Alfred's New Class!

"Huh?" Hearing that response, Neo leaned back, his peripheral vision sweeping across the space behind him to either side. He had the eerie feeling that Karen was standing right behind him, watching him place bets, and had folded a paper crow to fly over and mock him. Fortunately, there was no sign of Karen. *Phew...* Neo suddenly frowned. Why did he feel so guilty? What was Karen to him anyway? What right did that kid have to police his gambling? "Minister, what should we do?" Leon was rather worried. He had an unconditional trust in Karen—after all, he was one of the next batch of "believers" personally handpicked by Alfred. "What do you mean, what should we do?" Neo lit a cigarette. "If he told you to investigate, then investigate. Didn't we come here precisely to investigate? Did you really think we came here just to gamble?" Leon thought: *Didn't you bring me here to gamble and relax?* "Well? Did you find it interesting?" Neo asked. "I only put down a hundred point coupons just now. If that last slip had hit, I would have raked in tens of thousands." "Except you didn't win." "Bah, the odds of winning were terrible anyway." Unbothered, Neo stood up. "Come on, let's head to the back and see an old friend of mine." As Neo and Leon got up from their seats, quite a few people around them cast sympathetic glances their way, assuming they had lost everything down to their undergarments. In reality, that small amount of capital meant virtually nothing to the present Neo, falling far short of making him miss the gentle breeze atop a high rooftop. At the entrance to the backstage area, personnel from the gaming company stood guard to bar entry. Inside stood two figures wearing clerical robes. Their robes were predominantly dark red, emblazoned with a sinister clown mask. Rumor had it that the clowns popular in modern theater and circuses had originally evolved from this iconography. It was the visage of a deity—Ganalard. The Church of Ganalard was a mid-sized denomination, yet its fame was widespread because mythological accounts across various religions referred to their god by another moniker: the God of Gambling. Much like how the Goddess Mills was venerated by prostitutes, the statues and derived icons worshipped in many casinos traced their origins directly to Ganalard. Active during the previous era, he had originally belonged to the Eternal faction, later switched allegiance to the Light faction, and when Order broke away from Light, he was among the earliest wave of deities to follow the God of Order into secession. It could be said that throughout the previous era, he was the god who picked sides most eagerly and most accurately. No matter how the winds shifted, he was always on the winning side. After entering this era, the Church of Order and the Church of Light coexisted for a long period. Thanks to the God of Order's dominance across the divine realm toward the end of the previous era, the Church of Order expanded rapidly. Although the Church of Light had lost the God of Light early on, its accumulated foundation remained formidable. The tragedy of the Church of Ganalard unfolded during that very period. Originally, the church left behind by Ganalard possessed the strength of a major denomination, even bordering on an orthodox faith. However, the church was evidently nowhere near as adept at picking sides as its god had been. First, they broke with Order and turned to the Church of Light, only to subsequently break with Light as well... The Church of Light declared the Church of Ganalard a heretical cult and launched a holy war against them. When the Church of Ganalard attempted to flee back and seek the protection of the Church of Order, they were met with cold indifference. In the end, under relentless assault from the Church of Light, the denomination was virtually wiped out, reduced to pariahs hated by everyone. A thousand years ago, Light perished, Order triumphed in the contest against Light, and the Church of Order established the circle of churches centered upon the *Code of Order*. Then, for reasons unknown, the Church of Order chose not to pursue the Church of Ganalard's past betrayal; instead, they revoked its designation as a heretical cult. In merely a thousand years, those former dregs had rebuilt themselves into a mid-sized church once more. This went to show just how remarkably resilient degenerate gamblers truly were. "I'm looking for Miye. Miye Dan'art." The two priests inside promptly pushed the security guards aside, gesturing for the two of them to enter. Led by the priests, Neo and Leon stepped backstage, passing through an underground corridor from the entertainment quarter into the office complex of an adjacent building. Upon entering a spacious office, Leon heard a delighted cheer: "Oh, my dear old friend Neo! It's been far too long!" A middle-aged man opened his arms wide and stepped forward to embrace Minister Neo. He looked very much like an attorney. He wore no divine robes, dressing instead with meticulous neatness. Yes, neat and clean. That word was rarely used to describe someone's appearance, yet it was precisely the first impression Miye gave Leon. He possessed an innate warmth and charisma that subconsciously made people want to trust him. Yet trusting a casino operator was bound to bring terrifying consequences. Neo returned the embrace warmly, and both men sat down. Except Neo took Miye's executive chair, leaving Miye to sit on the guest sofa. Miye smiled. "I truly never expected that you of all people would one day rise to such a position." "Likewise." Saying so, Neo turned to Leon and introduced, "Back in Sangpu City, this fellow was caught illegally luring people into gambling. I nabbed him, but seeing that he showed a remorseful attitude, and adhering to the principle that punishment is meant for rehabilitation, I let him go." Leon understood full well that this "remorseful attitude" had certainly cost a pretty penny. "Luring people into gambling? Come now, I was merely trying to recruit a few believers to meet my quota. It was a task assigned from above, and I had no choice but to carry it out. Besides, all activities of the Church of Ganalard on Order's territory are strictly reported to Order beforehand. "Take this operation, for example. It was duly cleared with Order. That's why we came here to periodically harvest a portion of gambling greed. What we do actually benefits the normal functioning of society. "After all, Order wishes to see a society that develops normally, does it not?" Leon chimed in, "No. What Order wishes to see is a human society that develops freely without the interference of churches." Miye countered, "Then do you know that collective human greed easily breeds aberrant demons—or even evil gods?" "That... I know." "Therefore, the reason Order permits us, as well as minor churches like the Church of Mills, to operate is essentially to take out the trash. At the very least, we are far easier to control than newly spawned abominations, and we understand the rules. "Neo, aren't you going to introduce this young man? Come to think of it, when you and I first met, you were about his age, weren't you?" Neo replied, "If I had enjoyed his family background, you never would have had the chance to meet me." "Ah, I see." "I didn't come for you, Miye. I want to see the Dice Shaker. I know there's a master of that caliber in your delegation." "Our Dice Shaker just paid a visit this morning to a minister from your Regional Administrative Office and has only just settled in to rest. I can arrange an appointment for tomorrow. What do you think...?" "Of course. After all, we're old friends." "Neo, I truly appreciate your understanding..." "I just received a tip-off claiming that illicit activities beyond what Order permits are taking place on your premises. I'll immediately order the Whip of Order to shut the place down and conduct a thorough search, just to clear the name of my dear old friend." "Please wait a moment! I'm sure the Dice Shaker would be delighted to meet with you. I'll go inform her right away." "Mm, very well." Miye stood up, opened an inner office door, and stepped inside. Neo also rose, opened the small liquor cabinet in the office, pushed aside the cheaper bottles, and pulled out the most expensive vintage. He then rummaged through the drawers of Miye's desk, clipped a fountain pen embedded with an array-infused gem into his breast pocket, and retrieved an open carton of church-issue cigarettes. Taking out a single pack, he tossed the remainder directly to Leon. "Hold onto these for me." "Understood." Taking a sip of alcohol and a puff of the cigarette, Neo let out a deeply contented burp and chuckled. "No matter how grandly they preach, their church's wealth is built upon the blood and tears of countless believers. So take whatever catches your eye; don't feel any moral burden." "I understand, but there's nothing I want." "A man needs desires to stay alive," Neo warned. "Mr. Alfred will guide my path." "Heh." Neo took another irritated swig from the bottle. "Then I suppose you won't be disappointed." Before long, Miye returned. He opened the door and made an inviting gesture toward Neo. "The Dice Shaker is waiting to meet you." With a cigarette dangling from his lips and the bottle in hand, Neo strolled inside. Leon hesitated for a second before following him in. The room beyond was dimly lit, bathed in dark red hues. In the center sat a very low gambling table draped with heavy cloth reaching down to the floor, resembling a foot-warmer brazier—the kind many ordinary Wien households used to stay warm in winter. A woman nearing forty was seated there, her legs tucked beneath the table. A black veil covered half of her oval-shaped face, hinting at her youthful beauty, and a pair of dice dangled from her earlobes as earrings. "Greetings, Minister. Please forgive me; my physical disability prevents me from rising to welcome you." "No matter, no matter. Just stay seated." Neo glanced back. Miye immediately retreated outside and shut the door behind him. The moment it clicked shut, an isolation barrier activated, ensuring no sound could escape. "Please have a seat, Minister." "Sure, sure." Neo didn't sit down; instead, he pointed at Leon. "Sit." "Me? All right." Leon sat down, lifted the cloth drape, and stretched his legs under the table. The moment he settled in, Leon felt an exceptionally nimble pair of bare feet creep onto his knees, sliding smoothly up his thighs until they brushed against that sensitive area. "This..." Leon instinctively moved to stand up, but saw Neo taking a seat to the side. Neo spoke to the woman: "You certainly keep your secrets well. Even Miye was kept in the dark." "Something of this gravity is beyond his station to know." As the woman answered Neo, she cast a deeply meaningful gaze at Leon. Leon felt as though he were a tiny bird perched on a branch, suddenly hurled straight into the sky by a violent gust of wind. "Let's get down to business," Neo said, taking another puff of his cigarette. "He won't last very long." Leon was speechless. "Very well." The woman produced a deck of playing cards. "You must understand the price I have to pay to gamble with you." "Isn't that a price the Church of Ganalard has always paid?" Neo sneered. "Right now, it's merely the most standard transaction." "Hehe." The woman drew three Aces, laid them out, and turned them facedown. Then she drew three Kings, placed them before Neo, and turned them facedown as well. "To be frank, some elders in our church still believe that by baiting Light into waging holy war against our major denominations, we took immense pressure off Order and helped it secure that epochal standoff. We paid more than enough of a price and rendered tremendous merit to Order. We deserved far greater favor, yet Order never granted it." Neo took a sip of liquor and replied, "Survival itself demands a price. Those elders have probably forgotten that the right to exist is not innate." "Isn't three cards a bit much?" the woman asked. "I actually think it's too few." "Fine." The woman produced three dark red diamonds, placing one on each of the three cards before her. "I originally thought this occasion would be far more rigorous and solemn. I never expected it to be so crude. It truly does a disservice to my three Lucky Diamonds." "Did you expect me to invite you to the Whip of Order's headquarters to conduct this ritual?" "That won't be necessary." The woman rested her finger upon the first card before her. Her fingernail detached on its own, and blood welled forth. Immediately afterward, blood trickled from her eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, ultimately gathering above the card to resonate with the diamond beneath it. It was a horrifying spectacle—so grotesque that Leon's arousal evaporated instantly. "Sigh." The woman let out a soft sigh and withdrew her feet. Leon breathed a long sigh of relief. "How about you take his place?" the woman offered Neo. "I wouldn't mind. I know you have that peculiar habit." "Exactly. Let me give you some pleasure." "After I finish enjoying it, I'll kill you." "Fair enough. It seems you truly loved your wife deeply. You know, such genuine devotion is practically unheard of in gamblers. Quite the contrary—men who sell their wives to scrape together a betting stake are everywhere." "Focus." "To help you, I went out of my way to requisition a top-tier sacred relic. Rest assured, nothing will go wrong this time. It's just that leaving my feet idle feels unnatural; it might hinder my condition and performance." "If there's a next time, I'll bring you a fellow covered in bugs. That should keep you thoroughly entertained." "I look forward to it." The diamonds began to melt. Neo placed a finger on one of the cards in front of him. "Make your choice," the woman said. "Order." A cluster of the Fire of Order condensed at Neo's fingertip, attaching itself to the playing card. The woman's eyes went wide as if she had stumbled upon some terrifying revelation, and her expression instantly grew grave. "It seems the pedigree of your bloodthirsty aberrant demon bloodline is far higher than anticipated." Because the cards were revealed in ascending order from lowest to highest. "Can we reveal the cards?" "We can." Neo flipped his card. Its face turned pitch-black. With a low hum, it hovered into the air and drifted toward the center between them. The woman flicked her own card forward. The two cards collided midair and drifted slowly downward, landing with the black face upward—now encircled by a dark red seal. *Hiss...* The woman drew a sharp breath, her face turning deathly pale. Evidently, the very first seal had already placed her under enormous strain. "I am privileged to experience the treatment my great god once administered to Order." According to the mythological accounts in the *Light of Order*, after a certain divine war, Ganalard had treated the God of Order's wounds. It was an utterly illogical passage. Back then, the Light faction boasted countless deities skilled in healing and restoring vitality. Why would the God of Order choose the God of Gambling to treat his injuries? Later theological historians within the church circles concluded that the God of Order had likely asked Ganalard to seal something within him. Ganalard was the embodiment of gambling delusions, yet surviving murals depicted him as a refined, gentle god who combined elegance and composure. He wore the clown mask only in battle, never in daily life. Furthermore, Ganalard's sealing system was exceptionally subtle—it specialized strictly in sealing "temperaments" or "personalities." Theological historians had deduced from this that the God of Order's frantic slaughter of deities toward the end of the previous era was likely because... he had gone mad. A pair of white gloves floated up, hovering beside the woman's flanks. It was a top-tier sacred relic: the Devil's Hands. With the relic's empowerment, the woman regained her composure. She placed her hand on the second card as blood surged anew. "Ready for the second card." "Are you sure?" "Certain." "Good." Neo placed his hand on his second card as well. "For the second card, what is your face?" "Bloodthirsty aberrant demon." A crimson glow bled from Neo's fingertip, enveloping the card as it took flight. The woman flicked her corresponding card forward. The moment the two cards clashed, the woman coughed up a violent spray of blood, slumping into severe weakness. Meanwhile, the gloves beside her executed rapid card-cutting and shuffling motions in a blur. Behind Neo, a figure clad in a formal evening suit materialized, its facial features blurred. Layer upon layer of dark red seals expanded to envelop the figure, while the latter fought desperately against them. At long last, after an agonizing deadlock, the figure was successfully sealed. The white gloves halted their movement, white threads pulling from their fabric, now frayed and tattered. The woman stared at her hands in terror, then at the gloves. Her lips trembled. Clearly, she lacked the courage to reveal the third card, uncertain if she could survive it. "I... I'm somewhat afraid. Afraid to know what your final hole card is..." Neo showed no consideration for her plight, asking bluntly, "Can't afford to lose?" "Truly, I might not be able to afford it." "As long as you don't die, it's fine." "I might genuinely die, Neo! During our previous correspondence, you never told me the personality you needed to seal was this terrifying!" "Is that my fault?" "I assumed Order would be your final card, but you played it first! Your stakes are too high. I want to—" "When I lose, I prefer to lose completely. Even if I have to go stand on a rooftop to catch the breeze, I won't chicken out halfway. Likewise, I don't appreciate the person gambling against me walking away early." "My price was far too low, Neo! What I asked of you previously is utterly disproportionate to what I am about to pay!" "The stakes have already been verified. It's too late for regret. How about this: I'll concede one step further. Once you finish this hand with me, I will allow your people to harvest more gambling resentment in Yorktown beyond what was reported. The Whip of Order will cover for you. "Absorbing a bit more of them can also be seen as cleaning up this city, hehe." "That lacks sincerity, Neo." "My patience is limited." "I want a promise from you..." The woman pulled out a letter and laid it on the table. "I have twin daughters. They are also followers of Ganalard, currently being trained. If I die, I want you to go through official Order channels to requisition them from the Church of Ganalard. You don't need to raise them; I only want them to leave that place. I don't want my two daughters to end up like me, becoming Dice Shakers." "Fine, I agree. But the prerequisite is that you must successfully defeat me." "I will." The woman spread her hands, and the floating gloves slipped back onto them. A resolute gleam appeared in her eyes. As she placed her hands on the final card, she asked, "To be honest, you never planned on letting me survive past today, did you, Neo?" Hearing this, Leon looked at Minister Neo in astonishment. Neo merely smiled without a word. "I have a premonition—a premonition belonging to a Dice Shaker. Once that final hole card is revealed, I will certainly be silenced, because it must be a secret you cannot allow anyone else to discover." As she spoke, she made a point of looking at Leon once more. Leon's gaze hardened with determination. "You're overacting; it's pointless," Neo said. "You kept this from Miye precisely so that I wouldn't kill the others once it's over, didn't you?" "I was merely clinging to a shred of false hope before stepping up to the table... A gambler's mentality." "Show your hand," Neo urged. "Then... let us reveal it. What is the nature of your third hole card...?" "Light." A ball of the Fire of Light flared to life, condensing upon the facedown card. Leon was utterly thunderstruck. *Clang!* Leon's knees slammed hard against the table before he scrambled backward on all fours, staring in disbelief at the ball of Fire of Light glowing at Minister Neo's fingertip. "Impossible... impossible... impossible..." How could Minister Neo possibly be a Remnant of Light?! "Hehehehe..." The woman burst into laughter. "You truly are ruthless. Young man, your life ends today as well." The woman flipped her card, merging the two together. Her hands moved at blinding speed, blurring into afterimages. Behind Neo, a phantom clad in divine robes of Light materialized, repeatedly resisting the dark red borders that formed around it, only for the seals to shatter and reform. The woman's face aged at terrifying speed, her vitality draining away. Her gloves disintegrated under the frantic movements, followed by her hands, her elbows, her arms... She looked like a knitted sweater being swiftly unraveled. Finally, when nothing remained of the woman but her severed head, the phantom of Light behind Neo was at last coated in a thick layer of dark red wax. *Thud!* The woman's head dropped onto the table. Her lips parted: "I won." "The original terms, plus your daughters—I will honor all of it." "Thank you." Neo reminded her, "You ought to die now. I don't want to use purification on you myself; Miye might misunderstand." "Understood. My suicide note and journal are beneath my cushion. I stated that I lost my way and chose to end my own life." "Mm." The woman closed her eyes. A plume of black smoke drifted upward, and she died completely. She had won, yet she had lost everything—so thoroughly that even awakening was impossible. Neo stood up and stretched his arms. This solved the trouble with the Book Discussion Club for the time being, buying him another long stretch of clear-headed sanity. Unfortunately, he felt little joy. *So, what on earth am I hoping for? Heh.* Neo immediately shook his head and muttered to himself, "How can I think that living is so exhausting? I shouldn't be so negative. It seems I need to have Karen examine me again." With that, Neo turned his head toward Leon, who was curled up in the corner. "Hey." "Aaaahhhh!" Leon let out a terrified shriek. The person he respected most was Karen, followed closely by Minister Neo. Now, he couldn't accept the reality that Minister Neo was a Remnant of Light; he felt his entire worldview collapsing. More than that, he believed Minister Neo was about to silence him forever. *Huff, huff, huff...* Breathing raggedly, Leon mustered his courage and stood up. "Remnant of Light, I'll take you down with—" *Whoosh!* Neo vanished, reappearing right in front of Leon. "Ah!" Leon shrieked again, stumbling back until his spine struck the wall. Yet he swiftly rallied his courage once more, glaring straight into Neo's eyes. "Remnant of Light!" Neo went, "Ptui." Leon fell silent. Neo reached out a hand. Leon immediately began weaving a spell, but with a simple flick of Neo's finger, the nascent spell dissolved into nothingness. Before a seasoned hunting hound, this former sheltered dandy was no more than an adorable little quail. *Pat, pat!* Neo gently dusted off the powder on Leon's shoulder. "Relax, I'm not going to silence you. Look how terrified you are." "I... I..." "It's not like I lost your money on an investment. If I'd squandered all your point coupons, I might actually have dragged you off a roof with me." "B-but... I... you, Light..." "You're going to report me, aren't you? If I don't kill you?" "Of course! I will never submit to a Remnant of Light, even in the face of death! So Minister Neo—no, Apostate Neo—you'd better kill me right now!" "I'm not killing you, but I'm curious: who are you going to report me to?" "I'm reporting you to Minister Karen!" "Fine, go ahead. Oh, by the way, that Mr. Alfred you revere so much is right outside the casino entrance." As Neo spoke, he tapped the seashell behind his ear. "Hello? The barrier's interfering with the signal." "I hear you. The newly modified communication tool has exceptional penetration." "Take this kid off my hands." "Understood. The Young Master has already returned to the manor. I've just finalized the personnel arrangements and was preparing to head to the manor myself." "Right, good." *** Alfred tapped the seashell behind his ear and looked toward the casino ahead. Seated in the back, Vic asked curiously, "Mr. Alfred, are we waiting for someone?" "Yes, waiting for someone just like you. He'll be out shortly, and we'll hit the road together." "I'm really looking forward to it, Mr. Alfred. But could you give me a small hint about where we're going? Just a little, really." Alfred smiled gently. "A brand-new future. A place that will completely change you. A performance that will reshape a man." "I can hardly wait for my teacher to see the change in me once he returns. I believe I'll find what I'm looking for where we're going, Mr. Alfred. I yearn to know that secret, and I yearn to join that circle of theirs, because I've witnessed their rapid growth and progress." Alfred replied: "Believe me, Vic. When your teacher sees you again, I swear he will be so proud of you, moved to tears by your progress and achievements."