Chapter 542: Is This an Evil God?

Chapter 542: Is This an Evil God?

"These are crystal grapes from Xinlan. They are very sweet, try one."

Eunice peeled a grape and pressed it to Karen's lips.

Karen took it into his mouth; it was indeed very sweet, yet it possessed a rich, layered texture that was sweet without being cloying.

These grapes were quite expensive, costing over two hundred Order vouchers a pound, and owing to their place of origin, they could only be transported via teleportation arrays; a common divine servant's monthly stipend could not afford even half a pound, making them a true delicacy found only at high-end banquets within the Church circles.

Of course, the direct lineage of the Allen Manor would not consume such luxuries on ordinary days; it was entirely because Karen and Purr had arrived that this treatment had been specially prepared for them.

One was the current son-in-law of the manor, their future reliance, an investment for which no price was too steep; the other was their own old ancestor, whose cravings deserved every ounce of filial devotion.

Eunice cupped her hand beneath Karen's chin, allowing him to spit the grape seeds into her palm.

Karen said, "You eat them, I am not particularly fond of fruit."

Eunice peeled another one and brought it to Karen's lips; Karen ate it as well.

"In truth, many people who claim to dislike fruit do not actually hate it; they simply lack the proper atmosphere for eating it."

Karen smiled and said, "Alright, I admit, you are right."

"I learned about what happened a while ago from the newspapers, and Grandfather also gathers certain intelligence specifically to tell me."

"How does it feel?"

"There is a photograph of you in the tribunal within the newspaper, you look very handsome."

"That was staged, done intentionally to cooperate with the cameras below."

"It still looks beautiful, I cut them all out to make an album, and I flip through it every day."

This was a very "dangerous" topic, for if one replied with something akin to "Is not the real me right here?" or "Are you not looking at me now?", they would slide into the atmosphere-destroying vortex of "I am so sorry, I have not come to see you in a long while."

Karen asked with concern, "How is your health?"

"I can maintain a normal routine now, and Second Uncle carves out time to teach me some applications of spellcraft."

"What of your family faith rank?"

"Second Uncle says I am currently at the fifth rank."

"That is very impressive."

"I find it rather dreamlike myself, it feels as though I simply slept and woke to find myself at the fifth rank of the family faith system."

"How many people would envy such a dream."

"There is another dreamlike element; looking at your dynamic photographs in the album, I cannot help but recall the you I first met in Luoja City. At that time, I truly never imagined that you would one day don divine robes and stand within the tribunal of the Church of Order.

You know, sometimes I feel a sense of estrangement, perhaps because I slept for too long this past half-year, so many of my impressions remain fixed in that time. I even feel, at times, that the you in the album and the you I knew are two different people.

Do you ever have that feeling, Karen?"

Karen shook his head and replied, "No."

Eunice smiled and said, "So, in your eyes, there is no difference between the me of now and the me of the past?"

Another atmosphere-destroying vortex manifested.

"I prefer the you in Luoja City, when I drove Alfred's car to pick you up from the school gates after you finished your shift as a teacher."

"That time..."

"Because I miss the self of that time very much."

"Do you wish to return to the past, Karen?"

"The reason the past feels beautiful is precisely because one can never return to it."

"Yes, if you had followed the advice Lord Dis gave you and remained in Luoja City, your life would likely be very peaceful, and very beautiful."

"That would not do."

"Mm?"

"Then I would not have met you, and even if we had met, you would not have approached me from the very beginning with the purpose of marrying me, compelled by family pressure and arrangements.

In that case, from the moment I first took your hand, to holding you as we rode on horseback, and finally to now, with you feeding me grapes, it would have required far, far more effort, so very exhausting."

Had Karen followed Dis's advice and chosen to continue his life in Luoja City, then Allen Manor would have had no reason to appear.

Though Allen Manor and the Inmeles family had maintained a steady contact and connection due to Purr's existence, at that time... well, including the current Allen Manor, they simply lacked the qualifications to draw Dis's notice.

In Dis's earliest arrangements, Eunice's sole purpose was to deliver his grandson to Vien.

Dis had even spoken in advance, stating that once Karen arrived in Vien, Allen Manor could dissolve the betrothal with his grandson, needing only to soothe his grandson's emotions, for his grandson "could not bear to be wronged."

Yet perhaps even Dis himself had not foreseen, nor had Purr anticipated at the time, that Old Anderson would lead the direct lineage of the family to directly cede the position of patriarch to Karen the moment he arrived.

Twisting and turning to the present day, first the Raphael family, who posed a grave threat to Allen Manor, was exterminated due to their involvement in the Church of Order's Qihe case, followed immediately by the establishment of a trade route with Dark Moon Island under the tacit approval of the Church of Order, and Eunice's slumber and awakening had further graced this family with its current sole fifth-rank member...

In short, Allen Manor had washed away its decline, and everything was progressing toward the better; every single event that resolved a crisis or created an opportunity for development was inseparable from Karen's shadow.

When Old Anderson had struck his own son's face with his cane and led his family to bow before Karen, he had indeed brought his family back from the dead.

However, the more this was the case, the less the Allen Manor dared to urge Karen to complete the marriage from their perspective, because they had already received too much. Under the premise of an increasingly unbalanced gap in status between the two parties, they no longer possessed the right to make demands.

Eunice leaned down gently, bringing her lips close to Karen's ear, and whispered:

"Do you prefer the attire I wore when I was a teacher? Or, do you prefer the... atmosphere of me being a teacher back then?"

"The teacher, I like all of it."

...

"Listen to that, listen to that, you stupid dog, if you had half of Karen's, no, a tenth of his emotional intelligence, you wouldn't have degenerated to your current state."

Purr spoke as she ate grapes, spitting the seeds down onto Kevin's bald head.

Enduring the dual assault of grape seeds and mental torment, Kevin could only continue to lower his head in a pitiful display of grievance.

"Sometimes I wonder myself, how is Karen so good at this?"

"Woof~"

Kevin splayed his paws, indicating that he was equally curious.

"But when exactly can they give me a great-great-great-great-great-nephew."

"Woof."

"True, Karen's current state of health is not suited for breeding yet, lest it directly inflict a soul deficiency trait upon my unborn nephew, which would not be fun at all.

Mm, these grapes are quite delicious, stupid dog, do you really not want any?"

Kevin shook his head.

"Then I shall leave half a plate for you, how about you go to the roof alone tonight and eat them facing the moon?"

Kevin nodded.

"Heh, as expected, you need the proper atmosphere to eat fruit."

Kevin wagged his tail, his expression filled with anticipation.

"Alas, looking at you, sometimes I truly feel a sense of grievance on behalf of the God of the Sea."

Kevin laughed, laughing with pure delight.

Seeing this, Purr also smiled, saying, "Haha-meow, hit a nerve again, didn’t it? The Sea God is truly the unluckiest and most aggrieved main god in this world!"

"Woof, woof, woof!"

Just then, old Anderson personally carried the coffee in.

"Ancestor, your coffee."

"Good, thank you for your hard work, little Anderson."

"It is only my duty. By the way, Ancestor, regarding the family's financial accounts for this quarter, do you need to take a look?"

"What am I looking at it for, meow? Give it to Karen... never mind, he probably wouldn’t look either. Just follow the usual practice and send someone to deliver it to the Radio Goblin when the time comes."

"Understood. Mr. Alfred called earlier; he will be arriving at the manor tonight."

"Tonight?"

"Yes, this evening. Perhaps Mr. Alfred is concerned about his young master, after all, Master Karen has been back for some time now."

"Oh, that probably has nothing to do with Karen. Send someone... never mind, just like old times, you personally take your sons and grandsons to clean up the performance hall. Oh, and those hanging scrolls and banners from last time, set them back up."

"The same specifications as last time?"

"Exactly, that’s right."

"Yes, I understand. Rest assured, Ancestor, I will arrange it well."

"Mm, things like this will likely keep happening continuously in the future. Let me tell you, you can work on other things like business development or cultivating clan members, but the most important thing is this single rule. As long as Karen does not move the arrangements out of the performance hall, then absolutely no one can obstruct the future development of your Allen family."

Your Allen family?

Old Anderson dared not raise an objection, immediately nodding. "Yes, I understand. I will ensure the reception work is done well."

"The reception specification for Muri and Little Stone seems to be lower than mine and Karen's?"

"Uh... yes, but we have already entertained them with all our heart."

"Don't be stingy over such trivial matters. Remember, anyone who has ever been brought into the performance hall by the Radio Goblin is to be received by you according to the highest specifications. To put it even more bluntly, the meaning of the Allen Manor's existence in the future is, for one, to help Karen store those coffins, and for another, to help Karen entertain those people. Just treat the manor as a guesthouse designed exclusively for Karen and his circle. All family income can be poured into these two categories of expenses, do you understand?"

"Yes, understood."

Old Anderson walked out of the room, his head spinning slightly.

"Was I a bit too direct?" Purr asked Kevin.

Kevin shook his dog head. "Woof, woof."

"True, that’s what I think as well. The greatest difference between Karen and Dis is that Karen is willing to expend energy, and he personally likes to develop and manage his own circle and team. I quite like seeing this point; at least this way, he won't have to walk toward the same end as Dis. Dis had to face the pressure of the entire Church of Order all by himself. Karen... I feel that under the same circumstances, he wouldn't hesitate to split the Church of Order. It's quite good, meow, why should those who consider the bigger picture always suffer the loss!"

"Woof."

Purr pressed her paws back and forth on a wet towel several times, then grabbed another wet towel to wipe her mouth before immediately sitting down in front of the coffee cup:

"Oh ho ho ho, my coffee."

...

Inside the room, Karen sat in a wheelchair, facing the French window ahead.

Muri stood beside Karen.

"Captain, Mr. Alfred said he would arrive by evening, but it is already ten o'clock now."

"It's fine, I reckon he let Philomena drive the car."

"Oh, I see."

Beneath the French window, under the seemingly pitch-black night curtain, a row of candle flames glowed. Ventura was currently playing with Borg and Judia.

They were all children, playing children's games, which meant fireballs and ice blades flying all over the place.

Because of Purr, Ventura now had a new nickname in the squad called "Little Stone."

But in the eyes of Borg and Judia, Ventura was a bona fide big stone. Facing the attacks of both Judia and Borg alone, he not only blocked them all but would also send them flying from time to time.

Borg and Judia were both considered geniuses within family circles, but Ventura was a genius belonging to the church circle. Although he could not compare to the likes of Karen and Philomena, he was, after all, selected through the York City District selection, and he had personally bound a contract with a soul of the Church of Order inside the Gate of Reincarnation.

The level of the platform was different, and the corresponding level of genius was different as well.

However, Borg and Judia both possessed unyielding characters. Facing a peer, even if they were sent flying time and again, they would immediately wipe away the bloodstains from the corners of their mouths and actively charge up once more.

"You will be responsible for teaching Ventura in the future, focusing on combat techniques and methods."

"Yes, Captain."

Muri did not ask about Borg and Judia. As a descendant of the "Benda" family, his standards had actually always been very high.

"Captain, our group, its scale will become larger and larger, right?"

"Our purpose is not to expand the scale," Karen corrected. "As it stands now, I only hope to pull those who will not betray us into this collective of ours. As for programmatic matters, let Alfred handle them."

"Mr. Alfred is indeed very adept at these things."

"He simply likes doing them, haha. It has been this way since the very beginning; now, he has already restrained himself a lot compared to before."

"From the records in the *Light of Order* and the murals, it can be seen that back then, the attendants and knights around the God of Order shared a atmosphere that was pretty much identical to ours right now."

"The transition was too forced, the point was brought up too directly."

"Yes, subordinate will take note next time."

"I've been recuperating for

Old Anderson led his men forward, welcoming them with a warm, deferential enthusiasm.

"Is the auditorium ready, Mr. Anderson?"

"It is prepared, sir, in exact accordance with your previous instructions."

"Very well, I shall take the party inside first."

"Of course, sir. Right this way."

Alfred gestured toward Philomena, his voice cool and instructive. "You, come with me."

Philomena fell into step behind Alfred, crossing the threshold into the grand auditorium.

This cavernous hall had once been a monument to the capricious whimsy of Miss Pearl Allen; now, it had been repurposed into Cullen's mortuary repository and ideological propaganda center.

Having listened to Alfred's grand introduction regarding the occupants of those two coffins, Philomena inquired with a note of quiet curiosity, "What is the purpose of sealing them away here?"

"To await the day when the Young Master attains the zenith of his power, so that he might awaken them and grant them eternal life. Ah, yes, Madame Gandilo will also be taking up residence here in due course—the very woman we encountered in the deepest recesses of that ancestral cemetery."

"Cullen... granting them eternal life?"

"I am aware that from your current perspective, the loyalty you offer resembles a transaction, akin to the code of honor found within a brotherhood of righteous rogues. But what I am about to unveil to you belongs to an entirely different realm; your loyalty must transfigure into faith.

I am here to guide you, to show you a new object of devotion, an entity to be worshipped."

...

"Oh, that poor girl of the Velsher house, destined to have her soul warped tonight by the Radio Goblin. Alack, alas, what a tragic pity, meow."

Purr sat perched atop Kevin's back, delivering her lamentations with occasional theatrical dabs of her paw against her eyes, though not a single tear could be seen falling.

"Woof?"

"Oh, hush, I know you are impatient to go and feast on grapes with your goddess, but you have a role to play right now. The Radio Goblin has just finished washing that girl's mind, and it is best she sees you the moment she steps out.

You are an Evil God, after all—a living, breathing Evil God. Just wait a little longer, it should be wrapping up soon. Once you have stood your vigil, I shall reward you with a bottle of vintage wine, so you and your goddess can share a pleasant libation.

Be a good boy, do as you are told, and none of your petulance."

Purr massaged Kevin's bald patch with her soft paws, cooing to him with soothing words.

Just then,

Inside the auditorium, Alfred emerged, leading Philomena out into the light.

"Here they come, here they come. Silly dog, puff out your chest and receive the shock and adoration due from a new disciple, O Great Lord Ragnall!

Come now, let us see that pie chart of emotions reflected in your gaze."

Kevin instantly raised his canine head, his eyes projecting a meticulous blend of fifty percent arrogance, thirty percent restraint, and twenty percent detachment.

Philomena halted in her tracks, fixing her gaze upon the large golden retriever squatting before her, her eyes clouded with deep skepticism.

The girl stared at the dog, and the dog stared back at the girl.

Man and hound became locked in a prolonged, unblinking confrontation.

Kevin began to feel that the complex emotional pie chart in his eyes was collapsing under the strain; his canine vision grew terribly weary.

Sensing his majestic image was on the verge of faltering, Kevin gave a subtle flick of his tail against Purr's flank.

Purr turned to Alfred with a teasing smirk. "Radio Goblin, it appears your professional competence leaves something to be desired on this occasion."

Alfred shook his head, his demeanor unshaken. "Quite the contrary. I believe the results this time are exceptionally profound."

"Oh?" Purr looked toward Philomena with renewed curiosity. "Are you harboring doubts about Cullen's identity?"

Hearing this, Philomena shook her head, speaking with absolute serenity:

"I believe implicitly in the formidable power of Lord Dis; from my childhood, my grandmother recounted his legends to me without cease.

I believe Cullen is the great inheritor of the God of Order, for Cullen has appeared within my dreams. When the Chains of Order entwined his form, I clearly perceived a supreme aura that belonged uniquely to Order itself."

With these words, Philomena bent down, her eyes narrowing as she continued to scrutinize Kevin:

"What I truly find impossible to believe is that this thing could ever be an Evil God."

Ragnall: "..."