DBOFS 17

Chapter 17

At this point, there was no avoiding the misunderstanding.

‘Is it just me, or is everything pushing me into the role of Harris’s sedative?’

If only that were truly the case, it wouldn’t be so bad. But given the circumstances, it was clearly false, and cold sweat trickled down my back.

I briefly considered whether it might be better to spill the truth: “Actually, it’s not me—it’s this rock… I mean, Adrian!”

‘If I say that, they’ll just take Adrian away and kick me to the curb…’

And Haju wouldn’t help me either.

Honestly, it’s more convenient to carry around a magical calming rock than rely on a human sedative.

‘I absolutely must not tell them.’

Above all, I was terrified of what might happen if I revealed Adrian’s secret.

I pressed my fist tightly around the rock (Adrian) that I was hiding.

Damn it, Adrian! If you don’t want your identity exposed, do something!

Just then—

“…!”

I felt something like energy draining from my fingertips, and the wave-like sensation that had been spreading throughout the space abruptly calmed down.

‘Magic!’

My eyes widened.

Yes—Elysius used to do the same. He would pour magic into someone, leaving them barely alive yet preserved.

I didn’t know how exactly the magic was being infused, but—

“O-oh, this is a misunderstanding.”

For now, that seemed to work. I opened my mouth, hiding the stone in my hand, to clear up Harris’s delusion.

“You mentioned wavelengths and guiding, but the truth is…”

“You hide it the moment I point it out.”

“Sorry?”

But Harris’s expression only grew colder.

“That control alone is proof that you’re a Guide.”

“Excuse me?”

He wasn’t buying it at all.

“N-no, it’s not like that—”

“Every word from your mouth is a lie.”

“What? It’s not a lie! I swear it’s not!”

I stretched my arm out toward him.

“Here! Touch me! Try to guide me!”

Honestly, I was bluffing a bit. Harris, who hates physical contact, wouldn’t really touch me, right?

“…!”

But he actually reached for me.

His fingers were long and graceful like a pianist’s. His large, well-defined hand was so beautiful and refined that just his touch made me feel good.

‘Still, there’s no way guiding would actually work!’

Honestly, it felt more like I was the one being guided. My favorite person, Harris, was touching me of his own accord. It was like an energy boost!

My cheeks flushed from the warm feeling, but—

“……”

Harris’s face began to frown as he touched me, as if something was off.

Sure enough, he couldn’t feel any guiding effects.

‘See?!’

After being accused so much of being a Guide, I’d started to wonder myself, but nope.

“…Even so.”

“Pardon?”

When Harris finally spoke, his voice was low. His red eyes trembled as if wounded.

‘W-wait, is he… hurt?’

“You really… don’t want to admit that you’re my Guide, do you?”

“WHAT?!”

I was speechless. All I did was prove I wasn’t—why was he reacting like this?

“When you were asleep, you emitted waves. But the moment I said you were my Guide, you retracted them.”

“N-no, that’s not it—”

“Just being near you while you were unconscious calmed me. But now that you’re awake, even touching you makes me restless.”

Harris clenched his teeth. The way his eyes trembled showed how shocked he was.

“…The moment you regained consciousness, you withdrew all your power.”

No, that wasn’t me! It was Adrian (the stone)! While I was passed out, he was releasing energy on his own!

But I couldn’t say a word. The shock was like a rock falling on my head.

“You really hate the idea of being my Guide that much?”

It backfired.

‘WHY—!!’

Not only was I misunderstood, but now I had hurt him?!

And the fact that I was even in a position to hurt Harris—that was the real panic moment.

‘Didn’t he dislike me before?’

Maybe he got attached while protecting me? But this level of emotional reaction…

‘Is this how strong camaraderie can be?!’

Well, I guess I did instantly forgive Adrian when he showed up that time.

Adrian, who risked his life to come and grab my wrist so we could run away…

Adrian, who yelled at me to call him brother even as he was about to be caught because of me…

I had to release Adrian from the magic. And the fastest way to do that was…

“Answer me, Jade.”

Harris.

His angular jaw tensed, the muscle twitching as his handsome yet intimidating face made me gulp.

What was I supposed to do now?

Actually, Harris didn’t originally believe that Jade was his bonded Guide.

‘A bonded Guide, huh?’

There’s no way something so miraculous would happen to him.

In his life, whenever something suddenly changed without effort, it usually meant something bad was coming.

But…

“I’m not a Guide!”

Seeing Jade so desperately deny it actually made it feel more real.

‘Yeah, someone like her wouldn’t want to be paired with someone like me.’

He could finally accept that.

A miraculous bonded Guide appeared… but that Guide rejected him.

Refused to be his bond.

It made sense for his life.

Harris sneered. Something stirred deep within his chest. His head boiled, and his fists clenched. He wanted to punch through his chest and shatter his ribs.

Maybe then the explosive rage in his heart would fade.

But—

“Harris…”

He couldn’t bring himself to be angry at Jade.

Those big, round blue eyes. Her pink lips chirping like a little bird.

Jade’s innocent face blinked in confusion, and even the shout rising in his throat shrank back.

‘…Maybe she doesn’t even realize she’s a Guide.’

Even that kind of excuse rose in his mind.

Unlike when he first awakened, the concepts of Espers and Guides were now widespread.

So was the knowledge of how badly Espers often treated Guides.

‘That could be why she’s rejecting the reality so hard.’

To calm himself, Harris bit down on the inside of his cheek.

While Jade had been unconscious, Harris had felt constant waves.

The stability of her wave guiding kept him glued to her bedside. But he hadn’t dared to touch her.

She had collapsed just from guiding him.

And that unique, enchanting scent of hers had intensified while she was unconscious, making him fear he might lose control if he touched her even once.

But once she awoke, Jade immediately retracted her waves. When he tried physical contact guiding, it was completely blocked.

Even her scent had vanished, replaced by something faint and clean.

‘Maybe she didn’t do it on purpose? She might’ve instinctively sealed her power out of exhaustion.’

Harris, who had gone so long without even touching another person, couldn’t be sure.

But one thing was certain: he didn’t hate touching Jade. In fact, it somehow soothed him.

The immense magical power raging inside him settled down.

But it was different from the guiding he’d received from her waves before.

‘She’s hiding something.’

Whether consciously or not, Jade was keeping something from him.

It wasn’t uncommon.

Unlike Espers who awakened with clear knowledge of their powers, many Guides didn’t even realize their abilities.

And even if they did, they often denied it—hiding their powers instinctively.

‘But most of them come to terms with it after meeting their Esper.’

When Harris’s thoughts circled back to “She’s rejecting me on purpose,” his gaze sharpened.

He bit down on the inside of his mouth to suppress his emotions. So hard that he tasted blood.

“You’re bleeding again…”

Jade reached out.

Her fingertips, blushing pink, lightly tapped his cheek as if to stop him. Her clear, blue eyes furrowed in worry.

‘Again? Stop chewing on the inside of your cheek!’

One of Harris’s bad habits mentioned in “Si Cheon-Gwi”. If he keeps it up, he could lose his sense of taste! And good food is so important in life!

Harris was flustered.

‘Pick a lane! Just one!’

If you’re going to be kind, admit you’re my bonded Guide! And if you’re going to deny it, be cold from the start!

Veins popped in his neck as he prepared to lash out.

Knock knock. A sound came from the door.

As Jade turned her head toward the sound, she finally realized she was lying on an enormous bed in a spacious, luxurious room.

‘W-wait a minute.’

The castle Harris had been imprisoned in was completely destroyed. And the only nearby place he could’ve come to was…

“Wait—is this the former Duke’s residence?!”

The home of the previous Duke—Harris’s grandfather—was the ancestral mansion of House Godwin.

‘Wait, are we already inside the main estate?!’

Seeing Jade’s shocked expression, Harris smirked mischievously.

“Harris!”

“You may enter,” he answered the knock, ignoring Jade.

Click. The door opened, and a voice entered the room.

“The former Duke is requesting your presence.”

He really came!

‘Then why did you ignore all my frantic explanations earlier?!’

But Harris just snorted at her puzzled expression and stood up.

“Let’s go.”

“And… he said to bring the Guide with you as well.”

Harris’s smirk vanished.

Don’t get attached to the fake sedative, Mr. Villain.