Chapter 450: Chapter 450

Flurries of snowflakes drifted from the darkness, yet not a single one landed on Chocolate. Its amber eyes were brimming with ridicule.

Neither Mr. Alexander's venture into the darkness nor Jenkins's sudden collapse seemed to catch their attention. Since appearing, the two of them had done nothing but suspect each other's identities and wail at the top of their lungs.

With a soft meow, the cat settled gracefully on Jenkins's chest, resting its small head on its front paws as it gazed into the darkness. Its tail swayed back and forth, brushing against Jenkins's chin.

The whistling of wind and snow filled the air, and only a tiny speck of light marked the train's direction. The cat yawned, its mouth gaping wide to reveal the pink flesh inside. It was starting to miss its very own soft cushion on the sofa in Jenkins's living room.

In truth, Jenkins hadn't been sure if the projection would succeed under these circumstances. But it seemed this new ritual, adapted from a divine descent ceremony, was incredibly potent; the entire process had been unimpeded.

It was worth noting that while the projection, upgraded by Magic Miss, allowed for a two-way connection, only the one holding the ritual's core—B-07-4-7711—could initiate it. Therefore, if Miss Miller wanted to project to Jenkins's location, she would have to inform him of the activation time in advance.

He had no idea where Miss Miller might have placed the lodestone, so when he found himself landing on a polished wooden floor, he wasn't surprised in the least to see her sitting in a cushioned chair with a teacup, while Miss Stuart stood before a full-length mirror, trying on clothes with Julia's assistance.

Of course, he was a little surprised when Julia shrieked and shooed him out. After all, he was running out of time.

He had no time to explain his sudden appearance to the other two ladies and got straight to the point, directing his question to Miss Miller.

"A-11-02-3046? How do you always manage to run into Mysterious Objects?"

She rose from her chair. "Apologies, Dolores, but we'll need this room for a moment."

"Do you have any companions?"

She cut Miss Stuart off before she could speak and hurriedly questioned Jenkins.

"I had a level 6 companion, but he's dead. Oh, and Chocolate is still with me."

"Any special items on you?"

"Only my cane and a necklace that can create a black mist. Oh, and that painting..."

They exchanged information in a rapid-fire volley of questions and answers.

"Then there's no choice. Pull me over."

"Won't that be dangerous for you?"

"Stop wasting time, Jenkins. You're running out of it." Latest content publıshed on novel-fire.net

He gave Miss Stuart and Julia a hurried nod by way of a greeting, then turned and vanished into thin air. Miss Miller, meanwhile, gave Miss Stuart a solemn nod before her body went limp and crumpled to the floor.

Julia stood stunned for a long moment before remembering to help the smaller woman into a chair. She straightened up, repeating the name in disbelief. When she turned to her princess, expecting to see the same confusion, she was instead met with an expression of irrepressible joy.

"Julia, did Alexia just say... 'Jenkins'?"

Dolores Stuart walked to the window, her gaze fixed on the towering, snow-capped mountains in the distance. She had to maintain her elegance at all times and absolutely could not let her maid see the expression on her face.

The maid looked deeply troubled. "I knew Pollo wasn't his real name. To think he's actually that Williams from Nolan City! Miss Miller's identity must be questionable, too. Your Highness, it's far too dangerous to be so close to them. We'll have to change our plans..."

Julia looked up, only to realize the third princess had her back to her. Then, Dolores spun around, her face wreathed in a smile so radiant that the word 'smiling' didn't even begin to do it justice.

"Your Highness, you can't be..."

Julia stood to the side, wringing her apron in her hands as she asked tentatively, "Even if Mr. Williams's talents are truly extraordinary, we can't let our guard down. You yourself told me just the other day that the world of Enchanters is cruel and complex."

"Yes, but this is Mr. Williams we're talking about!" she retorted excitedly. "I knew it! Yes! You see? It's just like in the stories—'he' always appears by my side when I least expect it."

The princess rebutted excitedly. Seeing Julia still looked unhappy, she walked over and tucked a stray strand of the young maid's hair behind her ear. "Please, don't worry. I will be as cautious as necessary. I intend to get to the bottom of why they hid their identities, but just like all my judgments in the past, I am certain I'm right about this."

"No more 'buts'," Dolores cut in. "Quickly, help me pick out an outfit. Mr. Williams should be back once he's dealt with that Mysterious Object. No, no... I need to be more composed..."

"I would hope you still have enough sense to realize those two are likely dangerous people."

The maid's voice was faint; she didn't know how to handle the princess in such a state.

"Yes, yes. I understand!"

Dolores threw open the window and, with a sharp wave of her hands toward the empty courtyard, sent the accumulated snow swirling into the air. A sudden gust of wind caught it, and invisible hands began to sculpt it, bit by bit, into the statue of a man.

Facing the wind, Miss Stuart gazed at the statue's face, a blush coloring her cheeks. Then, with another wave of her hand, she let it crumble back into snow.

"I need to think of a good plan, one that shows I'm angry but also subtly closes the distance between us."

"You have every right to be angry!"

Julia reminded her, but Her Highness pretended not to hear.

"I must be rational as I learn everything about Mr. Williams, and I must also let him know that I care for him!"

Julia could only offer a helpless reminder:

"Perhaps the crucial issue right now is how that gentleman plans to escape that Mysterious Object."

"That's hardly a problem."

Miss Stuart waved a dismissive hand:

"They'll figure it out. All they need is some kind of special fire with mystical properties to disrupt the snowy landscape over a wide area. That will disperse A-11-02-3046 temporarily. Afterward, they just need to find an Enchanter or an item that can discern spiritual bodies, and the matter will be resolved. Now, quickly, help me think about how we should handle our relationship with Mr. Williams and Miss Miller going forward. This is very important..."