SOFTIE 21

It could all be ended by shocking them with electricity, so there was no particular reason to use it. Back then, people at the Association were also more interested in flashy, explosive electrical abilities rather than things that seemed trivial.

That was how you got a reaction. You had to draw people’s eyes and receive their enthusiasm. It looked much stronger that way.

“Are you recovered enough to return?”

At Shin Yoosung’s question, Yeonwoo wordlessly showed him his contamination level.

“…It certainly has dropped a lot.”

“Isn’t he supposed to be an S-rank Guide, after all?”

“I was surprised, too. How could a magical beast…”

Kang Hana spoke with a snort, and Park Gunwoo glanced at Softy with wonder in his eyes. Thanks to Softy’s consistent guiding and rest, Yeonwoo was maintaining a level in the low 70s.

“It never dropped into the green?”

Yeonwoo nodded.

“It’s not like you’re using your abilities, right?”

“Why would I use my abilities while resting at home?”

“Then isn’t the guiding insufficient?”

Softy’s head suddenly whipped around toward Choi Minjae.

“It’s ridiculous for a contamination level that’s been stagnant for ten years to drop in an instant anyway. Guiding isn’t a cure-all. It’ll go down as I keep receiving it.”

“Right, well, that’s a relief then.”

It probably is insufficient. Yeonwoo swallowed the words internally. The methods Softy mainly used to guide were radiant guiding and contact guiding. However, perhaps because he didn’t fully grasp the concept of guiding yet—

He would often provide guiding quite abruptly.

Even that alone was like sweet honey to Yeonwoo, but for the contamination level to drop further, Softy needed to know how to send more, and more densely. But Yeonwoo gratefully accepted the faint guiding Softy gave him every time.

Even a single mouthful of water was enough.

Does Softy know, too? He’s been peeking at the Gear strangely. Since we’re talking about classes, he seems to want to listen.

However, Yeonwoo still hadn’t decided whether to send Softy to Guide classes. In the first place, he questioned whether Softy could even understand properly. They could communicate, but he wouldn’t be able to understand words he didn’t know.

“You guys aren’t overdoing it, right?”

“We aren’t overdoing it!”

Park Gunwoo spoke vigorously, but his Gear showed his contamination level. It was green, but not a low figure. Gunwoo was still a rookie.

If a rookie was struggling to that extent, it meant the others were under a lot of pressure as well. There was a reason they were all intentionally hiding their Gears.

“Who isn’t overdoing it! I am! So, when are you coming back?”

“…Hana. Stop.”

“We’ll only be comfortable once he returns quickly! One guy is out, so why is the quota—mph!”

“You can ignore what Hana says.”

Choi Minjae covered Kang Hana’s mouth. However, she sent a silent glare demanding he return immediately.

“Wait.”

“Until when!”

Yeonwoo roughly calculated the time. Had about a week passed? It was certainly a fair amount of time. Was it because the fact that he had gone berserk was known to everyone?

If it weren’t for that, this kind of peace wouldn’t have been allowed. These were people who viewed Espers as iron men. And Gates don’t manifest while taking an Esper’s condition into consideration.

“Are a lot of dangerous Gates appearing?”

“Not really. Ever since the A-ranks came out in droves and the S-rank appeared, Gates with weak energy have been appearing more often.”

“It’s true that the number of Espers is lacking.”

The surroundings went quiet. It was a strange reaction.

“Is there a problem?”

“The country is a bit excited because of the successful S-rank Gate raid.”

“So, what I’m saying is they gave rewards to the Espers who participated that day. A vacation. But not us. Well, it’s something like that.”

They gave vacation rewards to the Espers who participated that day? They had even dragged in Espers from the provinces to send them on the raid…

Yeonwoo clicked his tongue internally. He hadn’t thought that far. It was because his head had been complicated just with the matter regarding Softy. He had noticed the Association was strangely quiet… so there was a reason they looked so miserable.

“I’ll be back within three days.”

He’d rested enough, and he had to make a decision within three days. Whether to send Softy or not.

“That’s what I like to hear. I’m done with my business!”

Kang Hana sat down heavily on the sofa with a cool air, as if that had been her only goal. Yeonwoo looked around at his team members.

“Mister Minjae is here for a sick visit, Hana for the return request, Gunwoo… well, he probably just followed along. Shin Yoosung, why are you looking at me like you have something to say?”

“Let’s talk for a moment.”

“Hyung, I have something to say too.”

Yoosung and Haeyoon. It was obvious what the two of them wanted to say to him.

“Do you want to talk here? Or talk separately inside?”

“I’d like to do it separately.”

“I don’t mind either way.”

Shin Yoosung’s topic was about Shin Witaek, and Min Haeyoon’s was about the Guide Association. He didn’t want Softy to hear those things. Yeonwoo placed Softy on the sofa and stroked his head, telling him to stay put quietly.

“Shin Yoosung, you follow me first.”

Yeonwoo and Shin Yoosung left the area. Park Gunwoo, who had been gauging the mood, asked tentatively.

“What did Yoosung-hyungnim have to talk to the Boss about? And Haeyoon-hyung too? Didn’t they come to visit the Boss because he’s sick today?”

“Don’t you know, even after going through that work today?”

Kang Hana clicked her tongue, saying she’d never seen such a fool.

“Hana, he’s still a rookie.”

“That’s why it’s more frustrating. How did a guy like this end up drifting in here? You came to the wrong place. Where do you think you are, coming in here?”

“Yes?”

Park Gunwoo tilted his head, not understanding. Kang Hana had a foul mouth, but she wasn’t the type to give meaningless criticism.

“Our Team 1 changes people often. Because they die quickly. The guy who died most recently—did he last half a year before dying? When Yeonwoo tells you not to act out, it’s not particularly because he doesn’t recognize your ability. It’s just because people keep dying.”

At those cold words, Park Gunwoo’s face hardened. He knew it was a dangerous team. Because Team 1 was the team that fought on the front lines. Choi Minjae glanced at Park Gunwoo and continued.

“Gunwoo. You were assigned here, right?”

“Yes… I was told my ability would be a help to Team 1…”

That was when Kang Hana cut in.

“You, I mean. You rejected a proposal from a high-ranking official, didn’t you? Movement abilities have quite high demand. That’s a rare thing. It’s perfect for the role of a high-ranking official’s private car. But you came here? That means you rejected the offer. They were pissed off, so they shoved you in here. Conveniently, you have a hardening ability too.”

Park Gunwoo recalled when he first awakened his ability. Everyone had congratulated him, saying he could make a lot of money. Naturally, he thought they said that because his ability was strong. He was an A-rank Esper, after all. But was that not it?

Because the ability was rare? Thinking about it now, the contract he received was a bit unusual. There was no mention of Gate raids at all. So he rejected it. He wanted to do Gate raids. He wanted to protect people like Yeonwoo, whom he admired.

Kang Hana clicked her tongue as if she understood.

“Well, there are guys like you who join because they admire Yeonwoo… but they usually realize the reality soon and leave. If you stay here, your life is on the line. Especially for those with ambiguous abilities.”

“B-but Mister, and Noona, and the Hyungs are all still here!”

“Haeyoon is a Guide, so it doesn’t matter. Shin Yoosung is an S-rank. He at least keeps up with Yeonwoo. Me and Mister… well, let’s just say we have our reasons.”

Hit with a sudden flood of vast information, Park Gunwoo felt dizzy.

“Isn’t our Team 1… the team that raids the most dangerous Gates at the very front? Why would they put me in such a place… just because I rejected a contract? It doesn’t make sense! I could be a hindrance.”

“That’s what they want.”

“Yes?”

“Actually, they’ve been making us run around useless Gates.”

“I-I know that, but isn’t that because we’re Team 1? Because we have to take responsibility for the public’s safety…”

“Do you think there are no other Espers besides us? This Gate wasn’t even that high in risk for an A-rank. Even my powers were completely sealed. In short, they’re just saying, ‘Go and suffer a bit.’”

At the bewildering words, Park Gunwoo looked around, but no one said anything.

Park Gunwoo suddenly remembered his fellow rookies and other people who had made lukewarm expressions when they heard he’d joined Team 1. Had those expressions not been because the team member mortality rate was high due to fighting on the front lines?