139
“Sigh, really.”
Secretary Dongkwon put his phone with the vibration turned off in his pocket, looking disgusted.
He didn’t even bother to check the dozens of messages piling up every day. Even if he spent his precious time checking, they were full of useless content. More than half were broadcast appearance requests, and the rest were pleas to arrange a meeting with the Baekya Guild.
They were trying to make connections under the pretext of congratulating Baekya for having an exclusive SS-rank guide. Since the news, which was only supposed to be disclosed within the center, had leaked outside, contacts were pouring in. Some were even subtly looking for opportunities to meet the guide separately.
“How dare they.”
The one fortunate thing was that it stopped at just contacts. Given the situation, no one was rude enough to come in person. While the broadcasting staff didn’t know about the beastkin incident, ordinary people were prohibited from entering the center in the first place.
“Leader, I’m coming in.”
The secretary knocked on Taebeom’s office door as usual today. He had just taken a brief nap after being tormented by Taebeom, who had been requesting work materials since the crack of dawn.
“Take what’s on the floor.”
Taebeom gave him work as soon as he entered. The secretary sighed at the pile of documents on the floor.
“Did you go through all of this?”
The documents piled as high as the secretary were all valuable materials. They were filled with records of those who had given their lives to protect the country. Countless people had sacrificed themselves to quell the gate saturation period.
Among those recorded in history, Taebeom was intensively digging into the guilds that had participated in the “Gate Entry Operation.”
What are you trying to do by digging into those who are already dead? The secretary sighed deeply as he watched Taebeom flipping through the documents with a straight posture.
Gate interior research was a project that had failed even overseas. No one was looking into it in detail anymore. They used that time to remove one more gate instead.
“Ahem. Shall I open the window?”
The secretary, who had been watching Taebeom, suddenly made an excuse to open the window slightly. It was because of a scent that stimulated the nose in the room.
It was closer to an aura than a scent. Should I call it an erotic aura?
Even though the secretary didn’t want to know the details, he knew everything Taebeom had done with Siwoo. He could feel intimately how passionate guiding and affection he had received from the guide.
While making such a stiff expression. You’ve done everything you could.
The secretary, who had been secretly wrinkling his nose, cleared his throat again. Maybe because the guide’s rank is so high. The traces of guiding were particularly strong.
As expected, SS-rank is different. Well. Just looking at the miraculous matching rate with the leader, a mental esper, it wasn’t ordinary. How fortunate to have such a guide as an exclusive.
“I should serve him for life.”
The secretary, intoxicated with gratitude, inadvertently muttered to himself. He quickly covered his mouth and glanced at Taebeom, but there was no rebuke.
Strange. Normally, Taebeom would have already ordered him out.
“……”
His hardened eyes were fixed only on the documents. It was odd that he was quiet, when usually he would react keenly to even the slightest sound and surrounding gazes, no matter how focused he was on work.
Well, I guess he’s that immersed in his work.
The secretary, killing his presence so as not to disturb him, quickly gathered the documents. As he headed for the door, he stopped at Taebeom’s voice.
“Is he still sleeping?”
The secretary immediately turned around, gripping the documents tightly so as not to drop them. Even without a subject, he understood who the question was about.
“I’ll check right away what the guide is doing now.”
In fact, the secretary had been waiting for Taebeom to ask about Siwoo. He was greatly moved every time the seemingly indifferent leader showed signs of caring for the guide.
The secretary’s hands, quickly tapping on the pad, were filled with joy. However, the joy didn’t last long.
“No, now! Why already…!”
The secretary, upset at seeing Siwoo’s location, couldn’t finish his sentence.
“Which area is it?”
Taebeom grasped the situation just by looking at the secretary’s distorted expression.
“He’s out in Area A8.”
The secretary quickly opened the gate map and thrust it at Taebeom. Going to the central area where many gates open on the first day of on-site guiding. I don’t know whose decision it was, but it’s clear they have not an ounce of consideration.
“Are you going to go? Should I prepare a teleport esper?”
He asked, hoping that Taebeom would step in. Everyone listened to the leader’s words, even if they didn’t listen to his. He hoped the leader, with his excellent judgment, would go and quickly move the guide to a safe area.
“Just move the documents.”
However, Taebeom didn’t seem to have any intention of going. His sharp chin only pointed at the documents placed on the floor.
“But since it’s the first day, wouldn’t it be better if you went yourself…”
The secretary trailed off as he watched Taebeom focus on the materials again.
Is he really not going to go? The secretary felt a great disappointment, as if Taebeom hadn’t come to his first work site. He was even more concerned thinking that the guide might be subtly waiting for him.
How nice it would be if I could transform into the leader and visit the guide. Unfortunately, the secretary didn’t have such an ability. The ability to change into the appearance of others.
* * *
“Ugh, ptui!”
Siwoo, who had closed his eyes tightly due to the flying debris and dust, spat out the dust that had entered his mouth. He covered his nose and mouth with both hands to avoid swallowing more dust, but it wasn’t necessary.
“No, Guide.”
Jihan, who had grabbed Siwoo’s hands and lowered them, hugged his crouched body tightly. While blocking the hazy dust obstructing their view with a barrier.
“You should lean on me right away. Staying still here could be dangerous.”
Jihan rose into the air while embracing Siwoo. He gently cautioned Siwoo, who had frozen in shock from the loud noise, while creating a huge vortex.
As he blew away the dust with artificial wind, the view cleared and espers in battle positions were revealed everywhere. They stood without wavering even on the cracked ground, watching the situation.
As it was an area under the jurisdiction of the Baekya Guild, they were all skilled in combat. No one panicked even at the sudden earthquake.
Creeak! Creeak-!
Even these espers couldn’t hide their dismay at the sight of centipedes crawling out from the ground. The centipedes, with bodies reaching 3 meters, had horns filled with poison on their heads. The espers let out sighs at the endless swarm of centipedes pouring out from the ground.
“Wow, looks like they’re throwing a welcome party for our guide’s first day.”
Jihan smiled languidly as he rolled his eyes to assess the number of centipedes. He couldn’t help but smile, pleased with the position of tightly embracing Siwoo.
On the other hand, Siwoo, terrified at the sight of the endless swarm of monsters, just gaped. As if he had forgotten to breathe, Jihan gently pressed on his dry chest.
Only then did Siwoo inhale, panting slightly as he leaned on Jihan. Jihan embraced Siwoo more securely.
“It’s dangerous, so hold on tight.”
Siwoo immediately wrapped his arms around Jihan’s neck, clinging to him with all his might. It was almost to the point of choking.
“What should I do?”
Siwoo asked Jihan while looking at the mass of centipedes filling the cracked ground.
On the ground, espers with weapons began to slice through the centipedes’ bodies and burst their heads at an incredible speed. However, the centipedes didn’t die easily. Even with their bodies split and heads burst, they moved frantically, spreading poison.
“Hmm, just a moment.”
Jihan first moved the injured to a safe place with his telekinesis, then rolled his eyes. His gaze, which had been moving as if in thought, quickly returned to Siwoo.
“First, a kiss.”
Just as he smiled mischievously, expecting to be hit, lips suddenly approached and pressed firmly against Jihan’s cheek before pulling away.
Siwoo, who had transmitted guiding with his lips, stared intently at Jihan, looking for his next task. He didn’t think such light guiding would be of much help, but he did it anyway since Jihan told him to.
He had learned that in situations like this, when monsters attack, he should follow the esper’s judgment. Espers were far superior in their ability to detect danger and assess situations. This was why even experienced team leader-level guides relied completely on espers when crises struck.
“…One more time.”
“What?”
Jihan, who had been staring blankly at Siwoo, offered his other cheek. Siwoo reflexively puckered his lips and gave a kiss that made a smacking sound. Due to the tense atmosphere, he didn’t think at all that Jihan might be joking.
“Is that enough?”
After also releasing radiative guiding, Jihan’s body tensed up. Siwoo felt the thick arms holding him become firmer and released a bit more energy. Though he wasn’t sure, it seemed to have given him strength.
But this guy… why are his ears so red?
Siwoo, clinging tightly to Jihan to avoid separation, tilted his head as he saw the reddened backs of his ears. Not just his ears, but his cheeks were also slightly flushed. Jihan, being as pale as Siwoo, showed signs of heat quickly.
“Guide.”
Jihan shook the ground with his telekinesis, causing the swarm of centipedes to fall into the cracks. Even while unleashing attacks over a vast area, his attention was solely fixed on Siwoo.
“Don’t do that too much.”
Siwoo’s head tilted even more at the incomprehensible words. Was he telling him to stop guiding? What had he done so much?
As he was about to touch Jihan’s reddened ears in confusion, Siwoo’s body flew backward.
“Aah!”
It happened before Jihan could even defend. Siwoo, who flew away in an instant as if sucked into a black hole, was too stunned to even scream. Soon, he was embraced by two thick arms.
The moment the arms touched him, Siwoo immediately recognized who had pulled him in.
“Why are you out already?”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
