Introduction to Developmental Psychology of Ability Users
The apartment, entered for the first time in three days, was spotless — as though nothing had ever happened. Not only the windows but the entire place had been cleaned, and Rodeo couldn’t shake the strange feeling of having moved into a brand new home all over again. He tossed his coat onto the sofa and went straight to the bedroom, throwing himself onto the neatly made bed.
“…Even the flowers are gone.”
The vase he had kept by the bedside stood in its place — empty of both flowers and water, as pristine as something sitting on a display shelf.
“They must have all wilted and been thrown out.”
He hadn’t particularly liked flowers to begin with, yet for some reason the empty vase kept catching his eye. Rodeo lay there blankly, staring at it — then suddenly sat up, grabbed the vase in one hand, and walked out of the room in long strides.
He passed through the hallway without sparing a glance at the living room or kitchen, heading straight for the front door. He flung it open, stepped out without even putting shoes on, walked next door, and held the doorbell down firmly.
“…….”
Rodeo stood there for a long while, listening to the bell ring unanswered — then, with an expression suggesting he hadn’t expected any different, pressed it again. Still no answer. Rodeo didn’t give up. It was only after the bell had sounded seven times in repetition that Chalice’s voice finally came through the speaker.
“Go back inside quietly before I call it in.”
“Do you have any flowers in there?”
The out-of-nowhere question left Chalice unable to answer right away, and a silence followed.
“I remember there being flowers in your place — I’d be grateful if you could spare just two.”
“…The bodyguard arrangement is off—”
“I’m asking for flowers.”
“…….”
“You had plenty of them, are you seriously going to be like this?”
With Rodeo stubbornly and shamelessly demanding flowers, Chalice seemed to be at a loss for words, and only the sound of his breathing hummed through the corridor like static. At that, Rodeo deliberately raised his voice and began to make a scene.
“I’m not even asking you to do any Guiding — I’m asking for two flowers, so why can’t you spare even that, keeping the door shut and everything—!”
As if those words had been exactly what was needed, the door swung open at that very moment.
“Are you out of your mind—!”
Chalice shouted back as he appeared, clearly determined not to lose — but the moment he saw Rodeo’s face, he shut his mouth with a snap, as though he’d swallowed something. The momentum with which he’d thrown the door open seemed to count for nothing; Chalice’s face was now filled to the brim with guilt.
“What’s that look for.”
“…….”
“You’re acting like you’ve never hit someone before… ah, come to think of it, this is the first time you’ve hit me.”
As Rodeo spoke as though it were nothing, his gaze pointedly directed at Chalice’s cheek, Chalice finally broke the silence with a different topic.
“…Hmm, I’m aware it’s a strange request — asking for flowers.”
“You’ve burst my tires, wrecked missions — you never hit me for any of that.”
At those words, Chalice’s face was once again swamped with guilt and discomfort. Rodeo seemed not to have anticipated that Chalice would feel this sorry — he tilted his head for a moment, then put on an expression that was needlessly sulky.
“Well, not that I’m saying I wasn’t in the wrong — but it does make me wonder if being your bodyguard is somehow more offensive to you than when I’d wreck your missions and make a mess of things.”
“It’s not the bodyguard part that’s the problem—”
“Ah, and I didn’t explain things beforehand either. I’m sorry about that. I should have kept the information open. Though I’m not sure it was… something worth getting hit over.”
Chalice pressed his lips shut. It wasn’t that he had no reason to explain himself — but with the guilt being poked so precisely, Chalice found himself unable to say a word. Taking advantage of that, Rodeo slipped past Chalice and through the front door, stepping inside the apartment. Chalice, losing his firm resolve, could only let out a flustered sound and trail after him.
“I want to look around and pick which ones I like.”
It was a completely unreasonable demand for someone in the position of asking a favor — but Chalice, already outmaneuvered, could only press a hand to his forehead and sigh. Rodeo, apparently familiar enough with a home he’d only stayed in for three days, set the vase down on the table, opened the refrigerator, and took out some water to drink. Chalice watched him without a word, then finally managed to speak.
“…Did you get it treated?”
“Get what treated?”
“Your face.”
“Why would something like this need treating… it’s not like there was anyone there capable of treating wounds either.”
“You should at least put some ointment on it, or use a cold compress — never mind. Finish your water and come sit over here.”
Rodeo nearly choked on his water mid-sip, setting the cup down on the table with a startled expression.
“Pardon?”
Chalice went into the bedroom and came back out carrying a first aid kit, settling onto the sofa. Rodeo still hadn’t grasped the situation, and just stood there blinking his widened eyes at the scene.
“I said come here. You know I hate having to say things twice.”
“…No, it’s not that — since when do you fuss over something this minor—”
“It’s not fussing. It’s because to me, you still look like a thirteen-year-old kid.”
“…What?”
“That’s why I never paid any mind to whatever trouble you caused. In my eyes, it was nothing more than a child throwing a tantrum — no more, no less. But then I went and lost my temper over something a little brat did… even hit you. That’s what I feel wretched about. So stop talking and get over here.”
Chalice finished rattling all that off without once meeting Rodeo’s eyes, then waited for the quiet sound of footsteps coming toward him. But Rodeo neither moved nor spoke for a long moment. Chalice, fidgeting with the innocent first aid kit, glanced sideways at Rodeo — and Rodeo walked toward him wearing a smile that was plainly, unmistakably fake.
“Ah, so I’ve only ever looked like a child to you.”
It wasn’t entirely clear which part had rubbed him the wrong way, but the tension visibly gathering in his jaw said enough. Chalice let out a sigh — out of habit, as always.
“It’s not that I’m treating you like a child—”
“You just said exactly that. Who’s arguing? I’m sitting down, so hurry up and put it on. You were lightning-fast when it came to hitting someone who’s thirteen, but your hands sure are slow when it comes to treating them.”
“…It’s not that I’m dismissing your abilities or putting you down as a person. …Well, does it even matter. Either way, you’re respected among Espers, so what does my opinion even—”
Before Chalice could finish, Rodeo burst out laughing — a short, helpless puff of a laugh.
“Respected? Why are we suddenly switching to comedy? Respected? There’s not a single kid at the Academy who knows who I am.”
“Kids? …Is that your benchmark?”
“I thought I’d be in textbooks by the time I hit thirty.”
At that, Chalice let out something like a rueful laugh — a quiet, dry heh.
“Is that funny? I was genuinely furious that the kids don’t even know who Chalice is.”
“…What are you even talking about — why should kids know who I am.”
“Because you were the facility’s hero — of course an educational institution should be teaching that.”
Chalice narrowed his eyes and looked at Rodeo. Rodeo pushed out his closed lips and widened his eyes as if to say what’s the problem? — and after staring at him for a good while, Chalice let out a hollow laugh. It was the face of someone who had just realized something.
“Anyone would take that as mockery when you say something like that.”
“That’s exactly the problem I’m pointing to. The social perception that treats a statement of fact as mockery — that’s what’s wrong. Why do legends exist? Why do myths exist? Heroes need to be taught so that no one can ever forget them.”
“A hero…”
Chalice quietly murmured the word Rodeo kept saying, then spoke in a low voice.
“Even if you teach it… Guides end up being exploited all the same.”
The resignation was evident in Chalice’s voice, and Rodeo’s expression grew serious. Chalice, acting as though it were nothing, began applying ointment to Rodeo’s face, and continued speaking in an even, matter-of-fact tone — as though making ordinary conversation.
“For you — even if you disappeared for ten years — the people who remember you will treat you well on their own. They’ll grant whatever you ask, look past whatever lines you cross. Everyone who knows your past will look at you with eyes full of respect… but not me. For me, the smart thing is simply to live hidden away, so no one has to remember.”
Chalice finished applying the ointment to Rodeo’s face and closed the first aid kit. Just as he moved to stand, Rodeo caught him by the wrist and pulled him back down. Caught off guard by the unexpected force, Chalice found himself back on the sofa — and as he blinked in surprise, Rodeo said firmly:
“It’s not respect. They go along with whatever I want because they feel sorry for me and because they’re scared.”
“…What?”
“Because they’re afraid I’ll Rampage and blow everything to pieces.”
“Espers wouldn’t do that to each other.”
At Chalice’s thoroughly unconvinced expression, Rodeo smiled bitterly.
“Before you got here — there was an Esper who suggested using a capsule on me. It seems like a Rampage is quite the exceptional occurrence these days. Apparently someone like me, who’s already shown signs of seizures, needs to be dealt with quickly.”
“…What?”
“I’m saying you were right. There is no one who treats or respects an unstable Esper who disappeared for ten years and came back.”
Chalice’s eyes wavered. His face hardened at the weight of the word capsule, and his expression made it clear he couldn’t begin to comprehend that there had been an Esper who had argued for using it on another Esper. And then — whether from a chill running through him or from rising anger, it was hard to tell — he began to tremble slightly.
It hardly seemed like a reaction you’d expect from a Guide — but Rodeo, for some reason, felt a spark of genuine delight rising up from somewhere deep inside him, and started talking with something close to excitement. Rodeo, too, wasn’t exactly acting like an Esper who had been punched with full force by the Guide in front of him just a few hours ago.
“Well, regardless — I used that to get what I wanted, so it doesn’t matter. No need to make that face. It’s not like the facility’s never treated me this way before.”
“But the facility now is being led by colleagues — that doesn’t make—”
Chalice stopped mid-sentence and stared at Rodeo.
“They may be colleagues — but from their perspective, I’m nothing more than an old friend they haven’t seen in ten years. What exactly could I expect?”
