"I'm so sorry, so sorry, I don't know what happened..."

Heidi apologized, her face full of embarrassment. As a senior psychiatrist, and a professional who had completed all her studies under the rigorous standards of the Veritas Academy, her embarrassment at this moment was beyond words. Honestly, when Vanna helplessly woke her up, she almost felt like her professional life had come to an end...

However, Nina, who had just woken up on the bed, was also dumbfounded. She had no idea what had happened, and just looked at Heidi apologizing to her in a daze, finally turning her gaze to Duncan beside her: "Uncle Duncan, what happened? Why is Miss Heidi..."

"The psychiatrist who was supposed to hypnotize you was sleeping more soundly than you were," Duncan said, equally helpless, sighing and pointing to the side of the bed, "She drooled all over the floor."

His words were quite blunt, and the moment they fell, Heidi's head sank even lower.

In this awkward and chaotic atmosphere, only Vanna maintained a serious expression. She immediately scanned the entire room, as if searching for and sensing something, before finally focusing her gaze on Heidi: "Are you really okay? Why would you fall asleep yourself during a hypnosis session?"

Hearing her friend's serious tone, Heidi gradually reacted. She immediately frowned and carefully recalled what had happened, shaking her head slightly after a moment: "...I'm fine. I've probably just been too tired lately, and I was too relaxed after the treatment was completed."

"The treatment was completed, right?" Vanna seemed still a little uneasy, and asked another question.

"Completed," Heidi nodded after thinking carefully again. "I asked Miss Nina some questions, and I fell asleep groggily after she answered."

Duncan noticed Vanna's particularly serious expression and couldn't help but ask: "Is something wrong?"

"...No, I'm just a little worried about Heidi's condition. She's never been like this before," Vanna shook her head. "But it's probably as she said, she's just too tired—she's been working straight, and her hard-earned day off was ruined by the museum fire."

As soon as Nina heard this, she subconsciously apologized to Heidi: "I'm sorry, it seems I took up your precious time off..."

"No, no, you don't need to apologize," Heidi quickly waved her hand. "And thinking about it another way, I actually had a good sleep here—I haven't slept so soundly in a long time."

Vanna confirmed that Heidi was indeed fine, then looked up at the sky outside the window, got up, and turned to Duncan: "It's getting late, it looks like we should say goodbye and leave."

"Don't you need to rest for a while?" Duncan showed his concern as the host. "Miss Heidi still looks a little tired."

"I'm much better," Heidi smiled upon hearing this. "It's not safe to stay outside at night, I have to go home before sunset—my father is very worried about that."

Hearing this reason, Duncan didn't say anything more. He helped Nina down from the bed and watched his two guests out: "Then I'll take you downstairs."

He escorted Heidi and Vanna to the front door on the first floor, and by this time the sun was gradually sinking towards the distant horizon.

Vanna went to start the steam core of the car. The incredible steam machinery of this world seemed to need little preheating of the boiler to start up quickly. Duncan saw the deep gray car quickly emit the light sound of the machine running. Heidi suddenly turned her head again before walking out of the store, glancing at Nina beside her, her gaze finally landing on Duncan. 138 Reading Network

"I can see that you are now a very competent guardian, but you seemed to have neglected Nina's care for a while—her mental tension and anxiety arose from this," the psychiatrist said sincerely and directly. "Of course, her condition has greatly improved now. After this guidance, the situation will be even better, but even the best treatment needs to be consolidated, and the best psychological healing comes from the care of loved ones."

Nina's mental tension and anxiety? And for a period of time before...before he occupied this body?

Duncan understood in his heart. He nodded to Heidi and thanked her sincerely: "Thank you for your help. I was indeed not in a good state for a while. It was my negligence."

"Actually, I should have talked to you in detail. Communication with family members is also a very important part of the treatment process, but there's really no time today," Heidi breathed a sigh of relief and took half a step back. "I'll organize Nina's situation again when I get back, along with some follow-up suggestions, and write a letter to send to you."

The two special guests finally said goodbye and left.

Watching the car, which looked very conspicuous in the lower city, drive away along the street in the sunset, Duncan breathed a slight sigh of relief. His first face-to-face exchange with the Church's "Inquisitor" was more peaceful and smooth than he had imagined.

After Vanna and the others left, Shirley finally emerged from a corner on the first floor. The girl looked at the direction of the door with a nervous expression. She dared to come closer only after seeing Duncan and Nina return: "Are they really gone?"

"Gone, gone, don't worry," Duncan glanced at Shirley, his tone helpless. "You hid too obviously. That actually makes it easier to arouse suspicion, don't you know? Fortunately, that Inquisitor didn't overthink it."

"I'm scared! That's an Inquisitor! The highest military force of the Church within the city-state!" Shirley immediately widened her eyes, explaining as if afraid that Duncan wouldn't understand her worries. "The highest-ranking clergy I usually come into contact with are just the priests in the community church and the patrolling guards. I still have to hide from them—you know I have an A-Gou by my side..."

Speaking of this, she paused, then sighed: "Well, of course, it's normal that you don't understand my mentality. In the eyes of an existence like you, the city-state's Inquisitor is probably not much different from the priest in the community church..."

Nina looked at Shirley, then turned her head to look in the direction Vanna and Heidi had left. She frowned: "Shirley, will wild transcendents like you really be arrested by the Church? You clearly haven't done anything bad, and Miss Heidi and Miss Vanna are both very good..."

"It has nothing to do with whether I do bad things or not," Shirley sighed. "The Church doesn't arrest all wild transcendents, because there are always some people in this world who come into contact with transcendent powers for strange reasons. They aren't all heretics, and the Church tacitly allows some free transcendents in the civilian population to live honestly—but they will definitely arrest me and A-Gou, because in their judgment criteria, as long as someone is connected to the Abyss Demon or the sub-space, no matter what their current state is, they are potentially heretical elements in the future."

Nina frowned. This was an area she had never come into contact with before. Shirley's words made her fall into a brief state of hesitation, but soon, her hesitation was broken by Duncan: "Nina, how are you feeling now?"

"Me? I'm fine," Nina said immediately. "I think Miss Heidi's 'treatment' was quite effective. I chatted with her for a while and took a short nap. I feel much better!"

"Is that so? That's good."

Duncan nodded lightly, and without saying anything else, he stepped towards the stairs. It was only at this time that Shirley seemed to suddenly react. She glanced at the sky outside and couldn't help but let out a wail: "Ah, I still wanted to go home today..."

"Just think about it," Duncan said without turning his head. "You take a look at the sky outside. Are you really planning to fight wits and courage with the Church's guards at night?"

Nina also laughed. She stepped forward and patted Shirley on the shoulder, "Just stay here and live in peace. We can chat before going to bed at night—we'll talk about going home tomorrow!"

On the way back to the upper city, Vanna held the steering wheel, while Heidi, who was yawning, sat in the passenger seat beside her.

"Yawn... I slept really well..." Heidi yawned again, and casually asked, "So, what did you talk to that antique shop owner about? Did you find anything strange?"

"Nothing unusual," Vanna replied while paying attention to the road ahead. "That shop owner is just an ordinary person, and so is that girl named Shirley. There are no signs of transcendent power or evil will affecting the entire antique shop. They should have just escaped by luck. What about you? Did you find anything during your contact with Nina?"

"Everything is normal," Heidi also nodded. She raised her hand and stroked the crystal pendant that she had put back around her neck. The string of stone beads representing the Veritas Academy on her wrist slipped down slightly. One of the beads was missing, but she didn't pay any attention to it. "But Nina mentioned something during the hypnosis session that was a little strange."

"Strange? What is it?"

"She mentioned that she had experienced a big fire when she was a child, the big fire during the factory leak eleven years ago," Heidi said casually. "But you know, there wasn't any..."

She was only halfway through her sentence when a burst of urgent braking sounds accompanied by the shaking of the car interrupted her. Vanna suddenly stopped the car,

staring wide-eyed at her friend: "A big fire?! Nina said she remembers a big fire eleven years ago?"

"...Yeah," Heidi was a little dazed. "Why are you reacting so strongly?"

Vanna didn't speak for a moment, her expression changing rapidly twice. Heidi sensed something from the other's reaction: "Should we turn around and go back right now? We can ask her properly..."

"No." Vanna shook her head abruptly after some thought, then refocused her attention on the road ahead.

The car started again, and in the increasingly dim sky, the scenery of the districts on both sides gradually accelerated backward.

Heidi looked at her friend in the driver's seat with some concern and confusion. She seemed to want to ask something, but before she could speak, Vanna shook her head gently.

"I know you're confused, but don't ask yet. Before I confirm some things, don't mention this to anyone else."

Speaking of this, she paused, then said softly as if to herself: "Perhaps...we came a little too hastily today."