“There are no other urgent patients at the Center. Thank you for your work, Dasom.”“Yes, understood.”The Center’s medical officer spoke gently to Dasom.It was rare for Espers to suffer severe injuries, but anything could happen inside a Gate. And the problem was, sometimes an Esper’s own rapid self-healing made matters worse.The Esper Dasom had just treated had a leg twisted in an unnatural direction. Because of their accelerated self-healing, the bone had started to set in that deformed state, making the situation even harder to fix. Normally, other medical Espers had to manually reset the limb first, then heal. But Dasom’s healing did not require that.Her S-rank healing reversed the damage as if time were being wound back, restoring the leg in one pulse.That was why an S-rank healer was praised so highly. Even Raon’s S-rank guiding would not have been able to correct a twisted leg like that.“Good work, Dasom. Let’s go get lunch and rest.”“Yes, Team Leader!”Raon gently encouraged her, then started walking. Siwoo naturally fell in place beside him. Dasom followed with Jamie at her shoulder.They would eat at the Center cafeteria before returning to the training hall. The Guide Team would likely show up there as well. Raon stepped lightly, mood eased.“…Hm?”But the atmosphere inside the Center felt unusually tense. Raon frowned slightly.At this hour, most personnel besides the special teams should have been deployed. Gates were continuously cycling out of dormant phase across the region; Espers were busy everywhere. Only a few high-rank Espers who had recently returned from suppressing a Red Gate might be resting.So seeing this many people gathered in the central lobby was unusual.Raon slowed only because the cafeteria was on the other side.“What’s going on?”“Ah, Team Leader Raon.”He asked a nearby staff member, someone he knew in passing. The staff member brightened upon recognizing him.“The Supreme Commander— I mean, the Association President— came to visit.”“Ah.”“Director Jang couldn’t just sit and wait in his office, so he came to greet him in the lobby.”“Right.”Raon nodded, uninterested.So that was why the lobby was crowded. Press cameras flashed in bursts behind the wall of people. The Association President and Seokhyeon were undoubtedly in that cluster.Must be rough, Raon thought idly. But it had nothing to do with him—except that now the path to the cafeteria was blocked.It was bad timing—why did the Association President have to come at lunch?“Wait— isn’t that Han Raon?”“What? The Violet Gate team leader?”“—!”Raon had misjudged one thing.Since the Violet Gate incident, public attention to him had skyrocketed. Reporters who noticed him reacted like wolves spotting prey.“Team Leader Raon! YBN News, Reporter Lee Miyoung!”“Team Leader, may we get a comment?”“Team Leader!”They swarmed. Siwoo immediately wrapped an arm around Raon and blocked them off, preventing anyone from getting closer—but Raon could still feel the hungry eyes, the reaching hands, the flashing lights.He blinked, genuinely startled. His tongue, usually agile, stalled.The Center normally allowed no external press. But today, to publicize the Association President’s visit, they had been allowed in.“Team Leader Raon!”Just then, Seokhyeon noticed him. At his signal, guards moved in and pried the reporters back. Only then could Raon approach.“Apologies. The President announced his visit without warning.”“No—it’s fine.”Raon shook his head, embarrassed at how stiff he’d gone.Before the regression, Raon had also been the subject of attention—but back then it was mockery, scorn, and hostility. Reporters had approached him not to praise, but to tear him apart. His body had learned to freeze.Some habits didn’t break easily.He rubbed his damp neck, flustered.“Hyung. Let’s go back.”“What?”Siwoo’s voice was low, protective. He could easily extract Raon from this crowd if asked.But if Seokhyeon was here, then the Association President was close.And as that thought passed his mind—A man approached, surrounded by aides and cameras.“Well now— is this not Team Leader Han Raon?”“Ah— hello, President.”Raon bowed. The middle-aged man smiled brightly.Park Junghu, former Supreme Commander of the Military and current President of the Esper Association.Raon’s expression tightened. The last time Raon had seen him, pre-regression, the man had been tearing into him—furious that the special team had lost its Guides, leaving only Raon and Hamin. Hamin had been only B-rank then, able to guide only Dojin. There had been no other high-rank Guides left.The President had despised Raon—and yet couldn’t remove him, because they needed him.The memory was vivid and bitter.But now the President smiled gently at him.“From what I’ve heard, you’re much calmer in person. Relax, I’m not here to swallow you whole.”“Yes, understood.”He patted Raon’s shoulder lightly.Or rather—not lightly.Raon held his expression still as the pressure throbbed where the man’s hand landed. Even with his rank reduced from S-rank to A-rank over the years, he was still a high-rank Esper. His physical strength showed.Raon endured.Then—Tap.“…!”Someone seized the President’s wrist.Raon turned sharply.Siwoo’s face was ice.“…Hm?”“Team Leader is in pain. Please stop.”“…What?”Even the President looked taken aback. ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) Raon was just as shocked.No matter how powerful Siwoo was, the person he had just touched was the Association President.This could not be handled carelessly.Raon’s mind raced—how to defuse, how to speak, how to prevent consequences—And Siwoo continued, voice unwavering, cold as cut glass.

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