The Guide Played Her Role as a Stand-in a Little Too Well - Chapter 136
‘No, I should finish the task first and then think about it.’
Right now, the priority was to break the dark mage’s curse on Karina and deal with Robert.
The pain was bearable. Embarrassingly, the headache had significantly improved since he received strength from Karina earlier.
Hedonia was starting to understand what it meant to live as an Esper.
Gazing at Karina for a moment, Hedonia prepared to leave through the window.
Robert’s voice, which had been audible until recently, was now gone.
Cayden had lured him outside.
It was their turn to act.
“Esban, let’s go together.”
There was something that needed to be resolved to stay by Karina’s side.
‘We also need to meet Cayden Cairoze, who will be waiting outside.’
It was time for the preparations to take over the dukedom completely.
“Yes.”
At Hedonia’s words, Esban nodded immediately. Esban must have been thinking of Cayden as well.
His light body moved as he had always wished.
Hedonia gracefully crossed the air like a butterfly, thinking of Karina’s face.
A face that had become his reason for living, surpassing even his desire for revenge.
The moment he stepped outside, the magic circle activated more powerfully.
Hedonia’s power, as a newly awakened Esper, was an unfamiliar presence to the magic circle.
Magic activated throughout the dukedom.
In the blink of an eye, the magic fired like missiles.
Dodging the missiles with inhuman reaction speed, the wall and glass around the window where Hedonia had stood shattered into pieces.
“This isn’t as difficult as I thought.”
A normal Esper might have been hit, but their reflexes had long surpassed those of ordinary humans.
“…Your reaction speed is beyond that of a typical guide.”
Esban, who had long since recognized Hedonia’s true nature, muttered in a monotone voice.
Now that the magic circle was activated, magic was flying towards him as well, but like Hedonia, he effortlessly evaded it.
“It seems you’ve already figured it out, so I can spare the effort of explaining,”
Hedonia affirmed, leaving Esban puzzled.
“…Father will be surprised.”
“Even if he’s surprised, we can’t change the plan.”
They had already come too far to turn back.
“You seem so calm,”
Esban remarked as they dodged the magic and headed towards Robert’s room.
Hedonia, who had expected to become a guide, appeared too composed, much to Esban’s surprise. Was he not shocked at all?
“It seems like this is the result I wanted,”
Hedonia replied, sensing Esban’s confusion.
“To protect Karina.”
At the mention of Karina’s name, Esban flinched. He couldn’t help but be concerned about her. From the first meeting, she had always oddly bothered him.
Of course, Hedonia couldn’t ignore Esban’s unusual reaction.
‘So, it’s not just one rival,’
Hedonia thought with a faint smile, watching Esban.
“What is it?”
“After this is all over, I plan to confess my feelings to Karina.”
“…What?”
Esban was taken aback. He had always thought that whatever happened between Hedonia and Karina was outside his concern.
‘Why are you telling me this?’
And why did it make him feel so uneasy?
“…That’s none of my business.”
“I’m telling you now so you won’t say anything different when you realize your feelings later.”
“No matter what you say, you can’t know my heart.”
“We’ll see about that.”
Esban didn’t want to accept Hedonia’s words as if he knew all of his feelings.
Hedonia stared at Esban and muttered.
“It’s actually welcomed here if you don’t know.”
“…”
“I hope you don’t jump in later.”
Esban frowned at his words and sighed.
Talking any further would only disadvantage him. Hedonia’s thoughts seemed firm.
However, even after the conversation ended, he couldn’t erase Karina’s face from his mind.
‘…It’s not because of those words.’
No. He didn’t see Karina as a romantic interest.
The reason Karina had bothered him from the beginning was simply because she reminded him of his younger self.
When he was just a child wandering the streets…
Before he was adopted into the Cairoze family.
* * *
“Then, shall we get out of here?”
Shaelock held me in her arms. Her face, having summoned Rodite, looked definitely better. The effect of the guiding was clear.
“…Since we’re causing chaos anyway, make it perfect. It’s fine if the dukedom gets split in half.”
I wanted to see Robert’s face twisted in agony for as long as possible. I needed compensation for the time I suffered.
“…You do know that Hedonia has to live in the dukedom afterwards, right?”
Ah. I had forgotten about that. When I dumbly opened my mouth, Shaelock grinned.
“Well, Hedonia will handle that.”
Another summoned creature began to take form in her hand.
“I have to grant my friend’s wish.”
Chaos was about to begin.
