13 Mink Street

Karon opened the wooden box on his desk. Flipping the black notebook open to the newest page, he picked up his fountain pen, and proceeded to write:

Although I have always done my utmost to conceal my identity, more and more people are learning the truth. I do not consider this a failure of concealment on my part, because I never chose absolute concealment. Concealment is merely one of my means, rather than my goal.

Most importantly, among the people who know my identity, there are some who would still see through things no matter how well I tried to hide; my grandmother from the Gorman family, for instance.

The bloodline ability of the Altair family is simply too powerful. Even if I wore a mask when meeting her, she would likely still recognize me.

As for everyone else, the me they know is merely one or another of my other identities.

Faced with this situation, perhaps I ought to feel alarmed, apprehensive, uneasy, but the truth is, I do not.

If you wish to seek out the scenery you love along the road, then naturally, you will leave your own footprints upon it...

When he reached that final sentence, Karon hesitated. He felt using it to end the day's entry lacked refinement. He knew that whatever he wrote in this notebook would very quickly be read by the household cat, dog, and radio demon, so lately, he had started paying attention to their reading experience as well.

He crossed out the final line, then wrote a new one beneath it:

You stand on the bridge looking at the scenery, while the one looking at the scenery looks at you from above.

Karon nodded, capped the pen, and then placed the notebook back where it belonged.

After stretching lazily, he walked back to the bedroom, just as Ciri knocked on the door. "Young Master."

"What is it?"

"That box you brought back, do you need me to move it in for you?"

The box, what box?

Oh, that box. He had actually brought back the old man's puppet doll. "Send it to the storeroom."

"Yes, Young Master."

"Oh, right, has Alfred come back yet?"

"Not yet, Young Master."

"Very well, I understand. Go on with your work."

"Yes, Young Master."

Karon turned to look at Pu'er, who was sprawled before a notebook, scratching and sketching with a cat paw. "What did Alfred go out to do?"

"I don't know. Didn't he tell you?"

"No."

"Maybe he's seeing someone lately."

"Seeing someone?"

"It seems a new model of peanut-tube radio has just come onto the market."

***

"What happened to them, exactly?" Alfred looked at the man inside the room as he asked.

The man clutched his chest, still shaken. He managed to speak between great gasps of breath, "Sir, they- they were all taken."

"They were taken? Taken by whom?"

"I don't know. Those people appeared out of nowhere and took us all down in an instant. We fought back as best we could, but it was useless. They were far too strong. We were no match for them at all."

"Then how did you get out?" At once, Alfred realized something was wrong.

"I... I just got out somehow. Then I sent word to you immediately, sir."

"Damn you, you stupid thing!" Alfred immediately turned and headed for the door, only to abruptly stop and rush to a side window instead, leaping out it with a single bound.

Yet before Alfred could even land, two figures appeared behind him.

His eyes were just about to flare red as he prepared his counterattack, only for the two to seem to anticipate just that. They directly raised a wall of protection in front of themselves and continued advancing.

People from the Church of Order? Alfred immediately raised both hands, abandoning resistance. Turning to face them, he said, "We're on the same side."

"The same side?" one of the men asked, puzzled.

"My papers are in the pocket of my overcoat. I serve the Pavaro Inquisition. That demonkin is an informant I developed on behalf of my Inquisitor. I am not a demonkin."

"Shackle him first."

"Understood."

Alfred brought his hands together and allowed the manacles to be placed on him. At that moment, he noticed quite a few more dark figures appearing in the surroundings. If he had continued to resist, while dealing with the two before him would not have been difficult, he most likely would not have gotten out alive.

The moment the shackles were secured, the power of the ward suppressed Alfred's strength, weakening him.

Only then did one of the men reach into Alfred's pocket and pull out the credential booklet. He glanced through it. "We'll take you back with us. Once the situation has been investigated, you'll receive the explanation due to you."

"Very well. I will cooperate. Praise the God of Order."

***

The telephone rang sharply.

Dinkom went to knock on Karon's bedroom door. "Boss, there's a call for Mr. Pavaro."

Since Mr. Pavaro was almost never home, the two assistants had naturally started treating Karon as their boss, while referring to the former boss as “Mr. Pavaro.”

"Alright, I'll take it in the study."

"Yes, Boss."

Karon went into the study. Before picking up the receiver, he touched the ring and assumed Mr. Pavaro's appearance. "Hello, this is Pavaro."

"Inquisitor Pavaro, there is something we need to ask you about."

"Who are you?" Karon asked.

"Praise the God of Order." That was all the other party said, offering no specific department name.

"Is Alfred one of your men?"

"Yes, he is."

"Very well. Can you guarantee his loyalty?"

"I can."

"In that case, please come in person to Rochesco Gym on Silrod Street to take charge of him."

"Very well. I will come at once." After hanging up, Karon immediately dialed the captain's office. The line rang for a long time with no answer. Clearly, the captain was not there.

He could only call Fannie.

"Hello."

"Fannie, it's me, Karon."

"Mhmm. What is it?"

"A colleague of mine from the Inquisition has been captured by some department of the church for reasons I don't know. They are now demanding that Mr. Pavaro go collect him."

"The address?"

"Rochesco Gym on Silrod Street."

"Alright, I know the place. What's his name?"

"Alfred."

"Is Mr. Pavaro at home?"

"He is."

"Then tell Mr. Pavaro we'll meet outside the gym. I'll fold a crow for the captain as well and see if I can reach him now."

"Very well. Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

Karon went into the bedroom and began changing clothes. Pu'er, who had already fallen asleep on the bed, rubbed her eyes and asked, "Did something happen?"

"Alfred's been arrested."

"Oh, the radio demon's been arrested... Mm? What? The radio demon's been arrested?"

"He was taken by people from the Church of Order. I'm going to fish him out now."

"Then hurry. Sigh, the poor radio demon must have gone out in the middle of the night to elope with a new radio."

Karon drove to the gym. Its frontage was not large, and it was in a very hidden location. He saw a car parked up ahead, with a long-haired woman sitting inside.

The woman got out. It was Fannie.

Karon opened his own door and stepped out as well.

"Mr. Pavaro?"

"Yes, that's me. Miss Fannie? Thank you for your help."

"That... Karon didn't come?"

"He did not."

"Then let's go in. I know this place. It's one of the disguise sites used by external affairs departments, though I don't know which department is using it at the moment. But one thing is certain, whoever seized your subordinate is definitely from our church, not some imposter."

"Very well. Thank you."

Karon and Fannie went in together.

"What the hell are you people doing? You've got the nerve to casually arrest people from the Whip? What exactly is the meaning of this?" The moment she saw someone, Fannie started roaring.

"Are people from the Whip supposed to be something special?" a man seated behind a desk retorted. He held a fountain pen in hand, and looked completely unimpressed.

"Not particularly, but if you want to break the rules by force and start this kind of internal conflict, fine. Tomorrow I'll pass word of it to the other squads. You, your colleagues, and your superiors had better be truly spotless and never have taken so much as a single extra drop from the outside, because if you have, we'll tear you into pieces."

The Whip of Order was a large department. A squad like Nio's served as a combat squad, which carried out all kinds of missions. However, there were also clerical offices and various other branches. Internal supervision was also one of the Whip’s responsibilities.

The man looked furious, but he simply lowered his head, not continuing the argument with Fannie.

"Where is he?" Fannie demanded, slamming her palm on the desk.

"Name?" another staff member asked as he approached. "You'll need to tell me who it is first."

Karon stepped forward. "Alfred."

"Oh. Then you're Inquisitor Pavaro?"

"I am."

"Very well. Come over here and sign the record, and I'll have him brought out."

"Hurry up! I'm already in a rotten mood!" Fannie slammed the desk again.

The pen-holding man from before could not help saying, "We're already handling it, so what are you rushing us for?"

"Heh. You people didn’t just arrest one person by mistake, did you? What mission are you carrying out exactly? Do you even have formal papers?" Fannie immediately found a flaw. Of course she was aware that some missions did not come with official papers, and such missions were usually the ones the people carrying them out did not wish, or could not afford, to have exposed.

The man was rendered speechless again. He could only wave his subordinates into action and have them bring the prisoner out quickly.

Very soon, Alfred was escorted out, and one of the men beside him removed his shackles.

"You can leave now," said the man with the pen, urging them out at once.

"Hmph!" With a cold snort, Fannie walked out.

"Thank you, Miss Fannie."

Fannie waved a hand. "I only came because for Karon's sake, and that bastard didn't even show up."

With that, she got into her car and drove off.

Karon and Alfred also got into their own car. "Young Master—"

Karon cut him off and asked, "Were you hurt?"

"No, Young Master. I did not resist when they arrested me."

"Why did they arrest you?"

"I don't know myself. It seems to have had something to do with some operation. Most of the demonkin from a certain club were seized."

"Demonkin?"

"Yes, it’s a demonkin club. All who were arrested have psychic-type abilities, plus two or three Beguilers. I came into contact with them through the black market, and I joined that club because I wanted to broaden our information channels for you, Young Master, and make it more convenient to purchase materials. Even on the black market, buying things is not always easy. Many items are not publicly listed, so you need information flowing."

"Very well, I understand."

"Young Master, I had no other intentions—"

"I know, I know, Alfred. No need to explain yourself. If I can't trust even you, then who can I possibly trust? In Veyn, you are the person I trust most."

"Yes, Young Master."

"Were many people taken in?"

"A great many, which is why I think this was a targeted sweep. The traits of those who were arrested are all very similar."

Karon slammed on the brakes. The two people inside the car both jolted violently, though there was no traffic light ahead.

Karon had suddenly thought of a possibility... and that possibility was also connected to him.

At one point in time, a mass of red light had asked him for authorization, and his reply had been, “So long as you place this proposal before me openly, I cannot approve it.”

It had been a request for authority related to The Rhanedar Project. The secret department was searching for Beguiler demonkin to pull into their tests.

So... the one ultimately responsible for Alfred being seized, is me?

"Young Master, what’s wrong?"

"Nothing. I just felt a little sleepy."

"Then let me drive, Young Master. I am very sorry. Because of my affairs, your rest has been disturbed. That is my offense."

"No matter. Don't blame yourself." Karon did not switch seats with Alfred. Instead, after changing back into his own original appearance, he restarted the car. Cars of this era generally had one common problem, which was that they were prone to stalling.

Just then, a small truck drove toward them from up ahead.

"Young Master, that's a vehicle from that department. I was transported there in the same kind of truck."

"Looks like they've brought in another haul."

Suddenly, a white figure drifted out from in front of Karon's car. After making a swift turn, it slammed right into the small truck. Boom!

The truck flipped over. The white figure remained in front of it. It was a short-haired woman in a long white dress. Pointing one hand downward, she conjured a white flame, and the two people inside the truck’s cab were incinerated to ash before they could even scream.

Buzz! A hole was torn open in the rear of the truck, and a black vine shot out, lunging for the woman, yet just before it reached her body, the vine shattered apart.

A black, gridlike shadow formed under the woman's feet, the rudiment of a Cage.

However, the Cage of Order only spread halfway beneath her before it seemed to meet enormous resistance and simply exploded.

A little girl crawled out from the back of the truck. The woman shot forward, appearing right in front of her. The girl opened her mouth, and from inside flew a fluffy white thing that landed on the woman's shoulder.

Clearly, she was there to save her. No, to save it.

"How dare you! We are from the Church of Order and are carrying out official busi—"

The woman leapt into the air. Pointing a finger downward, she summoned an ancient stone stele above the truck, then brought it crashing down. Boom!

It was like the way a scrapyard handled a junked car. In an instant, the patch of road, the truck, and the ground beneath it, was crushed flat.

As for the people inside, their end needed no elaboration. She was silencing everyone.

With such direct physical crushing, even if the Church of Order wanted to search for clues through Awakening, there would be no hope at all.

The woman's gaze shifted over to Karon's car, parked in the distance, and she raised a finger.

Damn it, she’s going to continue erasing witnesses! Karon's body instantly turned to black mist and flew out of the secondhand Pons, while Alfred threw his door open and he rolled out onto the street.

At that moment, the fluffy white thing on the woman's shoulder suddenly flew in front of her. The woman frowned slightly and withdrew her finger.

By that time, Karon, who had just landed in the street, crushed a bead and slammed it to the ground. There was a flash of light, and a sword hilt appeared. Karon drew the Aelius Sword in one motion while the Sea God's Armor spread over him.

***

In the master bedroom behind the Pavaro Funeral Home, the old refrigerator suddenly shook. Kevin came in from the side partition, and stretched out a paw to open the refrigerator door. The sword inside was gone.

"Woof! Woof! Woof!"

Pu'er leapt down from the bed, took in the sight, and cried out, "Good heavens! Has Karon gone to break someone out of prison?"

***

The woman flew toward Alfred. Seeing that, Karon accelerated without hesitation and crashed straight into her path.

Buzz! A phantom appeared behind the woman, and from within that phantom, an enormous hand reached out. It radiated an aura of calamity, curses, plague, and other negative attributes.

Karon showed no fear. His speed did not slow in the slightest as he smashed directly into the giant hand. The woman had clearly not expected Karon to fight that hand head-on, because the corruption within it was not something ordinary purification Arts could cleanse.

After breaking through the giant hand, Karon arrived directly before the woman, his sword slicing down in a slash.

The woman raised her left hand. Her nails were not especially long, at least not in some grotesque manner. They were within the range of ordinary grooming. And yet, those small nails pinched and captured Karon's Aelius Sword.

The two were very close to each other, and the woman stared right at Karon. When she saw that his gaze remained perfectly clear, confusion appeared in her eyes. She was clearly astonished that not only had he avoided being corrupted, he did not seem to have been affected at all.

A low sound came from Karon's throat as the power of the Darkmoon Blade erupted. In an instant, the Aelius Sword transformed from a sharp greatsword into the finest possible vessel for Darkmoon power.

The woman immediately retracted her hand, but all her fingernails were still sliced away in that brief moment.

Karon pressed the attack without pause. His sword swept sideways. Anger appeared on the woman's face, but just then, a mental shock struck her. Alfred, his eyes glowing red, was coordinating his assault with his young master. The woman chose to retreat, and in the blink of an eye, she pulled more than ten meters back.

Alfred stood in front of Karon. "Young Master, you should have chosen to withdraw just now."

"I wanted to, but didn't you see? She's so fast; We couldn't outrun her."

The fluffy white thing on the woman's shoulder saw Alfred step forward and immediately began fluttering in agitation, issuing a rapid string of sounds toward the woman. The woman looked at it, then at Alfred, and finally glared at Karon. "I can choose not to kill you, but you must promise me that you will not report what you just saw to the Church of Order."

Karon's expression turned solemn and devout. Both hands gripped the Aelius Sword before him, and the aura shrouding his body climbed fully to an extreme.

His gaze, firm and unwavering, locked with the woman’s as he said, "Alright!"

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