Jenkins pretended to be studying the docunts, while his mind raced with suspicion. What's going on? Is this so kind of test? No, that can't be right. I rember Miss Audrey has a very good relationship with the Legacy Sage Church...
"Yes, it's not unprecedented for soone of another faith to act as a teacher for a new Enchanter. But we rarely allow an Enchanter from another church to teach, for reasons you can probably guess. Therefore, even though the Universal Star Church has a presence in this city, we've never sought their help. But this situation is... special. Let's just say we hope that you, Mr. Williams, can learn under the best possible conditions."
He placed one hand on the desk, leaned forward, and gazed into Jenkins's eyes:
"Mr. Williams, as the Church's living Saint for this era, you are expected to bear greater responsibilities. However, your Enchanter level is still quite low, which is why you are temporarily staying in the Nolan diocese to experience the life of an ordinary Scribe. But sooner or later, you will leave this place for a much grander stage. We are all aware of this..."
"Yes, sir."
Jenkins murmured his assent, feeling uneasy with the sudden shift to a serious tone, but he still straightened his back and put on a suitably deferential expression.
"There is more than one Enchanter in this diocese who is qualified, capable, and willing to serve as an astronomy tutor. But Miss Audrey and the others listed on the following pages are the most suitable. None of them are permanent residents of this diocese, and they have few vested interests with our church. The most suitable of them all, Miss Audrey, is also a diviner, and her approach to the study of astronomy is quite unique..."
"Sir."
Jenkins raised his hand apologetically, interrupting him. "Sir, what does Miss Audrey herself think about this?"
"I visited her last week. Miss Audrey told it wouldn't be a problem and that she would be happy to accept the job."
"Did you ntion my na?"
he asked.
Mr. Bellini shook his head. "I know what you're worried about. Unless a final agreent is reached, no outsider will know the identity of the newly-awakened Enchanter. The Church's confidentiality rules are very strict."
"You may have misunderstood."
Jenkins nodded, inwardly musing. He figured Miss Audrey had probably already discovered through so divination ritual that he was the student in question. But that wasn't a problem. They were friends, more or less, and having her as his astronomy tutor would certainly be convenient.
"Let's go with her, then. To be honest, I've never had contact with a professional diviner before. I imagine it should be quite interesting."
"You don't need to consider it further?"
he asked again.
"Hmm... this is fine. It's just learning general knowledge, there's no need to overthink things."
"That's true."
Mr. Bellini stroked the beard on his chin and nodded lightly. "Then I'll get in touch with Miss Audrey soon. She will contact you directly to begin your lessons. Of course, if any unexpected incidents occur during your tutelage, you can co to the Church for help at any ti. Although Miss Audrey has maintained a long-standing friendship with our church, we can't afford to be complacent."
"Yes, sir."
Although Jenkins said as much, in his heart, he felt Miss Audrey was highly trustworthy. Besides, what danger could a bachelor face by visiting a single woman's ho? Was she going to lead him in summoning so evil god or demon?
Of course, "safety first" was still sound advice.
Nothing else unusual happened that day. When he got ho, Jenkins had intended to give Chocolate a bath. But Chocolate, as ever, detested baths and hated getting its fur wet. A fierce struggle ensued throughout the house, which ultimately ended in Chocolate's victory. The cat's agility was far superior to Jenkins's.
Chocolate seed to insist that it wasn't dirty at all. As for how Jenkins could discern the cat's thoughts, even he wasn't sure.
"Perhaps the [Cat's Grace] ability really is the result of observing felines,"
he thought to himself.
After dinner, as was his routine, Jenkins sat down to do so writing. He twisted open the cap of his inkwell and suddenly froze, as if an idea had struck him. He set down his fountain pen and dipped his little finger into the ink.
"Chocolate, you're a cat, which ans you must be a close relative of the tiger."
The cat was lying to his right, batting at the black tal block with its paw, paying no attention to his silly comnt.
"It would be very funny if I drew so stripes on your forehead."
As he spoke, Jenkins scooped up his cat, his ink-dipped finger heading for its forehead.
Chocolate put up a token struggle, its paws reaching for the table, before giving up on resisting Jenkins's childish antics.
Jenkins carefully sketched the stripes of a tiger's forehead onto Chocolate's brow. Then, using Psychography, he created several pictures of the cat's new look to show it. The little cat was unimpressed, its mind already on tomorrow morning's milk.
"There we go."
Jenkins clapped his hands, signaling the end of the affair.
"But the ink has gotten your fur dirty, which ans we must have a bath."
Before Chocolate could react, Jenkins scooped it up around the middle and dashed for the washroom.
"ow~"
A piercing cry echoed through the room.
The next day was Saturday. Papa Oliver had strictly forbidden Jenkins from coming to the shop, so he could only use this rare free ti to take care of so household matters.
The fireplace had been cleaned out, and Jenkins needed to buy so firewood.
He was buying the wood for his own use, so the quantity wouldn't be excessive. Even if he purchased enough for the entire winter, he could store it in the basent beneath the house, though he would need to be mindful of storage conditions.
He left the house with a very unhappy-looking Chocolate. A cold wind, thick with fog, rushed to greet man and cat. The feline was still angry with Jenkins, but it couldn't be bothered with that now. It darted from beside his boot to his feet, pawing incessantly at his trouser leg.
Jenkins bent down and picked Chocolate up. The cat burrowed into his chest and let out a contented purr.
There were shops in the city that specialized in selling firewood, but the one Papa Oliver had recomnded to Jenkins was on the outskirts. They owned a small patch of forest, but the local climate wasn't suitable for growing the type of wood used in fireplaces. Consequently, their timber was actually shipped in from the southern Cheslan Kingdom, much farther away.
The owner was a portly, middle-aged man with a bald patch on the crown of his head. When he t Jenkins, he was wearing an earthy-yellow jacket over a brown cotton tunic. The man's fingers were covered in calluses, which, as he explained himself, were marks left over from his younger days as a lumberjack.
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