The Guide Played Her Role as a Stand-in a Little Too Well - Chapter 174
There’s a saying that an Esper’s ability reflects their personality, and it might be true.
Whenever Esban, as an adopted son, looked at Cayden, he saw a man quietly biding his time to build his strength and strike down Robert.
He waited for the perfect opportunity to dismantle the system Robert had created.
Around the time Hedonia’s awakening pain ended, Cayden reached out to him, and together, they completely destroyed Robert.
‘Now, Lady Elisa Cairoze can finally rest in peace.’
Robert Apharantes was now slowly dying under Cayden’s frequent tortures.
Moreover, Hedonia Apharantes had completely overturned the guide management system, creating a new order.
Although Esban had never met her, Elisa was someone Cayden genuinely loved and cherished, and everyone spoke well of her even after her death.
Watching Cayden’s figure going smaller and smaller, Esban prayed once more for Elisa Cairoze.
* * *
The carriage that had traveled all night brought Cayden to the remnants of the dungeon where Elisa had died.
Cayden gently placed a bouquet of pure white mist flowers on the ground. They were Elisa’s favorite when she was alive.
He closed his eyes and prayed.
Elisa’s tombstone was modest. Her body had never been found, devoured by monsters in the dungeon.
It was a dungeon she had entered with lower-ranked Espers. Those Espers had abandoned her after receiving her guiding.
Cayden had bided his time, waiting for the perfect revenge.
A bitter smile spread across his face as he crouched down.
“Your revenge is starting, Elisa.”
The stage he had long awaited was nearly set.
Espers were disappearing, and the public’s discontent for espers was rising.
The royal family, led by Princess Shaelock, was trying to contain the fallout, but it wouldn’t last long.
…If they couldn’t find the culprit behind the incidents.
Honestly, Cayden wasn’t sure if there was much difference between himself and Robert Apharantes anymore.
But he had discarded his humanity the moment he decided on revenge.
‘In the first place, I’ve done nothing wrong.’
The Espers he had killed were those who abused their position or looked down on guides.
He had carefully chosen which Espers to brainwash.
He had managed to brainwash about half of the active Espers to turn against the citizens. It was the target number he had aimed for from the beginning.
Disagreements in opinion were inevitable, which meant less suspicion would fall on him.
His brainwashing was weak, and he couldn’t control all the Espers, so the penalties to him were severe.
The more often they used their powers, the more they would lose their sanity. Though he used potions to change his appearance and maintain a human-like form, he was practically a walking skeleton.
But Cayden never stopped his preparations for revenge.
Even if he lost consciousness, he knew his subconscious would see the revenge through to the end.
The plan was progressing perfectly.
No one suspected Cayden.
He was seen as one of the Espers suffering from the incidents and the head of the Cairoze family, who, along with Hedonia, was protecting the rights of guides.
“Only the last piece remains.”
Now, it was time to set the stage for the main event.
He needed an S-rank Esper for this plan, someone with significant power.
Though he had Esban, who he had adopted and raised for a long time, today’s brief conversation made him realize he needed to adjust his strategy.
To successfully brainwash someone, he needed a vulnerable point to exploit. Esban, who used to follow him unquestioningly, had changed.
‘Princess Shaelock or Pheon, perhaps.’
He needed to avoid Hedonia, whose abilities were far stronger than his own. If Hedonia realized the brainwashing, it would spell trouble.
‘I need to find the best choice.’
Espers should turn against each other, eventually fighting to the death. The gates would remain open, and monsters would pour through, setting the stage for the empire’s downfall.
Who would be the cornerstone of the empire’s destruction?
* * *
I couldn’t sleep until dawn. No, I had to practically beg Hedonia to let me sleep after what felt like endless hours.
But even then, I couldn’t sleep comfortably.
[You really lack stamina…]
Hedonia’s words echoed in my ears as he watched me sprawled out on the bed.
[We’ll have to build it up like this.]
Even his light chuckle that followed stayed with me!
‘Like this’? If I had to endure this every night, I’d die in a completely different way.
As I lay there with tired eyes staring at the ceiling, a head of platinum blonde hair came into view.
“You’re awake.”
Hedonia, still half-naked, smiled as he greeted me.
