All for Order

The array shut down and the scroll vanished, which meant it had already been delivered into that special zone ranked near the very top even within the Church of Order. "Young Master, will Miss Luoya succeed?" "She will. Don't forget, she is the Source of Sin. Enticing the inner greed of things to manipulate their behavior is her innate gift." "Then I believe Miss Luoya will certainly carry out your instructions, Young Master." "Not instructions—a request for help. Alfred, the only 'servant' at my side whom I've broken my principles to recognize is you." "Hearing you say that is my greatest honor, sir." "Remember, keep this matter secret from Purr." "Do you wish to give Purr a grand surprise?" "No. Surgery carries risks, after all." Karen raised a finger to his lips. "As long as I haven't told her with my own mouth, I still have the chance to back out." "Understood, sir." "All right, pack up our things. Vacation is over; it's time to go back. I'll go say our goodbyes." At this point, Muri asked, "Department Head, didn't you tell Godson Mavaglio that you wouldn't return until tomorrow?" "You misheard, Muri. I meant that I wouldn't go see him until tomorrow." Karen returned to the castle bedroom. Eunice stood by the drafting table, drawing blueprints alongside Ophelia. Upon hearing footsteps, Eunice turned around with a ruler and pen in hand. "Is it too late for me to tell the kitchen to hurry and prepare dinner?" "Probably too late. Besides, it's still quite a while until dinner time," Karen said with a smile. "How did you know I was leaving right now?" Eunice answered, "Your footsteps told me." Karen walked forward, embraced Eunice, and kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry. I always seem to leave in a hurry, but next time I'll come back earlier." "Actually, would it be better if you didn't return quite so soon?" "Do you know how hurt a man feels to hear his fiancée say something like that to his face?" "Because I'm worried I won't have enough time to design enough new pieces." "Haha, that's not a problem. What is truly exquisite is the substance within, not the ornamentation." Standing nearby, Ophelia was certain she had missed some unspoken innuendo. "By the way, is Her Highness coming back with me?" "My department hasn't finished assembling yet. I'd like to stay here and wait for notices. Head Karen wouldn't mind, would you?" "Of course not. I'm very glad to see you two sharing common interests and hobbies." Karen turned and departed. Ophelia asked Eunice, "Aren't you going to see him off?" "I am seeing him off." Eunice walked to the French window and pushed it open. Down below, Karen had just stepped out of the castle. He looked up, spotted her, and paused to wave with a warm, gentle smile. Ophelia asked, "Is that an understated form of expression?" "No, it's a way of being together that feels comfortable for both of us." "Being together? So this is what you consider love?" Having grown up on Dark Moon Island listening to Bernard's romantic tales, the princess clearly could not comprehend this dynamic. It looked nothing like the love she had envisioned. In her mind, love ought to be two birds chirping and snuggling together, passionate, uninhibited, never getting enough of each other—not something as plain as a glass of water that needed ice cubes tossed in before drinking. "Before I ever met Karen, I knew I was going to be engaged to him, and he knew it too. You could say the two of us rushed to squeeze in a few dates before the engagement. "I've never had another relationship, so I can't determine whether what I'm experiencing right now is truly love or not. "But I really enjoy the feeling of being with him. Do you know when that feeling is at its strongest? "It's whenever he needs me, and I find myself needing him just as deeply." "I still don't fully understand, but I think I grasp a little. Perhaps that's why he chose you." Eunice smiled at Ophelia and said, "Princess, the real reason is simply that I met him a little earlier than you did." "You're comforting me, I know. Because if it's true affection or true love, does order of arrival even matter?" Eunice bent down with her ruler, continuing to draw lines on the paper as she replied, "Love doesn't need an order. Marriage does." Ophelia walked to Eunice's side, reached out to gently lift a strand of her hair, and asked, "Is that your view?" "It's Karen's." "Yes, that certainly sounds like him. A view of marriage so conservative it verges on strict." Eunice stood up and lightly pouted. The expression struck even Ophelia as utterly charming. In truth, the more time one spent around her, the more one realized why this girl had become Karen's choice. She was tranquil, gentle, wonderful, and exceedingly beautiful. "Princess, would you believe me if I said that deep down, I don't really dislike your feelings for Karen?" "What... what do you mean?" Ophelia's eyes widened. She could hardly believe such words had come from the mouth of the girl before her. "I mean it sincerely. Because I feel that even if I saw you and Karen embracing on the sofa one day, I probably wouldn't be angry." Ophelia stepped behind Eunice, wrapped her arms around the waist of the white-dressed girl, and scolded with a laugh, "Damn you! You're only saying that because you know that scene will never happen—you're just flaunting your unshakeable marital security!" With that, Ophelia began to tickle her. "Hehehe... stop... that tickles..." "Let's see you provoke me again! Let's see you tease me!" Playfully wrestling together, their hair falling into a slight disarray, the two girls looked like best friends of many years, brimming with youthful vitality. Indeed, both of them were still very young. ... After exchanging a final wave with Eunice at the French window, Karen sat in the car. The moment the door clicked shut, his expression hardened into solemnity. Through the rearview mirror, Muri noticed the shift in his head's expression. What astonished him was how such a transition could look so abrupt yet completely natural. This was likely the switch from life mode to work mode. "Has everything been arranged?" "Everything is arranged, Young Master." "Good." The second-hand black Ponce engaged its acceleration array, granting the vehicle a speed that surpassed all conventional civilian transport of the era. Before dusk fell, it drove into the headquarters compound of the Whip of Order. Karen stepped out of the vehicle clad in his clerical robes of Order. Alfred followed half a step behind to his side, while Muri trailed a bit further back. At this moment, the directors, deputy directors, and various mid-level clerical leaders from every office upstairs had left their posts to assemble in lines across the main hall. As Karen walked inside, they bowed to him in unison, and the rank-and-file priests quickly followed suit. Wherever Karen walked, reverent and respectful expressions flanked him on both sides. During the days he had spent vacationing at Allen Manor, news had long spread that Regional Chief Sus would soon be transferred out of the region. This meant that the Whip of Order, which had only settled down not long ago, was about to enter another power vacuum and possibly face a fresh redistribution of authority. People's minds were restless. Yet the moment Karen returned, everyone felt as if they had swallowed a dose of calming draught. Aside from a tiny fraction of ambitious schemers or drama-seeking opportunists, the vast majority simply wanted their work and living environment to remain stable. And Karen was the man who could give them that stability. Because the unstable elements had already been thoroughly purged by this head of law enforcement across two successive rounds of personnel turnover. Everyone knew that going forward, the dynamic in this region's Whip of Order was set in stone: Regional chiefs come and go, but the Head of Law Enforcement remains. Among Karen's original core subordinates, except for those truly unfit to lead personnel—such as Philomena—practically all had been promoted. Even Richard now held the post of office director. Furthermore, through the recent major mid-level personnel restructuring completed with Sus's tacit approval and even active backing, many people had risen through the ranks. Over half of them were already leaning toward Karen, and while the remainder had not originally belonged to his camp, rising to power under this arrangement naturally brought them into the fold. Karen did not know many of them personally, barely able to put names to faces at best. But that was no issue; Alfred had already arranged everything in meticulous order. The true extension of power rarely relied on an individual alone, but rather on an organization with a solid core. "Greetings, Head Karen!" "Greetings, Head Karen!" Naturally, today's spectacle was staged on purpose. Tonight, Regional Chief Sus would officially announce his departure during the department heads' meeting, and his successor had not yet arrived to assume office. At a juncture like this, such "formalism" was necessary to send a clear message to all: A shadow regional chief would always exist here. Karen had always despised useless formalism, which meant that when a form was truly useful, even he had to play his part. He genuinely had no intention of going to war with the incoming Presiding Judge Gaspol right from the start. But avoiding conflict was not merely a matter of blindly backing down; when one became sufficiently formidable, the likelihood of war decreased instead. Stopping before the meeting room doors, Karen looked at the corridor lined with priests on both sides and said, "Back to work." "Yes, Department Head!" "Yes, Department Head!" Everyone promptly returned to their respective stations, like troops dispersing after a completed military review. This was indeed a "review"—one in which they served as both performers and audience. Vic and Leon pushed open the double doors. Inside, Sus's speech was drawing to a close: "...In short, thank you all for your support of my work in the past. I will be heading to a new post to continue striving for Order, but I will forever remember the wonderful experience of working alongside you all." Karen had not arrived late; rather, Sus had moved the meeting forward. When Karen entered, Sus took the initiative to rise, reached out to pull Karen over, and motioned for him to take his former seat. Karen did not decline; he sat down. Sus stood beside Karen and said with a smile, "I hope that our Yorktown Region's Whip of Order will only grow better and better, becoming a steadfast defender of Order!" The seated heads looked at one another, falling into a brief silence. Karen stood up voluntarily. Immediately following his lead, Neo, the Head of Reconnaissance, rose to his feet, prompting the other department heads to stand up one after another. Karen pressed his fist against his chest. "Wield the Whip, for Order!" The department heads chanted in unison, "Wield the Whip, for Order!" Karen sat down, and everyone else returned to their seats. At this moment, Sus's chief secretary brought in a document. She presented it to Sus first, but without even glancing at it, Sus pointed directly to Karen. The secretary then placed the document before Karen. Without standing on ceremony, Karen opened the folder, scanned it briefly, and swept his gaze across the room. "Our church will dispatch an investigation delegation regarding the civil war in the Desert Church. Our region's Whip of Order will contribute a squad to join it. I have decided to lead the team personally, supplemented by other suitable personnel to be selected. Does anyone have any objections?" "No objections!" Head Neo stated his stance immediately. "No objections." "No objections." Karen nodded. "Then the matter is settled. The specific roster will be announced later." At that point, Alfred placed a document before Karen, then distributed copies to each department head present. Karen spoke, "This is the welfare system reform about to be rolled out across headquarters. From field duty missions for frontline squads to departmental stipends and allowances, new adjustments have been made across the board. You may look through it. If there are any questions or confusion, you may raise them now." In truth, there would be no objections. It was not because Karen was suppressing dissent from the regional chief's chair, but because objection was simply impossible—this was a comprehensive reform to raise welfare and benefits. Who in this system would oppose that? Even if it ran counter to an individual leader's narrow interests, it aligned with the interests of every subordinate below. This was a parting gift from Head Bishop Bern to Karen. The Head Bishop had transferred the authority over mission postings and reward distributions for the Whip of Order—previously hoarded by the Regional Administrative Office—entirely to the Whip of Order headquarters. Back when the Whip of Order had languished in decline, the frontline squads took missions and collected bounties from the Regional Administrative Office. On paper, both branches were equals operating in parallel systems; in practice, the Whip of Order squads were treated like hired day laborers of the Administrative Office. The Whip of Order had long fought to reclaim this authority. They had recovered a portion earlier, but the Administrative Office had still held onto half of it. Now, Bern had conveniently done Karen a favor by relinquishing the rest completely. From the perspective of the region as a whole, the overall pool of resources had not increased, but the distribution had shifted. From now on, Whip of Order squads could accept tasks and receive rewards directly through headquarters, which would drastically improve headquarters' financial standing. Working for someone else versus running one's own storefront were fundamentally different propositions. At the very least, there was no longer a middleman skimming a cut. Furthermore, Karen had significantly broadened the compensation and pension system, overhauling it to an extent that surpassed even the increase in regular stipends. As the seated department heads read toward the end, looks of astonishment spread across their faces. One head hesitated before speaking up, "Head Karen, this last provision..." "Due to the unique nature of our duties, frontline personnel frequently face extreme risks, and the same applies to their families. I believe enhancing the pension and support guarantees for them and their dependents is only right. This will further inspire our subordinates' dedication while preventing them from shedding both blood and tears. "Naturally, this expenditure will inevitably increase the financial burden on our headquarters. "However, that is not their problem; it is the problem of everyone seated here. Resolving this issue is our inescapable duty." Everyone nodded in agreement. The subtext of the Head of Law Enforcement's words was crystal clear: while the fiscal strain was a factual reality, it was up to everyone in this room to figure out how to bring in the necessary coupons. Those present also knew full well that this Head of Law Enforcement had always been remarkably adept at generating funds. Every time he went out on an operation, he brought back a massive haul of profit—and he never hesitated to share the spoils. Karen quietly looked down at the reform plan in his hands, and the image of Inquisitor Pavaro standing before his daughter's bedroom door surfaced in his mind. Caught between personal interest and faith in Order, Inquisitor Pavaro had chosen the latter. Yet if conditions had permitted, he would never have had to make such an agonizing choice in the first place. The church's baseline stipend system had fallen drastically behind the times. Karen remembered sitting at lavish banquets, mentally pricing dishes using 'Pavaros' as a unit of measurement—whether a dish was worth several Pavaros or over a dozen. That, in itself, was a sorrowful reality. For now, he lacked the power to overhaul the entire church, but at the very least, he could change the department within his own grasp. Karen chose not to deliver a grand speech before adjourning. Instead, acting on Sus's behalf, he crisply brought the meeting to a close. Afterward, Sus and Karen climbed into a car driven by Alfred and headed to the funeral parlor. The former funeral parlor had by now taken on the role of an exclusive private reception house. Perhaps only members of the Church of Order would fail to find such an establishment unlucky. Inside the car, Sus smiled and remarked, "These arrangements had to be put in place before Gaspol assumes office. That way, her room to maneuver is constrained, compelling her to avoid a fight with you over power." "Only through struggle can genuine peace be achieved." "Indeed, exactly." Sus nodded. "Keep up the good work. I believe we'll have opportunities to collaborate again in the future." "I truly look forward to serving under you once more." "Next time, let's switch positions—you be my superior. Serving as your superior makes me want to visit a divination church just to have my fortune read, hahaha!" Stepping out and entering the funeral parlor, they found Head Bishop Bern already waiting. Xili had prepared the meal, while Karen walked straight into the kitchen to whip up two extra dishes personally. Three men sat at a single table and began their dinner. Sus quipped, "In a little while, the one sitting here eating might just be that woman." Head Bishop Bern took a sip of his liquor, looked at Karen, and said, "That depends on whether she knows how to follow the rules." Karen raised his glass toward Bern. "My Lord, a toast to you." Bern acknowledged him with a faint smile. "It was something that should have been handed over anyway. No need to thank me." "Still, you could have stalled for a while longer." "No more stalling. You're the one I have my eye on, and Wolflen had his eye on you too. I prefer working with you. You both know I'm not above using unscrupulous methods to get things done, and you, young man..." Bern pointed at Karen. "You don't cling rigidly to formalities either. But when it comes to our ultimate bottom line, we always stand on the side of Order." Sus poured wine for everyone, saying as he did, "I'm different from you two. I'm timid. It wasn't easy climbing to this position, so I tend to avoid trouble. I'll make my exit first, hahaha. "Still, it's precisely because Order has believers like you two that bureaucrats like me can exist. I've always understood one thing clearly: if the entire church were full of people like me, this grand ship of Order wouldn't be able to sail at all. "In any case, my thanks to both of you." "Cheers!" "Cheers!" ... The farewell banquet lasted four hours. Karen sat there listening to Sus chat and listening to Bern chat, speaking little of himself and merely keeping the conversation flowing. When it concluded, Sus and Bern departed in their respective vehicles. Karen took a shower at the funeral parlor, changed into ordinary clerical robes, and got into the car parked outside. Richard was behind the wheel, while Richard's deputy office director, Memphis, sat in the passenger seat. "Karen, go to sleep. I've arranged everything." "Mm." Karen closed his eyes and began to rest. Memphis retrieved a blanket and gently draped it over Karen. Richard scoffed playfully, "Look at you, learning how to flatter the boss too." Memphis remained silent. He knew this intense busy period was drawing to a close, and soon he would finally be able to unbuckle his belt. The car drove to the teleportation array hall. Accompanied by Richard and Memphis, Karen stepped through the array and arrived in Dinge Region. Due to the time difference, it was broad daylight there. Without hailing a carriage, Richard took the car he had reserved in advance. He drove once again while Karen continued sleeping in the back. The car entered the grounds of the university affiliated with the Church of Order. After parking in a suitable spot, Richard and Memphis took Karen's paperwork to handle the enrollment procedures. About two hours later, Karen was awakened to show his face, take a photograph, verify his identity, and receive his admission certificate. Afterward, Karen returned to the car to continue resting while Richard drove them on their return trip. On his very first visit to the church university, Karen had not spared so much as a second glance at the campus grounds. He had merely come to register; attending classes would wait until he found free time in the future. However, while sorting through the day's paperwork, several university administrators handling the files stumbled upon a curiosity: "Was the position column for this new student filled out incorrectly? Department Head of the regional Whip of Order?" "Who handled this file? Come take a look and see if there's a mistake. The age listed is so young too." "What happened?" A half-bald, middle-aged man carrying an insulated tumbler walked in. "Director, please take a look. Was this enrollment form filled out wrong?" "*Pth.*" The director spat out a stray tea leaf, leaned over for a look, and chuckled. "Oh, no mistake. Look at his name: Karen Silva." ... Between the two summonings of Luoya, the back-to-back meetings, and entertaining guests, a tremendous amount of energy had been drained. Yet thanks to catching up on sleep during the trip to Dinge Region for enrollment, Karen felt his stamina largely restored by the time he returned to Yorktown. Instead of rushing home, he carried a bag and arrived at Godson Mavaglio's residence, knocking on the door. Mavaglio answered. The instant he saw Karen, an eager smile spread across his face. Living under the same roof with his fiancée over the past days had suffocated him to no end, and now 'reinforcements' had finally arrived. Moreover, these reinforcements were not only his sole friend, but also his fiancée's direct competitor. As Gaspol's fiancé, Mavaglio held no concept of presenting a united front with his partner against outsiders—given the suffocating 'domestic atmosphere,' finding any sense of marital solidarity was next to impossible. Mavaglio guided Karen into the living room. Gaspol rose to her feet and greeted him, "Hello, Head Karen." "Greetings, Presiding Judge." Mavaglio deliberately called out in a booming voice, "Hahaha! Karen, you're a guest—why bring gifts? There's no need for such formality between us!" Mavaglio reached for the gift bag, but Karen did not hand it over. Instead, he placed it onto the coffee table Gaspol used as a desk, withdrew a stack of internal documents from within, and arranged them neatly. Karen offered a slight smile. "These are the headquarters' latest working documents from recent days. They require your review and perusal, and there are several topics on which we need your input." Gaspol replied, "Head Karen, I have not yet officially assumed office. Presenting these documents for my review and asking me to make determinations seems somewhat improper, does it not?" Karen replied, "I believe enabling you to take over the work as early as possible is what best serves our Whip of Order. Only in this way can we ensure our operations proceed smoothly and without interruption. All for Order. "Wouldn't you agree, Senior Sister?"