SOFTIE 12

It was because he was conflicted about what to do. Yeonwoo, who referred to a magic beast as a Guide. Ma Seongtae knew Yeonwoo. He wouldn’t have said it unless he was certain.

He was glad that Yeonwoo’s Guide had appeared, but the fact that the existence was a magic beast, not a human, was a headache.

To the citizens, a magic beast was a social evil, a monster, and no different from an evil god.

Magic beasts were a problem that should not be taken lightly, to the extent that an entire city was once annihilated by hunters who secretly imported magic beasts with cute appearances to raise them. As if saying he understood all those concerns, Yeonwoo spoke.

“My kid doesn’t attack just anyone. Right?”

“Kkyu!”

The slime responded to Yeonwoo’s words, but Ma Seongtae still wiped his face with his hand. Doesn’t he know how the higher-ups might react? Why is he so nonchalant?

He was practically the symbol of South Korea. He had to exist in a perfect state. In the beginning, he had even tried to hide until the very end that his contamination level was high and he was being swayed by side effects because he couldn’t receive Guiding.

The corruption of Yeonwoo’s image was practically a blow to them as well. Would they even recognize a magic beast as a Guide?

“Is there no possibility that it isn’t…?”

“Don’t say such obvious things. I’ve checked several times. I, who was in a state of rampage, escaped it, lowered my contamination level, and even cleared an S-rank Gate. If it weren’t for this child, I would have died there. I lived thanks to you.”

The slime rubbed its body against Yeonwoo’s hand. The slime looked as if it were acting docile and charming, but one couldn’t be at ease. That’s just the kind of existence they were. Magic beasts.

Even though Ma Seongtae sent looks of wariness, the relationship between the two looked harmonious.

“It’s a difficult path. You know that, right?”

“I know. But I can’t give up. This is my Guide, whom you all couldn’t find despite searching for years.”

Ma Seongtae let out a deep sigh. A Guide found after several years. It was something to be congratulated and happy about. If only that thing were human. The high-ranking officials would use the fact that the Guide is a magic beast to shake Yeonwoo. No, would it have been the same even if it were a person?

Why was this child’s life so arduous? An ordinary Guide wouldn’t do. Such a Guide wouldn’t be able to endure being by Yeonwoo’s side. Was this perhaps better?

“…A report will go to the higher-ups.”

“Yes.”

At that moment, Min Haeyoon jumped up.

“Is everyone really recognizing that magic beast as hyung’s Guide? A magic beast… there’s no way it’s a Guide! Noona, you couldn’t accept it just a moment ago, so why…!”

“Haeyoon-ya. Sit down. The contamination level decreased. That’s proof it performed Guiding. And you must have felt it too.”

Choi Minjae calmed him down. Guiding energy can be felt by both Espers and Guides. They could all feel the energy the slime had radiated when Yeonwoo asked it to Guide him.

That was why they were all just listening and accepting it.

“But… the team’s Guide is me…!”

Min Haeyoon shouted, his eyes flushing red. The reason he joined this team, and the person he wanted to be helpful to, was none other than Seo Yeonwoo. He was the one who had been expected to be able to Guide Seo Yeonwoo with his high rank and vast amount of energy.

He believed that one day, he too would be able to Guide him. But then some magic beast popped out of nowhere and snatched that spot away. As Min Haeyoon stormed out, Choi Minjae stood up.

“Leave Haeyoon to me. And Yeonwoo-ya. Congratulations.”

A large hand ruffled Yeonwoo’s hair. Having watched the side effects for a long time, he was relieved by the fact that a pair Guide had appeared, regardless of what kind of existence the Guide was.

There were countless Espers who went mad because they couldn’t receive Guiding, and the life of an Esper without a Guide was no different from hell.

“It really won’t be dangerous, right? It seems to like the Leader… but it could be dangerous to other people.”

“I told you. I’ll take responsibility. And as long as no danger is inflicted upon it, this child won’t be the first to attack. Right?”

The slime let out a long cry as if it understood Yeonwoo’s words.

“For now, everyone dismiss. Anyway, since you said you have a pair Guide during the live broadcast, the calls will…”

And as if on cue, Ma Seongtae’s phone began to ring.

“I knew this would happen. Yeonwoo, you go rest. You guys too.”

“Mister, before that, the Guide test.”

“I know, you brat. We’ll do the matching rate test too. You have to formally apply for a pair Guide.”

Yeonwoo laughed at the sight of Ma Seongtae ultimately taking his side.

If it showed a high matching rate with him, who could object? The higher the matching rate, the higher the Guiding efficiency. If the efficiency is high, there is no longer a need to take medicine or suppress his abilities due to high contamination.

Ma Seongtae left the room while answering the phone. Yeonwoo also stood up. It didn’t lead to the worst-case scenario. Because they didn’t kill it just because it was a magic beast. But that was only possible because they were his team members. He didn’t know yet what the reaction of other people would be.

“I’m going to my room.”

“Yeah.”

“Get some good rest.”

“What? You’re really letting him go like this?”

Park Gunwoo raised a question as if he couldn’t understand Kang Hana and Shin Yoosung’s reaction, but since he had the weakest voice, he slumped his shoulders gloomily. Besides, he wasn’t the type of person to defy Yeonwoo’s words anyway.

“Leader, be careful.”

Yeonwoo blinked his eyes. The sound of a small chuckle escaped him. It wasn’t that he didn’t understand his feelings. He was just worried.

“No need to worry.”

Yeonwoo headed to the top floor, to his home, with the slime.

In the first place, the Association was a place created by gathered Espers who had nowhere to go after being treated like scary monsters—like magic beasts—by the citizens. However, Espers were ultimately human too. They wanted to live amongst people.

And as the existences of Espers and Guides appeared all over the world, the state stepped in and began to control them.

This gear, which was mandatory for an Esper to wear, was a shackle placed by the state.

The gear tracked the Esper’s location, and if dangerous behavior was recognized, they were immediately summoned to an institution. Furthermore, as it was a rule to wear the gear on the wrist so it was clearly visible, civilians who were afraid of Espers would not even go near one if they spotted the gear.

Even if Espers cleared Gates and protected people from the invasions of magic beasts, the general societal phenomenon of avoiding Espers did not change.

Yeonwoo changed that. He worked hard so that Espers were not just considered scary beings, but reliable allies who protect them.

Now, it has become a society where it is okay for an Esper to walk the streets or live next door. However, Yeonwoo did not leave the Association.

Ma Seongtae had once found a house for Yeonwoo, thinking he was too tied to the Association, but people bothered him.

Furthermore, busy modern people wouldn’t leave him alone even at dawn. Even if just one car passed by nearby, it was noise to him.

Because his contamination levels were often high and his abilities would act up on their own, he returned to the Association. This was because the Association, knowing Yeonwoo’s situation, showed him as much consideration as possible. It was a floor and a room solely for him.

“This is my home. The place where we’ll live together from now on.”

Though it was a home prepared on the top floor of the Association building, it was an officetel structure that was quite spacious, and the furniture equipped inside was expensive. It showed just how precious Yeonwoo’s existence was to the Association.

“You must have been scared, so thank you for staying still. If you had caused a scene, those guys would have made an even bigger fuss.”

He placed his hand on top of the slime’s head. Instead of stroking it gently, he tapped its head lightly. It was quite fun to see its body bounce boing-boing every time he poked it.

“No matter what anyone says, you are my Guide. You don’t need to be swayed by the words of others.”

Just as he told Ma Seongtae, the slime’s help was significant in the reason he was able to come out while clearing the S-rank Gate.

When he asked it to Guide him, the slime, which had tilted its head as if it didn’t know, had unknowingly Guided him while Yeonwoo fought the magic beasts. When he sat on a rock, exhausted halfway through, it had given him even stronger Guiding.

Guiding is the consumption of life energy within while sending out waves. Just as Yeonwoo gets exhausted when he uses his power, it is the same for a Guide. The difference is that a Guide’s life is not in danger, but an Esper’s life is.

But since it Guided an Esper like Yeonwoo, it must have taken a toll on the slime’s body as well. Yeonwoo carefully examined the slime. The slime looked perfectly fine.