Chapter 77:
The fact that Seo Jae-yi was crying was more terrifying to Lee Seung-woo than being surrounded by dungeon plants that could attack him at any moment.
“…Baek Joo-won?”
Lee Seung-woo’s eyes naturally turned towards Baek Joo-won. His gaze seemed to be asking, “Did you make our respected Leader cry?” Baek Joo-won shook his head and then tilted it, pondering.
“…It’s a bit ambiguous to say it wasn’t my fault.”
As Lee Seung-woo’s eyes widened, Seo Jae-yi patted his shoulder.
“Sniff. Seung-woo, thank you for watching the shop. Sniff. I’ll send you your daily wage later, so you can go home now. I, sniff, have something to discuss with Baek Joo-won.”
“Leader, are you really okay?”
“Yes. I’ll tell you everything at the headquarters. Anyway, thank you for today. Sniff.”
Lee Seung-woo couldn’t shake off his suspicion, despite her words. He glared at Baek Joo-won until he left the shop.
He would regret his actions as soon as he returned to the headquarters.
“Come on, sit here.”
Seo Jae-yi led Baek Joo-won to a chair in the greenhouse, near a beautiful flowerbed, and placed a soft cushion on it. She covered his lap with a blanket with a pink bunny pattern and served him delicious fruit tea.
“Please wait here for a bit. I need to organize the plants I brought back.”
Baek Joo-won nodded, understanding that she had to plant the plants and water them quickly.
“Play with Logi while you wait. Logi must be stuffy from being in the bag. Get some rest.”
Seo Jae-yi took Airok out of the bag and brought them cookies.
She grabbed the spatial pouch filled with plants and rushed to the other side of the greenhouse.
“…”
Airok, left alone with Baek Joo-won, stared at his Master’s retreating figure with a pitiful expression, like a mouse before a tiger.
Talk to him? What was he supposed to talk about with this person?
Airok nibbled on the cookies, avoiding Baek Joo-won’s gaze.
“Hmm.”
Baek Joo-won, who had been staring at Airok, tapped the scarf around his neck with his finger. Airok jumped, startled.
“W-w-w-why are you doing that?”
“It looks good on you. Did Seo Jae-yi give it to you?”
Baek Joo-won smiled at him, but Airok felt a chill run down his spine, despite the innocuous words.
“…Hey, listen.”
“What?”
“Are you really going to be Master’s Pair? To save her?”
The smile vanished from Baek Joo-won’s face. His sudden change in expression was unsettling.
He didn’t answer and looked at Seo Jae-yi’s back, who was working on the other side. Her back, still clad in her combat uniform, didn’t seem small at all.
“You’re not thinking anything strange, are you?”
Baek Joo-won scoffed at Airok’s question.
“Strange thoughts?”
“…I want my Master to live a long life.”
“That’s strange. You’ve only known Seo Jae-yi for less than a month. Did you form some kind of bond in that short time? A monster worrying about a human’s life.”
“What does species matter? Monsters have feelings too.”
It was only natural for him to want the one he lived with to live.
Airok liked Seo Jae-yi. He wanted to see her healthy. He would be sad if she died soon.
“So please save her. You’re the only one who can.”
“You’re right. I’m the only one who can.”
Baek Joo-won looked at Seo Jae-yi again. She could hear their conversation if she wanted to, being an S-rank Esper, but she didn’t react, as if she was consciously blocking it out.
Well, even if she was listening, she wouldn’t show it.
“Don’t even think about doing anything strange. I’ll bite you.”
“Strange thoughts…”
That back, which seemed strangely large despite her small frame, that back that always stood strong, that back that never crumbled even as she was dying.
Yes, that back.
“…I do have some impure thoughts.”
He wanted to see that unyielding back crumble before him.
He didn’t have any other malicious intentions.
He just wanted to see her beg for his Guiding, like other Espers.
She was his Esper now. It was a selfish, yet natural desire for a Guide who finally had an Esper.
“What?!”
Airok, misunderstanding his words, jumped to his feet, his wings and tail flaring. He looked ready to attack, but Seo Jae-yi appeared at that moment.
“Logi, what’s wrong?”
Seo Jae-yi looked back and forth between Airok and Baek Joo-won with a puzzled expression. It seemed she hadn’t been listening to their conversation.
Since she hadn’t heard, Baek Joo-won shrugged and feigned innocence.
“I don’t know. It seems like your employee doesn’t like me.”
“Master! It’s so unfair! He said he was having impure thoughts! About you!”
“Impure thoughts?”
Seo Jae-yi looked at Baek Joo-won. He raised both hands in defense, claiming his innocence.
Hmm. But judging by Airok’s reaction, it didn’t seem like he was lying…
“Well, I can’t do anything if Baek Joo-won really has those thoughts.”
“But Master!”
“I’ll have to endure it with my strength.”
Seo Jae-yi sighed and showed them her clenched fist.
She wasn’t talking about mental strength; she meant physical strength.
“…”
“…”
Airok and Baek Joo-won fell silent simultaneously. Everyone was equal before Seo Jae-yi’s fist, its veins bulging.
“I won’t do anything strange. I promise. I won’t betray you, Seo Jae-yi.”
“I don’t think you’ll betray me either. I’ll die if you reject me as your Pair, so why would you bother pairing with me and then betray me later?”
Seo Jae-yi smiled.
“But you can do anything else. You can use me.”
Her voice was calm, but her words were anything but.
“Use you?”
“Yes. My fame, my wealth, my connections. You can use anything you want. Take whatever you need. I’ll give you anything.”
Couldn’t she do that much for the person who would save her life?
“Just don’t hurt anyone or take anything that doesn’t belong to you.”
“I have no intention of doing that. But use you?”
“Ah, I don’t mean it in a bad way. I mean I’ll share everything I have with you. What’s mine is yours, so use it freely!”
Unlike Seo Jae-yi, who was smiling brightly, Baek Joo-won massaged his forehead, as if he had a headache.
“You don’t have to go that far. I didn’t agree to be your Pair for that.”
“No, you’ll need it someday. The fame of a paired Esper.”
“Fame, not wealth?”
Ah, he had only thought about it from that perspective. Seo Jae-yi explained patiently.
“The world of Espers and Guides is complex and dangerous. Especially for top-tier Guides, who are far outnumbered by Espers. A paired Esper’s fame protects the Guide.”
Everyone coveted S-rank Guides. From those operating in the underworld to the government. They were willing to resort to kidnapping to obtain them.
But targeting a Guide with a paired Esper was incredibly dangerous. No one wanted to deal with an enraged Esper, especially if they were an S-rank.
It was essentially suicide. An Esper who lost their Guide would become enraged, almost to the point of overloading.
“The more you, my paired Guide, are associated with me, the more you wield my power, the less likely people are to target you. It’s a declaration that you’re precious to me, valuable enough for me to tolerate anything you do.”
It meant that everything Seo Jae-yi possessed would become a shield to protect Baek Joo-won.
“So use everything I have. I’ll give you my card; use it whenever you need to buy something. Let everyone know.”
“But…”
“Should I make you wear clothes with my name on them? Gasp, look at that! He’s Firestarter’s Guide! Make them say that.”
“I refuse.”
Baek Joo-won’s expression was full of disgust. Seo Jae-yi laughed, seeing his vivid reaction.