13 Mink Street

Chapter 131 Acting!

“Who I am isn’t important. You’re Karon?”

“Yes.”

“Come in. Everyone’s waiting for you.”

“Alright.”

Bede turned around, making a perfunctory ushering gesture. Then, without waiting for Karon to even climb the steps, the man went inside.

Karon led Alfred in. On the first floor, there were three candles lit in the living room. Their little light only illuminated a limited area, leaving blank large swathes of darkness. An elderly man in white robes reclined on the sofa with his eyes closed, as if dozing. Behind the sofa stood a man in a trench coat, and on the side sofa sat a young woman in an overcoat.

After Mr. Bede came in, he sat on the sofa opposite the elderly man.

“Karon, coffee.” Piaget’s voice came from the kitchen, and then he walked out carrying a pot of coffee. Karon took the coffee and sipped it. There was a bit too much sugar, producing the kind of sweet that could kill someone.

Still, Karon quickly took a second sip.

“Want some cake? I’ll grab you a slice.”

“No, I ate dinner before coming.”

“Oh, that’s a real shame.”

“Did you make it yourself? If so, I can try some.”

“I bought it myself.”

“Then forget it.”

At that moment, Elder Dock opened his eyes and his gaze swept toward Karon, an invisible pressure pressing straight down on him.

Karon asked as if relaxed, “What a serious gathering, do you really have to leave the lights off and use candles?”

Helen, who was sitting on the side sofa holding a staff, stuck out her tongue, a little embarrassed. “Sorry, when I was burning the bodies I accidentally burned the power lines.”

“Oh.” Karon’s gaze swept the room. There were three sofas. He definitely could not sit by the elderly man, but he also had to act like he didn’t know his future father-in-law. At the same time, he did not want to keep standing. When everyone else is sitting and you are the only one standing, you end up under invisible pressure, while the ones sitting can feel even more at ease.

In the end, Karon walked over to Piaget and sat on the sofa armrest beside him, continuing, “So the people I was supposed to deal with, you burned them along with the wiring?”

“Burning the wiring was an accident, an accident!” Helen immediately cried out in explanation.

“Enough,” Elder Dock soothed Helen. “Your trouble has already been handled.”

“The ‘you’ here means me?” Karon pointed at himself.

“Who else?” Elder Dock shot back.

“Heh.” Karon laughed. “I just came to go through the motions and put on a show, like an after-dinner walk. I didn’t do anything in the first place, so there’s nothing to worry about, so what do you mean, my trouble? What trouble do I have that you need to solve for me? Most importantly, do you think destroying the bodies means you won’t leave any clues? Can you guarantee no one in their family knew where they were going today? From the time they left the clinic until they came here, are you saying none of them called home to report their itinerary? Maybe what their family knows is that they were going to see a therapist named Karon, and then, they vanished.”

Karon held out the coffee cup he had drunk half of and passed it to Piaget. The man reached out and took it.

Karon then spread his hands and looked at Elder Dock. His tone abruptly grew sharp, almost taking on an accusatory tone. “This is what you call solving my trouble?”

Helen silently shrank back, as she felt Karon had a point. Vernon’s gaze rested on Karon as he studied him carefully. Elder Dock’s face darkened.

Bede chuckled. “I know who they are; just a bunch from the Raphael family. Mr. Karon, you can rest assured, after taking such a big loss, they won’t dare retaliate.”

Karon turned his head to Mr. Bede and asked, “Do you think I care about those stupid family vermin?”

Bede looked awkward.

“Are you here to hold us to account?” Elder Dock asked. His hand was already resting on his knee.

“No, I’m just curious, curious why people who can’t stand in the light still act so brainless. At the same time, I’m starting to doubt whether choosing to reach an understanding and cooperate with you was the right call.”

“Heh heh.” Elder Dock stood up and stared at Karon. “Do you know who you’re talking to, boy?”

Karon reached towards Piaget again and took back his coffee cup, taking a sip. “And do you know who you’re talking to right now, old thing?”

Elder Dock raised his arm, and a wand appeared in his hand. Karon just gently swirled his coffee cup with a smile.

Behind him, Alfred pleaded with an eager tone, “Master, my teeth have been itching for a long time. These few aren’t much in strength, but I smell the purity of their blood, the taste has to be good. Please allow your subordinate to act!”

Elder Dock froze for a moment, and Vernon suddenly looked at Alfred with a serious expression. Helen covered her mouth and let out a gasp. “A Bloodfiend!”

Bloodfiends were a type of demonkin, and were among the stronger ones. Their image was similar to vampires, but they rarely appeared as solitary drifters. Most were passed down as families and legacies. They even had entire clans of demonkin, as well as family faith systems.

Pu’er had once said that there was no clear line between priests and demonkin, and that was best exemplified in the case of Bloodfiends.

Alfred stared at Helen with greed in his eyes as he stuck out his tongue and licked his lips. At the same time, a bloody sheen surged in his eyes, circulating with a heart-stirring luster. Helen let out another gasp. “Succubus Eye!”

“A toy Master casually tossed to me last time; a very fun pair of eyeballs.” Alfred pointed at Helen. “If Master is willing to favor you, and if you can serve Master well, then I can give you this toy too. Anyway, I still have plenty of toys like this.”

Helen immediately panicked. “No, no!”

At the same time, almost by instinct, she shouted, “Light—Eternal Guard!”

A mirrored surface suffused with holy aura appeared in front of Helen, and she immediately hid behind it. The mirror’s aura made it clear just how strong it was, yet Alfred merely pointed at Helen and laughed. “Hahaha, Master, she’s too adorable!”

Karon joined in laughing, and then downed the rest of his coffee.

He then, very casually, tossed the cup to Piaget, who caught it with both hands. Karon then stood up and walked right up to Elder Dock, staring at him the entire time. “Listen, old thing. If Bertha were standing here, I’d still have enough interest and patience to say a few words, because I think she at least has a brain, but you lot? I really have no interest in talking at all.”

“That’s because Miss Bertha is an apostle,” Helen immediately offered.

Karon pointed at Piaget. “Originally, I was willing to share Piaget with you Light vermin.”

“...” Piaget was speechless.

“Now, though, I feel I need to change my mind, because there’s a reason Light has fallen into such a pathetic state. It’s obvious just from you.”

“You are defiling my faith,” Elder Dock said in a low voice. “Since when did the Berai Church have the right to mock and blaspheme Light?”

“Heh.” Karon raised his hand. “If you know anyone in the Berai Church, go ask them whether they know me. Oh, they definitely don’t, because what I praise is Nature, not the Berai Church.”

The Berai Church originated from the Church of the Goddess of Nature. To a certain extent, the Berai Church was simply the Goddess of Nature faith in another form. However, the former had expanded widely within the secular world and had gradually developed several distinct public identities, while the latter had become increasingly niche.

You can think of it this way: the original faith of the Goddess of Nature was like the Temple of Order within the Church of Order, whereas the Berai Church was equivalent to the Church of Order itself.

This was secret history that very few people knew, but Mr. Hoffen’s notes had a dedicated accounting of it. While stealing other people’s ritual arrays and Arts, it was perfectly normal to pick up a bit of gossip as well.

After finishing speaking, Karon’s palm lightly patted Elder Dock’s face. The old man kept his face stiff, not moving any further.

On the other hand, Vernon, who had been standing behind the sofa, took the initiative to walk toward Karon.

Karon’s attention immediately turned to him. “If you keep cultivating on this path, you won’t live long.”

Hearing that, Vernon’s feet froze in place.

Karon turned around, and walked back to sit where he had before. Piaget poured him another cup of coffee, and Karon reached over to take it.

What he had just said to Vernon was not from Mr. Hoffen’s notes, but something Karon had made it up on the spot.

Piaget coughed once and said, “It feels like all of this started because of me. Bertha is my secretary, my helper at work, while Karon is my best and closest friend. From my perspective, I don’t want everyone to end up in conflict.

“And also, now that I’ve run into Mr. Bede, it proves my premonition was right. I think so, right?”

Bede also spoke. “All of this should be the Wall God’s arrangement. In this house, there is the fallen Allen family, the fallen Church of Light, the fallen Wall God Church, and the fallen Berai Church... Does anyone else feel that this is all too much of a coincidence?”

“Heh heh heh.” Karon laughed. “A losers’ alliance?”

“Pfft!” Helen couldn’t hold back a laugh as well. She waved a hand and dispersed her mirror. The level of Arts control made Karon’s eye twitch slightly.

Actually, Bede was very envious of Karon, because the young had not needed to expose his identity, and had instead claimed to be affiliated with the Berai Church or a follower of the Goddess of Nature, whereas Bede himself had already been exposed.

It was not humane to have such thoughts, but it had been the Allen family’s driver who sacrificed himself to protect Bede, and who had shouted before dying, “Patriarch, get back in the car!” You could say that had nailed Bede’s identity to the wall.

If not for that, Bede could have made up a temporary identity just the same as Karon. He knew that Karon’s rank could not be detected by outsiders due to the special purification he had undergone, which allowed Karon to act as he pleased.

In fact, Bede could have done the same himself. He did not even need others to look. He had no rank in the first place because the Wall God Church’s ranks did not bring about fluctuations of aura or power.

It was just, could these people not see the rank of Karon’s servant either? Bede had personally seen Elder Dock and the man and woman take action. They had slaughtered an entire group of people from the Raphael family as easily as chopping vegetables. It could be said that their strength was terrifying. The Church of Light had been the strongest church during the last epoch, and even if it had since fallen, even its remnants could still not be underestimated.

Though they certainly could not compare to the ancestor Earl Rekar that the young master had awakened, at least in the room, these three could easily erase everyone else.

Yet clearly, the young master had bluffed them all.

Where could a Bloodfiend have come from? Back in Allen Manor, Bede had never seen the manservant drink so much as a spoonful of raw blood.

Of course, Bede had no intention of exposing Karon, because this was his own future son-in-law. The greatest pain for Bede was that he could not create a fake identity, which forced him to communicate with these Light vermin as the patriarch of the Allen family. That was no different from dragging the Allen family to the edge of a volcano.

His greatest relief had come from confirming that the “Karon” these three had been waiting for really was his own future son-in-law. With that, Bede’s panic had diminished.

It felt as if no matter what crisis Allen Manor might face, even something like a destined fate, his future son-in-law could resolve it.

“We need time.” Bede pointed at Piaget and then at himself. “We need time to create a mural together.”

Piaget nodded, “I’ve been self-studying painting again a great deal recently, heh heh. Back when I was with my wife, I learned the basics.”

Bede continued, “I think that the mural we create next will bring us true revelation. It will guide everyone present, and the families, churches, and forces behind us, toward our next move. I guess that this should be a chance for revival.”

Helen asked, “But if what’s in the mural is destined to happen, then whether we look at it or not, whether we take action or not, what difference does it make?”

Bede frowned slightly. He wanted to say that it was not impossible to change a mural’s prophecy, but in this setting, it was too inappropriate to say such a thing in front of these Light vermin.

Karon said, “That’s because ‘you saw the mural’ is itself a prerequisite for that destined event to occur. It’s just like how it’s because you first believed in Light that Light then protects you.”

Only if you see the mural will you be influenced by it without realizing anything. Only then will it unconsciously guide everything around you to change and develop in the directionof the outcome presented by that mural.

So the mural still had to be painted, and it had to be seen.

“So that’s how it is. Thank you, Mr. Karon, you’re really amazing.”

Karon smiled with restrained pride. He could repeat such empty, metaphysical talk over and over just to satisfy his predetermined conclusion. But there was one thing for certain; This girl named Helen was indeed a bit dense.

Elder Dock said, “Then we will continue protecting you so that you can finish this work.”

Bede said, “I need to make a trip home to make arrangements within the family.”

“Alright,” Karon said.

Elder Dock glanced at Karon, but did not dispute his decision.

“Then I need to give myself a vacation too. I can finally immerse myself completely in the joy of painting, like Linda did back then.”

“Fine,” Karon continued making decisions. “The clinic’s matters will be managed by Bertha. I will also keep going to work.”

“Alright, thank you.”

Karon continued. “To be safe, this villa will be the site of their creation. From both sides, only one person will be allowed to enter and leave, checking in on the situation. On my side, it will be me. On your side, it will be Bertha. No one else may enter this villa at will, and no one may spy.”

Elder Dock’s lips twitched, but he still nodded. “Agreed.”

“Alright.” Karon stood up and walked to the entryway, Alfred following behind.

At the entryway, Karon stopped and looked back. “There’s one more thing I need to remind everyone here. Just like how the greatest treasure is guarded by the strongest monster, the closer we get to opportunity, the closer we draw to danger. This is an oracle from the Goddess of Nature.”

“You can still receive an oracle!” Helen shouted in surprise.

Oh? So Light vermin can’t even receive oracles anymore? They have completely lost contact with their god.

Elder Dock stared at Karon solemnly. “Really?”

Clearly, he highly valued oracles, because their faith did not have them.

“Do you understand now why I’m being so careful? Even though I can crush that family trash with one finger, I still deliberately came to put on a show for them. That is because the closer we reach to this next stage, the less room there is for carelessness. The crisis from fate will become clearer and clearer.

“Wall God Church, the Church of Light, the Berai Church, heh... I have a feeling that next, we might face the tentacles of Order, because they are the common enemy of everyone present, if we are still qualified to be seen as enemies by them.”

When they heard the word “Order,” Dock, Vernon, and Helen all showed grave expressions.

Elder Dock asked, “The Berai Church is also being targeted by Order?”

“The hand behind the scenes that cut the Berai Church off from the Goddess of Nature’s church was Order. Order naturally loathes any fallen or suppressed gods’ rekindling.”

That was not something Karon made up. Mr. Hoffen’s included that, though after that sentence, Mr. Hoffen had added, “I heard it from someone.”

It was easy to guess who that person was.

“In any case, everyone, get ready. If we want revival, we will inevitably face the greatest rulemaker in the world today: Order. If you notice Order approaching, notify me with enough time so that we can respond together. I will do the same.”

After he finished speaking, Karon opened the entryway door and walked out. After leaving the yard and driving far away, the car stopped by the roadside.

“Haa...”

“Haa...”

Karon and Alfred leaned back against their seats at the same time, letting out a long breath.

“Young Master, the remnants of Light are far more formidable than I imagined. I even wonder if I can actually defeat that lady who looks rather foolish. She can summon that protective mirror with a casual gesture and no chants. Her mastery of her Arts is very high.

“Thanks to your excellent instructions, this subordinate was able to keep up with your pace, Young Master.”

Karon shook his head. “No, we also received good warnings. Mr. Bede usually gives the impression of being an ordinary person, even in front of his father and brother. Yet when he came out to greet us, he carried himself with presence. That was actually to hint to me that the people inside did not know my true identity.

“Piaget put a lot of sugar in my coffee, while knowing I don’t like sweets. He was telling me that I was in danger.

“You saw it too, that old man expressed killing intent towards me at the start. He and Bertha are both from the Church of Light, but it appears that they’re not on the same side. What did that woman call Bertha again?”

“An apostle, Young Master.”

“Right. A parachuted apostle is bound to clash with the local faction.

“Also, Piaget asked if I wanted cake, and said he’d cut me a piece. That meant the talk would progress to splitting up the cake.”

“Is Mr. Piaget really so impressive?”

“Because before we came, they should have already held a meeting. Piaget is an outsider and didn’t understand many things, but he definitely understood that it was a meeting, so he knew what kind of negotiation was taking place.

“Compared to that old man, or his assistant Bertha, even if Bertha looks like Linda, Piaget doesn’t actually feel anything for her; He is far more willing to trust me.”

“So there were so many details?”

“You didn’t catch any of them?” Karon asked Alfred curiously.

Alfred shook his head. “I only knew that I needed to watch you at all times, Young Master, and then coordinate with you.”

“Good.”

“Young Master, that old man not only didn’t see through you, he couldn’t see through me. I think my faith has improved once more. It feels like there’s no demonkin aura on me at all now.”

A demonkin without a demonkin aura.

Alfred felt that the day Kevin urinated on him, and then the young master had personally used his hand to smear medicine on his wounds without caring about the filth, at that moment, his faith in his young master had sublimated even further.

“This show was harder than we expected, but we acted well.”

Karon had originally planned to put on a show for the Raphael family, but who would have thought that the people from that family had already been scattered into Veyn’s air, mixed with the plastic smell of burned wiring.

“It was you who controlled the rhythm well, Young Master. Overall, this was very much worthwhile. At least we have secured the right to stand on equal footing with such powerful Light vermin. Such powerful remnants... is this the foundation of an orthodox church? Like a millipede, even if it’s dead and cut in half, it can still keep wriggling.” Alfred immediately began reciting this metaphor in his mind.

“Compared to them, we’re much poorer: me, you, a talking cat, and a dog that can’t even talk.”

“Young Master, what should we do next? Wait for that painting to be finished?”

“Wait for what? We don’t have any religion to revive.”

Alfred blinked.

“The groundwork has already been laid. Now, we continue investigating the case Mr. Pavaro left behind.” As he spoke, Karon stretched lazily, a smile on his face. “Even if doing so triggers a reaction from some people in Order, now, there’s finally someone who can take the heat for it.”