“You flew here?”
Jenkins asked in astonishnt, summoning a flicker of fla to dry his clothes.
“Not exactly. In fact, I flew here on a dragon. It's much faster. Mr. Nidhogg is waiting for behind that snowy mountain over there—it prefers that na. Speaking of which, was there a landslide? From the sky, that mountain looks like it had a bite taken out of it by a Devouring Moon Spirit Cat.”
“No, I think the landslide was a natural phenonon. Oh, I'll explain what happened here in a bit. It's... a complicated story. Could you help with this? My wrists are starting to go numb.”
Chocolate had already trotted over to them, its fur drying remarkably fast. Seeing that Jenkins's clothes were still soaked, it refrained from leaping onto his shoulder and instead stood nearby, looking thoroughly pleased with his predicant.
“I'm sorry, Jenkins. I don't think I can untie it.”
Miss Bevanna shook her head with a light laugh. “You see, this isn't an ordinary ribbon. I believe this is C-01-02-3229, the [Ethereal Remnant].”
“A Bestowal?”
He hadn't expected such an answer. Calming himself to get a better sense of it, he could indeed feel a faint, subtle pull. He imdiately used his usual thod to absorb it into his spirit. The bonds on his wrists and ankles loosened as expected, but the constant stream of spirit flowing into his body also stopped abruptly.
“Jenkins, misfortune and good luck always go hand in hand, and that seems especially true for you. The [Ethereal Remnant] is an item that only appears in places rich with the world's spirit, ford from a massive condensation of spirit matter. While it has the properties of a Bestowal, it doesn't have any special function on its own. When a user summons it, it simply transfers its own spirit to its master. But that also ans it will eventually disappear completely.”
“Then what's with the binding?”
He asked while rubbing his numb wrists, where red marks were now clearly visible.
“It's the mutual attraction between the spirit matter and an Enchanter's body. In fact, this happens every ti you summon it, so it's best to find a safe place when you use it.”
Seeing Jenkins using his flas to dry his clothes, Miss Bevanna bent down to pick up the cat standing in the snow.
But Chocolate easily dodged her, hiding behind Jenkins's legs with only its rear end sticking out, which wasn't much of a hiding spot at all.
“It seems you've had quite an eventful few days.”
She gazed into the distance at the row of cabins on the edge of the clearing. The people there hadn't yet noticed anything amiss.
“Eventful... I suppose you could call it that. I'll write up a report when I get back. There was an Enchanter in the villa during the blizzard. He's dead now, but there are still a lot of unanswered questions about him.”
He only planned to ntion the doctor and the key keeper. As for the real culprit, Quake, he had already disappeared in the avalanche. This was partly to help Mrs. Hydra keep her secret, and partly because he had no idea how to explain the dramatic scene that had unfolded in the sealed room.
“Do you want to head back with now? The rescue team is on its way, but they won't arrive until tomorrow morning. I'm sure the dragon wouldn't mind giving you a lift.”
“No, no. I'd better leave with my friends. Otherwise, I won't be able to explain my sudden disappearance.”
Just then, Hathaway started walking toward them. Seeing Jenkins standing there, she waved. Miss Bevanna was conveniently hidden from view by a rockery, but Hathaway had likely heard their conversation through her diamond earring and ca out to investigate.
“A friend?”
“I'll be right back! I ran into a friend!”
Jenkins shouted to the red-haired young woman. She waved back at him before turning and heading back into the house. He wasn't worried about Hathaway eavesdropping, as Miss Bevanna had already cast a silence charm.
“Jenkins, I've heard a few things from Old Dad. If you like that girl, I don't think you need to worry about any obstacles. The Church will help you resolve any trouble.”
“Did Old Dad put you up to this again?”
Jenkins could perfectly picture Old Dad's expression as he'd say it. He could almost hear the man's voice in his ear; he'd heard similar things far too many tis.
“No.”
The woman wagged a finger gently. “This is just my personal opinion. You're already past the average age of marriage in the Fidektri Kingdom. I'm sure your mother has ntioned this as well.”
“Yes, she brings it up every ti she sees .”
Jenkins rarely discussed marriage with anyone. He believed his career was more important. Once he was successful, he could have anything he wanted.
This was the first ti he'd had a serious conversation on the topic with Miss Bevanna, and he was suddenly curious to hear the thoughts of this woman who looked no older than thirty.
“Do you like n?”
Miss Bevanna guessed.
“No, of course not.”
Jenkins was taken aback by the suggestion. The wind and snow were howling so loudly that he didn't notice the soft chuckle from the cat at his feet.
“Good. While the Church neither opposes nor supports it, as the Saint, we'd prefer you to be a bit more... 'conventional.' The nobility has passed down so unsavory habits, and we'd rather you not pick up such vices.”
She watched Jenkins with a smile, then suddenly leaned forward, her lips nearly brushing his cheek. The man stumbled back a step, blushing, almost falling into the hot spring again.
“Now I can be sure. You definitely like won.”
It was an exceptionally wicked joke. They had been only a hair's breadth from kissing. Perhaps people of the sa age might do such things, but given their relationship, they shouldn't have such intimate contact.
“Of course I like won,”
he retorted, his face flushed, unsure of what Miss Bevanna's intention had been.
“I was only able to confirm that just now.”
Her jade-white fingers twirled in the air, as if she found his reaction amusing. Seeing Jenkins so flustered he was at a loss for words, she waved goodbye:
“Since you want to leave with your friends, I'll be on my way. Jenkins, have a safe trip. I'll see you back in Nolan.”
With that, she paid no mind to his reaction, pulling the book she always carried from thin air. She flipped to a page and snapped it shut with a crack. As the sound vanished, so did she.
“Are all won this strange nowadays?”
Leaving Jenkins to stand alone in the snow, utterly bewildered.
Reviews
All reviews (0)