The Guide is Actually a Body-Switching Esper [BL]
Chapter 71: Mystery Solved

Chapter 71: Mystery Solved

A new guiding request from Damien had arrived. A bit later than usual - Damien must have been busy, or maybe unsure how to face Lane after what happened between them last time - but it eventually popped up in Lane’s schedule again.

However, Lane ignored it.

He was planning to see the man again soon, of course. But, after his conversation with Anthony in the gym, there was something he wanted to confirm first.

So, he scrolled down, looking at the other requests. There were quite a few open requests from Espers from General Staff, not directed at any specific Guides. After a brief consideration, Lane settled for two B-rankers. This should be enough to excuse a ’C-ranker’ such as ’Aidan’ from picking up any more requests for the day.

He repeated the same thing the next day, until finally, he managed to catch Team Leader Bella Clark in her office.

"Come in," a sweet, mellow voice answered from the inside as he knocked on the door.

Lane stepped in, putting on a polite, slightly bashful smile. "Team Leader Clark, my name is Aidan Jenkins, a C-rank Guide from the General Staff. May I take a bit of your time?"

"Yes, what is it? Please, take a seat," Bella pointed at the chair in front of the desk, putting aside the documents she had been organizing.

Her office, although a bit smaller, was much cozier than Damien’s. Not unbearably plain and simple, but with cute cat pictures hanging on the walls, potted plants with wines hanging from the shelves, a cozy couch by the wall, filled with decorative pillows... It was a place that instantly made you feel relaxed.

Lane took a seat on one of the plush chairs opposite Bella, before getting straight to the point.

"Well, the thing is, I have been working for the Association for two months now, and while the office job is quite comfortable, I’ve been hoping to become a field agent... So, I’ve been wondering whether Team Leader Clark might be in need of an extra Guide for your team?"

"Hmm, I could probably use one more..." Bella pondered for a moment. "You said you’re a C-rank, right? Do you have any weapon skills?"

"I have passed Basic Combat Training with bow and saber."

"Oh?" Bella’s brows slightly rose, as she leaned forward, her interest piqued. It was rare to find a newbie Guide with both close and long-range weapon skills, at least in the Association. "Then... Just to be sure, you do know what a field agent’s work consists of, right?"

"Yes, of course. Going on dungeon inspections, clearing unclaimed dungeons... Oh, and of course, assisting with dungeon breaks," Lane listed.

Bella nodded her head with a smile. "Yes. Then, if you’re certain that’s what you would like to do, please submit the field agent application online. Once your application is available in the system, I will accept you into my team."

"Well, that’s the thing... I have already applied a long time ago, but I haven’t received an answer... The management told me that once any of the Field Team Leaders needs a Guide, my application will be processed, which is why I decided to try and ask Team Leader Clark in person..." Lane scratched his neck, averting his eyes, his lips bent in an embarrassed smile.

"...Oh? One moment, please let me check..." Bella turned to her computer, typing and clicking a bit, reading the text on the screen with slightly squinted eyes. "Ah. You said your name was Aidan Jenkins, right?"

"Yes... Did you find my application, Ma’am?" Lane leaded forward, giving the woman an expectant stare.

But Bella’s earlier smile was no more, replaced by a troubled expression. "It is indeed still available," she muttered, seemingly more to herself rather than Lane. "However, didn’t you get your assignment yet?"

"Um... No? I haven’t been told anything... Does it state in the system that I’ve been assigned to a team?" Lane asked, his eyes staring at Bella so intently that they could have burned holes through her. For some reason, he was restless, barely able to sit still, and almost holding his breath in anticipation.

Bella seemed a bit unsure, as she shook her head. "Not exactly... However, aren’t you Team Leader Lennox’s Guide?"

"...What?" Lane clenched his fists unconsciously, but he maintained a relatively calm expression, only raising his brows in feigned surprise. "Me? Team Leader Lennox’s Guide? While it is true that we had a... few guiding sessions together, I am just a C-ranker. How could my guiding possibly be enough to support an S-rank Esper?"

"That’s true, but doesn’t that mean that you are going to join his team?"

"No. I have naturally tried asking Team Leader Lennox before, but he rejected me," Lane shook his head with a disappointed sigh. His eyes, however, kept twitching, his real emotions growing harder and harder to control. "Did he perhaps say something? If so, then that must be a misunderstanding..."

"It’s not that he said anything, but..." Bella hesitated for a moment, glancing at the screen again. "I’m sorry, but you might need to discuss it with Team Leader Lennox first. At the moment, your application in the system is inactive. I cannot do anything about it even if I wanted to."

Lane pressed his lips together, holding back a scoff.

So that’s how it was. He suspected that his application pending for so long had something to do with Damien ever since his conversation with Anthony... But he still wanted to give the man the benefit of the doubt.

Well, it seems there was no need for that anymore.

"...I understand," he forced himself to respond, twisting his mouth in a polite smile. "Well then, thank you for your time, Team Leader Clark. I should be going now."

"Of course. Good luck. And, if it gets all sorted out, and you still wish to join my team, then I will be more than willing to take you in," Bella returned the smile, giving Lane an encouraging nod.

"Thank you," Lane bowed down, and left the room, maintaining his calm expression...

As soon as he was out of the door though, his face instantly grew dark. He pulled out his phone, opening his schedule.

The guiding request from Damien was still there, waiting. Lane tapped on it, opening up the selection of available time slots, and picked the earliest one, less than twenty minutes ahead.

Then, he headed straight to the Guiding Center’s 5th floor. Now that he knew what was the issue, he was so riled up that he no longer wanted to waste his time on waiting.

Could it be solved? Perhaps not.

But Lane wanted to at least confront the man.