11.2

      Secondly, all the information on the drugs and the Ascension Rite procedures. It was a lot.
      The drug-making itself was too difficult for Aidan to understand, but he was interested in it. He’d promised professor Wennot to learn more about it if he ever had a lot of time to spare and the professor had responded with utter delight. An expert in his field getting the notice he so craved.
      But the procedures on picking the workers that would be taken up were even worse than the drug. Starting the day after the Rite, a select group of experts would start the selection process. They would keep a close eye on the numbers thirteen till twenty-four on their list from the previous Rite, but were not blindly staring at them. New candidates were offered by their interns at all times and the new selection would start.
      It took them five months to come up with the new list – twenty-four people in total. People who had worked particularly hard or had done amazing things to help the enforcers or other workers usually made the list. On a very rare occasion it was someone who had been marked by the nurses in the Care Centre as ‘exquisite’. Those workers were absolute geniuses who’d be of more use in Conqueron than in a factory.
      Aidan had taken a look at the list for this Rite and the provisional list for the next one to see if any worker piqued his interest. No one had. He had no need for someone who had helped the cleaners clean up after work hours. Nor did he have need for some super submissive servant who’d do anything he ordered without second thought. He’d prefer it if they could think for themselves a little so he wouldn’t have a loyal dog following him around, waiting for the next command.
      The one person who had been marked as a genius had sounded tempting, but when he looked into his file more deeply, he found out that the intelligence would be of no use to him – it was just some maths and science nerd who’d be better off in a research laboratory or as a professor’s assistant.
      Any other potential candidate they’d given him – mostly women – had been boring. No one really stood out to him or felt useful to him.
      So, now that he had some time to figure it out, he was writing down the traits he looked for in a servant.
      Somewhat submissive – good at listening and following definite commands, but smart enough to figure out what was best for themselves and for Aidan if need be. He didn’t need a faithful lapdog, but someone who would help him without constant reminders of what to do.
      Smart – a person who could at the very least read and understand more difficult literature and could help him go through his research books. Someone who could support him mentally, but also challenge him so he could grow. But no genius, not someone whose intelligence would go to waste being the heir’s servant.
      Ambitious – knows what they want and will always want to go for that goal. Equal to him in spirit. Maybe not the same goal, but an ambitious person with their own goals would probably be more likely to help him reach his own targets when asked. And people like that usually were more entertaining, too.
      Aidan took a deep breath after writing down his demands. He’d finally found the time to write it down, but how was he going to find someone like that on such short notice?
      “You could just ask my father.” Yuno’s suggestion rung in his ear, as the girl was suddenly standing right next to him, reading his notes over his shoulder.
      Aidan hurriedly tried to cover his notes, but knew it was too late anyway. “How–”
      “–you were not responding and looked very deep in thought. I wanted to talk about my findings, but there was no hint of you listening. I just got up and decided to read along, hoping I could help you with something. You’re looking for a personal servant for the upcoming Ascension Rite, I take it?”
      “My father ordered me to pick someone. He called it a personal servant, but it’s more of an assistant. They’re not supposed to work on chores for me, but accompany me on official business and to the academy perhaps.
      So, I need someone who’ll fit my own demands and wishes. But I have no idea how to figure out which workers would fit them.”
      “Ask my father. He’s always talking with the people who pick the workers that come here. I’ve seen him at work a few times – he claimed I’d have to learn the trade at some point as well – and it seems like he has a good feel for who might fit. He can probably get you files of a few workers at least.
      Now, do you have time to talk about the psychology?”
      “I guess.”
      “You don’t sound too excited yet.” Yuno pouted, but grabbed her notes nonetheless and presented them to Aidan. “Here’s my notes. I like reading about the human mind!
      The book you gave me, ‘Psychology of the heart’, is a lot about the effects of the mind on the physical well-being of a person. A lot of stress and bad feelings can make your heart and other body functions go off-track. There are actually people who had cardiac arrests due to exorbitant levels of stress.
      If I understand correctly, it would make sense to keep people happy and to alleviate stress to make sure everyone stays happy.
      In addition to the actual heart and physics of the body, the first few chapters also went into the emotional part – the symbolic meaning of the heart if you will. Experiments have shown that those who experience little to no stress and feel safe and cared for are happier. They are more likely to feel good mentally and physically.
      In conclusion, mental health and physical health are connected. This book focusses more on the impact of mental health on the physical health, but there’s a minor section about how a healthy body can affect the mind as well.”
      “How did you figure that out this quickly? I’ve barely done anything,” Aidan responded amazed.
      “You’ve been writing for quite a while – I think like an hour at the very least – but the first few chapters were more of a summarising introduction than in depth analyses. If you read the rest of the book, you’ll understand the biological connections and how you can trick your body or mind into feeling better.” Yuno tried to shrug her achievement off as if it was nothing.
      “Yuno, you’re amazing. Do you think you could help more often?” Aidan asked eagerly.
      “Maybe. As long as I don’t have any family obligations or other schoolwork for the academy I could help. It’s very fascinating to read about my own brain and what it impacts or what impacts it.” She smiled, a twinkle of scholarly happiness in her eyes. “Do you want me to hand over your wishes for a servant to my father tonight? He can probably make sure you have your files by tomorrow morning at the latest.”
      Aidan looked at his notes, debating on whether it was a smart move to let Yuno’s father know his motives. What if he uses it against me? he thought. It could seriously screw me over if he were to tell the council. Or he could use it to blackmail me into picking his daughter when the time for marriage comes perhaps?
      “I can see the doubt on your face, Aidan. I could also just ask him for my personal gains. He always asks us if we need new servants when a Rite is nearing. A check-up on our stock, so to say. See if we need a particular kind of help in our mansion or if any of us need a personal one.
      If telling my father you want files bothers you so much, I could just pretend it’s for me or for the mansion. That I’m looking into it for the next one already. It’s not a big deal for me,” she said casually, interrupting his train of thought.
      “I would really appreciate that. I’m sorry, it’s just that it’s not very smart to let others know what I’m looking for. You know, you’re probably familiar with it yourself.”
      “You don’t need to explain yourself. And yes, I’m familiar with that. Sadly. I’ll tell my father for you. You’ll get the files at school tomorrow, so make sure you’re present.”
      “You’re the best, Yuno.”
      “You better remember that the next time you think I’m annoying,” she teased. “It’s time for me to go home now if I need to talk to my father before he’s off to some elite party. Will you at least see me out of your mansion?”
      Aidan raised his eyebrow, but closed his notebook. “Only because you helped me so much in such a short amount of time.” He got up and held out his hand for Yuno to grab before jokingly saying, “Milady.”
      She giggled and took it, fanning herself with her hand and pretending to blush. “Oh Brother Aidan, you are too kind for a mere girl like myself. It’s an absolute honour for me to be accompanied by such a well-established male like you.”
      Yuno had barely finished her sentence before bursting into a hysterical laughter. Aidan followed suit, the thought of them behaving this way absolutely hilarious to both of them.
      By the time they reached the door of the library, both were still laughing loudly, tears rolling down their cheeks.
      “And our parents wanted us to get married. How awful would that have been?” Yuno snorted.
      “At least our lives would be a big joke all the time,” Aidan responded with a loud chuckle. “We should probably behave properly once we exit.”
      As they tried to calm down and come to their senses, they looked at each other again. Although Aidan tried to keep a serious face, he couldn’t help but laugh even harder when he saw Yuno’s pursed lips as she tried to keep her laughter contained.
      Every time one of the two had sort of controlled their amusement, the other made them laugh again. It took Aidan every single bit of mental strength he could muster to control himself and to calm Yuno down as well before exiting the library.
      Luckily, there was no one outside of the library or even in the nearby halls.
      He walked Yuno to the front gates of the mansion’s gardens and made sure she was accompanied by her own servant guard when she left the property.
      “Have a good evening, Brother,” she said formally, curtsying slightly.
      “I will. I wish you a good evening too, lady Yuno.” A proper goodbye to maintain a good face in front of the servants and staff. Annoying.