After half a month, the renovation of Pavaro Funeral Parlor had finally concluded, giving Dinkum and Pike a much-needed chance to catch their breath.
That morning, each sat on a small stool by the parlor entrance, a bottle of soda resting before them.
"Dinkum, I just realized something."
"What's that?"
"If the God of Order ever decides He has no use for me, I won't starve to death. I could become a mason."
"You can go right now. The great God of Order probably wouldn't notice losing an insignificant God's Servant."
"What about you?" Pike asked. "Do you miss the old days?"
"I don't know. Things might have been easy back then, but it was its own kind of torment. We're a lot busier now, but at least I feel a sense of fulfillment."
"So you've fallen in love with masonry work too!"
Dinkum picked up his soda, took a sip, and couldn't be bothered to entertain his companion.
Just then, a luxury car pulled up before the parlor.
The female driver wore form-fitting black leather, complete with a nose ring and a lip ring.
Pike let out a gasp. "Oh, she's gorgeous!"
Seeing Dinkum offer no reaction, Pike pressed on, "I'd gladly prostrate myself at her feet, lick her boots, and take every lash of her whip!"
Dinkum sighed. Then the door opened, and an intellectual-looking woman in professional attire stepped out. She lightly tossed her hair back, and Dinkum felt his own heart flutter, his mouth instantly running dry.
Immediately after, a familiar figure stepped out of the vehicle.
Both women greeted him warmly.
The blazing flames that had just flared up in Dinkum and Pike were extinguished in a flash.
Together, the two men raised their bottles, took a deep gulp, and let out a simultaneous burp. Every improper thought vanished on the wind with that single belch.
Right afterward, both sprang to their feet. One grabbed a broom and began sweeping the ground, while the other picked up a rag to wipe down the doors and windows.
As Karen approached, their faces lit up with the bright, radiant glow of honest labor:
"Boss, you're back!"
"You've returned, Boss!"
"You two have worked hard these past days." Karen nodded to them.
"Not at all, it's our duty, our duty!"
"Yes, this is merely what we ought to do."
"Mm."
Karen gave them a nod, carrying a travel bag in hand and a long case on his back as he headed toward the backyard.
Earlier outside, he had noticed an unpermitted extension built onto the side of the storefront. It looked quite good, offering an extra functional room; however, what he cared about most was the backyard, as that was his living space.
Stepping into the courtyard, Karen was first greeted by a circular flowerbed planted with a variety of transplanted blooms, lending the space a vibrant air.
The layout within resembled a traditional courtyard residence.
"Young Master." Alfred emerged from the kitchen and naturally took the bag from Karen's hand and the case from his back. "May I show you around?"
"Sure."
"This is your master bedroom, Young Master."
Alfred opened the door to reveal a spacious suite. Just inside was the first compartment, equipped with a shoe cabinet and wardrobe, as well as a roomy dog bed on the floor.
Past that was a large bed, built low to the floor with steps leading up to it.
In addition, two doors stood inside: one opened into an en-suite bathroom, providing Karen's master bedroom with private facilities.
The other door led into the adjoining study—which, of course, had its own front entrance, making this an inner passage.
The study's decor was rustic yet exquisite, reflecting the great effort Alfred had poured into it.
Noticing the bookshelves already filled, Karen asked, "You've moved the books over?"
"Yes, Young Master. All the books from the study in the Allen Apartments have been relocated."
"Mm."
Karen sat behind the desk and spotted his black notebook resting on the tabletop in its wooden box.
"I'm very pleased, Alfred."
"Your satisfaction is the very purpose of my existence!"
"So you've all moved in already?"
"Yes, Young Master."
"Where are Purr and Kevin?"
"They are in the young ladies' room examining them. They just prescribed a new medicinal bath and are testing it now. Mrs. Lake and Xili are keeping them company. Shall I call them over?"
"No need. By the way, open that long case."
"Right away, Young Master." Alfred opened the long container, which held the Sword of Arius. "Young Master, this sword is unquestionably a top-tier sacred relic!"
"It is."
It was Ophelia's personal blade—how could it be anything less?
Karen then recounted the events of recent days to Alfred. According to the household's tradition, once one person was told, it became their duty to relay the information to the others, saving the young master from having to repeat himself.
During the recounting, however, Karen omitted the emotional aspects he deemed irrelevant.
"So, Dark Moon Island now considers you an insider who has infiltrated the Church of Order?"
"Mm, presumably so."
"Though it is a misunderstanding, if they serve you faithfully, they will surely be grateful for this decision in the future."
"Tone down that manner of speaking. We're at home, after all."
"Understood, Young Master. Perhaps being separated from you for so long created a bit of distance; I will adjust immediately."
"Heh."
"Oh, Young Master, I will have a custom sword box made to house this blade."
"Good. It's very useful to me and can greatly amplify my Dark Moon Blade, but I can't carry it on me daily. I'll take it along when matters require it."
"Rest assured, Young Master. I will carry the sword case for you in the future."
Karen unzipped his bag and produced nearly twenty-five thousand Order coupons, setting them all before Alfred.
This sum included the reward for the security assignment, the bounty for resolving that night's incident, the compensation for handing over the copper coins, and the prize from Ophelia's gift box—all obtained and divided among the squad;
however, half of it came from fencing that night's "spoils" on the black market, not even counting the Sawa-7 pistol Fanny would hand over once modified, or the healing potions Karen had requested for himself.
On one hand, this demonstrated how stingy the Church of Order was with rewards; on the other, it proved just how ferocious Neo's hound squad truly was.
Perhaps more than mission rewards, they valued the opportunity to legally haul in illicit gains on the side while executing orders.
"Whoa..." Alfred stared at the mountain of point coupons. "Young Master, do Whip of Order squads really earn such high stipends?"
"It depends on their tier. Neo's squad is different from the rest."
"I see."
"All right, I'll go see how Purr and the others are doing."
Karen stepped out of the study and crossed over to the opposite side. Pushing open the bedroom door, he found a similar compartment layout, though much smaller than his own master suite. Kevin was crouched there; seeing Karen return, he actively trotted over, resting his paws on Karen's thigh and begging for head pats.
After patting the dog's head, Karen asked, "What are you doing out here?"
"Woof! Woof! Woof!"
"Oh, I don't understand."
Kevin was not surprised, even offering an understanding doggy grin.
Karen reached out to turn the knob of the inner room, only to find it locked from the inside. Just as he raised his hand to knock—
"Meow!"
A cat's cry sounded.
*Click!*
The lock popped open.
*Creak!*
The door swung inward.
Karen stepped inside to find the room thick with steam. The bedroom layout was quite intriguing: where the main bed should have been, a massive washroom had been installed with tiled flooring, while the actual sleeping area was tucked into a corner.
This was tailored specifically to Dora and Doreen's condition; for them, the washroom was far more crucial, offering space to move about and clean themselves.
At the moment, however, the small bathing pool inside was in use, crowded with people—and everyone within was completely naked.
Dora and Doreen sat soaking in a pool of blue liquid, while the bare Mrs. Lake and an equally bare Xili knelt beside them, scrubbing their backs.
Because Xili was squatting and lacked any trousers for cover, those two pale, round curves were far plumper than expected.
To Karen's surprise, Mrs. Lake, crouching in the same posture to wash her daughter's back, was not outdone by Xili in that department at all.
In that instant, Karen felt as though he had wandered into a women's bathhouse.
The occupants inside seemed equally stunned, their gazes turning toward Karen at the doorway.
Dora and Doreen, soaking comfortably in the new medicinal bath, had little concept of bodily privacy; over the years, large portions of their skin had spent prolonged periods festering, making modesty entirely pointless.
Their maid, Xili, had long since developed nerves of steel. Dead people in the house, dead people carrying other dead people, a talking cat...
All of it had long led her to feel that being peeked at by her employer was utterly trivial—no, she almost considered it par for the course!
As for Mrs. Lake, she started in shock, instinctively wanting to scream, but managed to catch herself. Without making any attempt to cover up, she maintained her posture and continued scrubbing her daughter's back as if nothing had happened.
Her feelings toward Karen were complicated, as she saw traces of her late husband in him, but gratitude predominated, and she had no wish to make him uncomfortable.
Karen showed neither panic nor excuses, simply saying with complete naturalness:
"I'm back."
"Young Master, you've returned!"
Xili turned around to greet him, realized she couldn't face him, turned back around, and then realized turning her back might be even worse.
"Mm. You've worked hard."
Mrs. Lake turned toward Karen with dignified poise and offered a polite smile.
Karen nodded and pulled the washroom door shut.
He had assumed it would be like past baths for Dora and Doreen, never expecting everyone inside to have stripped down.
"Oh, my dear Karen, was it a nice view?"
Purr hopped onto Karen's shoulder and asked.
Karen answered candidly, "It was."
An accidental look was still a look; there was no need to hide it. The scene just now had genuinely been lovely, carrying the hazy aesthetic of an oil painting of the human form.
Purr purred with laughter. "See? Aren't I good to you?"
The door had been bolted from the inside, yet a certain cat had not only unlocked it but pushed it wide open. Had they waited for someone inside to answer, things certainly would not have looked like that.
Karen smiled at Purr. "I have some good news for you."
"Oh? What is it?" Purr blinked her amber feline eyes.
"Come, let's head to the study."
Karen picked Purr up and walked out, while Kevin eagerly panted and trotted along behind.
A moment later,
A cat clutched her head on the study desk, letting out a shriek:
"MEOW MEOW MEOW!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Karen, I'll kill you! I'll kill you, and not even Diss can stop me!!!"
"Those bastards of the Allen family! I'll exterminate my own bloodline! I'll end my own lineage!!!"
"That bastard from Dark Moon Island dared make up such slander about me! One day I'll dig up his grave on Dark Moon Island and douse it in paint!!!"
Purr fell into a frenzy, her claws violently scratching at the desk.
Karen sat calmly in his chair, watching her throw a fit.
If not for the scene earlier, he might have concealed a bit from Purr, but since Purr had treated him so well, how could he bear to keep anything from her?
Checking the time, Karen decided it was enough and spoke up:
"We'll have carp with baked noodles for lunch."
"..." Purr paused.
After a brief hesitation, her paws resumed scratching the desk.
"A single carp with baked noodles isn't going to settle this!"
"Plus a serving of boiled fish with pickled greens."
Purr retracted her claws and began rubbing her paw pads against the surface.
"Even with boiled fish with pickled greens, I won't be completely appeased!"
Beside them, Kevin sat on the floor, raising a paw to cover his face.
"I had Alfred buy several extra fish today. I can make squirrel mandarin fish as well."
Purr fell silent instantly.
Sitting up to face Karen, she gently waved a paw like a lucky beckoning cat.
"Come here, my little Karen. Your great-great-great-great-grandmother loves you."
...
Karen cooked lunch personally, preparing a lavish spread to "warm the hearth" for their move.
Dora and Doreen joined them at the table. The new concoction prepared by Purr and Kevin still had blood spirit powder as its primary ingredient, but the results far surpassed the previous formula. The two girls showed only faint red marks on their skin, with no lingering traces of ulceration or musty odor.
This meant that as long as the medication continued, they could even go outside to attend school.
Xili ate with immense relish, and Karen placed a slice of braised pork belly into her bowl.
"Young Master, it's really all right. You saw my body, but I don't mind. You didn't have to prepare such a feast just for that."
Karen felt helpless. This silly girl.
"My parents assumed long ago that I must be sleeping with you; otherwise, how could a mere maid earn such a high wage? So don't worry about it, Young Master."
"Just... focus on eating."
"Yes, Young Master. Your cooking is amazing."
Mrs. Lake reached out and gave Xili a gentle tap on the head.
"Madam, why did you hit me? Oh, right, you were seen too. You should eat more to make up for it."
At that, Mrs. Lake blushed, though she insisted, "It was merely an accident. Why must you make a fuss?"
Only then did Xili realize what nonsense she had blurted out. She quickly lowered her head in apology.
"I'm sorry, Young Master. The food is so delicious that I got too excited and spoke without thinking."
Mrs. Lake looked at Karen, changing the subject: "You made far too much food."
"Not at all. You can reheat the leftovers for dinner. As it happens, I have a dinner engagement tonight, so I won't be eating at home."
Captain Neo had organized a gathering for the evening.
That afternoon, Karen took a nap on his new bed.
Purr lay at the foot of the bed, belly up, completely stuffed.
When he woke, Karen checked the time, took the car keys from Alfred, and drove to a barbecue restaurant. The storefront was modest, but the interior was spacious, featuring private dining rooms.
Karen entered the room to find most of the squad already present. After waiting a short while, the rest arrived, including three who were still in wheelchairs.
"Do you really have the heart to make us wheelchair-bound folks watch you eat barbecue and drink alcohol?" shouted Quincy from his wheelchair.
A centipede leg had pierced his chest that night, but he appeared to be recovering well at the church hospital. After all, the facility offered not only conventional surgery but also healing arts, staffed by both Church of Order practitioners and adherents of other family faith systems.
Marlo chuckled. "It's precisely because you fellows are in wheelchairs that the meat tastes sweeter and the wine goes down smoother."
"Oh, my dear Marlo, trust me—once I'm healed, I'm putting on my grandmother's high heels and kicking them right up your backside!"
"Haha! My esteemed brother Quincy, if you dare walk over in your grandmother's heels, I dare shove this entire handful of skewers right into you!"
"Hahaha!"
Laughter filled the room.
Just then, Neo stepped inside.
"Captain."
"Captain."
Silence fell over the room.
Neo took the head seat and spoke:
"I personally turned down the Dark Moon Island assignment because I caught wind of something else—something offering far richer benefits than drifting back and forth across the ocean.
"I can share a little with you now. I'm sure you've all noticed the recent undercurrents: certain parties have begun questioning Order's authority.
"Therefore, the church is preparing to make an example.
"In two months or so, a mid-sized church will likely be wiped from the face of this earth."
Hearing this, everyone at the table except Karen began to breathe heavily, their eyes taking on a faint reddish glint.
To fit in, Karen licked his lips as well.
The Church of Order intended to assert its dominance by erasing a mid-sized church.
The highest tier comprised the Orthodox Churches; below them were the major churches, and further down came the mid-sized churches.
A mid-sized church possessed its own worshipped deity and a foundational congregation, with some boasting a lineage even older than certain major or Orthodox Churches.
If they could participate in an extermination campaign of that scale, the spoils... would be beyond imagination!
"All right. I had Fanny arrange for a photographer. Fanny, call him in."
"Right away, Captain."
Shortly after, the photographer entered, setting up his camera by the doorway of the private room. He looked somewhat troubled.
"Gentlemen, the lighting in here isn't great. The photograph will turn out dark and blurry. Perhaps we could take it outside, or visit my studio?"
Fanny replied, "It's fine. Take it as is. It suits the mood."
"Very well, ma'am."
*Click!*
The picture was taken.
"I'll have it developed as soon as possible. Shall I call you when it's ready for pickup?"
"Yes, that will do."
The photographer gathered his equipment and departed.
A sudden hush descended upon the dining table.
Quincy spoke up: "By our old tradition, whenever a truly perilous mission approaches, we take a group photo. Corpses aren't very photogenic, after all, and posing with a dead body makes for a terrible picture."
Zema looked at Karen and grinned. "There's an off-roster member waiting right here. I say, if any of you are tired, find yourselves a dignified way to die on the next mission so you can free up a spot for the newcomer."
"True enough, it's been a while since someone died."
"Mm. Going by probability, it's about time. We're due for one."
"I've been staring at the same faces at these gatherings for so long that I'm sick of looking at you all. Either one or two of you hurry up and die so we can get some fresh faces in, or let me die so I don't have to be bored to tears by your mugs."
"Hurry up and die, then, so we can bring in some pretty women. We only have Peige and Fanny in the squad; look at them long enough and even the loveliest woman stops having any effect."
"Don't you think the guy in the captain's seat has been there far too long?"
"Yeah, exactly. It feels like the captain never changes."
"Hurry up and swap out the captain! I'm sick of hearing the story about the hound and the duckling."
"You're just sick of hearing it? I've memorized the damn thing, and I have enough plastic rings at home to pave a gravel walkway!"
Gray chimed in, "Hey, I'm the most senior member here. A few years back, I thought the captain was a goner for sure and was ready to take the seat, but he actually clawed his way back to life. I'd already put down the deposit for my Whip of Order captain's robes!"
Everyone traded jokes and laughter. In the end, their gazes converged on Karen, as if waiting for this newcomer to speak. A pack of hounds naturally sought to recognize their own kind.
Karen stood up, bowed to everyone seated at the table,
and said:
"My funeral parlor has just been renovated. You are all welcome to visit anytime."
"Cheers!"
Chapter 182