17

Keslan hastily pulled the blanket over himself, not to cover his own nakedness but to shield Banteon, who was still fully clothed. It all happened in an instant.

Banteon lowered the blanket from his head to see the face of the unwelcome intruder. Just hearing the voice brought a wave of frustration. There stood the tall man with blue-tinted black hair—Delroz, leaning casually against the tent door.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Keslan growled in a low voice, like a young lion protecting its prey.

“Not very courteous of you to be here at this hour.”

Delroz responded calmly.

“You’re not even matched. Isn’t this against the rules?”

Why was Delroz here at this hour? Except for the night of the rampage, Banteon and Delroz had no significant interaction. There was no reason for Delroz to come here, especially this late. A wave of anxiety passed through Banteon—could Delroz have figured out that he was the guide that night?

The tension between the two Espers grew.

“You’re not exactly in a position to lecture on rules. I’ve heard you’ve been with more than five different partners,” Keslan retorted.

“That’s true.”

“Then get lost…”

“But do you think you and I are in the same position?”

A-level. Even just a newly minted A-level kid versus a naturally SS-level Esper like Delroz. No one at the center had dared to stop Delroz’s actions. The disparity was obvious, and Keslan bit his lip, glaring at Delroz.

“If you get caught, it’ll be troublesome for you, unlike the esteemed person under the blanket.”

“Mind your own business!”

“Keslan.”

Banteon called his name, stopping him before the situation escalated further. The difference in their abilities was evident; Keslan couldn’t possibly handle Delroz.

Startled by Banteon’s intervention, Keslan’s eyes widened before he looked down, deflated.

Keslan was always like a loyal puppy to Banteon. However, when he got angry, he had a tendency not to consider his surroundings. He had previously bared his teeth at Teeroth, which Banteon had managed to smooth over. But this time, the opponent was different.

Getting entangled with someone who wouldn’t listen to reason would only cause unnecessary harm.

“I’m afraid you’ll have to leave now.”

“Teacher…”

“I’m sorry about this. I should have shown more restraint.”

“No… it’s okay.”

Keslan slowly climbed off the bed and hastily put on the clothes scattered on the floor. He buttoned his shirt up to his neck, covering his light attire, and approached Banteon. Hesitating, Keslan forced a smile, trying to hide his hurt expression.

“Please don’t apologize. I’ll… see you later.”

He looked like a drenched puppy. Despite his pitiful state, Banteon resisted the urge to reach out and comfort him, mindful of the watchful eyes of the intruder. Hesitating for a moment, Keslan moved forward and hugged Banteon weakly.

Banteon, unable to reject the embrace, patted him lightly. He pretended not to notice Keslan’s soft kiss on his cheek and neck as he stood up.

“Go back now.”

Keslan gave a small nod and left. Now, only Banteon and the amused-looking Delroz, who had his arms crossed, remained in the tent.

Banteon finally removed the blanket wrapped around him. Realizing how ridiculous he must look—fully clothed yet bundled up—he composed himself and adjusted his disheveled attire. Delroz watched silently, not revealing his thoughts or the reason for his visit.

Finally, Banteon broke the silence.

“Why are you here?”

“It’s definitely not to watch two guys rolling around.”

“Coming here without notice is your fault.”

“Did I expect to find unmated people like you in heat?”

Banteon frowned at Delroz’s crude words. “If you have nothing else to say, you can leave.”

Delroz raised an eyebrow. “Oh, but I do have something to say. It just got a bit more interesting seeing you here with that boy.”

“Get to the point, then.”

Delroz’s eyes gleamed with a mix of amusement and something more calculating.

“I was looking for a certain guide. But now, I find you here, in an interesting situation. Makes me wonder about a few things.”

Banteon’s heart skipped a beat.

“What do you mean?”

“I’m looking for the guide who helped me during my rampage. It’s peculiar that someone of your status is involved in such a scene, don’t you think?”

Banteon’s pulse quickened. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Delroz smirked. “You know exactly what I’m talking about. I’ve been searching through the center’s records, yet nothing. Then I find you here, conveniently placed away from the crowd.”

“You’re making baseless accusations.”

“Am I?”

Delroz stepped closer, his presence imposing.

“Why don’t we find out?”

The tension in the tent was palpable. Banteon knew he had to tread carefully.

Delroz sneered, a smirk playing on his lips. Banteon desperately wanted to throw him out, but he needed to manage the situation first. If word got out, it would be problematic. While Banteon might get off with a small reprimand, Keslan wouldn’t be so lucky.

“There’s nothing to worry about, so why don’t you just leave?”

“Well, I did interrupt before anything happened. Should I apologize?”

“There’s no need.”

Responding emotionally to Delroz’s mocking tone wouldn’t help. Banteon replied in a business-like manner, which seemed to irk Delroz. Leaning against the tent, Delroz crossed his long legs and made no move to leave. Banteon asked again about his purpose, but Delroz remained silent, frustrating him further.

Banteon massaged his aching forehead.

“Every time I see you, there’s a new fly buzzing around you. I think I swatted one away last time. You probably didn’t notice, but it seems your students have quite the admiration for you.”

Banteon recalled the incident after finishing a substitute class when a young student had insisted on carrying his books.

“Students tend to like their teachers.”

“Do students these days look at their teachers like that? Well, I wouldn’t know; I grew up without much education.”

With that, Delroz unfolded his arms and took a few strides towards Banteon, leaning in close to his face.

“No matter how pretty, you’re still just a man.”

As Delroz got closer, Banteon could see the faint red aura emanating from him. What had previously been invisible now radiated with a fierce intensity.

The last time he saw Delroz, his aura had been so stable it was hardly visible. Was this meant to be a threat? Banteon narrowed his eyes, trying to read Delroz’s intentions.

But apart from the surging aura, Delroz did nothing overtly menacing. He simply stood there, as if struggling to contain his own violent energy.

It seemed he hadn’t received proper guiding for several months. This was puzzling, considering there should be plenty of willing guides at the center.

After scrutinizing Banteon for a while, Delroz finally stated his purpose.

“I’ve heard you’re the best at guiding here.”

“Me?”

“Yes, they say you’re a model guide and a noble exemplar.”

Damn it.

Banteon cursed silently. It was an unseemly thought, but if he didn’t vent even internally, he might not be able to hold it together. Ignoring the spreading rumors had backfired spectacularly.

“That’s an overstatement.”

“Seems like it. A guide who messes around with unpaired Espers isn’t exactly a model, is he?”

“Are you planning to report me?”

“I have no intention of going through the trouble.”

Despite his earlier comments about rules, Delroz shrugged it off indifferently.

“Then what do you want?”

“What does an Esper typically want from a guide?”

Banteon frowned.

It was a simple enough question, and any other Esper would have made the same request. But Delroz was different. A man who had said he felt nauseous guiding with other male guides now seeking him out was baffling.

“So, you’re okay with male guides now?”

“No, I still feel like vomiting.”

“Then I think you’ve come to the wrong person.”

Banteon shrugged, gesturing to indicate his obvious maleness. Delroz’s eyes narrowed.

“Yes, it seems so.”

“In that case, please leave.”

“But it’s strange. I know you’re a man, yet I feel like it might work with you.”

“…”

Banteon suppressed a sigh of relief. At least he hadn’t been found out. It was just Delroz’s animalistic instinct leading him here. He composed himself and responded calmly.

“I appreciate the compliment, but is it really necessary to try guiding with a male guide?”

Even if guiding with Banteon were possible, the results would likely be similar to other guides. Why bother testing it out with a male guide? Delroz’s face tensed.

“Yes, you’re right.”

Delroz muttered to himself, seeming lost in thought. Banteon wished he would go do his soul-searching somewhere else, but Delroz continued, almost as if speaking to himself.

“No matter who I try to guide with, it doesn’t work.”

“What?”

“Since that night, after the rampage… I can’t get a matching rate with any guide.”

Banteon’s eyes widened. It was hard to believe. He stared at Delroz, momentarily forgetting his usual wariness. Not being able to guide at all?

“At first, I thought it was an aftereffect of the rampage, but every guiding attempt has failed. The retest results are the same.”

“Your matching rate has dropped?”

“No, it’s at zero percent, as if I were testing with a non-Esper.”

Banteon’s mind raced. This was serious. An SS-rank Esper unable to guide properly was a significant problem. He had to find out more.

“Why are you telling me this?”

“Because you’re the best guide here. If there’s anyone who can help me, it’s you.”

Banteon hesitated. The last thing he wanted was to get involved with Delroz any further. But if he refused, there was a chance Delroz would make trouble for him and Keslan.

“Alright. I’ll help you.”

Banteon said, suppressing his reluctance.

“But you need to follow my instructions exactly.”

Delroz nodded, a hint of relief in his eyes.

“Understood.”

Banteon took a deep breath. This was going to be challenging, but it was the only way to keep Delroz from causing more trouble.