In such relaxing times, Lin Ye could barely feel the days pass by.
He was used to this.
When he was a vet in Chernobog, he usually did nothing. It might have been boring, but he liked it. Feeling bored meant he was safe. But now he wanted to do something to kill time.
Lin Ye stared blankly at the blue sky through his window. Then he thought of someone.
Should he text or maybe even call Skadi?
He hadn't seen her for a long time. However, Lin Ye didn't want to seem desperate for her attention. He didn't want Skadi to label him as a person who always needed her, so he decided that he would just laze around and wait for her return.
Is that how a senior should act?
"Senpai?" While he was busy thinking about this, Eyja's voice could be heard outside his door, "May I come in?"
Lin Ye turned his head to see Eyja and her little black sheep standing at the door.
"Of course, you can." Lin Ye smiled and greeted her, "Come in."
With his permission, Eyja walked in.
She really was a polite girl.
Then she asked him something.
"Senpai? Are you reading something?" Eyja asked timidly, "Am I disturbing you?"
"I was just about to write some notes." Lin Ye picked up the volcanology encyclopaedia that was near him, "Don't worry that much. Could you help me? There is something I don't understand."
"Sure, I can help you Senpai." Eyja smiled at him, "Senpai is really hard working."
Normally, such words would make any person feel proud of themselves, but it just made him feel ashamed. He wasn't that hardworking, Eyja was the one who should be called a hardworking person.
After returning to the island, Kal'tsit did not arrange any jobs for Eyja due to her illness, and only asked her to cooperate with the medical department for her treatment. Eyja knew that her illness had no cure for now, but she still faithfully went to the medical department.
However, with Lin Ye's invitation, she would visit him at his office every day. Due to her poor eyesight, the words on her books were hard for her to read, so Lin Ye would help her by reading it to her. That was also why he was currently learning about volcanoes. He was happy to help her, and she seemed to enjoy his company.
He severely underestimated how diligent and kind this child was.
The first time Eyja visited him, Lin Ye accidentally fell asleep because he stayed up all night learning more about her. When Eyja came to his office, with him being asleep and with her not having the key to his office, she couldn't get in. She also didn't have any means of contacting Lin Ye, so she sat alone in the corridor with her little black sheep until Lin Ye finally got up at noon.
He felt like he was scum for doing this to her.
That day he asked Eyja why she didn't wait for him in an unlocked room until he woke up.
Her replied, "It is impolite to enter someone else's room without authorization, and I was afraid of causing trouble for Senpai."
Lin Ye felt like he was getting stabbed in the chest with a knife.
Then he asked why she did not go to Orchid, who had his contact number.
She replied, "I was afraid that Senpai did not go to work on time because of important matters. I can't possibly disturb Senpai."
Lin Ye felt another stab in his chest.
Finally, since she found out that he hadn't been in his office for long, he asked why she decided against going back to her dormitory first to rest.
Eyja replied, "Because I made an appointment with Senpai. I can't break my promise."
Lin Ye felt his heart break apart.
Is she the one? She must be the one sent to change my mindset about how all women are evil! There is still hope for kind-hearted girls!
At that time, he felt that the innocent and kind-hearted Eyja was like a shining sun, dissipating his dark image of women.
After giving lots of headpats and buying some treats for Eyja, he started working much harder. He would go to work early, even if he was tired. In order to get closer to her, he would also read up on books about volcanology to have a topic to chat about. He even read some psychology books in his free time.
So, he and Eyja would study with each other in his office. He really enjoyed doing so and it seemed to be the same for her. However, it was really tiring to do. It was like he was back to his university life.
So, after about an hour or two, he would stop reading and start fiddling with his phone. In this world, although his phone didn't have any great games, he could still explore the Internet. He was like a student who would secretly play with his phone behind his book in class behind his professor's back.
Lin Ye wondered why Eyja felt like a professor to him? Probably because she was way smarter than he could ever be, or was it because of how diligent she was?
He really envied her, but he enjoyed her being around him. She gave him a calming feeling whenever she was with him, and was even a great teacher. She would patiently explain to him anything that he did not understand about her field of expertise. She would be a great teacher if she were one.
Lin Ye looked at Eyja sitting happily on the sofa in front of him, writing down notes while he read a part of her book that she brought with her, and at her sheep who were roaming around the room, but did not cause any trouble for him. This scene gave him a sense of peace.
She will have a future. He promised himself.
As he was enjoying the atmosphere, he noticed a black envelope on the table, near some of Eyja's notes.
"Hmm? What's that, Eyja?" Lin Ye closed his book, "Did someone send it to you?"
"Ah, did you mean this, Senpai?" Eyja took the envelope and handed it to Lin Ye, "This is an invitation letter."
"An invitation letter?" Lin Ye took it from her, "Is it okay for you to show me this?"
"Of course, it is." Eyja said with a smile, "You are my Senpai."
"Well... Even if I am your Senpai, I can't just look at something that was sent to you." Lin Ye smiled and handed the envelope back. "Only if you are fine with it, then can you tell me."
"It's okay, Senpai." Eyja took the envelope back again and said, "This is an academic seminar on Catastrophes. The organizer has invited me to participate in it."
"An academic seminar?" Lin Ye's eyes widened, "They would like to invite you?"
"Yes, Senpai" Eyja nodded and said, "It's because I have published several papers and they have seen them."
Yup, she really is a genius.
"So..." Lin Ye smiled at her, "Would you like to go?"
"Of course, I do. No... It's more appropriate to say that I need to go," Eyja said seriously, "It is rare for this type of academic seminar to be held. This gathering of experts from various disciplines will help me understand Catastrophes better, and will help me greatly in my research. I must go."
"I am happy that you were invited but..." Lin Ye reminded her about something, "Didn't Saria forbid you from going out again?"
Eyja's beautiful face suddenly stiffened, but she quickly regained her determined look.
"If Miss Saria doesn't allow it, I'll sneak out!"
Lin Ye sighed at this.
Are all girls in this world so stubborn?
Eyja noticed the change in his expression.
"Will I cause trouble for you if I do this, Senpai?"
"Huh?" Lin Ye raised a brow at this, "If it causes trouble for me, will you choose not to go then?"
Eyja's expression became troubled.
"I-I don't want to cause trouble for Senpai." She stammered, "But I really want to go."
Watching how troubled she looked, Lin Ye couldn't help but smile.
"Don't worry about it. How could you possibly trouble me?"
Lin Ye stretched out his hand and petted Eyja's head. He had to say, her hair felt very fluffy, exactly like touching the little black sheep that were beside her.
"But if you go alone, will you be able to take care of yourself?"
Seeing that Lin Ye wasn't mad at her, Eyja was relieved. She nodded at him happily.
"I can take care of myself, Senpai."
"I don't think that that is enough for me not to worry about you," Lin Ye asked, "Where is this seminar held?"
"Lungmen, Senpai."
Lin Ye raised a brow.
"Lungmen?"
"Mhm," Eyja nodded again, "This seminar is organized by the Lungmen government and is led by Mr. Wei Yenwu."
Lungmen again, huh.
Lin Ye thought that even though the world of Terra was vast, and while Lungmen was a small place in comparison, it seemed everything that happened was related to that place, no matter how big or small. It must be an important place in this world.
Moreover, Lin Ye had something to do in Lungmen, and that was to go to Penguin Logistics and ask them to help him purchase the secret medicine from Higashi. Although he could just call them up at any time, especially since he still had Exusiai's contact number, he wanted to go there in person. Maybe with this secret medicine, the cure to Oripathy could be developed.
He also wanted to confirm if Rhodes Island had labelled him as a test product.
Don't get him wrong. He was willing to give his blood, but he refused to become a mere medicament, or a golden goose that could not leave the Island lest he became the target of a dangerous organisation. That kind of life was unbearable to him, especially since Kal'tsit had reduced his workload. He had already been through 20 years of life feeling like he was trapped.
He didn't want that to happen to him again. He wanted to be free.
There was no reason to go to Lungmen before, but now he had found a good one.
Lin Ye smiled at Eyja, who was still being pet by him.
"You don't need to sneak out," Lin Ye ruffled her hair gently, "I will help you."
"Huh?" Eyja didn't know how to react to this," W-What do you mean, Senpai?"
"The seminar," Lin Ye smiled, "I will accompany you there."
{Rhodes Island's Psychologist}
Draft: Jaq
Proofread: Shirokuro
Edit: Jaq