Becoming the Guide of the Mysophobic Villain? Absolutely Not! - Chapter 293
Despite his unilateral and uncommunicative nature, the reason Claude had always been respected by the Espers was simple.
The Espers were governed by the logic of power, and they had no choice but to obey his overwhelming strength and extraordinary qualities as a leader.
Claude was a strategist. Instead of recklessly expending power, he calmly directed operations with optimal efficiency in any situation. This made the Espers who observed him aspire to emulate and admire him.
However, there was only one moment when Claude lost his composure, and that was when it involved his guide.
“L-Lord Claude?”
Wilhelm called out in confusion, but Claude had only one thought in his mind: he had to resolve this situation as quickly as possible and get back to Rose. The Espers waiting for his orders didn’t even register in his mind.
Slashing through the mutants that blocked his way, Claude first rescued Oscar, who was completely surrounded, and brought him to his side.
“I-I was waiting…!”
Oscar finally felt relieved and let out a plaintive cry. The presence of Claude alone was more reassuring than the many Espers surrounding him.
“Where were you and what took you so long…!”
But he soon clamped his mouth shut. Seeing Claude’s murderous expression, he knew that any further annoyance might result in him being thrown to the mutants.
Oscar wasn’t particularly perceptive, but he had an uncanny ability to sense danger when his life was threatened.
However, the endless stream of mutants kept coming from seemingly nowhere.
Claude felt the same sense of déjà vu he had experienced throughout this expedition.
Why was this happening? The mutants’ actions, willing to throw themselves into death, only made sense if their sole purpose was to delay.
But why would there be a need to delay?
< All of this happening might be because of me. >
At that moment, Claude couldn’t understand why Rose’s words suddenly flashed through his mind.
Did his restlessness stem from the fact that he had spent two months away from Rose since leaving the Center, and now couldn’t be by her side when she was ill?
Eventually, the battle subsided somewhat after dawn. By then, Claude was already overwhelmed with an irrational and uncontrollable anxiety, even though he knew rationally that there was no reason for it.
He was about to leave the cleanup to the other Espers and hurriedly search for Rose, but there was no need. Livener came running to him first.
Something was wrong. He had instructed Livener to stay by Rose’s side until he returned, but Livener was alone. Rose was nowhere to be seen.
Moreover, Livener’s face was pale with shock as if he had received a great blow.
Claude’s instincts told him that something bad had happened to his guide.
And his instincts in such matters were rarely wrong.
“We have a big problem, Lord Claude. Lady Rose… ”
Thump, thump.
His heart pounded heavily.
And the words that Livener delivered to Claude were…
“Lady Rose h-has disappeared!”
***
“I-I swear I gave her the medicine, and her fever went down considerably. She fell into a deep sleep,” the doctor stammered, trembling.
He didn’t dare lift his head, bowed low to the ground.
At first, he thought the man who had come with her was her lover. But the moment he faced the man in front of him, he realized the truth.
It wasn’t just the man’s flawless appearance that stood out. It was his arrogance, accustomed to having others kneel before him, and an overwhelming presence that dominated the room.
There was no doubt. He was the true lover of the small woman.
