Purification—Order Servant!

Mavaglio was a revered Child of God, and the offspring of a Child of God had a certain chance of inheriting some of those divine traits. As such, the matter of a Child of God's progeny had always been treated with utmost gravity within the church. The unique nature of work in the Whip of Order entailed inherent dangers. Therefore, if Gaspol became pregnant, she would temporarily be unsuited to serve as Regional Chief and would most likely be transferred to another department with a promotion by the church to care for her pregnancy. "Still, Young Master, that must be rather difficult, wouldn't it?" Alfred paused. "Neither of their personalities seems particularly accommodating." Karen shook his head and said, "It's actually not that difficult. Just as the success rate of a scam often depends not on how ingenious your trickery is, but on how willing the mark is to believe it deep down. "Power and responsibility are always a reciprocal relationship. "Since Mavaglio enjoys the prestige and halo that come with being a Child of God, he must endure alienation from his family and surrender his autonomy over choosing a spouse—and even his reproductive rights. "Sus only left after earning merits and getting promoted. So many people have their eyes glued to the position of a Regional Chief in a major district. Gaspol was able to be parachuted directly into this role from her post as a presiding judge in the Dinge Region; her status as the wife of a Child of God played an indispensable role behind the scenes. "They are both very smart people. Smart enough that even if their personalities clash—even if they were bitter enemies who wished they could draw knives and hack each other to pieces by day—they would still conscientiously get into bed at night to fulfill the obligations expected of them. "It is something they both know in their hearts must be done, so all we need is a slight nudge to accelerate the process." "Young Master is truly wise." Alfred's praise came straight from the heart, for his own proposed scheme had been rather too extreme. If that position could be secured without resorting to an outright falling-out and brutal infighting, that would naturally be best. Alfred understood that their faction was pressed for time. They were racing against the clock—or more precisely, racing against Lord Rasma. If the young master wanted to protect this faction, and even preserve his own life, he had to climb as high as possible before Lord Rasma returned. Just then, the sound of a transmission came through the shell receiver at his ear. Alfred promptly reported, "Young Master, a squad ahead has detected signs of concealed assassins. Shall we intercept them in advance?" Karen said, "Intercept them." Without the slightest hesitation, Karen had no intention of deliberately letting assassins come before him just to play around. This had nothing to do with whether he had lost his power at the moment. Even at his peak, he would have had no interest in putting on airs to meet and banter with assassins. "Understood, Young Master." After about a quarter of an hour, Alfred reported back, "Young Master, the assassins have been slain. An investigation into their identities is underway." "Mm. If you can find evidence, follow it. If no evidence turns up... then pick a suitable candidate from the list of our enemies and manufacture some proper evidence. Let's not waste the assassins' hard work." "Understood, Young Master." Having reached this station, superfluous benevolence was no longer appropriate to indulge. Confronted with this sort of provocation, one had to strike back decisively; otherwise, an endless stream of trouble would follow. After all, on the night Leon's family was nearly exterminated, Karen's funeral parlor back home had almost been turned into a river of blood. Assassinations had long since become a raw nerve for Karen. As the motorcade neared Allen Manor, members of the Whip of Order could already be seen along the road ahead, deployed into security sentry posts to safeguard their section chief. Purr rested her cat paws on the car window, looking outside with a grin. "Karen, did you used to stand guard like that too, meow?" Karen nodded. "Time flies. How long has it even been, and now you're the one who needs heavy protection, meow?" Alfred spoke up, "What changes is the position; what remains constant is serving Order." "All right, Alfred," Karen couldn't help cutting him off, reminding him, "When it's just our own people around in the future, you can relax a bit." "Yet, Young Master, those are my genuine thoughts from the bottom of my heart, without the slightest pretense." The VIP car drove into the manor grounds. Before parking, Alfred reported, "Young Master, there is still no word from Neo. After our meeting that day, it was as if he vanished into thin air. Neither his usual haunts nor the Light Remnants Office showed any trace of him having visited recently." "He'll come." How could someone like him miss Karen's "Order servant ceremony"? For a priest, this was practically a second "coming-of-age ceremony" in life, and Karen's purification required the finger of the God of Light... After all, who could turn down the chance to be the "godfather" of their good friend? Before Karen stepped out of the vehicle, personnel from the Whip of Order had already entered the ancient castle ahead of him, establishing checkpoints and security across every floor. Old Anderson waited nearby with core members of the Allen family as usual, but today's grand spectacle was unlike anything before, so he did not step forward to offer greetings this time. He had to admit that he had gotten stage fright today, and the rest of the Allen family felt just as intimidated. Previously, they had only known how high their grandson-in-law's rank was, but only today did they truly feel the crushing pressure that accompanied such an office. Karen was not wrapped in bandages today. Instead, he wore a looser clerical robe and donned a mask to present himself to others. Alfred pushed Karen in his wheelchair into the ancient castle, making their way to the patriarch's office. "Stupid dog, let's go!" Kevin carried Purr off to romp around, a mandatory routine every time Purr returned to her maternal home. Little Kanna watched their retreating backs, clearly wanting to go as well. "Go play with them," Karen said. "But I need to protect you." Little Kanna remembered her duty. "It's fine. Here, I'm very safe." "Safe?" "For now, yes. Don't worry, go play. When I need you, I'll have someone call you over to stay by my side." "All right." Little Kanna scampered off after Kevin. Philomena turned around, intending to leave as well. "You don't need to go." "Oh, okay." Alfred leaned down and said, "Young Master, I'll go coordinate things outside." "Mm." Alfred left the office, leaving only Karen and Philomena inside. Before long, there was a knock on the office door. Karen pressed the desk bell, the door opened, and his maternal grandmother appeared. She paused where she stood, frowning as she looked at Philomena. "Why don't you have an ounce of alertness?" Philomena replied, "Because I detected your aura." *Slap!* A bright red handprint appeared on Philomena's left cheek, and a trickle of blood seeped from the corner of her mouth. "Don't you know that an aura is easily forged?" Philomena said nothing, merely using the tip of her tongue to silently lick away the blood. "Someone dim-witted can never become a top-tier assassin. By the same token, they can never become a competent protector. Never mind protecting others—they can barely even protect themselves." Karen sat quietly behind the desk, watching his grandmother discipline the single strongest subordinate on his side. Reason dictated that when someone else was disciplining a student, it was inappropriate for him to speak up. But Karen sorely wanted to remind his grandmother that every slap she landed on the girl today would very likely be repaid onto her biological grandson in the future. Then again, setting aside Richard's other merits, taking a beating was his absolute specialty, so there seemed to be no need for any redundant reminder. Madame Tangli reached out, grabbed Philomena by the back of her neck, and forced the girl's face before her, continuing her admonition: "So, as a fool, the smartest choice is to remember every word and piece of advice your teacher imparts to you. Never let your guard down at any time. Do you understand?" "I understand." Madame Tangli turned around to look at Karen, the stern expression on her face instantly switching to warmth and affection. "My dear Karen, do you have any idea how worried your grandmother has been about you during this time?" "Causing our elders to worry is the fault of us younger generation." No sooner had Karen responded than a gust of wind swept before him. His grandmother's figure closed in, her arm raised—she was about to slap her grandson too! *Clack!* Philomena's figure appeared, blocking Madame Tangli's path, the Nightmare Blade drawn high in her hand. Madame Tangli halted her movement. Looking at Philomena, who was pointing a blade at her, she said in a low voice, "You want to cut me down with that?" Philomena answered, "I once used it to hack my grandmother to death." "Good, very good." Madame Tangli withdrew her hand. "I wasn't going to hit him. I just wanted to scare him a little. He's disobedient and asking for a thrashing." Philomena sheathed her blade and answered, "I fully intended to hack you to death." Karen picked up his teacup, took a sip, and could only marvel inwardly at how harmoniously this master and disciple got along. Madame Tangli pulled out a chair, sat down across from Karen, and said, "I won't pry into your business. I only want to know how you're doing right now. Has the corruption been resolved?" "It's resolved, Grandmother." "That's good, then." Madame Tangli glanced at the empty teacup on the desk and prompted, "Pour tea." Philomena did not budge. Karen cleared his throat and said, "Pour tea for Grandmother." Philomena first poured hot water into the cup, then sprinkled a pinch of tea leaves on top. The gesture looked remarkably like garnishing a pot of soup with chopped scallions right before serving. Madame Tangli was both exasperated and amused. "I really wonder how you'll ever get along with your husband's family in the future." Then, as if remembering something, she set down the teacup she had just lifted, looking somewhat gloomy. "Philomena, go instruct the kitchen to prepare some pastries and bring them over." "All right." Once Philomena had left, Madame Tangli smiled. "She's your person. When I disciplined her right in front of you, I thought your heart would ache for her." "That's not my place." "Are she and Richard really..." Karen shook his head. "Who knows what the future holds? I have no interest in playing matchmaker." With that, Karen seemed to recall something as well, putting down his teacup and growing equally gloomy. Madame Tangli said, "His grandfather is actually quite fond of this girl from the Felscher family. I genuinely wonder if that old fool has gone blind." "The weather is nice today." "Heh, you slippery rascal. Your own marriage has long been settled, so you're unwilling to look out for your younger brother a bit more?" "My marriage was arranged by Grandfather. Richard's marriage ought to be arranged by you, Grandmother." "If only my word carried any weight. After all, this family's surname is Guman, and I'm just an outsider who married in." "Fine. Tomorrow I'll call the Guman family and demand that they move you out to live here in the castle, Grandmother." "Heh, living here actually seems quite suitable to me. I've met your fiancée. I like her personality very much—she's just like your grandmother back in the day." "My grandmother?" "Yes, your grandmother." "I remember asking you about my grandmother before, but you wouldn't tell me." "Because there's nothing worth saying. It all belongs to two generations ago, and your grandfather settled those old grievances long ago." "I'm just a bit curious." "Curious about what? Curious about your grandmother's background? Curious about what kind of woman was worthy of your grandfather? It's really nothing complicated. In the eyes of outsiders, isn't your fiancée considered unworthy of you as well?" "Grandmother, please don't talk like that." "I'm stating facts. Besides, the soundproofing here is excellent; your fiancée can't hear, so it won't affect your relationship." Madame Tangli stood up. "All right, I won't sit any longer. Seeing that you're fine puts my mind at ease. You must be very busy lately?" "A little." "Once you're done with your work, remember to come visit us at home. Well, I have to head back. Your grandfather is already busy working; once he finishes, he can head back on his own." "In such a hurry? We could have afternoon tea together." "Richard has been home for two days and has already been beaten three times. When I left the house, he was in the middle of his fourth beating." "Then you really should hurry back." "Yes, I must hurry back, or I won't get a turn to hit him." "Are you joking?" A meaningful smile curved Madame Tangli's lips. Looking at Karen, she said, "I can't hit this grandson of mine right now, so I can only go beat the other grandson." Karen knew his grandmother had seen through his current true condition, which was why she had said from the start, *I won't pry into your business.* "Then give me a call when you reach home, Grandmother." "Are you going to remind me to travel safely, too?" Karen spread his hands. "That would be too much of a bad joke." "Hahaha." His grandmother walked out the door with a laugh. A moment later, "Hahaha." His grandmother returned laughing, and with a *thump*, she tossed Little Kanna inside. Then, she truly left. Sitting on the floor, Little Kanna spoke up, "Sister Purr told me who she is to you, otherwise I wouldn't have let her carry me by the scruff." Karen chuckled. "You can't beat her." Little Kanna shook her head. "But her bones are old." "Who taught you that way of thinking?" "Woof." "Oh." "It told me that as long as I learn to wait until I grow up, fewer and fewer people will dare treat me unequally, because time will only make me stronger and stronger." "Don't you think there isn't much conviction when that comes from its mouth?" A thoughtful look crossed Little Kanna's eyes, and then she nodded. "You make a lot of sense." Philomena pushed a food cart inside and asked, "The old madam left?" "Mm, she's gone." Karen nodded. "Philomena, is that how the two of you usually interact during lessons?" Philomena shook her head and said, "In front of you, she held back a great deal." "Do you resent her for it?" "Yes." Philomena nodded matter-of-factly. "My grandmother only wanted to replace me, but growing up, she never deliberately beat me for fun." "The old madam's teaching methods might be a bit harsh..." "No." Philomena said very seriously, "Sometimes, I can feel the joy she gets from beating me. Genuine joy." "All right." Karen picked up a cookie and took a bite. "At least it wasn't for nothing." Fiendish training methods yielded fiendish rates of progress. "Right." Philomena was very candid. "I learned things, and she obtained happiness. We both got what we wanted." "Haha." Karen couldn't help laughing at that. Little Kanna stood up, walked over, and reached out to grab a pastry. Karen asked, "Did you take your medicine... no, did you eat your food today?" Little Kanna frowned deeply. "If I take the medicine, I won't have room for these." "Then eat some of these first, but you still have to take the medicine." Karen paused and added, "It's far more expensive than these pastries." "Okay." "Keep eating. I'm going out for a bit." Karen had originally intended to visit Eunice on his own, but Philomena followed along pushing the food cart, and Little Kanna sat directly on the bottom tray to tag along. The two of them certainly took their bodyguard duties seriously while their charge was devoid of power. Karen hadn't planned on doing anything, however; he merely intended to take an afternoon nap. Eunice lay on her side next to Karen and said, "Grandmother came by today." "I know." "She gave me a bracelet." "Just keep it." "Do we need to send a return gift?" "If the manor's storehouse has good medicinal herbs for treating internal and external injuries, have someone send them to the Guman family as a return gift." Eunice gently stroked Karen's hair smooth, saying softly, "You're injured again." "Yes." "Go to sleep." "Mm." Karen closed his eyes and drifted off. Eunice looked up at Little Kanna and Philomena standing there, smiling softly. "Why don't you two take a nap as well?" Philomena said, "He is injured. I need to protect him." Little Kanna said, "I haven't bathed. I can't get onto the bed." ... Karen slept for a long time. Having lost his spiritual power, his sensory perception of his surroundings had dropped sharply, making it harder for outside disturbances to wake him. Moreover, because the Scythe of War had been dissolved by divine corruption, it no longer acted up playfully while he slept. Thus, while Karen intended to recover many of the things he had lost to divine corruption, he hesitated when it came to the Scythe of War. He could sense that the scythe seemed to bear a grudge against him. Karen slept straight through from the afternoon until the next morning. It couldn't be helped; after emerging from the cavern, he had been subjected to visits from various figures, leaving him no chance to properly rest. Fortunately, this sleep swept away all his prior exhaustion. Opening his eyes, Eunice was still beside him, gently leafing through a book in her hands. Philomena sat on the windowsill outside, enjoying the breeze. Little Kanna was asleep at the foot of the bed, her head resting against his legs. "You're awake?" Eunice set down the book and looked at Karen. "Waking up to find my wife right beside me feels truly wonderful." Eunice smiled and said, "Having you by my side makes me very happy, too." Karen prepared to get out of bed to wash up. Though his movements were gentle, Little Kanna was, after all, a little bone dragon and not a little pig. She woke, rubbing her eyes as she sat up, saying, "I took a bath before getting into bed." Purr's discipline was very strict: sleep had to be in a bed, and before getting into bed, one had to bathe. However, the concept of "bathing" had evidently left a trauma in Little Kanna's heart. Karen finished washing up in the bathroom and changed into a clean clerical robe, though he temporarily had to put the mask back on. Philomena returned to the bedroom from the windowsill and said, "Bishop Delon wanted to see you, but I told him you were sleeping and told him not to disturb you." "Oh, all right." Karen walked two steps toward the door before realizing what Philomena had just said. "Did I do something wrong?" Philomena asked. "Where is Bishop Delon now?" "After finishing the work in the early morning, he took all the Formation Department priests and headed back." "Tsk..." Karen walked over to the telephone and dialed the Guman family's number. His grandmother answered. "Hello." "Grandmother, has Grandfather arrived home? I'm looking for him. I was asleep last night and couldn't..." "As soon as your grandfather got back, he took Richard to the church hospital. He hasn't returned yet." Karen: "..." "Don't worry, Richard is fine. Your uncle knows his limits; he struck right at the threshold of that little worm's abilities, maximizing its potential." "All right." From that perspective, his grandmother was at least entirely impartial when it came to methods of education. "Have Alfred come see me." "Understood." Before long, Alfred walked in. "Is everything ready?" "Young Master, everything is prepared. The protective guards have all been deployed to the perimeter. Aside from Old Anderson and a few others, all the other members and servants of the Allen family have been evacuated from the manor. The array Bishop Delon set up overnight has been successfully activated and will conceal everything that occurs within the manor from here on. "The sacred artifact channeling altar has also been established. As soon as we activate it, that side will grant us access. "In addition, Neo has arrived. He contacted me of his own accord, because after the manor's array went into trial operation, he couldn't sneak in." "Then let us begin." Karen walked out of the castle and arrived at the entrance of the performance hall. The manor, which had always been bustling, appeared quiet and deserted today. "Hey, hey, hey." A familiar voice called out. Neo leaned over from the roof of the performance hall and cursed, "I thought you'd start at dawn, but you dragged it out this long. I nearly caught a cold." Karen looked up at him with a smile. "Sorry, I overslept." "This is a major milestone in your life—how could you take it so casually?" Neo jumped down from the roof, walked up to Karen, patted away nonexistent dust from Karen's shoulder, and said with earnest gravity, "Karen, remember, starting today, you're an adult, no longer a child." Muri and the others nearby found those words somewhat grating, but when they saw that Mr. Alfred looked as unperturbed as ever, they all kept quietly silent. "All right, let's head inside." Karen led everyone into the performance hall. The original layout inside remained unchanged, except for an added altar to channel the sacred artifact. Neo pointed at the two coffins and asked, "Aren't you going to awaken those two first?" "I could, but I don't have any spiritual power in me right now. Once I become an Order servant, it might be enough." Coming from anyone else, this would probably sound like boasting, but no one present thought Karen was exaggerating. After all, none of them had ever seen anyone require a sacred artifact to supply holy water just to purify themselves into an Order servant. A chair had been placed dead center, and Karen sat down. "Meow." Purr hopped onto Karen's lap, her tail swishing gently. Except for Vic, who was responsible for operating the channeling altar, everyone else stood on the periphery. Alfred had already set up his easel, holding a paintbrush in his right hand while continually gesturing with his left to direct Ventura and the others in adjusting their positions so the figures in the painting would be more symmetrical. Everyone cooperated readily, adjusting their stances and postures. If being "depicted in the mural" had once been merely a grand aspiration used to motivate people, everyone present now knew with absolute certainty that this very scene would truly be immortalized in murals for generations to come. "Kevin, go over there. Don't lie down here. Go lie beside the young master's chair so you can be included in the painting." As an evil god, Alfred deemed it worthy of inclusion in the painting. Kevin shook its head violently. It didn't want to go anywhere near the center! The last time Karen was purified here, the aura of the God of Light had appeared, scaring it so badly that it foamed at the mouth and nearly passed out. This time, the golden retriever only wanted to stay as far away as possible. "Go." "Woof!" *(Not going!)* "Hurry up and go!" "Woof!" *(Not going!)* "The Harp of Goddess Mills will appear on the altar beside the young master." "Woof woof woof woof woof!" The big golden retriever sprinted over and sat right beside Karen's chair, facing the altar. Neo couldn't help urging, "Can we start already? Once things are wrapped up here, I still have to head back to Yorktown. If you drag this out any longer, I'll miss the market closing time." Karen said, "Let's begin." "Begin!" Alfred gave Vic a hand signal. Vic immediately activated the channeling altar. Soon, a dark cloud gathered above, indenting inward to form a vortex. The ethereal projection of a harp slowly emerged, and the figure of a woman appeared beside it. She spoke: "Luoya has already asked this of me. Rest assured, I will cooperate fully with Section Chief Karen and will maintain absolute secrecy regarding today's events." Karen nodded his thanks to the woman. Kevin was already staring transfixed. The woman's gaze fell upon the golden retriever, her brow furrowing slightly—not in disdain, but out of a profound sense of familiarity that sent her into deep contemplation. However, she quickly regained her composure. Manipulating the harp, she caused streams of sacred power to pour forth, enveloping the surroundings like white mist. The concentration of sacred energy flowing out at this moment alone far exceeded what countless water-tank trucks of holy water could ever supply. Karen tilted his head back slightly, closed his eyes, and entered his meditative state, seeking the resonance of faith within his heart and perceiving the summons of the God of Order. This step was child's play for him now, because deep within his soul stood a colossal statue of Order. As Karen entered the state, the statue within his soul slowly lifted its head, looking upward as if sensing something. Everything proceeded with utter serenity. The sacred energy barely showed any signs of consumption, and Karen sat there showing no reaction whatsoever—even quieter than the purification of a believer with the poorest aptitude into an Order servant. Because this body of Karen's... was simply too clean. So clean that it required no purification whatsoever. Yet the true tempest was about to break. Purr leaped onto Karen's shoulder. From the tip of her tail, a crystal-clear finger emerged and pressed against the space between Karen's eyebrows. *Boom!* Suddenly, A blinding white light erupted. A sacrosanct, inviolable majesty engulfed the surroundings—the aura of a Chief God, belonging to the former overlord of the previous epoch, the aura of Light! Kevin, being the closest, jerked violently, rolled his eyes back, and collapsed flat on the floor. His limbs twitched unconsciously while white foam began bubbling from his maw. The harp's artifact spirit vanished instantly, retreating deep within the artifact's projection. She dared not face this terrifying pressure head-on, terrified that she might be shattered into nothingness. None of the others nearby could withstand the pressure either. Crushed by the overwhelming might pressing upon their souls, they dropped to their knees one after another. They were clearly believers of Order, yet before the majestic presence of Light, they were stripped of all pride. Alfred, however, felt not the slightest conflict. He had even adjusted the height of his easel in advance, removed the stand, and knelt on the ground early on to paint. He did not feel that kneeling briefly now amounted to anything. After all, hadn't the God of Order once followed the God of Light in the past, only to stand up on his own later? Only Neo did not kneel. To him, this aura of Light exerted no discernible pressure; instead, it carried an intensely powerful sense of intimacy. This was Light... this was the purest aura of Light in the world! Neo folded his hands. Unlike the crossed-arms-over-chest posture of the Church of Order, he assumed the ceremonial posture of a believer of Light. However, Though this radiance endured and the sacred aura showed no sign of dissipating, no voice from the consciousness of Light emerged as it had last time. What Karen needed was the voice of Light to summon the power of the rules of Order, so that upon being purified into an Order servant, he would receive the most extraordinary favor and become a singularly unique existence. Karen was waiting, and the colossal statue deep within his soul was waiting as well. Yet the voice they awaited still failed to appear. "Meow~" Purr was already feeling exhausted; she was nearing her limit. Was this... going to fail? Though he would still successfully become an Order servant, this was completely different from what he desired—especially after having made such exhaustive preparations. Was the first step of his fresh start truly destined to begin as an ordinary Order servant? No. He would never allow such a thing to happen. Restless anxiety began to swell, for the colossal statue deep within Karen's soul was also radiating irritation and discontent. At this stage, Karen had successfully isolated the distance between himself and the statue. As long as his consciousness did not actively enter the soul consciousness space, he was entirely safe. But that did not mean he had completely severed his ties to his hunger addiction. Just as now, when Karen grew anxious, the statue's agitation resonated with his own, causing both sides to harmonize in that emotion and... spiral slightly out of control. Karen opened his eyes; At the same moment, the people kneeling on the floor vaguely saw a mysterious black silhouette manifest behind Karen. Karen parted his lips, and the black figure behind him opened its mouth as well. As Karen gave voice, the black silhouette behind him boomed with an immensely majestic tone, rumbling like thunder through the entire performance hall: A voice that shook the souls of everyone present: [Light, just where are you hiding?!]