Mystery: A Spark

Wearing a mask, Arthur stood before the full-length mirror in the room. Under Arthas's astonished gaze, he controlled his flesh and blood to make his body thinner.

Suddenly, a strangely shaped masked man with a peculiar beauty appeared in the mirror.

Looking at his new self in the mirror, Arthur recited in a deep, magnetic voice:

"I bloom in the midst of killing, like a flower in the dawn."

……

Tuesday morning, East District, office building not far from Peace Tavern.

Hugh smiled and said to the noblewoman in front of him:

"Hello, Miss Audrey, Mr. Heller is waiting for you upstairs."

“I understand. By the way, Hugh, how are Vina and the others doing lately?” Audrey asked.

“They’re all doing well, but they miss you a bit and often ask me why I haven’t come to see them lately,” Hugh replied with a smile.

“My family was very worried about what happened last time, so they haven’t had a chance to come here much lately. I’ll go see them later,” Audrey said with a hint of helplessness.

After the smog incident, Count Hall, concerned for her condition, invited Archbishop Anthony to his home to check on her.

Although Audrey was fine, her movements were still somewhat restricted, preventing her from freely visiting the children in the East End as she used to.

It wasn't until today that she finally found the opportunity to go out.

“They’ll be so happy to know you’re coming. Should I go and let them know?” Hugh asked as he walked outside.

“I wanted to surprise them,” Audrey replied with a smile.

"Alright then, I'll get back to work now, Miss Audrey, goodbye."

"Goodbye."

Audrey went up to the second floor and saw a number of rooms in the corridor, where many people were busy at work.

Some of them were categorizing and organizing files, while others were discussing a problem with others.

Others were fiddling with a strange-looking rectangular wooden frame, rattling the beads inside while muttering to themselves and occasionally scribbling something on a piece of paper.

The whole scene looked busy but not chaotic, and without any delays, unlike the officials in the kingdom who would drag out even a small matter for half a day.

At the end of the corridor, there was a room that was slightly larger than the others, with a sign on the door that read "Chairman's Office" in Rune.

Audrey knew that this must be where Mr. Heller was.

She walked to the office door, knocked lightly twice, and heard a clear voice from inside:

"Please come in".

Audrey grasped the handle and pushed open the door. I saw Mr. Arthur Heller looking at me with a gentle smile.

“Miss Audrey, hello, welcome.” Arthur stood up and said.

“Hello, Mr. Heller, I’ve been looking forward to meeting you.” Audrey extended her hand to Arthur with a reserved smile.

In Ruen etiquette, the kiss on the hand must be initiated by the lady before the gentleman can do so; otherwise, it is considered a serious breach of etiquette.

To Audrey, Mr. Heller, though young, was a man she respected.

So, although she didn't really like being kissed on the hand, she still extended her hand as a sign of respect for Mr. Heller.

However, Arthur had never used the gesture of kissing someone's hand, either before or after his time travel.

So when he saw Audrey reach out her hand, he was stunned for a moment before he realized what was happening.

Arthur took Audrey's hand across the table, bent down somewhat awkwardly, and gave it a perfunctory kiss, thus smoothing things over.

Audrey noticed Arthur's stiff and awkward movements, and her lips curled up slightly, but she didn't say anything.

“Ahem, Miss Audrey, please have a seat,” Arthur gestured.

“Thank you, Mr. Heller.” Audrey sat up straight and gracefully across the table from Arthur. “The reason I’ve come to visit is because I have some questions I’d like to ask you.”

"What kind of doubt is it?" Arthur asked, raising an eyebrow.

"The question is, Mr. Heller, has your guidance over this period met your expectations?" Audrey asked with a smile.

Arthur smiled and said:

"Whether the guidance has achieved its intended purpose is a question you shouldn't ask me, Miss Audrey. You should ask your own heart."

"Ask yourself, Miss Audrey, compared to your younger self, have you grown considerably? Become more mature? And are you willing to shoulder heavier responsibilities for your ideals?"

Audrey gazed at Arthur and calmly began to speak:

"Yes, when I recently examined my inner self, I found that I have changed a lot compared to my former self, and this change is not caused by any extraordinary ability."

"Oh? Miss Audrey, are you so sure that I didn't use any extraordinary abilities to influence you?"

"You know, there are many strange and unpredictable abilities in this world. Perhaps you've been mind-controlled by me without even realizing it," Arthur said with a leisurely chuckle, leaning back slightly.

Audrey shook her head and said:

“Mr. Heller, you wouldn’t do that, and since I’m saying this, it’s because I’m absolutely certain.”

Where does this control come from? It naturally comes from the great power of Mr. Fool.

Audrey believed that no extraordinary power could affect her through Mr. Fool's mysterious gray fog.

Therefore, after realizing this during her many Tarot meetings, she made the palace where the Tarot meetings were held her mental safe haven.

If she examines herself each time she attends a tarot session, she can confirm whether her mind is being controlled.

For Audrey, who had already been promoted to a psychologist, this was an extremely simple matter.

Even if we take a step back and assume that Mr. Heller is indeed powerful enough to exert influence on her through the gray fog, and that Mr. Fool is completely unaware of it.

Without a doubt, this power has reached the level of angels or even true gods.

In that case, Audrey would have no reason to resist.

Of course, there was no need to explain these things to Mr. Heller.

“I think, Mr. Heller, there’s something you need me to do, and it requires my wholehearted cooperation and willingness to devote myself to it. Am I right?” Audrey asked Arthur earnestly.

“That’s true,” Arthur said with a smile and a nod.

"Then, can I know exactly what this is about?" Audrey asked, her fingers interlaced on the table, leaning slightly forward.

She could sense that her conversation with the young man in front of her would be a major turning point in her life.

Her life's journey will split into two here.

One of them, according to her original destiny, is a noblewoman on the surface, but a member of the Tarot Club in secret, and she will advance step by step through the role-playing method while protecting her family.

The other path is a completely unknown one.

And it will be revealed soon.

"Miss Audrey, what are your ideals?" Arthur asked a question that was already very common in his previous life.

"My ideal... is to advance in the ranks and protect my family, while also making life better for the people of Rune as much as possible. That's about it," Audrey replied without hesitation.

This was her truest thought, and she wasn't afraid of Mr. Heller finding out.

After all, they can be considered kindred spirits to some extent.

"A good ideal," Arthur praised with a smile, then changed the subject, "but achieving it is quite difficult."

“Yes, I know, but as Emperor Roselle famously said, ‘Man proposes, God disposes,’” Audrey nodded slightly.

Moreover, she has money and a tarot club, which gives her enough confidence to face any difficulties.

"Indeed, anything is possible with human effort. As Earl Hall's beloved daughter and a newly adult psychiatrist, Miss Audrey, you certainly have the qualifications to face the challenges."

“However, these things are not enough for you to overcome all your hardships; you need more,” Arthur said, shrugging.

"What is it?" Audrey asked curiously.

“Wealth, and power,” Arthur replied calmly.

Audrey was somewhat stunned.

Arthur tapped the table lightly, then continued:

"I plan to start a company whose main business at this stage is food and medicine, and may venture into the energy sector in the future. Unfortunately, most of my subordinates are roughnecks who know nothing about economic issues."

"So, Miss Audrey, I would like to invite you to become the general manager of this company. Would you be willing?"

“Food…and medicine,” Audrey murmured softly, as if she understood something.

She asked curiously:

Is this a company that focuses on people's livelihood?

"Yes, it is a department store that focuses on peace and people's livelihood."

“Its full name is Umbrella Department Store,” Arthur replied with a smile.

Chapter 241 Audrey gets da☆ze!

Umbrella Department Store?

Does this name have any special meaning? Audrey wondered to herself.

She had noticed that when Mr. Heller said the name, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

It's as if the name has some interesting meaning, and only he knows this meaning, while no one else does.

"Mr. Heller, does this name have any meaning?" Audrey decided to ask the question that had been bothering her.

"Well, the meaning of this name is actually quite easy to understand. I just want this company to develop into a protective umbrella for the people, protecting them from harm and enabling them to live and work in peace and contentment."

“Items such as food and medicine, which are necessities in daily life, will become the main business of the Umbrella Corporation.”

"And its duty is to make these things more affordable, so that most people can afford them, and to make them healthier, taller, and stronger," Arthur explained with a very sincere expression.

“I see, Mr. Heller, that’s a great idea.” Audrey didn’t dwell on the company name issue anymore, since it wasn’t a very important matter.

What really matters is what this company can actually do.

As long as it can do what Mr. Heller said, then no matter what name Mr. Heller gave the company, such as Cat Company or Dog Company, it will not affect its greatness in the slightest.

"Among the books Mr. Heller gave me, I saw a concept about 'productivity,' which I found very interesting."