Chapter 144 “Vanna’s Vigilance”
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“I’m terribly sorry, I’m truly sorry. I can’t believe this happened…” Heidi’s voice was tinged with acute embarrassment. As a senior psychiatrist who had completed her education under the rigorous requirements of the Truth Academy, she found it difficult to articulate the depth of her mortification. When Vanna had roused her from sleep, Heidi’s first reaction was a jolt of dread, as though her entire professional reputation was crumbling.
Meanwhile, Nina, who had been sitting on the bed and had just woken up, was equally baffled. She could only direct a perplexed look at Heidi, trying to make sense of the situation. “Um, what’s going on? Why is Dr. Heidi apologizing so much?”
Duncan sighed, a trace of resignation coloring his voice. “Well, it appears the psychiatrist didn’t just hypnotize you; she also put herself to sleep and dozed off.” He pointed toward a corner of the bed, where an indentation still showed where Heidi had been sitting. “She even drooled, right onto the floor.”
Hearing Duncan’s remarks, Heidi felt her cheeks flush with even deeper embarrassment. She was so mortified that she couldn’t bring herself to look anyone in the eye.
Amid the awkward and chaotic atmosphere, only Vanna maintained her composure. She began to scan the room, searching for clues or some deeper meaning. Her eyes eventually locked onto Heidi. “Are you sure you’re alright? How could you possibly fall asleep during a therapy session?”
Taking note of Vanna’s serious tone, Heidi began to collect herself and understand the implicit concern in her friend’s question. She frowned, trying to remember the moments leading up to her unintended nap. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with me, per se. I’ve been under a lot of pressure lately because of my workload. The tranquil setting might have affected me more than I initially realized.”
“But the therapy session with Nina is completed, correct?” Vanna asked, her voice still tinged with apprehension.
“Absolutely,” Heidi answered, nodding decisively. She was confident in her professional abilities, despite the embarrassing incident. “I had already asked Nina a series of questions and it was only after she responded that I fell asleep.”
Observing Vanna’s serious demeanor, Duncan felt compelled to interject, “Is something bothering you?”
“Nothing specific, just a little concerned about Heidi’s unexpected behavior,” Vanna responded, shaking her head. “But I suppose she’s just worn out from all her extra responsibilities lately. The museum fire did ruin her day off, after all.”
Upon hearing this, Nina felt guilty and instantly apologized to Heidi. “I’m really sorry. It seems like I’ve intruded on your already limited rest time.”
“Please, there’s no need to apologize,” Heidi said, dismissing Nina’s concerns with a wave of her hand. “If you look at it from another angle, I actually got some good sleep right here. I haven’t slept that soundly in ages.”
Vanna carefully assessed her friend from head to toe before turning her gaze toward the window to assess the sky’s hue. “It’s getting late. I think we should be heading home before it gets dark,” she noted.
“Aren’t you in need of some rest?” Duncan, the host, voiced his concern. “Dr. Heidi still seems a bit worn out.”
“I’m actually much better,” Heidi replied, her face flushing slightly as she mustered a forced smile. “We really should be going. It’s not advisable to be out after dark. My father will worry if I’m not home before sunset.”
Upon hearing her reason, Duncan didn’t press them to stay. He first assisted Nina in getting out of bed, then turned his attention to his two guests. “In that case, allow me to escort you to the front door.”
True to his word, Duncan walked Heidi and Vanna to the door, where the setting sun was signaling its descent toward the horizon.
Vanna then initiated the steam core of the vehicle she had driven over. It seemed the engine required some preheating, like a boiler before it could operate efficiently, which piqued Duncan’s interest. Before he could take a closer look at the machinery, Heidi approached and whispered her concerns.
“As a guardian, you’ve become quite adept, but there seems to have been a period where you were neglectful in caring for Nina. This neglect has contributed to her mental stress and anxiety,” Heidi shared, her tone both sincere and forthright. “The good news is that her condition has improved significantly following our session today. But remember, the most effective treatment needs to be supported by ongoing care from loved ones.”
Duncan processed this new information, momentarily puzzled. Had Nina been suffering from stress and anxiety even before he took on his current role? Acknowledging Heidi’s advice, he nodded appreciatively. “Thank you for your insights today. I admit, there was a time when I wasn’t in the best state, and I neglected Nina’s well-being.”
Heidi sighed lightly before stepping back. “Normally, I would delve deeper into these matters with you after a session. However, given today’s unique circumstances, I’ll instead summarize my findings and recommendations in a written report for Nina’s continued care.”
With that, the two guests bid Duncan farewell and made their way to their car, which was quite a unique sight in this part of the city.
As Duncan watched their uncommonly elegant vehicle recede into the orange glow of the evening streets, he released a long, pent-up breath. Contrary to his initial reservations, his first face-to-face encounter with the church representatives had gone far smoother and more amicably than he could have ever anticipated.
After Vanna, Heidi, and Nina had departed, Shirley finally emerged from her hiding spot on the first floor. She looked nervously toward the front door, only mustering the courage to step forward when she saw Duncan and Nina reenter the space. “Are they really gone?” she asked tentatively.
“Yes, they’re gone,” Duncan confirmed, a touch of exasperation in his voice at Shirley’s timidity. “Your behavior was painfully obvious. What was your plan, hiding like that the whole time? To attract attention and raise suspicions? Thankfully, the inquisitor didn’t read too much into it.”
“I was scared, okay? Do you even understand who that was? That was an inquisitor—one of the most formidable agents working under the church in this city!” Shirley exclaimed, her eyes wide with incredulity at Duncan’s apparent nonchalance. “The highest-ranking clergy can command the city’s guardians and patrol units at their discretion. If she even got the slightest hint of something amiss, she could have the city swarming us in no time.”
She paused, taking a deep breath before continuing, “Of course, you wouldn’t get it. To an entity like you, an inquisitor probably seems no different from a community chapel’s priest.”
Nina, who had been listening intently, turned her gaze in the direction where Vanna and Heidi had departed. She was puzzled by the intense exchange. “Shirley, would you really be arrested by the church? You clearly haven’t done anything wrong, and both Dr. Heidi and Vanna seemed like good people.”
“Whether or not I’ve done anything bad is irrelevant,” Shirley responded, sighing deeply. “The church doesn’t arrest all ‘wild transcendents’ because some people get exposed to the supernatural for various unexpected reasons. That said, if they find out about ‘wild ones’ like me, they will certainly monitor us. I don’t want to lose my freedom.”
Nina furrowed her brows, struggling to comprehend Shirley’s viewpoint. In her mind, cooperating with the authorities was a natural obligation, even though she had never done so herself.
Interrupting Nina’s deep thoughts, Duncan turned to her and inquired, “Nina, how are you feeling now?”
“I’m fine,” she replied almost immediately, her face lighting up. “Dr. Heidi’s ‘treatment’ really helped. After talking with her and taking a brief nap, I feel much more relaxed.”
“Good to hear,” Duncan said, nodding approvingly. He then moved toward the stairs, only to notice Shirley, who seemed to be distracted as she glanced out the window.
“Ah, I was planning on going home today,” she lamented, her voice tinged with sadness.
“Forget that idea,” Duncan said, not even looking back at her. “Do you really think it’s a good plan to tangle with the church’s guardians in the dead of night?”
Nina approached Shirley and gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder, her face brightening with a smile. “Why don’t you just stay another night? It could be a fun opportunity for us to chat!”
Meanwhile, on the drive back to the upper city, Vanna gripped the steering wheel tightly as her focus stayed on the road. In the passenger seat, Heidi let out a long yawn.
“That nap was incredibly refreshing,” Heidi remarked, stifling another yawn. “So, how did your investigation go? Did you notice anything unusual about the store owner?”
Vanna glanced briefly at her friend before returning her eyes to the road. “Everything seemed normal. The store owner is just an ordinary guy. And as for that little girl, Shirley, there wasn’t any indication of supernatural activity either. If anything, I’m more concerned about you. Did you learn anything during your session with Nina?”
Heidi shook her head as she lightly touched the crystal pendant hanging around her neck. She looked down and noticed that one of the beads on her bracelet had gone missing. “Nothing out of the ordinary. But Nina did mention something odd during her hypnotic state.”
“Weird? In what way?” Vanna inquired, her curiosity piqued.
“She talked about a fire from her childhood, which she said was related to some factory incident that supposedly happened eleven years ago,” Heidi explained nonchalantly. “But as far as we know, there was no such event eleven years ago.”
Just as Heidi was about to continue, Vanna abruptly slammed on the brakes, causing the car to shudder to a halt. She turned to Heidi, her eyes widened in disbelief. “A fire? Nina said she remembered a fire from eleven years ago?”
Heidi was visibly startled by Vanna’s intense reaction. “Yes, she did. Why are you so alarmed?”
Vanna remained silent for a moment, her face etched with complex emotions. Sensing the shift in the atmosphere, Heidi grew concerned. “Do you think we should turn around and go back? We can ask her more questions to—”
“No,” Vanna interjected, cutting off Heidi. After a brief pause, she restarted the car. As they resumed their drive, the dimming sky signaled the approach of evening, and the buildings and trees on either side of the road seemed to accelerate past them.
“I know you’re confused and curious, but keep this to yourself for now,” Vanna finally said, her tone somber. “I need to verify something before we discuss it further.” She paused as if reflecting on her thoughts before speaking them out loud. “Perhaps we were a bit hasty in going there today.”
Hope she tries to realize that something amiss happened