Seducing the Guideverse With My System — Raising an Anomaly [BL]

Chapter 120: _An Anomaly In The Strands Of Fate

Crystallis Cafe, Aurelia City

The cafe was an outdoor space on a marble-floored terrace isolated from walkways and the road—a perfect spot for various kinds of meetings. From the friendly kind. To the formal kind. And even... the kind that meant trouble was afoot.

Guide Han Jae-won sat with one leg crossed over the other, flashing a small smile at the waitress dropping his cappuccino. The moment she walked away, the smile disappeared, a cold light flickering in his eyes.

He glanced back, searching for someone. "I thought she said she was nearby."

He stayed staring around for several seconds before latching his gaze back onto the round table. He was about to pull out his phone—which was when he saw her.

Seated casually in front of him, her flowing black hair was carried into the wind. She picked his cappuccino without asking, taking a sip.

A satisfied smile settled on her mouth. "At least the Americans are somewhat good with their coffee."

Jae-won sighed. "Noona. Thank you for showing up."

She set aside the cup, folding her arms across her chest. "Of course. I haven’t seen my little brother in a while. This Norfolk Raid was a perfect excuse."

That brought the ghost of a smile to Han’s face. For only a heartbeat—before he cleared his throat, steepling his fingers on the table.

"I know you probably have important meetings to attend back home," he started. "But this issue is... important. Something I think you should look into—"

"Han Jae-won." Hunter Ji-Hoon arched her brow. "Don’t tell me you dragged me to have coffee with you under this gloomy afternoon weather to clean up one of your messes."

Han’s expression shifted. "That... that isn’t why I called you here." He paused, leaning closer. "It’s about a particular Guide whose luck seems to be... overstretched."

If Ji-Hoon was disinterested before, her dark eyes now flashed with curiosity. "A... Guide?"

Her brother nodded. "Yes. His name is—"

"Ambrose Hale," she dropped flatly, grabbing her coffee again. "Alleged C-Rank who has survived too many disasters to be a mere coincidence."

Surprise flashed on Han’s face. His sister saw this, drawing a chuckle from her.

"I witnessed him come out of the Echo Rift. Alongside Hunter Gabriel and the other... American Espers." She licked her bottom lip. "He was badly injured. When I found out his status and rank I was even more puzzled."

Han’s eyes lit up.

Looks like he won’t have to try too hard to sell his main point.

"Did you really look into him?" He whispered. "His threads, I mean. Notice anything off about his fate?"

"You’ll need to be more direct than that, dear brother."

"This man," Jae-won’s voice tightened, "has been acting strange for several days now. I ignored it at first but really—surviving an S-Rank dungeon. Surviving being at the Norfolk dungeon break. Surviving THE Echo Rift. And now—"

"Well, well..." Ji-Hoon drawled, an ear-to-ear grin stretching her mouth. "There it is. Passion." When he frowned with confusion, she went on. "I’m guessing this Guide is either a love rival. OR... an old flame. Which should explain why you sound so riled up."

Han’s heart jumped into his throat. His sister merely stared at him for a few more seconds, eyes calm and knowing.

"I–I didn’t—"

"You sourly underestimate me, brother," Ji-Hoon packed a teaspoon of sugar, adding it to her coffee. "I see threads connecting you to everything and anyone you’ve had any significant contact with. I know why you do certain things before you even do them."

Chills swept through him as she took an unnervingly long sip from her coffee. Once she was done, she smacked her lips with satisfaction.

"To answer your original question—yes. I did look into his fate," she tapped an index finger on the table. "And my oh my."

"What? What is it?"

"The Guide is an anomaly in the strands of fate. He creates new probabilities. Every path that should kill him... doesn’t."

Han’s jaw flexed.

He knew it. He knew there was something unnatural and wrong about that Guide.

"Sister," he spoke almost pleadingly. "There must be a way to... pull at the right strands. Ones that would make him vulnerable."

Han Ji-Hoon narrowed her eyes. "Are you talking about killing him?"

"I mean—"

"Foolish," she shook her head. "Leave him alive. An unpredictable fate like his would be helpful for me to study." She raised a finger when she saw the disappointment on his face. "Instead—do something to destabilise his life. Something that I can easily give a little... push."

Gradually, a small, cruel smile tugged at Han’s lips. "I already have something in motion..."

Somewhere far from the café, something had already gone wrong.

★★★★★

Phoenix Flight HQ

"O–Orion?" Ambrose took one hesitant step forward while Devon lingered behind him.

Because before them stood their son. His back faced them and he was eerily still. Quiet.

But Ambrose’s focus was locked more on what lay below the boy’s feet.

[Intruder’s status confirmed: A-Rank Esper.]

A man in simple attire was knocked out cold on the marble floor, his eyes shut and face angled to the ceiling. The only way Ambrose knew he was alive was the slow movement of his chest.

His gaze dragged from his son to the half-dead man repeatedly. He took down a heavy lump of saliva, forcing a smile. "Orion? Buddy are... are you okay?"

It was at this point that Devon inched to his side, brows knitted when he saw the scene ahead.

Orion twitched, like he was finally noticing their presence. He looked over his shoulder, those big golden eyes finding them with something Ambrose recognised instantly.

Fear.

"I–I..." his little voice came out in a croak. "I don’t know what happened, Daddy. He was... he snuck into the house. He... he was going to grab me. And then... I—"

Ambrose couldn’t bear hearing him crumble.

He rushed to him, knees sliding on the ground as he knelt. He wrapped his arms around the boy, pulling him away from the man.

"Shhh." He brushed a hand through his hair. "It’s not your fault. It’s... It’s okay. I’m here. Daddy’s here now."

As Ambrose got up with Orion in his hands, he subconsciously cut Devon a look. The Esper had already closed the door behind them.

His gaze was a questioning one. Directed more at him than at Orion.

And just like that, it hit Ambrose that hiding Orion’s origins was going to be increasingly difficult moving forward. Especially from Devon.

He was about to waltz to the nearest sofa when a hand shot to his leg. Ambrose gasped, chills crawling down his spine as his eyes trailed down.

The man had caught his ankle, his eyes open wide like he’d seen the devil and lived. "H–Help... me..."