Chapter 11

But when Nain sincerely got excited and praised her as amazing, not with empty words, Flora really began to feel like she was something special.

"Handling fire barehanded without a single catalyst magical tool is something even mages can't do... Ah, hot!"

"I told you not to touch it, didn't I? Are you stupid? What are you doing touching fire?"

"I'm sorry. I was really curious if it was the same fire I know..."

"Honestly, give me your hand."

Flora took out burn ointment she always carried and slathered it thickly over the slightly burned wound.

"How careless. Carry this around and apply it."

When she grumbled while handing over the ointment, Nain, who received it, muttered, "You're so kind." There was no ulterior motive or sarcasm to be found in those words.

...Kind? She only ever heard people tell her to tone down her temper, and she couldn't remember how many years it had been since someone called her kind. What was even funnier was that upon hearing those words, she momentarily panicked and avoided the dimension wanderer's eyes. One sincere word felt more embarrassing than any other words. In less than an hour, Flora began to think that Nain was quite a decent guy for a dimension wanderer.

Same place, same time.

Interpreter Esper Kedrick was being bashful at the sight he was witnessing for the first time.

'...Why are they acting like this?'

He had roughly sensed that this dimension wanderer was somewhat unusual. After all, he was the one who had guided him to the meeting room.

Nain didn't avoid Espers but found them fascinating. To the point of touching an Esper he'd just met and constantly asking about their abilities without rest. ...Yeah, he could understand at least that much. Coming from a place where magic existed, it made sense that he wouldn't avoid Espers and would act friendly.

The problem wasn't with him but elsewhere.

Those bast... no, those guys.

Generally, Espers were very sensitive individuals. Kedrick, a C-grade interpreter Esper, was less so due to his late ability awakening and low grade, but among those eager to show off their abilities beside Nain, there were even A-grade Espers.

Especially this 11th Branch was a place called a closed ward because it had particularly many asocial and strange personality types. Yet such Espers were somehow acting like ordinary civilians in front of Nain.

Physical enhancement Esper Ched smashed the table to pieces with his fist, and fire Esper Flora lit the broken table fragments on fire to start enjoying a campfire indoors. Crazy bastards... Since they weren't the type to listen even if you tried to stop them, Kedrick had no intention of intervening from the start.

As Flora smiled and made the flames grow, Ched said he'd provide ventilation and ripped out the entire window frame. It was a frenzied party of madmen. The dimension wanderer was so fascinated by the Espers' skills that he covered his mouth and couldn't even speak.

'Someone should stop them.'

It was ridiculous. It seemed like Kedrick was the only sane one here.

Before long, amid the loud fire alarm sound and water bursting from the sprinklers, the Espers pushed Nain's back and escaped the wrecked meeting room.

Flora was a woman with fire-like temperament. She got excited easily and was hot-blooded. She was an Esper with dozens of attempted arson cases who brought all sorts of accidents, and Ched was no less of a troublemaker. The Espers behind them didn't lead accidents but were often caught being present at such scenes.

'How did only these guys happen to have free schedules today? Why did they bring these guys who are worse than useless?'

Thinking that only innocent him would be called to write another incident report, Kedrick leisurely followed behind them.

Amazing, amazing. Nain kept clapping like a seal watching a magic show, and all he did was say one word about how amazing they were compared to the mages he knew. Just that had the Espers rubbing their noses.

He had a perfectly round personality without any rough edges. Even to Ched, who openly called him "Your Highness" instead of his name in a sarcastic way, Nain didn't get angry. He spoke casually and asked if he could touch his arm while praising his ability, so Ched also lost his fighting spirit and became relatively docile. The two seemed to have become friends.

Why are they all acting soft around that kid? It didn't seem to be simply because he looked somewhat handsome... Kedrick pondered deeply about this phenomenon he couldn't identify the cause of.

"Did you get your ears pierced by any chance? You don't wear rings or necklaces either?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Metal has high thermal conductivity. Since you handle fire, wouldn't such accessories get hot?"

"I guess so. It's not for that reason though, I just don't wear them because it's bothersome."

The Espers agreed with Flora's words. After all, most Espers receiving ability training at the center had combat-type abilities, and for such people, accessories would only be annoying the more they wore them.

Interpreter Esper Kedrick was naturally an exception. He learned for the first time that the difference between field work and office work started from such small things. Kedrick fingered the wedding ring on his ring finger while observing the scene with a sour expression from a slightly distant position.

Why were those annoying Esper bastards so eager to make a good impression on Nain? Why did they respond to even such trivial words without fail?

'Unless he's a Guide.'

Kedrick slightly shook his head at the same time he had that thought.

'There's no way he's a Guide.'

He's a dimension wanderer. And even when Nain's hand slightly brushed against his, he didn't feel any guiding.

Besides, if Nain were a Guide, everyone would have noticed as soon as he entered the meeting room. With how many high-grade Espers are here... That's why the current situation felt even more awkward.

Kedrick knew very well the original personalities of those guys giggling and acting friendly. They were all annoying bastards regardless of gender.

Especially Ched. That enhancement Esper bastard wasn't sensitive by nature but was originally just a fucking asshole. The guy who blew up an entire training room upon joining the center...

That bastard had a rotten personality since he was a brat. He was somewhat more controlled now, but he used to be worse. The current situation of some control was thanks to Leon, his sibling and a Guide who joined the center a few years later.

"Nain, how old are you?"

"Twenty."

At Nain's answer, Kedrick and the other Espers raised their eyebrows and all turned to look at him at once. When numerous gazes poured on him simultaneously, surprised Nain stiffened his shoulders and tensed up.

"Why, why?"

"Twenty?"

"...My birthday passed recently. I'm still before graduation, but I'm definitely twenty."

Is there a problem? Nain scratched his cheek while reading the mood. He seemed to find the suddenly quiet atmosphere awkward.

"Wow. This guy's completely wet behind the ears."

Twenty-two-year-old Ched, whose own head was just as soft, said sarcastically. Flora, who claimed to be half-fifty with her own mouth, also crossed her arms and let out a hollow laugh as if agreeing.

Kedrick blinked indifferently. How cute of them to play around like that. Twenty might be young outside the center, but it was by no means a young age here. The 11th Branch was full of Espers who had manifested abilities at an early age and grown up receiving education here.

Anyone watching would think those guys had a huge age gap with the dimension wanderer. Kedrick, who was approaching forty the day after tomorrow, found it really annoying that young punks were making a fuss about age. Though the center was full of awakeners younger than Nain, the Espers would never put them on the same level as Nain.

[Awakeners have a duty to protect citizens from threats.]

Awakeners who usually developed abilities in their mid-teens grew up receiving countless such education. That they had a duty to protect those without special abilities because they had them... Espers whose thoughts had hardened from hearing such things for years tended to be considerate of non-awakeners and quite protective of them.

Moreover, Nain wasn't just an ordinary person but a dimension wanderer. Pity points were added on top.

"This bastard, how dare a newbie look me straight in the eye."

It was Ched who broke the awkward atmosphere. He settled down and spoke in a low-toned voice. Nain looked back at him in bewilderment.

Seeing the bastard's lips twitch, it was obvious he was planning to tease, but the dimension wanderer who didn't immediately notice moved his lips with a flustered face. His expression seemed to say he didn't know how to respond. It felt quite amusing to see other emotions layered over Nain's previously blank face. Kedrick couldn't help but chuckle along with the other Espers.

The dimension wanderer was surprisingly sociable and spoke pleasantly. He seemed to have a power that drew people to him. However, there must be a definite reason why not just one but several Espers had simultaneously been drawn in like this.

"Yes. Please take care of me."

Kedrick returned to his department and called the examination room to suggest a trait test for dimension wanderer Nain Elrowin.

"It's nothing major, but we've never done trait tests on dimension wanderers before. Just in case. I heard he'll be staying at the center, so even this should be fair."

The next evening, surprisingly, Nain was determined to have awakener qualifications.