The One and Only Guide - Chapter 4
She quickly made a simple decision. This man had to survive for her to survive in this Gate. Before the monsters appeared, she needed to guide him as much as possible, and afterward, they could attempt proper contact guidance.
She could almost imagine the director at the research institute celebrating. After all, he had been so dedicated to finding Jian’s Esper.
Curiosity began to creep in. Who was this man? What organization did he belong to? What was his nationality?
While pondering, blood trickled down from the corner of the man’s mouth. Witnessing this, Jian snapped back to reality and focused on her guiding. Her curiosity would have to wait.
The man had been in the rampage phase for quite some time. There was no way the Awakening Association would have left an Esper in such a condition. Why had he ended up like this?
The most crucial thing was to save this man right now. As she examined him more closely by placing her hand on his throat, it seemed that merely holding his hand wouldn’t be enough to sustain him.
Jian hesitated for a moment before throwing off her long coat. Without hesitation, she removed her shirt as well. It was freezing, and she felt like she might freeze to death, but there was no choice.
Anything less than an advanced contact guidance with maximum skin contact wouldn’t be enough to save the man, who was in the final stage of his rampage.
After removing her clothes as much as possible, Jian quickly stripped the man of his attire. The problem was, his clothing was incredibly perplexing.
Why was he wearing a cloak? What was this scale-like armor made of iron? Moreover, the vest he had on had too many knots, which added to her confusion.
Nevertheless, Jian managed to remove the man’s shirt, and she lay down on the cave floor, using the cloak and clothes as a makeshift blanket for both of them. To maximize skin contact, this was the only way.
Jian placed the man’s arm around her waist and covered them both with the long coat like a blanket.
Fortunately, or unfortunately, the man’s body temperature was abnormally high. While doing this, she didn’t have to worry about the cold. Jian closed her eyes, fully concentrating on guiding.
***
Gasp!
Axion awoke with a groan. The last thing he remembered was crossing the icebergs, leading his body that was breaking down due to his rampage.
It was hazy, but in his final moments, it felt like the northern goddess had appeared to greet him.
At least, his last moments had been warm. Axion found solace in that. It was a sweet death that compensated for his wretched life.
…Perhaps such a thing was possible because I died.
Axion Odergen finally felt relief. By dying, he had escaped the curse and suffering that had been passed down through generations in the direct line of his ducal household.
However, as Axion’s hazy consciousness gradually became clearer, he realized that it wasn’t the case. The first thing he became aware of was the soft sensation against his chest.
Then, when he realized that Jian was sleeping in his arms, Axion was thrown into confusion.
“Am I… Am dreaming right now?”
His rationality momentarily halted as he looked at Jian, who was nestled amidst scattered clothes and disheveled attire.
Axion was bewildered for a moment but then realized that his arm was wrapped around Jian’s waist and promptly sat up.
He didn’t know what had happened, but if the woman woke up, he would undoubtedly be treated like a villain. Just considering this situation, Axion couldn’t argue if someone said the Duke Odergen of the North was, in fact, a wretched brute.
The second issue was his embarrassment. He needed to hurry, put on clothes, and wake the woman to assess the situation.
However, for some inexplicable reason, he didn’t want to let go of this woman.
It felt like he must not.
Axion had a strong sense that it wouldn’t be right to leave her. Frozen in his position, he stared down at the sleeping Jian, his breathing shallow and irregular.
Something was strange.
He remembered being prepared for his rampage, delving into the midst of the monster forces. Eventually, he had lost control, and when the pain became unbearable, he had climbed to the summit of the ice-covered mountain.
Throughout history, the Dukes of Odergen had gone on rampages that indiscriminately killed those around them. The only thing that could suppress this madness was the frigid air of the North.
Axion had desperately headed deep into the mountains, not even sure if he had walked or crawled. He could only remember the moments when he had an imminent sense of death.
And the last thing he had seen was… this woman.
‘Ah…’
Right at that moment, Jian opened her eyes. Her jet-black eyes, as if she had taken the night sky itself, pierced Axion’s chest like a dagger. Her deep, lake-like pupils seemed to be pulling him in, like he was being drawn into them.
