Chapter 16

– Ah, next up is news about this person. They’ve been a huge topic lately.

– That’s right. Esper Kwon I-young. Well, he’s always in the headlines, but this time, it’s a little different.”

– Yes. Recently, Esper Kwon I-young’s speed in clearing Gates has been remarkable. Not only the Korea Gate Research Institute but also the World Gate Research Institute has taken notice of his rapid progress.

Hee-beom, who was cleaning up a table after a customer had left, let out a dry chuckle.

“Again….”

It was Kwon I-young. Again.

On average, I-young appeared before Hee-beom once every four days. But with his face constantly popping up on the news, on bus advertisements, and on portal sites, it felt like they met every single day.

At this point, he was starting to suspect that Sung-jin was deliberately playing broadcasts related to I-young. But he knew that wasn’t the case. Sung-jin had always been someone who frequently tuned into the news. And the truth was, even before Hee-beom had known I-young personally, the guy had probably been making headlines just as often. It was just that he hadn’t paid enough attention to remember.

Besides, today wasn’t even a regular news broadcast. It was a current affairs program, and yet, here they were, talking about I-young.

– What does it mean that his clearing speed has increased? It means he’s eliminating monsters more easily and efficiently.

– Exactly. You could also say that Esper Kwon I-young’s abilities have advanced by another level.

– Because of that, there’s a rumor going around. Have you heard about it?

– Ah, yes, I have. You’re talking about the Guide, right?

– Yes. Finally! ‘Finally!’ There’s a rumor that Esper Kwon I-young has found his Guide. That someone with a high compatibility rate—what people call a ‘Pair Guide’—has finally appeared.

“Guide.”

Hee-beom, who had been stacking empty plates, suddenly snapped his head toward the TV.

It was the first time his existence had been mentioned on television.

Not that they were saying he was I-young’s Guide. But also, not that he wasn’t.

Anyway. There were rumors now? He hadn’t heard a single thing about that.

– All eight A-rank Espers in the country have already formed pairs with their Guides. But Korea’s only S-rank Esper, Kwon I-young, has been the only one without a Pair Guide.

– Yes. After clearing Gates, he would often suffer from extreme exhaustion due to the lack of a Guide’s assistance.

– That’s right. The Korea Ability Association, or KESPA, has desperately tried to keep that hidden. But they couldn’t conceal everything. Take a look at these photos.

The MCs sitting at the desk disappeared, replaced by a series of images.

I-young was kneeling on one knee, collapsed on the ground. Even with his head hung low, his face was twisted in pain. His lower face was completely soaked in blood—whether it was a nosebleed or if he had coughed it up was unclear. There was a photo of him being carried away on a stretcher, and another where he was clutching his chest, his expression contorted in agony.

“…….”

Hee-beom had never seen this side of him before. No—he had never even imagined it.

The I-young he knew was carefree with his laughter, oblivious to subtle cues, reckless, floating around in the air whenever he pleased, and someone who struggled to open a simple triangular kimbap wrapper. That was the I-young he knew.

– Ah… these are heartbreaking photos.

– But now, things have changed. Even after clearing high-rank Gates, he greets his fans with a bright complexion.

– No wonder rumors about a Pair Guide have started circulating.

– Now then, everyone. That rumor—our ‘Current Affairs 11 O’Clock’ team has conducted a fact check.

– No way, how did you find out? Did you actually ask Esper Kwon I-young himself?

– Haha, as if. How could we possibly get a meeting with the busiest man in the country? No, rather, we had the chance for a brief interview with Director Jang Jun-ho from KESPA. He’s known to be one of Kwon I-young’s closest associates. Let’s take a look at the interview.

The screen changed again.

A familiar face filled the frame—it was Director Jang. The same Jang Jun-ho who had persistently called Hee-beom, explaining the details of the Guide contract.

– Director Jang! Please look over here!

– Director Jang! We have a few questions for you!

– Apologies, but I won’t be answering any questions.

Director Jang gave a polite, genial smile and continued walking forward.

But the reporters weren’t about to give up. They kept pace with him, cameras flashing from all directions, other journalists’ equipment frequently obstructing the screen.

All this attention—for someone who was just a KESPA employee. Was it because he was labeled as “Kwon I-young’s closest aide” that he was caught up in the wave of fame?

– Director Jang! There’s a rumor circulating that Esper Kwon I-young has found a Guide. Do you have any comments on this?

– Director Jang! Just one word, please! Has Kwon I-young truly found a Guide?

– What is Esper Kwon I-young’s current health condition?

The barrage of loud questions continued relentlessly.

Still walking in silence, Director Jang finally let out a sigh, as if resigned, or perhaps just weary of all the noise.

– As of now…

The moment he spoke, the surroundings fell into an eerie silence.

Microphones were shoved forward all at once.

– As of now, there is nothing I can definitively confirm. We would appreciate it if you could wait just a little longer.

For a few seconds after his statement, there was a pause. Then, the noise exploded again—louder than before.

– ‘Nothing to confirm’—does that mean there is someone?

– What’s the Guide’s matching rate?

– Is the Guide also S-rank?

– Has the Guide officially signed a contract with KESPA?

– Is the Guide currently working with Esper Kwon I-young?

– Apologies.

Director Jang gave a brief bow before disappearing into a building.

Hee-beom frowned.

“…Nothing to confirm?”

Why couldn’t they just say it outright? He had made it clear he wasn’t going to do it.

…No, maybe this was for the best.

If they had outright stated, ‘Yes, we found a Guide, but he refused,’ things could’ve spiraled out of control.

But regardless of that, it was now undeniable—his existence had been outed to the world.

That wasn’t good.

It felt ominous.

Pressing his lower lip between his teeth, Hee-beom gathered the plates and took them to the kitchen.

He immediately started washing them when Sung-jin, crouched in front of the fridge, muttered,

“Hey, this is a good thing.”

“A good thing? Did something good happen to you?”

“Not me. I’m talking about Kwon I-young.”

“…….”

Hee-beom’s hands, covered in soapy bubbles, momentarily hesitated.

But he quickly resumed scrubbing as if nothing had happened.

“What’s good about it?”

“That he found a Guide.”

“And that’s a good thing?”

“Of course. It’s a *great* thing. That guy’s basically a national treasure, isn’t he? If something’s good for him, it’s good for all of us.”

Sung-jin flashed a thumbs-up.

Hee-beom let out a quiet scoff.

“National treasure? Isn’t that a bit much?”

“Kid, you just don’t get it yet. How old is Kwon I-young again? Anyway, he was just a little kid when the World Ability Association certified him as S-rank. Do you have any idea how much our country’s global standing improved after that?”

“Global standing…”

“He went overseas, cleared Gates, and brought back high-profile contracts in return.”

“Contracts…”

“Now, no one can look down on Korea anymore. If a massive Gate the size of a palace appears in their country, and we decide not to send Kwon I-young, they’d be screwed. So, of course, everyone’s careful around us.”

“…….”

“That’s why he is a national treasure.”

“…….”

Hee-beom blinked slowly as he scrubbed the dishes. National treasure, national power, contracts. He had never considered that Espers were connected to things like that.

Now that he thought about it, I-young had been in Canada recently. It was all about money and politics—there was no way he had gone there just for fun.

Whether I-young himself received the compensation or if KESPA did, it didn’t matter.

Just thinking about it made Hee-beom’s head hurt. He had assumed that when a Gate appeared, the only job was to kill the monsters inside. But politics? This was exactly why he preferred to stay out of it.

“But can you imagine how much he’s suffered without a Guide? People were saying he’d die soon, or that he’d lose control, go crazy, and start killing people. All kinds of wild rumors were spreading.”

“…….”

“But if he has a Guide now, none of that will happen. That’s a good thing, right?”

“…….”

Hee-beom’s hands slowed.

Listening to Sung-jin talk, an odd sense of guilt crept in.

If I’m not there… will I-young keep suffering? Will he die?

No, I-young himself had said it—he never dies.

Then… would he lose control? Go insane and start killing people?

Hee-beom’s hands came to a complete stop.

His murky eyes stared at the fishbone submerged in the soapy water.

Even as he remained frozen, Sung-jin kept talking.

“Well, it’s not just the country and its people that benefit. He’ll benefit too.”

“…….”

“After suffering so much, having a Guide must feel like a miracle.”

“…….”

“Even having a single chronic illness can make life feel meaningless. But he’s been in pain every time he works. And it’s not like he can quit either…”

“…….”

“Being an S-rank Esper isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Don’t you think?”