Becoming the Guide of the Mysophobic Villain? Absolutely Not! - Chapter 59

***

Even though Rose Valentine wasn’t a Guide, she was the sole witness at the scene of the guiding.

For days, Claude dragged her around, forcing her to check Guides for him.

During this time, Claude realized something unexpected.

She doesn’t seem to care about other people’s eyes.

He considered Rose timid, trembling in fear at just making eye contact with him, like a rabbit ready to dart into its burrow at the slightest sound.

But having her by his side, observing her, he found she was no rabbit… she was far too playful and mischievous for that.

“You rub lips with someone and still don’t remember their hair color, but you always blame me for everything…”
“Maybe your Guide isn’t showing up because you’re terrible at kissing, Lord Claude?”
“Have you kissed Oscar?”
“Good grief, you didn’t! So why are you here to blame me again? You could have found your Guide, and if you couldn’t do the kissing part, how do you expect to find them?”
“Let’s make a bet.”

More like a raccoon or a weasel…

Yet, why was he so swept up in her nonsense, almost kissing Oscar?

Eventually, Claude failed the bet and the kiss with Oscar.

Rose, having won the bet, asked him not to bother her anymore.

He tried to let go of Rose, but it wasn’t easy. Her pink hair haunted him, driving him to the brink of madness.

Maybe he really did lose his mind that day of that rampage. Perhaps the Guide he met and the intense pleasure he felt were all his delusions.

Otherwise, there was no explanation for his fixation on a mere non-ability woman.

He thought maybe the detestable guiding IV would help. That was his hope.

But something unbelievable happened.

When he woke up from the sedative, the sensation he expected was ‘disgust.’ Guiding medication was just to forcibly control wildly erratic impulses, usually leaving one feeling heavy and sluggish. Moreover, even under sedation, they’re revolting.

But more acutely felt than those sensations was a clean, droplet-like touch on his forehead.

It was his first time experiencing it sober, but unmistakable. He couldn’t miss this opportunity.

And when he rushed out, Rose was there again.

***

Oscar had known Claude since they were children, from a banquet organized for mingling between households.

While trying to catch a praying mantis, Oscar missed it and ended up getting covered in mud. His mother, unable to scold him in front of others, muttered resentfully about the stark contrast between him and the Denhardt boy.

Why compare her Oscar to that Denhardt kid? Even as a muddy mess, Oscar’s pride was sky-high. He instantly bristled at the thought of being inferior.

He was determined to prove he was better and scoured the party until he found him.

His first impression of Claude was unfavorable. Unlike himself, covered in mud, Claude was in a blindingly white shirt, surrounded by children trying to talk to him.

Yet Claude seemed indifferent to the crowd, conversing quietly only with a few he considered friends.

Even in those few relationships, the hierarchy was clear. Claude acted like it was natural to be adored, but was utterly indifferent to others.

He excelled effortlessly in everything and was followed even without trying to be considerate.

Oscar found that irksome. He wanted to find a flaw and tear him down, but couldn’t. Even to a child’s eyes, Claude was annoyingly perfect.

Years later, Oscar heard the news of Claude manifesting as an S-class Esper. Oscar yelled about the unfairness of the world until his mother slapped his back.

Back then, Claude was the only S-class Esper, and stories of his battlefield feats were a daily occurrence.

Oscar resented how Claude must be more arrogant now.

Ironically, not long after Claude’s manifestation, Oscar manifested as an A-class guide.