Becoming the Guide of the Mysophobic Villain? Absolutely Not! - Chapter 205
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The class ended up being canceled in a disorganized manner.
Fortunately, the Guide who had been thrown by Daniel didn’t suffer serious injuries. However, she was furiously demanding a formal apology from Daniel and threatened to report him for violence against a Guide if he didn’t comply.
Some Guides were gossiping about seeing Daniel in a new light. They questioned how an Esper could not only fail to protect and take care of a Guide but actually harm one and then flee without a word of apology.
Although their points were valid, knowing Daniel’s circumstances made me feel uneasy.
Even though it wasn’t my fault, I somehow felt responsible. Daniel, who had always kept his distance from the Guides, had been caught up in this mess because he was trying to save me in a moment of confusion.
I didn’t see where Daniel went right after the incident. However, in his state, he couldn’t have gone far.
So, I headed to the thicket behind the path where Daniel had experienced signs of going on rampage before.
As expected, Daniel was there. Curled up like a wounded wild animal, he was panting heavily. I took a deep breath and approached him.
“Lord Daniel, are you okay?”
“Stay away!”
It wasn’t his usual sweet voice. The sound came out strained and cracked, forced from a throat that appeared almost dark red. Daniel was crying. His face, still covered in bulging blue veins, was soaked with tears.
The shocking sight left me momentarily speechless. An S-Class Esper, one of the strongest beings in this world, reduced to this state from a mere touch with a Guide’s skin.
Trembling, Daniel pleaded in a sobbing voice.
“I-I’m sorry, Miss Rose. Right now… I can’t control myself. I don’t trust myself not to hurt you. Please… please stay away.”
Hmm… I see.
After a moment of contemplation, I took a couple of steps back from where I stood. Then, I squatted down at a safe distance from him.
“…Um.”
“Yes?”
“…Are you just going to sit there and watch?”
Even while crying, Daniel seemed uncomfortable with me sitting in front of him, watching. I shrugged and replied.
“Well, we’re not strangers, and I can’t just leave someone in pain. Why, is it making you uncomfortable?”
“…A-A little.”
“Well, you’ll have to get used to it.”
“…Okay.”
Daniel quietly closed his mouth again. At least he was coherent enough to have a conversation, which meant he was doing better than before. That was a relief.
As time passed, his sobs gradually subsided. To help him focus and not get overwhelmed by the pain, I kept talking to him.
“Is it that painful? How much?”
“…It hurts, a lot.”
“I can’t really imagine it. Can you give me a comparison?”
“A comparison?”
His face was flushed from crying, and tears still brimmed in his eyes, but Daniel diligently thought it over to answer me. After a brief, tormented pause, he replied.
“…It feels like thousands of needles as thick as a cow’s hooves are piercing through my skin.”
“Ugh.”
“…Miss Rose, if you make it obvious that you’re disgusted, I’ll feel hurt.”
“Ah, sorry…”
Laughing at our near-comedic exchange, Daniel suddenly winced in pain again. After his groaning subsided, he spoke in a low voice after a brief silence.
“I must have let my guard down. I didn’t have any adverse reactions to your guiding, so… I got too comfortable.”
“…”
“I shouldn’t have… I’m like a ticking time bomb, a monster that could go off at any moment…”
Daniel’s face was filled with resignation and bitterness. His words made me consider a question I hadn’t thought of before.
