Don't Support the Guide - Chapter 5

Humans, by nature, can never be content with what they have—they are creatures of endless desire.

For guides, it was only natural to fantasize about their first imprinting partner.

Even someone as practical as Samuel Nora was no exception. After all, she had stood before the embodiment of justice itself—a man admired by all.

…Get a grip, Samuel Nora.

He forced himself to erase the image of that golden-haired Esper from his mind.

There was no way his sponsor was Adrian Brillante.

A woman like her would have had far better choices.

It was probably just a distant branch of the Brillante family.

Samuel tried to convince himself that it would still be an honor to share even a drop of blood with someone related to him.

But it was useless.

“Thank you for bringing it to me.”

Samuel bowed to the senior officer who had delivered the letter, then quickly walked away as if fleeing.

But no matter how fast he moved, the lingering regret followed him like a shadow.

***

“Hello, I’m here to pick up a letter addressed to me.”

“Your name?”

“Samuel Nora.”

He took the letter from the clerk without a word in response. A nervous lump formed in his throat as he turned away, carefully tearing open the envelope.

Technically, the letter was from his own home. Since Samuel had used a false name under his younger sibling’s identity to receive sponsorship, he couldn’t personally request access to the sponsor’s information.

The small deception had been meant to protect his sibling. It was a common trick among commoners.

A long war with enemy nations, followed by the emergence of demonic beasts, had left countless people displaced. It had become a running joke that survival without noble sponsorship was nearly impossible.

It was only natural that people resorted to whatever means necessary to secure a patron.

And the risk of being exposed was low. High-ranking individuals didn’t bother keeping track of how many children a lowly commoner had, let alone their names or genders.

Samuel skimmed past the dry, formal introduction typical of official documents, his eyes searching for the sponsor’s name.

“…Ah.”

A deep sigh dragged up from somewhere within him and slipped from his lips.

He had stopped walking without realizing it. His hands trembled as he stared at the words on the page, unable to believe what he was reading.

The Sponsorship Association hereby provides the requested sponsor information.

Recipient (Requester): Sammy Nora
Sponsor: Adrian Brillante

…There wouldn’t be someone else with the same name, right?

The thought was foolish, but it was the first thing that came to mind.

Of course, that wasn’t possible. No branch family would dare steal the exact name of the Brillante heir.

A flush of heat spread up Samuel’s neck. He bit her lip, unaware of what kind of expression he was making, as if that alone could contain the overwhelming emotions surging within him.

He felt ungrateful.

Because ever since learning of Adrian Brillante, that radiant woman, he had secretly—no, quite frequently—hoped his sponsor might be Adrian.

The mere thought that the hero who graced the covers of newspapers might belong to the same family as his own benefactor had fueled endless daydreams.

And today, what had once been nothing more than a fantasy had become reality.

Expressing gratitude to his sponsor wasn’t about indulging his own desires. He knew that. But even with that understanding, the wild tangle of thoughts growing in his mind refused to be cut down.

Would she… accept my guiding?

The common belief that Espers never rejected guiding had long since vanished from Samuel’s thoughts.

All he wanted now was to meet his sponsor.

With his face flushed red, Samuel hurriedly left the postal office.

***

“Ugh…”

The commanding officer’s office was shrouded in absolute darkness, with every curtain drawn shut. Inside, time seemed to move faster than the world outside, where the sun was still setting.

In that oppressive gloom, Adrian panted heavily. Her uncomfortable tie and the top buttons of her shirt had long been undone in disarray. Her body was drenched in cold sweat.

“This is insane…”

The lights were off, the curtains drawn, and every door shut. Yet, she could still sense everything—the faintest sounds echoing through the building, the tiniest sliver of light slipping through the cracks.

Her ears throbbed with unbearable noise, her eyes felt like they would burst from the unseen brightness.

It was as if the sounds and lights, imperceptible to ordinary people, were relentlessly beating against her body. Even as an Esper with naturally heightened senses, her overstimulation had become so severe it was agonizing.

I shouldn’t have pushed myself too hard.

Adrian was suffering from severe guiding deficiency.

The problem had begun when she was urgently dispatched to eliminate a sudden outbreak of demonic beasts. Because of her, her inauguration ceremony had been delayed, and her physical condition had sharply deteriorated.

Worse still, there hadn’t been a single guide at the scene capable of handling her. Her high level was one issue, but even more than that, Adrian was notoriously difficult to guide.

Espers typically experienced both stability and pleasure from guiding sessions, but Adrian had never felt the ecstasy others described.

Instead, the power that poured into him through physical contact made him feel sick to her stomach—even though she knew it was the very thing keeping him alive.

There were very few guides whose guiding she could tolerate, and among them, Lynton was the only Gold-level guide capable of stabilizing him.

Lynton was already on his way, having rushed from the southern provinces at Adrian’s emergency summons. But no matter how fast he traveled, he wouldn’t arrive until tomorrow.

…At this rate, I might reach the brink of a rampage.

And to make matters worse, she was completely out of guiding suppressants.

But she couldn’t even step outside to retrieve more.

If just the subtle sounds and dim light within her room were already tearing at her mind, what would happen if she ventured outside?

She would lose all control.

It had been a while since she ordered a passing officer to fetch either a guide or some suppressants, but there was still no sign of them.

I can’t afford to lose control here.

If she had to, passing out would be better—at least then, she might be able to hold on a little longer.

With that in mind, Adrian reached for her knife.

If she stabbed himself somewhere painful enough, she wouldn’t be able to stay conscious much longer…

Knock, knock.

“Um… Commander Brillante? Are you inside?”

A single voice made her breath hitch.

The thick walls and heavy door masked the visitor’s presence, but somehow, Adrian knew without a doubt—

A guide.

Her instincts painted a vivid certainty, making Adrian hastily shove her knife away.

“Come in.”

The door creaked open.

Expecting a barrage of unbearable noise, Adrian clutched her ears tightly, bracing for impact.

…What?

Why was it… bearable?

Puzzled, Adrian lifted her gaze.

With a soft click, the door shut, and a uniformed man, her silhouette barely visible in the darkness, glanced around the unfamiliar gloom.

“Why are the lights off…?”

“…”

“Are you feeling unwell, sir?”

The man’s voice, at first slightly youthful, soon lost its hesitance, settling into a smooth, low tone that filled the space between them.

“You.”

The man had been stepping closer but halted at Adrian’s words.

“What level are you?”

“…Silver.”

Silver? That couldn’t be right.

“I’m close to Gold with just a little more effort.”

No… That still wouldn’t explain it.

“Come closer.”

“Yes, sir.”

The man obediently stepped forward until he stood before Adrian’s desk.

Adrian frowned slightly, then grabbed the man’s wrist.

“C-Commander!”

…Shit. This was insane.

A breathless laugh escaped Adrian.

The moment she touched the man’s wrist, the razor-sharp edge of her senses dulled—as if someone had flipped a switch.

Guides often radiated their guiding energy unconsciously, and this man was no exception. The instant he walked through the door, Adrian’s overstimulation had begun to ease, confirming what she already knew.

That alone was enough to let Adrian catch her breath.

But physical contact?

That was something entirely different. A sensation Adrian had never felt before sent a shiver down her spine.

What the hell…?

A warm, tingling energy seeped in through the point of contact, traveling up her arm. It was soothing yet electrifying, both relaxing and igniting something deep inside her.

The pleasure of guiding. Adrian instinctively moved closer.

The man—despite being slightly shorter than Adrian—didn’t resist at all as he was pulled along.

When Adrian opened a door, a bed filled the small adjoining room. The implication was clear. The man’s wide, startled eyes flicked to Adrian.

“Name and rank?”

“Lieutenant Samuel Nora.”

Though his eyes were round with surprise, his voice was steady.

Nora…

A familiar surname. And his first name, too… Something about it sounded strangely close to someone Adrian knew.

Nora was a common surname in the empire, but to Adrian, it wasn’t light or meaningless. A flicker of amusement crossed her face as she let out a soft chuckle. If this was just a coincidence, it was an awfully strange one.

“I…”

“I know who you are.”

“…You really do?”

Some random officer must have sent him. Whoever it was, Adrian would have to reward them. If they had taken the time to find such a compatible guide, then perhaps the agony of waiting had been worth it.

…Worth it?

Adrian was momentarily stunned by her own train of thought. Since when did she think like a typical Esper? But she pushed the thought aside and guided Samuel to sit on the bed. The guide complied without hesitation.

A faint sliver of light from the small window illuminated her features.

For the first time, Adrian took a proper look at him. Dark hair, striking features.

Her youthful appearance contrasted with her steady, unwavering gaze, and her full lips—soft, plush—held an oddly sensual quality.

“You know what I want, don’t you?”

“…Yes.”

“Unfortunately, I’m not in great shape. If you had arrived any later, I might have already reached the brink of a rampage.”

Holding on to the last of her restraint, Adrian laid out the situation as clearly as possible.

Samuel’s lips parted slightly, caught off guard.

“So, keep in mind—”

Adrian’s voice was low, firm.

“—this may go all the way to the final stage.”