Don't Support the Guide - Chapter 4

Every Esper and Guide who manifested abilities was, by principle, enlisted into the Imperial Military. However, not everyone followed the law to the letter.

When an unregistered Esper committed a crime, the consequences were catastrophic. Their abilities were far beyond what ordinary humans could handle. As a result, Espers were needed to maintain the city’s security as well.

“That is precisely the role of the Capital Defense Force!”

Captain Bailey Rossem puffed out her chest, shaking her head of curly red hair with pride.

“We’re on a whole different level from the regular city guard! We handle everything from common criminals to illegal Espers! So if anyone dares to say that the Defense Force is useless, full of weaklings, or a cushy job, show them otherwise!”

Her sharp gaze swept across the assembled officers, stopping at the new recruits standing at the far end of the row.

“Here are no limits for our unit!”

“…What’s up with Captain Rossem all of a sudden?”

Peter muttered under her breath to Samuel.

The two of them still vividly remembered the drunken ramblings from their welcome party on their first night.

“Didn’t she say her was the easiest and most laid-back unit in the entire Empire? That it’s so relaxed you could even have multiple hobbies and still clock out on time?”

“All members must dedicate their lives to her unit! The safety of the capital’s citizens is our happiness, our purpose, our entire existence!”

It was as if Bailey had heard Peter’s grumbling and was personally refuting it with her passionate shouting. Peter furrowed his brows in disbelief.

“And here I thought the downside was that we barely get promoted because here’s no work, and here aren’t enough high-ranked Espers to make a career as a dedicated Guide…”

“Especially for our Guide members, I have very exciting news!”

“Ugh, what now?”

“Today, you will be meeting someone truly incredible! I ask that you remember the honor of the Imperial Military and maintain your composure!”

—

Capital Defense Force, Day Three.

An unexpected full-unit assembly had been called, and every officer was now gathered in Phoenix Hall.

Phoenix Hall was a multi-purpose space, used for everything from physical training to formal ceremonies. Of course, it was also where officers were disciplined.

With so many possible reasons for the assembly, no one could guess why they had been called in—especially with Captain Rossem rambling on about irrelevant matters.

Frustration was building on everyone’s faces.

But Samuel had little interest in the situation. Her mind was preoccupied.

Yesterday’s newspaper article.

“Beacon of Justice! What’s Next for Adrian Brillante?”

Adrian Brillante, Commander of the Special Forces’ 2nd Battalion, had finally returned. It was only natural that all eyes were on the hero who had led yet another victorious war.

But the contents of the article weren’t entirely positive.

“…With Commander Brillante’s position still vacant for a dedicated Guide, concerns about her health continue to grow. Some argue that, due to the increasing risk of Overload, she should no longer be allowed to use her abilities, leading to speculation about her apparent demotion…”

What an absurd notion.

Were they planning to drain her dry and then discard her?

Of course, the Brillante family wouldn’t sit idly by, but even so—

Samuel couldn’t stand the thought of any stain tainting Adrian’s noble reputation.

She was not someone to be treated that way.

—

“Today marks the arrival of our new Commander of the Capital Defense Force!”

“So that’s what this is about. Looks like the senior officers were right, Samuel.”

Peter sighed, shaking her head as Captain Rossem continued her impassioned speech about setting a good first impression.

“Apparently, she was supposed to arrive before we were even stationed here. Who the shell is her guy that she’s late and has Bailey so worked up?”

Peter grumbled under her breath.

“It’s not like someone like Brillante is coming. They’re making too big a deal out of her.”

Just then, a commotion erupted at the podium. A messenger hurriedly whispered something to Captain Rossem, causing his face to stiffen. Without another word, her hastily stepped down from the podium.

At that same moment, the doors swung open.

The entrance was at the back of the hall, making it impossible for Samuel to see who had entered. The only thing the assembled officers could do was maintain their posture, keep their eyes forward, and listen.

A crisp, measured march echoed through the hall. The sound of military boots striking the floor was chillingly even.

‘Light footsteps.’

The newcomer was likely much smaller than Samuel. Perhaps even shorter by a full handspan. But even aside from their physical build, they were incredibly agile. If they were an enemy on the battlefield, Samuel might not even be able to sense their presence.

Then, a figure ascended the steps of the podium, and Samuel finally caught sight of their back.

Tall—not small at all, standing at least at eye level with Captain Rossem. A straight, disciplined posture. And then, just barely visible past the neatly pressed uniform, golden hair gleaming under the lights in a way that only one family in the Empire possessed.

No way.

Samuel wasn’t the only one struck by the realization.

The hall, which had maintained strict decorum, erupted into hushed whispers. A ripple of disbelief and excitement swept through the ranks.

The center of that storm turned on the podium, facing the crowd.

And at the sight of the revealed face, every voice in the room fell silent.

“A pleasure to meet you all.”

A deep, commanding voice filled the space, accompanied by piercing crimson eyes sweeping over the assembled soldiers.

“I am Adrian Brillante, newly appointed Commander of the Capital Defense Force.”

Samuel’s jaw nearly dropped.

His heart pounded furiously.

He could hardly believe the reality unfolding before his eyes.

“I will dedicate myself to ensuring the safety of the capital’s citizens. I expect all of you to do the same and follow my lead.”

The words were standard for any newly appointed commander. Perhaps even generic. But coming from Adrian Brillante, they sounded like a declaration of absolute authority.

Not that Samuel was paying attention to the speech itself.

He was too overwhelmed, too captivated—staring in awe at the shining beacon standing before him.

The Light of Justice, Adrian Brillante.

The woman who had single-handedly pulled Samuel’s life out of the gutter and into the sun.

***

The four-story building of the Defense Force, located in the busiest district of the capital, buzzed with excitement.

Espers eagerly discussed Adrian’s past achievements, their breaths hot with enthusiasm, while guides, overwhelmed by her powerful aura, blushed deeply. Their interests varied slightly on the surface, yet they all shared one anticipation—Adrian Brillante’s arrival promised a change in the otherwise monotonous life of the Defense Force.

“He completely out of it, huh?”

“He’s been like that ever since he saw the new battalion commander.”

“What, did they at least exchange a word?”

“No, not at all. He was just standing at a distance, watching.”

“Wow, that’s serious.”

Lieutenant Micshelle Grace clicked her tongue. However, Samuel’s dazed expression remained unchanged.

Lieutenant Grace wasn’t much older than Samuel. As the youngest lieutenant and a highly skilled Esper, she was well-known within the Defense Force. She had been the one to show Samuel and Peter around when they first arrived, and thanks to Peter’s friendly nature, they had grown closer than any of their other seniors.

At that moment, Grace was holding Peter’s hand, receiving a contact-based guiding session.

“If you ever end up guiding the battalion commander, you might just pass out.”

“W-Wait, could we actually be assigned to guide her?”

“Why not? Rank doesn’t matter for guiding, and we’re already short on guides. Since you’re in the same unit, it’s bound to happen at least once.”

A playful smile appeared on Grace’s lips as she stared directly at Samuel.

“If you’re lucky, you might even get imprinted.”

That finally snapped Samuel out of his daze.

His eyes, which had been hazy moments before, now widened in shock, making Grace stifle a laugh.

“Look at you, perking up the moment I mention imprinting.”

In contact guiding, the broader the area of physical contact, the more effective it became—especially when involving mucosal contact. Among these methods, the most intimate and potent form was referred to as “imprinting.”

“Still… do you really think we’ll get the chance?”

“Peter, the battalion commander doesn’t even have a personal guide, right? So it’s not impossible.”

“But would she even need to use her abilities in the Defense Force?”

“Hmm, good point.”

Peter turned away, looking a bit deflated. But Samuel remained rooted to the spot as if frozen in place.

Me, guiding her…?

No matter how he looked at it, the chances were practically nonexistent. But what if—by some impossible twist of fate—it actually happened?

He might become the first guide in theory to die from a heart attack on the spot.

“Ah, Lieutenant Samuel! Here you are. A letter came for you.”

“A letter?”

“Yeah, looks like it’s from the Sponsorship Association.”

At Lieutenant Jocelyn Page’s passing remark, Samuel’s face instantly lit up.

It had to be a reply to the letter he had sent a while back—the one that would finally reveal the identity of his sponsor.

At last, he had the chance to repay her benefactor. That was the one thing he had always vowed to do throughout the years of receiving their support.

It has to be an Esper…

Samuel hoped that was the case. Only then could he offer something in return.

Perhaps, as his senior officers had speculated, his sponsor might even request an imprinting.

That, too, was completely fine.

If his anonymous sponsor wished for an imprint, then he’d give it to them—ten times over, if necessary.

It didn’t matter whether they were a man or a woman or how old they were.

Imprinting was deeply intimate and undeniably sensual, but for Espers, it was as essential as oxygen—just as Samuel and his family had survived thanks to his sponsor’s generosity.

So, if he was the price to pay, he’d do it without hesitation.

But today, for the first time, he felt a small pang of disappointment.