Jack and Grace ended up waiting for fifteen minutes before the previous patient came out. They were then called to enter.
During the wait, Jack chatted with the three players waiting for their turn to see the doctor. He learned their names were Bob, Daniel, and Clay. He also learned what they came here for.
Bob wanted to be an adventurer but he kept having a mental breakdown whenever he encountered a new monster. Hence, he had died many times and could no longer afford to buy the Amulet of Rebirth. His current level was only 23. He had never gotten past level 30.
Daniel and Clay were friends. They were not adventurers. They preferred manual labor. They came to see the doctor together. They had the same problem where they couldn't seem to do the same job for long. They got bored easily. They had been fired or quit from their jobs several times.
Jack told them to come to the palace. He could get Bob to work as a guard at the palace's training caves. In return, Jack would let him use the training cave to get used to the different types of monsters.
One of the palace's training caves had a special feature where it could be set to be inhabited by a particular monster, as long as the monster existed in the cave's library. The monsters in this library could be added as long as someone linked their monster books. Jack had done so. Jack's monster books were more than half-filled, hence there was more than enough variety in the palace's monster library.
One of the palace's training caves had a special feature where it could be set to be inhabited by a particular monster, as long as the monster existed in the cave's library. The monsters in this library could be added as long as someone linked their monster books. Jack had done so. Jack's monster books were more than half-filled, hence there was more than enough variety in the palace's monster library.
Additionally, the monster's levels inside the training cave could be set freely. The user would never be in danger of dying. Hearing that, Bob was very eager to take up on Jack's offer. Jack said he had sent a message to someone in the palace. Bob just needed to go and inform the palace guards of his name.
To Daniel and Clay, Jack also offered them the chance to work at the palace. The palace was big. Multiple different jobs could be done, from cleaning, repairing, gardening, and the like. He could arrange for them to keep getting rotated so they didn't get bored of doing the same labor.
By the time Jack was called, they had been chatting as if they were best friends.
"I'll go in first. Thanks again for letting me cut the line. Remember my offers. Just come to the palace and say your names," Jack said before he entered the doctor's room with Grace.
"Nice fellow," Daniel said.
"Yeah, can't believe he used to be called a demon," Bob said.
"You can't always believe in rumors," Clay said. "It's good to know he is our king."
"Yeah... Hey, I feel rather good after chatting with him," Bob said.
"Me too. Maybe we should just go to the palace and take up on his offer?" Daniel asked.
"I agree. Let's go," Clay said.
The three of them then went down the stairs to exit the building.
"Eh...?" The receptionist watched in confusion as the three walked out.
*
Inside the doctor's room, Jack met Doctor Schreber who turned out to be younger than he expected. The doctor seemed to be in his early thirties.
"Your Majesty!" Schreber rose from his seat and came to shake Jack's hand. "I was honestly rather skeptical when I heard the king himself come to my humble establishment. I thought it was a prank. I'm sorry to have made you wait."
"You should have come out to check if you think it was a prank," Grace chided.
"That I should have, fair maiden. Please accept an apology for my rudeness," Schreber gave them a bow.
"That's okay. I don't mind," Jack said.
"Well, I do mind. You should make sure to never let the king wait again. Otherwise, you can forget about working in this country," Peniel uttered.
Jack rolled his eyes at Peniel. Schreber maintained a calm expression, but his eyes showed fascination at the talking fairy.
"So, what can I do for you, Your Majesty?" Schreber asked.
"I heard you can do hypnosis?" Jack asked.
"I do incorporate hypnotherapy in some of my treatments," Schreber answered.
"Can you use it on me?" Jack asked.
"Please, have a seat first," Schreber gestured them to a comfortable sofa at the center of the room. He then took a seat opposite them. After everyone was seated, he asked, "Please, tell me what problem ails you mentally. I will then judge if we need to perform hypnotherapy or not."
"Oh, I don't have a mental problem. I just wish to become empty-minded," Jack said.
"I beg your pardon?" Schreber asked.
"I want to go into a state where my mind is completely blank," Jack explained.
"You do...?" Schreber was starting to think this was a prank again, but he had used Inspect when Jack entered the room. The person before him was indeed the king of the country, but what was this nonsense about wanting the mind to be empty?
"I understand you must be confused by this unusual request," Grace said to Schreber. "But please know this is for the good of the country and the world. His Majesty has a condition when he needs to be in that empty state of mind. Can that be achieved with hypnotherapy?"
"Well... Hypnotherapy lets one enter one's subconsciousness where it is easier for someone to plant a suggestion," Schreber said. "I guess it should be possible to suggest Your Majesty empty his mind once Your Majesty was under hypnotherapy. However, I don't truly understand what kind of empty mind you want. There are multiple definitions of it. Perhaps Your Majesty wishes to be relaxed and free?
"No, no. What I want is for my mind to be completely empty. Without any thought. Like, I even forget who I am."
"Hm...," Schreber massaged his chin. It was clear from his expression he didn't truly understand what Jack was getting at.
"How about if suggesting one to return to a certain memory?" Grace asked.
"Memory?" Both Jack and Schreber turned to her.
Grace said to Jack. "Perhaps he can use his hypnotherapy to suggest you return to the state when you were under the influence of the mind-dooming gaze."
