Chapter 16: Two Choices?

The hunter-exclusive lounge was located on the top floor of the Union Guild. Luxurious leather sofas and floor-to-ceiling windows offered a panoramic view of the city.

As was typical for the Union Guild, hunters of diverse appearances were chatting amongst themselves.

“I don’t understand why the coffee here is so bitter. No matter how much time passes, I can’t get used to it… How I long for the Rukia beans we used to drink in the Empire.”

Victor, the son of an Imperial Viscount, complained aloud. He was dressed in a combat uniform adorned with flashy decorations. Gathered around him was a group of similar individuals—Outsiders who had once been called nobles.

They continued their conversation, tinged with a subtle contempt, about how everything on Earth failed to meet their refined tastes. Even after all this time, their arrogance hadn’t diminished in the slightest.

“By the way, I don’t see that vulgar beast around today. It feels so empty now that the guild’s precious mascot has graced us with her absence.”

Victor’s sarcasm drew sneers of contempt from the others. The “beast” they were referring to was Luna, the Union Guild’s star hunter and, to them, an eternal outsider.

Just then, a man with a particularly handsome face spoke up quietly. It was Ryan, the second son of an Imperial Earl.

“So, is that beast-human off duty today?”

Catching the subtle interest in his voice, Victor clicked his tongue and shot back, “Why do you want to know, Ryan? It’s a good thing that lowly rabbit wench isn’t here.”

“…Right. I was just saying it’s good that she’s not around.”

Ryan elegantly retorted without a change in expression, swirling the wine in his glass.

However, as if to mock his words, a figure buried in a sofa across the lounge muttered quietly, “Dumbass. You just wanted to see her, didn’t you?”

A silence fell over the nobles’ conversation at the black rabbit’s blunt remark.

Victor was the first to recover, his face flushing with anger as he glared at her. “How dare you… In whose presence do you speak such vulgar words…”

“Heehee~”

Elice, not the least bit intimidated, playfully twitched her perky, gray ears as if she found the situation amusing. She slowly rose from the sofa, a smile mixing contempt and ridicule on her face as she looked at them.

Then, she extended her own hand toward Victor, who was pointing a finger at her.

And, very elegantly, she raised one long, slender middle finger.

Victor may have been an Outsider, but he knew exactly what that gesture meant.

“……!”

Victor’s face contorted in shock.

“Looks like you still think this is the Empire. And your idiot friend over there is practically drooling, trying to figure out how to get his hands on a plump rabbit. You think no one notices?”

Victor and Ryan’s faces turned beet red with humiliation. As Victor’s hand moved toward the ornamental sword at his waist, Elice also lowered her stance, shifting her right leg slightly forward.

The air in the lounge grew taut, ready to snap at any moment.

Squeak.

The lounge door opened, and a woman stepped inside.

Pure white hair, with a distinct streak of color running through it.

It was Luna.

Seeing the volatile situation unfolding before her, she furrowed her brow ever so slightly. But then, as if she had no interest in it, she gave a light nod toward the group of nobles.

She walked straight to Elice.

“You have a dispatch mission to the Center this afternoon. Don’t be rude, and don’t slack off. Got it?”

Her tone was that of someone scolding a reckless younger sister. Then, as if she had said all she needed to, she turned and headed back to the door.

“…? You came all the way here just to tell me that?” Elice asked, dumbfounded. She said she was going to counseling today.

Luna, with her hand on the doorknob, answered without looking back. “Yes. You weren’t planning on going, were you?”

Elice flinched. She’d hit the nail on the head.

“I’m leaving now. Don’t cause any trouble.”

Click.

“Tch.”

Elice plopped back down onto the sofa, all the fight gone out of her.

Don’t cause any trouble.

That’s what her sister Luna had said.

*

The next morning, I opened the door to my office feeling slightly fatigued. I had been poring over old research papers until late last night.

I was about to make some coffee and organize my schedule for the day when it happened.

The first to greet me this morning wasn’t a rabbit or a client.

“Excuse us.”

Thump!

The office door swung wide open, and several burly men in black suits entered without permission, carrying a massive wooden crate. Their movements were precise, and they exuded an aura nothing like that of ordinary deliverymen.

The large wooden crate barely squeezed through the doorway.

THUD!

The crate was laid flat in the middle of my office lobby. A strange crest was stamped on its lid.

“What… is this?”

As I asked, the man who seemed to be their leader approached me and bowed respectfully.

“This is a gift from the Supreme One. She instructed me to tell you it is compensation for the damage done to your property, Physician.”

Compensation from Ja Hwa-yeon? Compensation for the 50,000-won, self-assembled table she had shattered with her fist?

While I stood there dumbfounded, they began to dismantle the crate. As it opened, a massive table wrapped in black silk was revealed.

It was a table.

A table, yes, but… it was carved from a single, solid piece of jet-black jade. The legs were inlaid with golden dragons and phoenixes.

And they didn’t stop there.

From within the soft silk padding inside the now-empty crate, they pulled out a huge, gleaming black nameplate.

[Divine Physician Yoo Seon-woo]

Divine Physician. That title was far too grandiose.

“W-Wait a minute.”

My humble little office couldn’t possibly accommodate the furniture and titles of an emperor. But my protests went unheard.

They perfectly positioned the table in the center of the office and placed the nameplate on top of it before finally stopping.

“We will take our leave now.”

As if their mission was complete, the men bowed politely once more, gathered every last scrap of the crate, and left. Just as he was about to walk out the door, the leader turned back as if he had just remembered something.

“Ah, and a message from the Supreme One.”

He recited it in an emotionless voice, like an oracle delivering a prophecy.

“‘I will visit soon. Be prepared.’”

With those final words, they vanished without a sound.

I pressed my temples and let out a deep sigh.

“Ah… what a headache.”

The Association would have covered the cost of the broken table anyway. She didn’t have to do this…

Still, despite its intimidating appearance, it seemed to be a rather high-quality piece of furniture. And the golden characters engraved on the nameplate… surely this wasn’t real gold, was it?

I decided to stop thinking about it for now.

It was 8:00 AM. Time to get up and start preparing. I had a client scheduled for 9:00 AM sharp.

I went into the small kitchen, preheated the oven, and took out the dough I had prepared in advance. The sweet scent of melting butter and sugar filled the office. I carefully spread freshly whipped white cream on a warm, freshly baked cookie. Finally, I gently placed a single strawberry on top.

I set the cookie, arranged on a small plate, in the very center of the table Ja Hwa-yeon had gifted me.

‘…It doesn’t match.’

A cute little cookie on a jet-black table…

I was staring at the strange scene created by the two mismatched objects when…

Squeak.

Exactly at 9:00 AM, the office door opened cautiously.

And someone stepped inside.

It was Luna.

Her attire for visiting the office was no different from her work uniform. She could have worn something a little more comfortable.

“Hello.”

I stood up from my chair and greeted her with a slight smile.

“Hello…”

Luna bowed her head in return and entered hesitantly. Her red eyes widened for a moment in surprise as she saw the black table and the massive nameplate occupying the center of the room.

“Ah, you don’t have to pay any mind to that. I think it was a mistaken delivery.”

I should probably put the nameplate away, at least.

“Anyway… I’m glad you came.”

My words made her shoulders flinch slightly.

“To be honest, I was a little worried. I wondered if you might have come to dislike me.” I gave a troubled smile, deciding to address the awkwardness between us head-on. And I placed the blame for all of it on myself.

“It wasn’t intentional. My ability acted on its own and was rude…”

“Ah… yes…”

I slowly checked Luna’s status.

[Luna]

[Main Stance]
[She has come here as if clinging to the last straw.]

[Suitable Response] [Satisfaction Rate: 100%]
[First, offer her the drink and snack you prepared for her.]

The status window looked good. There was no hostility or anxiety. Now, I could slowly move on to the next step.

I gestured toward the table. On it were the two teacups I had prepared and a small white plate.

“Please, have whichever you’d like.”

I pushed the two cups toward her. One was a bitter Americano, the other a sweet latte. I wasn’t sure what she would like, so I prepared both just in case.

She chose the latte.

I took the Americano for myself and gently pushed the small white plate on the table toward her.

“And this… is the strawberry I promised you,” I said with a smile.

At my words, Luna looked down at the plate. There sat a cookie topped with a red, luscious strawberry.

And… after a very long hesitation, she finally, cautiously, reached out her hand.

Just before she picked up the cookie, I added one last thing.

“I’m not sure if it will suit your taste. I’ve heard that beast-humans aren’t particularly fond of sweets.”

“Ah… I like them.”

She replied and took a bite of the cookie like a small bird. In that instant, her red eyes widened in surprise.

It was likely a world apart from the one she’d had yesterday. Unlike yesterday, when I had packed up a cookie that had already cooled, this one was less than five minutes out of the oven. The texture that filled her mouth, the flavor of the butter, the soft whipped cream, and the refreshing strawberry…

I could feel the tension slowly draining from her stiff shoulders.

Yes, this was my preferred method. When it comes to breaking the ice, nothing is more effective than a well-made dessert.

Now… it was time to begin the real session.

[Luna]

[Main Stance]
[This is a counselor who knows all her deepest shames. She feels she might as well open up about everything.]

[Suitable Response] [Satisfaction Rate: 80%]
[Please, tell me whatever is on your mind. It can be about anything at all.]

[Suitable Response] [Satisfaction Rate: 69%]
[By the way, could you show me your ears? They were pretty when I saw them last time. (In a low, coercive tone)]

‘……?’

I understood the first suitable response. It was a textbook approach for a counselor. The high satisfaction rate of 80% proved it.

But what in the world was the second one?

I expected its satisfaction rate to be low, but it was surprisingly high. And in a coercive tone, no less?

Usually, my ability shows me a correct answer and a clearly incorrect one. But this meant that both options were actually viable choices.

I watched Luna nibbling on the cookie and quickly analyzed what the two choices signified. No matter how I looked at it, it felt like my next response would determine the entire direction of our future sessions.

‘What should I do?’

I was lost in deep thought.

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Translated By: Meher (RaidenTL)

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