“Do you still have a lot on your mind these days?”
“Yes, honestly, it’s been difficult.”
“Hmm….”
To my knowledge, Baek Eunhwa’s worries had largely subsided recently.
She was facing her life as a hero with a much lighter heart than before, and I had thought that alone meant things were resolved.
No, in the first place, when I had previously questioned her inner self… she had answered that her work-related stress had decreased.
“What could it be?”
“I don’t really know either. But it seems too difficult to put this into exact words.”
“Is that so? Then perhaps it would be best to proceed with hypnosis treatment right away. I need to know what the problem is before I can help you, after all.”
“I see.”
I neatly set aside the checklist I had been slowly ticking off.
It wasn’t as if it was strictly necessary.
Since what I do is quite far removed from ordinary counseling therapy, after all?
“Now then, please lie down comfortably on the bed. I’ll help you today as well.”
“…Yes.”
After slowly making my way from the living room to Baek Eunhwa’s bedroom, things were not much different from usual.
Baek Eunhwa lying down truly comfortably on the bed, and me sitting comfortably at her side.
This was already something we had done countless times.
A method far simpler and easier than dragging out boring counseling for dozens of minutes or exchanging pedantic talk.
“…I always think this, but receiving hypnosis treatment feels a bit awkward.”
“It is indeed like that, isn’t it? The word ‘hypnosis’ itself just gives off such a strong feeling.”
To be honest, it had never been the case from the very beginning that I entered the house of an A-rank Hero, Baek Yeowoo, and came into her bedroom to talk.
At first, I helped heroes through ordinary counseling as well.
But somehow… I helped some heroes in this manner, and because the effects exceeded expectations, the Association outright assigned me as the ‘special’ exclusive for several heroes.
Of course, it wasn’t that the Association had wanted to… it was something done inevitably due to the insistence of the heroes I handled, but…
Honestly, from my standpoint, it was a comfortable arrangement.
Also, setting aside such professional matters, the private life of such a beautiful gumiho beastkin—
Seeing an A-rank Hero wearing a sloppy training jacket far too casual to ever wear outside, and shorts so short that not just her thighs but even a bit of her buttocks showed, was a rare experience.
Shouldn’t I rather be the one feeling grateful?
Frankly, there were times I genuinely looked forward to these hypnosis sessions because they were such a feast for the eyes.
Come to think of it, since every single hero I ‘exclusively’ handled was a beautiful female hero, it certainly seemed to be the case.
“Ahem, then I’ll begin.”
“Yes.”
The gumiho beastkin who obediently lay down on the bed at my words.
I approached her once more and simply snapped my fingers.
“From now on, Eunhwa, you will fall deep into your own consciousness. But this falling is not a painful plummet downward in an instant. It is a gentle, slow descent, and there is nothing to be afraid of.”
Simply speaking like this while channeling my ability was enough for Baek Eunhwa’s eyes to slowly grow hazy.
Yet she did not look as though she had fallen asleep.
In response to that reaction, I continued speaking.
“What is Baek Eunhwa’s recent worry? Does stress regarding your workplace still remain? Have you felt burdened by too many dispatches recently?”
“No.”
Huh.
If not that, then what?
Since there had never been a time while handling Baek Eunhwa that she spoke of a worry unrelated to this, I couldn’t help but be puzzled.
“…Then what has been making Eunhwa feel troubled lately?”
“Charlotte.”
“…That’s my name, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
…What.
Huh.
Huh….
That the subject of Baek Eunhwa’s worry was me was something I genuinely couldn’t help but be flustered about.
No, I mean, just how well had I been treating her all this time?
I had diligently helped several heroes, including Baek Eunhwa, as their special exclusive at the Hero Welfare Bureau, and thanks to that, her face had brightened up tremendously these days.
She had even said that the days of collapsing onto her bed after work like before had decreased.
But suddenly a backstab like this…?
“…Why does Charlotte make Eunhwa feel troubled? Let’s talk honestly.”
“…I will.”
“What?”
It was so quiet that I couldn’t hear the answer clearly.
And I had asked while using my ability, at that.
Could it be that she was truly hesitating from the bottom of her heart to answer?
But even if it was faint, since she had answered at all, drawing out the answer wasn’t a big problem.
“This is Eunhwa’s inner self. A place located in the deepest part of your heart where there is no Charlotte, nor anyone else. Even if you speak honestly, there will be no problem whatsoever.”
“…Yes.”
“So speak honestly and comfortably. Why does Charlotte, your special exclusive welfare agent, make you feel troubled?”
I asked, channeling a bit more strength into my ability.
No matter how much I made such a demand while she was in a trance, if the question completely opposed the other person’s will and they held a strong desire to refuse, she could wake up.
But it didn’t seem to be that severe of a state.
If anything, if I could uncover a worry that even she herself—an A-rank Hero who consistently maintained the top ranks—did not clearly know, it would simply be a gain.
“I’m turned on.”
“What?”
“Every time, she sways her hips back and forth in front of me. She wears such thin clothes without a care that whenever she bends forward, her meager cleavage is exposed and it’s hard to bear. She’s much shorter than me, but every time she looks up at me, her gaze is so cute that I keep wanting to hug her. Ah, and she’s so physically close that whenever she’s bored, she holds my hand, and every time she embraces me, my heart is in trouble. And I love her platinum blonde hair so much, and her green eyes are to my liking too. I like her.”
“…….”
“If I followed my heart, I’d want to keep her as a pet in my house. But if I did, I feel like she would be genuinely hurt, so I’m holding back.”
“………….”
“And if I did that, Saran—that woman—would definitely end up killing me in secret for sure, and besides, the people who like you would surely go frantic searching for Charlotte.”
…What is this.
Seriously, what is this…?
At the utterly bewildering answer, my head went completely blank in an instant.