The file contained the preliminary autopsy results for the fire demon's corpse. Its body was covered in a multitude of incomprehensible, terrifying tattoos.
These tattoos were mostly composed of runes and unknown languages, and reading them exerted a certain ntal pressure. Although the fire demon was dead, the black markings still seed to float just above the surface of its skin.
"This writing and these runes can help us determine its origin," Bevanna explained. "The Church now suspects a connection to the demon incident from last autumn. We intend to re-interrogate the young nobles we captured then; perhaps they'll provide a valuable clue. But I suspect any further investigation will not be easy."
Though he had no proof, Jenkins felt the two incidents were unrelated. He kept the thought to himself, however, knowing it was unwise to make baseless guesses.
He had no interest in where this fire demon ca from. Miss Bevanna had simply given him an impression of so of the tattoos to take to Papa Oliver for help with translation.
Whatever happened after that had nothing to do with him.
It had been a long ti since his last serious combat training session, but Miss Bevanna still didn't hold back.
Jenkins had now completely learned the strange set of movents; all he needed was diligent practice. Next ca training in fighting techniques, sothing that couldn't be learned from a book. It required long-term practical application to truly grasp.
When Jenkins first t Miss Bevanna, he had assud she was a mage-type Enchanter, like those from his mories. Only later did he discover that her combat prowess was her greatest strength.
However, demigods rarely engaged in close-quarters combat anymore. Spells and various strange abilities were their main focus.
Having obtained the White Bone Holy Sword, Jenkins was eager to try his hand at swordsmanship. He hinted at it, reasoning that fighting with a sword would be more dashing.
Unfortunately, Miss Bevanna was not particularly skilled with a blade, and the Nolan diocese had no one of that caliber. But she did point him in one direction:
"Knights are always proficient with weapons. Many ancient sword arts are usually in their keeping. Perhaps you could seek help from Miss Knight of the Church of Sun and Justice. After returning from the mirror world, she has continued to reside in the Evergreen Forest. You can find her anyti near the lair of the dragon, Níðhöggr... To be honest, her plan to revive the age of Dragon Knights probably won't succeed."
Miss Knight's plans were her own concern, but learning swordsmanship from her was an excellent suggestion. The developnt of steam power and the proliferation of firearms were gradually bringing the curtain down on the age of cold weapons.
Most mortal sword-fighting legacies were now lost, save for those passed down through corresponding supernatural abilities. The Church's library might contain relevant materials, but it was obvious that such a skill could not be mastered by reading alone.
Jenkins planned to visit the Evergreen Forest on the weekend to speak with Miss Knight. He didn't want his sword to be nothing more than a sharp piece of tal.
The subject of the Doomsday Docunt ca up after his combat lesson, as he and Miss Bevanna were walking from the underground training ground back to the surface.
The conversation began with the believers of the Lying God, which was one of the Church's current major investigations. As they discussed the group, Bevanna ntioned that the previous night, soone riding a unicorn had bombed the estuary of the Westminster River, sinking a cargo ship with so strange thod.
Originally, this matter fell under the jurisdiction of the Church of Ocean and Exploration, but they were short-staffed after discovering traces of other active pirate kings on the high seas during the Skull Sword incident. They had asked the Church of the Sage to conduct a preliminary investigation, which subsequently led to the recovery of that Doomsday Docunt from the water.
"Oh, that's truly incredible!"
Jenkins exclaid, reaching up to gently stroke Chocolate. But the cat, perched on his shoulder, recoiled from his touch. He hadn't showered after his workout, and the fastidious cat was disgusted by his sweaty hand.
"So, what exactly is the Doomsday Docunt? I've noticed that since last autumn, the Church has found these strange things several tis."
Jenkins had asked this question before, but no one would ever give him a detailed explanation. He expected the sa this ti, but perhaps taking his rapid growth into account, Miss Bevanna surprisingly did not refuse.
"B-12-5-0001, the Doomsday Docunt," she began. "It's just as the rumors among the unregistered Enchanters say: a sign of the Epoch's end. Since the New God appeared and the purple star of destiny hung high in the night sky, the successive discoveries of these slates beca inevitable. The Twelve Orthodox Churches have long understood this."
After a nod to the gatekeeper, the two of them stepped out of the building and into the courtyard behind the main temple complex. Spring had arrived, and all things were stirring back to life. The plants and flowers in the courtyard had mostly put out tender shoots, but it was already late, and no one was in the mood to linger and appreciate the moon.
After all, though the twin moons still lood over Nolan, the starry sky was hazy, obscured by a thin mist.
"So theories hold that the end of an Epoch is inevitably accompanied by a world-destroying cataclysm," Miss Bevanna said, choosing her words with care. "This is the 18th Epoch. The loss of history from previous epochs is likely related to these so-called great cataclysms."
Miss Bevanna spoke deliberately. Given Jenkins's status as a Saint, he could access most classified information if he truly wished. But he also carried the identity of the "World Tree Seedling." Past experience had shown that it was not wise for Saviors to know the trajectory of destiny before the final mont arrived.
Furthermore, to prevent widespread panic, the Orthodox Churches had signed a confidentiality pact in ancient tis: below the rank of demigod, no mortal was permitted to know any secrets concerning the end of an Epoch.
"A great cataclysm? I've heard so things, too," Jenkins said. "Rumors that the world will be destroyed."
He set Chocolate down to walk on his own. The cat ambled lazily along the side of the courtyard's covered walkway, leading the way. From behind, he didn't look fat at all, making Jenkins wonder where all the food he ate went.
"The world's destruction? Oh, that's just one possibility."
The woman's soft tone was reminiscent of Audrey. "Destiny is fair; it would not leave the world with only a future of annihilation. And the key to overcoming this doom lies on the Doomsday Slates. Though their na contains 'doomsday,' in truth, these slates will guide us to find the ans to triumph over the disaster."
"You an the text on the slates?"
"Yes," she confird. "That text points to the one who will save the world..."
Reviews
All reviews (0)