Becoming the Guide of the Mysophobic Villain? Absolutely Not! - Chapter 25

“During the time you were missing, I had to work overtime to handle your tasks. What exactly happened? Why did Lord Claude kidnap you? Explain in detail so we can report it to the Esper Ethics Committee.”

“…What can I say to my roommate, who didn’t even know if I was alive or dead for the past few days?”

Irene raised her eyebrows as if questioning what was wrong with my statement.

The tension eased.

“…Forget it, there’s no need to report it. Just don’t mind it anymore,” I told her

“Even if that’s the case…!”

“Anyway, it’s ‘that’ Claude. Reporting him wouldn’t do anything.”

Even Irene couldn’t argue against that statement and pressed her lips together.

The Center strictly regulates Esper behavior using their abilities to torment Guides. Protecting and managing Guides is the only way to persuade and control Espers.

However, I’m still an ordinary non-ability user who hasn’t received a Guide evaluation. Even if the world’s strongest, Claude, harasses me a bit, the Center won’t step in to help.

“Anyway, reporting is really unnecessary. We won’t cross paths again, and everything is resolved. If you report it now, it’ll only cause trouble for me.”

“Is everything really resolved?”

“Yeah, probably…?”

“?”

Anyway, after escaping from the devilish grip of Claude, daily life felt truly different.

Soaking in warm bathwater, relaxing. Then getting up, applying a refreshing face mask, and listening to Irene’s nagging.

Or wearing an office uniform with the scent of fragrant fabric softener. Going to the office while listening to Irene’s nagging.

Everything felt so blissful.

Well, at least until lunchtime the next day.

“…Ro, Ro, R-Ro…”

“The heck? If you have nothing to say, move aside.”

Lunchtime is a matter of life and death, you know.

Today’s menu was steak, a rare protein in the office meals. Thanks to that, I had been anxiously waiting, pacing back and forth, even before the lunch break bell rang.

As soon as it rang, a fellow office worker blocked my way with a disgusted look on his pale face.

“R-Rose!”

“What? Move!”

“Step aside.”

Swoosh, the colleague was thrown away like a feather on a cat fishing rod, casting a shadow over me. And in the place he vacated stood none other than…

Claude, whom I thought I wouldn’t see again.

“…”

For a moment, we didn’t say anything to each other. Claude, looking down at me with a disdainful expression, was finally asked by me.

“Well, it hasn’t even been a day, and you’re here again?”

“…”

“…If it’s not urgent, please come later. I have a very urgent appointment right now…”

“How dare you… play tricks with me?”

My heart sank like a stone. Claude exuded a terrifying aura. There was no doubt about the intensity of this aura. With his severe mysophobia, Claude even touched Oscar!

Maybe I overestimated Claude’s mysophobia. I thought it would take a long time for him to actually touch Oscar, but he succeeded in just one day.

“I-Is he still alive?”

“…Who.”

“L-Lord Oscar…”

Claude’s eyebrows twitched as if asking what nonsense I was talking about. Fortunately, it seemed that Oscar wasn’t killed.

Although checking and confirming Oscar’s touch didn’t go according to my plan, I couldn’t admit my guilt so easily. If I did, Claude would dispose of me right away!

I decided to push forward shamelessly as much as possible.

“Anyway, what’s all this talk? Are you saying I lied?”

“…I didn’t say you lied.”

Ah, he didn’t say it was a lie…?

My face, enlightened by this realization, seemed even more audacious to Claude, whose already formidable expression became darker and more ferocious.

If I can’t say anything back here, it’s not going to end well for me.

I put on an ironclad face and continued as shamelessly as possible.

“You know what I mean. I realized that Oscar is your Guide yesterday, and today you came here all angry about the joke. You don’t think I lied to you, Lord Claude?”

“… ”

“So, did you come here after touching Oscar?”

Gaaaasp.

The sound of two female employees passing by in the hallway, holding their breath, reached my ears. Claude tightly closed his eyes.

Oh, was my statement a bit risqué?