When the Guide Stopped Playing a Villainess, the Obsession Began - Chapter 11
She reached out with trembling hands. Carefully taking his hand, she began to guide him, gathering all her energy into the process.
Closing her eyes, she focused in order to drive out all the impure energy that had accumulated over a long period.
Lea examined his physical state and bit her lip.
His body, having never properly received guiding until now, was damaged beyond what words could express.
The thought that he had lived like this without even eating properly made her eyes burn with tears, but instead of crying, Lea gritted her teeth.
This was her chance to correct her second mistake.
Though he wouldn’t remember, this moment was, in a way, her first guiding for him after returning to the past.
Because of that, she examined his body even more meticulously and infused a considerable amount of energy to purify and expel the impurities.
It took longer than expected, and she used so much energy her body trembled with exhaustion, but in contrast to her depleted strength, the sense of fulfillment grew even stronger.
Lea wiped the sweat from her brow and pulled her hand back from his.
Confirming that Calix was still sleeping soundly, she let out a quiet sigh of relief.
She had been so anxious he might wake up in the middle of it.
She looked at Calix once again, now wearing a relaxed expression and breathing evenly, unlike earlier.
Seeing his previously furrowed brow now at ease, she lifted the corners of her lips in joy.
Though she knew she should leave, Lea couldn’t bring herself to go.
Calix’s face, bathed in moonlight, was breathtaking.
He had yet to fully take on the presence of an adult, but still—his well-balanced eyes, prominent nose, and firmly closed red lips were all remarkably refined.
His sharp jawline and long neck leaned more toward a young man than a boy, and reminded her of the Calix from the past.
He must not have been eating properly, yet every time his solid chest rose and fell, her heart pounded before she even realized it.
Her body flushed with heat and she grew embarrassed.
How could she be this shameless?
The corners of Lea’s lips slowly fell. Her mouth closed in a straight line, on the verge of tears.
‘Let’s go. I need to go. I’ve done what I came to do.’
Having used so much energy, her arms and legs trembled intermittently.
Whether it was because she had returned to the past, or because the dream felt too real, she wasn’t sure, but her guiding ability felt weaker than it had when she was an adult.
Just as she was about to rise, Calix’s even breathing came to an abrupt stop.
Startled, Lea hurriedly transformed into a fox—and at that same moment, Calix’s eyes shot open.
In the darkness, his red eyes gleamed, and he swiftly got out of bed.
Lea, who had been about to slip out through the balcony window, was yanked back with a startled yelp by a rough hand.
“A fox?”
Muttering to himself, Calix grabbed her scruff roughly.
Once he realized the identity of the unfamiliar presence, he concealed his sharp aura and readjusted his hold on the fox with both hands.
Her body began to tremble violently, afraid she might have been caught.
Then, a strangely gentle voice reached her ears.
“A fox… eating an apple…”
Huh? What did he just say?
Lea was so shocked, she froze, unable to fully register the meaning of what she’d heard.
Cradling the fox’s small face in one hand, he locked eyes with her, his gaze as luminous as a full moon, and asked again, almost coaxingly,
“Well? Want to eat an apple?”
Lea couldn’t tear her eyes away from those red pupils locked precisely on her.
His slightly upturned eyes, as if in a good mood, held her like a spell.
‘Ah… it’s Calix’s smile. The one I missed so much…’
Unable to refuse his expectation, Lea nibbled on the apple he had broken into pieces, chewing with her small mouth.
In the moonlit room, Calix placed the plate with the fox and the apple on the table and watched.
He stared blankly as the fox ate happily, then leaned one elbow on the armrest and rested his chin on his palm.
Though his gaze remained on the fox, his thoughts were elsewhere.
‘Why does my body feel so light?’
It was the first time he had ever felt so refreshed.
It felt like he could now use his abilities without limit.
Why had his condition suddenly improved?
Was it simply because he had finally started getting proper meals?
Or perhaps…
