Chapter 42: The Eight Gwi and the Impatient Esper

“Must we really go to such lengths?”

Bliss, his senses finally returned, lifted his hands, his face rigid with displeasure. The glossy black handcuffs rattled, producing a heavy, clanking sound. One cuff already encircled his wrist, while the other was poised to be secured to the bed frame.

These particular handcuffs contained eighty percent Echanetium, a material renowned for effectively dampening Esper energy and frequently used in Esper shelters.

Naturally, they couldn’t completely neutralize an Esper’s power; there were limitations depending on the individual. For instance, even a shelter made of one hundred percent Echanetium could not contain the rampage of a high-grade Esper.

However, these Echanetium-infused handcuffs, restraining Bliss’s hands, served as a sufficiently annoying deterrent. They prevented him from impulsively attacking Ethan should his self-control falter again, all while working in conjunction with an Esper’s innate desire to protect their Guide.

“Yes, this much is necessary,” Dr. Sera replied, her tone firm. “Otherwise, you won’t maintain an appropriate distance from Ethan and accept his guiding properly.”

“I can be careful even if you release them.”

Bliss’s fierce gaze, challenging their doubt of his self-restraint, swept over Dr. Sera, Philip, and the other Espers nearby. Yet, Liam, Kyle, and Chase met his stare with expressions no different from Dr. Sera’s.

“And yet, you’re the one who embraced Ethan and unleashed a Psychic Silence on your own allies?” Liam retorted, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

“I understand completely,” Kyle began, launching into a lengthy explanation. “When I first met my matched Guide, my world truly changed. I was about fifteen at the time, and Rossa and I had a forty-six percent matching rate, which is relatively high.”

He continued, “I nearly went mad with joy back then, but even so, guiding above a certain level was prohibited until I became an adult. You know the regulations well, don’t you? It’s meant for gradual acclimation over time, yet you, Colonel, are doing this past thirty, and with a matched Guide over seventy percent. I can’t even imagine what that must feel like.”

“Oh, so you married them?” Ethan asked, his curiosity piqued. Kyle nodded decisively.

“They even enlisted alongside me,” Kyle explained. “I wanted them to live comfortably after we married, so I retired from service. Yet here I am, back on the battlefield. Liam and I both wish to return to our barracks, to our partners and wives.”

He sighed. “In principle, we should be taking turns on sentry duty outside, but someone kept indiscriminately unleashing Psychic Silence, blurring the lines between friend and foe.”

Kyle’s gaze, which practically screamed, ‘So shut up, put on the handcuffs, lie down, and just hold hands,’ was quite menacing. Ethan, though trying to hold steady, noticed Liam, Kyle, and Chase’s hands trembling. He turned to look at his Esper, the one responsible for this entire situation.

As Bliss subtly averted Ethan’s gaze, Dr. Sera and Philip’s lips curled into slight sneers. Even then, Bliss still clung tightly to Ethan’s hand, not offering a single word of appreciation to them for their efforts, which they found utterly galling.

“For now, at least open these and use them.”

Dr. Sera pulled Ethan’s lucky pouches from a large bag and handed one to each of them. Chase, with trembling hands, hastily opened his pouch and his eyes widened. The guiding effect provided immediate relief, like potent first aid, and he let out a small gasp of admiration. Seeing this, Liam and Kyle quickly opened their own pouches, their tremors subsiding.

“You’ve all suffered so much, so take one more each.”

At Dr. Sera’s generous offer, dispensed as casually as if she were handing out snacks, Bliss finally growled. He had endured the situation, acknowledging his own fault in needing even one pouch, but two was too much.

“Those are mine.”

However, Chase, who had already opened his pouch, let out a sigh and shook his head.

“Even the headache is completely gone. I feel like I can finally live again.”

Ethan, for his part, was observing the pouches and their effects. The fist-sized pouches, though small, had only briefly alleviated a headache for Bliss, who had already received some guiding. For Hans, however, they had provided a considerably longer guiding effect.

It was the first time he had witnessed two such fist-sized pouches acting as effective first aid for A-grade Espers, depleted after being hit by Psychic Silence.

Silence.

Bliss, with a hint of impatience on his face, attempted to pull Ethan closer. Yet, his efforts were immediately thwarted by Liam and Kyle.

*Click.*

The other handcuff was now secured to the bed. Between the two beds, a table, nearly flush with their height, was placed for easy hand placement. Dr. Sera directed her stern warning more towards Ethan than Bliss.

“Ethan, dear,” she instructed, “just extend your hand from your bed. There’s no need to deliberately focus on guiding tonight. You simply need to imagine your ki flowing into Bliss little by little, like an IV drip.”

At that moment, Bliss’s voice interjected. “A light hug is fine if I’m shielded. I just want to hold *you*, Ethan.”

Ethan’s blue eyes flickered at Bliss’s tempting suggestion, prompting Dr. Sera to narrow her eyes and glare at Bliss, mercilessly crushing his ploy.

“Shields can’t prevent mucosal contact,” she reminded him sharply. “You could lose control and assault him again, Bliss. So, the solution is not to get close at all. Oh, unless you *want* to knock Bliss out with guiding shock again. Though there’s a slight risk of cardiac arrest, of course.”

“Losing control to *that* extent…” Philip muttered quietly, glancing nervously between them, but Dr. Sera paid him no mind.

“In a few days, you’ll be able to maintain your composure even while hugging him. Just wait until then, Bliss.”

“…I’ve waited too long already.”

The low murmur silenced the entire barracks.

Yes, that was true. Bliss Moore’s uncharacteristic behavior now was born of the sheer impatience of having waited far too long for his Guide. He had, indeed, endured an understandable amount of time.

“W-well then, rest comfortably.” Chase, with a habitual remark that further grated on Bliss’s already frayed nerves, ushered the others out of the barracks.

“Rest comfortably, my foot.”

Bliss grumbled as he lay back on the bed, reaching for the bedside table.

“Give me your hand, Ethan.”

Ethan hesitated, his face flushing slightly, before extending his hand. Before he could fully offer it, Bliss, unable to wait, clasped his fingertips the moment they made contact.

Ethan vaguely waved his other arm, switching off the lamp near his bed. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he quietly addressed Bliss.

“…Which one should I tell you about first?”

*Pffft.* Bliss let out a soft, almost deflated chuckle.

“The pouch gwi, the dog gwi, the gwi that eats rice, and… though I’m not entirely sure, I think there’s a water gwi too…”

“Ha… ha, ha…” Ethan lay there, cold sweat trickling down his back.

“Is the gwi that conceals your guiding abilities also one of those attached to you?”

“That would be Oweol… they’re a crow…”

After a long silence, Bliss finally asked, “…Exactly how many gwi are attached to you?”

“…E-eight.”

*Haha.* Ethan chuckled awkwardly again, claiming he felt like sweating despite the unseasonably cool weather.

Another brief silence fell, and in Bliss’s mind, Ethan’s past spending habits began to surface.

“What offerings should I give them? Beyond fine cloth, rice, or meat… would jewels also be appropriate?”

“To all eight gwi?”

Bliss gently tickled Ethan’s palm with his fingers, still holding his hand.

“Haven’t they been by your side all this time, leading you to mine now? We should be grateful.”

Ethan could feel his gwi stirring excitedly, delighting in the attention. Dongja, particularly thrilled, urged Ethan on.

[Ethan. Just hurry up and sleep with Bliss! I want to talk to Bliss too! Or at least ask the chef if they can make that strawberry pie we had for dessert more often!]

Ethan gritted his teeth. If physical intimacy occurred, Bliss would be able to sense the gwi. And if they were to become intimate, he would be able to see them. Considering that Ethan’s own father could see his mother’s gwi general, there was a high probability Bliss would experience the same.

‘Ah, I really don’t want to think about that.’

Palwol rarely appeared, so they weren’t much of an issue normally. His parents likely never perceived them as a problem at all. However, Ethan currently had quite a few troublemakers attached to him.

“Hmm. I’ll explain the gwi to you. You’ll probably start sensing them soon, Bliss. Uncle Hans says he can faintly feel my gwi, too.”

*Clang!*

Ethan was startled by the sudden, painful squeeze on his hand and opened his eyes, which he had subtly closed. He felt Bliss bolt upright, now sitting on the bed and staring intently at him.

“…Hans?”

Ethan also sat up on the bed, covering the back of Bliss’s hand with his own and patting it reassuringly, as if to say, ‘Don’t worry.’

“I agreed to guide Uncle Hans until he finds a good partner. Don’t worry, it’s just a light hug, like between family… B-Bliss?!”

*Clank, clatter!*

Bliss was shaking and twisting the Echanetium handcuffs that had vexed him endlessly. The thick cuffs, designed for Espers, began to bend. Finally, the water from a nearby cup sharpened itself into a blade, slicing through the metal.

Ethan’s jaw dropped in utter astonishment, watching Bliss render the Echanetium handcuffs—designed to partially defend against Esper abilities—useless with mere brute force and a bit of water. However, Bliss, his entire focus consumed by the thought of Hans Palmer and Ethan’s hug, gave no thought to what he had just done.

“Ethan, come here! Hans Palmer *hugged* you, but I… I’m supposed to just hold your hand and sleep? Do you honestly think that makes any sense right now?!”

With a surge of possessiveness, Bliss finally pulled Ethan fully into his embrace.

“B-Bliss! Dr. Sera said… no hugging yet…”

“What nonsense is that? You’re my Guide, and I’m your Esper.”

“But…”

“Hug me.”

“…!!”

Bliss pleaded, rubbing his cheek against Ethan’s neck. Ethan had to struggle to compose himself, his heart pounding so fiercely he feared it might burst from his chest.

Ethan, who had been momentarily mesmerized, snapped back to full awareness when Bliss’s lips brushed past his neck, feigning a cheek rub. Bliss was attempting to seduce him again.

‘Ha. He’s lost it again.’

Ethan muttered coldly, gazing at the Esper who held him tightly and was now trying to kiss him.

“Iwol.”

*Thump!*

The stupidly strong Iwol instantly pushed Bliss away, preventing him from clinging to Ethan.

“Ugh!”

The bed sagged, and Bliss let out a groan. He tried to move, but an unknown, heavy force held him fast, refusing to release him.

“That child is Iwol. They’re very kind, but incredibly strong. And they eat a *lot* of rice…”

With Bliss held firmly in place, and still holding his hand, Ethan began to explain his eight gwi.

****

“Haa… what a boisterous, terrifyingly doting Esper…”

In the disheveled room, Dr. Sera sighed, finally bringing down the hammer with a ruling of ‘isolation’ and ‘regular visits in an open space.’

Observing Bliss, who was frozen in shock, Liam, Kyle, and Chase—all veterans in Esper-Guide relationships—dared to cluck their tongues at their superior, their expressions conveying utter exasperation.