Chapter 141
“It’s because he’s awkward about showing affection, but… he’s actually sweet.”
“…”
“He always brings me my favorite snacks without making a big deal about it… cleans up after the incidents I cause… and usually lets me have my way if I act stubbornly…”
Despite losing everything he had built up over the years due to a false accusation, he never once blamed me.
“Though his expressions are rough and he’s clumsy at it… he promised me he’d try.”
Claude endured without a Guide even after manifesting as an Esper. The pain that others couldn’t bear for even a month, he endured for over ten years, which must have been a life worse than death.
Even so, he went to the front lines whenever the nation faced a great crisis, hoping perhaps to perish in battle rather than live with his enduring pain.
The least compensation for the agonizing time he had to endure after manifesting as an Esper was the wealth, achievements, and honor he had accumulated up to now.
And I blew all of that away with my foolishness…
Even if Claude wasn’t the type to cling to such things, it’s undeniable that the efforts of the past decade or so were completely obliterated.
Yet, he never resented, blamed, or tried to correct me. Instead, he accepted me as I am and willingly changed himself to suit me.
People don’t change easily. Just like how I remain myself despite listening to Irene’s nagging until I’m sick of it.
Therefore, his change can only be explained as overcoming each challenge with his affection for me.
It’s something I’m grateful for, yet it also makes me feel guilty. That’s why I couldn’t stand not earning even a small amount of money to help him out.
To my honest words, the Guides made faces of surprise.
“It’s fascinating. I didn’t know he had that side. Most Guides were quite scared of him.”
“Yes, but that’s not just for Guides. It’s a survival instinct for any human…”
“Still, it felt like he particularly disliked Guides? Like he wanted to tear us apart just by being nearby.”
“…”
“It’s like he looks at us with disgust, as if we were some terrible germ. Could it all be a misunderstanding due to his clumsy expression?”
“…”
“Eh? Rose? It’s a misunderstanding, right?”
“Oh, yes, a misunderstanding…”
I couldn’t bring myself to tell them the truth that ‘Claude actually has severe mysophobia, so he does see you like terrible germs.’
Fortunately, the Guides nodded, going, “Oh, I see,” in understanding.
“So, you’re saying that he’s such a good person that you decided it’s okay to imprint?”
“Yes, well, yes…?”
I answered without much thought, but then hesitated at the follow-up question.
“So, how is it after imprinting?”
“…”
Curious eyes were all on me.
The gaze of those who have never experienced imprinting was fervent.
If only they showed such enthusiasm for studying, the officials of the Guide Training Department wouldn’t have so many gray hairs.
Among the Guides, only a very few are permitted to imprint, and even among those, the age group is generally older.
For the young, new Guides, ‘imprinting’ is an unknown world. They would’ve wanted to ask all sorts of questions to someone with experience if they had the chance.
In reality, since I haven’t imprinted, it’s best to answer vaguely at times like this. Being too serious about it raises suspicions, and overdoing the bluff would be too obvious.
…Yes, I understand the theory.
…The problem is, I’m not good at making up stories about this kind of topic.
I’ve tried broaching the subject with Irene, but since she’s so averse and disgusted by it, I ended up dropping it cleanly.
I couldn’t figure out what counts as ‘vague’ or ‘beating around the bush.’
So…
“Just… just…”
“…”
“He tormented me a lot, but… he still cared for me a lot too.”
Claude, who said we should only do what’s not scary, that we should only do good things, kept his promise.
…About half of the time, anyway.
“Ah, I really hate this…! Can’t we just stop?”
“Rose, we promised to be honest with each other… Are you planning to break that promise already?”
Claude, seemingly dying of amusement, chuckled but never stopped.
He was convinced I was being dishonest, making up things I didn’t mean.
I swear, I was sincere!
The explicitly lewd jokes whispered in a voice too sweet, those deep eyes that laughed yet explored every inch, the touches and movements that seemed willing but were actually cautious…
…All of it was too much for me to handle.
“Ugh, I’m not lying…!”
In the end, I ended up hitting Claude, cursing at him, and crying my eyes out…
We hadn’t imprinted, but it wasn’t just about the imprinting.
Memories I had tried to suppress resurfaced in an instant.
It felt as if the sensations that tormented me all through that dawn were playing back in vivid detail.
My face felt like it was about to explode from the flush.
“…”
“…”
The Guides looked at me with wide eyes.
Discussion
0 CommentsNo comments yet.