13 Mink Street

Chapter 174: Pu’er’s Curse

For the target of a protective detail, every meal was fixed in quantity, because the food had to be inspected. Beyond that, Ophelia would not be allowed to consume anything from any other sources. This was one of the most basic security regulations.

Not to mention that calling for one breakfast cart and then requesting another would look rather strange, the more important point was that according to the day’s itinerary, there was simply no time left for her to order another meal.

If they failed to depart at the scheduled time, the risk was that the entire day’s itinerary would be canceled, so Ophelia, still feeling hungry, changed her clothes and stepped out.

When he saw Ophelia again, Karon was momentarily startled, because she was wearing a long black dress, a red hood, a pearl necklace around her neck, and brown leather boots on her feet.

Her outfit made Karon instinctively think of Pu’er, and he did not believe that it was merely a coincidence, because that outfit had been fashionable over a hundred years ago, but was long out of style.

”Well, Mr. Karon?” Although she was starving, and although the man before her was the very one who had pushed away her dining cart, Ophelia still displayed her elegance, even turning in place before Karon.

”It seems to still be missing a lady’s walking stick.”

”Miss, your walking stick.” Sinra handed a walking stick set with a red gemstone to Ophelia.

Karon smiled slightly and said, ”Perfect.”

Ophelia smiled and said, ”I feel that Mr. Karon is always in step with me.”

”Serving you is my duty.” As they descended in the elevator, Karon could not help but wonder whether this was because both of them cultivated the Darkmoon Blade, and so they shared some kind of mutual perception.

The stirring of the technique within his body the previous night could not possibly have been an accident. Karon felt certain it had something to do with the young lady of the Darkmoon family before him.

It was still yesterday’s VIP car. Paige was still the driver. Miss Ophelia sat in the middle on one side, with the female warrior and the maid seated at either side of her, while Karon and Fannie sat opposite them.

?As the car started and drove away from the hotel, Fannie commented, ”It is a long journey from here to Allen Manor. We should try not to waste time on the road and arrive as early as possible.”

Ophelia said, ”There is no hurry. Even if I do not need rest, the ones protecting me, as well as your colleagues hidden around us, certainly must need rest and food.”

Fannie smiled. ”No need. We have all already had breakfast, and everyone ate their fill.”

”...”

After they left the city and entered the outskirts, the scenery outside the windows became much more open.

”How long has Mr. Karon been with the Church of Order?” Ophelia asked.

”I have not been in the Church of Order for long, but I have believed in Order for a long time.”

”So what is Mr. Karon’s current rank?”

”I am an attached member of a Whip of Order squad, and a Divine Servant.”

”An attached member?” Ophelia seemed puzzled. ”It is hard to imagine that you are only an attached member.”

”Miss, you are the very first assignment I have taken part in since entering the Whip of Order squad.”

”It is my honor.”

”It is even more mine.”

”Has Mr. Karon considered other paths?”

”Miss, you mean?”

“Assuming nothing unexpected happens, once the talks conclude, a mission chapel of the Church of Order will be established on Darkmoon Island. Would you be interested in taking on the responsibility of bringing the light of Order to Darkmoon Island, Mr. Karon?”

An external posting, a chance to polish one’s record, a path that would make future promotion easier, it really was a very good opportunity. If Karon were merely a Divine Servant, then this sort of route would indeed let him accumulate credentials more quickly. And this young lady had already revealed that she was willing to put in a good word for him.

”I am very sorry, miss. If the chance comes in the future, I would very much like to visit Darkmoon Island and experience its charming scenery, but for now, I do not wish to settle down into comfort.”

”It is alright. Mr. Karon, do you feel that you are still young?”

”Yes. I have always felt that youth is a kind of capital that can be spent freely. I want to stay in York City and keep spending it.”

”In truth, I envy you. When I was on the island, I always yearned for the world outside.”

”It’s a walled city. Those inside want to get out, while those outside want to get in.”

”A walled city? I like that metaphor. Yes, Darkmoon Island is a walled city. The only chance I have to leave now is probably to marry Mr. Leon from last night.”

Is that the grandson of the York City Archbishop from last night?

Ophelia braced herself on her walking stick and leaned slightly forward. Though she had gone hungry for one meal, it still had not had time to diminish the curves of her figure. ”Mr. Karon, tell me, should I marry Mr. Leon?”

The maid’s mouth twitched. She felt that her young miss’s attitude toward this Whip of Order member had already gone too far.

Karon was also a little dazed by the question. A major matter like a marriage alliance of this type should never be for someone of his level to comment on. However, since Miss Ophelia had asked it of her own accord, he did have a fair amount of freedom in how he answered, especially because the conversation was confined to this car. The two people at Ophelia’s side would not leak it, and neither would Fannie or Paige.

When Karon did not answer, Ophelia continued, ”Everyone thinks that if I form a marriage alliance with Mr. Leon, it will benefit both Darkmoon Island and the Church of Order.”

”Miss, I would like to say one useless thing.”

”Hehe, please do.”

”Whether or not you marry in alliance, I feel that you are the one who holds the power to decide.”

Ophelia nodded and said, ”Yes. The family has not put too much pressure on me.”

Not too much pressure meant that among the Darkmoon family’s elders, support and opposition toward the marriage alliance were evenly split. If the alliance happened, Darkmoon Island would gain greater freedom, and its influence could also expand, but the marriage alliance also came with side effects, because it would force Darkmoon Island into the whirlpool of conflict between the various churches. Especially at this time, when all signs seemed to indicate that the gods were about to awaken. If that trend continued, wars between churches would likely become unavoidable.

”What do you think of Mr. Leon as a person?” Karon asked.

Ophelia shook her head and said, ”In other respects he is alright. It is just that... he is somewhat childish.”

As she said this, Ophelia looked at Karon and said, ”If Mr. Leon could switch places with you, Mr. Karon, then perhaps I might consider trying to like him. At the very least, it would be easier to persuade myself to accept this arrangement.”

”Miss, are you thirsty?” Sinra spoke up. ”Some of the things you are saying are very likely to bring trouble to Mr. Karon.”

This remark from Sinra was not actually wrong, nor was it purely meant to belittle Karon. Any man hearing the woman he was meant to marry say such words would probably hate the man he had been compared unfavorably against. Not to mention that the other party was the grandson of the Archbishop, while Karon was only a Divine Servant.

Fannie responded, ”There are no informers in our squad.”

”So you are suspecting my loyalty and Panmir’s loyalty toward miss?” Panmir was the female warrior’s name.

A trace of tension started to rise between the two sides. By contrast, the two people most directly involved remained very calm.

”Mr. Karon, what are you thinking?” Ophelia asked.

A slight smile appeared at the corner of Karon’s lips. ”I finally understand what kind of mindset my fiancee had when our parents arranged for us to meet.”

”I think I am beginning to envy her.”

”Miss, your situation and Mr. Karon’s are not the same,” Sinra said.

Fannie raised a brow and reminded her, ”What our Church of Order upholds is that under Order, all are equal.”

”Sinra, next time I am chatting with someone, could you refrain from interrupting? Do you think I am just an immature child who needs to listen to your instruction at every moment?”

”No, miss. Please forgive me.”

Ophelia looked at Karon again and found that he was still smiling. He truly was not angry. That good-tempered?

Of course Karon was not angry. Tiz had chosen Allen Manor for a marriage alliance out of many considerations. But if Tiz had not chosen the Allen family, and had chosen Darkmoon Island instead, Karon did not think that when middle-aged Tiz appeared over Darkmoon Island through a teleportation array, the Darkmoon family would have dared refuse the marriage. It was only that Karon certainly would not have had the same development he had now, nor the same freedom.

It was like when a shop clerk looked down on you and assumed you could not afford the item. If you truly had enough rels in your pocket, you probably would not feel insulted, nor would you deliberately throw money down to prove something. You would likely just smile and walk away, feeling instead that she was a little pitiful.

Tiz had left Karon many things, such as Pu’er, and a heretical god...

But the most precious thing Tiz had left was the gaze with which Karon could look at this world as an equal, no matter how low his current status or rank might be. This was not stubbornness born from self-deception, nor a disguise formed from habitual endurance, but a genuine calm.

Sinra turned her head and apologized to Karon. ”I am very sorry, Mr. Karon. I ask for your forgiveness for my earlier offense.”

Karon directed his smile towards her. ”You don’t need to apologize, because I did not hear clearly what you just said.”

This was a very proper line for smoothing things over, but it also carried another possible meaning.

At last, after waiting in hunger, they finally arrived at Allen Manor.

”What a delicate manor,” Ophelia said. ”From here, one can still see the prosperity of the Allen family in those days.”

If a young lady of the Allen family had been able to fall in love with one of her ancestors, then the first requirement was that she be qualified to even meet with him. At the very least, they had to have the opportunity to sit at the same table and converse.

Karon, meanwhile, found it rather amusing. He had promised Eunice that he would come back often in the future, and here he was again so soon. Even more amusing was that Master Anderson and the others would now have to act as though they were completely unfamiliar with Karon.

They had received advance notice from the Church of Order, and because the visitor was a young lady of the Darkmoon family, Allen Manor had put on an even grander reception than when they had welcomed Her Majesty the Queen.

Even so, the car still stopped in front of the castle and was not directed to the rear. Karon got out first, and proactively extended his hand to help Ophelia out of the car. At that moment, he heard some rumbling sounds, as though they were coming from a stomach.

Ophelia’s expression remained as normal as ever. After stepping out of the car, she walked forward to Master Anderson on her own. The old man personally stepped forward as well to greet her. The display was grand, but he did not behave in a servile manner. ”The Allen family welcomes Darkmoon’s arrival, and also welcomes the grace of Order.”

”Hello. I apologize for this sudden visit.” Ophelia also bowed very earnestly to Anderson. ”And I thank you as well for your grand reception. May the friendship between Darkmoon and Allen endure forever.”

Next came the usual stage of introductions, like a visit between old family friends. Karon made no effort to hide himself, because there was no need. After all, in the past few years, Allen Manor had completely relied on acting to mislead the Raphael family into believing that although the family had declined, they had managed to retain a certain foundation, and that was why the Raphael family had never rushed to strike the final blow. They had feared the Allen family might drag them down in a mutually destructive fight.

When it came to acting, the members of the Allen family under Master Anderson’s leadership were truly professionals.

Still, Karon found himself wondering whether he should find a chance to go upstairs and see Eunice, but he had no idea where his captain and the other squad members might be hiding. What if he crept upstairs and happened to be seen by his teammates lurking in the shadows? The captain had said that everyone in the squad had secrets, and that he would not actively investigate Karon’s secrets, but that did not mean the captain was blind.

After entering the manor, Karon followed behind Ophelia, together with Paige and Fannie. Master Anderson led Ophelia on a tour of the patriarch’s study. Before each portrait, the man offered a detailed introduction.

This was the ancestral glory of the Allen family, and Master Anderson’s introductions were deeply emotional. As he spoke, he eventually began to cry, blaming himself for having failed his ancestors and reduced the family to its current state.

Clearly, having received Karon’s earlier hint, Master Anderson had firmly grasped the theme. Karon felt that at this moment, Master Anderson was precisely like an old village chief facing an inspection team sent down to alleviate poverty.

Ophelia began actively comforting Anderson, and she also gave her promise that the Darkmoon family would help the Allen family. This even involved... maritime trade routes.

This ought to have been a part of the upcoming talks between Darkmoon Island and the Church of Order. Both sides would get what they needed. Trade between Darkmoon Island and the Church of Order was a necessary link, but once it was implemented at the concrete level, even if the Allen family only managed to cling to a tiny portion of it, that would still be a considerable fortune for the Allen family, given their current status. It would also serve to elevate their standing.

While listening to the accounts of a number of Allen ancestors, such as Rekar, Ophelia also mentioned that she had heard stories about them back on Darkmoon Island. Clearly, the Allen family’s ancestors had left many tales and legends behind upon the sea. Because of that, Master Anderson found another excuse to wipe away tears for a while longer.

Finally, the main event arrived. When Ophelia asked if there was a portrait of Miss Poelle Allen, Master Anderson led her over to the painting.

“It really... is Miss Poelle?” In truth, Ophelia had noticed the painting the moment she had entered the study. It was impossible not to notice it. The vast study walls were hung with portraits of people everywhere, yet this one was of a black cat sitting on a chair.

Standing behind Ophelia, Karon struggled not to laugh aloud. He could clearly see Ophelia’s embarrassment, because her current outfit and the cat in the portrait could not merely be called similar... they were exactly the same.

Karon felt certain that in that palace on Darkmoon Island, there had to be a portrait or sculpture of Pu’er, but it was absolutely not of her cat form. Although she had become a cat, her legend still circulated in the world.

Master Anderson offered another introduction, ”Ahem... this ancestor, she... she had a rather free-spirited personality.”

Ophelia took a deep breath, and the extreme awkwardness from a moment ago transformed into loud laughter. She bent over from laughing, even laughing to the point of tears. ”I am sorry! I am sorry, I mean no disrespect whatsoever toward Miss Poelle. It is simply that I suddenly realized what kind of young lady she must have been to leave my ancestor so utterly infatuated for his entire life.”

Ophelia was sentimental. From this painting, she seemed to glimpse Pu’er’s soul, an interesting and free-spirited soul, unbound, unconstrained, unafraid of worldly convention. Even in such a solemn and dignified setting, she had still faced it in a spirit of play. She must have known that this portrait of herself would remain in the patriarch’s study forever, to be viewed in reverence by later generations.

Yes, only such a young lady could have been worthy of her ancestor’s love. Only such a young lady could have stirred his feelings so deeply. Before this portrait, Ophelia felt as though she had seen her own reflection and received some kind of guidance and resonance.

Karon said, ”I think Miss Ophelia should be allowed to quietly look upon and pay her respects here. Respectfully, Mr. Anderson, what do you think?”

”Oh, of course. As it should be.” Master Anderson immediately led the others out of the study.

Karon also signaled for Paige and Fannie to leave as well. That left only Ophelia and her two attendants in the study.

***

A little while later, Borg pushed over a dining cart, because when Karon had passed by him earlier, he had quietly said, “I am hungry.”

Karon walked over and accepted the cart, but just as he was about to push it to the study, Fannie and Paige stopped him. ”Has the food been checked?”

”I tasted everything. It is fine. More importantly, I heard Miss Ophelia...” Karon pointed at his stomach. “And even more importantly, I seem to have pushed her breakfast cart away before she had even eaten.”

At this, Fannie and Paige also became embarrassed. Karon did not know whether the captain and teammates hidden in the darkness felt embarrassed hearing this, since they had all shared the food. For security personnel to actually eat up the food of the one they were protecting and leave her hungry, if this ever got out, it really would be too humiliating.

Paige and Fannie quickly helped Karon open the study door, and he pushed the dining cart inside. When the dining cart was pushed in, Ophelia’s mouth fell open, then quickly closed again as she swallowed. At that moment, she felt as though Karon was glowing.

”This is the afternoon tea provided by the Allen family, miss. Please enjoy it first. After you finish, we will go to the cemetery.” After saying that, Karon turned and left the study.

Twenty minutes later, Karon knocked on the door. The female warrior Panmir opened it. Karon did not go inside, but said, ”Miss, we should go to the cemetery now. We still need to return this evening, so our time is limited.”

”Alright.” Ophelia walked out with a bright smile on her face, while Sinra looked at the dining cart.

”Do not trouble yourself about the dining cart, Miss Sinra. Once we leave, the manor servants will clear it away. The cart we used is also outside.”

”Yes, yes.” Sinra immediately followed her young miss out of the study.

Once they had all come out, Karon closed the study door.

Ophelia let out a quiet breath of relief. Karon had not pushed the cart out again, which allowed her to relax. She did not want him to see the embarrassing sight hidden beneath the white cloth, which was that all of the food had already been completely cleared.

Next, under Master Anderson’s lead, the group rode to the cemetery on horseback. Upon arrival, Karon saw Pu’er’s gravestone. A cat sculpture sat at the top, deliberately aged to appear weathered and worn. Beneath it were two lines:

You once said that you and I were like two fish in a pond. Even if the water dried up, we would still moisten each other with our breath. But I would rather you return to the sea and seek the freedom that belongs to you.

I once lit a bonfire that could illuminate half the sky, yet I knew that in your eyes, it could not compare to even a trace of afterglow from Darkmoon.

When Ophelia read those lines, tears welled up in her eyes. Even Sinra and the female warrior Pamir began to cry. Clearly, they too had grown up listening to that ancestor’s love story.

Miss Poelle had been so free-spirited, so willful, and so endearing. Her love for their ancestor had run so deep, yet in the end, he had still chosen to abandon her to protect Darkmoon. Despite that, she had held not the slightest resentment toward him. Between the lines, there was only acceptance and quiet fulfillment.

Standing beside Ophelia, Karon said softly, “Perhaps it is precisely because of love, because that love runs so deep, that one can bear to let the person they love most fly farther and higher.”

“My ancestor wronged Miss Poelle. What he owes her is simply too much.” Ophelia wiped away her tears. “I pity Miss Poelle. I am even beginning to resent my ancestor. He should not have done this. He truly should not have treated a woman who loved him so deeply in that way.”

“I believe this love will finally come to a proper end here. Your ancestor should be able to find release, and Miss Poelle’s soul in heaven will at last find true comfort. You said she was once known as a genius, yet chose to lose herself because of love. We all know what it means for a family to produce a genius. So in her heart, there must also have been deep guilt toward her family.”

Ophelia nodded seriously. “Yes. The Darkmoon family will compensate the Allen family. We will provide them with support and aid.”

Hearing this, Karon felt reassured and did not continue pressing the sentiment.

Under Ophelia’s lead, everyone bowed before the gravestone of Poelle Allen and mourned.

***

“Achoo! Achoo! Achoo!” On the sofa in the living room of an apartment in Bluebridge, York City, Pu’er, who had been drinking coffee for her afternoon tea, suddenly sneezed several times in a row. She raised a paw to rub her nose, then said in confusion, “Why do I feel like someone is cursing me?”