SOFTIE 36

Lee Taeho trembled in real-time as he watched the wall crack and debris flutter down. This was a specially reinforced wall, designed to prevent intrusion because it housed precious research data and secrets regarding the status of Espers.

Even though it was adjacent to the Esper training rooms and built to withstand most abilities without a scratch, the surface had been deeply dented by a single punch.

Despite this, he hid the butterfly net holding Softy behind his back.

“Are you doing this because you want to see me lose my mind? You dare kidnap my Guide right in front of my eyes?”

“Ye-Ye-Yeonwoo… wait, I told you I’m just going to take a little look. You know my skills are better than those guys…”

“You traded your character and conscience for those skills.”

“Hey! At least maintain some decorum! I’m doing all of this for your own good!”

“…Put that down before you speak.”

Yeonwoo spoke while staring at the weapon Lee Taeho had pulled out. A weapon used to subdue Espers. It was identical to the ones held by Guides. Espers are a threat not only to Guides but also to civilians. Especially for Espers with high pollution levels, there is a risk of causing casualties, so these weapons were issued to anyone who frequently came into contact with them.

“Oh, why is this in my hand… Haha, you charged at me so fiercely that I did it without thinking.”

Lee Taeho quickly tucked the weapon into his coat, but the way he kept hiding Softy behind his back, unwilling to give him up, grated on Yeonwoo’s nerves.

Yeonwoo steadied his racing heart. He had burst out in a moment of shock and rage, but this human acting like this wasn’t a once-or-twice occurrence. For a split second, he had thought a kidnapping was taking place inside the Association under orders from the higher-ups. He should have known better.

Lee Taeho wasn’t the type to yield to pressure from above, nor would he kidnap someone so openly. He had simply lost his sense of reason for the sake of research and snatched Softy.

“I—I don’t have a weapon. See?”

“Softy, let him go.”

Yeonwoo threatened him by visibly manifesting an electric current, but Lee Taeho feigned ignorance and avoided his gaze. Slowly, along with a beeping sound, the pollution level readings began to rise. Yeonwoo clicked his tongue briefly.

‘To think my pollution level is rising because of this man.’

Furthermore, the gazes of others who had come running after hearing the commotion were fixed on them. He didn’t want Softy standing out any more than he already did. Just as Yeonwoo was about to step back—

[Were you trying to hit Yeonwoo?]

Yeonwoo’s eyes widened. The same went for Lee Taeho, who was holding Softy.

‘This sound.’

He had heard it before. It was when Softy had spoken to protect him in front of the executives. Not a voice, but words echoing directly inside his head.

Softy extended a tentacle, snatched the weapon from Lee Taeho’s arms, threw it far away, and then swelled his body up to a massive size, swallowing the butterfly net whole. The expression “swallowed it whole” was truly fitting. Yeonwoo backed away in surprise, and Lee Taeho did the same.

“Wh-what on earth… He can increase his size…!”

The startled Lee Taeho’s eyes rounded, but soon his gaze sparkled at Softy’s actions. At that moment, Softy extended a tentacle, grabbed Lee Taeho by the collar, and threw him upward. Lee Taeho, suspended in mid-air, fell back down, his back and the floor sharing a deep kiss.

“Agh!”

Lee Taeho let out a scream of pain and rolled across the floor. Since it happened in an instant, even Yeonwoo was dazed. Lee Taeho, wriggling on the floor and complaining of the pain, reached toward his aching back.

“Ow! Ugh… My—my bone, isn’t it broken?”

Yeonwoo looked at Softy, who was standing triumphantly in front of Lee Taeho. He wasn’t the size that fit perfectly in one’s arms anymore; he was now taller than Yeonwoo. Softy, who would usually have asked immediately if he was okay, looked at Yeonwoo and flinched, sheepishly checking his reaction.

“Softy…?”

[…Yes.]

Softy answered Yeonwoo’s call, but he seemed strangely drained of energy. He didn’t know why. However.

“Hahaha!”

Yeonwoo burst into a pleasant laugh. He was proud of Softy for boldly defeating the enemy, and he wondered when he had learned such a technique. Every time he thought I was in danger or cornered, he always stepped forward.

[…Why are you laughing? Is it funny?]

“Hmm? Oh, sorry. Did it hurt your feelings?”

Then Softy shook his head back and forth.

“Our Softy was strong, wasn’t he?”

[That’s right, I’m strong!]

“I saw. But… you were able to talk all this time, yet you didn’t? You can speak so well.”

The moments of conversation with Softy were enjoyable.

[Ah…]

“Softy?”

Yeonwoo spoke because he wanted to converse with Softy, but silence followed. Additionally, Softy continued to roll his eyes while glancing at him. It seemed there was a reason, but no reason came to mind.

“You can laugh when I’ve ended up like this?”

“You brought it on yourself.”

At Yeonwoo’s cold remark, Lee Taeho jumped up and pouted his lips.

“No, I mean, what did I even do? I just wanted to take a quick look because it’s amazing that a magical beast is a Guide. If a problem occurs, there’s no one but me to take responsibility. You’ve received a lot of help from me too!”

Lightly ignoring Lee Taeho’s grumbling, Yeonwoo approached Softy. Then, Softy flinched and took a hesitant step back.

One of Yeonwoo’s eyebrows shot up. This was the first time Softy had avoided Yeonwoo’s hand. The corners of his mouth, which had been turned up, slumped down.

“Softy, you should come here.”

Yeonwoo held out his hand, but Softy only pressed himself further against the wall. Yeonwoo’s brow narrowed more and more.

Meanwhile, Softy’s mind had become complicated.

Yeonwoo laughed earlier. It was a laugh of enjoyment. Did he laugh because that human’s behavior was funny? Was he not scared because I suddenly spoke and grew large? Yeonwoo used to be scared of things like that. Is his face hardened now because he’s scared? But he’s approaching me…?

Yeonwoo moved forward as much as Softy had backed away. Then he opened his arms toward Softy. He wasn’t the small, round sphere Yeonwoo knew, but he had simply grown a bit larger.

Softy was Softy.

Softy looked longingly at Yeonwoo’s embrace, wanting to be held right away, but he didn’t move. He shrank back while observing Yeonwoo. And strangely, he seemed to be getting smaller and smaller, as if trying to return to his original form.

Only then did Yeonwoo realize.

Ah, surely he didn’t think I found him awkward? Why on earth? I even saw him transform into a huge wolf.

“Softy, aren’t you going to let me hold you? Give me some guiding. My pollution level went up because I was anxious thinking you were being kidnapped.”

[…!]

It was an instantaneous reaction. Softy, who had been stuck to the wall, came into his arms immediately. No, he hugged Yeonwoo tightly. He loved being held like this, so why did he act like that earlier?

“But where did you learn that technique from earlier?”

[…]

“I want to hear Softy’s voice.”

[…I saw it on TV. They said it’s a way to subdue an opponent without hurting them. Yeonwoo, you told me not to hurt humans.]

Yeonwoo recalled Softy often watching TV. Ah, Softy watched everything without being particular—news, variety shows, dramas, and so on. Did he watch a wrestling program too?

[Are you not scared?]

“…Of what?”

Yeonwoo didn’t understand Softy’s words for a moment. On the other hand, Softy brightened up instantly.

He’s not scared!

Softy gave Yeonwoo a forceful, tight squeeze. Yeonwoo’s eyes widened because he didn’t know the reason for the sudden good mood, but the guiding leaking out according to Softy’s mood was welcome.

Did he think I’d be scared just because he grew large? I saw him turn into a wolf last time; what a silly thought.

“You’ve only grown in size; you’re still cute.”

[Cute?]

“Of course.”

[Yeonwoo too! Yeonwoo is cute too! You’re cute, pretty, and amazing. Um, cool!]

At Softy’s exclamation, Yeonwoo burst into laughter. How much he must have wanted to say those words for them to pop out like that. Yeonwoo spoke while stroking Softy.

“I’m sorry, I should have watched you better. I’ll make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

Times like this aren’t great. In the past, due to the side effects of his ability, sounds from far away would be heard near his ears, but now they aren’t heard unless he intentionally focuses.

[It’s okay. I’ll protect Yeonwoo. I’m strong, you know.]

The pleasant laughter didn’t stop. Does he even know how strong I am when he says that? But since he had only seen me struggling in front of him due to a lack of guiding, it was understandable he had no faith in my strength.

“How big can that slime get?”