Chapter 55
And then…
“?”
…The guiding didn’t work at all.
It then hit me. Ah, right. I can’t guide just through touch.
I had been so preoccupied with deciding whether to guide Claude or not that I overlooked the actual ‘how to guide’ part.
Now what?
I took a deep breath, gathering energy throughout my body…!
“Hi-yah!”
…
That was obviously not it.
For my next attempt, I swiftly removed Claude’s leather gloves, his second skin. Grasping his large hand with both of mine, I whispered an incantation.
I really want to guide Claude…
I hope the guiding works…
…
…That didn’t work either.
“This isn’t how it’s supposed to be…”
There was no need for intense concentration or chanting. I hadn’t done that the previous times when guiding worked.
…Could it depend on the part of the body I touched?
After struggling to put his gloves back on, I tried again.
Like the day in the injection room, I gently pressed the tip of my finger on Claude’s forehead.
…Still nothing.
Good intentions, but nothing was working.
Guiding had been successful only thrice. First, when Claude went berserk and I kissed him while holding his hand. Second, in the injection room when I accidentally tapped his forehead. Third, at the festival when my lips brushed against his ear.
There had been three failures too. First, when a log tried to check if I was a guide by holding my hand. Second, when I embraced him in a collapsing cave. Third, when Claude kissed me to check, like he did with Oscar.
…Every situation was different in terms of body parts, my feelings, and emotions. I couldn’t figure out the conditions.
‘So, does it just work sometimes and not others?’
It made sense. Like how my favorite cake is blueberry cheesecake, but sometimes I don’t feel like eating it even when it’s in the fridge. It varies.
But if that’s the case, Claude would go to the mission without being guided…
…
…Let’s try something more.
Not the forehead, not the hands.
It seemed I needed to check his ears.
I leaned down, bringing my lips close to Claude’s ear, who was deeply asleep and unaware of the world.
“…Er.”
I wasn’t trying to do something sneaky… This was like giving CPR to someone drowning, a noble and sacred act of guiding…
But still…
The serene eyelashes, the rhythmic breathing, his peaceful appearance seemed… somewhat…
“Ah, stop it!”
Banish those unwarranted thoughts!
Trying all this on a sleeping person made me feel embarrassed. If this didn’t work, I’d have to give up.
Like at the festival, I lightly brushed my lips against his ear.
I didn’t have high hopes, considering all the failed attempts.
But then.
“Woah!”
The guiding worked!
Is the secret really in the ear?!
I quickly brought my lips back to his ear, but this time it didn’t work.
“Ah, why is it working then not working…”
Let it work, work, work!
If it doesn’t, keep trying until it does!
Peck, peck, peck, peck, peck,
After about ten tries, a faint, ticklish sensation of successful guiding came again.
“…Woah!”
But if it’s this sporadic, how much more do I need to do…?
As I pondered the efficiency of this slow-charging method, suddenly a hand appeared.
Before I could comprehend the situation, our lips were locked together.
“Mmph!”
As I reflexively tried to pull away, I was trapped by strong arms pulling me in.
At first, the kiss seemed gentle.
But then, it became forceful, overwhelming.
After what felt like being devoured by that kiss…
“…Got you.”
Claude, with a satisfied smirk, loomed before me.
…He looked like a predator who had finally caught his prey.
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