Lord of The Mysterious Realms Chapter 544

It was Jenkins who brought up the secret conversation in the study after the dinner party.

"It was just a small matter. Earl Hersha was hoping for the Church's support, and in return, he would become a reliable source of information for us."

He recounted the matter without a hint of reservation. It truly was a trivial affair, especially when compared to terrifying vampires and the horrifying scion of an evil god. In the grand scheme of Jenkins's life, its significance was less than the monthly reading on the steam meter by his front door.

"I figured as much. I just hope the kingdom can remain at peace."

Unlike Jenkins, who was indifferent to worldly affairs, Hathaway was visibly troubled.

"Peace... I heard that once the Queen passes away, the heir to the throne will be a foreigner? Even someone like me, who pays no mind to politics, knows that's bound to cause conflict. There's no shortage of people who covet the crown. That foreigner might not even make it to the border alive."

Jenkins didn't mind discussing politics with Hathaway. While it held little significance for him personally, he did find it rather amusing.

"The best-case scenario now would be if every heir ahead of Miss Windsor in the line of succession renounced their claim. After all, Miss Windsor grew up alongside the Queen. She's capable and has her share of supporters."

"But Miss Windsor has no royal blood. Her family is only connected to the Queen's maternal line."

Hathaway pressed a hand to her forehead.

"Arranged marriages are quite common among the nobility, especially the highest-ranking families. So, the Windsors do, in fact, have a diluted blood connection to the Middleton family. But as things stand, Miss Windsor is only twenty-first in line for the throne. Barring divine intervention, it's virtually impossible for her to ever get the crown and scepter."

Hathaway, of course, knew her father's other motive for trying to win Jenkins over. So, even though Jenkins hadn't mentioned it, she was sure the two of them had discussed the topic of marriage that night.

The earl's behavior these past few days suggested that his proposal had been rejected. The thought stirred a complex, indescribable feeling in Hathaway's heart.

Lately, she often found herself wondering what might have been if she'd met Jenkins before Briny. But she always came to the same conclusion: her question would just be reversed—what if she'd met a woman before she'd met a man?

Fidelity was a line she would never cross. Besides, even after Jenkins came into her life, she noticed no change in her feelings for Briny.

Though in her wildest dreams she'd imagined having them both by her side, the sensible part of her knew that Briny Mikhail's standing meant something like that could never happen.

She gazed at Jenkins as he offered his opinions on politics. His face, illuminated by the dim sunlight filtering through the metal-framed window, seemed as radiant as the sun itself.

"He truly is an excellent marriage prospect."

A profound sadness for herself washed over her.

To Hathaway's surprise—or perhaps not so surprisingly—it was Jenkins who brought up the topic of marriage.

The author had been mulling over the earl's proposal quite a bit recently. He had to admit he was rather fond of Hathaway Hersha, but at the same time, he knew he shouldn't be the one to interfere in someone else's relationship.

He repeated the earl's words from that night in a flat, dry tone, then scratched his cheek and fell silent. Hathaway bit her lip gently, her gaze drifting to the window. A sparrow landed on the sill, peeked inside, and was promptly scared off by a certain cat.

"For the time being, it's best to avoid going out at night. You must have seen the eclipse last night."

Jenkins had spoken up to break the silence. The atmosphere felt awkward, and he realized it was because of the marriage talk.

In truth, he'd regretted bringing it up the moment the words left his mouth. But time, unfortunately, couldn't be reversed—at least, not by him. Not yet.

"I saw it. It was terrifying."

Hathaway gave a slight nod, her gaze lowered so far that her lashes almost completely veiled her eyes.

"A red moon is also called a blood moon. It's probably related to vampires. I think we should stay far away from things like that."

"Yes, you're absolutely right."

Jenkins agreed, clearing his throat with a loud cough to dispel the strange feeling that had settled in his chest.

"Alright then, let's talk about the opera. The story is ready, now it just needs music. And we should probably visit the opera company together next week and meet the cast. It'll help everyone get on the same page..." Get full chapters from novel✦fire.net

Jenkins had already decided to adapt *Murder on the Orient Express* for the stage. He loved a good detective story, and he threw himself into rewriting the libretto with passion and enthusiasm.

He had been busy with the final proofreading for *Frozen* lately, so progress on the opera adaptation had been slow. Still, after he briefly laid out his vision, Hathaway readily agreed it was an excellent concept.

"Your talent is always so astounding. If we pull this off, maybe this opera will become a timeless classic, beloved by audiences for centuries to come."

The shift to a professional topic lifted Hathaway's spirits, and Jenkins, for his part, was able to temporarily forget the earlier awkwardness.

He was excited about it, too. If one wanted to leave a mark on the world as a mortal, then great inventions and works of literature were certainly the best ways to do it.

He still remembered how spreading his "original" knowledge allowed him to increase his spirit, thanks to the Gift of the Sage. The boost from his *Stranger's Story Collection* was still active, while the effects of *Frozen* had yet to kick in.

He hoped this would be the push he needed to break through to the next level. His power was already growing at a rapid pace, yet some subconscious instinct kept urging him to advance even faster.

Just before the workday ended, Jenkins received a message from Miss Audrey. She intended to continue his "astronomy" lessons tonight; last week's session had been postponed. He would need to gather a few materials before heading to her residence.

The items she requested were all quite common—ordinary junk, really. The long list included things like a deflated leather ball, rusty rivets, a doll missing an arm, and a filthy bowl. If it weren't for Sally's well-stocked shop next door and the large trash heap a few blocks away, Jenkins might have struggled to gather it all.

Despite its hatred of baths, Chocolate was, at heart, an exceptionally clean cat. Having personally witnessed Jenkins rummaging through a pile of trash, it forbade its owner from touching it the entire way to Miss Audrey's home.