* * *
“You don’t mean to say you don’t love him, do you? What does being ‘suitable’ have to do with it?”
Ben let go of Lus’s coat, which had stopped his steps for a moment, and calmly pointed out the contradiction in his words.
The way Lus spoke made it sound like he had to let Elgran go precisely because he loved him—as if that were the best thing for him.
And perhaps Ben wasn’t wrong; Lus cleared his throat quietly, steadying his sunken voice.
“He’s young. Right now, he talks about imprinting because he’s swayed by emotion, but I am not the best choice for him. I want to give him the chance to choose someone better.”
“Is that purely for Elgran’s sake? Or is it because you’re afraid Elgran might regret it later?”
Ben didn’t want to spout clichéd lines about love conquering all.
But neither did he want to see someone using fear of the future as an excuse to abandon the present.
The one thing he could say for sure was that Lus’s attempt to protect Elgran could very well end up hurting them both more deeply.
Maybe, under the guise of protecting Elgran, Lus was carving out a place for himself to retreat to.
Loving someone didn’t mean you wanted to be blamed or resented by them later.
That was painful for anyone.
“Maybe your judgment is shaped by the fact that you’ve known Elgran longer, Mr. Lusna Nigel. But I hope you won’t disregard his sincerity. From what I’ve seen, Elgran isn’t someone who regrets things so easily.”
“It’s not deception. I just—”
[We’d like to thank everyone who joined us for the Lanilgraph Foundation event here in Neadegu. This event is a celebration of unity, bringing espers and guides together—and fostering harmony with the general public as well—]
The announcement, blaring coldly from the building’s speakers, abruptly cut off Lus’s words.
His lips, left hanging mid-sentence, closed vaguely.
The solemn expression he wore gave way to his usual composure, and he turned his gaze away from Ben.
“…I’m sorry. That was an unnecessary conversation.”
“Not at all.”
“Now doesn’t seem like the right time. Let’s talk again later.”
Lus soon resumed walking, and Ben quietly followed, blending back into the crowd.
Since the one who had brought up the subject had chosen to end it, there was no reason for Ben to press further.
Besides, Lus’s face already showed signs of inner turmoil and conflict, which made Ben all the more inclined to remain silent.
There were probably countless worries inside Lus that Ben couldn’t even begin to grasp, each pulling his thoughts in different directions.
Knowing Lus’s personality, he wouldn’t have spoken so easily unless he’d deliberated long and hard.
Ben had realized after becoming a guide himself just how difficult relationships between espers and guides could be—but watching Lus made it feel even more delicate and complicated.
As the announcement signaling the start of the event rang out, the crowd in the hallway began to pour into the central hall.
This made it easier for Ben and Lus, who had been near the corridor, to walk—and possibly easier to spot Elgran as well.
No matter how lazy Elgran was, enough time had passed by now that he really needed to show his face, if only to save face with Deputy Director Enten.
…Huh?
While scanning the now sparse area near the central hall, Ben spotted a familiar face.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t Elgran.
And while it wasn’t someone he knew well either, it was a face he’d seen just yesterday—hard to forget so soon.
“Mr. Lusna Nigel, please wait a moment.”
And it wasn’t just one person—both of the women who had suddenly vanished yesterday were there together.
The woman with disheveled dirty-blonde hair and a shadowed expression, and another woman who, while no longer wearing that conspicuously flashy leopard-print coat, still exuded the same strange aura.
They were conspicuous enough to immediately catch Ben’s eye.
“What is it?”
“Over there—do you see them? The ones I told you about yesterday.”
“I see.”
Not wanting to alert the women, Ben didn’t stare directly but glanced at them out of the corner of his eye, signaling with a subtle nod.
Lus, pretending to look for something else, peeked in the direction Ben had indicated.
Soon, a serious expression formed on his face.
He seemed to check something on his smartphone, then let out a low, displeased hum.
“Ben, do you remember the reason El and I came here?”
“I believe the first reason was me. And the second… you said you were looking for someone, I think?”
“Correct. It wasn’t a crucial task—just a matter of finding someone if we could, and if not, so be it…”
Elgran had mentioned it so casually, like it was nothing important, so Ben didn’t remember the details—but he did recall hearing it.
Something about coming to see the guides of Haimar and to search for a woman.
What was her name again?
Ro… Ro something?
In any case, thinking back, Elgran had also implied it was a take-it-or-leave-it kind of mission.
But now that something had clearly caught Lus’s attention, they couldn’t afford to ignore it—especially in a place that needed to remain secure, no matter how small the event was.
“We’re not certain yet if that’s who we’re looking for, but we should follow her just in case.”
As soon as Lus finished speaking, the two women, who had been talking at a distance, began to part ways.
The woman with the gloomy air disappeared, leaving only the red-haired woman behind.
Lus took the first step, intending to call out to her—but at that moment, soft classical music began playing from the central hall speakers, and the woman quickly disappeared up the stairs.
“Let’s go.”
At Lus’s words, Ben practically bounded up the stairs, striding quickly and turning toward the corridor.
It took him barely any time to spot the woman he was aiming for, as if he didn’t even need to glance around.
“Hi? We meet again.”
The reason was simple—
The woman had spoken to them first, without the slightest hesitation.
Standing in the middle of the long hallway, bathed in the dim sunlight like a spotlight, the red-haired woman wore nothing but a faint, serene smile.
Yet behind her stretched an unnameable presence. It wasn’t hostility bared like sharp teeth, nor was it the relaxed poise of a coiled predator.
It was more like the probing watchfulness of something licking its lips, circling prey in search of the right moment to strike.
It felt like he was about to be swallowed whole by a snake slowly tightening its coils around him.
Already, the pressure was suffocating.
When the source of that tension tilted her head slightly, red hair cascaded over her shoulder, and a sly, snakelike tongue flickered through the strands.
“I didn’t get to introduce myself properly back then. I’m Roilnia.”
Roilnia.
As soon as he heard the name, Ben’s throat bobbed in a hard swallow.
Unless he’d misheard, that name was definitely the person Elgran and Lus had been looking for.
The very first thing that flashed through his mind was the possibility—no, the certainty—that this situation could be dangerous.
“I am Lusnaga Nigel, a guide with [Integra]. Since you’ve identified yourself as Roilnia, you are hereby required to comply with the request of the field officer present, under classification as a subject of surveillance by the Special Esper Division of Main Central, Level 1 Unit.”
Before Ben could even finish weighing his options, Lus stepped forward, slicing cleanly through the taut tension in the air.
The calm authority in his seasoned voice let Ben relax his clenched fists and catch a short breath, but it wasn’t nearly enough to overturn the oppressive atmosphere still dominated by the woman.
“How flattering. But what exactly do you plan to do, now that you’ve found me? I haven’t done anything wrong yet, have I?”
“You’re under surveillance not for something you’ve done now, but because of suspicions in your past. Details will be provided at Main Central.”
Roilnia chuckled as she twirled a strand of her fallen hair around her fingers.
It was a light, breathy sound—but the mockery in it was unmistakable.
“You really don’t know anything, do you? Hoaphilen Legius too—so persistent. No one likes a clingy woman, and now she’s lost everything, blinded by it all. You poor thing. Must be hard, getting dragged into someone else’s personal mess. Honestly, I pity you.”
Her voice was soft, almost murmuring, laced with genuine pity.
When she lifted her eyes again, there was only the weary compassion of someone lamenting another’s foolishness.
But even that faded quickly.
Roilnia coolly returned to her original question.
“Anyway. Where is Haimar Eilec?”
No sooner had her voice brushed his ear than she appeared directly in front of him, closing the distance from the far end of the corridor in a blink.
“…!!”
She’d been at least ten paces away—but in an instant, Roilnia had split space and thrust her face close to his.
Ben didn’t scream, but he flinched sharply.
Quickly collecting himself, he met her crimson eyes and questioned her silently.
How does she know Haima?
Roilnia had said the man’s name with startling ease.
Like someone who knew him—like she was used to saying it.
It wasn’t hard to imagine where that unsettling thought would lead.
For some reason, Ben had the distinct feeling that her reason for seeking Haimar Eilec wasn’t anything good.
* * *
