Delroz, who had just said something strange, stood up without another word. He reached out and brushed aside Banteon’s disheveled bangs, lightly smoothing them with a wistful touch before slowly stepping away. Without offering any explanation for his cryptic words, he simply walked out. Watching him leave, Banteon sat up. Just what exactly was he supposed to do? Unconvinced by the vague remark, he finally picked up his terminal and stood.
“What the hell does he think he’s doing… Ugh…”
The moment his feet touched the floor, a jolt of unfamiliar agony surged through his body, and he cursed Delroz again in his head. A hand hurriedly reached out and gently held him back. He was half-forced to lie back down on the bed. Just a bit more… no, it looked like he’d have to rest for a few days.
***
As Delroz had said, Keslan hadn’t died, and Banteon wasn’t summoned or held responsible for what happened.
Instead, the aftermath of the intense physical encounter left him bedridden for two full days. Once he had recovered enough to move and finally caught wind of the outside world, the Center had already become engulfed in scandalous rumors soaked in blood and lust.
Supposedly, Keslan had provoked Delroz, who was temporarily matched with Banteon, and in response, Delroz had left Keslan on the brink of death. A completely ridiculous story. That an A-Rank Esper like Keslan would dare provoke an SS-Rank like Delroz? Sure, jealousy can make people reckless, but there’s a limit.
Not many believed something so absurd. Most people came to the same conclusion: that Delroz, irritated by Keslan constantly lingering around Banteon, had assaulted him unilaterally and then forced him into silence. No one knew the real reason, and since Keslan’s side was keeping their mouths tightly shut, the whispers only grew louder behind closed doors.
Strangely enough, Banteon, the person at the heart of the incident, wasn’t mentioned in a single line. At best, he was reduced to a “poor guide caught between two Espers.” Keslan’s injuries, however, were too serious to brush off lightly. He’d been diagnosed with partial paralysis, with the possibility of never regaining full use of one side of his body. Along with that, rumors began circulating that Delroz might also face disciplinary action.
“Idiot.”
Unauthorized combat between Espers was subject to severe punishment. No judge would believe a far-fetched story that Keslan had provoked Delroz first. They’d just close their eyes and hand down some half-baked sentence. Even if the punishment was lenient, a complete acquittal was unlikely. If they had just told the truth from the beginning, none of this would’ve happened. So why willingly take the fall?
“You were the one who requested the meeting, which surprised me.”
“I suppose I’ve been too neglectful.”
“Hahaha. Not at all. Peace and quiet are always best, wouldn’t you say?”
The Center Director, stroking his beard, sat down on the opposite side with a genial smile. Despite the smile, there was a flicker of suspicion in his eyes—he was clearly trying to figure out why Banteon had come. Behind that calm expression, it was obvious he already knew everything and was just here to confirm the details.
“You already know why I’m here, don’t you?”
“A man my age doesn’t hold this position for nothing.”
The Center Director’s sly response came with a sparkle in his eye. He knew the truth. And he likely would’ve stayed quiet and let Delroz be disciplined—if Banteon hadn’t shown up like this. The man was wise and quick to judge, but he didn’t act in the name of truth or justice.
“You plan to just let this blow over?”
“I can’t be the first to speak up about matters both parties won’t even acknowledge. No one desires the truth. Ah, of course, Keslan will be expelled from the Center. They’ll say it’s due to his injuries, but in reality, it’s exile.”
A smart answer. No need to stir up trouble by exposing the truth. If he just stayed neutral and played dumb, the whole thing would quietly disappear.
“The punishment Delroz will receive won’t be severe either. He’s a hero of the kingdom, after all. A minor assignment or two and a brief stay in solitary confinement, and it’ll be over. In time, no one will even remember any of this. Hahaha.”
Keslan would end up effectively banished from the capital, and Delroz’s punishment would be nothing more than symbolic. Keslan wouldn’t want to admit he had drugged Banteon, and Delroz wouldn’t want to expose that fact either… and Banteon certainly wouldn’t want it known that he’d taken such a drug.
Foolish. That kind of truth couldn’t tarnish Banteon. In fact, there was no need to reveal everything Banteon had gone through in full. Sometimes, living meant trimming away the unnecessary and only revealing what was needed. But Delroz was still painfully clumsy at such things. That was why Banteon had no choice but to drag his aching body out and come here himself.
“Center Director.”
Just as the man said, Delroz would likely receive only a slap on the wrist—barely qualifying as discipline. Even if Keslan was a noble and an A-Rank Esper, he didn’t stand on the same level as Delroz. But that didn’t mean Delroz should have to take the fall for something he didn’t do.
“I don’t want that.”
“Banteon-nim.”
“That should be enough, shouldn’t it?”
The person directly involved—Banteon—was saying he wanted the truth out and a proper conclusion reached. It was a reason no one could refute.
“I know you, Center Director. You’d never let an internal matter slide so easily if you valued principles. If necessary, I’ll even testify about Keslan’s actions.”
The Center Director’s long brows twitched at the words he clearly knew were insincere. After silently gauging Banteon’s true intentions, his eyes softened and he let out a slow chuckle.
“Hahaha. A witness? How could I ask something like that of you? I only meant to present the easiest solution. But you’re right. Principles are principles.”
The Center Director turned to a shelf and pulled out a neatly organized document. It was an official form bearing the Center’s seal, prepared for submission to the Royal Court. As Banteon read through it, the corners of his lips twitched subtly.
[The Center asserts that Esper Delroz acted in self-defense. Esper Keslan engaged in unsolicited contact and stalking of Esper Delroz’s temporary matched Guide, Banteon Esrante, and unlawfully entered his private study. Below is the full record of unsolicited messages sent by Esper Keslan.]
The report stretched on for a full 48 pages, citing the Guide Protection Act and insisting that all of Delroz’s actions were justified and legally exempt from punishment.
As Banteon turned the page, he found the notes Keslan had sent him neatly arranged. Message after message, sent without a single reply from Banteon. And finally, only at the very end, a single reluctant response from Banteon agreeing to meet and talk. To anyone, the evidence clearly painted a picture of obsession on Keslan’s part.
It was far too substantial a report to have been compiled in just a few days. Seeing the Center Director present it so openly, without bothering to hide that he had prepared all of this in advance, Banteon let out a faint, incredulous laugh. So he’d had all of this ready like some sly serpent, planning to let it all slide quietly.
“How does an old man’s preparation suit your taste?”
“Not bad.”
It would’ve been even better if he hadn’t pretended not to know about the document in the first place. Though Banteon had anticipated the Director’s moves and steered the conversation accordingly, he couldn’t help but find the man’s slyness infuriating. Still, the solution he offered was quite satisfactory. The Center Director had laid out a perfect defense that protected the social dignity of the victim—Banteon himself. Banteon placed the documents he’d been holding down on the table.
“Then I’ll leave the rest to you.”
“You’re leaving already?”
Even though the matter was resolved, the Director’s words held him back. There was a curious gleam in his eyes, as though something else remained unsaid.
It wasn’t the tone of someone offering a farewell—it felt like there was still unfinished business. Banteon paused mid-step. The Center Director looked at him with a faint, expectant smile.
“Have you given any thought to the question I asked you before?”
“…You mean when you asked whether Espers are truly human?”
“Sharp as ever.”
The Director nodded in satisfaction, his eyes warm with approval. It had been a cryptic question—one Banteon hadn’t been able to forget. Why ask a Guide about the origins of Espers? He met the Center Director’s gaze, which often turned strange when it landed on him. Even when Banteon did nothing, the man always looked at him as if expecting something—a gaze heavy with unspoken hopes.
“I still don’t understand. Why ask me that question?”
“Hahaha. That’s been a lifelong question of mine. I may not be able to find the answer, but I have a feeling you might.”
“You give me too much credit.”
No praise ever came without expectation. Banteon took a step back from the compliment.
“At my age, you start to see things others can’t. It may be arrogance, but I haven’t often been wrong.”
“Then I may not be fit to meet your expectations, since I still don’t grasp the meaning of that question. And besides, saying you’re rarely wrong doesn’t mean you’re always right.”
“That’s true. There are still things in this world that manage to surprise even me.”
The Center Director pulled out another document. Unlike the official paperwork from earlier, this one was informal. A short, hastily written report, clipped in tone and clearly not meant for official records.
“You once told me that you and Delroz had a cordial, purely contractual relationship.”
“I did.”
“If that hasn’t changed, I’d like to make a proposal. One that, I assure you, will do you no harm.”
The document the Director handed over contained information about a newly manifested Guide, someone who had recently awakened. It described Delroz, the first SS-Rank naturally occurring Esper since the founding of the Center. And now, this new occurrence was being called the second anomaly.
