Philip ignored his comment, slightly tilted his head, and snapped his fingers to summon the waiter.
“Sir, how may I assist you?” A neatly dressed black-clad waiter bowed and approached his chair.
“I’ve already ordered for you: a serving of cheese-baked escargot, Italian coffee, and a Black Forest cake,” he emphasized, “two pieces.” As he spoke, he slightly lowered his head and raised his eyes to Philip. “I brought two bottles of champagne; join me for a bit.” He poured half a glass of amber-colored wine.
“Thank you, I think this is enough,” Philip politely declined the waiter.
“What about your female assistant? Annabel, why isn’t she here?” He placed half a bottle of champagne on the table, cradled his glass, and swirled it a few times under his nose, as if savoring the aroma of the wine, smiling as he asked.
“She’ll be here shortly,” Philip glanced at the wine in his glass. “Someone has to clean up the laboratory.”
“Hmph, is that girl really your assistant? You truly are wasting her talents…”
“Sorry to interrupt, sir, but this is the dessert you requested to be served before the meal.” The black-clad waiter stepped forward lightly, holding a large platter with only a delicate small dish in the center, which contained a piece of cake covered in chocolate crumbs and a bit of red jam.
He frowned slightly, noticing that Philip’s gray eyes had been fixated on the cake since it arrived. “I ordered two pieces,” he repeated.
“Are you sure it was two pieces?” Philip turned to look and asked, “What about the ladies?”
“Both pieces are for you; the ladies need to maintain their figures.” He swept a meaningful glance over Philip’s white shirt, where a slight bulge of his strong chest was visible beneath, and chuckled softly. He bit his lip but couldn’t help but continue, “You usually wear a uniform; it’s been a while since I’ve seen you in casual clothes. I must say, your figure has become even more full and charming.”
“Is today some special occasion? Celebrating with such expensive champagne.” Philip took his teasing as mere background noise, lifting the champagne bottle in front of him and scrutinizing the small print on the brown label.
“I’ll tell you that later. By the way, I haven’t ordered for your beautiful assistant yet. What does she like to eat?” He handed the menu to Philip. The waiter stood before him, and Philip seemed to barely flip through the menu before looking up at the waiter ready to take notes. “I’ll have a red wine sirloin steak, medium rare, a caramel-flavored coffee after the meal, a glass of Chivas Regal, and a caviar salad. Wait, or maybe a fruit salad…” He flipped through the menu again, uncertain. “Pineapple or blueberry…”
“Below is a layer of crispy potato cakes, topped with a hodgepodge of fruits and cheeses, piled high.” He interjected, gesturing with his long fingers.
“Yes, sir.” The waiter suppressed a smile. “That’s the fruit tart in front of the ladies at the next table; it’s a new specialty of the restaurant.”
The two men simultaneously looked toward the neighboring table, where two elegantly dressed blonde ladies were leisurely sipping from a small pot of red tea. One of them, facing them, was popping a piece of fruit into her mouth. She seemed to realize something, her expression changing slightly, and gently nudged her companion’s hand. The other girl turned her head, understanding immediately, and glanced over, quickly covering her mouth to stifle a gasp.
Seemingly oblivious to the girls’ astonished gazes, he asked, “How is it?”
Philip nodded slightly. “Alright, let’s have one.”
The waiter bowed and retreated.
He raised his glass, ready to suggest a toast with his friend, but saw that Philip had already unfolded his napkin, picked up a knife and fork, and gently cut a piece of cake, popping it into his mouth with a raised eyebrow, clearly enjoying it.
“My God, how can you eat something so sweet and rich…”
“Don’t underestimate this cake; it incorporates such wonderful ingredients: tart cherry flesh, sweet pure cream, slightly bitter chocolate, and of course, the essential rich cherry liqueur. Only cherries from the Black Forest, cherry juice, and cherry liqueur can create this unique fermented flavor. A perfect Black Forest cake should withstand various picky tastes; it constantly tempts your taste buds. Isn’t that exquisite?” He spoke slowly but quickly finished the piece of cake, elegantly wiping his mouth with the napkin.
He covered his mouth, noncommittal to Philip’s words. “Anything that comes out of your mouth sounds profound and obscure,” he paused slightly, then chuckled, “it’s just a piece of cake, isn’t it?”
Philip ignored him, a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth. He signaled the waiter to take away the plate and lightly brushed the napkin under his glass, as if there had never been any trace of food on it.
“Is your new experiment going smoothly? If you need financial support, just let me know.”
“So far, the progress is quite smooth, but if we continue according to plan, we don’t have enough women of childbearing age.” His ice-blue eyes fixed on Philip’s prominent nose, quietly listening as he continued, “I’ve already submitted a report; perhaps we can use some women and children of similar races as supplementary for the plan…”
“Is that your plan?” He interrupted Philip, not pursuing the topic further but changing the subject. “So, Philip, as a doctor, do you really think Aryans need to evolve completely to become superior?”
Philip squinted his gray eyes, looking at him incredulously. “Are you trying to lead me into a criminal statement? According to official statements, that’s indeed the case.”
