The Guide Played Her Role as a Stand-in a Little Too Well - Chapter 154
“Pheon, calm down! The place will catch on fire!”
Panicking, I tried to calm Pheon. At my words, he flinched, and the flames died down.
“Ah, I’m sorry, Karina. I got too excited…”
Now he seemed more like the Pheon I knew.
With three of them barging in at once, it was overwhelming. I rubbed my forehead, trying to make sense of the situation.
‘What should I do?’
The conclusion came quickly.
‘I’ll just send them all away.’
Right, if something had happened to Hedonia, they would have mentioned it from the start.
And most importantly, the three Espers looked too healthy. Not in perfect condition, perhaps… but they didn’t seem to be lacking guidance.
‘Besides, there’s no need to maintain any image now.’
These were the people who cut off contact after the stand-in ended.
…They are the male leads of this reverse harem novel, destined to fall in love with Shaelock..
Although my presence had changed parts of the novel’s plot, the main storyline would remain the same.
Hedonia had become the Duke of Apharantes and completed his awakening.
…So the main storyline shouldn’t change much.
“Where is Hedonia? He’s the guide you’ve been eagerly waiting for.”
The main male lead is here, so the romance should be heating up…
As I looked at the three Espers, Hedonia’s face kept coming to mind.
Where is Hedonia? I looked around unconsciously and saw one more person by the magic circle.
Did he just arrive?
At first, I thought it was a stranger, but as he stepped out of the shadows, I recognized the familiar lustrous platinum blond hair that shone brilliantly in waves.
‘Hedonia.’
Even without seeing his face clearly, I could tell from the aura alone that the person before me was Hedonia.
How long has it been since I last saw his face?
My heart was full of joy.
Moreover, he was the one person who could take all the Espers who had come to me. I can’t deny that there was a hidden motive.
“Lord Hedonia! It’s been a while!”
I was surprised by Hedonia’s appearance after so long.
…I knew his body would change after completing his awakening, but…
‘Is that even possible with just exercise?’
His physique, now more than double its previous size, made my arm look pitiful in comparison.
His body, clearly sculpted through long hours of exercise, had no trace of excess fat. The solid muscles made it hard to believe this was the same person who had endured the trials of awakening while disguising his gender.
Seeing Hedonia’s changed appearance for the first time left me strangely speechless.
‘Am I feeling embarrassed right now?’
We had even kissed before, yet here I was, flustered just by seeing him.
Feeling awkward, I tilted my head slightly upwards.
That’s when I met Hedonia’s intense gaze, fixed on me.
‘How long has he been watching me?’
His persistent stare made me tilt my head in confusion. Watching my reaction, Hedonia’s lips curved into a smile, his appearance as fresh and vibrant as a summer sea.
“Karina, I’m here to become your Esper.”
…But the bombshell he dropped left me dazed.
Wait, what?
‘Esper?’
But you’re supposed to be a Guide.
“Aren’t you here to take these people away?”
At my words, Hedonia frowned. Seeing his serious expression, I realized I might have misspoken.
After a moment of silence, Hedonia reached out his hand to me.
* * *
Traveling through dungeons and not receiving perfect guidance, Hedonia lived every moment in hell.
He began to understand why the other Espers were so desperate for Karina.
Guidance was a ray of light in their lives, an oasis.
They couldn’t live without it.
It made sense why Pheon, who despised Robert Apharantes, couldn’t refuse his guidance.
But through those times, a new question arose.
Recalling the situation where he almost killed Karina, Hedonia asked himself the same question over and over.
‘Do I truly love Karina?’
Now that he was an Esper, he longed for Karina’s guidance.
Could he separate this longing from his feelings for Karina?
Would he still love Karina if he were just an ordinary person and not this kind of monster?
Would becoming an Esper help his relationship with Karina?
Would it have been better if they were both Guides?
Would it have been better to see each other as equals?
The questions kept multiplying.
He had agonized over this thousands of times before meeting her.
‘Is it right to meet her?’
When it came to matters involving Karina, Hedonia became a coward.
What if he hurt Karina again while receiving guidance?
…And what if Karina disliked Espers?
The regret was endless.
He had spent half a year preparing for this, wondering if it might be better for them not to meet at all.
Karina probably wanted a normal life, and she seemed to be enjoying that life now.
‘This could be the last time I see her.’
It was becoming increasingly difficult to prevent other Espers from meeting her.
‘Just one last look at her face.’
Yes, he decided to let Karina go.
The treatment of guides still needed to be improved. If Karina returned, she would have to go back to the dungeons and reveal herself as an S-class Guide.
It might be a harsh time for Karina, who feared dungeons and loved a simple life.
He resolved countless times to just see Karina’s face and prevent the other Espers from causing any trouble for her.
But the moment he saw Karina’s face, all his worries became meaningless.
