Chapter 27 — Protocol Expansion

I open my eyes. The work log in my head has automatically updated.

...Two names have climbed up one line each. Word-of-mouth spreads faster than hinting. At ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠this rate, within a week, every woman in the No. 4 tent will be lining up in front of my clinic. Fucking efficient system.

I throw off the blanket.

Day 5 on the front lines. After Days 3 and 4, I've mostly finished with patients from Tents 4 and 5. Starting from Tent 6, there are recovering patients mixed in, so cases vary more. And from the morning of Day 5, patients started coming on their own two feet in earnest.

Two from Tent 3. Three from Tent 4. One from Tent 5. One from Tent 7.

In the morning, I was assigned a small tent next to the main building as my clinic. Marta set it up herself. Patients started lining up in front of that clinic.

It started with Hanna and Yvonne telling their comrades on the first day.

"The consultant releases your shoulders, and nightmares decrease that night."

"Your breathing deepens."

"Your chest opens up."

Phrases like that were floating around between tents. Since they're expressing it in their own words, it's not a lie. The effects are real. They just don't know how far those effects can extend.

Inside the clinic. One desk, two chairs, a small bed against one wall. Erika sits next to the desk holding parchment. Quill pen at the ready.

"Today's first patient is here."

Erika's voice. Expressionless, just like yesterday. But today, she's brought the patient list she organized herself. A self-made form.

"Yes."

First patient. Name: Selin. 26. Mage assistant. A month ago, in combat with a demon mage, she took a mental attack and was disoriented for a week. Since recovery, her head often feels foggy, and words stick when talking to people.

Selin is short, with long black hair draped down. Her fingers are long and thin, like a mage's. Sitting in the chair after entering the clinic, she looks like a small bird.

"Kang Do-hyun."

"...Selin. Hanna told me. Said you release shoulders."

She's already calling it by name in her own words. "Releasing shoulders" has already slotted into a category in Selin's mind.

"Yes. We'll proceed with the same procedure as Hanna's case. Stage 1: conversation. Stage 2: physical contact. To the depth suited for you, Selin."

"...Two stages. I know. Hanna said that."

The need for hint injection has decreased. Selin has already accepted a false perception through her comrade's mouth. Perceptions spread patient-to-patient are stronger than those directly injected by the consultant. Because it's from a comrade they trust.

...Fuck, this is really scary. Word-of-mouth is a stronger vector than hinting. My marketing professor would cry from emotion.

Memory read. Selin's wrist. Residual image of demon magic mental attack. Fog-like sensation clogging her head. Frustration of words rising then vanishing. Trauma embedded in her cognitive domain.

Conversation therapy: 5 minutes. Selin explained her word-sticking symptoms. Slowly. Long silences in between.

"Moving to Stage 2. Selin, we need head contact. Mage mental attack aftereffects accumulate in head-body memories."

"Head?"

"Forehead, temples, crown. Light fingertip contact."

"...Ah, okay."

Selin sat on the edge of the small bed. I sat beside her on the bed, lightly placing fingers on her temple.

Emotion manipulation: 0.4%. Hint. The fog in your head clears. Words flow freely. Safe.

Ssshh. Fingers moved from temple to forehead, forehead to crown. Selin's hair brushed my hand's back. Soft black hair. Her shoulders slowly dropped. Tension in her face eased.

"...Huh, my head feels light. Like the fog's lifting."

"Yes. Instant-effect case."

"This is amazing. It really clears."

Final hint. Word-sticking symptoms weaken. Sleep deeper than usual.

Ssshh. I withdrew my hand.

"All done, Selin."

Selin gave a small smile. "...Tomorrow, two friends coming too. Same mage assistants. Mental attack aftereffects."

"I'll be waiting."

Selin left the clinic. A record added to Erika's parchment.

'Patient Selin. Stage 1 conversation 5 min. Stage 2 head contact (temples·forehead·crown) 4 min. Breathing stabilized. Expression relaxed.'

Erika is developing the form herself. A new 'head contact' item added by her own hand.

...A mage assistant showed up voluntarily on peer word-of-mouth alone.

Second patient. Name: Mira. 30. Infantryman. Two months ago, direct clash with demon in melee. Survived thanks to comrade, but since then, can't tolerate human hands touching her body. Flinches even at a comrade's shoulder pat.

Mira is tall, shoulders solid. Short brown hair, infantryman build. Face stiff upon entering clinic.

"...Consultant Kang Do-hyun."

"Mira, have a seat."

Mira sat. Back straight. Soldier's posture.

"Yvonne told me. Said you release backs. Yvonne said it helped. So I came."

"Yes. But your ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠case needs a different approach. Heard you can't stand hands touching."

"...Yes."

"Common physical trauma. Frequent melee aftereffect. So stages will differ for you. Start at distance. Proximity without direct hand contact first."

"...How."

"I'll sit beside. Shoulders almost touching but not. Sync breathing there first. Once comfortable, next stage."

Mira nodded. Sat beside her on treatment bed. Shoulders 1cm apart. Fabric just brushing.

Breathing 4-1-6. Inhale 4s, hold 1s, exhale 6s.

Mira's breath started rough. Soldier's: short, fast. It misaligned with mine, so she consciously followed.

Second cycle. Third. Synced.

Emotion manipulation: 0.4%. Hint. Neighbor's breath is safe. Close breath is safe.

Ssshh. 3 minutes. Mira's shoulders slowly dropped.

"...Huh, person next to me, but not tensing."

Mira's voice.

"Yes. Ready for next? Back of hand to your shoulder once. Light. 0.5s."

"...Try it."

Back of hand lightly to Mira's shoulder. 0.5s. Released.

Mira didn't flinch. "...Amazing."

"Yes. Post-breath sync, contact aversion temporarily releases. Repeat to build new body memory."

Back-of-hand contact five times. Each 0.5s. Slight position shifts. Shoulder, forearm, wrist.

Hint. Each time. This contact safe. Body memory overwritten.

Ssshh. After 5 min. Mira spoke herself.

"...Consultant. Try full palm on shoulder? Test."

She requested next stage herself.

"Good."

Palm gripped Mira's shoulder. Solid infantryman shoulder. Her body tensed slightly, then eased with breath.

"...Huh, not scary."

"Yes. New body memory forming."

Mira lifted her hand, lightly pressed mine on her shoulder. Her hand fixing mine there. Clear sign patient accepts contact.

"...Thank you."

Mira rose slowly. Shoulders looser than yesterday.

New item on Erika's parchment. 'Patient Mira. Stage 1 conversation 3 min. Stage 2 side-sit breath sync 3 min. Stage 3 graduated physical contact 5 min. Physical aversion temporarily released confirmed.'

Stage 3. Erika wrote 'Stage 3' herself. Stages self-evolved in her form.

...My head hurts wondering how far these stages will expand.

Third and fourth patients followed similar flows. Stages varied by case. Some sufficed at Stage 2 shoulder contact; others went to Stage 3 deep contact.

Fifth patient advanced one more step.

Name: Yanni. 28. Scout rider. Month ago on recon, her horse died, nearly captured by demon. Hid in forest days while fleeing. Since, severe intimacy deprivation; even light comrade hug triggers strong emotional response.

Yanni tall and slender. Long blonde tied back. Scout rider poise. Face slightly excited. Selin must've detailed procedure beforehand.

"...Yanni. Selin said consultant adjusts stages to patient. I think I need up to Stage 4."

Yanni named Stage 4 herself.

"Stage 4?"

"Selin said stages by contact depth. Mine's severe deprivation, needs deep stage to release."

Selin categorized stages in her head, passed to Yanni. Patients propagating categories patient-to-patient.

...This is really scary. Patients categorizing stages themselves. Almost no need for direct hint injection.

"Yes. Tailored to your case, Yanni."

Yanni sat on treatment bed. Conversation therapy. Yanni quickly explained deprivation. Soldier-straightforward vocab. Light hugs with comrades trigger strong reactions, inconveniencing daily life.

"Stages 2-3 general physical contact."

Yanni's shoulder, back, arms. Palms slow. Hint. This contact safe. Intimacy safe.

Ssshh. 3 min. Yanni's shoulders relaxed, breath deepened.

"...Ready for Stage 4?"

Yanni requested herself. No doubt.

"Yes. Stage 4: hug posture. Frontal hug. Intimacy deprivation won't release without direct chest contact."

"Yes."

Yanni stood facing me. Heights almost match. Scout rider tall. Her chest to mine. Her arms around my back. Mine naturally on her shoulders and back.

Frontal hug. Emotion manipulation: 0.5%. Hint. This chest contact safe. Medical intimacy. Body can relax.

Ssshh. Yanni trembled faintly. Deprivation patient's first direct hug response. Emotional dam slightly ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠shook.

"...Ah, warm."

Yanni's voice close. 3 min. Frontal hug 3 min. Her breath synced with mine. Chests touching, breaths moving together.

Breath-sync frontal hug. Clinically, one of bodywork's strongest techniques. Real bodywork workshops do it. Just overlaid with hint.

Final hint. Intimacy safe. Human chest safe.

Ssshh. Yanni slowly parted. Face softened.

"...Consultant. Can I come again next week?"

"Yes. Follow-up care recommended regularly."

Yanni smiled. Left clinic.

Erika's parchment. 'Patient Yanni. Stage 1 conversation 4 min. Stages 2-3 physical contact 3 min. Stage 4 frontal hug breath sync 3 min. Intimacy deprivation temporarily released confirmed.'

Stage 4 item added by her hand.

Sixth patient. Name: Clea. 25. Supply soldier. Physical trauma, sexual intimacy recovery difficult. Fiancé died in battle a year ago; body sensation blocked since.

Clea explained everything herself. "...Selin said there's up to Stage 5. I need Stage 5."

"Stage 5?"

"Sexual tension release stage. Selin heard from her friend. Another patient did it, saw effects."

By now, Stage 5 exists as category among patients. Don't know who started. Don't know Selin's friend's friend. Patients making stages themselves.

...Never made Stage 5. Patients invented it among themselves. Fucking group dynamics. PhD thesis material would destroy my career, not just degree.

"...Yes, Clea. For Stage 5, your clear consent needed."

"I consent. Want to release. Body sensation. Can't even daily life like this."

"Good."

Clea's treatment bed. Stage 1 conversation. Clea talked fiancé. Year ago. Demon ambush. Fiancé's death. Hands on body since: no sensation.

"Sexual intimacy recovery via physical stimulation sensory rehab. Clea, what stimulation first? Your comfortable order."

"...Shoulders first. Then chest. Slowly."

Clea set order herself. Businesslike. Applying self to medical procedure tone.

...This business tone is scary. She's ordering her own sequence. False medical perception organizing her behavior patterns.

Shoulders first. Palms gripped shoulders. Emotion manipulation: 0.5%. Hint. Sensation awakens. Safe.

Ssshh. Faint tremble in Clea's shoulders. First signal body sensation returning after year.

"...Huh, warm. First in a year."

"Yes. Next okay?"

"Yes. Chest."

Clea unbuttoned her outer coat. Businesslike. Medical procedure self-application tone.

Shirt beneath exposed. "Start over shirt."

"Yes."

Palm lightly on Clea's chest. Over shirt. No direct contact.

Tszup. Small sound. Shirt pressing chest.

Hint. Body sensation awakens. Safe.

Ssshh. Clea inhaled sharply. "...Ah, sensation really back. Amazing."

"Yes."

Clea unbuttoned one more shirt button herself. Businesslike. "Direct contact, please."

Hand into shirt. Direct palm on chest. Not small. C-cup-ish. Warm.

Chabak. Palm-to-chest sound.

Hint. Sensation awakens. Stimulation safe.

Ssshh. Clea let out slight moan. "...Aah. Sensation. First in year."

...This patient maintains business tone to end while offering her own chest. My false perception reconstructed her entire behavior pattern. Didn't know 'medical' one word so powerful.

Stage 5 proceeded. Clea's chest stimulation 5 min. Hint every 30s.

Clea's body sensation returned stepwise. Face more relaxed than usual, breath deep.

"...Consultant. Is there final stage? Deeper one."

She asked again herself.

"Yes. Stage 6. Full sexual tension release. But not today. Pushing to Stage 6 right after sensation recovery risks backlash."

"...Yes. Then next time."

Clea rebuttoned shirt. Businesslike. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Face softer than usual.

"Today's Stage 5 results self-summary: body sensation returned after year. Effect clear. Will apply for Stage 6 next week."

She scheduled her own follow-up. Business tone.

"Yes. Apply and we'll proceed."

Clea left clinic.

Erika's parchment. 'Patient Clea. Stage 1 conversation 5 min. Stages 2-3 shoulder contact 2 min. Stage 5 chest stimulation 5 min. 1-year blocked body sensation recovery confirmed. Stage 6 scheduled for follow-up.'

Stage 5 written by her hand.

And then, Erika stopped her quill, lifted head from parchment. Pale purple eyes met mine.

"...Do-hyun. Got a moment?"

Erika's voice a tone lower than usual. Expressionless same, but something shaking inside that blankness.

Small space next to clinic. After patients cleared. Erika spread parchment on desk. Six patients' records on one sheet.

"Today's six patients' records. Summarized stage progress and effect measurements."

"Yes. Well organized."

"Do-hyun."

"Yes."

"Stages expanded to 5. And you told patient Stage 6 exists. Full sexual tension release stage."

"Yes."

"This..."

Erika paused briefly. Silence choosing next word. 0.5s. 1s. 2s.

"...medically established standard procedure?"

Here, Erika voiced doubt first time. Not Day 11, but Day 5. Yesterday, developed form without doubt. But Stage 5/6 full emergence triggered her field medic professional pride.

Her medical knowledge structure seeking this procedure's place.

"Yes."

I answered businesslike. Lie, but harden the lie's surface.

"Trauma body memories only dismantled via physical contact. Mental approaches limited. Modern psychology has bodywork field. Specializes trauma body memory dismantling. Not systematized here yet. Standard in my origin school."

"Bodywork."

"Yes. Principle: physical trauma released physically. Rejects mind-body split."

Erika's pale purple eyes on parchment. Her writing: stages. Hanna's shoulders, Yvonne's back, Mira's contact, Yanni's frontal hug, Clea's chest stimulation.

"Patients' recovery metrics overwhelming. Objectively. Yesterday follow-up: Hanna's nightmare intensity dropped 8/10 to 3/10. Yvonne's breaths averaged normal range. Mira self-attempted light comrade hug. Selin's word-stuck gone. Effects undeniable."

"Yes."

"But..."

Erika silent again. Doubt clashing data inside her.

"...Patient baring chest as medically normal... hard to accept with my knowledge. I'm field medic, have professional pride. Know my discipline misses fields. But fact I'm recording unseen procedure on parchment myself..."

Erika's hand gripped parchment edge. Slight tremble.

"...doesn't convince me."

Could use emotion manipulation here. Instantly soothe Erika's doubt. But short-term fix. For pride-strong like Erika, crushed doubt rebounds stronger. Handle deep, once.

"Erika."

"Yes."

"Why not judge by experiencing yourself."

Erika's pale purple eyes hardened. "...Pardon?"

"As inspector, not patient. Experience protocol, apply your medical judgment, evaluate effect and suitability. Record results in your writing on your parchment. Becomes your objective evaluation of whole form."

"...Me as patient?"

"Not patient. Experiencing as inspector. Keep full professional objectivity."

"As inspector."

"Yes."

Erika silent briefly. Eyes on parchment. Her writing Stage 5 items. Form she advanced herself. Chance to verify its medical validity herself.

"...When."

"You decide."

Erika slowly folded parchment. "...Tonight 8pm. My tent. Start Stage 1."

She set her own time and place. Business tone.

"Yes. 8pm."

Erika took parchment, left clinic. Silver hair vanished beyond door.

Afternoon clinic. Two more. Similar stage flows. One Stage 4, one Stage 3.

Dinner. Mess hall. No Erika. Probably preparing in her tent. Inspector poise. Gripping professional objectivity.

...Tonight 8pm. What happens in that tent, she'll record in her writing on her parchment. She'll register herself in her own protocol. Can't put in PhD thesis. Memo four.

Sun sinking beyond mountain ridge outside mess window. Front-lines evening. Distant sentry horn. Nearby wind through tents.

1 hour 30 to 8pm. Back to barracks, straightened clothes. Visiting field medic's tent. At least appearance neat.

Took clinic bag. No memory read boosters inside. Hands, voice, gaze only. Strongest tools.

Ran simulation once more in head. Erika Stages 1-6. How she'll reveal doubt cracks per stage. What hint strength to layer in each. What business vocab to make her say from her mouth.

Prep done. 7:50pm. Left barracks.

Erika's tent in small tent cluster by main building. Officer area. Passage lit by small lanterns.

Followed lanterns. Arrived exactly 8pm.