Chapter 49: Guiding Strain

The shift was over; Ayen returned to the room after eating in the cafeteria. The temperature was lower than usual, but there were no signs of snowfall.

There were not a lot of people in the cafeteria, so Ayen decided to eat there.

When he opened the door of the room, the dim light quickly greeted Ayen. He swept his eyes over and only saw one figure lying on the bed.

It was Nolan.

He appeared to be sleeping. Ayen had ignored him at first, about to go to the bathroom to wash up. He was also not one to look after someone, used to just caring for himself.

However, he found himself noticing the difference in Nolan’s sleeping posture. He was hugging himself and shivering slightly. Ayen would attribute it to the cold temperature.

And yet, when he opened the light of the room, he noticed Nolan’s appearance was not quite right. Ayen slowly put his hand on Nolan’s forehead to confirm something.

Sure enough, his skin was extremely hot. It was not looking like a simple fever either. Ayen frowned slightly.

As he said, he was not one to care about others. Still, he noticed that Nolan’s behavior and health these past few days were unusual. The dark circles in his eyes had turned darker and darker, and he seemed to have lost weight.

Lucian noticed this point and asked Ayen one time. Ayen thought Nolan had yet to adapt to the environment, and Lucian seemed to think so as well.

Now, Ayen did not know anymore.

Ayen sighed and put down the clothes he got from the cabinet on his bed and then decided to ask for medicine downstairs and also a thermometer to know how high Nolan’s fever was.

If it were too high, they would need to admit him to the institute.

His actions were swift; thankfully, the staff on duty there was someone he knew. Holding everything that he thought was necessary, he went upstairs.

Upon entering the room, Lucian had already arrived. He was about to ask something, then his eyes glanced at the bag Ayen brought.

“So you know, I’m about to go down to fetch some medicine. Thankfully, I didn’t leave yet.”

Ayen nodded just to acknowledge him and unpack the thermometer to check Nolan’s temperature. Nolan groaned a bit because of the sudden cold but remained sleeping.

The two waited and stared at the guide, who was originally a chatterbox in the room but had gone quiet and irritable recently.

“About Nolan, do you think, uh… he’s, you know.” Lucian bit his lips, hesitating to say it.

Ayen glanced at him and finished what he was about to say.

“He’s under guiding strain.”

Lucian’s expression noticeably hardened as soon as Ayen finished. Ayen was no better. Guiding Strain was no small matter, sometimes more dangerous than the Backlash that Guides often experienced.

Precisely, it was preventable simply by guiding the Esper one had the highest compatibility with; a Guide almost would not experience it in their life.

Ayen himself had thought of just experiencing a guiding strain rather than telling Devion and Khal what he discovered. The reason they also needed a regular guiding session was because of this.

Fortunately, it was known that it needed five months or so of absence from guiding sessions before the symptoms manifested. That was when the Guide’s wavelength sought to guide their espers the most.

“How…” Lucian swallowed. In his frustration, he rubbed his head again. “…this is crazy.”

Ayen could not be bothered to ask about his thoughts or assure him of anything. The thermometer sounded, and so Ayen retrieved it and looked at Nolan’s temperature.

“How is it?” Lucian nervously asked.

Ayen lifted his gaze and looked up. “We need to admit him now.” Without answering him, he gave the thermometer to Lucian for him to look at it himself.

Lucian uttered a curse when he saw it and even jumped up from his seat.

“Oh shit. 40 degrees?”

Ayen was already getting a small bag, the one he often used during shifts. He removed all the contents and went to the cabinet to get some clothes; coats were a necessity.

Seeing him get ready, Lucian asked.

“What should I do?”

“Can you carry him on your back?” Ayen asked without looking up and putting things in the bag.

In this room, Lucian was the tallest and had a large build. Ayen could not possibly carry Nolan.

“Sure, I can do that,” Lucian readily agreed.

“Put this on him.” Ayen threw on a thicker coat and scarf, then a cap and gloves. Nolan was already wearing socks, and they seemed thick enough.

Lucian nodded and put them on Nolan. When he was about to put the coat on Nolan, he needed to move Nolan’s body, and Nolan woke up.

“Hmmm?”

“Hang on. We’re admitting you to the institute.” Lucian was speaking much more softly because of Nolan’s fever.

“Haaa… why?”

“You have a fever.” Ayen was the one who answered.

Nolan’s eyes opened slightly, meeting Ayen’s gaze. He blinked slowly and soon shook his head.

“No. I won’t go.” It looked like he wanted to stop Lucian but was too weak to do so, and Lucian managed to put on the second coat on him.

“Tch. Stubborn.” Lucian reprimanded, but still in a low tone.

“Why?” Ayen asked. There had to be a reason why he did not want to be admitted to the institute.

Nolan fell silent, almost like he had fallen asleep again. But after a few seconds, he sighed. “I… don’t want to bother you.”

Ayen knew that was merely an excuse. Still, he had to be taken care of; he could not do it, and Lucian probably was the same.

“You have a high fever. If we don’t admit you to the institute in time, we’ll be held responsible.”

That was the real bother.

Nolan did not respond. Lucian looked at Ayen, and he nodded.

“I’ll be carrying you on my back,” Lucian informed. Once more, Nolan let Lucian and did not protest.

Ayen fixed his clothes and the hat on his head.

Once they were in the elevator, Nolan’s hoarse voice rang.

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?” Ayen asked, and Lucian hummed.

Nolan bit his lips and closed his eyes.

Ayen looked away, and Lucian only tightened his hold on Nolan’s body. No one asked further.

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