Chapter 22

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 22

Chapter Title: Half Moon

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Luna's footsteps toward the counseling room were lighter and more spirited than ever.

Despite that, her footsteps made not the slightest sound.

It was the unique footwork of rabbit beastkin.

'When did it start, I wonder.'

Luna thought.

Just a few days ago, the word "counseling" had filled her with fear and shame.

But now, strangely enough, she looked forward to that time.

The feeling of a calm mind... it had been so long.

Finally arriving in front of the counseling room door, Luna ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠paused for a moment.

She straightened her clothes, moistened her dry lips with her tongue, and swallowed hard against the tension.

And just as she cautiously raised her hand to knock—

A soft voice flowed out from beyond the door.

"You can come in, Luna."

As expected, he had noticed.

The corners of Luna's mouth lifted slightly without her realizing.

- Knock knock.

Luna lightly knocked with a pleasant tension and stepped inside.

However.

"…!"

The moment she entered the counseling room, Luna froze in place.

Because of the scent piercing her nose... one utterly unfamiliar, yet at the same time shaking her instincts with its familiarity.

The counselor's expression was serene. He seemed completely oblivious.

But Luna, a rabbit beastkin with acutely sensitive smell, could detect it.

The thick, blatant... scent of another female lingering in this room.

The potent pheromonal aroma that a female in heat instinctively releases to seduce a male and warn off all others.

"……."

'This man is mine.'

An arrogant, possessive pheromone asserting just that.

The scent mingled with the body odor of the room's owner, the counselor, muddling Luna's mind.

Luna panicked at this powerful territorial marking.

'What... what should I do...'

She agonized over how to react to this unprecedented situation.

The only being she knew who could leave such bold, confident pheromones was one person.

'Elise...'

Her twin sister.

She had come first.

First...? Anyway, she had declared this man as hers.

Of course, it was a fact Luna could never know, but Elise had no intention of leaving such traces.

However, her recent contact with Yoo Seon-woo had been a powerful stimulus for Elise as well, her first time.

The pheromones she unwittingly released now dominated the space.

- Fidget.

Unable to enter or leave, she merely fidgeted with her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fingers.

'Elise marked the counselor first.'

'She's always so mature and quick. Always claiming what she wants first...'

'So as the older sister, this time too... I should yield...'

But then, a tiny voice unlike any before welled up inside her, blocking the thought.

'No.'

Luna's red eyes sharpened.

'This time... I don't want to.'

She could yield anything else. But not this time.

Luna's mind grew extremely complicated.

'Huh...? What was I just thinking...'

Ah, no. Just think simply.

There was no need to overcomplicate it.

'I... I just came here for counseling.'

Not encroaching on Elise's territory at all.

Rationalizing it to herself like that, Luna stepped into the counseling room.

- Swish.

Unconsciously reaching out to wave away the stinging scent floating in the air, as if shooing away flies.

I sat watching Luna, who had frozen at the door for quite a while, finally enter.

But the instant she stepped in, her face briefly twisted in a grimace.

'What's wrong?'

She had been smiling faintly just moments ago.

Worried, I carefully checked her status.

Whoa.

Do I smell or something?

One key element a counselor must provide is a pleasant and stable counseling environment.

That's why I did my best to maintain ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the room's fragrance with a top-grade diffuser and air purifier...

But since this is a Union-provided space, it seemed an issue had arisen.

Luna was fundamentally a rabbit beastkin.

Apparently, there was a scent irritating her senses that an ordinary human like me couldn't detect.

I quickly stood and opened the window.

Then activated the system air conditioner's purification mode.

Sat back down and checked Luna's status again.

Phew, good.

I let out a sigh of relief while checking the system window.

Whether it was my scent or from another client, the source of discomfort was gone now.

I resolved inwardly to pay more attention to ventilation going forward.

Luna sank deeply into the chair with a far more relaxed expression.

Now it was time to start the real counseling.

I gently asked her.

"How was your day yesterday?"

"Yes... "

Her voice was soft, but incomparably steadier than before.

"Thanks to you, sir."

"No way."

I smiled softly.

Such light, peaceful small talk continued for a bit.

But the goal I set for today wasn't mere ice-breaking.

To draw out the true self she had hidden since arriving in this world.

To help her embrace her beastkin identity—those ears—as pride, not shame.

As I pondered the direction for the next step—

As if reading my mind, the system window appeared before my eyes.

"……."

No middle option this time.

But on second thought, option 1 might not be a bad choice.

Of course, I'd adapt it to my style.

However, the one below.

'Force dispel' then greet... lacked persuasion. Not like poisoning then selling the cure.

I selected the first option.

With my own variation...

Screw that.

I lightly ignored the warning, met Luna's red eyes, and carefully opened my mouth.

"Luna."

"Yes, sir... "

"You're doing very well, Luna. Just sharing your story and facing me like this... it takes real courage."

"Ah... "

I first praised her efforts, establishing a safe foundation of support.

At my sincere praise, Luna's cheeks faintly flushed red.

"But, if I may broach a delicate topic... isn't it tiring always maintaining that transformation magic?"

With a worried tone, I asked not about her secret itself, but the effort she put into hiding it.

Even B-rank magic wasn't easy to sustain constantly.

"I believe eventually, all the veils hiding Luna must be lifted. Only then can you truly be at ease."

At my words, her eyes shook with anxiety.

"Ah... that's... tiring, but still... "

The moment I sensed her resistance, I immediately smiled softly and retreated.

"Yes, of course. You can get used to it very slowly. No need to force it right away."

At my words, Luna seemed slightly relieved that she wasn't being pressured.

She nodded very faintly.

So I had a compromise prepared.

"Then... how about this?"

I seized the opening and made the final proposal.

Leaning forward slightly, I lowered my voice another tone.

As if sharing the most important secret.

"If you're okay with it, just for now, in this counseling room only. And only to me, your counselor."

I met her eyes and said.

"How about showing me your true self?"

And added.

"Think of it as an adjustment period. And honestly... I found your true form from last time very beautiful."

With those final words, I cleared my throat awkwardly and averted my gaze.

Luna stared blankly at me in response to my proposal, not answering.

Gazing into my eyes as if verifying the sincerity of my words.

I met her gaze without looking away.

Luna remained silent for a very long time.

She closed her eyes briefly.

Her long, pretty lashes trembled faintly.

When she opened them again, a hint of resolve shone in her red eyes.

- Paang!

With a clear, crisp sound.

The space around her head distorted faintly like a heat haze.

The moment her veil finally lifted.

"Siiiir... "

Through the scattering light particles in the air, atop her snow-white hair.

A pair of long, elegant white rabbit ears tipped with soft fur revealed themselves.

Lacking the courage to face my reaction, she squeezed her eyes shut and bit her lip tightly.

Her entire body trembled faintly, like a small bird.

Seeing her courageous act,

I gave her the words she most wanted to hear.

"Too bad."

At my words, her tightly shut eyelids trembled slightly and opened.

"That for now, only I get to see this form of yours."

Instead of the words that had tormented her all her life—blasphemous, beastly, filthy—the one she longed for.

At that single phrase, her trembling stopped as if by magic.

Her cheeks flushed red.

And in a creeping voice, she spoke.

"It's my first time... "

Luna paused for a moment, then added,

"Showing this form... to anyone in this world... "

"I see."

I replied softly. First impressions and experiences are always the most important.

And as her counselor, I had the duty to make that beginning a complete success—a positive experience.

I spoke to her with ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sincerity.

"I'm honored to be the first."

And.

I carefully stood from my seat.

Wasn't now the perfect timing for the beastkin greeting Elise had taught me?

The system responded with frenzied cheers to my thought.

I recalled the pleasant beastkin greeting method Elise had taught me.

'The outer side of the right ear, softly.'

- Swoosh.

I approached her and very carefully stroked the outer side of her right ear with my palm.

The world's softest texture met my fingertips.

"Ah... "

However.

The instant my touch reached her,

A short, hot breath burst from between Luna's lips.

Her body shuddered as if electrocuted, then stiffened in place.

A reaction similar to Elise's.

And slowly, very slowly, she raised her head.

Luna's face was more flushed than I had ever seen.

My reflection appeared in her red eyes. And dilated slowly, then unmistakably.

Even her red hue seemed more vivid and intense than before.

At the same time, Luna was smiling.

It too,

Was the deepest smile I had ever seen from Luna.