The Truth!

Seeing this, Karen felt his heart sink. Could his actions have pushed Uncle Aisen straight into losing himself? If that was the case, the whole situation would be utterly absurd. He had come to offer treatment, and what had originally been a mere inconvenience in daily life would turn into a severe, critical illness because of his intervention. Soon, however, Karen realized it was a false alarm. The blood-red glow in Uncle Aisen's eyes began to recede, and his gaze turned gentle... or rather, deeply sorrowful. This meant Uncle Aisen had not killed his sister under Karen's guidance; rather, he had done so in the past. Perhaps in a dream, or perhaps in a daze, faced with his sister's desperate pleas, he had been unable to bear seeing her endure further torment and had killed her. To a loved one, that might have been a release, but the person who dealt the blow could hardly exonerate themselves from a rational standpoint. Just like... Diss. Karen knew that Diss had never let go of having killed his own son and daughter-in-law with his own hands. He had never walked out of that shadow. Because of it, he had even begun to doubt the God of Order and had paid a devastating price, going so far as to condense a second godhead fragment. Even though Aisen had not truly dealt the blow in reality, that vivid sensation and the psychological and moral self-condemnation he suffered were hardly any different from having done it himself. This had to be the root of Aisen's affliction. He had actually moved past it on the surface—after all, he had continued working, advancing his realm, and walking his life's path. Yet a part of him had been left behind forever in that scene, behind that door. It was like carrying a massive wound that refused to heal. Even if nothing touched it, a mere breeze was enough to bring excruciating pain. At this moment, Karen found himself incapable of comforting or counseling the man before him. *You don't need to blame yourself.* "I don't blame myself." *Her death wasn't caused by you.* "I know it wasn't caused by me." *She wouldn't blame you.* "I know my sister wouldn't blame me." Karen could already envision how Uncle Aisen would respond to any words of consolation. Aisen had long accepted the reality, and he had long consoled himself. Yet he was simply... purely miserable. That emotion had festered in his heart, impossible to dispel, until it finally manifested as a psychological disorder. "Is the treatment finished?" Uncle Aisen asked. "It is finished." "I feel a bit better." Uncle Aisen wiped the tear stains from the corners of his eyes with the back of his hand. "In truth, I know something is wrong with me, but I am even more aware that there is no way to fix it." Karen nodded. "What fills me with guilt is that my family has been affected by my problem. Despite my best efforts, I find it harder and harder to fulfill the role of a son, a husband, and a father." Uncle Aisen stood up and offered Karen a smile. "I can sense your professionalism." "Thank you." "I haven't properly thanked you for saving my wife and me. That night, if you hadn't arrived in time, my wife and I certainly wouldn't be here. Perhaps our memorial service would be taking place in this house right now." Uncle Aisen spoke far more than before, and much more fluently. This was not because his condition had improved, but because the festering wound had just been ripped open with force; the intense agony had given him a kind of reverse stimulation. Yet this was only temporary. Before long, he would gradually revert to his previous state—and he might even become more sensitive, meaning his condition would likely worsen. "It was only what I should have done." "If you need anything or require any help, you may come directly to me." "Understood, Mr. Aisen." "Now, I would like to be alone for a while." "Of course." Karen walked to the door, but just as he was about to turn the handle, he paused, turned around, and looked at Uncle Aisen. "Mr. Aisen, actually, it's not as though there is no treatment." "Oh?" "I have an idea. Perhaps you could give it a try." "Please, speak." Karen pointed to his own face, then toward Uncle Aisen. "Perhaps what you need is a mask." "A mask?" "Yes. Briefly and occasionally adopting a different identity." "I don't want to run away." "It's not to help you run away, but to give you an outlet." "An outlet..." "The emotions accumulated inside you have never had a way to vent. It's like a biogas tank—do you know what a biogas tank is?" "I know." "Right, it's roughly in that state. Under your current identity, you cannot release it, but under another identity, you can persuade yourself to do so." "Persuade myself?" "I think it's worth trying." Uncle Aisen's greatest problem was that he had no problems that could be resolved through persuasion. He was rational; he didn't need comforting or counseling. But when an overly rational person suffered an emotional breakdown, they were precisely the type who could never find a dam-bursting release for their feelings. "I think... I somewhat understand your meaning." "This wouldn't need to last long. You would only need to switch identities on occasion and see the results. I believe you will likely find that under your present identity, you can act much more normal." "So, what specifically should be done?" "You must promise me that you will keep this confidential." "You saved my life. I know how to treat my savior." Karen nodded. The promise of a socially awkward person invariably carried a tremendous sense of reliability. "I can have someone craft a mask for you. Wearing it, you can take on the appearance of an entirely different person—not just the face, but your full build, voice, and even your presence." Uncle Aisen pulled a card from his pocket and offered it to Karen. "This is my allowance card. I know making such a mask certainly won't come cheap." Karen did not take it, offering a wry smile instead. "I cannot use this card of yours, as it cannot be shown in the open. It would be best if you could give me cash." "I don't have any." "Your son should have plenty on hand." "Very well. I will ask Richard for it." *Sorry, cousin. This is all for your father's health.* "Additionally, there is one thing I would like to remind you of." "Please." "If you hand your allowance card over to Lady Kaixi for safekeeping, it might help improve the relationship between you two as husband and wife." "All right, I understand." "Most importantly: complete secrecy. Not even your family may know your new identity." "I understand. But I feel that simply having a new identity might not achieve any real effect." "I know, I know." Karen raised a hand. "I have already designed a place for you, because I know of an environment that frequently offers opportunities to vent." "Where?" "A Whip of Order squad." "You mean..." "Exactly. Our Hound Squad. Our captain is an absolute animal who can lead all of us to blow off steam." "But Richard..." "Interacting with your son under a different identity is also a decent way to make up for the fatherly love missed in the past, isn't it? After all, many fathers in this world wish they could be genuine friends with their sons." *Sorry, cousin. This, too, is for your father's health.* "All right, I agree. But my official duties..." "You can cite psychological distress to apply for a temporary suspension of duties from higher-ups. After all, I doubt the superiors would feel comfortable leaving a priest suspected of losing himself in such an important post. The only downside is that it might affect your reputation." "No matter. I don't care about reputation." "There is one more thing. For you to become an external squad member of our Order squad, we will need our captain's approval. Our captain isn't an easy man to fool, so I will have to inform him of your true identity. But rest assured, within the entire squad, only he and I will know who you are." "Very well, no problem." "Once everything is arranged, I will come notify you." "I will wait for you." "Then the treatment plan is settled. In advance, I wish you a smooth recovery." "There is one thing I would like to ask you, though you do not have to answer." "Please, ask away." "Karen, are you wearing a mask on your face right now?" Karen smiled and replied, "If one's heart is sincere enough, I believe whether a mask rests on one's face no longer matters." *** Karen stepped out of the study and returned to the dining room. To ensure a favorable environment for Karen's "treatment," the Guman family had not moved to the living room after dinner, remaining seated in the dining room instead. Before anyone could ask, Karen took the initiative to speak. "Mr. Aisen's condition is very serious." No one present appeared surprised; they were well aware of how absurdly bad his state had become. "I have proposed a treatment plan to him. I believe it should produce some effect, though the specific results can only be proven over time." "Thank you, Karen." Richard stood up and offered Karen a formal expression of gratitude. "It was only what I should have done," Karen replied with a smile. The old matriarch waved toward Karen. "Karen, come here. Come, come to Grandmother." Seeing this, Luxi brought a hand to her forehead, sneaking a glance at Kaixi, her sister-in-law. Kaixi wore a smile, but it had grown somewhat stiff. Karen walked up to the old matriarch. She picked up a dessert plate before her, used a spoon to scoop up a piece of pudding-like confection, and held it to Karen's lips. "Come, be good, open wide." Old Delon looked on with a puzzled expression. He felt his wife's attitude toward Karen was somewhat over the top. Dake and his daughter Luxiya also turned their eyes toward them, clearly noticing that something was amiss. Only Richard remained completely oblivious, even chiming in, "Karen, that's jelly my grandmother made herself. It's delicious!" Karen opened his mouth and ate the bite. The old woman asked anxiously, "Is it sweet?" "Not sweet." "Then... you don't like it?" Karen shook his head. "It's just right. In my opinion, the highest compliment one can give a dessert is... that it isn't sweet." "Hehehehe!" The old woman let out a delighted laugh. A person's palate could be discerned from their cooking habits. The dishes she made were markedly lighter than typical Wien fare. Karen knew she preferred mild flavors. "You truly are my precious darling. Grandmother loves you to death." With that, she pointed her spoon at the others around the table. "None of them understand good food. I knew you would get it." Indeed, among a group of authentic Wien locals, sticking to a light palate was difficult. Did this also imply that the old matriarch was not from Wien? Was his maternal grandmother from somewhere else? It seemed this guess was highly probable. The faith she held was likely not Order, since her habit was never to say "May the God of Order protect you." "Grandmother, I also enjoy experimenting with recipes in my spare time. We can share notes whenever there's a chance in the future." "Really? Good! Wonderful, wonderful!" The old woman set down the dessert and took Karen's hand. "From now on, whether that rascal Richard is home or not, whenever you want to visit, just come straight over. Oh, right, I usually don't stay here, but that doesn't matter. Starting today, I'm going to live here, so it'll be convenient when you come over." "All right, Grandmother." Luxi noticed that her sister-in-law Kaixi's face had darkened to the point of dripping water. "I and your... and Mr. Delon are both old, and we don't have much time left. In the final stretch of my life, I want to... to live as happily as I can. You have no parents and have suffered so much, poor child. Just treat this place as your own home, you hear?" "Understood, Grandmother." Richard chuckled. "Grandmother, you're treating Karen even better than me, your actual grandson!" Luxi noticed her sister-in-law's fingernails digging deep into her chair. Old Delon spoke up. "Yes, consider this your home from now on. Come visit often." Dake added as well, "You're welcome at my place too, haha." As he spoke, noticing his wife hadn't reacted, he nudged her gently with his elbow. Luxi chimed in at once. "Yes, yes, of course, you're very welcome." Kaixi drew a deep breath and rose to her feet. Her eyes were rimmed with red as she looked at Karen. "Karen, thank you once again for saving my life. Mother is right—this will be your home from now on. Don't be a stranger." Turning to the old matriarch and Old Delon, Kaixi said, "Father, Mother, I would like to head upstairs to rest. I'm feeling a bit tired." "Go on, then. You still have injuries, so don't strain yourself." "Sister-in-law, let me help you up." Luxi also rose and supported Kaixi up the stairs. "Grandmother, Mr. Delon, Mr. Dake, Miss Luxiya, it's getting late. Thank you all for your warm hospitality, but I must take my leave." The remaining family members escorted Karen to the foyer, and Richard walked him to his car. After Karen sat inside, Richard leaned against the car window and asked, "Is there really a way to ease my father's condition?" "Yes, there is." "Thank you so much, Karen. Sometimes I truly don't know how to express it." "Don't mention it. It was only what I should have done." *I just hope that once you learn the truth about today, you won't hate me.* "Goodbye, drive safely." "Goodbye. Stay safe at home." *** In a second-floor bedroom. The two sisters-in-law leaned close to each other. Kaixi spoke in a trembling voice. "It can't be wrong. It's impossible to be wrong. I know Mother comes from the Alter family. The Alter family possesses an extraordinary perception for things. She must have sensed Karen's bloodline! She was so impatient to have Karen call her Grandmother!" Luxi pressed her lips together. When it came to her own mother, she had no rebuttal. "Mother did that for my benefit. She did it intentionally in front of me!" Kaixi cried. "*Sigh*..." Luxi had no idea how to comfort her sister-in-law. If their positions were reversed, she would have lost her mind far worse than Kaixi. "He saved my life, Luxi. No matter what, he saved Aisen and me! That night, truly, if he hadn't appeared in time, Aisen and I wouldn't even be here today! I will try to accept him, I will! It's what I ought to do. No matter what, he has done nothing wrong; he has only shown me kindness. But Mother should have given me time to process it! She should have considered my feelings a little more! Truly, does she distrust me so much that she couldn't wait even a single moment? I know how I should act, I know what I should do, but Mother really shouldn't have done this... she shouldn't have... *sob, sob, sob*..." No matter how strong a woman appeared on the outside, she still had a fragile side—even if she was an esteemed Jurist. "I think, since Mother didn't bring it out into the open, perhaps there's still room for misunderstanding," Luxi ventured. "Could it be possible that Karen and Mother just happen to hit it off?" "Do you think that's possible, Luxi?" "I mean, just in case... what if there's a chance? Mother is elderly now, and people get very sentimental in their old age. What if we've completely misunderstood? Although you two have been living separately all these years because of my brother's issues, I remember how wonderful your relationship was in the beginning. From falling in love to getting married to having Richard, you two were always so deeply affectionate, weren't you? Karen's age seems slightly older than Richard's, so how could that have happened back then?" "Actually... your brother told me that before he met me, he had an ex-girlfriend." "He did? Who?" "He told me she died during a mission... *sob*... He lied to me, Luxi! He actually lied to me!" "I think this matter still needs further thought. We should look into it more—" Just then, the bedroom door was pushed open, and Mr. Aisen appeared in the doorway. Kaixi stopped crying at once, and both women stared at the man standing there. Mr. Aisen placed his allowance card into Kaixi's hands. Without uttering a single word, he turned, exited the bedroom, and pulled the door shut behind him. Kaixi stared at the allowance card in her hands. Then she looked at Luxi. Instantly, she burst into even more desolate sobs. "*Sob*... Luxi, he's compensating me! He's trying to make it up to me!" Kaixi threw her arms around Luxi, weeping with utter heartbreak. "Karen really is his illegitimate son!"