* * *
While walking down the hallway, the weather outside the window looked gloomy, as if it might snow at any moment despite it being midday.
The sky was heavily overcast, and the chill in the air gave the scene a stark, wintry feeling.
The interior, which would have gleamed if sunlight had poured in through the windows, now carried a muted, somber tone.
Even the multicolored stained glass was darkened, unable to show off its vibrant hues.
Since the elevators were primarily for event participants, Lus and Ben took the stairs down to the first floor.
Perhaps because the event was about to start, the crowd had grown even thicker than before.
Especially in front of the central hall, where guides, Espers, civilians, and staff were all mingling in a chaotic rush, the two of them stepped aside to stand near the wall.
“Where were you supposed to meet Mr. Elgran?”
“We didn’t set a specific location, but I expect El will find us once he’s done. He’ll probably take some time with the follow-up.”
Lus responded as he glanced at the name tag hanging from his neck, and Ben silently nodded.
Just as he said, in a crowd like this, someone like Elgran, with his heightened senses, would have a much easier time finding them.
So, deciding to take care of the task at hand first, Ben pulled out a sheet of paper from his pocket and looked over the various booths set up outside the central hall.
“We should start with the booths marked in row A and verify those first.”
“Understood.”
The booths bustled with people coming and going, each with its own distinct purpose.
Some handed out information pamphlets to help civilians understand the relationships between Espers and Guides, while others distributed flyers to promote newly developed products.
Ben’s current task was to check these commercial booths to ensure they weren’t selling unauthorized items or slipping in unapproved products under the radar.
Only vetted companies were allowed to participate, and no one foolish enough to try anything shady would likely show up at an event like this.
So, it wasn’t exactly a demanding task. But it was a good excuse to explore, and with that attitude, Ben and Lus diligently made their rounds, checking off the booths on their list.
“There’s a lot of interesting stuff here.”
“Well, there’s a large market for goods that help strengthen the bond between Espers and Guides. Though, I’m not sure if what you’re holding will be of much help. Ha ha.”
The product Ben was examining seemed to be a nutritional supplement aimed at sensitive Espers.
It was packaged for single daily use and claimed to have beneficial effects—but only when taken by Espers with a Guide.
That made Ben wonder: Was the effect due to the product or because of the Guide?
He couldn’t tell.
Still, since it had passed all the necessary approvals, he returned it to its place with a dry smile.
“Of course, the popular ones are always the sex-related products. Whenever El comes to events like this, he either nags me to buy all sorts of things or sneaks off and gets them himself. It’s a recurring headache.”
The act of guiding between an Esper and a Guide involves intense physical intimacy.
Everyone has their own secret ways of enjoying those relationships.
So if half the booths were filled with supplements, the remaining portion—though not overtly marked as adult shops—were quietly dominated by sexual products.
Even a quick glance revealed that most of the items were meant to enhance mutual sexual satisfaction.
Some booths even had professional counselors in the back, ready to listen to concerns and offer advice for partners.
A few had signs listing their counseling topics like a menu board, and topping most of them was “Bonding Consultation.”
“Ben, would it be alright if I asked something a bit personal?”
“Of course.”
As they finished checking a few more booths, Lus casually brought up the topic.
Ben, folding up the mostly completed list, responded readily.
“Has El ever made things difficult for you?”
“Made things difficult, sir?”
The unexpected question caught Ben slightly off guard.
Honestly, Elgran was practically the definition of “difficult.”
The first thing that came to mind was what had happened today—getting kicked out of the break room, or the conversation El had brought up a few weeks ago.
The latter, though, was something El had clearly wanted to keep private, so Ben was hesitant to mention it himself.
“Well, getting kicked out of the break room today was a bit surprising. I know Elgran is pretty free-spirited, but I didn’t think it would go that far.”
“Ha ha, my apologies. There’s no end to what I could say about his behavior. I suppose I’ve failed in some ways.”
“No, Lusna Nigel, I think you’re doing quite well.”
“Thank you. But… has he ever brought up anything of a sexual nature?”
Walking to avoid the crowd, Ben paused at those words. Lus’s question sounded suspiciously like he was referring to what Elgran had been pestering him about for the past few weeks—up to even today.
Ben glanced at Lus’s face, trying to read the truth.
Though Lus had only vaguely brought it up, his expression made it clear: he already had a pretty good idea.
That meant Lus knew what Elgran had been so desperate to hide from him.
As Ben hesitated, searching for the right words, Lus gave a small chuckle and spoke again.
“El’s oddities become pretty obvious after just a few days. He’s probably worried that he’s lacking in some way.”
“If you already knew, it might’ve been better to help him resolve it.”
“He wouldn’t have listened, even if I said it was fine. He’s that kind of kid.”
There was a resolute tone in Lus’s voice that Ben couldn’t deny.
It was easy to imagine Elgran stubbornly refusing to accept anything he didn’t want to hear.
Still, Ben glanced over at the counseling booth and pointed in that direction.
“Even so, it probably would’ve been better for him to talk to you or get help from a place like that.”
“Ha ha. El wouldn’t even spare a glance at Central Main’s counseling office. If he confided in you, it’s because he sees you as someone trustworthy. That eases my mind. Besides… it’s a bit tragic, but the cause and reason are already clear.”
Ben, unsure whether he should feel happy that Elgran saw him as trustworthy, came to a halt at those words.
Lus, who had also stopped, looked around at the swirling crowd with a bitter expression as he continued calmly.
“El wants to form a bond. And he believes the reason he hasn’t been able to is because he hasn’t satisfied me enough. But the real reason lies within my own heart.”
Bonding.
Ben recalled when Elgran had mentioned that word.
At the time, El said they had fought because Lus wouldn’t allow it.
Forming a bond requires not just physical, but complete emotional synchronization with a partner.
If even one side doesn’t agree, bonding remains an unreachable dream.
What’s more, bonding isn’t something that can be achieved even with a perfect relationship—it also needs a bit of luck.
Much like how even married couples deeply desiring a child sometimes never conceive.
Most Espers and Guides form bonds naturally when their feelings align, but occasionally, even perfect partners fail to achieve it.
In any case, even for a normal esper and guide, imprinting wasn’t something that happened easily—so of course, it was impossible when Lus himself claimed his feelings weren’t the same as Elgran’s.
“Why would you say such a thing?”
Ben asked gravely.
Lus was silent for a moment, his face a mixture of bitterness, guilt, and regret.
He stared at the espers and guides scattered around the hall for a while before speaking with difficulty.
“I think El can meet someone better than me.”
Though his words blended into the background of light, noisy chatter, they landed heavier than anything else.
Ben couldn’t help but wonder if the hint of longing he saw in Lus’s gaze—fixed on the countless espers and guides—was just his own imagination.
As Lus looked away with a resigned air, Ben reflexively reached out and grabbed the hem of his coat.
“The Elgran I know doesn’t think that way at all. He sincerely wants you, Mr. Lusna Nigel, to be his one and only.”
Elgran had told Ben as much.
He had said it would have been better if he and Lus had been irregulars—then there’d be no reason to feel uncertain.
Watching Elgran express his feelings with such innocent honesty, Ben had even felt a bit envious of him.
From what Ben had seen, Elgran was always sincere with Lus and acted like someone deeply in love.
Or rather, it was because he loved him.
That much was obvious even at a glance.
So hearing Lus speak as though pushing Elgran away left Ben at a loss.
“I’m not someone who suits him.”
Unlike his usual gentle nature, Lus’s words came out with a subtle chill.
Firm, yet kind—and tinged with inexplicable sorrow.
That’s what made it all the harder for Ben to understand.
He wasn’t close enough to claim he knew Lus inside and out, but just from the tone of his voice and his eyes, Ben could sense that Lus was partly cloaking the truth with a lie.
* * *
