Are You Even Worthy?

Karen stood up, sighed, and asked, "Have you eaten breakfast?" "Not yet. I'm starving." "All right. You two carry him inside." "Yes, Boss." "Yes, Boss." Pike and Dinkum each took an end of the stretcher and carried Richard into the kitchen. Karen set about boiling wontons—little wontons he had made himself earlier and kept in the freezer. Soon, a large bowl of tender little wontons was dished up. "Young Master, let me feed him," Xili offered. "All right. Careful, it's hot." "Don't worry, Young Master, I'll make sure he doesn't burn his tongue." "I meant the bowl is hot; don't burn yourself. His hide is thick enough not to mind." "..." Richard was speechless. With what little wontons remained in the pot, Karen dropped in some noodles and made himself a bowl of wonton noodles. Richard not only polished off every wonton, but drank down all the broth as well. Xili remarked in amazement, "Sir, you're incredible. To have such a good appetite despite being so badly injured!" Richard waved it off casually. "Bah, it's not the first time." Karen laid down his chopsticks. "And most likely won't be the last." "Karen, do you really have to jinx me like that?" "Did anything change after your father beat you?" "Yesterday he actually sat in the parlor and chatted with my mom and grandmother for a while. Wow, that would never have happened in the past." "Then your beating was well worth it; there were tangible results." "Are you saying I'll have to keep getting beaten until my dad gets better?" "What, are you unwilling?" "If I say I'm unwilling, won't that make me look unfilial and utterly despicable?" "That isn't the main issue." Karen shook his head. "The main issue is that your father has probably found his own path to recovery—beating his son. If he wants to heal himself, you have no way to resist." Even setting aside the father-son bond, a God's Shepherd standing up to a Jurist was an exercise in pure despair. "Oh gods, I feel like my future is going to be so bleak." "You'll get used to it." "Karen, you're so cold-blooded." "Xili, go call Pike and Dinkum. Have them carry him into the coffin." "Oh no, Karen, I take back what I just said! I apologize!" Pike and Dinkum were called in. They lifted the stretcher, brought him into the storeroom, and standing at either end, hoisted Richard steadily and lowered him into the coffin. Next, the two pushed the coffin out on a cart to the back of the newly purchased hearse and loaded it aboard. Karen climbed into the hearse as well. Looking down at Richard lying inside, he tapped on the coffin wall and asked, "How does it feel?" Richard shifted slightly from side to side. "Hey, not going to lie, I never imagined lying in a coffin would actually be this comfortable." "Especially after being injured." "Yeah. It makes the ride back so much smoother. Have you lain in one before?" "Yeah." Karen's expression dimmed slightly. He had indeed lain in one. "What's wrong?" "Nothing. Just feeling a little homesick." "If you're homesick, go back and visit. If passenger ships are too slow, spend some point coupons to take the Church's teleportation array. It's super convenient." "I will go back, but not right now." Karen slipped into the driver's seat, resting his hands on the steering wheel, and repeated, "I will go back." He didn't start the engine right away. Instead, he gazed out the window and slowly closed his eyes. When he had first left Ruilan for Wien and arrived at Allen Manor, he had indeed gone through a brief period of feeling lost. Lost in the atmosphere of the believers, lost in his exposure to the new environment, lost in the lavish aristocratic lifestyle of Allen Manor. Though he had later chosen to leave Allen Manor and live in York City, the truth was that if someone asked him what his concrete goal was, he couldn't put it into words. Certain thoughts and feelings were simply too nebulous; he could feel them in his mind, yet could not articulate them. Up to this point, his life had resembled a kind of wandering. Where he went, where he ended up, where he stayed—none of it seemed to have a clear destination. Even so, he didn't feel anxious or bewildered over it, because this was likely the state of most people's lives. How many truly lived each day with a crystal-clear purpose? After all, those capable of taking control of their own destinies and qualified to chart out a definitive path in life were exceptionally rare. Building upon that, living each day earnestly, facing every person and challenge with positive diligence—anyone who could manage that was already remarkable. Yet now, Karen had found a slightly clearer, modest goal. On some day in the future, whenever he wished to return home, he could simply go home, regardless of whether a Rasma resided in the church next door. And the prerequisite for achieving that modest goal was likely condensing a godhead fragment and becoming an existence comparable to a Temple Elder. No, wait. One fragment wouldn't be enough. Two, at the very least. Karen exhaled a long breath and asked, "Are you asleep?" Richard answered, "No. I could tell you were deep in thought and didn't want to disturb you." "Thanks." "Don't mention it. No need for that between us. Say, I'm kind of curious—can I ask something?" "Go ahead." "Did something happen with your family?" "Yeah." "If I beg my grandfather, could he help sort it out?" "Matters concerning my family can only be resolved by me personally." "All right, as long as you've got a plan." "Let's get you home. I'll take it slow." "Sounds good." Karen drove the hearse to the gates of the Guman villa. He climbed out and opened the rear doors. "Order—Chains." Two spell chains materialized, cradling the coffin as Karen guided it in through the underground garage. After all, visiting in a hearse was already awkward enough; dropping a coffin right at the front door would be entirely over the top. Once the coffin was set down in the basement, Karen reached out to hoist Richard onto his back. "Well, I'll leave the coffin here. Feels like you might need it again later." "Thanks." "No need to thank me. It sounds weird." "You noticed that too!" Karen carried Richard up the stairs. The door at the top opened to reveal Mr. Aisen. Seeing Karen carrying his son up, Mr. Aisen immediately glared. "Can't walk on your own?!" Richard was so startled that he slid right off Karen's back. Had Karen not grabbed hold in time, Richard would have tumbled down the stairs and compounded his injuries. Mr. Aisen walked down and slung Richard over his shoulder. Richard's body trembled. He clutched at Karen's sleeve, mouthing a silent *"No!"* Karen deliberately pulled his arm free, watching him get carried upstairs by his loving father. Of course, Mr. Aisen couldn't beat his child in front of a guest. He dumped Richard onto the sofa, then sat down himself and began flipping through the newspaper. He was actually sitting in the living room instead of retreating to his study. His condition was clearly improving by leaps and bounds. "Karen is here." Kaixi walked over carrying tea. "Good day, Madame." "Come, have a seat." "Where is the Old Madame?" Karen asked. "In the kitchen." "I'll go give her a hand." "Well..." Kaixi hesitated. She knew her mother-in-law despised having anyone else in the kitchen disrupting her routine; in her mother-in-law's eyes, preparing meals for the family was a sacred, inviolable duty. The only recent exception had been when her mother-in-law realized her husband was about to thrash Richard, sending Kaixi away beforehand so her son could have free rein to beat his own. "What is it, Madame?" "Nothing. Go right ahead." "All right, Madame." Karen headed toward the kitchen. Kaixi gave a slight shrug. She had deliberately refrained from warning Karen—not out of any ill intent, but because she felt her mother-in-law treated Karen differently. The kitchen was spacious. Karen could already smell the aromas as he drew near. Inside, he saw the elderly woman bustling about. It was clear she was preparing a wide array of dishes today, undeniably on his account. From her, he caught that familiar warmth he felt around Uncle Mason and Aunt Mary. "Oh, Karen, you're here!" Noticing Karen at the kitchen doorway, Madame Tangli immediately put down what she was doing, walked over, took his hand, and stroked it gently. "Why do you look like you've lost weight?" "I don't think so. If anything, I feel like I've gained a bit." "No, you've lost weight. You really have. Richard is the one who gained weight." Karen badly wanted to reply that Richard hadn't gained weight; he was just swollen from the beating. "Was the mission hard on you?" "Not at all. It felt like a vacation." "Nonsense. How could you lose weight if it wasn't hard? Last night, Richard was in too much pain to sleep, so he told us all about Dark Moon Island. You've had a tough time." "It didn't really have much to do with me." Karen was confident Richard wouldn't have told his family about carrying Bernard's remains to Snake Island for disposal. Madame Tangli laughed. "With so much happening, how could it not have anything to do with you?" Karen didn't argue. He strongly suspected Diss's avatar had met with her when he came to Wien. "What dish are you making?" "I haven't decided yet. I've prepared plenty of ingredients. You prefer lighter flavors, right? You mentioned it last time." "Yes, though I'm fine with anything." "Is that so? Still, we should suit your tastes. It's not often you visit." "Let me help you, Madame." "You know how to cook? Oh, right, I think I heard Richard mention that." Madame Tangli stepped aside to let Karen take over. Watching his practiced, fluid knife work and prep, she sighed softly. "Child, life must have been hard on you all these years." "Not really. I just enjoy experimenting with cooking. I find it gratifying to watch family happily enjoy a meal I've prepared." "Yes, I love that feeling too." Karen began cooking according to his own methods. Beside him, Madame Tangli watched with curiosity at first, chatting along. But as she watched, she realized something was off—Karen wasn't trying out a novelty dish; he clearly possessed an entire culinary repertoire in his mind. Gradually, the conversation shifted to: "What's the purpose of this step?" "Oh, you can handle it like that?" "Really? That works too?" "I have to try that next time!" ... "Lunch is ready!" Madame Tangli called Kaixi over to help set the table. Karen washed his hands and stepped into the living room. Mr. Aisen folded his newspaper, gave Karen a nod, stood, and walked toward the dining room. Richard lay face-down on the sofa, seemingly asleep. Karen stepped over and gave him a nudge. Richard rolled onto his back, and Karen noticed a fine layer of white silk covering his face. Pulling back the collar of his shirt, Karen found the same white silk coating his skin underneath. "Ugh..." Richard stirred from his stupor. "Why does my face and body feel so sticky?" Richard touched his face, puzzled. "What is this?" "That bug—did you swallow it?" "Yeah, I did! After having Memphis check it over, I swallowed it. I even washed it in stream water first." "Then the bug is working its magic, healing you." "Really? It's that miraculous? Hey, wait, it really does feel way better than when I went to your place this morning." Richard sat up from the sofa. "Holy shit, I can actually stand!" "The healing effect is impressive." "It really is! Karen, what kind of miracle bug did you give me? Right, whatever you do, don't let my dad find out." "Your dad was sitting right next to you reading the paper. Do you really think he didn't notice?" "Not necessarily! How could he ever guess I have such a miraculous bug inside me? Heh heh!" "Right, he probably doesn't know." "I'll go wash up in the bathroom. Oh, my cane—I can't just walk over there normally, or it'll be too obvious." "All right." Karen walked into the dining room first. Mr. Aisen was sitting there. Though he wore a grim face and made no move to help, his willingness to sit here of his own accord was an immense step forward. Seeing him seated at the table, Madame Tangli and Kaixi were both so moved they looked ready to weep. Karen sat down beside Mr. Aisen and whispered, "Next time after you beat him, don't rush to cast healing spells. It suppresses the bug's restorative effects on his body." Hearing this, Mr. Aisen gave a solemn, earnest nod. Just then, Old Master Delon returned. Seeing Aisen sitting in the dining room, he blinked hard to confirm his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. Only then did he notice Karen. "Oh, Karen! Welcome to our home!" "Thank you for having me." Karen rose promptly to return the greeting. He felt toward Madame Tangli the warmth one might have for a maternal grandmother, but he didn't feel that way toward Old Master Delon. In truth, even blood relations depended on time spent together to foster closeness. Richard hobbled into the dining room on his cane and took a seat. Looking at the spread on the table, he blurted out, "Karen made these!" "Yes, indeed. Karen was a tremendous help today. To be frank, it's quite shameful of me to let a guest cook, but I was simply too eager to see his culinary skills. "Karen, you must come over often and teach me how to cook, all right?" "Of course. Whenever I have time, I'll visit." "Good. Don't worry, I'll send Richard to fetch you, haha." It was a sumptuous lunch, thoroughly enjoyed by everyone, including Mr. Aisen. Old Master Delon said cheerfully, "Taking time off to come home for lunch was truly a wise decision, or I would have missed out on such delicacies—that would have been a sin!" After the meal came dessert: Karen's simmered white fungus and lotus seed soup. Everyone chatted as they enjoyed their dessert. Just then, Madame Tangli spoke up. "Old man, that slot you mentioned last time—could you pull some strings to secure one for Karen as well?" "What slot?" Karen asked, perplexed. Old Master Delon was surprised. He was certain his wife knew just how difficult that slot was to obtain. He acknowledged Karen's talent, but there were simply too many eligible, exceptional youths across the entire York City Region. Using his connections to secure a spot for his own grandson, Richard, had already been an uphill battle; how could he possibly wrangle another? So he wondered why his wife had made such an unreasonable request. Favors weren't handled this way. Still, recalling that Karen had saved his son and daughter-in-law's lives, Old Master Delon couldn't help but feel guilty for his initial hesitation. "I'll do what I can. If all else fails, I'll give Richard's slot to Karen. After all, Richard himself admits Karen is more capable than him." Richard chimed in immediately, "Yeah, I agree!" Mr. Aisen maintained his stone-faced silence. Kaixi wore an awkward expression. She didn't want her son to lose the opportunity, yet she knew that giving the slot to Karen was only fair. Karen asked, "Is this a candidate slot for the Gate of Samsara?" "Yes, precisely," Delon replied. "Oh, I've already been registered." "Registered? Who registered you?" "Bishop Wolflen." "Bishop Wolflen?" Old Master Delon looked taken aback. "*He* registered you?" Evidently, through his grandson Richard, Old Master Delon had also heard the tale of the Dark Moon princess jilting the bishop's grandson for a Whip of Order team member. "Yes. Also, the trial will emphasize the spiritual and soul realms, so Richard should put in extra work on that front in the coming days." Karen didn't mind leaking the topic. He knew that if Bishop Wolflen had tipped him off, he would certainly have done the same for Leon and Laure. Old Master Delon smiled. "That's wonderful. Karen, do your best, and Richard, you work hard too. Even if you aren't chosen in the end, getting to travel beyond the region to meet and spar with other exceptional youths from the Church is a fantastic experience." "Got it, Grandpa. I understand." Aisen spoke up: "If it's only a soul test..." Terrified, Richard shouted at once, "I'll go to Karen's tomorrow! We'll study together and do our best to pass the selection!" Karen said, "I'm heading out of the city tomorrow to see my fiancée." "Karen, you can't do this! What matters more, bros or women?!" "She matters far more than you." "Fine, fine." Madame Tangli said, "When there's an opportunity next time, bring her over for a visit, all right?" "Of course. Her health isn't the best right now, but she'll visit eventually," Karen answered. After lingering a little longer, Karen stood and took his leave. As if granted a royal pardon, Mr. Aisen rose and headed back to his study. Kaixi helped her son upstairs to his bedroom to rest and recover. Old Master Delon leaned in close to his wife, curious. "Why did you bring up that slot just now? Good thing Karen was already registered." Madame Tangli countered, "If Richard can have one, why can't Karen?" "What kind of logic is that? I agree giving Richard's slot to Karen would be right, but after all, I'm Richard's grandfather. I'm not Karen's grandfather." At this, Madame Tangli looked up at her husband with a faint smile. She parted her lips as if to speak, but held back, merely nodding. "Well, my dear, I should head back to the department. There are matters to attend to, and things are quite hectic right now. Once this busy stretch is over, I'll take you to the hot springs to recuperate." After Old Master Delon walked out the door, Madame Tangli poured herself a cup of tea, lowered her head to take a sip, sighed, and murmured faintly: "Heh. As if you're worthy?"