Ernst was taken aback by his interviewer's reaction.
Within Sonia's deep brown eyes was the same intent to listen from yesterday.
Seeing this, rather than feeling relieved, Ernst still held some worry inside him.
What's with that look? Perplexed by Sonia's reaction, Ernst wondered what the lady in front of him would say next.
Breaking the silence, Sonia spoke in a mellow tone. "What sort of things happen in your nightmares?"
Demons… anxiety… monsters… Three words repeated themselves in Ernst's head as he planned what to say next.
"Although a bit disturbing, I often dream of monsters attacking people with vivid facial features." Ernst immediately felt a sense of regret as he stuck to his honesty.
Maintaining her composure, Sonia began to speak once more.
"When did you first start having these dreams?" she asked expectantly.
Persisting in his belief of answering with utmost honesty, Ernst responded in kind.
"Ever since I was a young boy…"
"To be honest, I had originally been adopted…"
"After my sister and I lost our parents, the dreams got worse."
Sonia's look of understanding shifted to one of concern. She did not intend to make Ernst feel uncomfortable; however, it was necessary due to the nature of the interview. To truly understand another person, one must get up close to them—sometimes pushing them to uncomfortable limits.
Noticing his discomfort, Sonia apologized. "I'm sorry to hear that. Forgive me if I've made you feel uneasy."
"No worries at all! It's been some time since their passing," Ernst said reassuringly.
Ernst understood the weight of losing a loved one all too well. However, he was not as sensitive as to let a reminder dampen his mood. Although he had experienced much hardship as a child, all became well upon meeting the Adler family. Through Emilia and her parents, it was as if his life could start anew.
The young man watched as Sonia's facial expression softened.
After a moment of calm, she continued.
"Dreams tend to reflect how one interacts with daily life. In our subconscious minds, we each have a desire for something. Even if it's out of reach, we all crave a certain thing in our lives." Sonia held her mug in her hands. "Whether it be people, money, power, or love, everyone has something they long for."
The beautiful woman paused for a few moments before continuing.
"However, nightmares are a bit special."
"Having them endlessly since you were a child must've been no help to you."
"I would also imagine they might have worsened since your parents' passing…"
Ernst observed Sonia's long eyelashes glancing at the leftover coffee in her mug. She seemed deep in thought, pondering something unbeknownst to him. Ernst could not help but wonder what she was thinking.
Although the question led him to open up about his parents' passing, he was not truly shaken by the reminder.
"Again, it's quite all right…"
With her warm smile returning, Sonia was ready to continue the interview.
"Can you describe your dream in as much detail as possible?"
Crap… Once again, Ernst was met with another difficult question.
"Ms. Sonia, to be honest, my dreams are quite distasteful. As much as I would love to share them, they are rather graphic."
The mature lady laughed upon hearing Ernst's panic. It was the first time she had seen him at a loss for their entire time together. She could not help but feel a bit thankful for his reaction.
Smiling quietly, she looked toward the few windows of the restaurant. Crossing her legs, she spoke. "You've been stiff for the entirety of this interview." She put her fist close to her mouth in a poor attempt to cover her chuckle. "I can assure you, Ernst, regardless of your answer to this question, you will do well."
I will do well? Does this mean I've passed? Ernst could not help but reveal a bit of excitement through a slight crease at the side of his mouth.
Though he wished to avoid sharing the details of his violent dreams, Ernst thought of ways to communicate them tactfully. To his dismay, doing so seemed impossible.
Hesitantly, he began to share the details of his most recent journey into his twisted psyche. At times, he choked and cringed at the words leaving his mouth. To the best of his ability, Ernst forced himself to recall as much as he could—from the old, abandoned, factory-like location he had seen, to the appearance of the monster, to the vivid details of the victim.
Ultimately, Ernst did not feel like a madman as he shared his visions of a disfigured man ravaging an innocent woman. While recounting the more graphic or fantastical portions of his stories, he felt his heart rate jump higher than usual. Regardless, he was able to pull through and deliver a coherent recollection of his dreams.
"…and that's about it."
An unknown amount of time had passed while he had clumsily explained his most recent dream. To maintain professionalism, Ernst had decided to leave out some details, mainly reducing emphasis on the gore he had witnessed.
He could not help but feel exhausted from retelling his nightmare. His face, once colourful, had turned pale grey.
Why would someone be so interested in nightmares? What kind of job could it be, anyway?
Although it took effort, I'd like to think my explanation was satisfactory… hopefully it came off as "normal"… well… as normal as a nightmare can get…
After recomposing himself, he glanced at the beautiful Sonia once more. Her position had not changed since he began explaining his tall tale.
He could not truly understand why she had asked for the details of the dream in the first place. Although he had been told that it could reveal a bit about his personality, part of him felt uneasy about her request. Such questions remained obscure to the concerned man.
Once again, Ernst began to question the job he was being interviewed for.
Upon fully digesting Ernst's explanation, Sonia cleared her throat in preparation for her verdict.
Tension welled up in Ernst as he awaited her response. He began to grip the fabric of his pants.
Naturally, time seemed to move more slowly at this moment.
The hands of the only clock in the dining area continued to move forward as he avoided eye contact with Sonia.
"Wonderful, you've passed with flying colours," she said, breaking the silence.
A large amount of energy and relief seemed to escape Ernst. Unclenching his hands, creases remained in his clothing from the built-up stress.
Concealing his excitement, the side of Ernst's mouth had a more pronounced crease than a regular smile. He could also feel a drop of sweat run down his back.
"I would be honoured to offer you a position at our business."
"Do you have any questions?"
Seizing the opportunity, Ernst politely inquired about his position.
"If I may ask… what job am I being interviewed for, in the first place?" he spoke with politeness.
Sonia, preparing to depart from the bakery, looked over at Ernst in surprise.
"…"
"I completely forgot to tell you! I got so caught up in not having breakfast this morning that I jumped straight into interviewing you."
So that's why… Ernst's face carried a polite smile. However, he could not help but criticize the orderliness of the mature woman.
Resting her suitcase on her side once more, Sonia began to speak.
"It's nothing too special. You'll be acting as a sort of receptionist for our business."
A receptionist? Not exactly what he was expecting. The job Sonia had offered was far from his initial assumption.
Ernst's reaction was not immediately evident to Sonia. However, upon closer inspection, she got an inkling of his concern.
"If the salary is your concern, there is no need to worry," she said, breaking him from his light daze.
Was I that obvious? I can't help but be concerned about money… I don't think there's anything wrong with that per se… We are in a declining economy, after all…
"That's not—…"
Looking defeated, Ernst asked about the salary being offered.
"4,500 markings," Sonia replied indifferently.
Time froze for Ernst as he watched Sonia's lips enunciate a number he had only dreamt of.
4,500…?!
Ernst's mind seemed to short-circuit upon hearing the sum.
"That is just the starting salary, though. Progressing can be fairly easy, given the nature of the job."
More focused on the potential payout, Sonia's continued explanation seemed inaudible to Ernst. His face maintained composure, but was slowly unravelling.
Looking at the clock high above the entrance, Sonia noticed she had overstayed her visit.
"I apologize, but I have something else to tend to… If you do decide to accept the job, drop by 31112 Atkinson Road. It should be a tall building with an oak sign reading 'Incisca Guidance Office.'"
Pardoning herself from the table, the beautiful brunette lady left as fast as she had entered.
"It was nice chatting with you; I hope to see you soon," she said while exiting the bakery.
As soon as the chiming of the entrance bells ceased, Emilia left the counter and immediately interrogated her brother about the outcome of his interview.
"So… how did it go?"
Ernst, still exhausted from the interview, slumped against his chair. Repeating Sonia's words from ten minutes prior, he replied to his sister:
"Apparently, I passed with flying colours."
Hunching his head over his seat, Ernst stared at the bakery ceiling. The opportunity he had received was a dream come true. Many post-graduates would seize it immediately without hesitation. Yet Ernst could not help but remain unsure of the job itself.
"Congratulations!" Emilia praised her brother for his accomplishment.
Her face brightened as she shook his listless shoulders.
With no will to ward off his enthusiastic sibling, Ernst let his body flop in his seat.
Rehearsing the events that had just happened, Ernst began thinking about what he was to do next. Although Sonia described the job as akin to a secretary's role, the large salary alone would entice almost anyone to accept it without hesitation.
Ultimately, he decided it was best to spend the evening thinking it over.
For now, his sister wished to celebrate his accomplishment.
Regaining his strength, Ernst looked at Emilia.
The young woman, a few years his senior, smiled brightly.
Yes… my decision will inevitably come down to her…
"Once we close later, we'll have a big dinner!
"Just rest up and wait till then. Leave the bakery to me." Sonia cheerfully returned to assisting a customer who had just entered.
Watching Emilia work so earnestly, Ernst felt as if he had come to a decision.
Getting up from his seat, he began to walk upstairs to his room to think further.
He truly wished to make a decision he would not regret.
...
31112 Atkinson Road, Incisca Guidance Office
In a brightly lit room, stacks of papers were being sorted by a handsome man. His leather gloves caressed the edges of each page as he scanned lines of detailed police reports.
"Lev, are you going to sleep forever?"
On the couch was a silver-haired lady, curled into a fetal position. Her eyes twitched after being interrupted.
"…"
The man sighed as he looked out the window. It had just turned noon, and an abundance of work remained.
Sonia should have finished her interview by now… Otto is out gathering information… Although our services have yet to open to the public, we can't be stalled any longer…
The man pressed his fingers against his forehead.
After some time, the groggy silver-haired woman rose from the couch.
Rubbing her eyes, she shielded herself from the afternoon rays.
"You were up all night reading again, weren't you?"
With his attention diverted between the documents, Lev attempted a conversation.
"I just felt a bit nostalgic…"
Scanning her surroundings, Leva seemed to search for something she had dropped the night prior.
There it is…
On the floor lay an old book with its pages split in the middle.