Episode 22: A Rough Start (3)

“Phew. Alright, I’m done here.”

“…Oh, you were Guiding me?”

“Yep, just like I mentioned earlier, I’m an F-class. Honestly, this was a bit of a stretch for me. I’m not used to Guiding high-ranked Espers, so I tend to overdo it.”

“I see. Somehow… it feels a bit lacking.”

“I told you, didn’t I? I’m just an F-class, and I could only give you a tiny bit.”

“That’s not quite what I meant…”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. I get it. Besides, don’t you already have a designated Guide? You can go ask them to help you out more later.”

‘Or maybe he doesn’t have one? Oh, well, who cares. It’s not like I’ll see him again anyway,’ she thought dismissively.

If she had to see him regularly, she might have been more tactful. But Sodam was certain this was her last encounter with him.

After all, Seonghwa’s role in the original story was limited to his interactions with the Sub-female lead, Han Daram. He’d faded from the storyline after his one-sided love for her brought him into conflict with Juyul. Given her own future beside Juyul, Sodam was convinced this was a one-time meeting with Seonghwa.

‘His energy is so opposite to Juyul’s that even the pollution mixed in feels comfortable. Maybe it’s getting a bit warm, though.’

Indeed, she could feel beads of sweat starting to form on her back beneath her heavy clothing. Ordinarily, she would’ve been uncomfortable, but right now, she welcomed the warmth.

Who knew sweating under the blazing 34-degree sun could be this delightful? She couldn’t help but let a contented smile stretch across her face as she took a deep breath and turned her gaze to the now-calm seashore.

‘I only Guided for less than two minutes, but things look about ready to wrap up.’

While she’d briefly veered off track, Sodam hadn’t forgotten her primary reason for being here. At the far end of her gaze was Juyul, the only human figure in sight, soaked from head to toe. The Leviathan had been relentlessly attacking, forcing him to fight within the ocean waves. Though she couldn’t see clearly from this distance, she thought his lips might be tinged with a hint of blue.

Her senses focused entirely on Juyul, Sodam was startled when a warm pair of hands gently covered her ears.

“…?”

“Sorry. It’s probably about to enter its final phase. High-level creatures like this one tend to scream right before the end, and Guides are especially sensitive to that noise.”

“Oh, um… thank you.”

She hadn’t encountered such a detail in the original story, but she figured if Seonghwa, an Esper, said so, it must be true.

The original story, *Naesper*, had always been more focused on Espers, barely explaining how Guiding actually worked even though the female leads were all Guides. It was no wonder the novel hadn’t prepared her for practical situations in this world. She figured that real-life advice from an Esper would be far more reliable than anything in the novel.

Just then, the seaweed-coated creature, bristling with jagged ice spikes, let out a horrific scream, proving Seonghwa’s words correct.

Screeeeeeeech!!

“Ah, as expected. I covered your ears just in case, but you’re not feeling sluggish or anything, are you?”

“Not at all.”

“That’s a relief. I want Guide Maeng Sodam to keep doing her job for a long, long time.”

“Me? Why suddenly?”

“…So that Juyul won’t struggle as much.”

Seonghwa murmured with a faintly bitter smile, as if trying to convince himself. Then, in a voice that hovered somewhere between a joke and sincerity, he added, “That way, I might get to see Guide Maeng Sodam again.”

It seemed the words had slipped out unconsciously, and though she saw him cover his mouth in embarrassment, Sodam’s mind was already spinning calmly. She wouldn’t deny that the added comment had made her heart flutter just a little, but considering her current situation, she couldn’t let herself feel too pleased about it.

It would’ve been easier to think, ‘Does he really want to see me again?’ But for Sodam, leaning on the original storyline for answers was far more comforting.

‘He probably just tossed it in there because I’m right in front of him. He’s always been a friendly character, someone who cares about people. That’s why he suffered so much stuck between Han Daram and Baek Juyul before disappearing like dust… Tsk, tsk. I’ll root for you to end up with Daram here. Go ahead, break the original plot for all I care. Good luck.’

After witnessing Seonghwa’s boundless goodwill toward humanity, she felt foolish for letting herself get momentarily excited.

After all, he wasn’t some harem-bound protagonist like Juyul; he was a side character whose unrequited love for Daram led him into conflict with Juyul before eventually fading from the story. She figured if anyone could take liberties with the original, it might as well be her. Though, of course, as an F-class Guide and Seonghwa an S-class Esper, a formal assignment was out of the question. But romance? Perhaps that wasn’t too much to ask.

‘When you’re reincarnated, you’re supposed to fall for the second male lead, right? That’s the level of deviation from the original I could handle… But no, I really shouldn’t. They say never to go after another person’s man or a friend’s man.’

Besides, Juyul and Seonghwa, though peers, had a friendship so tightly knit that it felt risky to step in between them. ‘Like N***o and S****e. At this rate, his true love might not be Han Daram but Baek Juyul.’

As Sodam watched Seonghwa with a cold gaze, she let go of his hands as soon as the creature’s wails began to die down. She could still feel the warmth lingering on her now-cooled ears.

‘A real-life human earplug. Or maybe a human earmuff? His hands were huge.’

She indulged in a string of useless thoughts as she took a step forward.

Boom—!

“Oh, looks like Esper Baek Juyul took care of it. Not that there’s any creature an SSS-class couldn’t handle. If there were, well, we’d be facing the end of the world.”

“…Yes. He’s really an extraordinary guy.”

“Well then, I’ll be off. Thanks for covering my ears.”

Sodam nodded politely, and as she reached for the caution tape, she felt a light grip on her wrist.

Even though she’d gone out of her way to Guide him to ease his concerns, here he was, blocking her path again, stirring her irritation. She frowned, but Seonghwa, undeterred by her expression, still held her wrist, asking in a hesitant voice.

“…May I ask why you’re going to Juyul?”

She was prepared for another scolding about her intentions toward Juyul, and of course, her prediction was spot-on. Though she was tempted to snap at him, memories of the harsh comments she’d left about Seonghwa’s character flooded back, and she held herself back. She supposed this was karma.

Letting out a quiet sigh, she gave him a steady, pleading look, hoping he’d drop the issue, and replied carefully.

“I’m worried about Esper Baek Juyul.”

Her words were half a pretense, but as soon as she said them, a realization struck her. From dawn until now, her every step, her every worry, had all stemmed from concern for Juyul—an inconvenient truth she hadn’t wanted to face.

The stark clarity of her own feelings made her face flush with embarrassment. To hide her reddened eyes and cheeks, she turned away and cleared her throat.

“…Anyway, I’m really leaving now. Esper Cha Seonghwa, feel free to do as you like.”

Thankfully, no one stopped her as she smoothly crossed the caution tape and left Seonghwa behind.

With newfound resolve, she pressed forward across the sandy beach, her steps bringing Juyul’s distant figure closer and closer into view.

Standing still beside the massive corpse of the Leviathan, which sprawled across half the beach, Juyul didn’t move an inch.

She’d heard it was unwise to approach Espers immediately after a subjugation, so she tried to be cautious, yet approached him with as much confidence as she could muster. But for some reason, Juyul didn’t respond, even as she drew near.

‘Is he really in bad shape? Should I go back and pack my emergency survival kit?’

She didn’t know why, but since today’s payment had already been deposited, she debated stockpiling supplies in case of the worst. But if she ran away now, the 100,000 won she’d spent getting here would feel like a waste. Resolving to see it through, Sodam swallowed hard and stepped closer, clearing her throat before speaking up.

“Excuse me, Esper Baek Juyul… It’s me, Guide Maeng Sodam.”

“…”

“Hello? Esper Baek Juyul? Mister Baek Juyul? Baek Juyul, you damn b—!”

“…”

‘Don’t tell me he’s about to lose control?’

Even after her brazen insult, Juyul’s flawless face remained as smooth as ever, sending chills down her spine. She began to feel genuine fear, realizing that the Guiding she’d done over the past two days might have had no effect, and that the rampage gauge described in the original story might be ticking upward right before her eyes.