CPG | Chapter 5

Rayyan knelt silently, ready to accept any punishment. He quietly wrapped his other hand around the one that had brushed Ternnis’s cheek.

There it was again.

That strange, ticklish sensation. Rayyan bit the soft flesh inside his lip to keep his focus away from his fingers.

All he could see from his bowed position were the prince’s feet, which stomped heavily around the room. He must be displeased with their contact.

“What did you do to me…?”

The usually smooth voice of the prince was tangled with emotion. It seemed this wouldn’t be brushed off easily. Still, Rayyan was the only servant attending him, so he hoped he wouldn’t be killed.

Rayyan closed his eyes, waiting calmly for whatever judgment would come.

“The place you touched…”

Ternnis struggled to continue, his words tangled by the strange feeling inside him.

“Why doesn’t it hurt?”

His last words were so soft they were barely audible, even to himself. Slowly, Ternnis lifted his head. Yes, it didn’t hurt. It felt refreshing.

Ternnis turned to look at Rayyan, frowning. The servant was kneeling with his eyes closed, as if ready to accept any punishment. His usually talkative lips were sealed, and his expressionless face was now resigned. Seeing this, Ternnis’s urge to question Rayyan about what he’d done vanished.

The black-haired servant thought he was displeased. Asking him about this strange phenomenon wouldn’t yield a proper answer.

Ternnis’s mood calmed. He began to organize his thoughts.

The black-haired servant appeared.

The watery soup he provided soothed his stomach.

The places he touched were free of pain.

Once might be a coincidence, but repeated occurrences were not.

“What was your name again?”

“Rayyan.”

“Right, Rayyan. That was it.”

Ternnis nodded. Until now, he’d only referred to him as “you.” There was no need to remember his name, but now it registered for the first time.

Ternnis didn’t punish or make any decisions about Rayyan. He simply glanced at him once and then left the dining room.

***

Unmanifested Esper.

Sometimes, individuals showed signs of being an Esper before fully manifesting. They couldn’t use any abilities but appeared to be Espers. It was a sign of great power and a declaration of an incurable condition.

Once manifested, an Esper’s body becomes a conduit for extraordinary abilities. They can only release the impurities accumulated from using their powers through Guiding. Without manifestation, they can’t accept Guiding.

Occasionally, if they miraculously meet someone who can Guide them, the nation gains an Esper of unparalleled strength. The royal family, hoping for this, secretly summoned all Guides to attempt Guiding Ternnis.

The result was nothing. No Guide could connect with Ternnis. The forced contact with numerous Guides only worsened his pain, leaving him with unforgettable trauma.

Touching someone brought him pain; that was all young Ternnis learned from Guiding.

But… the pain disappeared where Rayyan’s hand brushed?

“A Guide?”

An unmanifested Esper suffers in agony until death. Only a Guide who can connect with them can heal them…

“A Guide wouldn’t be a mere servant.”

Ternnis considered the possibility and shook his head. Just because the pain disappeared didn’t guarantee it was Guiding. Guides are registered with the state and live with lifelong privileges.

Yet, there are inexplicable things in the world. There could be reasons for a Guide to hide and become a servant.

***

The next morning, Rayyan watched the door nervously. The prince hadn’t left his room since leaving the dining room the previous day.

Having lingered near his room all night, Rayyan sighed deeply as the inevitable moment approached. He knew serving the prickly prince wouldn’t be easy, but it felt especially challenging since yesterday.

Then, a small bell connected to a string rang. It was the signal that the prince was awake and calling for him, and Rayyan swallowed dryly.

“It’s Rayyan. I’m coming in.”

As always, he took the lack of response as permission and opened the door. The room was dim, with only the prince’s bed faintly illuminated.

Seeing the nearly burnt-out candle, Rayyan realized the prince had kept it lit all night. After a quick glance, he set down the washbasin and drew the curtains. He blinked in the sunlight, then busily brightened the room.

Standing before the prince with the washbasin, Rayyan felt the prince’s gaze lingering on him. Despite his unease, he stood quietly.

“Bring it here.”

At the prince’s command, Rayyan placed the washbasin before him and stepped back. The prince gave him a dissatisfied look.

“Am I supposed to do it myself?”

“…I’m sorry.”

Until now, Rayyan had only brought the washbasin and watched. The prince had been adamant about not being touched, so he’d done it that way. He didn’t know why the prince was acting differently, but he assumed it was just another whim like those of others he’d served. Rayyan approached again and picked up the towel. As he soaked it in water, Ternnis closed his eyes.

Rayyan carefully moved the towel, ensuring his hand didn’t touch the prince’s skin. Yet, the prince frowned as if displeased. As Rayyan froze, Ternnis pointed at the towel.

“Get rid of the towel.”

“…”

“Are you trying to scratch my face? The towel’s rough.”

“I’m sorry.”

Rayyan hid the towel behind him, gripping it tightly. Feeling the soft towel crumble in his hand, he tried to understand the prince’s intentions. But nothing came to mind.

If not the towel, then how?

“Use your hand.”

“But…”

“Don’t make me repeat myself.”

With his final words, Ternnis ground his teeth, and Rayyan’s hand was already in the basin. His wet hand hesitated but slowly approached the prince’s face. Why was the prince, who’d always avoided contact, giving such an order? And why was he so nervous?

If it was fear of punishment, it was understandable, but Rayyan hesitated for another reason. He feared feeling that sensation again when touching the prince.

But Rayyan couldn’t refuse the prince’s command, so he didn’t withdraw his hand. As his fingertips touched the prince’s face, the familiar ticklish sensation made Rayyan squint one eye before quickly erasing his expression.

He couldn’t stop now, so he had to continue. Just as he was about to move his hand,

“How long are you going to take to wash my face?”

Ternnis complained irritably, swatting his hand away.

“Bring my clothes.”

Rayyan fetched the prince’s prepared outfit without time to soothe the stinging pain. As he held it out, the prince seemed ready to snap again. Judging by his previous orders, he probably wanted Rayyan to dress him. Or was that right?

Rayyan cautiously approached, watching the prince’s reaction. As the prince remained silent, he took another step, then another.

“Why are you so slow to bring clothes?”

Frustrated by Rayyan’s sluggishness, Ternnis roughly pulled him forward. Ignoring Rayyan’s situation, he yanked him, causing Rayyan to lose balance and fall forward.

Luckily, he managed to brace himself against the wall, avoiding a collision with the prince.

‘Thank goodness.’

Though the prince had caused it, he wouldn’t admit fault. Rayyan suppressed a sigh. What a morning.

“Are you slow or stupid? Do I need to spell everything out for you?”

Even with Rayyan blocking his way, Ternnis’s face remained calm. He looked at Rayyan, who had stopped just in front of him. His arrogant gaze swept over Rayyan’s face, from lips to nose to cheeks.

“Don’t hesitate under the excuse of thinking. When I give a command, you obey without question.”

The moment our eyes met, his oppressive voice rang out—

“Attend to me.”