As I leaned back onto the chair I was sitting on, I could not help but wonder.
'What now?'
After making the oath, Mr. Carrow hadn't said anything else to me, and instead started taking out files from his table.
We both sat there in silence for a long while.
"Actually, now that I think about it, I do have a use for you."
'Hmm?'
"Originally I was planning to just hire you under the Bravehearts, but now that I think about it your skills as a psychiatrist could be useful. I have some victims of paranormal activities who have developed mental illness. Because they are not allowed to speak of the incidents, most of the time they go insane after a while. In short, I want you to help treat them."
"Sorry I refuse."
Without hesitation, I declined his offer. Though it might be helpful to speak to others who have encountered supernatural things, my main goal is to get directly involved, which can be achieved by working with Bram and the rest.
"Even though what you requested is in my area of expertise I prefer to work with Bram to fight the supernatural instead of treating victims."
"You do know that these kinds of occurrences are not common, right? It happens at most once or twice a year. The rest of the time the Bravehearts do odd jobs around the town like manual labor."
"What really?"
After hearing my question, Mr. Carrow had a facial expression that looked like he was talking to an idiot, which was me.
"If these sorts of things happened every other day wouldn't the whole town know about it."
'Yea, that does make sense...'
My face turned slightly red in embarrassment as I avoided his gaze.
"So even if you take up my job, it won't conflict with the Bravehearts if they do decide to let you join them."
'Well if he puts it that way, it is quite tempting.'
"And also, the pay is one gold note per week."
"IT'S A DEAL!"
Jumping up from my seat, I immediately accepted his offer.
One gold note, which is ten gold coins a week—that is 40 gold coins a month and 520 gold coins a year. I will basically be no different from those upper-class rich people living in Ironford Street!
That is how I became a psychiatrist working under Mr. Carrow.
"In that case here, these are all the patients I need you to treat. Of course the work hours are up to you as long as you see each one of them twice a week."
He then passed me a stack of files containing the information of all the patients, at the same time giving me a look as if I was a lost cause.
'Hah. What's wrong about being bought by money? Since I can choose my schedule it won't clash with being with the Bravehearts. Might as well earn some money on the side.'
"You can see yourself out and wait in the lobby until Bram comes back. I will inform Emily about your recruitment and you will get paid today."
"Ok."
I turned around grinning from ear to ear as I carried the stack of files with both my hands, walking towards the door.
"Oh by the way, is that the outfit you usually wear to your sessions with patients?"
"Yes?"
"It looks tacky. Use the money you get later to buy a new one."
"Got it!"
'As if I will, what a waste of money to do that. And besides how is my suit "tacky"—it is great!'
With absolutely no intention of following Mr. Carrow's orders, I carefully walked down the stairs before entering the lobby once again.
"Oh Mr. Civik, are you done with the boss?"
"Ah Ms. Emily, yes I am. In fact I have just been hired as a psychiatrist."
I moved my head downward, signalling at the stack of files I was holding, the smile on my face clearly visible.
"That's great Mr. Civik! In a sense that means we are colleagues now."
Emily was all bubbly upon hearing that, her big wide eyes making her look like a cute puppy.
'What a cheerful girl indeed.'
"Yes, in a sense we are. By the way you don't have to address me so formally, Mr. Amon would be fine."
"Sure, and also do you need help with those files Mr. Amon?"
Wearing a smile, I asked her for assistance as she took half of the files from my hands.
We both then went to an open sofa, which I promptly sat down on, placing the stack of files next to me.
It was then that Mr. Carrow called for Emily to go to his office. I thanked her before she went up and waved her goodbye.
After she left, I picked up one of the files and started to read it.
'Henry Cooper, male, age 31, former labourer. During the 13th month of last year, he encountered a zombie at his workplace one late night. He was attacked and almost killed, losing an arm before barely being saved by the Bravehearts. Ever since, he has been suffering from recurring nightmares leading to insomnia and he hasn't been able to find any work since, living off the compensation of Mr. Carrow's organisation. His current address Mill Street.'
As I finished reading his file, I placed it down and picked up another from next to me.
'Mary Collins, female, age 27, former tailor. During the 4th month of last year was haunted by a ghost.'
'Arthur Shaw, male, age 21, university student. During the 6th month two years ago was cursed by a voodoo doll medium...'
'Lucy Harris, female, attacked by a demon...'
'Clara Moore, female, saw a wraith....'
'...'
As I read through all seven files, I was surprised to find out the amount of supernatural beings there were.
There were only seven cases in the past three years; of course there were much more, but they had all committed suicide, hence my help was not needed.
In any case, the workload wasn't that much. If I take them for an hour and a half session each, that is only twenty-one hours per week. Compared to other jobs that pay the same as mine, my work hours are less than half of theirs.
Caught up in the excitement of this, I almost failed to notice Emily who had just entered the lobby back from Carrow's office.
"Ah Mr. Amon, I just heard from Mr. Carrow that you should be receiving your paycheck of one gold note today. I will ask Ms. Marribel to process the payment and I will hand you the money."
"Thank you Ms. Emily."
I watched as she entered one of the other rooms in the lobby, and not long after, she came back out holding a gold note in her hands.
"Mr. Carrow must value you quite a lot. I remember when I first joined I only earned about four gold coins a week."
"Is that so? By the way, you talk as if you've been working here for a long time but you look quite young."
"That is because I am; currently I am only twenty-one years old and I have been working here since I was sixteen."
Upon hearing this information I was quite shocked, and I wondered if she really knew who she was working for.
'Maybe she doesn't know about the supernatural stuff... I should make sure before I accidentally say something to her that I shouldn't.'
"Umm, Ms. Emily you do know about the stuff that Mr. Carrow deals with right?"
Emily seemed confused at my question, her face showing a puzzled expression.
"Like you know. Those stuff that normal people don't know about...."
"You mean ghost and zombies?"
Taken by surprise by her straightforwardness, I was momentarily shocked.
"Wait, did you think I did not know about that?"
She then burst out in laughter to the point tears formed at the edge of her eyes.
"Uh yea..."
She did not stop laughing for a whole minute, causing me to become flustered, my face turning red in embarrassment.
"Why did you think so?"
Finally being able to calm herself down, she managed to speak out those words.
"It's just that you are so... Cheerful and I thought you didn't know about the horrible incidences that those supernatural monsters cause."
"Ah, I do get that a lot..."
After speaking those words, her expression shifted, no longer as cheerful and bubbly, but instead one that showed a bitter smile.
"Well I have to get back to work, goodbye Mr. Amon."
In an instant her expression reverted back to what it originally was, showing me a bright smile.
"Yes goodbye."
She then went back to her desk. However, not many people even come into this building, hence she then took out a newspaper and started to read it.
'Now that I think about it, what even is this building used for?'
I leaned back into the sofa thinking: do people even enter this building, and if they do, what is it for? This place is clearly just a shell organisation for Carrow to operate from.
But besides that, it was clear that there was something that Emily did not want to share, and I respect that.
After all, everyone has a story that they would want to hide, don't they?