Does Spring Come Even for a Dying Esper

“How should I bring this up…”

Lucas pondered when to relay this news to Iberis. Although Iberis would naturally find out when an official document about the assigned regions for selected cooperative guilds arrived at the unit, it seemed better to inform him in advance. This way, Iberis could prepare himself mentally, even if just a little.

‘Why former Major General Logan? What did that person do…’

‘It’s quiet for now, but his recent activities have been somewhat suspicious. I understand you have a bad history with him, Major.’

‘…I do.’

Lucas recalled Iberis’s reaction when the topic of his bad blood with Livio came up.

The clear anger in those gray eyes, the lips pressed together as if suppressing murderous intent boiling inside, fists clenched so tight that veins were visible…

Although three years had passed since that incident, Iberis’s wounds hadn’t healed at all. No, it was natural since it had only been three years. Even Lucas himself had been burning with revenge for over a decade after losing his parents.

That’s why the news that Livio might come to the Northern Defense Zone was unwelcome. Especially since there was a high possibility that his target was Iberis.

But if even Major General Winfried found it difficult to prevent, how could Lucas, a mere captain, do anything about it? So now, he needed to devise a strategy assuming Livio and Iberis would meet again.

Tap, tap.

Lost in thought, Lucas’s fingers habitually tapped the desk. Though his heart was heavy because of Livio, there was still one piece of good news. He turned his attention to the matching rate test results from this morning.

71%

Five days since he started living with Iberis, the first digit had finally changed today. Lucas smiled unconsciously at this very satisfactory progress. The elation he felt when checking the matching rate test results after completing the morning’s guiding routine was still vivid.

‘It’s over 70%…?’

Remembering how Iberis had mumbled with wide eyes upon seeing the results, the corners of Lucas’s mouth turned up even more. Now that they had confirmed it was effective, their cohabitation was set to continue for a while.

Honestly, Lucas had many concerns when he proposed living together to Iberis to increase their matching rate. He suggested cohabitation thinking it was better than proceeding with level 2 guiding, but he too was someone accustomed to being alone.

Moreover, Lucas had grown tired of countless Espers’ advances during his years in the military, so he had unconsciously started drawing lines. He maintained a businesslike attitude, especially with workplace acquaintances. Even if he became somewhat friendly with someone, he kept it at an appropriate level of acquaintance without developing deep friendships. After all, Captain Luke Illum of the Defense Force was a facade that would disappear without regret once the goal was achieved.

However, since meeting Iberis, Lucas’s principles had begun to waver. He couldn’t understand why he kept wanting to interfere in Iberis’s life. Perhaps that’s why Lucas had recently been asking himself introspective questions like “Why?” more often.

They hadn’t known each other long enough to develop deep feelings. Although he had known of Iberis’s existence for a few years due to his fame, they had only been living together for a month and a week. They had only been on field missions together five or six times, not enough to develop strong comradeship.

Yet, Iberis evoked emotions in Lucas that he hadn’t felt even for people he had known much longer. Feeling the need to take care of him, wanting to feed him just a little more… He wondered if this was how pet owners felt.

Maybe that’s why he often found himself nagging or interfering with Iberis without realizing it. It had gotten to the point where Iberis had complained, looking fed up:

‘Captain, sometimes you seem to see me as a helpless child. You don’t need to look after me so much.’

‘I’ve never had a personal doctor or dedicated guide before, so… Is this normal? Do they all act like this with their patients or Espers?’

Lucas’s expression grew complex as he recalled what Iberis had said to him a few days ago. While he was aware that his behavior might be somewhat excessive, he felt it was entirely Iberis’s fault that he acted this way.

Perhaps because he had grown up in the narrow world of the Defense Force with little interaction with others, like a frog in a well, Iberis had an innocence and naivety that didn’t match his age. While he was colder than anyone when devising strategies or engaging in combat, he often showed vulnerabilities in daily life.

In particular, he was very poor at hiding his emotions. Whether surprised, happy, or sad… whenever he was emotionally moved, it showed plainly on his face.

And that wasn’t all. Having lived a life of extremely limited contact with others due to his nature as a freezing Esper, he would startle easily at the slightest touch. He still got nervous every time they did guiding, not to mention.

“I wonder if he’ll get better as he becomes more accustomed…”

Lucas muttered to himself, thinking about Iberis who had been stiff in his arms until just before falling asleep yesterday. It was vexing how Iberis would subtly pull his waist back while awake, despite curling up into Lucas’s warmth once asleep. Of course, every time this happened, Lucas would pointedly pull Iberis back.

Pfft.

Lucas let out a small chuckle, recalling Iberis’s helpless look when trapped in his embrace. He never thought he’d find a man his own age cute, but something about Iberis’s reactions was amusing, occasionally making him feel mischievous when they were together.

Even the “taste” of level 2 guiding he had given, playing with his hands, was an act of momentary impulse he couldn’t resist. Although there was a reason to persuade Iberis, his actions at that time had clearly crossed a line.

‘W-wait, hah.’

‘Ah, s-stop…’

The face that didn’t know how to react to the stimulation it had never experienced before, the shoulders that had shrunk inward. Remembering how the cool skin had warmed under his touch, and how the snow-white skin had taken on a light red hue, a strange thirst arose in him. Lucas shook his head lightly as if to shake off the thoughts occupying his mind. Then he turned his attention back to the matching rate test results.

“4% more to go…”

It wasn’t far now. Golden eyes gleamed as he pondered the remaining percentage to reach 75%, the minimum matching rate required to become a pair guide. Lucas intended to apply for pairing with Iberis as soon as they hit 75%.

The problem was that there was a high probability it wouldn’t be approved. After all, S-class guides were considered more valuable assets than S-class Espers from the Defense Force’s perspective.

Just as an S-class Esper could substitute for a hundred Espers, an S-class guide could substitute for a hundred guides. Therefore, the Defense Force tried to avoid pairing top-tier ability users with each other if possible.

For this reason, S-class guides were usually excluded from one-on-one matching tests between Espers and guides, barring special circumstances. That’s why Lucas hadn’t had the opportunity to guide Iberis in the past few years.

Even if they had somehow conducted the test, there was a high chance they wouldn’t have met if not for the current situation. Normally, a rate barely exceeding 60% wouldn’t even qualify for a temporary guide. The fact that he became Iberis’s guide was already an extremely exceptional case.

Even now, the leadership would likely think it better for Lucas, who could guide to some extent even without matching compatibility and rate, to guide multiple Espers rather than be tied to Iberis alone. After all, there were many Espers besides Iberis who were struggling to find a compatible guide.

This time, they had exceptionally sent Lucas because they were alarmed by Iberis’s critical condition, which had left him in a coma for days. But there was no telling when they might change their minds. They would likely try to recall Lucas to headquarters as soon as they deemed Iberis’s health recovered.

Of course, Lucas had absolutely no intention of leaving Iberis until he was completely healed. While it had started as a mission disguised as a request from Winfried, that was no longer the case. At some point, he had become obsessed with Iberis’s recovery.

If only they had met a little earlier.

A dark shadow fell over the golden eyes, bright as the morning sun. Whenever he was reminded that Iberis was terminally ill, Lucas was overwhelmed by the thought that it would have been better if they had met before Iberis’s body had deteriorated to this point. If so, Iberis might never have received a terminal diagnosis in the first place.

Was his desire to change Iberis’s fate due to his sense of duty as a doctor, his stubbornness as a guide? Or both?

Lucas circled the 71% matching rate, falling into self-analysis about how he had become genuinely invested in saving Iberis’s life.

There might be some sympathy for his tragic circumstances. Knowing that Iberis was connected to his parents, and that they might share the same enemy, kept weighing on his mind. And also…

As his thoughts continued to branch out, his head began to throb. Feeling a headache coming on, Lucas pressed his temples firmly. Lately, this always happened when he thought about Iberis. It felt like facing an unsolvable riddle. Truly, he was a very difficult person to understand.