Chapter 180
For a hastily arranged party, it was quite elaborate.
We rented the main hall of the Guide Division. More than ten large tables were set up, complete with delicious snacks and lively music.
Many people attended after hearing about it. Almost all the Guides came.
But there was one unexpected problem.
More Espers showed up, too.
Why wouldn’t they, if most Guides were attending the party?
So, what ended up happening was that at each table, an Esper was paired with a Guide, sitting face to face.
…What is this, a matchmaking session?
No, it’s not a matchmaking session. Rather than that…
“Um, I-I’m a fa, fan…”
“…”
“I, I think you and Lord Claude make a really great pair, haha…”
…A company dinner?
Q: Real talk. I’m seated at the same table as the chairman’s wife, what do I do;;;
A1: Offer to pour her a drink~
A2: Offer to grill meat for her~
A3: Perform some party tricks for her~
A4: Just… endure it… haha
…Is this how it feels to be seated at the same table as the chairman’s wife at a new employee’s table?
Externally, I was an Imprinted Guide. And not just any, but the Imprinted Guide of the one that Espers fear the most—Claude.
So just by sitting at the same table as me, the Espers could hardly breathe.
As time passed, eventually, Espers began to desert the table one by one.
Of course, not everyone tried to hold their position till the end…
“Miss Rose, shall I tell you something interesting?”
“What?”
“What does a vassal say when saying goodbye to a king?”
“…”
“Vi~king.”
“…”
“The meaning is, when saying goodbye, you say ‘bye’, and since a king is a ‘king’, if you combine these two, it becomes ‘Viking’, someone from the legends…”
“Don’t.”
“…Yes.”
And then silence again.
Unable to bear it, I spoke up.
“…I’m fine, so please go have fun at another table.”
“Okay!”
Relieved, that Esper quickly ran away.
The faces of the other Guides at the same table revealed their disappointment as they realized too late that they had drawn a bad lot.
“Um… Rose, it seems like you need some time alone. How about taking a walk outside to get some fresh air?”
They pretended to care, but in reality, they probably wanted me to disappear because I was dampening the mood.
Eventually, I was driven out. Still, I didn’t want to go home.
So, I walked alone on the walking path outside the Guide Division. The noisy music from the party reached even there.
If Claude had been at this party with me, we would have been lost in our own world, not caring about what anyone else was doing.
…Without someone by my side, all I could do was watch others enjoying themselves. Being among people only made me feel lonelier.
I hadn’t realized how big the empty space next to me would feel if it had always been there.
“Let’s see. Since Claude left…”
…It’s only been one day.
When life is dull, time moves so slowly. Despite filling my schedule to keep busy all day, it had only been one day since Claude left.
Next time Claude goes on deployment, I must find some way to go with him.
If Claude objects, I might as well sneak into a suitcase and hide. Once they take me along, they can’t just send me back.
Pointless thoughts continued to spiral one after another.
A cool breeze blew, making my hair flutter gently.
Somehow, it reminded me of the dawn when I first met Claude.
Back then, I had come outside alone to escape Irene’s nagging. The wind was really cool, and I got lost in my feelings.
Then, suddenly, I heard a moaning sound…
“Ugh…!”
That was when.
Among the cool dawn breezes, a very faint, really small moan was heard. What was that?
At first, I thought I had heard it wrong. Reminded of tonight, similar to that past night, I wondered if it was an auditory hallucination.
Today’s thoughts began and ended with Claude, so it was a plausible assumption.
But the next moment, a moan too distinct and clear to be considered a hallucination sounded again.
“Uhh, ggh…!”
“Who’s there? What’s that!”
I looked around growling, but there was no answer, only the eerie sound of the wind whipping through the grass.
It was definitely a human sound, wasn’t it?
I pushed through the bushes, making my own path.
And finally, after pushing aside a long branch from the bushes…
I saw a man groaning in pain, drenched in sweat, crushing the grass beneath him.
…What’s with the déjà vu?
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