It’s Time to Stop Clinging to the Fake Guide - Chapter 77

Inside were several people: Euphen, Sillian, Eshar, and two others whom she did not recognize.

“Come in, Lynette.”

At the Imperial Prince’s words, Lynette hesitated before stepping inside. Once her initial surprise subsided, she understood the purpose of this gathering.

‘Ah… this is to confirm it.’

He had kept putting it off all this time, so she thought he had no intention of proving it. Why had he changed his mind?

Euphen’s face was slightly stiff. When he sat down first, the others followed, seating themselves at intervals. An unbearably awkward atmosphere settled over the room.

The two strangers must be an Esper and a Guide.

But no one bothered to introduce them to Lynette.

“I’ve heard you have an object that can verify a destined Guide.”

At Euphen’s words, Sillian’s expression faintly twisted. His crimson eyes met Lynette’s. She quickly lowered her head, clasping her hands tightly together.

Magical tools themselves were rare, let alone one that could verify a destined Guide. If word of it spread, it could put him in danger of being attacked.

‘To speak of it so openly…’

Excuses rose to her lips but she swallowed them. After all, she had been the one to tell Euphen about it on her own accord.

Sillian let out a small sigh.

“I’m… sorry.”

Lynette whispered softly. Then his calm voice followed.

“It’s fine.”

When she lifted her head slightly, their eyes met. His expression was one that looked like he had expected this outcome all along.

“In fact, it’s better this way.”

Sillian looked straight at Euphen.

“Now I can tell you to release me.”

The Imperial Prince’s fist clenched tightly. His jaw stiffened, teeth gritted, as if he were struggling to hold back his anger.

“Yes. I have it.”

Reaching into his clothes, Sillian pulled out the pendant. Because Lynette was sitting close, it glowed quite brightly.

He set it down in the middle of the table for all to see. Moments ago it had shone brightly enough to light the darkness, but now it had become an ordinary gem. It glittered faintly in the sunlight streaming through the window, but it no longer seemed to emit light of its own.

“How does it work?”

“If an awakened Esper holds it, the closer their destined one draws, the brighter it shines.”

At that, Euphen gave a signal to the two strangers. One of the women picked up the pendant. The moment her fingers touched it, the gem flared brilliantly.

“The Guide, to the other side.”

At the Imperial Prince’s order, the other woman obediently walked slowly to the far end of the spacious room. As the distance grew between the two, the pendant’s glow steadily dimmed.

When the Guide reached the far end, the pendant shone only faintly, barely noticeable.

“Closer.”

At the brief command, the Guide moved step by step back toward the Esper. Each step that closed the distance made the pendant blaze with light once more.

During the entire demonstration, all eyes in the room were fixed on it. There was no room for doubt about the magical tool’s function. Since Euphen had prepared these two, they were surely a destined pair.

A heavy silence filled the room.

‘So it was real.’

Lynette blinked.

She had never been able to completely shake her doubts about the pendant. Of course, it was wondrous that it could shine, but there had been no way to prove that it did so specifically because of the Esper-Guide bond.

But with an already active destined pair confirming it before their eyes, she could only believe.

‘I really was… Sillian’s Guide.’

Even when she touched him, she had assumed it merely gave him some comfort. But if what he said about bloodlines and all that was true, then this was indeed real guiding.

“Well done. You may leave now.”

At Euphen’s voice, heavier than usual, the pair hurriedly bowed and left the room.

Lynette glanced at Eshar. She was staring at the pendant with eyes full of curiosity. Now that the effect had been proven, the moment of verifying Euphen’s true fated one was right before them, yet her expression said she had already sorted through her thoughts on the matter.

When Lynette turned her gaze to Sillian, their eyes met. He smiled faintly.

At that very moment, Euphen let out a small, unrestrained sound, his displeasure plain to see.

“You claimed that your fate was Lynette.”

“Even after confirming it just now, you still call it a ‘claim’?”

His tone carried a hint of mockery. The two men’s gazes collided roughly.

Sillian, holding his head high as he looked at the Imperial Prince, only lowered his gaze slowly after several long seconds.

“Euphen. It’s best you make a decision now.”

Perhaps frustrated that Euphen still hadn’t touched the pendant, Eshar finally spoke.

“Haah..”

Euphen let out a low sigh, then dragged his hand slowly down his face. His blue eyes were clouded with conflicting emotions. He had clearly been thinking about what Lynette had said about true fate, but now, faced with immediate confirmation, he seemed deeply unsettled.

Well, Lynette herself had been thrown into all kinds of thoughts once she realized that little pendant was genuine.

Thinking that she was Sillian’s ‘true Guide’, that whether she liked it or not, they were bound by fate, that at some point, no one knew when she might ‘awaken.’ And that… as long as she lived, she would have to guide Sillian.