Refusing Your Ex-Husband’s Obsession: A Guide - Chapter 157

Chapter 157

Translator: Yonnee

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As Seo-yoon recalled the app that she had opened only once, she remembered ignoring it because it was just some crap about gathering other Guides.

Pressing the icon, the app activated, displaying her rank as ‘C+’.

“Oh? Ah, right! I completely forgot about this!”

Seo-yoon remembered that she could see her rank in the app and cheered.

“I don’t need to go back to Korea to have myself assessed with a machine.”

She had attracted attention when her rank increased during an assessment in Korea. Usually ranks don’t increase, so her situation was notable, but her rank was still low, so it didn’t draw significant attention.

“Yeah. Showing gradual improvement is less impressive than jumping to S-Class at once.”

After confirming her rank numerically, Seo-yoon smiled joyfully. Then, remembering the book-shaped icon, she muttered,

“I think this thing said something about gathering Guides…”

She wondered if she actually needed to gather Guides when she could just keep all the attention alone.

But then, she recalled the subsequent message and quickly tapped the book icon.

“It said something about increasing abilities too, right?”

Although she didn’t like the idea of finding other Guides, that concern seemed irrelevant if she could make herself go up to S-Class.

“Yeah. I’m not planning to stay here forever anyway.”

As the app launched, the screen briefly glowed blue before changing, displaying a message.

“…What?”

〈 Congratulations! You now have two peers! 〉

“Peers?”

Seo-yoon was puzzled. ‘Peers’ meant fellow Guides. She had briefly considered looking for them to enhance her abilities, but this situation was unexpected.

“Why is this happening?”

In her confusion, the following message nearly overwhelmed her.

〈 Your current rank is C+. Your peers’ ranks are S+ and B+. As you have not executed your first mission, even if you gather more peers, you cannot enhance your individual abilities. 〉

Seo-yoon was so shocked by the ranks that she dropped her phone.

“Impossible.”

An S+ rank was unheard of even in Korea.

Even just an S rank was impressive, but a notch higher than that?

Could it be… that other Guide completed a mission without her and achieved S+?

Frantically picking up her phone again, she reread the message, but it remained unchanged.

“…This is a lie. Why not me?”

As she sat in shock, someone knocked on the door.

“Saintess, are you there?”

Recognizing the crown prince’s voice, Seo-yoon quickly hid her phone in the dimensional pouch and then placed it in the inner pocket of her skirt.

“…Yes.”

“I’ll come in for a moment.”

Jace entered the lounge, relieved to find Seo-yoon. He had been worried since she didn’t return for a while and wondered if she had disappeared back to her homeland.

He quickly embraced Seo-yoon.

“Saintess…”

He hugged her familiarly, and she, not wanting to reveal her state, leaned against his chest, lost in thought.

There were other Guides in this world.

She had thought she was the only one, but there were two others—and with higher ranks…

* * *

Having tidied his attire, Aiden returned alone to the banquet hall. Expecting to find his brother and Irene already there, he looked around when they were nowhere to be seen.

But as he did so, several young ladies approached him, as if they had been lying in the wait just to speak to him.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Young Duke.”

“Hello, Young Duke.”

“It’s an honor to meet you.”

Despite their outward friendliness, their thoughts varied.

‘He’s not as strong-looking as the Duke, huh? Plus, he fainted earlier. I hope there’s nothing physically wrong with him…’

‘Why does he look so gloomy?’

‘Why did Mom make me do this? It’s so uncomfortable just looking at him.’

Ordinarily, Aiden would have been shocked and avoided such situations, but now he intentionally read their thoughts and was unaffected by them.

“Apologies, but I have to look for my brother. Then, excuse me.”

He left briskly, his mind turning to thoughts of Rose.

“I miss you, Rose…”

Unlike these artificial smiles, Rose’s genuine smile was something he longed to see. Although he never read her thoughts, he felt he knew her well enough not to need to. Rose had taught him to understand people’s hearts without reading their minds.