Chapter 29
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Reason for Distrust (2)
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"Are you thinking hard enough, Aria?"
"Yes, Kalt."
"Then let's begin."
Kalt entered the room with Aria and started today's mental counseling session.
He instructed her to close her eyes and recall the precious, joyful times with her companions.
And once she had fully etched that scene into her mind.
Kalt told Aria to use her Blessing.
With memories of her comrades filling her heart, Aria clasped her hands together and activated her Blessing.
The Blessing of Recovery manifested into the empty air.
With no target to heal, the blessing simply glowed and faded away into nothingness.
Once, twice, three times, four times.
Aria's Blessing activated repeatedly.
And the moment a certain number of repetitions had passed, nightmare-like scenes rose in Aria's mind, along with the sounds from that time.
Screams
Sobs
Wailing echoed.
Agony,
Tragedy,
Death appeared before her eyes.
Her heart raced, her breath grew ragged, and the sheer irrationality of those scenes began to breed distrust toward the god.
'Nellis! Scarlet!'
Gripping her clasped hands tightly, she desperately recalled the cherished times with her comrades.
She reminded herself that using her Blessing allowed her to revisit those warm moments once more.
The times with her comrades—even just a little.
It was only a little, but it diluted the nightmare scenes.
It made her forget, if only for a moment, the chain of doubts about the god that surfaced while witnessing the nightmares.
And Aria managed to use her Blessing one more time than usual.
"Haa, haa, heup! Haa, haa..."
"Aria, stop now. That's enough."
When Kalt placed a hand on her shoulder and spoke, Aria ended her prayer and opened her eyes.
The reactions triggered by the nightmare visions were the same as always.
Her breath was still coming in gasps.
Her heart was still pounding.
But.
"Kalt... Kalt, I...!"
She had been able to use Blessing one more time.
Normally, she couldn't even manage that one extra use—she would simply curl up as her mind drowned in the nightmare visions, spewing questions at the God of Light.
The nightmare scenes still lingered vividly in her mind.
But at the same time, thanks to Kalt's advice, she had one method.
By recalling her times with her comrades and considering what results her actions would bring.
She could resist the nightmares she had thought impossible to fight.
Just that single extra time.
But for Aria, it was a profoundly meaningful and precious breakthrough in solving her own problem.
"I could use it. J-just once, but I used Blessing!"
Tears streamed down her face.
Not tears of sorrow, pain, or despair, but joyful tears from discovering the possibility of hope.
From childhood to now, despite desperately wanting to overcome it, she had never been able to conquer that nightmare. Finding the key to doing so now, Aria wept with joy.
"Thank you, Kalt. Really... really, thank you."
She had hoped for it.
She had harbored the wish that it would work.
But knowing how long her torment had plagued her, she had also resigned herself to the fact that even a sliver of possibility might be out of reach.
Yet here it was, that clue found so quickly.
A situation where she could use one precious extra Blessing.
Aria felt immense gratitude toward Kalt for making this possible.
Facing her like this, Kalt spoke softly into her ear, making sure she heard clearly.
"Congratulations, Aria. You've only just taken your first step. Let's keep working hard from here."
"Yes, Kalt. I... I'll do my absolute best."
"Yeah. I'll help you overcome it completely."
Watching Aria tearfully express her thanks to him, Kalt thought to himself.
Yes.
Be even more grateful.
Be even happier.
The joy she felt now.
The progress she was making now.
How precious it was.
How valuable it was.
Thanks to Hypnosis, Aria's problem would be completely resolved.
By then, she would be at the peak of happiness.
After letting her savor that happiness for a few days, he would reveal the truth.
Explain what had truly resolved her problem.
Prove whether it was real or fake by releasing the hypnosis.
That would mark the true start of her conditioning.
So she wouldn't forget her gratitude like Mabel's party had.
So she wouldn't grow brazen toward him like those ungrateful wenches.
And to teach her exactly how to express that gratitude to Kalt.
He would make her learn it thoroughly through conditioning.
There was no need for the simplistic method of using hypnosis to ensure she never forgot her gratitude.
What Kalt wanted was heartfelt gratitude arising naturally in her daily life.
Not mechanical thanks spat out like a puppet under hypnosis.
That was why Kalt intended to approach their problems with sincerity, solve them sincerely, and condition them with all his heart.
Ensuring such words as "we don't need you anymore, get lost" would never escape their lips again.
After confirming the counseling's effects, Kalt, delighted, told the repeatedly thankful Aria to rest.
"I'm okay, Kalt! I can do it several more times!"
"No, you can't push yourself just because you're seeing results. Don't rush—proceed step by step to solve the problem reliably."
She wanted to keep going.
But she didn't want to ignore Kalt's advice, so Aria reluctantly accepted.
"Got it, Kalt."
"Yeah, rest up. I'm going to check on Nellis."
"Okay."
As he headed to the backyard, Kalt wondered just how much Nellis had grasped.
'Well, no way she's nailing it perfectly on day one.'
If her form had slipped again, he'd correct it.
With those thoughts, what Kalt witnessed upon stepping out was.
"Heuk! Heuk! Heup! Hauk!"
"...?"
Nellis, drenched in sweat, panting desperately as she swung her sword.
If she were swinging properly, at least it would look decent, but her flailing, exhausted swings were even more pathetic than her initial awkward form.
"Nellis, what are you doing?"
"Ah, ah! Kalt heup! Damn! Counseling with Aria heuk! Heuk! over?"
"Uh... yeah. But why are you like this? Don't tell me... you swung without resting even once?"
"Ah, heup! Yes! If I rested even a little, it'd feel like I'd forget the teachings! Heuk! So I swung to burn it into my body kuhup! Kuhup!"
"..."
Kalt mentally jotted down that Nellis was diligent but a somewhat dim Hero.
"Nellis."
"Yes!"
"Rest. And from now on, never swing like that without mandatory breaks. Doing it that way won't ingrain proper form—it'll just breed more bad habits."
Kalt spoke sternly, with genuine concern.
"Got it?"
"Yes! K-Kalt sir!"
'Uwaa, I did something stupid and made Kalt sir mad!'
Kalt softened his serious expression, smiled gently once more, and said.
"Good, as long as you understand. You're exhausted, so head inside and rest."
"Yes, Kalt sir..."
Even with the smile, aware she'd been scolded, Nellis slumped her shoulders and turned toward the inn.
Kalt lightly touched her shoulder and said.
"If you need help fixing your form anytime, just say the word. Don't overdo it, alright?"
"...! Yes!"
At Kalt's warm words, Nellis instantly perked up and entered the inn.
Watching her retreating figure, Kalt gazed thoughtfully and mused.
'Simpler than I thought—easy to handle.'
Far better than constant whining and complaining; a little dimness was preferable by far.
"Agh, you idiot!"
Smack!
"Ow! Scarlet, why'd you hit me!"
"Because you're acting like an idiot!"
At dinner, as they gathered and shared the day's events, Scarlet couldn't resist smacking Nellis's arm upon hearing her story.
"Even I, a mage, know nonstop swinging without rest ruins your form! What were you thinking?"
"B-but~ Swinging just like Kalt sir taught felt like boom! This is it! The right posture! It felt so good."
"Even when you were exhausted and staggering?"
"...N-no."
"Then stop, you idiot! It's embarrassing for me."
"Scarlet, don't be too harsh. I get how Nellis feels. She was thrilled to find a breakthrough for growth after so long, right?"
"As expected of Aria! Exactly that! But really? Aria, Kalt sir's mental counseling actually worked!"
To Nellis, who asked with sparkling eyes, Aria nodded.
"Yes. Just once, but I could use Blessing one more time."
"Congratulations!"
"That's great. ...Really."
Nellis and Scarlet rejoiced at Aria's progress in mental counseling.
Only Aria truly knew her own suffering.
How agonizing and painful it was every time she pushed her recovery beyond a limit.
And how heartbreaking and tragic her past had been.
At the same time, both Scarlet and Nellis gave more thought to the credibility and potential of Kalt's mental counseling.
If Aria's problem was showing progress.
If resolution seemed possible.
Then perhaps their own problems could truly be solved too.
'Should I ask Kalt sir for counseling tomorrow? No, he just taught me posture today. Admitting a mental issue on top might tank my image with him...!'
'My problem's different in nature from Aria's. Still, Kalt's clearly competent. No need to wait for Nellis to spill hers... Maybe try a session?'
Nellis and Scarlet each pondered mental counseling in a positive light.
And the next day.
"Uwaaak! Aaaah! My body...!"
Nellis was hit with muscle soreness.
It was the backlash from relentlessly swinging her sword to maintain proper form without rest—and even when fatigued, forcing extra swings with sloppy posture.
Seeing her state, Kalt said.
"Today, it'll be the three of us without Nellis."
"N-no way!"
Thus, the Nellis Party without Nellis was temporarily formed.