The Guide Played Her Role as a Stand-in a Little Too Well - Chapter 41
I struggled to understand the meaning behind his words.
After all, he and I were collaborators.
Racking my brain, an idea did come to mind.
‘Is he obsessed with me?’
But no matter how much I think about it, it doesn’t make sense.
Hedonia and I haven’t even flirted.
Nor is there a mediator that connects us.
‘This is just wishful thinking.’
Nothing is more unsightly than getting carried away by oneself.
With a distant look, I tried to fathom the reason behind Hedonia’s actions.
Thinking hard, I gradually began to understand.
‘It must be jealousy.’
As a guide, it’s natural to feel jealous since I am seizing the achievements he should be making himself.
Wouldn’t the actions that seem to be stealing his life feel like thorns in his eyes?
Since he asked, it would be right to give an answer. I stared straight at Hedonia.
Flames flickered in his golden eyes as he looked at me.
What kind of jealousy it was, I couldn’t tell.
But it was clear it was directed at me.
I closed my eyes tightly and shouted, afraid to see Hedonia’s reaction.
“I’m worried about you, Lady Hedonia.”
To be honest, saying this was a gamble.
I had no idea how he would perceive my words.
Would he see my words as mere pity? Or would he take them as genuine concern?
Given Hedonia’s personality, the former seemed more likely, but this was the only reasonable explanation I had to offer.
‘Does it make sense to say I want to erase the trauma you’ll experience there?’
The dice were cast.
How Hedonia would take it was entirely up to Hedonia.
Preparing myself, I slowly lifted my eyelids.
‘…Unexpected.’
Surprised by the unexpected sight, I blinked.
Eyebrows raised in confusion, his eyes, wide open, were completely different from his usual cat-like demeanor.
The faces that had been close enough to feel each other’s breath before I closed my eyes were now far apart.
Leaning closely against the sofa, he gazed at me intently, then, realizing our eyes met, covered his face with his hand.
Trying somehow not to make eye contact…
“Do you need me to lend you my veil?”
It was adorable.
“You―”
Hedonia quickly turned his head at my words, glaring at me with a face flushed with irritation.
He caught the playfulness in my tone.
“Did you think I would forgive you just because you said it with a smile?”
“I didn’t mean to.”
I hurriedly explained.
‘Being next to Hedonia, am I also losing my senses?’
Anyway, it was a relief that Hedonia’s reaction wasn’t bad.
It was completely different from the relaxed demeanor he showed when with Shaelock, but I was glad it seemed to lower his guard around me.
Hedonia, who had been huffing, gradually quieted down.
Hedonia, turning his head back towards me, looked down.
“There’s no need for you to worry about me.”
“No, but if you’re planning on taking revenge, you should take good care of yourself. What if you get hurt with all these monsters roaming around?”
I methodically listed reasons, trying to persuade him.
“How about you just greet in the carriage and then head back?”
And then I reiterated the opinion I had initially expressed.
“Just because you’ve fed on blood doesn’t mean you’re fully recovered.”
Hedonia was flustered by my continuous persuasive talk.
Although it wasn’t apparent on the surface, the fact that he didn’t cut me off like before showed that much.
‘To become so malleable from just a word of concern.’
It was a testament to how isolated Hedonia had been.
I quietly waited for Hedonia to continue speaking.
Hedonia, seemingly resigned to my words, brushed his hair back and asked indifferently.
“You.”
“Yes?”
“It’s the same for you, you’re also in danger.”
It was only natural for him to be concerned about me.
After all, I was the only person in the mansion following him, the one to awaken him.
“Don’t worry. I’m going with the three most skilled espers from the empire, what could possibly happen?”
What difference would it make if I said I was scared?
Stating that fact would only worsen the current situation.
Mustering all my courage, I spoke as Hedonia smiled and placed his hand on my shoulder.
“You’re being quite amusing, trembling like this.”
“It’s a natural physiological response.”
“Your body is too honest for you to brush it off as a lie.”
“……”
I had no chance to respond to his blunt remark.
As I hung my head, Hedonia lifted my chin with his hand, raising it back up.
“I understand your concern.”
“If you understand, will you follow it?”
“But the choice is mine to make.”
There’s no cure for a stubborn general.
‘I’ll have to find a way to separate him later before we go in.’
The espers entering the dungeon wouldn’t want Hedonia hurt either, so they’ll cooperate.
“And before entering the dungeon, there’s something we need to practice first.”
“Pardon?”
Practice, he said.
“Aren’t we going to do contact guiding inside? Then we should start practicing that too.”
The person who seemed flustered earlier had vanished.
“Surely you don’t mean right now……”
I couldn’t finish that thought.
“Kiss me,”