Lord of The Mysterious Realms Chapter 600

Jenkins finished on a questioning note but didn't give the young man a chance to reply, pressing on in a hurried tone:

"If I recall correctly, that club has denied you entry on several occasions for trespassing, and Miss Lawrence has often complained to her friends about your disgraceful stalking."

Liverpool answered meekly, trying to back away, but the hand on his shoulder was surprisingly strong.

"Excuse me, but... do you know Miss Lawrence as well?"

An uncontrollable surge of anger welled up inside Jenkins at the question. He fought to suppress the inexplicable rage, forcing a stiff smile onto his face as he spoke again:

"Miss Lawrence is a friend of mine, so I hope you'll have the decency to approach a lady in a proper manner. If she rejects you, then leave her be. If you're unwilling to give up, then work on improving yourself instead of resorting to this disgraceful spying."

He squirmed, trying to wrench his shoulder free from Jenkins's grip.

His tone grew more agitated.

"Listen, Mr. Liverpool. I know you're desperate for a romance with a beautiful young woman, but your methods are appalling. This is none of my business, and I have no right to judge you, but my conscience—and the law—compel me to stand out here in the freezing cold and have this conversation. I have connections at KalFax Field. Yes, you know I'm a nobleman, and nobility comes with certain privileges. If I see you lurking around Miss Lawrence again, even once, I promise you'll be spending the rest of the year in a police cell."

"Yes, I understand." Read complete versıon only at novel⟡fire.net

He lowered his head, muttering under his breath, "Romance is only for 'princes' like you."

Jenkins frowned. He hadn't quite caught what the man said, so he added:

"I saw you across from the clothing store the other day. You turned and fled. That tells me you still have a shred of decency."

Liverpool kept his head bowed, saying nothing.

"Alright. We're both reasonable men. I trust you understand that this isn't a threat. I'm hoping that sense of decency will kick in again. Don't do this again."

With that, he finally released his grip. Liverpool stumbled back a step, nearly tripping on a loose stone.

"I understand, Baron. Thank you for the warning."

He gave a quick bow, then turned and hurried away.

"No. I don't think you understand at all."

A nagging intuition told Jenkins this man would cause him significant trouble in the near future. He thought about going after him but hesitated, worried it was just his imagination. In those few seconds of indecision, Liverpool ducked into a nearby alley and vanished.

Being an exceptionally cautious man, Jenkins never allowed potential threats to linger. That flash of premonition, that sense of danger, kept nagging at him. So, upon returning to the church, he immediately asked some of his contacts there to look into George Liverpool.

Investigating an ordinary person was a simple matter. After dinner, someone delivered a file to Jenkins containing all the information on the young man.

Seeing he still had some time before his gathering in Ruen, he opened the file to have a look.

George Liverpool was born in Nolan City to a common coal miner's family. His mother died of illness when he was three, and his father was killed in a mining accident. He had been living with his impoverished uncle ever since.

His uncle, Jack Liverpool, was a man of terrible character. Though he treated his nephew decently enough, growing up in such a poor and dysfunctional household had clearly left its mark; George Liverpool's behavior was highly problematic.

"He craved wealth, harbored some hostility toward the rich, idolized the privileged class, and viewed his education solely as a means to get ahead..."

This was Jenkins's summary of the man. It might be biased, he admitted, but the general assessment was likely accurate. The investigator, probably aware of who had commissioned the report, had even taken the liberty of transcribing excerpts from Liverpool's diary concerning Miss Lawrence.

"They even managed to get his diary," Jenkins mused. "Impressive..."

Setting aside the typical teenage fantasies, Jenkins discovered Liverpool's initial interest in Miss Lawrence was shockingly pragmatic: the Lawrence family had no male heirs. Marrying her meant inheriting the entire Lawrence estate.

Jenkins found this logic hard to fathom. If the man was clever enough to devise such a scheme to get ahead, why couldn't he employ a more intelligent approach to actually winning the young woman's affection?

"So it wasn't a case of pure, unadulterated love after all."

He felt he'd stumbled upon something utterly revolting. Any trace of admiration he might have had for the man's persistence vanished completely.

Ultimately, however, it seemed a case of personal misfortune born from the misfortunes of the era. Liverpool was certainly at fault, but his faults were, in turn, born of a greater hardship.

"Well, human relationships truly are complicated," he mused. "The best course of action is to detach oneself and pursue grander goals."

Reaffirming his own convictions, he swept the depressing file aside, resolving to let the Church handle the matter from here on out.

Lately, Jenkins had come to see Ruen as a sanctuary, a place to forget his troubles. There, he didn't have to play a part. He could share everything—well, most things—with his friends, without worrying about the repercussions on his future.

He most appreciated Alexia's intuitive understanding, and the guileless Miss Stuart was an equally wonderful friend. Sometimes, he wished the nights in Ruen would last a little longer, just to prolong that feeling of peace.

"What are you thinking about?"

Jenkins was facing the study window. The glass reflected his own unnervingly young face, and standing just behind him, Alexia's reflection appeared as well.

"The matter of the Evil God's Scion," he replied. "I was wondering if I should truly be associating with a Righteous God."

Miss Stuart, who had been writing with her head lowered, was so startled she nearly snapped the pen in her hand.

"There's no need to worry," Alexia said. "No matter how you look at it, you are the Sage's most faithful believer. Your contributions to the Church are unparalleled. Jenkins, I think you're forgetting that."

he asked softly, his gaze lowered. He felt a little better.