Regressor Instruction Manual

Chapter 1259. The Impact of Treatment (2)

I had my doubts, but...

‘Is it really effective?’

Of course, I had been pretending to support Kim Hyun-Sung. I thought it was likely to be a pointless effort, but I sent my encouragement anyway. There were some symptoms I hoped would improve, but there were also some symptoms that I wanted to stay.

‘It actually seems like he’s improving.’

I was not sure how bags ended up symbolizing his mental illness, but looking back at his past, it all made sense.

Just the fact that he tried to bring Chanelia Hermes here explained a lot without needing to go through the whole story. I stepped back from Miss Kim Mi-Young and opened the letter.

[It seems like it’s been a really long time since I last sent a letter.]

‘That’s true.’

Actually, there wasn't really any reason to send letters these days. Especially considering that messages could be sent in real-time using the Goddess’ Hand Mirror. I tapped my thigh and turned the page. I saw familiar handwriting filling the paper.

[How have you been lately? There are actually many things I want to say, but when I try to put them into writing, the words just won't come out the way I want them to come out.

[They seem so trivial that I even feel a bit embarrassed to write about them in a letter. Simple things like whether you’re eating well, how your health has been recently, and how you’re getting along with the guild members.

[I’m sure you’re doing well, but still, I can’t help but worry.]

[If you’re wondering how I’ve been doing, I’m doing well. I suppose it would ease your mind more to hear that I'm doing great with the treatment program. Each day here feels a little repetitive.

[Aside from the time I spend talking with my therapist, nothing enjoyable really happens. My therapist says this is what an ordinary daily life looks like for most people, but to me, this kind of life doesn’t quite feel real.

[I feel like I used to accept this kind of life more easily in the past. I’m not sure if it’s because I’ve changed too much... or because the world around me has changed a lot.

[It's probably because you, Mr. Deok-Gu, Miss Ha-Yan, and Miss Hye-Jin aren’t by my side anymore, but time here feels like it flows a bit slower than usual. Part of me wants to head straight to Lindel right now, but the situation doesn't allow for it, and that’s frustrating. Even I have to admit that staying here for now might be for the best.]

“Hm...”

[After everything that happened, even I found it incredibly difficult to face the problems I’m dealing with. You said you'll carry the burden for me, but... I came to realize just how much I’ve been relying on you.

[My therapist said that maybe I see you as a kind of talisman. It’s like how some patients feel comforted just knowing they have sedatives or calming spells nearby, and those are enough for them to make it through their daily lives.]

“...”

[Of course, I don’t agree with everything, but I could relate to parts of what my therapist said. I’ve had doubts about whether these symptoms can really be fixed, but they told me that taking things slowly is the first step. For now, they suggested that I try to reduce how often I reach out or think about certain things.

[If that proves difficult, they recommended I at least shut off the Goddess’s Hand Mirror or other communication channels. That’s why I actually haven’t been in touch much lately. It’s also the reason I was slow to reply to your message, Mr. Ki-Young.]

To be honest, I hadn’t realized that Kim Hyun-Sung hadn’t been reaching out much. Still, it did seem like his messages had been less frequent than usual.

I was sure I still sent one or two messages each day, but since they were just casual check-ins, I hadn't noticed how delayed my replies were. Moreover, I hadn’t really been checking them at all.

Regardless of how I felt about it, it seemed like he was trying to practice restraint in his own way.

[I'm so curious about how you're doing and what you're up to that it's almost unbearable, but my therapist...]

“Man, this guy... won’t stop talking about his therapist,” I mumbled.

[Maybe because of that, I haven’t been having nightmares lately. I don’t toss and turn in my sleep anymore, either. Even my therapist said...]

To be honest, I didn't believe that it was really a problem. It was only natural for patients to grow somewhat dependent on their therapist. They said the therapist was a respected professor, so if he was aware of that, he'd be able to handle it.

Now, if that patient also happened to be a walking weapon of mass destruction and someone who basically owned the continent, it wasn't entirely unreasonable to consider the possibility of ulterior motives.

‘This therapist guy... don’t tell me he's another Song Soo-Kyung in disguise.’

Although that villain had long faded away from my memories, the impact he left behind still lingered. Opportunistic moths would always flock to the flame, hoping to score big the moment they spot an opening.

Just leaving a favorable impression on Kim Hyun-Sung could be enough to change someone’s life, so I wouldn’t be surprised if someone decided that it was worth the effort to get close to him.

Of course, based on the background check, the guy didn’t seem like a bad person, but still...

‘He might have ulterior motives.’

[I’m really sorry to bring this up, but I would like to suggest postponing the upcoming visit. Of course, with how I feel right now, I want to see you and everyone as soon as possible, but I believe it would be more meaningful for us to meet each other once I’m in a better condition.

[Thus, I had no choice but to make a difficult decision. At least one or two months from now... omitted...]

“...”

This was likely the recommended course of treatment from the so-called therapist. It was a common method—making a patient who depended on a talisman live without that talisman.

Of course, it varied depending on the patient, but it seemed that this therapist thought Kim Hyun-Sung was following the program better than expected. Perhaps they believed that it would take a month or two for any real progress.

[I'm looking forward to seeing you again—hopefully in good health.]

‘Should I... take a peek?’

“...”

“...”

Naturally, I tossed the letter aside and turned on my Telescope on him.

The Regressor Instruction Manual, which I had placed down, popped up. Details and data about Kim Hyun-Sung, some of which were still unknown to me, poured in all at once. And through the Telescope, I saw that he was...

‘What are you doing?’

“...”

He was fishing by a lakeside. He seemed a bit uninterested in what he was doing, and it was proven by how his chin was resting on one hand while he was quietly gazing at his own reflection on the lake’s surface instead of at the fishing rod.

He looked like he was staring at his glowing eye.

Just then, he felt something tugging at the line...

- Ah.

With that sound, he lifted the fishing rod. He didn’t seem to have much talent for fishing, but it looked like he caught a pretty big one. In fact, it was clear that he had caught quite a few fish, as the net beside him was covered in fish.

‘It’s a nice sight.’

It was the kind of place where one wouldn’t expect to see a single soul. Even if someone were to recreate this artificially, it would be nearly impossible to capture this sight, as it was just too refreshing.

One would probably not even need a therapist; just living in a place like this could probably heal them, given enough time.

It felt like something out of an elven forest... The sky was so clear that it looked unreal, birds were chirping in the distance, and the leaves rustled softly in the wind.

Kim Hyun-Sung suddenly stood up after catching a fish. Near the already-prepared campfire, a few camping tools were laid out. He skillfully cleaned the fish, skewered it, and set it over the fire. He then sat quietly and watched it cook.

It seemed like he didn’t think this was such a bad way to spend his time. He looked at ease, both outwardly and inwardly. At first, he looked a little bored, but as the fish was almost fully cooked, he suddenly became busy, as if there were things he needed to do.

‘You are cooking, right?’

He moved quietly between the cabin he’d built and the fire, as if his goal was to eat outside. Given his near-professional camping skills, the meal came together with impressive speed and efficiency.

He didn’t say a word the entire time, yet the whole scene felt like a peaceful, self-sufficient camping vlog.

Just as he was about to start eating, he turned away.

— Mr. Kim Hyun-Sung.

— Ah, sir. You’re here.

The ones who appeared were a man who looked to be in his 40s and a woman in her 20s following behind him.

The man, presumably the therapist, had a gentle, kind smile.

He looked like someone who had aged gracefully, like Colonel Smith, but was smaller in build and had a much more ordinary appearance.

He was so ordinary, in fact, that the only real feature that stood out on him was his glasses. His hair was blond, not the perfect gold of someone like Seraphim, but a more common dirty blond with streaks of brown mixed in.

Despite that, his smile emanated a warmth that would stick with just about anyone.

The woman behind him had long black hair and a similarly gentle face. Her skin was pale, almost unnaturally so, and yet she gave off a strangely warm presence. Perhaps this was a common trait of people in the psychiatric field.

— How has it been for you these last few days here?

— It hasn’t been that bad. It’s quiet... there’s a lot to think about, and that means there’s plenty to do as well. It’s been a long time since I felt so at ease in a forest like this. There really aren’t any monsters around either.

— I see. Do you think you would’ve felt anxious if there were monsters?

— No, I don’t feel anxious. It’s just that when I enter a forest like this, I have certain habits or routines I usually follow... but here, I don’t really need to do those things, so it feels a bit strange. Like checking the ground carefully or inspecting what’s on the trees, things like that.

— Ahh...

— It just feels a bit awkward.

What followed was simply casual conversations. They spoke about what he had been doing, when he planned to return to the mansion, and similar topics.

It seemed Kim Hyun-Sung mentioned wanting to do some camping. Unfortunately, they didn’t discuss anything important. It all seemed like a normal chat between a doctor and a patient, where both sides kept things strictly professional.

Even though the attack on the Blue Guild was worth mentioning, not a word was said about it. Well, it was probably because the matter was over by now.

— Hahaha. You caught a lot today.

— Yes. Seems like I’m unusually lucky today.

— May I take one?

— Sure.

While Kim Hyun-Sung was busy picking up the fish from the net, I noticed his therapist sneaking glances at the cabin he had made and the well-organized camping supplies.

I couldn’t really understand why he was doing that. His questions seemed somewhat pointless, and it felt like he was focused on keeping Kim Hyun-Sung as relaxed as possible.

Just then, the cautious Kim Hyun-Sung finally spoke.

— Excuse me, sir.

— Yes?

— Is there any chance... we can push the visit up sooner?

— ...

— ...

— May I ask why you’re requesting that?

— Mr. Ki-Young said he’s been kind of busy.

— I see. I’m well aware that he’s busy as well.

— He has probably already arranged his schedule based on the previously agreed date, so my letter might’ve complicated things a bit. He must have received that letter today, so if I were to send a message now, perhaps...

— Is that really your reason?

— ...

— If that’s how you feel, it should be fine to move the schedule again, but...

— ...

— I would like to suggest that sticking to the current schedule would be more beneficial for you. Isn’t your primary goal to show how much you’ve changed and return to your daily life? Of course, you’ve improved quite a bit already, but...

— Yes, I did...

— I’m not here to control your actions, Mr. Hyun-Sung. I’m merely offering advice and carrying out a program tailored to you while trying to understand you. If you wish to reschedule, you’re free to do so. If you want to return to the Blue Guild, I have no right to stop you...

— ...

— It’s up to you whether you want to achieve your goal or not. You don’t need to stress too much about it. It’s merely a temporary detour, not a full retreat.

— Right...

— So... to put it in adventurers’ terms, you can think of it as having entered a long dungeon raid together.

— ...

— And you’re the leader of the party.

— So you would be my comrade or guide.

— Hahaha. Yes, thinking of it that way might make things easier. And if I may be a bit selfish, I’d like you to trust me a little more.

— Ah...

- I still feel that I don’t know you very well. Of course, it’s neither necessary nor is it possible to share everything, but I would appreciate it if you could tell me a bit more about yourself, preferably during our next session. Strictly speaking, this isn’t working hours, and I would like to take a little break.

— I’m sorry.

— Hahaha. I was joking, Mr. Hyun-Sung. If you ever have anything you wish to discuss, feel free to visit me anytime.

His therapist seemed to be acting calm and composed, but...

‘Looks like it’s not going smoothly for him.’

Doctor or whatever, it felt like even he couldn’t get a grip on the situation. Of course, it was impossible for him to fully understand Kim Hyun-Sung. To truly understand him, he would have to know about his regression.

There was no way Kim Hyun-Sung would suddenly tell his therapist that he was a regressor during their first meeting.

‘Right?’

Proper treatment just wasn’t possible, but it didn’t seem entirely ineffective, though.

‘You were pouring money into something pointless, weren’t you? You won’t tell him that, right?’

Kim Hyun-Sung nodded.