TGIC Ch 31

Chapter 31

Among the Espers struggling to make it out of the gate, only Vasily was walking out unscathed. I looked at him as he approached me, my expression sour.

“The raid’s over. I can go back now, right?”

“…Yes.”

I wanted to hold out a little longer, but if I pushed it further here, Vasily might really lose it.

With no other choice, I quietly followed Vasily and glanced around. The other guides had only just begun their temporary guiding, and I felt a little self-conscious about leaving early…

But since I was supposedly leaving to guide an S-class Esper, no one would dare criticize me. On the contrary, maybe they’d even be grateful that I was taking Vasily away early.

I got into Vasily’s car. I had come in an Association vehicle, but I was leaving in Vasily’s imported car. Just thinking back to how excited I was on the way here, I never imagined things would turn out like this.

“Guide Kwon Gidam, if you’re ever assigned to a gate again, let me know first.”

“…Why?”

“I want to participate in any gate where you’re dispatched.”

That meant he intended to follow me around from now on. I frowned deeply, my face twisting.

“I don’t like that. Are you planning to interfere with my work?”

“Why? Planning to throw yourself in front again if monsters break out of the gate like last time?”

This time, I was left speechless. Vasily continued in a mocking tone.

“At the very least, if I’m there, you won’t pull another reckless stunt that’s basically suicide.”

“……”

I really had no rebuttal. If I argued further, I might upset him, so I shut my mouth.

After a short silence, I asked seriously.

“Esper-nim, why do you keep following me? I’m just a C-class guide, and our compatibility is low.”

“……”

This time, Vasily didn’t answer.

Well, I hadn’t expected a response anyway. But now I was sure—it wasn’t just some fleeting interest that made Vasily chase after me. No way…

I absentmindedly touched the nape of my neck, hidden under my hair.

‘Did he find out?’

No, he couldn’t have. If he had, Vasily would’ve yanked out the suppression chip and demanded to be guided.

Whatever the case, there was definitely a reason behind Vasily’s obsession with me. I had to uncover it quickly and get him away from me—for the sake of my peaceful future.

The weekend flew by. Thinking about the Espers waiting for me at the Association from Monday onwards made the walk to work feel extra heavy.

I let out a long sigh as I passed through the Association’s main gate, when suddenly, the ground surged upward beneath my feet.

“Ugh!”

Losing my balance, I fell, and my palms hit cold ice. Lying face down on the ice, I lifted my head.

One, two, three… I assessed the situation.

‘Vasily’s doing.’

I looked down at the awkward height below me from the ice ledge and clutched my head in frustration.

What the hell is it this time!

It was similar to last time, except back then it was on my way home—and this time I was on my way to work. People were murmuring as they looked up at me, stranded on an icy cliff. I seriously couldn’t take the humiliation anymore—thanks to Vasily.

“Vasily!”

I shouted his name at the top of my lungs, and a familiar figure appeared in the distance.

Today, Vasily was dressed in a suit the same silvery-gray as his hair. His shirt and tie were a deep navy, nearly black, and his shoes were a refined black leather. From the start of Monday morning, he was impeccable—flawless.

He walked toward me with a composed gait and a satisfied smile on his face, which made my expression immediately twist in displeasure.

When he finally reached the base of the ledge, I yelled at him angrily.

“What are you doing this time!”

“There’s somewhere I need to take you.”

“You could’ve just said that!”

“But if I had, you would’ve run away like last time, wouldn’t you?”

Grinding my teeth, I saw Vasily create a slope for me to descend. The image of a 60-story hellish slide flashed through my mind, and my face went pale. I forced myself to appear unfazed and made my way down.

Without a word, I followed Vasily toward the Esper Association.

With a face full of complaints, I got into the elevator with him—but instead of going down to the underground parking lot, we were heading up to the floor where the meeting rooms were. I watched the floors slowly climb and belatedly asked,

“Now that I think about it, where exactly are we going?”

“The meeting room. Guide Kwon Gidam, you’ll be attending the meeting with me.”

“Meeting? What meeting…?”

So we weren’t going to a gate? We were heading to a meeting?

When I used to serve as Vasily’s guide, I’d occasionally joined him in meetings. But now, I was just a regular C-class guide. It was highly unlikely for someone like me to be in a meeting with Vasily…

Just what kind of meeting was this, that he was bringing me along?

My face scrunched up. Don’t tell me… is he trying to officially assign me as his guide again, like last time? He’s suggested something similar before, so I can’t even be sure he’s lost interest anymore.

If that’s the case… I need to escape. Right now.

“We’re here.”

I snapped back to reality, only to find myself already in front of the meeting room. Tense with anxiety and planning my escape, I followed Vasily inside.

A large screen was set up at the front of the spacious meeting hall, and a long table stretched down the center. Chairs lined up at neat intervals were all occupied—except for one.

As Vasily and I entered the room, all eyes turned toward us.

A suffocating tension filled the air, and sweat trickled down my face. We were definitely late. Among the attendees, I spotted several high-ranking officials—and even other S-class Espers.

All the S-class Espers had gathered in one place. That almost never happened. This must be something on the level of a national emergency. I was overwhelmed with the urge to flee.

Cold sweat dripped down. At least I was dressed in a light suit today—that was the only small relief.

“Sit.”

I stood awkwardly, hesitating, and Vasily gave the command. But there were no extra chairs prepared beyond the number of people already seated. Was there a spare somewhere? I looked around, and then Vasily added casually,

“On my lap.”

…This lunatic?

Vasily patted his lap, signaling for me to sit there. After so many years without a guide, it seemed his mind had finally snapped. I stared at him like he was crazy—and the reactions from those around us weren’t much different.

“N-no, thank you.”

I stammered from how much I hated the idea.

But Vasily forcibly pulled me down and made me sit on his lap. Dragged like a piece of paper, I ended up sitting on him. It was beyond unfair that a regular guide like me couldn’t even resist the strength of an S-class Esper.

His cold, firm thighs pressed against my lower body—it was utterly revolting. I tried to stand immediately, but the soles of my shoes wouldn’t lift from the floor.

Looking closely, my shoes had frozen and were stuck to the ground. Alarmed, I struggled to pull them free when Vasily suddenly grabbed my butt and whispered in my ear.

“Ugh!”

“Sit still before I freeze that too.”

My face went rigid.

Everyone in the room, myself included, had turned pale. Sure, he whispered it, but the room had been so quiet that there was no way they hadn’t heard.

I could feel their pitying stares. Damn it, if you’re going to pity me, couldn’t you at least say something to Vasily?

In the end, the meeting began with me sitting on Vasily’s lap.

I wiped my face, feeling the cold temperature beneath me. A grown man… sitting on the lap of another grown man… attending a meeting…

‘Damn it…’

My social standing had hit rock bottom. Vasily had done plenty of crazy things to torment me before, but he’d never violated my dignity like this.

With a haggard expression, I glanced at the screen. Just from a glance, I could tell confidential information was being discussed. Was it even okay for me to be hearing this?

Then again, who would dare kick me out with Vasily sitting there, sharp-eyed and alert? I figured I’d just let it go in one ear and out the other, and turned my gaze away from the screen.

“Guide Kwon Gidam, do you see anything unusual among those gates?”

But in the middle of the meeting, Vasily suddenly threw a question at me.

I was flustered by the sudden attention directed at me. Wait, why was he asking someone like me—a civilian, essentially?

…Though, truthfully, I did know.

One of the gates on the screen had been classified as E-grade, but in reality, it was an A-grade gate. It had led to a notorious disaster where over half the dispatched Espers had perished.

If I gave just a slight hint, it could save lives.

“……”

But correctly identifying a mutant gate twice in a row… would be like admitting the last incident wasn’t just coincidence.

And Vasily would definitely catch on.