Lord of The Mysterious Realms Chapter 963

Before leaving the antique shop, Jenkins had intended to ask Pops to join him for dinner, but the old man said he had other matters to attend to. He simply urged Jenkins not to wander off and to head straight to the church after his meal.

Sticking to his plan, he took Chocolate to a restaurant by the river. It was the height of the dinner hour, yet the place was sparsely populated—a likely consequence of the recent plague.

Jenkins took the menu from the waiter and quickly scanned the prices. After a brief mental calculation of the potential bill, he began to order with confidence.

Chocolate was, of course, illiterate, so Jenkins never bothered showing it the menu. He selected a few dishes suitable for both human and feline palates, specified the steak should be cooked rare, added a lemonade for himself, and then set the menu back on the table.

Jenkins typically tipped fifteen percent, though on the rare occasions he dined with female companions, he would leave twenty. When he first arrived in this world, he’d found the custom of tipping difficult to stomach, especially during the lean times just after he moved from Maidenhaven Road.

But he had grown used to it over time. There was no going back to his former home, after all. He had no choice but to make a place for himself in this new era.

He’d only assimilated in part, however. Jenkins would never forget his true name, nor where he had come from. In moments of solitude, he would drift back to memories of his original world, but he was unwilling to share them with anyone—not even Chocolate.

A wave of melancholy washed over him as he waited for his order. He turned to gaze out the window, where small cargo vessels were already gliding along the city's waterways. The river ice had melted completely, and soon, Nolan would surely reclaim its bustling glory.

His gaze followed a boat on the water, while Chocolate rested near his hand, its own eyes fixed on the same scene. The two of them sat in quiet companionship, a spell broken only when the restaurant door swung open:

Startled to hear his name, Jenkins looked up at the entrance and saw Miss Capet approaching.

She was dressed in an elegant, though lightweight, lady's overcoat. Her hair had been intricately braided and pinned up at the front, while the rest cascaded freely down her back.

Jenkins recalled seeing Miss Stuart wear a similar style before; it was a look that only suited women with a certain facial structure.

"Good evening, Miss Capet."

Jenkins gestured for his companion from the previous day to take a seat, then flagged down the waiter so she could order. Sigrid Capet appeared to be a vegetarian—or was perhaps just watching her figure—as her meal contained no meat or eggs.

Their shared ordeal in the Mysterious Realm had forged a friendship between them, a bond solidified by their final battle against the monstrosity from the sea. With no other patrons seated nearby, their conversation naturally drifted back to the strange realm, and they both expressed relief that their other two companions had also been found safe.

"Miss Warfield and Miss Knight weren't just lost in there," she began. "I believe they stumbled upon some vital clue about the Mysterious Realm that we overlooked." Thɪs chapter is updated by novel-fire.ɴet

She spoke while deftly handling her silverware. Noticing Jenkins's cat was also eating, she speared a small green leaf with her fork and offered it. The cat looked up, let out a sound of pure disgust, and shuffled away to pointedly ignore her.

"I haven't heard any such rumors," Jenkins replied. "From what I understand, the churches in Nolan are still determined to continue their explorations of the Mysterious Realm."

"That's not the Church's conclusion. It's my own."

A self-satisfied smile crept onto her face as she continued:

"The Mysterious Realm holds a profound secret. Miss Knight and Miss Warfield's disappearance wasn't just a simple case of getting lost. Do you really think it's a coincidence they returned to our world just an hour after we did? We had to get involved with a numbered item and face a terrifying monstrosity just to make it back..."

Her logic was sound, but whatever secrets Miss Knight and the huntress were keeping were none of his concern. Besides, of the four who had entered the Mysterious Realm, only Jenkins was affiliated with the local Church. The other three would have no say in the final decision regarding the gateway.

They continued to chat as they ate. By the time Jenkins fed the last morsel of steak to his cat, the warm, yellow glow of the streetlamps was bathing the riverside promenade in light.

The weather was pleasant that evening; a sea breeze had swept away some of the fog. Nolan was beautiful on an early spring night, and though Jenkins felt an urge to stroll along the water, his evening class was fast approaching.

He rose to take his leave. Miss Capet didn't seem to mind, remaining at her table by the window to finish her meal. As he opened the door, he glanced back at her, and her silhouette again struck him with a strange sense of familiarity.

"It's definitely not my imagination."

He murmured to himself, cradling Chocolate in his right arm as his left hand reached inside his coat for his document pouch.

"I have to look into this," he resolved. "It's far too much of a coincidence."

As he stepped out of the restaurant, he saw a carriage parked under a nearby streetlamp. The driver wasn't waiting idly for a fare; instead, he was busy wiping down the exterior with a rag.

As Jenkins approached, the driver spotted him, quickly stowed his rag and bucket, and gave his horse a gentle pat to signal it was time to move.

The seats inside were plush, suggesting the driver had recently refitted the interior. Jenkins settled back, listening to the rhythmic clip-clop of the hooves. He set Chocolate down on the seat beside him and drew the curtain back just enough to let the cool night air wash over his face.

There was nothing quite like an early spring breeze—that perfect, inimitable blend of cool and warm. It was almost too pleasant. Between the comforting air and a full stomach, Jenkins, who had been pondering the mystery of Miss Capet, drifted off into a hazy sleep.

Seeing its master asleep, Chocolate curled into a ball beside him, closing its eyes as if to nap. The man's familiar scent was a comfort, and soon the cat was truly, deeply asleep.

A sudden lurch, as if the wheel had hit a rut, jolted Jenkins from his slumber. He yawned, stretched, and glanced instinctively out the window—only to find himself looking out at a vast, empty field.

Even if the driver had gotten lost, it was impossible to end up this far astray. Jenkins blinked, confirming the driver was just an ordinary man. His next thought was that his luck had run out; he must have run into bandits.

Gently, he lifted the sleepy, pliant cat and tucked it into the inner pocket of his coat. He shifted his weight forward, ready to spring out and overpower the driver before the man could create the awkward and dangerous situation of an uncontrolled carriage.