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 “Aside from having a funny character, he’s withdrawn, easily irritable, obsessed with research, and has zero regard for interpersonal communication skills.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.
to research, he seemed to have become an entirely different person. However, Eugene is different. He
the pair
the door, Joshua repeated 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 when something displeases him. He doesn’t care who you are or what power you wield. Everybody is subjected to the same
that he quite liked
like that give Benedict as strange
his eyes, Cedrick
Knock, knock, knock.
thrice
was there the sound of someone coming to open
out on business,” Joshua said. “Why don’t I keep an eye here and let you know
leave the lab during
force, he rapped the door
Why won’t you say why
on the other side of the
have already gotten an earful before
his throat. “This is Prof. Mallory. I have something urgent to talk to
moment’s silence, the doorknob
again without stating your intention, Joshua, I’ll assume you’re mute. It’s a waste for you to have a mouth
was his father’s age. Being familiar with his temperament, he thought it was unnecessary to
in Chanaea, Professor Yortz. How could you be taking
door like you wanted, and you’re telling me off,” he said huffily. “Feel free to make an anonymous report about me if you think I’m
not what I meant,” Cedrick replied. “Like you, Professor Yortz, I am
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