RAVEN Ch 3

The argument, which showed no signs of ending, grew increasingly sharp. Neither Megan nor Renoir would yield an inch, each stubbornly holding their ground as always.

“Stop with the useless nagging.”

“I’m only saying it because I’m worried about you. You know as well as I do that without a dedicated guide, an Esper can’t fully utilize their abilities. That’s why everyone tries so hard to secure a dedicated guide. So why are you acting like this? Do you really not understand that this could cause problems when it comes to promotion?”

“I told you I’m not interested in promotion, didn’t I?”

“You really are something else… Fine. Even if we assume you don’t care about promotion, that’s not the point. If you keep going like this, you could go berserk! What are you going to do about that?”

She was not wrong. For an Esper who always lived with the risk of going berserk, a guide was a lifeline. An Esper needed a guide who matched their grade and compatibility perfectly in order to both fully exercise their abilities and stay alive.

Even so, many Espers struggled to find a guide who met these finicky requirements. Countless others survived with only minimal guidance from the center’s guides, barely enough to keep them alive.

Renoir was one of them. An Esper constantly at risk of going berserk due to insufficient guidance.

“That’s why I’m managing just fine.”

Renoir nonchalantly made a statement that would make the head of District 13 clutch their neck in disbelief. He meant that he had no choice but to conserve his abilities since there was no guide who could provide perfect guidance. In other words, he was openly slacking off. This was the kind of honesty only someone like Megan could tolerate.

“Should I hit you until you come to your senses? You’ve been talking nonsense lately because you haven’t been disciplined enough.”

“I’m joking.”

“Stop joking and actually read this.”

Unable to endure Megan’s scolding, Renoir grabbed the report and skimmed through it. The first page contained his own mugshot and familiar personal information in fine detail.

The following pages contained the information of the S-class guide who had been tested for compatibility with him. He quickly scanned it and, irritated, tossed the papers onto the table. The obnoxious number 98.7% printed boldly on the report lingered in his mind.

“Alright, fine. 98.7% compatibility with an S-class guide comparable to a national treasure. Great. But I don’t want that guy. Bring me anyone else. I’ll accept them as a dedicated guide a hundred times over, just not him.”

Renoir spoke decisively as if refusing to compromise any further. If he had no choice but to accept a dedicated guide, he would rather choose someone else. He could tolerate many things, but he could not tolerate a rotten person who sexually harassed him at will.

“No.”

Megan shook her head firmly once again.

“To be your dedicated guide as an A-class Esper, a guide must be at least C-class with a compatibility rate of 60% or higher. In the past ten years, there hasn’t been a single one. Not a single guide exceeded 50% compatibility! Not one!”

Megan shouted. Such a notoriously low compatibility rate was why Renoir had managed without a dedicated guide for the past ten years.

“You know better than anyone else how terrible your compatibility rate is, yet you’re still going to be stubborn like this?”

Of course, he knew. That was why he had been indifferent when told he would undergo a compatibility test with that guy. He had never scored above 50% before, so he assumed the result would be the same this time.

Yet the result was unprecedented: 98.7%. It was infuriating. He could not believe the blow to his mind could land so spectacularly.

Moreover, that guy was even more extreme. He had never exceeded 10% compatibility with any other Esper. His compatibility rate was as bizarre as his first impression. How Renoir had scored 98.7% with him was beyond comprehension. Unless there was a conspiracy, it simply could not happen.

“If you can find a guide who meets your conditions, I’ll immediately make them your dedicated guide instead. But there isn’t one.”

“Does it make sense to assign a dedicated guide who is eight years younger than me? To pair up with a fresh-faced kid? Everyone must have lost their conscience.”

With nothing left to argue, he even brought up age. Megan gave him a look as if she had just heard some nonsense.

“Ha, anyone would think you’re perfectly sane and living a moral life. For someone rumored to be a legendary Casanova, hearing that from you is something else.”

“Megan, I’m serious.”

“He’s twenty-one. Even if he’s eight years younger than you, he’s an adult. There’s no problem even if you… engage in guiding sex.”

Renoir frowned at Megan’s blunt statement. The thought of having guiding sex with a bigger, obnoxious guy made him shudder.

“I’ve never done guiding sex. I don’t meet people or get involved with anyone more than five years younger or older. I certainly have no desire to be with a man bigger than me.”

“Good, good. Glad your conscience is still intact. But this isn’t about your romantic games. This is a guide to prevent you from going berserk. Whether they’re ten years younger, twenty, male or female, it doesn’t matter.”

Megan shouted sharply.

“And if you hate guiding sex, don’t do it. Who said you have to? I guarantee it will work with just holding hands. You’d probably be guided just by looking into each other’s eyes. Didn’t I say 99%? That’s how compatible you are.”

He suddenly recalled the moment that guy had brushed his hand with his fingertips. A shiver ran along his skin. At first, he hadn’t realized it, but in hindsight, it was guiding.

That crazy guy had performed guiding right there, as if sexually harassing him. Damn it. The thought made him grit his teeth.

Yet he could not bring himself to tell Megan about it. If she knew that much energy had already surged just from that touch, she might insist he sign a marriage contract instead of a guide contract.

But in truth, it felt like a short rain on a parched land after a long drought. Whether it was because he was an S-class guide or the 98.7% compatibility, the result was irritatingly good.

“I guarantee we won’t match. High compatibility means nothing if the personality is terrible.”

Eventually, he had no choice but to bring up something he didn’t want to discuss. The guiding the guy had shown with just a fingertip was undeniably tempting. Any Esper struggling with insufficient guidance would feel the same.

Still, it was unpleasant. The instinctive rejection was real. Even just a touch had been enough to cause an intense, dizzying sensation. He did not want to imagine what would happen if their membranes actually connected. It was too extreme, and he instinctively wanted to avoid it.

“How would you know?”

“I met him. He was unbelievably rude. I almost hit him once. No matter how good his abilities, taking that obnoxious guy around is impossible.”

Huh, Megan widened her eyes in surprise. She didn’t expect that. But soon, words flowed from her mouth like a river, lubricated with some invisible charm.

“The first impression might not be good. Finding someone compatible isn’t easy. You adjust little by little.”

“You think news reports about guides and Espers fighting over incompatibility just happen for fun?”

“If it ever gets that bad, I’ll remove him first.”

Megan seemed desperate to convince him. Renoir nervously ran his hands through his sleek golden hair. A deep sigh escaped. He seriously craved a cigarette, for the first time in years since he quit.

“…I’ll think about it.”

Finally, he gave in, stepping back as if he had no choice.

“There’s no time to think. He is your dedicated guide.”

But that alone was not enough. Seeing Megan’s unyielding stance, Renoir let out a strained groan.

“Don’t tell me it’s already decided.”

“Ninety-nine percent compatibility. Would I just leave it alone?”

“An Esper’s rights are nowhere to be found, huh.”

“We’re assigning a guide for your own safety, and the best guide at that.”

“The best, my ass. He’ll probably be the worst.”

No matter how much he complained, the answer was already decided. The unprecedented 98.7% compatibility meant the higher-ups would ignore anything he said. Megan’s firm attitude confirmed it.

“If he scores high compatibility with a higher-grade Esper, it could change. He is a rare S-class guide.”

“Are you kidding me? You expect me to stick with him until an S-class Esper comes along who matches well? He’s never exceeded 10% with anyone else!”

Renoir openly showed his displeasure, but Megan did not blink as she organized the papers.

“It’s an order from above. Don’t take it out on me too much.”

Renoir let out a long sigh and stood abruptly. If it was already decided, arguing would only drain his energy. It was better to go to a pub and have a drink.

“Rest well. Before officially appointing him as your dedicated guide, I’ll have you meet him. Just so you know.”

“No need. I don’t even want to see his face.”

“Megan, shut up.”

Renoir gave the middle finger to his longtime friend Megan with a cold expression. She smiled lightly and waved. His mood was ruined, and all he could think of was having a drink.

Just before opening the door, a thought struck him and he looked back. Megan was about to pick up the pack of cigarettes she had tossed onto the table, ignoring the no-smoking rule.

“By the way, why does he have such a name? Is that even real?”

“Probably.”

“Are his parents sane?”

Renoir asked in disapproval. Megan’s fingers paused midair as she was about to grab the pack. Her eyes, calm and indifferent, looked at him strangely.

“Well, he didn’t have parents who could give him a decent name.”

Megan’s low voice drifted into the room, detached.