"Have you been going for walks with the Old Madam every night lately?"
"Yes."
Alfred picked up the ice water in front of him, drinking as he carefully studied Philomina standing before him. He asked:
"You weren't hurt?"
"I was."
"I can't tell."
"She deliberately avoids my face."
"Oh, she is kindly after all."
Alfred set down his glass and continued with a smile, "Have you improved much?"
"She's very strong."
"Of course."
After all, she had adventured in the same squad as Master Dis when she was young. To draw a somewhat inappropriate comparison, if the Young Master were Master Dis, then Madam Tang Li in her youth might have been the present-day Philomina;
the result would be Philomina eventually marrying Richard...
Alfred frowned and cursed inwardly: Isn't that utter nonsense?
"She cares a great deal about the Director."
"Our Young Master is very popular with his elders, after all. Do you plan to keep going? If you don't want to, I can turn her down for you."
"I'll go."
"All right."
Just then, Vic knocked and came in. He told Alfred, "The transfer orders have arrived."
"They've all left?"
"Bernie and Harry have both left, along with several ministers. They'd cleared their offices out long ago and left the building as soon as the orders arrived."
"Then prepare a farewell banquet. Let the cafeteria know."
"They've already left."
"We're celebrating their finally leaving. The meal is for us."
"True. I like the way you do things."
"Sometimes, even if you don't want to, you have to make your likes and dislikes clear. Otherwise, the people beneath you won't fear you."
"Yes, exactly. Our Director should be getting out soon too, right?"
"He should be. The investigation team left days ago. It's time he came back."
Just then, the