nucmednet Chapter 197 Cake
Chapter 197 Cake
Separated by the car window, Hoffman, sitting on the left, had a serious and calm expression. In the dim light that blended with her loose hair and dark-toned clothing, she looked at Marcus across the square table.
"...Marcus?"
The dim, yellowish light inside the train bathed the seats and aisle, its soft, non-glaring glow gently filtering the sunlight from outside. As the train moved, a regular, muffled clanging sound emanated from the rails, accompanied by a slight vibration in the carriage; the sound was even and continuous.
"Marcus?"
"Oh! I'm sorry, Ms. Hoffman, I was just reading this newspaper...!"
Looking at the slightly panicked students, Hoffman sighed with a hint of helplessness.
"...Although I told you not to neglect your practice of mystical arts, you don't need to use them all the time."
“I have already informed you of the confidentiality requirements for this operation. Second-level investigator Marcus, please repeat that.”
A rational and meticulous senior investigator will always have some concerns about a junior colleague on their first mission, especially one who is sensitive, timid, and somewhat lacking in self-confidence.
"Hmm... Remember the 'Field Dispatch Manual'..."
"Under no circumstances should any information related to [the company] be disclosed to unauthorized personnel."
"It is not advisable to establish too much contact with the current era, to disclose the true situation of headquarters to branch members, or to discuss classified matters in situations unrelated to the mission."
"Do not interfere, do not contact, please remain silent and treat the lives of ordinary people with courtesy..."
At least her seriousness in this regard never required Hoffman to worry about anything else.
"And why is this damn train never on time?"
"..."
As if to express himself accurately, our lovely little seagull even raised his voice slightly when saying this.
"Did I say that?"
"Yes, you whispered it, after it made another temporary stop."
Marcus confirmed it in a low but very firm voice.
After a brief silence, Hoffmann, still maintaining a serious expression, spoke:
"...I admit, you do have a talent for multitasking. But I want to emphasize that as a novice investigator, you should focus more on the task at hand."
Compared to "Si Chen," who simply left a note and abandoned the team and mission, the girl in front of them could be considered an angel.
“Okay, okay, I’m very sorry, Ms. Hoffman…”
It's just a habit; she hasn't yet learned how to openly show her gentleness. And our Xiao Ma, who's used to internal conflict, hasn't adapted to working with this strict mentor either.
After giving a few more instructions about the mission, Hoffman reminded Marcus to pack his belongings, because their next stop was Vienna!
……
"My God... this is... Austria's national treasure!"
In the open-air café, Marcus gently leaned on the table, gazing with delight at the exquisite desserts before him.
"A rich and creamy chocolate cake base, distinct layers of glaze, and just the right amount of apricot jam..."
"The world-famous Viennese pastry, Sachertorte, was born in 1832 under the guidance of the brilliant apprentice Franz Sacher!"
"This is the first time I've ever seen it in person..."
However, instead of being eager to get started, she hesitated over the small gift her mentor had brought.
How do I cut it open?
"If I cut it vertically, it will definitely compress the cake and lose its dense texture. If I cut it horizontally, I won't be able to enjoy the exquisite apricot jam layers..."
“If I swallowed it whole… no, that would be too rude. I would be scolded even in an orphanage for that.”
"I need to observe more carefully and think things through. Perhaps there's something I've overlooked..."
"Recall your training carefully, Marcus employee! This is the most important moment of your life, you must not lose your composure due to excitement!"
Just as Marcus was concentrating intently, even to the point of intending to use a occult spell, she ignored the sound of light footsteps slowly approaching.
By the time she realized what was happening, the mysterious wind magic had already precisely and swiftly divided the cake into bite-sized pieces.
The gentle breeze preserved the cake's dense texture and layers, playfully scooped up a small piece, fed it to the caster's mouth, and then silently dissipated into the air.
"Ugh?"
Little Ma was clearly still lost in his own thoughts and hadn't realized what was going on, but Hoffman, who had been sitting next to him, was already looking at the newcomer with a hostile expression.
"Chen Xi?"
Hoffman was quite troubled by this problematic child who she found difficult from their first meeting. Lacking access to certain classified information, she couldn't understand why the Foundation would keep such a person within its ranks, let alone appoint him as Sichen.
"Unauthorized departure from the team without application and approval, failure to agree on the time and place of mission rendezvous, the impact of this on ordinary people in this era, and other violations of the Field Dispatch Manual."
Hoffman looked at Chenxi with an almost scrutinizing gaze.
"Although you are the Foundation's designated 'Sichen' and enjoy a great deal of autonomy, I still want to remind you that freedom is not about doing whatever you want. As a member of the Foundation, you still need to have a bottom line of morality and adherence to it."
Faced with a barrage of Hoffman's words, Chenxi's face turned a deep purplish-red, his cheeks bulging as if someone were choking him.
After a long while, he finally swallowed the precious item revered as a "national treasure." Then, under Marcus's bewildered gaze, he placed his hand on her head and ruffled it with a touch of sympathy.
"You're right, this cake is way too sweet."
After taking a gulp of water from the wasteland, Chenxi then took a glass of lemonade made by Snyder and placed it next to Marcus.
"Trust me, you will need it."
"Thank you...thank you."
One surprising thing after another kept popping up, grabbing Marcus's attention and leaving her no time to think.
Meanwhile, Chenxi had already pulled out the last chair on the table and sat down.
Hoffman's gaze followed Chenxi's movements until the two locked eyes, at which point the tense atmosphere that had been building up began to ease.
It must be said that those light blue eyes were indeed extremely deceptive, to the point that Hoffman considered giving up on pursuing the matter several times.
After staring at each other for a while, Chenxi, seeing that Hoffman remained unmoved, smiled and began to explain. However… his explanation sounded more like nitpicking than an apology:
"First of all, I need to clarify one point: I am not affiliated with the foundation, and even the title of 'Si Chen' was forcibly imposed on me by your current vice president."
"So it won't work to use your rules to control me."
“I am willing to stay at the foundation and cooperate with you entirely because Virtue is still here. The mission she carries makes me willing to protect her in this way.”