Chapter 243: Big Shot

Chapter 243 A Personage of Consequence

Waking refreshed, Karen sat up in bed, relishing a rare day with nothing on his agenda; he intended to wash up and then return to bed with a book, indulging in this uncommon lethargy.

After all, ever since moving into the funeral parlor, he seemed to have been endlessly busy, leaving early and returning late; though neither his position in the Church nor his work at the parlor required him to clock in, this freedom somehow yielded no true rest.

Emerging from the washroom after dressing and cleaning himself, a knock sounded at his bedroom door:

"Young Master, Richard has come to see you."

"Mm."

Karen changed his clothes and opened the bedroom door.

"Young Master, Richard is sitting in the front hall," Alfred indicated, pointing to his own face.

"I understand."

Karen walked to the front hall, which was the mourning hall of the funeral parlor, and saw Richard sitting on a small wooden stool.

"Karen, Karen, Karen, oh~"

Upon seeing Karen, Richard stood up with a deeply aggrieved air and walked toward him, looking like a younger brother who had been scolded by his parents and was seeking out his elder brother to weep.

Well, not just looking like one, because he was, in fact, his cousin.

Karen took a step back, evading Richard, and asked, "Who are you?"

"I am Richard."

"Did you wander into a pigsty last night and get contaminated?"

"Uh..."

Richard's face was swollen to the exact likeness of a pig's head.

Karen used to think that was an exaggerated rhetorical trope; today he finally understood that it was literal realism.

"Beaten by my father. Ah, last night when I got home and saw him, I brought over some pastries my mother made with her own hands, offered them to him, and asked: Dad, do you want some pastries? Guess what he did next?"

"No need to guess, I can already see the results."

"My father's illness has grown even more severe, Karen. Do you know how terribly he thrashed me last night? First he slapped himself, then he slapped me; he punched himself, then he punched me; finally, he took his belt and whipped it back and forth.

At that moment, I was truly terrified that my father, swept up in the thrill of the beating, would simply kill me outright."

"Rest assured, he won't, and this is actually an excellent sign, indicating that your father is actively releasing his repressed emotions."

"A good sign?"

"Yes, if you endure a few more beatings, his illness should be greatly alleviated."

"What is this, some new style of therapy?"

"Mm, a very excellent therapy indeed, its only side effect being that it is rather costly on the son."

"I cannot endure it any longer. He wouldn't even let me run when I tried; he used spellcraft to seize and bind me."

"That is indeed going too far."

"Isn't it just?"

"Come, look here. If you go out from here and head north for a few kilometers, there is an inner street with a clinic; many gang members go there for treatment when injured. The doctor at that clinic will be highly experienced with your kind of trauma."

"I have already applied ointment, given to me by my mother, but it still takes some time for the swelling to subside. No, why are you telling me to go to a clinic now? I came here to find you; you should be asking me if I have eaten breakfast."

"Sometimes, deliberately ignoring a topic is a polite form of refusal."

"Karen, are we brothers or not!"

This was a question Karen truly found difficult to deny, even though he knew the word "brother" in Richard's mouth was used as an adjective.

"Fine, I haven't eaten breakfast either. Come into the kitchen with me."

"What, you are going to cook yourself?"

"Mm."

Karen led Richard into the kitchen and prepared two bowls of plain noodle soup.

Seeing Karen holding chopsticks, Richard curiously picked up a pair as well, skewered a coil of noodles, twisted it into his mouth, and said while chewing:

"The taste is not bad. Do you have any soybean paste?"

"No."

"It is a bit bland."

"There is chili powder."

"Good, give me some."

While eating the noodles, Richard originally wanted to continue pouring out his grievances about last night's tragic ordeal to Karen, but to his surprise, Karen pulled out a notebook filled with recorded spellcraft and began to read while he ate.

"My grandfather taught me that when learning any spellcraft, one must be focused, fully concentrated, without the slightest stray thought."

"That was what your grandfather told you."

"Is there any difference? Is the principle not the same?"

"Everyone's talent is different."

"Are you implying that I am stupid?"

"I didn't say you were stupid, only that relative to me, you appear insufficiently clever."

"Fine, I see it clearly now. Are you perhaps quite happy to see me beaten into this state?"

"Congratulations, you have finally noticed."

"Humph, not a friend at all, completely lacking in empathy."

"You were beaten by your own father, not by anyone else. What, to be a friend means I must take a sword, go home with you, and help you hack your father?"

"That won't be necessary. He is my father after all, and besides, he beat himself quite terribly too."

"After finishing breakfast, what do you plan to do?"

"I came here to be your guest. What, are you not welcoming me?"

"Where is the gift?"

"Uh... I came too early, the shops hadn't managed to open yet, so I didn't buy anything."

"No matter, leaving behind some coupons works just as well."

"Oh, Karen, how can you be like this!"

"Alright, as for me, I am going to the study to read; as for you, you can sit in the yard and bask in the sun. Forget it, let us reverse it: you go sit in the study, and I will read in the yard. I am afraid leaving you outside might frighten people."

"I want to talk to you about yesterday's mission, Karen. How did you discover that the Captain wasn't real?"

"You just need to pay more attention to the details."

"Is it really that simple?"

"Mm, that simple."

"Don't give me such a perfunctory answer, alright?"

Karen stood up, walked into the study, and stopped before the bookshelf to choose a book. At last, he pulled one out, its title reading *A Father's Renunciation*.

Richard strolled in just then, plucking a copy of *The Frog Scared to Death* from the shelf.

Just as Karen prepared to step out of the study and into the courtyard, Richard rushed to block his path. "Hey, hey, together, let's stay together. Just sit in the study, alright? I won't disturb you, absolutely won't disturb you."

"Then you must wear a mask."

"Don't be so cruel, Karen. Last night my father inflicted physical trauma upon me, and today you inflict psychological trauma upon my soul."

In the end, Karen did not go to the courtyard but took a seat behind the desk, while Richard sat in another chair, utterly satisfied.

Alfred walked in, setting down pastries and tea.

Following this, Karen entered a state of reading, and Richard did the same; his disposition seemed rather lively and cheerful, but he could settle down when required.

This reading lasted for nearly four hours. The book was not thick, and Karen was nearing the end. The story recounted a father who took his three children to live isolated from the world deep within the mountains.

The father had originally detested everything about the city, believing those things poisoned the human soul. To preserve the purity of his three children, he chose to lead them into seclusion in the mountains, living a life almost akin to savages, bearing a slight resemblance to a reimagining of *Robinson Crusoe*.

After many years of mountain life, the father grew increasingly bewildered and tormented. Looking at his three gradually maturing children, the guilt in his heart grew ever heavier. The pure life he envisioned actually possessed no sense of existence in the eyes of the children; because the children had forgotten the "filth" of the city, and since they did not know filth, purity appeared entirely meaningless.

The ending saw the father bringing the three children to a loggers' camp, begging them to take them in.

He himself chose to leap from a cliff to his death, uttering before his demise: "Go back to live in the city; gradually, you will come to understand the purity I once brought to you."

After finishing the book, Karen knit his brows slightly. He did not quite understand what the author wished to express; it was somewhat muddled, though the author's level of descriptive detail regarding jungle life was excellent, offering a deep sense of immersion.

As for how exactly to evaluate and relate to the character of the "father," Karen was too lazy to analyze it, for he had to prepare lunch; after all, this was the first time Richard had come to visit him.

Lunch consisted of three dishes and a soup. Karen made the flavors somewhat heavy, and Richard ate with great relish.

"I thought your family preferred bland flavors," Karen smiled, watching the wolfing-down Richard.

"That is what my grandmother likes. Whatever she likes, we must all like alongside her—at least, we must appear to like it."

"So, the people in your family are very afraid of your grandmother?"

"Pretty much. We of the younger generation fare a bit better; the one who fears grandmother most should be my grandfather."

"Heh."

Lunch concluded, and Karen originally felt Richard could head back, but the man seemed to have no intention of taking his leave voluntarily, claiming at one moment that he hadn't finished his book, and asking at the next what there was to eat for dinner.

"Did you greet your family before coming to my place?"

"No."

"Then I suggest you call home now. I fear your family worries that you might lose your mind today after being beaten last night."

"That's impossible. My family would absolutely never think I'd lose my mind, but I still decide to make a call."

Karen picked up a tangerine, peeling it while leaning against the door frame to watch Richard make the call.

"Mm, yes, it's me, Father." Richard's expression collapsed instantly. It was actually his father who answered the phone, which was entirely unexpected, for at home, his father almost never answered calls.

"I am at Karen's place."

"I've eaten lunch."

"Alright, Father, I understand."

Richard hung up the phone, took a deep breath, and said to Karen, "Save me, my dad told me to go home and told me not to disturb your rest here."

"Your father is right."

"Save me, Karen, I'm afraid I'll be beaten again when I go back."

"Look, your father took the initiative to answer the call, which proves that your beating yesterday was useful, wasn't it?"

"Uh... you putting it that way makes me so conflicted."

"Go back, your father needs you very much right now."

Richard extended his middle finger at Karen, who thought nothing of it, popping a piece of tangerine into his mouth. Watching Richard leave, Karen stretched his back; at last, he could enjoy the holiday, and he decided to take a afternoon nap first.

Walking into the bedroom, Karen saw Purr conducting an interrogation of Kevin. Kevin was curled up in the corner, while Purr was fiercely aggressive.

Karen's entrance interrupted this process. Kevin cast a pleading gaze toward Karen, but Karen, who had been admiring the moon with it just last night, offered no response to it today.

Purr turned her head to look at Karen and asked, "Has that cousin of yours gone back?"

"Mm, he went back. I intend to take a bath and then have an afternoon nap."

"Then shall I change locations to continue interrogating the stupid dog?"

"No need, just interrogate it right here."

"It won't affect your rest?"

"I just want to lie down; it doesn't matter whether I can sleep or not."

Karen walked into the bathroom, filled the tub with water, and sat inside.

Purr shouted at the door, "Do you want me to call Big Butt in to scrub your back?"

"Alright, call her in."

"Hmph, in your dreams." Purr stuck her tongue out at the bathroom door, then turned her head to look at Kevin, who was attempting to stealthily leave the bedroom, and barked, "Stupid dog, halt, where do you think you're running!"

Karen had originally wanted to soak for a while and return to bed to lie down, but in the bedroom, Purr's "interrogation" of Kevin was in full swing, so Karen did not bother to disturb them. Closing his eyes, he began to sleep right in the bathtub.

His sleep was very light, yet exceedingly comfortable; it was not for the purpose of replenishing energy, but purely to enjoy the beauty of slumber.

Unwittingly, he had soaked in the bathtub for nearly two hours. When Karen woke up, unsurprisingly, though he had turned off the tap long ago, the water in the tub was still warm.

Arising from the tub, wiping his body, and changing into clothes, Karen could clearly feel his abundant energy as he stood before the mirror.

This could not help but make him recall his past life at the Allen Manor once more. There was a period of time when he merely played ball and soaked in the bath every day, then slept in the large, warm bedroom.

If not for having to ride horses with Eunice every afternoon, he could go a whole day without stepping out of the bedroom door; anyway, food and drink were brought in by servants.

But just as recorded in the book he read this morning, without knowing filth, one does not understand what is meant by purity; without the prerequisite of fulfilling busyness, one cannot comprehend what true rest means.

Walking out of the bathroom and entering the bedroom, Karen saw the maid Xili kneeling before him, arranging an afternoon tea platter for Purr.

Hearing the footsteps behind her, Xili did not turn around, but merely looked back: "Young Master, do you wish to have afternoon tea?"

"No need."

"What about fruit then? Young Master, would you like some?"

"No need either."

Purr spoke up, "He wants to gnaw on a big peach."

Xili's face turned flushed one moment and stiff the next, and the hand holding the coffee also began to tremble.

"Is this the first day you've heard me speak? Act normal, don't spill the coffee. Do you know how expensive this coffee is? Do you know how hard it is for our family's Karen to earn money to support the household!"

"Yes, yes, my fault, my fault." Xili immediately admitted her mistake to Purr.

Karen lay down on the bed.

Xili steadied her mind, continuing to kneel as she helped Purr prepare the pastries and fruit platter.

Purr took a sip of coffee, ate another grape, and after spitting out the seed, said to Xili:

"He is watching, lift it higher, a bit higher still."

For a moment, Sely stood frozen, caught in an awkward hesitation between remaining standing or stepping away.

Karen picked up the Order Weekly from the nightstand, and as he skimmed the newspaper, he said, "Don't take it to heart. This cat has been in heat lately."

"It is no trouble at all, Young Master," Sely replied with an immediate, practiced smile. Once she finished preparing everything for the afternoon tea, she lifted her tray, stood up, opened the door, and stepped out of the bedroom, letting out a long, heavy sigh of relief.

Karen turned a page of his paper and murmured to Purr, "Don't always bully her."

"What, does your heart ache for her?"

"She is just an ordinary person; her emotional resilience has its limits."

"Then simply grant her a raise. A person's resilience is always directly proportional to their wages."

"In that case, I shall deduct it from your meal allowance."

"Oh, you wouldn't do that. How much could a sweet little kitten possibly eat in a day?"

"Your culinary expenses alone rival those of everyone else in this household combined. Were your coffee beans purchased with voucher points?"

"Well... the Radio Sprite approved it. These beans are actually not that expensive. Last time, when I stayed up all night helping you research the refrigerator, the Radio Sprite gave special authorization to buy them to refresh me and the stupid dog.

Besides, when the family pets eat well, it shows the household is prospering. It is a good omen, isn't it, stupid dog?"

Kevin, who was in the middle of devouring a fried meatball, looked up:

"Woof!"

Karen continued reading his newspaper. To his slight surprise, the Order Weekly was still running extensive coverage on two ordinary mortals. One was John Rotini, the Mayor of Manral City, pictured sitting in an open-top car, waving ceaselessly to his supporters.

The other was Mr. Luther, who was still actively organizing his Purple-Haired Rights Movement, captured in a photograph with a raised fist, delivering a passionate speech.

Karen recalled that the Order Weekly had been reporting on the pair for a long time now. In the rarefied circles of the Holy Church, how could two mere mortals command so much print space? For the moment, Karen could not yet discern the true purpose behind the spotlight on them.

If the Church merely wished to elevate a new political figure or propel a civil rights movement, the sheer might of the Church of Order could achieve it with absolute ease, without the need for such convoluted methods.

By now, Purr had finished her afternoon tea and leaped onto the bed. She looked at Karen and asked:

"Karen, if you possessed the power of time, what would you wish to do?"

"There is nothing in particular I wish to do."

"Is your life completely free of regrets?"

"Perhaps not a regret, but I imagine Dis could find a use for it."

"True enough."

"What about you? What would you do if you commanded the power of time?"

"Me? I haven't quite thought it through. Even though I have been a cat for so long, when I reflect on it, the days spent living with the Inmes family haven't really left me with any regrets."

Just then, a knock sounded at the bedroom door.

"Young Master, a telephone call from your Captain."

Karen remembered that the Captain had mentioned yesterday he would come find him today if he had time, and would call in advance to notify him.

Rising from the bed, Karen walked over to the study and picked up the receiver.

"Hello, Captain, it's me."

"I gave that deputy director a sound thrashing. Though I know he is innocent, as he was merely responsible for passing along the assignment and had no idea what the mission actually entailed."

"A good beating, then. At least it brings peace of mind."

"Yes, you are quite right. After thrashing him, I feel much better.

However, that same deputy director did share a piece of good news with me. We are about to receive a new assignment, and the rewards for this mission are far more generous than anything we have seen before."

"What kind of mission?"

"Our Church is about to enter postwar compensation negotiations with the Church of Samsara on Dark Moon Island. The Chief Bishop of the York City Archdiocese will be heading to the island as one of the regional representatives to join the negotiation team.

Consequently, the entire York City Archdiocese has been allotted a single slot for a security detail. This is a genuinely high-reward mission, far superior to our previous two security assignments. Moreover, we will get to see the true upper echelon of the Church. After all, the Chief Bishop we are escorting will only be sitting in the very back row of that delegation.

Now, an assignment this prestigious would never normally fall to us, nor were we ever scheduled for it. But out of nowhere, the squad originally assigned to it was abruptly dropped, and we were suddenly designated to replace them. Before this, I held absolutely no hope for this mission, and I hadn't pulled a single string for it."

"Is it just luck?"

"No, no, no, it isn't luck at all. Because according to that deputy director I just finished thrashing, the word from the top is:

A certain remarkable, high-ranking figure took notice and spoke up specifically on behalf of our squad, even offering us their praise."

"..." Karen.