Chapter 28: Learn To Guide

Darian almost choked on his own saliva as he hadn’t expected the question at all.

"Why? Does Miss Pei prefer slapping?" he asked, then burst out laughing as he glanced at Evan.

Lumi blinked innocently. "I... I mean... Young Master Evan might be uncomfortable with kissing..."

Darian’s laughter immediately grew louder. "Yes, he must be more comfortable being slapped than being kissed."

He glanced at Evan again, clearly enjoying himself.

"After all, he didn’t exactly complain when you slapped him."

Lumi’s eyes widened slightly. "Ah..."

She immediately stood up and bowed her head. "I apologise for both times, the slap and the kiss. I only did it out of instinct to survive."

Evan’s lazy eyes drifted toward her.

"You did well," he said calmly, "but no slapping next time."

Lumi was confused by how many times she had already been confused today. She tilted her head slightly.

"So, when Young Master said ’next time’... does that mean I would continue guiding Young Master?"

"Evan..." He leaned back against the couch. "I told you to call me Evan."

"Ah... right... Evan." She muttered his name under her breath.

He nodded once. "Yes. But you need to be Guided before you can Guide me."

Lumi blinked. "What?"

Darian, who had been laughing, finally stopped and stood up.

Evan remained completely calm. "You don’t know how to use your ability yet," he explained. "And I don’t think anyone else can teach you how to use it."

Lumi stared at him.

’So... I have to learn how to Guide before I can Guide him?’

She slowly nodded, although she wasn’t sure she understood what he meant at all.

"Have you ever heard of Aetheris Guide Academy?" Evan asked.

"Aetheris... Guide Academy?"

Lumi weakly nodded, forming a feeble smile. "My brother studied there before, and my twin is currently there..."

"How about you?" Evan’s cold expression remained unchanged. "Staying at home?"

Lumi instantly shook her head. "I am still in a small local college, but..." She hesitated.

"But?"

"I’m not studying anything related to Guiding." Her fingers nervously tightened around the fabric of her dress. "Since I don’t have Guiding energy, there wasn’t really a reason for me to attend Aetheris."

Evan’s eyes remained on her. "What are you studying?"

"Ah... plants and flowers." She gave a small, awkward smile.

"Things like cultivation, medicinal plants, and... some research on unusual plant species. I thought it might be something a person like me could still use to contribute to society."

Evan’s expression remained unchanged. "Plants?"

"Mm." Lumi nodded. "Guides and Sentinels are much more important to the Empire, so I thought I should at least learn something useful for ordinary people."

Darian, who had been quietly listening, suddenly looked up from the tablet. "Unusual plant species?"

Lumi nodded again. "There are quite a few plants that can be affected by Anomaly energy. Some are dangerous, but some have medicinal or stabilizing properties. I haven’t studied anything particularly rare yet, though."

Evan’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Interesting..."

Lumi blinked, then gave a small, awkward smile.

’He thinks it’s interesting?’

It was such a simple reaction, yet somehow, she didn’t know how to respond to it.

All this time, whenever she talked about plants or her studies, her family only told her that she was wasting their money on something stupid and useless. Compared to Celestine’s Guiding ability, anything Lumi did had always seemed insignificant in their eyes.

So hearing someone call it interesting felt strangely unfamiliar.

"It’s... nothing special," she murmured, lowering her gaze.

Evan continued looking at her for a moment before turning his attention back to the tablet.

"So... do you want to continue studying plants and flowers, or would you be willing to change your path and start learning how to become a Guide?"

Lumi slowly looked up at him. "Can I... choose?"

Evan frowned, looking slightly irritated. "I am not asking you because I want to decide for you."

Lumi’s eyes widened slightly.

"I’m asking because it’s your choice." He leaned back against the couch, his expression returning to its usual calmness. "If you want to continue studying plants, continue. I will find a Guide tutor to help you during your weekends."

Lumi’s eyes brightened. "Really... can I do that?"

"Why wouldn’t you?"

Lumi’s lips slowly curved into a genuine smile. "Then... I want to continue studying plants."

She paused, her smile becoming a little wider.

"And I also want to learn how to Guide."

Evan nodded. "Then that’s what you’ll do."

For some reason, Lumi felt strangely happy hearing those simple words.

She had always thought she would eventually have to give up one thing just to be allowed to have another.

But this time, no one was asking her to choose between the two.

"You’ll follow me back later..." He said, standing up.

"Ex... cuse me?" Her lips trembled as if she wanted to say something but nothing came out after.

"Since you are my Fated Guide, you should be near me for twenty-four hours..."

Evan walked toward the hospital bed and began gathering his belongings.

Lumi, who still didn’t quite understand after his explanation, glanced toward Darian for help.

Darian immediately caught her gaze.

"Oh..." He pressed his lips together, trying to hold back his smile. "Those are the rules that only apply to the Guide of the Empire’s top Sentinel."

Lumi blinked. "But... I never saw—I mean, my sister didn’t need to..."

"You and your twin sister are different." Evan turned back toward her, his expression completely serious.

"We almost completed our ceremony, and our bond..." He paused.

For a brief moment, even Evan himself had no idea what he was supposed to say next.

’What bond?’

The ceremony had been interrupted before it was completed, and there was no official rule requiring her to stay beside him twenty-four hours a day.

He simply wanted her close.

He needed to understand why someone with no measurable Guiding energy could enter his mental space, why his Sentinel power responded to her, and why the connection between them behaved differently from anything he had experienced before.

But telling Lumi that he wanted to keep her nearby so he could study her would probably make her suspicious.

So Evan calmly continued, "And our bond is unstable."

Darian’s eyebrow twitched.

’Our bond is unstable?’

He quickly lowered his head to hide his expression.

Lumi, however, seemed to accept the explanation. "Oh..."

Evan then pulled out his hospital gown, apparently intending to change without giving it much thought.

The moment Lumi realized what he was about to do, her eyes widened.

"Arghhh!" She immediately turned around and covered her eyes with both hands. "W-What are you doing?!"

Evan paused, the hospital gown still in his hand. "Changing."

"I know you’re changing!" Lumi squeaked, keeping her back toward him. "But why are you doing it right here?!"

Darian, who had been standing nearby, slowly looked toward Evan before turning his gaze toward Lumi.

"Tch, tch, tch... uncivilised Top Sentinel. At least go to the toilet to change."

Evan rolled his eyes.

"Done." He picked up his belongings and walked toward the door. "Let’s go."

Lumi, who was still trying to process everything, blinked hard. "Where?"

Evan glanced back at her. "Dinner."

Lumi stared at him.

’Dinner? After everything that had happened today, he wanted to have dinner?’