Becoming the Guide of the Mysophobic Villain? Absolutely Not! - Chapter 46
“Eh… just us? What about Miss Shana?”
“She’ll find her way.”
“?”
His indifferent remark left me bewildered. Out on a date and leaving her in this crowd with a ‘she’ll find her way?’ Shana, of all people?
“Lord Claude, doing this might get you dumped by Miss Shana…”
“Are you saying you don’t want to go?”
“No, I do!”
As the light of the teleportation enveloped us, I found myself half-embraced by him, hearing his laughter dissipating around my ears.
Why was it that Claude laughing made me feel strangely fluttery inside?
I guessed it was better to keep my distance from Claude, after all.
***
The next morning, safely back in my dorm, I started the day with my usual mantra.
“…Fvcking hell, this lousy company.”
Groaning, I got up. My body felt unusually heavy, probably from all the rushing around yesterday with my short legs.
Thus began my usual self-debate, dawdling about.
Why do humans work so hard just for three meals a day?
Would the world end if I just skipped a meal?
…Yes, it would. Food is my only joy in life.
The conclusion was always the same. So, off I went, leaving my dorm room to earn my meager salary as a tiny cog in the Center’s machine.
Arriving at the office, I was greeted with unexpected news.
“Rose, you’re temporarily reassigned to a new department from today. Esper Division, Esper Support Department. They’re short-staffed and need extra hands.”
From the Guide Division to the Esper Division overnight? What a mess of a workplace…
The Guide Division was bad enough, but the Esper Division was even worse, especially the Esper Support Department – every office worker’s nightmare.
While Guides might act all high and mighty, they’re essentially no different from ordinary people except for their guiding ability.
But the Esper Division is a hotbed of incidents and accidents.
Espers could demolish buildings with their powers on a whim, and if they started fighting among themselves, bloodshed was almost guaranteed.
The Esper Support Department acts as a manager for these Espers.
Usually, one office worker is assigned to several Espers, cleaning up the mess whenever they cause trouble.
Taking risks and catering to the whims of Espers doesn’t come with extra pay or bonuses.
Thus, those who score lower in the exams usually get assigned here, shedding tears of blood as they work.
But to be suddenly moved from the Guide Division to the Esper Division was outrageous, and to be informed of such an important decision on the morning I arrived at work was even more so.
I felt utterly wronged but had no energy to protest.
So there I was, awkwardly carrying a box to my new assignment.
The box wasn’t heavy, but it was cumbersome to hold and made turning door handles tricky.
As I was about to set it down to open the door, it swung open from the inside.
A pair of black shoes came into view, followed by a long shadow cast over me.
The face I looked up to see was…
“…”
“…”
Claude.
His expression was nonchalant, almost as if he’d been expecting me.
Not you again.
I wasn’t even surprised anymore.
An S-rank Esper known for disliking people, whom even seasoned office workers rarely encountered, seemed to be everywhere I went.
It’s not like he’s some unemployed ahjussi lounging around…
I wanted to grumble, but I am, after all, a mature adult.
“…Hello. I’m new here.”
I bowed politely, and Claude’s eyebrow twitched.
“Come in.”
Suddenly, the box I was holding levitated into the air. It floated away as Claude turned and walked off.
What’s this? Mr. Final Villain, uncharacteristically helping with luggage.
I grumbled internally, because, after all, he’s the villain. But, of course, I was happy for the help.
I followed him inside, where the space was rather bare, not too spacious.
A solitary sofa near a window suitable for basking in the sun’s gentle rays was the only notable feature.
Claude, who had sat on the sofa, paused when he saw me standing behind him.
“…?”
Realizing something was amiss from his questioning gaze, I turned to see my belongings neatly placed on a desk in the corner of the room.
“Aha.”
I nodded at Claude and scurried to the desk with my things.
While I unpacked and organized, Claude sat leisurely, reading a book, not giving me any specific instructions.
After quickly settling in with my few belongings, I found myself just sitting there, somewhat aimlessly.
