God's Twilight

Eunice came out. Today, she wore a pink coat and leather boots, with a black handbag over her arm. Her shoulder-length chestnut hair seemed to shimmer in the sunlight.

Her outfits really suited her, always bringing out just the right balance of poise and sweetness for a woman her age.

Besides,

she had worn black at their last meeting, a protective color that kept others at a distance.

It was easy to imagine that she, too, had felt some resistance to their last "arranged" date.

This time, however, she had chosen a softer color, suggesting that she wanted to grow closer to him and enjoyed spending time with him.

Kallen smiled faintly.

He felt that applying this sort of "professional analysis" rather spoiled the mood.

Although his grandfather had arranged this date, and Eunice's mother's attitude suggested that Eunice had also received instructions from her family,

Kallen still hoped to make everything as pleasant as possible. He owed that to her, and to himself.

"Mr. Kallen, you're here. Let me introduce you. This is my mother."

"But standing together, you really do look like sisters."

A line for flattering one's prospective mother-in-law that had been hopelessly stale in his previous life still felt fairly fresh in this era.

"Oh, hahaha..." Mrs. Jenny couldn't help laughing again.

"Mom, Mr. Kallen is saying you look young."

"Of course, I understood him." Mrs. Jenny cautioned, "Stay safe."

"All right."

Then,

Mrs. Jenny turned to Kallen and pointed at him, but apparently realized the gesture was inappropriate and curled her finger back into a fist.

"You need to bring Eunice home safely before dark."

"Don't worry, ma'am."

Kallen opened the passenger door for her.

"Thank you."

Eunice got in.

Kallen took the driver's seat and started the car.

Only when they were nearly off Rhine Street

did Kallen say,

"Oh, right. Mina has an upset stomach, so she couldn't come."

"Oh..." Eunice covered her mouth, blushing slightly. Really, she should have asked about that first.

Kallen watched her expression.

She puffed out her cheeks a little,

then said frankly,

"I knew Mina wouldn't be coming."

"Yes, she's a sensible, well-behaved little sister."

"And an excellent student of mine."

They were both "adults." Some things needed no explanation.

"By the way, Mr. Kallen, I really liked the collection of your poems that Mina brought me last time.

Stray birds of summer come to my window to sing and fly away.

And yellow leaves of autumn, which have no songs, flutter and fall there with a sigh.

Such beautiful imagery, Mr. Kallen."

Last time, Eunice had given Mina a wallet in her family's style, so naturally Kallen had sent a gift in return: a cat-shaped pendant attached to a lovely notebook.

Then Kallen had copied quite a few of Tagore's poems into the notebook.

"Thank you. But a person's spirit doesn't always match who they are, especially when it comes to poetry. Often, it's just a fleeting reverie. Most of the time, I can't actually attain that state of mind.

Just as this world has wind, clouds, rain, mist, and frost, our lives are enriched by their touches, yet complicated by their presence. We can't truly remain pure forever."

"That was beautifully put, Mr. Kallen."

"You can call me Kallen, and I'll call you Eunice."

"All right."

"Mr. Kallen... Kallen, are you religious?"

From Puer, he had learned that the "Allen" family had no fixed religious tradition. The family was very democratic about faith: once their children reached adulthood, they could choose a faith according to what they sought.

This differed from the common practice of the time, in which an entire family followed the same religion.

"I'm afraid I haven't found my faith yet. I think I can wait until I've traveled a little farther and seen a little more, until I'm more mature and have had time to reflect.

By then, I'll probably understand enough to choose a faith that suits me."

"Really? You're just like me, Kallen."

"Am I? Then which church interests you most?"

"Hm? Why do you ask?"

"I think I could learn more about it."

"But shouldn't you find your faith for yourself, just as you said a moment ago? So, does what you just said not count?"

"But I believe the god I'm destined to worship will, when he feels the time is right, send a beautiful angel down to earth to give me the torch of faith."

Eunice bit her lip, holding back a smile.

Meanwhile, Kallen silently apologized to Mr. Hoffen, who had just been buried that morning.

After all, at his sickbed, Kallen had practically driven Mr. Hoffen to death with anger over the subject of "faith."

But Grandpa Hoffen, newly buried, would surely understand.

They arrived at the amusement park.

Kallen parked in the lot, and a parking attendant approached.

"Hello, sir. You'll need to pay the parking fee first."

Kallen took a hundred-Lu-Coin note from his pocket and handed it over. Yes, he had no smaller bills.

Besides, while driving earlier, he had noticed that Alfred had left a stack of money in the compartment, but there were no smaller bills there either.

The attendant immediately smiled and said with great enthusiasm,

"Thank you, sir. Here's your ticket. Please keep it safe."

Kallen accepted the ticket,

then looked at the attendant and asked,

"How much is the parking fee?"

"Five Lu Coins, sir."

"All right. My change, please."

"..." The attendant fell silent.

"I'm very sorry, sir. Do you have anything smaller? I don't think I can break this."

"Sorry, I don't. But you can wait a moment. I'll buy a cone at that ice cream shop over there and break the bill."

"I have some." Eunice opened her bag and took out a five-Lu-Coin note.

Kallen naturally took it and handed it to the attendant, then retrieved the hundred-Lu-Coin note he had given him earlier.

"What flavor would you like?" Kallen asked Eunice.

"Strawberry."

"All right. Wait here a moment."

Kallen jogged over, bought a strawberry cone, and brought it back to Eunice.

"Aren't you having one?" Eunice asked curiously.

"It's too cold. I don't feel like it."

Eunice didn't mind. She took a lick. "When I was little, I loved sitting beside the fireplace in the depths of winter, eating an ice cream cone while listening to Grandpa's stories."

"My grandfather likes taking Mina, the others, and me out to muddy ponds in the countryside to catch loaches in summer."

"I imagine that must be fun."

"It is."

Picturing Dis catching loaches, Kallen also found the idea amusing.

They bought tickets and entered the amusement park.

To Kallen, the attractions seemed rather dull and monotonous. After all, none of the more thrilling rides he knew from his previous life were here.

But the scenery was pleasant. Even in the depths of winter, it had its own desolate beauty.

Kallen and Eunice walked side by side along a path through the park, neither in any hurry to try the attractions.

For a long while, neither of them spoke. They simply strolled, now and then Kallen glancing at Eunice, and Eunice sometimes looking back at him.

"What would you like to try?" Kallen asked.

They had nearly walked through half the park.

"Anything's fine with me. What would you like to try?" Eunice asked.

Kallen pointed diagonally ahead, toward an attraction building topped with a skull sculpture.

"The haunted house. Want to try it?"

"I scare easily, but I've actually always wanted to go."

"All right."

The haunted house's ticket seller was a young man in clown makeup, holding a large inflatable hammer.

"Five Lu Coins per ticket."

"Is it scary inside?" Kallen asked.

"No, no, not at all. It really isn't frightening."

As he handed Kallen the tickets, the seller winked at him, meaning: Don't worry. We'll definitely scare the lady beside you into clinging to you.

At the entrance, someone wearing a monster mask took their tickets and gestured for them to enter.

Kallen and Eunice entered the haunted house. It began with a long, narrow tunnel, a classic haunted house setup, with "little ghosts" occasionally poking their heads out and making noises to frighten them.

Kallen seemed perfectly calm.

He wasn't forcing it. After enough recent experiences with corpses getting back up, his threshold had naturally risen.

To Kallen's slight surprise, Eunice also seemed quite calm. She even reached out with interest to touch a wooden "ghost face" that popped out.

Still, it was clear that this was probably her first visit to a haunted house, so she was curious about all the props and decorations.

Thus, they went through the entire first half as though touring an exhibit.

Ahead stood a red single-plank bridge hung with red lights, with gusts of air blowing from beside it.

A closer look revealed cushions beneath the bridge, which wasn't very high, but combined with the atmosphere, the effect was quite good.

Kallen went first and naturally held out his hand. Without hesitation, Eunice placed hers in it, and they crossed together.

Halfway across, the airflow suddenly intensified, blasting them like an industrial fan in a factory workshop... In fact, Kallen could already hear the large fan blades turning.

Eunice struggled to keep her footing, so Kallen slipped an arm around her waist to steady her. As soon as he did, the fan weakened.

Kallen suspected the ticket seller was hiding in some corner, watching them.

Not bad. This quality and level of service rivaled the Immerlis Family's.

The haunted house's second half featured more religious elements, displaying tortures from various religions.

Eunice also seemed to suddenly decide that she ought to be frightened, so frightened she became.

She gave little cries from time to time, while Kallen kept his hand at her waist to give her a sense of protection.

At last,

they "saw daylight again."

Eunice tidied her hair, and Kallen naturally withdrew his hand.

The ticket seller and owner came over with his inflatable hammer and asked,

"Would you two like to buy some souvenirs?"

As he spoke, he opened a box in front of him. It was filled with adorable skull accessories, all cartoonish and cute.

Kallen picked out two cute skull key chains.

"Fifty Lu Coins, thank you."

Kallen paid.

It was payment for the man's efforts, and well deserved.

"Weren't you scared, Kallen?" Eunice asked curiously.

"I was terrified," Kallen replied.

"Then why couldn't I tell at all?"

"I was just putting on a brave face. Haha."

"Haha."

Had they designed it around the Bridge of Helplessness, the Palace of Yama, or Ox-Head and Horse-Face throwing people into boiling oil, he might have felt nervous or afraid. But for now, he lacked the cultural connection needed to immerse himself in the religious horror of the second half.

Ahead was a snack shop specializing in balls of food. To Kallen, it looked a little like "oden."

They each filled a paper cup with plenty of food, then paid and sat on a bench.

"There's a movie theater nearby. Shall we go see a movie afterward?" Kallen asked.

"All right. I'll leave it up to you."

After finishing their snacks, Kallen and Eunice left the amusement park. He drove them out, and about ten minutes later, they arrived at the movie theater.

Kallen let Eunice choose the movie. She picked a comedy that was about to start.

After buying popcorn and orange juice, Kallen and Eunice went inside.

There were plenty of empty seats, so they could sit wherever they liked.

The movie soon began. It was a romantic comedy, and the few other pairs in the audience were young couples, too.

Kallen ate a piece of popcorn. Not bad.

Then Kallen naturally picked up a piece of popcorn and held it to Eunice's lips. Without the slightest hesitation, Eunice opened her mouth and ate it.

Kallen withdrew his hand,

suddenly recalling what Ron had once said about the pleasure of eating popcorn at the movies.

But that sort of crude pleasure would actually spoil the mood just then.

Once the movie ended, Kallen and Eunice left the cinema together.

Their next stop was a nearby restaurant Kallen had chosen. It specialized in local Rojia cuisine, but its main appeal was the lovely setting beside a river.

After they sat down, the waiter offered the menu to Eunice first, but she passed it to Kallen.

"You order."

Kallen ordered a few dishes and handed the menu back to the waiter. Once the waiter had left, Kallen said quietly,

"The food's actually pretty average."

Eunice likewise lowered her voice.

"Actually, I'd really like to try that dish you made last time... the fish with pickled mustard greens."

Unfortunately, that's your ancestor's favorite.

The food arrived soon afterward, and the two chatted as they ate.

Kallen kept the conversation comfortable for her throughout, never letting an awkward silence settle.

By the time they finished eating, it was getting late. Kallen drove Eunice back to Rhine Street and stopped outside her house.

Kallen got out first. Eunice got out on her own without waiting for him to open her door.

Then, quite naturally, they opened their arms a little and embraced.

"I had a wonderful time today. Thank you, Kallen."

"So did I."

It had been quiet and peaceful, without conflict or surprises, without fiery passion or dramatic ups and downs. Much of the time, they had both been rather reserved.

But that was how ordinary people lived, wasn't it?

They naturally let go of each other again. Eunice smiled. "I always feel so comfortable when I'm with you."

"So do I."

"I'll head inside, then. Mother must be waiting for me."

"I think she's probably watching us from the living room window right now."

"Huh?"

Kallen opened his arms again and gave Eunice another gentle hug.

"Kallen, I suddenly feel so nervous."

Kallen agreed once more. "So do I."

You'd probably be even more nervous if you were hugging that cat.

They parted again;

Eunice opened the garden gate and went inside.

"So you hugged?" Mrs. Jenny asked with a smile from the sofa.

"Mom, why haven't you turned on the lights?"

"I was afraid you'd see my silhouette through the curtains over the floor-to-ceiling windows, and I'd spoil your hug.

"How was it, my darling daughter, after a whole day on your date?

"I'm sure that young man knows how to charm girls. He must have swept you off your feet with his sweet talk."

Eunice shook her head,

and said,

"I don't think so. I think he's steady and very witty. Being with him feels a little like being with Father.

"So don't be prejudiced against him, Mom, even if he really is very handsome."

At those words, Mrs. Jenny

let out a deep sigh,

and rested her forehead in her hand.

"Mom, are you feeling unwell?" Eunice stepped closer in concern.

"No. It's just that after my dates with your father back then, that was exactly how I described him to your grandmother: steady and very witty, with a fatherly air.

"Only later did I realize

"that men like your father were the real experts."

"But I think you're very happy with Father, Mom."

"That's true. Still, this is good. It seems you like the young man you were matched with. I'd been trying to figure out how to write a letter turning down your grandfather's arrangement, even if it meant facing that stern face of his once we returned to Vien."

"So our families are old friends?"

"Yes, going back to a great-great-great-great-aunt of yours.

"Ever since her time, our family has kept in touch with his.

"Your father met me in Rojia City when he came from Vien to Rojia to visit their family. Then he took me back to Vien."

"So his family was sort of the matchmaker for you and Father?"

"Sweetheart, I think you could try asking him on your next date whether he'd be willing to come back to Vien with you, just as I did back then. Your grandfather seems to have that in mind."

"I think he has a strong sense of who he is. He probably wouldn't agree."

Eunice went to the bathroom.

Mrs. Jenny lit a cigarette,

blew out a puff of smoke,

and said with a smile,

"If he weren't willing, why would he have come to ask you out himself?"

After taking Eunice home, Kallen was ready to head home himself. He had just gotten into his car when a Caiman pulled up beside him.

"Kallen?"

"Mr. Piaget."

"Did you come to see me?" Piaget asked with a smile.

"Yes, but you weren't home just now, so I was about to leave."

"But I'm back now."

Kallen entered Piaget's house once again.

"Are you hungry? Shall I ask 'Linda' to make dinner?"

"No, I ate before I came. No need to trouble her."

After all, dressing up was tiring, too.

"All right. Wait a moment. I'll go make some coffee. It won't take long."

"Do you know how?" Kallen asked.

Piaget smiled,

and said,

"I know what you mean. I know how to make it. Don't worry, it really won't take long."

"All right."

Piaget went into the kitchen.

Kallen noticed an easel in the living room, with paintbrushes and a palette on the floor. A white cloth covered the easel.

The sight inevitably reminded Kallen of the religious paintings he had seen upstairs in Piaget's house last time, and the almost astonishingly coincidental order in which they had been arranged.

So,

this painting...

I'd better not look at it.

Piaget came out carrying the coffee. Seeing Kallen standing in front of the easel, he said,

"This is 'Linda's' latest work. Here, have a look."

Before Kallen could decline, Piaget lifted the white cloth, revealing the painting in full.

The distant scenery around the edges was clearly unfinished, but the central portion was almost complete.

The painting depicted a tall tower,

with a man standing atop it,

dressed in a magnificent white robe studded with gemstones.

The man held something resembling a crown in one hand and a scepter in the other,

his hair loose and disheveled,

his mouth open toward the sky, as though he were shouting something.

"This is..."

Piaget explained, "I was curious about what 'Linda' was painting, too, so I've looked up a lot of material over the past few days. In fact, the reason I wasn't home earlier was that I spent the entire afternoon at the city library.

"And then I found it.

"The man in the painting is the last pope of the Church of Light, known as the Mad Pope.

"He once stood atop the tower of the Temple of Light

"and shouted these words:

"'I don't believe there truly is a God of Light in this world.'

"To religious historians, that act was equivalent to sounding the final death knell of the Church of Light."

Piaget handed Kallen his coffee,

and continued,

"So,

"I've given this painting a name:

"'God's Twilight.'"