Chapter 16
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“Even after washing, you’re still damp.”
Adrien perched carelessly on the bed and looked Samuel over.
Samuel, freshly cleaned, wore a light shirt and pants. She saw him nervously smoothing his still damp hair and smiled.
“Should I dry it off?”
“More importantly, eat.”
Adrien gestured toward the table where food was set.
“Thank you.”
She knew the routine well. Samuel, who had woken up late because of the imprinting’s effects, likely had no time for breakfast.
Adrien watched as Samuel ate the soup. Even from some distance, she felt her hypersensitivity—like an allergy—ease slightly.
“Remember, the day after imprinting is always a day off.”
Samuel hastily swallowed the spoonful of meat-filled soup and tried to reply, but Adrien waved her hand.
“No need to answer. Just eat, Ensign.”
Samuel hesitated, then nodded and grabbed some bread.
Adrien smiled lightly at his silent nod, but Samuel missed the expression while tearing the bread.
“No matter how big and strong your body is, inside, it’s still different from an esper. So be careful from now on.”
Samuel looked up.
“…You said from now on?”
“Don’t think questions count after I said no answers.”
“Well…”
“Or do you not want to guide me?”
Samuel’s face went through a series of expressions—surprise, panic, then wide-eyed wonder. Adrien suppressed a laugh and leaned back, pressing into the soft bed.
The familiar touch suddenly made her thirsty—not for water, but for someone else.
She licked her dry lips and stared at the man sitting before the table.
Adrien thought she might have been a little crazy since last night. Bringing Samuel back from training, even though he could have been sent back to his room, and washing and feeding him herself.
That was madness by Adrien Brillante’s standards.
Even as she did all this, she felt a strange daze—but the moment she met Samuel’s eyes, all discomfort vanished instantly.
When Samuel lowered his gaze, when his long fingers tore bread, when his throat moved, swallowing food. She found herself engrossed in these mundane moments.
How could a single imprint make a stranger so deeply etched into her?
Instead of searching for answers to that vague question, Adrien found the words she absolutely had to say now.
“Be honest with me, Ensign Samuel Norah. Even if you refuse, no harm will come to you. I promise on my honor.”
“…”
“Of course, refusing in front of your Commander won’t be easy, but I’m serious. Except in emergencies, a guide has the right to choose the esper they guide.”
“If you give me the chance, I want to.”
“You decide without hesitation?”
“Yes, nothing’s changed.”
“Good.”
Adrien nodded as if it was nothing—but she had been nervously gnawing her nails behind her back until she heard his answer. Only after stopping did she realize.
She glanced at his hand and gave a faint, amused smile.
“You were pretty shocked for someone like that.”
“That’s because… I never thought you’d come back looking for me.”
How could she not come back for him? Adrien clenched her empty left hand. The damp warmth she’d felt when bringing Samuel back from training still seemed to linger.
Part of her wanted to lay the freshly dried Samuel back on the bed and make him soaked again—to feel once more the pleasure and soothing stability he’d given her last night.
But demanding thick contact guiding from a low-level guide every day was selfish. Adrien didn’t want to become that kind of beastly esper.
He was the first person who had ever brought her a nearly normal day. She wanted to treat him well.
“Why wouldn’t I look for you again?”
“I’m not a gold-level guide, and as a rookie, my guiding is still immature.”
Immature? Not a chance.
But a guide wouldn’t understand an esper’s heart like this. They’d lived ordinary lives. Even Adrien, who was indifferent to guiding before meeting Samuel, only began to truly understand espers after meeting him.
After all, you saved me from that awful pain last night. Level didn’t matter. Just being there was enough—she almost said something foolish like that.
Now she understood why espers fretted over pleasing their guides, why they clung so desperately, why they obsessed…
‘Have I really gone mad?’
It was hardly the time to ponder that while standing before a young, hungry guide who hadn’t even eaten properly because he was so worried.
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