Loyalty!

Even outside an era like the present—where Norton presided over the church and suppressed the Temple of Order—the temple elders rarely descended upon the administrative offices of the Holy See in such a manner. First, it was out of aloof pride, as well as a desire to preserve their own mystery and detachment. Second, it was dictated by the long-standing political understanding within the Church of Order: excessive activity by a temple elder would only invite more severe church-wide suppression and ostracism against their own clan. Because of this, back when Karen had used the mask left behind by his grandfather to "play the part" of a temple elder's consciousness sphere descending upon that laboratory, the numerous researchers present had reflexively assumed it was a temple elder making a personal inspection. That was simply the habitual modus operandi of temple elders; they always did their utmost to avoid exposing their divine nature before the eyes of the congregation. The only places where they could truly unleash their power without scruple were two: one was when handling the church's most sensitive, intractable affairs, and the other was on the battlefield. Thus, serving as a temple elder attached to an expeditionary knight order was by no means a thankless chore; within the temple, it was even a position people competed for. If Ukonga had been all alone in the world, that would be one thing, but he had a family—and his clan's status was not in the least inferior to Xiti's Pangxi family. Yet he... simply might not care. Some people changed drastically after weathering the passage of time, looking back only to sigh over how things remained while people had changed. Yet other people were the exact same now as they had been back then, remaining youthful to the day they died. Whether it was his refusal to communicate within the Land of Seals, or having Hiderod relay his request for a meeting, or descending upon his doorstep in this ostentatious fashion, every single detail conveyed a single attitude to Karen: *Though I've searched for you for a thousand years, I bear no malice.* He had no desire to turn this relationship into something scheming or mercenary. He couldn't be bothered. He found that terribly boring, completely contrary to his style and taste. It had to be said that this sort of uninhibited ease was completely opposite to Karen's habitually cautious and proper conduct. Yet that was Ukonga—a man who had been a rake in his youth, carried that profligacy through to the very end, and hadn't even spared a sacred artifact in the process. Unlike the other surrounding priests who bowed or even knelt in reverence, Karen did not salute at all. Instead, his hands hung naturally at his sides as he raised his head, watching the towering, majestic presence. Since the man wanted to be open and candid, Karen would not put on airs either; he would simply meet casualness with casualness. Not only did he not salute, but Karen even turned around and walked toward the office castle. Behind him, that gigantic dharma body gradually blurred, scattering into rosy light that draped down beside Karen. Before long, the figure of a man appeared by Karen's side. He had a head of white hair, yet his face was remarkably young. Along the way, all the priests bowed excitedly in salute, not daring to pry with their eyes. On the balcony atop the dormitory castle opposite them, Gaspol stood and offered a salute. Mavaglio stroked his chin with one hand. He did not need to bow; strictly speaking, if a temple elder saw him, they would still have to respectfully address him as Lord Child of God. However, that respectful title was more of a joke. In the eyes of the temple, a Child of God was merely a tool they had "manufactured." Who would show genuine respect to a tool? "What kind of play is this supposed to be?" Mavaglio was somewhat baffled by the scene. He turned to glance at his wife, but thought better of it; she wouldn't know either. Karen was no longer the district head who had taken her seat back then. For a moment, Mavaglio actually felt a pang of melancholy. Once, he had thoroughly enjoyed how casual Karen was with him, believing that was how true friends interacted. Now, it was official—Karen could indeed treat him casually from a vantage point of genuine strength and status, and that left him somewhat wistful. "Darling, did you know? Back then, I thought Karen was deliberately using a unique social approach to deal with me. Only now do I realize..." "Realize what?" "From the very beginning, he truly never took me seriously at all." ... Karen's walking posture was perfectly normal, yet contrasted against Ukonga, it seemed somewhat rigid. Despite being an exalted temple elder, Ukonga clasped his hands behind his head, leaned his upper body back, and took long, swaggering strides, looking for all the world like a loafer from a rural town on the outskirts of Wien who had just finished lunch and strolled out with a toothpick dangling from his mouth. Setting aside political factions, if Karen were not currently the number two figure in the Whip of Order, but rather the small squad captain or office director he used to be, having a temple elder "accompany" him in this manner would have been an overwhelming political endorsement. Now, however... there was no endorsement to speak of. All the personal connections and political alignments had been stirred into an absolute mess by Ukonga's dramatic arrival. Entering the castle, climbing the stairs, and arriving at the office. Karen opened the door and walked in. Ukonga followed behind. From start to finish, neither of them had exchanged a single word. Yet the instant the door clicked shut, an almost tangible pressure surged toward Karen. His body was forced backward continuously until he was pinned against the wall. Karen did not resist, his expression calm. Ukonga walked over slowly, studying Karen closely, and said, "Open and poised after all. You didn't disappoint me too much." Karen asked, "Then what were your expectations?" "Loneliness." "Loneliness?" Ukonga turned sideways and walked toward the small stream pavilion in Karen's office. The immense pressure vanished without a trace in that instant, and Karen regained his freedom. "Living too long isn't a blessing. Your life can be very long, but its value usually lies only in the opening chapter. Because back then, you had family, you had rivals... you had friends. "Once they all die off one by one, the vast life that remains becomes utterly meaningless, reduced to nothing more than dull, empty attrition." "You sought me out just because of that?" "Naturally, it's not just because of that. First, answer me one question: how did you do it?" Ukonga sat down. Instinctively, he looked around for tea leaves, only to find that although there was a tea set on the table in the pavilion, there was only a bucket of ice cubes. Even when guests came to this room, they essentially had to follow the host's habit and drink ice water with him. Karen sat down opposite him, reached out to pour water, and tossed ice cubes into both of their cups. When he pushed the cup toward Ukonga, Ukonga waved his hand in refusal. "I'm old. I'm not used to cold drinks." Karen extended his hand. A burst of flame appeared; the ice melted, the water boiled, and then he pushed the steaming cup before Ukonga once more. Ukonga said, "I have to say, you're being far too casual." "You were casual first." Ukonga shrugged. "Fair enough." Karen formally answered Ukonga's question, saying, "I only discovered later that an orphan like me actually possessed the bloodline of the Arte family." "The bloodline blessed by the God of Eternal?" "Yes. That's why it resonated with the Spear of Eternal." "But when you appeared, we hadn't yet 'infiltrated' the containment space or touched the Spear of Eternal." "That's the philosophical question of whether the chicken or the egg came first. That is precisely why the power of time is a taboo among all laws of power." "That explanation barely passes." Ukonga clapped his hands. "Though I know you're definitely hiding something, it doesn't matter anymore. Do you know? The timing of your appearance was simply too good." Karen asked, "Why do you say that?" "If you had appeared a hundred years earlier—no, even fifty years earlier—and I discovered you, I wouldn't have been this calm. Back then, even though I felt life was meaningless, I still harbored a deep fear of the end. "I would have instinctively wanted to prolong this dull monotony as much as possible, or perhaps try to pursue that taboo power you mentioned to alter my past regrets. "Unfortunately, you only appeared now. Although my life has been stretched out for a very long time, it has already entered its final chapter. "In short, it's meaningless now." "I've heard some rumors regarding the end of a temple elder." "I don't qualify." "My condolences." "From today onward, you are my student." "Very well." It was so simple that it couldn't even be called a transaction. Ukonga lowered his head, his long white hair falling forward. Karen sensed his emotional state: it was the emptiness and desolation that followed the fulfillment of an obsession. He felt disappointed by their actual contact. Yet that was not Karen's fault. No matter how well Karen performed or how closely he matched the man's expectations, Ukonga was destined to feel disappointed. Still, since the man had come, Karen needed to accommodate him as best he could. After all, this elder before him would be leading the team to Mink Street in the future. "I'd like to know... did you stay in touch afterward? With Mr. Philias, Lord Budalas, and Mr. Dicarost?" Hearing this, Ukonga looked up, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He asked Karen, "Which one do you want to know about most?" "Mr. Dicarost." "I'm sorry, but I didn't have much contact with him later on. Although he often mailed me local specialties from his travels and adventures, especially secret recipes and tonics to enhance male virility. "I originally thought you would ask about Philias and Budalas. Those two seem far more likely to arouse curiosity." "Their deeds are recorded in great detail in the sacred histories." "Ah, true. There isn't much mysterious about them either." Without realizing it, the conversation had run into another dead end. Just then, Xili walked over. She wanted to ask if it was time to serve the meal; her crab legs were already prepared. Karen waved his hand, signaling that there was no need to serve. Xili bowed and withdrew. Ukonga took a deep breath and said, "I smell crab legs. What, reluctant to treat me?" "You're not in the mood." "You're too perceptive." Ukonga leaned back, his posture turning utterly careless. "Right now, you care too much about my emotions. That makes things very dull." "It can't be helped. Besides, back when I faced you in that dormitory, I was even more nervous and mindful of your feelings than I am now. It's just that you were still young back then, so you failed to notice." "I think it's probably because there are only the two of us. The atmosphere just can't liven up, and I can't even summon the interest to put on an act. If only there were a chance to summon Philias, Dicarost, Budalas, and the rest here—then even putting on an act would be an immense pleasure." Karen offered a polite, accommodating smile. Actually, it wasn't impossible. The Mad Pope was inside Neo's head, Budalas was lying in the First Knight Order, and Dicarost's tomb was already known. In theory, that vision could actually be realized. Silence... silence... silence... Ukonga looked at Karen, curious. "Do you really need to fear me this much?" "I believe I am already facing you with the calmest posture I can muster." "Is that so? Yet your attitude toward Xiti seemed far more casual." "When facing Elder Xiti, I always used respectful titles and strictly observed etiquette." Ukonga stuck out his tongue and leaned forward, bringing his face close to Karen's as he scrutinized Karen's eyes. He said, "You're still afraid of me. Deep down, you are on heavy guard against me. Yet you have to engage with me, and while doing so, you're terrified of provoking my vigilance—because you don't know just how difficult it is to fool an old monster who has lived for over a thousand years." "You overthink things." "It's different from what I imagined. I originally thought being the teacher of a former roommate would be the most delightful thing next to being his father." Karen raised his cup and took a sip. "Heh." "Shall we lay our cards on the table?" Ukonga asked. "All of them, together?" "I recall you already laid yours out just now," Karen reminded him. "You said you're already old, so old that you're about to die, and you no longer have the energy to do anything else." "That was the truth. I didn't lie to you. But in the near future, I might have a chance to renew my life. At that time, I can serve the temple, serve my Lord, and make up for the regret of failing to fulfill my duties as a temple elder." "What kind of opportunity is it?" "Your turn." Ukonga flicked his tongue outside his mouth. "It's your turn." "On me, there is..." Suddenly, deep within his soul, the Hunger Addiction sculpture raised its head and let out a low roar. Karen's body trembled faintly, his gaze focusing sharply. Then, an intense wave of exhaustion and stinging pain struck him, causing him to instinctively press a palm against his forehead as he cursed, "You truly have no shame." Ukonga had actually used mental inducement on him. And he hadn't even noticed when he had been influenced! One had to remember, he had maintained the highest degree of vigilance from the very beginning! Ukonga cursed in equal measure, "How on earth can your soul strength be this high?" Karen asked, "So this is our master-disciple relationship? Laying our suspicion and wariness out in the open?" Ukonga countered, "What's wrong with that? Did you really want me to be your teacher and instruct you in things? Oh, right, you want to gain the temple's recognition and backing through me." "Is that not allowed?" Ukonga chuckled. "Just how naive are Xiti and her bunch to think they could pull you over to the temple's side? I even suspect that before you went to Pangxi Manor last time, you specifically reported it to your Whip-Wielder." "That's slander." "I don't have evidence, nor do I have the resources to obtain it, because the largest intelligence apparatus in the church is controlled by you and your superior. You could say that right now, not even the temple can conduct a specific, in-depth investigation on you anymore. Only you have the privilege of investigating others at will. "Those fools think that living a few centuries longer makes them superior in wisdom and methods. Hah, I wager you people even know what they eat for breakfast every day." "Did you just include yourself in that insult?" "Of course. Frankly, I'm not much better than them. The ones who can enter the temple are those with fewer distractions. Budalas and Philias weren't inferior to me, but one became the High Priest of Order and the other became the Pope of Light; in the end, neither managed to condense a godhead fragment. "As for me, precisely because I had too few serious duties and far too much spare time, I somehow muddled my way into condensing a godhead fragment. "So fundamentally, the temple is filled with a bunch of fools. "As for why I'm certain you won't genuinely stand on the temple's side: because back then in the dormitory, when you and Budalas went to wash dishes, you two hit it off tremendously. "To be precise, Budalas gained quite a bit of inspiration from you. "I damn well know what kind of attitude that bastard Budalas had toward the Temple of Order. During the period when I was close to condensing my godhead fragment, he constantly sent official dispatches over, "asking me: *"'Hey, Ukonga, when the hell are you crawling into that dog kennel?!'*" As Ukonga spoke, his eyelids drooped, and he chuckled. "I've read your dossier. Your body is practically dripping with Budalas's shadow. Everyone says the current High Priest is Tyrannus's inheritor, which is why he can suppress the temple. But as I see it, no ambitious High Priest wants a temple hovering over his head, pointing fingers." "You flatter me." "I don't." Ukonga extended a finger and poked his own forehead. "Tell me, if I tied you up right now, would I be able to dig out enough secrets from you?" "I am devout toward Order." "What a coincidence. So am I." Ukonga stood up and straightened the gold-trimmed clerical robe on his body. "I'm leaving." "A bit rushed." "I've already exercised great patience sitting here this long." "I'm very curious to know what this future opportunity you mentioned is—and what you will rely on to renew your life." Ukonga smiled faintly. "For a temple elder, what is the most important thing?" *A godhead fragment.* Karen understood. He had set his sights on the godhead fragment in his grandfather's possession. *Ukonga, our relationship just went from complicated to far more complicated.* "You should pray for my success." "According to what you said, shouldn't I be praying for your failure instead? If you succeed, you'll have another span of life, and you'll start doing the things you currently have no interest in doing." "You only need to ensure your devotion to Order. On that foundation, even if more secrets are dug up, what is there to fear?" "Very reasonable." "My current status in the temple is somewhat awkward. Theoretically, my rank is even lower than Xiti's." "Hard to imagine." "Hm?" "It truly is hard to imagine that Elder Xiti isn't at the very bottom of the temple." "Hahaha, you brat. Now, at last, this conversation feels a bit like the old days. I ended up like this because of my own choices, but I don't regret them. Do you believe me?" "I believe you." "Our master-disciple relationship is indeed rather casual, but if my renewal succeeds, no one in the entire Temple of Order will have higher seniority than me, save for those exceptional few. "Xiti bragging that she could help you vie for the seat of High Priest was pure bluster. She's a genius stuffed full of stupidity. "But I can represent the Temple of Order and help you take the seat of High Priest in the future." "A grand plan." "It's an exchange. Keep your secrets safe and wait for me to come claim them." "I am very candid." "Oh, right. I have secretly been promoting a research project regarding time. The project site happens to be in your Yorktown Region." Karen realized at once: that project had been spearheaded by Ukonga? It made sense; he possessed both the ability and the motive. "Why tell me this?" "I will have someone hand the project over to you. Keep an eye on it for me. No problem, right?" "No problem." *I was planning to seize it anyway; this just saves me the trouble.* "Good. See me out." Karen opened the office door and walked down the stairs side by side with Ukonga, arriving outside the castle. Karen said, "When you leave, could you be a little more low-key?" "How could I? As a teacher, I have to give my student some face, don't I?" Before Ukonga, an immense, towering dharma body radiating golden brilliance manifested once more. That heart-palpitating aura descended again. Fortunately, this time the Order priests within the barrier were mentally prepared, and simply bowed in succession. On this day, rosy light appeared twice in the skies of Wien. With his hands behind his back, Karen quietly watched the barrier shield above slowly seal shut after Ukonga's departure. *Ukonga, do you really think you can just take whatever belongs to my Inmerles family?* ... Ukonga returned to his own celestial body within the Temple of Order. A weathered voice echoed from above: "You made quite a commotion today." Ukonga paid it no mind, stepping into his grand hall. The voice sounded again. "Do you not spare a single thought for your clan?" Ukonga waved a hand dismissively. "They've long been strangers. Clan, my foot. Ha, at this point, even if I married someone sharing my surname, it wouldn't count as inbreeding." The phantom of the Prophet appeared at the entrance of the grand hall and said, "I'm beginning to hesitate on whether you should be sent on that mission. If you obtain the godhead fragment in his hands, who knows what kind of foul mess you'll turn the Temple of Order into." Ukonga looked back at the Prophet and sneered, "Then you can go yourself. Do you dare?" Having delivered his sarcastic retort, Ukonga lay down into his crystal coffin. The barrier within the grand hall descended, and the Prophet's figure departed from the star. Lying inside the coffin, Ukonga raised his left hand. Between his fingertips rested a strand of fine black hair. "I only wanted to play with you out of novelty. Why did you take it so seriously, and even help prolong my life for so long? It was supposed to be a mutually consensual fling where everyone walked away happy and satisfied, so why did it become so awkward with you? "Now I even have to feel indebted to you, and wonder if I can bring you back to life. Sigh." With that, Ukonga raised his right hand. Resting in his palm was a partial skull, its interior inlaid with golden patterns. Even suppressed beneath countless seals, divinity still flowed from it. Moreover, the crown of the skull was exceptionally polished and smooth. "My dear evil god, did your research back then succeed or not?" As he mused aloud, Ukonga stroked the top of the skull with the back of his hand. It felt slick and smooth, quite pleasant to the touch. Just then, a profound light of wisdom flickered within the hollow eye sockets of the skull—though this wisdom appeared somewhat lacking in vitality. A voice drifted from within the skull: "Congratulations, Ukonga. You found that former 'roommate' of yours. This means my research can succeed." *Tock!* Ukonga tapped his finger against the cranial bone, producing a crisp sound. "He carries the Arte bloodline." "I believe he definitely harbors other secrets as well." "I know, but his current status is special. It's not appropriate for me to do too much. Right now, the entire temple doesn't dare provoke the anger of Tyrannus's inheritor." "That is only natural. Even in the previous era, none of the branch gods of Order dared provoke Tyrannus." "We'll wait for later. Let me resolve my most pressing issue first. I must possess sufficient time again before I can pursue time itself." "Do you think you can succeed, Ukonga?" "I don't know, but the Church of Order stands behind me. I cannot lose." "Then allow me to congratulate you on your success in advance." "I've noticed that over the past few years, you've become somewhat different." "In what way?" "I have never slackened in reinforcing your seals, yet your manner during our conversations continues to grow more and more natural." "Has it?" "Yes. Very noticeably." "I am glad. For a pale spark of wisdom born within a corpse to be called natural is a form of recognition. Thank you, Ukonga." "The footsteps of the gods' return are drawing near. Nowadays, every so often, news arrives of disturbances or divine oracles appearing in one church or another. Heh, I wonder if this change in you is because your true body is also about to return... or has already returned?" "If my true body returns, Ukonga, you should be glad." "Why, Raniedal?" "My true body is a dog beneath the seat of the great Order." "There's no need to demean yourself. In the previous era, being able to serve as my Lord's dog was a supreme honor." "No, Ukonga, you misunderstand." "What?" "Only the master of the dog possesses the key to release its chain. "If one day you find my true body, I advise you not to hesitate, and even less to waver. Quickly fall to your knees and prostrate in whatever direction my true body is crouching. "Because, "no matter when, "no matter where, "my true body can always find the position best suited for kneeling." Hearing this, Ukonga sat straight up in the coffin, his gaze fixed intently on the skull in his hands. A sea of lightning instantly manifested within the grand hall, reflecting the turbulent tempest churning in its master's heart. "Hehehehehe..." Ukonga suddenly burst into laughter, and the sea of lightning within the hall gradually subsided. "Raniedal, even if my Lord were to return, why wouldn't He bring the other 'Lords' instead of your true body? "Besides, don't forget that your true body was personally suppressed by my Lord! "Are you implying that my Lord would trust your true body more than those 'Lords'? How laughable. You overestimate yourself far too much." The skull fell silent for a moment, then asked: "Yet who could be more loyal than a dog?"