Joshua noticed Cedrick’s unusually stern expression. “What’s on your mind, Cedrick?”
Cedrick was staring at the cover of the book, Abnormal Psychology, and thinking about what Benedict had said to him earlier in the ward.
“Benny told me a professor in the lab gave it to him, so I came to ask you since you were with him the most. Who else spends that much time with him?”
He wanted to know if it was a coincidence or a deliberate act to give a five-year-old child something so disturbing.
“I’ll look into it,” Joshua promised. “I wouldn’t be too worried, though, Cedrick. It must have been a coincidence.”
Cedrick nodded.
Five minutes later, Joshua found out from the professors on duty in the laboratory that it was given by a biochemist named Eugene Yortz.
Eugene was an elderly professor of about sixty, with a snow-white beard, a straight nose, and chiseled features.
He was not Chanaean. Instead, he was sent from Astoria as part of a collaborative project.
Joshua led Cedrick to Eugene’s office to pay the professor a visit.
“Eugene is a strange fellow,” he warned Cedrick in a whisper along the way. “Aside from having a funny character, he’s withdrawn, easily irritable, obsessed with research, and has zero regard for interpersonal communication skills. The things he does sometimes are bizarre.”
Behind his back, the other professors called him Professor Nuts.
After listening intently, Cedrick mulled it over for a while.
Inez. Compared to the earlier version of himself who had devoted his life to research, he seemed to have become an entirely different person.
was thinking, the pair
gingerly, “Try not to be too blunt when you speak to him, Cedrick. He’s a man who never flatters anyone. He does what he wants and speaks his mind
and thought that he quite liked
Benedict as strange
his eyes, Cedrick
Knock, knock, knock.
thrice in a
no sign of movement in the office, nor was there
said. “Why don’t I keep an eye here and let you know
stern. “Nobody saw him leave the lab during work hours. He must be in
he rapped the
knock.” A raspy, irritated voice sounded from the office. “What good would knocking do? Why won’t you say
the other side
earful before we even stepped
his throat. “This is Prof. Mallory. I have something urgent to talk to you about. Open
a moment’s silence, the doorknob twisted
revealed Eugene, still bleary-eyed, glaring at them. “If you come knocking again without stating your intention, Joshua, I’ll assume you’re mute. It’s a waste for you to have a
he saw his colleague as an elder who was his father’s age. Being familiar with his temperament,
in Chanaea, Professor Yortz. How could you be taking a nap during
down before fixating his gaze on his face. “I opened the door like you wanted, and you’re telling me off,” he said huffily. “Feel free
Cedrick replied. “Like you, Professor Yortz, I am
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