Chapter 494: Chapter 494

At the mention of piety, Jenkins deftly made the sign of the holy emblem on his chest. "From now on, 'Mister' is just fine. I actually prefer it."

The girl replied, tilting her head up at him.

Sensing a shift in her mood, Jenkins deliberately steered the conversation away. He led the girl up the incline toward the bridge, watching as carriages thundered past. Through a wind-fluttered curtain, he saw an old gentleman resting with his eyes closed. Jenkins was certain he had seen the man at Marquis Mikhail’s banquet.

"Speaking of which, the Stress family was incredibly lucky not to have been home that day."

There couldn't be anything suspicious about it; both the police and the Church would have conducted a thorough investigation on that very point.

"My aunt's family has always been very lucky."

The girl murmured, then glanced up at Jenkins again, clutching her now-empty little basket. It had originally held the food she’d brought from the church as a gift for the family they had just visited.

"My uncle lost his job recently, but then, just in time, a merchant bought their family vase for a great deal of money. It was a lot of money—about thirteen pounds, I think. It really helped ease their financial troubles."

Jenkins remembered Papa Oliver saying the vase would sell for at least thirty pounds. It seemed he hadn't driven the price down too low this time, likely taking the family's situation into account.

"Actually, the merchant you're talking about was probably Mr. Oliver. I'm his apprentice. We just happened to run into each other around the corner..."

There was no point in hiding it any longer. He had a feeling that the more he lied, the more complicated things would become.

The girl nodded, her expression showing no sign of surprise. Instead, she asked curiously:

"Mister, aren't you a writer?"

"I am, but writing is just a side job. My main work is at the antique shop."

He paused for a moment before adding, "The main job is what I do for love; the side job is what I do to make sure I can keep doing it. That's what a side job is really for."

A look of admiration appeared in the girl's eyes.

A look of contempt appeared in Chocolate's eyes. Updates are released by Nov3lFɪre.ɴet

The winter days were short, so even though it wasn't yet five in the afternoon, the western sky was already blushing with color. The fog had thinned considerably during the afternoon, and the brilliant sunset reflected on the river, its image shattered by the ripples from a passing merchant vessel, creating a uniquely beautiful scene.

There were few pedestrians on the bridge. A carriage from the opposite direction hurried past, the wind from its wheels lifting half a sheet of newspaper from the ground. It drifted slowly down toward the water, where the bridge's reflection shimmered.

The wind on the bridge was strong. Even with the scarf she'd once salvaged from a trash heap wrapped around her neck, she could feel the chill seeping into her collar. She took a step to the side, letting Jenkins's body shield her from the worst of it. When she looked up again, the man was gazing with great interest at the merchant ships below.

"You know something?"

Jenkins's voice was tinged with excitement, his spirits lifted by the sound of a ship's steam whistle. "I read in the paper that steam-powered ships are already being put into service. By this time next year, it won't be little boats like these passing under the bridge, but massive vessels belching waste and steam! What an interesting era this is..."

"Yes, an interesting era..."

The girl didn't know what else to say. She didn't fully understand his words, so she could only echo his sentiment.

"Only those who can keep up with the times will truly grasp the opportunities available now. I..."

He realized he was saying too much. He hadn't expected to become so talkative in front of a girl he barely knew.

"When I was in Bel Diran, I met an inventor."

He quickly changed the subject, and the transition felt natural. "He was probably the sort of person who wanted to seize the opportunities of the age, but unfortunately, his inventions were ridiculous. I can't imagine anyone would be willing to invest their gold pounds in him."

"Speaking of investments..."

This was the first time the girl, Fini Faithford, had initiated a topic of conversation. She didn't want the gentleman to think she was merely agreeing with him without truly engaging. She must have thought of something exciting, because her voice grew a little louder:

"Mister, did you know there's a very profitable investment opportunity right now? I just heard about it from my aunt and uncle last week!"

The two of them had finally crossed the bridge. Jenkins motioned for her to wait as he pulled some copper coins from his pocket to buy an evening paper from a newsboy.

Once they started walking again, the girl continued where she'd left off. "There's a well-known merchant in the area whose daughter has leased a huge mine, but she's short on capital. All you have to do is open an account at Travelers' Bank, transfer money to a specific account, and you're guaranteed to get a considerable return!

"The money you... you gave me, I invested a small part of it. And yesterday, I really got a payment back!"

Jenkins raised an eyebrow. The description sounded familiar, though some of the details were off.

"Mister, everyone near Eldron City in the Cheslan Kingdom knows about it now. My uncle only found out by chance from a letter sent by a relative. They're always so lucky!"

Now Jenkins finally understood. The girl was talking about his own scheme.

Has it spread to Nolan already? he thought. Good. The pot is bigger now, which makes it easier for me to rob Peter to pay Paul. This is a righteous cause!

Jenkins wasn't sure just how far the story of "Miss Fabry" had spread. But the version of the tale now circulating in Nolan City had deviated significantly from the original story of a poor female student conducting social research.

Although the core premise—send money, make money—remained the same, Miss Fabry's identity had been dramatically altered in the mouths of the investors. This was a good thing, as it would help confuse any investigators if the scheme were ever exposed.

By the time they returned to the church, the sun had nearly sunk below the horizon, and the faint sound of a bell tower could be heard in the distance. As he parted ways with the girl, Jenkins casually handed her the copy of the Stranger's Story Collection he had just bought. He had plenty more at home.

The Bishop had not yet returned from the countryside, and nothing of interest had happened at the church. Jenkins had wanted to speak with Papa Oliver before dinner, but the Keeper of Secrets before the Gate of All Things said he had just left half an hour ago.

So, Jenkins let Chocolate go off on its own while he applied for permission to use the Secret Trace Library.

It went without saying where the cat was headed. It was undoubtedly off to watch over those seedlings that might never grow up.