Chapter 7 – GOY 7

“Noona, ​am ​I ​a ​loser?”

Recalling ​what Joo Seung-hyeok ​had ​said ​yesterday, ​I ​asked Ji-hee noona, and ​her ​face instantly contorted.

“What ​kind of bullshit ​is ​that! ​Which ​bastard ​said ​that to our ​Yeon-soo?”

Her ​reaction ​was so intense ​that it startled me.

“No, ​it’s just….”

“Was ​it some ​Esper bastard?”

“Yeah….”

“Crazy ​piece of ​shit. ​Fuck, ​that fucking bastard, ​fuck!”

Ji-hee noona ​unleashed a torrent of ​harsh curses before patting ​my shoulder comfortingly.

“Don’t pay ​attention to ​perverts ​like that. A Guide just needs ​to be good at ​Guiding; ​those ​guys ​are ​absolute trash.”

It seemed ​Ji-hee noona ​had ​completely misunderstood.

If Joo ​Seung-hyeok ​was the ‘S-Class among S-Classes,’ ​then I—though ​it ​was truly embarrassing ​to ​say ​it ​myself—was ​called the ​‘SSS-Class ​Genius Guide.’

It ​was thanks to the stat buffs I ​received for being ​a major character, ​even if I wasn’t ​the protagonist.

People ​referred to me, ​Joo ​Seung-hyeok, and Park ​Geon-woo—who was the ​sub seme ​in ​The Swamp ​of ​the Guide—collectively ​as ​the ‘Blessed ​Generation.’

There ​were ​two reasons why ​I ​was called ​SSS-Class.

The ​first ​was ​my appraisal ability.

I could see the form of mana.

Just by looking, I could grasp everything: an Ability User’s rank, attribute, and even the state of their mana.

The reason I could accurately perceive Joo Seung-hyeok’s mana wrapping around my neck was also due to this appraisal ability.

The second was my Guiding skill and mana control.

Normally, Guiding occurs the moment a Guide and an Esper make physical contact.

However, regardless of physical contact, I could perform Guiding whenever I wished.

Although the perception and treatment of Guides had [visit our site]improved [unauthorized copy][unauthorized copy]significantly compared to the past, there were still Espers who viewed Guides merely as sexual objects.

Many were the type of humans who would forcibly commit molestation just to replenish as much energy as they wanted if they lacked Guiding.

They exploited the fact that Guiding begins the moment physical contact is made, regardless of the Guide’s will.

It is said that the stronger the physical contact, the higher the amount and quality of mana delivered to the Esper.

However, I adhered strictly to ‘Level 1 Guiding,’ which is simply holding hands.

I refused even Level 2 Guiding, which involves hugging, let alone Level 3 kissing or Level 4 sexual relations.

If someone tried to force themselves on me, I would immediately block the mana to stop the Guiding and then request help from Center staff or a nearby Esper.

It wasn’t that I was being stubborn simply because I disliked skinship.

In the past seven years, I had never failed a Guiding session once. Since stolen contentLevel 1 was sufficient, Read on Read BL NovelsI felt no need to proceed to the next level.

However, some Espers, even after their mana was replenished, forced deeper skinship upon me using Guiding or a Guide’s sense of responsibility as an excuse.

It was nonsense not worth a second thought. Naturally, I had no reason to comply.

Yet, despite explaining my reasons sufficiently, some people criticized me. There were even Ability Users who cursed at me directly.

Their reasons were that I lacked responsibility as an S-Class Guide, or that if an S-Class Guide, who should set an example for others, avoided skinship, it would negatively influence other Guides.

Ji-hee noona was well aware of this fact.

But when I told her I was called a ‘loser’ by an Esper, she seemed to misunderstand, thinking I had been criticized again because of my Level 1 Guiding.

“Have you ever failed to Guide properly? They should just receive Guiding from a Guide; how dare some dog try to mess with you! Crazy perverts.”

It wasn’t that this time….

I debated whether to correct the facts, but since I couldn’t tell her about the incident with Joo Seung-hyeok, I kept my mouth shut.

“Noona.”

“Yeah.”

“The person who called me a loser… they probably hate me, right…?”

“Is that even a question? Lee Yeon-soo, don’t care what those bastards say. They can’t find anything wrong with your Guiding, so they’re just talking bullshit.”

Joo Seung-hyeok and I had spent the night together.

He told me to take responsibility for his purity. However, I thought that was simply a mocking remark.

Contrary to my expectations, however, Joo visit our siteSeung-hyeok came to find me as soon as the lecture ended, [visit our site]bought me porridge and medicine, and kissed me.

And then he told me I was like a loser.

What on earth does Joo Seung-hyeok think of me? I pondered it all night, but no answer came to mind.

But seeing Ji-hee noona fly into a rage after hearing the word ‘loser’ allowed me to look at the situation more objectively.

As expected, Joo Seung-hyeok was mocking me.

He acted kind for a moment to let my guard down, and then, seeing me relaxed, he sneered that I was like a loser.

Actually, it was so obvious there was nothing to ponder. However, because of the sweat that had beaded on his forehead despite the cold weather and the sensation of that soft kiss, I found myself thinking that perhaps Joo Seung-hyeok actually liked me.

“Right. He probably said that because he hates me.”

Yes, that’s it. Now everything is clear.

“What did you say when that bastard called you a loser?”

“I was so surprised I couldn’t say anything.”

“Ugh, you’re way too soft! Next time he does that, snap back with, ‘Why am I a loser! You’re the loser, you piece of shit!’”

“…….”

If I said that, a death flag would probably be planted instantly. I might just die on the spot.

Anyway, although I was momentarily confused, it was a relief if it was simple mockery.

Because if an obsessive yandere had actually taken a liking to me, something far more terrible would have happened.

“Ugh, damn bastards! How dare they call someone a loser!”

Unlike me, who was satisfied with the conclusion, Ji-hee noona’s anger was still ongoing. I tried to soothe her.

“I’ll snap back the same way next time. So don’t be angry.”

“Make sure you protest. You’re the representative of our Guides. If you’re looked down upon, all of us are looked down upon. Got it?”

To be honest, being treated as the representative of Guides just because I was S-Class was burdensome. But I knew Ji-hee noona wasn’t saying this to pressure me.

Whether I wanted it or not, that was the unavoidable reality.

“Yeah. I know.”

Ji-hee noona lightly stroked my hair, as if praising a youngest sibling.

“Oh, and my guild has entered a Gate Raid. stolen contentSo, as always, we’re short [stolen content]on Guides this time. Do you want to do it?”

“Yes!”

I nodded vigorously.

Having been depressed since getting entangled with Joo Seung-hyeok, this was the first piece of good news in a long while.

Ji-hee noona was currently affiliated with a new guild founded by a senior Esper. She wasn’t just a simple employee; she was practically a founding member.

‘Changwi,’ the new guild formed by High-ranking Ability Users, drew a lot of attention from the start.

Its free atmosphere, different from existing guilds, and the spirited appearance of young Ability Users made it an object of admiration.

However, contrary to the ambitious start, reality was cold.

Money, in particular, was the problem.

Since their financial power was lower compared to corporate-run guilds, they suffered from a chronic manpower shortage.

They expected Ability Users who pursued dreams and freedom over money to join ‘Changwi,’ but there weren’t as many of them as they thought.

Consequently, when raiding Gates, they hired so-called ‘mercenaries’ who weren’t affiliated with anywhere.

But among mercenaries, the proportion of Espers was much higher. To be precise, there were almost no Guides active as mercenaries.

Most Guides, when choosing a workplace, prioritized whether the environment was well-equipped to protect them. Money was a secondary issue.

In the case of government-run Centers or corporations, systems to protect Guides from the coercive behavior of Espers were well-implemented.

However, in the case of mercenaries, there were no means to protect a Guide’s body. Because they weren’t affiliated with anywhere, they couldn’t be protected.

For this reason, unless there visit our sitewere [visit our site]truly special circumstances, Guides did not engage in mercenary activities.

The ‘Changwi Guild,’ which had a high proportion of mercenaries, naturally suffered from a chronic lack of Guides.

Whenever that happened, Ji-hee noona asked me for help, and I willingly accepted.

Students affiliated with the Esper Academy were unable to engage in economic activities. Full-scale job preparation could only begin once they reached their fourth year.

The Esper Academy had many changes in its school rules according to the trends of the times and the demands of Ability Users, but the principle of ‘no economic activity’ showed no sign of changing.

First, there was the justification that students must study, and public opinion was indifferent. The reaction was that since they would earn vast amounts of money that ordinary people couldn’t even dream of once they started working as Ability Users, why would they need to earn money as students?

Above all, the Guides and Espers themselves had little will to solve this problem.

Furthermore, there was one loophole in the Esper Academy’s rule prohibiting ‘economic activity.’

That was that contracts signed before admission were recognized.

Since High-ranking Ability Users were already affiliated with corporations or guilds from a young age, they could continue their economic activities without any restriction after entering the academy.

And in the case of High-ranking Ability Users whose employment at the Center was predetermined, the government secretly looked after them.

Most of those in the upper tier of B and C1 ranks, called Mid-rank Ability Users, also decided their career paths before entering university.

In the case of Low-rank Ability Users, they were evaluated as only being usable in the field after receiving education at the academy, so even if it wasn’t a school rule, they had no other way to make money.

And in the case of Low-rank students, they were in a situation where they demanded the ‘no economic activity’ rule be strengthened, arguing that contracts signed before admission should not be recognized.

Given the situation, almost no one harbored dissatisfaction with the ‘no economic activity’ rule, except for people like me who, despite being High-rank, were not affiliated anywhere.

Yes, it was my fault for not signing a contract yet; who was there to blame?

Countless love calls had poured in since my Awakening. However, I did not respond to any of them.

It was absolutely not because I didn’t like the conditions or because of a sense of duty to work for the country. I simply wanted to postpone my choice until the point where the original story ended.

If I had rejected Joo Seung-hyeok’s exclusive contract and then signed with somewhere else, it would have been disastrous if I stimulated the crazy madman.

Some might think I was being overly cautious, but if they had read the original work, they would never say such a thing.

Joo Seung-hyeok was a lunatic who could kill and imprison a person just for making the wrong eye contact.

Anyway, I needed money right now, and the Guiding part-time job Ji-hee noona introduced was a ray of light. Of course, since I couldn’t do this openly, I had to hide my identity by pretending to be a mercenary. Thankfully, Ji-hee noona helped me hide my identity.

“Yeon-soo, are you really going to do it?”

Noona asked again with a worried face.

“Yeah. Why? Is there a problem?”

“As you know, mercenaries are trash. Of course, all Espers are trash, but at least those affiliated with somewhere pretend to have manners. Mercenary bastards don’t even have that.”

Ji-hee noona shuddered at the thought of mercenaries among Espers.

She said she wasn’t originally like this, but she came to completely loathe them while working at the guild.

“I see all sorts of things at the guild because of my damn dreams, but you don’t have to. If you need money, wouldn’t it be better to sign a contract? I know contracts are banned during enrollment, but there are back-door contracts.”

“Let me think about it a bit more.”

According to the original work, Lee Yeon-soo meets his death next spring. He is brutally murdered by Joo Seung-hyeok.

Until then, I intended to avoid every single tiny risk factor.

“Right. There’s nothing wrong with deciding carefully. Look at me. I Read on Read BL Novelsvisit our siteturned down all the good contracts and joined a guild out of damn youthful passion in high school, and now I’m suffering.”

Ji-hee noona frowned. She must be thinking about the guild’s affairs again.

“If the Gate Raid has started, you’ll need a Guide right away.”

“Yeah. That’s right.”

“Should I go to the Changwi Guild?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll go straight there as soon as the lecture ends.”

“Thanks.”

Even though she cursed all the time, Ji-hee noona cherished Read on Read BL Novelsthe guild. I could feel her [unauthorized copy][stolen content]relief when I said I would go.

I wondered if I could find a workplace worth betting my life on like that.

As I smiled along with the relieved Ji-hee noona, my phone vibrated.

「Your next class is the last one, right? I’ll come pick you up.」

I jumped in surprise when I saw the name of the person who sent the text.

• Joo Seung-hyeok

No, how did this bastard get my number?

I have no memory of registering him; when on earth did he enter his own name into my phone!

Was this also one of the things that happened that night?

Sure, he could have registered the number. But the content of the text was also a problem.

‘Why are you coming to pick me up?’

Wasn’t it completely over after he called me a loser? Is there more left to mock?

What should I do? I promised to go to the Changwi Guild after the lecture….

After agonizing over it, I wrote a text to Joo Seung-hyeok.

「Sorry. I have a group project, so I think I’ll be late.」

My hand hesitated just as I was about to press the send button.

Is it okay to lie to an obsessive yandere?

No, Joo Seung-hyeok probably intends to mock me anyway.

Throughout the original work, he slept with countless people. It seemed I appeared to him as a new toy to stave off boredom, and there was no need to humor him to the point of breaking my promise to Ji-hee noona.

Moreover, for whatever reason, I didn’t want to be entangled with Joo Seung-hyeok.

Before long, Joo Seung-hyeok will meet Kim Joon. The first meeting has passed, but the opportunity for the second meeting remains.

I just need to avoid Joo Seung-hyeok until then. Once he meets Kim Joon, he’ll probably forget about someone like me quickly.

After hesitating for a moment, I sent the text.