Chapter 251: Campfire on a Snowy Night (End)

Words : 1321 Updated : Oct 1st, 2025

Chapter 251: Campfire on a Snowy Night (End) When Alberto left, it was already dark outside. Schiller didn't even have time to rest before the doorbell rang again. This time, it was Bruce who appeared at the door. He was wearing a turtleneck sweater and a trench coat, looking tall and upright. When Mrs. Miller passed by, he even smiled and nodded at her, making Mrs. Miller very happy. As Bruce sat across from Schiller at the table and saw his increasingly serious expression, Schiller said, "It's been a while since you last visited the psychology clinic at Gotham University. Now you've made an appointment at Arkham Hospital for treatment. What's wrong?" "It's been a while since you visited the psychology clinic at Gotham University too, Professor." Schiller sighed and said, "You voluntarily made the appointment for psychological therapy. Don't use a tone of trying to gain the upper hand in a business negotiation. Are you the doctor or am I the doctor?" "If you approach it with an attitude of wanting to win a negotiation, then I suggest you go home and talk to a wall." Bruce's lips moved slightly, and then he said, "It's actually Alfred..." "Your butler? What happened to him?" "Earlier, Vince stayed at my house for a few days, and Alfred was very happy. But after he left, I could clearly feel that Alfred was a bit down..." Schiller looked into Bruce's eyes and said, "Isn't that normal? When a friend leaves, anyone would feel a little unhappy, right?" "I think you're thinking about this, so what you're currently upset about is that you've realized Alfred has been in a state of loneliness all along, and you haven't cared about him before..." "He has been with me since I was young. I know his interests. I once prepared opera tickets for him and thought about taking him on a trip or building a retirement home for him, but he didn't want any of it..." "You think it's because he liked Vince, and he's unhappy because Vince left?" "Isn't it?" Schiller shook his head and said, "I think he's happy because you agreed to let Vince stay at your place, or rather, he's happy because you made friends at university." "But..." "Are you trying to say that you don't need friends? Or, taking it a step further, you think you don't need those unnecessary emotions? Then what do you feel for Alfred?" Bruce's mouth moved again, but he didn't say that word. It seemed he didn't want to mention that word, but Schiller pretended he heard it and said, "Let's compare Alfred to your parents. I don't think you would object to this analogy." "Usually, normal parents feel happy and relieved when their children bring classmates and friends home and get along well with them. Most of this happiness comes from seeing their children grow in interpersonal relationships. But there is also a part of it that stems from their sentimental and rational judgment, which is happy for their children's ability to give and receive emotions normally." "If their children have the ability to give and receive emotions normally, it means that the children can feel their parents' love. When you can be sure that your love is being received by someone else, you feel extremely happy because this is a common emotional feedback mechanism." "On the other hand, if your child shows indifference to everyone around them, as if their heart is lifeless, parents will start to worry whether their child can feel their love or if it's because they didn't love them enough that their child's ability to give and receive emotions is problematic..." Indeed, that is a direction to consider. According to that theory, there is a psychological journey that all parents go through. If they genuinely believe that their child is already happy and can lead a fulfilling life even without them, understanding that the child's greatest source of happiness no longer comes from parental care, then they will proactively detach their emotions. They will either transfer them to others or focus on themselves. Schiller capped his pen and made a soft sound. He looked at Bruce and asked, "Do you have any plans to get married recently?" The sudden change in topic left Bruce stunned. "I'm not joking. If you have plans to get married recently, Alfred might be able to break free from this state. Or better yet, have a child with Selina. That would fundamentally resolve this situation." Bruce shook his head gently, and Schiller continued, "There's another possibility. The parents' unfulfilled obsession outweighs their love for their child. When they rekindle this obsession, their emotions detach from the child and focus on this obsession instead." "Obsession..." Bruce murmured with a furrowed brow. Schiller continued to ask, "Although it may be offensive, I still want to ask, does your butler still have any living relatives?" Bruce shook his head again, and Schiller asked, "Has he ever been married or had someone he was interested in?" Bruce paused for a moment and then shook his head again. Schiller asked, "Is it that he hasn't, or that you don't know?" "I know some things, but not in detail. That may be the problem. He knows me very well, but..." "Well, you investigate every person around you, even remember information about strangers you've only met once on the road, but you lack a detailed understanding of your closest butler... Perhaps this is his special way of showing himself to you." "I will think of a solution," Bruce finally said. The fireplace in the room was fully ablaze. The fire burned brighter and brighter, but on the contrary, as the sky darkened, the temperature dropped. When the rain started to fall, it turned into tiny ice crystals and soon transformed into pale snowflakes. It's hard to imagine a city where it snows in autumn on the East Coast, but Gotham has been absurd for a long time, and this bit of strangeness doesn't make much of a difference. Schiller sat behind his desk, reading a book, while people came and went in front of the desk. In the eyes of Copperpot, who was struggling with life choices, the desktop turned into a layer of ice where he stood. The small bird wobbled and toppled off the table, falling into the sea. In the deep blue ocean, it saw a faint cluster of flames. Harvey Dent, with his dual-sided face, walked in, and the room became his stage. Outside the window, there was lightning and thunder. When the lightning struck, a dazzling light split the entire room in half—half black and half white. When a cluster of flames ignited along this boundary, it was brighter than the sun. Before Dent's figure completely left, Batman entered. The snowy night of his mind was darker and colder than anyone else's. The cluster of flames had become so faint that it was almost invisible, yet he stood there, as if even an illusory light could provide him with a hint of warmth, even if only psychologically. Three figures stood by the campfire. Soon, more people approached. Some faces were familiar, staying for a while before disappearing into the wind and snow. Some figures were ethereal, as if separated by a barrier of the universe. When the cold wind rose and the flames grew weaker, the figures coming and going threw pieces of firewood into the bonfire. The crackling sound of burning wood resounded once again. Suddenly, an urgent doorbell rang, and Schiller looked up. A green-haired figure stood outside the door, holding a bottle of alcohol in hand. [Read /shanefreak, without ads and support the work.]

Chapter 251: Campfire on a Snowy Night (End)

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