Chapter 7:
Only then did Seo Jae-yi realize.
Ah, this is the instinct of a dying Esper searching for their Guide.
‘So this is what it feels like.’
Espers, from the moment they awaken, are thrust onto a battlefield. This isn’t limited to dungeon raids.
They suffer from the power that consumes their bodies, endure a constant thirst for Guiding, and experience a perpetual sense of marching towards death.
But when they receive Guiding, all this suffering vanishes. It’s a literal escape from the battlefield, a taste of peace.
Therefore, Espers are inherently vulnerable to Guides, and they instinctively seek connection with the Guides who can save their lives. An instinct to find them, no matter where they are.
Seo Jae-yi, who had never met a compatible Guide, was experiencing this instinct for the first time.
My Guide, the only person who can save me…
Swept away by this unfamiliar instinct, she unconsciously started to approach him, but her eyes met Kwon Yi-soo’s.
His icy gaze jolted her back to reality.
‘No! Snap out of it!’
She couldn’t let Kwon Yi-soo find out. He would drag her away, so she had to pretend she didn’t notice anything.
Seo Jae-yi quickly averted her gaze. She needed to bring up the dungeon and distract Kwon Yi-soo…
“We’ve met before, haven’t we?”
…But she never expected him to acknowledge her first. And not only that, he was approaching her!
His leisurely gait exuded an air of authority that rivaled even the dictatorial Kwon Yi-soo.
Perhaps it was because he was the Guide who could save her, or maybe she had a guilty conscience, or perhaps it was that strange sense of déjà vu she had been experiencing. Whatever the reason, Seo Jae-yi couldn’t bring herself to avoid him.
“You wouldn’t say you don’t recognize me, would you?”
Baek Joo-won smiled as he stood before her. Surprisingly, the smile softened his otherwise harsh features, creating a warm atmosphere.
“O-of course I remember you, customer. I could never forget you.”
“Then why were you trying to sneak away?”
That was for your sake…
But she couldn’t say that with Kim Yoo-sung and Kwon Yi-soo glaring at them. She was trapped between a rock and a hard place.
“Ah, have you perhaps changed your mind about paying for the dry cleaning?”
“No! Of course not! I’ve been waiting for it!”
She swore she had no intention of skipping out on the payment. It was just bad timing.
“But could you please come to the shop? I can’t give you the money right now…”
“Alright, I will.”
Seo Jae-yi sighed in relief at his agreeable response.
“Seo Jae-yi, what’s going on?”
She flinched at Kim Yoo-sung’s puzzled voice from behind. She had to send Baek Joo-won away before Kwon Yi-soo became even more curious.
“Ah, I’m sorry. I’m with someone right now. Please come to the shop for the dry cleaning fee. Or rather, I’ll buy you a new suit. I’ll be waiting!”
So please leave. Leave now! Before the dictator notices!
Seo Jae-yi pleaded silently.
But as always, things rarely went her way.
“Then next time…”
Just as Baek Joo-won turned to leave…
“Ah.”
“Oh?”
Seo Jae-yi and Kim Yoo-sung gasped simultaneously.
Seo Jae-yi in lament, Kim Yoo-sung in surprise.
“…Guiding?”
As Baek Joo-won turned, a gentle, warm breeze swept past them.
But it wasn’t an ordinary breeze. It was the energy of Guiding, the energy that calmed Espers.
‘His ability leaked out!’
Seo Jae-yi gritted her teeth.
While Guiding was strongest through physical contact, it could also soothe Espers through a radiative method, where the energy was emitted outwards.
However, in this case, it was the uncontrolled leakage of energy from an untrained Guide. His body must have instinctively sensed the presence of an Esper in need of Guiding nearby.
Beep, beep. Seo Jae-yi and Kim Yoo-sung’s watches beeped simultaneously. Kwon Yi-soo also heard the sound clearly.
“…Seo Jae-yi, how much did your level drop?”
The perceptive Kwon Yi-soo immediately understood the implications.
He asked, but Seo Jae-yi remained silent, not even glancing at her watch.
“Guild Leader Kim Yoo-sung, how much did yours decrease?”
Instead of pressing Seo Jae-yi, Kwon Yi-soo redirected his question to Kim Yoo-sung.
“…It dropped by 1%.”
Kim Yoo-sung, unaware of the situation, answered honestly. Seo Jae-yi squeezed her eyes shut.
“That man is a Guide. Judging by his cluelessness, it seems he awakened recently.”
Kwon Yi-soo reached a conclusion.
She had desperately tried to prevent this, but it had happened anyway.
“Excuse me.”
Kwon Yi-soo strode towards Baek Joo-won, blocking his path. Baek Joo-won’s face hardened as he was abruptly stopped.
“What is it?”
It was an excessively harsh reaction for someone who was simply being asked to step aside.
Both Seo Jae-yi, fidgeting nervously, and Kim Yoo-sung, observing the situation, widened their eyes.
It had been a while since they had seen someone speak so rudely to the dictator who ruled the Guiding Center. Seo Jae-yi and Kim Yoo-sung, who had both suffered at Kwon Yi-soo’s hands, felt a secret sense of satisfaction.
“I am Kwon Yi-soo, Head of the Korean Guide Management Center.”
However, Kwon Yi-soo remained unfazed and presented his business card.
“Yes, and?”
Baek Joo-won didn’t even glance at the card.
Seo Jae-yi bit her lip and nudged Kim Yoo-sung’s side.
“Guild Master, let’s recruit him to our Guild as soon as his mandatory service is over.”
Kim Yoo-sung silently agreed with her quiet suggestion, uttered just loud enough for Kwon Yi-soo not to hear. He was indeed a desirable asset.
“The two people here are Espers. Judging by their reactions, it seems you have awakened as a Guide. As the Head of the Korean Guide Management Center, I recommend you undergo an Awakening assessment.”
Kwon Yi-soo stated his purpose directly, cutting to the chase.
“Guide? Awakening?”
Baek Joo-won looked at Kim Yoo-sung behind Kwon Yi-soo and then shifted his gaze to Seo Jae-yi. When their eyes met, she quickly hid behind Kim Yoo-sung.
“According to international law, anyone suspected of Awakening must undergo an assessment. Refusal may result in penalties.”
“Penalties, huh? That sounds quite frightening. I wouldn’t want to face any unknown consequences, so I’ll willingly comply. Can we go right now?”
She had expected him to be suspicious and resistant, but he surprisingly agreed.
Seo Jae-yi, peeking from behind Kim Yoo-sung, gaped slightly.
Did he perhaps have no aversion to Awakening?
Then did she have a chance? She hoped so.
“A Center staff member will escort you.”
Kwon Yi-soo instructed an accompanying staff member to take Baek Joo-won for the assessment.
Baek Joo-won glanced at Seo Jae-yi once more before willingly leaving with the staff member.
“Seo Jae-yi, do you know him?”
Seo Jae-yi, watching Baek Joo-won’s retreating figure, nodded in response to Kim Yoo-sung’s question.
“He’s a customer at my shop. I accidentally drenched him with water before.”
“How exactly does one accidentally drench a customer with water?”
She hoped he wouldn’t ask for details.
“Ah.”
At that moment, Kwon Yi-soo strode towards Seo Jae-yi and grabbed her left wrist, checking the display on her watch. Seo Jae-yi flinched at his touch.
【Overload Progress — 47%】
“…What’s with this level?”
Kim Yoo-sung, who had been glaring at Kwon Yi-soo for manhandling Seo Jae-yi once again, widened his eyes at the number displayed on the watch.
It had been 50% when she received Guiding through contact with Kwon Yi-soo, but now it was 47%?
How long had it been since Seo Jae-yi’s overload level had been at 47%? He hadn’t seen it that low in at least two years.
And since Kwon Yi-soo hadn’t done it, this meant…
“Don’t tell me…”
Kim Yoo-sung’s gaze darted around frantically, but Baek Joo-won was already gone.
‘Could it be that man?’
His own level had only dropped by 1% from the radiative Guiding, while Seo Jae-yi’s had decreased by a significant 3%, even though it was only for a brief moment.
Perhaps, just perhaps, the Matching Rate between that man and Seo Jae-yi was incredibly high.
‘With luck, it could even reach 60%.’
Hope blossomed for Seo Jae-yi, who had received a terminal diagnosis. Kim Yoo-sung clenched his fists excitedly.
“…Hah.”
Unlike the elated Kim Yoo-sung, Kwon Yi-soo let out a hollow laugh. His gaze remained fixed on Seo Jae-yi’s overload level.
“…It seems a promising Guide has appeared, so I should return to the Center. This must be quite exciting for you, Guild Leader Kim Yoo-sung.”
He continued staring at her level for a moment longer before releasing her wrist and turning away with a cold expression.
“That bastard is always so unpleasant.”
After Kwon Yi-soo left, Kim Yoo-sung meticulously wiped Seo Jae-yi’s wrist with a handkerchief, where Kwon Yi-soo had grabbed her.
“Burn it. It’s tainted with bad luck.”
Seo Jae-yi laughed for a while at his serious tone before snapping her fingers. The handkerchief burst into flames, quickly turning to ash. She would have to buy him a new one later.
“But Seo Jae-yi, that man…”
“Hmm?”
“…Never mind, we’ll talk later. You said you were going to see Seo Won-yeong today.”
“Ah, that’s right!”
With all the commotion, she had completely forgotten. Oh no, her little sister must be eagerly awaiting her arrival.
“Let’s go. I’ll take you. And we have things to discuss on the way.”
“Ah, I need to pick up the cake.”
Seo Jae-yi and Kim Yoo-sung headed back to the cafe where she had left the cake. Suddenly, she felt a sensation on her wrist and looked down.
A faint mark remained on her left wrist, where Kwon Yi-soo had gripped her.
To leave a mark on an Esper’s skin, which was resistant to injury, he must have used considerable force.
‘He really has a terrible personality.’
No wonder Kim Yoo-sung always cursed him.
Seo Jae-yi snorted and quickened her pace.
The mark on her wrist had already vanished.