Chapter 18: Coiled Worm

In a street, the silhouette of a man could be seen. With a cane in his left hand, he walked in a refined manner; his manners seemed to fall only slightly in comparison to those of the nobles. The rhythmical tapping of the cane could be heard subtly, but most of it was hidden by the chaotic noise from the surroundings.

A few minutes later, the man took a turn from the temple of Mother Nature and walked for another two minutes, finally reaching a cathedral, the Cathedral of The Holy Son, Saint Askroza Cathedral.

He removed his hat with a graceful gesture, gently pressing it against his chest as he entered. The mysterious figure quietly surveyed the surroundings, noting the mix of refugee families from the Indus Federation and a few locals.

Seated in silence on the pew, he absorbed the teachings of the bishop. Head bowed, hat placed respectfully beside him, palms clasped, and eyes closed, he immersed himself in the solemn atmosphere.

"... 'He' emphasizes that family should reign supreme above all else."

"... Drenched in sorrow and sadness, tormented by pain, a man must endure it all for his family; it is his duty."

"... A woman supports her man, for behind every successful man stands a woman! Yet, in the end, a man must also uphold his family. Providing food and shelter is not the conclusion of his duty!"

"... Fear not, for the son of omnipotent and omniscient existence, the father of all, is with you!"

The figure sensed a clarity settling in his mind as the bishop's voice resonated. As the mass concluded, and the bishop headed towards the confessional booth, a line formed with men and women patiently waiting. Observing this, the figure stood up, donned his hat, picked up his cane, and joined the queue.

Positioned towards the front, he soon found himself entering the booth after a few individuals. Closing the door behind him, he was enveloped in complete darkness.

"My child, what is it that you want to say?" The bishop's voice resonated in the confessional booth. After a brief pause, the mysterious figure began to express his troubles.

"There is a matter that is troubling me, haunting me; I can't sleep peacefully at night due to this matter."

"Feel free to speak, my child." The bishop's comforting voice eased the figure's turmoil.

"I have done things that are against my morals, against my principles. At first, I was forced to do them, but now I willingly engage in them."

"Why is it that you willingly do it?"

"It is to provide for the needs of the people I love."

'For the kids in the orphanage,' the figure thought inwardly.

"Well, for your family, I assume?"

"Indeed, they are closer than family," the figure replied almost instantly.

"Family, according to The Pure One, also called the Holy Son, our Savior, a man should sacrifice everything for his family. His enjoyment lies in his family; his happiness lies in his family." Listening to this, the figure adjusted the hat that he wore.

"However, if you get in the way of harm, then what would happen to your family? Listen to your heart."

"My heart?"

"Yes, your heart. Trust in the Holy Son, and be with your family. Everything will be all right."

"You have a soothing voice, Bishop, almost therapeutic," the figure abruptly remarked. "You'd make a fine psychiatrist."

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

With that, he exited the booth, approached the donation box, and dropped a shilling inside. Afterward, he left the cathedral. However, at that moment, a voice called out to him.

"Dr. Churchill! Long time no see! I recognized you right away with that receding hairline and those blue eyes."

...

[Sweet Family]

People often talk about a line between bosses, their workers, and the families of employees, but with me, Evan, and his sister Lumina, that line seemed non-existent.

Lumina, with eyes similar to Evan's and a simple dress, bore a resemblance to her brother.

"Sir, it must have been quite a battle, right?" Evan asked with a curious voice.

"Indeed, just like the ones you see in dramas," I replied, casually touching one of the bandages on my face.

After the battle, I went straight to Klervin. Fortunately, he was a decent chemist. Despite the cost, I managed to get pills that soothed my pain and were designed for burns. Yet, they didn't work instantaneously, so I ended up using quite a lot of bandages.

Evan couldn't help but notice the bandages, especially the ones on my face, and he inquired about them. In response, I spun a tale about a scuffle during my investigation.

As I began to elaborate, the waitress arrived with our food, instantly diverting my attention to the delicious spread in front of us. We were dining at Sweet Family, a humble establishment tucked away in a corner. Oddly enough, I find that restaurants with unassuming exteriors often serve the most mouth-watering dishes.

On the table, an array of dishes unfolded - three distinct soups, fried fish, braised meat, mashed potatoes, mixed fried vegetables, accompanied by bread, butter, and sunny-side-up eggs.

My gaze lingered on the tempting pan-fried fish, and with a suppressed gulp, I elegantly served myself a plate. Opting for a refreshing touch, I poured fruit juice into a glass.

Observing my lead, Evan and Lumina mirrored my choices. Glasses raised, we echoed in unison, "To celebrate her admission!"

A collective sip marked a moment truly worth celebrating.

Lumina, unlike her elegant appearance, didn't hesitate to eat a mouth full and then sip the fruit juice along. She had picked up the beef stew, enjoying it. Even Evan had ordered beef stew, enjoying the meal.

Unlike these two, I did not order beef, as from my past life in my household, this used to be a taboo. After all, I was half Indian.

Ignoring the stench of beef, I went for the soup that I ordered. It was chicken soup with peas and vegetables in it, tasted a bit bland. Would be better if there was more spice added to it.

The unseasoned chicken disappointed my taste buds, prompting me to shift my attention to the pan-fried fish. With a fork and knife in hand, I sliced through the tender fish, finding it enjoyable with only one prominent bone in the middle. Opting for an extra, extra spicy flavor, the burst of juices in my mouth made this bite exceptionally satisfying.

"Well, Lumina, did someone trouble you during the entrance exams?" Evan inquired abruptly after finishing the piece of bread in his mouth.

"Hmm, yeah." She responded, her mouth still occupied with food. After swallowing, she continued energetically, "There was this one guy who tried to hit on my friend I made over there. Her name is Eliana. But then he found out she's a commoner.

This noble guy then tried to bully her and me too! And then, and then, he spouted some nonsense like 'you commoners are wasting the air, kneel before me, you're all worth nothing!'" Evan's expression turned serious upon hearing this.

"What happened next?"

"Well, the first round of the test came. In that round, where students had to go on stage and battle with knowledge, surprisingly, that noble guy and I were selected first. Hehe~ the way I humiliated him. But even after that, his arrogance had no end. He dared to say, 'how dare you defeat me! You will pay for this."

Hearing the last line, Evan's and my faces cringed. I couldn't believe people like this actually existed. I thought young masters were limited to novels, especially cultivation ones.

Lumina continued to talk, quite the chatterbox she was, making the environment lively. Listening to her words, naturally, a genuine smile lit up my face. Since my past life, when my parents were still alive, I always harbored the wish to have a younger brother and sister. I would often feel a twinge of jealousy when observing my friends with their siblings. Though these two weren't exactly that, the camaraderie we shared was almost sibling-like.

As they laughed and conversed energetically, a warm and comforting feeling enveloped me. It felt truly delightful.

Taking the jug filled with fruit juice, I poured it into my empty glass. I then gestured for both of them to show their empty glasses. Once again, we clinked our glasses and drank the juice.

After finishing our meals, I beckoned the waitress to bring the bill.

"Brother," Lumina suddenly called out to me. Though it still felt slightly weird to hear this word from her, it brought a warm feeling inside me.

"What is it?"

"Well, I received quite a sum of money by tutoring a lot of kids and doing part-time jobs." As she played with her hair, she continued, "I should be the one treating you both, right?"

"Alright." I gave a subtle nod. She cheerfully and happily footed the bill, bringing a smile to Evan's face too. It was evident that people showed a different side when they were with their loved ones.

...

Puff!

I took a deep puff from my cigarette. Lifting my left palm, aided by the silver moonlight, I scrutinized the two circular objects.

One was a ring, and the other, a black coiled worm.

"F*ck it, I have to do this!"