Rhodes Island's Psychologist

Ch 35: Psychologist Doing Unrelated Things

Lin Yie dragged his tired soul back to his dorm. It is now almost dawn.

He doesn't even take a shower. He just collapses onto his bed.

"You look really tired." Ansel was reading a book on the sofa. He asks curiously, "Was it your job? I don't think Orchid was as exhausted as you are now."

Lin Yie answers weakly, "She probably didn't have to care for some willful devil."

"You mean Nightingale?"

"Who else could it be?"

"What's wrong with Nightingale? I heard she stayed inside the reception room for the entire day." Ansel says, "Isn't that a good thing? It is definitely better than staying in hibernation."

"It is good for her, but she gave me a headache." Lin Yie sighs, "It took me an entire day to convince her to take three pills."

"Couldn't you make her obedient?"

"You made it sound like she always listens to me."

"So you came back late because of Nightingale?"

"Basically." Lin Yie turns his body, "Until she fell asleep. Fortunately, Shining was there to help, and Nightingale didn't reject her."

"She shouldn't. Shining is her closest companion."

(But then, why did Nightingale stay with Lin Yie, who she met for a very short period of time? )Ansel thinks. 

(Does that have anything to do with his ability, the sort that makes others trust him? Sounds like a good ability.)

Ansel pauses for a moment.

(Um, did this guy use his ability on me?)

Ansel suddenly becomes alert. Although he doesn't dislike Lin Yie, he doesn't want to trust someone he hasn't understood this early.

(Wait.) 

If he doesn't reject Lin Yie, does that mean he is already affected?

Ansel struggles internally.

Lin Yie doesn't know what's going on in Ansel's mind. He just continues to mumble, "Therefore, it is way easier to take care of pets than devils. Devils don't listen to you. You can't fight them, and you can't yell at them. You can only use love to... God. I used love to make a devil take her medicine."

"So you used the entire day to take care of Nightingale?"

"Almost, but there was another guy who came to my office." Lin Yie asks, "Do you know Matterhorn?"

"Of course," Ansel says, 

"I know every operator here in Rhodes Island, although technically, Matterhorn is not Rhodes Island's operator. But what did he come to you for? He doesn't seem to be someone who would need counselling."

"Ha. I may be a psychologist, but I haven't done anything related to psychology." Lin Yie complains, 

"I watched over Nightingale, fed her medicine, and endured her disdains. On top of all these things, a bull demon asked me to convince his saintess to go back to her home country... A saintess who ran away from home. That should only appear in novels."

Ansel notices Lin Yie's nickname for Matterhorn, "Bull Demon, is that your nickname for him?"

"Um... It doesn't sound polite? I guess I will stop using that."

"Nicknames don't matter that much anyway. Rhode Island's staff use codenames, which are basically nicknames. I just think "Bull Demon" sounds interesting." Ansel says, 

"Like how you called Nightingale the "Little Devil." Although Nightingale and Shining are both Sarkaz, we rarely call them devils."

"... I just thought it is convenient."

"Um. I think it is cute, and you are pretty good at making nicknames." Ansel says, 

"Do you have a nickname for me?"

"Ah?"

"You don't?" Ansel looks at Lin Yie.

(Why are you asking me this?)

Lin Yie scratches his head and hesitates. It is not that he doesn't have one, but calling Ansel bunnyman doesn't sound right.

"No. I just think your name is easy to remember."

"Really?" Ansel closes his book, 

"By the way, the saintess you mentioned... is Pramanix, right?"

"You know her?"

"Of course." Ansel says, "I also know she ran away from home, from Kjerag. A lot of people know that."

Lin Yie sits up, "Matterhorn said she's here in Rhodes Island."

"Um. She works here, and her codename is Pramanix. She is Kjerag's saintess, but her real name seems to be Enya... " Ansel frowns as he thinks, but then, he shakes his head, 

"I can't remember. I only saw her recruitment files once."

"Does Rhodes Island know she's Kjerag's saintess?"

"Some do, but that's because she rarely mentions her identity." Ansel says, "Pramanix seems to hate being the saintess."

"That's understandable. Otherwise, she wouldn't have run away from home." Lin Yie nods and asks, "Do you know why?"

Ansel tabs the table lightly and crosses his legs. He seems dissatisfied, "Why would I know everything?"

"I thought you know Pramanix really well."

"I am a man. Why would I know so much about a female operator?" Ansel asks.

Lin Yie is speechless.

He forgot.

He forgot his roommate is a trap!!!

"Matterhorn asked you to convince Pramanix to go home?" Ansel asks.

Lin Yie nods, "He did hope I could help."

"So what will you do?"

"I am not sure. After all, I have never met Pramanix, and I only met Matterhorn for the first time today. But I don't understand. Why would a saintess give up on her job and come to Rhodes Island? There have to be some reasons. When I saw her picture, she didn't come off as someone who acts willfully. If she does have some special reasons, I am not sure I should confront her." Lin Yie holds his head, 

"But in the end, this is not even part of my job description. I am just a lowly psychologist. Taking care of a devil is fine, but convincing a saintess to go home? What's that about? I miss the days I spent in Chernobog."

Ansel asks why intuitively, but he soon regrets his decision.

"Because I only had to do my job in the pet hospital." Lin Yie says, "Injection, feeding, sterilization..."

*Pa*

Ansel slams his book on the table and glares at Lin Yie. Then, he turns off the light and goes to bed.

Leaving Lin Yie stunned in the dark.

(...What's wrong with him?)