Chapter 13: Ch 13: You got tricked

’Something feels off. Should I have really left Noah all alone? I cannot think of any reason why the teacher would call for me?’

Daniel made his way to the teacher’s lounge, but his mind was filled with doubts. He did not want to doubt his fellow guide, but he did not think any teacher would call for him before the classes even started.

But the guide who came to get him looked so earnest that Daniel had not been able to say no.

So he decided to head out after checking that Noah was fine and not having any problems.

He quickly reached the teacher’s room and knocked on the door. Now it was a waiting game, and the teacher quickly opened the door for him to enter.

"You are...Daniel? Can I help you with anything?"

The teacher looked confused to see him, but his eyes quickly shone with curiosity once he realized that this was an opportunity to get close to Daniel.

But this attention only served to make Daniel more suspicious.

"I was told that you called to meet me?"

Daniel asked cautiously, and the teacher shook his head.

"I did not send any message. But since you are already here, you might as well help me out. Here, why don’t you sit down? We can discuss your future with this institute and your potential. Have you decided whom you want to partner with?"

The teacher decided to sit Daniel down and have a talk with him.

Daniel had no desire to stay here, but he could not deny his teacher either. So, in the end, he was forced to stick around and listen to his teacher’s yapping while cursing Alan in his mind.

’That bastard tricked me! I know he had a hand in this! Did he bribe that guide to help him?’

There was no clear answer to this question. And as much as Daniel wanted to believe that Alan had forced someone to help him, he could not be sure.

From what he knew of Alan, he had both money and status to charm others. The only flaw he had was that he was pretending to be a gentle and calm person. But to a guide, those could be attractive qualities.

’Alan must have used his face to ask someone for help. I cannot believe I fell for it. I need to head back to class right now.’

The teacher was still speaking when Daniel made a sudden movement and stood up. It caused the teacher to look at him with a startled expression.

"Is everything alright?"

The teacher asked, and Daniel took a deep breath to calm his anger before speaking.

"I need to head to class now. Please excuse me."

Daniel reached for the door when his teacher sighed and spoke once more.

"Student Daniel, I don’t doubt your potential or your decision-making skills. However, I do feel worried about your temper and your tendency to shut other people out of your life. I am afraid that you might shut out the ’only one’ for you if you continue like this."

The teacher sounded serious, and Daniel had a feeling she was talking about Alan. But compatible or not, Daniel had no intention of getting along with that esper.

For now, he decided to give an ambiguous answer to lower the teacher’s guard.

"I understand, teacher. I will think about what you told me."

Daniel would think about it. But he doubted he would ever agree to such a fate.

...

Most seats were taken by the time Noah reached the classroom. So he decided to take the only empty one he could find.

He expected Alan to take the seat beside him, and Alan did not disappoint him.

They did get a few curious looks, but no one paid enough attention to them.

On the other hand, everyone turned to look at the door when Daniel entered. But the guide ignored them all and made a beeline toward Noah’s desk.

"Hey, get up. I want to sit here."

Daniel rudely spoke to Alan, causing people to gasp at his boldness. Guides typically did not talk back to espers, nor did they challenge them.

But Daniel was doing both, and Alan had not snapped at him.

Instead, he decided to put on his ’scared and pitiful’ esper persona and shrank into himself.

"I was here first. Can you not sit somewhere else? If you really want to sit here, then I will go somewhere else."

Noah was not sure if other people fell for Alan’s act or if they knew he was pretending as well. For now, they all chose to leave him alone and waited for him to get up.

But a whole minute passed, and nothing happened. Alan was not getting up despite telling Daniel that he would. And knowing Daniel, it would not take long before his fuse blew.

So Noah decided to make the sensible decision and change his seat, allowing Daniel to sit in his place.

"Ummm, I can change my seat if you want to sit here. There is another empty seat-"

Daniel grabbed his safe wrist and dragged him over to the other open seat. He glared at the esper sitting beside it until the esper felt uncomfortable enough to stand up and leave.

Suddenly, there were two empty seats, and Daniel pushed Noah into the inner seat before taking the outer one.

No one spoke about the issue, and soon the teacher came, causing everyone to scramble toward their seats.

Noah looked behind to check on Alan, but the esper wore a blank expression that made him look much scarier than usual.

Something about that expression put Noah on edge.

"Don’t look at that esper. The more attention you give him, the worse his behavior will become. The best thing you can do for him right now is ignore his existence."

Daniel reminded him, but Noah did not agree. He had a feeling that ignoring Alan would only backfire on them.

But unfortunately, completing his mission meant staying on good terms with Daniel. And to do that, he had to follow his orders.