In the room, Jessica had no idea what Jenkins was about to say, but J-Miss and Miss Windsor did.
Jessica sat on the sofa. J-Miss stood with her hands behind her back, gazing at the large oil painting of "The Saint's Sermon" hanging on the wall by the door. Miss Windsor leaned a hand on the windowsill, watching the others in the room. Jenkins sat on a smaller sofa to the side, holding his cat.
"You want to tell us that if you die, the throne will pass to Jessica?"
Miss Windsor asked, her expression darkening slightly.
"I know the Difference Engine is powerful, but so are you. Do you have so little confidence?"
"It's just a precaution. After all, anything can happen. In any case, it's enough that you know my arrangents. I've already appointed a very honest and upright old gentleman to help , in case I really... well, it was just a passing thought."
Jenkins and Jessica had once shared an intimate mont, but because Jessica had misjudged the duration, the other two had unexpectedly returned to her body in the middle of the night, leading to a rather awkward situation.
Therefore, in theory, all three versions of Jessica were now very close to Jenkins.
"I will co back," he declared. "Otherwise, who's going to take care of my cat?"
He said it deliberately, but it did little to comfort the three won. They knew that what Jenkins was doing was just and honorable, but none of them wanted their fiancé to willingly walk into danger.
"How about this," he suggested.
He placed Chocolate on the table. The cat, annoyed by his sudden "coldness" after being petted, stood on its hind legs and pawed at Jenkins's arm, but he paid it no mind.
"Why don't we make a promise? If I manage to return safely, you all..."
He moved to sit beside Jessica, leaning in to whisper sothing in her ear. Though it was only a few words, his own face flushed red.
"Of course, you can refuse. Just assu I've lost my mind... Oh, forget I said anything. I really must have lost my mind just now."
He regretted the words the mont they left his mouth, thinking that such a proposition was completely out of character for him. He shook his head and started to move back to his original seat, but Jessica grabbed his arm, stopping him. The strong, blonde-haired young woman's eyes were already rimd with red.
"As long as you co back, of course I'll agree."
She then looked toward Miss Windsor and J-Miss.
"Jenkins said..."
"Spare ," he pleaded, cutting her off. "I shouldn't have said that."
He was in a full-blown panic, convinced she was about to repeat his words to sha him as punishnt.
"I repent!" he exclaid loudly.
J-Miss forced a smile, trying to mask the worry and fear in her heart.
"No matter what, you have to co back. As long as you do, we'll agree to any... outrageous request."
"In fact, if you want, I wouldn't mind fulfilling your idea right now," Miss Windsor added, only to be struck by a sofa cushion thrown by Jessica.
In terms of ti, J-Miss and Miss Windsor had known Jenkins for a very short period, and their feelings for him should not have been that strong. But by sharing so of Jessica's mories and gaining a sense of "empathy" as they integrated into her body and beca real themselves, their feelings for him were actually quite nuanced.
If it hadn't been for the accident that night, perhaps that nuance would have needed ti to develop. But because of what happened, it had blossod into maturity almost instantly.
Although Jessica was not them, they were indeed Jessica. The three were now inseparable for life, which ant that the future wedding of Jessica Windsor would, in fact, be a wedding for all three of them.
Jenkins deeply regretted starting this conversation. He picked Chocolate up from the table, closed his eyes, and after a few seconds of stillness, tapped his fingers on the tabletop.
Slowly, several thick, red-covered books with no titles appeared on the table. Each was secured with a tal clasp, and the keys lay beside them.
Such a simple act of creation should not have taken so long, but Jenkins had to ensure that the contents of the pages were complete and appropriate.
"Don't open these books now. If I don't co back, then you can open them."
"What are these? They're so thick. Your 'Comprehensive Guide to Raising Chocolate'?" Jessica joked, hoping to dispel so of the gloom in her heart.
"It's not really that, is it?"
"Of course not. These are... so of my ideas. So are too advanced for this era, others are rely theories with no practical application, but most are fully developed principles. In the unlikely event I don't return, you can read them. Consider it a pasti..."
He had to leave sothing of himself in this world. If he succeeded, he would have all the ti in the world to influence the course of history as he saw fit. But if he didn't make it back, he didn't want the knowledge only he possessed to vanish with him.
"You will co back, won't you?" Jessica asked again, needing the reassurance.
"Yes, I'll definitely co back... And not because of that silly thing I said earlier, which you can all forget. I know there are many people in this world waiting for , so I will definitely co back."
Jessica looked as if she were about to cry. Miss Windsor bit her lip as she stared at him, while J-Miss deliberately turned her face away so he couldn't see her expression.
"Rember your promise, Jenkins. You have to co back."
After his talk with the three won, Jenkins felt a wave of lancholy. Just then, he ran into Fini, who had been looking for him. He then summoned Briny and entrusted her with the matter of the Flower Sellers' Guild.
Among all the young won in Jenkins's circle, Briny was the only one with both the ti and the energy to handle this. Jenkins had already laid out a complete career developnt plan for the flower sellers; all he had to do was write it down and hand it to her.
Besides, with help from Hathaway and Jessica, the task wouldn't be very difficult.
Briny could see that Jenkins was arranging his final affairs. Her eyes red, she nodded and accepted the file he offered. Fini, having experienced similar things before, understood the gravity of life and death far better than Briny did and knew just how terrifying this was.
"Sir, why don't I go with you..."
"Don't even think about it," Jenkins said, shaking his head. He then knelt down and patted Fini's shoulder.
"If I don't co back, it ans the end is near. I'll need you to protect the people who are important to . Can you do that?"
"Sir... you have to co back."
The little girl wasn't very good at holding back her emotions and was already wiping away tears as she began to cry.
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