The One and Only Guide - Chapter 31
After enduring the struggle of dressing, Jian waddled towards the dining hall. The layers made her movements awkward. Axion looked at her with concern.
“Is there something wrong with your ankle?”
“It’s just that I’m wearing too many clothes.”
Jian noticed Axion’s attire as she replied.
“But why are you dressed so lightly, Duke?”
“I don’t get cold easily.”
He did indeed have a high body temperature, something she had noticed during their first attempt at Contact Guiding.
“Even so, are you sure you don’t won’t be cold with just a leather vest and cloak?”
“It’s sufficient. Wearing more would hinder my movement in combat.”
“Combat?”
At Jian’s anxious inquiry, Axion quickly changed the topic.
“It’s relatively close to the castle, so there shouldn’t be any trouble.”
Harold and Lucy, following in silence, exchanged glances at Axion’s words. Everyone in the North knew the path to Mandalen was often plagued by packs of wolves, drawn to the area because of the reindeer. As a town whose main business was reindeer herding, it was only natural that the herd would be in the neighborhood. If you were unlucky, you might run into a snow troll.
That’s why Mandalen was a village the Northerners seldom visited unless they had important business to attend to. When it was necessary to go there for reindeer skins and meat, it was always in groups of thirty or more sturdy men. This is the general rule. It has the advantage of being able to buy reindeer meat and skins cheaply, but otherwise it is a village with no advantages.
The only advantage is that it is the closest village to the Duchy. However, it’s a three-day journey on foot. Even by sled, it takes a full day.
Harold and Lucy wanted to speak out, but they remained silent, biting their tongues. As subjects who lived off the Duke’s bounty, it wasn’t their place to point out facts that their lord had not mentioned.
* * *
When the Duke commanded the castle gates to be opened, the massive pulleys creaked loudly into action. The heavy gates allowed just enough space for one person to pass through, revealing the endless snowfields beyond.
Jian followed behind the Duke.
He carried a massive load on his back, the most striking of which was his sword. Jian hadn’t gotten a good look at it when he first saw it, but it was nearly as tall as a full-grown man, and as wide as Jian’s outstretched hands.
It was truly a great sword among great swords, and it seemed to be more suitable for decoration rather than for a person to hold and swing. But Jian had seen the Duke swing it with ease, effortlessly beheading monsters.
Suddenly, the Duke drew his sword.
What was it? Was there a monster nearby? No. But how, with the snow piled so high? Puzzled, Jian watched as Axion spoke.
“You should probably step back a bit.”
“Is there a monster?”
“No, it’s not that. The force from the sword swing might harm you. Just step back about ten paces.”
Unsure of what he meant but complying, Jian retreated.
Moments later, Jian understood the purpose of the massive sword. When the duke lifted the sword and swung it, its trajectory created a pressure that defied common sense.
Jian was mesmerized for a moment, but then he regained his senses and gave Axion a warning.
“If you use too much power, your Guiding cycle will speed up, and you might develop a guiding addiction. It’s good that we have a path, but we don’t have to keep going this way, do we?”
“Guiding addiction?”
“Don’t you know? If your mother was a Guide, she surely would have mentioned it.”
“…My mother passed away when I was young.”
“Oh.”
That explained why he might not be aware of Guiding addiction.
“Guiding addiction happens when someone receives Guiding too frequently. They become dependent on it and can’t function without regular Guiding.”
Furthermore, Guiding addiction often leads to exploitation. Addicts are never satisfied with mild Guiding; they inevitably seek more intense sessions and, in the worst cases, may use force to obtain it. Essentially, it becomes exploitation of the Guide. Jian explained further, swallowing nervously.
“Ideally, the Guiding frequency should be once a week. If there’s excessive use of abilities, then maybe twice a week. More than that isn’t good. It puts a strain on me as a Guide.”
Her claim of strain was a lie, but it seemed like a necessary precaution. That’s what she thought, and she just blurted it out. However, Axion’s expression turned grave.
