The old king spoke in a slow, andering voice, uttering words no one could quite grasp. Seeing Jenkins's confused expression, he added:
"That was all he said. Perhaps only you can understand its aning. After all, you are a very powerful Enchanter."
He raised his arms in a slow, deliberate stretch, then smiled faintly. Propping his head up with his right hand on the table, he gazed out at the vibrant sumr forest.
He didn't have much ti left. In these final days, he had managed to choose a successor, an outco he was more or less satisfied with, paving the way for the kingdom's next few decades. The king believed he had done all he could.
Dolores wore a sad expression, and Jenkins could feel the somber atmosphere settling in. He mulled over the king's earlier words, thinking he should discuss them with Papa Oliver or Miss Audrey when he had the chance. After exchanging a few more words with Sarlis II and politely inquiring about his health, Jenkins prepared to leave, but the king stopped him again.
"About the succession—since I have chosen Dolores, I will not go back on my word. Once we leave this forest and are free again, I will announce my decision to the public. But Dolores cannot take the crown just yet. She still has much to learn. For now, she will remain by my side. After we see the Tri-King Summit to its conclusion, she will be ready for the throne... As for your marriage, I will not interfere. But I must warn you: my daughter is the next queen of the Hamparvo Kingdom. She will not be your mistress without title or standing."
Dolores blushed at his words. Her sister, Yani Stuart, smiled and hugged her from behind, teasingly rocking her back and forth. Though Yani had once coveted the throne herself, that ti had passed. The current outco seed acceptable, even if it wasn't perfect for her.
"Of course, I understand that," Jenkins replied. "If it were possible, I would even want to invite you to our wedding, to walk Dolores down the aisle and place her hand in mine."
Hearing this, Sarlis II shook his head with a helpless air, a flicker of sorrow appearing in his eyes for the first ti.
"Just treat her well. That is all I ask."
He forced himself to sound strong, but his voice was laced with hoarseness.
"And I will honor the promise between us," Jenkins added.
This ti, Sarlis II didn't reply. He clenched a fist, brought it to his lips, and coughed a few tis before signaling for the attendants arranged by the Church to help him to an adjacent room.
Of a mortal's life and death, Jenkins could only control one half. Death was calling for Sarlis II, and that was sothing not even he could prevent. He watched with a sigh as the old king disappeared around the corner of the hallway, then bid farewell to the others. Before leaving, he smiled at Dolores and, grabbing Chocolate's little paw, waved goodbye to her. But it did little to lift her spirits.
In a single evening, the curtain had fallen on the succession of the northern kingdom. It had happened much faster than Jenkins had anticipated. Though he had always believed Dolores would be the victor, the conclusion felt... neither good nor bad, but sowhere in between.
He left the lakeside compound with a heavy heart. After teasing the cat on his shoulder for a mont, his mood finally began to brighten.
He glanced toward the giant tree in the center of the forest. Beyond the pale green life spirit suffusing the air, the points of light representing Miss Bevanna and Alexia remained in the sa spot. It seed their conversation wasn't over.
With nothing else to do, he thought of finding Sigrid Capet, but he wasn't sure if she was in the forest today. Taking a running start, he leaped upward, grabbed onto a tree trunk, and scrambled to the top. From his new vantage point, he surveyed the lush forest stretching out before him.
But Jenkins didn't spot his distant cousin. Instead, to his surprise, he saw the light signature of Mr. Hood.
Mr. Hood was currently in the swampy region in the western part of the Evergreen Forest. Due to the terrain, the Church had established no buildings or settlents in that area.
A middle-aged man, dressed in a black robe that stood out starkly in the daylight, stood panting in the mud, leaning against a tree. The tree wasn't large, but its canopy rged with those of its neighbors, offering Mr. Hood a patch of shade from the harsh sun.
He gasped for breath, his eyes darting from side to side. Mr. Hood knew exactly what the consequences would be if the Church caught him trespassing here.
Suddenly, a green leaf drifted down before his eyes. Mr. Hood paid it no mind—falling leaves were normal in a forest. But then, a soft ow ca from above. The middle-aged man snapped his head up to see a young man sitting on a high branch, smiling down at him.
Mr. Hood froze, his heart pounding with alarm. Then he saw the cat standing on the branch, its tail swaying. Even from his skewed, upward-looking angle, Mr. Hood recognized that cat.
"Mr. Candle?"
He took two steps back from the tree to get a better look, his voice filled with the relief of a man waking from a terrifying dream.
"The one and only," Jenkins chuckled. "It’s been a while."
Jenkins, his appearance disguised, jumped down from the tree with his cat in his arms. The ground was soft, and despite the enhanced landing technique from his Cat's Grace ability, he still left two clear footprints in the mud.
"It has been a long ti, Mr. Hood. If Magic Miss hadn't asked a friend of mine to tell you'd suspended our gatherings because of your right hand, I would have thought sothing had happened to you. It’s been so long since we last t. I've even started to miss those nights when we all moved through the darkness together," he said in a lighthearted tone.
"It has been a while, Mr. Candle," Mr. Hood greeted him, instinctively covering his right arm. But his gaze remained wary as he scanned their surroundings.
"How did you get above ? I've been watching my flanks and saw no one approach... Have you been sitting there this whole ti?"
"No, I jumped over from that tree over there," Jenkins said with a smile, pointing it out to Mr. Hood. "The forest is happy to shelter , to help hide my presence. So it’s perfectly normal that you didn't notice ."
Although Jenkins had never revealed his true face, the two were good friends. There was no need for tedious pleasantries; they could get straight to the point.
Jenkins was curious why Mr. Hood was here, and Mr. Hood didn't try to hide it.
"Since you heard about it from Magic Miss, you must know I've been having so trouble with my right hand."
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