No matter how much he resisted, time marched on. The start date for the Alliance’s Bonded Pair pilot program was now right around the corner. Unlike Lee Han-seo, who was affiliated with the Alliance, the other S-Class Guides were registered with their home country’s centers. Using pre-recorded compatibility data, their teams had already been assembled.
Disturbing rumors were making the rounds among Espers around the world—passed from one whisper to another. Aside from the American S-Class Guide, who had always worked with multiple Espers, the rest had supposedly begun the Imprint nullification process with their current Bonded Pairs. Some claimed the Alliance was already preparing to expand the system to A-Class Guides once the pilot ended, using Matching Rate data to get ahead of the curve. There wasn’t a single quiet corner left in the Esper world.
“Guide Lee Han-seo… today, you really need to start the process. Or at least give us a DNA sample—”
“I said no. Go away. I’m busy.”
Lee Han-seo didn’t bother hiding his frustration as he firmly cut off the persistent researcher and turned his back. S-Class Guides were required to manage at least seven Espers of A-Class or higher. The Alliance had been pestering him for days, demanding he get his Matching Rate tested with every qualified Esper at headquarters. Dodging Julian wasn’t going to be enough anymore.
There was no time to sit around grieving about whether he still loved his former Bonded Pair now that their Imprint was severed. The truth was, though no one said it outright… most Guides were deeply uncomfortable with the idea of managing multiple Espers. Guiding sounded professional enough, but in practice? It was physical contact, and sometimes sex—plain and simple.
Lee Han-seo had it better than most. Thanks to the overwhelming purity of his Guiding, he wasn’t limited by Total Guiding Capacity. He could choose how far things went, and on his terms.
But not every Guide was Lee Han-seo. The idea of countless Guides being forced into unwanted, ongoing physical contact under the name of “duty” was horrifying. The one-on-one Bonded Pair system had been the most basic safeguard meant to protect them.
That’s why Lee Han-seo knew—deep down—that he was the last line of defense. The moment he gave in, the reform would swallow every Guide whole. Whatever his personal feelings on the team-based system, as someone who represented the Guides, he had to endure to the bitter end.
“Han-seo said he’s busy. Are you deaf or just rude?”
“Yeah, buzz off already.”
“Come here one more time, and we won’t be so nice.”
The other Guides, fully aware of what was at stake, stood firmly behind him. If he’d managed to hold out this long despite the pressure from above, it was because of their unwavering support.
And truthfully, almost every Esper who already had a Bonded Pair supported him too—except for the few who hadn’t found theirs yet.
“Dammit. Britain pulling out of the Alliance? That’s just an excuse. They’ve been whining about their Guide shortage for ages. They were too scared to implement this before, but now that they see an opening, they’re ramming it through.”
“Right? And what if once this team system goes into effect, the Espers start ganging up on us, exploiting us? And we’re just supposed to take it—with no protections, no limits? It’s insane!”
As the researcher slinked away under the weight of everyone’s hostile stares, the Guides gathered in the training room grumbled in frustration.
In areas where the Guide shortage was truly dire, some had already implemented a temporary team-based system. Civilians, duped by romanticized portrayals in the media, imagined Espers cherishing their Guides like precious treasures in such arrangements. Reality couldn’t have been further from that fantasy.
Most Guides thrown into team assignments were sexually exploited. Even if they filed complaints or reported the abuse, all they heard back was, “It can’t be helped. Try to endure it.” And then they were dragged right back into that nightmare. Espers would go to great lengths to protect their personal Guides, treating them with devotion and jealousy—but shared Guides? They didn’t even try. There were countless Espers who treated Guides like dirt in the Guide Management Department, only to do a complete 180 the moment they found their Bonded Pair.
“Something’s wrong! Han-seo! Ri-right now—!”
Just then, the doors to the training room burst open, and a familiar B-Class Guide came rushing in, out of breath, about to shout something.
“Excuse me, can I get through? Ah, thank you.”
“…!!”
But before he could finish, a tall figure brushed past him. A dark-skinned man with a kind expression smiled as he scanned the stunned room, then walked confidently—without hesitation or pause—straight toward Lee Han-seo.
“This is our first time meeting face-to-face, isn’t it?”
“You…”
“Nice to meet you, Guide Lee Han-seo. I’m William Brown.”
Standing there on the other side was none other than William Brown, the American S-Class Guide who had been the loudest and most enthusiastic supporter of the team system reform.
***
“How did you even get in here?”
“Oh, a few different reasons. Ah, how’s it going with Julian? He’s not a bad kid, really. Just going through a phase, acting out like a teenager. It’s a little worrying.”
“Why the hell would I be ‘getting along’ with Julian?”
“…Wow. Should I say this is exactly what I expected? Or worse than I thought?”
William trailed off, then took a loud sip of the drink in front of him. The fizzy citrus soda jolted his hazy mind back into focus. Things hadn’t gone the way he’d hoped, so the moment he’d exited the dungeon, he’d flown straight to Berlin—ready to end this, one way or another.
His gaze swept over the young Guide sitting across from him, silently taking in every detail of that defiant face.
Lee Han-seo. Asia’s pride. An S-Class Guide.
Even among S-Class elites, no one could touch him in terms of purity or total capacity. This kid was in a league of his own. William had thought about him often—maybe too often. Han-seo probably didn’t even realize it, but William had spent years being measured against him. It was impossible not to be aware of someone like that.
“I already have a good idea of what you came to say,” Han-seo said coldly. “But I’m not interested. Don’t waste your time—just leave.”
Of course. That small, stubborn face was full of pride and unwavering resolve. Maybe it was because he’d seen him so many times in photos and videos, but even though this was their first face-to-face, it felt like they’d known each other for years.
To cut through all the layers and get straight to the point—William hated him.
He hated that someone born with such power could be so irresponsibly naive. That, despite having the ability to change the world, Han-seo chose to cling to a single Esper and shut out everything else. That kind of selfish, narrow-minded idealism wasn’t just frustrating—it was revolting.
For William, dismantling the Bonded Pair system and reforming the structure into team-based units wasn’t just a policy. It was a lifelong mission. And now, standing on the edge of achieving it, once again—this damn Guide was the one in his way.
The Alliance Chief had given him a limited window: public pressure from Espers was growing, and William had been granted one last chance to sway Han-seo’s heart. If he failed, everything would be pushed back indefinitely—who knew when, or if, the opportunity would ever come again?
He’d clawed his way to this point. The summit was right there. No way he was turning back now.
“Guide Lee Han-seo.”
“…What.”
“What do you think a Guide’s role is?”
“…Excuse me?”
Han-seo blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift. Just a moment ago, his expression had been sharp and guarded—but with one blink, his whole face softened. He looked like the most harmless person in the world. William could barely stand it. That innocence—it made him sick.
He clenched his jaw and pushed through the nausea.
“I asked what you think the role of a Guide is.”
“Well… to guide Espers, I guess. And, um—”
“No. Wrong.” William’s voice turned sharp. “It’s not just about supporting Espers. A Guide’s role—our mission—is to save the world.”
Why the hell had someone like him been born with such overwhelming power?
If only I had that kind of strength. If I had been born with Lee Han-seo’s Guiding ability…
That bitter, deep-rooted sense of inferiority flared inside him again—hot, volatile, and impossible to ignore. It surged through his chest like fire licking gasoline.
“Same as the Espers,” William said through gritted teeth. “You understand what that means, don’t you?”
