13 Mink Street

The two robed men stared at Karon in utter disbelief. They were only Divine Servants, assigned to handle the aftermath. They had thought their errand would be an easy one, and had never imagined that the person they were delivering a pension for was standing, alive and breathing, right in front of them.

Karon placed both hands before his chest and said sincerely, “Praise the great God of Order. Praise Order!”

The two robed men immediately mirrored the gesture. “Praise the great God of Order. Praise Order!”

The rite concluded.

“You... are you really Lord Pavaro, Inquisitor?”

“Yes.”

“You’re not dead?”

“I was framed and thrown in prison, then deliberately released so that they could hunt me down and silence me. I nearly died, but managed to escape, thanks to the protection of the great God of Order.”

“This...”

“We...”

The two robed men looked at each other. Karon’s instinct told him there was more to the matter. There was something else behind things.

“Lord Pavaro, Inquisitor, we need to report back to Adjudicator Vicolay.”

“And this pension...”

“Of course it needs to be rearranged. Rearranged.”

“Alright.” Karon nodded, feeling a faint sense of disappointment.

The two robed men immediately got into their car and drove off, and Alfred got out and walked over, puzzled. “Young Master, that was...”

“They were delivering a pension and a certificate of merit for Mr. Pavaro, but I think there’s another story to this. Things aren’t so straightforward. Adjudicator Vicolay, I have a feeling he’ll come to see me soon.”

“Young Master, then you...”

“Will wait to meet him.”

“Young Master, should I go in with you and wait?”

“No. I think the one who should be anxious is him.”

“Why is that, Young Master?”

Karon looked down at the ground beneath his feet. He remembered that he was standing in the same spot Mr. Pavaro had when he had been handcuffed and taken away last time. “My guess is that this Adjudicator, this Vicolay, embezzled Mr. Pavaro’s credit.”

“If that’s the case...”

“He has two choices; Either he kills ‘Pavaro’ once more, or he comes to me to get our stories straight. Do you think he’ll choose the first option?”

“Probably not, because the people who chose the first option are already finished.”

Karon lowered his head, nudging a pebble with the tip of his shoe as he analyzed calmly. “Exactly. So he’ll choose the second. He’ll come right away to try to placate me and hope to get my endorsement. Of course, he’ll offer me a trade of benefits in the process. I need to work up the right mood and prepare, so I can bargain for the biggest benefit.

“This is actually a good thing. I’m a fake, and too much exposure related to this matter will only create more hidden dangers. Having someone to stand at the front and take the spotlight will make this identity much safer. That’s the best outcome, isn’t it?”

Karon raised his head and smiled. “Go back to the car for now.”

“Yes, Young Master.” Alfred turned and returned to the car, while Karon remained standing where he was. In his mind, he saw himself reading Mr. Pavaro’s notes, and then saw Mr. Pavaro kneeling before him, offering his face with both hands.

A man who, before dying, knelt to ask a favor, and even apologized for using moral coercion, and yet you dare to steal the glory that belonged to him?

Karon’s eyes began to redden. This was not due to some Art, nor was it some sort of bodily change, but rage. Rage filled his heart to overflowing.

This was the first time Karon had revealed such intense killing intent. There was no concealment, no restraint. It was fully released, pure and blunt.

The last time in Roja City, when he accompanied Tiz to call on a list of names, Karon had not been so angry. That was because the dead had not been Sara’s family.

In the pigpens beneath the sausage factory, he had not been so angry either, because the people there were indeed pitiful, but they had all been strangers to him.

Karon had once told Mr. Pavaro that he could never become him, because Karon never hid his double standard. He even admitted that he was a hypocrite.

He had never thought of himself as someone great. The only principle that guided his actions was that he needed to be able to live with himself.

After wearing Mr. Pavaro’s mask, hearing his wife’s sobs, and seeing his two daughters’ bodies suffer from the withdrawal of not having access to Bloodspirit Powder, something within Karon had shifted. The line between near and distant had already been drawn.

Vicolay, you will die, I swear it on the Immers name.

Karon closed his eyes. He lifted his head. He drew in a deep breath.

The red in Karon’s eyes gradually faded. He waved to Alfred in the car, turned around, and walked into the funeral home.

Alfred, sitting in the car, smiled and waved back. After his young master walked inside, he also drew in a deep breath and slowly let it out.

Alfred took a small black notebook out from his inner pocket. It was about the size of a contact book, and it was used to record things Karon said throughout his daily life, including slang.

Alred pulled out a pen, bit off the cap, and wrote, For the first time, I have felt God’s wrath with such clarity. Now, I can’t help but begin to mourn that Adjudicator Vicolay, because he has no idea what kind of existence he has provoked!

No, he is actually fortunate to not know what kind of existence he has provoked!

***

Inside the shop, Pike and Dinkom were in the same positions as the day before; one staring into space, the other reading.

Karon thought that compared to these two attendants, Mink Street’s Ron was practically a model of diligence.

Seeing their boss return, both men stood up.

“Why hasn’t the black drape out front been cleared off? It’s covering our sign. And the floor, why hasn’t it been cleaned?”

“Yes, Boss, I’ll take it down right away.”

“Boss, I’ll clean it right away.”

After sending the two men off, Karon went to the back. He hesitated, but still entered the girls’ bedroom, removing the lock from the door and opening it to get inside.

The two girls were sitting on the bed, playing cat’s cradle. After yesterday’s Bloodspirit Powder bath, both of them looked much better. The black spots covering their skin had faded a great deal, revealing flushed, reddened skin beneath.

When Karon walked in, the two girls reflexively stopped their game and shifted inward on the bed. Karon stood where he was and did not move any closer.

Then, both girls offered Karon small smiles. They were faint, but were not forced. His own lips also curved into a smile. He then turned and walked out. Outside the door stood Ms. Lake. “You... you’re back?”

“Mhmm,” Karon answered. He then asked, “Where is the study?”

“You... you don’t have a study.”

“Oh, I forgot.”

“I’ll tidy up the bedroom?”

“Mm, alright.”

Ms. Lake went to the master bedroom and began tidying the bed. Karon followed her in and closed the door. “The matter I was investigating before, the results have been released. The people who targeted me, suppressed me, and tried to murder me are all finished.”

Her back still to Karon, Ms. Lake’s quivered slightly. She then gave a firm nod and said, “That’s good.”

“But many people think I’m dead, so my credit for this matter was stolen.”

Ms. Lake’s body trembled again. She forced her voice to remain steady. “As long as you’re safe, that’s all that matters.”

“The man who claimed credit for my work will likely come here soon. He believed me to be dead, but I’m still alive, so he now wants to buy me off. I’ve decided to accept.

“Oh. His rank is also above mine.”

Ms. Lake turned away without looking at Karon. She lowered her head, her teeth pressing into her lip. After a moment... “At least there’s something to gain. That’s good. That’s good.”

Her husband was dead.

Her husband was dead! And now someone wanted to steal the honor that should have been his!

“I promise you, he will pay for this with his soul, but I don’t have that ability just yet. I need time.”

“No, no, no.” Ms. Lake stepped toward Karon and placed a hand against his chest. Then she suddenly realized that this man was not her husband and she promptly withdrew it again. “Don’t take risks. Don’t take risks. Please don’t! It isn’t worth it. It isn’t.”

“It is.”

“No, it isn’t!” Ms. Lake clenched her hands and let out a soft roar. “I believe the friend you mentioned yesterday wouldn’t want you to do this either. I believe your friend... must have been stubborn. And anyone who could be his friend... must be a good person too.”

Ms. Lake pressed her hand against her chest, and tears finally began to fall. “I can feel it. I really can! Don’t take risks. Don’t pursue this anymore, alright? Isn’t your friend already dead? He’s dead! Don’t keep holding on to this. Really, don’t. He’s dead. He doesn’t need these things anymore. He doesn’t.”

Karon looked at the woman as she wept. “Yes. He’s dead.”

“Mhmm... so...” She wiped her tears away with her sleeve. “So just stay safe. Live well, alright? Not for my daughters. Not for me. You... you just live well, alright?”

“What is the purpose of a funeral?” Karon asked.

“The purpose...?”

“Is it for the dead to see? No. You understand that a funeral is for the living.”

“For the living...”

“I only came here to tell you something. I don’t know why, but my temperament has changed lately. Perhaps because I was framed and imprisoned, but I’ve become more impatient. So I’m simply informing you.” In a manner that I regret.

“Then... then... do as you think best. I’ve wanted to say this for a long time. To him- to you. I just never found the courage. That is my regret. The girls and I... we have always lived in exhaustion. I know you suffered too. I knew it, but I couldn’t control myself. I truly couldn’t. I regret it. I regret it so much!” Ms. Lake rested her forehead against Karon’s shoulder. This time, both of her hands were pressed against his chest.

Karon kept his arms at his sides. He did not raise them. He knew the woman needed something to lean against. She needed release. At this moment, she was treating him as the Mr. Pavaro who was already gone.

“I knew your pain was no less than mine, but I still blamed you. I cursed you. I hated you! Because that made it easier for me. I was selfish. I truly was. I want to tell you that I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry!

“If there were another chance... if it happened again... I would only say this: the girls and I were tired. So tired! Sometimes the worst ending... is also a kind of release.

“You... no. You must not carry this burden in your heart.” She reached up and touched Karon’s face. “I can feel it, I can feel that he accepted you willingly. That he regarded you... as a friend. I can feel it from this face.”

Lemar at the pottery studio had said something similar when he examined the mask.

“Live well. Stay with the girls and live well. I’ve recently met someone new, and she may have a way to treat the girls’ condition.”

“Really?”

“At the very least, there should be something more effective than Bloodspirit Powder. Something that will spare them much suffering. They may even be allowed to go out to the park, or even to school.”

“Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

“Thank my friend. I need to prepare to receive a guest,” Karon said gently.

“Oh! Yes. Yes.” Ms. Lake hurriedly wiped her tears away. She was a woman who had lost the man she loved, yet she could not weep openly in the mourning hall before others. Her grief could only be allowed to escape in brief, hidden moments.

That, too, was a kind of sorrow.

Karon walked behind the desk and sat down.

“What would you like to drink, tea or coffee?”

“Wouldn’t it be a bit inappropriate for you to bring it in?” Karon asked with a smile.

“Heh...” Ms. Lake, for some reason, could not help wanting to laugh too. Tear tracks still on her face, her mouth tugged, and she finally held it back.

“Ice water.”

“Okay.” Facing Karon, Ms. Lake bowed deeply and seriously. Karon immediately stood up.

When Ms. Lake reached for the bedroom door, she stopped and suddenly said, “Before, he always believed that...”

“What?” Karon asked.

Ms. Lake looked at Karon. “I suddenly feel that the God of Order really did hear his prayers.”

Saying that, Ms. Lake left the bedroom.

Soon, even with the door closed, her sharp voice could be clearly heard, “Pike, take your master a cup of ice water! And remember to use the boiler wastewater!”

Karon sat back down and picked up the fountain pen again.

Before long, Pike pushed the door open and came in. “Boss, ice water.”

“Mhmm. Pike, I want to ask you something.”

“Ask away, Boss.”

“You and Dinkom are both on my roster, right?”

“Of course, Boss.”

“If I want to recruit another Divine Servant, can I get an extra slot?”

“Boss, you forgot. You’re a Seventh-Class Inquisitor, so you can only have two Divine Servants under you.”

“Seventh-Class...”

“That’s the lowest class Inquisitor. It’s because your temper easily offends people... so if you want more slots, every two classes you go up, you get another slot.”

“Alright, I understand. Also, how much is my monthly income in Order credits?”

“One thousand Order credits, Boss. You even forgot that?”

So low? That meant that Serena had given Karon half a month’s salary. No, what Serena had given him were Abyss credits, though the exchange rate shouldn’t be too outrageous.

“Pike.”

“Yes, Boss?”

“I want you to swear right now in the name of the God of Order that what I just asked you cannot be told to a second person.”

“Uh... okay, Boss. I swear in the name of the God of Order to keep your questions secret!”

“Alright. Get out.”

“Okay, Boss.” Pike scratched his head and left.

Having an honest subordinate felt pretty good.

Karon closed his eyes to rest. He did not need to worry too much about his “performance,” because Mr. Pavaro’s persona was very clear. The other party probably knew it too, so when they arrived, things would mainly depend on Karon’s performance.

About twenty minutes passed before Dinkom knocked on the bedroom door. “Boss, someone’s here to visit.”

“Bring him in.”

“Okay, Boss.”

The bedroom door opened, and a man in a gray trench coat walked in. He removed his hat, and then took a small scroll from inside the hat. He tossed it on the floor. Blue flames rose, but quickly extinguished as a blue barrier formed within the bedroom.

“Pleasure to meet you. My name is Vicolay. I was previously assigned to regional administrative duties. I’ve recently transferred into the role of Adjudicator.”

“Pavaro.”

As if he had expected such a stiff reception, Vicolay walked over to the desk on his own. “The matter with Expositor Zeric has been fully revealed, and he’s also dead. The region has your previously submitted reports that were sealed away. They were dug up during the investigation, as well as a report stating that you were killed after escaping prison.

“So I forged some letters to prove you had reported to me, and that I instructed you to continue the investigation, and that you ultimately exposed Expositor Zeric’s criminal scheme.”

“May the God of Order protect me. I’m still alive.”

“Yes. That’s something I didn’t expect, and it immediately makes things rather troublesome.”

“Yes.”

“I need this credit. The region will grant you two thousand Order credits as a death benefit—no, as a bonus now, and your Inquisitor rank can be raised from Seventh-Class to Sixth. Additionally, I can give you five thousand Order credits.

“Furthermore, you will gain my friendship. After my transfer, I will replace Adjudicator Luke and become your direct superior.”

Karon spoke, “Ten thousand Order credits, official bonus not included. Sixth-Class becomes Fifth-Class, and I choose a Divine Servant candidate for myself.”

Vicolay did not accuse Karon of asking too much. Instead, he looked faintly surprised. “So decisive?”

“I nearly died. I’d like to treat my wife and children better. My daughters require large amounts of Bloodspirit Powder every month. I’ve fulfilled my duty to the church, and I now intend to fulfill my duty to my family.”

“Very well, I agree. I’ll have the ten thousand Order credits delivered tomorrow. I’ll also see that your class is elevated from Sixth-Class to Fifth-Class. As for the Divine Servant candidate, submit the name and I’ll approve it.

“You’ll need to file a written statement in your own name. I’ve brought a draft. Copy it out and submit it.

“Additionally, someone will be conducting a routine inquiry. Follow what’s written when you answer.”

“Agreed.”

Vicolay smiled and nodded. “Agreed.”

“You may leave.” Karon gestured toward the door.

“Inquisitor Pavaro, I find I rather like you,” Vicolay said with a smile.

Karon understood what kind of “liking” this was. It was not unlike the feeling he had once felt toward Mr. Pavaro. When “Pavaro” spoke, people were inclined to believe him. The same applied to his promises.

“I dislike you,” Karon replied.

“Oh, naturally, naturally. I appreciate your temperament. I’m certain we’ll have many opportunities to work together, and I won’t treat you as your former superior did. After all, my grandfather is one of the Bishops of the York City region.”

With that, Vicolay replaced his hat, opened the door, and departed.

The blue barrier dissipated. Karon remained seated.

After a moment...

“Heh... heh...” He couldn’t suppress the laughter. He covered his mouth instinctively. “He actually tried to compare grandfathers with me?”