"That won't be necessary. Let's not make it so complicated."
Jenkins didn't have that much ti to spare. Besides, he knew all too well that crowds were breeding grounds for accidents.
The club's servants helped Jenkins move the crate of books onto the carriage, and upon his arrival, the guards of the Inherited Sage Church were the ones to carry it down.
Even though he no longer lived at the church, the room he had occupied for half a month had been kept for him. He placed the crate in a corner of the room for the ti being, took out one book, and signed his na at the desk before cradling his cat and heading to Ruen.
He had barely materialized when the bedroom door was pushed open. Alexia, dressed in casual clothes and a long-brimd, lace-edged hat, walked in carrying a red handbag, a servant trailing behind her.
She imdiately turned to the maid, whose eyes glazed over in a montary daze. Then, as if receiving an unspoken command, the maid hurried away.
"Welco back, Alexia!"
He imdiately set the cat down to greet her, taking the handbag from her and placing it by the wall.
"Thank you... though this is my room. Oh, has your book finally been published? It's only been three months, but it feels like half a year has passed."
Her gaze fell on the book in Jenkins's hand, and she instantly realized what it was. The woman looked a little weary, but she was clearly delighted that Jenkins was the first person to welco her back.
"Yes, I just got these from my publisher."
He rembered his promise to Miss Stuart to let her be the first reader, which was why he had rushed over.
"May I see it?"
"Of course."
Jenkins handed the book to the newly returned Alexia. But she didn't open it. Instead, she placed it directly on her desk.
"It's mine now."
She smiled at Jenkins and added, "You can get another copy for our friend. I can give it to her on your behalf."
Jenkins hoped Miss Stuart didn't know what had transpired between them. He couldn't possibly ask for the book back from Alexia, so he had no choice but to have the Star Spirit deliver another one.
He planned to give the remaining books in the crate to his friends at the church, Miss Bevanna, and Fini. He would give Papa Oliver his copy when he visited the antique shop tomorrow, and as for Hathaway and Briny's copies, he would send them by post.
He still wasn't sure how to face Briny and decided it was best not to be alone with her until he could think of a suitable solution.
When he went to see Miss Bevanna, he also heard about the Doomsday Slate. It had been found by the divination-adept Miss Audrey three days after Jenkins had left Nolan, buried in the rubble of Hamrhead Street. The workers assigned to the excavation had found it less than a ter beneath a collapsed house.
Jenkins didn't get to see the slate himself, as it had already been sent out of Nolan. But based on past experience, he imagined it would possess a golden spiritual aura.
Miss Bevanna rembered the contents of the slate clearly and recited them for Jenkins:
[The blood moon hangs in the sky, six gods now appear;
Aberrations run rampant, the phantoms draw near.
The seed of calamity is buried in the earth, The star of salvation shines forth with new birth.
The great look down upon the veins of fate;
The humble look up, unaware of their ultimate state.
The greedy shall surely reap what they have sown!
The rciful shall wait for blessed fruit to be grown!
The third act has concluded, The stage of destiny is about to be unveiled.
The grand curtain rises, The bell tolls, The gods compose, Destiny controls.
Mortals, Applaud the finale that is to co!]
Just like the slates before it, this one was filled with cryptic, obscure anings. Jenkins could understand that the first two lines referred to recent events, but he had no idea what the "finale," so persistently hinted at, truly represented.
Miss Bevanna was unwilling to discuss the slate with Jenkins. In fact, it seed that everyone with inside knowledge was deliberately avoiding the subject.
Having witnessed a vampire be ground to dust by the power of the red moon for revealing secrets, Jenkins was exceptionally cautious about such knowledge. Seeing that he wouldn't get any more details, he changed the topic and asked about the ability that had inexplicably appeared: [The Player (White - Basic)].
"I've never heard of this ability before, and I couldn't find any information on it in the Secret Trace Library when I returned to the church last night. Jenkins, generally speaking, white basic abilities represent the most ancient powers, the very origin of mortals grasping the extraordinary. Theoretically, all other abilities can evolve from a corresponding white basic ability."
Papa Oliver had explained this knowledge to Jenkins long ago. The gist of it was that the white basic abilities held by different churches were typically either more common powers or the foundational source of that church's divine arts.
"In other words, uncommon basic abilities are usually in the possession of specific pseudo-god cults," Jenkins summarized.
"Yes. Although the Inherited Sage Church has no records of this ability, I believe followers of a deity with a music-related divine domain might know sothing. His Excellency, the Wondrous Musical Score, also appeared during the incident on the last day of last year. Perhaps his followers are still in the city. The church will help you look for them."
There was no need to search for the followers of the God of Music, because Jenkins's best friend was one of them. While he didn't dare see Miss Mikhail at the mont, eting with Hathaway was still an option. As he left Miss Bevanna's office, calculating if he had ti to see her that afternoon, he was so lost in thought that he nearly bumped into Fini.
It seed he ran into the little girl every ti he ca to the church. A week had passed, but she looked much the sa. They t in the corridor as she was hurrying along, carrying a small flowerpot from which a vibrant, erald-green sprout had just broken through the soil.
"Sir, you're back! Hello, Chocolate!"
She didn't forget to greet Chocolate, who was perched on Jenkins's shoulder. The cat gave the girl a lazy look and owed in acknowledgnt.
"I just got back last night. Oh, this is for you."
He handed the new book to the girl. She placed the flowerpot on the floor, wiped her palms on the hem of her dress, and then accepted the book.
Jenkins wasn't sure if she could spell out the title yet, but it was clear she understood what it was. She thanked him excitedly, and they chatted for a few more monts before parting ways.
"Finally, sothing has gone my way."
A smile spread across Jenkins's face. He could now be certain that the curse afflicting the Stress family's bloodline had not appeared in Fini. The girl was living a good life now.
Fate does not punish soone forever. After enduring so much, Fini had finally t her dawn.
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