Please Don’t Sponsor the Guide - Chapter 29

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“There are no other animals showing beast-like mutations besides the lion. We’ll have the lion’s body transported back to headquarters.”

“All the people who were inside have been safely evacuated as well.”

“Good work, both of you. Get ready to head back.”

Michelle and Kate nodded and left. Adrien rubbed her aching temple as she read over the animal log the zookeeper had provided.

Monkey, rabbit, lion.

There was no obvious pattern connecting the animals that had turned into beasts, nor any clear contact point. If it wasn’t a contagious disease, the only remaining theory was that someone had deliberately brought a beast into the zoo.

‘Are there people smuggling beasts?’

Maybe someone disguised a beast as a regular animal and mixed it in with the real ones. There were always lunatics trying to make money by capturing dangerous beasts, or eccentric scientists willing to trade their lives for a chance to experiment on them.

‘But even so, something just doesn’t add up.’

Adrien couldn’t shake the feeling she was missing something. She loosened her collar, frustrated.

“That’s what they deserve. Zoos are messed up to begin with!”

Startled by the commotion, she looked up to see the rookies returning from checking on the other animals. Ricola was stomping the floor, clearly upset.

“Does it make sense to lock all these animals in tiny cages just to amuse humans? Tell me, Peter! Would you want to live your whole life locked up like this?”

“Well… maybe if the house was fancy and the food was good?”

At Peter’s indifferent answer, Ricola turned on him.

“You said you’re from the south, right? Imagine suddenly having to shiver through a northern winter for the rest of your life. You’d never get to leave the house or see your friends!”

“…Okay, that’d be rough.”

“See? Humans are selfish! Whether for experiments or for show, we throw all living things into suffering!”

“Are you an animal lover or something, Ensign Ricola?”

“Everyone should think about this, Lieutenant Michelle!”

“Uh… I guess so?”

Michelle was clearly thrown by Ricola’s fiery passion. Hearing that, a single word echoed in Adrien’s mind:

‘Lab animals.’

Monkeys and rabbits—those were the species most commonly used for experiments in the Empire.

‘It’s like they started with small animals and worked their way up, as if testing something’s capabilities.’

But what capabilities?

Suddenly, a very unpleasant theory crossed Adrien’s mind.

“Adri—um, Commander? Are you all right? You look a bit pale.”

Linton asked, looking worried.

He sat down across from her as she continued scanning the logbook. Adrien shook her head, trying to clear it.

“No, I don’t need it.”

“Come on, you know the doctor said you always need Guiding after using your abilities.”

“This barely counts as using them.”

“The doctor anticipated you’d say that and asked me to remind you.”

Linton’s eyes sparkled—he wasn’t going to give up easily. With a sigh, Adrien reached across the table.

Linton’s face brightened as he gripped her hand and channeled a large amount of Guiding into her.

“Ugh!”

“Commander?”

The moment the Guiding entered her, a wave of nausea hit. Reflexively, Adrien pulled her hand away. She could see Linton’s shocked face, but she was too busy trying not to be sick.

She clamped a hand over her mouth.

“Bring Ensign Samuel. Now.”

The air went icy. Adrien could feel every pair of eyes on her, and Linton had gone completely rigid. But she couldn’t hold it back—her stomach was twisting, and she felt like she might throw up at any moment.

“Commander. It’s Samuel Norah.”

“…Come here.”

Samuel came around the desk and knelt right in front of her.

“Samuel.”

“Give me your hand.”

He held out his hand. Adrien stared at it for a moment.

All she wanted was to press his hand right to her aching stomach, maybe even let him slide it beneath her shirt. But here, she had to restrain herself.

Summoning her willpower, Adrien suppressed her desire, reached out and grasped his hand. The moment their skin touched, the Guiding energy flowed in.

“…Ahh.”

The nausea slowly faded. Her overstimulated senses finally started to settle. Only then did Adrien feel like she could breathe again—and with it, her rationality returned.

Uneasy, Adrien glanced at Linton. No matter how stoic she usually was, she knew she’d just seriously embarrassed herself. Linton, however, had already stormed out.

“Commander.”