The Guide is Actually a Body-Switching Esper [BL]
Chapter 110: Ulterior Motives

Chapter 110: Ulterior Motives

Huh.

That was... not quite what Lane expected.

Although, to be fair, he didn’t know himself what he did expect.

Sexual favors? That was something Lane would ask for, but Damien was too much of a prude to suggest it. A date, then? That seemed more likely, although, once again, that was something Damien had never done before. But a family dinner...

Yeah, Lane would have never guessed.

Not to mention, joining in on a family event... Or even a casual, but PLANNED, meeting with the family, was something... relationship-like. Not what you’d typically do with just your passing fling. And, therefore, something Lane never did.

However, looking at Damien... It was hard to say no to his face.

"Do you really think it’s a good idea?" Lane tried instead. "Clara didn’t seem to be too fond of me."

"...I’m sorry about her. It’s nothing personal, really, it’s just that..." Damien paused for a moment, searching for the right words, "She seems to be under the impression that you... ahem, seduced me. With ulterior motives. That you approached me because you’re after some benefits for yourself."

"Pfft!" It was so funny, especially hearing it from Damien’s mouth, that Lane couldn’t hold back a chuckle. "But I am!" he exclaimed happily, wiping the tears from the corners of his eyes, his chest still shaking with laughter.

Damien’s steps faltered, his heart plummeting. "You... are?"

"Yup!" Lane pressed his lips together, suppressing his amusement, and approached the man, stopping only inches away from Damien. Then, he lowered his voice, whispering, "I’m truly very much after those sweet bedroom benefits..." He lifted his hand, his fingers lightly brushing over Damien’s crotch, sliding up his taut, trembling abdomen...

They never managed to climb any higher though, because they were promptly captured in Damien’s large, calloused palm. The man threw Lane a reproachful look...

But his ears were burning red, revealing his true feelings.

"I don’t get why you’re so surprised," Lane tilted his head, blinking innocently. "I’ve been honest about it from the start."

Damien inhaled and exhaled slowly, until his flush slowly started receding. Once he had his emotions under control, he opened up his mouth, about to say something...

But then, he noticed some movement on the side. Hiding among the shed skins and corpses, there were a few snakes that were still very much alive, waiting for a prey, ready to attack. So, he had no choice but to let go of Lane’s hand, and pull out his sword, charging forward.

"So." Once they dealt with the hiding snakes, and moved on, searching the streets, Lane started chatting up again - just because walking in silence was boring, he had no other reason at all! "How many siblings do you have?"

He knew three of Damien’s sisters, but based on the photo in his office, there were more of them... Although Lane never really took a good look.

Damien didn’t immediately answer, just glancing at Lane, a bit surprised. Pleasantly though. It was rare for the man to ask about his personal affairs... Even if it was done so casually, just to kill time. "Nine. Eight sisters and one brother. But only Clara, Elly, and Sammy are in the Capital."

"Wow. That’s... a lot." Lane arched his brows. Damien’s parents sure were busy... It would be great if their son learned to be equally active in bed. "All younger?"

"Mn. The youngest, Louis, is only 11 this year... How about you? Did you... have any siblings?"

"Hm." Lane paused for a moment. He himself had just a younger twin sister. But Jonathan Flores, whom he was impersonating... "Two brothers, one younger, one older."

"So you’re the middle child?"

"Yup! You know, the unwanted, neglected one!" Lane let out a dry chuckle. Well, it wasn’t that far from the truth. As far as he knew, the real Jonathan was somewhat neglected... And Lane himself was kind of ’unwanted’, despite being the first born.

Damien fell silent at Lane’s words. "I’m... sorry about that," he said quietly, his tone full of warmth and compassion.

So much so, that it made Lane shiver from how fuzzy it made him feel. "Ah, no need for that, it’s just, whatever! Who cares about that? I, for one, don’t even want any attention from them!"

Unless the attention in question was them looking up at him in shock, while crawling on the floor, after he ruined them and their whole Guild completely! Aside from that, he truly no longer cared.

"So, the rest of your siblings are not Awakened?" Not wanting to dwell on his own unfortunate family relations, he quickly switched the focus back to Damien.

"Most of them are, actually, aside from the three youngest. They are still in school though, so they live in city N with our mother, while Alice and Julia study in city D..." Then, lowering his voice, Damien reluctantly added, "I can introduce you to them... if we ever have an opportunity..."

"Hm." Lane just let out a non-committing hum in response. This really all sounded... Very much relationship-like. And, although his fling with Damien was accidentally turning into a somewhat long-term thing... It’s not like they would end up together, or anything along those lines. One day, once his plans progressed, Lane’s identity-switching would end...

And with it, so would his connection to Damien. That was just the natural order of things.

There was no need to think about the future, or anything, good or bad, that came with it though. Right now, he was on a good track to bed this sexy man, and that was all that mattered. Why should he sour their time together by pointing out that it would all have to end eventually?

No, Lane couldn’t... Or rather, didn’t want to, risk ruining what he currently had. So, instead he just said, "Maybe. We’ll see. If we’re ever around or something."

It seemed to be the correct answer, because Damien exhaled quietly with relief.

And soon, following the snakes’ trail, they entered a small shopping mall. There, in an enclosed space, they needed to remain more vigilant, therefore ending their awkward conversation.

This chapter is updated by freew(e)bnovel.(c)om