Karen did not sleep in simply because he was leaving for the Dinge Region that evening. By seven in the morning, he had already walked out of his bedroom. Breakfast was simple: two sandwiches paired with a glass of hot milk.
Mr. Giotto's funeral would begin at nine. Xili and Mrs. Lake were busy washing and prepping ingredients, and after finishing his breakfast, Karen stepped into the kitchen to oversee the preparation of a light meal.
The meal was set to be served buffet-style, so the dishes did not need to be overly elaborate.
On the menu Karen drew up, there were four cold dishes: spicy boneless chicken feet, tossed pig ears, tossed jellyfish shreds, and Wien savory beans. Among them, Wien savory beans was a cold platter that was never absent from any formal gathering in Wien.
There were six hot dishes: braised pork ribs, diced chicken with edamame, eggplant patties, spring rolls, candied sweet potatoes, and lion's head meatballs.
The staples were flatbread and fried noodles, and dessert was silver fungus soup.
This was not the first funeral Karen had organized at Pavaro Funeral Parlor, but it was the first time he had prepared food. For the previous services, they had either not expected guests or known with certainty that none would attend.
Out front, Alfred, Pike, and Dincomb were busy conducting final checks on the details, while Karen led Xili and Mrs. Lake in the kitchen preparations.
Just then, a young face peeked in through the kitchen doorway—it was Ashley.
Although gathering at Karen's place before heading to the Church Affairs Building together had become an unspoken rule for the squad, she had arrived far too early today.
When she passed through the front hall earlier, Alfred, Pike, and Dincomb were occupied with the final touches, so Alfred had simply let Miss Ashley head inside on her own, omitting the announcement step. Alfred was very clear on what could be skipped and what could not.
Watching Karen expertly cook while wearing an apron, Ashley felt a wave of surrealism.
Women were naturally inclined to favor men who could cook—provided, of course, that cooking was not all they could do.
Karen glanced toward the doorway and instructed bluntly, "Give us a hand."
"Oh, right away, Captain!"
Ashley offered no resistance whatsoever, coming inside to help. But having never cooked before, she was entirely clueless about kitchen tasks, so Mrs. Lake thoughtfully assigned her the job of washing vegetables.
After a while, Bart arrived as well. Before stepping in, he had felt somewhat sheepish, wondering if he had arrived too early and seemed overly eager.
Yet the moment he saw Ashley crouching there washing vegetables, he breathed a sigh of relief. Ha, someone was actually earlier than him!
"Captain!"
"Knead the dough."
"Got it!"
Bart went over to handle the flour work. Under Xili's direction, all he had to do was knead the dough with everything he had.
The last to arrive was Ventura. He was still carrying a plastic bag filled with pastries made by his grandmother.
"Ashley, Bart," Ventura greeted them one by one, before finally calling out, "Captain!"
"Distribute the pastries to everyone, then help out."
"Yes, Captain."
Ventura carried the bag around, handing pastries to each busy worker. Pu'er, sitting atop Kevin's back, was strolling and sunbathing in the yard when she spotted Ventura walking past them with the bag.
However, Ventura doubled back and fed one pastry to Kevin. When he offered one to Pu'er, she did not eat it—she adhered to fixed snack times every day—but she held it in her paws and flashed Ventura a sweet, slightly adorable look.
Once Ventura walked away, Pu'er called out, "Dumb dog!"
Kevin turned his head and opened his mouth. Pu'er released her paws, letting the pastry drop right into Kevin's jaws. Kevin chewed vigorously, never one to be picky about food.
After handing out the snacks, Ventura rolled up his sleeves and stepped into the kitchen to help. It was immediately clear that he often cooked at home. Though Karen's recipes were unfamiliar to him, his assistant skills far outmatched those of the other two.
By the time the food was nearly ready, Karen looked up at the wall clock: nine-thirty.
He walked over to the sink to wash his hands, then looked at the three of them. "Did you all bring your luggage? Go to my bedroom and change into your cleric robes. The one having his funeral today is one of our Church of Order."
Once they were dressed, Karen led them into the mourning hall. Seven or eight people had already gathered there, all members of Giotto's squad.
Karen arranged for Ventura and Ashley to serve tea alongside Pike, and had Bart stand at the entrance with Dincomb to receive guests. He walked up to the catafalque himself, looked at Mr. Giotto lying inside the solemn black coffin, and silently recited the mythological narratives from Light of Order.
To true believers, resting in eternal slumber while listening to the deeds of God was a profound blessing.
Hanging along the four walls of the mourning hall were portraits depicting the deeds of Mr. Giotto's life.
When he came to believe in Order, when he joined the Church of Order, when he was inducted into the Whip of Order squad, what merits he had earned, what commendations he had received...
These portraits had been painted by Alfred together with Dora and Doreen, allowing the mourners to reminisce over the deceased's life through the artwork.
In truth, from Karen's perspective, there were few thrilling moments in Mr. Giotto's life, and hardly any shining highlights that could catch Karen's eye.
Yet this was the authentic portrayal of most people's lives.
As more and more mourners arrived, at least one thing was proven: Mr. Giotto had been a fine person in both his work and daily life.
This was especially evident when Karen saw Neo himself walk in wearing his clerical robes to pay respects, which practically confirmed Giotto's character.
After all, the captain was cut from the same cloth as himself—selfish, greedy, and averse to rules, yet possessing a deep respect for those of noble virtue.
After paying his respects before Giotto's remains, Neo stepped beside Karen, putting on the pretense of reciting Light of Order with him, and murmured, "Your new subordinates are quite obedient. Seems you've trained them well. I won't have to worry about your squad's combat strength going forward."
"I learned it all from you, Captain."
"Even though I know that's a lie, it still pleases me to hear it." Neo looked down at Giotto lying in the coffin before them. "Giotto, look at this kid's subordinates. If we could recruit elite underlings like this, we'd probably wake up laughing in our dreams."
Whether in terms of strength or background, it was practically impossible for people like Bart to start out as ordinary Whip of Order members. It was only the internal reforms currently taking place within the Church that opened the possibility for such an elite Whip of Order squad to form.
"You knew Mr. Giotto, Captain?"
"You could say so. We weren't close. Once, back in the day, we could have split some illicit gains, but he refused. He ticked me off so badly that I nearly set up his squad to take combat casualties.
"I just grabbed a bite over there. Did you make that?"
"Yes."
"Tastes excellent. I saved room in my stomach, so I'll eat my fill before heading back. You'll restock the food, right? People are tearing through it over there."
"We will."
"Then I'm relieved."
Neo pulled a condolence envelope from his pocket. Since Mr. Giotto had no children, the condolence funds would mostly go toward covering his funeral expenses.
The envelopes today were all quite thin, as they held point coupons.
"This funeral was arranged nicely. Very novel, with great attention to detail. Most of the people here today are colleagues from the Whip of Order. Their mortality rate is high; you won't be lacking business in the future."
Karen felt his captain possessed an uncanny knack for uncovering bizarre yet thoroughly logical angles in anything.
"Once you arrive in the Dinge Region, be cautious and prudent. There are many important figures there, especially that other squad. Their parents or grandparents practically all hold posts in the Holy See."
"I'll keep a low profile."
"Just maintain a reasonable profile. You know how to handle yourself anyway. I suspect that once you head to the Dinge Region, you won't be returning to York City; you'll probably go straight from the Dinge Region to Samsara Valley.
"Best of luck. I'll be waiting for you to come back and help me secure my promotion to company commander."
"Understood."
"Oh, right, I brought you a small gift. I had Fanny prepare it, and it's by the gift boxes. Have someone unpack it later."
"Thank you, Captain."
"Carry on. I'll go walk the dog for you in the backyard."
"Thank you for your trouble, Captain."
"No trouble at all. It's the least I can do."
Karen remained standing there, continuing to recite the deeds of the God of Order for Mr. Giotto.
Here, the God of Order did not represent that supreme being, but rather music, wine, a bed, a quilt, and a pillow.
Just as the captain had predicted, throughout the funeral, people continuously approached Karen to converse and hand him their business cards.
While some were simply eager to chat knowing his identity, their primary intention was to secure an advance spot with him.
Almost everyone handing him a card was a squad captain from the Whip of Order. After finishing their conversation, nearly all of them would sigh with heartfelt admiration: "What a wonderful funeral."
The exquisite arrangement, the poignant commemorative theme, and the delicious food—they hoped that if an accident ever befell them or their squad members, they too could be sent off in this manner.
Although Pavaro Funeral Parlor was modest in size, and even after renovations could not match Inmeles Funeral Parlor in scale or prestige, the priests of Order cared little for things measured in riels. What they truly desired was this warmth.
Ashley, Ventura, and Bart helped diligently throughout, keeping the memorial running smoothly without the slightest slack.
The funeral lasted until three in the afternoon, when the mourning guests finally departed. Pike and Dincomb were tasked with transporting Mr. Giotto's body to the cemetery for burial. Karen did not accompany them, instead sitting down with Ventura and the other two to enjoy a late lunch.
A funeral was a commemoration of the departed, but also an ablution for the living.
After such an ablution, the sensation of being alive grew all the more vivid, which naturally translated into an appetite. Everyone ate heartily.
Following Karen's instructions, Alfred opened the gift box from the captain. Inside lay thirteen silver masks.
They were distinctly different from the silver masks of the Hound Squad. This set appeared far more ferocious, having shifted from "human masks" to "demon masks."
Karen signaled Alfred to show the masks to everyone. To his surprise, Bart, Ventura, and Ashley each picked one up and began praising how much they liked them.
This left Karen in a bit of an awkward position. His original intent had been for them to agree that the masks were ugly, after which he would instruct Alfred to commission a custom set from Mr. Lemar during his absence. Clearly, they had completely misread his intention.
Ashley in particular, despite being a young woman, went so far as to hold up the hideous, ferocious mask and exclaim, "It's so cute!"
Forget it, let it be for now. Just treat them as souvenirs.
Besides, only a fool would wear a mask that ugly and conspicuous.
After finishing their meal, Karen returned to his bedroom to rest.
He stroked Kevin's bald head, then set Pu'er on his lap, rubbing her neck.
"Once I return from this trip, life won't be the same. Things will get busy."
"I know. Our little Karen is about to welcome a new starting point in his career. Do your best out there, and I'll work hard eating supplements at home.
"And you, dumb dog, you need to work hard drinking hair tonic, too."
"Woof, woof, woof!"
If Kevin had merely barked once, it would mean nothing, but barking several times in succession meant he had something to say.
"The dumb dog says he wants to spend this time dismantling half of the refrigerator to study it again, to see if he can treat it as the origin point of a teleportation array. From there, he wants to lay out a larger array to disperse its effects."
Karen had been studying books on arrays lately, so his grasp on the subject was no longer as superficial as before. He immediately asked, "What's the intended effect? Increasing its teleportation capacity?"
"Woof, woof, woof, woof!"
"The dumb dog says his idea is to set up another teleportation guidance array in the theater hall of Allen Manor, and then build an expanded receiver in our backyard storeroom using the refrigerator as a foundation.
"If this design is implemented, Karen, you'll be able to use that small bead to summon things other than the Sword of Arius.
"For example, summoning Count Rekar and Old Saman during combat to fight on your behalf."
Karen remarked, "I haven't solved the issue of sustaining their manifestation time yet."
"Woof!"
"The dumb dog says that under current conditions, there is still a massive gap before this plan can succeed."
Karen chuckled. "Still, I can't deny that the image is quite thrilling."
If the conditions truly matured and it was put into practice, while others summoned phantoms to aid them in battle, he could literally haul people out of coffins.
Though there were currently only two individuals to choose from, one had to remember: he still had ten empty coffins waiting.
If the day came when all twelve coffins were full and Pu'er had recovered as his symbiont, he could truly just stand by sipping coffee whenever a fight broke out.
Karen rested the back of his hand before them.
Kevin placed his dog paw on top, and Pu'er set her cat paw over it.
"Let's work hard together!"
"Meow!"
"Woof!"
***
Pike and Dincomb returned with the hearse, signaling that it was time to depart. Everyone loaded their luggage into the vehicle, with Alfred driving as usual.
Karen wondered if riding a hearse to missions would eventually turn into a tradition for his squad.
Should he follow his captain's example and modify a magical hearse of his own?
That seemed rather expensive, though. Even the captain had gritted his teeth to build that VIP vehicle.
Forget it. Once I become captain and take on missions, I can rake in the funds slowly.
They arrived at the Church Affairs Building close to seven o'clock. After the hearse verified their identities, a guide led them directly into the underground level.
Following the directions, Karen learned that their teleportation array was located in Sector F-3.
Outside the teleportation array, Karen spotted two familiar figures: Leon and Lore.
This time, Leon and Lore took the initiative to walk over and greet Karen with notable warmth.
Karen returned a subtle, reserved, and polite smile.
Before Karen could ask why they were there, they volunteered an explanation:
"We happen to be delivering documents to the department in the Dinge Region today, so we're hitching a ride on your teleportation array."
"Even you two need to hitch a ride?"
"It's different. In some places, you can pull strings, but in others, you can't touch that sort of privilege," Lore explained.
In the past, official business trips entailed different treatment based on rank. Far-distance teleportation was especially stark, as high-grade and low-grade arrays differed immensely in travel time and physical comfort.
During the regional selection earlier, everyone had taken high-grade teleportation arrays, as the region could hardly afford to let its candidates fall out of peak condition before the trials.
When the appointed time arrived, the array activated.
Enveloped in a flash of white light, their bodies shuddered slightly, and Karen and the others reappeared inside the teleportation array hall of the Dinge Region.
Due to the immense distance, there was a time difference: while it was evening back in York City, it was morning here in the Dinge Region.
"We'll take our leave first," Leon said, waving to Karen.
Lore added, "We'll be staying in the Dinge Region for a few days to get official stamps. If you have time, let's grab a meal."
Karen replied, "Sure, if there's time."
"Captain!"
"Captain!"
Just as the two young scions walked away, Karen saw Mars and Blanche running over, dragging their suitcases behind them.
Ventura pulled two ferocious silver masks from his backpack and handed one to each of them, which they promptly accepted.
Behind them, Bart and Ashley assumed this was Karen's instruction, so they produced their own masks and put them on.
Ventura was briefly taken aback. He had merely intended to hand them out to the newly joined teammates.
Wait, are we supposed to wear them? Then I'll put mine on too.
Mars and Blanche, after all, were not from the York City Region, so they psychologically felt a degree more distant from Karen compared to their York City peers.
This made them somewhat anxious. Both came from knight order backgrounds, and their families had briefed them on the upcoming reform plans, giving them a much stronger urge to blend in and belong.
Consequently, without the slightest hesitation, the two immediately donned their masks.
Aside from Karen, the entire squad was now masked.
Inside the bustling, crowded teleportation hall, this immediately drew a wide swath of attention.
Some observed with caution, some looked on with curiosity, and some sneered in amusement.
Karen looked at his squad members, who had already formed a line behind him while wearing their masks.
After a moment's hesitation, Karen whispered inwardly:
Fine, I'm the fool.
Then, he pulled out his own mask and slipped it over his face.
With a wave of his hand, Karen marched forward.
Six young figures wearing demon masks stepped forward with a stride full of supreme confidence.
Pushing open the hall doors, bright sunlight spilled down upon them, resonating with boundless life and vitality.
Karen could not help but sigh:
"Ah, youth..."
Chapter 335