27

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“For what?”

“For carrying me around all day.”

“That was nothing.”

Though Delroz tried to brush it off as insignificant, his expression softened, showing a rare moment of relaxation. In the flickering firelight, he looked different from usual. The confident and often arrogant demeanor seemed replaced by a more laid-back and gentle presence.

“By the way…”

“Yes?”

Banteon, who had been leaning back comfortably against the rock, straightened up.

“When did you first manifest your powers?”

“I’m nothing special. I just manifested as a guide when I was sixteen.”

“I see.”

Banteon then turned the question to Delroz.

“And when did you manifest?”

“Me?”

Delroz tilted his head, as if the question was unexpectedly difficult to answer, and then replied.

“I don’t remember.”

“What?”

“I have no memory of my childhood. From the moment I can remember, I was already an Esper.”

There were rare cases where the shock of manifesting powers caused memory loss. Even if such an effect occurred, memories typically returned within a year or two. Given Delroz’s exceptional abilities, perhaps the side effects were more severe for him.

“What about your family…?”

“I don’t have any memories of them. After that, I just became a mercenary to survive.”

So, he manifested as an adult? Typically, people manifested their abilities around the age of fifteen, so this was unusually late.

“Then how long have you survived without a guide?”

“About seven years now.”

That was an impressive amount of time, even for regular Espers. Surviving without a guide for that long must have been incredibly painful. Banteon couldn’t help but be amazed by the sheer duration.

“That must have been difficult.”

“I didn’t know any better at first. I thought that’s just how it was for everyone. I’d heard that there were people who could help Espers, but I never thought I really needed one.”

According to Delroz, he had lived with that pain from the moment he could remember. Having never experienced a peaceful life, he didn’t see his situation as particularly hard.

“Now, thanks to you, I’m living quite comfortably.”

“Is there that much of a difference?”

“It’s enough to understand why those pathetic guys at the Center were always trailing after guides.”

Delroz continued, recounting his first experience at the Center.

“When I first got to the Center, I found the whole thing laughable. Espers were practically drooling over the guides, and the guides were picking out Espers like they were selecting thoroughbred horses. It all seemed ridiculous to me. To me, all guides were the same.”

For Delroz, most guides only achieved about a 60% compatibility rate with him. At that level, an A-rank Esper would constantly experience chronic headaches and a pounding heartbeat, just barely managing daily life while always feeling discomfort. The higher the rank, the worse the condition. For someone like Delroz, it meant a much harsher existence.

As much as Banteon didn’t want to admit it, his compatibility with Delroz was likely very high.

The fact that Delroz’s energy stabilized in the cave, even without a formal guiding session, made it clear that the match was strong. The change had occurred merely through accidental contact, without Banteon even attempting to guide him.

If they could guide each other unconsciously, their compatibility was likely above 80%.

‘Above 80%…’

At that level, an Esper could live as comfortably as a non-Esper. This might be the first time Delroz had experienced life without any pain.

If this were happening to someone else, Banteon would have applauded, congratulating them on finally finding peace after a lifetime of suffering. He wasn’t so bitter as to mock someone finding solace. However, knowing he was at the center of this situation left Banteon with a bitter taste in his mouth.

He added more fuel to the dying fire. A few handfuls of dry leaves brought the flames back to life, burning hotter and brighter. The increasing heat made his face flush even more.

He draped the now dry jacket over his shoulders. Despite the fire’s warmth, he felt a slight chill in the night air.

“Now that I have a better sense of direction, we’ll need to move quickly starting tomorrow.”

“…”

“We’ll also need to send out a distress signal….”

Delroz’s voice began to fade, as if it were being submerged underwater. Banteon’s head grew heavier as he leaned it against the hard rock, the flickering flames in front of him dimming as his eyes slowly closed.

---

It was hot. Stifling. Banteon felt as though he was trapped inside a giant egg, unable to move.

He tried to shift his body, feeling the weight of something holding him down, as if he were bound. Slowly, he opened his eyes.

The scene before him hadn’t changed since he fell asleep. The faint light of dawn was beginning to creep in, and as he looked around, he realized something was off.

He distinctly remembered falling asleep with a dry white t-shirt on and a jacket draped over him. But now, he found himself without any clothing on his upper body. Instead, a massive arm was draped across his chest.

“What the…?”

Delroz had wrapped himself around Banteon like a mother bird protecting an egg. Banteon was too shocked to even scream, the disbelief caught in his throat.

As he shifted in disbelief, he felt movement behind him.

“You’re awake?”

“What is the meaning of this?”

Delroz, who had been holding Banteon close, looked down at him with a slightly annoyed expression.

“How’s your fever?”

“Is that really the issue here?”

“Seems like it’s gone down.”

Ignoring Banteon’s shock, Delroz placed a hand on his forehead. Banteon, half-blinded by the size of the hand covering his face, irritably swatted it away.

Even with Banteon’s resistance, Delroz seemed unfazed as he effortlessly lifted him and began to walk. Banteon, now being carried like a child, stared incredulously at Delroz.

“You had a high fever all night.”

“If something was wrong, you should have woken me up!”

If there was a problem, he could have just woken Banteon up. But no, Delroz always did things his own way without asking, whether in the cave or now. Banteon couldn’t help but sigh at the thought. His body felt sticky with sweat, making the situation even more uncomfortable, and his expression grew sharper.

“I tried, but you wouldn’t wake up.”

Delroz stood a step away, still not wearing a shirt. His upper body, half-covered in sweat, glistened, the muscles from his waist to his abs moving fluidly as he walked.

The realization that they had spent the entire night skin-to-skin sent a shiver down Banteon’s spine.

The cool morning air felt even chillier on his bare skin. His ankle felt damp as well. Looking down, he saw a soaked white cloth wrapped around it. It was the shirt Delroz had diligently dried by the fire the night before.

Apparently, Delroz had soaked the shirt in cold water and wrapped it around Banteon’s ankle like a bandage, likely to reduce the swelling.

“Your ankle seems better.”

Delroz removed the makeshift bandage to examine Banteon’s ankle. Though still swollen and tender, it looked much better than the night before, and Banteon could tell that with some care, it would heal soon enough.

“…”

Delroz didn’t look much better. Having taken care of Banteon through the night, his hair was damp, and dark circles lingered under his eyes. It was clear that he had worried through the night, and though an SS-rank Esper wouldn’t typically show signs of fatigue after one sleepless night, Delroz’s current state revealed the strain he had endured. Banteon felt a bitter taste in his mouth, knowing he should thank Delroz, but what came out instead was something else entirely.

“I’d like to wash up.”

Banteon wanted to clean himself up, feeling grimy after the night’s events. The clothes he had dried by the fire were now soaked through. Without a word, Delroz doused the dying embers of the campfire with sand, extinguishing it.

Then, without hesitation, Delroz gathered his discarded clothes, lifted Banteon into his arms once more, and began walking. Banteon, now accustomed to being carried around, didn’t resist and relaxed in Delroz’s arms. Delroz seemed satisfied with this compliance, striding forward with renewed energy.

After a short walk, they reached a cool waterfall that cascaded into a wide, clear stream. The water was so transparent that the trees on the opposite bank were faintly visible through it. It was a serene, picturesque scene, like something out of a fairy tale.

Banteon leaned against a tree, mesmerized by the unfamiliar landscape. It was the kind of place one might find in a legend. He bent down to dip his swollen ankle into the clear water, but before he could, there was a sudden splash beside him. Delroz had jumped into the water, sending droplets flying.

“If you’re coming in, hurry up.”

Banteon wiped the water from his face, annoyed by the sudden dousing. It wasn’t pleasant to be splashed without warning. Delroz, however, seemed oblivious, fully enjoying the water as he submerged himself completely, emerging with water droplets glistening on his well-defined muscles under the sunlight.

He’s having fun.

Delroz seemed to be enjoying himself more than Banteon, who had been the one to ask to wash. Soon, Banteon also slowly immersed himself in the water. The stream wasn’t as deep as it seemed. The water was so clear that he could see his toes even when he was submerged up to his waist.

As he splashed water on his face, the refreshing sensation washed away the sticky feeling from his sweat. He dipped his head into the cool water, letting it soak in until he felt rejuvenated from the inside out.

When he emerged and shook his head, droplets of water fell from his silver hair. He slicked back the strands that clung annoyingly to his forehead and carefully re-entered the water.

Submerged up to his shoulders, Banteon let the gentle current of the stream carry his body, enjoying the rare moment of peace. He felt the water’s subtle movements, his body swaying gently with the current. As he relaxed and soaked in the tranquility, he suddenly became aware of a gaze on him from behind.