#10

Banteon habitually scanned his surroundings. The characteristic red aura of an Esper flickered steadily around him.

Having experienced his own rampages, Banteon knew better than anyone how ferocious and fierce the aura of an Esper could be.

It was eerie how stable the aura was, to the point that it was unrecognizable from just a few days ago. He had only been at the center for a short time, yet he had managed to stabilize so cleanly. It was monstrous growth.

A warning light flashed in his mind.

“Is this all?”

“It’s fine.”

“Hand it over.”

Ignoring Banteon’s refusal, Delroz easily took the study material from him. Despite Banteon’s firm grip, he was left empty-handed. A student who had been standing next to them glanced between the two and slowly backed away, eventually running off.

With his study materials held hostage, Banteon had no choice but to follow Delroz, though unwillingly. Even as he walked, his mind was racing.

Why had Delroz caught him?

Rumor had it that Delroz had been turning the data room and the center director’s office upside down daily in search of the guide who had calmed him. That was probably why he was late to class today.

If someone with such a fiery temper had recognized Banteon, he wouldn’t be approaching him so calmly, even carrying his belongings.

Or maybe, since he was an Esper, he had no choice but to be kind to a guide. No, that couldn’t be.

This was the same person who had beaten a male guide to a pulp. He had no reason to be kind to Banteon, unless it was a female guide. Banteon couldn’t guess his true intentions.

“This seems like the first time I’ve seen you. What class are you taking?”

“…”

Now that he thought about it, Delroz had been speaking very casually. Realizing this, Banteon’s eyes hardened. Despite being similar in age, Banteon, as a student, had answered formally, unlike Delroz’s casual tone.

“Your response is slow.”

“If you intend to ask questions, please observe basic manners.”

His mind warned him not to get involved and just let it go, but the words had already left Banteon’s mouth in a stiff tone.

“Manners? …Ah. You’re saying I should speak formally?”

“Considering the teacher-student relationship, I don’t think it’s an unreasonable request.”

“Is that so?”

Delroz laughed, sounding deflated at Banteon’s request. Banteon knew. As a naturally occurring SS-class Esper, he was someone even the king could not treat lightly. If he completed the center’s education and received a position, he would stand in a very high place.

But that was a problem for the future. Banteon was not tolerant enough to ignore the arrogance of someone who hadn’t even graduated from the center yet. Delroz shrugged lightly at Banteon’s discomfort.

“I’ve never used formal language, so I can’t.”

“Then I see no reason to answer your questions.”

There was no need to match the manners of someone who did not observe them.

Banteon extended his hand, signaling Delroz to return his belongings. Despite understanding the bold request, Delroz did not move. He stopped walking and looked at Banteon with a strange expression, his gaze unpleasantly sweeping over him.

“You look like you’d die with just one hit, and yet you’re so fiery.”

Banteon restrained himself from storming off. His belongings were still in Delroz’s possession.

“If you have nothing else to say, please return my things.”

“Well, I didn’t hold onto you because I liked you. Just one question.”

Delroz laughed, showing his teeth, as if Banteon’s distant attitude was just what he wanted. The previously calm atmosphere was now rough and unruly, like a storm. Banteon took a step back, remembering the menacing aura that had swept over him that night.

“I’m not trying to harm you. Do you have any siblings?”

“What do you mean?”

“Not male siblings. Do you have any sisters? Even relatives are fine.”

Banteon’s tense shoulders relaxed. What a random question. Contrary to Banteon’s bafflement, Delroz was deadly serious. His stance indicated he wouldn’t return the items until he got an answer, so Banteon reluctantly responded.

“I only have a younger brother.”

“I see.”

“Why do you ask?”

“Is your hair color a family trait?”

Banteon’s question was met with another question. Annoyed by Delroz’s poor conversational manners, he realized Delroz’s intent and swallowed dryly.

“There’s no other guide in my family except me. I think you’ve come to the wrong person.”

Thinking he wasn’t the one Delroz was looking for, he assumed Delroz had approached him due to a similar hair color.

For some reason, Delroz firmly believed the guide who had saved him was a woman. He was so convinced that he didn’t suspect the real person standing right in front of him.

Confident he hadn’t been discovered, Banteon crossed his arms and looked at Delroz. Speaking as if it were someone else’s problem, he said calmly:

“I hope you find the guide you’re looking for soon, but it has nothing to do with me. Now, please return my belongings.”

“Hmm…”

At Banteon’s firm words, Delroz fell silent, lost in thought. He didn’t move for a long time. Banteon, growing tired of waiting, urged him again.

“I heard it’s a woman with long hair.”

“That’s right.”

A clean affirmation came back. Banteon was curious why Delroz was so sure that the guide was a woman. Even though he was pleased that Delroz was mistaken, he couldn’t help but ask for the reason.

“I heard you were in a dangerous state. Do you remember it that clearly?”

“She was beautiful.”

“What?”

Banteon asked again, doubting his ears.

“She was the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen. It’s repulsive to think a man would ever look good to me.”

Hearing himself called beautiful right to his face made Banteon’s expression turn strange. He knew he had a handsome face. He was used to receiving compliments and attracting others.

But whether he should be happy or angry in this situation was complicated. Simultaneously, an overwhelming sense of absurdity washed over him. Delroz had narrowed down his search based solely on thinking the guide was beautiful and therefore must be a woman. Despite benefiting from this misconception, Banteon found it pathetic.

Perhaps sensing Banteon’s thoughts, Delroz added defensively.

“I can’t guide with a man.”

“What?”

“Just guiding briefly with a guy before made me want to vomit, so I stopped. This time, I didn’t feel any discomfort. There’s no way it could be that comfortable with a man.”

What kind of sexist remark was that? Discriminating in guiding based on gender was incredibly biased and outdated. Banteon, frowning, remembered that Delroz was from a commoner background.

Nobles usually didn’t care about the guide’s gender as long as the matching rate was high. It was common for parents of the same gender to exist. They might have preferences, but they didn’t feel repulsion. Unlike them, commoners typically formed families with men and women. Techniques to create children between a guide and an Esper of the same gender were costly and time-consuming for commoners.

Knowing that many commoners had aversions to same-sex relationships, Banteon hadn’t realized it extended to feeling such discomfort in guiding.

‘So that’s why he picked a female guide.’

Since arriving at the center, Delroz had specifically chosen female guides. While Banteon was relieved to be outside Delroz’s criteria, the way he set conditions as if selecting a concubine was irksome, though it now made sense.

If Delroz genuinely felt nauseous at the idea of guiding with a man, it was understandable to reject it.

As Banteon thought this through, another question arose. Why had guiding with Delroz been possible for him?

He recalled the night he first met Delroz. It was a precarious situation, just before a rampage. Perhaps because Delroz was in a dazed state, he didn’t feel any aversion.

If he knew Banteon was a man and tried guiding in a normal state, it would likely be impossible.

It was ironic that Delroz’s commoner background, which Banteon had initially disliked, now served as a protection.

If Delroz discovered that Banteon was the guide, he might be displeased, but he wouldn’t insist on making Banteon his guide. Despite his dislike for male guides, he wouldn’t harm the person who saved his life.

Banteon’s biggest concern was getting entangled with Delroz. With that worry alleviated, the heavy burden in his chest lightened a bit.

To confirm one last thing, he asked.

“What if the guide turns out to be a man?”

“A man?”

Delroz’s expression grew fiercer at the question. He spat out in a low, unpleasant voice.

“If a disgusting guy touched me while I was out of it, I’d deal with it appropriately.”

“…I heard that guiding saved you from a dangerous situation.”

“So, I won’t kill him.”

The relief Banteon had felt moments ago turned into a weight that pressed even harder on his heart. Oblivious to Banteon’s distress, Delroz’s aura became even more menacing.