『……』
Tiamat's gaze was piercing. Yujin felt a cold sweat trickle down his back as he faced Alicia.
"...May I ask why?"
"...That’s…"
Alicia hesitated, her face turning slightly red. She opened and closed her mouth several tis, struggling to find the right words before finally managing to speak.
"If it’s you, Professor… I think I’ll be okay…"
"...I see."
Yujin paused in thought. Recreating the ti Alicia had spent with the forr crown princess…
It might not be such a bad idea. After all, he was the one who understood Alicia’s condition best. If he personally took charge of her stabilization process, he could monitor her state in real ti, adjust accordingly, and ensure her well-being. It would also make handling any unexpected situations much easier.
However, the reason Yujin hadn’t considered himself for Alicia’s stabilization was simple—he wasn’t sure if his presence would actually bring her peace of mind.
They had only known each other for three days. Even if today’s events had brought them a little closer, it still seed far-fetched to think he could provide the sa sense of stability as family.
That said, if she believed in it, it was worth trying. Deciding as much, Yujin spoke.
"As for tea ti, we don’t have anything prepared, so we’ll set that aside for now… What ti would be best for a walk? If there are too many people during the day, you can move around unnoticed with illusion magic."
"I still wouldn’t want to attract attention… I’d prefer a ti when there aren’t many people around…"
"In that case, we’ll take a night walk. Given your condition, I’ll co to you. What ti should we set?"
"Around ten…"
"Understood. Let’s do that, then."
After roughly setting their plans, Yujin and Alicia continued their conversation.
Most of it revolved around Alicia’s condition.
"You’ve experienced a variety of symptoms, including hallucinations, auditory distortions, and nightmares… and you’ve been using a relic infused with transcendent energy to suppress them, correct?"
"Yes. But ever since your seal, I haven’t needed to use them anymore."
"Have you inford your family about the progress in your treatnt?"
"Not yet… But they’ll find out soon. I imagine they’ll be quite shocked about… the way I’m managing to survive."
"That’s unavoidable."
As they exchanged necessary discussions, ti passed quickly. Checking his wristwatch, Yujin spoke.
"It seems I should get going. I can’t afford to be away any longer."
"Ah…"
A flicker of disappointnt passed through Alicia’s eyes.
Of course, she understood. Yujin had responsibilities, and from the start, he had ntioned that today’s session would only last around three hours.
"Then, I’ll reinforce the seal."
Wuuuuung—
As he spoke, Yujin cast his magic once more, sealing Alicia’s power again.
The high-tier magic circle locked the seal in place. Alicia felt her body grow sluggish, a drowsy sensation overtaking her.
"…I felt so full of energy earlier, but now my body feels heavy."
"Magi is the essence of demons, after all."
Yujin replied nonchalantly and rose from his seat.
"Then, I’ll see you later… around ten tonight."
"…Ah."
At those words, Alicia’s eyes glead slightly.
Yes, they were eting again at ten.
It wouldn’t take long. She would see him again soon.
Thinking about it, she found herself looking forward to the wait.
"Then, I’ll take my leave, Your Highness."
With those parting words, Yujin left the room.
***
『…Yujin.』
As soon as he stepped outside, Tiamat called out to him. Yujin quickly replied, preemptively defending himself.
'…Tia, first of all, I have absolutely no ulterior motives towards Her Highness. You know that, don’t you?'
It might have sounded like a weak excuse, but it was the truth. Yujin had no particular feelings for Alicia.
And Tiamat knew it. The two of them were connected on a soul-deep level—if anything, it would be stranger for her not to know.
However…
『Hmph, then why didn’t you draw a clearer line?』
Tiamat wasn’t going to let Yujin off the hook so easily, even though she already knew the truth. Yujin shut his mouth.
'How could I? She already seems unstable as it is.'
『Sounds like an excuse to .』
'It’s not an excuse… Last ti, didn’t I approach things too coldly? I figured I needed to ease up a little.'
『Then let ask you sothing.』
'…Go ahead.'
Yujin had no choice but to listen obediently. Tiamat’s voice carried an edge as she asked,
『Did you really not notice that girl’s feelings?』
'…If I said I didn’t, I’d be lying.'
Yujin wasn’t an idiot. She had been making it obvious—there was no way he wouldn’t notice.
Granted, Yujin had no prior experience with romance, so at first, he had been unsure. But after Alicia hugged him, after she asked him to accompany her on walks—it had beco impossible to ignore.
Alicia was developing so sort of budding affection toward him.
And that made things complicated. While it wasn’t an entirely incomprehensible situation, Yujin knew it wasn’t sothing simple either.
If one had to categorize their relationship, it was that of a patient and physician. Yujin was doing everything in his power to treat Alicia, and Alicia understood that.
And patients often develop feelings for their doctors. Even if it was a contractual arrangent, the very act of soone working to heal them fostered a sense of attachnt.
The problem was that Yujin and Alicia’s relationship was more akin to that of a psychiatrist and a ntal health patient—though, of course, Yujin wasn’t actually a psychiatrist.
Still, in psychiatric treatnt, the therapist-patient dynamic was far from simple.
Unlike other dical fields, which primarily relied on dication or surgery, psychiatry revolved heavily around therapy—psychological counseling, to be exact. Yujin himself was mainly addressing Alicia’s condition through conversations, guiding her through her internal struggles.
And the core of therapy was the relationship between the therapist and the patient. Patients who experienced a therapist’s undivided attention and understanding gradually restructured their perception of human relationships—a process that rewired their neurological pathways.
Simply put, a patient has to trust their doctor for treatnt to work.
Because of the unique nature of this dynamic, patients developing romantic feelings for their therapist was a known phenonon.
Love didn’t necessarily create trust, but trust could certainly create love.
Even Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, had encountered this problem early on. His shift from hypnosis to psychoanalysis was partly influenced by the ethical dilemmas that arose in therapy—including the risk of patients falling for their doctors. This shift led to the establishnt of strict ethical guidelines for ntal health professionals.
And one of the most fundantal rules?
"Do not enter romantic relationships with patients."
Because if a patient confessed their love, and that love ultimately fell apart, they might be left more broken than before. If that happened, the next ti they needed help, they might never trust therapy again.
That’s why most psychiatrists never date anyone who was ever their patient—not even once. Breaking this rule wasn’t just a career-ending move; it could an social ruin.
'Don’t worry, Tia. I do have a sense of ethics. I have no intention of doing anything improper to Her Highness, nor would I allow myself to.'
As ntioned, patient crushes on their therapists weren’t uncommon. But instead of accepting or rejecting the confession outright, therapists would explore why the patient felt that way.
Through that process, the underlying cause of their suffering—and its resolution—often beca clear. And by the ti therapy concluded, the patient’s romantic attachnt would usually fade.
Yujin believed the sa would happen with Alicia.
Of course, he wasn’t a trained psychiatrist, so he wasn’t entirely confident in handling this issue. But now that he was a dragon, finding a solution shouldn’t be too difficult.
『…Yujin, of course, I trust you. But… I can’t say the sa for that girl.』
'…Are you talking about Princess Alicia?'
『…Yujin, by the ti my thod succeeds, that girl will have fully transford into a demon. And you cannot apply human psychology to a demon’s mind.』
'…But isn’t the goal to ensure she keeps her sense of self intact as she evolves?'
『That’s precisely the problem. If she transforms in this state, there’s no way to know whether her romantic feelings will remain unchanged.』
'……'
『You need to resolve this quickly. Her body is already no different from that of a demon. This might not be sothing you can take lightly.』
'…Understood.'
『And… can you promise one more thing?』
'…What is it?'
For once, Tiamat sounded serious. Yujin instinctively straightened up. She spoke,
『…Never have children with a demon.』
'…Excuse ?'
『I’m not saying this lightly. Never. Never with a demon.』
There was sothing unusual in her gaze—a rare flicker of guilt.
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