Only when Jenkins’s footsteps had faded into the distance did Miss Bevanna calmly approach the door. She glanced out once before shutting it firmly.
"Jenkins has left."
"That's good."
The smile on Papa Oliver's face vanished, his expression turning as serious as Miss Bevanna's.
"Ordinary vampires shouldn't have been able to wound you like this, should they? Especially considering who you are..."
"Don't bring up the past."
He shook his head, cutting Miss Bevanna off. He then slowly slid off the bed and joined her on the sofa.
The room was lit by a simple gas lamp. An exquisitely crafted brass lamp hung directly above Papa Oliver’s seat, casting his face in a state of half-light, half-shadow:
"Those weren't so old things that broke their seals. They were high-level vampires from the Bloody Fortress."
"What were they after?"
"A Savior's Emblem."
Papa Oliver stated calmly, his tone leaving no room for doubt.
Miss Bevanna's brow furrowed. She rested her hands on the arms of the red armchair, her right index finger subconsciously tapping against the soft, plush upholstery.
"According to news from the Holy See, there are nine Savior's Emblems in this epoch. The Millstone of Fate has already confird it."
"We're lucky, then. Back in the 14th Epoch, there were twenty-one Saviors, and every single one was a vortex of fate. At least now we can be sure there will be less trouble."
Papa Oliver let out a breath. "How many have been confird?"
"The Unknown Path, Twin Demons, and the Undying Man have all fully manifested. While the very nature of a Savior makes them impossible to prophesize, we can at least confirm that they are all in Nolan."
"The New God... just what kind of deity is it...?"
As he spoke, Papa Oliver turned to look out the window. From his angle, he could see the purple star perfectly. It shone far more brilliantly in the night sky than it had when it first appeared a few months ago.
"Three emblems are accounted for, and Jenkins's World Tree hasn't fully matured yet, which makes the remaining five slots critically important. According to the Covenant of the Gods, the Orthodox Churches cannot deliberately pursue these emblems, but we absolutely cannot allow them to fall into the hands of evil."
"Which one are the vampires targeting?"
Miss Bevanna asked.
"The only one they are qualified to obtain is the Real Illusion."
The woman nodded. "They are destined to fail... The Twelve Orthodox Churches all have their own plans, but we are definitely at the forefront. Who would have thought that a Scribe who joined the Church by a sheer accident would turn out to be a rare, natural-born Savior?"
"Don't you get any ideas about Jenkins!"
Papa Oliver said in a low voice, his eyelids drooping.
"You needn't worry. I've never had such a thought. He is one blessed by the Sage, and I will offer him my loyalty for the rest of my life."
Miss Bevanna spoke, making the sign of the holy emblem over her chest. "Fate never favors those who deliberately pursue it. We cannot interfere with whether or not Jenkins becos the final Savior. The most important thing now is to protect him. I was aware of the troubles a Savior's destiny entails, but I never expected it to be this severe. He encountered another Cursed Item today, and an unrecorded one at that. I imagine you understand the danger of that type better than I do."
"I understand."
Papa Oliver stood up and walked to the window, gazing at the vast, starry sky with his hands clasped behind his back:
"Bevanna, Jenkins's destiny belongs to him and him alone. Besides, the Sage... made plans long ago!"
After Jenkins got ho, he drew the ice cream he had promised Chocolate. He didn't even have ti to examine the gift box and the monocle before he collapsed into bed and slept until the next day.
He dread again, but this ti it wasn't a product of his waking thoughts. Soone wanted to see him.
Before him was a vast, boundless sea of stars. The stellar tides surged, magnificent and powerful, as white, silver, and blue points of light danced around his body.
The Star Spirit, Rakul, in her female form, held her equally transparent great book and bowed slightly to Jenkins.
"My apologies for summoning you here so abruptly, great New God."
"It's alright. Is there sothing you need?"
Jenkins waved his hand, curiously observing his surroundings. He could sense the Star Spirit's reverence for him, which ant she must have summoned him for sothing urgent.
"I request your help. Due to a mistake made by my kind long ago, an object that should never have entered the material world accidentally fell into it and was discovered by the sentient races of that ti. That was in the 8th Epoch. We attempted to redy the situation, but the object itself possesses a consciousness and went into hiding..."
"The Skull Sword?"
It was the only thing Jenkins could think of.
"No, no. While that sword is special, it is not a forbidden item. According to the designation given by the great Orthodox Churches, that object is B-04-4-4444, the All-knowing Treasure Mirror. I know that in your human incarnation, you wrote a book of fairy tales. The 'magic mirror' ntioned within is very similar in function."
"Star Spirits like fairy tales?"
Jenkins thought, surprised, then nodded. "So, you need to find it? Omniscience... that is indeed very dangerous."
"Yes, we ask that you find it. The All-knowing Treasure Mirror bears the brand of the starry sky, which allows us to sense its general location. We can now confirm with certainty that it is in the city where you live."
"How am I supposed to find it?"
he asked again.
"The Starlight Sphere you possess can sense the mirror at close range. Moreover, the mirror itself has an incredibly strong psychic influence. It can easily manipulate and control its user. Except for a great being such as yourself, even we could be affected if we held it for too long."
"So that's why you ca to specifically..."
Realization dawned on him, and he gave a firm nod. "Alright, I'll keep an eye out."
This Star Spirit had helped him a great deal, so of course he had to agree to her request. Not to ntion, the object's presence in Nolan was a latent threat. Finding it and getting rid of it would be for the best.
"Can you tell a little about its origin? I imagine omniscience isn't easily achieved."
"I can. The mirror is actually a powerful seal, established by a being whose na I cannot speak, to contain the soul I ntioned. The soul itself was once a rather powerful, intelligent exotic species active in the material world during an ancient epoch. But because of its overwhelming greed, it willingly touched the forbidden and thus gained a limited form of omniscience."
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