SOFTIE 23

She was an A-rank Esper, but even within the same rank, there are levels. Naturally, Kang Hana was on the exceptional side among A-rank Espers.

“Isn’t that fellow a bit dangerous?”

Everyone fell silent. They had only allowed it because he was the only being capable of guiding Yeonwoo, but Hana knew nothing about that magical beast either.

Yeonwoo picked up his combat uniform that had been shoved into a corner. It was a black uniform that identified him as an Esper. Every time he looked at this uniform, he thought about the intention behind it. Never forget that you are an Esper. Simultaneously, it warned others: This person is an Esper, so be careful.

Each person modified it slightly at their own discretion, but they were all the same in that the names were embroidered in gold on the black fabric. Depending on status or position, decorations or badges were attached. And on Yeonwoo’s combat uniform, a golden badge was pinned.

It was a medal given by the state. It was called a medal, but it was something earned through hellish suffering. It was a medal that the recipient wasn’t happy about at all. His brow furrowed as he recalled that day when he stood next to the President with his exhausted body and shook hands.

“I wonder if they intend to do the same thing as before.”

Yeonwoo reached out and touched Softy as he recalled the story Shin Yoosung had told him.

While Yeonwoo was resting, Shin Witaek did everything he could. Originally, his goal was to put forward Shin Yoosung in Yeonwoo’s place. Mentioning Yeonwoo’s berserk state, he claimed that Yeonwoo was unstable even though he had found a Guide, but the public reaction did not turn out the way he wanted.

The title of hero still belonged to Yeonwoo. In that case, he had to prove superior strength to show he was stronger than Yeonwoo, but he got angry because Shin Yoosung didn’t follow his lead as well as he expected.

“Yoosung, who came out saying he would cut ties on the spot, is also a problem. Well, I suppose that fellow has endured for a long time too.”

Is the person who walked the path of a destiny determined before birth more miserable? Or is the person whose destiny was overturned by an accident in the middle more miserable?

Shin Witaek would consider both of them pathetic. He fed them, housed them, pushed them forward, and helped them grow their strength, only for them to turn their backs on him. However, there is something he is mistaken about.

No one asked for it. It was Shin Witaek who chose to do so. Since I have bestowed this upon you, you must give me this much in return. It was forced and childish.

“He might think the reason Yoosung changed is because of me. He’ll blatantly try to kill me. If he had to choose between the two, it would be Yoosung. Though I have no intention of dying.”

Ring. The cell phone rang. Yeonwoo looked at the screen and answered the call.

—Yeonwoo, I’ve checked. I’m sorry. Things were proceeding without my knowledge.

“Because there are his people even inside the Esper Association.”

—They did that knowing I was busy… I see there are many teams that received vacations.

“Vacations?”

—That’s… ah, wait a moment. I’ll leave a text. I’m currently at the S-rank Gate site…

“Yes. I’ll hang up.”

An S-rank Gate site. Even if there is business at a place where the raid is finished, only the cleanup remains. And people are curious. Just how much will come out of it? And the Ability Department will be thinking of picking it clean.

“So that’s why they gave vacations?”

Even if a Gate is raided, magical beasts remain inside. Of course, since the wavelength has weakened, their power will have weakened as well. They intend to use only the Espers belonging to their faction to scrape up all the byproducts inside.

Corruption and embezzlement exist everywhere in large companies. If it were just that, he would have let it slide, but the problem was that they used his team members to make up for the lack of manpower. They gave out vacations for the sake of their own greed and public sentiment, yet there is no such thing as a vacation for Team 1, who suffered the most.

Would they take care of their merits separately then? No, they wouldn’t. A sharp smile formed on Yeonwoo’s lips.

Espers belong to the state. They only receive the money measured by the state. Isn’t that also all from the citizens’ taxes? And they are compensated solely by what they have done. A certain amount of money falls into their hands upon a Gate raid, but those people sit on a pile of money even though they just stayed still.

“There’s a reason Hana was whining.”

She’s exhausted to death, but seeing them stuffing their faces amongst themselves, her stomach must hurt. She was someone who would die for money.

“I wonder what on earth they spend all that money on.”

Teams receive bonuses according to the raid success rate or number, and Yeonwoo’s team was the same. As much as they showed exceptional results, they received double what others did, but considering how they are worked, he questioned if it was a fair wage for labor.

“Minister, I will play with you at the same eye level. I believe I have done enough.”

Yeonwoo feels that he has bestowed everything upon them through the Gates he raided throughout his life and the S-rank Gate raid.

No, rather, he gave excessively.

It was all for Hana. Because they didn’t want to lose an S-rank Esper, they would try their best to find a Guide. Simultaneously, other countries would also search for a Guide with a matching rate for him from all over the world to take Yeonwoo away. Because he believed so.

And he found one. He no longer has the need to listen silently, nor the intention to force himself to do things he doesn’t want to do.

Yeonwoo quietly went onto a portal site. The articles only contained provocative content. Yeonwoo’s return, the handling of the S-rank Gate, the nation’s rising prestige, and simultaneously, speculations about Yeonwoo’s hidden Guide.

Why isn’t Yeonwoo visible these days? Did he die? 

└ You die.

└ It seems Esper Yeonwoo is recuperating. I asked an Esper nearby, and they said going berserk uses life energy, so the aftereffects are severe. Especially since Esper Yeonwoo has a constitution that can’t even receive guiding, it’ll be a problem.

└ Your news is late. He got a pair Guide. Good job.

So who is that pair Guide? They hit the jackpot. If they can guide Seo Yeonwoo, they have to grab them no matter what. 

└ They say that Guide is a magical beast…

└ Are you a madman? Where are you lying?

But he went berserk once, is he okay? The articles were saying he might get addicted to going berserk. 

└ What are you talking about? Are there cases where you get addicted?

└ That’s why they strictly monitor Espers who reach levels right before going berserk. They compare it to a screw getting twisted once you go berserk. Even Esper Seo Yeonwoo had a contamination level that was a bit… high for a long time. They were concerned.

└ Even old articles are popping up. A mistake during his kid days…

Yeonwoo stopped reading.

“It’s a mess.”

It wasn’t just Softy. It seemed stories of his past were also surfacing. Do they really intend to put Yoosung forward instead of me? Or are they confident they can flip public opinion? Just then, a vibration sounded, signaling that a text message had arrived.

It was a text Min Haeyoon sent to Yeonwoo. The fact that the Guide Association mentioned Softy’s existence. That he would be taking classes with rookie Guides. Furthermore, the fact that as a result of the Guides demanding safety during that process, it was decided that an Esper would be stationed inside the classroom.

“They won’t just let me rest quietly.”

Just then, Softy pulled at Yeonwoo’s collar. Then, he patted his own chest. Because it was an action that seemed to say ‘just trust me,’ a faint laugh leaked out.

“Softy, can you do well?”

“Kkyu!”

“Really?”

Softy nodded his head vigorously. It wasn’t that he didn’t believe him. But he was worried. What Yeonwoo told Softy was Hana—no matter what happens, do not threaten others. it was incredibly disadvantageous. Even if he only attacked in self-defense, because he is a magical beast, he could be attacked just for being Hana and become a target for purging.

“…But that’s reality.”

Yeonwoo knows best. Because he had been like that once too.

“Softy, should we just cause a scene instead? I don’t want to be apart from you, and I don’t like you being threatened in a place where I can’t see…”

Softy just stared silently at Yeonwoo. When Yeonwoo sighed in the quiet room, Softy extended a tentacle and hugged Yeonwoo’s face tightly.

“Haha, shall we cheer up? I thought this kind of ability was useless… but I’ll be able to protect you.”

On the wide bed, Yeonwoo tumbled around with Softy.

˖°𓇼🌊⋆🐚🫧

In the dim sky, in a room where not a single speck of light entered, Softy quietly gazed only at Yeonwoo’s face. With such a persistent gaze, Yeonwoo might have woken up, but there was no sign of him opening his eyes.

“…Ugh.”