The Guide is Actually a Body-Switching Esper [BL]-Chapter 279: Esper License

Negotiating the contract terms went smoothly. They’ve used Damien’s contract as a template, only adjusting his hours and the contract’s length to match Lane’s circumstances. They eventually settled on 15% of Lane’s hours being worked for free as a part of community service, and it was meant to go on for ten years.

It was in no way a fair contract, but since Lane didn’t lack money, and had a way to escape the contract if he changed his mind in the future, he just accepted it. It wasn’t as bad as the terms of Damien’s contract, anyway. He needed to talk to the man about it later, and find out what it was that convinced him to make such a foolish decision...

Either way, Lane was now a full member of the Awakened Association as ’Lane Allen’, an A-rank Esper. There was only one thing left that separated him from joining Damien’s team.

That is, the Esper license.

"Do you want to join the Basic Esper Training?" Damien asked, as they walked out of the Association Headquarters and headed home. "If so, you should sign up as soon as possible. I believe the awakening rate has increased recently, so there might not be any spaces left..."

"Ugh..." A loud groan escaped Lane’s mouth, his shoulders slouching as all of his good mood seemed to have evaporated at the mere sound of the words ’Basic Esper Training’. "Can I... not?"

The Basic Esper Training was one of the most boring, tedious, dull things that existed in this world. It was so bad that it could be considered psychological torture. The practical part wasn’t bad, just testing the students’ abilities so that they could get comfortable with them and learn to control them well, but the theoretical...

The theory part was the true hell. Hours upon hours of lectures, far more extensive and detailed than those in the Basic Guide Training. As if those weren’t already bad enough! Lane got shudders at the thought of going through it again... Those memories still haunted him in his nightmares sometimes!

And yes, maybe he was being dramatic, but that was not the point! The training was terrible, and attending it would make Lane miserable. Was that a punishment for all of his sins?

Damien took a glance at his boyfriend’s dispirited face, and shook his head with a sigh. "I can arrange it so that you can skip the training..."

He barely managed to finish the sentence before he was swept off his feet, as Lane lifted him up in a tight hug, turning around in circles.

In the middle of the sidewalk.

In the early afternoon, when the streets were busy.

"Yay! You’re the best!" he exclaimed, paying no mind to the passersby side-eyeing him as they avoided the two of them, dodging to the sides. ƒreewebηoveℓ.com

Damien let out another helpless sigh. "But you will still have to pass the exam."

"A-ah?" Lane paused. "Ah, well, okay. No problem..." He then forced a laugh, putting Damien down.

"Have you ever taken the test? I know you don’t have a license as Lane Allen, but as someone else?"

Lane scratched his head, averting his eyes. "Well, I did... But that was ten years ago."

"So it’s been a while..."

"Yeah. Plus, the Esper license exam back then was different."

"Ah. Then, did you ever take the new version?"

"...No," Lane shook his head.

Although the truth was that he did. Except that he failed the theory part. Then he tried to retake it two times... Still failed, then gave up, and hypnotized everyone taking the exam. Had the examiner fill in his answer sheet until he could get a passing grade, and finally obtained the license.

But he couldn’t use the same method this time. There were cameras in the examination room, it would be easy to notice that something was off if someone chose to check them. And with his identity and him faking his rank for years, there were bond to be some eyes on him, at least for the time being... Thus, he needed to remain extra cautious.

"That’s alright," Damien reassured him. "The test is not difficult... You will just need to study a bit."

Lane’s eyes twitched. "...You think?"

"Yes..." Damien’s expression faltered, as he suddenly recalled Lane’s past test results, when he took the Guide exam as ’Noah’ and ’Aidan’... But he still repeated, "You will do just fine."

Whether he was trying to convince Lane, or himself, or perhaps both, it was unclear.

Either way, once they returned home and Damien finished unpacking their luggage, putting the laundry in (despite Lane’s insistence that it wasn’t necessary, as they could just order laundry services), he turned on his laptop, compiling all the study materials for Lane. He would have wanted to study together with him to help him (and keep him on track), but...

It was his last day off. After that, he would be busy for a while, only coming back home late in the evening, sometimes probably not coming back at all if the dungeon inspections dragged on... So, Lane would have to start studying on his own. He had a lot of knowledge when it came to monsters and abilities, so it wasn’t completely hopeless, it was only the rules and regulations that seemed to be the problem. Probably because Lane had no interest in them at all... And kept them in a deep disregard.

But as long as he put some effort...

At least that’s what Damien initially believed. But the time for Lane’s first exam came, and the results were... not satisfactory. 46%, when 70% was needed to pass. The dungeon and Mana related questions went well, as expected, but the legal part... was horrendous. To put it nicely.

Then the retake came up with the 43% result, which made Damien question whether Lane was actually studying, or just playing games when he was left alone at home.

The second retake ended with 51%, which once again sparked some hope... But it was still a far cry from the needed 70%. Damien seriously started considering looking for a private tutor for Lane, if the man was so opposed to going to class, while Lane began plotting as to how to hypnotize his examiner undetected... Or perhaps hypnotize one of his fellow test takers, to switch the sheets with him!