SOFTIE 28

“Among methods of contact, the most reliable is a hug. Oh, some students might be mistaken here—guiding is based on skin-to-skin contact. In other words, flesh must touch flesh. It’s useless through clothes.”

He spoke in a mischievous tone.

Roll— a pen rolled across the desk. Having heard something he never imagined, Softy had accidentally let go of his pen.

Flesh must touch flesh? Then what I’ve been doing is…?

Softy is bare-bodied. In other words, Softy isn’t the problem, but Yeonwoo was. Humans wear things called clothes. Skin didn’t touch…! While Softy was reeling from the shock alone, the questions continued.

“Then, do we take off our clothes and hug?”

At one Guide’s blunt remark, some Guides acted embarrassed, while others grumbled in dissatisfaction, saying they hated that sort of thing.

“That would be the case. The more areas are in contact, the higher the efficiency, and the contamination level can be lowered in a short time. However, of course, you can refuse. Basically, it’s done only with the hands. Our duty is to reach out a hand and provide guiding. Anything beyond that is up to you.”

The Guides listening to him began to chatter noisily among themselves. Accustomed to this, he clapped his hands several times to draw their attention.

“Now, the method isn’t what’s important. You have to know how to actually guide, right? Since you’ve awakened as Guides, you’ll be able to do it instinctively. It’s like how a baby bird can flap its wings and fly when the time comes. Did you feel the energy I just emitted? Something similar to that, but the energy each of you possesses is inside you. You pull that out and gently unravel the energy clumped inside the Esper. I’m going to demonstrate. Watch closely.”

The contamination level began to drop, indicating that guiding had begun in earnest.

“It’s significantly different from before, right? Just holding hands isn’t the end of it. You have to provide energy—guiding. The most ideal value is 20% or less, but even ‘Green’ is fine. Green is 50% or less.”

20% or less? Green? Softy tilted his head. Yeonwoo’s contamination level was always above 60%, and the color wasn’t Green. I was doing it wrong…? Realizing there was a major flaw in his guiding, Softy fell into shock once again.

I thought I was doing well. Yeonwoo protected me, I made him smile, and Yeonwoo told me he liked me and that he was happy to be with me. He was still severely lacking.

Softy remembered. The times Yeonwoo, who had been sleeping well, would suddenly wake up; the times he sat on the bed fiddling with his earring. The times he busily talked to someone on the phone. It was all because I was lacking!

The teacher’s words were not over.

“Once it exceeds 50%, it gradually takes on an orange hue, and once it passes 60%, they become a subject for caution. Changing from orange to red happens at 90% or higher. That’s right before a berserk state.”

“W-what happens if we end up guiding an Esper who is right on the verge of going berserk?”

“Haha, that won’t happen. Usually, even at just 80%, they are subjected to isolation measures. So, you all must help so that the Espers aren’t isolated and can maintain a Green state. Now, are there any students with questions?”

Softy, who had been in a state of shock, snapped to attention and raised his hand high, but another Guide was faster.

“Um… I heard that as a way to quickly lower the contamination level, there is sexual guiding. Do we have to do that eventually…?”

It was a question that came up every time. The teacher wore a benevolent smile.

“After contact comes mucous membrane and sexual guiding. Because the efficiency is outstanding, Espers might want it, but as I said before, our duty is just to offer a hand and guide. All decision-making power regarding guiding rests with the Guide. If you want to, you can; if you don’t want to, you can refuse.”

The classroom grew noisy because of the teacher’s nonchalant explanation. There were many reactions, such as “I won’t give permission easily,” or “I don’t want to do it unless they’re handsome or pretty.”

“Espers cannot forcibly demand guiding. If forced guiding takes place, they are severely punished internally.”

“But… Guides can’t win against Espers with strength.”

“Every guiding room has a call button to press in case of danger, and each of you will be issued a weapon to subdue an Esper. I have one too.”

He held up a rod through which an electric current flowed.

“You probably know that Espers wear Gears that display their contamination level. When this current flows, a small needle comes out of the Gear and injects a drug to put the Esper to sleep. Of course, rather than brandishing a weapon, it’s much safer to press the pager, so I recommend that.”

“Teacher, does that weapon work on magical beasts too?”

One student asked gallantly while glancing at Softy. The surroundings grew quiet, and the number of gazes looking at Softy increased. The teacher smiled slightly and stared at the Esper standing beside him.

“I wonder. I understand your concerns well. That’s why an Esper is here. To kill a dangerous magical beast, that is. This is Esper Hwang Je-hyeok, who will be observing the class. He is someone who will not only take responsibility for your safety as Guides but will also provide various help during the lesson. Now, I’ll stop taking questions here. You can come back tomorrow at the scheduled time.”

Once the class ended, everyone picked up their books and left the classroom. Softy also dejectedly lowered his hand and packed his things.

Hugging is the best type of contact guiding? What are mucous membrane and sexual guiding?

Searching through human memories, a few words with similar meanings came to mind, but he wasn’t sure. He had no clue at all.

Softy’s head was filled with nothing but the thought that he had to lower Yeonwoo’s contamination level. He had learned new information and realized he was lacking in many ways.

As expected, it was a good choice to attend the class.

“Hey.”

Softy was lost in his own thoughts and didn’t hear the voice calling from behind. In the first place, he didn’t think anyone was calling for him.

Softy reviewed what he had learned today. What he learned today is that contact must be skin-to-skin, and simply touching isn’t always good—the contamination level only drops if guiding energy is transmitted. Although the efficiency hadn’t been high, he believed he had at least done the guiding itself.

I must have been doing well, right? I didn’t wrap my hands in anything. Since skin was in contact, guiding must have happened. He could finally understand why Yeonwoo reached out his hand every time, asking for guiding.

First, let’s stick to Yeonwoo. Since he said the contact area of the skin needs to be large, next time I should take off Yeonwoo’s clothes!

Softy innocently came up with a plan that would have horrified Yeonwoo had he heard it, resolving to rub against Yeonwoo’s skin while being held in his arms to provide guiding.

Next time, I’ll definitely ask about mucous membrane and sexual guiding…

“Hey, magical beast!”

When he heard the word referring to him as a magical beast, Softy, who had been hopping forward, stopped. He remembered that people called him a magical beast.

Turning around, he saw humans huffing with hideously distorted expressions. Not knowing the reason, Softy tilted his head.

What does this ugly human want with me? I have to go see Yeonwoo quickly.

“You. Don’t get ahead of yourself. Just a magical beast! You seem to have taken the position of Esper Seo Yeonwoo’s Guide just because you were judged as an S-rank, but I’m going to take that soon.”

Ah, this human. He remembered. It was the human who had shouted that they would become Yeonwoo’s Guide. But the more he listened, who did they think they were to say they would “take” Yeonwoo? A human trying to steal Yeonwoo? He couldn’t be robbed so hollowly again.

The Guide, failing to notice Softy’s murderous intent, shouted triumphantly.

“Can a mere magical beast even guide properly? At best, radiant guiding is your limit. No, I suppose contact is possible. But are mucous membrane or sexual guiding possible? If it were me, it would be too disgusting to do it with you. Wouldn’t Esper Seo Yeonwoo feel the same?”

Already shocked by the fact that he had been guiding incorrectly, Softy grew even more furious at what the Guide said.

There’s no way Yeonwoo would hate doing it with me!

He wanted to scream, but he suppressed his boiling anger. No. Yeonwoo told me to be well-behaved and not to threaten anyone. I listen well to Yeonwoo.

When there was no major reaction from Softy, the Guide snorted and raised a foot toward Softy.

“Move! I’m going through! Don’t block the way like an idiot!”