Chapter 63: The Golden-Eyed Mentor

“…Did you hear?”

“Surely that rumor isn’t true, is it?”

“Hey, I saw the article, and it’s…”

During lunchtime at Ramiel Royal Graduate School, the main topic of conversation among those dining in the cafeteria was an article that had appeared in a famous gossip magazine a few days prior.

Bearing the provocative title, ‘Where Does Multi-Guide A’s Heart Lie?’, the article read more like a novel than actual journalism. Yet, the public, already well aware of a certain multi-Guide’s prominent presence, naturally thought of Prince Devon Green.

“Hmm… It seems even Ramiel, where the stars of intellect gather, cannot escape sensational rumors.”

Two Esper Guards from Regulus Military Academy, subtly disparaging Ramiel, placed their trays of food down. Ethan chuckled, tearing a piece of freshly baked, warm bread and dipping it into his soup.

“You think Regulus is any different?”

At his words, Liam and Kyle straightened their postures, their faces serious.

“Of course. A fine soldier does not get swept up in rumors—”

“Ah, is that why Kyle was leaving comments after class?”

“It’s a mission. To participate in the rumor and ensure its rapid spread…”

‘A mission’, indeed. Liam snickered, playfully slapping Kyle’s brazen head. Ethan, too, giggled, chiding Kyle for his utterly shameless response.

“Are you not uncomfortable?”

Glancing eyes from all directions were fixed on Ethan. He was already a celebrity, thanks to the commotion during course registration and his conspicuous arrival at school in a car bearing the Antares Unit’s emblem.

However, the protagonist of the recently published article was none other than Ethan himself. Although the article had been published according to Ethan’s intentions, aided by Enoch Cloud’s extensive connections in the entertainment industry, it had not corrected any details about him, leading to the subtle, complex gazes now directed his way.

Furthermore, alongside Devon Green, the rumor circulated that Ethan Prescott, Bliss Moore’s Guide, might also be a multi-Guide, though this was not officially announced. If there were only one multi-Guide, pinpointing Prince Devon Green for a scandalous rumor could be seen as an insult to the royal family.

However, if there were two suspicious individuals, the target itself became blurred. Of course, the content of the rumor made Prince Devon Green far more likely to be the subject, but rumors were called rumors precisely because of the frothy gossip they generated as they spread.

This strategy allowed the public to speculate based on vague, casually released, rumor-filled articles from cheap gossip magazines, creating a layered, delayed effect that ultimately damaged Devon Green without confirming anything definitive about Ethan himself. All of this was smoothly and naturally disseminated by Enoch Cloud.

“Considering what lies ahead, wouldn’t it be better for me to maintain a slightly foolish image? Ah, of course, if you’re worried about Bliss’s honor being tarnished…”

“The Marchioness and a few of the more stubborn members of the Moore family might be quite concerned, but they wouldn’t be ignorant of the article’s source. So, even if they’re angry, they won’t be able to confront you.”

“It’s not enough to damage his reputation, but even if it did, he wouldn’t care. No, more importantly, after the scene you made in front of the Marchioness and all those people last time, you still think you have a foolish image?”

Liam agreed with Kyle’s exaggerated gesture, but Ethan, swallowing a bite of the surprisingly well-prepared academy cafeteria food, shook his head.

“That’s only part of it. Not the general public or the nobility. The more confused they are, the better. I don’t particularly want to reveal how clever and smart I am just to become an unnecessary target.”

“…”

Liam and Kyle were speechless, unable to find their next words as Ethan uttered such audacious statements with a genuine, serious expression.

“Excuse me.”

At the unfamiliar voice, Ethan looked up to see a male student, roughly his age, approaching their table.

[Ethan, this guy’s an Esper.]

Before Dongja’s warning had even finished, Liam and Kyle had already risen, positioning themselves behind Ethan. Ethan swallowed a sigh that threatened to escape. The furtive glances that had been directed their way were now openly fixed on them.

“What can we do for you?”

“I apologize for interrupting your meal. My name is Maxon Ancaster. I am the mentor assigned to your supplementary study, which you requested to catch up on the curriculum since you joined a little later than other students.”

Ah. Ethan’s eyes widened, and he quickly stood up. Liam and Kyle respectfully stepped back a little. Maxon, it seemed, was slightly annoyed because of Ethan.

“I tried to contact you beforehand with the number Professor Vince gave me, but it seems it went unanswered, as if it were an unknown number. You didn’t check my messages either. So, I came in person.”

“My apologies. A strange article broke recently, so I changed my tablet device.”

At Ethan’s sincere apology, Maxon ran a hand through his reddish hair and sighed.

“…It can’t be helped. Please give me your new number. However, since it was so difficult to meet you today, I need to schedule our sessions before I leave so I can report back to the professor. I don’t want to waste any more time.”

Ethan held his breath, struck by Maxon’s revealed eyes. His luminous amber eyes, almost golden, harmonized with his pale, delicate face, creating a peculiar aura.

[Whoa, there’s another person with eyes like these?]

‘I haven’t seen them. When did I?’

‘Had I ever met anyone with eyes like that?’ Ethan wondered inwardly, searching his memory at Dongja’s excited exclamation. Dongja, however, gave an unexpected answer.

[Elder Han Jeongcheol’s grandmother? Or maybe great-grandmother. Ilwol was with the first elder, Han Jeongcheol, and I had just joined the sixth elder, Han Jinyu. There was a time I went to Han Jeongcheol’s house with a few others. They weren’t elders yet either. I think I saw a digital photo then. I can’t remember if it was his grandmother or great-grandmother.]

This had happened even before Ethan’s parents were born. He found it impossible to imagine the elders he knew in their youth.

[Anyway, I remember the eye color because it was so unusual. I’ve seen yellow and blue odd eyes, but never golden, unlike Bliss’s gray and blue. Oh, and there’s more! At the fourth elder’s coming-of-age ceremony, a Mangnyang possessed him and wrecked all the cars in the village. Han Jeongcheol laughed and joked that it must have been his grandmother’s ghost. Essentially, it’s completely different, but that grandmother was said to be an Interference-type Esper with golden eyes.]

Throughout Dongja’s casual reminiscing, Ethan couldn’t take his eyes off Maxon’s face. Interference-type Espers were not a rare affinity, but they showed an enormous gap in ability depending on the Esper’s proficiency. While amber eyes weren’t unheard of, the subtle shade was so unique that Dongja had called them golden, making it seem unlikely such a color existed elsewhere.

‘Could Maxon also be an Interference-type Esper?’

Interpreting Ethan’s gaze toward Maxon, Liam stepped forward, subtly placing himself between them, and cleared his throat.

“Ahem, perhaps we should move to another table?”

As his mind became increasingly convoluted, with something almost surfacing but remaining just out of reach, Ethan sighed and turned his gaze away.

****

“You have about two hours until your next class, and if you haven’t eaten yet…”

“It’s fine. I have some research I’m working on, so I need to schedule our sessions and then go find the materials right away.”

Ethan’s eyes narrowed slightly, observing Maxon’s consistently stiff demeanor.

“Then I’ll order. My Esper Guards haven’t had a proper meal because of you either, Mr. Maxon.”

“…I told you it couldn’t be helped since I couldn’t reach you before then.”

“I apologize for my unresponsiveness, which led you to come directly to the restaurant, and I’ve already expressed my regret. But you’re not suggesting I should starve because of it, are you? Would tea and cookies suffice for you, Mr. Maxon?”

Maxon, who had expected Ethan to simply order tea if he refused, flinched at the sight of Ethan calmly scanning the menu, as if he’d heard an amusing joke.

“…I’ll have a light sandwich.”

“Then I’ll have pasta.”

Ethan offered a slight smile to the slightly flushed Maxon and naturally tapped the electronic menu.

At a table slightly apart from them, Liam and Kyle hunched their heads, pretending to focus on their electronic menus, and whispered.

“Seeing him talk so eloquently, brazenly, and without hesitation, even sitting this close face-to-face, it doesn’t seem like he’s smitten.”

Liam muttered, tapping the largest steak on the menu, as Kyle subtly shook his head and added two pasta dishes.

“No, don’t you remember how Ethan was staring blankly for a long time earlier? Besides, he’s the third son of the Ancaster family. And their age difference is almost negligible.”

“‘Young’ and ‘Ancaster’… those two words together are indeed a bit dangerous.”

“Should I report it to Lord Bliss?”

Just as Kyle subtly pulled out his tablet and typed a few characters, Liam, who had been watching Ethan, instantly appeared at the next table, seizing Maxon’s wrist, which had been extended toward Ethan.

“…Liam?”

Ethan, surprised, asked Liam, who had suddenly teleported from a nearby table to restrain Maxon. However, Liam, with a dry tone, was instead warning Maxon.

“Do not make contact with Lord Ethan so carelessly.”

“Liam, what’s wrong? Mr. Maxon, I’m sorry. My Guard is too sensitive—”

Ethan apologized frantically. However, Maxon, completely unfazed, merely glanced at the hand Liam had grabbed. And then.

“Ugh!”

Ethan quickly recoiled as he saw Liam reverse-teleport back to his original table. Simultaneously, Kyle, who had swiftly approached, subdued and pinned Maxon down using only pure physical combat.

*Crash!*

As a chair toppled and a commotion erupted, all eyes in the restaurant turned toward them.

*Ugh—*

Liam was retching, having been hit by his own technique in reverse.

[That guy really *is* an Interference-type Esper?!]

Ethan’s lips twisted into a wry smile as he heard Dongja’s frantic words and once again became the center of attention.

“I thought you were a model student who wasn’t interested in cheap rumors, Maxon, but I didn’t realize you’d go even further.”

As the usually soft-spoken Ethan spoke with a cold expression, looking at Maxon, who was pressed face-down on the table with his arm twisted, Kyle, who had been regulating his strength to avoid breaking the young Esper’s still-developing arm, subtly tightened his grip.

“Ugh…!”

Maxon groaned, unable to answer, so Ethan gave a wry smile and restrained Kyle.

“Please let him go.”

“But, Lord Ethan!”

“We were just about to shake hands naturally. Though I’m not sure what his ulterior motive might have been.”

Liam and Kyle were likely worried about the Crow, Oweol’s shield. From their perspective as Espers, Oweol’s shield was understood to be similar to the shields they themselves used. Interference-type Espers primarily interfered with others’ cognitive abilities and five senses, and with grueling repetitive training, it was even possible to temporarily make an opponent’s abilities their own and return them. Thus, Liam and Kyle must have reacted sensitively, believing that he could remove Oweol’s shield.

But what could they do? The Crow’s shield was possessed by a ghost.

Kyle, who had hesitantly relaxed his grip, did not completely release Maxon’s hand. Instead of urging him to let go again, Ethan laughed irritably. Since things had already come to this, he might as well take advantage of the situation.

*Thump!*

Ethan’s two hands landed on Maxon’s cheeks.

“Ugh, ugh! Woob-b-b!”

“…!!!”

Meaningless sounds erupted from Maxon as his face was kneaded like dough, but Ethan merely let out a snort.

“Now, do I look like your damn Guide? Go on, use your abilities to your heart’s content! Hey, Kyle, don’t let go.”

“…You told me to release him.”

Kyle, who had instinctively started to release Maxon’s arm, muttered and straightened his posture.

“Mr. Maxon, are you really my actual mentor?”

As Ethan asked, pulling Maxon’s cheeks hard from both sides, the faces of those watching around them crumpled automatically. ‘It must hurt.’

“Y-yes, ugh-h-h…!”

“Uh, Lord Ethan… The Ancaster family, though not involved in politics, is nobility… They’re nobles…”

Liam, who had regained his composure, almost ventriloquized his words to dissuade Ethan, but Ethan smiled brightly, an expression ill-suited to the situation.

“Oh my, I didn’t realize there was a hierarchy in academic achievement. Weren’t we meeting for supplementary learning? As an outstanding student and a special ‘parachute’ student?”

“Ubbub… Ah, pr-!”

His face, held by both hands and even shaken up and down, was pale where it was pinched, turning pink.

‘Oh dear.’

Just as Liam groaned in resignation, the restaurant erupted into a fresh commotion.

Kyle, who had been restraining Maxon, released his grip and immediately stood at attention. He froze, staring toward the entrance. Following his gaze, Liam turned his head and felt a slight fear as his superior, who had supposedly gone to the palace for business, approached in a perfect uniform, exuding an aura so imposing it seemed to fill the entire restaurant.

“This scene right now,”

Bliss said in a chilling voice, his gaze unwavering from Ethan, who was ‘caressing’ Maxon’s face, and Maxon, who was ‘blushing in embarrassment’.

“How exactly should I interpret it?”

Ethan, who had been bent over, ‘caressing’ Maxon’s face, slowly straightened up and surveyed his surroundings. The gazes directed at them were even more thrilling than before.

“Gasp…”

“It’s practically a drama…”

“Is he really not a multi-Guide…?”

Kyle’s eyes were glued to the screen of his superior’s extended tablet. It was the message he had accidentally hit ‘send’ on.

[Ancaster’s third son, Lord Ethan, and contac]

“…”

‘Ha.’

Ethan, who had suddenly become a devilishly charming Guide, took in everything before letting out a long sigh. He had intended to openly prove that he wasn’t a multi-Guide in front of everyone, but it was ruined. If it was ruined, there was no need to suppress his temper, was there?

After rationalizing the release of his surging temper, Ethan, aided by Iwol’s power, immediately grabbed the Esper by the collar, whose face was puffy and shriveled, and pulled him up.

“Choke…!! This, a little…”

Maxon’s eyes widened as he was grabbed by the collar. It was almost unheard of for an Esper to be physically overpowered by a Guide. Those around them would assume he was deliberately allowing it due to some transgression against the Guide, but in reality, he was struggling quite hard to break free from Ethan.

Without batting an eye, Ethan held Maxon by the collar and, as if to show off, presented him before Bliss. He thought it would be best to first appease his Esper, who was surely lost in delusions and digging himself a deeper hole.

“Bliss.”

“…I gather it’s not ‘that kind’ of contact.”

Kyle’s gaze drifted to the distant ceiling. He had indeed sent a misleading message, but he and Lord Bliss both knew it wasn’t ‘that kind of contact’.

“Are you done with your business?”

“…Yes.”

It was a response that came much later than before, but Ethan didn’t mind. He gently curved his eyes and spoke in a bright voice.

“Oh, good. Then buy me something delicious. I couldn’t eat anything because of this jerk.”

“…!!!”

The sight of the formidable Guide, holding a struggling Esper by the collar, acting endearingly toward Bliss, a cold-blooded Esper soldier famous for his expressionless demeanor in uniform, was utterly, completely, truly incongruous. Many faces, including Liam’s and Kyle’s, involuntarily twisted in disbelief. Even Maxon’s face, still clutched by the collar, was strangely contorted.

[Ugh.]

Dongja made a retching sound, but Ethan didn’t care.

“…Come to think of it, I haven’t eaten yet either.”

It had worked on Bliss, after all.

Watching Bliss turn and walk away with measured steps, unable to immediately show his softened demeanor, Ethan smirked, his lips curving upwards. Maxon, still held by the collar, stared blankly at the retreating figure of the famously cold Bliss Moore with disbelieving eyes, then choked out a sound as his neck was tightened again.

“Mr. Maxon hasn’t eaten yet either, so let’s go together. I have some questions too. Oh, before that, could you do something about the tablet devices in this restaurant?”

Maxon glared at Ethan with an incredulous expression. Although he was an Interference-type Esper, his abilities were limited to humans and, being only B-grade, his field range wasn’t wide. Yet Ethan spoke as if he could do anything, making it sound to everyone as if he was capable.

“That’s… for an E-electric-type… *choke*!”

Ethan, who continued to speak his mind regardless, dragged Maxon out of the restaurant entrance and called for Sawol.

[Hey! Ethan! I told you not to call Sawol when I’m around!]

Dongja, the boisterous child who hadn’t appeared in a while, chased after Ethan and Maxon, visibly disgusted. He then toyed with the tablets of the onlookers who had been secretly filming them.