Chapter 18. Paper Thin
[146]
“Young master.”
The aging man rose from his seat.
Yuri, with Chris by his side, slowly walked toward him. Chris pulled out a chair, and Yuri sat down as if it were only natural.
The place where they gathered was a safe house that the Esper Union had established in Babel City.
“It’s been a long time. Have you been well?”
Yuri scanned the man’s wrinkled face and the back of his hands.
“Let’s just say I’ve been well.”
The days of wielding truth to claw at others were over.
Moreover, since he had no will to rebuild relationships, there was no reason to judge past rights and wrongs or to punish.
“…You’re still the same. Kind, gentle, and sweet young master.”
Chris’s lips unconsciously curled slightly.
Yuri was relatively kind, relatively gentle, and relatively sweet. Emphasis on “relatively.”
However, that man was sincerely looking at Yuri as if seeing the young boy from the past. And Chris found this quite uncomfortable.
Yuri asked in a cold voice,
“Why did you want to meet me?”
It was evident that he intended to leave as soon as the business was finished.
Chris understood Yuri’s attitude.
After all, this person was originally Yuri’s tutor but had quit after taking money from Rosenhauser.
‘I heard that despite being one of the few witnesses to the abuse inflicted on Yuri, he refused to testify and left.’
Chris couldn’t understand what nerve made such a person want to meet Yuri.
He was only here because Yuri’s former tutor claimed to know something about Rosenhauser and the Thorns Order.
Though he understood why Anong had arranged this meeting, he was displeased.
Just the assumption that Yuri might have been heartbroken by the betrayal of a trusted adult long ago made his insides boil.
Yet the face of the person in question revealed little emotion.
“…I’ll be honest.”
The man began.
“I came to ease my guilt.”
“Guilt?”
Yuri questioned.
“I was originally employed with money from your parents. I was asked to take care of their only son… I’ve been with you since you were very young. Do you remember?”
This was because they were people devoted to research.
Yuri’s parents loved their son very much, but they also loved their work. They hired a tutor so they wouldn’t neglect their child.
“I remember.”
Yuri briefly affirmed.
“…After your parents passed away, I thought I should take responsibility for you. That’s when Rosenhauser appeared, wielding his status as your guardian. As a mere employee, I had to vacate my position whenever he wanted to fire me.”
Yuri’s tutor sighed.
“At that time, I thought at least I should stay by your side. So I didn’t protest Rosenhauser’s unreasonable demands or treatment and lowered myself as much as possible. I knew you were getting hurt, but I really had no choice.”
Chris’s mood soured as he listened to these words.
It was only natural. Wasn’t this man essentially demanding that Yuri understand his past situation?
“I don’t think you sought me out just to explain that it was unavoidable.”
Yuri cut off the other’s words.
The tutor seemed a bit flustered.
“What I’m curious about is not the past, but the present.”
Yuri continued, adjusting his position.
“Knowing that I abandoned even my parents’ name and left for the Winter Continent. Knowing that I completed my revenge by finally pulling Rosenhauser down from his position. Why did you come looking for me?”
“I want to help you, young master! Before it’s too late.”
Is that really enough of a motive?
Yuri thought it insufficient. He was somewhat suspicious from the moment the man contacted Northern light and revealed that he was Yuri Sobolev’s former tutor.
He glanced toward Chris, who seemed deep in thought.
Though Chris might not harbor the exact same doubts, Yuri felt more composed having him in the same space.
“Guilt diminishes as time passes. After so much time has passed, tell me why you’re seeking me out now.”
The implication was that he could at least listen out of consideration for their past relationship.
“…You’ve grown up.”
There seemed to be a glimmer of moisture in the tutor’s eyes, filled with regret.
“That’s right. I cooperated with Rosenhauser just enough to maintain my position. But there was definitely a catalyst that prevented me from even doing that.”
The man continued.
“One day, I noticed that threats were being made against you. Deliberately switching out snacks given by servants to cause allergic reactions, or applying substances that cause hives to books you liked.”
“I didn’t know about the books.”
Yuri commented impassively.
“When turning pages, my body would itch… and when I accidentally rubbed my eyes, they became bloodshot. Was that because of those substances?”
The confirmation came far too late.
The tutor quietly nodded.
“Probably so.”
“Why, why would someone do such a thing…”
Chris, who had unintentionally spoken out, raised his hand to cover his mouth. Yuri didn’t give him a reproachful look.
The former tutor smiled bitterly and said,
“Because when you’re sick and struggling, you tend to rely on the adults around you.”
“…”
Yuri remained silent. Chris’s heart pounded heavily.
The Yuri he knew had extremely sensitive senses. Just thinking about how much pain he must have endured made it impossible to stay calm.
Chris had long watched Yuri suffer from mysophobia and insomnia.
“Rosenhauser had a reason to go that far.”
“Because I’m a Guide?”
At Yuri’s words, the tutor slowly shook his head.
“No, that’s not it.”
He swallowed.
“Rosenhauser had been coveting your parents’ research for a long time. He forced his way into the mansion to secure those records.”
The tutor explained with fervor.
“The fact that you’re a Guide was just a secondary goal. What he really wanted was something else.”
Despite the lack of concrete evidence, Chris instinctively felt that what the man was saying was true.
“And the reason you know this is?”
Yuri’s voice became chilling for the first time.
It was the voice of someone who had sensed something.
The tutor tightly closed his eyes.
“…Because I was the one who, for money, leaked information about my employer’s research.”
Bang!
Yuri’s hand moved.
The terrified tutor cowered. But no matter how long he waited, there was no further noise, nor did he feel any pain.
He barely managed to open his eyes.
He saw Yuri, his young master, having struck the table roughly. Behind him stood a pale blonde man, who had frozen without even being able to scream.
Blood was flowing over white skin. It seemed the hand that hit the table was torn.
Yet Yuri, the person directly involved, showed no expression as if feeling no pain.
“The content?”
The tutor gulped. His mouth moved, but he was too frightened to make a sound.
While waiting for an answer, Yuri took out a handkerchief from his pocket and wrapped it around his hand.
‘This isn’t severe enough to need bleeding control, but…’
He did so because he could feel Chris quietly stamping his feet.
He asked again.
“Among what my parents were researching. Which one was he after? Tell me.”
Quickly.
The tutor instinctively knew this was his last chance.
“…Ability transplantation!”
As he blurted it out, he felt his shoulders trembling.
“Ability transplantation!”
Chris’s eyes widened.
“Why on earth… such a thing?”
“Rosenhauser was already an S-class Esper, but he constantly hit his own limitations, I understand. Because of that, he began to pursue power.”
“What nonsense.”
Yuri spat out.
He thought of the leader of the Thorns Order, who was said to possess multiple abilities.
Even without knowing what he looked like or what kind of personality he had, it led to speculation about what kind of life he might have lived.
“Why did my parents conduct such research?”
“They wanted to eliminate the curse that Espers carry. They were concerned about how to prevent the state of going berserk without guiding… So they settled on the direction of ability loss. But since it’s impossible to completely make innate power disappear, I heard they sought ways to transfer it to others.”
Chris suppressed a laugh at the tutor’s explanation.
He claimed to have been trusted by Yuri’s parents to care for their child, yet he seemed to know all their secrets intimately.
It appeared he had received great trust from Yuri’s parents, rather than from Yuri himself.
“…They always did dangerous research, but I didn’t know about this.”
Yuri mumbled as if talking to himself. It was hard to tell whether what he was feeling was disappointment or shock.
The tutor’s gaze at Yuri, who had learned about his complex childhood, was tinged with sympathy.
“If an ability is lost, can one be fine without receiving guiding?”
“Yes.”
“That sounds like a dream come true for some Espers.”
It would be news that those dying without meeting a Guide would welcome with open arms.
Chris unconsciously looked at Yuri. However, those violet eyes never turned in his direction.
“That’s why I understand they couldn’t announce it publicly. Many would rather be free than live with ambiguous powers. But at the Union level…”
“They wouldn’t easily let go when every single person with power is precious.”
Yuri scoffed.
“That’s right.”
The tutor mumbled, cradling his head in his hands.
“I shouldn’t have handed it over. If I hadn’t been blinded by money. If Rosenhauser hadn’t known about that damn research record. Your parents would still be alive.”
Regretful and lamentable.
The tutor bowed his head deeply.
“So, ability transfer.”
Yuri tapped the table as if trying to draw the tutor’s attention.
There was a subtle sense of menace in the sight of blood seeping through the white handkerchief that was carelessly wrapped around the back of his hand.
“Was it successful?”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
