Scarlet's First Counseling
"You.. this fucking dog.."
Thud..!Smack!
"F.. uck.. cough cough."
Crack...!Thud!
The Team Leader beat Scarlet right in front of me, as if she couldn't stand that seductive face of hers. From the brutal sounds alone, it was clear she was putting her full strength into every blow without the slightest mercy, and I couldn't help but flinch each time Scarlet took a hit.
Clank, clatter...
"Haa.. I told you not to resist. You always make me use force like this."
That was the moment the Improved Dog Collar was finally secured around the neck of the woman trembling on the floor. Scarlet twisted her body in an almost superhuman way despite her arms being bound behind her back, trying to attack the Team Leader. But what she overlooked was that the Team Leader possessed skills that didn't lose to her in the slightest. Considering the Team Leader's abilities, technique was probably something she had to train first and foremost. Usually she solved most things with a single pistol, but today it felt roughly like this. Was she making an example? The other woman showed no signs of breaking and only seemed to grow more venomous.
"Her ability has returned to normal, right?"
"Y-yes.. but I don't think I've felt any particular changes."
"I see. We'll have to keep watching."
The Team Leader flicked the blood off her hands, wiped the remaining stains on Scarlet's freshly changed white cotton T-shirt, and put her gloves back on.
"From today onward, you'll conduct counseling for the Fire Chicken in the morning and for Prisoner No.13 in the afternoon. I'll be observing."
".. Understood."
Since she could no longer use her ability, I could stand before her even without the Team Leader present. Still, recalling how she had lunged at the Team Leader, I knew I had to stay cautious.
".. Are you all right?"
"You think this looks all right to you?"
She growled through gritted teeth, but at least she was responding properly. Wobbling, she stood up on her own and sat down at the table without needing to be told. Breathing roughly, she slumped into the chair. Bright red blood streamed from both nostrils, and severe bruises had swollen up along her cheeks. The Team Leader really hadn't held back.
"..."
For a woman, she was tall—likely in the mid-to-late 170s. Her overall presence reminded me of the Field Team Leader. Soft, well-maintained waves of red hair cascaded down to her lower back, and her matching crimson eyes were striking. Whether it was because she kept scowling or because her eyes were naturally sharp, meeting her gaze felt like being glared at, and those vivid red irises made me tense up involuntarily. Compared to Arachne's ominous eyes, they were almost cute, but the expression was the problem. If not for that terrifying look, I'd honestly think she was quite beautiful.
"What are you staring at? I'll kill you."
That vicious mouth and sharp gaze were a bit of a barrier. There was one more thing I found regrettable. Her skin was fair and lovely, yet burn scars ran up both arms nearly to her shoulders. Because of the handcuffs keeping her arms behind her back, they hadn't been very visible, but I'd caught sight of them while watching the Team Leader flip her over earlier. I knew she was a flame-type ability user, so I couldn't help but wonder how she had ended up burned on her own body.
".. May I sit in front of you?"
"No."
I'd expected this answer, but hearing it still drained my energy. Of course, I had no intention of backing down on the first day.
"Then I'll sit beside you."
"You.."
She shot me a glare that felt like sparks flying, as if I'd mocked her, but she only let out a small sigh and turned her head. She didn't lunge at me. .. Thank goodness. Maybe it was thanks to the Team Leader having worn down her stamina. Narrowing the physical distance would also help close the psychological gap.
Now, next.
"You can call me Counselor."
"Rookie."
".. Counselor."
"You look like nothing but a rookie no matter how I look at you."
"Hmm.."
"And you got beaten by that rookie."
"You!"
Oops, it slipped out.
"I mean.. rather than thinking you got beaten by a rookie, wouldn't it be better to think you got beaten by the Counselor?"
"..."
She ground her teeth once, sharply turned her head away, then nodded once as if acknowledging it. She didn't seem to deny that she'd been bested by me. In that case, calling me a rookie would only make herself look foolish. The higher the pride, the stricter one becomes even with oneself.
"How should I address you? I believe your name is Scarlet."
"Just call me 18. There's no reason for you to call me by that name."
"That's.."
Right from the start, we were hitting a snag. Titles could lower wariness, build trust, and express friendliness. Since I couldn't reveal my real name, I'd introduced myself with the codename Counselor, but I wanted to avoid her addressing me stiffly by her prisoner number if possible.
"But you like that name, don't you?"
"..."
If she took pride in it, then the prisoner designation number would be a name she didn't want to be called by, just like "Fire Chicken." The name Scarlet was what set her apart from all the other prisoners. Her pride in her name probably meant exactly that.
"Is it not allowed?"
So this was simply her stubbornness, her way of making things difficult for me.
"I said I don't like it, so why do you keep.."
"Really not allowed?"
"Aagh! Do whatever you want. You're so damn annoying."
Because I kept pestering her from the side, she gave permission faster than expected. While I was inwardly celebrating having succeeded somehow, I noticed she had turned her gaze back toward me at some point. Then she said..
"You. I've memorized your face."
".. Thank you?"
"Thank you my ass. How ridiculous. The moment I get out of here.. I'll definitely kill you in the most painful way possible. No, I'll burn your family, lover, and friends to death right in front of you, and you'll be next."
"..."
A vicious curse.. No, when she said it, it didn't sound like a mere curse but a genuine death threat. However..
"To do that, you'll have to get out first."
"You little shit.."
Acting overly tough would backfire, but I couldn't bend too far either. If she sensed fear here, that would be the end. And just because she said these things didn't mean I could lose my friendly feelings toward her. The reason was.. because in this counseling session that only I could conduct, this was the part I trusted the most.
"Wait.. this feeling, what is it? What did you do?"
The plan for this counseling session was simple. I would connect our minds with my ability and clash the deep hostility and distrust she held toward me with the friendly feelings I held toward her. Throughout the process, I had to remain unshaken by the negative emotions flowing into me and keep generating strong friendly feelings toward her until the end. To do that, the most important thing was to maintain constant goodwill toward her. This wasn't something I could do while getting upset over every petty curse.
"Scarlet, may I wipe the blood off your face for a moment?"
"As if I'd allow something like that.. I'd rather you take off the handcuffs. Ugh, get away from me?"
Having already experienced my ability firsthand, she reacted as if rejecting the unfamiliar goodwill trying to seep in. But because we were connected, I could feel it. This was simply a vague fear of the unknown.
"Your pretty face is a mess now."
"You people.. did this, and now.."
I took a handkerchief from the coat draped over the chair and wiped the blood flowing from her nose and the messy splatters around it.
"..."
I was genuinely worried she might suddenly stand up, trap my outstretched arm between her armpit, and break it, but she seemed too busy fending off the goodwill digging into her heart. She stayed stiff and quietly accepted my touch. Now that I thought about it, the fact that she was such a beauty was a big help. Even knowing her personality well, seeing this face and figure made goodwill well up from a biological level. It was quite embarrassing, but for now, I had no choice but to make use of it.
*
"How was your first counseling session with the Fire Chicken?"
"No real results yet, but I'm glad the title issue is resolved. It's better to settle that properly from the beginning so things go smoothly later."
"Honestly, I was surprised."
"Were you..?"
In the staff cafeteria, I ate my meal while the Team Leader sipped coffee through a straw inserted under her mask, and we spent lunch together. Right now we were discussing the morning counseling session.
"Yes. The Fire Chicken stayed that quiet the entire morning. You maintained the connection for so long—aren't you tired?"
"I'm fine. My face is throbbing a bit.. it does hurt, though."
"Ah.. that, of course."
The throbbing pain from the Team Leader beating Scarlet's face was something I naturally had to feel as well. But there was one thing here.
"Still, I have Mini Undine with me."
"Oh?"
I was with Mini Undine, and her support had been a great help during counseling. She absorbed more than half of the negative emotions and pain I received from Scarlet on the spot. Only the negative ones. By acting as a filter and cycling the emotions multiple times this way, I could maintain a friendly attitude and calm the other person with only about half the usual fatigue.
".. So there was a method like that."
"I only noticed it midway. It's a bit premature, but thanks to this, I think this counseling session might not be impossible after all."
If things continued this way.. maybe I really could pull it off. If I could achieve this much against Scarlet, whom I'd thought would be the hardest to counsel, then perhaps it was possible. However, it didn't even take a full day for that confidence and expectation to shatter.