An Unexpected Guest
It was strange. Why wasn't anyone coming?
I lay on the plush bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.
...Actually, it wasn't like I didn't know the reason. Instead of the highly visible and bustling first floor, the Counseling Room was tucked away in a quiet corner of the third floor, a place students rarely frequented. It sat at the very edge of a hallway lined with rooms students had little interest in, like the music and art rooms. That was where my sanctuary lay.
According to the headmaster, the Counseling Room had only been built two weeks ago. Yes, it was constructed on the very day I arrived.
A brand-new room in a deserted hallway. Since the Academy had never had a counseling program before, it was only natural that no one knew it existed. A few students passed by occasionally, but none of them seemed to realize what this place was. Just as I had been shocked by the lavish interior when I first saw it, the students probably assumed it was just a fancy new reception room. There was a plaque that read "Counseling Room," but it was hard to see from a distance.
"This is a problem..." I muttered.
It wasn't that I hadn't thought about promoting it. The lack of foot traffic and absolute zero awareness meant I was doing nothing but spacing out to kill time. But if I went around advertising, it would defeat the headmaster's purpose of putting the room in such a secluded spot in the first place. If word got out, curious students would start loitering around for a while. And would any of them actually come for counseling under those eyes? Maybe they would once the novelty wore off, but I couldn't afford to wait around for an indefinite 'someday.' What if the playable characters got anxious and avoided the place entirely?
"Whatever..."
My head was starting to hurt, so I gave up on thinking. Judging by how quiet the Academy was, the main story hadn't even begun yet. Even if I wanted to work, there were no students asking for help.
"..."
Unable to bear the boredom any longer, I cracked the Counseling Room door open and peeked outside. Since classes were still in session, the hallway was completely deserted, greeting me with a desolate silence. Perfect. Not a soul in sight.
"Heheh..."
I booted up the laptop I had been issued upon becoming a counselor. With practiced ease, I clicked on a hidden icon on the desktop. The icon, which I had set to transparent, opened to reveal a loading screen that had quickly become a comforting friend.
Some might ask, Is it really okay to play games during work hours? To those people, I would like to say: What else am I supposed to do when there's no work! There was literally nothing for me to do. As a counselor, my job was to care for, help, and keep records of the students who came for counseling. I couldn't exactly grab random students in the hallway and force them into therapy. And if I approached the playable characters and asked, "Would you like to have a counseling session?" they would look at me like I was insane. Even if I wanted to use Hypnosis to drag them in, the playable characters stood out too much—for better or worse. In the end, students had to come here of their own accord for me to do my job. Since there wasn't a single student to counsel, my hands were tied. If even one person came, I could somehow spread the word through them. I wasn't too worried about the main story, though. Once it kicked off, rumors would reach my ears whether I wanted to hear them or not.
"Now, what should I play today..."
Just as I was about to launch the game to cure my boredom, the door to the Counseling Room suddenly slid open with a sharp clack.
"Huh. There's actually someone here. I thought something felt different when I walked in."
"Oh, u-um, what brings you here...?"
"...? Isn't this an empty classroom?"
Whew, that was close... I thought I was a goner. Was it thanks to my childhood experience of stealthily playing games behind my parents' backs that my reflexes were so sharp? Or was it just because she had zero interest in laptops to begin with? Unaware that I had just been about to start a game, the uninvited guest who had suddenly invaded my office was casually looking around.
"Actually, this place has been turned into the Counseling Room."
"Counseling Room? ...Tsk. No wonder I've seen people wandering around here lately."
Clicking her tongue as if annoyed, the student who had suddenly barged in let out a satisfied smirk.
"Well, whatever. Having someone else here is a bit annoying, but... I like the setup. Hey, um..."
"I'm the counselor, student. My name is Ophelia."
"Don't care. Not interested."
"..."
"If anyone comes looking for me, pretend you didn't see me."
With that, she naturally climbed onto one of the beds, drew the curtains shut, and lay down. Judging by the lack of movement, she was planning to take a nap.
Some time passed as the uninvited guest slept in my office as if she owned the place. Then, a knock sounded at the door.
"Come in."
"Excuse me... By any chance, did a tall girl with black hair and red eyes come in here?"
"Black hair and red eyes?"
"Yes. And she has a terrible personality."
I didn't need to be told that. I had just experienced it firsthand. I glanced toward the bed, where the sound of even breathing indicated she had already fallen asleep. Long, straight black hair and red eyes. A personality that went beyond rude and crossed straight into obnoxious. I knew her well. In fact, there was no way I couldn't. We had just been face-to-face moments ago. Noticing my gaze, the student who had been bowing apologetically suddenly narrowed her eyes.
"Is she over there? I'm so sorry. She must have been a nuisance."
"Wait a moment."
"Yes? I'm sorry, but I need to bring her back to class immediately, so I'm in a bit of a hurry. If it's not urgent, could we speak later...?"
"I'll take care of her."
"That is impossible."
The student spoke firmly, as if my suggestion wasn't even worth considering.
"You must be new to the Academy. I understand your desire to guide a troubled student, but you had best give up on her."
"Because she's a Devil Possessed?"
"...You knew?"
"Of course. How could I not?"
Yes, how could I not? I had been half-skeptical at first, but with features that distinct, it was impossible to mistake her. I was all too familiar with her acting like a wild delinquent.
"She's quite famous, isn't she? The Devil Possessed, Orca."
One of the two playable characters who graced the prologue. The girl who, if not chosen by the player, would eventually vanish from the Academy and become a wanted fugitive. There was no one in this Academy who knew her better than I did. No, perhaps no one in the entire world.
"You know that, and yet you're still saying this?! She is a Devil Possessed! She's danger—!"
"Lower your voice."
"...Pardon?"
"Don't raise your voice like that, student."
I raised a finger to my lips, whispering softly.
"She is fast asleep right now. If she wakes up, she'll be incredibly cranky, you know?"
"..."
It would be a headache if Orca woke up and threw a tantrum. True to her status as a playable character, she possessed power far beyond that of ordinary students. It wasn't that I couldn't suppress her, but... I preferred to keep my life as hassle-free as possible. Realizing the truth in my words, the student lowered her voice.
"A Devil Possessed is far more dangerous than you think. This is reckless bravado."
"No. It's not bravado, it's confidence."
"...I'm sorry. I cannot... trust... the words of someone... I've just met..."
Tsk. I really didn't want to use Hypnosis if I could help it. But seeing how stubbornly she insisted on trailing Orca, I had no choice but to activate my ability. I had a good idea of who this student was. She was likely the class president who occasionally popped up in the sub-stories. There was a mention in the game that when everyone else shunned Orca, she was the only one who kept chasing after her. While her stubbornness had been reliable at times... in moments like this, it was just a pain. I let out a soft sigh and spoke to her in a gentle, rhythmic tone.
"Now, you will find the person in front of you to be trustworthy."
"Trustworthy..."
"For some reason, you feel like she might actually be able to reform Orca..."
"Yes... I understand..."
"Three, two, one..."
Snap! As she stood there, still slightly dazed, I naturally continued the conversation.
"Despite how I look, I'm actually quite competent."
"...I-Is that so? Yes, you certainly seem that way."
"So, you should leave her to me and head back to class. You want to attend your class, don't you?"
"..."
It wasn't like the class president wanted to skip class. She just couldn't bring herself to abandon a straying student because of her stubborn sense of duty. If someone else stepped up to take responsibility, she would gladly yield and return. As if proving my theory correct, the class president nodded. The suggestion took hold perfectly. I offered her a gentle smile.
"Don't worry too much. Who knows? Maybe she'll become a little more diligent under my care."
"I leave her in your hands, then. I shall wait without holding my breath."
"You can look forward to it, you know."
"...Excuse me, then."
Man, she really is stiff. No sense of humor at all. Once the class president closed the door and disappeared down the hall, I shut my laptop. A task far more important than playing games had just fallen right into my lap.