13 Mink Street

“You can sense your original self, but can your original self sense you?”

“No.”

“No?”

“If it were before, he definitely would have been able to sense me, but now, he definitely can’t sense me anymore, because... because I have already been corrupted.”

“Are you certain?”

“I am certain. A spiritual imprint should have been the purest kind of mark, but the current me has long since become twisted beyond recognition. I even feel unfamiliar to myself.”

“All right, I understand.”

“Perhaps you could meet my original self. My original self is a very kind person.”

“Are you certain?”

“I am certain, unless something outrageous happened during his time in the colony while accompanying his son, but nothing too outrageous should have occurred. You can make contact first.”

“I will.” Karon pressed the desk bell, then stood and left the study. After receiving the desk bell notification, Alfred walked into the back courtyard from the front hall. When he saw Karon leaving his study, Karon pointed at the kitchen. Alfred followed him to the kitchen and stepped to Karon’s side as he moved to the stove.

“Young Master?”

“Do you want wontons or noodles?”

“Your servant is fine with either.”

“Then we’ll have wontons. We finished the chili oil.”

“Young Master, has something happened?”

“Mhmm.” Karon nodded as he placed the wontons into the boiling water. “The original self of that old fellow in my study is back. He was the previous owner of our first apartment, the one who’s from the Church of Light.”

“Shall your servant go investigate?”

“Eat first, then I’ll go. You stay here at home. The house can’t be left with no one. I’m afraid I might miss him if he comes by while I’m out.”

“Can he sense the location of our new home?”

“The old man in the study says he can’t, but to be safe, you should still stay. Use my name to call Fannie. Tell her that I’m inviting her to organize for some of our teammates to come over for a meal. After they arrive, take the hotpot base I made out of the fridge and allow them to have hotpot.”

“All right, Young Master. I understand.”

Karon filled two bowls with wontons, then sprinkled some chopped scallions and cilantro over them. Alfred picked up a bowl and moved to the table. The two men sat facing each other and picked up their spoons.

“I’m going to Teygan Region tomorrow night, so this matter must be settled tonight.”

“Young Master, please be careful.”

“Mhmm.” Karon took a sip of soup. “Things aren’t too bad. We don’t have any obvious conflict with that person. He was just the previous owner of our apartment.”

“Are you going to look for someone?” Pu’er rode Kevin to the kitchen doorway.

“Mhmm. The previous owner of our first home has returned.”

“Where is he?” Pu’er asked.

“I’ll go back to our old apartment first to have a look. If he isn’t there, I’ll look elsewhere.”

“If you’re looking for someone, take the stupid dog.”

“Woof, woof!” Kevin nodded vigorously.

“The stupid dog can smell more than just a person’s scent now. After you undid the first layer of his seal, he can also pick up on traces left by a person’s soul. He’s not absurdly efficient at it, but it’s still usable. For example, let him sniff around your study first and get the old man’s scent, then take him nearby to search.”

“All right, I’ll bring Kevin with me,” Karon agreed. “But you can’t go.”

“I wasn’t expecting you to bring me. It’s not like you’re going out to play. If a fight breaks out, I’ll be a burden on you.” Pu’er lowered her head and pouted.

“Before I returned from the final selection, the commander of Ogureth Fortress invited me for coffee. He told me that I have great potential, so I need to take care and protect myself. You’re the same. I’m still waiting for you to gradually recover your strength, so that I can be lazy when we fight in the future.”

“Hehe, meow.” Pu’er patted Kevin on the head, and he immediately turned and ran for the study. By the time Karon finished eating and left the kitchen, Kevin was already returning with his own leash in his mouth.

“You all need to be careful here at home too.” After giving Alfred and Pu’er another reminder, Karon led Kevin to the used black Pons.

Although Allen Apartments and the funeral home were in the south and north of the city, respectively, they were still both in the same district, so it did not take Karon very long to drive to the apartment complex. He did not pull right into the parking lot, but instead parked across the street, in front of Alaia’s real estate agency.

The man’s son, Hend, was sitting inside doing homework, while his wife, Jen, was cooking.

“Young Master Karon!” Alaia, carrying a bag in his hand, jogged over from the rear of the car. He had recognized the car. Karon rolled down the window. “Young Master Karon, I haven’t seen you in a long time. Have you been doing well?”

“I’ve been well.”

“Hehe, I just went to the market and bought a few fresh fish. Later, after my wife’s cleaned them, Young Master Karon, you can take two with you. Or you can simply stay and eat with us at home? Ever since Jen ate that sour pickled fish at your place last time, she has been learning to make it herself. Although she doesn’t make it as perfectly as you do, Young Master Karon, the taste is still quite good.”

“Not for now.”

Karon was about to ask his question, but Alaia brought it up himself, “Mr. Will returned today. I truly never thought I would be able to see him again. When he sold the apartment, I thought he would never return in this life.”

“Will?”

“Oh, that isn’t the same as the name on the deed. I heard his wife call him Will, so when we used to interact, I called him that as well. He came back this afternoon and even sat in my shop for a while. He asked me what kind of person his house had been sold to. I described you to him, then he went in. When he came back out, he came to my shop again and asked me where you had moved to. I said I didn’t know. Hehe, I really don’t know.”

“Did he leave? I mean, Mr. Will.”

“He left. I invited him to stay for dinner, but he declined.”

“Did he say where he was going?”

“I asked. I said that his apartment here was already sold, and staying in a hotel would be a waste of money. There’s still a guest room behind my shop where he could stay for free, but he said he has a nephew and a niece in York City, and he was going to look for them.”

“All right, I understand. I still have matters to attend to, so I’ll be going first. Alaia, come to my home as a guest when you have time.”

“All right, Young Master.”

After Karon drove the car away, Alaia shrugged and laughed at himself. “But I don’t know where your new home is.”

***

“Woof?” Kevin, who was sitting in the passenger seat, looked at Karon as he drove.

“I can roughly guess where he went. Considering the time, it should be about right. I had actually forgotten... no, that can’t really count as forgetting. It’s just that whether I remembered or not made no difference. With my current identity, there’s no need for me to get too entangled with Light vermin. After all, having the captain nearby is already dangerous enough.”

Kevin looked half-convinced and half-confused. He turned his head forward and wagged his tail a few times, brushing it against the back of the seat.

Karon drove to Apple Street and stopped in front of Piaget’s two villas. The buildings that had been damaged had already been fully restored, and the garden also looked to be well maintained. Although Piaget had followed Bede onto the Wall God Church’s path of exploration and was currently considered missing, his father was still a high-ranking official of Swillen. It was impossible for the man to leave a damaged house here as in shambles. In any case, Apple Street’s location and property prices did not permit such extravagance.

Karon first touched his ring and transformed into Mr. Pavaro’s appearance. He then led Kevin out of the car and they walked along in front of the two villas, as if he were really just walking his dog.

One night, he had lured Zeric’s people to these two houses to attack Light vermin. In order to protect his two students, the Light elder, Dock, had used the Tower of Light to fight Zeric to the death, and had indeed ultimately died. However, his efforts had successfully protected his two students. The two had been severely injured, but hidden deep underground beneath one of the villas, where they had slept to recover from their wounds.

Previously, Karon had considered finding an opportunity to excavate them. Later, he had discovered that even if he dug them out, it would be meaningless. Should he dig them out and kill them? He did not have that kind of indiscriminate hatred for Light vermin. If he really had such feelings, the first thing he would need to do was report his own captain. Moreover, when Karon had lured Zeric’s people over, he had only done so to upset the existing balance. After all, Light vermin had captured both Piaget and Bede within the villas. Everyone involved had been opposed to others due to loyalty to different factions, but there had been no personal grudges.

Therefore, Karon’s attitude later on had been to forget the matter entirely. Whenever the two managed to recover from their injuries, they would be able to secretly leave York City on their own. No matter how they searched for the person responsible or sought revenge, they would never be able to trace anything back to him. However, at this time, Karon felt that the previous owner of his apartment, Will, might have returned in order to retrieve the two people.

Kevin suddenly stopped. The dog turned his head to one of the villas.

“The new villa?”

Kevin nodded vigorously, indicating that he was certain.

Karon hesitated a little. There were currently two choices before him: the first was to immediately report to the Church of Order that Light vermin had been discovered, and have the church send people to capture or expel them. The second choice was to use a third-party identity and negotiate with the people directly.

Ideally, Karon would be able to determine the purpose behind the return of the old man called Will. If he had merely come back to pick up those two “potatoes,” it would be best. However, if he intended to stay for a long time, new plans would have to be made, because there was no way the man would not be suspicious of the person who had bought his apartment, since he was no longer able to sense the spiritual imprint he had left behind.

Karon decided to set the first choice aside for the moment. After all, he had no grudge against the man, and had once lived in his apartment. Immediately reporting him really did leave Karon feeling somewhat uneasy.

Then... he would first make contact.

If he was going to make contact, Mr. Pavaro’s appearance was particularly convenient. Whose should he use? Bernard’s?

That would not work either. Unlike last time, when Karon had been left with no choice but to pretend to be Bernard to deal with Ophelia’s uncle, Admiral Tafmann, Karon did not want to use its mask if there was ever another option.

“Come on, let’s head back to the car first.” Karon led Kevin back to the car and told him, “Stay here.”

Kevin obediently nodded, but also patted the steering wheel with a paw. “You want me to leave the key in the car?”

Kevin smiled.

“Do you know how to drive?”

Although a little uncertain, Karon still inserted the car key. He then touched his ring, and a silver mask appeared on his face. His figure turned into a mass of black mist, but that black mist did not disperse. It very quickly disappeared again, revealing Karon once more.

Kevin stared out the car at Karon with some confusion.

“It’s better not to use Order Arts first.” Karon spread his hand and chanted, “Light—Shadow Veil.”

His body immediately grew transparent. This was the Art that had been used by the captain when they had infiltrated Tafmann’s villa together. Karon had found it quite interesting, so he had learned it while eating.

***

The newly renovated room in the villa was filled with a thick chemical smell. Clearly, it had not yet been properly aired out. Karon first opened the second-floor window and entered from there.

As soon as he came in, he saw someone bathing behind the frosted door of the washroom. Judging from the length of the hair, it should be a woman.

Helen? Karon remembered what the Light woman looked like. She had long hair, and her perception of Light power possessed a talent that surpassed ordinary people. She was skilled in Arts.

Karon moved his feet and walked towards the washroom, though he did not feel at all that a woman bathing inside was anything charming or erotic due to using an Art to hide himself. After all, when he had opened the window, he had not tried to be quiet at all.

In other words, the woman bathing in the washroom should have long since sensed that he had entered. The reason she was continuing to wash was purely to make him lower his guard.

After he closed a certain distance with the washroom door, the glass door simply exploded. Two rings of light smashed straight towards Karon. He spread his hand, forming a light barrier to block the rings of light.

Inside the washroom, Helen, who had already put on a bathrobe, was preparing to release a second round of Arts attacks, but when she saw that Karon was using Light Arts as well, she stopped. Karon released the Light concealment Art, revealing his body and the silver mask.

At this moment, Vernon appeared at the stairs. Light armor already covered his body, and he held a greatsword of Light in his hand. As soon as he reached the top of the stairs, he slashed at Karon.

Karon shifted to the side to dodge the slash. At the same time, Light flames surged from his right hand towards Vernon. The man swung his greatsword to disperse the flames, yet also halted his attack.

Looking at Helen and Vernon, Karon felt a strange sense of resonance between the past and the present. The last time he had dealt with these two, he had only been able to pretend to be an ordinary person. As soon as the fighting had broken out, he had only been able to lead Piaget and Bede to the basement to hide. Yet at this moment, facing these two again, he was already capable of remaining perfectly calm.

“I didn’t come here for you. Where is he?” Karon did not say the name “Will.” He was worried that it was a fake name.

“Elder Will is waiting for you in the study upstairs,” Helen replied.

Waiting for me? Karon’s heart skipped a beat. Had he already been discovered? The other party had even predicted that Karon would come looking for him?

Logically speaking, that spiritual imprint in the funeral home’s study did not possess the ability to transmit information outward. Could the man himself have guessed something from the fact that his spiritual imprint could no longer be detected?

In any case, Karon very much disliked this feeling of being “arranged.”

“I’ll go see him.” After leaving these words behind, Karon walked straight between Helen and Vernon. The two exchanged glances, but neither stopped him.

After going up to the third floor, Karon walked to the study door and knocked. Knock... knock...

“Please come in.”

Karon grabbed the doorknob, paused briefly, then slowly opened the door. Facts proved that he had been overly cautious.

Inside sat a kindly old man wearing a gray trench coat. In his right hand was a teacup, and in his left hand was a book that he was reading with great enjoyment. Only after Karon walked up to him did he raise his head to glance at Karon. “A very beautiful and exquisite mask.”

As he spoke, Will picked up the teapot and poured Karon a cup of water as well, placing it in front of him before continuing, “You arrived earlier than expected. That proves you are very anxious, yes?”

Karon still did not answer.

“Sit. Don’t stand there.” Will reluctantly put the book down that he had been reading, placing an exquisite bookmark to mark the page he had been reading.

He greatly enjoyed reading. Karon knew this very clearly. The books the man had collected were all very interesting, and Karon’s primary form of entertainment was to find a book to read from this old man’s collection.

Karon sat down in the chair opposite the desk.

“Do you like reading?” Will asked.

“I do.”

“It seems we truly are fated. Hehe, I believe all of this is the guidance of the God of Light, is it not?” Will took another sip of tea and said, “In truth, there was no need for you to make this special trip. There is no conflict between you and me. Quite the opposite, we are actually very fated. After all, before I returned to York City, I truly never expected that I would learn of your existence here.”

Karon said, “I also did not expect that you would return.”

“I did not want to, but someone had to come and wake these two children, did they not?”

“And after waking them?” Karon asked.

“After that? After that, I will go back. I am different from what you imagine. I am very free within the church. Not many people are willing to order me about, and not many people are able to do so, either. Preaching to people in a remote colony brings me joy. Do you know? In truth, Light reached that place long ago. It was only later that it was lost again and forgotten by that place. But very interestingly, a branch of Light was actually born there. I am very interested in it, and I want to study it. So I will not affect your affairs in York City. Please rest assured.”

“All right, I understand.” Karon relaxed.

“So, these two children will be entrusted to you.”

Hm? Entrusted to me, what does that mean?

***

Inside the used black Pons sedan by the curb, Kevin was excitedly placing both front paws on the steering wheel.

Suddenly, a figure wearing a silver mask appeared in the passenger seat. After the person sat down, he removed the mask. Kevin turned his head to look at the man and blinked.

“Woof?”

“Are you asking me why I’m here?”

Kevin nodded.

“I arranged to meet someone here. No, why are you here? If you’re here, then where is he?” Nio asked.