13 Mink Street

At four in the morning, Karon had already arrived in front of the Church Affairs Building. He first went to the floor Fannie had taken him before to collect his equipment bag, because he remembered that there was a specialized sales shop on that floor.

Fortunately, while the service there wasn’t particularly good, it was staffed and open around the clock. That was only natural, since the value of the church’s issued credits ultimately came from the resources that could be purchased and exchanged for with those credits.

Karon entered the clothing section and asked for a custom priest’s robe. A clergy member who seemed to be a tailor came in after being notified at the front desk. He took Karon’s measurements, and then had him fill out a form.

From the simplest style and color preferences down to the requirements for the ritual arrays engraved into it, every item had to be checked one by one.

What Karon found faintly marvelous was that along with every box he checked, the black number in the upper left corner would keep changing. For example, if he selected a more expensive detail, the displayed price immediately rose. If he crossed it out and chose a cheaper detail instead, the price immediately dropped.

In the end, Karon finished making all of his selections.

For the engraved ritual arrays, he chose two. One was climate control. With that, the robe would be able to adjust the wearer’s temperature according to changes in the outside environment, much like carrying a small portable air conditioner.

The other was self-cleaning. Just as the option implied, it allowed the robe to clean itself.

It was not that Karon did not want to choose a defensive ritual array, but that every ritual array with such attributes was very expensive. On top of that, he already had the Sea God’s Armor, so for the time being, the defensive strength of his clothing was not something he needed to be too concerned about.

Even so, the price still reached 1,200 Order credits. This meant that even an entire month of Mr. Pavaro’s hard-earned salary was only enough to buy a single piece of clothing in the church’s exchange.

However, this customized priest’s robe also came with a pair of boots, a hat, and a full set of accessories. While not enough to make Karon feel that the purchase was worth the price, he was slightly comforted.

No wonder the black market was thriving so much. The church-run shops were outrageously overpriced.

After signing the order form and paying the deposit, the counter staff stamped the form. Karon noticed that as the man stamped it, he was even smiling, as though laughing at him for actually coming here to order custom clothing instead of going to the black market.

“Alright, sir. Seven days from now, you may come back here with this receipt to pick up your clothes. Or, if you leave an address, goods worth more than 1,000 Order credits can be delivered to your door, though that’s limited to the York City area.”

“No need. I’ll come collect it myself.”

“Very well, sir. Is there anything else you’d like to look at?”

“No.”

Karon walked to the dedicated elevator and pressed the button. The doors opened, and the attendant inside smiled at Karon while indicating that he should show his credentials.

Karon took out his ring. Once again, the attendant did not inspect it, but simply gestured for him to enter.

Was it because it looked so cheap at first glance, and that made it obviously real and therefore not worth checking?

When the elevator doors opened, Karon walked into the office. He had originally assumed that he would be the first one to arrive, but when he entered, he found Paige and Fannie already sitting on the sofa. He did not see the others, not even Nio. They were probably assembling elsewhere. The three of them, being responsible for close protection detail, likely were being considered an independent unit.

“Sorry, I’m late,” Karon said.

“No need to apologize. We only just arrived too,” Fannie said with a smile.

“Hehe.” Today, Paige was not as exaggerated and overbearing as she had been last time. She probably understood clearly that they had already entered mission time. She had also removed her nose ring and lip ring. Instead of the hot, tight leather clothing from before, she was wearing black casual attire, while Fannie wore professional clothing.

“You chose your clothes well today,” Fannie said as she looked at Karon.

Today, Karon had chosen a somewhat formal outfit, though with a rougher treatment in the finer details. It gave people a sense of seriousness without lacking approachability. Such clothes were an old habit of Karon’s when dressing to face patients in the past.

“Can we begin now?” Paige asked.

Fannie glanced at the clock, nodded, and stood up. “Now, according to the captain’s arrangement, the three of us are confirmed to be an independent unit. I’m the team leader, and Paige is the deputy leader.”

Karon, the only regular team member, nodded.

“I will be responsible for administrative and schedule arrangements; Paige will be responsible for close personal security. Karon, your task is to assist us.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Here’s the basic file. Take a look.” Fannie handed both Paige and Karon a sheet. There was a photograph on it, showing a girl with dark red hair. At a glance, she looked very serious and carried a great deal of authority.

The introduction beneath the photograph was extremely brief: Ophelia.

Just one photo and one name. Those who knew would understand that their squad was responsible for protection. Those who did not might think they had been assigned to carry out an assassination.

Karon actually knew more about the Darkmoon family from what he had been able to coax from Pu’er yesterday with sour pickled fish than what was on the sheet. He had prepared so carefully that he had even learned some specific greeting phrases from Darkmoon Island from Pu’er, a few of which had left a deep impression on him, enough that he had memorized them:

“It is the mottled afterglow beneath the Darkmoon that has allowed me to behold your true self.” (This was a greeting used when friends met.)

“The crimson rim outlines the steps of your arrival and shall also bear the sails of your departure.” (A welcome / a farewell.)

These preparations were enough to show how much importance Karon attached to his first mission.

However, this was not only because his squad was merely responsible for protection. There was an even deeper reason, namely that the Darkmoon family was basically active only on Darkmoon Island. Just like the Anavas family, their family members rarely entered human society, and even the major churches were very wary of them.

The upper echelons of the Church of Order certainly had information on the family, but only the top members of the corresponding departments would know such things. The middle and lower levels actually knew very little about this family to begin with.

“We’re setting out now.” Karon followed Fannie and Paige into the elevator. They rode it back down to the underground parking lot, where they got in a VIP business vehicle. It was the same model of car that people from Allen Manor had used to pick Karon up at the docks on his first day in York City.

Paige drove, while Karon sat in the back with Fannie.

“Nervous?” Paige asked Karon. “This is your first time carrying out a mission.”

Karon shook his head. “I think I’m alright.”

“Just treat it normally. Under ordinary circumstances, I’ve never seen any delegation dare show us any attitude.”

“Understood.”

They drove to the docks and parked in the internal parking area. Fannie got out of the car to handle the handover. Paige got in the back of the car, took a bottle of soda from the cooler, and flicked the cap off with her fingertip. She drank it in a very bold and heroic way, finishing the whole bottle in one breath.

“Want one?”

“I’m not thirsty.”

“Fine then. I’ll rest first. You should get some sleep too. There’s still a long time before the ship comes in.”

“Alright.”

Paige reclined one of the seats and stretched out on it. Before long, the sound of her snoring began to rise. It was not fake, because Karon knew that people who were good at allocating their energy could fall asleep very easily.

Karon reclined his own seat as well. He laid back and closed his eyes. The sleep that followed was fragmented. Basically, every fifteen or twenty minutes, Karon would wake once, look at Paige sleeping soundly beside him, then look outside to check the situation. Because he had something on his mind, he could never sleep soundly.

At last, when he woke for the final time, Karon saw that Paige was already up and standing outside the vehicle. Fannie stood in front of her, and the two seemed to be discussing something.

Karon immediately felt a little embarrassed. He quickly adjusted his seat back upright, opened the car door, and got out.

“Oh, you’re awake,” Paige said with a grin.

Fannie spoke. “The ship’s arrived and is currently being guided into the harbor. The delegation will disembark in about half an hour.”

“So now we...” Karon asked.

Fannie lifted the bag in her hand. “Now, of course, we eat.”

Next, both women squatted down by the car and began eating. Karon collected his own portion and squatted down across from them. Then, because Fannie was wearing a professional short skirt, Karon stood back up and moved to squat beside the women instead.

Fannie even looked at Karon curiously and asked, “What? Does it affect your appetite?”

“No.” Karon shook his head while eating fried chicken with a fork.

“Do you want to look? It’s alright.” Fannie said, “You can even tell me what pose you like, and I’ll arrange it for you.”

Paige said with puzzlement, “So you like the professional type? What a pity. I’m wearing pants today.”

Karon had no idea how to deal with these two enthusiastic older women in his squad, so he could only lower his head and continue eating. Given a choice, next time he would rather go hide in the dark with the captain and the others to carry out protection duty.

“Are you angry?”

“No, no.”

“You really are interesting.” Fannie shook her head. “Don’t get angry. We just can’t help ourselves. It’s like how men, when they see an innocent young girl, always want to tease her a little. We women also like teasing a pure little colt when we see one.”

Karon said, “I can understand that. After all, security work should be quite boring.”

“Hahahahaha!” Fannie laughed. “You’re really cute.”

Paige, meanwhile, said, “Fannie, you’re not allowed to steal him from me.”

“Tsk. If I really competed with you for him, wouldn’t that just make him taste even sweeter?”

“Oh, seems like that’s true too.”

Karon sighed inwardly. Right now, he was probably being subjected to workplace harassment and mild bullying, but he also happened to be the youngest and newest member of this squad, and he was male. More painfully still, even if he went and complained about this sort of thing to friends, not only would they not sympathize with him... they would probably envy him instead.

But Karon truly did not like this feeling in his heart. He could only hope that after more time together, everyone would naturally learn not to overstep certain boundaries.

Once they finished eating, Fannie checked her watch and said, “Five minutes. Freshen up and prepare to receive them.”

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

There was a washroom nearby. Karon went in, washed his face, and then came back out.

Fortunately, they only needed to keep their clothing neat and tidy. There was no need to put on makeup or do anything deliberate like that. Once everyone was back in the car, Paige drove them to the lower boarding point at the docks. A cruise ship had just docked, and the gangway for disembarkation was being set up. The area at the front end was prepared for the truly distinguished guests, while the area farther back was for ordinary passengers.

After parking, Fannie, dressed professionally, stood at the very front, with Karon and Paige standing behind her. Karon copied Paige’s posture, standing with his feet slightly apart and both hands folded in front of him.

However, Karon noticed that they seemed to be the only ones present to receive the delegation. He did not see any actual church personnel approaching the docks to welcome them. This was probably the underlying status and foundation of the Church of Order. Even when a delegation from the Darkmoon family came, all that was needed was to assign them a team of bodyguards. Everything else would only happen later, after they arrived at the reception hotel. It was not a matter of welcoming their arrival, but rather of receiving them at the hotel after their long journey.

People began disembarking from the ship. Leading them was Ophelia, wearing a dark red robe that gave her an extremely mysterious and noble air. Behind her and to her left was a masked female warrior who wore red and black armor, with a sword strapped to her back.

Behind Ophelia and to her right followed a maid who looked to be about thirty. Her presence was also very strong. Ophelia was merely walking down in a normal manner, but the maid’s gaze had already swept over Karon and the others below several times in advance.

This was a detection Art, a very clear and obviously probing one. However, precisely because it was so overt, it actually did not arouse aversion from those being probed.

Karon remembered that Pu’er had said all members of the Darkmoon family had only given names and no surname, because they believed they were the radiance of the Darkmoon, and that Darkmoon itself was their true body.

Furthermore, although the emblem of the Darkmoon family was a blood moon, the marks actually worn by clan members varied from person to person. Ordinary family members could only use one blood crescent on their clothing. Then, depending on family rank, the number of blood crescents could stack upward, all the way to seven, which was the highest level below their patriarch. In the entire family, only their patriarch alone could use the full moon.

When Ophelia came down, Karon noticed there were four blood crescents on her clothing. The maid to her right had one blood crescent on her clothing.

This was somewhat like a title of nobility, but what outsiders valued more was still the distinction of strength and office. Since Ophelia could become the head of the delegation, it meant her family standing certainly was not low. The maid beside her also definitely was not some insignificant figure within the family.

But immediately afterward, Karon noticed the female warrior to Ophelia’s left. There were actually seven crescents on her armor.

Something felt off. Although in great families, a maid serving the patriarch’s wife might make an unsuccessful family elder lower his head and greet her, that sort of thing could never happen on a formal occasion. In formal settings, the person with the highest seniority and rank would always stand at the front, especially in the face of a behemoth like the Church of Order, where ritual and propriety would surely be taken even more seriously.

Fannie spoke. “I will first confirm the protection target. Once the protection target is confirmed, the security mission will formally begin.”

“Yes.”

“Yes.” Paige and Karon both acknowledged their orders.

Fannie stepped forward and said to Ophelia, “Praise Order. We welcome your arrival.”

Ophelia also responded very politely, “Darkmoon’s radiance thanks Order for its reception.”

“Hello, I am the team leader of the close-protection detail for the security squad for your delegation. From this point onward, my captain, my team members, and I will be responsible for your safety during your negotiations in York City.

“Now, I need to carry out the final confirmation of your identity. May I ask, are you Miss Ophelia, the head of this delegation?”

“I am.”

“Very well, Miss Ophelia. Please get in the car. You may select two attendants to accompany you in the vehicle. We will first escort you to the reception hotel. The remaining members of the delegation will be handled through subsequent arrangements.”

“Very good. Thank you for your hard work.”

“This is my duty.”

Paige got in the driver’s seat, while Karon opened the car door. When Ophelia reached Karon, as she got in, she habitually extended a hand, indicating that she expected support. This was a small habit from her daily life, originating from the etiquette of carriage travel in earlier times. Yet Karon stood where he was and did not extend a hand to support her.

Fannie saw this, but her expression did not change.

Paige, sitting in the driver’s seat, also simply assumed that this was Karon’s first mission and that he did not understand these niceties. It was merely a tiny incident, a trivial little incident. Nobody paid it much mind.

Ophelia, however, smiled and gave Karon an extra look, as though saying, “I’ll remember you.”

She then sat down in the car, and her maid followed close behind.

Last came the female warrior. When she arrived at the car door, Karon extended the back of his hand and bent slightly at the waist, offering her the standard boarding courtesy.

The female warrior froze.

This picture was extremely strange. A tall, powerfully built female warrior was being offered a hand of etiquette while entering a car. It looked thoroughly incongruous, especially when contrasted with the earlier scene of Karon ignoring Miss Ophelia. The visual impact became even stronger.

But at that moment, Fannie’s and Paige’s eyes both sharpened. They realized what Karon meant. The one introduced as Ophelia was not the real one. The true Ophelia was the female warrior.

With a hum, the warrior drew the sword from her back. Karon stood where he was without moving. Fannie and Paige did not move either. This was because no one believed that a member of the Darkmoon family would dare to make a move against someone from the Church of Order in such a formal setting, not unless the Darkmoon family had resolved itself to endure the wrath of the Church of Order.

The long sword turned sideways and came to rest on the back of Karon’s hand. He noticed that the sword had raised sides and a recessed groove down the middle, inside which bloodlines flowed faintly, giving off an aura that felt very familiar to him. It was the aura of Darkmoon Blade.

This sword was probably a holy relic. It could gather and amplify the effect of Darkmoon Blade.

At this moment, the thought in Karon’s mind was actually: If only I had this sword, then the power of Darkmoon Blade would immediately rise. If I had held this sword when sparring with Judia, one slash would probably have been enough to break through all of her ice defenses and leave her in the same condition as Mr. Mike.

“Oh my...” A coy, affected exclamation came from beneath the mask. “So I was recognized after all. No fun, no fun at all. And by someone I personally selected too.”

The female warrior removed her mask, revealing Ophelia’s face. As she did so, the face of the Ophelia already sitting in the car rapidly changed. It quickly became a bit similar to Paige’s feature, having more lines and a harder expression. One glance was enough to tell the woman had been tempered by wind, frost, and battle.

Fannie stepped forward and asked, “May I ask, are you Miss Ophelia?”

“That’s me, that’s me.” Ophelia smiled at Fannie. “Don’t be angry. I was only trying to play a little joke on you.”

“Miss Ophelia, I hope you understand that everything we do is for the sake of your safety while in York City. I hope jokes like this will not happen again.”

“Of course, of course.” Ophelia assured Fannie with a very good attitude, then turned to look at Karon. At this moment, her face and her suit of armor were extremely mismatched, making her look a little like a giant feminine doll. Her true appearance and image should actually have been the same as that previous “Ophelia,” the reason being that the enhancement effect of her armor was simply too obvious.

“How did you recognize me?” Ophelia asked Karon curiously.

Karon replied, “It is the mottled afterglow beneath the Darkmoon that has allowed me to behold your true self.”

He felt that he had delivered the line very properly. It could both ease the awkwardness of the moment and help to smooth the matter over.

Yet after he spoke, he discovered that Ophelia’s expression had changed, and the expressions of the two women sitting in the car had also changed. Even the expressions of the members of the delegation behind them, who overheard his words, had changed.

Wait, did that sentence mean something else? All of a sudden, Karon abruptly realized something he had carelessly overlooked earlier: What did Pu’er know about the customs and slang of Darkmoon Island? All she knew had come from the clan’s young heir who had pursued her and whom she had eventually abandoned to be forgotten in the sea.

Damn it. For the sake of eating sour pickled fish, just what kind of nonsense did that cat teach me? So, is that line really a greeting between friends?

Fannie and Paige had no idea what was going on, but they could both tell that Karon seemed to have said something deeply shocking.

Ophelia’s face gradually grew flushed, until she eventually was as red as an apple. The sword in her hand began drawing lines of sparks and little circles across the hard concrete. “Oh my, oh my. About your confession, may I think it over a little longer?”

“...” Karon.