"I think it's very likely a love letter he wrote in the past," Karen said. "It's just that when the people from Dark Moon Island found your grave last time, this letter was delivered to Allen Manor as well. By their reasoning, it was probably meant to be placed before your gravestone to comfort your departed soul and ease the ache of longing."
Purr blinked, looking at Karen, and slowly extended a cat paw.
"That matter has already been settled, and I cooked fish for you last time."
"Still, it has caused me secondary emotional trauma."
"Yet you've been reminiscing about that fish ever since you ate it."
Purr lifted her head. "Oh, blast it, why is your comeback always so prompt?"
"May I open it and take a look?" Karen asked.
"Go ahead."
"I'm really opening it, then?"
"Open it. If I forbid you from opening it and then snatch it with my teeth to hide it away, that would just be tertiary emotional trauma."
"All right."
Karen opened the letter. Inside lay yet another envelope, yellowed with age and clearly from an era long past. Slitting open the inner envelope, he flicked open the stationery:
"Dearest Purr,
"I know not when it began, but my life has been partitioned because of you: before knowing you, after knowing you; before parting from you, after parting from you.
"Your existence has branded an indelible mark upon my life. When I cannot breathe, I think of you; and when I think of you, I feel as though I cannot breathe again.
"..."
"Ahem." Karen cleared his throat. "This Mister Bernard is remarkably fond of parallelism."
Purr sprawled on the desk and rolled her eyes at Karen.
Karen couldn't help reaching out to rub Purr's head. A cat rolling its eyes really was an adorable sight.
The date signed at the bottom of the letter was from over a century ago, so Karen had guessed correctly.
"I believe there was probably an explanatory note attached, but Old Anderson is a filial junior, so he forwarded it to me anyway."
"Counting the days, it's about time Old Anderson went to lie in a cemetery himself."
"Don't blame him. Well, I'd like to go read in the yard for a bit."
"Well now, my dear little Karen, have you forgotten that you have a second letter yet unopened?"
"Oh, really?"
"Yes. You just slipped it into the drawer through the crack."
"It slipped in by accident."
"Sure, I believe it slipped. But shouldn't it be opened now so the words inside can get some fresh air?"
Karen retrieved Ophelia's letter and opened it.
"Unfold it! Spread the paper out, just like when you read mine!" Purr urged immediately.
Karen unfolded the stationery:
"Mister Karen, it has been... since we parted..."
Reading from the beginning almost to the end, it was mostly Ophelia recounting her journey after leaving the Port of York on her way back to Dark Moon Island, as well as the island patriarch's impressions of him after she landed.
Rather than a personal letter, it read more like a work report.
Purr had grown drowsy watching, but when her eyes fell upon the very bottom, she excitedly began patting it with her paw.
"Here, right here! Do you see it? Do you see it?!"
At the very last sentence of the final paragraph, the work report took an abrupt shift in tone:
"Karen, I've found that I miss you a little. What should I do?"
"She said she misses you! She took the initiative to say she misses you!"
Karen folded the letter, slipped it back into the envelope, and said dismissively, "It's merely a polite greeting intended to soften the rigid tone of a work report."
"Oh, really? Then how come I feel she wrote this entire work report just for the sake of that one line?"
"You're overthinking it."
"Whether I'm overthinking it or not, you know very well in your heart. Karen, you're teetering on the brink of making a mistake! It's very dangerous!"
"She's on Dark Moon Island, and I'm in York City. Even if I wanted to make a mistake, she's out of reach."
"Your father and mother were far apart too, weren't they? Yet your father still whisked your mother back to Mink Street!"
"That analogy is inappropriate."
"Karen, the moment you were willing to go back and forth explaining and arguing with me over such a silly topic for this long, you already lost."
"I'll have Xili go buy fish."
"This isn't about fish! This is... what flavor are you making?"
***
At noon, Karen cooked a dish of rattan pepper fish for Purr. He had initially assumed she wouldn't care for this flavor, but it seemed the cat's appreciation of fish had elevated into an artistic pursuit; no matter the style or flavor, she relished every bite.
This made Karen realize once more that Purr's love of fish wasn't merely because she had turned into a cat.
That young patriarch named Bernard might only have been a few servings of boiled fish with pickled greens or squirrel mandarin fish away from winning her heart...
Because Alfred was still accompanying Old Saman in crafting coffins, Karen drove himself to Richard's home at two-thirty in the afternoon.
On the way, Karen stopped by a roadside shop to buy some fruit and pastries, the standard guest gifts in Wien.
He arrived outside Richard's home at three-thirty.
It was a bit early, so Karen planned to wait half an hour in the car before calling on them. He parked by the roadside, reclined his seat, and leaned back to take a short nap.
Half an hour later, past four o'clock, Karen sat up, opened the door, and got out carrying the gifts.
As he passed the car ahead, Karen noticed that its driver was also bringing his seat back up, opening the door, and stepping out with gift boxes in hand.
He was a middle-aged man looking somewhat worn and haggard. He also noticed Karen and smiled at him.
Karen returned the smile.
"My watch seems to be running slow. Could you tell me what time it is?" the middle-aged man asked.
"It's eight minutes past four."
"All right, thank you."
Carrying gift boxes in both hands, the man began taking deep breaths, as if psyching himself up.
Judging by his age, he was unlikely to be visiting a girlfriend's home to meet her parents, so Karen asked, "Going to visit your parents-in-law?"
"Mm, yes. Why, is it that obvious?"
"A little."
"Sigh, I've always dreaded coming to her family's house. Marrying her was marrying above my station to begin with, though I love her dearly and my wife and I get along wonderfully. But when it comes to this..."
"I understand." Karen offered a gentle smile, though a possibility suddenly crossed his mind: could this man be Richard's uncle-in-law?
Richard's family was a lineage of Jurists, unquestionably a prominent and prestigious clan within the Church of Order. The fact that Old Delon could carry out such a vital mission that night spoke volumes about his standing in the eyes of the church's upper echelon.
Karen recalled Richard mentioning that his uncle-in-law was an Inquisitor.
Well...
As an Inquisitor—excluding outliers like Diss—an ordinary Inquisitor crossing the threshold of a Jurist's estate would indeed face immense pressure.
Sometimes pressure was imposed by others; sometimes it was self-inflicted.
Old Delon was stern and formidable, while Mister Aisen suffered from acute social anxiety. For a son-in-law, the atmosphere in this in-law family was truly stifling.
So...
This man was his own uncle-in-law?
"I'm Karen."
"Ah, um, hello Karen. I'm Dake."
Clearly, Mister Dake was somewhat unaccustomed to such unprompted familiarity.
"Forgive me for prying, but are you headed to visit the Guman residence?"
"I am. And you?"
"Me too."
"You too? Oh, Karen!" Dake's demeanor shifted instantly. "I remember now! You're Richard's teammate—you're the one who saved Aisen and Kaixi, aren't you?"
"That's me."
"Good heavens, it really is you! What a coincidence! Heh, um, what I said earlier..."
"I understand completely."
"Splendid, splendid. Allow me to lead the way, Mister Karen."
"Thank you."
Dake walked ahead with Karen following behind. Reaching the front door, Dake knocked, calling out as he did, "Haha, look who I brought along!"
Standing on the porch steps, Karen felt that this uncle-in-law of his didn't seem particularly sharp either.
Even using one's toes to think, it was obvious whom tonight's dinner was prepared for—and who was merely tagging along.
Still, Karen understood. To Dake, visiting the Guman house was probably like stepping onto an execution ground every single time. Now that an outsider was present to divert attention, he was overly excited.
The door opened. Standing there was Richard's aunt—Karen's maternal aunt.
"Darling, look who I brought!"
"Mister Karen?"
"Greetings, My Lady." Karen addressed her respectfully, though he refrained from bowing, as that would be overdoing it.
"You may call me Luxi. We have all been waiting for you. Welcome!"
Jurist Luxi displayed immense respect toward the savior of her brother and sister-in-law.
"It is an honor to receive an invitation from the Guman family."
Karen stepped inside and placed his gifts in the entryway.
"Oh-ho, Karen!" Old Delon walked over from the sofa in the living room, warmly offering his hand of his own accord.
Karen reached out and shook the old man's hand.
During their previous encounter, he had merely been a young companion Richard brought home; thus, this counted as their first proper meeting.
Mm, the first formal meeting between grandfather and grandson took the form of a handshake.
"Please forgive my coolness toward you the last time you visited our home," Old Delon apologized.
"You are far too kind, sir. When I met you last time, you were very genial."
"No, no, it was not the same. I was still discourteous."
"Please don't say that."
"Father, shouldn't we invite our guest to sit down first?" Aunt Luxi reminded him.
"Right, yes! Mister Karen, please have a seat."
"Thank you."
Karen walked over to sit on the living room sofa. At this point, he noticed Old Delon's attitude toward Dake; the old man merely greeted him flatly:
"You're here."
"Yes. Are you in good health?"
"Fine."
And with that, the conversation between father-in-law and son-in-law came to an end.
One could tell that Old Delon was not especially pleased with this son-in-law. This dissatisfaction likely had less to do with social standing and more to do with Dake's temperament and demeanor, which rarely brought him joy.
"Mister Karen, please enjoy some tea."
A short-haired girl in a black dress set a cup of tea on the coffee table before Karen.
"Thank you."
The girl turned to serve tea to Dake, addressing him as "Father."
She was presumably the daughter of Aunt Luxi—his maternal cousin.
"Oh, Karen, you're here!"
Richard jogged down the stairs. Behind him, Uncle Aisen was helping Aunt Kaixi down. Kaixi's injuries had healed well, though a full recovery in such a short time was impossible; still, as long as pollution was not involved, it was nothing too serious.
Karen stood up. Richard immediately gave him a big hug, then turned to the family around them:
"I told you Karen is amazing! Hahaha, in our squad, he's the strongest person besides the captain! Hahaha!"
"Richard, show some decorum! Look at Mister Karen, and look at yourself. You two are about the same age, yet see how composed he is!" Kaixi reprimanded her son.
"Mother, I can't compare to Karen. I'm not on his level."
Kaixi glared helplessly at her son. As she approached Karen to express her gratitude, Karen hurried to support her, because her husband—Uncle Aisen—having fulfilled his duty of helping his wife downstairs, immediately dashed into a room on the ground floor.
"Mister Karen, thank you for saving my life."
"It was only what I should have done. Richard and I are close, like cousins, and you are my elder as well."
Kaixi paused, momentarily taken aback, then smiled. "Yes, we are family from now on. Whatever concerns you concerns me."
Old Delon chimed in, "It is the concern of the Guman family!"
Only then did Karen realize they had misunderstood his meaning. He had not intended to use this occasion to attach himself to the Guman family or seek their protection.
Everyone took their seats.
Karen noticed that his grandmother was nowhere to be seen, yet even sitting in the living room, he could catch the enticing aroma wafting from the kitchen.
"Shall I go call Mother out?" Luxi asked Old Delon.
Delon waved a hand at once. "Don't you know your mother's temperament by now? To her, simmering a pot of soup with care is the true mark of respect for an honored guest. She won't leave her kitchen right now."
"Yes, Mother is indeed like that."
Old Delon raised a hand again, gesturing toward Luxiya with a chuckle. "Luxiya, what do you think of Mister Karen?"
Luxiya's face flushed instantly, and she grumbled, "Grandfather, what are you saying?"
"Well, I'm only reminding you never to hesitate when the time comes. Just like when your father pursued your mother back then—before I could even react, they were already together!"
Dake wore an awkward look, while Luxi took the initiative to ask Karen:
"Are you currently single, Mister Karen?"
Karen still remembered the first time Luxi had met him, beside the collapsed Church Affairs Building, where she had merely asked for his identity in a cold, distant manner.
Now, she seemed eager to play matchmaker for her daughter.
This shift in attitude was not solely because he had saved her brother and sister-in-law; it was largely due to her appreciation of his strength as recounted by Richard and the couple.
This world was perpetually pragmatic. Never mind strangers—even among relatives, regard hinged upon strength.
Karen answered immediately, "I am already engaged."
"I see." A trace of regret surfaced on Luxi's face.
Hearing this, Luxiya looked back at Karen without embarrassment and even smiled at him.
Next, everyone began chatting about local customs, curiosities, and anecdotes, steering clear of church affairs.
It was evident that this family was not particularly adept at conversation. In the beginning, they were merely forcing topics to prevent awkward silences. Fortunately, Karen was skilled in socializing and took control of the room; what was meant to be the Guman family entertaining Karen ended up with Karen carrying them along.
"Karen, do you have any plans for your future career?"
Karen noted that Old Delon addressed him directly by his given name, signaling that he was exercising his authority as patriarch of the Guman family to make career arrangements for a newly affiliated "vassal."
"I'm very content with my current work and life, and haven't given much thought to other possibilities for now."
"You should. Planning is essential, even if you are still young. Choosing the right path while you're young ensures far better prospects later on—it determines your upper limit."
As Delon said this, he cast a glance at his son-in-law Dake, as if Dake were a prime example of what not to do.
"Most importantly, you are exceptionally capable. There is a tradition in the Church: anyone who performs outstandingly within the Whip of Order gains immense credit when it comes to choosing their future path and career development."
"Understood, sir. I will continue to work hard."
"Mm. If you have any thoughts, you can come talk to me in the future, and I'll keep an eye out for you. Your next objective should be striving to become a captain in the Whip of Order. I believe you have the capability for it."
That night, Karen had dropped from the sky and slain the Church of Samsara's guard captain with a single sword strike.
Old Delon had evidently heard of this scene from his son and daughter-in-law.
There were two paths to becoming a captain: one was replacing the current captain, provided Neo was promoted or killed;
the other was branching out independently to form a brand-new Whip of Order squad.
The former depended more on capability, as an internal squad election required strong power to command respect; the latter also required strength, but depended even more on connections.
"I don't think there's any rush for that. I'd like to stay by my captain's side and learn more from him."
This reply was very tactful. Old Delon nodded. "To possess such a steady temperament at such a young age is admirable."
"Dinner is served!"
An elderly woman's call came from the dining room.
"Karen, just you wait until you taste my grandmother's cooking!"
"I'm looking forward to it."
Everyone rose and moved from the living room into the dining room.
Karen saw a kind, white-haired elderly woman arranging the dishes. Luxi, Luxiya, and Kaixi immediately went forward to help. Kaixi chided gently:
"Mother, didn't we agree that while we wouldn't enter the kitchen, serving the dishes would be up to us?"
Evidently, the kitchen was regarded by the old woman as her exclusive domain; whenever she prepared a meal, no one else was permitted inside.
"There's nothing wrong with my health. You don't need to fuss over me."
The old woman's gaze swept across the room. Karen noticed that upon looking at him, her body gave a sudden jolt.
Then, clutching her daughter-in-law's hand, tears abruptly streamed down her face. Weeping, she said to Kaixi:
"Child, you've suffered so much."
Chapter 230