The Guide is Actually a Body-Switching Esper [BL]-Chapter 66: I Want To Be Like Them

The BBQ bar they met in was loud and stuffy, filled to the brim with crowds of people. It was a Friday night, after all, and the place was on the cheaper side. Plenty of groups of local students and office workers came to drink their stress away. Even though it was still early, so much drinking was happening already, that the stench of alcohol almost overpowered the mouthwatering aroma of freshly grilled meat.

Lane squeezed his way among the tables, reaching a slightly more comfortable beer garden at the back. Although it wasn’t much quieter, at least it had some fresh air, making the space more bearable.

His fellow course-mates were already there, with the exception of one girl who had already said she wouldn’t come. Lane found himself an empty spot, and grabbed one of the unopened beer bottles standing on the table, joining in.

The atmosphere was a bit awkward at first. It didn’t take long though, just a few drinks down, and it quickly became more and more relaxed. Especially three of the Guides, Cade from the Association, and the freelancers Justin and Chloe, turned out to be very chatty after downing two or three beers...

Lane didn’t participate in the conversation much, as he was pretending to be a more introverted and quiet person this time, to differentiate himself from ’Evan’ and ’Noah’ even further, just in case Damien asked someone to spy on him. There was nothing particularly interesting being said anyway. It was just Cade going on about how the job at the Association was busier than he was told, and he felt a bit scammed, having to tend to Espers every day...

"Speaking of which." Cade put his beer down, practically lying down on the table, as he turned his eyes to Samantha. "Are you new? I don’t think I have seen you around the office before."

"Ah... No." Samantha lowered her head. She was clearly drunk, with her cheeks deeply flushed and her eyes glossy, but the alcohol didn’t make her any less timid, it seemed. "I joined almost three months ago, after I turned eighteen... As a part-timer, since I’m going to uni now... But, I’ve been on extended leave for over a month..."

"Huh? You can do that?"

"Um, I’m not sure... It’s just because of the dungeon break..."

"Hmm?"

"I’ve been there. Lapis Lake, I mean..."

"Oh. Did you get injured or something?"

"Not really... Just... a small concussion. But... The rest of my group..." Samantha clenched her fists, lowering her head even further, her shoulders shaking.

"Hey... You don’t have to talk about it if it’s hard, you know?" Josie from the Association lightly tapped Samantha’s shoulder, trying to reassure the girl. "Cade just asked, I’m sure he didn’t mean..."

But her words didn’t seem to reach Samantha, who was deep in her own world, her red eyes wide as she stared at her knees. It was as if in her mind, she was back there, on the shore of Lapis Lake.

"Everyone else... Almost everyone... died..." she continued, perhaps talking more to herself than anyone else. "I... I only survived because of him... The idea... I knocked myself out... And then... Even he..." she stopped, unable to say anymore, choking on her sobs.

Their whole table fell into silence. They were so quiet, soundless practically, that the chatter all around them sounded unbearably jarring. No one even seemed to breathe. Some exchanged quick, uncomfortable glances, but nobody wanted to be the first to speak, not knowing what they could even say.

Until the bottle that Cade had been playing with slipped from his grasp, toppling and spilling the beer all over the table, soaking Cade’s sleeves completely.

"Oh shit," he swore, quickly getting up from the table, glancing between the spreading puddle of beer and the waterfall of tears that was Samantha. "I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to..."

Samantha just shook her head, unable to utter a word.

It took a good while before she was finally able to calm down. "It’s fine. I should be able to deal with it, if I am to remain in this line of work..."

"Yeah, about that," Alexa, one of the freelancers, joined in, although a bit hesitantly. "I’ve actually been meaning to ask. Why are you at the Association? No offense, but you’re clearly not made for field work. Wouldn’t it be better for you to work as a freelancer?"

"Well, this... I’ve already signed the contract, and the fees..."

"Oh, right. I guess there’s that..."

"Mn..."

"How long is the contract?"

"Two years..."

"And you’ve only worked... Three months?"

"Well, just over a month, because the extended break... It affects the contract..."

"Oh, damn..."

"You can always ask the Union for help, you know?" Lane couldn’t help but cut in. "They can pay it off for you. Of course, you will have to return the money, but they’re pretty flexible with the terms. You shouldn’t have much trouble paying it off, if you work part-time as a freelance Guide or something."

"...I know. But... I would feel bad wasting money like that, when my older siblings work hard to pay for my college tuition. Besides, they also work for the Association... And I would like to be more like them one day," Samantha admitted.

Lane’s eyes twitched. ’Siblings, huh?’

’But Moore... Moore, Moore... Ah.’

There was another part-time Guide surnamed Moore, an A-ranker, Elisa Moore, or maybe Eloise, something like that. And also a promising A-rank Esper, Clara Moore, with a thread ability. She was also a part-timer, or at least used to be during her time at uni, but she worked in the field during summer break. Lane was on the same team with her, clearing a few low-ranking dungeons two or so years prior.

Well, he didn’t know much about Eloise, but if Samantha was Clara’s sister, then no wonder she didn’t want to give up so easily. She had a lot to measure up to.

However...

"Screw that," Lane finished his beer in one big gulp, putting the bottle down on the table with a loud thud. "Don’t think that way, it’s pointless."

"Hey!" Josie protested. "Isn’t that too harsh..."

"Tsk, whatever you think." Lane shrugged his shoulders.

It wasn’t harsh, not really. Lane wasn’t criticizing Samantha, but rather the mindset she had. The mindset a lot of people shared. freewёbnoνel.com

Following up in your parents’ footsteps, measuring up to your siblings or other relatives. It wasn’t anything unusual. But, things like that were just plain stupid. If you had to force yourself to follow a path that was unsuited for you just to try to earn their love and respect, then was that really worth it? Wasn’t it better to just live your own way?

But Lane didn’t care enough to try to explain it to others. Samantha was just a stranger. If she wanted to waste her time chasing after her sisters, that was up to her.

He had enough of his own problems to worry about.

Besides, would she have even listened to the advice of some random man she had just met?

Probably not.

Actually, Lane was almost certain she wouldn’t.

So, why would he bother?