After I Died, He Died After Me Too - Chapter 4

Chapter 2.2

“But Edith, you need guiding, too. It might be dangerous if you keep going, so you should receive proper guiding this time.”

Mikhail was Edith’s guide.

Despite the fact that he wanted to be her exclusive guide, she didn’t want that. Since both of them were high-ranked, they were valuable in the Asteria Empire. There were many people who wanted to imprint on each other, they refused to imprint with anyone else and formed a pair with each other.

Although the high matching rate of 89% provided enough guiding without imprinting, Edith’s body was always unstable.

“Please accept the guiding.”

Mikhail held Edith’s hand.

She smiled faintly and took a step back, releasing his grip as she did so. As a result, the hand he was barely holding onto slipped away. As the warmth he felt in a short time disappeared, Mikhail felt anxious. He desperately reached out, feeling as if he shouldn’t let go of her hand, but Edith was already too far away.

“Edith!”

“Mikhail, I’m fine now. That’s enough, so go help someone else!”

At her words, he clenched and unclenched his fist.

When would he be able to be in her eyes? She was always chasing something different each time. They were together, but it felt empty.

“…All right.”

He nodded at her words, but his eyes were solely fixed on her, unable to see anyone else but her. It didn’t matter what happened.

‘Why am I so desperate every time?’

Others only took advantage of her. Not only did they want her to be at the forefront of danger, but they didn’t care about her physical condition. Their own safety was the only thing that mattered.

“Mikhail! Hey! We need guiding urgently, didn’t you hear?! It’s an emergency situation! You haven’t forgotten what happens if you disobey orders, have you?”

Despite the words bordering on threats, Mikhail’s expression remained unchanged.

“What’s the point of obeying the orders anyway if you can’t even stop the creatures? You’re just cowering in the back like cowards… All of you only run your mouths.”

He muttered, wearing a self-deprecating smile.

He believed he could survive because he trusted Edith, who was bravely facing many creatures alone. In the first place, Mikhail wasn’t kind to anyone but Edith. It was as if he had become someone else as if he were wearing a different mask.

“Why don’t you step forward for once? Instead of just thinking about living with guiding.”

Mikhail approached the person who called him and tapped him on the shoulder.

In that brief contact, guiding was given. It was hardly a guiding, though even this was a concession for him. As expected, it felt different from when he guided her. It was unpleasant and disgusting.

“It’s still not enough, hey!”

“Stop whining like a baby. The people who are dying over there are still holding on just fine, but you’re standing on your feet perfectly fine, yet complain about dying.”

The chill in his voice sent shivers down their spine. The Esper called out to Mikhail, whose face was devoid of any hint of expression, and hardened. The murderous look in his eyes made him take a step back unknowingly.

“If you’ve received guiding, then do your job.”

Mikhail grabbed the man’s clothes and sent him forward. Caught off guard, the man who was suddenly thrust to the forefront stumbled backward, looking flustered.

‘That’s normal.’

As a human, everyone should naturally feel fear —fear of death and the will to live. However, Edith didn’t seem to have anything like that. She appeared numb as if she was continuing her boring life. Wasn’t she recklessly putting herself in danger with her current precarious state even now, even without receiving sufficient guiding?

“M-Mikhail, me too! Please! Guide me…!”

They urgently called out to him from all directions. Although they obviously had their assigned Guides, it seemed as though it wasn’t enough as they kept calling for him.

‘Where is Edith?’

Mikhail’s attention was solely on Edith. He quickly scanned his surroundings, trying to find her.

Except for Edith, he also had a high matching rate with others. Despite the fact that it was extremely rare, it wasn’t easy for them to receive guiding from him. He would only give guiding to one person under any circumstances.

Edith Cordelia.

Mikhail wanted to exist only for her. She was unaware of this fact, but perhaps that was a good thing.

“Mikhail! Didn’t you hear me telling you to come here right now?”

For Espers, Guides were merely a means of giving strength.

Eventually, the leader who was watching raised his voice toward him.

Mikhail’s face twisted even further, and then he leisurely moved his feet. If it were Edith, she would somehow stop the creatures again this time too. She was the kind of person who would do it, even if it meant breaking her own body. So, if he didn’t move according to orders, the damage would fall entirely on his partner, Edith.

Just as he made his way toward the leader, he heard a sound that stopped him in his tracks.

“Edith! Stop!”

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