Chapter 118: The First Patient

Chapter 118 The First Patient

Dinner was brought back by Alfred on his way home: baked flatbreads, roasted chicken, and vegetable salad.

It had to be said, Alfred truly understood his young master's tastes, bypassing the cream buns and roasted meat.

However, as for Karen, the casual meals he was more accustomed to getting by with would rather be: pig's head meat, spiced beef, peanuts, and cold-dressed side dishes.

Yet, even if such a combination could be bought outside, the gap in flavor would be immense.

Everyone sat down together to eat,

And Karen reminded Xili: "The cat and dog at home require treatment equal to human beings."

Alfred explained: "The cat needs a cup of coffee every morning and afternoon. If we are not home at noon, you need to prepare meals for the cat, making them as exquisite as possible. Afternoon tea and a daily fresh fruit platter are indispensable.

As for the dog... when you prepare for the cat, prepare for the dog along the way; just a grade lower than the cat will do."

"Woof!" The golden retriever barked in dissatisfaction.

Purr initially felt a secret joy in her heart, but was immediately startled: Not good, the radio sprite is dividing our alliance!

Regarding the care of Purr and Kevin, Karen had always been very generous; as for other matters, like Xili's salary and benefits, Karen did not ask, trusting Alfred would arrange them well;

With his own base salary of ten thousand Reals a month, and a commission share that would only be higher than the base, not lower, he could completely afford to maintain a few more maids.

After all, this was York City, one of the most prosperous cities in this world, with too many wealthy people who "moaned without cause."

Eating just a little, Karen went back to the second floor to lie on the bed and read the newspaper; the home's heating wouldn't be reconnected until tomorrow, and after nightfall, nowhere was more comfortable than inside the blankets.

Without needing to be ordered, the golden retriever fetched the newspaper with his mouth and turned on the radio.

Karen began to read the newspaper; he liked reading the "Vienne Daily" because it was not a restrictive regional paper. Although a portion of its pages was set aside to report on Vienne news, most of the news still looked outward, fully deserving to be called the "International Times."

In other words, as an empire with vast colonies, the major news occurring within Vienne's own borders naturally belonged to a kind of "international news."

King York, after participating in a series of enthronement ceremonies, was hospitalized.

A faint smile appeared at the corner of Karen's mouth; elderly people feared change most of all. Perhaps by continuing to operate according to inertia, the old man could live for a long time, but if forced to toss and turn, even if tossing toward something beneficial to physical and mental health, it might lead to an early end.

People were like this, nations were like this... even churches were like this.

"A rebel army appeared in the Kotak region, attacking a town and establishing a provisional government."

The Kotak region was in the Southern Continent, where desert areas made up the majority, and the Southern Continent had always been a colonial carving ground for empires like Vienne; various empires had waged wars here, plundering the territory of the indigenous people.

However, the report also pointed out that the rebel army in the Kotak region had originally intended to negotiate with the Vienne government to obtain an autonomous region and a small portion of autonomy, but after the death of the Queen, the rebel organization seemed to have received funding from other empires and abandoned peaceful means.

Continuing to flip through the newspaper,

The bedroom door was pushed open, and Xili walked in holding a broom.

"Sir, the other places are all cleaned, I will sweep here too."

Though Karen was somewhat surprised, he still nodded: "Alright."

Purr silently raised her head, staring at Xili.

Xili began to clean; in truth, she now felt a bit regretful. Because she had no experience as a maid, she had not anticipated beforehand that it was unsuitable to enter the bedroom to clean at this time, especially when the male master was still lying in bed.

But previously, because she was immersed in the feverish thought of having to work hard to repay her employer for such a high salary, she had completely overlooked this point.

Yet if she were to leave just like this now, it would be even more awkward, so she could only continue to clean.

Karen looked at her figure as she stood there sweeping with her back to him,

Hmm?

Was she wearing jeans this afternoon?

Especially when she bent over, that protruding curve.

How should one put it—never mind a man, even a woman could not help but take a few more glances.

However, Karen still raised the newspaper, obscuring his vision; she was engaged, and he had already touched Eunice's legs, so it was truly improper to diffuse any other thoughts while living alone outside;

It wasn't that "looking" itself was a sin, but rather that his gaze might very well bring pressure to this newly arrived girl, making her mind wander.

Purr had originally snuggled beside Karen with her eyes closed, dozing off. After Xili entered, she also raised her head to look at her; as she watched, the newspaper Karen raised blocked her vision as well.

Somewhat dissatisfied, Purr stretched out a paw intending to press the newspaper down, but Karen pulled up the quilt, smothering the cat's face inside along with it.

Finished with the cleaning, Xili walked to the doorway and bowed to Karen:

"Apologies, Sir, I have no experience; next time I will clean during the day."

"It's fine, are you heading back in a moment?"

"Yes."

"Let Alfred drive you back."

"My home is not far from here, I can walk back by myself, no need to trouble Mr. Alfred."

"It is too late now, it is unsafe for you to go back alone. Starting tomorrow, after dinner concludes, you may go home."

"Yes, Sir, you really are a good person."

"Mm."

Karen continued reading the newspaper; Xili walked out and closed the bedroom door.

"I don't believe your heart isn't itching," Purr said softly. "Keeping her around, it's inevitable mistakes will be made."

"You want to dismiss her?" Karen asked. "At least we must see the situation with the coffee and meals she prepares for you tomorrow before deciding, shouldn't we?"

"What you say makes a lot of sense." Purr was persuaded.

Back then, she was captured by Karen using "fish with Chinese sauerkraut" and "squirrel-shaped Mandarin fish"; this very old cat, in her true nature, still possessed the temperament of that eldest young lady.

"Alright, I'm going to sleep; I have to go to work tomorrow."

Have to go to work tomorrow,

Heh, what a truly distant, unfamiliar, yet familiar sentence.

Kevin crawled out from the dog bed, first turning off the radio and then turning off the light.

Purr kicked her legs inside the blankets and stopped making a fuss, settling into silence.

Karen pressed the quilt down against his neck,

And said:

"Good night."

"Woof~"

"Meow~"

...

At six o'clock in the morning, Karen got out of bed, washed up, changed into the clothes bought yesterday, and walked downstairs.

To Karen's slight surprise, Xili had already appeared in the house.

"Young master, Xili came over very early to make breakfast."

Breakfast was simple: buttered bread, fried eggs, small sausages, and hot milk.

Karen sat down and ate his breakfast, addressing Xili as she resumed her meticulous cleaning with a rag:

"When I have some time, I will teach you how to cook."

"Yes, Master, thank you, Master."

Karen still preferred noodles or century-egg and minced-pork congee for breakfast, and speaking of congee...

"Alfred, remember to find some time to buy a few jars for pickling vegetables."

"Master, I will go buy them," Xili said.

"Good, take the expenses from Alfred."

"No need, jars aren't expensive."

"Rules are rules, unless you don't want to stay here, you must follow them," Alfred reminded her.

"Yes, sir, I understand."

Walking downstairs, Alfred started the car and drove Karen to the nearby tram station. After parking, Alfred bought the tickets and accompanied Karen onto the tram.

Taking the tram meant they didn't have to worry about traffic jams unless an accident happened up ahead, but the problem was... there were truly too many people inside, far more exaggerated than the subway rush hours in the metropolitan cities of his past life.

If Alfred hadn't used his own body to shield against the surging crowd behind them, Karen felt he would have been like a sardine packed in a can, jolting and squeezing all the way to their destination.

Thus, upon stepping off the tram, Karen said:

"Let's drive to work from now on. I will wake up an hour earlier to miss the morning rush hour."

"Very well, Master, I believe that is a wise choice."

Taking the elevator up to the 21st floor, the receptionist greeted Karen warmly when they arrived at the front desk. Then Bertha walked out, familiarly hooking her arm through Karen's, and first led him to meet the colleagues;

Karen didn't know if these colleagues remembered him, but regardless, he hadn't remembered a single one of them.

Afterward, Bertha brought Karen to his office—a modest room, dominated by black tones with soft lighting. Karen was quite satisfied with the layout of this environment.

"In this box are your work uniform and identification badge; the uniform is not mandatory. Additionally, this telephone can make outside calls, and your line can also reach the secretariat. If you need anything, you may request them to deliver it."

"Alright, thank you."

Bertha pressed a button on the desk phone:

"Hello, bring in a glass of ice water."

"Understood."

Soon, a female secretary entered carrying a glass of ice water and placed it on Karen's desk.

Karen sat down behind the desk and asked, "Roughly when can a patient be arranged?"

"There is no need to be anxious. Normal medical consultations require appointments. I will confirm the contact time slots with you at least one day in advance."

"Then what about today?" Karen asked. "I have nothing to do today?"

Bertha smiled and said, "Barring any accidents, that should be the case. There is one more thing to remind you: you do not need to arrive so early in the future, just arriving at the appointed time is fine. Because your physician credit tier is as high as the boss's, you can enjoy the same degree of freedom as the boss."

"Alright, I understand, but I still hope you can arrange a patient for me sooner."

Karen shrugged and continued:

"After all, I don't want to sit here and collect a salary for doing nothing."

After all, living on just a base salary seemed a little insufficient.

Karen still wanted to earn more money, so he could wire it to his uncle to help pay off the mortgage earlier.

"In that case, there happens to be a guest very suited for you, I can arrange it for you."

"Good."

"The guest will come over in about half an hour, does that work for you?"

"It works."

Bertha walked out of Karen's office, while Karen rested both hands on the armrests of his chair, looking at the desk before him.

Through the gaps in the blinds, he could see the people working in the cubicles outside;

This feeling was familiar, utterly familiar—this was exactly how he used to work in his previous life.

Pulling open a drawer, there were only some blank notebooks and stationery paper inside.

"Inside, there ought to be a pistol."

Although Alfred would be sitting in the waiting lounge while he was at work, he was, after all, sitting in the waiting lounge.

Karen raised his fingers and gently waved them before his eyes. Fortunately, he was not completely defenseless now; no matter what, the "Spear of Punishment" could still unleash a blast.

The only issue was likely that his current abilities were somewhat extreme—either stacking turtle shells for defense, or discharging a single explosive shot—he was unable to achieve the poise of his grandfather.

Of course, Karen did not presume to instantly become like his grandfather, but according to the progression of the Order of Orthodoxy, it was probably only upon reaching the rank of Inquisitor that one was considered capable of fighting.

He still had a way to go.

The Divine Enlightenment had already arrived; the next step was the Divine Shepherd.

Karen picked up a blank notebook, drew a large water vat upon it, and then drew a very thin pipe.

His current problem was that the water vat was massive and the accumulation was vast, but the opening of the pipe releasing the water was too small, and the size of the opening was demarcated according to Divine Enlightenment, Divine Shepherd, and Inquisitor.

In other words, once he reached Inquisitor, his pipe opening would finally be widened to a fundamentally usable degree. At that time, relying on his vast accumulation... against an Inquisitor of the same tier...

Even using the stupidest method, where someone else might be exhausted after casting a spell three consecutive times, he could use it more than ten times without stopping. Wouldn't the advantage manifest itself just like that?

At this moment, the office door was knocked.

Karen turned the page of the notebook; he certainly did not want a patient to see these drawings of his and mistake this psychologist for studying prostate issues during work hours.

The door was pushed open, and Bertha walked in.

Karen saw no one behind her and asked:

"Where is the patient?"

Bertha pointed to herself and smiled, "It is me. I just went to the front desk to complete the procedures, and now I am officially consulting. For the next two hours, you are the doctor, I am the patient, and your time belongs to me."

"You aren't joking?"

"No, I am serious. From yesterday's situation, I think you should also be able to tell that I am somewhat abnormal and require your diagnosis and treatment."

"I am very sorry for saying those things to you yesterday, that was due to a misunderstanding."

Bertha nodded and said, "Yes, many people harbor a natural misunderstanding toward us."

Us?

Bertha sat down across from Karen and smiled faintly, "In truth, the Light has always been blameless, and humanity's yearning for the Light is also innate."

The Light?

Bertha continued, "I do not know why I chose the Light, or perhaps, the Light chose me. I feel very proud, and also very honored, because I am able to bathe in its radiance and feel the warmth and care it brings to me.

Mr. Karen, what do you think?"

What do I think?

Karen looked at Bertha; this feeling was remarkably identical to his first day on the job, only to have a colleague eagerly run over to proselytize to him.

If he did not know Piaget's identity and understand his character so well, anyone else in his position would have truly suspected they had stumbled into a cultist's den.

But what she spoke of was light.

Karen's thoughts drifted back to the room he currently inhabited, and to that courier crow the Poodle and the Golden Retriever had intercepted that night.

Could the remnants of the Church of Light be standing right before me?

"Is Piaget one of you as well?" Karen inquired.

When on earth had Piaget turned to the faith of the Light?

"No, but he is vital to us—a crucial turning point for the resurrection of Light," Bertha replied.

Her reason for laying her cards on the table like this was her preconceived notion that Karen had already seen through her identity and that of the faction behind her.

"Piaget is my friend. I do not wish to see him in any danger."

"Of course not. The master is a good man, a truly charismatic soul. Even without your reminder, I would never do him harm. But according to the guidance of Light, it is here, by his side, where we shall await our turning point."

"And what is this turning point?"

"We do not know either. It might be a sign, a direction, a single word—or perhaps even a person. It could be the master himself, or it could be someone the master is waiting for.

I know the master has been waiting for someone. He keeps a photograph in his drawer, yet he has no idea who the person is.

We have used our own resources to investigate, but York City's population is simply too vast; it is impossible to search through everyone.

Even though we found a few clues from that old photograph regarding the past, the moment we began tracing that person's identity, the trail went entirely cold. It is clear that back then, he had intentionally erased his identity."

"Heh."

"Mr. Karen, what makes you laugh?"

"For a moment, I almost thought the person he was waiting for was me."

"Hehehe," Bertha chuckled in response. "You have no connection to Light, after all."

"Indeed, indeed."

Karen nodded, yet the scene of his own "purification" flashed across his mind,

particularly that majestic, commanding roar:

"Order, come forth and meet me!"

Karen uncovered the box he had left untouched earlier. Inside, besides a white work uniform, lay his employee badge. The name inscribed upon it read:

Karen Silva.

"Mr. Karen, I believe I have been open enough with you. I am a believer in the Church of Light. I remain by the master's side first because of his charm, and second because I am waiting for that person to appear.

What about you?

I know you and the master are good friends. He mentioned that he met you while out on a stroll in the suburbs, a friend introduced by his late wife.