# Chapter 39
“Guide Lee Jaehee!”
Jaehee turned his head toward the examiner who was calling him. Worried gazes followed Jaehee as he moved. Everyone was concerned about Jaehee, who was using an excessive amount of Guiding energy.
“Wouldn’t it be better if you took some rest?”
“That’s right! You’re going to collapse! We’re not! Machines that generate unlimited Guiding energy when pressed! Even from my standpoint as a Guide, this doesn’t seem right!”
People worried about him. And Taeyun’s subtle gaze that didn’t welcome it. He was making such an expression without knowing what consequences that slight change in expression might bring.
Jaehee looked at Taeyun and thought of the upper management staff. They sent Dohyun to a provincial area with such lies just to secretly take him away. And Cheon Taeyun was trying to keep him here by any means.
That meant,
‘They need me to erase the Bond and overwrite it.’
If so, he should use that.
“I’m fine. Besides, Esper Cheon Taeyun is working hard to help me.”
Jaehee smiled at the people who were worried about him, telling them he was fine. At his smile, people couldn’t continue their words. Like this, Jaehee had been ignoring everyone’s concerns by saying he was fine.
But the smile Jaehee showed while saying he was fine began to change very slightly.
‘If they won’t tell me the method, I’ll just make them tell me.’
By creating the situation they fear most.
***
“Enough, let’s stop here for now.”
Taeyun said that and withdrew the ability he was pouring into Geonwoo. But his gaze was fixed on Jaehee. The same was true for others in the examination room. Everyone was looking at Jaehee with anxious eyes.
“Guide Lee Jaehee, are you alright?”
The examiner asked. And that was the question everyone wanted to ask.
As Geonwoo’s treatment continued, Jaehee consumed a considerable amount of Guiding energy every day to maximize Taeyun’s ability. Such days weren’t just one or two, but had already continued for several days.
As a result, Jaehee’s complexion was worsening day by day. From the perspective of those watching, Jaehee’s condition looked very concerning.
It was so bad that there were even senior Guides who volunteered to do the Guiding instead of Jaehee. But not one of them could properly enhance Taeyun’s ability. There was no Guide who could properly Guide. But even in that situation, S-class was definitely different. With the purity and quantity of energy, he forcibly enhanced Taeyun’s ability.
As a result, it was inevitable that he would become more exhausted.
“……”
But something was strange. Normally, when such a question was asked, the words ‘I’m fine’ should have already come out of Jaehee’s mouth, but he said nothing. He was just quietly standing there.
As if, exhausted.
People watching Jaehee’s condition exchanged glances with each other. Eventually, the examiner looked at them and nodded slightly, stepping forward as a representative.
“Honestly, haven’t we done enough at this point?”
It was something they had all wanted to say so badly, but seeing Jaehee’s determination to take responsibility for Geonwoo and showing no intention of giving up, they couldn’t bring themselves to say it out loud.
But now it was different. It might work on the current Jaehee. That was the feeling.
That’s how much everyone wanted Jaehee to step back now. It was obvious that his body was being pushed too hard. Moreover, S-class Guide Lee Jaehee was more important to them than an unmanifested Esper.
“The treatment is progressing well, little by little. So, perhaps it’s time to keep some distance, like with other unmanifested Espers with one-sided Bonds. Honestly, isn’t the best method to leave them alone so the Bond naturally dissolves? Just like it happened with other unmanifested Espers until now.”
“If that happens.”
But there was someone who objected to those words. It wasn’t Jaehee.
“Esper Choi Geonwoo will simply die.”
It was a savage statement. It was also completely incongruent with Taeyun, who usually just smiled gently.
The examiner flinched at Taeyun’s sharp words. But he didn’t back down. Because it was obvious that Jaehee’s condition was becoming increasingly serious!
“That might not be the case! He might have unwittingly triggered manifestation. And no Esper has died due to a one-sided Bond so far!”
“That’s right!”
Everyone agreed with that statement.
So far, no Esper had died because of a one-sided Bond. Not a single one. But Guides were different. Even though they were not yet manifested, an Esper was still an Esper. The superior physical condition that developed while experiencing manifestation pain was enough to pose a significant threat to Guides.
“So for now…”
But Taeyun interrupted the examiner’s words.
“I’m sorry, but I need to use my ability and I’m having trouble concentrating. Could you please leave me alone with Guide Lee Jaehee?”
Though the tone was gentle, it was no different from an order to leave. People hesitated, sensing that Taeyun’s mood was not normal, and reluctantly went outside.
Left alone with Jaehee, Taeyun covered his face with his hands. He couldn’t show his miserably distorted face to Jaehee.
“Guide Lee Jaehee.”
Taeyun, who had barely smoothed out his crumpled expression, asked Jaehee.
“Are you alright?”
But there was still no ‘I’m fine’ from Jaehee. He just remained with an exhausted expression.
‘After all that talk about responsibility and guilt…’
How many days had it been since he said that, and he was already showing signs of difficulty?
“Shall we take a break for a while?”
Taeyun showed a kind expression. He spoke as sweetly as possible. But unlike the fabricated exterior, his mind was infinitely complex.
It was because of Jaehee’s sudden words.
“…Honestly, I’m a bit tired.”
Taeyun’s expression hardened.
‘Tired? So… you want to stop now?’
Taeyun gritted his molars. Lee Jaehee shouldn’t be like this.
Jaehee looked at Taeyun for a moment, slightly furrowing his eyes, then bowed his head and continued speaking.
“We keep… failing to find a method. If we continue staying close like this, we might not be able to erase the Bond and might have to just accept Esper Choi Geonwoo. In that case, perhaps it’s better to distance ourselves as everyone suggests…”
“Guide Lee Jaehee!”
Taeyun cut off Jaehee’s words. He couldn’t let Jaehee escape here. He couldn’t let him escape because of a lack of methods.
That’s why he did it.
“I was planning to tell you once it became more certain, but…”
Even though he knew it wasn’t the right timing to speak, he couldn’t help but say it.
“I found it.”
He knew that the situation would become complicated the moment he spoke about the method. He also knew it wasn’t a situation to rush. That’s how much time they needed to prepare.
Currently, the upper management had a poor standing within the Center. They were under close scrutiny. While one incident wouldn’t cause the collapse of the upper management itself, they had lost too much trust. Therefore, they couldn’t move carelessly. They needed to be as cautious as possible and ensure safety.
But,
‘Without Lee Jaehee, this is all useless.’
Only Jaehee could open Geonwoo’s senses. Geonwoo desperately wanted only Jaehee’s Guiding. Even though he couldn’t wake up from sleep due to his physical strength declining from using his healing power to the limit every day, Geonwoo terrifyingly rejected any Guiding that wasn’t Jaehee’s.
Having seen that, the thought that Jaehee was needed became even more firm.
‘I can’t let Jaehee escape. Absolutely not!’
So Taeyun finally opened his mouth.
“I’ve found a way to erase the Bond without killing Esper Choi Geonwoo.”
Jaehee reacted to those words. He seemed surprised, and slightly scrunched his eyes. But it was impossible to judge Jaehee’s feelings just from his expression. He just needed something to bind Jaehee. He needed to take away his excuse to escape.
Having decided to explain the method, Taeyun spoke without delay.
“They say we need to accelerate the body’s manifestation.”
“Accelerate… the body’s manifestation?”
To Jaehee’s question, Taeyun nodded slightly and said.
“Yes. The problem now is that Esper Choi Geonwoo’s power is too vast, but there’s been absolutely no physical enhancement to withstand it.”
The manifestation as an Esper must necessarily be accompanied by both the blooming of psychic ability and the body’s manifestation, that is, physical enhancement, to withstand that power.
But Geonwoo, in the grasp of the upper management staff, experienced such things that, far from physical enhancement, his physical condition was actually at its worst.
“So if we can induce the body’s manifestation even faster before the psychic ability fully manifests, the developed body will be able to withstand the wave pattern even when it spikes. It will also help suppress the wave pattern at its limit. That way, the chances of surviving until the Bond is erased will increase.”
Since the one-sided Bond needed to be diluted gradually, a body that could endure for a long time was necessary.
But at those words, Jaehee’s expression somehow seemed to darken. What was it that he didn’t like? Was he upset because he was tired and wanted to let go, but now a method had been mentioned?
But an unexpected response was heard.
