Telling on someone

"Your Families' descendant?"

"Yes," Puer said with certainty. "So now I finally understand why I liked her the moment I met her. The same blood flows through her veins as mine."

"Heh heh heh."

Kallen laughed aloud.

"What are you laughing at?"

"They say grandparents dote on their grandchildren, but how many generations apart are you two?"

"Too many to count. Heaven knows how old each of her ancestors was when they had the next generation."

"No, you misunderstood me. Who was it earlier who egged me on, saying all I needed to do was lie back, enjoy myself, and have children?"

"You... shut up!"

"What kind of great-great-great-great-great-grandmother does that?"

"You... shut up!"

Kallen rested both elbows on the table and reached out to scratch gently under Puer's chin, making her little head bob.

Puer paid no attention to the frivolous gesture and instead asked curiously:

"You just believed what I said?"

"Yes."

"You're not going to ask why I'm so certain, based on nothing but the family crest on a wallet she gave you?"

"There's no need."

"You're not even going to go through the motions?"

"Is it strange that a blind date Dis approved would be a descendant of your Families?"

"Uh..." Puer shook her head. "It actually feels perfectly natural."

"Exactly. So there's nothing strange about it. If you say she is, I believe you. But why were you so worked up about telling me to stay away from her?

Does your Families have some hereditary disease?

Or is there some curse on your Families?

Or perhaps,

do the people in your Families turn into cats like you once they reach a certain age?"

Puer shook her head,

and said:

"I became a cat for reasons of my own. Because of certain things, I broke with my Families very early on. Then I met some people, and some accidents happened, leaving me stuck as a cat all this time.

My Families is somewhat mysterious, but as far as I know, there's no hereditary disease or curse."

"Then why were you so agitated about warning me to stay away from this descendant of yours?"

"I..."

Puer did not know what to say.

Then,

she saw Kallen smile.

Feeling guilty, Puer quietly lowered her head, even adopting a placating expression.

Kallen reached out,

and stroked the cat's head.

In a rare show of initiative, Puer rubbed her head against his hand,

while saying:

"Today's Suancai Fish was truly delicious. I'll probably be savoring it in my dreams tonight."

"Because I'm an Evil God, you're afraid I'll implicate your Families and bring them misfortune."

"..." Puer fell silent.

Kallen spoke very calmly.

Deeply ashamed, Puer raised her head and looked at Kallen.

She had been worked up earlier and spoken too hastily. Now, however, she suddenly felt that warning him for that reason really had been ungracious, and it weighed on her conscience.

Besides, he had given her the Suancai Fish today, while he and his blind date had eaten Oil-Splashed Noodles.

If only he were easy to fool. Unfortunately, he was always keenly attuned to what people were thinking.

"I understand. It's fine. You're you, and your family is your family. Even after a hundred years, family remains something you care about deep down, something you can never erase." Kallen continued stroking Puer's head. "But I don't think I have the final say in this."

"Ah, that descendant of mine has definitely fallen for you. I think most women in this world, after looking at your face and chatting with you for a long time, would want to drag you into bed so they wouldn't have any regrets."

"That's not what I meant. I meant Dis."

"Oh, right, Dis!"

Puer raised her head again. "What did I tell you earlier? Dis definitely knew!"

Kallen thought that perhaps Puer had spent so long as a cat that her thoughts had become single-track. She could only discuss or do one thing at a time, with no room to juggle anything else;

that was understandable. Her condition was essentially imprisonment. All these years, apart from Dis, he was the only person she could talk to. Prolonged isolation could easily rob someone of the ability to branch out in conversation and thought.

"Your Families are in Vien, and they're very rich?"

"In my day, my Families wasn't that rich yet. In fact, wealth on paper often doesn't amount to anything remarkable. Take Molf that night.

It doesn't mean my Families have done better and better over the past hundred years. You could even suspect that... they've been doing worse and worse.

So badly that they need to have afternoon tea with those old ladies in Vien's royal family."

"Even a public toilet left uncleaned for ages wouldn't stink as badly as a Herring Can."

"You're right. So Dis's goal is..."

The man and the cat at the dining table both fell silent.

"You'll go ask Dis, won't you?" Kallen looked at Puer.

"Actually, Dis isn't very easy to get along with," Puer replied. "He's been that way since he was little. Once he decides to do something, there's really no changing it."

"Understood."

"Of course, perhaps it's different with you. He's always treated you differently." Puer gave a wry smile. "Of course, perhaps that's because you're different too."

Just then, the doorbell rang downstairs.

There was a doorbell at the Immerlis Family's entrance specifically for visitors, with a sign above it.

Miss Eunice had not used it earlier, though. After all, she was not strictly a "visitor," and summoning her hosts that way would have been somewhat inappropriate.

Kallen went downstairs and found an Old Madam at the door, supported by Mrs. Seymour.

"Hello, ma'am."

"Hello." The Old Madam looked rather haggard.

"Hello, Mrs. Seymour."

"Hello, Kallen. This is Mrs. Moddes. Mr. Moddes just passed away, and we need to give him a dignified, appropriate funeral."

This was the power of word of mouth. Clearly, Mrs. Seymour had referred her to the family.

For a long time, half of the Immerlis Family's truly profitable business had actually come through this sort of word of mouth.

"I'm sorry to hear that. My condolences."

Mrs. Moddes nodded.

"Please have a seat."

Kallen settled them into their seats, then went to brew some black tea without asking what they preferred.

He could tell that Mrs. Moddes did not have a forceful personality, and she was also grieving the loss of her husband. At a time like this, what a more reserved "customer" needed was not one "choice" after another. She needed to sit there while he took a slightly firmer approach, offering suggestions and helping make decisions along the way.

So,

as they went on to discuss the funeral details and arrangements, including the venue decorations and choice of coffin,

Kallen ended each suggestion with:

"Would this work for you?"

"Would you be comfortable with me choosing this for you?"

"Would this style meet your and your husband's needs?"

Mrs. Moddes only needed to answer, "Mm-hmm." "Yes." "All right."

Some strong-willed customers intensely disliked having a salesperson impose a scenario on them like this, and it would provoke their resistance. It had nothing to do with being rational or irrational. Some people simply could not stand the smell of cilantro, even though they were not allergic to it.

Others were more comfortable with this approach, perhaps because of their family life, or simply because they were easily persuaded. Forcing them to choose between "A" and "B" would leave them distressed.

Different customers required different sales strategies;

it was not really about securing the sale. After all, Mrs. Seymour had personally brought the Old Madam here. Even if Ron handled the discussion, the deal probably would not fall through.

But it could make the consultation shorter for both sides and leave the Old Madam feeling more comfortable.

The quality of their service was already beginning to show at this stage.

Once everything was settled,

Mrs. Moddes let out a long breath and leaned back against the sofa. Then, realizing that posture seemed somewhat improper, she immediately leaned forward and sat upright again. "Thank you very much, young man."

"You're most welcome. We'll send someone to bring your husband here later. If you have any other thoughts or requests, you can call us at any time. Rest assured, we'll arrange everything for you."

"Thank you."

"From our conversation, I can tell that Mr. Moddes was a very serious man."

"Yes, he always kept a stern face in public. His subordinates were all afraid of him. Sometimes it troubled him, too. He often asked me, 'Am I really that frightening?'"

"What did you tell him?"

"I told him, 'Oh, do you have any idea what I've been through living with you all these years?' Heh heh heh."

"Heh heh."

Kallen then naturally moved on to offering Mrs. Moddes some grief counseling.

He tried to help her feel that her husband was merely asleep, and that coming to the Immerlis Family's home was simply like staying at an inn, so she could first find some relief from her grief.

It was, in truth, something of a comforting illusion. The pain of losing a loved one could not possibly be dispelled by half an hour or an hour of conversation. But it could help her sleep a little more peacefully during the days when she would be busy arranging the funeral and receiving friends and relatives.

During that time, Aunt Mary and Aunt Winnie also came home. They were eager to ask Kallen how his blind date had gone, but when they saw him talking to customers, they quietly went upstairs without disturbing him.

Finally,

Mrs. Moddes rose of her own accord. "Thank you, young man."

"Rest assured, everything will be arranged properly."

"I believe you, and so does my husband."

Mrs. Seymour helped Mrs. Moddes out. As they left, Mrs. Seymour gave Kallen a subtle, meaningful look.

Kallen responded with a smile.

After seeing the customers off, Aunt Mary and Aunt Winnie appeared in the living room almost simultaneously.

Before they could ask how it had gone,

Kallen spread his hands and said:

"Aunt Winnie, I left the order on the coffee table. I need you to call the suppliers and ask them to deliver immediately.

Aunt Mary, please call Uncle home. I'm afraid he'll stay at the Crematorium Society drinking with Paul until late tonight, and I promised Mrs. Moddes we'd bring her husband home to stay with us tonight."

"That can wait..." Aunt Winnie said.

"Yes, that can wait for now..." Aunt Mary agreed.

Kallen said:

"Grade B Package."

"I'll contact the suppliers."

"I'll call that good-for-nothing and tell him to get back here right now!"

"Phew..."

Kallen let out a long breath.

Kallen took charge of dinner and made a few simple dishes: Tomato and Egg Stir-Fry, Shiitake Pork Stir-Fry, and Erjingtiao Chili Stir-Fried with Pig Ears.

The staple was flatbread, baked in the oven at home until crisp on the outside. Kallen cut a slit in each one with a knife so everyone could make their own "Roujiamo" with the side dishes.

The soup was Greens and Tofu Soup, and it was delicious. In fact, making tofu at home was quite simple as long as it was not intended for sale.

Everyone in the family became busy with Mrs. Moddes's order. After dinner, Kallen took an early bath and returned to his bedroom.

He switched on the desk lamp,

took out the book "Light of Order," and continued reading.

After reading for about an hour, Kallen closed the book and took out a sheet of paper.

First, he drew a circle,

then drew his own face beside it.

He had studied drawing for a time in his previous life. Although he could not have made a living from it, nor could he claim to draw particularly well, his work was already reasonably polished by an ordinary person's standards.

He drew a line down from the circle,

and added a house at its end.

Then, in the middle of the line, Kallen drew an altar, a very abstract one, and a person beside it.

Finally,

he drew another circle in a corner and labeled it "Vien."

Immediately afterward,

he drew a girl on the "Vien" circle. It was Eunice.

Puer's family and the Immerlis Family definitely had a connection, one that must have stretched back many years. After all, when Dis was still a child, Puer had already become the Immerlis Family's pet cat.

And even before she became a cat, she had been acquainted with the family.

The diagram was simple and clear. There was no need for deliberate analysis, much less any mysterious posturing to show off his intelligence.

All he needed to do was circle his own portrait, then draw a line to Vien, or to Eunice.

Dis,

was preparing a fallback for him.

Was it because something had changed about his identity, or because the effects of the Divine Descent Ritual were continuing to spread beyond control?

According to Puer, it was hard to say whether her family was doing better or worse than a century ago, but one thing was clear: they were still a prominent family in Vien.

The Molf family, a financial powerhouse in Rojia City with some influence in Ruilan, was nowhere near the same league as that family in Vien.

First, the two countries were on completely different scales. In some respects, Ruilan was practically a dependency of Vien;

Second, there was already an enormous gulf between families that had recently risen through wealth alone and aristocratic families with long histories. In this world of divine authority, that gulf would only grow wider, perhaps to an absurd degree.

After all, Mr. Molf could only "adopt" a fringe female believer of the Mills Church to be his mistress, while a senior member of the Eunice Family had been able to turn into a cat a century ago!

Most importantly, that cat had actually lived this long. She was practically a feline fossil.

So, if he went to Vien under the protection of the Eunice Family, his safety would be assured to some extent.

But...

Kallen frowned.

Why does it feel like I'm marrying into a family far from home?

Wouldn't that make me a live-in son-in-law?

Kallen unconsciously twirled the fountain pen in his hand. He was torn.

He treasured this family. He wanted Dis, his uncle, his aunts, Lunt, and the others to keep living here in peace and harmony.

People were selfish, yes, but love for one's family was itself a kind of selfishness.

So, if his own circumstances meant that becoming a live-in son-in-law was the only way to keep the Immerlis Family safe, he would not actually be all that opposed.

They treated him as family, so naturally he was willing to shoulder responsibility for them.

It was just that...

What exactly was Dis thinking?

Just then,

the bedroom door opened, and Lunt poked his head in.

"Kallen, Grandpa wants you in his study."

"All right."

The study door was ajar. Kallen knocked, then pushed it open and entered.

To Kallen's surprise,

Dis was not sitting at his desk writing with his fountain pen as he usually did.

Instead, he leaned back comfortably in his chair, holding a cup of tea.

"Grandpa."

Kallen sat down naturally across from Dis.

"That young lady came this afternoon, didn't she?"

"Yes, she did."

"Mm."

Dis nodded.

Holding his teacup in one hand, he opened the other.

"Order—Cage."

"Hm?"

Outside the study,

a black cat who had been eavesdropping was flung away.

Dis resumed speaking.

"What did you think of her?"

"She's beautiful, has a lovely personality, and is very well-mannered."

"Do you like her?" Dis asked.

"What kind of liking do you mean, Grandpa? If you mean whether I'm attracted to her as a man to a woman, then yes, definitely."

"Good."

Dis gave a slight nod and opened his palm again.

"Order—Cage."

Outside the study, the black cat who had stealthily padded back was seized and relocated to the chandelier in the living room.

"Allen is Puer's family name. They have some standing in Vien. It's an old aristocratic family."

"Yes, Puer told me."

"Spend some time getting to know that young lady while you can."

"How well should I get to know her?" Kallen asked.

"That young lady is a genius. She finished her studies very quickly, and she's been sheltered by her family since childhood. So she's a blank slate right now, at least in terms of experience with society.

"Though it's rather inappropriate for me, as your grandfather, to discuss a girl with you this way."

"No, I know you have my best interests at heart."

"Mm. Start a relationship with her. Make the most of your time. She won't stay in Rojia much longer, so you don't actually have long. Still, I don't think that will be a problem for you.

"Will it?"

"Although I don't think it's appropriate to discuss a relationship this way, I don't think it should be a problem."

"Be quick about it. If necessary, have her take you back to Vien."

"I... understand."

"Talking to you is always so effortless. I'm very fond of having a grandson like you."

Though it was somewhat inappropriate to feel that way, communicating with an autistic grandson really was exhausting.

"I'm very fond of having a grandfather like you, too."

"Oh, right."

Dis opened a drawer, took out a stack of money, and set it on the desk.

"You can't go on dates with a girl with empty pockets."

"Thank you, Grandpa."

Kallen had previously handed over his entire private stash to invest in the business, so he really did not have much cash on him.

Of course, Alfred was certainly wealthy, and if Kallen asked him for money, he would surely oblige.

But receiving pocket money from his grandfather felt different. It was like the university students in his previous life asking their parents for an extra dating allowance after getting into a relationship.

"All right, that's everything."

Holding the stack of Lu Coins, Kallen remained seated and asked,

"Grandpa, is it because of who I am that..."

Before Kallen could finish,

Dis shook his head.

"No. It actually has nothing to do with you.

"I performed the Divine Descent Ritual to preserve my family. Naturally, before doing it, I made sure not to leave anything behind that would expose my family to the danger of another investigation.

"So,

"this has nothing to do with you, or with the Divine Descent Ritual. You're not a burden, Kallen."

"Then..."

"Something has gone wrong with me. Something I didn't foresee, and it's quite troublesome. I didn't anticipate it before performing the Divine Descent Ritual.

"So this trouble concerns only me. It won't affect any of you, and it won't spill over onto the Immerlis Family."

"But you're part of the Immerlis Family too, Grandpa. The most important part," Kallen said.

"I'll handle it, and only I can handle it. Just like that night when I took you to the Molf house, some things are beyond the point where ordinary people can intervene or help. You should understand that.

"So,

"please trust me, and focus on doing what you should be doing right now."

What Dis meant was that they should not keep going back and forth with sentimental declarations. There was no need for empty words like "We'll always be with you," "Your family will always support you," or "We can't let you risk yourself."

Kallen nodded and stood.

Just as Kallen was about to leave,

Dis spoke again.

"Kallen."

"Yes, Grandpa?"

"My dream has always been for the Immerlis Family to leave the world of the churches behind, starting with me."

"I know."

"That will happen. Whether or not I manage to resolve this trouble, it will happen in the end."

"I believe in your abilities, Grandpa. In my eyes, there's nothing you can't do."

"But I won't interfere with my family's right to make their own choices in life. Just as, back then, I knew there were problems with the character of the man Winnie had chosen, but in the face of her stubborn insistence, I ultimately decided not to stop her.

"That's life. That's what living means.

"If you lose the right to choose for yourself and simply follow a prescribed path, you won't have much to look back on when you're old.

"That is also

"why I hope you can go to Vien.

"Some of the things you've shown me lately have indeed changed my thinking."

"Thank you, Grandpa."

Just then, Aunt Winnie came up to the third floor and looked up to find Puer clinging to the chandelier.

"Good heavens, this cat is getting more mischievous by the day."

Puer could not help rolling her eyes from the chandelier.

Winnie walked to the study and knocked.

Kallen opened the door.

"Aunt Winnie?"

Aunt Winnie smiled at Kallen, then looked at her father sitting inside.

"Father, the hospital called again. They said Mr. Hoffen was in critical condition again earlier, but they brought him back very quickly this time."

"All right, I understand."

"Mm."

Aunt Winnie turned and left.

Kallen was also about to close the door and return to his bedroom when he saw Dis rise from behind the desk.

"Kallen, come to the hospital with me."

"All right, Grandpa."

"Old Hoffen is very tired. It's time to bring him home to rest."

At the hospital,

in the ward.

For once, the caregiver was not dozing off. Instead, she was carefully peeling an apple for Mr. Hoffen.

"They brought you back very quickly this time. That means your health is slowly improving."

"Heh, perhaps." Mr. Hoffen smiled and opened his mouth, ready for the apple that was about to be placed inside.

But after waiting a while without tasting any sweet apple, he looked up and found the caregiver frozen in the act of feeding him.

Mr. Hoffen neither panicked nor lost his composure.

Quite the opposite: he let out a long hum through his nose, as though relief had finally arrived.

At the doorway,

a black shadow slowly drifted in, gradually coalescing into the figure of a man.

Then,

an imposing voice rang out.

"You have been accused of participating in a Divine Descent Ritual exceeding the permitted limits. Under the Order Regulations, we have come to question you."

"At last, you've come.

"The Evil God...

"The Evil God has already descended!"