“You said your name was Rohan, right?”
“Didn’t think you’d actually remember it.”
Rohan sat down beside Banteon without so much as asking, a genuinely pleased expression on his face. As Banteon quickly moved to stand, Rohan reached out to grab him.
Smack.
Banteon knew exactly what would happen if that hand touched him unguarded. He struck away the approaching arm with the back of his hand, harshly. Rejected, Rohan stared at his own hand for a moment, then shrugged as if it didn’t bother him.
“Touching a Guide like that isn’t exactly polite.”
“Oops. Guess I’ve been found out.”
He wasn’t an idiot—there was no way he’d forget that searing memory from before. Back then, Banteon had also touched him too casually, not realizing he was an Esper, and got a nasty shock for it. Banteon’s eyes narrowed as he scanned the man slowly.
The last time they met, Banteon hadn’t realized Rohan was an Esper. Until direct contact, he’d assumed the man was unmanifested—completely devoid of any Esper traits. Maybe he hadn’t noticed because it was dark that time? He’d quietly buried that uncertainty in the back of his mind.
But no. Not this time.
No matter how hard Banteon looked around Rohan, even as he stood beneath the festival lights at the very center of the celebration, there wasn’t a trace of energy around him. Just like a perfect non-Esper.
“What the hell are you?”
“What else? I’m your prince, waiting just for you.”
Nonsense.
As Banteon’s expression darkened, Rohan grinned and waved a hand.
“Can’t even joke around, huh? I’m just an ordinary traveler.”
“You’re an unregistered Esper, aren’t you?”
At first, Banteon had assumed Rohan was some S-rank or A-rank Esper visiting Yasen for fun. From that brief touch alone, he knew Rohan couldn’t possibly be below that level. Then, while scrambling to avoid Delroz at the Center, he’d happened upon the registry of Espers in the kingdom.
He didn’t know how long he’d stared at that list. Among all the A- and S-rank Espers in the kingdom, none matched Rohan’s features. Not one with those vivid red eyes and striking golden hair.
An Esper not registered with the Center.
A suspicious figure. The man had just now admitted to being an Esper, and Banteon had confirmed it through direct contact. Yet no matter how hard he focused, the usual flicker of crimson aura wasn’t there. Nothing. It was as if he were just an ordinary civilian.
Right now, Rohan was more dangerous than Delroz.
That split-second touch had left a lingering drain on Banteon’s power. If that was any indication, Rohan was in a fairly unstable state. If so, he should’ve been radiating volatile energy—but there was nothing. Still absolutely blank.
“There was no one named Rohan among the registered Espers at the Center.”
“Maybe it’s not my real name?”
“There are only two A-rank or higher Espers with blond hair and red eyes—both retired, one in his 60s and the other in his 40s. You don’t exactly look the part.”
“Ouch. That’s rude.”
So now he was openly admitting it—he was an unregistered Esper. Banteon stepped back, wary.
“I’m just a normal traveler. A free spirit who doesn’t want to be shackled to some Center.”
“Don’t give me that crap. Why are you even here?”
From the capital where they’d first met to this place, it would take at least a full day by airship. Using public transport, it could take weeks. Why had they run into each other again in such a remote place? The timing felt way too precise to be a coincidence.
“I came to see the festival. It’s the biggest one in the region, you know.”
“This kind of festival?”
“Don’t scoff. It’s the only festival in the kingdom that still honors the Creator God Teje.”
Creator god, deity, whatever—Banteon didn’t give a damn about things like that. The fact that Rohan had traveled all this way just to see such an ordinary festival made him seem all the more dangerous. His easy going smile and loose limbs rubbed Banteon the wrong way.
He glanced behind him. Delroz still showed no signs of movement. Of all times to be somewhere useless and far away. Even if Banteon shouted now, the noise of the festival would drown him out.
“Ah, is that your Esper over there?”
Rohan followed Banteon’s gaze swiftly and spoke.
“Looks like a good one.”
“It’s none of your business.”
“But leaving a Guide all alone in a place like this? That’s definitely a fail, wouldn’t you say?”
As much as he didn’t want to admit it, Banteon agreed. Usually, he was glad to be left alone—but in a situation like this, Delroz’s absence only stirred resentment. He studied Rohan again, from head to toe. Still no clue what the man wanted. If he harbored any ill intent, Banteon wouldn’t be able to stop him.
As Banteon’s wariness refused to wane, Rohan shrugged and took a step back. The gesture seemed to say he meant no harm, but Banteon wasn’t convinced.
“Don’t look at me like that. I really just came to say hi.”
“You think I’m going to believe that?”
“Well, I did come to tell you one more thing, while I was at it.”
Rohan looked up at the empty sky as he spoke. Reflected by the bright festival lights, not a single star could be seen in the pitch-black sky. He raised his arm and pointed toward it with his finger.
“You need to be careful on nights like this.”
“What?”
“I’m only telling you because I like you. Don’t go anywhere high up tonight.”
Rohan spoke seriously, even though the message made no sense. Then he dropped his arm and casually glanced past Banteon.
“Looks like your Esper’s finally done with whatever he was doing.”
Just as he said, the sensation of Delroz’s energy was rapidly approaching. It moved with a surge of emotion, as if agitated.
“Don’t forget what I said.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“Next time we meet, greet me a little more warmly. Well, see you.”
With that one-sided farewell, Rohan turned and vanished into the crowd. Just like when he appeared, he disappeared quickly. His above-average height slipped from sight in an instant.
No matter how much Banteon thought about it, he couldn’t figure him out. One thing was clear: Rohan bore no hostility toward him. But there were still too many reasons not to trust him.
As Banteon stood there, Delroz approached, his face dark and ominous.
“Who the hell was that guy?”
Delroz’s voice was rough, almost accusatory, demanding to know who Banteon had been talking to. Banteon folded his arms and looked at him, the tone grating in his ears.
For someone who had just been fooling around with two women, to come back and interrogate him like this—how could he not find it irritating?
“Why didn’t you stay longer? Looked like you were having fun.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You seemed pretty chummy. Must be popular with the ladies, huh?”
“It wasn’t like that.”
Not like that, my ass. Banteon had seen it—Delroz chatting away like a lovesick fool while he was busy dealing with a dangerous man. That excuse wasn’t going to cut it.
Banteon could understand being distracted by a pretty woman. He was a man too. He knew how overpowering the feeling could be when someone you liked showed up. But considering how tense things had just been, the irritation still sat heavy in his chest.
Ignoring Banteon’s pointed words, Delroz frowned and asked another question.
“Then what’s your relationship with that guy?”
“He’s a stranger.”
“Didn’t look that way. You two seemed close.”
Now he’s just blind. Mistaking that wary exchange for friendliness? It was laughable. And his supposedly sharp ears didn’t seem to work too well in the middle of all this festival noise. Banteon scoffed and ignored him, but Delroz pressed on.
“You’re meeting men even in places like this?”
Delroz looked down at him with a disdainful, disbelieving expression—as if Banteon were some pathetic plaything. Probably mocking him for always having Keslan and Tearot around whenever Delroz showed up.
Banteon had nearly forgotten. Delroz was the kind of guy who sneered at his preferences. Until now, Banteon had only put up with it because he’d been injured and Delroz was his only Guide.
Banteon’s glare deepened with visible irritation.
If they were really going to talk like this, Banteon had a lot to throw back.
“Every time I turn around, there’s some new guy hanging off you.”
“And I’ve heard rumors you switch women daily. Are you seriously trying to lecture me?”
If anyone needed to be confronted, it was him. Just from what Banteon had overheard at the Center, Delroz had gone through over a dozen partners. For someone like that to scold him for being indiscreet? The irony was beyond absurd.
“That was…”
“I’m not here to judge your behavior, so stop meddling in my business. It pisses me off.”
“…”
The blunt remark shut Delroz’s mouth. His brow twitched faintly, just slightly. He looked a little troubled—but Banteon brushed it off. There was no way someone as shameless as Delroz would get shaken just because his messy past got called out.
After a beat of hesitation, Delroz let out a small sigh and added, as if making excuses:
“That really was a misunderstanding just now.”
“You don’t need to explain. A young guy messing around with girls—that’s not a crime.”
“You…”
Banteon’s resolute tone made Delroz rake a hand through his bangs roughly. With an awkward shake of his head, he looked away. Maybe it was the shadow, but his broad shoulders seemed a little slumped.
After taking a breath, Delroz finally spoke in a low voice, almost like a justification.
“She suddenly clung to me, saying the sky was dangerous.”
Startled, Banteon looked up at him. It was the same thing Rohan had said just moments ago. Could he have overheard their conversation?
No—it was too far. The crowd was thick with people enjoying the festival, the air filled with overlapping chatter and noise. Unless he’d been right beside them, it would’ve been impossible to hear anything.
