Becoming the Guide of the Mysophobic Villain? Absolutely Not! - Chapter 254
I was puzzled.
“…Are you going out too, Lord Claude?”
For the past ten days, he hadn’t taken a single step outside the house with me. But now, as I was about to leave, he decided to go out too?
Ignoring my bewilderment, he replied curtly.
“Yes.”
“Where are you going?”
“Work.”
It was a brusque answer. He was definitely sulking because I insisted on going to the Guide Division.
I felt a pang of guilt for a moment… but I thought it would be fine. Claude was simpler than he seemed, and I knew how to cheer him up easily.
I should have sensed something was off at that point.
Instead of parting ways along the route as I had guessed, Claude continued to walk beside me, matching my pace with a sulky expression until we reached the training building.
…Was he planning to see me off?
I glanced up at him and kept walking.
But when he tried to follow me into the training building, I finally stopped in my tracks.
“…What is this? A protest? Are you planning to experience being a student with me? You, who should be writing the textbook yourself?”
When I questioned him, Claude brazenly replied.
“I didn’t follow you. I came to teach, as you said. I’ve been formally invited to participate as a mentor.”
It was true that Claude had been asked many times to serve as a mentor for various training sessions. He was the most famous and accomplished Esper in Arteon.
But of course, he had ignored all those requests until now. The compensation was meager, and he wasn’t the type to enjoy socializing or mentoring.
Yet, he chose to participate as a mentor on the day of the joint Esper-Guide training session. His intentions were obvious.
“Oh, come on… Just go home, okay? I’ll see you later at home…”
I desperately pleaded with him.
If we entered the classroom together, I could already picture everyone’s shock. Even now, as we argued at the entrance of the training building, people passing by were stealing glances at us.
“It has nothing to do with you.”
Claude insisted, continuing his nonsensical argument. Eventually, though, even he began to get irritated and admitted,
“Do you think it’s fair that every other Esper can see what my Guide does all day, but I can’t?”
With that, he stubbornly held onto me and opened the classroom door.
* * *
And once Claude entered the classroom… he caused a huge scene.
Firstly, he glared at anyone who tried to approach us.
“Hey, Rose, you made it back…”
Simeyez and Epine, who were about to approach me after my long absence, froze upon noticing the towering figure standing next to me.
“H-High five…”
“…”
They awkwardly gave each other a half-hearted high five and then turned back, walking away without a word. It was a clean break.
I couldn’t blame them, though. Claude’s expression was terrifying.
Of course, Claude didn’t intend to cause a scene. He might have overcome his guiding allergy, but he hadn’t yet conquered his mysophobia. Being stuck in a confined space with numerous Guides must have been unbearable for him.
He probably wanted to escape the room as soon as possible.
Yet, he stayed put, stubbornly enduring the situation… even though he couldn’t hide his discomfort.
He sat next to me, taking up space, and glared menacingly at any Guide who came within a few meters of us. As a result, no one dared to approach our immediate vicinity.
‘I might as well go home.’
At this point, letting the rumors spread might be the better option.
My internal struggle intensified when Demona arrived.
Before the class started, Demona entered the room for a facility check and immediately brightened upon seeing me.
“Rose Valentine, you…!”
She charged towards me like a rhinoceros, but then halted abruptly when she noticed Claude standing beside me, protectively holding me and glaring down at her.
