Vincent really was famous in his profession.
If one asked, he was a household name.
But Robert had never asked about who the best hypnotist was, so it was only recently that he'd caught wind of Vincent's status, and how regular people couldn't buy his services.
Because he'd helped a lot of people, not many had the guts to provoke Vincent and kidnap him or force him to do something.
With status and connections, when Robert found out about Vincent and how he never helped others easily, he'd been a bit nervous.
But his father had said that Vincent was more reliable than others, so he decided to try.
When he sent his own people out, Robert had sternly told them to treat Vincent with respect.
If Vincent was willing to come over, that was all well and good.
If he wasn't, then Robert had to find some way to persuade him in person.
As for forcing Vincent or trying to buy him out, he'd never even thought about it.
But when Vincent saw his people, he actually agreed to go back to D City without hesitation.
Vincent's reply had been so quick that Robert couldn't understand why.
Only now, hearing Vincent say this in opening, he understood that it was because of his father.
"My father saved your life thrice? I though, with your status, nobody would dare move against you."
Vincent seemed to recall something. His smile was faraway, and his tones waxing.
"I've known your father for almost forty years. I'm a lot older than him, but even when your father was young, he was a bigshot. At that time, I hadn't gotten famous yet, and I didn't have the reputation and status I do know. Back then, I was someone everyone could bully and step on. But also back then, I got to know your father. When I was in danger several times, he spent a lot of effort to save me.
"I'm over a decade older than him. I should have been the one to go in the dirt before him. Fate really is unpredictable."
Vincent thought of the past for a while.
He looked at Robert, nostalgia in his gaze.
"You look like your father. I can see his silhouette on your face. But you weren't close, and I thought I'd never see you again. Then you came to me of your own volition. Why all of a sudden? I feel like it's got something to do with your father, even though he's been gone for a long time."
"My father left me a letter that I only read recently. He mentioned you in his letter. I have something I need your help with."
"What, do both of you like doing this sort of thing? Your father was extreme, arrogant, and selfish. Back then, when I did what he wanted, I didn't agree. I have status and ability, but I'm not willing to casually destroy someone's memories and help them with immoral things. But then your father had a great life with Miss Allen, and I found that Miss Allen had had a painful life before. I still don't know if I did the right thing or the wrong thing."
"Mr. Poole, has my father ever mentioned my mother to you? You knew him earlier, before he was with that Miss Allen. I think you knew my father by then."
"Your mother? I haven't met her. She must be a pitiable woman. Back then, your father did everything his own way and I saw everything he did as well. Nobody could rein him in. I thought you'd never acknowledge your father as long as you lived. But now, looks like you've reached an understanding with him. Have you?"
"Mr. Poole, I've lost my old memories and I don't remember how my relationship with my father got in the end. That's not what I'm here to discuss with you, either. I want you to do what you did to Miss Allen back then to my mother. My mother's nerves were damaged last year, and with my father's death and my disappearance for a year, she's been through too much, and her mental state's been unstable all throughout. She's sober at times, while she's in a deranged state at others.
"When she's sober, the moment she thinks of my father's passing and how I'm together with Miss Allen's daughter, she gets very upset, and when she's not sober, she's lost in all sorts of agonizing memories. I want her to forget all of it and start her life over."
As Robert finished, Vincente's gaze shifted.
"Are you sure you want me to do this to your mother? Are you sure it's the right decision? Are you sure you aren't going to regret it?"
"I've made my decision. I don't want to see her suffer like this for the rest of her life. Sometimes, forgetting is bliss. It's not good for her to hang on to those painful memories."
"Since you've made your decision and I owe your father for saving my life, I can promise to do this. But beforehand, I need to check what your mother's mental state is, and see if it's suitable to undergo this process.
"When our line of work was first started, it was meant to help those who'd suffered through trauma, who are plagued by nightmares, who can't live a normal life, to forget about all of this. For example, for people traumatized by seeing a murder, and no longer capable of functioning properly, we hypnotize them to help them forget. But the moment such skills are grasped, they change in context, and the more skilled one is, the more they can do to alter people's memories and go against the rules of nature. I never felt it was a good thing.
"But good and bad aren't absolutes in this world. I can help your mother forget everything. But if she's a person with powerful will, I might not be able to do anything."
"Thank you for agreeing to help, Mr. Poole. If my mother's not fit to forget it all, I'll admit defeat. But if she can start over with a clean slate, I have to try it. It's late. I've arranged people in the hotel to protect you. Rest up. When you've gotten enough rest, I'll send people to pick you up and meet my mother. Other than that, there's something else I could use your help with."
"What is it?"
Vincent asked curiously. From what Robert meant, it wasn't to alter someone else's memories.
What else could he need his help with?
"Other than my mother, I also have a six-year-old son with memory issues. I don't know if his nerves have been damaged or if some incident has robbed him of his memories, or if someone like you had altered the memories in his mind. I don't know if people in your line of work can check to see if which category he belongs to, either. At least when I had a body check run on him, his brain was uninjured. I wanted to ask you about this, Mr. Poole. Please test my son's mental state and see if his memories are jumbled because of hypnosis."
As Robert said that, he gave a brief description of Wesley's situation.
"He's six years old now and that woman was only with him for a year, but he treated that woman like his birth mother who'd raised him all along, as if he didn't recall his memories from before he was five at all. I don't know why this is the case."
"I can check for such a case and make a judgement from talking to him, but I need to see him to be sure. I don't have any other arrangements in D City, so any time you can have your son and mother meet me, I'll make the next step in treatment and diagnosis."
Robert stood up and thanked him.
"Thank you for agreeing to help, Mr. Poole."
After discussing all that, Robert left.
It was already eleven or so at night. When he got back home, it was past midnight.
Robert kept his motions light as he got to the bedroom to sleep, even going to the guest room to wash himself.
But when he went to the bedroom, his wife wasn't sleeping, but upright in bed, typing in her notebook.