13 Mink Street

Karon raised his hand toward Luke’s corpse. “Order—Purification.”

The residual spirituality within Luke’s corpse was completely erased. This method was the simplest and most efficient. It was far more convenient than what Bede had once done, gouging out eyes and cutting off tongues.

As he finished, Karon heard footsteps behind him. He turned. Nio was already approaching.

“Finished?” The captain had asked if it was finished, not resolved.

Karon nodded. “Mhmm. Finished.”

Nio glanced at Luke’s corpse on the ground, bent down, and picked up the two rag dolls. “When dealing with this kind of thing next time, you can use Arts with soul-attributes. The effect will be better.”

“Yes, Captain, understood.”

“Congratulations on becoming an Inquisitor.”

“Captain, I’m not the only Inquisitor in our squad.”

“But I believe Gray probably won’t want to spar with you again.”

“Is that so? That would be a real pity. I was still thinking there might be a chance to exchange pointers again.”

Karon did not ask about the mask, and the captain also did not ask about the details of Karon’s advancement to Inquisitor. The two of them seemed to be abiding by a certain agreement established from the very beginning, that neither would proactively investigate the other’s secrets.

Nio said, “This mission is over. According to the rules, it’s time for a late-night meal.”

“It’s my treat this time, Captain.”

“Yes, of course.”

Karon and Nio walked out of the factory building, and Fannie, Wynn, and Marlow immediately revealed themselves. Wynn had been tracking Luke, Fannie had handled watching the perimeter, while Marlow used a ritual array to seal the area.

As for the initial ambush, it had been personally launched by Nio.

“Fannie, notify Gendi and have his people come collect the body and clean up.”

“Yes, Captain.” Fannie fired a signal flare into the air.

***

They chose a roadside stall for their dinner gathering. Night stalls in York City did not usually have a wide variety of ingredients. It could even be said that they were very single-minded. This came from a kind of prideful insistence in the Veynic people, their belief that, under a concentrated focus, food could be endowed with a more unique charm.

And that was indeed the case. Along with the rise and expansion of the Veyn Empire over the past few centuries, Veynic cuisine had become highly sought after in other countries, especially in colonial regions. Ordinary people in those places took pride in being able to enjoy a meal of Veynic cuisine, and had even actively given Veynic cuisine many cultural and spiritual connotations that even the Veynic people themselves had never thought of.

For example, the stall Karon and the others were sitting at now provided only... sausages and sausages.

However, patrons could choose from various flavors of sausage. One particular sausage was rather magical. It was displayed as the stall’s signature dish in front of everyone at the table. It was a sausage mixed with a large amount of Veynic sauce during the filling stage, and it had somehow come out black.

The stall owner was an elderly man with graying hair. After serving the food, he stood beside his clients with restrained yet visible anticipation, waiting for feedback.

Karon took a bite and chewed twice after putting it into his mouth.

Alright, the only reason he did not spit it out immediately was due to the support of his moral concept of cherishing food.

The others, however, ate it perfectly normally. Eating habits were like that. As long as it wasn’t poisonous, if you ate something for long enough, you would naturally grow used to it.

But the stall owner happened to pick Karon, leaned over, and asked, “How does it taste?”

Karon shook his head. “Not good.”

The stall owner froze. Still, it wasn’t as if he could quarrel with a customer, so he merely walked back gloomily to continue grilling more sausages, while silently cancelling in his heart the rounding-down discount he had planned to give Karon’s table at checkout.

From the moment they had sat down, Fannie had been staring at Karon with great interest. Wynn and Marlow were doing the same, though not as openly as her. They would take one bite of sausage, then glance at Karon, giving him the feeling that they were using him as a side dish.

Earlier, they had all been assigned to guard the outer perimeter. Aside from Nio, who had been able to watch from up close, the others did not actually know the details of what had happened inside the factory.

Still, they were well aware that although Luke had been heavily injured during the initial ambush, he had still been a true Adjudicator. When the captain had ordered them to stop, they had understood clearly that the Adjudicator’s final trump card had not been forced out just yet.

If the captain had merely sent Karon in to finish off an Adjudicator Luke lying collapsed on the ground, the three would not have been nearly so shocked.

There was also the fact that although they had not gone in and had not seen the battle for themselves, they had still been able to sense the waves of energy erupting from the factory building and the pure, stirring aura of Order.

Everyone had become extremely curious about Karon’s true strength.

Even Fannie, who had once slept in the same bed as him during a mission, found Karon to be rather unfamiliar at this moment.

At the very beginning, he had held a beginner’s pistol and learned from her how to stand guard by leaning against a car window.

Later, he had used two manifested curved blades to kill that dwarf and save her.

Then, there had been when he had sparred with Gray, progressing from someone with absolutely no knowledge or experience in combat, to someone who, under the condition that it was not a life-and-death battle, was able to avoid falling behind Gray.

And finally, tonight, when he had gone in alone to kill an Adjudicator.

Fannie felt that she truly could not see through the handsome young man before her. There were too many secrets on him.

“Fannie.”

“Yes, Captain?”

“Give all of Tirsen’s assets to Gendi’s squad.”

“Yes, Captain,” Fannie first agreed, but then asked, “But doesn’t that mean we get nothing?”

Nio glanced at Karon and said, “I’ve already found the hidden location of Zeric’s assets. That it our squad’s share.”

“Haha, the captain really is amazing!” Marlow laughed. A smile also appeared on Wynn’s face.

“One more thing; Redo the squad’s combat order. From now on, Karon is to be placed second when planning operations.”

The gazes of Fannie and the other two all fell on Karon. In their squad, their captain had always been ranked first. He had always been the strongest person in the squad, and that was something everyone was used to and acknowledged.

Yet the second position had originally been held by two people: Wynn and Gray. They had always been the strongest fighters in the squad beneath the captain. Now, there were three in that position.

This arrangement affected the distribution of spoils, somewhat tilting the shares of rewards and such. For example, it would allow those ranked higher to receive a bit more credits. If the squad obtained some holy relics or materials, and more than one person in the team needed the same item, the one higher in the rankings would get it by default.

But no one would actively seek to rise higher in the rankings for those benefits alone, because second position often needed to work with their captain to bite into the hardest bones.

“Captain, where did you find this attached member? Heavens! He’s actually still an attached member.” Marlow slapped his forehead. “This is making me feel rather embarrassed.”

Wynn teased, “Then hurry up and die so he can move up sooner.”

“Hey, then you’d better wait until the Captain finds another ritual array master to take over for me first.”

Nio took a sip of wine and said, “He’s very much like me.”

At those words, the expressions of everyone present, including Karon, changed.

Nio set down his glass and added, “I only said ‘much like.’ We can’t possibly be the same.”

As he spoke, Nio lightly tapped the table and continued in a serious and solemn tone, “The day we received our transfer orders, I already told you that the suppression and constraints we used to face would be greatly loosened going forward, that every one of us would gain better resources and better development. Now, I want to add two more things.

“First, our pace is much faster than I expected. You should all feel that by now, so don’t grow greedy for comfort. Convert the resources you gain into your own strength as quickly as possible.

“Second, I hope none of you die. All of you, do your best to stay alive.”

Marlow raised his glass. “A toast to staying alive!”

“Cheers!”

“Cheers!”

After the meal ended, Karon went to settle the bill.

“Eighty-three rels,” the stall owner stated. Karon handed over eighty rels.

“You’re still missing three rels. Not a dime less!” the stall owner demanded, his eyes reddening. He had already mentally rehearsed the scene of this checkout several times while grilling sausages. He intended to make this shallow young man who didn’t understand how to appreciate fine food pay the price for his superficiality.

Karon pulled out a five-rels note and handed it to the old stall owner, who prepared to make change.

“No need,” Karon said with a smile. “Because it really was hard to eat.”

“...” The stall owner stayed silent.

Karon walked to his car and placed the Aelius Sword into its case. At that moment, Wynn appeared beside him.

“Need a ride home?” Karon asked.

“No, my car’s parked over there.” Wynn looked at Karon. “I heard that you’ve recently been sparring with Gray?”

“It was Mr. Gray who taught me my close-ranged combat.”

“He taught you?” Wynn sounded a little doubtful, because he didn’t believe one week to be enough to learn much of anything.

“Yes, Mr. Gray has been of tremendous help to me.” After all, before his time with Gray, Karon had not even known the correct posture for holding a sword.

With that, Wynn became convinced that Karon was simply being polite. He smiled and said, “In the future, if there’s a chance, we can also exchange pointers.”

“Alright. Thank you, Mr. Wynn.”

“Mm, good.” Wynn turned and left. He was very satisfied with Karon’s attitude. Though young, he was not arrogant or impetuous.

Karon got back in the car, but before he could start it, another car stopped beside his.

“Hey, friend.” Marlow tossed Karon a trimmed cigar.

“Are you interested in ritual arrays?” the man asked. “If you are, I think I can—”

“Mr. Marlow,” Karon interrupted.

Marlow thought Karon was uninterested, so he awkwardly said, “If you’re not interested, that’s fine too. After all, things like ritual arrays should still be left to professionals...”

“I have some notes on ritual arrays back home. Among them are quite a few from other churches.”

“Hmm, mm? Mm!” Marlow’s eyes quickly bulged.

Mr. Hoffen had prepared a complete set of notebooks on ritual arrays for Karon, and while he himself also studied and learned from them from time to time, it was mainly Alfred who focused on that area. Karon could simply have Alfred organize some suitable portions of the notes and then use them as gifts.

“Can I? Ah, I mean, can I...”

“After a while, I’ll send them to you, Mr. Marlow.”

“This- really? Ha ha! I mean, I’ll compensate you with credits.”

“There’s no need for compensation; Between teammates, this is only right.”

“Alright, then I’ll contact you in a few days. Your contact information- ah, no matter. I can just ask Fannie. In a few days, I’ll invite you out to dinner, if you have time.”

“Alright, Mr. Marlow.”

Marlow drove off, and Karon continued to sit in the car, waiting a little longer. Only when he saw that no one else was going to come speak to him did he drive away.

As he drove, Karon, who had been calm all along, felt a smile finally creeping onto his face. In the rearview mirror, he saw clearly how the corners of his mouth were lifting, despite himself.

“Late to the joy, Karon? Is that all you’ve got?” he said to his reflection, only to then burst into laughter. It was only a while later that he finally let out a long breath.

He continued driving, but now just his left hand held the steering wheel while his right arm rested on the back of the passenger seat. The car windows were rolled down, and the night wind kept blowing through, ruffling his hair.

He no longer needed to bluff, nor would he need to rely on the weight of his supposedly bright future. Nor, when something happened, would he need to maintain a mere appearance of calmness and composure, because from the moment he had cut off Adjudicator Luke’s head, he had finally, in this world, gained the qualification to stand firm.

“My family’s name is Immers. My family is a lineage of Inquisitors.”

***

Ivy Cemetery.

“That kid even asked during dinner why you didn’t come.” Saman stood behind Nio as he spoke. Nio was standing in front of Elisa’s grave. “You know, I’m really curious. Did you truly love her?”

In return, Nio asked, “Does loving someone necessarily have to look like living or dying for them?”

“That’s not what I mean. I just feel that there’s something unreal about you. Although you eat when it’s time to eat, and you also joke around when it’s time to joke around, you always give me the feeling that you’re wearing a mask when you speak to me.”

“And when you work here as a cemetery caretaker, aren’t you also wearing a mask?”

“I’m different. I let it go. You haven’t.”

“If you had truly let it go, then you could have simply left this place, and I wouldn’t have to come here every day to keep an eye on you.”

“Heh heh, I let it go, but that doesn’t mean I knelt!” Saman growled, “Why should the Church of Pamireth be destroyed? Just because the Church of Order decides to act? Does strength alone determine what’s right?”

Nio said, “But if the fist isn’t big enough, you don’t even have the qualifications to speak of reason.”

“The delegation from the Church of Pamireth has already arrived in York City,” Saman said.

“I know, but the negotiations are meaningless, because the dignity of Order cannot be violated.”

“To protect the dignity of Order, other churches must be sacrificed? Heh heh, is the Church of Order really not afraid of walking the same old road Light once walked?”

“That is not something you should concern yourself with. As I already said, you can leave, because strictly speaking, you are no longer a part of the Church of Pamireth’s clergy.”

“The children in that delegation know that these negotiations are doomed to fail, don’t they? Yet they still came. I won’t leave, because I want to stay and at least try to receive them.”

“You won’t be able to do it.”

“I know I won’t be able to do it, but when you get old and your back goes bad, you really can’t bend anymore.”

“As you please.” Nio turned around, seemingly preparing to leave.

The fire in Saman’s heart surged without restraint, and he finally shouted directly at Nio’s back, “You’re about to fall into derangement, aren’t you!”

After shouting that, Saman laughed with great satisfaction. When failure was already inevitable, even just making your enemy uncomfortable could count as a kind of victory.

Yet when Saman stopped laughing, he discovered that he still heard laughter echoing.

The one laughing was Nio, his back still turned towards the old man.

After a long while, Nio’s laughter stopped. He took a deep breath and said, “It’s not that I am about to fall into derangement, but that I am about to awaken... from derangement.”

***

When Karon parked his car in front of the funeral home and got out with the sword case, he saw Alfred emerge. The man quickly took the case from Karon’s hands.

“You’ve been waiting this whole time?” Karon asked.

“Yes, Young Master, because I was too excited to sleep. Congratulations, Young Master, on advancing to Inquisitor! Sir Tiz would certainly be very pleased about this as well.”

“I never said that I successfully advanced.” One of Karon’s distinctive traits was that it was not possible to perceive his strength through normal means.

“Young Master, if I can’t even sense that much, I’d be too embarrassed to speak of my loyalty and faith in you again.”

“Alright, alright.” Karon reached out and patted Alfred on the shoulder. “I’m going in to get a proper sleep first. Starting tomorrow, we’ll have many things to be busy with.”

“Young Master, you may not have time to sleep, because there are some who are even more excited than I am.”

“Hmm? You mean Pu’er still isn’t asleep?”

“She isn’t able to sleep.”

“That makes sense.”

Alfred carried the sword case into the study to put it away, while Karon pushed open the bedroom door.

Click. Kevin pressed the switch, and the lights came on.

Only then did Karon see that the bedroom was filled with flowers, balloons, and draped curtains, decorated in a grand yet warm manner. Pu’er was wearing her favorite red hood, with a purple bow tie fastened around her neck as she sat on the bed.

“Woof! Woof! Woof!” Right after turning on the lights, Kevin started to excitedly jump around beside the bed. The usually steady dog had finally lost his composure.

Karon knew in his heart what the cat and dog were excited about; For them, to a certain extent, being a cat and a dog was essentially a form of torture, and they were finally able to see a chance to break those restraints.

Yet Karon still deliberately asked Pu’er, “So which tomcat have you set your eyes on that you’re in such a hurry to hold the wedding tonight?”

Pu’er rolled her cat eyes at Karon. At this moment, she truly recovered the aura of the young lady she once was. “If you insist on comparing yourself to a tomcat, then this young lady can hardly do anything about it. Elders always need to be a little more tolerant and look after some of the younger generation’s more special... inclinations.”

“I just told Alfred to buy a few more fish at the market tomorrow morning. I was thinking that we should properly celebrate that this funeral home finally has an Inquisitor in residence again.”

“Ah, really? Meow, then tomorrow we can eat sweet-and-sour fish again!!!” The aura of the young lady instantly collapsed.

Beside her, Kevin raised a paw to cover his face. Even the dog couldn’t bear to watch this humiliating display. He quickly barked, “Woof! Woof!” (The important part! The important part!)

Pu’er immediately spun once on the bed where she stood, then sat to face Karon. “Come then, Karon!”

He shook his head. Pu’er asked in confusion, “What’s wrong?”

“I feel this isn’t appropriate.”

Pu’er’s cat face betrayed her utter shock and disbelief. “You... you... you, you’re backing out? Didn’t we agree on this? Didn’t we agree on this!”

Right after saying that, Pu’er grew just as agitated as Kevin had a moment before, and she jumped back and forth on the bed while starting to shred the sheets with her paws. “You’re actually backing out! You actually don’t want me anymore! How dare you treat me like this!”

After hysterically venting for a while, Pu’er finally sat back down to face Karon. Her two cat ears drooped limply, and tears could actually be seen pooling in her eyes. “I know now, I understand. You want to complete symbiosis with Lenora instead, don’t you?”

“Huh? What are you thinking?”

“That’s it, isn’t it? That’s exactly what it is, hmph! That’s what you’re thinking! Hmph, men!” Pu’er lowered her head as her tail swished back and forth behind her.

“I simply feel that it’s a little inappropriate for you to be the one to propose this.”

“Mm?” Pu’er raised her head in confusion, a bedsheet still clamped in her mouth as she looked up at Karon.

He took half a step back, bent at the waist while lowering one arm in a graceful arc. He mimicked the sort of gesture that one might use to invite a lady to dance at a banquet. “My dearest Miss Poelle Allen, may I have the honor of forming a symbiotic pact with you?”