Chapter 31

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 31

Chapter Title: Mind Physician Yoo Seon-woo

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The training video was surprisingly well put together.

In a regulated world, Otherworlders from that world themselves would provide input and help with the video production.

It was all about offering information on how Otherworlders could quickly adapt to this unfamiliar world.

The Association actively incorporated that information.

The faster Otherworlders adapted to this world, the better it was for everyone.

So the video Seol Yu-wol was watching now had been specially made for Otherworlders from the Central Plains like her.

A young, beautiful girl in vibrant green robes appeared on the screen and introduced herself.

"Hee-ran...?"

Seol Yu-wol's eyes widened as she stared at the monitor.

As if entranced, she stood from her seat and reached out to gently stroke the face of the woman on the screen.

"I heard she... definitely vanished..."

Seol Yu-wol's blue eyes trembled violently.

It seemed they were close.

Her expression softened noticeably.

Featuring famous figures from one's home world in the video was a highly effective psychological approach.

Seeing someone you thought was gone—or someone you knew—appear on screen and explain things?

It instantly brought a sense of relief.

Right then.

In the blink of an eye, Tang Hee-ran on screen flicked her hand.

Dozens of silver needles flew from her hand and embedded themselves into a wooden board beside her at blinding speed.

The wood around where the hidden weapons had struck turned pitch black, slowly corroding before crumbling into dust.

Tang Hee-ran on screen stretched her cheeks into a playful grin.

The most reliable way for Central Plains folk to verify someone was through their unique martial arts or family techniques.

This seemed to be proof of that.

After a few more explanations, Tang Hee-ran clapped her hands together.

With Tang Hee-ran's introduction of me, the video segment ended.

"She's... alive... Hee-ran..."

Seol Yu-wol slowly nodded.

Her expression hadn't changed much, but her psychological state seemed far more stable.

It looked like she and Tang Hee-ran had been close.

I didn't know when Tang Hee-ran had come to this world, but back home, she was probably listed as missing or dead.

Seeing her alive right there was bound to bring relief.

Next up was the next person.

"......"

Someone I knew too.

Sitting in the chair beside me, I kept my eyes fixed not on the screen, but on Seol Yu-wol's reactions, observing closely.

This video's main guest was the Azure Heaven Alliance Leader, Lee Seo-ryeong.

Her mother spoke on screen with a gentle smile.

In that instant, Seol Yu-wol's reaction shifted.

"M... Mother...?"

The faint relaxation in her facial muscles from seeing Tang Hee-ran moments ago slowly tightened again.

Her hand, which had been reaching toward the screen, slowly pulled back.

I hadn't majored in psychology.

But I'd put in a tremendous effort.

At least enough to not rely solely on my abilities and to feel no shame in calling myself a counselor.

So I knew exactly what that reaction from Seol Yu-wol meant.

Her eyes blinked in anxiety as all her movements froze.

Her whole body shrank back, slowly inching away from the TV.

She probably wasn't even aware of it herself.

"......"

Good call keeping Lee Seo-ryeong out of this room, it seemed.

With those words from Lee Seo-ryeong, her segment ended.

More explanations from various people followed.

But there was no improvement in Seol Yu-wol's nonverbal cues indicating her mental state.

The silver lining was that she seemed to be taking in the basics—like why she'd come here and what a Hunter was.

The video ended like that.

The screen went black, and silence returned to the room.

I gave her time to process everything, then carefully spoke up.

"Feeling a bit calmer now?"

At my voice, her shoulders twitched ever so faintly.

She slowly raised her head and looked at the transparent glass wall separating us.

For now, this was progress—looking at the glass instead of avoiding me entirely.

But that was enough.

I was visible to her either way.

"If you're still suspicious, that's fine. I can bring Hunter Tang Hee-ran here... yes, I can fetch Hunter Tang Hee-ran. Feel free to ask anything you're curious about."

I made the offer most likely to reassure her. I held back on suggesting her mother, the Martial Alliance Leader—that name didn't seem like medicine for her right now.

But Seol Yu-wol slowly shook her head.

"No. I... understand."

Her voice was hollow, empty.

"That I'm not captured by demons. And that this isn't the Central Plains I knew."

"I don't know everything yet, but I understand that martial artists from the Central Plains have established the Azure Heaven Alliance and the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult here, living new lives..."

"I've grasped it all."

She seemed to have accepted this reality to some degree.

"In that case... what about me."

My reflection appeared in her blue eyes.

"...What about me."

She asked in a cracked voice.

"What happens to me now."

It wasn't the question I'd expected.

'What happens'—the phrasing didn't quite fit.

She'd seen in the video that this world was free.

We had technology far beyond the undeveloped Central Plains.

As long as she followed basic rules, fulfilled her duties as an Otherworlder, and didn't shirk responsibilities, Seol Yu-wol could do anything she wanted from ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠here on.

She could join the Azure Heaven Alliance and become a respected Hunter. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Or the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult—that was fine too. In this world, it was just a Hunter guild in name only.

If neither appealed, she could live an ordinary life.

All of it was her freedom.

So grasping the intent behind her question was key.

Several possibilities floated in my mind.

But now it was time to use my ability.

"......"

The part about 'someone setting goals for her' caught my attention...

But according to the status window, Seol Yu-wol was in burnout from losing her purpose.

A type of client I'd counseled a few times before.

The standard approach for burnout cases was to suggest new goals or guide them to find their own.

In that sense, options 1 and 2 were excellent—textbook responses.

However.

My ability quantified effectiveness with fit percentages.

Letting me predict both positive and negative outcomes.

The last option's 0% fit meant it was the worst possible question for her.

So.

"What do you want to do from now on, Ms. Seol Yu-wol?"

I asked her.

'What do you want to do?'

At my question, her blue eyes scrunched slightly.

She tilted her head, seemingly pondering.

She looked like someone deep in thought.

After a long silence, she finally spoke.

"...I don't know."

Her voice was still cracked.

"I've never thought about it."

I nodded quietly at her answer.

"That's okay."

I smiled and said,

"That's why I'm here."

At that moment.

Invisible to Seol Yu-wol across the way, a message popped up on the small prompter in my counseling room with a beep.

They must have judged via camera that she'd stabilized.

The cameras protected the counselor by letting outsiders monitor the interior.

Sound didn't carry, of course.

My smile froze the moment I saw that prompt.

"......"

Yeah.

I thought the same.

- Zzzt.

Nothing more to see—I switched off the prompter.

Then slowly opened my mouth.

"Sorry for the late greeting."

I turned to glance at the CCTV, then back to her beyond the glass wall.

"Seol Yu-wol, allow me to introduce myself properly. I'm Yoo Seon-woo, the counselor assigned to you."

I bowed my head slowly.

"You've had a long journey. Thank you for enduring it."

Now, it was time to begin the real counseling.