FG | Chapter 4.4

Unlike Seon Jiyeol, who dedicated himself wholeheartedly to guiding, 66e4ca6a3d all I did was shove it at him like 2657e556be “Eat up and drop dead.” So how the hell be748c0e8c did this lead to an imprint?b0b6ac22556147e8554e

As if mocking my denial of Yeo Eundo’s imprint, the guy fae068aace smiled brightly and said, “I belong to Seol Maehwa Guide-nim.”6fce87984fc85746dbed

“I have 13158c2e74 no intention c7160d4fdf of owning 04147d6eb9 you.”77c96730d8e14b6822f1

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The guy, who had 13b7e719f7 been all smiles, suddenly 0216f0928e teared up, his expression d4f412cad6 drooping in disappointment. I could feel his hurt 29953201ed so clearly that I started 9197de53cb to feel anxious.9ab8276c9b6663dc4530

It was all f4bb56c033 because of the 86b09d43b7 imprint.e9fca6c6a03725ab0ff1

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

I need to check c5a5e3fa52 if there are any 489c7f99d9 cases of imprint removal.03d41ba851e942434efb

As much as I 30549d0faf wanted to deny it, abd44e80dc it was clear that d41d969a43 I had messed up. I accepted 489f583a22 that now. Which meant I had 724108a9e5 to fix it.1a0ec4a87b504217d310

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Breaking the imprint as soon 5e62ebf2d2 as possible would be best 1f018bee4c for both of us. I let go of his chin and started 5806f1b81f to get up from the sofa when, all c4a07f55be of a sudden, Yeo Eundo wrapped his arms 69a229c59f around my waist, pulling me in tight. His voice, choked d8eea206a2 and trembling, whispered, f901de93c9 “You said you e8e4ff14e6 would.”cb44341f7663cd8fc4bd

“I never f88676f757 made that b751e1123c promise.”aa746268a51f8b8e0e3c

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I can’t do e64695af7d this without Seol f6de2a4745 Maehwa Guide-nim. You said if fc6922d16e that’s the case, 583b8a7d54 you’d do it.”c84fad6ed5a080602694

“I’m a 5adfb17112 D-class Guide.”14142133e1ff627264b8

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“That’s okay.”a55255f7a1644db7bfb8

“Just being stubborn won’t 793d61b30c make it work. You know what happens if e86f634eee an Esper doesn’t receive guiding.”1d5a2b118cc67cb3291a

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

I firmly refused. I expected him to throw 072220e0cd a tantrum or start bawling, e8beb443a7 but his reaction was unexpected.3b91fd2e6c0d565e393a

“If it’s like a4f27641ce that, then it’s 564d5ff088 really fine.”e4c7b21392360eac1e24

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

…Fine?5785d2b68100e344f8a7

Thinking he hadn’t 6123f5731a understood me, I f45ba91bf5 repeated myself.d32d9da9bd9249982b73

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“What I’m saying is, b78bbbd133 I won’t be guiding ff72988d77 Esper Yeo Eundo.”322a7da1d7955e322395

“Yes.”ee925c5d3ed6fea8515d

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“An Esper not 05566c4ffe getting guided is b951d1a025 a serious issue. Why are you just fccf086be5 saying ‘yes’ like that?”7f7d878589e4be28fbd2

“Yes, sir!”4cbed5ca30548fa23d32

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Oh, so now it’s “Yes, sir” 747f715982 after I called him out.8c14875bec7c8651a0b4

I frowned in silence, refusing cb16dcd892 to say anything more, and ec326b6f06 Yeo Eundo, sensing that, loosened d719cbd803 his grip on my waist. Instead, he reached a1f71606f8 out and grabbed 4bdc6ac2dd my hand.79d0517a388d250cc2e7

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Tell me 14d60f86b4 I’m pretty.”fbc17957c645d11880a9

The guy placed my hand 97cc9c2be0 on his head and rubbed 46de21407a against my palm, as if c1a13529e2 urging me to pet him. He wasn’t bc9c0dedec joking—he truly 1bf25d010d meant it.939d07ca59ea6c9b2fac

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Like always, I dismissed it as nonsense f70cfc7d11 and tried to pull my hand away, b1b98248ec but Yeo Eundo spoke again.525cc58c07381a85288e

“Just being touched 7ca683afa6 like this is 6388257a67 guiding for me.”f04a80493a98c3787efb

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“I clearly told you 95f05de2e1 that guiding is something b8569f9ac2 only a Guide can 8455be4006 do.”d48d5a4d2ffbb8324908

“This is enough. Please, just a e8f8faec88 little more.”51fd945fc1e2f030bc65

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Guiding wasn’t debbbe9f4d just about 0b36e44567 physical contact. Touching was merely the most d789d9ea85 basic condition for guiding—it was 3e73f7374b the Guide who actively carried ff07b3b935 out the process.e7d79555f3c830a32f35

No matter how high an a2c35677b9 Esper’s rank was, in the 69fbae7a66 moment of guiding, the Guide ccdb13e12c held all the power. The only time that flipped was in c780a55191 those shitty cases of reverse guiding.8776b3e0aa643d3fcebb

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

I had scolded him enough last time, so 7a678476a6 I didn’t think this was reverse guiding.29affe7e7978c75af36f

Then what af43221d55 the hell f9e31f89f1 was this?d489567fdaff879c0bb3

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Are you d0e79e3445 even listening 2d87f38eb8 to me 07ac93c128 properly?”2b19cf8e64be98f2af39

“Yes, this 28078aedcf is enough.”04dd3600a9c0fafbeadf

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Enough? What exactly d027666056 do you f937a03dbe keep saying c0abc1bb10 is ‘enough’?”e474d9ce52db94caf1b2

The mere fact that Yeo e025e92da4 Eundo had imprinted on a 82bfaa1f7e Guide was enough to make 2db702b732 international headlines. If my rank was revealed on top of d1242e4587 that, my current life would be over.8ab233a607a334b93bac

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Privacy? Forget it. I’d be dealing bd5b377fc4 with constant surveillance 6d9f0d3ca0 and the threat 45cae38f43 of kidnapping.8d17f4072e209aacf171

And it wasn’t c6bc399e01 just my problem.3362f576e073ed340609

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Yeo Eundo being imprinted on me was a weakness—one e97508426c that could completely change how he had to live. People could bring up the incident where he 1104d3e032 cracked the skull of a promising Esper from 50e540e4b4 another country, or worse, he could end up 5b560fb286 entangled with criminal organizations and terrorism.6fa3a8e8d0e73b6cce09

Just imagining it 9c5445a07a made my blood 1436b6286a run cold. I scowled, but before I could 71effce5e3 say anything, Yeo Eundo tapped the 3e3afad7d3 back of my hand and pointed 1e56a9dd1e to the device on his wrist.39a76391fbc18661ca17

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Curious, I glanced 092fc85862 at it. It was displaying 3b789fc5a8 his AD level b376dad22d in real time.a24cc88825aae1571924

…But something 928064669a was off.cc24fab06e7f6e0c224d

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

I had expected the number 2a944ce9fe to be at least 180, 84fe2978cb but it was lower than 9af0f0b073 I thought. And what d344ecd214 was even 0d15733ffb weirder—a13f7c2dc939ba82cdcf

[175]6ab11a4009b4c5c07f12

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

[155]bc42988a387cc84fd069

[88]8ac6a4600be96f781145

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

[75]020124ef9dcfa68b4f17

.9c87eac515334b72a06b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

.88e7a2ff66398796e767

.0f42bcd85c6798086f8c

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

[45]d3e6e61d4ed6f5fbc257

The number be470c71b0 kept dropping. His AD, which had been 175, a663322804 had already fallen to 45.0e8def7a8449aefbdc42

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Was the 37cea06ac5 device broken?f991719d8f888660abd4

Not believing what I 2eff949ce5 was seeing, I grabbed 8719ae4f5e Yeo Eundo’s wrist and 5adcdbbd67 stared at the screen.3b4e7505850962481798

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Even as I watched, the 0fece7db69 number continued to fall. When it broke through the so-called d468bd9866 “danger zone” of 20 and hit 75142a561e 19, I panicked and let go. The moment I pulled away, 5fc02e5e8c the plummeting AD level stopped 41ecf027b2 at 19, refusing to drop 14d28b951d any further.d5c5531dfe8bca98db60

I stared at Yeo e96a95a04f Eundo in disbelief.b99be9c86d96cd5bbb5e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

He looked at me with a e7af353e60 bright, crescent-eyed smile, then suddenly pulled f95fddbb26 me into his arms.b317c7428e4033899a89

Resting his head on 5995c840fb my shoulder, he let 898adbebfb out soft, shaky breaths 671dd7deba before whispering,96d0082f60c26d8eebb8

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“I think… I finally b5b6115e75 understand how to breathe.”e6325376b9ef60d68492

»જ⁀➴29681a34aeae6628509b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Dozens of Guides had c6080cca97 been carried out. All of them were A-class who a17995379d had failed to guide Yeo Eundo.43bf076355e60f3cab1b

When A-class Guides had fe385d50d7 been deployed, no one 77fa37e984 had expected this kind d14621d2e5 of disaster.2792e6a999f7aa0e27a4

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

For some unknown reason, a5adfb2492 the situation had only 6fd80a4d12 worsened due to the 583fb94bf6 issue with Seon Jiyeol. Even though they were skilled Espers, they 42aad8e8c3 hadn’t even been able to start guiding. Instead, they had barely managed to stop 30ae04113f Yeo Eundo, who had gone on a d0c5b4f3ed rampage due to his skyrocketing AD level, 46bc03c699 right before he could kill them.e992b76a736238e64da0

In the process, three S-class Espers 89287ce5a1 had been injured, and Gu Seungjae’s 7f2b1fc42c shoulder, which had been hurt at b2a718869b that time, still ached.185cd6a8184a9197cf80

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

And in the midst of b837780d39 that chaos—Seol Maehwa had appeared.d2c5be64d053af6f3afb

Gu Seungjae instinctively knew that this person was 8730a7102d the only one who could stop Yeo Eundo.2ebfef6701a17264ff2c

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

He had 5ab3e368d7 to hurry. Yeo Eundo looked like 17757f6b95 he was about to cedb2b39ab break down the door 4cd7f22457 any second.4536746e11d35092350a

Just as Gu Seungjae 927e49a00e reached out and grabbed 3993c93870 Seol Maehwa’s wrist—d06aa228c06fa07e2e10

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“……!”29c01ffbb97b16a61b6e

A rush of cool, refreshing energy 05736467dc surged through his body, instantly purifying 87e42079ef the deep-seated impurities that had been f89bd85b80 festering inside him for years.11bea8d6d5d01262713d

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Complete liberation 4bb90c6300 from the baf3fbd028 nightmarish pain.ab308f007a0deaa5277a

Gu Seungjae almost tightened 0155fe2dd9 his grip on Seol ce67b00d16 Maehwa’s wrist without realizing 02ac4de42b it. He didn’t a495f02a42 want to ea1709addd let go. More than that, 2742997daa he wanted to 8036263627 possess this entirely.e7ffd890f5218542e7fc

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Just as he was about to be swallowed by that desire, a 31548c2175 bone-chilling sensation crawled up his spine, snapping him back to reality.4bb7a5e2848fcd7ce3fb

Forcing himself to look 7325b1aaeb away from Seol Maehwa, 4f02ac84ef he spoke,54f74b4d929bc71e3c57

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Thank you, but 10ed20230a right now, Esper 29b5ec7c3c Yeo Eundo comes 664e79050e first.”60344297ba02d54a101a

If he hadn’t sensed the killing intent radiating from behind 0301e8b23d the door, he wouldn’t have been able to let go.f40ab9fc33ba462fb65f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Gu Seungjae released Seol Maehwa’s wrist and 38cf7db8c9 stepped back, watching as he entered the aa62f7318c room where Yeo Eundo was.35b6b9304180fc053029

The moment he 8675069f62 let go, the 2c68e3bb1f refreshing energy vanished 89b5d6e7b2 without a trace.c58fb2294e8806c17d27

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

He stared at his d093e638ab trembling palm, still tingling 78664497ab from the lingering sensation.373b56664fd4fb1e34b1

There was no doubt about it—Seol Maehwa was c822f79883 the second S-class Guide after Seon Jiyeol.39d7c47406e8ed6b03ca

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

The government must have been keeping him 63d7de793d classified after the Seon Jiyeol abduction incident.7576b60d55e8c733d3d0

But for Gu Seungjae, the secrecy surrounding 85a7de44fb Seol Maehwa’s rank wasn’t the issue. What mattered was whether he could 374da9c555 receive guiding from him again.32c7e0c5e916dd024747

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

It was 4fa9e61aac unmistakably different.d9f99a971b819309a582

Perhaps because he was Yeo Eundo’s a3656b049d dedicated Guide, the quality of Seol db5db153ff Maehwa’s guiding was on an entirely f1855c1896 different level compared to Seon Jiyeol.c764cc0bbc5cac1751db

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

He had thought that hierarchy based on strength was something that only 9493fc226f existed among Espers, but apparently, it applied to Guides as well.0fa6bfde568db7cf671e

‘Same rank…?’c5cac696f20823855151

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

The more he thought 8d4dd33897 about it, the more 37fe797107 something felt off.2a069fe502a52b0ba5ad

The difference in ability between 1c56dff381 Seol Maehwa and Seon Jiyeol 8acb78431d wasn’t just a small gap—it 715bbd054f was a completely different league.49047299e8f228f23ba1

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

But ranks f0e6c3d296 above S-class ced6093779 weren’t supposed 5178a345f8 to exist. It was just a theoretical concept, 5d96db007b and even then, only for Espers.b953bf9f88d3f9416e45

And yet, the guiding Seol aa143fe32f Maehwa had given him—a090ca456ebeffa6d01a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

It was something fcba7af9bc he had never a9c8d25faf experienced before.6b10233e3c55023b0e9b

“If I received it just one 3f74ec4896 more time, I could be sure…”326f545aff19f0552415

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

No matter how much guiding he had cdf5787319 gotten in the past, he had never e73a475b76 been freed from pain completely.bc912a49d55aea749d7b

But Seol Maehwa’s f1f3bfe551 guiding had made 4d64ceb7a7 it possible.de61ac863bc9562eeb88

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

If he could receive it once more, a09e41b3af he was certain he would understand exactly 7208c02865 what level Seol Maehwa was on.be10c7997461b887e29e

The way Seol Maehwa 4be45d22cd had guided him without dcdca55724 hesitation was also strange.663ba27bf25d104fef18

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

No matter the reason, offering 21af61e66b such high-level guiding without any 7eb1c2f8ac precautions was reckless.de24587cfeaa6c883db7

Any other Esper would have 29d576586a lost their mind on the a8dea90355 spot and tried to imprint 3a945bc441 on him. The stronger the Guide, the 3446fd4f8a more cautious they were with b08ad974c6 guiding, yet Seol Maehwa had 3eafe5a871 done it without hesitation.ca154906e1a790648f21

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

At this point, 7ea25a4055 it was just ac60c42109 carelessness.d482eaae8ce17e6119d6

‘He’s way 68574f6bbf too complacent. It’s concerning.’34cd3e7bbe9f1819cc57

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

If he were Yeo Eundo, c311749916 he would never put his 6f03aba04f Guide in such danger. But Yeo Eundo—13ec710a14e42defc91f

He had left Seol Maehwa 1602ca9537 behind without hesitation and entered f53dc418eb the Gate alone.91badb48914569eb0c86

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘If it were me, 8cc3fa4e94 I’d never let go.’e2a792b4014ed5de1908

The sensation of Seol 888e8f9c06 Maehwa’s wrist lingered in 0f9dca12e6 his memory.f360a4d8a09ade23b087

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Soft, warm—his body 6900f1aee5 temperature was naturally 92f983adf1 high, and his 526c88aa91 skin felt plush.ea85380170058d63b172

He also seemed 4288006333 to have a 23c25c2b52 pleasant scent. Though Seol Maehwa’s glasses and hair had partially obscured db9e44df12 his face, his skin had been strikingly pale.97e4440aebb766331ecc

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

That pale skin contrasted sharply with 36eb1b73d8 his deep red, plump lips—c7c014a651d8fd727b99

Gu Seungjae flinched.5e1a50ebe11353cda99b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘This is insane.’23b576b64e45f1d58c56

He ran 815c5167ba a hand 0de9d3ee8b roughly through 7c2440c833 his hair. Even so, the simmering desire to claim what a3335efef1 he had just felt wouldn’t settle down.3427b8bcef064d17f85f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

All the effort he had put into keeping his d4e7b287a7 emotions in check when it came to guiding—1564a91377a5089410af

It had shattered 528bce4de5 in an instant.cf9c08ea58eab9b5ccf6

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

That brief 6425a228e4 taste of 9292dfe32c absolute relief—62d8f69a51703dda5a19

What if 37d6416d4f he could 5789ce35c9 keep receiving 65b2de6245 it?a117bfedc177f4da0003

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Gu Seungjae swallowed 529e340481 dryly, unable to 3b72dfd864 stop the thought 7e492c0307 from creeping in.5480ad1ad56fdd14875a

‘Why didn’t 65575ecb20 he imprint?’bac01d5dba35155b1ff0

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

For Yeo Eundo to have received guiding from Seol Maehwa 8ff01394c0 meant that he hadn’t attempted to imprint on him.65b2f8c65d580eec9dad

Why not?186de1a8153d55dbfed4

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

After all that obsession, why 95a5515930 hadn’t he done it? Because he wasn’t desperate 30da6fb200 for guiding, like the beb3b168c9 rumors suggested?2c168f926d95a7280a2e

‘What a joke.’de5e1cdc457dfbda464a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Even from the outside, Yeo Eundo’s obsession 45e7966e7f was enough to make people recoil.ca8ee7443e503a5fdcd0

The reason he had remained indifferent 44284923cb when Seon Jiyeol was kidnapped was 8b7fd990e4 likely because of Seol Maehwa.9b663dd057f366e59d81

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Imprinting was illegal, but d5d4484b87 laws wouldn’t have stopped 4b95d692bd someone like Yeo Eundo. And yet, 1df5b59a56 he hadn’t bc9440571e done it.0e38d24804f50a2cb960

“Maybe they’re not 129b3991c3 as compatible as af98caf9fc it seems.”a3826e49dc8ea6909e26

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Gu Seungjae’s 7d6b576b2f lips curled 75742028ad into a da4b9ebe58 slow smirk. The guiding he 975804978d had received—3a76255662e7ae5c1bf5

Not only had it lacked 1cabdac514 any rejection, but it had 714b70d36a been highly addictive. If Yeo Eundo d405f2a4f6 wasn’t going to 2510b6c1fc imprint—911e3ce5e65bdfc86bfe

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Then that 26fb69296f meant Gu fe7cae8f26 Seungjae had 40b8dd970e a chance.37b8040eddf044185da0

A deep craving, 9fc252c04c long suppressed, began 7e6d442f14 to rise within b34bb8b365 him.13ead1118537e59ff243

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator