Mystery: The Last Shepherd

Chapter 24 Post-Event Summary
The Church of the Goddess of Night comprises thirteen archbishops and nine high-ranking deacons, among whom is Kreste Cecima. The fact that such a prominent figure would specifically come to see him filled Luze not with honor, but with lingering fear.

"Didn't Lord Cecima come here about Old Neil?"

"No, Lord Cecima came to see you specifically to assess your qualifications as a Night Watcher of the Mystic Path. He just happened to receive my report and decided to take care of things as well—so in every sense, Old Neil should thank you."

Dunn said.

"Then why did he leave again?"

Lu Ze was somewhat confused.

“He said he saw how you saved Old Neil, and the goddess's relic has also recognized you. There's no need for further investigation.” Dunn smiled as he said this. “That’s a good thing, Luze. It means you’ve been recognized by the Sanctuary. Now you’re truly under official protection. You should be happy.”

Hearing him say that, Luze did feel a sense of relief. But soon, he thought of the scene of Krestai grinning with his teeth covered in vengeful spirits, and he felt uneasy again.

The joy of acquiring the property, the peace of mind of being recognized by the church, and the fear of Creste—a mix of emotions swirled within him. He sat there, speechless, unsure of what to say.

"Also, since Old Neil is gone, you and Klein are still newcomers. I plan to apply to the Sanctuary to have them transfer an assistant from another region to bolster the team. Until then, you must study the mysticism courses on your own. Old Neil said he left all the documents in the archives downstairs, and you can look them up and study on your own, but be careful and don't try anything you're unsure about."

Dunn talked about the arrangements for the future.

Upon hearing that the occult courses that had tormented him were over, Luze was both happy and a little regretful, after all, Old Neil had taught him the real stuff. With him gone, he would have to learn it all on his own from now on.

I hope Klein can master it well and teach me more.

He prayed silently.

"That's how it is, Luze. You can go now. Remember to tell Klein about this as well."

"Okay Captain."

Lu Ze got up and slowly moved his feet, while secretly counting down the time in his mind.

one two three
"and many more."

Sure enough, it came.

Lu Ze turned around, smiled, and asked, "Is there anything else, Captain?"

"Your wedding reception is booked this Friday night at Old Will's Restaurant. Ah, old Neil missed it; he told me he was really looking forward to it."

“I understand, Captain.”

Lu Ze didn't know what to say, so he could only nod.

He was about to leave again.

"Wait a moment."

Dunn spoke again.

Lu Ze was forced to stop. "Captain?"

"Remember to submit proof of mental health. It would be best if you could get the documents ready for me within the next week."

"no problem."

He turned and left again. This time, Dunn didn't call him back, and he was able to leave the office without any trouble.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Nothing happened that afternoon.

Lu Ze spent the afternoon at Blackthorn Security Company, reflecting on the situation and practicing his shooting for half an hour. He gradually came to terms with the fact that a £900 house in the northern suburbs was going to be his. His heart slowly began to feel happy, and after get off work, he took a horse-drawn carriage to the street.

When Cecilia came home from school and pushed open the door, she saw a large table of delicious food: pan-fried foie gras, roast beef, vegetable salad, stewed lamb, cream cake, and a bottle of champagne and a bottle of wine, already unsealed, gleaming enticingly under the gaslight.

"came back?"

Luze was pouring champagne into a wine glass when he saw her come in, and he greeted her with a smile. Cecilia looked at the food, her expression somewhat blank. She put down her bag, thought for a moment, and then asked, "Luze, what are you doing?"

“Celebrating the good thing that happened.”

Lu Ze laughed.

He thought about it all afternoon and had figured it out. He truly deserved this reward, so he accepted it gracefully and used it to live a better life, which would be the only way to repay Old Neil's kindness.

"Good things happen every day, but if we keep wasting money like this, we won't have anything to eat tomorrow."

Cecilia earnestly tried to persuade her.

"Don't worry, sister."

Lu Ze couldn't help but laugh, "Actually, what I want to celebrate is this brother of yours, because I'm so capable that I earned a detached house for you in one night!"

After he finished speaking, Cecilia did not show any joy, but instead looked worried.

"Lu Ze, are you hallucinating again?"

Lu Ze was both amused and exasperated.

He had no choice but to explain in detail, but he couldn't tell his sister the whole truth. He could only say what he could, and it took a lot of effort to convince Cecilia of Luze's words.

"Brother, so everything you said is true?"

She stared wide-eyed at Lu Ze in surprise, "You're amazing!"

"right?"

Lu Ze couldn't help but laugh. Being genuinely praised by his sister was much more pleasing than being praised by a senior deacon of the Church of the Night. "I think so too."

Then he clapped his hands and said, "Alright, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and wash your hands and eat, or the food will get cold and won't taste good."

So the two washed their hands, took their seats, clinked glasses in celebration, and began to feast.

Seeing his younger sister enjoying her meal, Lu Ze felt genuinely happy, and then he picked up his knife and fork and joined in the eating.

After finishing their meal, the two were still savoring the lingering aroma of the food, chatting casually. They rested for a while before getting up to tidy up the table and wash the dishes.

"How's school? Has anyone bullied you? Have any clueless rascals tried to take advantage of you?"

While washing the dishes, Lu Ze looked at his sister's profile and asked.

"Don't worry, brother. The day Mr. Dunn took me to school, there were several policemen following behind. They're all spreading rumors that I'm the illegitimate daughter of a high-ranking police officer. Nobody dares to bully me."

Cecilia rinsed the foam off the plate with water as she answered.

"That's fine too."

Lu Ze chuckled, "And what about your studies? Are there any areas where you're falling behind?"

"It's alright. The teacher taught very simple things. I also reviewed them well after class. In the last class test, I ranked among the top in the class."

My sister's answer was incredibly reassuring.

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

Lu Ze felt much more at ease. He chatted with Cecilia for a while and made plans to go to the theater to see a performance on the weekend. Then he packed his things and went back to his bedroom to rest.

Back in his bedroom, he didn't lie down immediately. Instead, he turned on the gas lamp and pulled a piece of paper from his desk.

Old Neil's situation made him feel a bit of a crisis, and he wanted to take advantage of the free time tonight to sort out what kind of abilities he currently possessed.

　I will definitely update earlier tomorrow.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)