During the drive ho, it started raining. There was a traffic accident up ahead, involving a sedan that had collided with a truck. It was not very serious, and the two drivers were negotiating in the rain.
Because the road was temporarily blocked, Karon stopped the car to wait and rolled down the window. A few raindrops drifted in, bringing a cool freshness into the cabin laced with chill.
“We’re still a bit weak,” Karon said.
“Young Master, your progress is already terrifying.”
“Not enough.”
“Young Master...”
Karon raised his hand. “It’s fine. I’m just letting my thoughts wander. No need to comfort .”
“Yes, Young Master. Actually, I have similar feelings. If I could beco stronger, even stronger, you could be more composed when handling matters.”
“Mm, yes. But if you had been stronger when I t you for the first ti, I might not have been able to break free from Ms. Molly’s mouth. My soul probably would have been bitten apart and swallowed.”
“If we go with that possibility, Young Master, then if I had been weaker back then, Sir Tiz might not have thought highly of either.”
“So we t at just the right ti.”
“It was fate’s arrangent, it was Your will.”
“Do you rember the first ti I saw you? It was in Ms. Molly’s house. I was sitting on the bed and you appeared in front of . Oh right, Mrs. Hughes was about to kill at the ti.”
“Actually, your subordinate arrived early that day. I stood at the courtyard gate for quite a while.”
“You should have co up sooner. I was genuinely frightened by Mrs. Hughes at that ti. But do you know what my first reaction was when I saw you?”
“This subordinate doesn’t know.”
“I thought your outfit and styling were so damn saucy.”[1]
Karon used the word “saucy” in his original language, because for a mont he felt only that word had the strongest descriptive force and fit best, but when the word reached Alfred’s ears, it struck like thunder. He sharply caught that it was a word from that mysterious ancient language.
Alfred asked with imnse excitent, “Young Master, are you bestowing an epithet upon ?”
This was similar to how so kings in history had prefixes such as “the Mad” or “the Short” and commoners might have ones like “the La” or “the Scarred.” A prefix would be added in front of a na for the sake of distinguishing them. Because many people’s nas were long, there was quite a bit of overlap that could occur.
Karon imdiately said, “No, don’t use that. I can find one for you later.”
“Alright, thank you, Young Master.”
In his heart, Alfred silently repeated it several tis, and even did permutations and combinations. Saucy Alfred Basque. Hm? Why not just use it as a surna?
After all, this was the prefix Young Master had granted him. In the future, on the mural, that character or that syllable had to be painted, and painted in the most prominent spot.
Alfred Basque Saucy. Alfred felt very satisfied.
“Pu’er and Kevin went to look for clues today. I wonder if they found anything.”
“Young Master, the reason Mr. Pavaro spent so long was because he had to search for clues to narrow down the scope. For us, finding that place should not be very difficult. The main issue is how to make it public after we find it.”
“We’ll talk after we find it,” Karon said.
“Yes, Young Master.”
“Thinking about it now, last ti in Roja City, following Tiz door to door and calling nas for check-ins was faster and more convenient. This ti, I also have a list in my hand, but I don’t have the ability to go door to door calling on people.”
“Young Master, isn’t that what makes this interesting? I believe it won’t be long, maybe just a few years from now, when you suddenly recall this matter. You’ll miss your current self, you’ll miss this complex and winding process of solving problems and trouble while you were relatively weak. So please enjoy this happy ti, Young Master, because in the future, even if you want to savor it again, you won’t be able to find the feeling you have now.”
“Alfred, I feel like after you were hospitalized for a few days, you’ve beco better at holding a conversation.”
“It’s because your subordinate has beco more devout.”
“Heh.”
“Young Master, shall I play a song?”
“Sure, pick one.”
Alfred adjusted the car radio. A burst of static ca out before the singing began. It was gentle with a faint sadness, the lyrics threaded with a kind of rembrance for the past.
“Gone is the sunset I once watched by the little river. Gone is the light breeze I once chased along the ridges between the fields. Gone are the stars I once counted while sitting on the roof.
“Only now do I realize I have lost too many beautiful things.
“Only now do I realize how rich I once was.
“...”
“What’s that song called?”
“Write a Letter to My Past Self.”
Karon nodded. “Rare to hear a title that’s at least passable.”
Up ahead, the diation ended and the two cars finally drove off. As Karon restarted the car, he said, “I promised Alaia I’d check his son too, but we got held up tonight.”
By the ti the car pulled through the gate for the apartnt complex, it was close to eleven at night. Even so, Alaia could be seen in the guardhouse at the gate. He had been chatting with two security guards. When he saw Karon’s car return, he imdiately picked up a bag of boxed lunches that were wrapped in a quilt from the chair beside him and carried it over.
Karon rolled down the window.
“Young Master, you haven’t had dinner yet, right? There’s at patty, sauce noodles, and fried chicken here. It’s still warm. There’s also a bag of fruit.
“Oh, Mr. Alfred, you’ve been discharged?”
“Mm, I went to pick him up,” Karon said.
“Congratulations on your recovery, Mr. Alfred.”
“Thank you.” Alfred smiled at Alaia.
“Where’s Hend?” Karon asked.
Alaia hurriedly waved his hands. “No, no, it’s too late tonight. Young Master, after you go back, eat sothing and rest early.”
“Call the kid over.”
“He’s already asleep, Young Master.”
“Wake him up. I was delayed, but a child can’t be put off.”
“Alright, Young Master, I’ll bring him right away.”
“Mm, and after I finish talking with the child, you as his father will need to apologize to him imdiately and promise that it won’t happen again. Children don’t really hold grudges against their parents. You just need to take the first step.”
“Yes, yes, I understand. I’ll rember.”
After parking, going upstairs, and entering the ho, Karon realized Pu’er and Kevin had still not returned. He set the lunch boxes on the table and opened them one by one. They really were still warm, so there was no need to heat them.
He took the chopsticks from Alfred’s hand and sat down to eat right away. Alfred went to pour Karon a cup of ice water and set it next to him before sitting down to eat as well.
After dinner, Karon let out a satisfied sigh without much regard for appearances. He had not had a proper al all day.
Alfred checked the ti and saw half an hour had passed. He asked in confusion, “Why hasn't Alaia brought Hend over yet?”
Karon said, “He purposely allowed us ti to eat. Go open the door. They’re probably waiting right in the corridor.”
Alfred stood up, opened the door, and looked outside. “Co in.”
“Alright, alright.” Alaia brought Hend in.
“Hend, co with to the study. Alfred, is there still orange crystal at ho?”
Alfred opened the cabinet. “Yes, Young Master. I’ll brew so and bring it up.”
Orange crystal was a drink you brewed. It was sweet and sour, like orange water.
Ever since following Karon, Pu’er’s standard of living had spiked high. Now, she not only drank coffee and ate afternoon snacks every day, she also drank juice. However, after leaving Allen Manor, there were no longer hands to make fresh-squeezed juice for the cat, so she could only use orange crystal as a substitute.
There was even a separate cabinet in the kitchen that was essentially used to store inside Pu’er’s exclusive snacks.
Karon took Hend up to the second floor and into his study. He pointed at the chair. “Sit.”
Hend sat down, but still did not “speak.”
Karon proceeded to communicate with sign language, counseling and helping the child to open up. Slowly, Hend started to respond, and even began to take the initiative to sign back to Karon.
The effect was good. Of course, the fundantal reason was that Alaia had only taken Hend for one session of electroshock therapy, and they had returned ho the very next day. If they had gone for a few more sessions, the child would likely have been ruined.
As a deaf-mute, the brighter and sunnier the child looked on the outside, the more fragile he was inside, because they were born lacking enough sense of security in this world.
At that mont, the door to the study was pushed open, and Alfred entered, carrying two cups of orange crystal water.
“Leave the lighter.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
Hend’s cup was hot, while Karon’s had ice cubes. Karon took a sip. It was very sweet, easy to tire of, yet it carried a nostalgic flavor. In his previous life, when he was a child, similar drinks had been very popular.
After Hend drank, a smile also appeared on his face.
Karon continued communicating with Hend. During this ti, Karon tore off a sheet of paper and drew a picture of Alaia.
Alaia was a middle-aged figure with a slight paunch, and was easy to draw. When the drawing was finished, Karon noticed Hend’s eyes change. Clearly, he knew it was his father.
Karon picked up the portrait of Alaia and had Hend flick the paper together with him, like they were whipping Alaia. Hend flicked happily. This was likely similar to a child holding a doll and shouting, “Stinky dad! Bad dad! I’m hitting you! I’m hitting you!”
In the end, Karon picked up the lighter Alfred had left, and lit it, moving as if to burn Alaia’s portrait.
Seeing this, before the fla even got close to the paper, Hend quickly snatched the drawing of his father and clutched it to his chest. Karon smiled and nodded. He extinguished the lighter, then led Hend out of the study.
Seeing his son co down, Alaia, who had already been instructed by Karon, rushed over. Right on the landing of the stairs, he hugged his son, signing repeated assurances to him while also repeatedly slapping his own face.
Very quickly, father and son held each other, and Hend cried.
Karon walked Alaia and Hend to the door. Alaia kept thanking Karon, and Hend was again much more lively. He bowed to Karon, and then deliberately bowed to Alfred, who had just been discharged.
“It’s late. Rest well,” Karon said.
“Then I won’t disturb you anymore, Young Master, Mr. Alfred, rest early too.”
Karon was about to close the door when Alaia suddenly braced it and said, “I almost forgot sothing. Young Master, about that matter you told to investigate at noon.”
“Hmm? You got results so fast?”
“I have preliminary results. In our Bluebridge Community, there are quite a few small factories, mostly textile mills. These days, it’s not easy for ordinary people, and especially illegal immigrants, to find a job they can keep long-term, so they usually cherish whatever job they have. Here in Bluebridge Community, most of the textile mills don’t have high worker turnover. In fact, only one has extrely high turnover. I asked a few friends who are recruitnt brokers, and their feedback was consistent. It’s a textile mill, and should be the largest textile mill in Bluebridge. The owner is Mr. Tadel.
“Every year, his place pays broker service fees, paying per head to have the brokers help him recruit illegal immigrants. My broker friends have basically been able to live well these past few years just doing business with him.”
“They aren’t suspicious about why he needs such a large number of new hires every year?”
“The factory’s explanation is that Mr. Tadel has textile mills in Mulberry Port and other cities in Veyn, so after the workers beco skilled here, they get sent to other, newly opened plants. It’s quite a reasonable explanation, as York City receives the most illegal immigrants.”
“Alright, I understand.”
“Young Master, I’ll keep investigating.”
“No need. This is enough.”
“Uh... really?”
“Really.”
“Alright, Young Master, I understand.”
The reason Karon had asked Alaia to investigate this matter was because the man himself was a broker. For him to ask other brokers about this was perfectly normal and would not arouse suspicion from the people above.
After closing the door, Karon sat down on the sofa.
“Young Master, it really is Mr. Tadel. So why did the Raphael family want to kill Mr. Tadel? Because he was going to betray them?” Alfred asked.
“Probably. Just like how the Allen family’s businesses have many managers responsible for overseeing operations, the Raphael family should function much the sa way. Mr. Tadel used the excuse of hiring for his textile mill as a cover to bring in large numbers of illegal immigrant won workers. After all, textile mills are mainly female workers.
“As for why he defected, I don’t know. I even suspect he didn’t make that appointnt with to tell anything. It’s possible that he just wanted my help in making his final decision; to give him the push he needed. He may have been treating like a priest.”
“Young Master, I think we can ask his son, though his son probably isn’t easy to contact right now.”
“Before, it wouldn’t have been easy, but we can now try. When we reach out, we can also deliberately leave so traces of Light.”
“You’re right, Young Master. With both evidence implicating Light and real Light vermin in play, suspicions won’t fall on us.”
The best way to conduct a smooth investigation while also wiping away one’s own traces was not actually to hide as much as possible. That was because as the investigation progressed, the other side would definitely notice. The truly best way was to direct the evidence elsewhere. From Karon’s impressions earlier in the evening, Light vermin could still not be underestimated. They really did have the qualification to shoulder the bla.
“Why haven’t Pu’er and Kevin co back yet?” Karon asked. He was puzzled, as it was already after midnight.
“Should your subordinate go out and look for them, Young Master?”
“No, how would you even look?” Karon shook his head. “Maybe they’ll be back in a while. Let’s rest first. Tomorrow we’ll go take a look at Tadel’s textile mill.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
Karon walked up the stairs. Halfway up, he suddenly stopped and turned his head to ask, “What is today’s date?”
“Young Master, today is the 26th. It’s already past midnight.”
“That ans yesterday was the 25th.” Karon quickly went upstairs, went to his bedroom, and opened the bedside drawer, taking out a sheet of stationery.
Alfred stood at the bedroom door and asked, “What is it, Young Master?”
“Do you rember this stationery?”
“Of course. That night, Pu’er and Kevin caught the ssenger crow together, and took it off the crow.”
“Look again.” Karon handed the stationery to Alfred.
Alfred read it carefully once: 【Hall 3, Curtis Building, 2 p.m., 25th. Light eternal.】
“Yesterday was actually the eting,” he said.
Karon had never planned to go, so he had just left the note in a drawer. “The fact that they are able to control both Piaget’s clinic and ho show that a lot of the mbers of the Church of Light have gathered here in York City. Didn’t that woman tonight say that Bertha is an apostle? It’s also obvious she doesn’t get along with that old man at Piaget’s place today.
“They’re remnants gathered from everywhere, and their hierarchy isn’t very clear. They probably only maintain a surface impression of being on the sa side, while privately, everyone does their own work in their own sphere.”
“Young Master, I still don’t quite understand.”
“Two p.m. was roughly Mr. Tadel’s appointnt ti. At the sa ti, in the Curtis Building across from Santor Tower, where the Adams Clinic is, there was a secret gathering of Church of Light believers. Mr. Tadel never intended to co to the Adams Clinic for treatnt; The place he wanted to go was actually across from the clinic.”
“Then Miss Bertha must have always known Mr. Tadel’s real identity. She’s been lying to us?”
Karon shook his head. “No. She has no reason to. The Church of Light isn’t rely being suppressed everywhere now; The church has been completely banned. Even ordinary believers have to hide their faith.
“They used black crows to deliver the letters for this gathering, like a clandestine rendezvous for an intelligence organization. Those crow letters should have been sent to veteran believers. After receiving the information about the gathering, those veteran believers then notify new believers they’ve recruited, and everyone attends together. It’s a reward to the veteran believers and a consolidation for the new believers. During the gathering, all believers might wear face-coverings and robes, in order to not reveal their identities to each other. That avoids the risk of one breach causing the whole network to be smashed.
“Mr. Tadel likely has long borne a condemnation from his conscience because of what he’s done. He felt his sins were heavy. Recently, or in recent years, he ca into contact with the Church of Light. In order to wash away the sins of his soul, he beca a believer of the Church of Light.
“When preaching, the veteran believers definitely wouldn’t directly say that the Church of Light has already perished and is now being suppressed by the entire ecclesiastical circle. How would they carry on with their recruitnt? So in Mr. Tadel’s eyes, the Church of Light and the God of Light should be towering and powerful existences.”
“So yesterday, Mr. Tadel was bringing evidence he prepared to attend this gathering, and use the gathering to report this evil to the Church of Light, but the Raphael family discovered his suspicious actions beforehand, and saw signs of defection. That’s why he was intercepted and killed on the way.”
Karon nodded. “Yes. That’s also why I think Bertha and that old man never knew Mr. Tadel was a believer of the Church of Light. Would either of them have their believers infiltrate and collect evidence of the Church of Order’s rot and then hand it to them? What would they do? Take that evidence and proactively report it to the upper ranks of Order to collect a report reward?”
“Haha...” Alfred couldn’t hold back a laugh, but quickly controlled his expression. If Bertha really had given such orders, it would have been no different from a death-row fugitive on the run taking evidence of a sheriff’s corruption to report the case to the police departnt the sheriff belongs to.
“Heh.” Karon licked his lips. “Earlier we talked about throwing all our investigative traces onto the Church of Light. I felt a bit guilty about that, but now it’s fine. I feel no burden at all, because this should have been their business to begin with.”
***
It rained during the night. Side-by-side on a rooftop, a cat and a dog slowly poked their heads out. On the street that was at an angle below them, five black-robed n had already surrounded soone.
“Pavaro, you shouldn’t have run. I thought you could see the flaw. I left it for you on purpose.”
“Of course I knew. That way, you could ‘legally’ kill on the grounds of resisting arrest and fleeing in fear of guilt. It would save your superiors from investigating an abnormal death of an Inquisitor on duty.”
“So why did you still run?”
“Because I discovered that the Expositor presiding over my trial is also one of yours.”
Squad Leader Tirsen of the Whip of Order shook his head. “No, no, it should be that we are his.”
“Heh heh...”
“I know what you were planning. You were going to allow yourself to be arrested and wait for your trial. Then, you were going to report everything to the Expositor. You’re too naive, Pavaro. How could we possibly give you that opportunity? This works out better anyway. It saves the trouble of fabricating charges. Do you know how exhausting that was? Trying to build a case against you. I’ve never t an Inquisitor as clean and dutiful as you. Honestly, if you hadn’t tried to escape, you could have remained in your cell for quite so ti. I might even have given you the chance to reconsider.”
“Once I realized the Expositor presiding over my trial couldn’t be trusted, I couldn’t stay in that cell for a single day. Every ti I thought about sitting there while that place continues committing those cris, it felt like my heart was being torn apart.”
Thiel lifted his hand. A black leather whip coiled into existence in his palm. He sneered. “Our Inquisitor is actually so compassionate. Tsk. You should have joined the Church of Light. That would have suited you far better.”
Pavaro spread his hands. Two clusters of black flas rose from his palms as he prepared to fight. “What truly tornts ,” he said, “is your blasphemy against Order, you who claim to believe in it!”
1. TLN: The original Chinese word used here is “骚” (sao), a slang term with layered anings. Depending on context, it can suggest flirtatiousness, flashy showiness, provocative styling, or a slightly indecent vibe. No single English word captures all of those nuances at once, especially since the term later functions almost like a bestowed epithet. “Saucy” was chosen as the closest balance: playful, slightly improper, and flexible enough to be reused as a na-like descriptor without sounding crude. ☜
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