The Guide Played Her Role as a Stand-in a Little Too Well - Chapter 47
“Even if Karina is a guide, her rights must be protected. Exploiting her openly like this goes against the law.”
Hedonia spoke firmly, as if he were my lawyer.
I felt as though I was standing in a courtroom.
“But isn’t that the role of a guide?”
“Let me be clear. It’s like suddenly finding a card much better to play than the Duke of Apharantes without thinking.”
Hedonia’s gaze was not solely on Shaelock.
After passing over Esban, his look settled on Pheon, with whom his pinkies were linked.
“It seems to me that a fair and legal transaction does not violate any law.”
Pheon’s face was brimming with ease as he smiled.
Judging by his actions alone, elements like wind or water would suit him better than fire.
“I wonder if Hedonia isn’t overreacting. For an Esper, craving a guide is a natural occurrence.”
Pheon even went on the offensive against Hedonia.
“Ah, you might not understand since you haven’t awakened as either a guide or an Esper yet.”
However, the relaxed expression couldn’t hide the biting tone.
Although it was true Hedonia had provoked him first, the fact that he hadn’t awakened yet could be a significant trauma.
‘To touch upon that?’
Pheon wasn’t the only one.
“We can make it up later with equivalent compensation. It’s our first time receiving proper contact guidance, so we can’t help being inexperienced.”
Shaelock took Pheon’s side.
It seemed like they were moments away from physically fighting each other.
Guys, aren’t you planning to make some romance movie…?
At this rate, you seem more like enemies!
Thankfully, Esban remained silent, likely still affected by his encounter with Christopher.
Had he joined in, it would have been like pouring oil on a fire.
Just then, Christopher, who had finished scouting, returned.
“There are baby birds everywhere around here. They’re hidden in the bushes, so they’re hard to see, but they seem very sensitive to noise.”
“Invisible to the eye…”
“I checked as far as I could go, but I couldn’t see a clear way out. However…”
“However?”
“I spotted pumpkins here and there. Brought these for you. Keep them.”
Christopher then handed each of us a pile of pumpkins he had gathered. Upon closer inspection, I could confirm they were indeed the gemstone pumpkins I knew.
Despite the forest being mysterious, it was filled with trees.
‘There must be a tree with resin around here somewhere.’
But a trail marked by scattered pumpkins.
‘It reminds me of Hansel and Gretel dropping breadcrumbs to mark their path.’
Where that path would lead us was uncertain…
‘Either way, the timing couldn’t be more perfect.’
It was the ideal distraction to stop the quarreling.
“Let’s follow that path, then!”
“…But before that, it seems we have something to deal with here.”
The moment Esban whispered, an unfamiliar creature sprung from the bushes.
Screeeeech!
“What, a Blackbird…”
Since we had been dealing with them even before entering the dungeon, I wasn’t too worried.
Just as I was breathing a sigh of relief.
“No, it’s not the same Blackbird.”
A shadow as large as a house fell over our group.
Screeeeeeech!
The birds, which outside were only as big as pigeons or crows, seemed almost airplane-sized in the dungeon.
‘Uhh…’
Man, this size could give someone a new phobia of birds!
“That’s not the boss?”
My voice trembled as I murmured, and Esban shook his head.
“That can’t be considered a boss. It has to be at least twice that size.”
…I seemed to be the only one shocked by that statement.
The giant bird’s eyes were blood-red.
The wandering gaze soon found us as prey and swiftly flew towards us.
Swoooosh―
The previously quiet forest now revealed its true nature.
The bird’s wingbeats created a storm-like frenzy.
A very conscious move targeting us.
The blade-like wind seemed capable of splitting us in two any moment.
Esban, holding me in his arms, leaped.
Swoosh.
His movement was like the wind.
‘…He’s not human.’
It was my first time experiencing his power, and it was astonishing.
Chills ran down my spine.
Trees were uprooted and flew away, and leaves scattered everywhere, yet he remained unfazed.
He moved as lightly as if he were just out for a stroll.
‘I’m heavier than I thought…’
Holding me in his arms seemed to cause him no trouble at all.
His black hair, fluttering in the wind, covered his forehead.
Maybe because I was being carried like a princess, I felt my strength draining away through the parts of me that touched Esban.
Esban, frowning, was observing the bird’s movements.
‘…It’s not intentional.’