PG | Chapter 3: The Perfect Guide

Aloissia pretended not to notice Cassius’s gaze.

‘It must be my imagination.’

She had just met the ruler of Bedua. There was no reason for him to be interested in her.

“How long will you be staying at the Imperial Palace?”

“That… Oh, right. There’s something more important we need to discuss.”

The Empress, who had been answering Aloissia, clapped her hands.

“The conversation has become quite disorganized. I suppose it’s because of the circumstances.”

The Empress continued, smiling gently.

“Actually, our empire has proposed a marriage alliance with Bedua. Thankfully, Cassius has agreed to stay in the empire with his delegation for a while to consider the proposal.”

“A marriage alliance?”

Aloissia blinked in surprise at the unexpected words. At that moment, Leda’s grip on her arm tightened.

“What else? It’s a marriage proposal between me and Cassius.”

“Leda and… You’re marrying the Princess?”

Aloissia looked up at Cassius, her arm still linked with Leda’s. The sturdy ruler of Bedua had returned to his expressionless demeanor.

“Nothing has been decided yet.”

Cassius said, turning his head to Leda. Leda smiled shyly at his gaze. Despite her seductive smile, Cassius spoke stiffly.

“If Her Highness is a compatible Esper for me, I see no reason to refuse.”

“What do you mean by that?”

At Aloissia’s question, Cassius’s eyes sharpened. He extended a hand towards her.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

Cassius gently took Aloissia’s free hand. As his calloused fingertips touched her skin, a light emanated from her golden eyes.

“…!”

Aloissia gasped.

The contact with Cassius was fleeting, yet it felt like an eternity. His warm energy flowed through her veins, and her erratic heartbeat returned to normal.

As if enveloped by something comforting and warm.

At the same time, the fog that had clouded her mind began to dissipate.

‘Ah…’

Tears welled up in Aloissia’s golden eyes.

Cassius Arslan, the ruler of Bedua, was a Guide.

A perfect one, at that.

Since becoming an Esper, since using her powers to create the empire’s protective barrier, had she ever experienced such a moment of peace? Aloissia wished she could hold his hand forever.

“…Ssia! Rosha?”

Unfortunately, the blissful moment was short-lived. Leda, who was holding her arm, tugged at her, and Cassius stepped back.

“Wait…!”

Aloissia reached out, flustered.

She felt a pang of regret. She wanted to stay in contact with him, just a little longer.

“Rosha? What’s wrong?”

If the Empress hadn’t approached, she would have thrown away all decorum and clung to him.

“No, it’s nothing.”

Aloissia dropped her hand and looked away. She could still feel his intense gaze on her.

“The ruler of Bedua is a Guide.”

“I thought it would be faster to show you than to tell you. I apologize for the presumption.”

“Don’t mention it. Your abilities are truly worthy of Her Majesty’s interest.”

Aloissia’s fingers curled inward and smiled. It was the first time she had felt such ecstasy from a mere touch of her fingertips.

It was shocking.

Purification could be pleasurable?

Then what had she been doing with Felix all this time?

Compared to the ruler of Bedua, Felix wasn’t even worthy of being called a Guide. It was baffling how the Imperial family had considered him a skilled Guide.

“There’s no one more suitable for Leda than Cassius. A powerful Guide, and the ruler of Bedua.”

Princess Leda, the Empress’s daughter, was also an Esper. However, her abilities were barely noteworthy. But as the only legitimate heir to the throne, that wasn’t a significant flaw.

“If the two of you are united, it will be a joyous occasion for both the empire and Bedua. I trust you’ll help facilitate this marriage alliance, Rosha.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Aloissia replied obediently. She envied Leda. To receive purification from such a powerful Guide for the rest of her life.

But she didn’t feel jealous. Such a perfect Guide wasn’t someone a gloomy Esper like her should covet. Thus, she wholeheartedly blessed Leda.

“You two look wonderful together. Congratulations, Leda. Congratulations, Cassius.”

“Congratulations.”

Cassius replied indifferently to Aloissia’s congratulations.

“It’s a bit early for congratulations.”

Cassius shrugged his broad shoulders lightly.

“The marriage hasn’t been finalized. I’m not anyone’s Guide yet.”

Leda’s flushed face hardened at his words. The atmosphere in the audience chamber instantly became awkward. Sensing the shift, Aloissia stammered.

“I’m sorry. I just…”

“There’s no need for Your Highness to apologize. I simply wanted to clarify.”

Cassius replied curtly and turned towards the Empress.

“Please treat me as a diplomatic envoy, not a prospective bridegroom, during my stay in the empire. I hope our two nations can maintain amicable relations regardless of the outcome of the marriage proposal.”

“Of course! The empire will welcome the ruler of Bedua and his delegation as honored guests.”

The Empress replied with a benevolent smile. Cassius nodded briefly and smiled faintly.

“Then I look forward to our future interactions. Your Highness.”

Cassius spoke politely to Leda. Leaving the quickly appeased princess, he turned his gaze to Aloissia.

“I look forward to my stay in the empire.”

Cassius said meaningfully, gazing intently at Aloissia. A quiet flame flickered in his red eyes.

* * *

What happens when someone suffering from intense thirst is given a single sip of water?

Not much, just a single sip.

Not enough to quench their thirst completely, but just enough to tantalize, to momentarily relieve the dryness.

What if they were to drink just a single sip of water?

It will only intensify their thirst.

If only they hadn’t had that sip of water. If only they hadn’t tasted that cool, sweet water. If only they hadn’t known its refreshing taste.

Then they could have endured their thirst as part of their daily life.

However, having tasted the water, they will suffer even more terribly from thirst.

Just like Aloissia now.

“Ha…”

The veins bulged on the back of her white hand as she clutched her chest. Beads of cold sweat formed on Aloissia’s forehead.

‘My heart… feels like it’s burning.’

Aloissia gasped for breath as she made her way to the temple. Her steps were unsteady as she instinctively headed towards Felix’s coffin, towards the place where her Guide had been.

Half a day had passed since she received Guiding from the ruler of Bedua. Merely enough time for the sun to set. Yet, Aloissia was writhing with a craving for purification.

The constant chest pain, headache, and nausea she usually endured were exceptionally severe.

“Ugh…!”

Aloissia gasped and wept.

‘Someone, please…’

She wished someone would purify her.

Even if it wasn’t the ecstatic purification she had experienced earlier. Even a slight purification, just enough to momentarily relieve this agonizing pain that felt like her body was being torn apart.

Anything, anyone would do.

She needed a Guide.

“Ha… Ugh…!”

Staggering, Aloissia barely made it into the main hall of the temple. She had passed several palace staff and priests on her way.

But they avoided her, the half-crazed Crown Princess, as if she were a mere bug. The guards stationed at the temple were no different. They stiffened at the sight of her and quickly vacated their posts.

Aloissia wasn’t particularly angry at their behavior. It was always like this.

Everyone in the empire treated her as if she carried a contagious disease. On the surface, they praised her as the empire’s protector and such, but in reality, they kept their distance.

It was understandable. Aloissia constantly suffered from seizures and madness due to the lack of Guiding.

She even suffered from short-term memory loss, a side effect of her Esper abilities. That’s probably why rumors spread that she killed her own husband.

But that wasn’t true. Although she didn’t remember what happened when Felix died, Aloissia was certain of one thing.

Felix was her Guide.

No Esper would kill their own Guide. A Guide is an Esper’s only lifeline.

Even after his death, she yearned for even a sliver of his energy, enough to bring her to this place. A Guide was something she desperate need.

“Feli… Ugh!”

Aloissia stumbled as she approached Felix’s coffin on the temple’s podium. Walking in the darkness, lit only by a few candles, she missed her step.

Just as she lost her balance and was about to fall forward…

“Careful.”

A strong, firm arm appeared out of nowhere and caught her slender body.