The Guide is Actually a Body-Switching Esper [BL]
Chapter 343: Resting on the Lap

Chapter 343: Resting on the Lap

Damien pulled out a coat from his spatial bag, and spread it on soft, grassy ground, before carefully placing Lane on top of it. The rest of the team members were just tossed randomly on the ground, lying directly on top of the cold, slightly damp grass - aside from Clara, who was resting on top of a long coat, most likely Ethan’s. The man had probably laid her down like that after bringing her to the dungeon, to score a few points with Damien - but nothing could be done about it. It’s not like Damien had enough coats for everyone... So, only Lane received special treatment.

And it wasn’t just the coat. After laying Lane down, Damien sat next to him, placing Lane’s head on his lap.

Lane was extremely satisfied.

It felt like it hadn’t been that long ago when Lane had to beg Damien for it, and then pretend to sulk, before Damien finally agreed to let Lane use his lap for a pillow while they were resting in a dungeon. And now? Damien offered his lap to Lane himself, without any need to ask!

Their surroundings were peaceful, almost desolate. They were in the middle of vast grasslands, with nothing but empty fields stretching far and wide, with only the Gate hanging in the air two or three feet above the ground, sticking out like a sore thumb. The sky was grey, drawn with clouds, and a cool wind wandered around, rustling the grass, and tugging on the clothes.

Everyone but the three S-rankers was still in a daze. Although they had escaped the influence of the Lapis Lake’s monsters’ abilities, the hypnosis they had fallen under had yet to subside. They lay on the ground motionlessly, staring blankly straight ahead.

But they were safe. There were no monsters around, so Damien and Ethan (and Lane) just had to wait until everyone recovered.

Ethan plopped down on the ground next to Damien.

"So, Team Leader. Did you manage to get in touch with Section Leader White?" he asked.

"Yes," Damien’s answer was short and simple.

Of course he had. Otherwise, he’d still be outside the Gate, trying to ask for backups. There was nothing he could do while in the dungeon. It was another world, after all, there was no phone service here!

Ethan wasn’t discouraged by the curt answer, and continued asking, "Then what did Section Leader say? What are we supposed to do now?"

Damien turned his eyes to look at him. He initially intended to explain everything once everyone woke up... But he didn’t mind having to tell the same thing twice or thrice. He had a lot of patience, he wouldn’t get annoyed even if he had to repeat himself.

So, he answered, "We have to wait here for the reinforcements from the Guilds to arrive. Then, depending on the Guilds’ response, we will either have to wait until the monsters in the lake are all hunted down again, or we will be escorted out of the Restricted Zone by a few S-rankers. As for now, while we wait, we will inspect this dungeon once everyone recovers."

"Hmm." Ethan only hummed in response. There was a hint of dissatisfaction on his face - he didn’t fancy being stuck in a dungeon for who knows how long, especially not an empty a boring dungeon like this one - but it lingered only for a short moment, before it was washed away. Either way, he had nothing to fear, except perhaps running out of food supplies - they were only supposed to go on inspections, and return in a few hours, so most likely no one had prepared enough food for a prolonged stay - but hopefully the Association and the Guilds wouldn’t make them wait that long...

He pulled out a long, wide strand of grass, and playing with it in his hands, wrapping it around his fingers, he turned his attention to Lane.

Lane was lying on his back, on top of Damien’s coat, his head resting on top of Damien’s thick, muscular thigh. The wind gently lifted his soft pink hair, while his eyes, grey like the sky above, stared blankly upward. He seemed to be in a daze...

But was he really?

The corner of Ethan’s lips twitched, lifting up a bit. Struck by a sudden idea, the Guide scooted closer to Damien...

"Team Leader, since we have nothing else to do, should I give you some guiding?" he offered, reaching out to touch Damien’s hand.

However, Damien was faster, immediately taking his hand away, before Ethan managed to even brush against his skin. "There’s no need," he said, his voice calm and composed, but extremely serious, almost unnaturally so. "I haven’t used my ability recently, so my wavelengths are stable."

Ethan chuckled, undeterred. "But Team Leader, guiding doesn’t always have to be for practical reasons." He scooted even closer, his voice dropping to a sensual whisper. "It can also be for pure pleasure..."

Lane’s eyes twitched. Almost imperceptibly, but Ethan still caught on that. After all, while he was trying to subtly seduce Damien... His eyes had never left Lane’s face, his whole attention focused on the ’hypnotized’ man.

Of course, it was such a minute action, it didn’t mean anything. Lane’s eyes might have twitched because of the wind. Or perhaps his consciousness was slowly returning. It didn’t necessarily have to be a reaction to Ethan’s words...

But Ethan’s eyes still flashed with a spark. He barely registered Damien’s words when the man said, "You’re my assigned Guide. Although you have to provide me with guiding, I would appreciate it if you refrained from such suggestions in the future. I want to maintain out relationship strictly professional."

"Ah, is that so?" Ethan muttered, slightly annoyed. "But Team Leader... I truly admire you, and I hope that we could become closer one day..."

"This..." Damien was about to say something else, but then he noticed what Ethan was doing.

Although Ethan had just been trying to get a hold of Damien’s hand, now he seemed to have given up on it... And was trying to touch Lane instead.

By poking his cheek.