Chapter 115: Yes, I Have!

Chapter 115: Yes, I Do!

"Bertha, coffee. Oh, and Karen, what are you having?"

"I already have one." Karen picked up the water glass he had previously placed on the coffee table in front of the sofa.

"Let me refill that for you, as the ice in your glass is about to melt," Bertha said with a smile.

"Thank you."

"You are most welcome." Bertha stepped out of the office.

"Come, sit, Karen."

Piaget pulled the office chair out from behind the desk, walked to the side, and sat down.

Karen sat across from him diagonally; the two were not separated by the entire desk, but merely by a single corner.

"Back in Roga City, I thought I heard you mention you had plans to come out, but I really didn't expect you to arrive in York City, and so soon at that."

"Ninety percent of young people in Ruilan feel their future stage lies in Wien. Isn't it normal for me to come here?"

"No, you are different." Piaget shook his head. "Many young people in Ruilan harbor an impractical, illusory Wien dream in their hearts; they are truly simple and naive. You, on the other hand, definitely have a clear, supporting reason for wanting to come."

"My girlfriend is from Wien," Karen said.

"Oh, right, Miss Eunice. I remember meeting her at your house. A very beautiful and gentle young lady."

"Yes, I came to Wien because of her."

"How wonderful, truly wonderful." Piaget reached out to open a drawer, drawing a small black briefcase from it as he spoke, "Even though I know you are lying to me, I shall pretend to believe it."

"Lying to you?"

"Yes. Do you know what your gaze actually looks like when you truly love someone? I know you have feelings for Miss Eunice, but back then, it certainly hadn't reached the point where you would willingly come to Wien all by yourself solely for her sake."

"Feelings can grow warmer over time."

"It is very difficult for you to truly fall in love with someone. The love I mean is akin to what I feel for Linda, or the kind of madness depicted on the theater stage. You are far too mature for your age; at a time when you ought to believe in love and pursue it, you appear excessively rational."

How should one put it? When Piaget was not obsessing over the topic of 'Linda has returned' and 'Linda has left me', he was indeed a man of very delicate thoughts.

"So, you came looking for me." Piaget opened the briefcase and took out a checkbook. "Short on money?"

"In a way, yes."

"How much do you need? I will write it down for you."

"I need a job."

Piaget’s hand holding the pen paused for a moment. "Oh, I see."

Just then, Miss Bertha knocked and entered, placing a cup of coffee before Piaget and a fresh glass of ice water before Karen, after which she departed.

Piaget picked up his coffee cup, took a sip, and said, "You want to work here with me?"

"Is that alright?"

"Of course, of course," Piaget smiled. "My clinic has only just opened. Although more than half of the clients are the sort who go to the opera on weekends and think having a psychological issue is a very fashionable thing, there are indeed some who possess truly serious psychological problems that require timely treatment. Those 'doctors' who have read a few books, possess half-baked knowledge, but know how to talk—I have enough of them here already. Therefore, I very much need you to join us. A base monthly salary of ten thousand Raels, with commissions calculated separately. How does that sound?"

"Isn't that a bit too high?" Karen said. "There is no need for it to be so generous."

"It is just the standard market rate. Consultations operate on an appointment basis, so you do not even have to sit in the office; the secretary will help make the appointments for you at least a day in advance."

"Alright."

"Then it is settled?"

"Settled."

"Excellent." Piaget stood up, carrying his coffee as he walked to the French window. "Karen, what do you think of the view here?"

"Very good, quite charming."

"How about giving this office to you? Aside from officially receiving guests here, I usually meet patients in another small workroom. The spatial layout here is too grand, and there are too many elements. When a real patient sits here to chat, they feel a distinct lack of security."

"No need, you are the boss."

"Between the two of us, there is no need for such politeness."

"As you said, this place is not suitable for conducting work. The base color of my workroom had best be black."

"Very well, I will have Bertha arrange the renovations as soon as possible."

"Putting up wallpaper will suffice, no need to go to too much trouble."

"By the way, Karen, where are you living now?"

"In an apartment in the Blue Bridge community."

"The Blue Bridge community... I do not know that place name, so it must be very far."

"It is a bit far."

"Shall I arrange a new residence for you in the name of the clinic? Or simply come and live with me; I live alone as well."

"No thank you, I rather prefer my current residence."

"Is Miss Eunice living with you?" Piaget asked with a smile.

"You just invited me to live with you, so what do you think?"

"Hahaha, I realize my question skipped a step, so I was just rounding it out. So, my good friend Karen, who came to Wien for Miss Eunice, has now separated from her?"

"Yes."

"I feel like you are about to tell me a drama about despising the poor and currying favor with the rich, but I hope you will stop right there."

"Alright, then I shall skip a step as well."

"Mm, it is lunchtime. Let us have lunch together; there is a Ruilan restaurant nearby that I think is quite decent."

"If I am to start work tomorrow, I would like to head back first to tidy up." Karen pointed at himself. "I need to purchase two more sets of clothes suitable for work, perhaps in softer colors."

"Heh, you haven't even started working yet, and you already dare to decline a lunch invitation from your boss."

"I am not a female employee, so I feel no psychological burden in refusing a boss's lunch invitation. Furthermore, the difference between Ruilan cuisine and Wien cuisine to me is that one is called unpalatable, and the other is called very unpalatable. Some other day when you are free or when the clinic is on holiday, come over to my place and I will cook for you myself."

"Oh, that is right, I remember your culinary skills are extraordinary, so I shall look forward to it. By the way, buying your attire counts as a work expense; keep the receipts and the clinic will reimburse you. Additionally, keep receipts for your daily expenses wherever possible, and they shall be reimbursed together."

"Thank you, but that won't be necessary."

"Well then, in short, if there is anything I can help with that you require, please do not hesitate to speak up. What is a true friend? A true friend is someone for whom helping you in any way only brings happiness, without calculating any gain or loss."

"I can feel it, thank you, Piaget."

Karen stood up, preparing to take his leave, but as he reached the threshold of the office door, Piaget spoke up once more behind him.

"Oh, right, there is one more thing."

"What is it?"

"Never mind, it is not urgent. I want you to give me some psychological counseling, but that can wait until after I visit your home in a while to taste your cooking."

"Are you alright?" Karen inquired.

"Life has been rather fulfilling lately. The problems remain, but my attention can be momentarily drawn away. I chose Bertha as my private secretary precisely to tell myself not to avoid the issue."

"I am worried it might exacerbate the problem," Karen said.

"Merely because she resembles Linda? Ha, please, how could that be? My love for Linda touches her very soul, not just her skin."

"Well then, see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow."

Karen walked out of the office. In the waiting room outside, Alfred sat in a chair reading a newspaper; seeing Karen emerge, he immediately rose to his feet and followed.

Bertha intended to escort Karen out personally, but then she saw the buzzer on her desk ring. She instructed another secretary to see the guest off, while she pushed open the door and stepped back into the office.

"Karen will be coming to work at the clinic tomorrow. Make the arrangements."

"Very well, Boss, I shall go call Mr. Karen back right away to complete his onboarding profile."

"No need for such trouble. His physician rating within the clinic is the same as mine. As for the rest of the profile, just make something up."

"Very well, Boss, I understand. Then the surname..."

Piaget stroked his chin and said, "Just make one up at random too."

"Very well, Boss. It is plain to see that you and Mr. Karen must have been very close friends in the past."

"Of course. I believe that if you interact with him more in the future, you too will discover his charm. However, he has a girlfriend—actually, a fiancée, it seems—though they appear to be having some trouble right now. You are not entirely without a chance."

"Is that so? That truly is good news. I shall pass it along to the female staff and physicians in the clinic."

"Oh, no, then no one will have their mind on their work. Also, handle the client referrals. The patients you recommend to Karen... handle them according to my own client standards. His capability is no less than mine."

"Very well, Boss."

"Mhm. Furthermore, if there are any wealthy widow clients, you can recommend them to him as well. He is also adept at dealing with that demographic."

"Yes, Boss."

"Order lunch for me."

"Please wait a moment, Boss."

Bertha went out.

Piaget rolled his chair back behind the desk, reached out, and pulled open the left-hand drawer. Inside lay a fair number of photographs, nearly all of them of himself and Linda.

Looking at these photographs, a warm smile appeared on Piaget's face.

Until, that was, the final photograph was lifted, and his smile gradually turned solemn.

"You broke your promise."

Piaget said.

"I have been waiting for you to come find me all this time, but why haven't you? Instead, it was Karen who came to find me."

Piaget picked up the second glass of ice water that Karen had left untouched, took a large gulp,

And continued to mutter to himself:

"Regrettably, I do not know what your name truly is, nor do I know your identity. Yet before this, a voice in the dark kept telling me that I would encounter a hysterical you right here;

And you would lead me into a new world, a world that Linda had always yearned for."

Piaget closed his eyes.

In his mind rose the image from that day of Linda flying into the sky, and of that giant goddess upon the firmament.

He crossed his hands, pressing them against his chest.

The entity that Linda did not hesitate to leave me to pursue,

Just what kind of charm do you possess?

"Praise... Rielsa?"

The background of that photograph was a café. In the picture, three people held up their coffee cups: the middle-aged Bede, the young Linda... and the young Piaget.

Bertha first instructed the other secretary to order lunch delivery for the boss from that Rylane Restaurant, then she made her way to the restroom.

The restroom was located on the outer perimeter of the clinic. Walking outward from the doorway led to a relatively open area. Bertha walked up to an open window, letting the wind from the high-rise building blow through her hair.

Then, she silently produced a pack of slim cigarettes, pinched one out, and lit it.

The exhaled smoke, blown back by the wind, struck her face, yet she deeply enjoyed this brushing sensation against her skin.

In her mind,

The scene from the office earlier re-emerged:

"Listen, I hope you can sober up now, and I hope you know exactly what it is you are doing right now..."

On the sofa, Karen's words as he gripped her hand to warn her echoed in her ears once more.

Has he already seen through my identity?

Is he advising me to sober up, urging me to turn back?

Bertha's gaze peered out at the city architecture ahead and the flow of traffic between the buildings.

In his eyes, there had been regret and sympathy, and even more so, an unerasable concern.

Bertha took another puff of her cigarette, meticulously replaying the details of Karen's previous facial expressions in her mind.

He sympathizes with me?

No,

Perhaps he sympathizes with us?

Just then, a female security guard from the clinic walked up behind Bertha. Among the clinic's clientele, there were quite a few women, so to better handle certain situations, the number of female guards in the clinic equaled that of the men.

"Rebecca, have you observed that follower of his?" Bertha asked.

"Lord Envoy, I have observed him, but I cannot see through him."

"You cannot see through him?"

"He bears the aura of an aberrant demon, yet also the aura of a believer. He might be an aberrant demon, he might be a priest, or it is even possible he is merely a very charming male follower."

"Would a very charming man be willing to serve as a follower?" Bertha countered.

"Yes, it is a deficiency in my capability."

"No, it is no fault of yours. That young man is not simple."

"Is he someone sent by another church?"

"It shouldn't be. If they were sent by another church, we wouldn't have the chance to stand here talking right now," Bertha said. "He seems to have come specifically for Piaget. He and Piaget must be true friends."

"Is that so... Perhaps another faction has also observed Mr. Piaget? He might hold the same purpose as we do."

"I don't think things are that complicated, but we need further observation. Even the boss is not a simple man. Even though I have become almost identical to his late wife, he still treats me in a very ordinary manner."

"Your subordinate previously suggested that the Envoy need not go through such complications, and could simply use your original appearance, which might actually have a better effect. Not all men will endlessly miss their late wife's likeness and want to find a replacement. In fact, most men in this world get tired of it and want a change of pace."

"Slap!"

A handprint appeared on the female security guard Rebecca's face.

Bertha looked at her and said very seriously:

"I will not allow you to speak of Mr. Piaget that way."

"Yes, Lord Envoy, I was wrong."

"Continue to wait. I do not believe the guidance of the Altar of Light can err. The opportunity for the revival of Light is right here, a being who may rise to the occasion and inherit the opportunity of the Wall God Church;

The one guided by the Altar of Light must be him;

The opportunity of the Wall God Church should also become the opportunity for my Church of Light.

We will continue to wait here.

Regardless, we have already waited for a very, very long time, and a little longer won't matter.

By the way,

Has the notice for the new round of gatherings been sent out?"

"In response to the Lord Envoy's words, it has already been sent out."

"No accidents occurred, right?"

"An accident did occur. Two carrier crows failed to return. According to memory retrospection, one crow was trapped by someone using a spell."

"And the other?" Bertha asked.

"The other was caught by a cat. It was a genuine accident."

Bertha nodded.

"Lord Envoy, does the gathering still need to be held as scheduled?"

"Held as scheduled."

"But..."

"Light will assimilate other colors that attempt to blend in. I actually hope they will attempt to blend in and participate, heh."

"Yes, I understand."

"Go tend to your duties. I'll have another cigarette."

"Lord Envoy..."

"Is there something else?"

"Elder Dock wanted your subordinate to bring you a message."

"Heh, a warning, I suppose."

"Elder Dock's meaning is, you haven't actually fallen in love with the boss, have you?"

"He is a very charming man." Bertha lit her second cigarette. "Is it not a very normal thing to fall in love with him? Especially when he is treating patients, he is truly very charming.

Moreover, that mysterious Mr. Karen from today, I also have a great impression of him. Very handsome, very charming, and furthermore, very profound.

He will come to work tomorrow. You don't need to monitor him anymore, lest side effects occur. I will contact him personally."

"Yes, but will it really be alright?"

"No problem. Mr. Karen seems to... deeply sympathize with our Church of Light. He even advised me to wake up today. I could feel that his gaze at that time was not false."

Rebecca praised in a low voice, "The Light endures forever."

Exhaling a smoke ring, Bertha echoed:

"Mhm, the Light endures forever."

...

Stepping out of the elevator, arriving outside the building, and sitting into the car parked by the roadside:

"Young Master, when I was sitting in the waiting lounge just now waiting for you to come out, a female security guard in the clinic seemed to pay extra attention to me."

"A female security guard? Could it be that she took a liking to you?"

"I don't think so. She was using a low-level detection spell to probe me."

"With the status of Piaget's father, arranging a few low-level clergymen to serve as his bodyguards in York City seems barely justifiable."

"But it would be fine if she just probed once. She actually wasn't satisfied with once and came for a second time, and a second time wasn't enough, she probed me a third time..."

"Are you saying she discovered your identity as an aberrant demon?"

Alfred lowered his head, sniffed his own two arms, and said:

"Young Master, there is one thing I have only recently discovered myself."

"Speak."

"That is, after coming to Wayne with you, Young Master, especially during these few days since moving out of the Allen Manor, I seem to feel that the aberrant demon aura on my body has become very faint."

"Did Purdue and Kevin say so?"

"They have probably been staying with me all the time, so they would instead overlook this change. But we can have them sniff again for a formal confirmation after returning home later.

Regardless, I myself feel that the aberrant demon aura on my body has become very faint, and instead, a different, special aura has emerged..."

"A special aura?"

"Just like the aura on those clergymen I have seen before. Very proper, very serious, very aloof. The old me used to look down on this kind of aura, thinking it hypocritical.

But the current me seems to truly have this kind of aura on my body."

Hearing this, Karen asked, "Do you mean to say that you have recently gone behind our backs and secretly believed in another church?"

"No, no, absolutely not. When I served under Master Dis, I didn't have any interest in the Church of Order either. How could I secretly believe in another..."

Suddenly,

Alfred froze,

And then a look of wild joy appeared on his face as he shouted:

"Yes, I do!"