Chapter 33: The Weight of a Guide’s Role

“Territory wars, you say?”

Ethan paused, his hand still diligently scribbling notes on the tablet, a task he undertook to memorize the names of the nobles.

As new nations emerged, territorial expansion wars erupted everywhere. Aitoolia, which had rapidly absorbed neighboring countries and become an empire through strong monarchical power and Esper nobles, had ceased its expansion over 50 years ago to consolidate its internal affairs. Yet, it remained a land of incessant disputes and battles.

Among the regions Aitoolia had assimilated, some possessed established state-like systems, while others did not. These groups, which had merely declared themselves nations, often settled into autonomous forms after subjugating themselves to a stronger country.

As a monarchy with established noble autonomous territories, Aitoolia was one of the nations that could largely satisfy their conditions. Naturally, territory wars occurred among them.

The Aitoolian government did not prohibit the autonomous regions from engaging in these conflicts. Instead, they leveraged these disputes to expand their internal dominance, weighing the gains and losses to mediate or side with factions, thereby weakening their independent powers.

“That’s right. That’s why Hans Palmer will be coming to Ashilton a little earlier than planned. Lord Bliss recommended Mr. Hans Palmer as one of the Esper Guards to be stationed near you. In fact, a training officer is currently on a business trip to Morapolio City just for Mr. Hans Palmer, as he needs to undergo basic Esper Guard training.”

“But Uncle Hans…”

Concern clouded Ethan’s face. While Hans was an Esper, he hadn’t received the specialized training of professional guards, nor was he a former soldier. Doctor Sera, discerning Ethan’s unspoken worries, let out a long sigh.

“You can interact with Hans Palmer as you normally would. He will be listed as a protected individual for the other guards assigned to you. After all, there’s no excuse for Lord Bliss’s personal guard not to accompany him to a battlefield, other than to protect a Guide.”

“…I see. But if I don’t go, won’t Lord Bliss be suspected?”

Having already experienced a major war, Ethan understood all too well the grave danger of Bliss leading an Esper unit without a Guide.

“Thank you for your concern. But there’s nothing you can do there, Ethan. Lord Bliss has already fought many battles without a Guide. That’s why I’m here.”

“…!!”

Sera gently patted Ethan’s shoulder, a hint of regret in her expression.

“Didn’t you say it last time, Ethan? That the periods when he can no longer endure are becoming increasingly frequent.”

“…Yes.”

“That’s correct. Lord Bliss goes into battle swallowing painkillers five times the strength typically taken by an Esper, thanks to Enoch Cloud’s help. Lord Enoch is reluctant to administer the medication due to its side effects, but a soldier cannot avoid a conflict zone.”

Even as she spoke, Doctor Sera’s voice was heavy with worry.

“As a result, Lord Bliss’s seizure cycles have become faster and more irregular compared to other Espers without Guides. For now, we can barely predict the cycles and get him into the bunker, but soon, it will be difficult to even call them ‘cycles.'”

Ethan’s face contorted.

“Why, on earth… to that extent… if he just got help from the Center…”

Given the existence of Esper units, military facilities naturally housed research centers dedicated to Espers. However, no matter how much information these military research facilities possessed, they couldn’t rival the Center’s unparalleled intelligence. Moreover, their access and research areas were restricted. The same applied to research facilities in pharmaceuticals and other related industries.

Doctor Sera had secretly established a research facility beneath Henry Grace’s residence and assembled a trusted dream team to conduct independent research, all to circumvent these restrictions. However, she had no intention of sharing such detailed information with Ethan. While she couldn’t share such a weighty secret, Sera, who had grown quite fond of Ethan, offered information about herself as an answer.

“Ethan, have you almost memorized all the information about the royal family and nobles?”

Ethan flinched, his neck drawing back at the sudden, stern, teacher-like question.

“Not entirely, but to some extent, yes.”

“My surname is White. Sera White. Born to His Highness Lowell Green, the young brother of His Majesty Elliot Green, the previous king, who raped an 18-year-old girl at the age of 43.”

“…!”

“My mother was always frail. She became even weaker after giving birth to me and was confined to her bed until she passed away when I was seven. Lowell Green, whom I never truly saw, took over as Center Director after Princess Anna Green, the previous director, died in battle, only to be removed in his later years for corruption.”

She never used the term ‘father.’

As Ethan stood frozen, eyes wide, she smiled as if it were nothing significant.

“Ethan, I am someone who holds considerable resentment toward the royal family. Yet, I am affiliated with the Moore family, the noblest of nobles. Although it was His Majesty’s command, it was Lord Seth Moore who removed Lowell Green.”

Ethan’s expression sobered. Instead of speaking directly about Bliss Moore, she was allowing him to roughly discern their circumstances through her own story. As he studied the royal genealogy, Ethan recalled that Bliss Moore’s mother, Marchioness Annabelle Moore, also had the surname ‘White’ before her marriage. Bliss himself was wary of his own mother.

“…I’m sorry to have troubled you, Sera.”

“Oh, not at all. So much has happened since I joined the Moore family that it no longer feels like a big deal. Nowadays, my attention is entirely focused on Lord Bliss’s seizures and the risk of his rampage.”

“Rampage?!”

At Ethan’s loud exclamation, Sera’s expression shifted to one of regret, but she soon nodded.

“This private residence of Lord Bliss was built to prepare for his rampage. Its donut-shaped structure is designed to contain him and collapse inward. The entire building is constructed with multiple layers of Ekanetium, the material used for Esper bunkers, and is designed to collapse inward during a crisis.”

Ethan’s mouth fell open. Sera smiled faintly and continued.

“This place might become Lord Bliss’s tomb, yet ironically, it’s also where he can sleep most peacefully. To that extent, Lord Bliss is now desperately in need of a true Guide, not a fake one. Do you know why we’re accepting you, Ethan?”

“……”

“Due to continuous painkiller use and combat, a Guide with water affinity and a 30% match is no longer effective. A Guide with multiple affinities. Furthermore, there is currently only one Guide in the entire Empire who matches his unique ability, Shadow, or whose matching rate exceeds 50%.”

“…Devon Green.”

Ethan murmured, almost a sigh, and closed his eyes.

****

Meeting Bliss, whose work hours at the palace grew earlier and dismissal times later as he prepared for deployment, proved more difficult than anticipated. Philip Wyman was equally busy, moving with Bliss, and Doctor Sera had departed for Morapolio City, claiming she had preparations to make at the mansion in Ethan and Hans’s former village.

With nothing else to do but memorize what Doctor Sera had given him or prepare for the semester, Ethan diligently began collecting fabric.

“Clothes Lord Bliss no longer wears, you mean?”

“Yes, ‘good clothes’ that are out of style, or ‘good handkerchiefs’ that aren’t being used, things like that.”

Dale Kenis looked at Ethan with a puzzled expression. Unworn clothes and handkerchiefs?

“What do you intend to use them for?”

Ethan offered an awkward smile. No matter how much he racked his brain, the only excuse he could come up with was that he was becoming a little odd.

“I’m so bored being confined to the building; I wanted to pick up a hobby like handicrafts and practice a bit.”

“…Handicrafts, you say. It is a good hobby. It would be ideal if someone within the mansion were skilled at sewing, but regrettably, there is no one at present. Shall I look into arranging an instructor?”

“Oh, when you put it like that, it makes me feel like I’m going to become some kind of artisan, haha. I’ll try to teach myself first, and if I really get into it, I’ll let you know.”

Dale, who had been scratching his chin in thought, nodded.

“There should be quite a few unworn clothes. I’ll have them sought out.”

“Thank you!”

Dale offered Ethan a comforting look, tinged with a bit of apology.

“Just bear with it a little longer. Lord Bliss said he would personally select the guards, so you should be able to go out soon.”

“That’s a relief. The building is incredibly spacious, but I’ve still felt quite cooped up.”

Ethan, who had faced many restrictions on movement even in Han’s village, initially thought he could easily endure a request to remain inside the building for safety. However, contrary to his expectations, he felt stifled.

The building was as vast as a sports field, complete with an artificial pond in the garden, but his past freedom to roam the rural village made him perceive this place as confining.

That evening, Ethan received five almost-new outfits that Bliss no longer wore, along with about thirty handkerchiefs that had misprinted logos or faulty stitching.

Chilbok, who had moved into a proper new wallet, mindful of Bliss and others, engaged in exploitative trade: spitting out a pouch once, then swallowing the larger pieces of fabric Ethan cut for them twice.

“Hey! Are you going to keep swallowing big pieces of fabric and spitting out small pouches?!”

Dongja grumbled, watching Ethan argue with the wallet.

[How are you going to deliver all this?]

“I’ll have to ask Uncle Hans for help.”

[How?]

“Say I collected them from the mansion.”

[…Always scheming, aren’t you? It’s getting worse, you know. Are you going to keep saying you brought them from the mansion every time? It’s not like the people here never go to that mansion.]

Oweol, the crow, who was gathering pouches and sorting them by size into a box, flapped their wings as if agreeing with Dongja.

“I don’t know. I’ll think about that when the time comes. Like last time, maybe Ilwol or you, Dongja, can help. We can say it feels like a ghost is following me.”

Ilwol, lying on the bed, yawned widely and rolled over. They had been sulking since arriving here, unable to run around freely, and this was their way of refusing to listen to Ethan.

Dongja crunched on Ethan’s cookie, narrowing their eyes.

[Do you like Bliss?]

Ethan instantly jumped up, vehemently denying it.

“Hah, how absurd! Really. What on earth makes you say that? Bliss and I have temporarily allied out of necessity. But the ally is sick, right? His Highness, Second Prince Devon Green, absolutely refuses, so who else would help? I can help, so I’m just doing my duty. I’ve received a lot of help too.”

Despite his smooth, flowing words, Dongja didn’t bat an eye, their lips curving into a wry smile.

[I think you like him.]

“Are you crazy? Do you want to die?”

[As you said, I’ve been dead for a long time.]

“Hey!”

Caw- The crow that had dragged the box over hopped around. Ethan, glancing down at the box, exploded in anger.

“You little bird!”

The lucky pouches were neatly arranged in a heart shape.

“No! It’s not!”

Ptui, ptui, ptui- Chilbok spat out about five pink lucky pouches in quick succession.