What a Powerful Grip!

*Thud!* The corpse of the Chaset man was tossed into the rectangular well inside the hearse. Alfred climbed down from the carriage, shut the rear doors, and drew a stack of banknotes from his pocket, holding it out to the Chaset woman who had just helped him cover things up and haul the body. The woman was still clutching the tin box she had struggled so hard to pry open; the lubi inside did not even amount to the stack in Alfred's hand. Yet she pushed his hand away. "It's only what I should have done," she said. Leaning her back against the carriage door, she turned her head and asked, "Got a smoke?" "I do." Alfred did not actually smoke, but the sight of Karen laughing and smoking alongside Ms. Molly back when Alfred first met the great being had truly shaken him to the core. From then on, he made sure to keep cigarettes on him at all times, ready to offer one whenever the young master fancied a puff. If the murals depicting him in the future showed him offering a cigarette to the great being, he would be thoroughly pleased. Any believer studying the mural would surely recognize how close he was to the great being. The woman lit the cigarette, took a drag, and said, "I made a wish to God, and God answered my prayer." Alfred chuckled. "Maybe it wasn't God who heard you." The woman shrugged. "Whoever heard it, to me, they're as good as a god, aren't they?" "You make a good point. But are you sure you don't want this money? After all, your husband just died." "You don't understand the Chasets." Leaving those words behind, she cradled the tin box and walked away, adding as she went, "It's not that we like poverty, but we truly love wandering." Watching her retreating figure, Alfred murmured to himself, "I used to think that way too." As for now... "Having official status is truly wonderful." If he had not produced that identification issued by Diss before that formidable Church of Order figure, the best outcome he could have hoped for right now would probably be browsing the night market for a suitable eyepatch. Alfred walked back from the parking area to the circus's big top. By now, the ticket checkers at the entrance had left. Even without a ticket, no one would stop anyone from walking in. With the show halfway through, guests might step out to relieve themselves or get some fresh air, making ticket checks impossible anyway. When he walked inside, Miss Mandila was just emerging from the water tank with both arms raised high, sending the audience into a roaring frenzy. The center aisle was packed solid, so Alfred had to make his way through the edge and skirt the stage toward the VIP section. Passing by the edge of the stage, Alfred cast a puzzled glance at Miss Mandila in the water tank. Something about this young lady struck him as odd. However, he was currently hunched over so as not to block the view of the spectators in the stands, and he had no time to pause and use his Succubus Eye to inspect her. As he drew near the VIP section, Alfred spotted the young master burying his head in Miss Eunice's chest. *Ah, as expected of the great being. What fast progress.* Setting aside all the supernatural factors, Karen as a person already gave Alfred a distinctive impression. He was steady and handled matters with composure. He was rational, yet never suppressed his emotional side. Such a disposition usually belonged to open-minded old men who, standing near death's door, could clearly perceive what truly mattered. Reaching the edge of the VIP section, just as Alfred was about to raise a hand to signal to the young master that he had returned, he saw the young master—whose face had been turned toward Miss Eunice—abruptly turn toward the water tank on stage. A chilling frost gleamed in the young master's eyes. At the same time, the young master's lips moved, shaping a phrase. Alfred's public profession was a radio host. He had an innate gift for languages and had studied them deeply; he was even skilled at lip-reading. "'Go... die'?" What did that mean? It was not Maklai—the language family of Wien, Ruilan, and the neighboring nations. Suddenly, a commotion broke out on the stage. Alfred instantly snapped his head toward the stage, just in time to see the performer, Miss Mandila, pulling the magician into the water tank. The rest of the audience assumed it was the second act of the trick and erupted into wild cheers. Yet Alfred could tell from the details that something was terribly wrong. He immediately covered his left eye with one hand, and the eye flared crimson. Through the gaps between his fingers, he saw wisps of dark aura wafting off the long-gowned female performer inside the tank. That was... a corpse! Alfred looked back at his young master. The previous movement and mouth shape replayed in his mind: "'Go... die'?" He still did not know the exact meaning of those two syllables, but he could sense that they were loaded with specific intent. No— It was that language! The language of that hymn! It dawned on Alfred at once: the words the young master had spoken were the curse of an evil god! At that moment, Alfred's heart was flooded with sheer awe. Right on its heels, however, came a cold tremor down his spine. Thank goodness. Thank goodness that old man had already left. If he were still here, wouldn't he have sensed it too? Though the man certainly had his own means of discernment—just as Alfred had used his Succubus Eye—Alfred knew that powerful beings of that caliber possessed perception far sharper than ordinary mortals could comprehend, even when not actively looking. "Ah..." Alfred felt weak at the knees. He instinctively braced a hand on Lunt's shoulder before he could sit down. So close. It had been so close. Fortunately, the old man had left. If he had not, wouldn't the young master's identity have been exposed? No matter how powerful a being was, they were still fragile upon initial descent and vulnerable to accidents. That was why retinues existed. Whether an appropriate retinue was chosen directly determined whether the great being could safely navigate that initial vulnerable period. Thankfully, the young master possessed impeccable judgment—truly worthy of a great being—for he had chosen an exceptionally formidable follower: Old Master Diss. Even so... Alfred leaned forward instinctively, gazing toward the young master. Danger truly lurked everywhere. Circus crew members climbed onto the stage and rolled the water tank behind the curtains. The audience was a little puzzled: was this how the act concluded? Soon, however, several flaming hoops were brought onto the stage, immediately capturing everyone's gaze and attention. A new acrobatic act followed, and the performance carried on. "Let's go," Karen said to Eunice. Mandila had already been a corpse, and now the magician was one too. There was definitely something wrong with this circus; its operations went far beyond mere sideshow entertainment. Karen had no intention of investigating right now. Though Alfred was here, truthfully, Alfred could not provide him with total peace of mind. Besides, Mina and the three other children, along with Eunice, were here. This was no time to play the hero. His priority was getting Eunice and the kids safely home, reporting this to Diss, and letting Diss handle the investigation. That was the safe and prudent path. As for the children missing the rest of the circus... well, they would just have to live with the disappointment. "Alright." Eunice nodded, assuming Karen felt unwell. She immediately turned to Mina beside her. "Mina, let's head home now." Though Mina wanted to keep watching, she nodded sensibly and passed the word to Chris and Sarah. "Uncle Afu, my brother says we're going home now." "Right, okay." Alfred could hardly wait to leave. "Follow me. We'll skirt around the front and head out." "Okay." With Alfred taking the lead, the children trailed behind him while Karen took Eunice's hand. The group made their way near the stage, heading toward the corner exit. Just then, a giant ball hanging overhead, previously assumed to be mere decoration, suddenly split open, showering down a blizzard of paper slips. A voice boomed through the microphone: "Here's tonight's lucky draw! Anyone who catches a slip with a blue side can come right up to the stage to claim your prize—a giant rainbow lollipop! First come, first served!" Ahead of Alfred, several circus hands wheeled out a vendor cart bristling with lollipops. In an instant, the entire audience seemed to be scouring the ground for slips. After all, there were plenty of children in attendance; the kids searched on their own, parents helped them look, and many others joined in for good luck or just for fun. Sarah, Lunt, and Chris bent down, eager to search the ground too, but Karen barked at them: "Get up! Move!" The children had never seen their brother look so furious. Not daring to glance at another slip, they followed Alfred and kept moving forward. The lollipop cart that threatened to block their path was kicked aside forcefully by Alfred, screeching to a halt. He held it back until the children, the young master, and Miss Eunice slipped past, only then letting go and hurrying back to the head of the line. "I found one!" "I found one too!" A flock of children surged toward the lollipop cart, with plenty of adults mixed in. Whenever anyone rushed straight at them, Alfred deliberately shouldered them aside, caring little whether they fell. All that mattered was keeping the group behind him from being scattered by the throng. With great difficulty, they finally emerged from the circus big top. Karen took a headcount: four children, all accounted for. "Back to the hearse first," Karen said. Alfred chimed in at once, "Young Master, take my car to drive the young ladies back. I'll drive the hearse." Karen hesitated, gave Alfred a look, and nodded. When they reached the parking area, Karen opened the door of Alfred's Santland and gestured for the kids to take the back seat. Fortunately, none of the four children were chubby, so they all managed to squeeze in. After shutting the rear door, Eunice smiled at Karen and slipped into the passenger seat, though she still offered, "I can drive too." "It's fine. I've got it." Karen opened the driver's door. Before getting in, he glanced toward Alfred by the hearse. Alfred was looking his way as well. Giving Alfred a nod, Karen cast one last look at the circus big top, got into the car, and started the engine. The car soon set off down the road. Because Karen's expression had been grave ever since they left, none of the four children in the back chatted or chirped; Lunt and Chris even drifted off to sleep before long. Eunice sat quietly beside Karen, casting glances at him whenever he checked the rearview mirror. Perhaps because Karen wanted to get home sooner, or perhaps because the lingering terror of what he had experienced at the circus still haunted him even after regaining his senses, he abandoned his usual steady driving style and drove quite fast. Once inside the city, since Mine Street was closer, Karen drove there first. He had originally intended to walk Sarah right to her doorstep, but tonight Roth seemed to have kept his cobbler stall open late just to wait for his daughter. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Karen. Sarah must have caused you trouble again today." "Not at all. Sarah was very well-behaved. I'll be on my way now." "Safe travels!" Next, Rhine Street was actually closer than Mink Street, but Karen drove to Mink Street first. Mina led her younger siblings out of the car, and the three of them said goodbye to Eunice: "Goodbye, Miss." "Good night, Miss." "Get some rest early, you three." Lunt yawned sleepily. "You and big brother get some rest early too, Miss." Eunice heard him, but said nothing, simply returning to her seat. Karen started the car again. Next was taking Eunice home. Perhaps because the children were safely back, his mood finally relaxed. "I'm sorry you couldn't watch the full performance." Karen had no intention of apologizing for what had happened during the show. For one, his mind had not been clear at all back then; for another, what would such an apology even mean? Promising never to do it again? Since she had not brought it up, dragging it out would only make things awkward. "No, it doesn't matter. Your health is far more important." "It wasn't a health issue. I fell into water when I was a child, and the experience left me deeply traumatized. Seeing that performance caused my emotions to spiral out of control." Karen would rather have Eunice think he had psychological trauma than let her suspect he had some physical ailment. "So that's why. I understand now," Eunice said with a warm smile. "I had a wonderful time today, Karen." "Me too." Karen felt he was lying through his teeth. Other people went to the circus to watch a live show; he had been treated to a fully immersive panoramic nightmare. After dropping Eunice at her doorstep, Karen gave her their customary embrace. He watched her walk inside, then got back into the car. As he drove out of Rhine Street, he passed Piaget's house; the lights were off, and the lights at Mrs. Seymour's house next door were dark as well. Karen drove back home. Going upstairs, he heard Lunt and Chris on the second floor chattering about the afternoon barbecue and the fun circus acts. Aunt Mary and Aunt Winnie were keeping them company. Seeing Karen come up, Aunt Mary stood up immediately and asked: "Karen, come have some late-night snack." "Thank you, Auntie, but I'm not hungry. I'll go talk to Grandfather for a bit." "Grandfather went out. When Afu got back earlier, he went upstairs to see Grandfather, and then Grandfather left with Afu." "Oh, is that so? Alright, I'll take a bath and turn in. I'm a bit tired from driving today." "Alright, I've already set your clothes out for you." "Thank you, Auntie." Karen went up to the third floor and entered the bathroom to bathe. The feeling of hot water washing over his body was wonderful. After the bath, he changed into his nightclothes and stepped out of the steamy bathroom. The sudden drop in temperature was sharp. As the chill swept over him, the image of being trapped in the water tank seemed to flash before his eyes once more, and that overwhelming despair rushed back into his chest. Karen had to brace a hand against the wall, steadying himself for a long while before letting out a long breath. He returned to his bedroom. Tonight, instead of sitting at his desk to read as usual, he climbed straight under the covers. Tucking the quilt tightly around his neck until it wrapped around him without leaving a single gap, he felt like a silkworm cocooned inside. His eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and Karen drifted to sleep. ... At seven-thirty in the morning, Karen woke up right on time. Seeing the sunlight already streaming through the window, he felt his energy had finally returned. He went down to the second floor and ate the breakfast his aunt had prepared. "Has Grandfather had breakfast?" Karen asked. "Today is Sunday. Grandfather left for church very early." Karen nodded. Diss and Alfred must have gone to the circus grounds last night. The matter was probably resolved, or at least posed no further threat, otherwise Grandfather would not have gone to church this morning. After all, Diss harbored little genuine devotion toward the god worshiped in that church. "What about Uncle?" Karen asked. Normally, his uncle would come out to eat breakfast around this time. "A welfare case called in. Your uncle and Ron went to handle it. Afu was out too late with your grandfather last night, so he couldn't make it this morning." "Oh, I see." After finishing breakfast, Karen went down to the courtyard on the ground floor. The big golden retriever came scampering over to nuzzle against his trouser leg. Just then, the hearse pulled up in front of the house. Ron opened the rear doors and prepared to unload the "guest" onto the gurney. Karen walked over to lend a hand, expertly helping Ron steady the gurney from below. "Got a good hold, Young Master?" "Got it." "Alright, here it comes." The gurney and the body lying atop it were slid down together. "There's one more, Young Master. Hold on a moment, I'll go haul it out." Ron stepped back into the hearse and bent down into the well to lift the second corpse. Just then, a gust of wind blew by. The white sheet covering the body slid off under the breeze, revealing a familiar female face: Mandila! Karen had never expected to see Mandila's corpse right outside his doorstep. In an instant, the suffocating, despairing vision he had spent all night trying to push aside surged back. He instinctively clutched his forehead, his body swaying. Suddenly, a hand shot out from the corpse lying on the gurney, grabbing Karen's wrist to steady his balance. Karen looked down. He watched as the hand that had just supported him drew back. "Young Master, second one coming down! Sorry to trouble you to catch it!" Ron called out from the hearse. "Alright, ready," Karen responded. Then, an even more astounding sight unfolded. Mandila, eyes still closed, sat straight up from the gurney, reached behind her, and grabbed two wheels of the gurney Ron was sliding down. From inside the hearse, with the gurney and corpse blocking his line of sight, along with the height of the carriage floor, Ron could not see what was happening below at all. Instead, he called out in delighted surprise: "Whoa, Young Master, you've got such a steady grip this time! What a powerful grip!"