13 Mink Street

In Ivy Cemetery, Mr. Pavaro’s grave ended up beside Annie’s. Ms. Lake had made the arrangements.

After the burial, once the earth had been filled back in, Alfred took up a carving knife and knelt in front of Annie’s tombstone. He carved a single line upon it: “Thank you for letting me witness the gentleness that came from the sea.”

After he was done, Alfred turned and knelt before Mr. Pavaro’s tombstone. Beneath the man’s name, he carved: “Thank you for letting me see true light.”

The funeral had been kept simple, so there was no way to commission custom headstones. They could only carve something themselves.

Ms. Lake stood in silence before the two headstones for a long time. Then, she turned and smiled at Karon, signaling that she was done.

Karon did not offer any further mourning. All that he wanted to say had already been carved by Alfred.

On their way back, Karon drove the hearse and took Ms. Lake back to the funeral home, while Alfred followed behind in Karon’s own car.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Ms. Lake stared out at the night scenery. “Everything seems to have been settled. The moment I saw the soil being filled in, it was like life returned to its proper track.”

“Yes. Back on track. A funeral is, in the first place, a kind of sorting out for the living.”

“You’re very familiar with funerals. I can tell. I mean funeral home procedures.”

“Yes.”

“In the future, will you run this funeral home?”

“I will.”

“That’s good. That’s good. In truth, I know myself, and I’m not very good at managing things. My temper is too easily stirred.”

“My friend once told me that his wife used to be very gentle. He always carried a sense of guilt, believing it was his own neglect that caused her temper to worsen over time.”

A smile appeared on Ms. Lake’s face.

While driving, Karon turned to glance at Ms. Lake in the passenger seat. “You remind me of one of my elders.”

“Oh? Your elder?”

“Mhmm. Like you, she has a rather short temper, and she likes to curse at people, yet she is actually kind, very kind.” Karon was thinking of Aunt Mary. Back at home, every time he had gone to the bathroom to shower, there had always been a clean set of pajamas placed inside. When he came out after washing, there had always been a clean set of clothes on his bed for the next day.

Aunt Mary was the kind of woman who could scold someone from head to toe, and just as easily tend to you from head to toe.

Ms. Lake said, “I’m honored. She should be an elder worthy of respect.”

“Mhmm. She’s about the same age as you.”

“Is that so?” Ms. Lake asked. “Do you miss your home?”

“I’ve remembered the people back home. Tell me, do you think I miss home?”

Home... wasn’t it simply the people there?

“I’m sorry. My apologies.”

“It’s fine.”

“In the future, I mean in the future, whether it’s regarding the funeral home or anything else, I’ll listen to you.”

“Alright.” Karon did not refuse, because that was exactly what Ms. Lake wanted. Right now, she probably only wanted to take care of her two daughters. Everything else was just a burden to her.

The hearse drove to the funeral home. The lights were on inside, but there was no one there. “Where are Pike and Dinkom?”

“They used to live here, but eventually rented a place nearby,” Ms. Lake explained. “Right now, they’re off work.”

“So it’s just Dorin and Dora at home?”

“Mhmm.” Dorin and Dora were the nicknames of Mr. Pavaro’s two daughters. In Marcan, their names meant “a gift from god.”

“In a few days, someone will come to treat them,” Karon said.

“Are you heading back?”

“Mhmm.”

“Then why don’t you rest here? You can sleep in the study, no, the bedroom.”

“No. In a while.”

“Mhmm. Okay.” Ms. Lake bowed to Karon and returned to the shop.

Karon got into Alfred’s car, touched his ring, and restored his own appearance. “Let’s go back.”

“Yes, Young Master.” Alfred drove back to the apartment. After getting home, Karon took a shower and laid down on his bed.

Little John and Alfred shared one room. Alfred slept on the bed while the boy slept on the floor. However, after hearing Karon return, even though he had already gone to sleep, Little John still immediately got up and brought Karon some ice water and the newspaper.

This child had been a young master by birth. Throughout his childhood, others had served him, yet now, he had to serve others with his best efforts.

Yet he did not feel that doing so was hard, because when he served Karon, Little John gained a sense of safety. As long as he could be useful, he would be sheltered.

Karon took a sip of water and said, “After a while, I’ll have Alfred arrange for your schooling.”

“Young Master, I think it’s pretty good here. I can take care of Miss Pu’er and Kevin.”

“You can still take care of them after school.”

“Yes, Young Master.” Little John did not dare to talk back again.

“Go rest.”

“Good night, Young Master.” Little John left and closed the door.

Karon did not read the newspaper. After drinking some water, he planned to sleep. He still had to go to the funeral home in the morning. At the moment, he suddenly found himself missing his previous job. When there were no appointments, he had even been allowed to avoid the clinic for the entire day, yet now, he had to go to work every day.

Pu’er moved close and said, “Karon, when will that credits reward be delivered?”

“Soon, probably. When it comes, I’ll set aside five thousand Order credits for Alfred. After that, for any materials you need, let Alfred buy them on the black market.”

“Mhmm. Good.”

“I also hope I can learn and get up to speed sooner.”

Darkmoon Blade and Sea God’s Armor were two Arts that could greatly improve and broaden his combat ability at his current stage, as they fit his characteristics. However, the legacy of the two Arts was not as simple as reciting a chant. They required producing specific scrolls to carry a thought imprint, and those scrolls required materials.

The five hundred Abyss credits that Karon had received from Lemar had already been turned over to Alfred, and he had bought some materials and collected them for the cat and dog at home. They were already doing some basic crafting, but after the basic crafting was finished, they would still need blank scrolls to carry the imprints.

The scrolls they needed were a little expensive. By Pu’er’s accounting, that was because the Arts she and Kevin provided were of a relatively high tier, and only high grade scrolls could perfectly carry their imprints.

On the black market, each such scroll cost one thousand Order credits, which meant that two was two thousand Order credits.

Things were cheaper through the Church of Order’s official channels. Karon had seen a list on Mr. Pavaro’s desk. Buying through the Church of Order’s internal channels with Order credits put the scrolls at only eight hundred credits each. The problem was that a lowest class Inquisitor spending nearly two months of his salary all at once to buy such high grade blank scrolls would easily attract attention, so it was simply safer to get them from the black market.

The original plan had been to have Borg squeeze some credits out of the Allen family. Now that Karon was about to receive a reward of ten thousand Order credits, there was no rush to ask Allen Manor for funds. Pu’er and Kevin still needed time to finish the basic preparations anyway, so the timing could link up.

Arts of different faiths could be chained by some highly intelligent people who possessed strong comprehension, but two unavoidable problems would arise.

First, the Arts would require greater spirituality consumption.

Second, only the basics could be used. It became difficult to gain a higher level of mastery of an Art, or improve it further.

There was also one additional point. Normally, a person needed a holy relic of the corresponding Art system to use a medium.

For example, back in Roja City, the Berai Church priest who had faced off against Tiz had stacked who knew how many layers of defenses on himself, and had managed to do so because he had owned a number of holy relics from different faith systems.

None of those factors were a problem for Karon. First, his own reserves were deep. His accumulated spirituality far exceeded those of the same rank. Second, his purification had drawn upon the power of Light. In Pu’er’s words, light attribute power served as an excellent converter between powers of all attributes.

That was one of the reasons why, during the previous two epochs, the God of Light had appeared in the mythic narratives of various orthodox churches. It was also why, after the Church of Light had grown weak, the major orthodox churches had tacitly stepped in together to stomp it down so it could never reignite.

Karon had kept up with learning the Church of Order’s internal Arts during this period, and had seen much faster progress there, but he was still more eager for the two that Pu’er and Kevin were preparing for him.

After all, even as an Inquisitor, Mr. Pavaro’s combat ability had been quite ordinary.

Sea God’s Armor increased defense.

Darkmoon Blade increased attack.

Karon would finally be able to escape from the awkward situation of having to stand in place and trade blows with the Spear of Punishment.

It was just that he still fell a bit short of the Inquisitor rank. He could not rush that step. He needed to proceed along the most difficult road one step at a time. If he grew impatient and took a wrong step at any link in the chain, everything before it would lose its meaning.

With those thoughts, Karon fell asleep.

***

He awoke at eight the next morning.

After washing up, Karon went downstairs, where he found Alfred wearing an apron, busy in the kitchen.

There was a whoosh, the sound of hot oil being poured down. “Young Master, the noodles are ready.”

Alfred carried out two bowls of oil splashed noodles and set them on the dining table. He picked up a pair of chopsticks and began mixing the noodles. After that, Alfred said, “Young Master, try it.”

Karon picked up noodles and took a bite. “Pretty good.”

“I’m still far from your level, Young Master.” Alfred sat down as well, and the two of them ate together.

After breakfast, Alfred again drove to deliver Karon to Pavaro’s Funeral Home. Sitting in the passenger seat, Karon again transformed into Mr. Pavaro. “Once things are properly set up, ‘Mr. Pavaro’ can leave home to take odd jobs and earn credits for his two daughters. I won’t have to wear this mask every day.”

“Yes, Young Master. You’ve truly worked hard these days.”

Karon got out of the car and approached the funeral home. A business van was parked at the entrance. Instinctively, Karon thought it should be someone from Regional Administration.

The investigation statement Vicolay had asked Mr. Pavaro to write had already been copied. He had given it to Dinkom to submit to the “courier,” so the specific results of the operations should have come down by this time.

Sure enough, after Karon entered the funeral home, he saw a gaunt, middle-aged man standing there, with a younger man who looked like a clerk beside him. Both wore black robes.

“Inquisitor Pavaro?”

“Yes.”

“I am Deputy Director Mion.”

“Hello, Director.”

Mion placed both hands on his chest. Karon immediately mirrored the gesture, and the two said in unison, “Praise Order!”

“To my study?”

“No need.” Mion smiled faintly. “Procedurally, we can simplify things a little. I assume you won’t mind, Inquisitor Pavaro. After all, you have submitted several proposals to the Regional Administration advocating for the reduction of bureaucratic tendencies within the Church.”

“Oh, of course. That would be best.”

“Very well. First, I would like you to confirm that the statement you submitted to the Regional Administration regarding Zeric’s case is accurate in every respect.”

“It is accurate.”

“Good. That will suffice.” Mion glanced at the clerk beside him. “Is it recorded?”

“It is, Director.”

“Inquisitor Pavaro, this is documentation of your promotion to Fifth-Class. Please keep it properly.”

“My thanks to the Regional Administration.”

“Additionally, this is a greeting gift entrusted to me by Adjudicator Vicolai for you.”

“My thanks to the Adjudicator.”

“Adjudicator Vicolai is easy to work with. Serving under him is a blessing granted to you by the God of Order.”

“Heh.” Karon let out a Pavaro-style cold chuckle.

“That concludes this matter.” Mion gestured to the car outside. “I have other matters to attend to.”

At that moment, the clerk quietly reminded him of something.

“Oh. You now have one Divine Servant allocation under your authority. Do you have someone in mind to recommend?”

“Yes, Director.”

The clerk produced a name card and handed it to Karon with a polite smile.

“Inquisitor Pavaro, you may have your selected Divine Servant report to the Church Affairs Building behind Sycamore Street Police Station for identity verification and file establishment. Present this card to the certification office, and the process will be expedited. Provided, of course, that he is a Divine Servant who believes in Order.”

“That is only natural.”

“Afterward, follow the address on the card and find me, or have your chosen Divine Servant come directly. I will reassign his file under your Inquisition.”

“Understood.”

“There are no further matters?” Mion asked.

“Director, there is one more.”

“Oh?”

“The Region still owes me a reward. If I recall correctly, two thousand Order credits.”

Mion frowned and pointed at the gift box. “Is it not inside?”

“That is a personal gift from the Adjudicator to his subordinate. It is not the Region’s reward.”

Displeasure flickered across Mion’s face. He withdrew two thousand Order credits from his pocket and handed them over. “I forgot the envelope.”

“Very well.” Karon accepted them.

Mion turned and left. The young clerk bowed to Karon before hurrying after him.

Karon knew that if he had not asked, the Regional Administration’s reward would have been quietly withheld. In the past, he might not have minded such sharing, but he was currently acting as Mr. Pavaro. Of course he had to claim it.

The promotion ceremony had been perfunctory, as had the inquiry. Karon understood this was deliberate. Vicolai wanted to demonstrate the reach of his connections, yet to Karon, it was merely a mischievous monkey flaunting its red backside.

Pike and Dinkom immediately stepped forward. “Congratulations, Boss.”

“Mm.” Karon nodded. He handed the two thousand Order credits to Pike. “Give this to the missus. I’ve accepted a new assignment and will be busy. I need to head out again now, and I likely won’t return for some time. When the newcomer arrives, see that he is received properly.”

Dinkom grinned. “Don’t worry, Boss. I’ll teach him the rules.”

Pike added, “We’ll make sure he understands.”

“Good. I trust you can handle it. I look forward to it.” Karon nodded and stepped out of the funeral home.

Once seated in Alfred’s car, he opened the gift box. Inside were ten thousand Order credits. After counting them, he handed them to Alfred, who placed the credits into his briefcase.

“The box is well made. Don’t discard it. Keep it for Vicolay’s head.”

“Yes, Young Master. Where to next?”

Karon touched the ring and reverted to his original appearance. “To get an identity card.”

He exhaled softly. “We need to hurry. If I don’t complete the Divine Servant identification soon, I might advance to Inquisitor first.”