Chapter 22: A Dangerous Proposition

“If the Center had bothered to care about such issues, Uncle Hans wouldn’t be agonizing over this now. No wonder he always seemed so reluctant whenever he had to go there….”

Ethan gritted his teeth, a sound almost audible.

Seeing Ethan’s distress, even more profound than Hans’s own, Bliss decided to add fuel to the fire.

“Apparently, throughout their guiding sessions afterward, Hans Palmer only ever heard commands like, ‘Suck it, swallow it.’”

Since Hans and his matching Guide had already been intimate, Hans must have developed a protective instinct and affection for the Guide.

This would have been reinforced with every guiding session, like a constant rumination, forcing him to accept even his matching Guide marrying another woman.

“Is there any way to sever the matching—no, that bastard—to cut off the matching and the support for that Guide?”

“Either the Guide dies, or Hans Palmer dies. Or, if neither of those, he could find a Guide capable of providing even higher purity guiding. But even a 30% matching rate isn’t easy to come by, so that’s practically impossible.

From the Center’s perspective, no Esper has died from lack of guiding, so they won’t take action. They wouldn’t even consider it.

Even if Hans Palmer were to die, that Guide would simply undergo another matching test and be assigned an Esper who only requires simple contact.”

Ethan closed his eyes.

Now, he understood why Uncle Hans had admired Henry Grace and Seth Moore, who seemed like a perfect couple.

He finally understood why Hans had repeatedly avoided his questions and changed the subject.

“Is there a way for an Esper registered with the Center to avoid being assigned a matching Guide from there? Lord Bliss, you don’t receive guiding from the Center, do you?”

“It’s commendable that you remembered, but in the Empire, Espers who can leave only basic registration information with the Center and have their matching Guides handled separately must either be nobles, military personnel, or affiliated with an Esper security firm. As you know, I am both a noble and a soldier.”

Even as he spoke, Bliss offered a wry smile.

He knew that a significant portion of his information still remained with the Center despite this.

After his first awakening, the Center had insisted on conducting various experiments on him under the guise of investigation.

Though they claimed it was done within limits that wouldn’t strain his body, as he was a central noble, those limits were based solely on an Esper’s physical standards.

Moreover, given that he had occasionally lost consciousness, there were likely many things he didn’t know.

The saving grace was that after his second awakening, they could no longer extract information from him. This was all thanks to Marquis Douglas Moore.

“So, Uncle Hans supporting his matching Guide and their family, but refusing to take them to Ashilton, is his petty revenge because the Guide actually wants to go to Ashilton?”

“Precisely. Hans Palmer’s Guide is supposedly a ‘painter.’”

“A… painter?”

“He seems to have some talent. But for an ambitious artist eager to make a name for themselves, a small city like Morapolio City wouldn’t suffice. He apparently made it a habit to constantly say he wanted to go to Ashilton and secure patronage from a central noble.”

“……”

Bliss couldn’t tear his eyes away from Ethan’s face, which displayed a myriad of shifting emotions.

His face, initially expressing surprise and then concentration, flared with anger for a moment before settling into a cold stillness.

After watching the silently furious Ethan for a long moment, Bliss voiced what he had been contemplating.

“It’s not that there’s no method at all. It would simply place a greater burden on Hans.”

Ethan’s head shot up.

Bliss almost found his gaze ensnared once more by Ethan’s gem-like, sparkling blue eyes.

Managing to avert his eyes with practiced ease, he continued in a detached tone.

“Hans would join a private security firm operated by a collateral branch of the Moore family as an Esper bodyguard. It might take some time to find a new Guide, but it would free him from the Center’s direct matching system.

The Center wouldn’t want to lose their Guide to a security firm, so they would naturally demand the matching be terminated. And if that happens….”

“Uncle Hans’s matching Guide won’t receive his support anymore, only the basic Center allowance, right? Until they’re matched with a new Esper! And they’ll be stuck in Morapolio City’s Center!”

“Exactly. However, I can’t guarantee that period will be long… Agh! What, what was that!”

Startled by Ethan, who had suddenly lunged and embraced him in his chair, Bliss involuntarily let out something akin to a yelp.

It was a moment that crumpled his usually dignified and elegant composure, but Bliss, acutely aware of Ethan’s presence, had no time to consider such things.

“Thank you! Thank you so much, Lord Bliss!”

“This, this is… let go…!”

Only then did Ethan realize the grave impropriety he had committed, and he hastily released his arms from Bliss’s waist, stepping back.

Bliss turned his head away, his face frozen in a cool expression, and quickly poured himself a drink, taking a sip.

His hand, gripping the glass, trembled slightly, but by consciously controlling the speed of his movements, he managed to make it appear quite natural.

“My apologies! I was so overjoyed that I committed a great impropriety!”

Of course, Ethan, who was vigorously bowing and apologizing without bothering to hide his joy, had no way of knowing the effort Bliss had just expended.

“……Isn’t it a bit premature to be so happy? Without a matching Guide, Hans will have to spend his own money frequenting private firms until he finds a new Guide.

And since it’s a job as an Esper bodyguard, he won’t be able to resume his original distribution business until after retirement.”

“Compared to the pain Uncle Hans has endured all this time, that’s nothing, I think. If Uncle Hans isn’t doing this because he feels he has to take responsibility for that bastard—no, that Guide—until the end, then I’ll persuade him no matter what.”

Bliss quickly stood up, sidestepping Ethan, who had spread his arms as if to embrace him again in his joy, and spoke somewhat abruptly.

“…You’re quite confident. Then go persuade him today and bring me the results tomorrow.”

“Thank you, truly, thank you! Lord Bliss! I will certainly repay this kindness someday!”

Ethan bowed politely, a deep bow, and then vanished out the door as if running.

Only then did Bliss collapse onto the sofa, letting out a long sigh.

‘Damn it. Why, of all people, to a mere civilian child who isn’t even a Guide?’

The moment Ethan’s arms wrapped around his waist, Bliss felt a dangerous sensation grip him, a tightening below his navel.

If Ethan had embraced him one more time in that state, his embarrassing condition would have been exposed.

He glanced down at himself, then gulped down his drink.

He knew drinking more would quickly bring on a headache, but he desperately needed the alcohol.

****

[Ethan, are you really going to tell Hans? Won’t it be dangerous? What if Hans tries to take advantage of you? Don’t do anything foolish!]

As Yuwol, the familiar, fussed and tried to dissuade him, Ethan scoffed.

“Quiet. Hans isn’t the type to take advantage of me, but do you think Palwol would just stand by and let it happen? And you too. If you just watched, you’d be the bad guy. Though, I suppose you might. The others wouldn’t, though. Even Sawol.”

[Don’t compare me to some mere mangnyang! I was speaking hypothetically; how could you compare me to that lunatic?]

“You’re a charlatan. You barely get anything right. Don’t talk to me. I’m out of breath!”

[I get two out of ten right!]

Ethan scoffed at Yuwol’s words and ran until he was completely out of breath.

Bang!

Ethan burst into the house, slamming the now unsecured door shut with a loud thud, and found Hans, who had emerged upon hearing the noise.

“…Ethan?”

“Uncle Hans!”

“Why did you run until you were so out of breath? Did you hear something unpleasant from Lord Bliss at the mansion?”

Ethan drained the glass of water Hans offered him in one gulp, only then managing to calm his breathing.

Hans wore a bitter expression, as if he could guess why Ethan was like this.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you myself. I thought Lord Bliss would explain it to you better, less emotionally than I would.

And I apologize for being so narrow-minded. I spoke to Marquis Douglas Moore, so you can go to Ashilton alone…”

“Uncle, wait, just wait. Who said you were narrow-minded? On the contrary, you’re too kind, which is why you can only get so angry.”

“Ethan, I…”

“If it were me, I would have ruined that bastard Guide and that woman by any means necessary. Even if it meant borrowing the power of gwi.”

Speaking with 100% sincerity, yet sounding almost like a joke, Ethan took Hans’s drooping hands in his own.

The moment Oweol the crow’s shield vanished, and Ethan stood before Hans as a complete multi-Guide,

“……H-huh!”

Hans, whose hands Ethan still held, gasped, stopping his breath, and stared at Ethan with wide eyes.

“Come with me. Throw away that worthless Guide, that pathetic matching rate. As long as you’re an Esper, Uncle Hans, you’ll have to meet another Guide eventually, but even if you fall in love with a civilian, I’ll make it possible.

Let’s find ‘someone Hans Palmer can love’ again, not just someone an Esper is forced to love because they’re a Guide!”

“……!!”