The Guide Played Her Role as a Stand-in a Little Too Well - Chapter 156
“Duke. It’s not that we don’t know how to deal with your abilities. Do I need to burn you again to make you come to your senses?”
Pheon said with a bright smile beside him. But despite his cheerful tone, sparks were flying all around him.
“If you continue with such actions, I will consider it as breaking the agreement between the Duke of Apharantes and the Cairoze family.”
…What’s this about an agreement? Esban seemed much angrier than I expected. He looked much more human than his usual stoic self…
Why are you all showing such uncharacteristic behavior in front of me?
If you’re going to fight, please do it outside…
I tried to recall the situation.
‘It seems like Hedonia used his ability…’
What exactly is Hedonia’s ability?
I couldn’t even begin to guess.
The story that wasn’t in the novel began to sprout and grow, and now it became unpredictable even for me.
‘But it seems he became a Duke.’
Seeing him perfectly fine, it seemed Robert handled it well too.
I was curious about how he fought Robert as an Esper, not a Guide, and how he reclaimed the honor of the Duke and the Apharantes family.
‘Hedonia’s ability must be incredible.’
As he was described as an extraordinary Guide, his potential as an Esper must have been boundless too.
Given the circumstances, he might have made a name for himself as an Esper.
‘To think that being ignorant of the outside world would be so unfortunate…’
I was upset about them losing contact with me, so I wanted to distance myself from their news.
…I had been trying to deny it.
‘But if he’s an Esper, he needs guiding.’
Who did Hedonia receive guiding from?
Considering how well Hedonia seemed, it was hard to believe he hadn’t received any guiding. Just like the other three Espers.
The thought of him craving someone’s guiding made me feel disgusted, but honestly, it was expected, so it was fine.
If the story followed the original flow, I expected he would have done various things with Shaelock.
It’s not strange for him to receive someone’s guiding.
But the first thing Esban said bothered me too much to let it go.
‘What does he mean by saying he came for my choice?’
Didn’t he speak as if he needed guiding?
My head hurts.
I pressed my temples hard as a sudden headache washed over me.
“Ugh…”
As I let out a small groan, Hedonia, who had been continuing his power struggle with the three Espers, turned his head slightly.
“Are you feeling unwell, Karina?”
The smile that appeared on his face was as sweet as sugar candy. It was a pretty smile, without any hint of fabrication.
His eyes reminded me of the sun.
It was a face that sometimes appeared in my dreams. No, reality was more vivid than the dream.
Hedonia, free from the awakening pain, was brimming with life. His fresh appearance, like morning dew, refreshed even my heart.
Not only that. The smile he showed only to me deepened, reminding me of aged wine.
‘Holy hell.’
I was dazed by Hedonia’s beauty, which I hadn’t seen in a long time. I gulped and widened my eyes.
‘This is truly a thirst trap…’
And I repeated to myself. Get a grip, Karina.
“Karina.”
But this resolve melted away the moment I heard Hedonia’s words.
His soft voice was completely different from the way he casually spoke to others. It was like honey to my ears.
How could anyone not be entranced by that face, that voice, now with a perfect body and height to match?
But a strange sense of familiarity came over me.
‘Why does he seem familiar?’
It was definitely the first time I saw Hedonia awakened… yet his body didn’t feel unfamiliar.
Maybe it’s because I saw him working out and building his physique during his awakening.
“Karina?”
Lost in thought, I heard Hedonia call my name. I hurriedly responded.
“Y-Yes!”
Sure, my response was slow.
But I had an excuse too.
My mind was a mess from the shock of newly learned facts and Hedonia’s beauty.
‘Get a grip.’
I tried my best to maintain my usual demeanor. We weren’t alone, so I had to present myself properly.
This wasn’t about image management. It was about my pride.
I widened my eyes to hold onto my sanity.
But it seemed Hedonia interpreted this differently.
Watching me intently, Hedonia lowered his eyelashes, exuding a poignant beauty,
“Perhaps…”
He asked in a trembling voice,
“Are you disappointed that I awakened as an Esper?”
