Does Spring Come Even for a Dying Esper

“Not at all. I apologize for causing a disturbance. If you wish to discipline me for overreacting to Major Roman’s proposal, I’ll accept it willingly.”

Lucas bowed deeply, as if ashamed, when Muriel apologized to him. As she was the highest-ranking officer present, it was time for him to yield as well.

“Even with just cause, it’s clearly my fault for disturbing you, Lieutenant Colonel. I’ll take responsibility for my subordinate’s mistake. I’m truly sorry.”

Iberis also apologized politely to Muriel. However, he didn’t stop at a simple apology but made a bold move.

“I’m worried that if our unit participates in the operation in this state, it will be uncomfortable for both Major Roman and you, Lieutenant Colonel. I’m concerned we’ll cause more trouble than help, so I’m thinking of returning to the N Zone.”

“Oh no! Return? That’s absurd!”

Muriel was alarmed by Iberis’s declaration to boycott the operation. It had been ten days since the Kraken appeared, and she had received a reprimand from the military leadership just this morning. She was staking everything on this operation.

If a monster wave were to break out and they lost the safe waters, she would inevitably face disciplinary action for failing to defend. This would result in demerits in her promotion evaluation. For Muriel, who was aiming for promotion to colonel, this was the outcome she wanted to avoid most.

That’s why she had desperately requested Iberis’s support. Although asking for help from another zone’s unit was very damaging to her pride, Muriel was someone who knew how to prioritize. Now was not the time to maintain pride and save face, but to subjugate the Kraken as quickly as possible.

“Major Roman was at fault, not you and Captain Illum. You’re the victims here. There’s no need for me to discipline you.”

“Even so…”

“Come now, do you not realize how important your role is in this operation? Please, let’s put this behind us.”

“It’s not that I’m sulking because my feelings were hurt. I’m ashamed of myself for causing a disturbance when I came to help you, Lieutenant Colonel.”

“Disturbance? This doesn’t even qualify as a commotion! The one who should be ashamed is Major Roman, not you! So forget about going back, okay? Understood?”

Muriel, frantically trying to dissuade Iberis, glared fiercely at Alec, the root cause of this situation.

“Major Roman! What are you doing? Apologize immediately!”

“…Pardon?”

“Apologize to Major Hyun and Captain Illum for being sorry! Quickly!”

Alec, who had been standing awkwardly, frowned mercilessly when Muriel urged him to apologize. However, he couldn’t refuse here. If he did, he would be immediately excluded from the operation and referred to the disciplinary committee.

“I’m… sorry.”

Finally, Alec bowed his head to Iberis in a barely audible voice. He felt foolish for picking a fight and ending up in this situation without gaining anything. His face turned red with shame.

“Is that how a truly sorry person acts? Can’t you apologize properly?”

Muriel shouted at Alec, whose apology was clearly forced. She needed to resolve this definitively before the operation began.

“I’m really sorry… Major Hyun, I made a mistake. Please forgive me just this once.”

“That’s enough. Apologize to Luke instead.”

Iberis shot Alec a cold look and placed his hand on Lucas’s shoulder. This was to show others, including Muriel, that he valued Lucas highly. This would prevent people like Alec from causing trouble in the future.

“I’m sorry… Captain Illum. I was rude earlier. But I didn’t intentionally try to attack you. Please don’t hold a grudge.”

“It’s alright, Major. I also reacted sensitively. I’m sorry for causing trouble for everyone with my actions.”

Unlike Alec’s sour expression, Lucas bowed with an embarrassed face. The stark contrast between the two elicited sighs and exclamations from the onlookers.

“Sigh, Major Roman. You and I need to have a talk.”

Muriel, pressing her temple, requested a private conversation with Alec, indicating she wouldn’t let this slide. Alec’s face turned pale with anxiety at the clearly negative tone.

“Lieutenant Colonel!”

“Quiet! I asked you to guide them, and you pick a fight instead! If you don’t want to be referred to the disciplinary committee, follow me quietly! And stop bothering Major Hyun and Captain Illum!”

Muriel scolded Alec loudly and silenced him. She didn’t have time to argue with him further here. After quickly quieting him, she called for her aide.

“Renee! Come here!”

“Yes, Lieutenant Colonel.”

“Guide the N-0 unit to the operation site in place of Major Roman.”

“Understood.”

After ordering her aide to guide Iberis, Muriel took a short deep breath. Then, with a smile on her face, she turned to Iberis.

“This is my aide, Captain Renee White. She will be your new guide, so please move with her.”

“Thank you. And once again, I apologize for causing a disturbance.”

“Think nothing of it. It’s our side’s fault. I shouldn’t have assigned Major Roman in the first place… Let’s wrap this up here and meet at the operation site.”

“Yes.”

“Alright, then… Ugh.”

Muriel instinctively patted Iberis’s arm but quickly withdrew her hand, startled by the residual mana still present. Her body reacted reflexively as if she had grasped bare ice with her bare hand.

“Are you alright?”

“Hm? Oh, of course I’m fine! Ahem. Major Roman! Follow me!”

Momentarily embarrassed, Muriel cleared her throat and disappeared, dragging Alec along.

“This way, Major. We’ve prepared a vehicle.”

As the two vanished from sight, Renee led Iberis towards the parking lot.

* * *

“That sound… it’s the Sirens, isn’t it?”

Lucas, stepping out of the car, showed interest in the beautiful singing echoing in his ears. In the distance, he could see a mana barrier rising high enough to touch the sky, preventing the monsters gathered at the coast from crossing the boundary line. Several defense force warships were deployed around it for protection.

“Do we travel by ship to get there?”

Lucas observed the mana waves emanating from the barrier while listening to occasional explosion sounds. As he did so, he escorted Iberis out of the car. The military vehicles in the S Zone seemed to have much higher clearance than those in the N Zone, perhaps due to frequent travel on beaches and coastal areas.

“That’s right. Do you get seasick?”

Iberis briefly looked at the hand extended to him before gently grasping it. He wasn’t sure how to react when Lucas occasionally showed such behavior. He should have been used to it by now, but having never experienced comfortable physical contact with anyone except his mother, it was still awkward to adapt.

Moreover, everyone except Lucas still found it difficult to touch Iberis. Even Muriel had reacted that way earlier. Lucas, who touched Iberis without hesitation and treated him normally, was the unusual one.

Considering that even his late mother sometimes struggled with her son’s abnormally low body temperature, Lucas was the first and only person who didn’t find Iberis’s mana challenging at all.

That’s why he sometimes felt strange and his chest tingled. Iberis often thought that with Lucas, he might be able to live normally like others.

And that’s why it was dangerous. He feared he might start dreaming of such a life, that he might dare to desire it.

“I don’t. What about you, Major?”

“Hm…? Oh, I don’t either.”

Snapping out of his thoughts, Iberis gently let go of Lucas’s hand. The warm temperature transmitted through their joined hands felt good, and he was afraid he might not want to let go if he held on any longer.

“Why did you let go?”

“Huh? Because we’ve gotten out of the car?”

“You can hold on a bit longer. You used your ability earlier when you were excited, so let’s continue holding hands for guidance.”

“No…”

Lucas firmly grasped Iberis’s hand again, not giving him a chance to refuse. He had been concerned about not being able to provide guidance during the car ride with all the unit members.

“Won’t people look at us strangely if we’re like this…?”

“What’s wrong with an esper and a guide holding hands… How often do guides stabilize or amplify an esper’s mana through simple skinship before going into battle?”

“Really…?”

“Yes. You don’t know because you haven’t experienced it.”

“Is that so? Hmm.”

Iberis tilted his head with a puzzled expression. Hearing Lucas’s words, he recalled seeing espers often holding hands or hugging guides when carrying out missions.

“So don’t worry about others’ gazes. If anyone looks at us strangely, they’re the abnormal ones.”

“…Alright.”

After hesitating briefly, Iberis relaxed his shoulders and entrusted his hand to Lucas. He had no choice but to believe Lucas’s words, given his significantly less experience with guiding compared to others. Although it still felt awkward and embarrassing to be like this with Lucas, knowing that others did the same made him feel a bit more at ease.

Iberis slowly closed and opened his eyes, feeling the warmth seeping through his hand held by Lucas. Whether it was his imagination or not, his body seemed to be getting warmer.