Horror Game Developer: My games aren't that scary! novel Chapter 96

Chapter 96: First Trauma Patient [4]

"Trauma counseling?"

Rowan groggily closed his eyes before snapping into clarity a moment after.

"What are you talking about? I don’t need any coun—"

"That’s what they all say."

Seth shook his head while jotting a few more things on the notepad in front of him. Relaxing his back on the chair, he reached for the phone and raised the volume of the music that was playing.

His actions confused Rowan, but before he could process the situation, his mind started to relax even further.

It was as if his brain had been dragged into a soft yet comforting embrace.

All thoughts and abnormalities from before seemed to vanish from his mind.

...In its place was an utter sense of tranquility.

"Should we start with a simple question?"

Seth’s voice echoed in the background as Rowan sat in his chair, his eyes gradually closing.

He knew that something was wrong, but his mind refused to listen.

"How long have you been working for the Guild?"

"....."

It was silent at first.

But then...

"This is my third year."

Rowan eventually answered, his mind growing even more relaxed as the gentle tune whispered in the air.

"Third year?"

"....Yes."

"I see. So you must’ve gone through a lot while being at the Guild."

"Yes, I have."

Rowan thought about all the gates and missions he had been subjected to. All the deaths he had seen, and all the near-death encounters he had been in.

He... had indeed gone through a lot.

"In that sense, you must’ve had trouble sleeping lately. How often do you get nightmares?"

"It’s... almost every day."

There were only a few days when he’d not get them, and those days were usually the days he’d come back utterly exhausted.

Only in such days would he not receive any nightmares.

It was a real struggle for him.

"Almost every day? That’s... quite bad. How do you try to manage the nightmares?"

"I don’t." _{fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm}

How could he manage them?

He had tried going to all types of psychologists and therapists, but none of them helped. The nightmares never ended.

Rowan had grown to accept them.

"Even if I do end up forgetting about them, what does it matter in the end? I’ll still experience something similar."

Rowan’s chest ached as his thoughts paused thus far.

He couldn’t understand why he was even speaking at this moment. This guy was merely a stranger who knew nothing about him.

Someone whom the Guild had hired on a whim.

And yet...

Yet...

"That sounds really unfortunate."

Why was his voice so soothing to hear?

"Have you ever thought of quitting?"

"Quitting?"

Opening his eyes, Rowan smirked.

"Of course not."

The thought had never crossed his mind. He was just like many of the people within the department. Someone... who had their family, or someone close to them, taken by an anomaly.

"...I’ve... got my sister to take care of. I can’t quit. Not until..."

Rowan’s chest ached as his lips trembled.

Seth remained quiet while staring at Rowan. He proceeded to jot a few things on the notepad before calmly speaking.

"Has your sister been taken by an anomaly?"

Rowan shook his head, his voice stripped from his mouth.

She was still alive.

...But just barely.

It was just that... she was in a coma.

"I’ve made it my mission to find the anomaly and cure her. That’s why... That’s why I can’t quit."

Rowan’s body shook as he mumbled such words. He wasn’t sure why he was saying so much, but he felt vulnerable at this very moment.

He felt weak, and the only thing that he found soothing was Seth’s voice.

"..."

So much that the silence that followed his words made Rowan inwardly start to panic.

Why is he not saying anything? Does he think I’m pathetic? Does he—

But the last thing he could’ve expected was the next words that Seth said.