Chapter 72: Chapter 72

It let out a soft cry, but instead of returning to its makeshift bed in the small cardboard box, it dove straight under Jenkins's covers.

Hiding the kitten in his coat, Jenkins smuggled it out of the house and made his way to Pops Antique Shop, arriving early. He'd had to pay an extra three pence for the carriage ride, on top of promising the driver the kitten wouldn't make a mess.

"How was the reading salon last night?" Pops inquired the moment he walked in.

"A bit boring," Jenkins replied, "but the snacks and drinks were excellent. I was particularly fond of a soft white pastry, it was..."

Jenkins shrugged, the kitten nestled in his arms, but Pops cut him off.

"Oh, and one more thing."

His expression grew serious. "Last night, while we were telling stories, some kind of malevolent spirit was peeking at us through the window. I'm not sure who drove it away, though."

"Probably one of the guards. It's not uncommon for noble families to hire Enchanters for protection. Is that all?"

"Oh, right. I was also attacked on my way home last night."

That finally made Pops drop his questions about Jenkins's social life. "Attacked?"

He recounted the events of the previous night to Pops in detail, adding that, unfortunately, the attacker's appearance had been completely concealed.

"I see. I want you to write down a full account of the incident later, and I'll submit it to the Church for you. The ability he used sounds like the White Basic ability [Hat Trick], but we'll need to confirm that."

"Could it be the murderer who killed the Enchanter from the Church of Death and End?" Jenkins asked.

"Unlikely. The methods don't match. Besides, there's no reason he would have let you off so easily."

Pops looked thoughtful. "However, this matter with the spirit is something we need to take seriously. Those things aren't particularly powerful, but for an ordinary person, they can be lethal."

Jenkins nodded in understanding. "Look at this little one."

He introduced the kitten to Pops. "I found him on the street last night on my way home. I thought he was adorable, so I took him in. I haven't moved into my new place yet, and I can't keep a cat at my family's house. Do you think you could look after him for a little while, Pops?"

Pops reached out to stroke the kitten's fur, but it deftly dodged his hand. "As long as it doesn't mess with my things or relieve itself indoors, keeping a cat is fine. But are you sure it'll be willing to stay with me?"

The kitten clearly wasn't fond of Pops. It hissed, showing its tiny claws, and then scrambled back to Jenkins's side.

"Seems quite intelligent," Pops observed. "It recognizes people, at the very least. I've heard from ladies who keep cats that they're not like dogs; they don't get attached to a home."

"I'm not so sure about that."

Pops went back to looking over his ledger, which detailed the shop's recent expenses. Pops Antique Shop was the kind of place where a single major sale could keep the lights on for months. As long as he closed one good deal, he could go a whole week without another customer and still turn a profit.

And that wasn't even counting Pops's other avenues for moving merchandise. His network of contacts included black market dealers and a long list of private buyers.

"Speaking of intelligence," Jenkins began, the thought sparked by their conversation, "I've been meaning to ask, Pops. Are there any non-human intelligent races in this world?"

"That item, A-10-2-9116, that the man in the black robe took a while back... didn't it manifest a demon?"

"Was that really a demon?"

"Who knows," Pops grunted. "It's become rare to see any non-human intelligent beings in this epoch. The old texts describe demons as having black hair and eyes, scorched skin, and the strong stench of sulfur. They supposedly have curved horns like a goat and excel at slaughter. That's all I know. The book I lent you has a section on them—page 321. I don't know any more than what's in there."

"Then what about legendary creatures like elves, fairies, and vampires? Do they exist too?" Fresh chapters posted on NoveIＦire.net

"They do. They all exist. But just like demons, they've all but vanished in this epoch. You'll be hard-pressed to find any mention of them in modern records."

Pops looked up at him. "What, you think I'm some thousand-year-old relic?"

Jenkins gave a dry laugh. He patted the kitten on the head, letting it go off to play, and returned to his task of copying the tadpole-like script one hundred times.

Then again, I really have no idea how old Pops is, Jenkins thought to himself.

When he first arrived in this world, Jenkins had tried to research these mythical creatures. With his current level of access, there wasn't much he could find. However, he had learned one thing: unlike humans, none of those beings were naturally occurring.

According to the sparse information he'd found, there existed a few extremely rare types of chained abilities that could alter a person's very race. This was the origin of all so-called mythical creatures.

These special abilities took up a vast number of "bubbles." Jenkins hadn't found a precise number, but he imagined it would be no fewer than five. The advantage was that once the ability chain was complete and one's race and appearance had changed, the user would permanently gain a host of unique powers.

However, the methods for acquiring these abilities had been lost to time, which was why the so-called mythical creatures had all but disappeared.

Of course, Jenkins had also come across another theory: that creatures like demons, elves, and fairies weren't native to this world at all, but were instead natural beings from other worlds. Enchanters, by obtaining a token from them and performing a ritual, could acquire a chained ability, under certain special—

The text cut off abruptly at that point. It had come from a damaged, coverless book, and when Jenkins had gone to look for it again the next day, it had vanished from its shelf in the Church library.

The implications were obvious. Not wanting to stir up trouble, Jenkins had dropped the matter. Now, however, it seemed these strange races were hiding deep secrets—secrets that might even be connected to the mystery of the epoch's end.

Perhaps Professor Burns would know something.

Mr. Brol had sent Jenkins a letter that morning. In it, he explained that the "Stranger's Story Collection" was a massive success, and that he would be visiting Jenkins again on Tuesday—tomorrow—to deliver the first round of royalties and discuss a long-term partnership, as well as the possibility of a reprint.

Jenkins's plan to move out was finally coming to fruition.

He had gotten into the habit of reading the newspaper every day and had already scouted out a few apartments with reasonable rent in good locations. As soon as the money came in, he planned to go see them in person.

The antique shop remained quiet. Since Jenkins had to attend the professor's gathering that evening, he decided against going to the church—still under renovation—to do some research. He had been hoping to find some record of that earring.