Episode 61. Doubt and Oath 16
Episode 61. Doubt and Oath 16
"No, it's real."
I muttered while staring at the mirror.
My reflection in the slightly fogged mirror showed me with orange tears streaming down my face.
'Thank goodness the solution is red, not something else.'
Otherwise it would have been a pretty gruesome visual.
Even after finishing my shower, the solution kept flowing out, so I was just standing under the shower water meaninglessly.
'...Wait a minute.'
Suddenly, the Director's words came to mind.
She definitely said the solution was leaking out through a hole.
'Then what about the back...?'
No liquid was coming out from my anus right now.
Of course. Because I had it plugged.
"......"
I slowly moved my hand toward my buttocks.
"Euk......"
As I grabbed the handle that felt unusually soft today, my sphincter twitched and spasmed once.
'If there's solution remaining inside... that wouldn't be good, right?'
I slowly pulled the plug.
"Hyeok?!"
Instantly, the overwhelming stimulation made my sphincter clench tightly, sending shivers down my neck.
A strange moan echoed dully through the shower room.
Fortunately, I was alone here.
"Ah, uh......"
Why is this so stimulating...?
It's definitely the same plug I always use......
"Ahit, hek, higeuk......"
As the plug came out further, it scraped against the surrounding intestinal wall, sending tingling sensations straight to my brain.
"Hik, haheuk, heuooook......"
The thickest part painfully dragged against the mucous membrane and mercilessly stretched my sphincter as it came out.
I immediately let out a vulgar moan with my mouth hanging open like an idiot.
Pop.....
"Hayeuk...!"
Dribble dribble dribble......
Then as the plug came out with a plop, I heard something trickling out from behind.
"Ah, fuck......"
My prediction was correct.
Orange solution was gushing out from my anus, which had been stretched open by the plug.
'This feels fucking awful.'
Since it had been inside my stomach for a long time, the solution was warm as if heated. As it flowed down from my buttocks over my thighs to my ankles... it was extremely unpleasant.
"Hmm......"
It feels somewhat familiar... must be my imagination?
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After finishing that long shower, I headed to the Director's private room.
As expected of someone at the top of an institution, she was using a space larger than my house all by herself.
"Sit here."
"Okay."
There were various items on the Director's desk. Dual monitors, a plain keyboard, a notebook filled with unknown words, professional books, a bag of potato chips, and... a lighter and a pack of cigarettes.
Once she confirmed I was seated, the Director immediately got to the main point.
"First... the initial questionnaire was fine. Within the normal range."
"Was that something like depression? It seemed similar to a stress test."
"Yes, correct. Actually, psychiatry uses almost the same questionnaire."
"Is psychological state very important for using magic?"
"That's right. You need a healthy mind to properly use magic. To be precise, belief in yourself is important."
"Aha......"
I think I understand.
That was probably the similar reason.
"But, Yubin-ah."
"Yes?"
"This might be an uncomfortable topic, but by any chance, do you......"
"......"
The Director checked my expression once before continuing carefully.
"Have any bad memories or something like that?"
"Huh? Not at all."
"Hmm......"
The "bad memories" the Director is referring to here probably aren't just simple embarrassing past events. I'm perceptive enough to know that.
At my answer, the Director's expression suddenly darkened.
Why, when I said I have no bad memories...?
The Director pondered for a moment before speaking again.
"Then have you been near a Gate recently?"
"That either."
It was the same question my Homeroom Teacher had asked before.
"Never been to a Gate either......"
The Director muttered while tapping the desk with her finger.
An awkward silence flowed between us for a moment. As the atmosphere grew uneasy, my heart began to beat faster.
"This might be a bit early to speculate."
"Yeees......"
"You might be under a Mental Attack."
"Mental... attack...?"
I just blinked blankly.
"By Mental Attack, do you mean things like brainwashing or hypnosis...?"
"Correct."
"Then does that mean evidence of such an attack was found in me?"
"Yes. You came for testing because of nausea and memory loss, right? Those are typical physical rejection responses to Mental Attacks."
"......"
"Of course there could be other causes too... but the test results showed no abnormalities in your Mana Core and Circuit. In fact, their efficiency is excellent, far exceeding the Hunter average."
"Ah, thank you."
"We comprehensively tested everything else too, and it's all normal. You said earlier you don't have PTSD either. Then there's only one possibility left."
"Ah, um, then......"
I swallowed hard and spoke again.
"Does that mean it's confirmed that someone is brainwashing me...?"
"To say confirmed... there's still something slightly uneasy about it. I heard your nausea symptoms were quite severe, is that right?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"The rejection response becomes more severe when the user's hypnosis technique is crude."
"......"
"If it were a truly skilled person, they would twist your way of thinking in an instant without giving your body time to reject it."
"Ah."
"But looking at your symptoms, the user doesn't seem to be using particularly powerful hypnosis... the problem is that you attend the Academy."
"The Academy...?"
At her riddle-like way of speaking, I pondered for a moment before eventually understanding her meaning.
If it's such a shitty hypnosis that makes me vomit like a dog, why is the Academy doing nothing about it.
In other words... why haven't the experienced Hunters gathered at the Academy noticed the hypnosis on me.
Especially at an educational institution that responds very sensitively to villain or monster intrusions.
"That's right. It is indeed strange."
"That's why I said I can't confirm it."
"...Then what should I do?"
Ultimately, that question is the core issue.
How should I respond in such an uncertain situation.
The Director spun a pen in her hand as she spoke.
"First, I want to keep the possibilities open. Whether you're truly under a Mental Attack, or you unknowingly got close to a Gate, or... it could be a completely new illness."
"......"
"So!"
The Director slapped the desk and stood up abruptly. Startled, I stood up too without thinking.
"Yubin, you'll need to come to this Research Institute periodically."
"Periodically?"
"Yes. Probably... two or three times a month? Not an exact number, I'll call you so you can come when possible."
"Ah, understood."
"Don't force yourself to make time if it's difficult."
"Thank you......"
"Then let's finish for today with just prescribing some general medication."
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"Eunbyeol-ah, are you asleep?"
"......"
I poked Eunbyeol's cheek, who was sitting right next to me.
Seeing her still sleeping in the same position, she must have been quite tired.
We were currently riding in the Mercedes-Benz S-Class that the Director was personally driving to take us back to school.
I stopped bothering Eunbyeol and looked forward again. The Director seemed skilled at driving as she handled the car smoothly.
"It's quite far from school. I didn't notice coming to the Research Institute since I was dozing."
"About an hour or so. It would be inconvenient by public transport, so I'm giving you a ride."
"Thank you."
An awkward silence flowed inside the car.
I expressed my gratitude once more.
"Thank you so much for today. Going this far for someone you just met."
"It's nothing. To be honest, there's a bit of selfishness involved too."
"Selfishness?"
"Researchers can't help but always crave new things."
"Ah, um, I see......"
I laughed awkwardly, hehe.
"Besides that, it must have been difficult to accept initially. Aren't you incredibly busy?"
"That's right. To the point of collapsing from overwork."
"Heuk......"
"But it was that person's request."
That person?
'Hmm......'
I felt like I might hear an interesting story.
"By that person, do you mean... Eunbyeol's father?"
"Yes."
"You must be very close. Earlier you were even talking behind his back......"
"Hey! That's not really talking behind someone's back! It's true that he's rigid and stubborn."
The Director laughed, puhut.
Then she suddenly sighed, hoo, and spoke.
"Yes, we're close. Very......"
Her eyes visible in the rearview mirror grew distant as if looking at something far away.
"We can't help but be close."
"What do you mean can't help but be close...?"
The car stopped at a traffic light.
Swish.
The Director removed one hand from the steering wheel and carefully brushed back her hair.
"...Ah."
Ears the same size as a human's.
But the tips rose to sharp points.
No wonder she had blonde hair and green eyes.
"You're an elf... hybrid?"
"Yes. So I received a lot of help in various ways. Since I was young."
"......"
I wanted to ask what kind of help, but thinking it was too personal, I stopped.
'I suspected it, but she really is an elf.'
No wonder she looks so young. More like a sister than an aunt.
'She must live long.'
I don't know if she's a half-elf or quarter-elf, but at least she'll have a longer lifespan than a human like me.
And so the Director's Mercedes-Benz S-Class smoothly drove through the wide-open streets of the capital today.
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"It's late, so everyone be careful going in~"
"Yes. Goodbye."
I bowed at a perfect 90-degree angle with respectful courtesy.
Soon, the Director's car disappeared from view with a vroom-.
"Eunbyeol-ah, you must be tired."
"Uung......"
Eunbyeol, who had slept in the car, still seemed half-asleep.
"Go to the Dormitory quickly and sleep."
"Okay, see you tomorrow......"
Eunbyeol trudged back to school.
'Will curfew be okay?'
The time Seyeon mentioned before had passed, but since we were meeting important people... she probably submitted an excuse note or something.
'...Seyeon.'
On my way home.
I unconsciously bit my lower lip hard.
As soon as I heard the Director's words about Mental Attacks, meaning hypnosis and brainwashing, that girl immediately came to mind.
It couldn't be helped. Because Seyeon is a Half Succubus.
Succubi are famous in various creative works for being skilled at hypnosis and brainwashing. Whether in doujinshi or RPG Maker games.
And combining that with the clues my S-grade Skill Intuition has given me so far......
"Fuck......"
I let out a curse with a hardened tone for the first time in a while.
Did she really do this to me?
Why?
My thoughts became tangled and complicated.
My thinking had almost reached the conclusion that Seyeon was indeed a bad person... but one contradiction from my conversation with the Director stopped my rapidly racing thoughts.
My body shows rejection responses because she used shitty brainwashing. But the Academy instructors didn't detect hypnosis that crude.
'Then what should I do?'
Ask Seyeon directly?
'...This is a bit.'
If I go to her and ask 'Did you hypnotize me?', would she even give me a proper answer.
More likely, I'd just end up looking like the weird one.
It would be better to indirectly find fault instead.
'Indirectly.'
As I mentioned before, Intuition makes judgments based on the five senses.
For example, if Seyeon made threatening actions toward me, or cleverly mixed lies into her words.
'Lies?'
That's right.
Thinking about it now, there were several things Seyeon told me that made me tilt my head in confusion.
Like how the lower abdomen becomes sensitive during meditation.
At the time, I just accepted it thinking Seyeon was a magic expert, but now that I have to suspect her, I can't take those words at face value anymore.
But now she's not the only expert I know.
There's the person who just drove away in a Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
When I got home, I immediately messaged the Director with my questions. I don't know when she'll reply since she's always busy, but at least within this week.
And if Seyeon's words turn out to be false, then I can indirectly pressure her about why she lied.
I took the prescribed medication with water and turned off the light.