Chapter 3: Spider-Gwen! Multiverse Influence?

...

Gwen Stacy.

There are many versions of her, so Lorien wasn't sure which Gwen she was. But regardless, this Gwen Stacy was even more stunning than the one in the comics or animations. Her features, figure, and skin looked like they had been sculpted out of a 3D anime!

Perfectly modeled!

Gwen, following the crowd, also watched Lorien and Stephen. But when she noticed Lorien looking directly at her, her eyes widened in a mix of surprise and nervousness.

Lorien smiled at her from a distance before turning back to deal with the crowd surrounding him and Stephen as they entered the banquet hall.

The hall was magnificent, its décor impeccable. Many guests were dressed in suits, engaging in conversations.

Here, it didn't matter what kind of doctor you were; respect came as long as you had the skills and reputation.

For instance, even though Lorien was a psychiatrist, he was one of the top figures here. If you were outstanding enough, you could even be a veterinarian and still earn respect.

As soon as Lorien and Stephen entered the hall, they were greeted warmly by many.

The two responded with polite smiles, but Stephen leaned over and whispered to Lorien, "You know, I'm starting to dislike this environment too."

"Let's have a couple of drinks and then step outside for a bit," Lorien suggested.

Stephen nodded. "Exactly what I was thinking."

They picked up champagne glasses from the banquet table and exchanged a few drinks with notable guests.

"Hey, Lorien! How's everything going?" someone asked.

Lorien replied with a smile, "Very well. I'm living each day happily."

Another guest chimed in, "Lorien, I have a few clients who need psychological counseling. I'll send them your way."

"Sure," Lorien said, handing over a business card. "Just let them know my schedule is packed until the end of the year."

"Lorien, as soon as you walked in, all the ladies were drawn to you," someone else joked.

Lorien shrugged with a playful grin. "What can I say? It's just how it is."

After some casual conversation, Stephen and Lorien reconvened.

Stephen, setting down his champagne glass, asked, "Shall we split up and explore a bit?"

Lorien, looking at the beautiful women in the room, nodded. "Sounds good. Let's stick to our usual plan."

With that, they each went their separate ways to mingle.

---

As usual, after some time apart, Lorien and Stephen would reconvene. Acting alone meant finding someone of interest. When they stuck together, it was a sign that neither found anyone appealing at the event.

After parting ways with Stephen, Lorien grabbed another glass of champagne and discreetly used his psychic powers to locate Gwen. He noticed that Gwen occasionally glanced in his direction, seemingly interested in him.

Once he pinpointed her location, Lorien casually made his way to a spot about 10 meters away from Gwen. He picked up some fruit from the table and began nibbling, blending into the scene.

Despite the crowd between them, Gwen's frequent glances ensured she spotted Lorien. Seeing that he was now alone, Gwen looked around, noticed no one else was approaching, and took a deep breath. She walked through the crowd and approached Lorien, a bit nervously.

"Hi~, my name is Gwen Stacy," she said, her voice a mix of confidence and nerves.

Lorien smiled warmly, raising his glass for a toast. "You can call me Lorien. Or, if you prefer, Dr. Lorien, the psychiatrist."

The first step to knowing someone is making contact. Once a conversation begins, getting acquainted becomes much easier.

As they chatted, Lorien discovered that Gwen was younger than she appeared. She was still a high school student working as an assistant in a lab and, interestingly, also a drummer in a band called "The Mary Janes."

Hearing about Gwen's band and her role as a drummer, Lorien instantly recognized which Gwen he was dealing with. Two things became clear:

1. This was Spider-Gwen! She was the Ghost-Spider, known for her black, white, and pink hooded suit.

2. The presence of Spider-Gwen indicated the multiverse might be influencing his world. Typically, his universe only had Peter Parker as Spider-Man.

The thought that there might be two Spider-People or just Spider-Woman intrigued Lorien. But he quickly decided it didn't matter much. Spider-Gwen was here and she was captivating. Everything else was secondary.

Reflecting on their encounter, it was no surprise Gwen had such a striking presence. She wasn't just any Gwen Stacy; she was the "golden legend" Gwen!

Given the timeline, Lorien realized that Gwen was likely on the verge of becoming Spider-Woman. It aligned with the events of "Avengers: Age of Ultron," which was drawing to a close around this time.

...

As Lorien and Gwen continued their conversation, they grew more comfortable with each other. Gwen, being a top student, was fascinated by Lorien's expertise in psychology and eagerly asked questions about his methods.

"Gwen," Lorien began with a smile, "so many people praise my psychological counseling. They often say it's transformative. Would you like to experience it yourself? I could arrange a session for you."

"Really? That sounds amazing!" Gwen responded enthusiastically. "But how exactly do you counsel them? What's your approach?"

Lorien leaned in slightly, "Well, it involves a mix of empathy, observation, listening, questioning, and a touch of compassion."

Gwen laughed, "Lorien, you're hilarious!"

Their conversation flowed effortlessly, full of laughter and curiosity. Gwen was thoroughly impressed by Lorien's knowledge and charm and promised to visit his office when she had time.

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