Chapter 174: Pu'er's Curse!

Chapter 174: Purr's Curse!

For the protected subject, every single meal was strictly rationed because her food had to undergo thorough inspection. Beyond this, she was not permitted to come into contact with food from any other source—this was the most fundamental of security protocols.

Setting aside the fact that ordering another breakfast cart right after one had been wheeled away would seem exceedingly strange, the most crucial issue was that, according to the schedule, there was simply no time left for her to order another meal.

Once they failed to depart at the designated time on the itinerary, today’s entire schedule would face the risk of cancellation.

Thus, Ophelia, with an empty stomach, changed her clothes and stepped out.

When he saw Ophelia again, Karen was slightly stunned in his heart, for Ophelia wore a long black dress, a red hood upon her head, a strand of pearl necklace draped around her neck, and brown leather boots upon her feet.

This attire caused Karen to subconsciously think of Purr, and he did not believe it was mere coincidence.

Because this ensemble had been highly fashionable over a century ago, but now, it had long since fallen out of style.

"How is it, Mr. Karen?"

Though her stomach was quite empty, and she was facing the very man who had wheeled away her breakfast cart, Ophelia still displayed her elegance, even spinning around once right in front of Karen.

"It seems, perhaps, a lady's cane is still missing."

"Miss, the cane."

A cane inlaid with a red gemstone was handed to Ophelia by Xinla.

Karen smiled faintly and said, "Perfect."

Ophelia smiled and said, "I feel that Mr. Karen is always able to strike a chord with me."

"To serve you is my duty."

While taking the elevator down, Karen wondered if this was because both of them practiced the "Blade of the Dark Moon," giving them a kind of mutual telepathy.

The agitation of the spellcraft within his body last night could absolutely not have been an accident; Karen felt it certainly had something to do with this young lady of the Dark Moon family before him.

It was still the same VIP vehicle from yesterday, still with Peige acting as the driver. Miss Ophelia sat in the middle of one side, with the female warrior and the maid sitting on either side of her, while Karen and Fanni sat opposite them.

The car started, driving out of the hotel.

Fanni spoke up, "It is no short distance from here to the Allen Estate. We shall try our best not to delay on the road and arrive early."

Ophelia spoke up, "There is no rush. Even if I do not need rest, those of you responsible for protecting me, as well as your unseen colleagues in the surroundings, surely need to rest and eat."

Fanni smiled and said, "There is no need. We have all already had breakfast, and everyone ate to their heart's content."

"..." Ophelia.

After leaving the urban area and entering the suburbs, the scenery outside the car window became much wider and more open.

"How long has Mr. Karen been with the Church of Order?" Ophelia asked.

"I have not been with the Church of Order for long, but I have held faith in Order for a very long time."

"So, what is Mr. Karen's current rank?"

"An off-staff member of the Whip of Order squad, a divine servant."

"An off-staff member?" Ophelia expressed some doubt. "It is hard to imagine that you are merely an off-staff member."

"You, Miss, are the very first mission I have faced since joining the Whip of Order squad."

"It is my honor."

"It is even more my honor."

"Has Mr. Karen thought of other paths?"

"Miss, what do you mean by that?"

"If no surprises occur, after the talks conclude, a missionary post belonging to the Church of Order will be established on Dark Moon Island. Is Mr. Karen interested in undertaking the responsibility of spreading the Light of Order to Dark Moon Island?"

Being stationed abroad, gaining a veneer of prestige, facilitating future promotions—this was indeed an excellent path.

If Karen were purely a divine servant, he could accumulate seniority much faster in this manner, and this young lady had already expressed a willingness to speak on his behalf.

"I am very sorry, Miss. If there is an opportunity in the future, I would love to visit Dark Moon Island to appreciate its charming scenery, but right now, I do not particularly wish to settle into comfort."

"It matters not. Does Mr. Karen feel that he is still young?"

"Yes, I have always felt that youth is a capital that can be squandered, and I wish to remain in York City to continue squandering it."

"In truth, I envy you greatly. When I was on the island, I always yearned for the world outside."

"It is a besieged fortress; those inside wish to get out, while those outside wish to get in."

"A besieged fortress? I like this metaphor. Yes, Dark Moon Island is a besieged fortress. The only turning point for me to come out now is probably to marry Mr. Leon from last night."

Was it the grandson of the Chief Bishop of the York City Archdiocese from last night?

Ophelia leaned upon her cane, her body leaning forward slightly; though she had missed a meal, it had not yet had time to diminish the curves of her figure.

"Mr. Karen, do you think I should marry Mr. Leon?"

The corner of the maid Xinla's mouth twitched slightly; she felt her young lady's attitude toward this member of the Whip of Order was truly excessive.

Karen was also left somewhat bewildered by this question; an important matter of matrimonial alliance like this should by no means be evaluated by someone of his rank.

However,

Since Miss Ophelia had asked of her own accord, he could answer quite freely.

Because the conversation was confined to this car, the two people beside Ophelia would not betray her, nor would Fanni and Peige.

Seeing that Karen did not answer, Ophelia continued, "Everyone feels that a matrimonial alliance between myself and Mr. Leon would be beneficial to both Dark Moon Island and the Church of Order."

"Miss, I would like to say a piece of nonsense."

"Heh, please speak."

"Whether to form a matrimonial alliance or not, I believe you, Miss, possess the power of mastery."

Ophelia nodded and said, "Yes, the clan has not placed too much pressure upon me."

Not placing too much pressure meant that the elder tier within the Dark Moon clan was half in support and half in opposition to the alliance.

If they allied by marriage, Dark Moon Island could obtain greater freedom, and their power could expand along with the momentum; but an alliance also had side effects, forcing Dark Moon Island to be dragged into the crushing vortex of rivalry between churches.

Especially at present, various signs seemed to indicate that the gods would awaken. If this trend continued to hold, a war between churches might well be unavoidable.

"What do you think of Mr. Leon as a person?" Karen asked.

Ophelia shook her head and said, "He is decent in other aspects, it is just... he is somewhat naive."

As she spoke,

Ophelia looked at Karen and said:

"If Mr. Leon could be swapped with you, Mr. Karen, perhaps I would consider trying to like him; at least, it would be easier to persuade me to accept this arrangement."

"Miss, are you thirsty?" Xinla reminded her. "Some of your words might very well bring trouble to Mr. Karen."

These words from Xinla were not incorrect, nor were they purely meant to disparage Karen;

Any man hearing his "blind date object" utter such words would probably hate the man who outperformed him to death, and the other party was the grandson of the Chief Bishop, while Karen was merely a divine servant.

Fanni responded, "In our squad, informants do not exist."

"So, are you doubting my loyalty, and Panmier's loyalty, to the Miss!"

Panmir was the female warrior's name.

A faint scent of gunpowder began to drift between the two sides, yet the two people at the center of it remained remarkably calm.

"What are you thinking about, Mr. Karen?" Ophelia asked.

A faint smile touched the corner of Karen's mouth. "I think I finally understand what my girlfriend was feeling when our families arranged for us to meet."

"I think I envy your girlfriend a little," she said.

"My Lady, your situation is entirely different from Mr. Karen's," Xinla interjected.

Fanny raised an eyebrow, offering a reminder. "Our Church of Order abides by a simple truth: beneath Order, all are equal."

"Xinla, the next time I am conversing with someone, could you please refrain from interrupting? Do you take me for an un-grown child who must constantly heed your lectures?"

"No, My Lady. Please forgive me."

Ophelia looked at Karen again, finding that he was still smiling; he truly wasn't angry.

Was his temper really that gentle?

Karen, of course, would not be angry. Diss had chosen the Allen estate for an alliance out of various considerations; but if Diss had bypassed the Allen family and chosen Dark Moon Island instead—

He didn't think that when a middle-aged Diss descended upon the skies of Dark Moon Island through a teleportation array, the Dark Moon Clan would have dared refuse the match. It was just that Karen would certainly not have his current development, let alone his current freedom.

It was like facing the disdain of a shop girl who assumed you couldn't afford an item; if your pockets were truly heavy with enough Riels, you wouldn't feel offended, nor would you feel compelled to throw down cash to prove anything. You would likely just smile, turn away, and perhaps find her a little pitiable in your heart.

Diss had left him many things—like Puer, like an evil god...

Yet the most precious thing Diss had given him was the ability to look the world dead in the eye, no matter how low his current status or cultivation realm might be.

This was neither the stubbornness of self-delusion nor a well-practiced disguise, but a genuine, deep-seated serenity.

Xinla turned her head to apologize to Karen:

"My deepest apologies, Mr. Karen. I beg your forgiveness for my earlier offense."

Karen looked at her and smiled. "There is no need to apologize, for I didn't quite catch what you said just now."

It was a very polite piece of diplomatic phrasing, though it carried an entirely different implication.

Finally,

Amidst the hollow wait of growling stomachs, the Allen Estate at last arrived.

"A very exquisite estate," Ophelia remarked. "From here, one can glimpse the former prosperity of the Allen family."

For a young lady of the Allen family to romance her own ancestor, she first had to be worthy of meeting that ancestor; at the very least, they needed the opportunity to sit at the same table and converse.

Karen found it somewhat amusing. He had promised Eunice that he would return to visit often, and yet here he was, back again so soon.

Even more amusing was that Old Anderson and the others would soon have to put on an act, behaving as though they didn't know him at all.

Having received advance notice from the Church of Order, and with the visitor being a lady of the Dark Moon family, the Allen Estate put forth a grander reception than they had even for Her Majesty the Queen.

Nevertheless, the carriage came to a halt directly in front of the old castle, rather than being guided around to the back.

Karen stepped down first, extending his hand to assist Ophelia out of the carriage. At that moment, he caught a faint, hollow rumbling sound—seemingly originating from her stomach.

Ophelia's expression remained unchanged as she stepped out and walked toward Old Anderson of her own accord.

Old Anderson stepped forward to greet them personally; the pomp was grand, yet he did not bow or scrape.

"The Allen family welcomes the arrival of the Dark Moon, and we welcome the presence of Order."

"Greetings. Please forgive our sudden intrusion," Ophelia replied, returning Old Anderson's salute with genuine earnestness. "And thank you for this grand reception. May the friendship between Dark Moon and Allen endure forever."

What followed was the mutual introduction phase, akin to a visit between old family friends.

Karen made no deliberate effort to hide himself, for there was simply no need.

After all, in recent years, the Allen Estate had relied entirely on sheer theatricality to deceive the Raphael family, making them believe that despite their decline, the Allens still held some hidden reserves. This had kept the Raphaels from launching a final blow, out of fear of a desperate, mutual destruction.

When it came to acting, the members of the Allen family under Old Anderson's leadership were true professionals.

Even so, Karen wondered if he should find a chance to slip upstairs and see Eunice, though he had no idea where the Captain and the others were lurking. What if his stealthy excursion was spotted by a teammate hidden in the shadows?

The Captain had said that everyone in the squad had secrets and that he would not pry into Karen's, but that did not mean the Captain was blind.

Upon entering the castle, Karen, Peg, and Fanny followed behind Ophelia. Old Anderson led Ophelia into the patriarch's study, offering detailed introductions before each portrait.

This was the ancestral glory of the Allen family. Old Anderson spoke with profound emotion, so much so that as he went on, tears began to fall, and he started to blame himself for failing his forebears and allowing the family to fall into such a state.

Clearly, having received Karen's prior hints, Old Anderson stuck firmly to the theme.

Karen felt that at this moment, Old Anderson closely resembled an old village chief facing a delegation of poverty-alleviation officials sent to the countryside.

Ophelia began to comfort Old Anderson, even offering a promise that the Dark Moon family would aid the Allen family, which involved... maritime trade routes.

This was likely a component of the upcoming negotiations between Dark Moon Island and the Church of Order, where both sides took what they needed. Commerce between the two was essential, but when implemented at the grassroots level, even a tiny crumb falling to the Allen family would be a substantial fortune for them now, as well as an elevation of their family's standing.

When introducing several Allen ancestors like Rical, Ophelia mentioned that she had heard stories about them even back on Dark Moon Island.

Evidently, the ancestors of the Allen family had once left many stories and legends upon the high seas.

At this, Old Anderson took the opportunity to dab away a few more tears.

Finally,

the main event arrived.

When Ophelia took the initiative to ask if there was a portrait of Lady "Puer Allen," Old Anderson escorted her to that very painting.

"Is this truly... Lady Puer?"

Ophelia had actually noticed the painting the moment she walked in; it was truly impossible to miss, given that the walls of the vast study were covered entirely with human portraits, save for this single one depicting a black cat perched upon a chair.

Standing behind Ophelia, Karen bit his lip to keep from laughing out loud.

He could clearly perceive Ophelia's awkwardness, because her current attire and the cat in the portrait were not merely similar... they were practically identical.

Karen reasoned that within the palace of Dark Moon Island, there surely hung a portrait or stood a sculpture of Puer, but it was absolutely not in the form of a cat.

Though she had been turned into a cat, her legend still echoed through the world.

Old Anderson cleared his throat and introduced, "Ahem... this ancestor, her... her personality was rather free-spirited."

Ophelia took a deep breath, and her profound awkwardness dissolved into a burst of laughter. She doubled over, laughing until tears pricked her eyes.

"Forgive me, forgive me. I mean no disrespect whatsoever to Lady Puer. It is just that I suddenly realized what kind of lady she must have been to completely captivate my ancestor and hold his heart for a lifetime."

Ophelia was sentimental; from this painting, she seemed to discern Puer's soul—a soul that was amusing, uninhibited, unconstrained, and entirely indifferent to worldly conventions.

Even under such a solemn and grand occasion, she still faced it with a playful demeanor; she must have known this portrait of hers would remain here forever for posterity to look up to.

Yes, only such a lady could be worthy of her ancestor's affection, and only for her would her ancestor have loved so passionately.

Before this portrait, Ophelia seemed to catch a glimpse of her own shadow, finding a sense of guidance and resonance.

Karen spoke up, "I believe we should leave Miss Ophelia here to gaze and pay her respects in peace. What do you think, esteemed Mr. Anderson?"

"Oh, of course. It is only right."

Old Anderson immediately led the others out of the room.

Karen also signaled Peg and Fanny to leave with him, leaving only Ophelia and her two companions in the study.

...

A moment later, Borge approached pushing a dining cart, a response to the quiet murmur Karen had slipped past him earlier: "I'm hungry."

Karen walked over, took hold of the cart, and as he prepared to wheel it toward the study, Fanny and Peige intercepted him.

"Has the food been inspected?"

"I've tasted it all, it's perfectly fine. It's just that I happened to hear the young lady..." Karen pointed to his stomach. "More importantly, it seems I wheeled the cart out before anyone else could even touch it."

At this, both Fanny and Peige were caught in an awkward silence.

Karen wondered if the captain and their teammates, lurking in the shadows, would feel equally embarrassed hearing this, considering everyone had shared the feast.

As security personnel, to completely devour the protected target's food and leave her starving—if word of this ever spread, it would be utterly humiliating.

Peige and Fanny hastily helped Karen open the study door, and he pushed the cart inside.

Upon seeing the cart enter, Ophelia’s mouth parted in surprise, but she quickly closed it and swallowed hard.

In that singular moment,

she felt as though Karen was radiating pure light!

"This is the afternoon tea provided by the Allen family, milady. Please enjoy it, and once you are finished, we shall proceed to the cemetery."

With that, Karen turned and walked out of the study.

Twenty minutes later, Karen knocked. The female warrior, Parmir, opened the door. Karen did not step inside, choosing instead to speak from the threshold:

"Milady, it is time for us to head to the cemetery. Since we must return tonight, our time is limited."

"Very well."

Ophelia emerged with a gentle smile, while Xinla cast a lingering glance at the dining cart.

"Pay no mind to the cart, Madame Xinla. The estate servants will clear it after we depart. The cart we used is also outside."

"Right, of course," Xinla replied, quickly following her young mistress out of the room.

Once they had all stepped out, Karen closed the study door behind them.

Ophelia breathed a quiet sigh of relief, comforted by the fact that Karen did not return to push the cart, for she dreaded the thought of him seeing the embarrassing scene beneath the white cloth, where every scrap of food had been swept entirely clean.

Next, led by Old Anderson, the party set off on horseback toward the cemetery.

Arriving at the burial grounds, Karen beheld Pu'er's tombstone, which was crowned with the sculpture of a cat, meticulously aged to appear weathered by generations of wind and frost.

Beneath the monument, two lines of prose were etched:

You once said that you and I were like two fish in a drying pond, bound to moisten one another with our breath even if the waters failed; yet I would rather you return to the great ocean, to seek the freedom that belongs to you.

I once kindled a bonfire that could illuminate half the sky, but I know that in your eyes, it could never match even a half-glimmer of light from the Dark Moon.

As these lines met Ophelia’s gaze, tears began to stream from her eyes, and even Xinla and the warrior Parmir wept softly. Clearly, they too had been raised on the legendary romance of their ancestor.

How free-spirited, how willful, and yet how endearing the late Miss Pu'er must have been; her devotion to their ancestor ran so deep, yet he had ultimately abandoned her to safeguard the Dark Moon.

And yet, she held not a shred of resentment toward him; between the lines lay nothing but profound tolerance and fulfillment.

Standing beside Ophelia, Karen spoke in a soft, low voice:

"Perhaps it is precisely because of love—a love so vast and deep—that one is willing to let their beloved fly toward higher and more distant horizons."

"Our ancestor failed Miss Pu'er; he owed her far too much," Ophelia said, wiping away her tears. "I grieve for Miss Pu'er, and I have even begun to resent my ancestor. He shouldn't have done this. He truly shouldn't have treated a woman who loved him so deeply in such a manner."

"I believe this timeless romance can finally reach a harmonious conclusion here. Your ancestor may now find peace, and Miss Pu'er's soul in heaven shall receive true consolation.

You mentioned before that she was once hailed as a genius youth, yet she chose to lose herself for the sake of love. We all understand what the birth of a genius means to