"I always pictured Miss Windsor as the kind of person who keeps to herself."
Strolling across the lawn with Briny, Jenkins glanced up at a sky clear of clouds and brimming with stars. The early sumr night breeze carried a hint of warmth beneath its cool touch. The n's formal shirts were light and thin, while the won wore elegant, breathable gowns to showcase their grace and beauty.
"To be a successful lady of the nobility, one must naturally be a successful socialite."
Briny explained with a smile. She loved these quiet walks alone with Jenkins, though she admitted to herself it would be even better if he hadn't brought his cat.
"My family will be here in a little while," Jenkins said. "I'll introduce you."
"Is this... a formal introduction?"
A blush crept up the blonde girl's cheeks.
"Of course it is... Oh, right. I see what you an. Yes, it's a formal introduction."
Jenkins gave a firm nod, then took Briny's hand and led her deeper into the garden. He loved being surrounded by such vibrant plant life, fully aware that his elven blood was the reason for this affinity.
They wandered through the garden for a good twenty minutes before returning to the fountain. No sooner had they arrived than Hathaway announced she wanted a stroll as well, and she and Jenkins departed once more.
"I'll bet you just kissed her."
Once she was certain they were out of sight of the others, the red-haired young woman pointed to Jenkins's lips.
Jenkins instinctively raised a hand to wipe his mouth, but then rembered that Briny had already wiped off her lipstick.
"You're always like this, Jenkins."
Hathaway's eyes crinkled in a smile, and Jenkins chose to take it as a complint.
"Let's see... did you press her against the base of a statue in the shadows, or was it a long embrace on that bench tucked into the alcove by the hedges deep in the garden?" she pressed boldly.
"Don't ask things like that," Jenkins muttered, his face flushing.
"Of course I have to ask. Because..."
Hathaway suddenly rose onto her tiptoes and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek.
"I can't let Briny get the better of . Everyone knows gentlen prefer blondes."
"I like both, actually."
Jenkins murmured, and was rewarded with a gentle punch from Hathaway.
They chatted as they walked, sharing plenty of common interests—the world of Enchanters, naturally, among them. Hathaway brought up the strange illusion that had appeared over Bel Diran two nights ago. She'd seen it, of course, a projection cast into the sky when Jenkins, unbeknownst to her, had dueled a fragnt of the Sin Nightmare in a dream, a battle fueled by the combined power of lies and slumber.
She didn't fully grasp its aning and hoped that Jenkins, as a Scribe for an Orthodox Church, could shed so light on the truth. Jenkins gave her a half-truth, explaining it was connected to the believers of a god of lies and divulging a few details about the Perfu Appreciation Committee.
The red-haired young woman remarked that Bel Diran was just as dangerous as Nolan, then asked with concern if Jenkins was involved.
"? Yes, I have a small connection to it."
Hathaway tensed imdiately, but she knew a Saint of the Church had many duties. She didn't ask him to stay away from the danger, but simply urged him to be careful and not take unnecessary risks.
She also asked about the faint cat's cry she thought she'd heard just before the phantoms in the night sky vanished. Jenkins didn't dare admit his connection to it. For their part, the Keeper of Secrets and Papa Oliver, considering he had yet to beco a demigod, hadn't told him that the creature was tied to an ancient Calamity Beast. As a result, Jenkins still had no idea what it was he so often encountered in his dreams.
"The Church only said it was sothing incredibly dangerous," Jenkins offered. "But if I had to guess, it might be the Devouring Moon Spirit Cat from the old myths. An ancient Calamity Beast, the creature that swallowed the material world's primordial moon."
Jenkins said it flippantly, just making things up, but Hathaway's expression was one of pure shock. For a split second, Chocolate looked shocked too, before instantly reverting to his usual dopey deanor.
Jenkins had investigated the black cat from his dreams through various channels, but every inquiry led to a dead end. It wasn't until the other night, when he managed to manifest the cat by condensing his first drop of divinity, that he got an inkling that the creature might not be his enemy.
He suspected the black cat was so malevolent entity sealed in a pocket dinsion, able to connect with him in his dreams through so special link. He now thought of it as a creature of imnse power but with an intellect lower than Chocolate's—a simple-minded cat. After all, every ti they t in his dreams, it fought him as if it were toying with a ball of yarn.
"ow~"
Chocolate decided that tonight, he would show Jenkins the true might of a great cat.
They continued to walk and talk, eventually reaching a secluded corner of the garden. There, Hathaway asked Jenkins to repeat what he'd done with Briny. Jenkins, of course, was happy to oblige. But just as he reached out to embrace the red-haired young woman, the cat on his shoulder let out a sudden cry.
Though Jenkins still couldn't understand the aning behind Chocolate's cries, he had long since learned to interpret the cat's mood from the different tones of his ows. Hearing this one, a sense of alarm shot through him. It was a warning—danger was near. His motion to embrace Hathaway transford mid-movent; his arms, instead of opening, shot out to draw his cane. He flicked the cane behind him with his right hand while shielding Hathaway with his left, his eyes scanning their surroundings.
The corner was quiet, save for the faint sounds of a couple murmuring and laughing intimately nearby. But through his Eye of Reality, Jenkins saw sothing else entirely: a dazzling ball of red spirit, blazing like a miniature sun in the darkness.
The garden was lit by elegant, stone-based gas lamps, but their gentle glow was dim, which only made the spiritual light seem even brighter.
At the sa ti, Jenkins noticed a faint, almost imperceptible wisp of black light hovering beside the red aura—the power of a Mysterious Object.
"What is it, Jenkins?" Hathaway asked, her voice tinged with nervousness.
"We have so uninvited 'guests' at the party..."
he explained, pausing for a few seconds before continuing.
"You need to find Briny and Miss Windsor, then locate the church clergy and stay with them. The Twelve Orthodox Churches have all been sending representatives to Bel Diran for one reason or another lately. They're bound to have been invited to a party like this."
"No, Jenkins, I'm not leaving. It's not as if I'm helpless, and besides, what would I even tell them?"
Hathaway asked.
Jenkins considered her words. She had a point. Besides, the red aura itself didn't signify danger; it was only the wisp of black beside it that had put him on edge.
"Alright, we'll check it out together. Just stay behind , and be careful."
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