Chapter 25

“Ugh… .”

Hearing a moan as if in pain, as if in a daze went and opened the closet door.

There, Kalisten was tied up and bound, lying on the floor with restraints on.

His eyes were closed as if he had fainted.

I saw dried blood on his forehead and shocked, I unwittingly ran my hand over it.

“?!”

He opened his eyes wide and shrank back, shrugging with his body. Then he looked at me, and there was something strange about his expression.

“Are you okay?”

Kalisten looked confused. Then I realized what was wrong as I removed the dried bloodstains from his eyes with my hands.

—I was now a woman.

“Oh, uh… . that… Nice to meet you… ?”

Then he started to glare. At the same time he seemed as confused as I was. So I tried to disarm him with a big bashful smile.

“Since I can’t untie you, can I wipe your forehead?”

Then he nodded slowly.

Just as Alexis Rainier had poured water from the cistern earlier, I dipped a dry towel in water and approached Kalisten.

He felt like a stray cat watching my actions.

“Are you in pain?”

“No.”

“What a relief.”

I reflexively smiled when we made eye contact, and he frowned.

So, I gently wiped his forehead and he furrowed his brow deeper.

“Hey.”

“Yes.”

“Didn’t you see someone?”

“Someone?”

“They have blonde hair and purple eyes. Very thin and very weak.”

“Well… .”

“And a man.”

I smiled a little at his hasty addition. It sounded like he was describing me so he brought up a description so I would know it wasn’t me.

“Are you talking about an A ranker?”

“Yes.”

“You don’t have to worry about him.”

Because I am that person.

“How was he?”

“He was treated well and went back to his room.”

Then his expression softened noticeably.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah.”

After wiping his forehead, another spot caught my eye. Alexis Rainier’s ability was to strengthen his body so when he was brought here, he would not have been brought in nicely. He must have been beaten all over the place and brought back.

“Where does it hurt?”

“Are you Esper?”

“What?”

“Are you a psychic with healing abilities?”

“No.”

“Then don’t ask. My head hurts because of the strange perfume you sprayed.”

He moved his body away from me. But the closet he was in was cramped, so trying to avoid me was futile.

“I didn’t put on perfume.”

“Then what is this scent?”

“What does it smell like?”

He sniffed the air and I saw his eyes become hazy, then he spit out a word,

“I don’t know. It feels weird when I smell it.”

“What do you mean? Weird in what way?”

I spotted blood on the back of his neck, so I folded the towel upside down and wiped it. He slightly shrank back like a shy child, and when my hand touched him, he became calm.

“I wish you could touch me more.”

“Huh?”

When I looked at him in surprise, it looked as if he had just realized what he had just said and snapped:

“Go away.”

“Uh?”

His ears were burning bright red.

“You’re a psychic right, but is your ability temptation?”

“No, I’m not really not an esper. What kind of ability could I ever have when I’m so weak?”

I tried to persuade him, and he looked at me as if to measure my powers.

“Regardless, leave. It is unpleasant.”

“Ah… sorry. I hadn’t thought of that.”

“You’re not a researcher, are you?”

“No.”

“Then how is a woman here?”

“—She’s my toy.”

There was no sound of the door opening, but Alexis Rainier appeared. He looked displeased.

“Get up and get out.”

“… .”

“P-please release him, Alec-nim.”

“Hold my hand.”

“What?”

“Hand.”

“Ah… okay… .”

I couldn’t help but blindly obey his strange orders. So I took his hand as if surrendering, and he smiled as he had before. Then he let go of my hand, and severed the cord that bound Kalisten.

“If you go outside, there will be a researcher. There is someone waiting for you to wake up.”

“… .”

“Follow them.”

Alexis Rainier pulled him out of his closet and crossed his arms as he watched Kalisten falter.

– beep

The door opened and he went outside. He looked back at me.

When I met his bright red eyes, instinct took over and I smiled at him.

He looked forward again, as if he was offended, his ears were very red from anger.

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