“She must have awakened as a Guide before being exposed to the demon beast,” Mr.
Joo explained.
“The reason the young master didn’t go into a Rampage before meeting Miss Hwang was because of this child.
It all makes sense now.
Still, I can’t be certain.
An awakened Contaminant is unprecedented.
To be sure, we should send her to the Awakened Center.”
“Yes.
That would be best,” President Lee nodded, his expression brightening.
Director Jeong, who had been scrutinizing Dana with suspicion, also agreed.
“That’s right.
I still can’t believe she’s helpful to Doha.
Of course she should be tested at the center…”
“No.”
It was Doha.
Instantly, the couple’s gazes snapped toward him.
Rubbing his temples as if his head ached, Doha reached back and took Dana’s hand.
“Why is that necessary?”
“Young Master, we need to confirm whether this child is a Guide or not,” Mr.
Joo insisted.
Doha replied with an annoyed sigh.
“She is one.”
“In that case, we should register her as an awakened being so that…”
“Then she’ll end up guiding other Espers, won’t she?”
Finally understanding, Mr.
Joo let out a soft “ah” before raising his eyebrows in puzzlement.
“You won’t register her because of that?
Of course, without an Exclusive Bond, she is morally obligated to help other Espers, but…”
“Mr.
Joo, I already said no.
Don’t make me repeat myself,” Doha cut in firmly.
“I refuse to let Dana become like Yeonhwa—unavailable when I need her.”
‘Damned Esper possessiveness,’ Mr.
Joo muttered to himself, a thin smile on his lips.
“Miss Hwang is an A-rank Guide.
This child’s rank, at best, won’t exceed B-rank.
There are limits for a Contaminant.
That is, if she’s truly a Guide.”
Although he had tentatively judged her to be a Guide, he too seemed unable to be certain of this unprecedented situation.
Amidst the hostile atmosphere, Doha remained unmoved.
“She is ‘my’ Guide.”
Dana fidgeted.
The possessiveness packed into every syllable sent a tingle through her chest.
In their joined hands, she could feel his pulse, alive and breathing.
She agreed with him, of course.
Not that anyone cared about her opinion.
She didn’t want to touch anyone but Doha.
More important than becoming an awakened being was this:
‘I am precious to Doha.’
Of course, Doha likes Yeonhwa Hwang.
No, ‘liked’ was more accurate.
His feelings for her would soon be a thing of the past.
After Yeonhwa left for China, he had mentioned her only a handful of times.
They seemed to have little contact outside of his guiding sessions.
Doha needed guiding, and now, she could provide it.
‘The situation has changed,’ Dana thought.
‘His heart will come to me.’
One day, Dana flipped through a calendar, counting the days until Doha’s next visit to the center.
Lately, she was never in a bad mood.
Once it became clear that she could give guiding to their son, the Chairman and President Lee began providing her with delicious food, and would simply pass her by instead of cursing her for being bad luck.
The household staff, who had subtly ignored her, sensed the shift in atmosphere with an almost supernatural instinct.
With no one to torment her, her life flowed as peacefully as a cloud drifting across the sky.
She wished this moment would last forever.
‘What’s this red circle?’
Holding Doha’s personal scheduler, Dana tilted her head.
A specific date was circled in red every few months.
It didn’t coincide with any family events, and the intervals were irregular.
“Doha, the chief secretary informed me of an event you need to attend.
I think you should mark it down so you don’t forget.”
“You handle it.”
“Okay, but what’s this mark in your scheduler?”
Only then did he notice the scheduler in her hand.
For a second, a strange light flickered in his eyes.
“It’s nothing.”
He smoothly took the scheduler from her and handed her another one.
“Use this from now on.”
As he gave her a clean, empty scheduler, Dana felt a prickle of unease.
‘It’s nothing?’ This was Doha, who left even minor family events for her to manage and never bothered to record them himself.
After pondering the dates for a while, she had a sudden realization.
‘He’s marking the days Yeonhwa Hwang returns to the country.’
A chill, like the touch of a knife, spread through her chest.
Only then did Dana realize her mistake.
Doha hadn’t forgotten her.
Dana understood it with painful clarity on the day of Yeonhwa’s return.
“Yeonhwa is coming for dinner this evening.
Dana, stay in your room.
And don’t you dare come out.”
“…Yes, Director Jeong.”
As an unregistered Guide, Dana was responsible for Doha’s guiding—but only while Yeonhwa was away.
She would stay by his side, only to vacate her spot the moment Yeonhwa arrived, like a mistress hiding herself away when his wife appears.
While a cheerful dinner unfolded elsewhere, Dana sat motionless on her bed.
As night fell, she left the lights off, and the encroaching darkness filled the room.
It felt as if all the silence in the world had gathered there.
‘Did I get my hopes up?’
She blankly wondered what had gone wrong.
‘Of course the adults want Yeonhwa as Doha’s partner.’
She was just a substitute.
‘It’s okay.
It’s not like I’ve become useless.’
Dana forced her lips into a smile.
The fact that she was a Guide was still useful.
Even with Yeonhwa around, her treatment was better than before.
From a black-haired Contaminant leeching off the family, she had at least become a member of the household who could earn her keep.
She clung to that single thread of hope.
If she waited, an opportunity would come.
So she kept waiting.
By Doha’s side, as his servant, she endured the torment from the Lee family.
She hoped that one day, she would escape this situation and proudly take her place beside him.
To that end, she studied hard and participated in community service in her spare time.
Such efforts wouldn’t completely overcome the stigma of being a Contaminant, but they at least made her seem like a respectable human being.
And time passed.
Chapter 4: The Command
“Hah!”