TGIC Ch 139

Chapter 139

Vasily’s meaning was impossible to misunderstand. From the moment my memories had returned, that final sentence he uttered kept circling in my mind without rest.

I could no longer pretend ignorance, so I finally forced open my tightly sealed lips.

“Were those words… sincere?”

“I have always been sincere.”

Vasily answered without a flicker of hesitation. Yet even with his blunt affirmation, I could not easily accept it.

“But it is difficult for me to believe.”

“Why not?”

“The idea of you loving someone… is beyond imagination.”

People normally look at the one they love with eyes softened, even glowing—like those in a movie. But Vasily, even in this moment, regarded me with eyes cold and unfathomably still.

I knew he wasn’t speaking lightly. And yet I couldn’t help doubting—did Vasily truly know what love was? Perhaps he was confusing it with something else. Possessiveness, for example.

“Perhaps you mistook the comfort of receiving guiding for love?”

“Do you take me for a fool who cannot tell the difference?”

Ah. He was offended now.

Because our bodies were pressed together, I could distinctly feel the chill seeping from him. The pulse of his power, transmitted through the hand gripping my shoulder, rippled sharply—reflecting the edge of his growing displeasure.

His fingers tightened further until my shoulder throbbed as though the bones were being forced out of place. Reflexively, I seized his wrist.

Vasily glanced down at my hand, then slowly pried my fingers away—and pressed his lips to my palm.

“…!”

Cold lips brushed my skin, followed by the slick, deliberate stroke of his tongue. The unfamiliar, ticklish sensation froze me in place.

When he set his teeth and grazed my skin, a sharp sting lanced through me, sending goosebumps up my arms.

“S–stop…! I believe you! I’ll believe you, so let go—!”

Thud.

Struggling in panic, my fist connected with something solid and a dull impact echoed through the air.

Silence fell abruptly.

Slowly, I lifted my head. Vasily’s face was turned aside, my fist planted solidly against his cheek. I must have struck him by accident while trying to pry his hand away.

“…Ugh.” Breath hitched as my body tensed.

“T-that’s what you get for doing things you don’t normally do…”

As I faltered and lowered my hand, Vasily calmly turned back to me. Thankfully, he didn’t appear angry.

“I only tried to show you myself since you said you couldn’t believe me. What is the problem?”

“I said I believe you. So please stop.”

I hid the palm he had teased beneath the blanket before answering. If I denied his feelings again, I didn’t know what he might do next.

Maybe I seemed too quick to yield—but there was a reason for that.

“Well… not that it changes anything.”

Even if Vasily truly did have feelings for me, our relationship would not shift dramatically. It wasn’t as though he wanted to hold hands, go on dates, or behave like ordinary lovers.

We would remain Esper and Guide, as always. I would accompany his schedules, guide him whenever necessary. Even if our hands touched, even if we kissed, even if our bodies intertwined—it would all be part of guiding. Nothing more.

One-sided affection alone wasn’t enough to transform what we were.

So really… we could just keep living as we had been.

Even if his confession lingered in my mind sometimes, even if his possessiveness grew a little stronger, our daily life wouldn’t change all that much.

“Why would nothing change?”

He had heard my mutter.

“Well, because I do not like you.”

“Why not? Someone like me isn’t such a bad deal for you either.”

He sounded genuinely puzzled.

Objectively speaking, yes—Vasily was an attractive partner. His S-rank alone was enough to prove his power, and his appearance was exceptional.

But he had one critical flaw.

“What does any of that matter when your personality is terrible?”

“You’re still afraid of me?”

He asked it suddenly.

I had always been tense around him. He surely knew why—he must have assumed it was fear.

But was I still afraid of Vasily? Of course not.

In trying so desperately to get away from him, I had come to understand him better.

And when I learned that I was the only Guide who could withstand his power… when I realized he would never hurt me, no matter what… when I saw him beg me not to leave, claiming now that he loved me—

How could I still fear him? I didn’t even want to admit I had once been terrified of him.

“In any case, I have no feelings for you. Let’s continue as we always have.”

“No. You feel the same as I do.”

“On what grounds would you say that?”

I was speechless. Me? In love with him? Even if he had cracked a bad joke, it wouldn’t have surprised me more.

But my laugh died as I met his unwavering gaze.

Silence settled—deep, tense. Vasily leaned toward me slowly, his face drawing closer. Without meaning to, I shut my eyes.

But no cold breath, no kiss brushed my lips.

I cracked my eyes open. His face hovered inches from mine, smiling faintly.

“Even after this, you don’t know?”

“I—I shut my eyes because the alcohol made me dizzy…!”

“Dizzy? You were waiting for it.”

He let his forehead drop beside my ear. My burning face turned toward the ceiling.

To fall for something like this—

As his soft laughter brushed my ear, I clenched my teeth, then sighed deeply.

No matter how much better our relationship had become, I could not like him. Six years of hardship didn’t disappear overnight. The resentment I’d carried for so long wouldn’t vanish so easily.

Quietly, almost as a reminder to myself, I murmured,

“I really dislike you, Esper-nim.”

“If you wanted me to believe that, you shouldn’t have come back, Gidam Guide.”

Vasily replied without the slightest hesitation.

Honestly, I knew that line of reasoning made no sense anymore.

“Please move.”

I pushed him away, and this time he backed off obediently. I took his hand and rose to my feet.

Cold liquid spread beneath my foot. Only then did I remember the drink I’d spilled and looked down. Whiskey pooled across the floor, and the glass had rolled into a corner.

At least it wasn’t broken.

Too tired to deal with it, I decided to dump the cleanup onto Vasily.

“I’m going to rest now. Esper-nim, you should sleep as well.”

Dawn was still far off. I turned to go back to my room—only for Vasily to catch my arm.

“Is there something more you wish to say?”

“No.”

“Then why are you holding my arm?”

He glanced pointedly at his hand gripping me.

“You told me to go sleep.”

“…?”

“I can only sleep when Gidam Guide is there.”

I froze.

I had dug my own grave.

I realized my slip too late—Vasily was already pulling me toward the bedroom.

“W–wait! When I said sleep, I meant rest, not sleep together—!”

“Too late. After hearing you, I suddenly want to sleep.”

Dragged like a leashed dog, I clawed at the doorframe. We wrestled over possession of my body in a ridiculous tug-of-war.

My hands slipped—

“Agh!”

Vasily hoisted me easily and tossed me onto the bed. My back sank into the soft blankets.

His weight settled over me. I shoved at his shoulder, but he ignored my attempts and murmured,

“Ah… these clothes are uncomfortable. Gidam Guide, undress me?”

“Do it yourself!”

“Cold-hearted.”

He sat up and shrugged off his jacket. While he was distracted, I darted a glance at the door—

Frozen solid.

Of course. I should’ve known he wouldn’t leave an escape route open.

“…Ha.”

The realization that I was trapped extinguished all energy to resist. I would only be able to leave once he fell asleep. If I wanted out, I had to get him to sleep first.

Vasily tossed his clothes lazily aside and lay beside me again. Tense, I braced myself—only for him to simply pull me into his arms, close his eyes, and settle into sleep.

“You’re… sleeping like this?”

“Why? Did you have something you wanted to say?”

“No… nothing.”

I immediately shut my mouth. I wasn’t going to let another accidental comment trap me again.