Chapter 66: Chapter 66: Dealing with guilt

"I must say, I expected Jean here much sooner. I regret that the rest of you need me, too," the counselor, a young woman with her raven hair in a bun, looked at them with bright blue eyes filled with compassion.

"We found out about the services you provide recently," Jean muttered. He did not want to clarify to the elf from where.

"I suppose you are all here to speak about Samkiel's tomb and the Scarletting Basilica? Or, are there other quests that keep you up at night?" At the counselor's question, Leander shifted in his seat.

"Would it be ok if we bring two non-adventurers here? To speak to you? They were through a lot and still wake up at night, screaming," Leander was speaking about Atha and Bog, who could only be calmed by the two hamsters: Fluffs and Pumpkin.

"Are they contracted with the guild in any way?" She asked, and Leander nodded.

"They have a protection deal," the counselor nodded. That was good enough.

"I can do a house call. We can go after we are finished here. Now, let us start with Miss Alberta here. Tell me, Alberta, what do you hear when you close your eyes each time?" Alberta blinked at the question. Why was the counselor starting with her? Surely, Jean's mental state was more pressing, since he had no one to talk to for longer.

"Uhm, can't we start with Jean?" Alberta nodded to Jean, who shook his head.

"I talked to a former counselor about that already. You are most in need of a talk," he countered, and the counselor nodded her approval.

"Well, I hear screaming and begging," Alberta began, making peace with the fact that her shame was going to be aired out. "Which is stranger because we came to the basilica too late and there was just one woman outside it."

"Have you taken any sleep medication?" The counselor wrote something on a piece of paper, and her eyes found Alberta's again.

"My mother gave me some of her sleeping pills, after I woke her one night. I didn't mean to scream and cry, but..." Alberta gulped. It had been a windy night. And the winds outside make the leaves of the forest crackled in such a way that one could mistake them for flames. And she had become scared in a second.

"I will prescribe you something stronger for the first couple of months. And some antidepressants. Now, tell me, what were you thinking when you broke ranks and ran to the basilica?" The tone of the woman was calm and collected, not a trace of scolding in it.

"I was thinking that: hey, we are going to die. I don't want to die. I don't want my friends to die," Alberta felt a hand pat her back, and she turned to see Florifel give her an encouraging smile.

"For how long have you been an adventurer?" Was the next question of the counselor. Alberta blinked. What did it matter?

"One year and a couple of days," the wind mage responded.

"Did you know that, in your contracts guidelines, it is advised to take up no harder quest than a C rank for the first three years?" The counselor asked sternly. Her brows were knitted, and it was only her professionalism that kept her from shouting. "Did you read your contract? Any of you?"

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A chorus of "No, ma'am," was her answer.

She pulled out a stack of papers and placed them on the desk in front of her.

"Miss Alberta, come over here and read it for your platoon, please," Alberta stood on shaky legs and began to read. It was a dry read, just like the first time, but they all learned a couple of things.

They were meant to put their own lives before even those of their clients. Before property damage. To spend a minimum of a week training each month, when they had spent just a couple of days between quests.

 That, if they didn't spend their training time, they could go fill a form and their quest quota would be considered filled for the month. Provided they turned in the training hall and signed a check-in list every day of their training.

"We are idiots," Alberta said bitterly. "Complete and utter idiots!"

The counselor sighed.

"I think you will all be glad to hear that guild master Alklair made sure there will be no lawsuit coming because of your last quest," the elf began, and they all turned to her. "And that he will be making everyone read their contracts out loud in the training hall. Like a bunch of first-graders. But, you are all just teenagers, with only the highest ranked among you being young adults. It is just to be expected."

"He overestimated our common sense, did he not?" Jean asked and the counselor nodded.

"Alklair likes to judge everyone by his own standards. He read the contract, did his training time, never overreached. And, do you know what? He is probably the only adventurer who has never lost a partner on a quest," the eight looked amazed. Their guild master deserved his spot, no doubt about that.

"Now, I will prescribe you all sleeping pills and antidepressants. We have lost more than one adventurer to suicide after a quest gone wrong," the counselor wrote something in a prescription note and handed it to Alberta. "Get them from the item shop so that they could be free. Now, who wants to go next?"

The other seven shifted. Sure, the counselor had not judged Alberta, but they didn't want to air their fears in front of everyone.

"I will pick at random then. Wait a second until I write your names on paper and then pick them out of a hat," the elf then did just that and looked at Dorian.

"It is your turn, Mr. Serty. Now, how does the mantle of leadership weight you down?" Dorian blinked at being considered in need of counseling, but cleared his throat and began to voice his fears.

By the end of the session, they all felt lighter. As one, they went to the item shop. The cashier sent them pitying looks, but gave them the pills.

It was always hard to sell those pills. Because the woman knew that for someone to need them, they must have been through Hell. And the adventurers, or at least these ones, were just children.

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