The One and Only Guide - Chapter 14
Jian was taken aback by Axion’s reaction. His body began to tremble against hers. Even the carefully stabilized waves were starting to fluctuate again. The guiding was going well, so why is this happening? It couldn’t be just because of her threats…
Amid Jian’s contemplation, Axion spoke,
“Anyone who tries to take you away from me… I’ll kill them. I have no choice.”
Jian snorted at his ridiculous response. She was just trying to manipulate this Esper she had barely found, but this was truly beyond comprehension. To receive such an answer even after mentioning the Association. Was this person seriously crazy?
Well, one would have to be a bit crazy to kidnap a Guide affiliated with the Association. Jian was determined to somehow persuade this stubborn man.
But how?
Jian’s gaze, lost in thought, landed on the tray Axion had brought. Seeing the cold food, a suitable excuse came to mind. Besides, this man seemed unaware that she had ingested some emergency pills from the first aid kit she had with her.
“Fine. Do as you please. But remember starving to death is one form of resistance I can undertake.”
Axion’s face twisted at Jian’s words. It didn’t seem entirely sincere, but he couldn’t dismiss the remark lightly, knowing that she hadn’t eaten anything for three days.
Seeing Axion’s pale face and tightly clenched lips, Jian promptly pulled out a carrot. Having provocatively prepared, it was time to present the counteroffer.
“Think about it carefully. What good comes from angering me, a Guide? It lowers the efficiency of guiding, and in severe cases, it even reduces the matching rate between us. Isn’t that the least you can do for the sake of guiding? I’d be happy to continue guiding you, so please stop this and just let me go. If you talk to the Association, a few Gate patrols can easily resolve this. I won’t lose a matched Esper that way either—it’s a win-win situation for both of us. Doesn’t that sound good?”
While speaking, Jian’s eyes shone. Given how he effortlessly killed a monster encountered during the descent of the snow mountain, it was clear that the man before her was a high-level Esper.
Despite orchestrating this kidnapping, he didn’t seem to be affiliated with the Association. However, he claimed to be a Duke, so perhaps he hailed from some remote state.
Regardless, he was an unregistered Esper. Through skillful persuasion and registration with the Association, both of them could escape the label of an illegal Esper and a shady Guide, respectively.
Watching Jian earnestly trying to convince him, Axion fell into contemplation. She remained oblivious to the fact that she had transcended dimensions. It was natural for her not to know, considering he had desperately hidden it all this time.
He had initially hoped she would believe that she was simply kidnapped, and seeing her seemingly convinced was a relief. However, how long could he conceal this truth? What if she couldn’t bear the shock of not being able to return to her original home? What if she would break down in tears? No matter what he imagined, only the worst outcomes came to mind.
Seeing Axion in distress, Jian mistakenly interpreted it as the result of his persuasive efforts.
“I like you. Except for the fact that you’re a kidnapper.”
She was telling the truth. In the positive emotions flowing from Jian, Axion felt a glimmer of hope, a sentiment he hadn’t dared to expect. Since it was unexpected, his heart raced even more.
“I understand the situation. It might be daunting to contact the Association right away. But how long can you keep me locked up like this forever, can you? First of all, It’s offensive, at least for me. Am I just a guiding doll for you? Used when needed and abandoned?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Good. Now we can have a conversation. If it’s difficult to answer where we are, what this place is, I won’t ask anymore. Instead, I need to take a look around here.”
“If it’s limited to the castle’s interior…”
“I don’t have any intention of going outside. I’ve been observing for three days, and there hasn’t been a day without snowfall. Oh, and at first, I was definitely caught in a Gate, but… that was a trick, right? Monsters were prepared in advance. Are you actually a spatial ability user rather than a physical enhancement user, or both? Or maybe a multiple ability user?”
Axion hesitated. He was unsure of how to respond.
Fortunately, Jian didn’t wait for Axion’s answer.
“Anyway, my point is this: at the very least, don’t lock me up in this room. I don’t think you’re going to use kidnapping and intimidation to force me to guide you, and I don’t think you realize that the state of your Guide determines the effectiveness of alleviating your corrupted energy, and if you’ve been guided without any equipment, I should repay you in some way.”
“…I’ll assign guards. About four of them.”
“Guards? So you’re going to put me on surveillance. Fine. I expected that much. However, four is inconvenient, so let’s reduce it to two.”
“That’s not possible.”
“Reduce it.”
At Jian’s insistence, Axion nodded with reluctance.
