Chapter 126: Psychiatrist

Chapter One Hundred Twenty-Six
Psychiatrist

Sharron accepted the sedative contained inside the glass test tube, glanced at the liquid that appeared pure and clear, and lightly nodded.

“Good.”

She really is someone who does not waste words…

Klein smiled and continued, “Miss Sharron, can you tell me the few battle locations you have selected in advance? I hope to familiarize myself with the surrounding environment over the next few days. That way, no matter which place you ultimately choose, my preparations will be more thorough.”

And because the right to choose the final battle location lies in their hands, they also will not worry that I might inform an official organization or other Beyonders hoping to swallow everything… Of course, if they truly cannot trust me, we can always perform another notarization…

Klein thought calmly.

Sharron’s blue eyes looked at him for several full seconds before she finally spoke.

“Go back and prepare a map of Backlund.”

“Spread it out on the coffee table.”

“No problem. I hope this cooperation is not only smooth, but pleasant.”

Out of habit, Klein reached his hand forward, intending to shake hers.

Sharron lowered her head and looked at it. Her figure gradually turned illusory and vanished into the air.

Klein smoothly lifted his right hand and tidied his black hair, letting out a dry laugh.

When he had asked about the chosen battle locations earlier, it was not only to prepare for the mission, but also to guard against Sharron and Maric.

Although their philosophy was to suppress and restrain desire, and under normal circumstances they would not burn bridges after crossing them, Klein could not be certain that Wraith Steve, Living Corpse Jason, and Werewolf Tyre did not possess something the two of them abnormally desired. If something that would stir intense greed in a normal Beyonder truly appeared, faced with two Mutants, Klein truly did not dare guarantee that they would be able to control themselves.

Therefore, he had to understand the environment beforehand and reserve escape routes for himself in case the other party chose to silence him.

This did not mean Klein distrusted Sharron, with whom he had already shared danger. This was the most basic kind of self-protection.

One may have no intention to harm others, but one must guard against others harming oneself…

Klein turned his head toward the window and sighed inwardly in Chinese.

Gas streetlamps retreated behind him one after another. The streets became wider, cleaner, and neater. After more than half an hour and three soli in fare, he finally returned to Minsk Street.

“Riding a carriage at this hour really is expensive…”

Klein lifted his head and looked at the almost completely black sky, and at the crimson moon vaguely piercing through the clouds.

He walked forward for a while, then suddenly discovered that Solicitor Jurgen’s house had no lights on. It was utterly still and dark.

Taking out his gold-cased pocket watch and clicking it open, Klein glanced at the time, then laughed softly. Turning, he came to Jurgen’s door and used the key the solicitor had given him to open it.

At that moment, the black cat Brody was already quietly crouching behind the door, looking at the visitor with its round emerald-green eyes. The interior of the house was dark and soundless, lonely and desolate.

Klein crouched down and tried to stroke Brody’s head, only for the other party to agilely move backward, avoiding his hand with a face full of disdain.

He shook his head and laughed. Rising, he opened the valve, lit the gas lamp, and, following Solicitor Jurgen’s description, searched through the cupboard for the prepared ingredients.

Then he entered the kitchen, lit the stove, boiled water, and prepared to cook Brody’s favorite chicken breast.

The black cat followed him inside, leaping nimbly onto the counter and crouching nearby, neither meowing nor making trouble, simply watching Klein work.

Klein glanced at it. While mentally rehearsing how he would tear apart the chicken breast later, he chatted with Brody as though making conversation.

“You must miss Madam Doris very much, don’t you?”

“You must be worried about her condition…”

“Solicitor Jurgen did not come home today. Being one cat all on your own, you must feel very lonely, very sad, as though you have no sense of belonging, as though you are very tired and worn down…”

…

As he spoke, Klein’s voice gradually lowered, until finally it fell silent.

The black cat Brody remained crouched there, quietly looking at him, making no fuss and no sound.

…

At Madam Norma’s home, Audrey had arrived as arranged to attend the afternoon tea gathering.

“These are the mysticism experts I mentioned.”

Madam Norma enthusiastically introduced them to her distinguished guest.

“This is Mr. Hilbert Alucard. He is a psychologist and also a jewelry designer. His talent is outstanding. This is Miss Islant Osisleka. She is a doctor in the mental field—what we commonly call a psychiatrist.”

Hilbert Alucard was a man in his forties who seemed to carry a trace of Southern Continent blood. His skin was somewhat brown.

He had brown hair and blue eyes. His facial features and contours were not especially outstanding, giving others an impression of silence and introversion.

Islant Osisleka was a baby-faced lady. Although she was already a psychiatrist, she looked like a young girl still studying at public school or grammar school.

She had waist-length black hair and a pair of lake-like blue eyes. She was three or four centimeters shorter than Audrey.

After exchanging a few polite words, Audrey sat down and keenly noticed that Alucard and Islant were observing her.

She did not use her own Telepathist ability. Instead, she pretended to know nothing, took the initiative to raise topics in the field of mysticism, and at all times paid attention to whether her emotions remained in the most logical state.

I must not let them discover that I am already a Beyonder, that I have already consumed the Spectator and Telepathist potions…

Audrey knew very clearly what role she needed to play today.

Unlike the silent Alucard, Islant was the talkative type. After a few lines of conversation, she asked, “Do you know of the Great Year and the Great Month?”

“No, I have never heard of them,” Audrey answered cautiously, using knowledge she had encountered in mysticism enthusiast circles.

In reality, I have already learned clearly from Mr. Hanged Man what the Great Year and Great Month are…

She added with a smile inside her heart.

“The Great Year refers to the number of years our planet needs for its axis of rotation to shift through a full cycle. In total, it is 25,920 years. In mysticism, this is considered one complete cycle, from beginning to end. The Great Month refers to the number of years that such a shift takes to pass through one of the twelve constellations. Each Great Month lasts 2,160 years. When Great Months alternate, terrifying calamities will descend. According to calculations, there are not many years remaining before the end of the current Great Month…”

Islant spoke at length and kept the atmosphere in a harmonious state.

Audrey concealed the fact that she actually understood quite a lot, asking mistaken questions from time to time in a curious tone.

In that way, the pleasant afternoon tea time quickly passed. Alucard and Islant simultaneously rose, took their leave, and left Madam Norma’s house.

This left Audrey somewhat disappointed. She had thought they would hint at something about the Psychology Alchemists at the end, but in the end, they said nothing.

Mm. As a secret organization that cannot be exposed, its examination of potential members would not be this simple or direct… It seems I will need to meet them at least several more times, and they will observe me secretly for a while before deciding whether to reveal information to me and draw me into the organization… This is fine as well. I can report the matter to Mr. Fool in advance!

Audrey quickly understood the reason.

She then proposed taking her leave. After Madam Norma escorted her to the door, the lady smiled and said, “Audrey, I see you are also very interested in matters involving psychology. Why not consider trying to become a psychiatrist before marriage?”

“Earl and Madam Hall are both believers of the Goddess. They should support you in pursuing something like that.”

Among nobles, unless one encountered a special situation such as a financial crisis, reaching a marriage required a lengthy process. They had to go through strict consideration and comparison before making a decision, because this did not merely concern two young people. It also involved alliances and mutual support between families.

Therefore, although noblewomen could formally enter society under the Queen’s guidance after turning eighteen, declaring their adulthood and becoming eligible to consider marriage, statistics showed that they often did not form families until after the age of twenty-six.

Similarly, for noblemen who entered the military or politics, the average age of first marriage was twenty-eight and a half.

In other words, after coming of age, Audrey had around eight years to do the things she liked.

And the Church of the Evernight Goddess had always encouraged female believers to go out and work, to engage in certain professions. Among noble circles, many young ladies and madams therefore became literary critics, musicians, pianists, painters, and so on.

Is this a probe?

Audrey responded with a light smile.

“Then I will still need to read many more books.”

In fact, she had always believed that members of the Psychology Alchemists working as psychiatrists or psychology experts was not especially safe, because the higher-ups of official organizations such as the Nighthawks and Mandated Punishers should know about the acting method and would certainly pay more attention to that group.

Madam Norma seemed rather satisfied with her answer and nodded with a smile.

“Islant and Alucard are both excellent teachers.”

“Mm. Perhaps I can consider inviting Miss Islant to be my private tutor in psychology,” Audrey said with an obedient nod.

…

On Sunday morning, after Klein got up, he discovered that several places had been circled on the Backlund map on the coffee table, and that those places were not far from one another. Following the prompts, he spent the entire morning carefully familiarizing himself with the surrounding environment, identifying exactly what buildings were nearby and where the closest churches were.

That afternoon, free once again, he went to the Cragg Club to practice shooting and Beyonder abilities.

He had just entered the hall when he saw surgeon Alan Kress, leaning on a cane, slowly come out of the buffet restaurant.

After exchanging greetings, he asked with concern, “Alan, how have you been recently? Has your luck improved?”

A heartfelt smile appeared on the naturally cold-faced Alan.

“At least I am no longer so unlucky!”

“I followed your suggestion and went to church. I told the matter to the bishop, and he had me go directly to the confession room to pray to the Goddess.”

“While praying, I actually fell asleep. But it seemed to me that the Goddess bestowed upon me a state of peace and calm. Since then, my fortune has returned to normal.”

“Praise the Goddess!”

He drew a crimson moon upon his chest.

Based on my experience, it was probably a Sequence 7 Nightmare who made you fall asleep. Then the Nighthawks skilled in ritual swiftly arranged the altar and prayed to the Goddess, neutralizing your bad luck…

The corners of Klein’s lips lifted.

“That truly is wonderful!”

At that moment, Alan looked at him and said, “Sherlock, I have always felt that your faith in the God of Steam and Machinery is not devout enough. Why not convert? Look, with me as an example here—believe in the Goddess!”