Sallen sat in the carriage with her son. Her husband was riding in a different carriage with his mistress.

〈A counseling center.〉

A strange person approached her today. Marquis Charlot’s wife had told her to come visit the place where she did business. 

If it had been anyone else, they would have been trying to ask for business funding, but Marquis Charlot’s wife wouldn’t need business funding. It really seemed like she was just asking her to visit. She had refused, but it weighed on her mind.

The current situation was so suffocating that she wanted to complain to someone. But there was no one around her to listen to her complaints.

“I understand Father. A woman of low status like Mother doesn’t know noble society well.”

Her son, sitting across from her, said this while reading a book. At her son’s words, Sallen smiled bitterly. The son she had raised with such care was on her husband’s side.

The carriage arrived at the estate. Her husband got out of the carriage and linked arms with his mistress. Her son approached his father and talked with him. Her husband approached Sallen, pretending to be drunk.

“My lady, if you want a divorce, feel free to do so anytime.”

Her husband was smiling meanly.

Sallen just turned around silently and returned to her quarters. If they divorced, her husband said he would only return the money she had brought when she married into the family. 

And he said he would make his mistress his first wife. She had stepped forward and told him to at least make his mistress his second wife, but he refused, saying he didn’t want that.

He’ll probably torment me until I divorce him. That’s why I suggested making his mistress the second wife as a compromise, but he refused. I sent a letter to Father saying it was difficult and begging him to help. 

A few days later, Father sent a reply. Sallen opened the letter with her last hope. But… Father firmly stated that divorce was absolutely not an option.

She sank down where she stood.

“Ah.”

Something was crumbling.

But not even tears came.

* * *

I looked at the desolate counseling center. The fortunate thing was that I had kept the scale small, so the investment cost wasn’t as high as I’d thought. 

I looked at the ledger and thought about the money that would go out this month. If I had something I wanted to do, Father and Anan had told me not to worry about money and just do it, so with their support, it wouldn’t fail.

I smiled quietly and turned the page. I had tried to find books about psychology organized in this world, but there were almost no books related to mental health. With a disappointed heart, I just read a romance novel.

There would be no customers today either.

I put down the pink book and prepared to go home. But I heard the sound of the bell hanging at the entrance ringing.

“Hello.”

There was Sallen, awkwardly looking around. Seeing her after a few days, she looked much more haggard than before. Her complexion wasn’t good.

“Is something wrong?”

I asked her in surprise. Sallen slowly walked toward me. Across from my desk was a chair where counseling clients could sit. Sallen sat there and looked at me, smiling.

“I came because you said it was a counseling center. What kind of place is this?”

“It’s just a place where I listen to people’s stories and get paid.”

Actually, before I possessed this body, I had never been to a professional counseling center. I just suffered alone. I just thought it would be nice to help people feel better by talking. I probably won’t make much money. Well, I already have plenty of money.

I smiled gently and showed her the menu.

“I charge by the hour. There’s also a monthly subscription.”

Looking at the menu, she paid the amount for one hour in cash.

“By the way, the client’s story remains confidential. I swear on the Charlot family name. And I don’t listen to stories that are too dangerous.”

“There’s no dangerous story. Everyone knows about it anyway.”

At Sallen’s words, I was at a loss for words.

Well, she was right.

Sallen looked at me and opened her mouth.

“As everyone knows, my husband wants to make his mistress his wife. I told him to make her his second wife, but my husband doesn’t want that. He said she’s the woman he loves, so he’ll only make her his wife.”

I got up and brought tea. After drinking a cup of tea, she continued. What was even more surprising was that Sallen’s biological father had told her not to divorce.

“My husband will keep tormenting me.”

“No, how could…!”

I was furious.

“That means they want you to wither away in the middle.”

Sallen’s eyes widened and she laughed.

But that laugh was mechanical.

“My husband has been like this for a long time. He’s always been like that, so I have no expectations, yet why am I here?”

She asked me. Like she was demanding an answer.

“My words can’t be the right answer, but…”

I looked at her with sad eyes. I felt sorry for her, abandoned by everything. Yet Sallen didn’t cry.

“Just because you don’t have expectations doesn’t mean there’s no disappointment.”

Sallen drank her tea and nodded. She nodded in agreement with my words, then said nothing.

Sunlight came through the window. The sunlight touched Sallen’s eyes. There was no emotion in her smile, and she was just calm. No words.

I quickly grabbed her hand.

“Do you remember the last time you cried?”

Sallen shook her head.

“On the first day I came to this house, I cried seeing my husband treat me coldly. My heart was deeply wounded. By the time I got used to my husband’s attitude, I no longer cried because of him.”

And Sallen clenched both hands.

“My son was born. Because he was a precious son, I cared for him with all my heart.”

Then her expression soon darkened.

“But as my son grew up, he began to despise me.”

I quietly listened to her story.

“I cried… then got used to that too. I didn’t cry again.”

Saying that, she shook her head.

“After my husband brought his mistress, I really never cried once. Because it felt familiar somehow.”

“Doesn’t it hurt?”

“No, it really just feels familiar.”

Sallen pressed hard on her chest.

“But I feel like something is stuck here.”

I held Sallen’s hand. Her voice speaking softly seemed so sad.

“Don’t you want to cry?”

Sallen tilted her head.

“Is it possible?”

For her, who had already forgotten how to cry, it might be impossible.

“If you want to.”

Sallen nodded lightly.

“I want to cry freely like when I was young, just once. Back then it hurt a lot, but my heart wasn’t suffocated.”

The suffocation came from too many emotions being suppressed and stuck. Emotions that couldn’t be released for a long time remained there.

I offered her tea. So she could cry even a little, so she could release even a bit of the resentment in her heart. Dragons can see stuck emotions, they say. I can’t see that far, but I’ve become able to guess to some extent by seeing the color shining from the chest.

Her heart was a terrible black. Tightly clumped together with no light in the emotions.

Slightly blocked emotions emit bright light. Then they gradually change to darker light. In other words, her emotions were clumped and hardened.

At this level, she had a fire illness. Such emotions shouldn’t be touched all at once. The aftermath would be too severe. When emotions burst, you feel those emotions again. 

When my past emotions broke free and ran wild, if Luden hadn’t been there, I would have been consumed by those emotions.

If the blade of emotion stabs your heart again… you could die. You might commit s*icide.

That’s why I only touched it a little.

Sallen was dazed. And she looked at me.

“Yesterday my son said more unkind words to me.”

Her expression slowly contorted.

“It’s something that always happened, so why am I suddenly so sad?”

She asked me back.

“Do you feel sadness?”

At my question, she nodded. And something fell.

One fell, and another fell.

“Ah…”

She was crying. Looking at the back of her hand where her tears had fallen for a long time, seemingly amazed that she was crying, she smiled at me.

“It’s amazing. How can I cry?”

She covered her eyes with both hands.

“My son… hates me.”

After saying that, she slowly accepted the sadness. She sobbed, feeling the emotions she had only suppressed and passed over calmly.

“He’s truly a son I love.”

Please don’t hate me anymore. She seemed to want to say that to her son.

Once started, the tears didn’t stop. She cried for a long time like a child. Like vomiting out the resentment she couldn’t cry, her past self appeared and was crying.

That’s how it looked to my eyes.

* * *

Sallen looked at her hands in a daze. She had really cried her heart out for the first time in years. By doing so, she could understand how hurt she had been last night.

“What should I do?”

She looked at Annelia.

She was grateful to her for empathizing with and feeling sad about her sadness. And although she didn’t know what method she used, thanks to her, she was able to cry. Dazed, the afterglow of emotion came from far away.

“Even if I cry like this, nothing will change. I don’t even know what to do.”

Sallen felt pathetic about herself.

Right, even crying like this, she couldn’t change anything.

“Sallen, don’t think impatiently.”

Sallen looked at Annelia. Annelia was looking at her with calm eyes.

“There’s still a lot stuck in your heart. Vomit those out and shake them off first.”

Annelia spoke kindly and held out her hand. Sallen took her hand.

“You are absolutely not a worthless existence. That treatment is unjust. You’re sad because you know that yourself.”

“Yes.”

“Start by acknowledging that. And take time to be sad. Think about what comes after later.”

Annelia’s words reached her gently.

“I’m so sad that all the beings Sallen loves consider Sallen worthless.”

Annelia bowed her head.

“Yes, that’s a sad thing.”

Sallen smiled bitterly.

But it wouldn’t change easily. Still, it was comforting to have someone say these things. She was grateful to Annelia, who empathized sincerely, not just out of pity.

“May I come here again?”

At Sallen’s words, Annelia nodded.

“Come anytime during business hours.”

“Thank you.”

She smiled at Annelia. It wasn’t a formal smile but one that came from the heart.

“Your existence has been a comfort to me.”

At Sallen’s words, Annelia’s face flushed.

“No. It’s just work.”

“But it’s not easy work. Not just anyone can listen to unhappy stories.”

Saying that, Sallen looked at Annelia with curious eyes.

An hour had already passed. Sallen stood up, opened the door, and left. Getting back in the carriage and leaving, Sallen chewed over the remnants of emotion.

Ah, leaving that place, the crying disappeared again. It felt like the emotions had vanished like before.

“What an amazing place.”

She wanted to come often.

If she had just cried, it would have felt empty, but it was okay because there was someone who let her vent her emotions and empathized with them.

* * *

I got in the carriage and sighed.

The counselor’s work was tougher than I thought.

“Mm.”

I should only use my power on people like Sallen. I shouldn’t use it on ordinary people. They’re not unable to cry. I made that resolution and sighed again.

In the evening, I planned to enjoy tea time with Anan. I was going to tell her that a customer came today. Of course, the counseling content was confidential.

Still, I’m glad there was a customer.

Sallen’s situation needs to improve a bit.

But that wasn’t something I could do for her. It was a part she had to change herself, so all I could do was listen. Of course, that would also be a great comfort to the other person. Like how Luden listened to my story and saved me.

I looked at the sky.

Today, something came up that I wanted to write to Luden about. Even if he goes to another woman, I hope he remembers me.

* * *

After finishing training and returning, Luden looked at the letter envelope on his desk with puzzled eyes.

Who sent a letter?

Seeing the sender, Luden was surprised.

Annelia only sent letters once a week. So he hadn’t been expecting one, but unexpectedly a letter came after just three days.

“Did something happen?”

With a worried heart, he opened the letter envelope.

〈My first customer came today.〉

At Annelia’s story, Luden smiled. She seemed to be bragging that a customer came.

〈I hope this letter brings you comfort, Luden.〉

“Comfort?”

She sent him a letter containing a small wish. Her kindness came through.

“Haa.”

I’m getting addicted to this kindness. Her presence, approaching silently and kindly, was so warm.

“You’re a drug.”

I can never let you go.

Looking at the letter, Luden whispered that.

* * *

A few days later, I received Luden’s letter. I had written something a bit awkward and embarrassing to send, so I was afraid to receive his reply.

What if he says it’s burdensome?

I opened Luden’s letter envelope.

“Enjoy reading!”

Lella stepped aside so I could read. Usually she was curious about the contents, but when Luden’s letters came, she didn’t ask.

I read the letter.

He mainly wrote about what kind of training he did normally and what happened with Reytan.

But there’s no story about Lorina. Is he still agonizing?

Thinking this, I looked at the end of the letter.

〈I find comfort in your letters.〉

Wow, my face suddenly flushed.

〈Please stay where you are.〉

It was a phrase that seemed to contain his sincerity.

“Stay where I am?”

I couldn’t understand what it meant. Flustered, I stared at the phrase for a moment, then went downstairs to Anan.

“What’s wrong?”

“Luden wrote this phrase.”

Seeing Luden’s phrase, Anan laughed.

“Luden, he’s not being honest.”

Anan seemed to know what this meant.

“Luden is afraid Annelia will go somewhere else. So how should I say it, it means he wants you to keep looking at him like you do now.”

I was flustered by Anan’s words. He should already be looking at another woman, right? No, according to the novel, he should have fallen for Lorina the moment he met her, right?

I shook my head.

“That can’t be.”

“Luden likes Annelia. It seems like he loves you?”

My eyes wavered at those words.

“Haha.”

That can’t be. I don’t want to have false hope!

“I see.”

For now, I pretended to understand Anan’s words well. But I couldn’t believe Anan’s words, so I went to find Andre. Andre, who had returned from training, whistled when he saw the document I handed him.

“How unusual for him to be so honest.”

“Honest?”

“Yes, Luden has his heart set on you, my lady.”

“Th-that can’t be…!”

When I jumped, Andre tilted his head.

“It can’t be?”

“Why would you say that?”

“Doesn’t he love another woman?”

In the novel, Luden consulted Andre first. And when Luden struggled, Andre told him to tell the original Annelia later, so Luden ended up not telling Annelia his feelings.

So Andre must know, right? He’ll be surprised that I know?

“My lady.”

Andre looked at me carefully.

“You seem to have some misunderstanding.”

He held his head with his hand.

“No wonder you didn’t notice no matter how many hints I gave. You notice everything else like a ghost though.”

“Notice what?”

“Luden has to say it himself, so I can’t tell you in detail, but I’ll make this one thing clear. Luden has never been good to or cared about any woman other than you, my lady. It’s the same now.”

If I say it like this, even the most oblivious person would understand.

“What?”

I was very surprised.

…And because of this, my mind, which had calmed down a bit, became filled with worries again.