The Guide is Actually a Body-Switching Esper [BL]
Chapter 148: The Monster Arena

Chapter 148: The Monster Arena

The Monster Arena wasn’t anything special, at least looking from the outside. Just a regular, modern stadium. If anything, it was uglier than most, with its massive, thick walls and clunky structure - it was in a dungeon, not in the city, so the visuals were less important, and the architect focused entirely on safety instead.

As for the inside, there were a few differences. First, the seats - there were, without a doubt, much larger, the rows spread apart further, leaving plenty of space for the legs, and for people to pass through. The reason for that was the number of seats - unlike with the regular stadium, the number of spectators was intended to be lower - even if country K wanted to continue using the Arena while allowing civilians to buy tickets after the summit (and they most certainly did), it would be too risky to hold massive scale events with the monsters, due to the safety concerns. Even now, they have already exceeded the number recommended by the experts.

The second was the field. It was full of traps and obstacles for the upcoming preliminary game. The tournament participants would all have to navigate the field while fighting the released monsters, and score points. Then, those with the top 32 scores would qualify for the next round.

Lane wouldn’t be participating, on Damien’s request - it was a new form of the tournament, just introduced this year, so it was too dangerous, Damien said - he would only be participating in the lighter, non-tournament version of the game, taking place the next day. And while it was a bit of a shame... It wasn’t like Lane stood much chance to win, not with just Xavier’s ability, so he agreed.

And finally, the most interesting feature of the Arena - the monster cages! Located underground, with tight security. Lane had yet to see them in person, for now they were only shown on the screens at the entrance, but who knows? Maybe if Damien requested it, they could hope for a tour later on, after the tournament? And if not... Then Lane could maybe try to sneak in himself. Just out of curiosity.

Maybe. That remained to be decided. After all, Lane didn’t want to cause Damien problems... Not THAT sort of problems, at least.

Regardless of what he would or wouldn’t want to do though, that was in the future. For now, he just followed Damien obediently to their seats on the tribunes.

"Ah, right! Should we get some snacks?" he asked, noticing the stalls on the side.

"...We just had breakfast not even an hour ago?" Damien arched his brows.

"Well, yeah, but I would want something sweet now!"

Lane’s words only made Damien even more confused. Were pancakes swimming in the syrup not sweet enough?

He was more or less used to Lane’s sweet tooth - even though it still baffled him how anyone could consume so much sugar, and never have enough - so he just shook his head with a hint of a smile playing in the corner of his lips, and walked over to one of the stalls. "Which one do you want?"

"This, this, this, this, and that... Oh, and maybe that as well," Lane pointed out at various regional treats from country K. "Three of each, please!" Seeing a confused expression on the vendor’s face, he quickly repeated it all in the language of country K.

Earning himself a surprised look from Damien.

"My... parents... Made me learn foreign languages when I was a kid, and some of it stuck, I guess," he explained, as the vendor was busy packing their snacks. "The biological parents of my real body, I mean."

Jonathan, whom Lane was posing as, was also from a rich, high-profile family, so his upbringing must have been similar to Lane’s, so he could be honest this time without much worry.

"Ah." Damien paused, not knowing whether he should - or could - ask more.

He wasn’t able to ask anything in the end, because just then, the vendor finished packing the snacks, and said the price, effectively shifting the topic.

"How much?" Damien furrowed his brows, glancing at the numbers on the screen, as he took out his wallet.

But, before he could do anything, Lane reached out, quickly stopping Damien’s hand. "Nuh-uh, I’m the one paying!"

"But..." Damien wanted to protest, but Lane already swept his own card.

As the payment was already completed, he just sighed as he said, "I could have paid," and put his wallet back.

Lane just laughed though. "No need for that! I like to be the one paying!"

After all, his good looks (which Damien couldn’t even see now, since Lane was possessing a different body!), sex, and his bank account, were the three good things in having Lane as a partner! Lane couldn’t Damien possibly take over the task of swiping the card - unless the card he swept was Lane’s, of course - or else their relationship would end up unbalanced!

"I..." Damien wanted to say something more, but in the end, he just closed his mouth. He would feel uncomfortable if it was Lane always just spending money on both of them...

But he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t a little bit relieved just now. A few of his siblings were already adults, and Awakened as well, covering their college tuition and living costs with scholarships and working part-time at the Association, but four of them were still minors. His mother couldn’t support them well on her own, and without the money Damien regularly sent, they would have a hard time. So any additional expense would force Damien to be even more frugal than he already was.

Still...

"Why are you just standing here?" Lane tugged on Damien’s sleeve, pulling him out of his thoughts. "Come on, we have to go! Or else we’re going to miss the opening!"

"...Alright," Damien let out a sigh, brushing his hair back.

Perhaps, if that’s what his boyfriend wanted... Then maybe he could allow himself to impose on the man a bit. Just a tiny, little bit.