Chapter 333: Cautious Driver

Chapter 333: The Cautious Driver

I merely purchased your former residence, and now you intend to hand those two "children" downstairs over to me?

Karen suddenly realized that something seemed amiss here, a very grand problem indeed.

Was this leap not a bit too drastic?

It had already defied all logic!

"They are still young, not yet having reached my age, and I know full well that if I take them with me to such a remote place, they will certainly be unable to endure it, nor will they be willing.

Therefore, it is a trouble for you, but I must still request one thing of you; these are two fine saplings, whether for your sake or for the future of the Holy Church, I hope you can nurture them.

I have always felt that for so many years in the past, our Church has been entirely too obsessed with indiscriminate logging to obtain firewood for burning just to receive that brief illumination; in truth, real light should be the overlapping shadows where sunlight filters through the gaps in the leaves within a forest of trees, which, though neither scorching nor brilliantly bright, are brimming with vitality."

"I will do so."

Karen could only respond in this manner.

"Do you think so as well?" Mr. Will smiled.

Karen leaned his body back slightly, allowing his posture to become somewhat "softer," which was a means to facilitate communication, because he now desperately wanted to clarify where exactly the point of "logical disorder" lay through further conversation.

"I feel that what many of them wish to revive is the Holy Church, rather than the Light."

Hearing these words, Mr. Will was visibly startled, and immediately afterward, tears actually welled up within his eyes.

His expression did not seem fabricated, for there was no prior build-up; if he were to utilize this method, he should have entered a state of "performance" right from the very beginning.

Combining this with the impression the old man in the study had given him, Karen gradually began to believe that the Mr. Will before him was truly a kind person, just as his spiritual imprint had described.

Perhaps, one should also add a touch of purity to it.

However, looking closely at the specifics, the temperament of the Mr. Will before him and the one in his own study was actually vastly different, and there were also no small distinctions in skin tone and facial features.

The manner in which a spiritual imprint manifested itself should still be significantly distinct from reality; one was the "self" imagined in the mind, while the other was the self in reality, and they truly could not be equated.

Mr. Will took a deep breath, composed his emotions, and said, "You have spoken so beautifully; this is actually the very place that has always made me feel uncomfortable in my heart, so later on, I drifted further and further apart from them, and when I learned they were coming last time, I simply left early ahead of schedule, truly not wishing to be entangled with them, for it would make me feel uncomfortable."

Picking up a piece of tissue, Mr. Will wiped the corners of his eyes and continued, "For this reason, I would often feel guilt, wondering if it was because of my aloofness, because of my arrogance, that I turned away from them, and whether this also represents that I have turned away from the Light?"

"You have not," Karen responded, "The ones who turned away from the Light were not you; those who truly turned away from the Light were them, and even, those from an even more distant past."

"Those from an even more distant past?"

Karen spread his hands and said, "This is also the reason why the Holy Church of Light met its demise; tell me, could the Light ever be wrong?"

"It could not be wrong," Mr. Will said with certainty.

"Then it is the people beneath the Light who were wrong, and thus the Holy Church of Light was destroyed."

"Your method of deduction is quite peculiar, yet it makes a great deal of sense."

The Light would never be wrong; this was the final dam within a believer's heart, for if even this required skepticism, what Light would there be left to believe in?

Under this premise, the demise of the Holy Church could only be due to problems arising within mankind, a simple logic of two minus one.

"But there is yet another theory." Mr. Will seemed to have developed a tremendous interest in chatting with Karen, "They all believe that it was the loss of the Great God of Light that led to the extinction of our Holy Church of Light, what do you think?"

Karen replied, "A while ago, it was being widely rumored within the ecclesiastical circles that the God of Order had already abandoned the Church of Order, not hesitating to bring down thunderous punishment for this sake, which triggered tremors within the Temple of Order; this is no secret."

"Yes, I have heard of this as well."

"But do you feel that the Church of Order now shows any tendency toward demise, like our Holy Church of Light did back then?"

"No," Mr. Will answered very crisply, "After the 'First Day War' concluded, no one dared to doubt this anymore."

The Church of Order had flexed its muscles; if even the Church of Order were on the brink of demise, then would the existing orthodox churches not all be about to perish?

"We are always accustomed to attributing all success to the Great God, yet at the same time, we are accustomed to placing ultimate failure upon the God as well, as we never dare to seriously examine ourselves.

To question our own hearts as to what the true Light should actually look like."

Hearing up to this point, Mr. Will furrowed his brows, and he raised his hand; in an instant, white light and shadow enveloped the entire study, cutting off the eavesdropping of Helen and Vernon outside.

With just this simple raising of a hand, Karen perceived the opponent's powerful realm of the soul, because what flowed was not the aura of spellcraft, but soul power!

Utilizing soul power to construct a barrier was as extravagant as using gold to patch floor tiles.

"I am very curious; this is our first meeting, so why do you dare to speak words to me that are so... so... so..."

Mr. Will was pondering over an adjective that needed to convey the severity of the matter while simultaneously expressing his own stance and attitude, and it also needed to be amicable.

"...so candid and straightforward."

"Just as you said a moment ago."

"What I said a moment ago?"

"We share a destined connection."

"No, no, no, I originally thought that I had already deviated quite significantly from the mainstream direction, but now I faintly feel that you are standing on the opposite side of the mainstream."

"You also said a second sentence: within the Church, not many people are willing to manage me, and not many people are capable of managing me."

"Yes, I admit that from the moment you entered the perimeter of this villa, to when you pushed open the study door, and to when you sat before me and spoke with me for so long, I have been unable to perceive even a shred of aura from your body.

The realm of your soul is not inferior to mine; it can only be higher than mine."

In this regard, you have misunderstood; the main reason is that I am wearing my grandfather's mask.

Karen could not help but recall the scenario in that space where he had transformed into a massive, glowing orb looking down upon a multitude of small spheres.

"Do you still remember the sentence shouted by the last generation of the Mad Pope?"

Karen diverted the topic, because he did not wish to discuss soul power any further with the gentleman before him.

"Of course I remember."

"I frequently ponder over his words."

"Oh, what insights do you have?"

"Sometimes, we treat those we cannot understand as madmen; sometimes, we treat the only person who sees clearly as a madman."

Mr. Will's hands began to tremble, his body sitting on the chair began to sway slightly back and forth, his facial expression became highly unnatural, and his eyes kept blinking irregularly.

At this moment, in the face of this topic, he had not only lost control of his expressions, he even felt somewhat inclined to flee.

On this point, Karen discovered the commonality between him and the one in his own study.

"Please do not speak any further, truly do not speak any further!" Mr. Will raised his hand toward Karen.

"You ought to berate me instead, yet you did not."

In the eyes of the remnants of Light, the late Mad Pope was the final straw that broke the back of the Holy Church of Light; when a Pope shouted such words, it was simply a devastating blow to the very foundation of the Holy Church.

"Let us stop here, truly," Mr. Will said with a bitter smile, "I beg of you."

"Very well," Karen agreed.

"Will you impart your thoughts to those two children?"

"I will not."

"You will not?"

"A door has light outside of it, but they must first pry open a crack by themselves, otherwise, no matter how much I say, it will be meaningless; they will still firmly believe that it is pitch black outside the door."

"Heh, Bertha was quite right in her letter; you certainly have a unique personality—exceptionally unique."

Bertha?

A sudden realization dawned on Karen.

Bertha had long since been subdued by the Captain to serve as his errand-running lackey, so it was Mr. Will she had written to?

Therefore,

The one who should be sitting in this very chair right now was the Captain!

Recalling the conversation from when he first sat down, it was clear neither side had been on the same wavelength, yet their words had dovetailed seamlessly.

"Heh, heh, heh..."

Karen burst out laughing, not holding back in the slightest, laughing with utter abandon.

After a long while, Karen finally quieted down, shrugged, and said, "It is our shared helplessness, but at the same time, our shared fortune, is it not?"

"You are a good man," Mr. Will said. "Because I can feel that you know what the true Light looks like; thus, deep down, you must be kind-hearted. Leaving those two children in your care brings me great peace of mind."

"I will have them settle down in York City first, letting them temporarily forget they belong to the Church; only by taking off their masks can they truly touch and perceive the Light."

Having said this, Karen stood up, signaling his departure.

Firstly, it was because he now knew the "truth"—he had prematurely usurped a stage meant for the Captain.

Secondly, he was deeply worried that the Captain might show up at any moment.

Although his car was parked on the road outside with Kevin inside, and given the Captain's personality, he would surely scout the surroundings before keeping an appointment, one could not rule out the possibility that he might feel lazy today and skip that step entirely.

"There is something I hope you can investigate for me; my time is running out."

"Speak."

"My former home was at the Allen Apartments in the Blue Bridge Community. Here is my door number information. Before I left, I entrusted a real estate agent to help sell the property, because I did not want my house to become too desolate.

The house was indeed sold, but it seems the buyer did not stay long before moving out again."

"Is that not quite normal?" Karen asked.

"He took my books."

"It seems he, too, is fond of reading."

"He also distorted the spiritual imprint I left upon those books."

"Distorted?"

"Yes, I know it still exists, but I can no longer perceive it. Thus, it was not erased, but distorted—or rather... polluted. I must leave this place tomorrow and have no time to investigate further, so I hope you can complete this task for me."

"Very well, I promise you."

"Thank you." Mr. Will produced a card alongside the door token and slid them before Karen. "This card is the key to an anonymous safety deposit box in a black-market private bank. Inside, I have stored some decent materials, offered as my gratitude for your assistance in this investigation. Please accept it."

"Alright."

Karen accepted the card, showing not the slightest hint of refusal.

"Do you need to call those two children back in for a final word?"

"I would prefer to spend more time reading before catching the ship at the harbor tomorrow morning. I dislike reading on a ship because it brings no sense of tranquility. They know whom they ought to follow; please take them away."

"Understood."

Karen walked out of the study. Just as he was about to open the door, Mr. Will’s voice drifted from behind once more:

"I shall write to you—to Bertha, and have her forward it to you. You need not reply if you are busy."

"Understood."

Karen opened the door and stepped out, turning to find Vernon and Helen standing at the top of the stairs.

Their initial meeting had been somewhat awkward, but as Karen approached them again, they bowed to him in unison.

Karen did not return the gesture, asking instead, "Do you have any luggage you need to bring?"

Vernon replied, "When we woke, even the clothes on our backs were practically ruined."

Karen reached into his pocket—ah, he hadn't brought any money either.

However, there was cash in his car; Alfred always kept some there, though bringing them directly to his vehicle seemed somewhat inappropriate.

Furthermore, how to specifically arrange for them was rather troublesome.

Ha, what am I thinking?

Karen realized he was thinking in the wrong direction; Mr. Will referred to them as "children," yet they were both adults.

"Find a place to settle down within the city first. Remember, you are forbidden from using your powers; you must rely on your own abilities to earn Thalers to survive. This is my trial for you.

Every Sunday night hereafter, you may come to look upon this villa. If I deem that you have passed my trial, I shall come forth to meet you and take you to a new place."

Faced with such a requirement for a trial, both Vernon and Helen appeared somewhat at a loss.

Yet they immediately nodded and said, "We are willing to accept the trial!"

"Then we shall look forward to our next meeting."

Karen walked down the stairs.

Helen and Vernon bowed their heads to see Karen off, then walked to the study door, where Helen stepped forward to knock.

A voice echoed from within the study:

"This is your good fortune; praise the Light."

...

After leaving the villa, Karen deliberately circled around several times, utilizing the anti-tracking methods taught by the Captain to ensure no one was following him before "taking off" his mask to revert to his true appearance. Rounding back to his parking spot, however, his car was nowhere to be seen.

Where was the car?

Just then, Karen spotted his second-hand Punz driving over. Through the windshield, he could clearly see that the one operating the vehicle was Kevin.

Karen took two steps back, worried that Kevin might not brake well.

But facts proved his anxiety unfounded; Kevin used his hind leg to press the brake, coming to a steady halt right before him.

It even understood how to brake gently, ensuring the car did not stop too abruptly or shake violently.

Seated in the passenger side was Neo.

Neo rolled down the window, looked at Karen, and smiled. "Just took this gentleman out for a little spin."

Kevin had already obediently vacated the driver's seat, scrambling into the back.

Karen slid into the driver's seat and started the engine.

Neo spoke directly: "Your conduct is a bit too unsightly. I managed with great difficulty to brew a little secret here, and you come ahead of time to dig it out?"

"Captain, this is a misunderstanding."

Karen recounted the sequence of events to Neo, including what had transpired earlier inside the villa.

"Heh, I intended to arrange for them to join the squad to replenish our strength, which will be weakened once you external members leave. Instead, you've arranged for them to experience life?"

"Once we leave?"

"Richard and Memphis, they surely followed you to the new squad, didn't they?"

"Yes."

"Heh."

"Still, Captain, recruiting them into the Whip of Order squad doesn't seem quite appropriate."

"People change under different environments, depending mostly on who leads them. But there is no point in discussing that now. Consider those two a gift from me, deal with them as you see fit. Once you establish your new squad and they feel properly disciplined by you, you can pull them into your own team."

"We shall see about that later."

"So, am I, a future squadron commander, already unable to meddle in the internal affairs of your squad?"

"Captain, you are being far too polite."

"Will is a marginal figure, but no one among the Remnants of Light dares to underestimate him."

"I can sense it. He is very powerful."

"Alright, you should head back. After all, you have to go to the Dingle Great District tomorrow night. Ah, it is good to be young, with infinite possibilities."

"Captain, let me drive you home first."

"No need. The matters I was supposed to be busy with tonight were resolved by you instead, and it is still quite early. I will go to the cemetery to see her."

With that, the captain stepped out of the car, turned, and walked away.

Karen watched the captain's silhouette dissolve into the darkness before turning his head to look at Kevin, who was sitting in the backseat:

"You drive?"

Kevin wagged his tail with excitement.

Karen moved over to the passenger seat, while Kevin lunged into the driver's seat, eagerly starting the engine.

The car proceeded steadily at a moderate pace, perfectly mastered by Kevin, except that while driving, his hindquarters could not sit down, forcing his body to lean over the steering wheel.

Karen turned his head, gazing out the car window.

The night scene of York City carried a flavor uniquely its own, especially when transitioning from the affluent district into the Blue Bridge community; that immense sense of contrast was starkly clear, yet they still stood opposed and intertwined within the very same city.

Karen withdrew his gaze, pulling back his pointlessly drifting emotions, and looked at Kevin gripping the steering wheel, offering a reminder:

"Be careful, the road ahead is rough."

"Woof!"

Kevin stared intently at the road ahead, constantly checking the rearview mirrors, deliberately slowing down at every intersection to look left and right for oncoming traffic.

He was very careful, very prudent.

Karen smiled,

Because he suddenly felt that his own journey along the way had been just like this.

Then his smile vanished,

Heh,

What a terrible analogy.

—

Requesting monthly tickets!