Surviving My Half-Sister (3): 13
'Even alone, it's not like I have zero options.'
The thought I'd had while watching Chloe yesterday.
With that resolve, morning broke.
I got ready in my usual rush and headed downstairs to open the door on the first floor.
A day when Chloe wasn't scheduled to come.
Today, I had to handle an obviously irritated noble lady all by myself.
But I wasn't particularly anxious.
It was a perfect chance to test the secret plan I'd come up with last night.
'Alright, let's see how this goes.'
Ding-a-ling—
The moment I opened the door, there it was: the long line stretching out as expected.
A messed-up scene with more noble ladies than maids.
The maids huddled in the corner, whispering and watching their step.
The ladies hid behind their fans, sneaking glances.
Soon, all eyes turned to me.
Before I could even open my mouth, a sharp voice cut through the air.
"Lady Levantia isn't coming today, is she?"
That one line was the signal.
Like a beast unleashed, the pent-up complaints from the ladies erupted.
"Excuse me, how long do we have to wait out here?" "A shop without even a waiting room? This is a first."
Their voices grew louder.
And at the center was a familiar face.
Green dress. Upturned eyes.
The Lady Fleur Viscountess who'd visited yesterday.
'...She's back.'
Something felt off upon closer inspection.
Didn't she leave yesterday without much fuss after her session?
She'd been rude, sure, but seemed satisfied enough.
So why was she leading the charge today, raising her voice like that?
I glanced around subtly.
The other ladies' gazes were all fixed on her.
'Ah, got it.'
She'd been alone yesterday, but today there were eyes on her.
Standing obediently in line felt like a hit to her pride.
So she'd chosen to take the lead, venting complaints to seize control.
"You know our family has a stake in the land ownership around here, right?"
Lady Fleur covered her mouth with her fan and spoke lowly.
Loud enough for me to hear—and for the other ladies too.
But her glaring eyes held a strange anxiety.
Less like real anger, more like she was forcing a tough front for face-saving.
A look that said she wasn't sure if this was the right move now that she'd done it.
'Well, types like her are easier to handle anyway.'
She didn't annoy me.
This made her the perfect target.
For experimenting with my line-control secret.
"...Understood."
I stepped forward slowly and spoke.
"I'll see Lady Fleur first. Then these two ladies next..."
I nodded toward her, then beckoned the two other ladies who'd been wearing equally haughty expressions.
"...Hmph. As it should be."
They seemed to think it proved their superiority.
They shrugged their shoulders and lifted their chins.
Like a lady's victory pose.
I swallowed a faint smile and led Lady Fleur into the counseling room first.
Inside the counseling room.
The door shut, and the tense atmosphere outside deflated.
Looked like she'd been acting up extra because of the onlookers.
Though her snotty attitude toward the shop itself hadn't changed.
"Let's just get started."
The session with Lady Fleur began right away.
The moment she opened her mouth, complaints poured out.
"Making someone of my noble standing wait on the street like that. Hardly proper treatment."
"What's your criteria for selection? A commoner like you even allowed to decide?"
"And Lady Levantia comes and goes every time, doesn't she? If it's because she's a regular, well, I've met that condition too, haven't I?"
Waiting in line hurts her pride, and Chloe getting special treatment irks her, so treat her the same.
Wait, wasn't this only her second session?
What world calls two visits "regular"?
I hid my exasperation and nodded along appropriately.
"Sorry for the inconvenience. That's why I've invited you in now—mind hearing me out for a bit?"
"Hmm? Let's hear it."
Her eyes widened with curiosity.
A smug smile played on her lips, like 'Of course it'll be something I like.'
"First, about the line..."
Her gaze locked on.
The longer I spoke, the more her attention zeroed in on my mouth.
And that moment.
Hypnosis has been activated.
"...!"
Her hand gripping the fan slowly lowered.
Her stiff neck tilted to the side.
Even breathing filled the room.
Snoooore—.
Second time, no resistance.
I stood and moved behind her.
Pressed her shoulders a bit harder than usual.
"Hng...!"
Then kneaded her scalp firmly.
"Haah...!"
I put extra care into loosening her up today.
She'd believe the session's effects more if she felt refreshed upon waking.
And that would make my plan work better.
Fifteen minutes later.
I withdrew my hands and returned to my seat.
Her eyelids fluttered slowly.
Just before she fully woke, I whispered the prepared line.
"So, Lady Fleur agrees to queueing wholeheartedly, right?"
A done-deal fact hammered into her ear before focus returned.
I kept whispering as her eyes opened.
To make it a solid conclusion inside her.
"Not only do you agree to queueing, but you'll actively support it. I'm grateful."
"...!"
Moments later, she blinked her hazy eyes fully awake.
Normally, she'd clear her throat and stand right up, but not this time.
What came back was a completely different voice.
"...Yes."
A low, soft reply, devoid of any defiance.
Hard to believe it came from the mouth that had been spewing complaints moments ago.
"...We have to queue. It's the rule... after all."
Her half-lidded, drowsy eyes.
Her attitude dripped with obedience.
She stayed like that briefly, then blinked a few times.
Returning to her usual upright posture.
She looked around in confusion, then spoke with her confident demeanor.
"...Following the rules is just common sense. Nothing special."
The obedient demeanor from before had vanished.
But her glances peeking over the fan were checking my reaction.
Like 'This is right, yeah?'
"...!"
I smiled inwardly.
I already knew: right after hypnosis ends, in that split second when the brain fills memory gaps, it's most effective.
It takes my final words as the conclusion.
And the subconscious fabricates the process to match—proven through all my sessions so far.
The result was right in front of me.
Lady Fleur Viscountess, who'd been throwing a fit about not wanting to queue.
Now declaring that rules must be followed, naturally.
She stood slowly and placed her hand on the table.
Clink, clink, clink.
Three silver coins.
A brief throat-clear, then clink, clink.
Five in total, paid up, and she headed out.
Ding-a-ling—
The waiting ladies' eyes snapped to her.
Lady Fleur had gone in all 'Hmph, as it should be,' full of swagger.
But coming out, she was totally different.
Fan lowered from her face, expression oddly languid.
Cheeks faintly flushed, not bothering to hide them.
With soft eyes, she spoke.
"Everyone, hear me out?"
The two ladies awaiting their turn.
A few others hoping she'd put this back-alley counselor in his place.
To them, Lady Fleur said in a gentle voice.
"...Rules are meant to be followed once set."
A voice completely changed from when she'd entered.
Blank looks spread across the waiting ladies' faces.
Lady Fleur continued undeterred, preaching like obvious truth.
"You all should too. It's the rule."
"...?"
The ladies' expressions twisted oddly.
Not wrong.
But coming from the one who'd led the tantrum, it was absurd.
She lightly folded her fan and walked to her carriage.
Light, bouncy steps.
A strange silence fell among the remaining ladies.
Mouths that had been complaining now stayed shut.
I didn't miss the opening.
"Next, please come in."
A nameless lady hesitated toward the entrance.
Maybe because of the ironic scene, her steps were much meeker.
'And when she comes out, she'll be even meeker.'