The Guide Played Her Role as a Stand-in a Little Too Well - Chapter 164
“What did I do to deserve this…”
“You treated me sincerely. And you kept guiding me.”
I had only done what I needed to do, but it had created a precious bond with Shaelock.
I wasn’t usually this emotional, but from Hedonia to everyone else, they all kept surprising me.
The time spent as a stand-in didn’t feel wasted at all.
I raised the corners of my mouth into a bright smile.
“…I’m happy to see you again too, Princess.”
Shaelock’s smile deepened at my words.
“That’s right, since it’s been a while since we’ve seen each other, I brought you a gift.”
She suddenly handed me a box.
“I didn’t prepare anything.”
“It’s okay.”
Shaelock shrugged and gestured for me to open it.
I opened the box she gave me.
“…This is.”
“I read that giving something you like is a gift.”
“…”
“Actually, it’s my first time giving someone a present with them in mind.”
Inside the box was a necklace made from fairy’s tears.
“It’s the same as the one I wear. I didn’t feel like buying it from Pheon… but I happened to find it when I went to the dungeon last time.”
The shimmering fairy’s tears were adorned with tiny diamonds and sparkled brightly.
“Do you like it?”
Shaelock asked, glancing at me as if she were seeking my approval.
It wasn’t about the price.
Knowing how much Shaelock loved fairy’s tears made this gift feel truly special.
“It would be impossible that I wouldn’t like it.”
It was an extravagant necklace that looked like it might hurt my neck if I wore it, but Shaelock’s gesture alone made me happy.
“Next time, I’ll bring you a gift too.”
“No, I’m giving it to you because I want to.”
“I’m giving you something because I want to too.”
Shaelock, who had been adamantly refusing, blinked. I handed her the necklace and gave her a slight glare.
“We’re friends, right? Friends should be able to do at least this much for each other. Would you help me put it on?”
“…You’re right.”
Shaelock finally let out a hearty laugh and put the necklace around my neck.
With Hedonia’s reassurance and now Shaelock’s, I felt more secure.
“But what do you mean by there are more lower-grade guides?”
“Hedonia Apharantes created something similar to a Guide Association to support and manage them. It’s his way of atoning for Robert’s sins.”
Since Hedonia became an Esper, he couldn’t represent the guides anymore.
It’s a positive step towards creating a healthier environment.
“So there won’t be a shortage of guides anymore. Even if perfect guiding is rare.”
“Yes, except for us, there aren’t any Espers strong enough to need your guiding. Everything is well covered. The bigger problem is…”
Shaelock’s face darkened in an instant.
“Espers are still disappearing periodically.”
“Still?”
Even before I stopped guiding, the issue of Espers disappearing was frequent.
It reminded me of the time I went to Esban and Marquis Shepherd’s mansion.
‘Is this issue that important?’
It seemed to bring back my sense of reality that I’d forgotten while living on the island.
“Yes. The periodic dungeon openings resulting from this are causing significant damage… Public opinion about Espers is at its worst.”
The necklace around my neck felt heavy.
Shaelock plopped down next to me and leaned her body on my shoulder.
“Hedonia Apharantes is supporting the guides and running around to handle things, but… we really need to solve this problem.”
I remembered the last time she confided in me.
“…It must have been tough for you.”
Before thinking of a solution, I empathized with the emotions she must have felt.
That’s probably what Shaelock wanted.
She surely knew that the problem had to be solved.
She needed someone to vent her frustrations to.
“…Thank you.”
Shaelock exhaled deeply and spoke in a low voice.
“I wanted to talk to you and be comforted.”
“I’m always here to listen.”
I held her hand and began a simple guiding session.
“You don’t have to…”
Shaelock murmured softly.
But she didn’t let go of my hand.
“It’s a gift I can give you as a friend.”
I said with a smile, and Shaelock silently accepted the guiding.
Soon, she rubbed her face against my shoulder with a content expression.
“I really missed this feeling.”
Seeing her complexion brighten gave me a sense of fulfillment from the guiding.
‘…I thought I’d never do this again.’
Both Hedonia and Shaelock needed my guiding.
Just as they had made hidden efforts for me, I now wanted to change my current lifestyle.
I wanted to guide.
Not because I was forced to, but because I wanted to live.
Not for the role of a stand-in.
I wanted to guide purely out of my own will.
‘But first, we need to solve this Esper problem.’
Was there something related to this in the original story?
I tried hard to recall.
There was one part I had forgotten.
