The Guide Played Her Role as a Stand-in a Little Too Well - Chapter 141
“What do you mean…?”
Robert’s face showed a mix of confusion and disbelief at Hedonia’s words.
At first, he thought it was a joke. In his mind, Hedonia will never fail to become a guide.
Despite Hedonia’s defiant attitude, it was an unspoken truth that he would become a guide. Robert had spent a lifetime indoctrinating him to believe this.
Yet now, there was no sign of the guide’s aura emanating from Hedonia.
Hadn’t Hedonia experienced the Awakening Pain this time?
But that possibility was incredibly slim. No, it was impossible.
Robert knew Hedonia’s condition better than anyone.
Those who experienced the Awakening Pain were destined to become special beings. This was an immutable law.
So if Hedonia had not awakened as a guide, there was only one possible answer.
The moment Robert considered this previously unimaginable possibility, he felt as if he were sinking into a quicksand.
“No, no, that can’t be.”
Robert spoke with a trembling voice, shaking his head. Hedonia smiled gently at his pathetic effort.
How long he had waited to see Robert’s face contort like this.
“Where is the confidence you had that I would become a guide?”
“You were supposed to become a guide.”
Hedonia pressed his finger firmly against Robert’s forehead, who was still babbling in shock.
“That’s just what you think. Don’t try to control my life. The dictatorship is over now.”
But Robert was not an easy opponent.
He hadn’t expected Hedonia’s rebellion to be this fierce. However, now that he knew, he couldn’t let Hedonia slip out of his grasp.
‘Haven’t I been telling all the nobles that he would be a guide?’
He could almost hear his honor plummeting into the depths.
‘No, this can’t be.’
But even Robert knew denying what had already happened was foolish.
‘Then I’ll just have to create a path.’
If you can’t scoop up spilled water, find another way.
Hedonia must become a guide.
If it hadn’t happened naturally, he would make it happen by force.
The absurdity of it didn’t matter.
If there was even a slight chance, it was worth trying.
‘I’ll make him a guide somehow.’
Creating a path for Hedonia and controlling him had become the purpose of his life.
There was no other life for Robert.
And he had to live.
Therefore, he needed to find a reason.
‘I should go see Pheon.’
Though Pheon was always displeased with him, he couldn’t avoid the regular guiding sessions.
That was the way of the world.
The beginning might actually be fine.
Espers had always been under Robert’s jurisdiction.
At least, he could make Hedonia follow his commands. The same fact remained: Espers needed guides, and this brought Robert great comfort.
“You know how crucial guides are to Espers, right?”
He knew well how much newly awakened Espers craved guiding.
“Or I can teach you.”
Robert grabbed Hedonia’s hand with a sinister smile.
Although he usually despised contact guiding, he would do anything to imprint his presence on Hedonia.
But before his hand could even touch Hedonia, it was flung away.
“Hedonia, I can take away the pain gnawing at you in an instant. There’s no need to reject me.”
Robert tried desperately to coax him.
“Besides, am I not your father? I don’t mean to harm you.”
“Don’t you think it’s pathetic to bring up blood ties now, Duke?”
Of course, this meant nothing to Hedonia.
“You were the one who conditioned me to endure pain from the start.”
Hedonia smirked, grabbed Robert by the collar, and slowly lifted him into the air.
“Ugh… ugh…”
It wasn’t that Robert was weak. It was just that Hedonia was so fast and strong that Robert couldn’t react.
Hedonia was careful not to let his hand touch Robert’s skin.
Hedonia had already realized that Robert was trying to guide him and bring him under his control.
Robert struggled hard to get down from the air, but it was futile.
Hedonia looked at Robert, whom he had lifted.
He had always looked up to Robert, but now it felt different.
The man he had hated all his life was now in his grasp, and he could finally feel it vividly.
“Wait a moment.”
Hedonia slammed Robert’s body onto the floor.
“Keugh―”
