By Zephyria 
After leaving the office together, we stepped into the elevator side by side. Vasily habitually pressed the button for the top floor.
‘…Wait, that’s the floor where the Chairman’s office is.’
I stole a glance at Vasily. He was watching the floor numbers rise with a very relaxed expression.
…Surely not?
I thought he would just go find the executives and cause a scene, but the Chairman’s office? Isn’t that escalating things too much? Of course, the executives might be gathered there right now. There’s no way he’s actually going to see the Chairman…
My mind raced. But the answer was already clear.
Then again, since this matter concerned Vasily, there was no way the Chairman wasn’t involved. I could already foresee a total disaster, but wanting the association—which had handed me a giant piece of shit—to receive its karma in kind, I decided to follow Vasily while pretending to be clueless.
Right, it’s not like he’s going to kill the Chairman, is he? If he actually tries to kill him… I can stop him then.
After getting off at the top floor, we headed straight for the Chairman’s office without hesitation. As Vasily took a light step forward, the firmly closed door froze instantly. No sooner had I realized the door was frozen than Vasily kicked the frozen entrance, shattering it, and stepped inside.
“Aaaagh!!”
A scream erupted from beyond the broken door.
Through the scattering ice shards, I saw the pale face of the Chairman. Perhaps because the last time I saw him was in the future six years from now, he looked considerably younger than the face in my memory. He actually had a decent amount of hair back then.
Vasily spoke as he walked inside.
“I told you not to do anything useless.”
“V-Vasily Esper-nim?”
“I guess my words sounded like a joke to you?”
“W-w-what do you mean by that… First, let’s resolve this through conversation…”
It was obvious that the Chairman was nervous. Every time Vasily stepped closer, his shoulders hunched further.
Vasily stopped in front of the Chairman. Leaning in slightly toward the Chairman, who was trembling all over and pressing his back tightly against the chair, he whispered in a low voice.
“If you do something I didn’t tell you to do again…”
The chair the Chairman was sitting in was instantly covered in ice.
“You’ll be sitting there forever.”
“I-I understand…”
The Chairman nodded rapidly with a terrified face.
* * *
My steps felt lighter now that the department transfer had been resolved.
As I stepped out of the association building with a pleasant smile on my face, Vasily asked me.
“Has the thought of resigning disappeared a bit now?”
“Yes. I feel so refreshed.”
“That’s a relief.”
I felt relieved. While I had been sincere about wanting to quit, I felt a bit of regret now that I actually could. I had only just entered my first month of employment and was finally adjusting to the workplace, and this was my first job, after all.
“By the way…”
I trailed off, looking around.
“Where are we going now?”
Having followed Vasily without thinking, I realized we had already arrived in front of the Esper Association. Since it was a place I had frequented for six years, I suppose I had followed him without any sense of incongruity.
When I stopped after belatedly sensing something strange, Vasily said to me.
“Since I solved your problem, Guide Kwon Gi-dam-ssi, please grant me one favor in return.”
A favor? I wasn’t sure what Vasily wanted… but it was true that he had solved my problem.
“Alright.”
As I nodded reluctantly, Vasily wore a meaningful smile. Seeing his suspicious reaction made me feel a bit uneasy, but thinking it wouldn’t be anything major, I followed him.
And I regretted it almost immediately.
“…This is the training center.”
I muttered as we arrived at the training center, built like a gymnasium, right next to the Esper Association. When I looked at Vasily with a gaze that asked if we had come to the wrong place, he smiled brightly and walked inside.
Upon entering, I saw Espers who were already using the training center. The moment they spotted Vasily entering with me, they stopped their movements simultaneously.
The Espers ceased their training and began to scatter quickly. I suppose the best policy is to avoid a mad dog. Since Vasily was like a time bomb even among Espers, this was a familiar reaction, so I wasn’t particularly surprised.
I frowned and looked around the interior. This was the place where I used to train with Vasily every dawn. It wasn’t exactly a place I was happy to see…
I glanced at Vasily.
Surely… it couldn’t be?
“Why did we come here…?”
“Do you want to try fighting me?”
“Excuse me?”
Vasily suddenly proposed a duel.
Has this bastard finally gone insane? I knew he was crazy to begin with, but it seems his mind has finally snapped completely. And in front of other Espers, no less? If I did something like that, my life as an ordinary C-Class Guide would be as good as over.
“I refuse.”
“Why? Think about it a bit more. Of course, I’ll give you a handicap.”
“I still refuse.”
“If you beat me, I’ll grant you one wish.”
“…”
A wish voucher is a bit tempting. Vasily isn’t the type to save money, so I feel like he’d readily give me all the money in his bank account if I asked.
Noticing my hesitation, Vasily whispered seductively.
“If you knock me down, I’ll count it as Guide Kwon Gi-dam-ssi winning. How about it? Sounds doable, right?”
“Then I will decide the handicap.”
“Of course.”
“No use of abilities. Use only the left hand and left leg. Do not move from that spot.”
“Fine.”
Vasily readily agreed. Hmm… I see. But there was one more thing.
“And please lose to me.”
“…”
Vasily paused. His expression, which had been relaxed throughout, cracked slightly this time.
“Guide Kwon Gi-dam-ssi, then it wouldn’t be a duel, would it?”
“A civilian is fighting an S-Class Esper; shouldn’t there be at least this much of a handicap? If you don’t like it, I won’t do it.”
“Ha… hahaha…”
Vasily laughed. He had been chuckling quietly with his hand covering his mouth, but soon he couldn’t hold it back and began to laugh brightly. Hearing that innocent laughter, I was dazed for a moment. I didn’t know Vasily could laugh like that.
“Fine. Pick any weapon you want.”
“I’m good. I’ll fight as I am.”
Anyway, with the training weapons here, I wouldn’t be able to leave a single scratch on Vasily’s body. Moreover, they were all types that were too heavy for me to lift, so they would obviously only hinder my movement.
Maybe I should have started exercising a bit sooner. Having only worked out for two days over the weekend, my old instincts probably hadn’t returned yet.
Looking around the training center, I changed into a combat suit that was rolling around in a corner. It was an Esper combat suit, but since it was what I always wore whenever I entered a Gate, I was much more accustomed to this than the simplified Guide combat suits. Since it absorbs shock well, I should be able to withstand one or two of Vasily’s attacks.
“I’ll help you.”
“I don’t nee—”
Seeing me putting on the combat suit, Vasily approached, offering his help. Before I could finish my answer, his hand reached for my waist and firmly fastened the vest.
Vasily tidied the long chest straps, tied the protectors tightly, and precisely tightened the loose waist. His movements seemed more familiar than mine, despite me having worn combat suits for six years, so I watched him, feeling strangely fascinated.
This guy, who probably never wore a combat suit because he was always in a suit even when entering Gates, why is he so proficient?
I quietly watched Vasily as he continued to meticulously check the lower body equipment. Vasily was in the middle of adjusting the combat suit while kneeling on one knee. Vasily’s face, slightly tilted down, was clearly reflected in my eyes.
Every time Vasily blinked, his long eyelashes fluttered delicately. His pale white skin and handsome features were flawlessly perfect. His neatly groomed hair looked as soft as the fur of a well-maintained breed of cat.
His appearance was so perfect that it would be easy to accept him as a masterpiece sculpted by God. But perhaps God was too fair, and thus failed to provide him with a personality?
“Guide Kwon Gi-dam-ssi, check if anything feels uncomfortable.”
“Ah…”
While I was staring blankly at Vasily, the combat suit adjustment was finished. As soon as I realized that, I hurriedly distanced myself from him.
Embarrassment washed over me belatedly. I wonder if he noticed me staring intently at his face.
Pretending nothing had happened, I did some simple stretching to warm up. Then, I was slightly surprised to realize that the combat suit, which usually felt oppressive, had been adjusted perfectly to my body without a single uncomfortable spot.
“Tell me when you’re ready.”
“Let’s start right now. Do you remember the handicaps?”
“They were such intense conditions that, fortunately, I remember them well.”
I nodded, thinking of the victory condition. He definitely said that just knocking him down would count as my win. If that’s the case, this match might not be entirely impossible.