A New Beginning!

Karen opened his mouth to speak, but for a moment no sound came out. He could only take a deep breath and blink hard to keep tears from welling in his eyes. "Hello? This is Inmeles Funeral Parlor." On the other end of the line, Uncle Mason repeated the greeting. Karen’s gaze drifted over the portraits hanging on the study wall. There was a feeling known as homesick hesitation—if it had merely been a letter, it would have been fine, but the moment he heard that voice, the face of the man on the other end, his whole person, the people around him, the living room, the yard, the second-floor kitchen, the third-floor bedrooms... every emotion and scene flooded into his mind in an instant. Before this, Karen had never considered himself a sentimental person. He preferred to resolve and arrange his life with calm composure, even harboring a certain aversion to letting emotions sway his reason. Yet reality showed him that he was no exception. Just then, having received no response from Karen, Uncle Mason seemed to sense something. Lowering his voice, his tone laced with unmistakable excitement, he asked: "Karen? Is that you?" Karen gritted his teeth and finally spoke: "Uncle." "Oh, Karen! You're all right! You're fine, hahaha, you're fine! You're really fine!" Uncle Mason practically shouted on the other end. Karen could hear the clatter of leather shoes hopping excitedly against the floorboards through the receiver. "Uncle, I'm fine. I'm doing very well," Karen said. "Karen, are you in Wien now? Bah, listen to me asking silly questions—of course you're in Wien! You..." "Hello? Karen?" Aunt Mary's voice came over the line. "Karen? Is it really Karen?" "It's me, Auntie. How is your health—" "You heartless little brute! How could you wait until now to call home?! Did maggots eat your conscience?!" Aunt Mary erupted into curses over the receiver. Karen listened with a smile on his face. "All right, all right, that's enough, that's enough," Uncle Mason's voice chimed in. "Ask the boy about his life over in Wien." "Karen, how are you doing in Wien right now?" "Uncle, Auntie, there was an accident with the passenger ship earlier. We were rescued and brought ashore, and ran into a few complications, which was why I couldn't contact home. But everything is fine now. I've settled in, and life is back on track. In a couple of days, I plan to go look for a house." Karen omitted a great deal. When his uncle and aunt heard "plan to go look for a house," they tacitly refrained from prying into the details—they could fill in the blanks themselves. *Ah, the poor boy. He must have been mistreated at his fiancée's family. He must have suffered cold shoulders and contempt, which was why he decided to move out and buy a place of his own.* They did not want to pick at Karen's "wounds" by probing further. "Take care of the house as soon as you can. Oh, right, you said there was an accident on the ship—did you lose any of your documents or anything?" "No, they're all kept safely with me. The loan agreement is here, and so are the bankbook and the cash." "Phew, that's good, that's good. As long as you have money in hand, you have nothing to fear. Tomorrow I'll have your uncle wire some more money into your account." "Auntie, I have enough money on me." "It's definitely not enough. How could it be? You're a boy who cares about saving face; I know how you are." "How is everyone at home? How is your health?" "Your grandfather is still unconscious, but his breathing has been very steady," Aunt Mary said. "Your Aunt Winnie went to the nursing home to discuss a partnership, and Mina and the others aren't home, so they can't come to the phone to talk to you." "It's fine. Once I settle into a house and get a telephone installed, I'll call back," Karen said. "Mm. When the time comes, give us your address. We can write letters, send photos and care packages." "And canned herring, Karen!" Uncle Mason shouted in the background. "All right, Auntie." "Do you have anything else to say?" Aunt Mary asked Uncle Mason. Uncle Mason took the receiver. "Karen." "Uncle." "Believe in yourself. Have confidence in yourself." Karen was startled for a moment before realizing his uncle was comforting him, thinking he had been driven out by his fiancée's family. He could only chuckle and say, "All right, Uncle." From the other end came Uncle Mason summoning all his courage to holler: "Remember, the men of our Inmerlais family might lack money, might lack a career, but we will never lack women! Ouch!!!" Uncle had evidently received a vicious pinch from Aunt Mary. "Karen," Aunt Mary said, snatching the receiver back. "Auntie." "What your uncle said is right." "Ouch..." Even as Aunt Mary agreed with him, she gave the soft flesh at his waist another hard twist. "I won't try to persuade you to come right back. You must want to make your own way in Wien for a while. I support you, and you must believe that you'll definitely find that special girl who understands and appreciates you." "I've always believed that," Karen said. "All right, take care to rest well and stay safe over there." "You and Uncle take care of your health too, Auntie." The call ended. Alfred brought over a hot towel. Karen took it and wiped his face. "Young Master, when I went to the door just now to take the towel I had Boge prepare, I saw Mr. Bede waiting outside." "Mm, let him in." "Yes, Young Master." Alfred went to the study door, opened it, and ushered Mr. Bede inside. After a moment's hesitation, Alfred did not leave the room, instead standing with his back against the door. "Young Master Karen," Mr. Bede greeted him, casually pulling up a chair and sitting down. "You handled things very well," Karen remarked. "In fact, Mr. Bede, you have always been very capable." Mr. Bede smiled wryly. "Thank you for the compliment, but in truth, my abilities are genuinely limited—especially regarding this family. Oh no, I mean regarding the family as it was before. What I could do was truly very little." Karen nodded. For the Allen family in its previous state, resolving the crisis was not something a wise patriarch alone could have achieved. Whether it was the Raphael family closing in step by step or the Gloria family's calculated 'Black Seed' plan, what was needed was overwhelming, brute combat strength. Yet while Mr. Bede was competent in all other aspects, he simply could not fight. The head of the Raphael family had been slain by Diss, and Gloria IX had been dealt with by Count Rekar. Though both instances felt a bit like using a cannon to swat mosquitoes, Mr. Bede had been utterly powerless against those two mosquitoes. And when powerlessness is coupled with a degree of precognitive foresight, passivity becomes the only option left. "In two days, I'll be moving into York City." Since he was leaving, he naturally had to inform his host beforehand. "If Young Master Karen wishes to live in the city, I will immediately compile a list of our family's properties in York City and present it to you so you may choose in person." "There's no need. Before coming to Wien, my uncle and aunt prepared a home loan contract from the National Bank of Vien for me. I can afford to buy a house with a mortgage." Mr. Bede was momentarily at a loss for words, especially seeing Karen deliver the line with a confident smile. However, he quickly grasped the underlying logic and smiled: "I understand. Then I sincerely hope Young Master Karen can find a house that satisfies you with the best value for money. The Allen Consortium will not intervene." "Thank you for taking care of me at Allen Manor these past days." "No, it is Allen Manor that must thank you for your care, Young Master," Mr. Bede stood up and said earnestly. "Enough, there is no need for such formalities between our two families." "The warning Young Master Karen gave me last time—that I needed to catch the breath of the earth—now, after hearing your plans for yourself, I seem to have gained new insight from those words." "What insight?" Karen asked with curiosity. This 'prospective father-in-law' of his was a man capable of sitting face-to-face with Diss in conversation. He possessed many obvious flaws, but his virtues were undeniably extraordinary. If nothing else, the portrait he had painted for Karen alone—someone who, after just a few words, could grasp Karen's inner thoughts and depict them so intuitively—commanded awe for his innate artistic talent. "The Church of the Mural God has always been obsessed with painting murals for the gods, viewing it as the highest pursuit of art." "Mm." "I have begun to question this pursuit. Your choice to leave Allen Manor, Young Master Karen, surely stems from considerations along these lines as well, doesn't it?" "I am a God's Servant... oh, no, a God's Revelation. At this stage, I feel what I need to do is think more and observe more. Allen Manor is very comfortable to live in, but it isn't a great vantage point for observation. Or rather, I haven't reached the level where I need to observe this stratum—or perhaps I haven't reached the stage to observe this level." "You wish to observe city life, Young Master Karen?" "Yes. More specifically, to observe people." "I see. That happens to be a question I've been weighing back and forth in my mind as well. I have a faint feeling... is relentlessly chasing the aesthetic height of murals a misstep that leads to an extreme?" "Not quite a misstep." "Not a misstep?" Bede was surprised that Karen offered a negative. "I've read a bit of the Church of the Mural God's doctrines. As I see it, your church's pursuit is to record and pass down the history of the last era, or even the era before that, and times even more distant, through murals. You are contemporary artists, but at the same time, you are observers and chroniclers of history." "Yes, exactly. Your description is very accurate, Young Master." "So I think your method isn't wrong." "The method isn't wrong?" Mr. Bede caught the implication. "Then what is?" "I think perhaps the suppression of Rielsa by the God of Order brought centuries of paranoia and extremity to the Church of the Mural God. You mistook that for true beauty—a defiant, selfless dedication to art that insists on painting the scene in the face of brutal power. Yet it might be precisely this paranoia that has narrowed your vision on the path of art." "Narrowed?" "You're too fixated on recording history solely through 'murals of gods.'" "But if murals do not take 'gods' as their theme to record history, what else should they use?" "People." "People?" "People. Only people are the driving force that creates history." ... Two days passed. During those two days, Karen gave Eunice two more foot massages—once with her wearing black stockings, and once in white stockings. Perhaps because she knew her boyfriend was leaving soon, Eunice was noticeably more proactive. In addition, Karen shared a formal farewell dinner with the members of the Allen family. At dinner, he gave his reason for temporarily moving out of Allen Manor, saying he wanted to walk around more and observe the bustling streets of the city. Perhaps because this reason was too genuine, everyone present—save for Mr. Bede, who looked lost in thought—assumed it was a polite fabrication. They preferred to believe that Karen had other motives for leaving, or that the Inmerlais family had other arrangements. Karen could not be bothered to explain further. During the meal, he agreed to Old Anderson's request to stay in frequent contact with Allen Manor and promised to find time to visit often. ... This morning, before departing Allen Manor, Karen visited the Allen ancestral cemetery once more to pay his respects. Looking at the repaired pirate ship tombstone, a faint smile curved Karen's lips as he reached out and gently ran a hand over it. In truth, Karen had always been curious about one thing: had he managed to awaken Count Rekar because his ability had genuinely reached that level, or had Count Rekar's temperament made his corpse easier to awaken? After all, back then he had intended to awaken an ordinary Allen ancestor first to test the waters, never planning to pick someone famous in history—fame usually implied greater power. So, while it was true that awakening Count Rekar had resolved Allen Manor's crisis, had the 'flammable' Count Rekar also helped him gain crucial experience? For instance, during the awakening, the chains under Karen's feet had turned red. In plain terms, every skill required 'proficiency.' Just like repeatedly practicing the spell 'Spear of Punishment,' one had to succeed at least once to effectively reflect, summarize, and improve; without a single success, one would fall into a vicious cycle of self-doubt. So, had he and Count Rekar mutually fulfilled each other? Or perhaps... They simply shared a destined connection? Karen had brought two bouquets of flowers today. After setting one before Count Rekar's tombstone, he laid the other before Progenitor Allen's. None of the other ancestors received any. Evidently, one shouldn't dream that kicking the bucket is the end of everything—if you don't make something of yourself in life, you'll still be treated differently in death. Having finished paying his respects, Karen headed toward the car, only to find Madam Jenny standing by the car door. "Young Master Karen," Madam Jenny spoke first. "Madam." "Eunice..." Madam Jenny took a deep breath and continued, "Eunice... how do you plan to arrange things for her?" Strictly speaking, this was a question her husband should have asked. But Madam Jenny had noticed that her husband had spent the last few days muttering to himself in a trance-like state, his mental condition far from normal, so she, as the mother, had to ask on her daughter's behalf. "Her bloodline is currently awakening. I believe staying at home allows her to receive the best care." "What about later? I'm asking about later. I asked Lisa, and Lisa said Eunice will show clear improvement in two or three months and won't be so lethargic. In six months at most, she'll fully recover." "I will come back to the manor to visit her every month." "Mm. And after that?" "Once she has fully recovered, I will take her with me. She promised me, and I promised her." "Karen, should I believe you?" "You should believe in the upbringing of the Inmerlais family." Karen bowed slightly to Madam Jenny. Alfred opened the car door for him, and Karen stepped inside. The car was parked behind the castle. The Allen family saw Karen off with etiquette reserved for royalty. Alfred sat in the front passenger seat, while the driver was a member of the Allen family. Purr leaped onto Karen's lap. Having been out in the cold wind, Karen's hands were somewhat chilled, so he buried them in Purr's fur to warm them. Seeing this, the golden retriever leaned closer to Karen as well, silently suggesting its fur was thicker than a cat's and far better for warmth. But no matter how hard it wagged its tail, Karen chose to ignore it. Karen leaned back against the leather seat. "Let's go." "Yes, sir." The driver started the engine. As the car circled the castle toward the main gate, Old Anderson and the rest of the household stood there seeing them off. Karen did not roll down the window for a final farewell, but out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of two small figures standing by the third-floor study window. One was Judia, and the other was Boge. Purr's tail flicked up, only to be smoothed down again by Karen. As the car passed the auditorium, Alfred spoke up: "Young Master, you once said that place was best suited for a memorial hall." What a pity it had only hosted Prince Henry's funeral once. "There will be opportunities in the future," Karen said. "I think it will come in handy again. But the clients can't be as low-class as Prince Henry next time." A moment later, Karen added: "Most importantly, we can't pay for it out of our own pockets again." Then Alfred spoke again: "Young Master, once we reach the outskirts, we'll get off and have him drive back while we take a cab to a hotel. I've already arranged an appointment with a real estate agency. This afternoon, I'll first go inspect the suitable houses they listed. You can rest at the hotel, Young Master." "No need to rest. We'll go look together." "Understood, Young Master." "Keep our housing loan limit firmly in mind. Don't exceed it." "Of course, Young Master. There is one unfortunate piece of news I must share with you. The bankbook with the savings I brought to Wien seems to have been lost at some point. So from here on, we can only rely on the funds in your hands for living expenses, and on your family's loan quota to buy a house." "Heh." A smile appeared on Karen's face. "All right." The car continued along the road, pulling further and further away from Allen Manor behind them. Alfred switched on the car radio, and after a bit of tuning, a lively, breezy pastoral country song came through—'Hometown Girl, Wait for My Return.' At that moment, the golden retriever tapped Karen's knee with its paw. Karen looked down and saw a playing card held in its jaws. Reaching out, he took it—the Ace of Spades. Rolling down the window, Karen flicked the Ace of Spades outward. The Ace of Spades spun swiftly through the air, ultimately lodging right into a crack in the center of the road. This was a new beginning.