It was clear Papa Oliver still had his reservations, but Jenkins had a point. Besides, the train's stop was brief, and they couldn't afford to waste any more ti.
"Alright then," he relented. "Stay safe. If you can't get back on, don't just wander off."
Papa Oliver nodded at Jenkins, who gave him another wave before leaving the carriage entrance and hurrying toward car number one, just as the conductor had instructed.
The train seed incredibly long, yet sohow, Jenkins felt as though he and Chocolate had only taken a few steps before they reached the entrance to car number one. A single glance was enough to tell it was the VIP car. The conductors were no longer n in identical uniforms but elegantly dressed won, and a plush red carpet had been rolled out at the entrance.
Jenkins approached and presented his ticket and the one for his cat. The female conductor gave him a slight curtsy before carefully inspecting both tickets.
"Welco to the Market, esteed sir," she declared. "Please, co in. We've been expecting you."
She bowed to Jenkins again. The top button of her collar was undone, offering him quite an eyeful, but having just left Briny that morning, he showed no reaction at all.
Upon entering, Jenkins found the interior as vast as a grand ballroom. Perhaps because it was the VIP car, he and Chocolate appeared to be the only passengers. The train had yet to depart, and the carriage was furnished like the drawing-room of a stately manor. Jenkins glanced around before settling onto a plush sofa. He then noticed the coffee table before him, laden with an assortnt of delicacies and even a bottle of champagne chilling in an ice bucket.
"Dear passengers, the train is now departing. Please hold on. This journey will last approximately seven hours and fifty-two minutes. The train will travel in a loop around the Bel Diran region before returning to its starting station. There will be no stops along the way. Please look after your personal belongings, and we wish you a pleasant journey."
The voice seed to drift in from a great distance, yet it was perfectly clear. Jenkins glanced around and confird that he was indeed the only person in the so-called VIP car.
The silence was unnerving, so he stood up, intending to explore. But the mont he rose, all the furniture around him vanished like a pencil drawing being erased. Simultaneously, glass display counters, much like those in a high-end jewelry store, materialized along both sides of the car, showcasing the items for sale.
Tasteful oil paintings appeared on the walls, and behind each counter stood a uniford female attendant. Every one of them had the exact sa face. They didn't speak, but their faces were fixed in warm, welcoming smiles.
The noisy chatter of a crowd drifted from the cars behind, suggesting they had truly transford into a bustling market. This car, however, maintained the ambiance of a high-end jeweler. Intrigued, Jenkins leaned over the nearest counter. Inside lay a single, pitch-black bullet, its price and description detailed on a small plaque beside it:
[A-03-2-3499, Tandem Bullet. Upon striking and killing a target, all relatives within three generations of the target will die from identical wounds. Note: If the bullet fails to kill the target, it will instead cause permanent and irreversible sterility. Note: The bullet's form can adapt to the user's firearm.
Price: 3 Sin Coins (any type)]
"Hss... how utterly terrifying."
Jenkins took a sharp breath, subconsciously backing away from the display. As he scanned the room, he realized that every single item in every glass counter emanated a spiritual aura. That ant there were at least twenty numbered items in this car alone.
"Sir, would you like to inspect this item more closely?"
The woman behind the counter inquired.
Jenkins politely shook his head, thinking to himself:
"Now I finally understand why this is the VIP car."
He wanted to browse the other items for sale, and then head to the back cars to find Papa Oliver. Just then, a voice spoke from behind him:
"Esteed guest, would you like to introduce you to our rchandise?"
He turned to see a portly, middle-aged man standing at the entrance to the car, who had appeared there without a sound. Dressed in a black formal suit with a bowler hat and a monocle, he had a steady, charismatic voice. The spiritual aura he emanated was identical to that of the attendants, leading Jenkins to assu he was so sort of shopping concierge for the VIP car.
"I..."
He was about to refuse, but then rembered he did have a few questions.
"I'm actually quite curious. Why do you consider a VIP?"
He asked, conveniently ignoring that his cat had also been deed a VIP, as he subconsciously considered Chocolate an extension of himself. The cat, for its part, was quite pleased with the distinction.
"Because the ticket detected a large quantity of Sin Coins on your person."
The portly man wore a respectful smile, his eyes narrowing into slits in his plump face. This had the advantage of making his thoughts difficult to read. It also ant Jenkins couldn't see the fear that kept the man's gaze from ever daring to rest upon his shoulder.
"So it was because of the Sin Coins. And here I thought..."
He laughed self-deprecatingly, having thought for a mont that the Market had recognized sothing unique about him.
"Very well, then. There is sothing I need. I'm looking for a tal artifact. It's a master of calculation, and it was sealed underground long ago, in a bygone era. Do you have anything here that could help find it?"
he inquired.
The portly man visibly relaxed when Jenkins changed the subject from the VIP car. He expertly guided Jenkins further inside, signaling for an attendant to unlock a display case and retrieve an object resembling a tal detector.
The device consisted of a brass-colored ring connected to a black iron rod, completely devoid of any other markings or decorations. The portly man donned a pair of white gloves, effortlessly lifted it for Jenkins to see, and began his explanation:
"This is what people in the material world call B-10-5-0421, the [Frenzied tal Detector]. It’s quite inexpensive due to its significant limitations. It can detect [special items] with [tallic properties] that are [buried deep underground], but it can only give a reading when it's directly over the location; it can't tell you how deep the item is buried."
"Sounds pretty good."
Jenkins nodded, hoping this would allow him to be the first to find the original prototype of the Difference Engine buried deep beneath Nolan.
"And the price is..."
He glanced at the plaque. Twelve Sin Coins. The price was steep, but within his ans. In fact, Jenkins was already convinced. It would be money well spent.
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