Chapter 50: Twilight of the Gods

Chapter 50: Twilight of the Gods

Eunice emerged. Today she wore a pink coat paired with leather boots, carrying a black women's handbag, her chestnut-colored hair cascading over her shoulders and shimmering with a gentle luster beneath the sunlight.

Her attire was truly perfect, always capturing and displaying that precise balance of mature grace and sweet innocence unique to her age.

Moreover,

the last time they had met, she was dressed in black—a protective hue meant to maintain distance.

It was easy to imagine that the last time she had been "arranged" for a blind date, her heart had actually harbored a degree of resistance.

But this time, she had chosen softer colors, signaling a subconscious desire to draw closer to him and a genuine fondness for the time they spent together.

Karen smiled faintly,

thinking that employing such "professional analysis" on his part was rather a mood-killer.

Though this was a blind date orchestrated by his grandfather, and judging by the attitude of Eunice’s mother, she too must have received directives from her family;

even so, Karen hoped to make everything unfold as beautifully as possible—out of responsibility to her, and to himself.

"Mr. Karen, you are here. Allow me to introduce you, this is my mother."

"But standing together, you two truly look like sisters."

This mother-in-law-flattering rhetoric, clichés worn thin in his past life, still retained a decent flavor of novelty in this era.

"Oh, ho, ho..." Madame Jenny could not help but burst into laughter once more.

"Mother, Mr. Karen is praising your youth."

"Of course, I understand," Madame Jenny instructed. "Stay safe."

"Mm."

Immediately following this,

Madame Jenny looked back at Karen, raising her hand to point at him, but seemingly realizing the impropriety of the gesture, she withdrew her finger and curled it into a fist instead:

"Before night falls, you must return Eunice to me safely."

"Rest assured, Madame."

Karen took the initiative to open the passenger door.

"Thank you."

Eunice seated herself inside.

Karen also slid into the driver's seat and started the car.

It was only when the car was about to drive out of Rhine Street

that Karen finally spoke:

"Oh, right, Mina had an upset stomach, so she couldn't make it."

"Oh..." Eunice covered her mouth, her face flushing slightly; by right, she should have been the one to ask this question first.

Karen observed her expression;

she puffed her cheeks out slightly,

and then said with great candor:

"I knew Mina wouldn't come."

"Yes, she is a sensible and obedient good sister."

"And my excellent student with outstanding grades."

Everyone was an "adult" now; some matters were understood perfectly well without being spoken aloud.

"By the way, I really liked the poetry collection of yours that Mina brought to me last time, Mr. Karen.

Summer birds fly to my window to sing, and fly away.

And autumn yellow leaves, which have no songs, flutter and fall there with a sigh.

A very beautiful artistic conception, Mr. Karen."

Last time, Eunice had gifted Mina a family-style wallet, so Karen naturally chose to return the gesture; the return gift was a cat-shaped pendant attached to an exquisite notebook.

Then, Karen had transcribed quite a few of Tagore’s poems inside the notebook.

"Thank you, but a person’s spirit does not always overlap with the person themselves, especially in the form of poetry, which is often just a momentary reverie. In truth, most of the time, I cannot sustain that state of mind.

It is much like how this world has wind, clouds, rain, fog, and frost; our lives are enriched by their embellishment, yet rendered complex by their presence, making it impossible to remain purely untainted forever."

"You speak so well, Mr. Karen."

"You can call me Karen, and I will call you Eunice."

"Alright."

"Mr. Karen... Karen, are you religious?"

From what he had gathered from Pur, the "Allen" family did not actually possess a specific religious heritage; the family was quite democratic regarding faith, meaning that once the children reached adulthood, they could choose their belief according to their own pursuits.

This differed from the prevailing custom of the day where an entire household adhered to a single faith.

"I am sorry, I have not yet found my faith. I feel that I can wait until I have walked a bit further, seen more scenery, matured a little more, and allowed myself to settle.

By then, I will probably have sufficient awareness to choose a faith that suits me."

"Really? It is the exact same for me, Karen."

"Is it? Then which church are you more interested in?"

"Hmm? Why ask me that?"

"I thought I could deepen my understanding of it."

"But shouldn't faith be searched for on one's own, just as you said, Karen? So, what you just said doesn't count anymore?"

"But I believe that the god I am destined to believe in will, at a time he deems appropriate, send a beautiful angel down to earth to grant me the torch of faith."

Eunice bit her lower lip slightly with her pearly teeth, holding back a smile.

Meanwhile, Karen silently offered an apology in his heart to Mr. Hoffen, who had just been buried this morning;

after all, by the bedside, he had nearly driven Mr. Hoffen half to death over the very topic of "faith."

But Grandpa Hoffen, newly laid to rest, would surely understand.

They arrived at the amusement park.

Karen parked the car in the parking lot, and a parking attendant walked over:

"Sir, hello, you need to pay the parking management fee first."

Karen fished a one-hundred-lube banknote from his pocket and handed it over; well, he had no small change in his pockets.

Furthermore, while driving earlier, he had noticed that Alfred had also left a stack of money in the drawer, entirely devoid of small change.

The attendant immediately beamed, displaying immense warmth as he said:

"Thank you, sir. This is your receipt, please keep it safe."

Cullen reached out to take the tickets,

looked at the attendant and asked,

"How much is the management fee?"

"It is five lubis, sir."

"Alright, sorry for the trouble, but could I have some change?"

"..." The attendant said nothing.

"I am terribly sorry, sir, but do you happen to have any small change on you? It seems I cannot break this bill."

"My apologies, I do not. However, if you could wait a moment, I will go over to that ice cream parlor to buy a cone and break the money."

"I have it here." Eunice opened her purse and drew out a five-lubi note.

Cullen naturally reached over to take it and handed it to the attendant, simultaneously pulling back the one-hundred-lubi note he had previously proffered.

"Which flavor of ice cream would you like?" Cullen asked Eunice.

"Strawberry."

"Alright, wait here for a moment."

Cullen jogged over, purchased a strawberry ice cream cone, and returned to hand it to Eunice.

"Are you not having any?" Eunice asked curiously.

"The weather is too cold; I do not feel like it."

Eunice thought nothing of it and took a lick. "I quite liked sitting by the fireplace in the deep of winter when I was a child, eating ice cream while listening to Grandfather tell stories."

"My grandfather liked taking me and Mina and the others to the mud ponds in the suburbs during summer to catch loaches."

"I imagine that must have been very interesting."

"Yes."

Imagining the scene of Diss catching loaches, Cullen also found it rather amusing.

The two bought their tickets and entered the amusement park.

The attractions inside the park seemed somewhat dull and tedious to Cullen; after all, it lacked the more thrilling rides he had been familiar with in his past life.

Yet the scenery within the park was quite lovely, possessing its own desolate charm even in the depths of winter.

Cullen and Eunice walked side by side along the park path, neither of them in any hurry to try the attractions.

For a long stretch of time, neither of them actually spoke, focusing instead on their stroll. Every now and then, Cullen would glance at Eunice, and Eunice would occasionally look back at him.

"What would you like to play?" Cullen asked proactively.

For they had nearly walked through half the amusement park.

"Anything is fine with me, what would you like to play?" Eunice asked.

Cullen pointed ahead and to the left, toward an attraction building topped with a skull sculpture.

"The haunted house, would you like to try it?"

"I am very timid, but I have actually always wanted to go in."

"Alright."

The haunted house ticket seller was a young man wearing clown makeup and holding a large balloon mallet.

"Five lubis a ticket for the two of you."

"Is it scary inside?" Cullen asked.

"No, no, no, not scary at all. Truly, it isn't frightening."

When handing the tickets to Cullen, the seller even winked at him, as if to say: Rest assured, it will definitely scare the lady beside you into holding you tight.

At the entrance, a man wearing a ghost mask collected the tickets and made a gesture inviting them inside.

Cullen and Eunice stepped into the haunted house. It began as a rather narrow and long tunnel, a classic haunted house design, where "little ghosts" poked their heads out from time to time to make noises and startle visitors.

Cullen appeared very calm.

This was not an act; it was simply that after experiencing dead people crawling back to life so often recently, his threshold had naturally become higher.

What surprised Cullen slightly was that Eunice also appeared very composed, even reaching out with great interest to touch a wooden "ghost face" that popped out.

However, it was evident that this was likely her first time in a haunted house, so she was filled with curiosity regarding the decorations and layout inside.

Thus, throughout the entire first half, the two of them walked through as though they were merely taking a tour.

Ahead lay a red single-log bridge hung with red lanterns, beside which gusts of air blew out from time to time.

In truth, if one looked closely, cushions could be seen beneath the bridge, and the height was not substantial, but combined with the atmosphere, the effect was quite good.

Cullen walked in front and naturally extended his hand. Eunice did not hesitate, placing her hand in Cullen's as they crossed the bridge together.

Halfway across, the rush of air suddenly intensified, like the industrial blowers found in factory workshops, blasting fiercely against them... in fact, Cullen could already hear the whirring of the large fan blades.

Eunice was blown slightly off balance. Cullen took the opportunity to put his arm around her waist to help steady her, and the moment he did so, the blower immediately weakened.

Cullen suspected that the ticket seller was likely hiding in some corner, peeking at them.

Not bad; this quality and level of service could rival that of the Inmmeles family.

The latter half of the haunted house featured more religious elements, with various religious tortures on display.

Eunice also seemed to suddenly realize she ought to be frightened, and so she became frightened.

She let out soft gasps of alarm from time to time, and Cullen's hand remained on her waist to give her a sense of protection.

Finally,

The two emerged back into the light of day.

Eunice adjusted her hair, and Cullen naturally withdrew his hand.

The ticket seller holding the balloon mallet walked over and asked,

"Would you two like to buy some souvenirs to take back?"

With that, he opened a box in front of him, filled with very cute skull accessories, crafted in a cartoonish and adorable style.

Cullen selected two cute skull keychains.

"Fifty lubis, thank you."

Cullen paid the money.

This was for the hard work, and it was only right to give it.

"Cullen, were you not afraid?" Eunice asked curiously.

"I was terrified," Cullen replied.

"Then how is it that one could not tell at all?"

"I was merely forcing myself to hold it together, haha."

"Haha."

If it had been designed as the Bridge of Helplessness, the Halls of Yama, or the Ox-Headed and Horse-Faced demons plunging souls into boiling cauldrons, he might have felt a prickle of nervous dread, but he simply lacked the cultural resonance for the religious horrors that dominated the latter half of the attraction.

Ahead stood a small park snack shack specializing in meatballs, which looked to Karen a bit like oden.

Each holding a paper cup, the two of them loaded up on food, and after settling the bill, they sat down on a nearby bench.

"There is a cinema nearby. Shall we catch a movie in a bit?" Karen asked.

"Alright, I will follow your lead."

Once they finished their snacks, Karen and Eunice left the amusement park, and after about a ten-minute drive, they arrived at the cinema.

Karen let Eunice choose the film, and she selected a comedy that was just about to start.

After buying popcorn and orange juice, Karen and Eunice made their way inside.

There were plenty of empty seats, leaving them free to sit wherever they pleased.

The movie soon began—a romantic comedy—and aside from Karen and Eunice, the few other pairs in the audience were also young couples.

Karen ate a piece of popcorn; yes, the taste was quite pleasant.

Then, quite naturally, he pinched a piece of popcorn and offered it to Eunice's lips; without the slightest hesitation, she opened her mouth and ate it.

Karen withdrew his hand.

A memory suddenly drifted into his mind of Ron once describing the sheer joy of eating popcorn at the movies.

But such a boisterous pleasure would, in truth, disrupt the atmosphere of the present moment.

As the screening concluded, Karen and Eunice walked out of the cinema together.

Their next destination, chosen by Karen, was a nearby restaurant that specialized in local Logia cuisine, selected primarily for its lovely setting right by a river.

Once they were seated, the waiter handed the menu to Eunice first, but she passed it along to Karen.

"You order, please."

Karen selected a few dishes and handed the menu back to the waiter, and once the man had departed, Karen murmured softly,

"Actually, the food here is rather ordinary."

Eunice responded in an equally hushed tone,

"To be honest, I really wanted to taste that... pickled cabbage fish dish you made last time."

Pity, for that happened to be her ancestor's absolute favorite.

The food arrived shortly, and the two conversed as they dined.

Karen possessed the ability to keep the conversation flowing at a pace that was entirely comfortable for his companion, ensuring no awkward silences ever bloomed.

By the time they finished their meal, the sky had grown dark, and Karen drove Eunice back to Rhine Street, pulling up before the gates of her home.

Karen stepped out of the car first, but before he could make it around to open her door, Eunice had already stepped out herself.

Then, quite naturally, they both opened their arms slightly and shared a brief embrace.

"I had a wonderful time today. Thank you, Karen."

"I enjoyed myself as well."

Quiet and serene, devoid of conflict, unexpected turnabouts, or any burning passion; for the most part, the two of them appeared rather reserved.

But this was precisely the rhythm of ordinary life, was it not?

They parted just as naturally, and Eunice smiled. "Whenever I am with you, I always feel a profound sense of comfort."

"As do I."

"Then I shall head inside; Mother must surely be waiting for me."

"I suspect the Madame is standing behind the living room window watching us this very moment."

"Ah?"

Karen opened his arms once more and gave Eunice another gentle embrace.

"Karen, I suddenly feel so nervous."

Karen chimed in once again, "As do I."

If you were holding that cat right now, you would probably feel even more nervous.

They parted for a second time.

Eunice pushed open the courtyard gate and stepped inside the house.

"So you embraced, did you?" Madame Jenny spoke with a smile from where she sat on the sofa.

"Mother, why haven't you turned on the lights?"

"I was afraid my shadow casting through the French curtains might catch your eye and disturb your embrace.

How did it feel, my dear daughter, after a whole day out on a date?

I suspect that young man is quite adept at pleasing girls, and surely charmed you in circles with his sweet talk."

Eunice shook her head.

She said,

"I do not think so. I find him very steady and yet quite witty; being with him gives me a feeling similar to being with Father.

So, Mother, please do not hold a prejudice against him, even though he is indeed very handsome."

Hearing this, Madame Jenny

let out a deep sigh,

and rested her hand against her forehead.

"Mother, are you unwell?" Eunice stepped forward out of concern.

"No, it is just that back then, after my date with your father, I described him to your grandmother in the exact same words—steady and quite witty, with the presence of a father.

Only later did I realize

that men like your father are, in truth, the real masters of the craft."

"But I feel that you and Father have been very happy together, Mother."

"That much is true. Still, it is just as well; it seems you have a good impression of your blind date. I was originally trying to find a way to write a letter to decline your grandfather's arrangement, even if it meant facing your grandfather's stern face upon our return to Wien."

"So, is our family old friends with his?"

"Yes, it began with one of your great-great-great-great-grandaunts.

Ever since her time, our family has maintained relations with his.

Your father originally met me in Logia City when he came from Wien to visit his family, and then he brought me back to Wien."

"So, his family counts as a matchmaker for you and Father?"

"My daughter, I think during your next date, you might try asking him if he would be willing to follow you back to Wien just as I followed your father back then. Your grandfather seems to have that intention."

"I feel that he is a man of strong independence; he likely would not agree to it."

Eunice then walked into the washroom.

Lady Jenny lit a cigarette of her own accord,

Blowing out a puff of smoke,

Smilingly saying:

"If he didn't agree, how could he have taken the initiative to ask you out on a date."

...

After seeing Eunice home, Karen prepared to head back to his own place. Just as he sat in the car, a "Caiman" pulled up beside him:

"Karen?"

"Mr. Piaget."

"Are you here to see me?" Piaget asked with a smile.

"Yes, but you weren't home just now, so I was about to head back."

"But I am back now."

...

Karen entered Piaget's home once again;

"Are you hungry? Shall I call 'Linda' to prepare dinner?"

"Not hungry, I came over after having eaten, no need to trouble her."

After all, dressing up was quite tiring too.

"Alright, wait a moment, I will go brew some coffee, it'll be ready very soon."

"Do you know how to brew it?" Karen asked.

Piaget laughed,

Saying:

"I know what you mean, I can brew it. Rest assured, it really is very fast."

"Alright."

Piaget walked into the kitchen.

Karen, meanwhile, spotted an easel in the living room. There were brushes and a palette on the floor, and the easel was covered with a white cloth.

Seeing this, Karen could not help but recall those religious paintings he had seen on the second floor of Piaget's house last time, as well as that sequence which bordered on a shocking coincidence.

Therefore,

This painting,

I had better not look at it.

Piaget walked out carrying the coffee, and seeing Karen standing before the easel, he said:

"This is 'Linda's' latest work. Come, admire it for a moment."

Before Karen could decline, Piaget had already uncovered the white cloth, and the content of the canvas was completely revealed.

It was discernable that the distant surroundings of this painting were not yet finished, but the content of the central area was nearly completed.

In the painting was a high tower,

Upon the high tower stood a man,

Dressed in a luxurious white robe encrusted with many gems.

The man held something resembling a crown in one hand, while his other hand held a scepter,

His hair disheveled,

Facing the canopy of heaven, his mouth open, as if crying out something.

"This is..."

Piaget introduced: "I was also curious about what 'Linda' was painting here, so I looked up a lot of information these past few days. In fact, the reason I wasn't home earlier was because I spent the entire afternoon in the city library.

And then, I found it.

The person in the painting is the last pope of the Church of the God of Light, known as the Mad Pope.

He once stood atop the high tower of the Temple of Light,

And cried out a single sentence:

I do not believe that there truly is a God of Light in this world.

In the eyes of religious historians, this action of his was equivalent to tolling the final death knell for the Church of the God of Light."

Piaget handed the coffee to Karen,

Continuing:

"Therefore,

I have given this painting a name:

'The Twilight of the Gods.'"