The X Guide-Chapter 73: Curse (1)

Thinking about it, how could Ayen being roommates with two Guides with incredible backgrounds be a coincidence? Ayen would never believe Khal if he claimed he had nothing to do with this.

Nolan being Clynne’s Guide, and Lucian, someone related to the Commander General. Although Ayen did not know if Lucian was his guide or only somewhat related to him.

As for him, it did not need to be said.

"How did you do it?" Devion could not help but ask. Ayen was also curious.

And so, the two looked at Khal with the same expression. Seeing that he would not be able to escape it, he gave a sheepish smile.

"I made a deal," he simply answered, but that explanation was not enough. He was aware of it, too. Since Devion and Ayen were still curious, Khal thought of finally informing them about i,t too. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Khal took another slice of pizza and bit into it, chewing it and swallowing it under their watchful gaze. This made him smile. Devion and Ayen had the same expression, which he found rather cute.

Not wanting to keep the suspense for long, he recounted what happened.

After they received Ayen’s new assignment, Khal was actually uneasy about letting him go into such a dangerous zone. However, Ayen was adamant about doing so, and Khal respected his opinion.

Khal then called Renji to protect Ayen; he was not one to rely on an artifact to keep Ayen safe. During this time, he already noticed the movements in the capital becoming more intense.

Looking through the reports that Calson and Farrah had given him, he realized that the important figures of each party were already preparing for the impending chaos.

That was when he received the Commander General’s call through an exclusive line in the capital. He wanted to hire someone from Khal’s group to protect someone and for Khal to personally assign the task, meaning it needed to be taken seriously.

Deals with the government, especially with such a figure, are more than welcome, even with high risk. Khal then found out it was a Guide that the commander general wanted to protect, and so decided to let the guide be assigned with Ayen as well.

This actually made it easier for the task easier and also made Ayen’s safety more guaranteed. At least the Commander General would surely give the guide safety measures.

Not long after that, Clynne also reached out to him, wanting to protect his runaway guide as well. Khal agreed, and so let that Guide be assigned to Ayen’s zone too.

Since Khal prioritized Ayen more, if he did not assign them to Ayen, he might as well not accept the deals. He did not have the manpower or patience to care about others’ Guides when he had his own to protect. Especially when a storm was about to erupt.

Khal only agreed as they were considered friends and truly important figures in their own right. They could fight without worries, making the capital more lively.

"It’ll make it easier to protect them if they are with Ayen." Khal ended his recollection. "But Ayen’s still our number one priority," he could not help but add.

For some reason, he did not want Ayen to think that his security was tight because there were two guides who had a great background accompanying him.

If anything, protecting the two Guides could be done in passing, but Ayen’s safety should be ensured at all costs.

"That’s all?" Devion asked, brow arching.

Khal hummed.

Ayen glanced at Khal, and then his assuring words rang in his ears. Why did he feel like Khal specifically added those words to appease his mind? Probably, he actually did.

He did not notice Devion glancing his way and looking at him, watching Khal before he lowered his gaze, eating the piece of pizza silently.

Unbeknownst to Khal and Ayen, in Devion’s vision, another entity had appeared. The shadow gave a grin, whispering to Devion’s mind.

"Told you so."

Devion ignored it, just as he always did. It disappeared soon after, but Devion’s back was drenched with sweat.

After the dinner, Devion washed up first, followed by Ayen, and Khal was the last. Unlike in the dorm, Ayen did not need to wear a coat inside the house, as the heating was sufficient to keep the temperature at bay.

"You’ve decided to be assigned near our forbidden zone?" Devion asked to confirm. They were having a meeting in the living room again, like usual.

Ayen nodded his head. "Yes."

Devion watched his expression, as though scrutinizing whether he was telling the truth.

"Is this your decision or..." Devion’s expression was serious; he glanced at Khal, who was silent, then shifted back to Ayen. "...Khal forced you?"

Khal’s lips curled, but it did not reach his eyes. He did not look at Ayen; if he did so, then Devion might have formulated conclusions in his head.

Ayen quickly denied it. This time, he was sincere. Although Khal had warned him not to tell Devion what transpired between them, Ayen had thought that some things still needed to be said to Devion.

It was not fair if Khal knew something about him, but Devion was kept in the dark. Khal also thought so and did not dissuade him from doing so, but the rest of the details should not be mentioned at all.

Including his feelings. Ayen did not intend to tell that to Devion in the first place.

"He did not force me. But he did let me make a choice."

"A choice? Huh. I knew it." Devion glared at Khal, but he went back to his attention to Ayen, seeing he had something to say.

Khal leaned his body toward Devion as if to apologize, and Devion did not push him away, so it seemed he was not too angry. Ayen also relaxed, seeing Devion like that.

"I made a deal with Khal."

"A deal? You hired him?" Devion became curious. He was not oblivious to Khal’s dealings, but he was not heavily involved in them.

"Yes, I hired him to do something for me."

Ayen waited for Devion to ask, but he did not. He expected as much. His attitude was always clear, sometimes not wanting to ask or be asked about things.

"I want him to torment my former family." Ayen saw the surprise in Devion’s face, and he continued.

Just like what he did with Khal, he slowly revealed his past to Devion.