, cruder, more primitive. We surmise, therefore, that some gentleman from the Sixteenth Epoch must have copied an original slab that we have yet to discover.”

He smiled and added, “Stone as a medium is highly susceptible to the elements, so the one before you now is also a replica. I commissioned it three years ago, based on the one we excavated. Some artifacts aren't suitable for public display. It's not about deception, but rather about preservation.”

Jenkins could agree with that. The fakes displayed in Papa Oliver's shop were there for the same reason—most of the genuine articles required more careful preservation.

Jenkins nodded. “Sir, in that case, which era do you believe the original slab dates back to? The Eleventh Epoch? Or even earlier?”

“Hahaha, it seems your archaeological instincts are quite sharp. Most people wouldn't imagine it came from such an ancient time.”

In truth, Jenkins's deduction was based on a 13th Epoch occult document he had once seen, which detailed the influence of the twin moons on astral rituals. Therefore, an era with a single moon in the sky had to predate that time.

“I cannot answer your question, young man. The ancient eras hold too many unknowns. But that is precisely what makes them so captivating.”

He took a pair of white gloves from his pocket and put them on, then pushed open the barrier surrounding the slab. He gently traced the characters on the stone with his finger, his eyes seeming to gleam.

Mr. Tiggle also invited Jenkins to see his private collection, which housed antiques valued in the thousands of pounds. There were no supernatural items, but Jenkins was still engrossed, constantly calculating in his head how much of a markup he could get if he were to sell them.

The materials Professor Burns had sent Jenkins to retrieve were quite substantial. After Mr. Tiggle wrapped them in brown paper, the package was nearly four inches thick.

Holding the heavy package of documents, Jenkins was about to leave the museum when Tiggle presented him with a bizarrely styled mask as a gift.

The mask was a deep, somber black, with three irregularly shaped holes of roughly the same size cut out for the eyes and mouth. Two dots of a sickening teal green were daubed on the cheeks, from which three rippling, unsteady circles radiated outward.

It was also an ordinary item, and quite ugly in Jenkins's opinion. He had wanted to refuse, but the old gentleman's enthusiasm was overwhelming.

He carried the documents out the museum doors. He had expected just a few pages he could slip into his pocket, which wouldn't have interfered with his upcoming visit to Audrey's teacher. But now, there was no way he could pay a visit carrying such a bulky package. He would have to find a carriage back to the church first.

After walking for two blocks without spotting a single free carriage, he scanned his surroundings and ducked into a small alley, hoping for a shortcut off the pedestrian street.

The alleys here were just as narrow and filthy as those in Nolan City, and the dense network of pipes snaking along the walls made the already tight space even smaller.

He had to watch his step carefully, as the ground was littered with filth. The city's splendor never reached these sunless corners; after all, spending gold pounds to maintain them would be pointless.

Just as he reached the middle of the alley, a middle-aged man in a black trench coat emerged from the opening ahead. He had a large, hooked nose, and the collar of his coat was turned up, hiding most of his face.

Jenkins slowed his pace. The man had stopped and was staring straight at him.

He glanced back and saw another stranger approaching from behind. This one was a young man with a scholarly air, wearing a dark gray hat. If Jenkins remembered correctly, he was a tourist he had brushed past in the museum just moments ago.

“What do you want with me?”

he asked, raising an eyebrow. Perched on his shoulder, Chocolate cooperatively let out a threatening hiss.

Both men were ordinary people, with no supernatural items on them. Still, he couldn't let his guard down. They could very well be carrying pistols.

As the thought crossed his mind, both men—the one in front and the one behind—raised their pistols in unison.