Chapter 343: He Is Only Human

Perseus POV

"Ow, you slapped me."

"I didn't slap you, my hand slapped you." Ms. Perez retorted before slapping me again, "That was my rage."

"Oh, so now your hand has a mind of its own?"

"Absolutely, my hand has a history of acting independently."

"Ow, what the heck?! Why slap me again?! I told you the truth!"

"Yes, and I need to slap you some more. One for each year."

*****

"So, why do you believe me?"

"No one would come to me with a story so absurd." my former therapist said once she calmed down, "Besides, your magic thing was pretty cool. Again, from the top, I got coffee and alcohol to go for the whole night."

"Don't you have children?"

"They got lives of their own, and I've already separated myself from them so that the corporation doesn't touch even a hair on their head if they come after me. I already raised them till adulthood, they can take care of the rest."

"I don't think that drinking coffee and alcohol at the same time is a good thing, I know that it's not necessarily harmful if you do it in moderation, but I'd rather if you stick to one."

"Who's the Doctor in here? You?"

"You're not that kind of doctor either."

"Want me to slap you again?"

I then did as requested. As I was asked to recount my entire life, a rush of memories flooded my mind. Each chapter, and each choice, formed who I am today. Sharing it felt like peeling back layers of time, my life after reincarnation, my life after I arrived here.

I hid a lot of things of course, but I told her more than I told a lot of people, heck, I told her more than my parents. It seems that she even managed to get enough information about the corporation to even know about Cain, so it made things easier.

I'm not completely trustworthy either as I asked a couple of leading questions and sure enough, I detected a lot of truths when it comes to her not being committed to the corporation, she didn't know about Cain's goal though, all she thought was that he wanted to rule the world.

"Oh, so you know that you are the result of inbreeding?" she asked

"Inbreeding?"

"Yeah, both your parents are children of Cain, who've escaped...oh, so all you know was that you're technically his biological grandson."

"So my parents were half-siblings? Ew!"

"Hey, don't disrespect them like that, it's not like they got a lot of people to go around considering their backgrounds."

"I know, but that explains a lot."

"I don't think your attitude got anything to do with it. But if you're worried, it's probably from the fact that your parents spoil you a lot and let you get away with everything because you were considered a genius, developing a sense of entitlement and lack of accountability."

"Entitled...wait, I'm not in here for a therapy session, I'm here to bring you to a safe house."

"Is the space limited?"

"Yeah, somewhat, we got your family and Meira's, the others are on their own once I fight Cain."

"Can I give my space to someone else?"

"I will kidnap you anyway, so...your choice, you saved me and now it's my time to save you."

"That's sweet of you, but I'm an old woman, and I'm severely guilty of overlooking and condoning a lot of Cain's activities, just take my spot and give it to someone else."

"Yes, but I'm a selfish guy."

"You know that I can break down why you're selfish and make you selfless by the end of a session, right?"

"No, you'll make me reconsider, but that's about it, you can't make me a selfless guy."

"Please, I don't want a discussion of how everyone is selfish in the world."

"I mean, duh, billionaires exist, if they're truly selfless, they won't be called that."

"We are not discussing this again."

"Like I said, you're either going to be safe willingly or well, kidnapped in order to be safe."

"I've never been blackmailed like this before, this is weird."

"Oh, would you like to talk about it?"

"Don't do that against me." she sighs, "What's the safe house like?"

"It's more of a bunker, but another thing I need help with, so let's try to dissect this Cain guy a bit, his empire is falling like a set of dominoes right before his eyes. What are his thoughts right now, excluding anger and frustration."

"Cain's thoughts in this situation could be a mixture of disbelief and a sense of vulnerability." She answered as she leaned back in her seat, "For someone who has held immense power and control, watching his empire crumble could be a shock to his ego.

He might be grappling with the realization that his carefully crafted dominion was not as unshakable as he believed. Regret might also be present, especially if he realizes that the choices he made to build his empire had consequences he hadn't fully anticipated. It's a human response to reflect on the past when faced with such a crisis."

"Yeah, you're definitely better at this than I am, will he have trust issues?"

"Yes, he may sense isolation." She answered, "As H.A.P.P.Y Solution crumbles, he might find himself grappling with the realization that the power he once held has distanced him from genuine connections. The very walls he built to protect himself could now be the barriers preventing him from seeking solace or counsel."

"So what could his interactions look like now? It'll be hard for him to trust others right now as he thinks that there may be a mole."

"His interactions might be marked by caution and skepticism," she explained. "Trust issues could arise from his recent experiences. The betrayal he perceives in the crumbling of his empire might lead him to question the motives and loyalty of those around him."

"And how might he respond to those he once considered allies?"

"He might become more guarded," she shrugged, "Cain's downfall could lead him to reevaluate his relationships. Those he deemed allies might now be viewed as potential threats, whether real or imagined. He might distance himself emotionally to shield against further vulnerability."

"Of course, he is only human."