TGIC Ch 104

Chapter 104

I clenched my mouth shut, forcing down the metallic smear spreading over my tongue.

I glared at him with the resolve to never open up—but Vasily didn’t yield either. He only tightened his grip on my cheek, a cold smile touching his lips.

“Ugh…!”

In the end, I was the one who lost the stalemate. The instant pain lanced my jaw—as if it would crack—my lips parted, and blood spilled into my mouth in a rush.

His unyielding hand wouldn’t allow me to close it again. I grabbed his wrist, trying to stop him, but my mouth was already full.

My throat bobbed, and I gulped it down. I could feel the cold liquid tracing down my esophagus, uncomfortably vivid.

“Open properly. You’re letting it spill.”

“Ugh… mmph!”

“How much do I have to feed you…? This should be enough. Just in case, drink a little more.”

He said it lightly—and squeezed his fist harder. Crack. The thin line of blood seeping between his fingers thickened into a steady stream.

I drank, mouth pried open, for what felt like a long time. It seemed like I’d swallowed a whole bottle’s worth; still, the sticky warmth coating my tongue didn’t stop.

Only when the reek of iron overwhelmed me did Vasily finally release me.

“Kh—!”

I stumbled free and sank to the floor. My stomach heaved; I thought I’d vomit right then and there.

Somehow, I fought it down and wiped my wet mouth with the back of my hand. Blood was everywhere—my face, my neck, even my chest. If I walked out like this, people would scream murder and call the police.

While I sat there panting, Vasily stood above me spotless, not a drop on him. Looking up at that immaculate face sent sudden anger surging through me.

“What am I, a vampire? Making me drink blood!”

“So—how’s your body feel?”

“…Tch.”

Aside from the fury of being forced, my condition had cleared like a lie. The suppression chip had cooled; I couldn’t even argue with him. With a long exhale, I said,

“There’s no need to drink that much. A mouthful is enough.”

“Got it. I’ll adjust next time.”

Next time.

The thought of drinking his blood again made my stomach churn. While I wiped the blood from my skin and clothes with a sour expression, he handed back the medication he’d taken earlier.

I accepted the aluminum-sealed red tablets and glanced at his hand. Had he stopped the bleeding with his ability? He’d lost no small amount, yet his palm had already sealed.

The fact that he’d cut his own hand just to feed me… He really wasn’t normal.

“You’re about to enter the Gate—are you fine after losing that much blood?”

“Are you worried?”

As if. I scowled at him, and he continued in that maddeningly calm tone,

“This much is nothing. If you’re concerned, you can guide me a little more.”

“No.”

I ignored the nonsense as usual and finished changing into the field suit.

When I stepped out, I could see Espers gathering near the Gate—soon, the raid would begin. Watching them, I asked Vasily, who had followed me outside,

“Heading out now?”

“I should.”

He straightened the faintly rumpled suit jacket. As my eyes flicked to his sleeve—creased badly thanks to me—a pale hand suddenly reached toward me. I flinched at the abrupt movement. Cool fingers traced lightly along my neckline before pulling back, and I saw what he’d wiped away: a smear of blood I hadn’t noticed.

“I’ll come out at night for guiding. Wait for me.”

With a faint smile, he left, a thin trace of blood-scent lingering behind him.

After parting with Vasily, I wandered the site until I found the tent assigned to temporary Guides and settled inside.

But even the Guides I’d finally found wouldn’t speak to me—only shot me sidelong glances. So the threat about freezing the tongue of anyone who talked to me had spread to them as well. I’d thought it was only staff and Espers. Apparently he was dead set on isolating me completely.

Hours left in a corner left me feeling like the class outcast. A whole week of this… The thought made my chest tight.

To make it worse, being halfway up a mountain meant the internet was miserably slow. After a few failed attempts to read webtoons, I gave up and put my phone down.

Night fell before I knew it.

The tent where guiding had taken place during the day had become a sleeping area for Guides by night. Since I had nothing to do as Vasily’s dedicated Guide, I unfolded a cot early and lay down.

He’d said he would come at night for guiding, but no one knew whether that meant midnight or dawn. Better to conserve strength beforehand. With that thought, I closed my eyes before dinner.

Bzzzt.

I didn’t know how much time had passed when my phone vibrated by my pillow. The caller ID read: Vasily.

In the quiet tent, I kept my voice low as I answered.

“Esper Vasily?”

— Where are you?

“I’m in the temporary Guide tent.”

— Come outside.

Without hanging up, I slipped into my shoes quietly. Outside, I peered around, but the darkness smothered everything.

Thanks only to a few scattered lights, I could make out shadows—the deep forest, long rows of tents. That was it.

Should I head toward the Gate? I hesitated, picturing armed Espers standing guard, and lifted the phone again.

“Where are you, Esper?”

“Behind you.”

“—!”

A cold hand landed lightly on my shoulder. I jumped at the sudden voice and turned—to find Vasily right there, face to face.

“Announce yourself! You scared me!”

“I thought I did. You didn’t hear?”

Right. It was my fault for having ordinary human hearing. I pressed a hand to my pounding heart and hung up the call.

Muttering under my breath, I furtively checked him over. He looked far too composed for someone who’d just come out mid-raid—so composed I half wondered if he hadn’t gone into the Gate at all.

No injuries… and his relaxed demeanor didn’t suggest an urgent need for guiding. All the same, he’d need to go back in shortly, so it was best to guide him quickly and send him off.

“Where shall we guide?”

“How about the same place as this morning?”

“Works for me.”

Earlier, a few people—including me—had been changing there, but at this hour no one would be using the changing room. When we opened the door, it was indeed empty.

I stepped into the dark room and flipped on the lights.

“Would you prefer I undress for the guiding?”

“That would be best.”

As expected. I nodded and pulled off my shirt. After setting my clothes aside, I turned—Vasily was already seated, jacket off, in a chair.

I was sure there had been another chair.

Glancing around, I spotted it sitting in the corner and approached.

“Do we really need that?” he asked lightly as I lifted it. He must have enjoyed the guiding earlier when I sat on his leg.

There were times when I couldn’t read him at all—and times when he was perfectly transparent. I huffed a small laugh, set the chair down, and moved toward him. He opened his arms, expectant.

I settled into the breadth of his thigh. Funny how a few times was all it took for this to feel familiar. Adjusting to a comfortable position, I faced him and began the guiding.

Through the thin shirt, I felt hard muscle and that ever-cool body. I spoke.

“What’s happening inside the Gate right now?”

“The Espers were already starting to topple from fatigue, so we’re taking a short break.”

“Surprised you didn’t toss them aside as useless. Going back right after the guiding?”

“I should. Without me, I doubt the raid will progress.”

A cold draft slipped through the tent seams. I shivered, and he asked,

“Cold?”

“Since it’s the mountains, nights are a bit chilly.”

The air was cool enough; with his low body temperature, it felt even colder. In sweltering summer, that chill had been a relief—but things had changed.

Maybe we should throw a blanket over us during guiding starting tomorrow. I was seriously considering it when his low voice brushed my ear.

“Sometimes I wish my body were warm—like yours.”

He murmured it quietly. I paused, then answered,

“…If you keep receiving guiding regularly, it’ll get better than it is now.”

“Do you really think so?”

“Yes. So don’t be too discouraged.”

It wasn’t baseless. If I went by my memories before the regression, it was entirely possible.

At first, his body had been painfully cold to the touch. But with continued guiding, the chill had calmed more and more. He would never be as warm as ordinary people—but lukewarm, at least, was within reach. Of course, that would require removing the suppression chip and restoring our original matching rate.