"Related to a Mysterious Realm? How did you calculate such a precise probability?"
Calculated divination was vastly different from ordinary divination. The forr required information as a basis—a blend of science and taphysics. The latter needed no information and arrived at a conclusion directly, making it a purely taphysical practice.
Any divination from the machine that was helping Jenkins had to be based on facts, so he wanted to know how it had reached its conclusion.
"Part of it was the information we provided about the Reverse-Fated Ritual, and the other part was its own understanding of the Difference Engine. I also told it about the battle between the god and the Difference Engine yesterday, which raised the probability of a Mysterious Realm's involvent from forty percent to seventy percent."
"Why?"
"First, gods do not enter Mysterious Realms. While there's no concrete proof, it's a belief that has been held by everyone since ancient tis."
Jenkins nodded. It seed there was indeed an unspoken understanding about this.
"Second, the database of the A4 Type Arithtic Auxiliary External Machine contains extensive records of the Difference Engine's research into Mysterious Realms. After its creation, it didn't receive the Difference Engine's actual data, but it did possess a vague list of the other's files. So of these records indicate that the Difference Engine began studying Mysterious Realms long ago, seemingly viewing them as a ans for mortals to achieve ascension."
"We all know now that this is correct. For A- and B-class humanoid creatures, crossing over from a Mysterious Realm into the material world is indeed a form of ascension—a necessary step on the second path to godhood. But is that alone enough to conclude that the Reverse-Fated Ritual involves a Mysterious Realm?"
"The key point is that a Mysterious Realm is the only place that can limit a Savior's abilities."
Alexia declared with great seriousness.
"Limit... a Savior's abilities?"
"If the Savior weren't an extraordinary individual like you, but an ordinary human, what do you think would be their most reliable ans of defeating their enemies?"
Alexia asked, and understanding dawned on Jenkins.
"Of course, it would be a power set centered on their Savior ability, just like the mad poet from years ago. After all, that's the defining trait that separates a Savior from mortals, and it's the most powerful tool the world grants them. If I weren't so unique, I'd also have built my abilities around my Savior power, instead of being... a jack-of-all-trades like I am now."
"Exactly. So, regardless of who ultimately becos the Savior, limiting their core ability is crucial. But a Savior's ability has a very high priority..."
Seeing the confusion on Jenkins's face, Alexia knew he hadn't researched this at all. She chided him gently,
"You should read more, or at least have the Church of Knowledge and Books find you more detailed records about Savior legends... Fine, I know you've studied, but you've obviously missed these details. A Savior's ability isn't just unique; it's far more potent at the end of an epoch than during normal tis. More critically, during the end tis, a Savior's ability has a powerful suppressive effect on anything supernatural or mystical."
Now Jenkins understood. Mysterious Realms were part of the world's fundantal rules, and so were Saviors. The difference was that the world could technically exist without a Savior—at worst, the material plane would descend into absolute catastrophe, and civilization would have to restart from scratch. But the 'sin-cycle system' created by the Mysterious Realms was foundational to the world's very existence and stability. While the gods would surely find other ways to deal with sin if the Mysterious Realms vanished, no one would dare disrupt such an ancient and perfected order.
Thus, the priority of a Mysterious Realm was higher than that of a Savior's ability. The restriction within a Mysterious Realm, limiting abilities to a single use, was also effective against a Savior's power.
"Under the suppression of a Mysterious Realm, the active effects of a Savior's ability can only be used once, while passive effects like Destiny's Stage are significantly weakened. You've probably experienced that yourself."
Alexia added.
"So I should prepare to enter a Mysterious Realm? The final battle will be in a Mysterious Realm?"
"So you must be vigilant and, under no circumstances, enter a Mysterious Realm. Now that you know where they've set their 'stage,' you must find a way to avoid it, not walk right into it... Wait, what happened to the fountain in the courtyard?"
Only then did Alexia realize what had happened during her absence.
Alexia and Dolores still had to et with King Salhir II at City Hall, while Jenkins headed for the church to make his final preparations for the coming day.
He had lunch at the church with his cat, Chocolate, and took a mont to chat with Finney. In the afternoon, with Bishop Parrold attending a joint conference, Jenkins, still anxious about the next day, didn't want to bother the very busy Bevanna. Instead, he decided to go and talk with Jessica.
But to his surprise, when he arrived at the Windsor estate, he found Jessica napping on the sofa under a blanket. J-Miss was at a desk, processing a mountain of paperwork, while Miss Windsor inford Jenkins that Jessica was utterly exhausted.
"Do you have sothing to discuss with her? If it's important, you can wake her."
"No, it's nothing."
Jenkins then turned and left.
No villains appeared today. No strange events unfolded. There was nothing at all that required Jenkins's direct intervention. He had planned to go ho and wait out the ti until morning, but then he thought of the man who had thrown the bomb earlier and decided to pay him a visit.
The culprit was being held at KalFax Field, under strict, round-the-clock police surveillance. He was certain to receive the death penalty—that was a guarantee—but until then, they had to prevent him from taking his own life or escaping.
Jenkins used his status to arrange a twenty-minute visit. But before he went inside, he was surprised to see a familiar spiritual aura lingering outside the police headquarters.
He stepped away for a mont and, in a nearby alley, cornered Mr. Black Cat while in his guise as Candle Mr.
"Oh, it's Candle Mr."
Caught pacing suspiciously outside the police station by an acquaintance, Mr. Black Cat looked a bit sheepish. He scratched his nose, offered a quick greeting, and tried to slip away, but was imdiately called back.
"You want to go into the police station, don't you? Is sothing wrong? Perhaps I can help."
Mr. Black Cat's first instinct was to refuse, but the words caught in his throat. Seeing his hesitation, Jenkins knew his guess was correct.
"That Jenkins Williams fellow is heading into the station shortly. His status is enough to get him an audience with almost anyone inside. As you know, I have so dealings with him. If there's soone you want to see, I could put in a word... unless you're actually planning to break soone out?"
"Of course not! He made his mistake, and he should be punished for it..."
Mr. Black Cat sighed.
"I can't believe this happened right after I got back to Nolan. Fine, Candle Mr. I need soone to get into the station. I need to see the man who... threw the steam bomb this morning. I can tell from your expression you already know. He's my neighbor. We've lived next to each other for twenty years. His father was very good to when I was a child, and I grew up with him and his brother...
I know the whole story of why he did it. I'm not trying to save him, but I feel for him. I just want to see him one last ti, to pass on any last words he might have. I know the police won't allow family visits.
I should have gone with Mr. Hood to see you yesterday. The only reason I didn't was because I received word that he was about to do sothing stupid... and in the end, I wasn't able to stop him."
Mr. Black Cat wasn't lying. Jenkins agreed to his request; it was a favor he could easily grant.
"Then how can I repay you? I still haven't properly thanked you for saving my life on Tuesday."
Mr. Black Cat asked, his voice tinged with lancholy.
"You sound just like Mr. Hood. Friends shouldn't talk about repaynt... But if you insist, then tell what he's planning. I have a feeling our friend is about to do sothing big."
"Mr. Hood? Yes, he is planning sothing, but it's not dangerous. He genuinely wants to repay you—for his arm, and for our friendship."
A mont later, Candle Mr and a white cat nad Vanilla vanished. In their place stood Jenkins and his own cat, the black-and-white Chocolate. He smoothly rejoined Mr. Black Cat, and they entered the police headquarters together.
With Jenkins vouching for him, the police didn't bother to check Mr. Black Cat's identity. Through the iron bars of a cell, they saw the man from that morning's attack. Jenkins asked a few questions to confirm that the man's actions and motives were his own, ruling out the possibility of ntal suggestion or an impulsive act. Satisfied, he yielded the rest of the ti to Mr. Black Cat.
Mr. Black Cat spoke with the man for more than ten minutes. Both of them were calm, but Mr. Black Cat's hands remained clenched into tight fists the entire ti—not out of nervousness, but to restrain the impulse to give his old friend a thrashing.
When the twenty-minute visit was over, Mr. Black Cat followed Jenkins out of the police headquarters. He cast one last glance back at the building before climbing into the carriage with him.
"Whatever Candle Mr wanted to know about Mr. Hood, you can tell directly," Jenkins said. "He trusts ."
"Of course. Mr. Hood isn't planning anything illegal, so there's no harm in telling you. He feels that helping the Believers of Lies recruit people isn't enough to repay Candle Mr., so he's decided to do sothing else. He knows that Candle Mr wants to deal with the Gear Artisans' Association, and he recently heard from a friend of a friend about an incredibly powerful Bestowal—one that can directly affect any Enchanter who uses chanical abilities. He's been trying to figure out how to get his hands on it."
"A Bestowal?"
Jenkins considered this. He hadn't heard any whispers of such a thing. Mr. Hood was a generous and kind-hearted man with a wide circle of friends, but that didn't guarantee the information he received was reliable.
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