CH 28

“Aiden, if you want to continue staying in the detached manor, you can do that. But aren’t you curious about the true extent of your abilities, too?”

“…Do I really have an Esper’s power?”

“There’s something you told me before, that people had different sides to them. What made you say that?”

When Ciel asked, Aiden brought up a concern that he had not been able to confide in anyone before.

“I don’t want to, but I keep hearing other people’s voices. But when I tell them to be quiet, they just look at me as if I’m odd. And they’re obviously smiling, but… they’re saying things that other people wouldn’t want to hear.”

At Aiden’s explanation, the corners of Ciel’s lips tugged up. His theory was correct.

Holding both of Aiden’s shoulders, Ciel gently pushed him back and spoke.

“Can you tell me more about it?”

With a gaze full of doubts but also expectations, Aiden looked up at his older brother. His red eyes grew wide, and his pupils started to quiver.

A wave of anxiety came over him because he didn’t know what Ciel was thinking, but at the same time, Aiden was also happy to hear that his older brother needed him.

* * *

I thought I could go to the garrison the next day, but the whole day’s schedule was completely canceled. I broke out in a sudden fever at dawn. Thinking that it’s because I had practiced shooting those arrows earlier, Mom’s eyes, which had risen to the fullest, turned downwards so swiftly.

Dad was next to Mom, and he didn’t know what to do—whether to use his hands to pray or use his feet to move. After all, he was the one who bought the bow for me.

However, I knew very well that this rising fever was not because of that.

I had already experienced this once.

The fever that had come over me was brought upon by my manifestation.

When this happened to me in the past, it was when I was already in the Special Forces. A fever had beset me at the break of dawn, and it made my entire body so sluggish and heavy. I had to endure it all by staring straight at the ceiling above my bed.

It was so hot that it’s as if steam had replaced my breaths. And with my condition like this now, I don’t know whether it was the same as before, or if it had become even worse.

“Just when is the doctor coming!”

Frustrated and impatient, Mom wiped my face with a cool, damp towel. However, it became lukewarm in no time, after just a few strokes over my face.

“…Mom.”

“Yes, why? Do you want some water? Or is there something you want to eat?”

“I’ll be fine after just a few days… Don’t scold Dad too much.”

“Rin… My kind daughter…”

I uttered only a few words, but my throat instantly felt so dry after that. Hearing my raspy voice, Mom clutched my hand tighter as she glared at Dad some more. Once again, the corners of Mom’s eyes turned downwards.

“You can’t hide my bow either, please…”

If they were to get rid of my bow and my katar dagger, that would be just difficult for me. I always had to be prepared for any monster attack.

Back on Earth, there was originally already a system in place at the borders as a defensive measure.

However, monsters began to surge not only in Korea, but also the entire world. It wasn’t long until there weren’t enough people who could stop the monsters from invading.

I grew up in such a place, and so I couldn’t easily relieve my vigilance.

It’s said that the Stern Empire was well protected because of the temple’s barrier. Still, the same couldn’t be said in my family’s territory—such protection was not guaranteed. Therefore, I always had to be fully prepared.

So, please, I hope they don’t take away the weapons that I barely got.

As I murmured quietly, Mom’s hand over mine slightly grew limp. Unlike this action however, she soothed me with a sweet voice.

“…Focus on getting well faster. Then I’ll buy you more. You can also go to the garrison, and we can also go horseback riding at Golden Hill, you and I. Okay?”

Mom was so reluctant about this just last night, but she’s now taking the initiative to give me her permission. I couldn’t help but smile.

Having a family was a blessing in itself—was love itself. The manifestation fever that I was suffering through now was no different than the one I had suffered through in the past, but right now, I feel alright.

When there’s someone who’s worrying about me so much like this, going as far as to take such good care of me, was it even a big deal to be ill?

And really, I’m not worried about my condition because I knew how long the fever was going to be, along with its approximate symptoms.

The fever would stay with me for two days. As it would slowly subside later, I’d feel an unfamiliar energy filling my entire body.

This energy would make it feel as if I was whole, but on the contrary, it would make me feel lonesome.

And there was one sole reason behind this: because this energy was that of a Guide, which was the counterpart of an Esper.

The fact of the matter was that every Esper needed a Guide. But that was not all—a Guide, too, needed an Esper.

A being that could bring out the best of an Esper’s capabilities.

The only being who could be on par with an Esper, and a being that could boast overwhelming, transcendental abilities.

That was a Guide.

And a Guide was the only partner for an Esper.

As my fever rose more and more, I became practically a melting candy in the middle of the summer heat as my skin clung to the bedsheets.

I breathed deeply, consciously trying to relax my body.

I comforted Mom and said that I would be fine. Belatedly, however, a fleeting thought belatedly passed through my mind.

In the novel, the female lead—the saintess—was the only guide in the world, this I was certain of. It was for this reason that the crown prince and Ciel had fought over her, so…

Why did I suddenly manifest as a Guide? How on earth was this possible?