24-Hour Regression Counseling Center – Episode 5
‘This person is alone in this world too… just like me.’
Maybe he felt an even deeper loneliness than she did.
“…Thank you.”
After a brief silence, the crown prince gently withdrew his hand and expressed his gratitude. Laura smiled softly at the gesture.
“No need to thank me. It’s not free, after all.”
A curious glint flickered in the crown prince’s eyes.
“…I have to pay a price?”
“Yes.”
When Laura tapped the white orb, the prince saw something different appear before his eyes instead of the map.
“It’s something every counselor must memorize and follow.”
[The price for counseling may come in many forms depending on the situation—money, materials, time, etc. The cost will be decided upon agreement with the client.]
[However, that cost must be just and reasonable.]
[The counselor is the one who best understands what is just and reasonable.]
[Should this be violated, great misfortune will befall the counselor in the name of the god.]
The man quietly repeated the final sentence.
“…Great misfortune will befall the counselor in the name of the god?”
“Yes.”
The counselor’s plain reply met the prince’s gaze, which had settled into something calm and heavy. Yet, the corners of his lips lifted slightly.
“There was no need to show this to me, was there?”
“But I didn’t see a reason to hide it either, so I showed it to you.”
Seeing the counselor reply so honestly, the man thought:
‘Not an easy person.’
The counselor could easily take advantage of him—the only one who knows the truth about his identity as a possessor of the crown prince’s body.
‘And yet she shows me what could be used against her? She’s being honest?’
The man spoke.
“You’re gaining my trust.”
For the first time.
Though he didn’t say it aloud, he thought:
‘Everything she’s said so far seems genuine.’
He had dealt with countless people until now.
Even as the world collapsed, people clung to power and greed.
Most of them hid their true selves behind masks of kindness while desperately trying to uncover his identity.
‘Compared to them, this counselor is…’
Honest.
And clever.
Very.
She was acting in a way that left him no choice but to trust her.
“Client, you and I are not in a one-sided relationship. You receive help from me, and I receive payment from you.”
“A rational arrangement.”
“Exactly.”
As the man watched the counselor smile softly, he thought again:
‘Still… I shouldn’t trust everything just yet.’
Yet he found himself recalling the counselor’s name without meaning to.
‘Laura Lien, was it?’
Laura.
He silently repeated her name to himself, then asked,
“Either way, if it’s about finding a clue, I suppose that means we’re not going to find the answer immediately, right?”
“That’s true, but I’m confident we’ll find a clue eventually.”
It was how the records of the Lien family had always gone.
If a possessor wished to return to their original world, and a clue was found—
They always made it back.
‘The 53% who didn’t return were those who failed to find the clue.’
Laura paused in thought.
Wiiiiiing—
Wiii— Wiiiiing—
Suddenly, the emergency sirens rang out beyond the window.
‘Again?’
That sound again?
Across the entire capital?
Laura instinctively looked at the crown prince.
This sound undoubtedly had something to do with the possessor before her.
“Do you have to go?”
“I think I do.”
The prince was already standing.
‘Hmm.’
Watching him rise without her even noticing, Laura thought again.
‘He’s strong.’
Was the crown prince originally strong? Or had the possessor made him stronger with his own abilities?
That needed further investigation.
“Well, I’ll be off.”
The prince headed to the front door, and Laura followed, but suddenly called out as a thought struck her.
“Oh, Your Highness.”
She almost forgot something important.
Creak.
The prince, hand on the doorknob, turned to look at her.
He saw Laura, her lips curved in a gentle smile.
“What’s your real name?”
“Ah.”
His lips parted slightly at her question. He stood in silence for a moment, then said briefly:
“…Ion.”
“Ah, Ion. Ion-nim.”
Laura repeated his name several times.
‘They say Earth’s language system is different from ours, but this name is surprisingly easy to pronounce. He’s my only client, after all—I should pronounce it well.’
She murmured his name repeatedly, trying to get used to it. The prince quietly watched.
Once she felt confident with the pronunciation, she beamed at him.
“I’m honestly glad I got to meet you today, Ion-nim.”
She suddenly thought of her grandfather—
The man who had waited so long for a client.
“You’ll come back, won’t you?”
“I think we’ll see each other again soon.”
“Then I guess I shouldn’t sleep at night anymore.”
Laura understood it as him saying he’d sneak in again at night.
To that, Ion murmured softly:
“…We’ll see.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s nothing. I’ll be going now.”
Click. Creak.
The front door opened.
Aside from the magical lamp by the door, everything outside was dark.
With his robe pulled tight around him, the crown prince stepped into the shadows—then suddenly turned back.
“…Counselor.”
From the doorway, he looked back at the blonde woman who was still watching him.
“Aren’t you going to ask what this body’s name is?”
“Diant. How could I not know, Your Highness Prince Diant?”
Even if the client didn’t know—I’m still a Countess, after all.
Laura gave a graceful bow.
“May you return safely, Your Highness.”
“…See you soon.”
Leaving those words behind, the prince vaulted over the wall and vanished into the night.
Wiiiiiing— Wiiiiing—
The sirens still rang across the capital.
Laura stood for a while longer even after he was gone. Only when she saw a knight approaching from afar did she close the door.
“Whew.”
Then she slumped down right there on the front step.
“Wow. The crown prince is a possessor, and that possessor is my client?!”
This is insane!
Only now did reality begin to sink in for her.
“Oh, so much for sleep.”
She began thinking about what she had to do next.
“First, I need information.”
She gripped the white orb tightly.
She’d need to revisit everything related to the possessor.
“Hmm? It stopped.”
Noticing the sirens had stopped, she stood up.
At that very moment, Ion—now possessing Prince Diant’s body—was swiftly and stealthily returning to the Crown Prince’s palace.
“…Ion, huh?”
He murmured his name.
“It’s been a while since someone called me that.”
Ion, a lonely college student.
Baekho, the #1 ranked hunter the world cheered for while trying to uncover his identity.
Other than school roll calls, no one called him by his real name.
‘And no one ever said it with such warmth and a smile—’
When memories of the world before it became hell rose to the surface, Ion shook his head, brushing them aside.
His sharp, cold eyes turned toward the brightly lit imperial palace.
“…I guess being someone who came back from the dead makes you popular.”
Then, a voice echoed in his head:
[Synchronizing abilities… 50%]
Ding-dong.
Early in the morning, the magical doorbell rang, and Laura opened the front gate.
Clunk. The rusty gate creaked open, revealing a knight in a fine ceremonial uniform, who bowed deeply.
“Count Rien, a telegram for you.”
“…Thank you.”
Dressed in a light gown with a shawl, Laura gracefully accepted the telegram from the knight.
“This time, we hope for a definite answer.”
“Of course.”
“Then I shall take my leave.”
With professional courtesy, the knight bowed politely and departed.
“……”
Laura glanced around.
This was an area filled with noble households.
She noticed a few servants glancing in her direction—but unfazed, she calmly shut the gate and walked back toward the mansion.
“…Damn it.”
Of course, her real thoughts slipped out in a single curse.
Riiiiip.
As soon as she entered the mansion, Laura tore open the envelope.
[To Count Lien,
As winter passes and the flowers that endured the harsh cold begin to bloom one by one…]
She skipped the flowery opening.
[…we invite you to attend the noble assembly to be held one month from now.]
Upon reading the actual message, Laura’s brow furrowed.
“They’re sending messages through knights now?”
The visitor had been a noble assembly knight.
“And why does a noble assembly knight look better dressed than a royal knight?”
A bitter laugh slipped from Laura.
Currently, the Klan Empire’s power was officially split between the imperial family, the noble assembly, and the administration.
But in reality, things were different.
‘The administration just serves the other two.’
And those two?
‘They’re too busy forming factions and cozying up to each other.’
The crown prince’s faction, the second prince’s faction, the emperor’s faction.
The emperor’s faction was supposedly neutral, but still—the empire was split into three powers.
“…My client’s faction is the weakest. I can’t let any harm come to him.”
Laura shook her head.
“Right now, the problem is me, though. Me.”
[…We invite you to attend the noble assembly to be held one month from now…]
Reading the message again, Laura frowned deeper.
“They’re clearly trying to expel House Lien from the nobility at this meeting.
