Order Has Heard

*Creak...* Neo pushed open the door to the inner room. Miye approached him with a smile and asked, "Has your meeting with the Dice Shaker concluded?" "Come inside first." "Very well." Miye stepped into the room. The first thing he saw was Leon, leaning against the wall behind the door, looking completely shell-shocked. Then his gaze shifted, landing on the severed head resting atop the gambling table. "This..." "This is her suicide note." Neo handed an envelope to Miye. Miye took the letter. Instead of opening it immediately, he performed a mourning salute before the Dice Shaker's head in accordance with the rites of the Church of Ganalard. After a moment, Miye took a deep breath. "I thought it would take much longer. I truly did not expect everything to happen so quickly." Leon was stunned. He hadn't expected such a reaction from Miye. It didn't look like a compromise born of fear that Neo might silence him; rather, it was as if he had anticipated this all along. "The contents of that letter should be enough for you to handle your superiors," Neo said. Miye nodded. "I understand." He caught the underlying implications, and Neo didn't bother hiding them. But Miye knew very well that reporting it through normal channels was the most advantageous course for himself. Gamblers always cared deeply about the stakes they had already committed or lost. Neo tilted his head, motioning for Leon to follow him out. Leon offered no resistance, silently trailing Neo out of the room. The priests of the Church of Ganalard did not follow. Like two men out for a casual stroll, the pair walked from the inner street toward the public road. *Snap!* Neo lit another cigarette, turned toward Leon, and blew a puff of smoke at him. Leon had no reaction. Neo remarked, "She was pretty good with her feet, wasn't she?" Leon swallowed hard and replied stiffly, "I don't want to talk about that with you right now." "If I told you that she once valued her chastity more than life itself, would you believe me?" Leon looked at Neo, clearly skeptical. After all, she had brazenly done such a thing to a strange man she had only just met. "Do you know what purpose a Dice Shaker serves in the Church of Ganalard?" Leon hesitated, but still asked, "What?" "They are the wheels." "The wheels?" "They drive the Church of Ganalard forward, and what gets worn away is themselves. At set intervals, a Dice Shaker must place a wager. Their opponent isn't a person in reality, but... you can think of it as an embodiment of desire lurking in the unseen. Not the God Ganalard, but not quite an evil god either—nothing that high-ranking..." "An evil god..." Confusion showed in Leon's eyes. He clearly couldn't wrap his head around how casually Neo tossed out an evil god as an analogy. "Heh, no need to look so surprised. You'll find it quite ordinary before long." "What?" "You'll know soon enough." Neo stretched his back. "Back to what I was saying. Every so often, a Dice Shaker wagers against those intangible yet very real specters and shadowy forms. Winning or losing is a matter of luck. But with gambling, if you play enough times, you can never beat the house. And the Dice Shakers are never the house." "What if they win...?" "If you lose, there's a punishment, because you forfeit part of your chips." "Then... what if you win?" "The reward for winning is that there's no punishment." "That's..." "Very unfair, isn't it?" "It's completely unfair." "Yet that is the true essence of gambling. In this world, there has never been a fair gamble, and what a Dice Shaker needs is precisely that continuous, uninterrupted state. "In that state, they gain a unique personal medium that allows them to perform many miraculous feats. "They can even perform divinations." "Divination?" "Yes. The seals you saw are only one aspect of it. Their true specialty is divination, rivaling even the faiths dedicated exclusively to the craft." "What kind of chips do they lose when they fail, just to maintain that gambling state?" "All sorts of things. It could be rendering you 'paralyzed' and unable to walk even though your legs are perfectly healthy. It could strip away your kindness, your modesty, your self-respect, your love... "Whatever you possess, whatever you cherish most, the evil shadow relishes winning it from you. "Over time, you're still you, but you aren't yourself anymore." "So..." "You should understand now what I asked her to do for me, right?" "To help you... No, you coerced her into helping you seal... seal your personalities." Leon instantly recalled the scene he had walked in on back in the library's reading room. "Yes, that's right. But it wasn't coercion." "She said she was scared! She said she didn't want to die, that you forced her to!" "What makes you think she was speaking from her heart?" "From her heart?" Neo halted in his tracks and leaned toward Leon. Leon immediately took half a step back, tilting his head back. Right now, he couldn't endure the oppressive pressure radiating from Neo. "Remember? I told you before: sometimes the person speaking to you might not be the real me." "Then do you... do you know which one was the real her?" "I do. I knew through our correspondence. I might not be like Karen, who seems to possess an ability to read the patterns of human hearts, but I have one thing Karen lacks: she and I were fellow patients. "She wanted release. "No, every Dice Shaker walks this path in the end. You can tell just from Miye's reaction." "Then... why are you telling me all this?" "Yeah, why am I telling you all this?" Neo blew a ring of smoke ahead of him. "I suppose I'm treating you like Karen." "I..." "All right. See that car over there? See Alfred sitting inside? Go on." "I... I'll report you to Minister Karen! I swear I will!" Leon said, clenching his fists. "Suit yourself." *You report it to Karen, and then the report will land right in my hands.* *Heh. Reporting one Remnant of Light to another Remnant of Light?* Leon walked toward the car, while Neo remained where he was, cigarette dangling from his lips. He pulled out the letter the woman had left him and slipped out the page inside. The note was very brief, containing only the names and identifying information of her two daughters. Beyond that, there wasn't a single word. However, a photograph slipped from the envelope. Neo caught it mid-fall. In the picture was a young woman in plain clothes, crouching on the ground with her arms wrapped around two adorable little girls. It looked warm and harmonious. It was impossible to reconcile the woman in the photograph with the woman who had been beneath the gambling table earlier. They seemed to belong to entirely different worlds. "Tsk..." Neo slipped the envelope back into his pocket, his body dissolving into black mist before reappearing on the rooftop of a nearby building. Standing right on the edge, half of one foot dangling in the open air, Neo looked down and swayed slightly. It looked precarious, but in truth, he could never fall. Even if he did, it wouldn't kill him—after all, he was a bloodthirsty aberrant demon. "You people strive with everything you have to escape corruption. Ah, but me? I can never seem to find the true entrance to the fall." Neo turned his head toward the west, in the direction of the cemetery where his wife was buried. "Elisa, when will I finally fall? And when will all of this finally come to an end?" *Pfft.* He spat out the cigarette butt, letting it drop onto the roof. Neo spread his arms and deliberately walked along the narrowest railing at the outer ledge. After a few steps, he lowered his arms; he didn't need them to balance at all. His stride was steady. "Dammit. Trying so hard to find the joy in living is truly exhausting." *** "Here he comes. It's Leon?" Vic had clearly not expected that the person they were waiting for would be Leon. "He is more loyal than you," Alfred said bluntly. "But I'm more capable than him." Both had once been young scions of privilege; one had lost his teacher, the other his family. But in terms of station, Vic had stood far higher than Leon. If Rasma hadn't vanished and subsequently been branded as a purged symbol of the Old Guard, Vic, as his "student," would have naturally been the successor to his mentor's faction and banner. Moreover, when it came to relevant skills, he felt Leon couldn't hold a candle to him. Yet when it came to loyalty... How could he possibly compete with Leon in loyalty? His family hadn't been murdered, leaving Karen to avenge them. The only person he had was his mentor, who could have been killed for all he knew, but whose whereabouts were currently a total mystery. It was a rather dark thought, and Vic would never say it out loud, but that didn't stop him from thinking it. *Huh?* *Why does he look so dazed and unsettled?* "Mr. Alfred, I have an urgent matter to report!" Alfred nodded and said calmly, "Get in." "It's about Minister Neo! He—" "Get in." "...Understood." Leon obediently opened the door and sat in the front passenger seat. "Mr. Alfred, did you already know?" Alfred didn't answer, simply starting the engine. "Does... does Minister Karen know too?" Having calmed down somewhat, Leon's faculties were returning. After all, Neo had watched him get into this very car. "Leon, do you believe in your Minister Karen?" "I do." Even at a moment like this, he answered without the slightest hesitation. "Then rest quietly for a while, or enjoy the scenery along the road. Once we arrive, I will give you your answer. I will give... all of you your answer." *** "Young Master Karen, you're back." Every time Karen drove back, he had to enter through the main gates and circle around to the rear of the castle to disembark. Such was the etiquette, and every time, Old Anderson would greet him with the utmost deference. Karen had never cared for such formalities, but Old Anderson insisted on them. If at the beginning, Allen Manor had pinned its hopes on this young man out of respect for his surname and his grandfather, then having witnessed Karen's meteoric rise since, Old Anderson—and indeed everyone in the manor—now offered complete and utter subservience to this "Young Master," "Patriarch," and "Son-in-law." Even setting aside his surname, with his current status and authority, crushing the Allen Manor of today—which was far better off than before—remained as easy as crushing an ant. With any random pretext or fabricated charge, the power of Order could reduce this family to ashes in an instant. Just like the Raphael family back then, who had been swept into the Qihe case and wiped out overnight. The difference between relying on family background and exercising personal capability produced entirely different results. In short, every time Old Anderson saw his "grandson-in-law," his waist reflexively bent a little lower. Karen exchanged pleasantries with Old Anderson. Then he looked up. A bedroom window upstairs had been pushed open. A beautiful girl in a pure white dress rested her hands on the sill, looking down at him with a gentle smile. When they had first met in Rojia, Eunice had struck him as an exquisite black rose. By the standards of a family-arranged blind date, one could hardly find a single fault with her. Of course, under normal circumstances, even without an arrangement, Karen—as a mere young shareholder in the Inmeral Funeral Parlor back then—could never have hoped to secure a match like her. Now, having awakened her family's bloodline after more than half a year of slumber, she had lost that slightly prickly edge of sharpness, becoming far gentler and softer, like a stream flowing quietly beside you in the warm afternoon sun. Old Anderson reflexively wanted to scold his granddaughter for not coming down to welcome Minister Karen alongside the rest of the family, feeling it lacked respect! Then he mentally slapped himself. *Have I lost my mind? Who am I to lecture a young couple on mutual respect? Isn't this wonderful as it is?!* Ophelia stepped out of the car as well. Her appearance surprised the surrounding members of the Allen family, and they all bowed in greeting to the princess. Ophelia returned their greetings politely, showing great respect to Old Anderson in particular—a level of courtesy the old man had never experienced before. Karen and Ophelia walked into the castle together and headed upstairs. When they reached Eunice's bedroom, the maids standing outside withdrew of their own accord. Pushing open the door, Karen found Eunice arranging some refreshments. She turned around and smiled at him first. "You're back." "Yes, I'm back." Though they weren't formally married yet, their exchange felt like that of a couple married for years. Eunice stepped forward to take Ophelia's hands. "I've already finished making several sample garments. We can look over them together tomorrow." "I brought my designs along as well. Sounds good—I'll take a bath first and get some sleep so we can talk properly tomorrow." Coming over to greet her and gracefully clearing the room were not mutually exclusive. Ophelia stepped out. Only Karen and Eunice remained in the bedroom. Karen sat down on the sofa. Eunice handed him a glass of ice water, then naturally walked behind the sofa to gently massage his temples. "You don't seem to be injured this time." "I just wanted to come home." Karen took one of Eunice's hands. Eunice leaned down gently, her arms wrapping softly around his neck as she pressed her cheek against his. "I missed you too." "How much?" "I don't know, because I don't have anything to compare it to." "Heh." "Grandfather told me you were promoted again." "Mm." "It must be exhausting." "It's all right, not too bad. Things are much better than they used to be, and I have plenty of capable hands around me now." "It must still be exhausting." Eunice didn't voice the rest, but Karen understood. Every time he returned, he was either thoroughly depleted or gravely wounded. He had essentially treated Allen Manor as his personal recovery ward. "I will always be waiting for you here, Karen. Whenever you are tired or hurt, I'll be right here waiting for you." Karen nodded. At this moment, words were unnecessary; the two embraced quietly. There was no release of raw lust, nor any clamor of social propriety. Eunice knew that peaceful tranquility was what he needed most, and Karen quietly savored it. After a long while, Karen opened his eyes to look at the girl resting gently against him. He naturally reached up to brush aside her hair, revealing the face hidden behind those soft strands. He wanted to say he was sorry, but the apology caught in his throat. There were objective reality factors, of course: his identity, his grandfather's awakening, Rasma's deadline—everything forced him to accomplish far too much in far too little time. Yet the true subjective reason was that his soul had already bypassed the passionate infatuation typical of young lovers by the time he met her. There was no clingy, inseparable romance, no tearful squabbles and makeups, no dramatic shifts of direction or turbulent emotions. Even when they were together, they had never once gazed at the moon and painted grand blueprints of a shared future. All those childish, passionate, romantic, regretful, weeping, laughing, shouting experiences had only been lightly sampled, resembling little more than going through the motions. He had chosen to go through the motions, and she had accommodated him. In this relationship, he had always reclined in whatever manner felt most comfortable to him. Even while knowing full well that this wasn't right, he had deliberately overlooked it, or rather, refused to change it. It was a form of selfishness. A proper, rational, equal bond required both parties to invest and cultivate it together, rather than one side simply enjoying unilateral comfort. Their eyes met for a long moment. Eunice placed her hand over Karen's chest and said softly, "Karen, to be honest, from the very first time we met, I really liked being with you. Even though I didn't know what love was back then, and perhaps my definition of it now is still flawed." Karen was somewhat surprised that she had read his eyes and perceived his innermost thoughts. "But what I know for certain is that being with you makes me feel at peace." Eunice tilted her head slightly, resting her chin on his chest as they looked at each other. "I used to daydream about what love was supposed to be like, and it seems rather different from what we share." "It is different..." "Karen, not everything that gets missed is a tragedy, because those things might never have existed in my life anyway. If I hadn't met you, I'd probably be living a very miserable existence right now." If not for the Inmeral family's selection, and if Karen had never come to Allen Manor, the Allen family would have been doomed to decline—in fact, it would likely be utterly ruined by now. And once a clan with its own ancestral faith system collapsed, the fate of the surviving members was unimaginably bleak. Purr had once described it... as breeding swine. "I knew from a very early age that my marriage and my destiny would inevitably be bound to my family. There were things I never felt entitled to possess." Eunice pursed her lips thoughtfully. "Besides, I came to think very early on that such things were rather childish." "Eunice..." "I'm very free now. Because of you, our family weathered the crisis. And because of you, even though I still live in this manor, I am the least constrained person here. "No one dictates my life anymore. I can spend my time doing whatever I love, and not even Grandfather makes any demands of me. "I can read, I can ride horses, and I can design the clothes I imagine. I could do those things before too, but I never had this true sense of ease that I possess today. "What's more, whenever I suddenly think of you, I feel genuine happiness in my heart. I look forward to your next return, I look forward to seeing you, and I look forward to holding you close like this. "Karen, I don't have the ability to help you in other areas. But every time you come back, I can feel that you need me at this moment—that I am needed. "I am very content." Eunice leaned up and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek, then rested the side of her face against his chest once more, letting his arm drape around her shoulders. "What I want to say is, neither of us owes the other anything. We both truly enjoy being together like this. If one day either of us grows weary, or wants a different way of being together, let's not bury it in our hearts. Let's speak it aloud, all right?" "All right." "Mm." Karen closed his eyes again. At this moment, every psychological burden was completely lifted. After savoring the quiet atmosphere for a while longer, Karen asked, "What kind of garments did you and Ophelia design?" "Do you want to see? I'll fetch them for you." "Sure." Eunice rose from the sofa and went to her study—or rather, her workshop. Before long, she returned carrying several garments. They were exceptionally elegant pieces. By Karen's standards, even a century from now, styles like these would never feel outdated. She truly put her heart into what she loved, and she possessed remarkable talent. "How are they?" "Very beautiful. I think they're wonderful." "I can try them on so you can take another look and offer some suggestions. I've always had great confidence in your aesthetic taste." "Of course. You can always trust my taste. Before meeting you, I was dead set against family-arranged marriages; it was my aesthetic judgment that changed my mind." "Heh." Having passed through—or rather, thoroughly savored—that initial stillness, the atmosphere between them began to turn lively. "Though, I originally thought..." "Thought what?" "I originally thought I'd get to see new stockings, or styles of *that* kind of clothing." Eunice leaned forward, tapping Karen's lower lip with a fingertip. "Lingerie?" "Mm." Karen was completely candid. Eunice bit her lip lightly, pondered for a moment, and said, "There are some." "How many styles?" "That depends on how many days you plan to stay home this time." "Hahaha." Just then, headlights swept across the window outside. Karen stood up and walked over to the glass, seeing Alfred's car pull into the manor grounds. Eunice composed herself, walking over to ask, "Shall I tell the kitchen to prepare a late-night snack?" "Yes, please. But there's no rush." "I can have them prepare something more upscale. Sometimes high-end dishes don't necessarily taste any better, but they certainly take more time." "Sounds good." Eunice stepped out of the bedroom. Down in the courtyard, Alfred stepped out of the car. He looked up toward the window; no matter where they were, the loyal Alfred could always sense his young master's presence instantly. Behind Alfred stood Vic and Leon. Facing Karen's direction, Alfred dropped to one knee and placed his right hand over his chest—a final request for approval. Following Alfred's lead, Vic dropped to one knee as well. Leon remained standing where he was, looking completely bewildered. Behind the window glass, Karen parted his lips: "Approved." The sound couldn't travel that far, but the word echoed directly in Alfred's mind. Alfred stood up and said, "Follow me." Vic and Leon followed Alfred to the front of the performance hall. Alfred produced a formation key, disengaged the perimeter defense formation around the hall, and walked inside. Beyond lay a pitch-black corridor. The three walked in silence, Alfred leading the two young men behind him. Alfred's voice drifted back from ahead: "Before meeting the Young Master, I was merely a wild aberrant demon, fortunate enough to possess a decent pair of eyes and a job to pass the time. "Had I not met the Young Master, I would never have had the opportunity to know either of you. Even if we had crossed paths on the street, I wouldn't have dared look at you twice, and neither of you would have deigned to spare me a glance. "Yet precisely because I met the Young Master... "Today, I possess a sacred mission." Reaching the end of the corridor, the three stepped into a vast chamber. But because the space was enveloped by an immensely mysterious formation, neither of the two newcomers could discern their surroundings in the total darkness. Alfred stopped and turned around to face them. Vic suddenly felt an intense pressure—the crushing weight that accompanied profound secrets. Leon, meanwhile, had lost all awareness of his own heartbeat; even the revelation that Minister Neo was a Remnant of Light was momentarily banished from his mind. "I shall show you what true greatness is; I shall lead you onto a new and righteous path." Alfred slowly raised both arms. With his movement, tiers of candlelight flared to life one after another. In the silence, it seemed as if a soaring melody was swelling upward. The immense mural on the wall, the twelve coffins ringing the perimeter, and the ripples of the magical formation circulating beneath their feet... Every single element drove a distinct atmosphere and emotion toward its absolute zenith! *Snap!* Alfred snapped his fingers. The massive chandelier overhead blazed to life, pouring down a solemn, brilliant radiance! The twelve coffins emitted a faint grinding sound, as if from the void: In the past, in the present, and in the future, their masters seemed to have taken their places. Twelve majestic, profoundly loyal gazes pierced the barriers of fate and time, converging directly at the center. Vic felt as though twelve colossi were standing right beside him, and his body began to shudder violently. Leon wrapped his arms around himself, wanting to flee but having no idea where to run. He even felt the urge to kneel, yet found he had forgotten how to do so. Alfred's voice turned grave and impassioned. Like the most masterful conductor in the world, he was slowly raising the curtain on a grand musical drama. "You will remember this day forever. You will not forget it until the day you die. "For from this moment forth, your lives shall be split clean in two. "Praise... Order!" Vic and Leon felt like drowning men clutching at a lifeline. Together, they cried out the prayer they recited most frequently in their daily lives: "Praise Order!" "Praise Order!" Alfred smiled. Like an elder looking down fondly at two naive children, he answered in a voice brimming with loving kindness: "Order has heard."