Chapter 57: The Decadent Prince and the Entangled Guide

Crash—!

A thrown wine bottle struck an ornate porcelain vase.

The blue-patterned vase, which had been treasured and meticulously cared for over many years, swayed precariously, toppling the smaller ornaments beside it.

With a tumultuous crash, red wine, gushing like blood, splattered across the painting adorning the wall and cascaded onto the marble floor. Marchioness Annabelle Moore let out a small shriek at the sight.

“Oh no! That precious painting…!”

“Is it a painting the Marchioness herself gifted?”

Huey Cloud, who had been attending the party, inquired with an indifferent tone. Though his question was directed at Marchioness Annabelle Moore, his eyes were fixed intently on Devon Green.

“No, it isn’t. But it’s a piece that has endured for ages, far too long to be sullied by wine now.”

Shatter—!

As even the wine glass Devon Green held shattered against the painting, she sighed regretfully and muttered.

“My goodness, I wonder if the palace’s antique restorers will even be able to repair it.”

Her face was pale as she spoke, striving to maintain her aristocratic dignity as much as possible. It seemed as though Devon Green was smashing the opulent room in a fit of pique, yet his expression was as serene as if he were enjoying a pleasant conversation, or perhaps a leisurely tea time.

And Huey Cloud was treating Devon Green’s outrageous behavior with his usual composure, as if nothing were amiss. To her, who had only ever known Devon Green as the most arrogant and aristocratic of men, this scene was nothing short of shocking.

Crash—! Thud!

“……Aunt Annabelle.”

Annabelle, whose name had been called so abruptly, bowed her head in response, unable to conceal her confusion.

“P-Prince Devon.”

Devon Green, having overturned a chair and a heavy side table, drew a ragged breath and swept back his disheveled hair. As his beautiful face was revealed, beads of sweat trickled down, exuding a decadent beauty.

Huey Cloud, who had been taking in every detail of his Guide’s appearance, swallowed hard.

“That Guide, whose origins are utterly unknown, appears to truly be Bliss Moore’s Guide…”

Annabelle’s grip tightened on the folded fan she held firmly in her hand.

Royal children became ‘Whites’ if their abilities didn’t manifest by the age of twelve. While some were granted the ‘Green’ surname based on their manifestation and capabilities by adulthood, this was exceedingly rare.

This was because Guides and Espers possessing the exceptional qualities required by the royal family invariably underwent their first manifestation early on. The late King had loved Annabelle more, despite her being born at a later age than Prince Genoa, who was already a ‘Green’.

Genoa, who currently ruled the empire, had a strained relationship with the late King. Though it was a hushed rumor that Genoa was involved in the late King’s unexpectedly early demise, it was not entirely unfounded.

The discrimination between Genoa and Annabelle was so severe that she had no doubt she would become a ‘Green’. While she wasn’t the only child born to concubines or consorts, having monopolized the late King’s affection in her youth, she became the only ‘White’ among his unmanifested children, excluding those born to Lowell Green, the late King’s brother and a disgrace to the royal family.

“……They occasionally try to mimic nobility, but when you converse with them, their utterly vulgar manner of speech becomes apparent. While their appearance is pleasing, it’s difficult to expect any dignity. Furthermore, to kiss in front of so many people, like commoners frolicking in the town square? I simply cannot comprehend it.”

As she spoke, she recalled King Genoa, whose image superimposed itself over Devon Green.

Her misfortune stemmed from being a ‘White’. Meeting her father became increasingly difficult, and Genoa, the only one to bear the ‘Green’ surname without rivals, steadily pressured his father.

Even if he chanced upon Annabelle, he would deliberately show a look of displeasure, as if viewing something lowly. The arrogant and beautiful prince’s gaze seemed to crush her pride, yet his perfectly fitting ‘Green’ appearance only deepened her despair.

‘I am of royal blood.’

She bit her lip.

If she couldn’t become a ‘Green’, she had to possess something else of comparable standing.

Lineage, ability, appearance, wealth, and status—her son lacked nothing of the best. This paramount man was connected directly to her, a royal bloodline.

Before her father lost any more power, and to decisively neutralize Genoa’s inscrutable checks while appearing advantageous to him, there was only one path. Choosing the eldest son of the Moore family was prudent because Seth Moore possessed wealth and power comparable to the royal family and was hailed as the finest Esper of his time.

It was a strategic marriage from which Genoa himself could also benefit.

Even amidst the ruined room, Devon sat with an elegant gesture, crossing his legs and smiling languidly.

“Our dear aunt seems quite upset. But what can be done? While the honor of your ‘flawless’ son may be tarnished, shouldn’t you, as a mother, endeavor to accept that Guide?”

The words Devon Green had deliberately chosen very successfully provoked her.

With a sharp *clack*, Annabelle placed the fan, its frame now broken, onto the table. She gripped the hem of her skirt with both hands and bowed her head slightly.

“As a mother, I must indeed try. If he cannot remember his parents, then perhaps there are parents searching for him. Since the Guide is exceptional, wouldn’t his parents be exceptional as well?”

Annabelle bowed respectfully toward the smiling Devon Green, then turned gracefully and exited the room.

Huey Cloud, who had been calmly observing from the table, rose from his seat, picked up her fan, and approached Devon Green, placing a hand on his shoulder.

It was an attempt to simultaneously read two things a C-grade Psychometry user shouldn’t be able to, but Devon merely frowned subtly. He allowed Huey Cloud to delve into his thoughts.

After all, there was only one thing on his mind at that moment.

A moment later, Huey Cloud let out a small, derisive chuckle and removed his hand.

“……Considering you’re thinking about failure, the conclusion is the same. Are you trying to buy time?”

“You can see it, can’t you? Bliss Moore’s Psychic Silence is fluid. It’s unlike mere drugs that yield fragmented results. I intend to try until the very last moment to make him come over willingly.”

Huey Cloud’s brow furrowed. He didn’t believe his persuasion would work, as Devon’s thoughts, which he was reading, perfectly matched the words he spoke. Yet, he persisted.

“……Research is ongoing regarding how a multi-Guide like His Highness Devon can continuously influence other Guides, little by little. The research data on Bliss Moore also includes sufficient experimental findings…”

Devon pulled Huey’s arm, forcing him to bow his head. As the cool breath of the handsome man became palpable just inches from Devon’s nose, he cupped Huey’s face with both hands and whispered.

“Huey, I deeply respect your experiments. That’s why I handed over the center’s confidential data. I hadn’t expected Baron Rex’s situation to unfold as it did, but your rampage-inducing agent worked perfectly on schedule. I merely hope that not even the smallest detail will jeopardize such crucial research.”

‘A lie. It was likely because the experiment was not small enough to escape the notice of King Genoa and Herace.’ Thoughts and words flowed differently. Devon Green, without any intention of concealing it, proudly deceived Huey Cloud, smiling right before his eyes.

“You respect my intellect and my experiments, but you don’t respect me. You need not worry about Baron Rex’s matter.”

After all, it was created based on the substance he himself generated, tailored specifically for Baron Rex. If they started from the components of existing rampage-inducing agents, they would never catch on.

Devon’s eyes curved into a smile.

“Huey, perhaps it’s because of Bliss, who just got a Guide and is acting like a child, but you seem rather sentimental today. I like you the most. You may even call me your lover. I believe many others already perceive us as such. If I didn’t like you, there would have been no need for me to conceal that your Psychometry ability is B-grade, not C, or that your secondary ability is B-grade Drug—the power to generate narcotic substances within your body.”

Devon liked him, but it was a liking born of necessity. His words were true, yet subtly deceptive. Still, Huey had to be content with that alone.

For Devon, a descendant of the royal family and holder of the Esper Guide Center Director’s authority, manipulating Esper information was a matter of far greater depth than if someone like Huey or Enoch were to do it.

Two rare compatibilities and an esteemed family—these were the reasons Devon Green would never let him go.

Psychometry was an ability both highly useful and greatly feared. The moment it manifested, he knew that if his C-grade or higher ranking became known, his social life would become incredibly difficult.

Though young, having been born and raised as the legitimate eldest son of a central noble family, he had to become politically astute from that moment onward.

Yet one day, he experienced a secondary manifestation, marked by symptoms entirely unlike Esper manifestation, such as unexplained vomiting and fever. He despaired.

The Cloud family held a unique position in the Esper Guide sector, unlike other pharmaceutical companies, partly due to its history as an institution under the Center. However, the primary reason was the occasional emergence of Drug ability users.

Their appearance was so intermittent that no genetic link could be proven, leading to the official declaration of no relation, which was largely true. Nevertheless, the Moore family occasionally produced Shadow abilities, the Ancaster family Interference abilities, and the Cloud family, Drug abilities.

The ‘Drug’ ability was a rare compatibility, but if it were known that he possessed it, he could never become the family head. A family head capable of generating drug components within their body would also possess sufficient power and authority to manipulate experimental data, which would be fatal to the pharmaceutical company’s credibility.

For this reason, ability and authority had always been necessarily separated. While treated with respect, a Drug ability user was strictly confined to the role of providing components. This rule, however, did not apply if the components they provided could not be produced or analyzed by modern technology.

Devon Green desired Huey Cloud for his rare abilities and as the head of the Cloud family for his social standing. Therefore, Huey, who was already Devon’s Esper, discussed it with Devon and kept his own abilities hidden.

The Moore family, where both father and son manifested Shadow abilities, was the first such case. Consequently, the empire’s nobles might perceive the acceptance of Shadow abilities as more ordinary compared to other powers.

Yet, he knew.

Before Ethan Prescott appeared, Devon had been weighing him against Bliss, who possessed two S-grade compatibilities—one rare and one common water-manipulating ability—while he himself possessed two rare compatibilities, both an ambiguous B-grade.

He swallowed a bitter sigh, gazing into the olive-colored eyes that were now so close they seemed to meld with his own. He was just another foolish Esper, enchanted by his Guide.

“Grant me a reward, so that I may refrain from retaliating against that commoner who believes mere embraces and your occasional, condescending kisses constitute the entirety of my guiding.”

Devon Green curved his lips into a painted smile. Naturally, repeated mucous membrane contact guiding was necessary to induce imprinting. Though they hadn’t engaged in direct sexual acts, having guided Huey Cloud longer than any of his other Espers, he knew how to effectively appease him.

‘Has Enoch Cloud’s Guide fully recovered?’ Opening his mouth to receive the hot tongue, Devon allowed his thoughts to flow into Huey’s mind.