Ashley returned, but not because her parents had summoned her.
In truth, Selina and Santos would have preferred their daughter stayed away today. As parents doing Karen a favor, if Ashley were absent or kept in the dark, Karen's eventual repayment would surely be delivered in such a way that when their daughter came home and spoke of it, the two of them would clearly recognize it as a return on their favor—and the payoff would naturally be all the greater.
However, when working, Ashley routinely split her time between sleeping in the dormitories and staying at the research institute; this place was her home.
Upon returning and seeing Little Kanna, Ashley had initially assumed Karen had brought Little Kanna for a physical examination. But the moment she saw Purr lying on the examination table, she realized what was happening.
Purr's examination concluded quickly. Her physical condition was excellent, perfectly suited for the procedure.
With three hours remaining until the scheduled operation, Selina and Santos needed to continue calibrating the equipment and familiarizing themselves with the procedural steps, while Karen could formally begin his preparations.
For instance, having a late-night snack and taking a bath.
There were bathing facilities in the laboratory—very spacious ones—but those were meant for rinsing and prepping monster beasts.
Karen took Purr and Kanna to Ashley's home. He used the bathroom in Mr. and Mrs. Santos's bedroom, while Purr bathed in Ashley's bedroom.
Ashley herself was tasked with preparing the late-night snack.
"Is Sister Purr going to turn into a human?" Little Kanna asked as she lathered Purr with body wash.
"I don't know. I'm a little nervous, meow."
"Will you turn into a child like me?"
"I'm not as small as you."
"Then will you turn into a two-hundred-year-old grandma?"
Purr: "..."
Unaware of what nerve she had touched, Little Kanna continued diligently scrubbing Purr's fur. "Bathing as a human is such a chore. And humans have to wear clothes."
"All right, you can rinse me off now."
"No, we have to get you clean. You can't slack off on any step of a bath. Mmm, roll over, I'll scrub your back."
Purr lay flat without protest. Enjoying the back-scrubbing service from the little bone dragon, she remarked with feeling, "I never expected my Little Karen would prepare a special surprise for me, meow."
"Are you happy?"
"Of course, meow."
"Then will you mate with him?"
"Of course... uh... what are you talking about?"
"Isn't that a way females express themselves to males?"
"Who told you that?"
"Richard."
"Why would he tell you something like that?"
"When we were in the desert, it got a bit boring, so he'd strike up conversations on his own."
"That sort of thing usually happens between a man and a woman of similar age. If he treats you well or saves your life, you might think of marrying him as a repayment. Of course, there's a prerequisite."
"A prerequisite?"
"Namely, the man can't be too ugly. Otherwise, you repay him in the next life."
"But according to the Church of Samsara doctrines that Woof taught me, the soul in the next life is the same."
"That doesn't matter, because the vast majority of people in this world are shallow. They don't look at the soul; they only look at the face."
"Is Sister Purr like that too?"
"As for me... do you think Karen is good-looking?"
"I don't really understand the human concept of good-looking, but from the chatter of the female researchers who examined me, I gather that Karen must be handsome."
"See? He's good-looking."
"You didn't answer me, Sister Purr."
"The steps are done. Time to rinse, and then dry me off."
"Okay."
Having finished his bath, Karen walked out wearing one of Santos's new bathrobes. The clerical robes he had been wearing were hanging in the bathroom with their embedded self-cleaning formation activated.
As he descended the stairs, he heard voices from below.
It was a couple living next door to Ashley's family, dropping off some pastries they had baked earlier. In truth, it was because they had caught a glimpse from their second-floor French window of Ashley returning with a man.
While talking, they learned Ashley's parents were working late at the laboratory tonight—yet footsteps could now be heard descending the stairs.
Peering into the private lives of others had always been an inescapable source of amusement in human nature. Subconsciously, the couple looked up, eager to inspect the boyfriend their neighbor and colleague's daughter had brought home.
The first things to enter their view were slippers and a bathrobe...
The husband and wife exchanged a glance. *He took a bath the moment he got back!*
When Karen's face came into full view, both froze—no, they shuddered in sheer fright and immediately bowed:
"Greetings, Lord Regional Chief."
"Greetings, Lord Regional Chief."
"Mm."
Karen took a seat in the dining room and said nothing.
"Ashley, don't forget to eat the pastries."
"Right, we'll be heading back now."
The couple departed at once. Some private matters could be probed to satisfy curiosity, but others were best left unknown.
Karen picked up a glass of ice water from the table, took a sip, and asked, "Will this cause trouble for you?"
Ashley smiled. "Do you mean the rumors from bringing my superior home? I don't think it's any trouble at all. If anything, the project approvals for my parents' lab might go through even faster, and other labs probably won't dare compete with them."
"Heh."
Early on, Ashley had indeed harbored a crush on Karen. Back when they were out on missions, she and Blanche had shared a room, and the two young women had endless things to say about Karen at night.
Yet that had gone no further than simple affection, without any other designs.
Ashley served the late-night snack she had prepared. After toiling for quite a while, she had produced bacon sandwiches, beef sandwiches, and chicken cutlet sandwiches.
"Please have some," Ashley said, looking slightly embarrassed.
"Quite a spread. Thank you for your hard work."
Karen picked up a sandwich and began eating.
Seeing Karen eat, Ashley breathed an inward sigh of relief, while regretting how she had repeatedly resisted and rejected her mother's offers to teach her how to cook.
If she had studied properly back then, she would surely be able to whip up a lavish spread of Wien cuisine now.
Wait, that wasn't right—the Regional Chief seemed to despise Wien cuisine, so it was actually fortunate she hadn't learned...
Little Kanna came downstairs with Purr perched atop her head. Purr hopped onto the dining table, surveyed the assortment of sandwiches, and frowned.
Ashley could only apologize again: "I'm so sorry."
Little Kanna picked up a sandwich, held it out to Purr, and said, "Rejecting food someone prepared for you free of charge is conduct unbecoming of an aristocratic lady."
Karen reminded her, "Aristocracy implies inequality of status."
"Mmm... is that so?" Little Kanna asked in confusion. "I thought 'aristocratic lady' was a single word."
"'Lady' is enough. Our Little Kanna is a polite, good child."
"Okay."
Little Kanna took a sandwich, fetched a small box from her pocket, opened it, took out a pill, wedged the pill between the slices of sandwich bread, and popped it into her mouth.
The little bone dragon had now developed a habit: no matter what food she encountered, she wanted to try sandwiching a pill in it.
"I want fish," Purr said. "Fish with pickled cabbage, boiled fish in chili broth, squirrel-shaped mandarin fish..."
Karen asked, "Are you nervous?"
"Actually, I haven't let myself hope too much for success yet, because I'm afraid I won't be able to bear the blow of failure."
"Even if it fails, it's no big deal. It won't stop me from cooking fish for you in the future."
"That's right, meow."
Purr instantly cheered up. She lowered her head and ate the sandwich, not forgetting to critique as she chewed: "My dear Ashley, managing to make a sandwich taste this terrible is truly an achievement."
Ashley blushed.
After finishing the snack, Karen returned to the laboratory with Purr and Little Kanna. Selina and Santos were already prepared.
"We can begin, Lord Regional Chief."
"Please rest assured, the surgery will certainly succeed."
"Then thank you both for your hard work."
"Thank you for your hard work, meow."
Karen and Purr each lay down on a platform.
In truth, the principle behind the operation was not complicated: utilizing their symbiotic relationship, it simply installed a sluice gate between Karen and Purr, allowing Purr to share and retain a portion of Karen's power for a period of time.
Yet theory and practice were often two entirely different concepts; the practical difficulty of such an operation was exceptionally high.
Much of the Santos couple's practical experience stemmed from altering restrictions and contracts within monster beasts. This time, Karen had genuinely hired 'veterinarians' to operate on him.
Only, this surgery had nothing to do with the physical body.
The operation began.
A gentle glow washed down over them. All Karen needed to do now was strive to suppress his instincts and refrain from resisting it.
At last, after an unknown amount of time, Karen finally felt a touch of drowsiness and closed his eyes.
It was like a dream. Karen sensed an infinitesimal power brushing against him, as though someone were tickling him with a feather.
He opened his eyes. Before him lay a pool of dark water, along with the swaying silhouette of a scythe.
Karen immediately shook his head. The imagery before him distorted and dissipated. Some dreams had recurred so often that they had become ingrained reflex memories. Even though the mark of the Scythe of War was no longer upon him, he had nearly slipped into that dream again at a moment like this.
Having banished the previous scene, a new one began to take shape. Karen saw ground engulfed in flames, as though a nearby volcano had just erupted, cracks in the earth brimming with flowing magma.
Karen walked forward. Before going very far, he saw a villa standing ahead—no, it was floating, drifting atop a river of magma.
This villa was intimately familiar to Karen. It was his home—the detached villa at 13 Mink Street belonging to the Immeles family.
For a long time, right up to the present, this villa had remained the truest embodiment of the concept of 'family' in the depths of Karen's heart.
This place had granted him genuine familial warmth.
At the same time, this house was also home in Purr's psychological perception.
The time she had lived at Allen Manor was nowhere near as long as the time she had spent here.
A yellow curtain of light connected the magma to the villa. This yellow light originated from the Laks copper coin Karen carried with him; the coin's power was an integral part of the operation.
Luoya would personally protect and assist Karen throughout this operation.
Pushing open the courtyard gate and stepping into the yard, Karen stopped and looked up before heading toward the front entrance.
Sure enough, on the third-floor French window sill, a black cat was lying down.
The black cat was gazing at the world beyond the window. For over a century, it had kept this habit.
Karen pushed open the door, entered the house, mounted the stairs, and arrived on the third floor.
The third floor held his grandfather's bedroom and study, as well as the bedroom he shared with his cousin Lunt.
As he passed his grandfather's bedroom door, Karen deliberately cast a glance out of the corner of his eye.
Finally, Karen reached the window sill. Purr was still gazing out the window, transfixed.
From this vantage point, one could see not only churning magma, but also all manner of ferocious monster beasts and aberrant demons. In the sky, pirate ships were sailing, and a woman dressed in the robes of a temple elder was roaring at the top of her lungs.
This house had bisected Purr's life.
Inside, she was a black cat; outside lay the turbulent, brilliant life she had once led as her family's most dazzling genius.
Venturing out to sea on expeditions had not been rebellion born of an aristocratic young lady's pampered boredom; it had been a genuine quest across one perilous secret realm after another to uncover the true nature of the world.
In that era, Purr had trodden upon sea beasts and sailed the boundless expanse. Though her family's religious system had constrained her, she had nonetheless lived a magnificent life of her own.
She was someone profoundly special. Because of her uniqueness, an evil god had permitted her to ride upon his back, the little bone dragon willingly obeyed 'Sister's words,' and even Diss, before his slumber, had specially instructed Karen: take good care of Purr.
There was no denying that some people were simply born blessed.
Wherever she went, she was adored. Even if she just sat there, swinging her legs, sipping coffee, and watching such a spectacle, it made people feel it was an indulgence she rightfully deserved.
Beyond the window, the earth split open, and a colossal finger of light slowly emerged. Its might seemed enough to tear the sky asunder.
The true turning point in Purr's life had been this very finger.
Purr said softly, "Little Karen, I'm afraid of becoming human. I'm afraid of actually stepping outside."
Karen smiled.
He didn't offer empty comforts like: *Don't be afraid, I will protect you.*
Instead, he let out a sigh and said, "Then let's drop it. I'll wake up and tell Santos and the others to end the surgery."
Purr whipped her head around to glare at Karen, her cat eyes wide and round, her cheeks puffed out.
Clearly, she was furious.
Karen leaned down to look at her. The face of the man and the face of the cat were nearly touching; Purr's whiskers brushed against Karen's cheek, tickling him.
"Well? What do you say?"
Purr snapped, "When you asked Eunice to switch stockings, it was all 'Won't you be too tired?' and 'You don't need to change again' and 'This is fine' and 'I'm very satisfied.' Back then, your mouth was as sweet as if you'd smeared honey on your lips."
"You were eavesdropping again."
"I stopped listening long ago; I'm sick of it. No one would believe it if I told them—the Regional Chief of an Order parish has such a fetish."
"Such a preference is quite normal."
Purr extended a padded paw, lightly hooked Karen's chin, and lowered her voice intentionally: "Would it also be quite normal for the God of Order to have such a preference?"
Karen warned, "Be careful. If you lure out the thing in the depths of my soul, it'll eat you."
Purr stood up and leapt from the sill toward Karen. Karen caught her with a hand, and she smoothly climbed onto his shoulder, settling into place.
"An excellent sailor never fears the challenge of unknown winds and waves—let alone familiar waters where I once held sway!"
Purr raised a paw to psych herself up.
Karen smiled and turned back. He descended the stairs, walked out the front door, and reached the courtyard gate.
"We're going out."
"Yeah, we're going out, meow."
Karen pushed open the courtyard gate and stepped outside.
Purr, perched on his shoulder, suddenly convulsed in agony. Her soul was trembling.
Compared to Karen's soul, which had been tempered countless times in the intense crucible of his struggle against the hunger addiction, the agony Purr had to endure now was clearly far greater.
Luoya's voice rang out at that moment:
"You need to pray."
"Pray?" Purr asked, bewildered.
"Draw upon Brother Karen's power through prayer."
Purr suddenly understood. She sneered, "You're trying to deliberately disgust me, aren't you?"
"This is a step of the operation. Only through this method can your problem be resolved more smoothly. Besides, if you want to gain power, you can't expect to pay nothing at all."
"Then why don't you directly alter our contract model? I imagine that with the wisdom and methods of you artifact spirits, modifying a symbiosis contract—something seemingly impossible—is well within your capabilities, isn't it?" Purr retorted.
"Because the operation doesn't need to be that complicated."
"Because you're afraid a certain someone won't agree."
"Say what you want. I don't believe you deserve to sit on Brother Karen's shoulder. As an artifact spirit, I am far more qualified than you to form a contract with Brother Karen!"
"Can God Laks even compare to a single finger of the God of Light?"
"You..."
"It seems you don't understand your Brother Karen. Let me offer a friendly reminder: he dislikes people relying on their status to act so petty and mercenary in front of him."
"Thank you for the reminder."
"And thank you for your effort and dedication to my surgery. Also, prayer, was it? Oh, little girl, how old are you anyway? Big sister might never have been in love, but did you think big sister has never seen the world?"
Purr's gaze turned clear. Sitting on Karen's shoulder, she opened her mouth:
"Oh, please bestow strength upon this kitty now, our dear Little Brother Karen..."
The moment the words left her mouth, a rich surge of spiritual power welled up like a hot spring, rushing into Purr.
...
Inside the laboratory, Karen opened his eyes and sat up. Outside the window, the glow of dawn had already appeared; the operation had actually lasted until morning.
He walked over to the platform where Purr lay. At this moment, Purr was enveloped in a shroud of dark light.
Little Kanna's coffee was already brewed, being poured into a cup.
Philomena held a black dress in her hands. Like the coffee, it had been prepared in advance at Karen's request.
The dark light began to spread. Within the darkness, the silhouette of a woman gradually took form. The fur of the cat transmuted into a black dress, complete with a hood over her head.
Little Kanna gasped in realization: "So Sister Purr was wearing clothes all along!"
The dark light dissipated entirely, revealing the woman's figure in full: playful, charmingly petulant, noble, and elegant. She was not the epitome of sheer physical beauty, yet the harmonious union of her temperament and features imparted an intensely pleasing aura.
Poer Allen opened her eyes. Sitting up, she first stretched languidly.
"Sister, have some coffee."
Little Kanna passed the cup to Karen.
Karen, in turn, presented the cup before Purr.
Poer Allen took the cup, lowered her head to inhale the aroma, and took a small sip. She did not raise her head, yet she seemed able to sense the slight awkwardness—and perhaps a touch of helplessness—in the young man standing beside her as he faced her current self, though he undoubtedly masked it with utmost propriety.
Karen indeed felt a bit uncomfortable. A pet raised in his own home had truly turned into a human right before his eyes. In the past, he could stroke her fur and feel that soft, silky touch. Now, where could he put his hands?
Poer Allen tilted her head and looked up. She looked at Karen, and Karen looked back at her. The atmosphere between them even grew slightly taut.
Finally,
she smiled first:
"I want to eat fish, meow."
Chapter 753