After a restful evening, Ernst had prepared himself for his upcoming interview.
Rummaging through his father's old clothing, he was able to find a clean white button-up shirt and a leather belt to complement his black-grey dress pants.
It was not often that the siblings would enter their parents' room. To preserve their peace of mind, Ernst and Emilia had each decided to leave it untouched for the most part. However, with such an important event, Ernst felt it was appropriate to explore their wardrobe.
What else can I wear…
Ernst continued to search through their parents' master bedroom, looking for other pieces that would make him appear more presentable.
Sorting through hangers of coats and tops, he found a collection of ties.
This will do…
Ernst grabbed a grey tie and wrapped it around his neck. Knotting it together, he formed a shape that looked more like a clump than a diamond.
Facing himself in the mirror, his eyes widened at the sight of his neck.
I should get Emilia…
Removing his poor attempt at the tie, Ernst tossed it onto the bed and continued searching for accessories.
He opened a few drawers until he found an elegantly decorated box of his mother's jewellery. He examined the selection of earrings, necklaces, and bracelets left behind by her. Although these were mainly for women, he hoped to find something that would enhance his appearance regardless.
Opening another drawer, Ernst found a wooden box. He ran his fingers along its edges, admiring the craftsmanship. Releasing the latch, he lifted the lid.
Surrounded by soft cushioning, Ernst's eyes fell upon a plain silver wristwatch. Held together by a brown leather strap, the watch's hands silently ticked at a slow, rhythmic pace. Its leather straps seemed untouched, showing no signs of creasing.
As the curious Ernst lifted the item from its place, he noticed a small folded note left beneath it.
Opening the note, a single line of roughly written words came into view.
As his eyes followed the line of ink, he recognized the handwriting. A surge of sentiment gripped him.
"To my dearest Ernst. May the Lord protect you at all times."
The young man paused as he caressed the lining of the small watch in his hand.
Father…
Handling the small accessory, he appreciated the craftsmanship of the watch. Although it did not look overly luxurious, it had a high sense of quality.
An abundance of time had clearly passed since the item was purchased; however, the crystal of the watch bore no scratches. The dial was a clear white that emphasized the visibility of its silver hands.
Turning the watch over, Ernst noticed a small engraving in the shape of an hourglass.
He smiled as his thumb gently rubbed over it.
Thank you…
Wrapping the gift from his father around his wrist, Ernst made his way out of his parents' room to look for his sister. In his hands was the crumpled piece of fabric that had once been a tie.
Emilia, who had just come out of her room, spotted her brother and made eye contact with him.
"Mr. Philosopher, how are you feeling for your interview?" she teased.
Walking over to the young lady, he held out the crumpled fabric, silently signalling the problem he had encountered.
"Oh."
Though Ernst had assumed the persona of a well-dressed gentleman, he was still Emilia's brother, after all.
Emilia untangled the tie and looped it around her brother's neck, finishing it with a smooth, centred knot.
Having completed her brother's request, the gentleman from yesterday had returned.
"Perfect!" Emilia spoke aloud, feeling a sense of pride.
Tugging at his tie, Ernst thanked his sister and tidied the rest of his outfit.
Due to Ernst's interview, he was unable to help Emilia with the bakery's tasks once more. However, as long as he completed his responsibilities in the evening, there was no need to worry. While Emilia tended to the customers during the day, her brother's duties were mainly rooted in preparing their baked goods in the evening.
After having his usual breakfast, Ernst waited for Sonia to appear at their bakery. The beautiful woman had not specified her arrival the day prior, so all Ernst could do was wait patiently.
Although he had set thoughts of the interview aside, he could not help but wonder what job might be offered.
Regardless of the nature of the position, Ernst could only regard it highly, given the prestige Sonia and her colleagues carried. The clothing they wore—typically reserved for upper-middle-class citizens of Bauner—was a clear indicator of their status.
Can't be anything related to baking since she knows what degree I hold… Perhaps work as a detective? The job itself is fairly obscure… I've also heard about its irregular pay… Such a job would be an upgrade from what we have now, but I'm still hoping for something a bit better… for Emilia's and my sake at least…
With a warm mug of coffee in his hands, Ernst continued to entertain himself with potential what-ifs.
Ring Ring Ring
A familiar ring resounded throughout the small dining area of their bakery.
Familiar dark brunette hair appeared at the entrance.
Wearing a long brown trench coat and carrying a suitcase in her gloved hand, Sonia had arrived to meet Ernst.
Her outfit is a bit different today…
Spotting Ernst at a table for two, the beautiful lady walked over to the finely dressed young man.
"Sorry for being late, I had a few things to do before coming here," Sonia said apologetically.
"No worries at all. I haven't been waiting that long," Ernst replied.
Sonia graciously accepted his understanding and sat across from him. Placing her suitcase beside her, she removed her coat and rested it against the back of her seat.
"Would you like anything before we start?" Ernst politely asked, hoping Sonia would accept his hospitality.
"Is that okay? Truth be told, I haven't eaten breakfast yet…" Sonia responded honestly.
Ernst let out a light laugh.
"It's no worries at all."
He looked over to Emilia, who had been watching from the counter.
Giving her a slight nod, Emilia began to prepare Sonia a mug of coffee. She then reached into their display case, placing three Gaudnarian donut holes as well as one cheese croissant on a small plate.
Emilia walked over to the table and quietly placed Sonia's food in front of her.
"Thank you! That's very sweet of you!" Sonia said with an elegant smile.
Giving off her signature customer-appeal charm, Emilia returned to the counter.
Sonia bit into her cheese croissant and took her time to chew.
"Wow! It's like everything you guys make here tastes amazing!" she commented enthusiastically.
She sure likes to eat… Ernst thought as he watched the beautiful lady indulge in her food. Although she had shown tact with her diet the day prior, she seemed to have no trouble with what she was eating now.
Hopefully, this gives me some good points…
Soon, Sonia finished her food and was ready to conduct the interview with Ernst.
Opening her suitcase filled with documents, she pulled out a clipboard and a pen. She then grabbed a piece of lined paper and began to ask Ernst her questions.
"So, Ernst, other than your education at Bauner University, what other skills do you have?"
Ernst thought carefully before answering. Although he had not prepared in advance, he believed answering honestly was the best approach.
"Though I don't have much formal experience in fields related to philosophy, I believe my time working with customers has honed my ability to communicate with people," Ernst responded candidly.
"Oh! Interesting, you really emphasize your time at this bakery."
"How would you deal with someone you've offended? For example, a close friend or an unhappy customer?"
Ernst had seldom faced such situations in the past. Being friends with the patient Karl and Hannah, he had rarely made them feel uncomfortable. Consequently, the two childhood friends had done nothing to offend him either.
Regarding customers, most were small elementary school children or retired elderly individuals.
Taking a few more seconds than his first answer, Ernst thought carefully before responding.
"I would first allow the person I offended to voice their frustrations and concerns…"
"I would then empathize with their concerns…"
"…If it's within my power, I would then come up with solutions to help resolve the issue."
Ernst thought this was a fairly generic answer, but he believed the safest route could be key to success.
Sonia began to write on her clipboard and looked up at Ernst.
"How would your friends and family describe you?"
"Confident, responsible, and charismatic — although some would argue I can still be a bit careless at times," Ernst said seriously, yet with a hint of humour.
Using light banter to facilitate the interview would help him appeal to Sonia. Despite the humour in his claim, there was truth in his statement.
Sonia laughed at his light bit of self-deprecation.
"I appreciate your honesty." As she continued writing, the beautiful Sonia smiled.
So far, so good…
The interview proceeded as Ernst expected. Most questions revolved around his experiences and personality, and he answered each with tact.
He felt a growing confidence as the interview neared its conclusion.
"So far, so good. I just have a few more questions left," Sonia said with a smile that had remained throughout the interview.
Ernst returned a similar smile, internally jumping for joy.
The brunette-haired lady set her clipboard aside and folded her hands.
"What do you usually dream about?"
The room fell silent. Emilia had left a few minutes ago to grab something from the kitchen. Although it was noon, no customers had entered since the store opened.
Ernst paused upon hearing the question.
"What do I dream about?" he repeated, echoing the question back to the beautiful woman.
"Exactly."
"Dreams often reveal a lot about one's personality…"
"That's more or less why I'm asking."
Due to Ernst's honesty throughout the interview, Sonia felt it appropriate to explain the nature of this final question. To Ernst, this posed a slight dilemma.
He wished to be honest with Sonia, but he was well aware of the content of his dreams. In recent years, research has even touched on this topic. From his days as a student, he had learned that nightmares were either related to demonic beings or to an individual's anxiety and stress. Most people were inclined to believe in the latter.
Monsters and demons were largely considered myths.
"I-"
Ernst rubbed his thumbs together as he considered his answer.
Some dreams reveal anxiety… some reveal adversity… some even relate to love…
But what about my nightmares?!
I can't just casually say, "I see faceless people being slowly and painfully eaten by monsters!"
The concerned Ernst looked at Sonia and seemed to reach a decision.
"In truth, I've been having many nightmares lately," he said with a light sigh.
The room became extremely quiet. As the words left his mouth, he could hear his own heartbeat.
Anticipating Sonia's reaction, he looked up to see her expression.
Contrary to what he was expecting, she responded with a familiar look of understanding.