13 Mink Street

Alfred took off his coat, folded it in half, and held it up at Karon’s side. Karon placed the skin of Mr. Pavaro’s face on the coat, and Alfred carefully wrapped his coat around the skin.

A steady wind kept blowing, and some dead twigs and leaves drifted onto Mr. Pavaro.

A face without skin did not look all that frightening, because they subconsciously knew what kind of person Mr. Pavaro was, and how could such a person ever be someone they guarded against or feared?

Even Pu’er had no scruples at all when she saw him and had immediately spoken to the man, because she had read his notes as well.

“Young Master, I think that Mr. Pavaro was worried that you would not use the skin of his face and that after he died, you would give his body a proper burial. So he tore off his face himself in advance.”

“Go, bring the car over. We can go home.”

“Yes, Young Master.” Alfred ran to where the car was parked, and before long, returned with it.

Karon helped move the body. He wanted to pull Mr. Pavaro up to his feet first, but the man seemed frozen in his kneeling posture, as though nails had been driven through his knees.

Yet it would feel disrespectful for Alfred to simply lift Mr. Pavaro up in his current posture, carrying his kneeling form into the car to transport home.

“Young Master, Mr. Pavaro is apologizing to you for the moral coercion he placed on you.”

Someone had once arrived at the man’s door, offering Mr. Pavaro a sufficient supply of Bloodspirit Powder every month so that his two daughters could live lives similar to normal people, provided Mr. Pavaro stop his investigation. Mr. Pavaro had refused.

Every night, he could only stand outside his daughters’ bedroom door, listening to their sobbing as they pressed their faces into their pillows, unable to suppress the pain and torment. He had watched his once gentle wife grow more and more irritable.

He had not been a heartless man. He had only been faithfully maintaining his loyalty to Order, strictly following the standards of Order within his heart. Even so, his heart had always carried deep guilt towards his family.

With all of that, this was likely the most coercive thing Mr. Pavaro had done throughout his entire life. He hoped his family would be cared for by Karon.

Although earlier in the washroom, the man had repeatedly explained to Karon the benefits of using his identity, there would certainly be more inconveniences than benefits. Karon could obtain a new identity through the Allen family’s channels and could join the Church of Order in that way.

Tearing off his own face skin had been done to leave Karon with no chance to back out. Kneeling as he had offered the skin of his face to Karon had been Mr. Pavaro asking Karon to forgive this moral coercion.

Karon bent down and looked at Mr. Pavaro, and spoke softly, “Mr. Pavaro, thank you for giving me this identity. It will truly help me a great deal. I will help you to take good care of your family. After all, you once helped with a loan for medical fees.”

Alfred tried again to use a bit of force. Strangely, Mr. Pavaro’s knees suddenly bent normally again.

In this way, Alfred successfully settled Mr. Pavaro into the back seat of the sedan, putting the corpse in a seated posture. Little John sensibly sat in the back seat as well, helping to brace Mr. Pavaro and prevent the body from sliding down.

Pu’er and the golden retriever also climbed into the car. Only Karon remained outside, staring at where Mr. Pavaro had knelt. Karon could not quite understand why a man who defended Order to the very end had felt the need to be so humble after death.

If this world had no gods, it would be easier to make sense of it, but this world did have gods. It was precisely because gods existed that this scene caused a buried ember of anger to flare in Karon’s chest. He felt a sudden urge to curse.

At this moment, Karon finally understood what kind of emotion Tiz had felt when he had cursed the God of Order. It was not what Karon had thought at first, that Tiz was powerful and had begun to look down on gods. It was because Karon’s grandfather, who had firmly believed in and worshipped the God of Order, had once watched his own son and daughter-in-law struggle and suffer from corruption.

When those above are human, even as you hate them, you can still understand a little. The problem was, those above were gods. If being human or being a god makes no difference, then why can you, a god, sit above with a clear conscience and accept worship and offerings that surpass what humans receive?

Where is your face?

Alfred sat in the driver’s seat, and did not urge his young master.

After waiting a while, Karon finally walked over. He opened the door and sat down in the front passenger seat. Alfred started the car. The car’s speakers automatically started playing the same music from the drive over. Alfred wanted to turn it off, but when he saw that Karon did not frown, he stopped and continued driving.

They had arrived with many people, and they returned with just the same number, not one less.

After all, Mr. Pavaro had been a dead man to begin with. Was he not still a corpse?

Yet one thing was certain. What had happened this night would inevitably trigger a chain of upheavals. The scale might be small. To the existences who had been within those two pillars of light, this might not count as a major matter, but to the bottom layers involved, it would be an avalanche.

Those connected to Expositor Zeric’s faction would certainly be investigated and purged. The Raphael family, at the tail end of the chain, who had been responsible for the actual operations, would probably not exist any longer.

The great enemy that had been such an immediate threat to the Allen family, leaving them trembling and afraid that they were about to be swallowed, could exit the stage in this manner. From an observer’s angle, it even felt a little ridiculous.

However, when Karon looked down at Pu’er dozing on his knee and thought about how she had once stolen the God of Light’s finger from her family, he seemed to gain a new understanding.

The Raphael family, for the sake of growth and expansion, had clung to the church, willing to become a white glove for forces beneath the church, only to ultimately be wiped out in a single morning.

The Allen family dawdled along like a frog being boiled slowly in warm water, muddling through and waiting for death, yet they were not dead.

You might laugh at the turtle because of how it crawled so slowly, yet the turtle could watch your grandson be placed in a coffin. Perhaps it was simply a difference in survival philosophies.

When the car drove into the apartment complex, it was already dawn. Alfred wrapped Mr. Pavaro in clothing and carried the body upstairs on his back. They did not encounter any neighbors along the way.

Ciri, conscientious in her work, had already arrived at her employer’s home. When they opened the door, they found her already cleaning the inside of the apartment. She saw Alfred place Mr. Pavaro’s body in the first level washroom beside Miss Annie.

The girl blinked hard, then continued mopping as she spoke, “That gentleman looked like he was very ill yesterday. How sad that he couldn’t last through last night.”

Karon took a shower first in the second floor washroom, and then changed into a clean set of clothes Ciri placed in a basket outside the washroom door.

Ever since Alfred had been discharged and the maid had returned to work in their home, life had really become much simpler and easier. At least Karon no longer needed to wash clothes, and the cat and dog did not need to dry clothes.

Walking back downstairs, Karon sat by the table. Ciri brought out hot milk and a meat pie. Karon ate. He was very tired and very sleepy. In this state, it was hard to feel hunger, but he still had to force himself to eat something.

“Young Master, will you rest well later?” Alfred walked over holding a gift box as he spoke.

Karon shook his head. “Later, drive me to the Lemar Pottery Studio. I am afraid that if I delay too long, I will waste Mr. Pavaro’s intentions.”

Reattaching a severed finger needed to be done as quickly as possible for it to succeed. Karon did not know if making a mask from the skin of a face had similar requirements, but most things probably valued freshness.

“Alright, Young Master.”

“Mr. Alfred, I will help you wash this coat. It is all dirty.”

“Mhmm, wait a moment.” Alfred reached out and unfolded the coat Ciri was holding. He took out the face skin and placed it into the gift box he carried. “Alright, go wash it.”

“...” Ciri fell silent.

Alfred sat down, poured himself a cup of milk, drank, and asked, “Young Master, you need to pay attention to your health.”

“Once this period passes, it will be fine,” Karon said. “Right now there is no other way.”

Karon remembered that it felt like a long time since he had last opened his black notebook and written in it. After the matters at hand were wrapped up, he would give himself a vacation. Hmm, anyway I’m already unemployed.

After breakfast, he checked the time. It was seven thirty, which meant it was still rush hour.

“I’ll doze on the sofa for a while. Wake me at nine.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Karon sat on the sofa and closed his eyes. Between sleep and waking, he felt someone place a blanket over him. He opened his eyes and saw it was Ciri.

“Sorry, Young Master, I woke you.”

Karon turned his head and looked at the wall clock. He had already slept for an hour.

“Young Master, your eyes are quite bloodshot; It’s scary. You should go upstairs to your bedroom and rest properly.”

“I am not going to sleep; I have to work. If I don’t work, how can I afford a maid?”

Karon was trying to joke around, but Ciri took him seriously and immediately replied, “Young Master, my wages can be cut in half, or reduced even further, if needed.”

“I was joking.”

“But I am serious, Young Master. Before, my family was preparing to marry me off to help my younger brother enroll in school and reduce the burden on the household. I don’t want to marry, so I made plans with a few cousins I am close with to apply to work at a textile factory.”

“Oh? When?”

“If you had not hired me, I would probably already be working at the textile factory. Those cousins already went to work.”

Karon nodded and did not ask further.

At this moment, Alfred came out, having heard their voices. Karon stood up from the sofa, went to the washroom. He washed his face, then glanced at Annie and Mr. Pavaro lying within the preservation ritual array. He spoke to them, “I am going out.”

He went downstairs and got into the car. As Alfred started the car, he said, “Young Master, if not for us, Ciri now might also...”

“She might have also gone to a proper textile factory.”

“When we return, I can ask her cousins.”

“No need.”

“I’m sorry, Young Master. I just feel that what we do can be clearly reflected right in front of us, and that feeling is good.”

“Mhmm, I know.”

“Then, Young Master?”

“I’m just afraid that you will get addicted to it. Heh, I’m also afraid that I will get addicted to that feeling.”

“What you say makes sense, Young Master. I understand.”

During the drive, Karon wanted to lean on the cushion and sleep a little more, but he no longer felt any sleepiness at all. He simply silently stared at the scenery slipping past the window. Perhaps earlier, when Mr. Pavaro had sat in the car, he had also looked at the scenery like this.

Karon suddenly felt a beautiful feeling, because he knew that the road ahead still had scenery aplenty. The road was still long, provided nothing unexpected happened.

As the car passed between Santor Tower and the Curtis Building, Alfred asked, “Young Master, do you want to go see the clinic again?”

“No. We’ll just act as if I ran away too.”

The car drove past another street and finally stopped at the curb outside the Lemar Pottery Studio.

“Young Master, should I go in with you?”

“No, I will go by myself.” Karon rolled down the window and looked at his eyes in the mirror.

“Young Master, are your eyes uncomfortable?”

“They’re fine. I’m just afraid my eyes are too red, and that after I walk in, they’ll assume that I’m a demonkin.”

Karon took the gift box and got out. He pushed the door open and walked into the pottery studio. The storefront was not large, yet the interior space was. That was normal. Few people strolling down the street would suddenly wander into a pottery studio to browse, so the size of the storefront did not matter that much.

There were many pottery pieces in display cabinets, mostly small items that focused on viewing and handling, rather than on utility. It would be impossible to pay rent in the city’s commercial center by selling utility.

A bearded middle aged man sat inside painting a pottery figurine. The figurine was an old man. Sensing someone enter, the artisan did not even look up and gave a perfunctory greeting, “Hello.”

Karon walked over and looked at the figurine.

The bearded man said, “Ordered by an old lady. Made according to a photo of her husband.”

“She must miss her husband very much.”

“Oh no, her husband’s still alive.”

“Hmm. Then their relationship is very good.”

“Heh heh. The old lady previously ordered a whole box of twelve here, and less than half a month later she placed another order. Every time she quarrels with her husband, she smashes the figurines of him to vent.”

“Being able to get angry is also a kind of affection.”

“I like that saying.” The bearded man finally set down his paintbrush and looked up at Karon. “Lemar. As you can see, I am the owner here.”

“Karon.”

“What do you do, Mr. Karon? You look very tired, especially your eyes.”

“I just got laid off, so I don’t have a job at the moment.”

“Hmm, no wonder. Unemployment makes people lose sleep, and makes their eyes red from worry.”

“Heh heh.”

“Are you here to look around, or do you have business with me?”

“Business.”

“Alright. What would you like to drink: black tea or coffee?”

“Coffee.”

“Please wait a moment.” Lemar went behind the bar to prepare a drink. Karon noticed that on the workbench in front of him also held another figurine. He could tell that it was meant to be a man, but the face felt very abstract. It was probably because the skill level was not very good.

“Here’s your coffee. Heh, that’s my sister’s work. It’s supposed to be her dream lover.”

“Truly a dream lover.”

“Hahahaha.” Lemar understood Karon’s meaning and laughed at once. “You can’t let her hear that. She has to look at this figurine to fall asleep at night. Fortunately, she isn’t here right now. She went out shopping, preparing to manufacture her next chance encounter.”

Karon suddenly felt that he could recognize who the figurine was meant to be.

He then felt that the figurine grew even uglier.

“You can tell me your business now, Mr. Karon.”

“A friend told me you are good at making masks.”

Lemar took a sip of coffee, smiled, and motioned for Karon to continue.

“I want to ask you to make a mask for me.”

“I rarely make masks for strangers, because I don’t know what they will use those masks for. Perhaps you can let me get a bit familiar with you first. How about you tell me, this friend of mine you mentioned, was he once my customer?”

“Not really.”

“Oh? Then whose mask do you want to make.”

“The friend who told me about your shop.”

“Tsk, truly a good friend.”

“We can discuss payment.”

“We don’t need to discuss payment yet. I want to see your friend’s face first.”

“Alright, it is here.” Karon placed the gift box on the workbench, opened it, and revealed Mr. Pavaro’s face skin inside.

“I know him,” Lemar said as he looked at Karon. “You are preparing to make his mask and infiltrate the Church of Order.”

“Yes.”

“What deep hatred do you have with the Church of Order that you need to steal his identity. Strictly speaking, he was quite a good Inquisitor.”

“As I said, he and I are friends. He wanted me to do this.”

“Oh, is that so?” Lemar extended his index finger, touched the face skin, and closed his eyes. Soon, he opened his eyes and said, “It seems that you are telling the truth. I can feel that he gave you this face willingly. For making a mask, with such gentle and proactive emotions inside, the difficulty will drop by fifty percent.”

“So you are willing?”

“No, I am not. I do not know if you know that I dislike the Church of Order.”

“I know.”

“By rights, since I dislike the Church of Order, helping those with ulterior motives infiltrate them might seem like a normal personal preference, but the problem is, if your identity is exposed, it will bring me very great trouble. I don’t want that trouble. I hope you can understand.”

“Perhaps we can talk more specifically.”

“There is nothing to talk about. This is not something rels or credits can resolve.”

At this moment, the door of the pottery studio was pushed open. Serena walked in, wearing a red trench coat and sunglasses. When she saw her brother inside and the man standing at his side, she froze. She then immediately took off her sunglasses and cried out in delight, “Oh! Oh my god! Are you here to see me?”

Lemar pointed at his own face and said, “No, he’s here to see me.”

“...” Serena fell silent.