13 Mink Street

It worked.

Looking down at the child version of Pike lying in the wheat field, Karon said, "Follow the laws of Order."

"Yes, Boss."

The next moment, Karon opened his eyes. There was no fatigue in them. Instead, there was a strange brilliance. This entire exercise had been practice to test certain conjectures, namely regarding the relationship between Order and the God of Order. Karon himself had already walked that road once. This time, he had essentially changed the subject and then walked it again from the beginning.

This meant that Order truly was Order, while the God of Order was merely the God of Order. Anyone could walk this road, but the God of Order had long since monopolized it. Now, Karon could participate as well.

Although the Pike Karon had guided over to him was utterly insignificant when compared to the oceanic multitude of believers in Order, he was a beginning. The hardest step was always from zero to one, and he had now taken that step.

This was the scene Karon had been pursuing, a sight he hoped to see, and the hope Tiz had placed in him.

Karon believed that one day, he would return home carrying all the gains and insights of his journey, prepare a meal, wake Tiz, and the two of them, grandfather and grandson, would eat together while Karon spoke of everything he had seen along the journey.

Pike also opened his eyes. Seeing Karon, he placed both hands before his chest. "Praise Order, praise Boss."

Karon likewise placed both hands before his chest and said, "Praise the great God of Order."

This was not the same as brainwashing, because what Karon had changed was not Pike's cognition; Pike had always believed in Order. In the man’s original understanding, Order was the God of Order. He had never possessed any concept of distinction between them, but now, he did.

If one were to force an analogy, it would be the same as Karon founding a new sect within the Church of Order. The faith was the same, but the doctrine revealed a new understanding and interpretation.

Dinkom watched events unfold, feeling that there was something wrong somewhere, yet he could not articulate what it might be.

Alfred lightly nudged the man’s arm with an elbow. "The gap begins to open from this very moment."

Hearing that, Dinkom immediately felt an enormous sense of crisis rise up within him. He could already foresee a bleak future in which Pike, whom Dinkom had once considered to be somewhat slow-witted, left him far behind.

"You've only just completed Divine Seeking, so go and rest. Alfred will prepare for some Arts for you which you can begin learning now. If there's anything you don't understand, you may ask him directly."

"Yes, Boss." Pike stood up, then turned and bowed to Alfred.

When he finally looked at Dinkom, Pike’s face wore the same honest smile s ever. "You're next, Dinkom."

"Mhmm." Dinkom nodded. He could feel that after going through Divine Seeking, Pike's temperament really had changed.

At last, just before leaving the room, Pike could not help but turn back again to look at Karon. "Well, Boss..."

"Alfred, increase Pike's salary by another five times, starting next month."

Pike's original base salary had been one hundred Order credits a month, which was paid by the Church of Order. After Karon had become the boss of the funeral home, Pike and Dinkom had each started to receive an additional bonus of three hundred Order credits a month, not counting the special allowances for times when they were forced to stay up late or work overtime.

Five hundred, plus three hundred, plus one hundred came to nine hundred Order credits. The monthly allowance of a lowest-rank Inquisitor was only one thousand Order credits.

"Very well, Young Master."

"Thank you, Boss! Thank you, Boss! I'll work hard."

"Good."

Pike and Dinkom both went out, and Pu'er immediately asked, "It worked?"

"Mhmm. It worked."

"So in the strictest sense, whose believer is Pike now?"

"He is still a believer of Order."

"But no longer a believer of the God of Order, right?"

"Mhmm."

"You really managed to do it... good heavens." Pu'er's eyes bulged.

"Woof!"

Karon looked over at Alfred, who translated, "That was merely a bark of pure exclamation."

"Heh." Karon smiled and shook his head, rising from the chair and unconsciously reaching up to rub his forehead.

Pu'er looked at him. "Is it exhausting?"

"A little."

"Then next time, let's not pick someone like Pike. Just having one is a good start. In the future, let's choose someone a bit more refined."

"It can't be done that way. This can only have an effect on people who are around me before reaching Divine Seeker. It won't work on strangers, because between me and the God of Order, they will invariably choose the God of Order over me."

Pu'er commented, "Then the cost-performance ratio is terrible. Don't tell me we have to open an orphanage and start cultivating believers from childhood."

Alfred said, "Perhaps that is the price of preaching. Whenever a new church is first established, it always faces this same problem. The initial phase will always be the hardest. Only after a certain foundational scale is formed can it enter a virtuous cycle and begin to snowball.

"However, Young Master, please rest assured. Helping you to preach and allowing the light of Young Master's thoughts to shine into more places is itself your subordinate's duty and mission. Your subordinate can take on this task. In fact, once conditions are sufficient, your subordinate can even open an orphanage."

Pu'er glanced at Alfred. "Radio demon, you're oversimplifying things. Do you think you can preach about your faith just because you want to?"

Alfred smiled. "What we believe in is Order."

"Oh, right, then there really isn't a problem." Pu'er nodded. "You'll be spreading the concepts of Order, then slipping in your own private additions. Still, Karon will have to show his face there from time to time.

"Ugh, how annoying. Looking at it now, a family faith system really is better. You just keep having children."

"Woof, woof, woof, woof, woof, woof, woof, woof!!" Kevin very rarely barked that many times in a row.

Shock appeared on both Alfred's and Pu'er's faces. Karon, still waiting for the translation, could not resist prompting them, "Still just a simple bark?"

Alfred replied, "Kevin's meaning is this: although rumors have long circulated that the gods will return, whether they can actually descend again remains unknown, and even if they do, it may happen a very long time from now. On that basis, matters could become much simpler.

"Young Master only needs to climb upward with all his might, climb to the position of High Priest, using merit and achievements to establish your place, influence, and authority within the Church of Order, binding your own existence to that of the God of Order, in much the same way the churches modify the telling of their own myths.

"For example, you could define yourself as the Divine Progeny of Order, the earthly incarnation of the God of Order, or the evangelist of the God of Order.

"Should that happen, then when the Church of Order’s Divine Servants undergo Divine Seeking in the future, they can join Young Master's side in masses.

"A hundred years from now, two hundred years from now, once all the old men are gone, the Church of Order will in effect have completed... an exchange of birds in the cage."

After hearing Kevin's suggestion, Karon pursed his lips tightly, because even he was shaken by this outline.

Perhaps such a grand perspective with such depth could only belong to a heretical god. While the rest of them were thinking in terms of starting with an orphanage, the heretical god was already planning a top-down purge, using Karon to infiltrate the very house of the God of Order.

If things truly progressed in that way, then hundreds of years in the future, when the gods reawakened and the God of Order returned, would He find the Church of Order of that time to be strangely unfamiliar?

"Woof, woof!"

Pu'er translated, "The stupid dog says that if this plan succeeds, then would the God of Order remain the God of Order?"

"Woof, woof!"

Alfred translated, "The disappearance of the God of Light led to the fall of the Church of Light. The existence of a deity can influence the existence of a church, but all influence is mutual. The existence of a church must also influence the foundation of its god."

Pu'er sat on the desk, looking at Karon. "If that's the case, then the real God of Order will become the false one, and you, Karon, will become..."

"Young Master will become the true God of Order."

Kevin immediately followed up with, "Woof, woof, woof!"

Karon raised a hand, stopping Pu'er and Alfred from continuing their translations, and asked, "Did Kevin just say that when the time comes, I could even declare judgment on the God of Order, pronouncing him a heretical god, and then he would become a heretical god?"

"Yes, Young Master."

Kevin wagged his tail vigorously. Clearly, that thought thrilled him immensely, because he himself had been judged a heretical god by Order.

Karon picked up the glass of water from the desk. It was no longer quite so cold, but he still took a sip.

"Heh heh." Karon laughed and waved a hand. "It's not even time for an afternoon nap yet, and we've already started dreaming in broad daylight. Heh heh."

"Heh heh."

"Heh-heh meow."

"Woof."

Everyone laughed.

Karon's face gradually grew calm once more. He asked, "But the problem is this. If this dream is really carried through in that way, what would be the difference between me and the God of Order?"

Kevin scratched at his dog head, pain showing on his face.

Pu'er said, "That question... we really can't answer..."

Alfred, however, had an expression of utter reverence. "That is precisely what makes Young Master different from those gods. I believe Young Master will walk a road completely different from theirs, just like the feeling that song gave me."

"What song?" Pu'er asked.

"The song that conquered me. Even now, I still can't understand the lyrics, but I can feel its meaning and its power."

"Alright. I'm tired. I'm going to take a bath and rest, going to sleep early for a while. There's no need to wake me for lunch. Oh, and Alfred, keep an ear out for the telephone. The next mission could begin at any time."

"Yes, Young Master."

Karon went into the washroom and took a bath. The soreness in both mind and body gradually eased in the hot bath. He was trying to wash away the fatigue.

Without noticing it, nearly two hours passed. Karon felt this was about enough, and he stepped out of the bathtub, drying himself and changing into sleepwear before lying down on the bed.

Pu'er entered the bedroom at just that moment. She first went to look in the washroom, then ran back out and announced to Karon, "Well then, I'll go call Dora and Dorin over to soak in your bathtub."

Whenever Karon bathed, the Light-attribute power within him would naturally seep out, warming the water in the tub. Not only that, the power of Light was the best means of dispelling the effects of corruption, provided the amount of Light was not too great. If so, it would become erasure.

As for the bathwater, it was just right, and was very suitable for those two girls.

"Now?" Karon frowned slightly.

"Mhmm. Last time, I also let them soak in it, and the effect was very good. Combined with the new medicine they’ve been using, it can last for a long time. Although there's still no way to remove the root of their corruption for now, this can improve their physical condition. Once the water gets cold, the effect isn’t as good, as it means the Light power in the water has dissipated."

"Very well."

Pu'er jumped onto the bedside table and rang the bell. Very soon, Ciri arrived at the door and knocked. "Young Master, what are your instructions?"

Pu'er called out, "Go and have Dora and Dorin come over to bathe."

"In the washroom inside Young Master's bedroom?"

"Yes. Quickly. Stop dawdling."

"Very well."

On the bed in the master bedroom, Pu'er lay across Karon's chest. "Actually, the best method would be to have the two of them sleep under the same covers as you every day."

Karon reached out and flicked Pu'er on the head.

"Ouch! What was that for? Even if you wanted that, I wouldn't! Hmph!

"It's only because your body’s reserves of spiritual power are sufficient. Those who believe in Light would never be so extravagant as to use their power just to heat a bathtub."

After Ciri delivered the orders, Dora and Dorin immediately started gathering their things, preparing clean clothes and washing supplies, and even grabbing a mop and dry rags.

This was not their first time soaking in the tub in Karon's bathroom. They had done this before, and so they felt no shame about using bathwater a man had already used. It was not because Karon was handsome and refined, but because they had endured the torment of corruption for so long. Because they had experienced pain, they were able to lay down unnecessary scruples.

As for the mop and rags, those were naturally to thoroughly clean Mr. Karon's washroom once they finished bathing.

Seeing the girls’ actions, Dasha frowned. To her understanding, this looked more like the twins were going to accompany the man in his bath.

She had been teaching the girls for some time now, and though she had not had much direct contact with Karon, she still understood that, within this funeral home, the young man held the highest position.

If that were really the case, this was much too absurd.

"Miss, we'll go first."

"Miss, please get some rest."

Dora carried a basket of clothes for the two sisters, while Dorin held the rags and mop. Together, they walked out of the room and headed for Karon's bedroom.

Ms. Lake came over with a smile. The moment she saw the expression on Dasha's face, the woman understood that the tutor misunderstood, and immediately explained, "The illness Dora and Dorin suffer from needs medicinal baths to ease things for them. Mr. Karon is very skilled at preparing medicinal baths."

"Oh, I see. Understood." Dasha immediately nodded.

"You can always trust Mr. Karon's character. Truly." Ms. Lake added that with emphasis.

"I can feel that everyone here respects Mr. Karon a great deal, including Dora and Dorin."

"Yes. If not for him, I don't even know what my life would look like now."

"Does Mr. Karon not have a girlfriend?" Dasha asked.

"Teacher, you're too late; Mr. Karon is already engaged."

"Madam, you've misunderstood me."

"Yes, yes, yes, a slip of my tongue, just a slip of my tongue. I'll go prepare lunch. You should rest for now."

"Very well." Staring at Ms. Lake's back as she headed toward the kitchen, Dasha blinked, chewing over the woman's earlier remark: If not for him, I don't know what my life would look like now.

But madam, isn't your husband still here?

That did not sound like something a wife would say when her husband was still present. Instead, it sounded more like...

***

Karon easy lying on his bed when Dora and Dorin knocked on the door. Pu'er called out to them, "Come in."

The girls entered. They had long since ceased to be amazed that Pu'er could talk. Their father was an Inquisitor, and they themselves had once suffered from corruption. Their horizons were not narrow. Besides that, Pu'er had treated them before and even prepared a new medicine for them. Without speaking, how could the cat have asked them about their condition?

Karon, lounging on his bed in sleepwear while holding a newspaper, lowered the paper to nod to them. Dora and Dorin bowed together toward Karon and said in unison, "Thank you, Mr. Karon."

"You're welcome."

The two girls entered the washroom and closed the door. After hesitating briefly, the older sister, Dora, chose not to lock it. This was not because they were secretly hoping for anything, but simply that felt that hearing the door locking would be disrespectful to Mr. Karon.

The two girls set their things aside, undressed, and climbed into the bathtub together. Relief and comfort immediately showed on both their faces.

***

Although there were two girls bathing in the bathroom of his master bedroom, Karon felt no stirrings of any sort at all. Both girls were clean and innocent, and to harbor any sordid thoughts toward them would itself be beneath him.

Pu'er lay on Karon's chest. "I won't push the door open for you. I know you don't like them too thin. You prefer someone a little fuller, hehe."

Karon had noticed that Pu'er was very fond of teasing him in this manner. It felt like every person who fancied themselves an elder and lacked the proper dignity of an elder enjoyed the same sort of thing.

"Yes, I prefer someone a little fuller. Like the one I saw one time lying on a white bed."

"Was it Eunice? I think the bed in her bedroom is white."

"She wore a hood and boots, showed a bit of thigh, and had a trace of baby fat on her face..."

"Mm..." Pu'er’s head snapped up, and she immediately covered Karon's mouth with a paw. "Damn it! Damn it! Oh heavens, damn it! I'm not fat, and I'm not full-bodied!"

Karon gently pushed Pu'er’s paw away. "It looks like someone has been a cat for so long that she's forgotten what she used to look like."

"And you're still talking about it! Huh?"

Just then, Alfred came to the bedroom door and knocked. "Young Master, the call just came. Mission notice: in two hours, Fannie will be at the funeral home to pick you up."

"Very well, I understand." Karon sat up on his bed. "It's time to go to Darkmoon Island."

This time, Pu'er did not mention Ophelia again. She only looked at Karon and said, "You're going far away, so be careful."

"I know. If you get homesick during this time, you can have Alfred drive you back to the manor to stay for a while."

"There’s no need for that. I'll stay here at home and wait for you to come back." Pu'er seemed to suddenly realize what she had just said carried a rather particular suggestion, so she immediately added, "After all, I still need to wait for my puppet body. I need to go shopping and buy things!"

"Very well. As long as you're happy."

"Oh, right, don't you dare forget about that matter! You absolutely must do it. You mustn't forget: Ptooey!"