Chapter 46: Ancestors

Chapter 46 Ancestor

"You cannot be joking, my dear Lord Evil God."

"What do you think?"

"I think even an evil god wouldn't force a cat to eat oil-splashed noodles, let alone with garlic."

Karen reached out and stroked Purr's head, and Purr rolled her eyes at him.

"Quite beautiful, much more beautiful than I had anticipated."

Why society always emphasized inner beauty was because, fundamentally, this was a world that judged by faces.

"I was even more beautiful than her back then," Purr insisted stubbornly.

"Do you have a photo?"

"Cameras hadn't been invented yet, but I should have murals."

"Where?"

"Let me think, they should still be preserved within the dungeon of Castle Allen."

"Allen?"

"That is my family surname."

"A family of cat demons? Oh no, a family of aberrant demons?"

"If I used an aberrant demon family to describe the Inmeles family, would you feel pleased?"

"I don't hold any prejudice against aberrant demons," Karen said.

"You can understand it as a family larger, more populous, and with a longer heritage than the Inmeles family.

Out of respect for you, I didn't use the word 'ants' to compare the Inmeles family to mine."

"Very well." Karen nodded. "So what about now? Has the lineage broken?"

"Why would you think that?"

"Because families that generally like to contrast their own greatness against ants have basically vanished into the long river of history."

"Damn it, I'm beginning to wonder if Dis buried a dead grandson the last time he went to Berwin, and then brought home another long-lost twin grandson.

Do you know,

the tone you use when speaking to me sometimes is exactly the same as Dis in his youth.

Conversely, the previous 'Karen', I did not like.

Lunt, I don't like him either.

I always feel like they just can't be brought up to the banquet table."

"Alright."

"So, sometimes I can understand why Dis likes you so much. Do you know, there is actually a kind of inheritance in this world that is valued even more and is tighter than blood lineage."

"I can understand."

"You really can understand?"

"Yes."

Karen knew that Purr was referring to the concept of a mantle disciple.

"But the problem now is, Dis doesn't seem to have any intention of letting me join the church; he seems more like he's arranging for me to take a wife and bear children.

I can understand an elder's hope for the family to branch out and multiply, but I still feel it's a bit too fast."

Purr tilted her head, asking in confusion:

"You only need to be responsible for being comfortable, what hardship are you suffering?

Even after the child is born, you can throw it to Dis to raise, or you can throw it to Mary.

A person like Mary will definitely shout: Oh my god, having to raise another child again!

But believe me, she will definitely still take care of it with all her heart.

Dis has always had good vision in choosing a daughter-in-law."

"Then what about Aunt?"

"Winnie, don't look at how quiet she is now, she was extremely rebellious when she was young. She successfully broke free from Dis's 'bonds' and 'demon claws' to run toward the happiness she wanted;

and then, the marriage shattered, and she got divorced."

"Truly a sad story."

It was hard to imagine that the aunt, who currently managed the household accounts and spoke and acted with great composure, also had a side that broke feudal patriarchal rules to bravely pursue happiness in the past.

Karen washed his hands and wiped them with a towel.

Purr continued to follow beside him, saying, "I think that young lady downstairs is very nice."

"I feel like no one seems to be doubting that."

"No, no, no, I am talking about temperament, temperament, her temperament makes me very comfortable."

"She hasn't even entered the house yet, and you already feel her temperament? A cat's exclusive intuition?"

"This is the sharp gaze of an elder, do you understand!"

"Alright, alright." Karen began to walk downstairs.

Purr followed down along the stair railing:

"A young lady with this kind of good temperament is suitable for breeding and raising children."

Hearing this, Karen opened his hands and said:

"The version I heard is that those with large hips seem more suitable."

"That is shallow! That can only give birth to healthy babies!"

"Only?"

"Yes, what's the fun in that kind of purely healthy baby? If you are going to give birth, you must give birth to the kind of baby whose constitution is more suitable for accepting purification and easier to channel the power of faith. That is what you call a good baby."

"Your phrasing..."

"So, there is no problem, I think you can win her over and let her bear your children!

The bloodline of Inmeles, the bloodline of Dis, and yours, it would be a real pity if it isn't passed down."

Karen stopped his steps, looked at Purr, and asked:

"You never married, did you?"

"I am a cat now, how can I marry?"

"I mean, back when you were still a human, you never married either, right?"

"Uh..."

"And you never dated either, right? Never liked a member of the opposite sex, right?"

"Er... shut up!"

"I knew you hadn't."

"Do you even know how many suitors pursued me back then? I was a legend in my youth, the dream lover of countless brilliant young talents."

"But you still have never been in love."

"I—"

"So, in your eyes, whenever a man and a woman spend time together, it is solely for the purpose of producing offspring?"

"Should it not be? Don't tell me it is for the sake of romance?"

"Fine, there is no reasoning with you."

Karen felt that perhaps because Purr had been a cat for too long, her mind had conflated the concept of 'love' with that of 'mating';

moreover, since the breeding of cats and dogs required selective pedigree matching, she was subtly and subjectively influenced by that mentality.

"I am doing this for your own good. Believe me, Karen, the aura of that young lady is truly distinct."

"Are you suggesting she is an aberrant demon?"

"She is not an aberrant demon, that I can guarantee, but her very appearance makes me feel incredibly comfortable, most agreeable to the eyes. A person like that must possess immense innate spirituality."

Purr leapt directly onto Karen's shoulder, batting at his cheek with her soft paws:

"She could bear you excellent descendants for the Evil God!!!"

Karen reached up, plucking the inexplicably agitated black cat from his shoulder and casting her aside:

"You are truly more of an old grandmother than those gossiping matrons who do nothing but stare at young girls' backsides."

Landing upon the steps of the staircase, Purr cried out:

"In terms of age, I am far older than her grandmother's grandmother."

"You have never borne children yourself, have you?" Karen inquired.

"No."

"So did your lineage die out simply because you failed to cultivate excellent descendants?"

"My family was hardly lacking for descendants just because of me, damn it! My clan is vast; you ought to worry about the Inmales family instead!"

Karen waved a hand, disinclined to pay the cat any further heed.

Stepping out of the parlor and into the courtyard, he found the young lady in the long black dress had already opened the gate and entered on her own. Upon spotting Karen, she spoke with deep apology:

"I am terribly sorry. I assumed no one was home, so I took the liberty of opening the gate to come in and take a look."

"The apology should be mine; I failed to come out and welcome you in a timely manner. You must be Miss Eunice, Mina's teacher?"

"Indeed, I am Mina's mathematics teacher. And you are Mina's brother?"

"Yes, I am. You may call me Karen."

"Very well, Karen."

"Please, come in."

"Thank you."

"Mina never mentioned to me that her mathematics teacher was quite so beautiful."

"Mina never told me either that she possessed such a handsome brother."

"Please, have a seat."

"Thank you kindly."

"Would you prefer coffee or black

Her grandmother's funeral must have been held at the Inmerles residence.

"She was a very kind and gentle elderly lady," Karen said.

Though, in truth, he had no memory of her at all.

"You haven't had lunch yet, have you? May I have the honor of inviting you to join me?"

"Would it be no trouble?"

"None at all."

Karen led Eunice up to the second floor.

Purr still lay sprawled across the banister.

Stepping forward, Eunice took the initiative to gather Purr into her arms.

"What a lovely little cat. Her fur is so remarkably smooth."

Karen felt a prickle of surprise; Purr seemed completely unopposed to nesting in Eunice's embrace.

As if sensing Karen's gaze, the cat deliberately kneaded Eunice's chest with her paws.

Then, she threw Karen a pointed look.

Karen thought the cat had utterly lost her mind today.

It was only the knowledge of her female nature that saved her from being tossed straight out the window.

"Please, have a seat. It will only be a moment."

"Do you require any assistance?"

"Only your assistance in tasting it a short while from now."

"Very well. Thank you for your trouble."

Eunice set Purr down upon the dining table, then instinctively propped her cheek in her hand, watching Karen as he stood in the kitchen.

Purr crouched beside Eunice's face, her eyes darting first to Karen, then back to Eunice.

In her heart, she thought:

"Look at you, completely smitten. What does it matter if he's a high school dropout, so long as he is handsome enough? What does it matter if he is younger than you? None of it matters.

Ah,

what superficial creatures humans are."

Karen emerged from the kitchen carrying a basin of fish with pickled mustard greens, placing it in the center of the table.

"What manner of dish is this? I have never seen anything like it. Oh, it smells wonderful," Eunice remarked.

"Fish with pickled greens. It sharpens the appetite and goes well with rice."

"I should like to try it at once."

"No, this is not for us. It is for her." Karen pointed to Purr on the table.

Upon hearing these words, a brilliant light instantly ignited in Purr's eyes.

Karen produced a triangular kerchief and tied it around Purr's neck, then pushed the basin of fish before her, offering a quiet warning:

"Careful, it is hot."

Purr looked at Karen, then at Eunice, thinking to herself:

"What are you still waiting for? To bear children for the Lord of the Evil Gods is your supreme glory!"

Karen brought out two bowls of noodles from the kitchen, the chili flakes and sundry seasonings piled high upon the very top.

"Must they be tossed together?" Eunice asked with curiosity.

"No, wait just a moment."

Karen fetched a large ladle of shimmering hot oil from the kitchen, pouring it first into Eunice's noodle bowl, and then into his own.

"Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle..."

To anyone with a fondness for wheaten dishes, that particular sound was the truest music on earth.

"Allow me to mix it for you."

Using a pair of chopsticks, Karen began to toss the noodles for Eunice.

"What kind of utensils are these?"

"They are chopsticks. I am accustomed to dining with them."

"They appear quite novel and convenient, and they are rather exquisite as well."

Karen had originally fashioned a pair of bamboo chopsticks, whittling them himself, but Alfred had later commissioned ten pairs of silver chopsticks for him, modeled after that identical style.

"Would you care to try them?"

"I would."

"Here."

Eunice took up the chopsticks. To Karen's slight surprise, though her movements were visibly clumsy, she did indeed succeed in delivering the noodles to her mouth.

"It is delicious. I quite like the flavor and the texture. I heard from your aunt that you are very fond of cooking."

"Yes, I believe that a happy life can never be separated from good food."

"I also enjoy sampling the culinary delights of various regions. There are many restaurants in Wien offering the flavors of other nations, and I like to go and try them."

"Trust me, those establishments are almost certainly unauthentic."

Karen seated himself as well and began to eat his noodles.

Eunice took a bite, watched Karen for a moment, and then took another bite.

Purr, who was busy devouring her fish, raised her head and caught sight of this display.

Silently, she pushed a large clove of garlic, which she had previously peeled with her feline paws, right before Eunice.

What are you staring at? Eat your garlic!

"Oh?"

Eunice noticed the garlic that had been nudged toward her by the cat.

Karen reached out, picked up a clove, and bit directly into half of it, chewing as he swallowed a great mouthful of noodles.

Ah.

Garlic would forever be the supreme companion to noodles.

"Is this meant to be eaten together with the dish?"

"Yes."

Emulating Karen's manner, Eunice took a bite. Instantly, the sharp heat forced her eyes shut. Finding no water near at hand, she instinctively used the noodles to smother the fire.

"My, that is exceedingly spicy."

It took a good while for Eunice to collect herself, staring at the remaining half of the garlic in her hand, before plunging it into the noodles and sweeping both into her mouth together.

"Mmh, I think I'm starting to rather enjoy this sensation."

"As am I."

Karen said, his gaze fixed upon Eunice.

Beside them, Purr suddenly felt the massive, fragrant bowl of pickled cabbage fish before him lose all its savor.

He stealthily reclaimed a clove of garlic with a paw and took a sharp bite:

"Meow!!!"

Once the noodles were finished, Eunice insisted on clearing the dishes, and Karen relented.

Following that,

The two of them naturally sat face-to-face, drifting into conversation.

It was mostly Eunice speaking while Karen listened and offered harmonies; after all, disarming another's defenses and drawing them into a delightful, open dialogue was precisely Karen's forte.

From their discourse, Karen gleaned that Eunice's family circumstances must be exceedingly grand;

She mentioned injuring herself while riding a horse in her backyard as a child—which meant her family possessed an estate with its own stables right within the Wien capital of York City.

She mentioned staying on Rhine Street now just to keep her mother company—which meant, rather than bothering to rent, they had simply purchased a residence outright on Rhine Street in the aristocratic district of Lodz City.

When the topic turned to art, she cited several examples, such as the attire of the princess and the queen and the paintings they admired, implying she regularly encountered the Queen and Princess of Wien—and not from a distant glance during official ceremonies.

One had to consider that, unlike the Ruilan royal family who had degenerated into endorsing clothing brands, the royal house of Wien still wielded immense political influence.

Throughout this exchange,

Purr remained perched nearby, head drooping as he watched them:

How much longer do you two intend to chatter?

How can you possibly find more things to say?

Why not head up to the third-floor bedroom for a pleasant game of poker?

And furthermore,

Why not attempt to manufacture a baby to add some interactive flavor to your topics?

Ah,

The scent clinging to this young lady makes me feel so terribly comfortable; how I long to see your belly swell, and then give birth to a spiritually gifted babe for me to play with.

As the sky gradually darkened,

Eunice glanced out the window, murmuring in surprise:

"I am truly so embarrassed, I had no idea it had grown this late; please forgive me, I usually do not speak this much, but for some reason, I simply could not stop myself while talking with you today."

Purr lowered his eyelids in a cynical droop: Because you crave him!

"I, too, am delighted to have conversed with you; it has been a thoroughly enchanting encounter."

"Yes, I feel precisely the same way."

Eunice looked at Karen, then drew a pink wallet from her feminine handbag:

"This is a gift I brought for Mina."

"Wonderful, thank you; I shall express our gratitude to you on Mina's behalf."

Karen placed the pink wallet upon the dining table, then accompanied Eunice downstairs to see her off as she hailed a cab by the roadside.

Indeed, it was not that Karen was unwilling to drive the lady home, even though the household had just acquired a new carriage...

After watching Eunice depart in the taxi,

Karen turned back into the house and ascended to the second floor.

Upon the dining table, Purr was fiddling with the pink wallet, which bore a unique logo.

Karen picked up a glass of water from the table, took a sip, and inquired:

"What brand is it?"

Purr raised his head blankly, staring at Karen:

"Great-grandmother's great-grandmother, great-grandmother's great-grandmother...

No,

Dis,

Damn it,

Dis did this on purpose, he absolutely did it on purpose, Dis arranged all of this, damn it!"

"What is the matter with you?"

"You are not allowed to touch her, Karen, absolutely never!

I beg of you, by no means must you, by no means!

O Great Evil God,

You absolutely must not touch her, you cannot!

Please stay away from her, stay away from her forever!!!"

"Has something gone awry with your brain today?" Karen asked in perplexity, "Should I take you to a veterinary clinic for an examination?"

Purr pointed a paw at the distinctive emblem emblazoned upon the pink wallet,

And shrieked:

"This Miss Eunice, she... she is a descendant of my family!!!"