Kallen carefully straightened his clerical robes. He was about to meet a highly honored Temple Elder, so naturally he needed to dress formally. It was the most basic sign of respect.
After making himself presentable, Kallen bent down to straighten Little Kangna's clothes as well.
His movements were calm and unhurried, without the slightest hint of panic.
Kuluoyin, who could not have been any deader, still stood where she was, her open eyes facing Kallen like an attendant paying her respects. Kallen hung his mask on her sword while he was at it.
What he removed was the mask on his face; what he laid bare was their conflict.
Kallen was not worried that continuing to wear the mask would give Xidi grounds to kill him as an "intruder." This was Ponce Manor, the home of Elder Xidi's families, so whether he removed his mask actually made no difference to his situation here.
But with the mask off his face, Kallen no longer needed to keep "waiting on" that elder.
There would be no tacit understanding born of a private meeting, nor any of that false warmth.
In short, they might as well bring everything into the open. He would no longer put himself through the indignity of waiting on her.
Taking Little Kangna's hand, Kallen walked toward the stairs along the assembly hall's outer wall.
On the way, he passed Degunar and Nasri.
These two knew Kallen and knew his position. Although the situation was still a mess and they themselves were reeling with shock, they instinctively bowed in greeting.
"My respects, sir."
"My respects, sir."
Neither spoke loudly. Their voices were rather faint, but their posture was proper.
This showed that although this was one of the foremost families within the Order God Church, the church's system still