Aftermath Review

The Church of the Evernight Goddess's upper ranks included thirteen Archbishops and nine senior deacons, and Crestet Cesimir was one of them. The fact that such a major figure in the Church had specifically come to see him did not make Luther feel honored; it only left him with lingering fear.

"Wasn't Your Excellency Cecimir here because of Old Neil?"

"No. Your Excellency Cecimir came specifically to see you, to assess whether you, a Nighthawk of the Secrets Suppliant Pathway, were qualified... He merely happened to receive my report, so he decided to handle the matter while he was here. In every sense, Old Neil ought to thank you."

Dunn said.

"Then why did he leave again?"

Luther could not help feeling a little confused.

"He said he had seen you save Old Neil, and the Goddess's Holy Relic had acknowledged you as well, so there was no further need for an assessment." Dunn smiled as he spoke. "This is a good thing, Luther. It means you have been recognized by the Cathedral. Now, you have truly gained official protection. You should be happy."

Hearing that, Luther did indeed feel a wave of relief. But before long, he recalled the sight of Wraiths clinging to every tooth in Crestet's grinning mouth, and unease rose within him again.

The joy of gaining property, the reassurance of being acknowledged by the Cathedral, and his wariness toward Crestet... all kinds of emotions swirled in his heart. He sat there blankly, not knowing what to say.

"Also, since Old Neil is gone and you and Klein are still newcomers, I intend to apply to the Cathedral and have them transfer an assistant from another district to bolster the team. Until then, you will have to study your mysticism courses on your own... Old Neil said he left all the documents in the records room downstairs. You may read and study them yourselves, but be careful. Do not casually attempt anything you are uncertain about."

Dunn explained the arrangements to come.

The moment he heard that the mysticism lessons that had once tormented him were gone, Luther felt both delighted and regretful. After all, what Old Neil had taught was the real thing. Now that he was gone, Luther could only teach himself.

I hope Klein has a better grasp of it and can teach me more.

He prayed silently.

"That is all, Luther. You may go now. Remember to tell Klein about this as well."

"Yes, Captain."

Luther rose to his feet and slowly moved toward the door, silently counting in his heart.

One, two, three...

"Wait."

Here it comes, just as expected.

Luther turned back and asked with a smile, "Is there anything else, Captain?"

"Your welcome dinner has already been arranged. This Friday evening, at Old Verne's Restaurant. Heh, Old Neil won't get to enjoy this feast. He told me before that he had been looking forward to it..."

"I'll remember that, Captain."

Luther did not know what else to say and could only nod.

He prepared to leave again.

"Wait a moment."

Dunn spoke once more.

Luther was forced to stop. "Captain?"

"Remember to submit proof that you are mentally sound. It would be best if you completed the paperwork and gave it to me within the next week."

"No problem."

He turned and left again. This time, Dunn did not call him back, and he was able to leave the office without incident.

Nothing happened that afternoon.

Luther spent the entire afternoon at Blackthorn Security Company savoring the news. He also found time to practice with his gun for half an hour, and gradually accepted the fact that a house worth 900 pounds in the northern outskirts of North Borough would now belong to him. At last, his mood slowly brightened. Once work was over, he took a tram into town.

When Cecilia returned home after school and pushed open the door, she saw a table full of delicious food: pan-fried foie gras, roasted steak, vegetable salad, stewed lamb, cream cake, as well as a bottle of champagne and a bottle of wine. Both had already been opened, gleaming enticingly beneath the gas lamps.

"You're back?"

Luther was pouring champagne into tall glasses. When he saw her enter, he smiled.

Cecilia looked at the food with a somewhat dazed expression. She set down her schoolbag, thought for a moment, then asked, "Luther... what are you doing?"

"Celebrating something good."

Luther smiled.

After thinking it over all afternoon, he had come to terms with it. He truly deserved this reward, so he should accept it openly and use it to live a better life. That was the only way not to let down Old Neil's good intentions.

"Good things happen every day, but if we spend money so recklessly, we won't have anything to eat tomorrow."

Cecilia tried earnestly to persuade him.

"Don't worry, little sister."

Luther could not help laughing. "Actually, that's exactly what I'm celebrating... Your brother was so capable that he earned you a detached house in one night!"

After he said that, Cecilia did not look happy. Instead, her face filled with concern.

"Luther... are you having hallucinations again?"

Luther did not know whether to laugh or cry.

He could only explain in detail, though he could not tell his sister the whole truth. He had to carefully choose what he could reveal, and it took a great deal of effort before Cecilia finally believed him.

"Brother... so everything you said is true?"

She widened her adorable eyes and stared at Luther in astonishment. "You're amazing."

"Right?"

Luther could not help smiling. His sister's sincere praise felt far better than praise from a senior deacon of the Church of Evernight. "I think so too."

Then he clapped his hands. "All right, what are we waiting for? Go wash your hands and eat. The food won't taste good once it gets cold."

The two of them washed their hands, took their seats, clinked glasses in celebration, and began to feast.

Seeing how happily his sister ate, Luther felt joy welling up from the bottom of his heart. Then he picked up his knife and fork and joined her.

After finishing the meal, the two of them lingered in the afterglow of the delicious food, chatting casually and resting for quite some time before getting up to clear the table and wash the dishes.

"How has school been? Has anyone been bullying you? Any clueless little punks trying to take advantage of you?"

As Luther scrubbed a plate, he looked at his sister's profile and asked.

"Don't worry, Brother. When Mr. Dunn took me to school that day, several policemen were following behind us... Now everyone is spreading rumors that I'm the illegitimate daughter of some high-ranking official from the Police Department. No one dares bully me."

Cecilia rinsed the foam from a plate as she answered.

"That works too."

Luther laughed helplessly. "What about your studies? Is there anything you can't keep up with?"

"It's fine. Everything the teachers teach is quite simple, and I've been reviewing properly after class. In the last class test, I ranked near the top."

His sister's answer was incredibly reassuring.

"That's good, that's very good."

Luther relaxed considerably. He chatted with Cecilia for a while longer and arranged to go to the theater over the weekend. Only then did they finish tidying up and return to their respective bedrooms to rest.

After returning to his room, he did not lie down immediately. Instead, he lit the gas lamp and pulled out a sheet of paper from his desk.

What had happened to Old Neil gave him a sense of crisis. Since he had time tonight, he wanted to carefully sort through what abilities he currently possessed.