Chapter 485: High Priest Guard

Chapter 485 The Grand Priest's Guard

Karen extended his hand, and Alfred immediately assisted him to sit up. Instead of choosing the edge of the bed, Karen leaned forward and sat directly on the floor, his back resting against the bedside.

Alfred turned around to pour his master a fresh glass of water, hesitating for a moment before deciding against adding ice cubes this time.

Karen took the glass, cradling it in his hands.

"Master?"

Karen shook his head.

Alfred placed the cigarettes and lighter from his pocket on the floor before Karen, then stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Karen lowered his head and took a sip of water. It was somewhat scalding, yet he continued to hold it in his grasp.

After a while, the water cooled; he took another sip, then set the glass down.

Silently picking up a cigarette, he pulled one out, lit it with the lighter, and took a deep, heavy drag.

"Cough, cough..."

Then, inexplicably, he choked and coughed, an unfamiliar sensation of nicotine dizziness flooding his mind.

How could this body of his, which had just absorbed the bone of a god, suddenly possess such weak resistance? Karen silently clenched his fists, sensing the distinct, latent power coursing within him.

Snuffing out the cigarette, Karen rested his forehead against the palm of his hand.

Within his heart, a decadent stillness and a fretful, turbulent irritation clashed against one another, causing a bitter torment.

"Heheh..."

Karen let out a chuckle, recalling a question he used to ask patients' families during consultations: Are you certain you want him to step out?

Sometimes, wallowing and struggling endlessly in a mire might be its own form of happiness, because once one emerges to face a path whose end cannot be seen, it becomes exceedingly difficult to summon the courage to begin anew.

"Whew..."

Karen exhaled a long breath, stood up, and walked into the room's washroom.

He took a bath, retrieved his divine robes from his pack to change into, and opened the door to find Alfred waiting there, as he always had been.

Alfred had not expected his master to come out so quickly.

"Master?"

"I am hungry."

"I will have the meals sent in to you."

"Is there a dining hall here?"

"Yes, the chef's culinary skills are quite decent."

"Then let us eat in the dining hall."

Because it was not a scheduled mealtime, the dining hall was somewhat empty, but the chefs in the kitchen remained at their posts; the Castle family left absolutely nothing to be desired in their standard of hospitality.

Soon, the meal was served: a steak, a portion of mashed potatoes, and a salad.

The preparation was exquisite, the flavor and texture beyond reproach.

While Karen was dining, Millice walked in. The moment he crossed the threshold, the expression on his face slackened into one of exhaustion and helplessness, but upon noticing someone dressed in black divine robes dining in the hall, a peaceful smile immediately reappeared on his face.

"Patriarch, what would you like?" The chef immediately came out to inquire.

"Red wine."

"Patriarch, do you require..."

"Anything is fine, just be quick."

"Yes, Patriarch."

Millice sat down at a nearby table and very quickly fell asleep, slumped over it.

When the red wine was brought out, the attendant hesitated, unsure whether he should wake the patriarch.

Karen silently finished the food before him, asking Alfred as he wiped his mouth:

"Where are Purr and the others?"

Alfred replied, "They went to visit a friend."

"Oh, I see."

They had gone to see Giragong.

"Are they still behaving?" Karen asked.

"Yes." Alfred nodded. "There has been no unusual movement so far."

Returning to his room from the dining hall, he encountered Muri by the window near the stairs.

"Captain, are you alright now?"

"I am fine. Are you watching the scenery here? The view from here is not as good as the front."

"You might not have noticed, but the view at the front is not very good."

Alfred reported, "The people of the Castle family are all committing suicide out there."

"Is that so."

Karen looked toward Alfred and asked, "Which one is Lord Thyssen's room?"

"That one."

Karen walked to the door of Thyssen's room and stood before it.

After standing there for a good while, Karen still chose not to knock.

Just then, the door to the neighboring room opened, and Vic emerged with a towel draped around his neck, evidently fresh from a bath. Seeing Karen, he smiled:

"Looking for the old man? I'll open the door for you."

"No need, thank you."

"Hey, why be so polite? Let me tell you, even though the old thing scolded you, don't take it to heart. He rarely scolds anyone, you know."

Vic's familiar, easygoing demeanor made Karen think instinctively of Richard.

However, Richard's familiarity was only directed toward loved ones or teammates, whereas Vic seemed to treat everyone that way.

Vic knocked on the door and called out, "My Lord, are you resting?"

"Come in."

Vic turned back to smile at Karen and opened the door.

Thyssen was sitting in a wheelchair, looking out at the scenery outside.

"Karen is awake. Didn't you say the other day that you wanted to lecture him? I think he is here now to give you his ideological report."

"Lord Thyssen..."

"Get out."

Thyssen raised his hand; sitting in his wheelchair, he did not even turn his head.

"Yes, my lord."

Karen bowed and retreated, closing the door to the room behind him.

Vic continued to dry his hair with a towel as he asked, "What is wrong with you? Your time is almost up, yet your temper only grows grander. I heard that when people are near death, they usually cease to care about most things and instead become peaceful, do they not?"

Thiesen ignored Vic, continuing to gaze out at his scenery, letting the breeze blow over him.

Vic pulled out a chair, sat down beside the wheelchair, and suddenly lowered his voice to whisper:

"Your acting is not quite convincing."

Thiesen turned his head to look at Vic.

"Oh?"

"Heh." Vic cracked his neck. "I saw right through it."

"Saw through what?"

"If I hadn't, why would I have echoed every single word you said that day? Have you ever known me to be diligent enough to answer you line for line under normal circumstances?

So I say,

who exactly is this Karen, to be worth such high regard from you?

I know of your relationship with Lord Mavallio, but you never held Lord Mavallio in such high esteem."

"Mavallio is not my child; he is a lord."

"Ah, right, right, right."

Vic tossed his hair and continued, "I don't mean anything else by it. I will give you two choices: either satisfy my curiosity, or help pave a path for me. It is just a matter of a single word from you, isn't it?"

"Are you threatening me?"

"I wouldn't dare. I only ask that out of regard for how obedient and sensible I have been, you lend this poor child a hand, would you?"

"You have a teacher."

"Hasn't my teacher gone missing? I know you might know where he is, but you will absolutely never tell. I also know you will probably say next that once my teacher returns, everything will be fine for me. But how am I to know when he will return?

My youth, my lord—how few years of youth does one even get?"

Seeing that Thiesen fell silent again, Vic could only plead anew, "How about letting me join Karen's squad?"

A faint, inscrutable smile appeared on Thiesen's face.

"Oh, that expression of yours truly frightens me. Is it a fiery pit or a treasury after all?"

"Make up your own mind."

"Very well then. When the time comes for you to lie in bed and speak with the lords, I shall be right beside you serving tea and pouring water. In the meantime, I will find an opportunity to state my request, and you need only acquiesce by silence. Deal?"

Thiesen continued to offer no response.

"Yes, just like that, and I shall be satisfied, hehe."

"Vic."

"Ah?"

"You will regret this."

"I truly cannot tell whether you are speaking the truth or a lie. Forget it, I won't try to distinguish. It is settled then. I feel this Karen has promise, and you told me so 'with your own mouth.'

Rest well, my lord, and do not overexert yourself. As for me, I am going back to take another bath; the essential oils here have a truly marvelous effect."

Vic stood up and walked out of the room.

Thiesen let out a sigh and murmured to himself:

"Your teacher regretted that very decision to death back then. Ha, and now it comes to you, yet you must walk the same path all over again."

...

Karen did not feel despondent, even though he had just been given the cold shoulder by Thiesen.

For this was not the old man ignoring him, but a form of sincere protection; he wished to help him keep the secret of his identity.

Karen stepped back to Muri's side, joining him in appreciating the passing scenery.

As if remembering something, Muri spoke up and asked, "Captain, Lord Mavallio asked me when he left this morning whether we should head back first."

"Has the teleportation array been established?"

"The simplest disposable array should be set up today. It will teleport the Orthodox formation masters over, and of course, it can also allow a few people to teleport back."

Karen shook his head and said, "There is no rush. Let us leave after everything is properly prepared."

The old man had only a few days left. If possible, Karen wished to stay and see him off.

"Understood, Captain. This..."

"What is it?"

Karen looked at Muri and found that his expression had instantly become extremely tense. His hands clenched tightly, and his entire posture was locked in rigid apprehension.

Following his gaze out the window, Karen saw the figure of an old man appearing in the distance, walking toward them. The old man had stark white hair bound by a headband, his frame lean and wiry. A short sword hung at his waist, and a buckler shield was strapped to his left arm.

This combination of weaponry, coupled with Muri's current expression, made it easy for anyone to guess the old man's identity.

Behind the old man followed Mavallio.

"Your grandfather?" Karen asked.

"Yes," Muri swallowed with some difficulty. "My grandfather."

Head of the Benda family, Captain of the High Priest's Guard, Mobiten Benda.

This Lord Captain of the Guard had actually appeared here first.

At that moment, he stopped in his tracks and raised his head, casting his gaze toward them like a sharp blade slicing directly across the space.

Immediately after, Karen sensed a violent wind rushing before him. The window panes began to vibrate fiercely, and the surrounding vision started to warp.

The next moment,

a wave of air blasted inward. Karen, Muri, and Alfred were all forced backward by the immense pressure. In the face of such power, it seemed no flesh-and-blood body could stand firm.

The silhouette of Mobiten materialised precisely where Karen and the others had been standing just moments before.

His gaze fell directly upon Muri, who was also staring back at him.

Karen bowed in greeting:

"Greetings, Lord Captain of the Guard."

Behind him, Alfred did the same.

Muri seemed to want to kneel, but in the end, he bowed just as Karen did: "Greetings, Captain... Ugh..."

One of Mobiten's hands clamped directly around Muri's neck, lifting his entire body into the air.

It was like a fierce tiger pinning a young chick beneath its claws.

Within this old man lay a terrifying power; standing in close proximity, it felt as though even a fleeting glance at him would sting the eyes.

"Your heart is truly growing wilder by the day, isn't it?"

It was glaringly obvious that Mobiten was thoroughly displeased with the recent series of actions taken by his grandson.

Originally, upon returning from the Gate of Reincarnation, Muri was supposed to serve as the captain of the newly formed Squad of the Whip of Order in the Dingle District, yet he chose to come to York City instead, reducing himself to a mere subordinate under Karen.

By the time the Benda family caught wind of it, the transfer of his official post had already been finalized; after all, under the circumstances at that time, Karen had been granted the authority for priority and expedited processing—an approval issued directly from the headquarters of the Whip of Order.

This time, Karen had taken the squad to the Mipos Archipelago, and due to Muri's identity, the Benda family was seen by outsiders as having officially taken a side, a move that inevitably made people think of the Grand Priest's stance, considering Mobiten had always been the "insider" remaining by the Grand Priest’s side.

As a majestic patriarch, to be repeatedly "represented" by his own grandson, the fury in his heart could well be imagined.

He released his grip, allowing Muri to drop, and then drove a fist forward; Muri instantly spat a mouthful of fresh blood as his entire body flew backward, but before he could travel more than a few meters, Mobiten’s palm flew open again, trapping Muri with an invisible force and dragging him before him once more.

"Do not think that by slipping away from home, the family is left with no means to discipline you; I will not merely strip the surname of Benda from your name, I will also take back the very life that the Benda family bestowed upon you.

The family cannot tolerate you bringing shame upon us so wantonly."

"Chief of the Guard, Muri is a member of my squad; please lower your hand and cease this unwarranted assault, for according to the Regulations of Order, internal personnel of the Holy See are forbidden from engaging in baseless private altercations."

Mobiten turned his head, casting his gaze upon Karen who stood before him, and asked with a chuckle:

"I am disciplining my own grandson, what does that have to do with you?"

"Your grandson is a Cleric of Order, he is my subordinate, and I am his superior; you tell me, does that have something to do with me?"

Mobiten opened his hand once more, this time directing it toward Karen, who instantly sensed a tyrannical force bearing down on him from all sides, yet he chose not to resist, speaking directly instead:

"Either you kill me outright this very instant, or you stop playing these tricks on me; we are clerics who serve the God, not street thugs bravadoing on the pavement."

Mobiten looked at Karen with a hint of surprise, countering with a question:

"Boy, do you think I dare not?"

A smile crept onto the corner of Karen's mouth as he uttered, "Heh, asking such a question is truly foolish of you."

A series of crisp cracks echoed from Mobiten's knuckles, and Karen could feel the force enveloping the exterior of his body constricting and loosening repeatedly, which meant that the master of this power was hesitating.

"Even Forden would not dare speak to me in such a manner, did you know that?"

Karen nodded and said, "My apologies, I take back what I said earlier."

"Heh..."

"Because this statement of yours is even more foolish than the first one just now."

Mobiten stared coldly at Karen, then he relaxed his palm, and Karen regained his freedom.

"In any case, Captain Karen, you possess more audacity than I had imagined."

Karen pointed his hand toward Muri, who was still suspended in mid-air by Mobiten's confinement, and said, "Set him down, and then I will walk down the ladder you have provided."

"I am handling a private family matter, and the Holy See has no regulations that forbid a believer from handling his own private affairs."

Karen looked toward Muri and asked, "Muri, tell me, are you currently handling a private family matter with Chief of the Guard Mobiten?"

Muri took a deep breath, his chest heaving; Karen’s earlier attitude when facing his grandfather had granted him immense courage, coupled with the fact that he, Muri, had long since counted himself as one of Karen's people—not merely taking a side, but from his soul to his faith.

"Captain, I am not handling a private family matter with the Chief of the Guard."

"Good, very good."

Mobiten was visibly speaking through clenched teeth.

The family atmosphere of the Benda family was already highly oppressive; a disobedient grandson would likely just be beaten to death, which was entirely different from Mr. Eisen of the Guman family thrashing Richard; in the Benda family, it truly cost lives.

Karen spread his hands, feeling somewhat despondent; the Sword of Arius that Ophelia had gifted him was broken.

Nevertheless, Karen immediately conjured the Fire of Order at both of his hands, while a chain began to revolve around his body.

This was a declaration of stance, a very clear stance: I am certainly no match for you, as can be seen from using such trivial spells, but I will fight you.

Karen did not believe that the Grand Priest's Chief of the Guard had appeared here merely to lecture his grandson; he must have been given instructions.

Mobiten loosened his grip, and Muri tumbled down, keeping one hand pressed against his chest and the other leaning against the wall to maintain a standing posture.

"Captain Karen, there is a word of advice I wish to remind you of."

"Please speak."

"Do not assume that your luck will always hold out, nor should you assume that you will win every gamble; when I arrived, I saw someone committing suicide over there, and that is the outcome of a failed gamble."

"You ought to say those words to our Wielder of the Whip; my mission received the approval of the Wielder of the Whip, so you may go and tell him that you disagree with his plan."

Mobiten spoke, "Beware of the dark."

Having said that, he walked toward the door of Thessin's room, bowing to the door and announcing:

"Mobiten Benda, Chief of the Grand Priest's Guard, by order of the Grand Priest, comes to look after Lord Thessin."

The Mobiten who had been as arrogant as a lion just moments ago was now incomparably respectful; even though Thessin had stepped down, his former status was simply too exalted.

"Come in."

"Yes, my Lord."

Mobiten opened the door and stepped inside.

Alfred immediately moved toward Karen, but was signaled by Karen's gaze to check on Muri's injuries first.

Muri looked at Karen and said, "Captain, when you faced my grandfather just now, you truly... truly..."

Karen shook his head and said, "I was not brave; it is just that your grandfather was unlucky today."

"Unlucky?"

Karen slid his hands into the pockets on both sides of his clerical robe, shrugged at Muri, smiled, and said:

"Yes, it just so happened that I am in a bad mood today, and felt like giving up on myself."

———

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