“So, who exactly do you each work for?”
Letting the cat on his shoulder hop to the side, Jenkins tapped his cane on the floor as he spoke. For the first ti in the Eighteenth Epoch, his [Aura of Fear] flared to life. An emanation, visible only to him, swept through the study, enveloping every living being except for the cat in the corner.
The three n instinctively took a step back as panic crept into their hearts. The young man before them was rely holding a cane, yet he gave off the unnerving impression that he could swing it and kill any one of them in an instant. The oppressive feeling was sothing no re human could exude.
Each of the three n was backed by a different faction, so they had naturally encountered Enchanters before. The truth dawned on all of them at once:
“You're an Enchanter!”
“Correct, but there's no prize.”
His cane flicked the gun from the history teacher's loose grip, sending it clattering to the floor. Not only did the man offer no resistance, but his face contorted in terror as he stumbled back another step, pulling the other two with him until they were nearly pressed against the large bookshelf behind the desk.
“Now then, who do you all work for?”
Jenkins inquired in a low, deliberate tone, his voice unconsciously laced with a power that inspired trust. This force, combined with the [Aura of Fear] that could unsettle even a dragon, was sothing an ordinary person's mind simply couldn't resist.
“Who do you work for?”
His voice was still low and unhurried, but it now carried an unmistakable undercurrent of threat.
“I don't know who I work for. They just told to buy the mirror and take it to a specific location to hand it over.”
The history teacher confessed.
“I work at a secondhand shop. We actually sold this mirror originally, but the owner decided it had other uses, so he sent to buy it back.”
The man who claid to be an auction house employee explained.
“I really do work for Count Paramount, but it wasn't the count who wanted the mirror—it was the countess... She's a terrifying Enchanter. She poisoned us. We have to follow her orders, or we'll die.”
“A strange organization, a strange secondhand shop, and a strange countess...”
Jenkins summarized the origins of the three terrified n before him and realized that Bel Diran, the royal capital, was perhaps no more “peaceful” than Nolan.
Relying on his Aura of Fear and ntal pressure to keep the three n subdued, he took the opportunity to open the study door and call a servant to notify the police. He then waited patiently for their arrival, revealed that supernatural forces were involved, and the Sage Church officially took over the entire affair.
Viscount Gurus's residence was quickly cordoned off. The three n were taken away by the Church for further interrogation. After briefly answering a few questions in the study, Jenkins was permitted to leave with the mirror and return to the grand cathedral.
While not everyone was aware of his status as the Saint Son, his recent appearance with the Pontiff at the ribbon-cutting ceremony was enough to signify his extraordinary position. No one within the Church would be foolish enough to give him trouble.
“It was a bit of a hassle, but all in all, things went smoothly.”
It was only noon when he left Viscount Gurus's estate, which was about the ti Jenkins had expected to be finished. He figured if he returned to the cathedral quickly, he might even make it in ti for lunch. As he stood at the intersection, holding the wooden box and scanning the area for a carriage, the sound of heavy wheels grinding against cobblestones echoed from the other side of the street. People spontaneously began to move out of the way.
Jenkins turned to look. It wasn't a public carriage. The thick side panels, the high-quality wood, the deep, dark paint, and the stoic deanor of the driver—even without a family crest, anyone with a bit of worldly knowledge could tell this was a private carriage belonging to a noble.
Jenkins took a step back toward the curb, intending to let the carriage pass as he stood by a postbox. To his surprise, it began to slow down just a short distance away, coming to a halt with the carriage window directly in front of him.
“Jenkins, it's been a while.”
Miss Windsor, whom he hadn't seen in a long ti, opened the small wooden window, a warm smile on her face. She still possessed that sa striking, spirited air, yet it did nothing to diminish her femininity. On the contrary, her unique charisma, combined with her lovely features and fair skin, made her seem all the more noble and captivating.
“It has been a while, Miss Windsor. Your hair ornant is lovely.”
The last ti he was in Bel Diran to receive his award, Miss Windsor had been an excellent host. Jenkins hadn't forgotten her hospitality, so his deanor was perfectly courteous.
“Where are you headed? Why don't I give you a lift? I happen to have so free ti right now.”
The lady in the carriage offered.
Jenkins could find no reason to refuse, and besides, both he and his cat were eager to get back. After a mont's hesitation, he agreed. It was only after climbing into the carriage that he discovered Miss Windsor was alone in the spacious interior; he had expected to see a maidservant to handle miscellaneous tasks.
“I'm going to the Sage Church on the outskirts of the city.”
He inford the driver, who gave a silent nod and gently flicked the reins. The horses began to walk, and the sound of wheels on stone returned, though this ti it was slightly muffled, as Jenkins was now inside the carriage.
“Jenkins, when did you arrive in Bel Diran? I heard you were in Ruen, in the Hamparvo Kingdom. I even saw a photograph of you with the northern princess in the newspaper.”
Miss Windsor inquired, the carriage riding so smoothly that when she set down her teacup, the surface of the black tea didn't even tremble in her lace-gloved hand. From a friend's perspective, it was a perfectly normal question. But now that Jenkins knew his family's secret, and was well aware that the woman before him was a strong contender for the throne, he couldn't be sure if she knew about the Williatte matter. As a result, he had no idea what her intentions were.
“My master told to return as soon as possible,” he explained. “As you know, I'm an apprentice at an antique shop, and Pops felt my vacation in Ruen had gone on long enough.”
As he spoke, his eyes glanced over to the small table and noticed a rare book on swordsmanship. In the corner of the carriage stood a knight's sword that was clearly no re decoration. Miss Windsor's hobbies were certainly unusual for a lady of her age.
“Are you staying at the Sage Church for your entire ti in Bel Diran?”
Miss Windsor asked, her smile natural and friendly.
“Yes. The Church provides with a room free of charge, along with three als a day. There's no need for to stay anywhere else.”
He replied, all the while wondering what the lady before him was truly after. He absolutely refused to believe this encounter was a coincidence.
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