"I'm not the only one who needs to watch their back. You do, too."
Gazing out the window, Jenkins deliberately changed the subject. He wasn't ready to share his thoughts with Miss Windsor—he could, but there was no need. Miss Windsor, anwhile, recalled the robbery a few nights ago. The mory of the overcoat Jenkins had left her brought a faint blush to her cheeks as she nodded.
"Speaking of which, have you heard? King Salsi II of the House of Stuart and the 'Proud One' of the Alecio family are both coming to Nolan."
Jenkins asked.
"I'd only heard the King of Cheslan was coming for the peace summit. The king of the northern kingdom is coming as well?"
"Yes, an event like this hasn't happened in a millennium. It will be a grand occasion, but also a perilous one. Imagine how many dangerous figures will flock here, chasing power and profit. Imagine the plots and sches that will unfold. This Tri-King Summit will determine a great deal about the future. And quite conveniently, both the northern kingdom and our own are facing succession crises. History has reached a new turning point, Miss Windsor."
"Jenkins, what are you getting at? Do you have any idea how dangerous your situation is right now?"
she asked again, her voice laced with anxiety.
"This is all quite fascinating. To be here, to witness all of this... it's truly thrilling."
Only Jenkins himself understood the true aning behind his words. He leaned back, sinking into the soft cushions of the carriage seat and letting his face fall into shadow. That captivating, almost overwhelming presence of his returned, yet the woman sitting across from him felt a strange sense of peace.
"Just wait and see, Miss Windsor. The story of an entire epoch must eventually find a grand stage for its finale. When it does, all the actors and the entire audience will gather. We are all part of the story, all participants. And those who believe they are pulling the strings? They are rely supporting actors in this final act."
The Unknown Path glowed faintly, and Jenkins felt as though he was once again gazing into the threads of destiny.
"Don't worry about facing danger, and don't worry about what the schers might attempt. The Twelve Orthodox Churches have gathered, and three monarchs are on their way. An event of this magnitude hasn't occurred in ages. The last ti sothing like this happened was, as legend has it, during the previous epoch when the High Tower Accord was first signed."
"You an the Churches and the kings are all seeking change? To change the current order of things?"
Miss Windsor struggled to follow his train of thought. She couldn't comprehend how this man, a contemporary of hers from a modest background and without a formal higher education, could speak with the sweeping perspective of a sage observing the long march of history.
"Yes. Change."
A change forced upon them by the end of the epoch.
"Compared to that, the succession of a throne is but a tiny ripple in the tide of history. We must focus on more important things..."
Preparing for the end of the epoch.
"Those who fixate only on the power in their hands are destined to be swept away, becoming nothing more than corpses in the tide."
"So, will you vie for the crown?"
Miss Windsor asked, but imdiately realized the sensitivity of the question.
"My apologies. I shouldn't have asked."
"No, it's an excellent question."
Jenkins said, shaking his head. His hand, which had been stroking the cat, suddenly went still. He then turned the question back to her:
"So, do you want to vie for the crown?"
A mont of silence passed. Miss Windsor lowered her gaze, and after a long pause, she gave a slight nod. But before Jenkins could speak, she suddenly looked up at him, her eyes seeming to shine with a brilliant light.
"Before you arrived in Bel Diran, I admit I had considered it. I have a claim to the throne, and I have many supporters, so why not try? But... I no longer feel that way. I want to support your claim to the throne."
Miss Windsor closed her eyes and gave another slight nod. When she opened them again, her expression was one of absolute resolve.
"You are a more legitimate heir to the House of Middleton than I am. And you are far more suited to be king."
Jenkins didn't know how she had reached that conclusion.
"Jenkins Redemptor Williatte, I want to support your bid for the throne. In return, upon your success, I wish to beco the next Duchess of Windsor—not just to inherit the current title, I want more. And in exchange for that, everything I possess can be a stepping stone for you to claim the throne."
Using his middle na was a mark of her sincerity and resolve. Yet, as she spoke the word "Redemptor," Miss Windsor felt that strange sensation again—a feeling as if she were uttering not just a na, but history itself. As if she were calling out to destiny.
"You don't have to negotiate this with ... I'm not acting alone. I have my own team, my own allies."
He chose the word "team" for lack of a better one.
"Are you referring to Marquis Mikhail and Earl Hersha? Yes, they are certainly valuable allies. Gaining their support is tantamount to securing the loyalty of the Royal Navy."
Miss Windsor remarked.
"Hm? Them? Yes, yes, them as well. But they aren't who I was referring to. I'm talking about friends I can trust completely. You can speak with them. They're more... professional, and far better prepared."
"Friends?"
Miss Windsor assud Jenkins's confidence stemd from a tacit endorsent by the Church.
"Yes. We were just discussing how the Stuart royal delegation will be arriving soon. The scale of this visit will be larger than you anticipate. My friend, Princess Dolores Stuart, will be accompanying her father. You can speak with her. Consider her my proxy; she speaks for ."
"So the rumors are true? The writer from Nolan spent two months in the northern kingdom and managed to capture the heart of a foreign princess?"
Miss Windsor breathed an inward sigh of relief. Now that she understood the source of Jenkins's confidence, she finally felt composed enough to jest. With her own influence, a key figure in the navy, and a powerful foreign princess—not to ntion the possible backing of the Church—their position was already quite strong. All that remained was to win over more of the nobility and the public, while also finding a way to sway the queen's opinion. It would be difficult, but not impossible.
"Don't be so dramatic. What Dolores and I have... it was simply a eting of fate."
He thought back to that first letter from a "pen pal," the one Julia had mistakenly sent to the wrong address. It truly did feel like fate.
"Are you facing any difficulties at the mont? Dolores hasn't arrived yet, but I have my own resources here in Bel Diran. If you need anything, just tell . I believe we can consider ourselves allies now. We can face the challenges ahead together."
he added, referring, of course, to the Church.
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