Chapter 3: The Demi-Human Girl
In the forest of the labyrinth, I was waiting for death.
It hurt, I was scared, it was unbearable, and I couldn’t even lose consciousness. Behind me, there were many frightening presences.
I couldn’t escape. I lost feeling in my legs, unable to move even a twitch.
I remembered many things. I didn’t want to die after all, and I cried. Thinking I would be bitten and torn apart next, I cried again.
But then, a miracle happened.
“It’s okay. I came to save you.”
He suddenly appeared and said those words.
“From now on, you’ll be able to run for a bit.”
When he waved his arm, the pain disappeared, and I stood up effortlessly. That wasn’t all. I could run.
From that terrifying place, I leapt and ran, cutting through the wind.
I was very, very fast. It felt much faster than running on my own, almost like flying. It was like a moment from an old tale where a wizard appears and casts a spell.
“I will protect you.”
He placed his hand on my shoulder when I was struggling. He desperately protected me, even standing in front of me when someone got angry. Finally, I felt safe enough to sleep.
And so, I was saved.
When I woke up, I wasn’t in the dark and scary “school,” but in a bright and warm hospital.
He came to visit me. His name is Vim.
He wasn’t like a grand or powerful wizard from an old story. He had a small voice and often looked down, but I could tell he was kind.
I was filled with gratitude.
This is a good place. There’s nothing scary here. It’s so different from that place where I was always being scolded and hurt.
So, it’s luxurious to wish for more.
After all, I could run one last time.
“The important thing is not to deny yourself. And it’s not good to force yourself to recover or to accept things. Instead of aiming to ‘get better,’ it’s better to find a compromise.”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry to repeat this, but we’re not treating you as a patient. It might seem a bit much due to the special nature of the phenomenon, but that’s just the way it is.”
“It’s okay. I understand.”
“Good. But since it’s related to your mental health, it’s not good to be sleep-deprived.”
“Yes.”
“How have you been sleeping lately?”
“Not very well.”
“There’s no need to force yourself to sleep. Are you feeling down because of it?”
“Not particularly.”
“Oh, that’s good. Have you been getting some sunlight?”
“Yes.”
“Very good. The calling mostly happens at night, so—”
We continued our routine conversation.
The middle-aged woman talking to me now was a psychological counselor sent from the Adventurer’s Guild.
She was one of the few people in Villeborn who knew about the labyrinth’s call. She was knowledgeable about its characteristics and had some measures to deal with it.
The labyrinth’s call was a rare phenomenon, and the Adventurer’s Guild had measures to deal with it while keeping it hidden.
It had been a week since I rescued Laura.
Camilla had given me a two-month suspension, or rather, a vacation.
I was told I could do whatever I wanted during this vacation, but I had to check in regularly and was forbidden from going out at night. I also had to have a psychological consultation every three days.
“See you in three days. Take care.”
“Thank you.”
I bowed to the counselor’s smiling face and left the reception room.
When I returned to my room, I quickly closed the door and locked it behind me.
I sighed and collapsed onto my bed without turning on the light.
I wasn’t particularly sleepy, but I felt only fatigue.
Camilla had told me to relax, but I didn’t know how.
I didn’t like going out much, and even if I ate something, I couldn’t taste it, so I found no joy in food. Physical activity made me feel a bit better, but it didn’t solve the underlying problem, leaving me to worry with a slightly clearer mind.
In the end, I would either read books or work on improving my enchantments.
Since that day, the Night dragonfiles’s mansion didn’t feel very comfortable.
Everyone in the group was kind. They spoke to me with care and didn’t intrude too much.
But I was afraid of people’s presence. When I heard footsteps outside my room, I wondered whose they were.
When I heard sounds of things being moved outside, I felt a strange sense of guilt.
I chose times when no one was in the dining hall to go there, and if someone was there, I would turn back and skip the meal.
As I told the counselor, I hadn’t been sleeping well. My daily rhythm was off, and I was just managing to get some sunlight once a day.
However, it didn’t feel like a sickness.
In fact, it felt strangely fitting. This feeling of being down and looking down was painful but also the easiest.
So, what was I struggling with? That was also troubling.
Honestly, it felt like my mind had already sorted itself out. The problem was whether or not to take the next step, and I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I hesitated.
I was scared. I couldn’t bring myself to verbalize my feelings and make them real.
” “
Ignoring the voice I heard, I pulled the covers over my head.
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I visited Laura’s hospital room every day.
Even though it was a coincidence that I rescued her, I was concerned about her, and the doctor had asked me to visit for a while.
Children like her, who had no one on their side, took a long time to trust others, even doctors and nurses. Because I was the one who directly rescued her, I was the best person to help her expand her circle of trust.
And for me, visiting her wasn’t unpleasant.
I knocked on the door of her hospital room, and when I heard a response, I opened it.
“Oh, Laura.”
“Vim!”
Laura turned to face me from her bed.
Her face had much more color now. She still couldn’t stand or walk, though.
“Um, here’s the book you wanted to read yesterday.”
“Thank you!”
I placed the book on the small table next to her bed.
“How are you feeling?”
“I ate a lot of breakfast this morning.”
“That’s good. Um…”
I messed up. I wanted to talk about the book, but we ended up talking about food.
“What did you eat?”
It was a terrible segue, but she cheerfully answered.
To me, she seemed to be speaking normally,
but according to her doctor, there was still a wall between her and the hospital staff.
I think she was trying to act cheerful.
There was a shadow on her face. I could imagine that if she were fully recovered, she would have a more vibrant smile.
“Laura, I hope you get well soon.”
“Yes.”
I hope she gets well soon.
” …… Yes, sir. “
Even though I wasn’t good at talking to people, these daily visits somehow made me feel at ease and relaxed.
In front of her, I acted differently from my usual self. A sense of righteousness and a good-person facade straightened my back, making me more presentable.
It was a sort of mental break. At least while I was talking to her, I didn’t have to face my own worries.
I laughed at how self-centered I was.
Basically, I wanted to look at the symbol of my good deed and feel human.
Another week passed.
I continued with my psychological consultations.
“Have you heard the call in the past few days?”
The counselor asked in our usual reception room.
“Yes, quite often.”
“I see. And how about sleep? Have you been able to sleep?”
I shook my head, and she smiled and nodded.
“Honestly, you don’t really want to sleep, do you?”
She suddenly hit the nail on the head, and I fell silent.
“You’re not very enthusiastic about talking to me, are you?”
“Ugh…”
“It’s okay. In fact, it’s harder to come here with the intention of fixing something. Instead of trying to change anything, just think of my advice as adding something… no, just placing it there, observing it. Keep it light.”
The counselor’s way of talking was so gentle that it deflated any tension.
Even though she seemed to anticipate my defenses, it didn’t feel intrusive. No matter what I said, I didn’t feel dismissed, and she took a careful step forward.
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This is the first time I ever read about MC getting mental counseling. Generally, trauma/mental issues are either left for awakening event or for love interest to heal. Hildemarie is just a bit better than Vim herself though.