"Yes, it changes the seasons and grants unique boons for each. But actively triggering [Four Seasons] requires at least a demigod-level Enchanter. Plus, the ability's effect is tied to the amount of spirit you have and the strength of your soul. Jenkins, I recall you're a level-seven Enchanter now?"
"Yes, level seven."
He nodded.
"But you're also a Saint and a Savior candidate, so you can try to activate this ability before reaching the demigod level. I don't know if your teacher ever ntioned the extrely special abilities that only high-level Enchanters can use. I can tell you in all seriousness, this is one of them. As long as you possess the ability, you have a chance to gain new powers every ti the seasons change. And these new powers don't take up any of your existing ability slots. You probably understand what that ans."
Jenkins had learned of more than one similar ability from the Month's End Whisper, but he never expected to possess one before becoming a demigod. He nodded with a smile, inwardly pondering the ability's value to him.
The enhancents from different seasons were certainly a great boon. As for the active effect, which required materials, he hadn't tried it yet, so he couldn't be sure how large an area he could affect. Considering how much spirit it took for [Summon Wind and Rain] just to alter the weather, he didn't hold out much hope for changing the seasons over a wide area.
But even so, it was still excellent. Even if treated purely as a passive ability, [Four Seasons] was of considerable value to Jenkins.
Since it wasn't a busy day, Jenkins bid farewell to Miss Bennett and went with Sigrid to try out the ability. The items representing the seasons would influence the ability's effect to so extent, but they didn't play a critical role, so Jenkins just gathered so ordinary things.
To represent spring, he used a green leaf he'd coaxed into growing; for sumr, raisins made from grapes he'd also grown; for autumn, an ear of wheat; and for winter, a sprig of snow tundra moss.
He had originally planned to use ice for winter, but since the first three were plants, the last one should be a plant as well.
Uncertain of the ability's potential range, Jenkins wanted to find a wide, open, and sparsely populated place to test it. The Evergreen Forest would have been perfect, but it was too far, and the Church's people were all there.
The Ice Palace on the snowy mountains outside Ruen was the most suitable location, but that would an he couldn't bring Sigrid along.
As the carriage made its way toward his ho, he looked at Sigrid, who gazed back at him, puzzled.
"What is it?"
"You're a very devout believer, aren't you?"
"Yes, of course I am."
She made the sign of the holy symbol over her chest as she spoke, a gesture that highlighted the unusual nature of her relationship with Jenkins. If anyone else had questioned her faith like that, the young novice nun would have made them understand the true weight of her conviction.
"If you learned sothing... critical... but you had to keep it a secret because it involved , would you?"
Sigrid thought for a mont instead of answering imdiately.
"Are you doing sothing wrong?"
"Of course not. My heart and my actions are as clear as a mirror; all that I do is for the sake of justice."
he declared with considerable confidence.
"Then... would this secret have a negative impact on the Church?"
"Of course not. This is just a personal matter."
"Then I would keep it secret."
she said with conviction.
"Good. When we get ho in a bit, if Hathaway is there, I'd like for the two of you to accompany sowhere. I think Hathaway's padded coat should fit you."
"A padded coat?"
She glanced doubtfully at the sumr scenery outside the window.
This wasn't a sudden decision. Jenkins had resolved to accept Sigrid, so he treated her much like the other young won in his household. Now that the opportunity had presented itself, he intended to let her in on a few things. He wouldn't regret his choice; he was confident in his judgnt of character.
Hathaway was ho today; had Jenkins returned just a little later, she would have already left for the musicians' club. Briny, however, was already out. Julia had gone with her to pick out new clothes in preparation for the various galas that were likely to co.
After all, they were now the genuine fiancées of a king.
Because she had realized during their visit to the old elf that Jenkins might be connected to the Believers of Lies, Sigrid showed no surprise, even when she appeared via projection on a snowy mountaintop thousands of miles away and saw the snown guarding the palace.
Hathaway, on the other hand, looked thrilled. Most girls and a few boys in this world dread of living in a grand palace when they grew up. And while an ice palace couldn't quite compare to a crystal one, it was more than enough to satisfy Hathaway.
"Just how many assets do you have?"
Hathaway asked.
"This is all."
He paused, thinking carefully for a mont after he spoke.
"Yes, this is all."
"You're not planning on moving this to Bel Diran so our whole family can live here, are you?"
Sigrid was with them on the palace roof, standing on a large sheet of ice Jenkins had dubbed the 'unicorn launchpad' and looking down.
Hearing the words 'our whole family,' Hathaway shot Jenkins a peculiar look, only to see him deliberately turn away so no one could read his expression.
"Of course not. We'd catch a cold living in a place like this. Alright, alright, let's test the ability. There'll be plenty of ti to look around later."
For ease of observation, he had Sigrid and Hathaway stand so distance away. Jenkins stood in the center of the ice sheet with his cat, then took a book from his pocket, clutching the four plant specins in his fist to prevent Chocolate from eating the raisins.
"Four Seasons..."
He activated the ability with a soft sigh. Spirit flowed through his body, and the four symbolic items in his hand dissolved into motes of green, red, yellow, and white light that scattered into the surroundings.
But aside from this strange display of colors, nothing seed to happen even after several seconds. His spirit was indeed draining, which ant the ability had activated, but Jenkins felt nothing.
"Did you two feel any change in temperature?"
he asked the two ladies, and received a negative reply.
"What about you?"
He then asked the pampered cat—so delicate it could feel a pea under its mattress—but the cat also shook its head.
"Could it be that I'm not using enough spirit?"
As he thought this, he channeled more spirit into the flow. At the sa ti, he closed his eyes, trying to experience the sensation of the ability's activation. Every one of an Enchanter's abilities was intimately connected to them—it wasn't a simple relationship like that between a gun and its ammunition. Therefore, 'perceiving' and 'experiencing' were of the utmost importance.
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