# Chapter 36
I had come here and seen his face, but I hesitated about how to bring up that topic.
I thought I would be able to talk in a more serious and stable situation…
But Kyun In couldn’t hold back and spoke first.
“Lee Ha-min. Seo Eunwoo Esper is a Guide. And he’s an S-class Esper.”
“……”
I regretted not covering Kyun In’s mouth first.
At that moment, even Byun Tae-young and Shim Woo-jin didn’t take his side.
“Hyung. You shouldn’t just blurt it out like that. How are you any different from Seo Eunwoo then? Think about how shocked Lee Ha-min will be!”
Byun Tae-young yelled in frustration as if Kyun In had ruined everything.
Wait. Why is my name being used like that?
It’s quite unpleasant.
But this wasn’t the time to be thinking about that.
Lee Ha-min stared at me blankly.
He seemed like he wanted to ask what he had just heard.
I really had so much I wanted to say too.
Really, so much.
“Eunwoo…”
“Lee Ha-min. Let’s talk together first.”
Then the other S-class Espers nodded as if that would be best.
I didn’t like it, but I was glad they seemed to be cooperating, until they naturally sat between us.
“Go ahead and speak, Seo Eunwoo.”
Byun Tae-young spoke as if he was more nervous, and I shook my head.
“I think it would be better if it was just the two of us.”
Then Byun Tae-young firmly shook his head.
“No way. Lee Ha-min won’t be able to handle such a shock.”
“That’s right. Having us beside him will help.”
Kyun In chimed in, but Lee Ha-min regained his composure first.
“If you want to talk to me alone, let’s go, Eunwoo.”
“Okay.”
I grabbed his hand and pulled him before he could change his mind.
Wondering where to go so those people wouldn’t follow, I took him to my room, and Lee Ha-min seemed increasingly anxious.
He seemed to be thinking about what the words he heard meant.
We went to the room and locked the door, though I briefly wondered what good locking the door would do.
If Kyun In or Byun Tae-young were determined to break down the door and come in, it wouldn’t be difficult for them at all.
But if they went that far, I wouldn’t just sit still either.
“Eunwoo. What was that about? You being a Guide? And you being an S-class Esper?”
Lee Ha-min asked with a surprised face.
“It’s true.”
“Well… It’s not like I’m wondering how this could happen. I’ve thought you were really special many times before. Still, it’s strange to hear it directly.”
“Yeah… that’s true.”
I tried to comfort him, hoping Lee Ha-min wouldn’t be shocked.
“How do you feel, Eunwoo? Are you sad?”
I belatedly realized why Lee Ha-min was looking at me that way.
“Don’t you feel bad knowing you’re a Guide? It would have been better if only the fact that you’re an S-class Esper came out…”
“Is it that bad? That I’m a Guide? Enough to overshadow the fact that I’m an S-class Esper?”
“Don’t you think so? You know how Guides are treated here. I was a Guide who became an Esper, but you’re an Esper who became a Guide.”
“But… since I’m an S-class Esper, people wouldn’t dare treat me badly. If they try to, I won’t stay at the Center.”
“Are you really thinking of leaving the Center? It wasn’t just talk?”
“There’s no need to keep staying here. The Center is using us to maintain their safety. But if they keep unreasonably oppressing and exploiting Guides, there’s no reason to keep watching that happen.”
“Will you go to a new Center, Eunwoo?”
We were already talking about that.
That was Lee Ha-min’s reaction to hearing I was a Guide.
That it was pitiful.
That it would be difficult from now on.
That I should prepare for it, meaning I should strengthen my mental preparation, but I had no intention of doing that at all.
“I don’t think a new Center would be any different. I think I could leave here and just stay somewhere alone.”
Lee Ha-min’s eyes widened.
He seemed to wonder how I could think like that.
“Eunwoo… can we live like that?”
A world where dungeons appear.
Most Espers couldn’t clear dungeons alone and needed to cooperate with other Espers to protect their lives from dungeons and the monsters inside.
That’s what made Centers exist, and as dungeons and monsters grew larger and stronger, people came to believe it was impossible to live outside.
But was that really necessary?
Lee Ha-min silently looked at me.
Even if I didn’t answer, he would know the answer was with me.
“Eunwoo. You’re really amazing. How can I become like you? Whenever I look at you, I’m amazed, and that amazement seems endless.”
A bright smile spread across his face.
“Eunwoo, you’ve been like this from the beginning. You treat things that others think are great and covet as if they’re nothing special. That’s what makes you truly great.”
“Aren’t you worried that I might leave the Center?”
“No. If you leave the Center, I’ll leave too.”
He said it proudly.
It seemed so obvious to him that there was no need to say it, which was amusing.
How strong would a Center be with Lee Ha-min and me?
A Center with Lee Ha-min and me.
And perhaps we wouldn’t be the only ones there.
I thought that if we said we would be there, others might want to join us too.
After all, it would be easy to see that such a Center would be the strongest.
‘Center? I don’t even like the word Center. Just… well. Can’t we just call it home?’
As I disliked various things, I even disliked the word Center, and suddenly felt aversion to everything.
Although I hadn’t yet been treated unfairly at the Center because I was a Guide, I still had these thoughts.
Probably because I had seen too much over time.
“Eunwoo. It’s really amazing though. An S-class Esper.”
Lee Ha-min couldn’t hide his fascination as he put his hand on my shoulder.
Looking at him, my eyes brightened.
“Lee Ha-min. Want to spar with me?”
“Do we have to?”
As he said this, Lee Ha-min slowly lowered his hand.
“Let’s do it, Lee Ha-min. You have amplification ability. I want to see what happens when we’re together.”
“You mean train together?”
Lee Ha-min corrected me, and I agreed that was right.
We needed training where we attacked the same enemy together, not sparring against each other.
We quickly agreed and went outside together, where we met the S-class Espers standing outside the door.
They seemed curious about how Lee Ha-min would react to learning I was a Guide, but they looked perplexed that Lee Ha-min was focused on the fact that I was an S-class Esper and had agreed to train together.
That seemed to be the decisive difference between Lee Ha-min and them.
“If you’re going to train together, we’ll come too.”
Byun Tae-young said naturally, and the other two followed as if there was no need for words.
“I think leaving the Center is a good idea too. I don’t think the command staff would be that stupid, but if they try to force Seo Eunwoo to handle Guiding for others because he’s a Guide, I’ll leave the Center too.”
Kyun In proudly said this, not even embarrassed about eavesdropping on our conversation outside.
“Me too.”
“I will do the same, Eunwoo.”
Byun Tae-young and Shim Woo-jin also spoke as if this was something they absolutely had to say.
If all the S-class Espers decided to move with me, the blow to the Center would be unimaginable.
I might be taking them too lightly, but if news broke that these three were moving together, the ripple effect would be tremendous enough to make the world buzz…
“Come to think of it, this is huge? If the five of us say we’re leaving the Center, I bet no one would want to stay here? The city would collapse immediately. All the companies sustaining the city would leave too. With no one left to protect the Center, who would want to stay here?”
When Kyun In spoke seriously, the others nodded.
They seemed to agree that was true after thinking about it.
“Well. It’s not like I’m suggesting we leave right now, so let’s enjoy the Center’s facilities as much as we can while we can.”
What was meant to be training with Lee Ha-min turned into an opportunity to check everyone’s abilities as the S-class Espers agreed to join.
Just as I had done with Shim Woo-jin, I thought I might be able to draw out Kyun In and Byun Tae-young’s abilities too, and it seemed good to clearly understand what would happen when Lee Ha-min’s ability was added.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
