TGIC Ch 29

Chapter 29

“If that’s your reason, then I refuse.”

“Really? That’s too bad…”

“Esper Vasily, it would be better for you to quickly form an official partnership with a proper guide rather than someone like me, a mere C-rank.”

Feigning sincerity, I turned my gaze out the window.

I sincerely hoped Vasily would find another guide soon. Only then could I remove the suppressant chip embedded in my neck and return to a normal life.

“……”

A silence fell between us.

Having rejected the offer to become his guide, the atmosphere in the car grew a little uncomfortable. After mulling over the silence, I eventually spoke up first.

“Esper Vasily, will you be applying for designated guiding again today?”

“Hmm… not sure. I have to head to a gate today. But if you want, I can finish early and come back for guidance.”

“I was just asking out of curiosity, so there’s no need for that.”

So Vasily was heading to a gate. That meant today’s temporary guiding would be much easier.

Guiding Vasily alone was far more exhausting than guiding multiple Espers of the same rank as me. Both mentally and physically. A casual question meant to break the awkward silence had ended up revealing something useful.

Before long, we arrived at the Guide Association. I unfastened my seatbelt and stepped out of the car.

“Then have a safe trip to the gate.”

“Guide Kwon Gidam, I hope your day goes well too.”

After getting out of the passenger seat, I watched Vasily’s car as it turned toward the adjacent Esper Association building, then turned away.

Thanks to him, my commute had been easy, but the unpleasant conversation along the way left a bitter taste in my mouth. I’d better avoid being alone with Vasily for a while.

As I continued walking, I suddenly felt a cold sensation in my hand and glanced down.

“Oh.”

I forgot to return the ice chunk…

“My goodness, Gidam! What happened to your face?”

The moment I entered the office, Jo Wooyeon gasped in horror upon seeing my face.

I scratched my cheek awkwardly. Despite keeping a cold compress on it all throughout the commute, the bruised and swollen mark remained visible. For reference, the ice chunk I’d forgotten to return to Vasily had been carelessly tossed onto a nearby patch of grass.

“I got into an argument with a drunk on my way home.”

“That must’ve hurt. Of all places, your face…”

“It’s fine. I’m sturdy. It’ll heal quickly.”

It really was too noticeable. I figured I’d stop by a convenience store to pick up a mask before my temporary guiding duties began and took a seat.

I quietly observed the mood around me. Thankfully, it seemed no one was aware that I had been kidnapped.

As expected, yesterday’s incident hadn’t made it into the news. Judging by the ice-covered building, the Espers who had abducted me had likely died on the spot.

Well, even if they had miraculously survived, they’d probably suffer from severe frostbite for the rest of their lives. Since the Association had handled the aftermath, only the higher-ups likely knew what had happened.

After guiding sessions all morning, I returned to my desk during a break to check the news. Ever since rescuing those children near the gate I’d visited with Vasily, checking the news had become a daily habit.

I was looking to see if there had been any incidents I could help with when I noticed news of Vasily heading to a gate.

“Is this the same gate he mentioned this morning…”

But the temporary code assigned to the gate looked oddly familiar. I was sure something had happened there before…

I narrowed my eyes and tried to recall, but nothing came to mind. Well, if it didn’t immediately come to me, it probably wasn’t important. I dismissed it lightly and tried to erase the thought from my head, but the discomfort lingered.

Before I knew it, the break had ended. Returning to the guiding room, I welcomed the next Esper and resumed guiding.

‘Ah, I remember now.’

The memory suddenly came back in the middle of the session. That gate was a mutant-type gate with a significant number of casualties.

Vasily and I had cleared out all the monsters and exited the gate, but when civilian researchers entered afterward, a powerful monster had suddenly appeared. We rushed back in to help, but by then everyone had been killed, and there were no survivors. The despair I had felt at that moment was something I still couldn’t forget.

“Excuse me, Esper. I’m sorry to interrupt the session, but would it be all right if I made a quick phone call?”

As I asked for permission to make a quick call during the session, the Esper didn’t object.

With their consent, I immediately dialed Vasily.

Ring… ring…

The ringtone went on for a while. Had he already entered the gate? Then how was I supposed to pass this information along… I anxiously weighed my options when Vasily finally picked up.

– Guide Kwon Gidam?

“Good day, Esper Vasily.”

The moment Vasily’s name left my lips, I could feel the Esper I was guiding tense up. Yikes, must’ve had a bad experience with Vasily. I’d better say what I needed to quickly and end the call.

– Why are you calling? You haven’t been kidnapped again, have you?

“No, nothing like that. I had a question. Are you still outside the gate?”

– Yes, I’m about to enter, so I can’t talk for long. What’s your question?

Doing my best to feign ignorance, I asked my question.

“The strongest monster is usually at the deepest part of the gate, correct?”

– That’s right.

“Is it possible for there to be two of them?”

– It’s rare, but there are sometimes mutant gates like that.

I didn’t directly mention anything specific. If I claimed to know that a gate I hadn’t even seen was a mutant, it would raise questions—and be hard to believe. Just planting a bit of caution would be enough.

“I see. Thank you.”

– You called just to ask that? You sure you don’t secretly want to be an Esper…

“No, definitely not.”

– So what are you doing now?

Despite saying he couldn’t talk long, Vasily didn’t hang up and kept the conversation going. I kept my response short. I had no reason to stay on the line any longer.

“I’m working.”

– Work as in…

“I’m guiding an Esper.”

– ……

A long silence followed on the other end of the line.

“Esper Vasily?”

Had the call dropped? But the line was still connected. Assuming he had nothing more to say, I asked for permission to end the call.

“Shall I hang up now?”

Even though I hadn’t pressed the button, the call suddenly disconnected. What the hell? Why the sudden mood shift? Seriously, he’s impossible to understand.

Afterward, I kept checking the news during work whenever I had a spare moment. There were still no reports of an incident at the gate.

Well, the last time something had happened, it was in the evening too. It wasn’t even close to quitting time yet, so even if an accident were to occur, it would still be a while.

Still, I felt uneasy. What if Vasily didn’t catch on despite everything I’d done and just took care of the visible monsters before walking out? Maybe I should’ve been clearer… Regret started creeping in.

Should I call him again and double-check? I was mulling it over while fiddling with my phone when the guiding room door suddenly burst open.

“E-Esper Vasily?”

Vasily had come to the guiding room. And I was in the middle of guiding another Esper.

Flustered, I called out his name. Upon seeing me engaged in guiding someone else, his eyes grew cold, and he said nothing, as if his mood had taken a sudden dive. What was his problem now?

“……”

Vasily silently stared at the Esper I was guiding. When those chilling silver-grey eyes turned on him, the Esper flinched and quickly stood up, then practically fled the room.

I was left speechless by the sight, and Vasily, unfazed, sat calmly in the now-vacant chair.

“Why would you chase out an Esper who was receiving guidance perfectly fine?”

“Wouldn’t you rather guide someone who’s just come back from a gate than someone who shows up doing nothing?”

“…Haa.”

I let out a deep sigh.

What am I supposed to do with this selfish, socially inept man…