The Guide Played Her Role as a Stand-in a Little Too Well - Chapter 145
Watching Robert’s utter despair, Hedonia felt a surge of exhilaration.
Yes, he had been waiting for this moment.
He had yearned for and anticipated the chance to shatter Robert’s lifelong plan and rise above him.
It was a different kind of revenge than what Robert had envisioned, executed from an entirely different position, but it suited Hedonia perfectly.
This was an opportunity to completely overturn the malicious practices Robert had exploited, draining the guides to their very bones.
Simply becoming a guide and betraying Robert’s expectations wouldn’t end things. While simple revenge might be achieved, addressing the vile things Robert had entrenched required the time and effort of many.
‘That’s how brainwashing works.’
It seeps in unnoticed, so much so that by the time something seems off, it’s already too late. That was the essence of Robert’s brainwashing.
Convincing those who had lived under this influence and breaking Robert’s grip on them was undoubtedly the hardest task.
Since accomplishing this alone was impossible, he might have sought help from the imperial family.
‘Perhaps he received assistance from Princess Shaelock and the espers.’
If he had become a guide, he would have made deals with the espers under the guise of guiding. Even so, it wouldn’t have been easy.
What would take months at the longest was accomplished in a single day, no, in just a few hours.
‘…So this is the power of an esper.’
Now he understood why people both feared and revered espers.
He also understood why there was a penalty for guiding an esper.
This power was truly a double-edged sword.
If mishandled, the power could go on a rampage, harming others and even consuming the esper themselves.
Though Robert shed tears profusely, Hedonia kept tearing through his mind.
The fact that the one who tormented him for a lifetime was crumbling from just this brought a bitter smile to his face.
Rummaging through his mind was more entertaining than he had expected. Seeing old memories and the deeds Robert had done, all Hedonia could think was how much of a scum he was.
The more Hedonia delved into his mind, the more disoriented Robert became. He couldn’t even distinguish his own thoughts from the memories Hedonia was pulling out at will.
Drool dripped from Robert’s mouth as he nearly lost his mind.
‘…Information about Karina.’
Discovering Karina in Robert’s mind, Hedonia continued to sift through his memories to learn about the deal with the dark mage.
Finally extracting all the information about Karina’s cursed doll, Hedonia stood up and ground his foot into Robert’s hand.
Hedonia drew blood from Robert’s convulsing body. He gathered various things, including Robert’s energy and blood. The doll that Robert had brought here was no exception.
He gathered the necessary documents in one place and shoved them inside his coat. It was amusing that he still had the presence of mind to collect these documents while fleeing.
The sight from the cliff seemed to perfectly expose Robert’s vanity.
“Ugh…”
His expressionless face still held a trace of barely concealed hostility.
Of course, Hedonia wasn’t in perfect condition either.
Using his powers excessively while rummaging through Robert’s mind had consumed far more energy than necessary because his abilities were still unrefined.
However, the memories about Karina remained terrifyingly clear.
“I will deliver the doll to Karina. Meet with Cayden Cairoze first.”
Before meeting Cayden Cairoze, it was a priority to take care of Karina.
Of course, it would be more convenient to have Esban handle it, but he didn’t want to do that.
It was an opportunity to see Karina again. There was no way he would let someone else handle it.
“Understood. But… you should refrain from using your powers any further.”
Esban, who had been quietly following Hedonia and observing the situation, finally spoke up.
It was clear that Hedonia’s condition couldn’t be considered normal.
“Why?”
Hedonia asked without changing his expression. His calm face was eerily composed. But Esban wasn’t fooled by Hedonia’s appearance.
He had been through it himself. Advice born from experience couldn’t be wrong.
No matter how strong Hedonia Apharantes was, it was difficult to stay sane amidst increasing pain.
Overconfidence would be dangerous.
“The more you use your powers, the harder it will become for you.”
Newly awakened espers were likely still unaccustomed to the pain.
What initially seemed like manageable pain would intensify with each use of their abilities.
Everyone has their limits when it comes to using their powers, and one must use them to know these limits.
But Hedonia was entirely unaware of his own limits.
Or perhaps he was being overconfident.
‘…He’s been using his powers for quite a while now.’
Just because he had assigned tasks to Esban didn’t mean he fully trusted him.
Relationships were like towers built over a long time.
However, as long as Robert was still in his grasp, he knew Cayden Cairoze would follow him.
Cayden Cairoze had endured for a long time, crawling and waiting, to take perfect revenge on Robert.
