The cat abandoned Jenkins, pouncing onto the softest wool rug in front of the fireplace. Jenkins smiled and hung his hat and coat on the nearby rack.
Miss Miller also handed him her hat and coat, and he hung them up as well.
"Sotis, I think you're truly a remarkable person."
The petite woman, seeing how adeptly he did all this and how he harbored no ill intentions about bringing a single woman ho, couldn't help but remark.
"Is that so? But what exactly is the 'Witch's Kiss' used for?"
Seeing his persistence with the question, Miss Miller covered her mouth and giggled again.
The bedding, books, notebooks, and other things in the living room had been put away, so the space looked quite normal now.
"It's a kind of... suggestive potion used for flirtation. Female Enchanters often use it in the bedroom."
A faint blush coloring his cheeks, Jenkins interrupted her with a loud cough. Such topics were not suitable for an unmarried man and woman alone in a room together.
"Because it's expensive and considered rely a lifestyle item, there are very few buyers. I imagine if you tried to sell it on the black market, it would take a long ti to find a custor. That said, the noble ladies of high society are quite fond of such things. I can help you find so buyers—before I leave Nolan, of course."
"That would be wonderful, thank you. Would you care for so tea? The other day, I was at..."
Jenkins was desperate to steer the conversation away from the awkward subject. Fortunately, Miss Miller, also unmarried, was not inclined to dwell on it either. Once the two delved deep into the world of mathematics, the strange atmosphere from before mostly dissipated.
"ow~"
Chocolate lay before the hearth, the flas dancing in its eyes. The mystical fire made the cat's black-and-white coat glow faintly. A small insect crawled across the floor in front of the rug, only to be snatched into the void by a black hand that appeared from nowhere.
Absorbed in the world of mathematics, Jenkins failed to notice that while his cat didn't catch mice, it was an expert pest exterminator.
It was already the fourth week of October, and Thursday night was the Corpse Gentleman's gathering—the last rather important event before the end of the month.
The Professor brought Jenkins so good news. After the last ti they attended the Corpse Gentleman's gathering, the two had gone on an "expedition" together. The stone slate they'd acquired on that venture had been reclaid by the Church, but the compensation for its recovery, along with two golden chests, was still quite valuable.
They split the proceeds according to their prior agreent, with Jenkins receiving about 140 pounds in cash.
Only when the considerable weight of the banknotes settled into his pocket could Jenkins feel a sense of security.
The abandoned hospital where the Corpse Gentleman held his etings was the sa as ever, the entire area shrouded in a persistent white mist. Just after hopping over the low wall, the familiar sense of oppression washed over him again. He shook his head sharply, trying to dispel the feeling, but the discomfort in his heart only intensified.
He could now be completely certain that what was hidden in this hospital was far more than just a powerful level-eight individual. That sense of oppression, welling up from the depths of his soul, surely didn't co from a re human, no matter how strong.
The Professor was in high spirits. When they t, he even invited Jenkins for a drink first. He was another Enchanter with great secrets; to this day, Jenkins still couldn't guess the nature of the entity that had guided him to beco an Enchanter in his dreams. But since the Church didn't seem to mind, he certainly wasn't going to voice any opinions on the matter.
When he first ca here at the end of sumr, the abandoned hospital had been overgrown with weeds. But as the seasons changed outside, the environnt here had barely altered. He made a ntal note of this but didn't bring it up with the Professor just yet.
Before entering the dilapidated building, the two encountered another stranger hurrying along. Since their destination was the sa, they didn't speak to each other, simply maintaining a certain distance as they made their way to the corridor.
A new mber had joined the gathering this ti. The Corpse Gentleman recited the rules to him as usual and then paid him no further mind. But only about two-thirds of the usual attendees were present. As Jenkins was wondering about this, the stranger standing next to him stepped forward and spoke:
"Honorable sir, may I ask where our companions have gone? I an, I have no intention of prying into anyone's privacy, but if sothing important is happening tonight, it would be best for us to be prepared."
"It's nothing to worry about."
The man sitting in the morgue drawer replied. Jenkins noticed his complexion was even paler than before, which involuntarily brought to mind the paper effigies from ghost stories.
"I only just received the news myself. It's quite unexpected. During renovations on a building in the southern district, so 'peculiar' things were accidentally unearthed. Now, five adjacent blocks have been sealed off. The participants who haven't arrived were likely delayed by this."
The man who had asked the question bowed his thanks and didn't press for details about what had been discovered. Jenkins grew thoughtful, deciding to ask Pops tomorrow; he might know sothing about it.
Although he had considered selling the water from the Fountain of Wisdom he possessed, after much deliberation, he ultimately decided to keep it. His savings weren't substantial, but he had no major expenses coming up, and Mr. Brode was about to pay him for this month's book royalties.
The most crucial point was that Jenkins still hadn't decided whether or not to give the bottle of water to Pops.
It had to be said, the Corpse Gentleman's gathering was truly the most high-end one Jenkins had ever attended; this ti, soone else had brought out a numbered special item. It was a wind vane chain—or more precisely, a crudely made length of white yarn with an iron plate dangling from it. The center of the plate had been hollowed out and fitted with a thin iron wire, and a slightly smaller iron plate with a hole drilled through its middle was threaded onto that wire.
If the wind blew, the small iron plate on the wire would spin furiously, offering a simple way to determine the wind's direction. It was a common, cheap ornant worn by people like sailors and carriage drivers. Sally's shop next to Pops' Antique Store sold plenty of them.
With his keen eyesight, Jenkins could just barely make out the number [BWE29133] inscribed on the iron plate, though he didn't know its significance.
The item's special property was that if you were outside on a windy day and manually spun the small iron plate, the direction of the wind would temporarily change. It couldn't alter the wind's direction for long, nor could it affect extrely fast winds like hurricanes, but the ability to influence the weather to any degree made it a formidable tool.
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