Chapter 57 - I Trust You

"I see... So you have found my journal, decided to investigate, and found about the part of my life that I would have rather stay hidden?" His master chuckled. "Ah, it is my fault anyway. Letting the journal slip from my bag. I should have burned it long ago..."

"No, Master Franklin. It's all my fault. I doubted you. I mistrusted you." Stein kept his head down.

"Well, it is really common for humans to be overcome with curiosity when faced with the unknown." He turned to the sea captain who just standing by the side, mouth agape from this display. 'Franklin' gave a smug smile. "Right, Captain?"

Stein also turned to him with a glare, as if chiding him with his looks and telling him to apologize.

The captain was reluctant, he doesn't want to apologize to this four-eyes smartypants at all. Besides, he didn't have anything to hide anyway, and he said that it is his fault for leaving the journal behind. So why should he apologize?

But Stein is giving him that stare that could kill, and so he blabbered half-heartedly. "..... Schorry for meddling with your affairs.... or something..."

"What is that, captain?" 'Franklin' pretended no to hear.

"I said..... I'm sorry." That's all he said, before turning away with a frown. "I just wanted to help your servant find the truth about you, as he told me that he barely knows anything about you."

"Is that so, Stein?" He turned to his servant, who was still kneeling in front of him, while he was seated on the leopard skin sofa. "Like I said, if you want to know something, you only need to ask---"

"It is really common for humans to hide their worst parts, doctor." Captain Clerval unexpectedly interrupted, wearing a wry smirk. "Even if one can ask, that doesn't mean they will be given all the answers."

"Mr. Clerval!" Stein yelled.

"It is alright, Stein. What he is saying is indeed true. All of us have something to hide, as we do not want people's perspectives of us to change. That is also why I....." 'Franklin's' expression became forlorn. "That is why I did not want you to learn about Andres. I don't want you to know about my mistakes. You look up to me as someone who always makes the right decision, who is quick to act, but at that moment.... I failed to do so. I should have heard the engine sooner, and saved the both of us. And... I should have told him the truth sooner."

"Master.... don't take all the blame. It was an accident, not everything is your fault." Stein comforted him.

"Sigh... I suppose so...."

They had this sickly sweet atmosphere, just staring at each other in the eyes with full understanding and compassion. Holding hands like that, speaking to each other softly like that....  It truly could not be just a master-and-servant relationship.

Captain Clerval found himself revolted, and want to stop this icky scene. He scowled as he excused himself. "Well, now that that is finished... whatever that was, I'll be going to my room to change. The heat outside would make a dog want to shed all of its fur, and my clothes are completely drenched."

As he went on his way to the staircase, the master of Haus Storitz suddenly called out. "Oh, you have one other thing you need to apologize for, captain."

He gritted his teeth, and asked like spatting out. "What is it, doctor?"

"Bringing my servant outside without permission." His friendly expression darkened a bit. "My Stein is born with a rare birth defect. That is why I do not allow him to leave these premises without me to watch over him, in case this defect brought harm to him. You are not aware of this, so I will pardon it for now."

Captain Clerval knows very well what that defect was, but kept his mouth shut. He only grimly nodded and said. "I see."

"Besides..." 'Franklin' was not finished. He was now wearing a lopsided smile, that was more like a condescending sneer. "Is he your servant, or is he mine?"

Captain Clerval was visibly stung by that question, and clenched his fist tightly. He reluctantly spat out. "He's yours."

"Good. So you must know that he is not subjected to following your whims. If I ever learn from my Stein that you were forcing him into more of these 'adventures' of yours...." His smug grin widened. "Then I believe we could not keep you any longer, captain, nor can we consider any future partnerships with someone who does not respect the right of ownership. Do you understand?"

Both Stein and the captain reddened from this, the former due to embarrassment, the later due to fury. The captain only gave a grunt in reply and stomped off to his room, making wards against evil signs before slamming the door.

"Frank...." Stein said carefully as the third wheel left.

"Yes, my dear creation?" 'Franklin' did not give him the same disdainful smile, and instead, gave him a sweet one. "You can stand up now."

"No." Stein repeatedly shook his head. "I.... I do not deserve to be easily forgiven by you after what I have done. I should suffer longer."

"Oh, Stein..." His master patted his head. "You have done nothing wrong. Come now, that sea captain will surely begin to have suspicions in our relationship if you are this eager. A servant asking for forgiveness is enough. But as my Stein... I do not like seeing you punish yourself over such a small matter."

Stein slowly stood up, his legs wobbling a little from kneeling so long.

"Sit with me." 'Franklin' tapped the space on the leopard sofa by his side. "I know you have another matter you would like to talk about. And as I said, you only need to ask, and you shall receive your answers."

Stein's big blue eyes widened, and he became even more flustered. He cleared his throat, and began coyly..... "My right arm.... It is Andres', isn't it?"

"Yes. Is there something wrong with that?" 'Franklin' tilted his head to the side, like he already knows everything running in Stein's mind yet would rather have him say it directly to him.

"He is someone close to you. A friend..... Or do you feel more than that? Did you... Did you love him, that's why you gave me his arm?"

"Hmmm, I actually have never thought of how deep my feelings go for Andres. But you have noticed something, so perhaps there really was something else. I was young that time, I do not have any experience to tell apart my love for friends or for someone dear. In fact..." 'Franklin' rubbed his chin. "I only had actual relations with men in a way that society would not approve of when I was well over 24."

"Oh... I see. Is this person..... dead?"

'Franklin' blinked, and chuckled. "Ah, I see how it is now! You assume that since your arm is from someone I 'loved', then all your body parts would be too as well?"

Stein suddenly felt silly for asking because of that tone, but he admitted it. "Y-Yes... Am I wrong?"

"You're wrong." 'Franklin' smiled. "In fact, Andres is the only body part source that was truly endeared to me. I did not choose them at all because of love or something like that. It happened that his right arm could be used, and it is difficult to find body parts, and so, I used what is available at that time."

"Oh...." Stein has now become baffled. So all the other body parts must be from cadavers for scientific purposes or stolen from cemeteries. He breathed a sigh of relief.

He is more relaxed now, and feeling happy with how open Franklin is regardless of what had happened. He continued to ask. "That person you have relations with is alive then, and not related to my creation. Why did you... Did he get married or....?"

"I don't know. To be honest, I do not care about him that much."

Stein blinked in confusion, and so his master explained while chuckling:

"Stein, we did not have any romantic relationships. It is only one of... pleasure and business. I was very lonely and desperate at that time, since my parents had died the year before and I have dismissed the servants in order to perform my experiments. And so... I seek out someone, even if it's just for one night in exchange for gold marks."

"O-Oh." Stein stammered. "That.... I understand now..."

That kind of business is available everywhere here in Berlin, so it is no wonder if Franklin would avail it himself. 

Then.... That must mean that he was the first and only proper lover Franklin had. This warmed his heart a little bit, a smile growing on his lips.

He still envied that person though, and began to wonder how many nights Franklin spent with him....

No matter. Franklin said he does not care about him now, there's no point envying someone who is only doing his job without any strings attached.

"Anything else?" 'Franklin' asked, checking his pocket watch. "I must prepare supper soon, and we must call out the captain to join us at the table again."

"Umm..... There is one more pressing matter. But I.... I am not quite sure what to make of it, as it does not make any logical sense...." Stein twiddled his butterfly hair lace again, wearing a very serious expression.

Zhe Chouhen knows what it is, but still asked. "Well, what bothers you so?"

"It's... I think I can recall Andres' memories. Which does not make any sense, as I do not have his head. I only have his arm." Stein explained.

He went into detail about what the strange visages were, not only recalling the events themselves, but how Andres felt about them, his inner thoughts and emotions.....

"It is unexplainable by science." 'Franklin' said after he finished listening to Stein. "Or perhaps I must make more studies about it. But still, even if the nerves can retain information, or perhaps even when cells may contain some sort of structure that is the basis of one's physiology... That could not explain the phenomena you speak of. It troubles me now....."

"Why is it troubling you, Frank?" Stein asked.

"Well, if you and recall the memories of each body part, wouldn't that mean that you would also receive the emotions of the owner? Therefore, if that owner loves someone...." 'Franklin' adjusted his glasses. "Would you forget about your love for me, and love that person as well?"

"No!" Stein immediately was horrified by the implication, and held his creator's hand. "I will never love anyone besides you!"

"But what if one of the identities of your body's owner took over yours? You would no longer be my Stein, and be someone else. You would not love me anymore." 'Franklin' frowned.

"I... What are the chances of that happening...." Stein had become deeply afraid.

He could lose himself, as well as his affection for Franklin'.

"I do not know either." 'Franklin' said, dejectedly. "It may even be starting now. Perhaps more memories will appear, and you will be stuck with them, until your consciousness as 'Stein' is lost."

"Then.... We have to find a way to stop it! I don't want to stop loving you! I want to be your Stein forever!" The creation exclaimed desperately, tears in his eyes. "Do you not have any ideas on how to stop it? There has to be a way...."

"Hmm.... You did say your memories are triggered by outside factors, not appearing out of nowhere. Perhaps, if we avoid triggering them, then we may prevent any more memories of the owners from resurfacing."

Stein nodded. "I understand. Then... I will try my best not to know anything about my body's owners. This will be the last. And if I recalled a memory, I will try to get out of it! I will fight it!"

'Franklin' nodded with a smile that almost seemed triumphant. He took one of his creation's gloved hands, the one that belonged to Andres, and kissed it. 

"I see.. I trust you, Stein."