‘Jinjijo Transportation’, which means ‘ruining your own life,’ is a transportation company that has grown rapidly in recent years.

To explain the background of this transportation company’s emergence…

In the Eldora Empire, something called ‘gates’ suddenly appeared 100 years ago.

And through these gates, monsters from other worlds started to appear. Unexpectedly. Irregularly.

As monsters appeared, special abilities began to manifest in some chosen citizens of the empire.

Those with superpowers such as telekinesis, clairvoyance, enhancement, teleportation, etc., were called ‘Espers’, and those who healed them suffering from side effects as a reaction to using superpowers were called ‘Guides’.

Guides healed Espers through guiding.

Guiding was done through physical contact such as holding hands or hugging, and the more intense the physical contact, the greater the effect.

The reason for the success of ‘Jinjijo Transportation’ was this:

Because they could transport Guides who needed an Esper with teleportation, or movement ability, to move between regions, without an Esper.

On the outskirts of the Eldora Empire, the Philia Islands.

The first branch of ‘Jinjijo Transportation’ existed in this place bordering the sea.

I was in charge of that branch as the branch manager.

On the coast where darkness was starting to fall, I lay on a sun bed with a good view of the sea, enjoying the scenery.

Both work and love seemed to be going well, so I felt at ease.

Ah, this is how people should live, enjoying such leisure.

“The more I look at it, the more beautiful the sea is.”

I wiggled my toes.

Lying on a sun bed facing the blue summer sea, enjoying the gentle summer breeze, with no major worries about tomorrow.

At last, I felt like I was in heaven.

At that moment, I saw Marco, whom I had sent to bring iced coffee, approaching.

“Master! I’ve brought your coffee.”

“Oh, thank you.”

“Congratulations on your successful contract today. Our Master is kind-hearted, good at work, and even beautiful, it’s amazing.”

I gently stroked Marco’s curly hair.

The innocent appearance of Marco, a native of the Philia Islands, or to put it unkindly, a country boy, was truly adorable.

Marco was a reliable employee of our branch.

“Even if it’s just flattery, thank you.”

“It’s not flattery! I’m so curious about what you did before becoming the branch manager. I think you must have done something amazing that I can’t even imagine.”

“……”

What did I do before that?

I worked like a dog to pay off my parents’ debt under three ruffians of the Allen Knights who didn’t care about my human rights.

Remembering that time after so long sent chills down my spine. Those were grueling days I never want to return to.

“Was there anything unusual while I was at the Count’s mansion?”

“No, nothing. But we don’t have much work to do… Should we do some advertising to let people know about our transportation service?”

“No! There’s no need for advertising.”

I had money to receive from the Count’s family, and once the deal with them was finalized, word would spread on its own.

There was no need to be impatient at all.

“Of course, I’m very happy that the deal with the Count’s family went through, and I have no doubt our transportation service will do well, but… Um, our branch won’t go bankrupt, right?”

Marco asked very carefully, trying not to hurt my feelings as the branch manager.

“Ma-manager, don’t worry. There’s no chance of this place closing down or going bankrupt.”

Because I’m the real person in charge of ‘Jinjijo Transportation’.

As the person in charge, I have no intention of closing this place down.

I didn’t say that much and just gulped down my coffee.

“Master! I’ll respect and follow you. You’re really reliable. Hehe.”

I smiled back at Marco, mimicking his “hehe.”

It was then that I noticed something in Marco’s hand.

“By the way, Marco, what’s that in your hand?”

“Oh! It’s a newspaper. I was reading it until you arrived. I accidentally brought it out with me when I rushed to deliver your coffee.”

“May I read it too?”

“Of course! Here you go.”

I put down the coffee I was holding for a moment and took the newspaper Marco handed me.

“Master, there’s a really interesting article, would you like to see it?”

“An interesting article? What’s it about?”

“It’s an article about the three most famous Espers at Chelsea Center! It’s related to their former Guide who passed away in an accident.”

The former Guide of theirs who died in an accident was referring to me.

I was the Guide of the three most famous men at Chelsea Center.

And to quit that job, I faked my death and fled to the Philia Islands.

Marco flipped through a few pages of the newspaper and pointed to the article he had read.

“The reality different from what’s known, the three men are actually unable to forget her”

The content of the article I read was close to nonsense.

It said that the three Espers who tormented me in the capital still miss me, who is dead.

“Do you think the three most famous Esper men cherished their former Guide who passed away? What do you think, Master?”

“Cherish? Bullshit!”

Recalling the various humiliations I suffered from the three men, I shouted without realizing it.

“Pardon?”

“Ahem. It’s nothing.”

“Was her name Yerena? I wonder if she might actually be alive and not dead?”

Oh, innocent Marco. That person is right in front of you.

“I wouldn’t know.”

“……”

“Marco. You should go back to the branch now and clock out with Bonnie. I’ll finish reading the newspaper and return to my lodgings.”

Marco seemed to realize that I didn’t want to talk about that topic.

He didn’t say anything more and just agreed to do as I said.

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow!”

Marco bowed his head in greeting and then started running towards the branch building.

Once Marco had completely disappeared from my sight, words like a soliloquy escaped me.

“Why can’t they just leave someone who’s officially dead alone.”

Please, just act according to the original story. I hoped they would forget about me, an extra who had deviated from the original plot.

I shook my head, unable to understand the Espers of the Allen Knights.

If I was as precious to them as the article claimed, they should have treated me well when I was there.

All I experienced from them was oppression, extortion, and threats.

‘Still, they’ll never find me here.’

I had erased all traces of myself and was stuck in this backwater.

The possibility of them finding me was close to zero. Because they knew nothing about me.

They probably don’t even know that I have a ‘real ability’ that made the transportation business successful.

I stretched out a bit more on the sun bed and continued reading the newspaper.

I was planning to return to my lodgings when it got completely dark.

Swoosh, swoosh.

It was then, on the beach where the sound of waves was the only noise, that I sensed someone’s presence.

Before I could turn around, someone stood in front of me.

The identity of this someone was a nameless man I had been encountering frequently these days. The hem of the man’s robe was fluttering slightly in the night sea breeze.

The shoulders of the man standing straight somehow seemed to be drooping.

Although I couldn’t see his face because of the hood he was wearing, the man didn’t seem to be in a good mood.

At that moment, the man pushed his hood back himself.

Then, a handsome face that seemed to shine even in the darkness was revealed.

That perfect face that, once you set your eyes on it, you can’t look away for a while.

It was a face… I knew.

I knew his identity.

“……!”

H-how did you find this place?

Unable to even think about running away, I froze on the spot.

My body, which had been lazily stretched out, tensed up.

When I slowly closed and opened my eyes, the man had come very close.

The man looked down at me with cold eyes like an iceberg in midwinter.

His lips, devoid of any hint of a smile, moved slightly.

“Yerena.”

Yerena.

The name I thought I would never be called again struck my ears precisely.

I had never been called by that name since I fled here from the three men.

This man, beautiful in face, but cruel in his actions.

The man’s identity was one of the ‘three most famous Espers in the capital’ that Marco had been talking about all along.

And among them, he was the most uncomfortable to deal with, the one I least wanted to encounter.