Chapter 32

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: penny

Chapter: 32

Chapter Title: Shock Therapy

-----------------------------------------------------------------

The team leader spoke to the Azure Heaven Alliance Leader in a small voice filled with regret.

"…It seems the counselor wants to continue the session a bit longer…."

A gentle smile spread across Yi Seo-ryeong's lips.

She nodded softly, as if she understood everything.

"That's fine. The physician knows my daughter's condition best, after all. He must have judged that she still needs stabilizing."

Behind that kindly mask, Yi Seo-ryeong thought to herself.

'I planted the suggestion.'

It wasn't a strong one.

The target was a regular person, and anything too forceful would leave traces.

The plan was to gently stir sympathy and make him open the door of his own accord.

But without a doubt.

'He didn't resist.'

She recalled the hesitation in his eyes when she'd made her request earlier.

The suggestion had worked. There were no signs of resistance.

And yet, he'd refused.

Was it his innate mental strength, allowing him to retain rational judgment despite emotional sway from the suggestion?

Or perhaps a strong sense of professional duty?

Either way….

At that moment, the physician looked up and stared blankly at the CCTV.

An attitude that said whatever you lot think means nothing to me.

His gaze naturally turned to her daughter, Yu-wol.

'…….'

A mere commoner who rejected her suggestion—it had been a long time since she'd encountered one.

A counselor must possess the insight to quickly pierce through the mental illnesses gnawing at a client's psyche, using even the tiniest unconscious clues they let slip.

Unconscious ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠gestures.

Word choices.

Fleeting glances.

Any clue will do.

And one thing that helps with that is my ability….

But to avoid relying solely on it, I've built up knowledge and experience as the foundation of my counseling practice.

However, Seol Yu-wol's issue this time didn't even require that.

The clues were overflowing.

Yi Seo-ryeong's attitude.

Seol Yu-wol's nonverbal behaviors.

Her answers, unable to express any true desires.

And now, the term "wooden puppet" that Jahwa-yeon used for Seol Yu-wol, which was starting to make sense….

This problem wasn't difficult.

No, correction.

Treatment would be brutally tough, but the name of the disorder was clear enough.

'Dependent personality disorder.'

Of course, that wasn't all.

I needed to clarify her relationship with Yi Seo-ryeong.

Therefore.

From now on, that was what I needed to uncover.

Seol Yu-wol avoided my greeting, nodding with her eyes averted.

Fortunately, Hunter Dang Hee-ran's explanation about me had helped.

At least she didn't see me as an enemy.

I no longer looked at her from beyond the glass wall.

- Ding.

I pressed the button beside me.

The thick reinforced glass partition slid open with a slight noise.

The control room was probably in an uproar watching this.

Deactivating the barrier meant to contain a "Caution"-level Otherworlder?

I ignored it and entered her room.

"……!"

As I approached, Seol Yu-wol flinched in surprise and shrank back toward the wall.

What kind of threat could someone like this possibly pose to anyone?

"Would you like to come out here?"

Even at my suggestion, Seol Yu-wol didn't move.

She stood frozen in place as if her feet were glued to the floor, her eyes darting between the open door and me.

I didn't urge her on.

While she hesitated, I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠stepped through the adjoining door into the living room next door.

The room was spacious and nice.

The model-home-like space seemed more than adequate for an Otherworlder to live in.

I headed straight for the kitchen.

Icebreaking.

A counselor has a duty to break the awkward tension with a client and create a comfortable atmosphere.

Thus, every counselor has their own techniques.

And this method was my favorite.

The most primal sense… but also the easiest way to dismantle wariness.

Opening the fridge door let a rush of cold air pour out.

Among the neatly arranged fresh ingredients, I pulled out a box of strawberries.

Not for a full meal.

Just… a quick dessert.

I put water and sugar in a small pot and turned on the heat.

I carefully rinsed the strawberries under cool water.

- Sneak sneak.

I heard someone slipping out into the living room behind me.

I didn't turn around.

Even eye contact could feel burdensome. I pretended to focus on the task, showing only my back.

- Bubble bubble.

As sweet aroma and foam rose over the sugar syrup.

I skewered the strawberries on a nearby stick.

Then dipped them into the melted syrup.

The sticky liquid coated the strawberries.

Normally, you'd cool them at room temperature for a while… but with no time, I popped them in the freezer to harden quickly.

A moment later, I took them out.

The dessert I was making… was once quite trendy.

Tanghulu.

The one sweet from this alien world she might actually recognize.

I turned slowly.

She had approached the kitchen but stood there looking lost, staring at me.

I met her eyes and carefully offered the tanghulu, inverted on a paper cup.

"…I believe this is a treat that exists even in the Central Plains."

I held out the tanghulu inverted on the paper cup.

And with a smile, I added softly.

"I hope it suits your taste."

Seol Yu-wol's pupils trembled slightly at the sight of the tanghulu.

But the tremor soon stopped.

She slowly shook her head.

Her voice held no emotion.

"I'm fine."

As if reciting someone else's words verbatim.

"I've been taught not to touch street treats… or food from a strange man."

A refusal.

But with a clear reason, I had a counter.

Rules always have loopholes.

I scratched the back of my head, looking troubled.

"I see… That's a fine lesson. Of course it is."

First, I affirmed her rule.

"However, this isn't street food. I just made it myself in this clean kitchen."

I pointed to the spotless, gleaming kitchen right beside us.

"And I'm not a strange man."

I paused, meeting her eyes.

"As Hunter Dang Hee-ran mentioned earlier, I'm a physician here to help you."

Thanks owed to Hunter Dang Hee-ran.

"So, this becomes food recommended by a physician for a patient's stability."

I smiled gently, driving the point home.

"Doesn't that change things a bit?"

At my final question, Seol Yu-wol fell into deep thought instead of answering.

- Gulp.

She even swallowed while staring at the tanghulu, her mind seemingly locked in fierce internal conflict.

Finally, she spoke.

Her voice was emotionless, as before.

"I've been taught that following the physician's words… is the fastest path to curing my illness."

Her pale white hand reached out—slowly, so very slowly—and took the tanghulu I offered.

After a moment's hesitation, she brought it to her lips.

- Crunch.

A clear, crisp sound as the hard sugar coating shattered.

At that instant, Seol Yu-wol froze.

Her eyes widened.

- Crunch crunch.

- Crunch crunch.

She demolished one skewer right there on the spot.

"……."

…Isn't she eating it a bit too enthusiastically?

After finishing, she stood there clutching the empty skewer, motionless.

Her previously vacant blue eyes were now fixed on ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the two remaining skewers in my hand.

I let out a small chuckle and offered another.

"Yes, this one's from your physician as well…."

- Crunch crunch.

Before I could finish, her hand moved again.

Another tanghulu vanished between her cherry lips.

It was like someone who loved sweets devouring them ravenously after a long deprivation.

Only after polishing off all three strawberry tanghulu skewers did she finally sit in the seat across from me.

In the now somewhat relaxed atmosphere, I checked her status.

My ability reveals more information about a person the more I lower their tension and stabilize them.

'Mother.'

As expected, the "someone" dominating her unconscious before was likely her mother—YI Seo-ryeong.

That made Yi Seo-ryeong the prime candidate for her object of dependency.

Appropriate dependence in parent-child relationships is, of course, natural and necessary.

But the moment it becomes excessive, the child turns into the parent's possession.

Parents are the child's entire world during development, after all.

However, children aren't coloring books.

Parents shouldn't fill them only with their favorite colors.

Suitable responses appeared before my eyes.

The first was the textbook approach for a counselor.

The second….

"……."

What the hell is this?

I frowned at that insane option.

And a 90% fit rate?

How could something like this have such a high fit?

The moment I doubted the number.

- Zzt.

The scenery blurred and shook.

And a scene began playing before my eyes.

This was a first.

In the vision, I strode to Seol Yu-wol without hesitation and gripped her nape, yanking her toward me.

Contrary to expectations of terror in her eyes, they held a learned submission.

I asked lowly, my eyes cold and smileless.

'Let me ask again. What do you want to do?'

Seol Yu-wol reacted. Unable to meet my gaze, she answered in a trembling voice.

'Y-Yes… right away, milord…. What this girl wants is….'

She desperately racked her brain for an answer.

I looked down at her with a satisfied expression, stroking her hair.

And… I snapped back to reality.

"…Hah."

I caught my breath sharply.

'Crazy….'

This godforsaken scene—what the….

I realized in an instant.

Why this option existed. Why the fit was so high.

'Yi Seo-ryeong….'

I shook my head firmly and looked at the final option.

And the last one.

Looked like the stickiest, most dangerous path.

But honestly, I understood it better than the second.

It might seem insane.

You might think it's nonsense.

But I got the intent behind that response.

Clients and patients with severe dependency struggle to break free from their formed objects of dependence, whether self-imposed or forced.

Sudden independence or separation attempts only destabilize and collapse them.

The building crumbles, in other words.

In severe cases, it leads to countertransference, dumping all that weight onto the counselor.

That's why this treatment exists.

"Dependency object transference."

Transplanting the existing sick, dangerous dependency onto a controllable, safe target: the counselor.

A completely safe entity.

Allow temporary dependence, then gradually foster autonomy within that enclosure.

Very slowly, teach them to walk on their own.

Through new experiences of healthy relationships.

Until they demolish the enclosure with their own strength.

A healthy farewell from the counselor leads to full independence.

In essence, acting as a temporary safe base they can rely on.

Of course, choosing the word "father" was problematic….

I hadn't dismissed the method myself.

But not yet.

This time, I'd do it my way.

"Let me be direct."

I looked straight into her eyes.

"Your mother, Lady Seol Yu-wol, is waiting outside right now."

Her blue eyes shook like aspen leaves.

From the second option's vision and this reaction, I could gauge how she viewed Yi Seo-ryeong.

"The Alliance Leader has been strongly demanding a visit with you, without rest even once."

I added slowly.

"But this place's rules can't be dictated by anyone else."

I promised her a safe enclosure.

"I believe it's right to ask your wishes over hers. All rules here are set by your will, Lady Seol Yu-wol."

Stepping closer, I asked quietly.

"Lady Seol Yu-wol. Do you want the visit?"

At my question, she backed away, shaking her head desperately.

"I… I don't kn—…."

She was trying to flee the crossroads of choice.

No more avoidance was possible.

Unless she spoke for herself, there was no blocking the visit.

"I don't kn—ow…."

But Seol Yu-wol didn't answer.

The fear inside her was blocking it.

Very well.

I pulled out the possibility I'd just witnessed.

Emotionally repugnant… but no choice.

To draw out her inner will, shock therapy was needed.

I approached Seol Yu-wol and placed my hand on her shoulder—not her nape.

Lips curled but eyes unsmiling, I looked down at her.

And demanded in a low, firm voice.

"No. Answer me."

Her eyes met mine squarely.

"State your will with your own mouth."

I quietly pointed to the door.

"If the client doesn't want it…."

I would promise, without fail.

"No one will open that door."

As your counselor.