Chapter 37: Mother and Daughter

What I was hearing was the story hidden in her heart.

The true circumstances of Seol Yu-wol’s life.

Lee Seo-ryeong was not her birth mother; Seol Yu-wol was her adopted daughter.

It was a surprising revelation, but I showed no sign of being fazed.

I answered calmly.

“In this world, we have something called research papers. They are documents that delve deeply into a specific subject or phenomenon, analyzing and recording its essence.”

I added an explanation using terms from their world to help her understand.

“In the language of Jungwon… something like an ‘observational record’ would be the closest equivalent.”

At that, Seol Yu-wol gave a small nod.

“There was one study. It was a record comparing parents raising their biological children with parents raising adopted children, to see if there was any meaningful difference in the amount of love they felt.”

Seol Yu-wol’s eyes trembled with anxiety.

She was afraid.

Meeting her gaze, I continued slowly.

“The results were astonishing…”

I paused for effect.

“No meaningful difference was found in the love they felt for the two children.”

That was the actual finding of the study.

No significant difference was found between the love for an adopted child and a biological one.

That was the conclusion.

“Parents, universally, do not require proof of worth to love their children.”

The trembling in Seol Yu-wol’s vacant eyes grew more intense.

I spoke to her gently.

Leaning forward, I asked in a low voice, soft enough for only her to hear.

“Then why, Miss Yu-wol, do you have to prove your worth?”

Her pupils darted about, unable to find an answer.

“Why must a child have to prove something to be loved by their parent?”

I posed a question that struck at the very core of her beliefs.

“……”

Seol Yu-wol wore a dazed expression, as if the common sense of her entire world was being denied.

[Seol Yu-wol]

[Main Stance]

[I must prove my worth to repay the grace of my mother, who took me in and raised me even though I am not her biological child. She is flustered by the very idea that an inefficient element like love is involved.]

[Optimal Response] [Satisfaction Rate: 80%]

[I will ask you one more time. What is it that you truly want to do?]

[Corner her completely, leaving absolutely no room for escape!]

[It’s okay if she cries. Act like a strict but loving father disciplining his daughter….]

That’s enough.

[ (｡•́︿•̀｡) ]

The System vanished quietly, leaving behind a single sad emoticon.

“Miss Yu-wol. I will ask you one more time. What is it that you truly want to do?”

But her answer was the same. She replied instantly, as if spitting out pre-recorded information.

“To become… the Martial Alliance Leader.”

I nodded.

But that was no longer the correct answer.

“However, the Martial Alliance does not exist in this world.”

Watching her wavering eyes, I moved a little closer.

“In that case, what goal should you have now, Miss Yu-wol?”

Her only path, her only goal, had vanished.

As she confronted a truth she had refused to acknowledge, Seol Yu-wol’s expression hardened.

Into those eyes, like empty lakes, I tossed one last stone.

“What is it that you want to do?”

I slowly added, “It can be a small dream you had as a child, or something new you want to do from now on.”

And then, without realizing it, my hand moved.

It crossed the empty space and came to rest on her hand, which was cold and trembling faintly.

Then.

Squeeze.

I slowly enveloped her small hand in mine.

It was an impulsive act.

Perhaps it was a counselor’s instinct, a need to catch her as she teetered on the verge of collapse after losing her purpose.

At my touch, Seol Yu-wol’s vacant eyes glanced down at our joined hands.

Then, very slowly, they turned back to me.

[ ฅ(՞៸៸ > ᗜ < ៸៸՞)ฅ ]

As always, I did not avoid her gaze.

And I whispered today’s most important word to her once more.

“Freely.”

For Seol Yu-wol herself.

“Not for anyone else’s thoughts or expectations, but only for yourself, Miss Yu-wol. From now on, you will think freely.”

This didn’t have to be a case of therapeutic transference.

She didn’t need another person to depend on.

She just needed a small foothold to stand up on her own.

Once more.

“What is it that you want to do?”

All I had to do was become that foothold for her.

*

“……”

The physician had left.

Seol Yu-wol sat blankly on the soft bedding like a doll.

The last words he’d left behind swirled like a storm in her mind.

‘The Martial Alliance does not exist in this world.’

‘Now, what is it that you want to do, Miss Yu-wol?’

‘Freely.’

In truth, she had known.

She knew that in this place, neither the Martial Alliance she had aimed for nor the Demonic Cult existed in the same way they once had.

But to admit that fact was the same as negating her entire life.

And.

Fidget.

Her fingers slowly stroked the back of her other hand.

She hadn’t realized it at the time.

But that touch earlier…

It was the first time in her life.

Her mother had always kept her separated from any and all contact with men.

Therefore, this was the first time she had ever allowed the touch of a man who wasn’t family.

It was different.

Different from the touch of Tang Hee-ran or any of the other female martial artists…

The firm, large sensation when he had enveloped her hand.

It was strange.

The physician before her was weak enough that she could subdue him with a single finger if she chose.

By her standards as a martial artist, he was endlessly fragile.

But when his firm hand had wrapped around hers, her body had frozen, unable to resist in any way.

It wasn’t a matter of strength. It was more like… something instinctual…

And the faint warmth he had left behind.

For some reason, she found herself bothered by the way that warmth was slowly fading in the cold room.

For the first time in her life, Seol Yu-wol wished for something: that it wouldn’t disappear.

This was a fact she herself was not yet aware of.

At that very moment.

A thought flashed through her mind.

Ah.

The mooncake.

The pastry he had baked for her himself.

The physician had put it in a bag. He’d said she could eat it whenever she wanted.

Perhaps… there was still a little warmth left in it.

Seol Yu-wol practically tumbled out of bed and hurried into the living room.

With a trembling hand, she picked up the white paper bag sitting on the table.

She carefully placed her hand on the outside of the bag. Through the paper, her fingertips felt the round shape of the pastry.

“……”

But the warmth she had hoped for was nowhere to be found.

The bag in her hand was as cold as the air in the room, as cold as her own hand.

She stood motionless in the middle of the empty living room, holding the cold bag.

Then, in a very small voice, she whispered.

“…Cold.”

The fingertips where the warmth had lingered.

The mooncake before her.

And.

She was cold, too.

*

Today’s session went quite well.

I confirmed Seol Yu-wol’s background.

I checked her inner state.

And I guided her to think of a new goal for herself.

It was also the homework I had assigned her.

As it happened, tomorrow was my day off.

I hoped she would take the time to think things through on her own.

To be honest, I had been very worried at first.

What if she was a severe case for whom conventional therapy wouldn’t work?

Would I have to resort to therapeutic transference to treat her…?

Thankfully, it seemed I wouldn’t have to go that far.

“You’ve worked hard. I’ll see you again on Monday.”

I gave a slight bow to the team leader who saw me off.

It was still a bit early to go home.

My next destination was my counseling office.

I’d left it empty for too long.

I needed to retrieve the keys I’d left with Elice yesterday and tidy up a bit.

It was time to return to my own space.

I stood before the door to my office.

Just as I’d told Elice, I reached under the doormat, and my fingers closed around a cold set of keys.

Creeak.

The moment I opened the door, an unfamiliar scent tickled my nose and greeted me.

“……?”

It seemed someone had sprayed a lilac-scented air freshener.

Elice?

The window was cracked open, likely to air the place out, but the scent lingered stubbornly in the room.

And on my work desk sat a small flowerpot.

From its appearance, it was a lavender pot.

I stood before the small pot. The soil was damp, as if it had just been watered.

Then I noticed a small wooden stick poking out of the soil.

A small, rolled-up note was tied to the stick.

I picked up the stick.

The paper was wrapped around it.

I carefully untied the note.

Inside, round, neat handwriting was packed into the small space.

[Sir! The cake was so delicious ㅠㅠ I left a small flowerpot as a token of my gratitude.]

[Oh, by the way, this is Luna!! Elice was busy, so I came instead. ₍ᐢ ›_‹ ᐢ₎]

Was that emoticon supposed to be a rabbit?

“Pfft.”

It does look like her.

I let out a small laugh and carefully placed the note she’d left in my desk drawer.

I felt relieved that Luna’s condition had improved so much.

It was proof that she was starting to come out into the world. I hoped that one day, she would be able to show her true self to everyone.

I was sure everyone would love it.

I pulled out my chair and sat down. My own space, returned to after two days.

“……?”

But something felt empty.

My white gown, which I always kept draped over the back of my chair, was gone.

“…Where did it go?”

I tilted my head for a moment.

I had been incredibly busy lately.

I’d only been getting catnaps at home and had so much on my mind.

Did I leave it at home?

It was highly likely I’d done the laundry and forgotten about it.

I was probably just tired.

Thinking nothing of it, I turned on my computer.

Forgetting all about the missing gown, I focused on the screen.

Mountains of research papers and records.

Losing track of time, I remained engrossed for a long while.

“……”

When I finally lifted my head, the sun had already set outside the window.

“It’s already this late….”

I was rolling my stiff shoulders, thinking it was about time to head home, and had just stood up from my seat.

Knock, knock.

Someone knocked quietly on the door of the silent office.

I looked up.

The office was closed today.

Besides, it was far too late for a visitor.

Who could it be?

I got up from my seat and opened the office door.

“……”

The moment I opened the door, the subtle scent of orchid drifted to my nose.

And right in front of me, a woman was standing there.

“Hello, Physician.”

A jade-colored silk robe flowed gracefully along the curves of her body in the dim light.

The hairpin in her hair glinted.

Contrary to her dignified aura, she was about the same height as Seol Yu-wol, reaching just below my chest.

The Azure Sky Alliance Leader, Lee Seo-ryeong.

She wore the same gentle smile as always.

Lee Seo-ryeong slowly opened her mouth to speak.

“Will you forgive the rudeness of seeking you out at this late hour… to request a conversation, Physician?”

I looked at her for a moment, then, with a neutral expression, I nodded.

“Please, come in.”

It was what I had been hoping for, too.

---

Translated By: Meher (RaidenTL)

Please do consider subscribing to my Patreon or donate to my Ko-fi if you like this work or to get early access to chapters