Jenkins rembered the other part of his mission in Bel Diran was to et with the Queen. At first, he had genuinely believed Count Bidden's story, but now that he knew the Williams family's secret, he understood that it was likely only a partial truth.
Seeing the Queen wasn't as simple as knocking on the palace gates. He had to wait for her to summon him, not go of his own accord.
He hadn't hidden his whereabouts after arriving in Bel Diran; anyone who cared to look could easily find him. So, if the ailing Queen truly wished to see him, she could send for him at any mont. Jenkins had been keeping an eye out for such a summons over the past few days.
But before that summons ca, Jenkins was t by Old Daddy in Bel Diran. After a two-month separation, following the "accidental" collision between Chocolate and a bottle, Jenkins finally saw his ntor again.
"Long ti no see!"
He gave Old Daddy a huge hug and saw that he hadn't changed much at all. Even his clothes were the sa as always—not exactly old-fashioned, but certainly not stylish. The long-awaited reunion moved Jenkins deeply. He enthusiastically took the suitcase from Old Daddy's hand and saw that his ntor was also looking at him with great pleasure.
"What brings you to Bel Diran? You should have told sooner. I could have t you at the train station."
He then rembered that he wasn't supposed to know Old Daddy was coming.
"There was a major business deal that required my personal attention, and the Church also wanted to co and appraise a batch of dangerous items. I happened to hear you were coming back too, so I tid my train trip accordingly. I didn't expect to be two days late; I originally thought we'd arrive on the sa day. Now, let have a look at you. How have you been lately? See, you're just like your cat, haven't gained any weight. I thought the food at that northern princess's place would have fattened you up a bit."
Old Daddy studied Jenkins with warmth, even cracking a joke. Jenkins, however, wasn't particularly concerned about his weight, though Chocolate loved to be complinted on its own.
Due to the secretive nature of Old Daddy's work, he certainly couldn't stay with Jenkins at the Church. But since this was partly an official trip, his accommodation expenses were covered. Old Daddy had chosen to stay in a hotel in the heart of Bel Diran, very close to the antique district.
Jenkins didn't know if Old Daddy was aware of his family's situation, but he felt that he probably was. He didn't bring it up, though, instead chattering on about his experiences in the north, describing the magnificent snowy mountain landscapes and the young won in their exotic attire.
"While you were away from Nolan, a lot has happened in the city. You probably won't believe this, but a few days ago, soone actually mailed a stone slab inscribed with the Doomsday Docunt to the church. You can't even imagine the look on Bincy's face when he was on patrol and found it... So, what's the deal with you and that princess? I rember you getting along quite well with Hathaway and Miss Mikhail. Young man, you need to be careful not to fall into any romantic pitfalls."
After Jenkins had finished, Old Daddy changed the subject with a question.
"Dolores and I have a lot in common. I think, if possible, I might move to Ruen in the future."
He said it deliberately.
"What? That won't do! You... you don't want to work for Old Daddy anymore? Besides, the Nolan diocese needs you."
Just as he thought, Old Daddy's reaction was proof enough that he knew the whole story.
"So you do know."
"Know what?"
"About the Williams family. We have royal blood, don't we?"
Old Daddy froze, his expression showing that he knew Jenkins wasn't bluffing. After a long mont, he slowly nodded.
"I always thought you'd find out eventually, but I never expected it to be under these circumstances."
"I figured it out myself. I even spoke with the Pontiff this morning. It suddenly dawned on that, aside from , it seems like all of you already knew."
Old Daddy gave an awkward smile, took out the key he had just gotten from the ground floor, and opened the door for Jenkins to enter. Jenkins pulled the heavy suitcase to a corner, then watched as Old Daddy closed the door behind him and walked to the window to draw the curtains.
Outside was a bustling street. Bel Diran's population density was close to Nolan's, and as the royal capital, everything seed even more prosperous.
"Since you already know, there's no need to hide it. We discovered it by accident during your background check. We told your father first, and Robert chose not to tell you. He thought it was for the best. So, what are your plans now?"
"I don't have any plans. I'll just wait and see what the Queen chooses. I already told Pontiff IV this morning that if I must step forward, I won't refuse, but it's very difficult for to choose this path myself."
"That's good. You always manage to make the right choice."
Old Daddy turned around, his hands clasped behind his back. His wrinkled face was filled with an expression of profound relief.
"So you really didn't need to co all the way to Bel Diran. I can handle eting the Queen on my own."
"You don't really think I ca to Bel Diran just for your sake, do you?"
Old Daddy laughed and gestured for Jenkins to look at the suitcase he had brought.
At his ntor's signal, Jenkins opened the heavy suitcase. With two sharp clicks, Jenkins undid the latches. Lifting the lid revealed not spare clothes and towels, but the set of appraisal tools Old Daddy regularly used at the antique shop. At the bottom lay a few docunts, which appeared to be bank deposit slips and other such vouchers.
"I really am here on business this ti. If you can finish your debriefing soon, you can co with for a real eye-opener. The cargo being transported to Bel Diran this ti is truly extraordinary. I'll give you a little preview: it's a B-class Extraordinary event, one that only occurs once every hundred years. I'm taking you along to broaden your horizons."
Jenkins was naturally eager to tag along and learn from Old Daddy. They continued to chat about his travels and experiences in the north, both tacitly avoiding any further ntion of his lineage and the throne.
Besides Old Daddy, Hathaway, Briny, and the Williams family were also on their way to Bel Diran. If all went as expected, Jenkins would see them soon. While waiting for the Queen's summons and the arrival of his family, the Church, seeing that Jenkins had ti on his hands, gave him a small task. It was also a way for their Saint to make himself useful.
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