Chapter 47
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“Is it good?”
“Would I have run all the way here like this if I wasn’t?”
Alex grinned from ear to ear, looking for all the world like someone who’d just found their soulmate.
But Adrien couldn’t return his smile. She was too tangled up inside to even try. She couldn’t tell if her pounding heart was excitement or discomfort. The only thing that was clear was that the person on her mind right now was Samuel.
“You’re about to become the star of a grand romance, Commander.”
“Stop stalling and tell me—who is it?”
“Ensign Samuel Norah of the Capital Security Guard.”
Adrien froze. She couldn’t believe the name she’d just heard.
“The compatibility score is an incredible 98%! Can you believe it?”
“…”
“I’ve never seen such a high score in any of my research! The guide you’re so attracted to is your perfect fated match— Wait, hey!”
“‘Attracted’? Can you not use such filthy language?”
Unable to hold back, Adrien hurled a small ceramic figurine from the desk at Alex. He barely managed to catch it before it smashed into his nose, but his eyes still sparkled with excitement.
“What’s so filthy about it? Whose honor am I insulting—yours or your darling guide’s?”
“Captain Alexander Macgis, are you hoping to get court-martialed for insubordination?”
“Understood! My apologies!”
He straightened up and then, with a sheepish grin, pulled a paper and a darkened gem from his bag.
“You’ll see the score on the report, but here’s another bit of evidence—the diamond.”
“The diamond? The one said to hold both guiding and esper energy?”
“That’s right. I mixed both your energies in here. The darker the stone, the better the match. Look at this.”
Alex held the stone up to the light.
“See how it barely lets any light through? It means your energies have bonded tightly—top compatibility!”
“…”
“So? You’re going to take him as your exclusive guide, right? I’ll get the paperwork ready!”
“Wait.”
Alex, who’d looked ready to sprint out the door, stopped in his tracks, frowning deeply and resting his hands on his hips.
“Commander, please don’t do this. Wasn’t this the reason you poured so much research funding into me?”
“…”
“Are you really going to keep living like this, relying on those pills forever?”
“I know… I know…”
“And one more thing: the Supreme Commander’s found out about my research.”
“What?”
“She’s apparently known for quite a while now, just pretended not to.”
Adrien’s face hardened, and Alex’s own expression grew sympathetic.
Jacqueline Brillante, Supreme Commander of the Espers and Duke Brillante—Adrien’s own mother.
She was the last person who would let her daughter go without an exclusive guide. She was ruthless enough to never spare a thought for any guide’s sacrifice if it meant keeping her child alive.
“If she gets her hands on these results, she might just order a compatibility test for every guide in the country—and make it law to assign exclusive guides based on those results.”
“Unfortunately, you’re probably right.”
“If you name even one exclusive guide, I think the Supreme Commander would hold back. At least for now.”
Alex was right. If the test results with Samuel’s name reached Jacqueline, things would spiral out of control.
Adrien had no choice but to nod.
“You’re right, Doctor. I’ll do as you say.”
“It’s for the best.”
Even so, her heart was anything but settled. But with Samuel’s name on the results, it was best to resolve everything herself.
She looked down at the green stationery that had caught her eye, trying to figure out what would be best for Samuel.
On it was a single line she’d written with extra care and gentleness:
[Hello, Sammy. How have you been?]
Adrien glanced up.
“Doctor, have you ever sponsored a child?”
“Sponsorship? That’s a bit sudden.”
Alex nodded, a bit taken aback.
“I do, actually. A kid—still pretty young.”
“And is your ward a guide, too?”
“What do you mean, ‘is’? Of course. For high-level espers, the list of children to sponsor is always just guides.”
“…Is that true?”
“Why are you acting like you don’t know? Wasn’t it the same for you, Commander?”
“Sigh…”
“Commander?”
Adrien leaned on the desk, suddenly dizzy.
Only now did she realize the strange feeling she’d had at the social gathering. She let out a hollow laugh.
‘You sly thing, Melonie. You fooled me.’
The list of ‘ordinary children’ her cousin Melonie had handed her had been made up entirely of guides from the start.
All those years thinking she’d selflessly helped a child—it had all been a lie.
Now she couldn’t be sure if her support had helped Sammy, or just shackled her to something she never wanted.
At least it was a small mercy that Sammy had never sent a single letter back.
Adrien looked once again at the note she’d written:
[Hello, Sammy. How have you been?]
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