* * *

“Of course. I’ve been waiting,”

Elizabeth replied with a warm smile, as though my words were only natural.

That expression melted my heart.

Since coming to this world, I had met so many people I was grateful to: the three Espers, Eunsoo, Elizabeth, Maria, and even Kim Miri.

I, who had survived by sheer chance, couldn’t help but wonder:
How can I repay their kindness?

…How can I, at the very least, not become a burden?

“The truth is, running away here wasn’t something I planned in advance…”

“Considering how sloppy your trail was, it certainly didn’t seem planned.”

“Yes…”
It had been impulsive, almost like a form of escapism.

“But I do have a reason for staying here.”

“I figured as much.”

From joining Maria on her business trip to adapting to life at the villa, I had spent the past three chaotic months slowly coming to my senses.

Eventually, I asked myself:

“What exactly am I doing right now?”

There were people willing to go to great lengths to find me, even putting up an enormous sum of money.

They had openly mentioned me in interviews, undeterred by the dishonorable title of “the Esper who killed a Guide.”

Simply ignoring the sincerity behind such efforts felt rude.

Even if I couldn’t return to their side, I should at least contact them.

Even if they resented me, I deserved to face it.

But in the end… I chose not to reach out.

I held the teacup in both hands, the round porcelain warmed by the liquid inside.

I fidgeted with my fingers.

“You know, don’t you? What’s about to happen in the world.”

“…Yes, I’m very well aware.”

“The Genius Guide’s Melancholy” isn’t just a story about romantic entanglements between four people.

Early on, it focuses on Eunsoo’s journey of adapting as a Guide, solving various incidents alongside the Espers, and battling the distorted perceptions of the world toward him.

Later, it evolves into a modern fantasy where heroes fight against monsters.

It’s a story of growth, forgiveness, and becoming a ‘savior.’

---

“Gates will continue to appear more frequently, and their scale will grow. There are already reports that gates containing cores now account for 40% of total occurrences. Furthermore… new types of gates will emerge. The world, particularly Korea, will become a constant battleground against the unknown. The damage will only grow.”

I wanted to live.

Who, at such a young age, wouldn’t want to survive?

Especially when there are people you love. If there’s even a chance to live, you’d want to take it.

But as I survived, I found myself standing in a warzone—a battlefield where only monsters and those capable of fighting them could exist.

“There’s nothing I can do in this world.”

What’s the point of surviving?

I’m just a B-grade Guide with no exceptional abilities.

I lack special skills or meaningful experience.

I don’t even have the usual perks of a transmigrated protagonist—no buffs, no miracles. Just this frail, useless body.

I had spent six months bedridden, awaiting my end.

Even if I returned to Eunsoo and the S-class Espers, my presence would only disrupt their lives.

And in the crises to come, I can’t imagine I’d be of any help.

If anything, I’d only be dead weight.

Our Eunsoo is a powerhouse who can do anything, and the three Espers are extraordinary people worthy of admiration.

But “The Genius Guide’s Melancholy” wasn’t the kind of story where every problem gets neatly resolved.

It wasn’t a feel-good tale. If it were, it wouldn’t have been classified as a healing-through-pain story.

The Espers and Eunsoo suffered.

Again and again, they scraped by with narrow victories. In this precarious world, I, Yang Heewoon, an anomaly, survived.

If my existence—a stray pebble in their path—caused them to falter… if my presence unraveled their destinies and led this world to a bad ending…

I buried my face in my hands, pressing my palms against my eyes.

I managed to hold back the tears, but my voice betrayed my emotions.

“Even after coming here, I haven’t done anything right. I relied too much on the Espers of Special A Team… Eunsoo’s people. I’ve only twisted things out of place. Even Hope—truthfully, it was Elliott who saved him, not me. I couldn’t even protect Eunsoo properly; I only managed to save him after he was already hurt. And I couldn’t even be a good guardian for him… even now…”

Half a year has passed, yet what if Eunsoo still sees me as his entire world?

I thought he’d forget quickly.

The three Espers are wonderful people, far more dependable than someone like me.

They’ve grown closer, faster than in the original story.

I was certain of it.

So why does Eunsoo sound so sad?

Why does he still say things like that?

The only explanation is that he’s too hurt.

After losing his parents once, he lost another protector.

His heart must be so battered that he can’t find the strength to open it again.

Even if I shamelessly returned alive, would that solve anything?

What are the chances of me surviving this war?

Wouldn’t I just end up hurting him again?

My powerless existence could become his weakness.

“Rather than returning now and disrupting everything, it’s better for me to remain as someone who died…”

I know this can’t last forever.

I’m a Guide.

Thanks to Polwel’s intervention, I’ve only been granted temporary reprieve, but eventually, I’ll have to return to Korea.

As the gate crisis worsens, even an unremarkable Guide like me will become a necessary resource. It’s only a matter of time.

And in that small country, within the close-knit Esper Management Bureau, news of my survival will spread like wildfire.

It wouldn’t even take a day.

I regret everything.

If I couldn’t die, I should’ve stayed quiet.

I shouldn’t have acted so recklessly, thinking I had nothing to lose.

I should’ve done… nothing. This world already had a happy ending in store.

“You need water more than tea right now. Here, drink this.”

“…Thank you.”

Elizabeth handed me a glass of cold water.

As I drank water and glanced at him, his expression was as composed as ever.

He looked just the same as when he first offered me tea—calm and unbothered.

It made me feel a little embarrassed, wondering if I was the only one taking this so seriously.

But… I wasn’t wrong.

I was certain of it.

The more I worked as Elizabeth’s secretary and learned about global trends, the more anxious I became.

The world was undeniably progressing according to the original story.

This peaceful era wouldn’t last long.

The situation would only grow more dire with each passing day.

Even in the original, they couldn’t completely resolve the Gate Crisis.

At best, it ended with a hopeful message: “Still, we can overcome this.”

It was accompanied by Eunsoo’s unyielding determination.

“It’s strange. When you were weaker, you appeared stronger. I could hear the resolve in your voice. But now that your body is healthier, your spirit seems to have weakened.”

“……”

She struck a nerve.

The first time I met Elizabeth Polwel, she had said something entirely different.

“I want to believe the future is ours to shape.”

A chill ran down my spine, and my gaze dropped to the floor.

My fingers fidgeted. I struggled to find words in the blank expanse of my mind.

“Well… it’s just that I have more responsibilities now than I did back then…”

But as soon as I said it, I regretted it. It was a weak excuse.

Why bother saying something I couldn’t even convince myself of?

In the end, I realized my courage back then had been shallow at best.

I was ready to die soon anyway.

I wouldn’t have to face the consequences, no matter how bad things turned out.

If the worst happened, I’d be long gone—dead and rotting—unable to confront my sins.

That’s what made my bravery possible. It was closer to recklessness.

I felt ashamed. Exposed, as if stripped bare.

Unable to meet her gaze, I lowered my head.

But then, without realizing it, I lifted my head again.

There was a hand gently patting my hair.

“Child, you have a tendency to underestimate yourself.”

“……”

“You keep belittling yourself, convincing yourself there’s nothing you can do.”

“Well, it’s true… I really can’t do anything.”

Just an ordinary citizen. An extra.

A meddler who unnecessarily interfered and derailed the protagonists’ lives. Perhaps even a villain.

“But you’ve been trying, haven’t you? Pushing yourself to become someone who can help.”

“……”

“Mary told me about your daily training—exercising, practicing shooting. Your goal is to become a field guide, isn’t it? Why do you work so hard?”

“…Because doing something is better than doing nothing…”

Yeah.

That’s how I felt even when I thought my days were numbered.

Better to try, even if it was futile or selfish.

Better to do something and regret it than to sit idle and regret doing nothing.

* * *