Vicious Darling

[3]

Chris exhaled, and white steam rose.

His gaze turned to the debris of the exploded airport. Part of the building that had been under reconstruction had collapsed.

Although he had already seen it once in a video, seeing it in person with his own eyes was unsettling.

‘It looks like we’ll have to receive support supplies from Northern Light at the dock instead of the airport for a while.’

Considering the time and fuel needed to move supplies, and the materials required to clear the debris and rebuild the structure, the losses were substantial.

“Chris! It’s been a while.”

He saw a woman wrapped in a thick winter coat with a scarf wound tightly around her neck. Not just a scarf, but she was also haphazardly wrapped in blankets and a hat.

Chris was a bit surprised, remembering her always being stylishly dressed in suits.

“Anong.”

“I heard a guide was coming from Baekyah, but I didn’t know it would be you, Chris.”

She, with plant-based abilities, was shivering and chattering her teeth.

“Damn. It’s. Too. Cold. Here!”

She looked at the airport, speaking as if grinding her teeth.

“With it collapsed like this, reconstruction will take a long time.”

“What should we do about the support supplies that Northern Light was sending?”

“For now, we’ll have to use the dock.”

The November Continent is part of the winter region among the twelve continents, and due to its harsh environment, self-sufficiency is difficult.

Moreover, with few habitable areas, the majority of the November Continent’s population is concentrated in Orum City.

However, they were in a situation where it was difficult to expect outside help.

This was largely due to Rosenhauser’s influence.

He had portrayed the November Continent as a dangerous area full of runaway Espers and Guide traffickers.

Not only that, Rosenhauser conducted all sorts of forbidden experiments in the isolated November Continent. It was due to his desire to create perfect Espers who didn’t need to rely on guiding.

As a result, countless Espers and Guides without connections died here.

Yuri formed an organization called Baekyah by gathering Espers and Guides who had fled from Rosenhauser’s grip for survival.

Only after Rosenhauser’s downfall could the November Continent receive outside support. And they formed a friendly relationship with the normalized Esper Union, Northern Light.

Reactivating the airport for more active exchanges was a relatively recent development.

“To think Rosenhauser’s followers are still around.”

Anong muttered with darkened eyes.

The two Espers arrived right in front of the collapsed building.

“I heard you secured video footage. Can I see it?”

Chris manipulated a terminal device. Then, as if bringing a real person, a hologram appeared.

The now-debris-filled building was under reconstruction. People who looked like workers and those moving through the airport could be seen. On the road leading to the airport, several cars carrying people were coming and going repeatedly.

Except for some static, the hologram was so vivid it felt real.

The screen shook a bit, and a huge jeep appeared at the end of the road.

Given that more goods than people pass through the airport, its size was relatively inconspicuous.

This jeep became noticeable the moment it suddenly veered off the road and started charging towards the building’s outer wall.

People could be seen panicking, not knowing what was happening.

“What’s going on?”

“Stop!”

An Esper in Baekyah uniform moved to blow off the jeep’s roof.

But the driver inside was unharmed. No, more than unharmed, he was wearing a bomb vest.

‘An Esper!’

The gleaming look in his otherwise ordinary face sent chills down the spine of the viewer.

“May all you humans who parasitize Espers die!”

Giggling, he spat and violently stepped on the accelerator.

“Glory to Rosenhauser!”

As if he never intended to survive from the start, the car crashed into the building’s outer wall at full speed.

“The Thorns Order shall be eternal!”

Almost simultaneously with that cry, an explosion was heard as the car blew up.

In an instant, the building collapsed and the surroundings were engulfed in flames. People’s screams mixed with wails.

Zik, zizik chik.

With some noise, the hologram terminated.

Silence continued for a while. Anong was the first to speak.

“What about casualties?”

“The Baekyah Espers evacuated everyone, so there were no deaths, but many workers were injured.”

Muttering “That’s fortunate, at least that’s fortunate,” Anong repeatedly rubbed her face dry.

Anong asked in a parched voice.

“Do you know what this Thorns Order they mentioned is?”

Having heard what Baekyah had investigated about the Thorns Order, Chris spoke without hesitation.

“It’s an Esper supremacist group. It’s believed to be a secret military organization that Rosenhauser was nurturing.”

He added a brief explanation.

“They advocate for a caste system based on Esper rank and the industrialization of guiding.”

In short, it’s a group of people seeking a society that worships Espers like gods.

“It seems they’ve been operating quietly underground until now, but after Rosenhauser’s death, they’ve surfaced as the reins came loose.”

“Thorns Order, Thorns Order… Damn it!”

Anong gritted her teeth.

Knights, how presumptuous. Calling a private army a knightly order, did he think he was some kind of king?

She could not understand Esper supremacists at all.

“That old man Rosenhauser is still causing trouble even after his death.”

Anong’s eyes, usually calm and sophisticated in all matters, were bloodshot.

“With all the overtime I’ve done because of that man, to think there was still more to come. This must be a dream. It has to be.”

Flowers bloomed and withered repeatedly around Anong as she rambled.

Suddenly turning her head, Anong asked.

“How did your boss react?”

“…He was very surprised.”

Though he hesitated slightly, Chris’s answer was smooth.

“Right. It’s understandable to be shaken when you thought it was finally over, only to find such an organized remnant of Rosenhauser still exists.”

Chris silently nodded.

He vividly remembered Yuri’s reaction when Logan first showed him this video.

Far from being surprised, Chris’s Guide was smiling.

“So, it has come to this after all.”

***

After boarding the airship, Chris checked the internal personnel in advance.

“I think it’s safe for you to enter now.”

Having confirmed the situation on site, Anong granted permission for Chris and Yuri to visit other continents.

Because the names Baekyah and Yuri Sobolev were infamous in a negative way, they had to use aliases. Still, it was clearly beneficial to cooperate with Northern Light to root out Rosenhauser’s remnants.

“No need for such a fuss.”

At Yuri’s quiet rebuke, Chris lowered his eyes without a word. But for Chris, this was his way of showing restraint. Like all Espers who are sensitive to their Guide’s well-being, Chris was no exception.

“It’s been less than a week since the terrorist attack at Orum City’s airport. Please allow me at least this much checking.”

Yuri glanced at him and then closed his eyes as if to say ‘do as you please’.

No matter how great one’s telekinetic power is, it’s difficult to prevent an airship from crashing if it does. Also, while it’s possible to lift Yuri’s body and keep it floating in the air for a while, it’s challenging to cross the sea and reach another continent. Every power has its limits.

Nevertheless, Chris’s world revolved entirely around Yuri.

Chris sat next to Yuri, who was gazing out the window, stealing glances at him. When their eyes met, he flinched and looked straight ahead.

A video was being broadcast from a terminal device he had seen before.

In the past, when Chris had boarded an airship with lost memories, he remembered seeing a promotional video about Northern Light protecting humanity. But now, candy advertisements and ads for improved crops that grow well in frozen lands were playing.

Chris’s lips curved up almost imperceptibly.

“I didn’t know you liked candy.”

Startled by the gruff voice from beside him, Chris turned his head. He hadn’t expected Yuri to be watching him.

“It’s… different from what I saw last time. Originally, there were videos about stopover points and Northern Light promotions…”

Chris found himself rambling on before closing his mouth. Yuri doesn’t like people who talk too much.

“Why did you stop talking?”

“I thought the explanation was getting too long… I’m sorry.”

“I asked first, so I won’t reprimand you for that.”

“By the way,” Yuri muttered before saying,

“It seems your little excursion to Northern Light suited you quite well.”

Chris blinked.

He knew his expression would look a bit stupid, but he couldn’t help it.

Chris had a history of secretly infiltrating Northern Light to overthrow Rosenhauser, without Yuri knowing. The problem was that due to side effects from borrowing someone else’s ability, he forgot who he was and what his goal was.

So Chris returned to the Winter Continent as a clueless new agent of the Esper Union.

Yuri, finding his runaway dog, took Chris back in and no longer made an issue of it.

So Yuri’s reason for bringing up that incident now couldn’t be to reprimand Chris.

“It’s been a while since you’ve talked this much.”

His heart fluttered at what was probably a casual remark. Chris confessed with his eyes lowered.

“I reduced my words because I didn’t want to trouble you.”

“Unnecessary.”

Yuri clicked his tongue. Chris’s heart settled in a good way.

“It’s fine if you’re a bit noisy, so do as you please from now on.”

“…Yes.”

Though he responded well, despite being given permission to do as he pleased, Chris couldn’t think of a suitable topic and kept stealing glances at Yuri.

Throughout the airship’s journey to the Summer Continent, Yuri endured Chris’s noisy gaze without a single word of rebuke.

‘He’s become kinder.’

After the long flight, the airship finally arrived at the Summer Continent. Yuri passed through immigration under his alias without any issues. It was now Chris’s turn.

“Chris Northern Light. Is that correct?”

Chris nodded glumly at the immigration officer’s question.

“…Yes.”

Chris smiled awkwardly at Anong’s attempt at wit.

He didn’t expect to face the name he used at Northern Light like this.

Recalling the time when he left Yuri with lost memories, Chris shook off the unsettling thoughts. He’s by Yuri’s side now. Isn’t that enough?

“What’s the purpose of your visit to the Summer Continent?”

“…For job seeking.”

After Chris was finally released from the inspection desk with his clumsy excuse, Yuri, who had been waiting ahead, stared at him intently and muttered.

“Chris Northern Light.”