24-Hour Hoebinghwan Consultation Office, Episode 4
Rora's mind was racing.
‘Hunter? Is it a title referring to a hunter?’
And on top of that, ranked number one in something or other…….
Quite the remarkable customer.
A point to note.
"Um, excuse me, Crown Prince?"
"Yes."
But she hadn't yet heard the most important thing.
"In your personal details prior to possession, there needs to be an introduction to your affiliated planet, country, and so on."
Rora smiled as kindly as she could.
"Ah."
The Crown Prince let out an exclamation and answered without hesitation.
"I came from a planet called Earth, and I belong to Daehanminguk."
Despite the unhesitating answer, the man's eyes were still probing and wary of the counselor before him.
Just then.
"Ah!"
Rora let out a short exclamation.
The man flinched, but her gaze was already elsewhere.
‘Earth!’
It was a planet she distinctly remembered seeing.
Rora tapped the white orb with her hand.
"Hm."
The Crown Prince's eyes widened slightly.
Whoom—
The white orb vibrated, and numerous screens appeared above it.
‘……It looks just like a tablet screen.’
The moment the man thought that, Rora's hand moved quickly back and forth over the orb.
‘She seemed to be reading the screens.’
When the man suppressed his astonishment at that fearsome speed.
"Here it is."
A calm tone that felt not at all gentle—rather, almost cold.
But the thought that she had found something seeped joy into that calmness.
At that moment, a strange light flickered in the Crown Prince's pupils.
"Earth. There are related records here."
Rora had already returned to her gentle demeanor toward the customer.
"……Earth exists?"
She nodded as if it were obvious.
"Of course, customer. This consultation office may not look like much, but it boasts thousands of years of history."
Of course, to Rora, the guest before her was her first customer, and one they were welcoming after over 500 years, but.
Rora continued speaking, recalling the manual she had memorized by rote from childhood, bribed with candy.
"Where is Daehanminguk's location on the screen?"
She tapped above the white orb as if playing a musical instrument.
Swoosh—
The small screen above the orb instantly grew larger. Rora turned the orb, and the screen moved accordingly, showing a map before the man.
"Hah—"
An exclamation flowed from the Crown Prince's mouth.
He alternated his gaze between Rora and the map screen several times.
"……Ha!"
And he let out a short laugh.
The Crown Prince's body, which had been leaning back in the chair, tilted slightly toward the table.
"……It's not exact, but it's definitely Earth."
He muttered softly and pointed at the screen with his finger.
"Daehanminguk's location is roughly…… around here."
Rora checked the location the Crown Prince pointed to and nodded.
"Daehanminguk's location is Joseon."
Ha!
The Crown Prince laughed once more, filled with admiration.
"Wow, this—"
He muttered shortly, and before he knew it, he had placed his hands on the table. His two hands were clasped.
"What is the relationship between Joseon and Daehanminguk?"
To Rora's question, the Crown Prince answered obediently.
"Joseon is Daehanminguk's past."
"I see."
A strange light flickered in the Crown Prince's eyes.
Rora took out a pen and paper from a drawer on one side and jotted down a brief note.
‘Joseon, then Daehanminguk.’
Records must always be revised and supplemented.
"Mmhmm."
Rora, having left a note only she could understand, briefly traced through her memories.
"You are the third visitor from Earth, and the second from Joseon."
The Crown Prince unclasped his hands.
"Besides me—"
"Pardon?"
He leaned his body toward Rora.
"Are there others who came from Earth like this besides me?"
Ugh, too close.
Because the table was small, when the Crown Prince leaned forward, they suddenly became very close.
‘How burdensome.’
Rora subtly retreated and answered kindly.
"Yes. The details are the previous customers' personal information, so I cannot tell you everything, but if I tell you only the basics—"
Mm.
Rora searched her memory.
There was a reason she remembered a planet called Earth.
"There was a possessed person from a kingdom called Portugal, who had been a sailor. Thanks to him, we were able to record a rough map of a planet called Earth like this."
"Mmm, the Kingdom of Portugal. That was a long time ago. No wonder the map wasn't exact."
The Crown Prince muttered softly, but Rora pretended not to pay much attention, though she listened intently as she continued speaking.
"And the person who came from Joseon was someone with a unique and singular case. So they weren't registered as an official customer."
"……?"
There was a reason Rora had recalled Earth immediately upon hearing of it from among the records of countless planets and worlds.
"That person was not a Hoebinghwan, but a dimensional transfer."
"Ah."
The Crown Prince let out an exclamation.
Tap. Tap. The hand of the Crown Prince, sitting with his legs crossed, lightly tapped his thigh.
As if it were quite interesting.
Rora was looking into the air, recalling memories, so she didn't see this.
"I heard that dimensional traveler had suffered hardships unlike any other case in existence. Fortunately, a connection with the head of the household was made at the time, and they adapted to this world and left their mark on history."
"……In history?"
"Ah, I cannot tell you any more than that."
It was impossible to say that the dimensional traveler had dominated the eastern seas of the Dupia Continent where the Klan Empire was located, and had even established a maritime kingdom to become its first king.
‘The customers from Earth all seemed quite remarkable.’
Of course, the sample size was only two, but the Crown Prince before her had also been number one in something or other, so there was a high probability he was capable of doing anything.
"……Amazing."
The Crown Prince, who repeatedly let out hollow laughs, seemed truly amazed.
"Mhm."
"Please speak comfortably."
"Can I…… go back?"
As expected.
She had known this question would come.
[In the case of possessed customers, most were most curious about whether they could return to their original world, and their desperation was great.]
But there was also something different from what she had expected.
‘I don't really feel any desperation.’
No desperation could be seen from the Crown Prince before her.
‘No. It's impossible to know one's inner thoughts.’
Rora didn't make a hasty judgment. Instead, she gave the answer she had to give.
"That is something even I don't know."
A gentle tone, but quite firm.
"……Is that so?"
"Yes."
The previous heads of the household had always said.
[We must not promise the customer hasty words of hope, or a beautiful future.]
"This situation is one where an unidentified god has possessed you in this world, so I cannot give you an exact answer."
"A god—"
The Crown Prince's voice sank.
"Something a god…… did?"
There seemed to be a slight emphasis on the word ‘did,’ but Rora glossed over it and answered.
"Yes. Whether it's a dimensional god or some other god, I don't know, but it is indeed the deed of a god."
The man said nothing.
Looking at the Crown Prince who seemed lost in deep thought, Rora continued.
"The god Ririen, who governs time and fate, has told people like us to help those who experience such incidents whenever time and fate become twisted like this."
Simply put, Ririen had entrusted the people of the Rien family with handling the aftermath for Hoebinghwan customers.
‘Grandfather would get angry if I put it this way, but it's the truth, isn't it?’
The gods commit irresponsible acts and leave the cleanup to humans.
It was a way of handling things Rora didn't particularly like.
"Ha…… a god, you say."
The Crown Prince hung his head deeply. The two hands placed on the table clenched into tight fists.
He seemed to have fallen into deep despair.
‘How pitiful.’
The sight looked quite painful.
"Again……"
However, contrary to Rora's thoughts, a cold rage lingered in the pupils of the Crown Prince, who uttered a single word softly—completely unsuited to eyes said to resemble a clear sky.
An intense emotion, slightly different from emptiness or despair.
"Customer."
At Rora's affectionate call, the Crown Prince composed his expression and raised his face.
"Please have some tea."
Rora pushed the teacup toward the Crown Prince. It was the most expensive foodstuff left in the house.
"……Thank you."
The Crown Prince lifted the teacup with one hand and took a sip of tea.
And the moment the warmth flowed down his throat and spread throughout his body.
"Customer."
Rora's hand lightly placed itself over the Crown Prince's other hand.
[During consultation, you must help the customer not fall into deep sorrow and despair.]
The Crown Prince was still clenching one hand in a fist, perhaps in despair.
Rora spoke as kindly as possible to this pitiful possessed person.
"Customer, if you wish to return to your original world, let's find that clue together."
To the customer gazing at her silently, Rora recalled data.
"According to records up to now, in cases of possession, about 47% of those who wished to return have succeeded."
"……Is that so?"
"Yes."
Rora spoke firmly to the customer, who looked so pitiful that he suited the nickname ‘Innocent Crown Prince.’
"I will help you."
It was a line imbued with small sincerity.