I reflexively grabbed Joo Seunghyuk’s hand tightly.

“Seunghyuk, I’ve never thought about something like that. Why would I shoot you? I’d never do that to a person. Honestly... I have thought something else, though.”

“What kind of thought?”

“That I hope you won’t use what you bought today on me...”

“What I bought today?”

“I mean stuff like the whip...”

I wasn’t a masochist like Kim Jun. No matter how many new experiences I tried, I doubted I’d suddenly discover a hidden kink.

“Pfft. So that’s why you were frozen this whole time?”

Joo Seunghyuk burst into laughter. He even covered his mouth—he must’ve found it really funny. But I was dead serious.

“Seunghyuk, I really don’t like pain. So you can’t use those things on me, okay?”

“I never even considered it.”

“Really?”

The Joo Seunghyuk from the original novel was a hardcore sadist. Had his preferences changed?

“But now that I’ve heard you say that... I’m kind of curious.”

“...What?”

“Should we try it?”

I shook my head furiously.

“No! Don’t hurt me.”

“Then we can’t do anything. Lee Yeonsu always says it hurts.”

“I’ll tell you honestly from now on when it really hurts.”

“So before, it was just exaggeration?”

The more I talked, the deeper I sank into the swamp. Is this why it’s called Guide’s Swamp?

Either way, saying the wrong thing now might get me locked in the trash bin. I did my best to persuade him.

“No! It really did hurt. But I’ll endure that much, so—”

“Don’t hold it in. You don’t have to.”

“Seunghyuk...”

The mad dog really did have a gentle side. I looked at him, moved.

“Your whining is ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) pretty cute, Yeonsu.”

“......”

Insane bastard. Yep, he’s still insane.

“How’s the gun?”

“It’s good. Light, fits well in my hand, the scope’s great. I mean, I’d have to try it in the field to be sure, but...”

“Wanna fire it? There’s a training room in the basement.”

“Wouldn’t it be better for an Esper to try that kind of practice? I don’t think I’d even know what I’m doing.”

“Why would some other guy use it? You’re the one who should.”

“...What?”

Joo Seunghyuk didn’t answer. He walked over to a display case and pulled out a small wooden box. Inside was a ring, set with a transparent gemstone.

“What’s that?”

“My very first treasure.”

“Your first?”

“Yeah. The first treasure I got after taking down a boss monster.”

Joo Seunghyuk’s first gate raid... That wasn’t mentioned in the original. Naturally, this ring had never been brought up either.

He took the ring out of the box and placed it on top of the Horaitron Pistol. The pistol vanished like smoke.

“Whoa!”

Startled, I turned to look at him. But even though a treasure worth the price of a building had disappeared, Seunghyuk remained calm.

“This ring can store anything.”

He slid it onto my finger. I didn’t even get a chance to refuse—it happened in the blink of an eye.

“Okay, now try taking the gun out.”

“How?”

“Just give the ring a command. Or imagine the gun coming out. You’re good with mana, so you should be able to do it easily.”

Giving a command to someone else’s treasure felt wrong, so I imagined the Horaitron Pistol appearing. Just like that, the gun materialized in my hand.

“It’s a picky artifact, but you nailed it on the first try. I knew you’d pull it off.”

“Guess I got lucky.”

“Now try putting it back.”

“Okay.”

This time, I imagined the gun returning into the ring. It disappeared from my hand just as I pictured it.

“That’s so cool.”

“Want to try again?”

“No thanks. Once is enough.”

I quickly moved to take the ring off—but Seunghyuk grabbed my hand.

“It’s yours now.”

“What?”

“We were supposed to get a ring today, remember?”

He had suddenly brought up the whole ring thing earlier today. Then immediately brought me to the Ability User Department Store. Of all days, it was the day of the special auction. And he bought the Horaitron Pistol, an S-rank treasure.

Even if he’s a third-gen chaebol, that’s not the kind of price you spend on a whim. But he hadn’t even hesitated.

And despite the fact that no rings appeared in the auction, he didn’t seem the least bit disappointed.

Wait...

“You were planning to give this to me all along?”

“Yeah. Why? Disappointed it’s not a couple ring?”

“No, it’s not that—it’s just... this is important to you.”

This was his first treasure. Regardless of its monetary or combat value, it must hold deep meaning. That’s probably why it was displayed in the most prominent spot in the case.

It wasn’t something you just handed over to someone else.

“Nothing’s more important to me than you.”

“Seunghyuk...”

“Take it.”

He clearly wasn’t going to back down. If I refused too hard, it might have the opposite effect.

“...Alright. But I’ll give the gun back.”

“No need. I bought it for you.”

So he really had planned from the beginning to give both the ring and the Horaitron Pistol together.

“Seunghyuk, I appreciate it, but this is too much.”

I usually tried not to reject anything the mad dog gave me—but this really was too much.

“You’ve got that real gate raid next week. You’ll need to bring a weapon. That’s why I’m giving it to you—so don’t feel pressured.”

During field gate raids, everyone had to bring a weapon. Espers had their personal gear, but Guides usually just borrowed the school’s standard weapons. I was no different.

Some high-level Guides from major guilds had better equipment, but I wasn’t one of them.

“I’m not even going inside the gate. I don’t need something this good.”

“I know. You won’t have to use it. I’ll protect you.”

“......”

Seunghyuk gently caressed my cheek.

“But keep it on you. I think I’ll feel better that way.”

No matter what I said, he wasn’t going to change his mind. I had no choice but to nod.

I’d keep it safe and return it once we broke up...

“...Okay.”

“Make sure you wear the ring.”

“Is it really okay for me to accept something this precious?”

“Of course it is. Who else but my Guide would I give it to?”

“...Thanks.”

“You’re thanking me for this?”

Seunghyuk gave a quiet laugh and ruffled my hair.

“Wanna go look at the rest now?”

“The rest?”

“I bought other stuff today too, remember?”

“No!”

I shook my head desperately.

“You don’t want to?”

Of course I don’t! Do you think I want to see that stuff?! You bought things so brutal they make whips and shackles look cute! And you’re smiling?!

Instead of screaming, I grabbed his hands tightly.

“Seunghyuk, I—I like you!”

“...What do you mean?”

“I don’t want anything but you touching my body!”

“Do you realize how dangerous what you just said is?”

“I don’t care!”

I’m not the dangerous one here—you and the stuff you bought are! Those ungodly tools straight out of an R-rated dark SM novel!

“Ignorance is a sin, too.”

And with that gentle voice, Joo Seunghyuk kissed me.

***

As soon as I opened my eyes, I looked at my hands. There was a ring on the fourth finger of my left hand. But no handcuffs. No shackles.

Feeling the freedom in my arms and legs, I let out a sigh of relief.

My back hurt like hell, sure, but all things considered, this was a miracle.

I thought last night would be the start of experiencing the “cozy trash bin” life firsthand—but thank god, it wasn’t.

“You’re awake?”

Joo Seunghyuk, lying in the same bed, pulled me into his arms and bit my neck.

“Ah!”

“Did it hurt?”

“A little... Seunghyuk, do you like my neck or something?”

He had a weird obsession with biting my neck.

“They say if you bite someone’s neck, you mark them.”

“That’s from a movie...”

Unlike the Esper–Guide bond, which was formed with mutual consent, Alpha–Omega imprinting was supposedly an instinctual pull—something engraved on the soul like destiny.

But because that kind of “fated connection” was rare, almost no one actually imprinted in real life.

In the last 100 years, there were only two couples in Korea. And Korea wasn’t an exception—globally, imprinting was incredibly rare.

Some even claimed Alpha–Omega imprinting didn’t exist at all. They said anyone claiming to be imprinted was either a scammer or just mistaking their Esper–Guide bond for something else.

Still, regardless of belief, the trope was everywhere in novels and movies. Biting someone’s neck to imprint them was a classic.

“And besides, I’m a Beta.”

Even if biting could cause imprinting like in the movies, it wouldn’t work on me. Alphas and Betas couldn’t imprint.

“If you want to imprint on someone, Seunghyuk, wouldn’t it be better to find an Omega—ow!”

Joo Seunghyuk bit my neck hard. This time it really hurt.

“Talking gross first thing in the morning? Lee Yeonsu, you need to be punished.”

His gaze lingered on the terrifying treasures sitting on the nightstand.

Last night, he insisted we “just check them out,” and brought them all into the bedroom.

Before he could unleash his S tendencies, I hurried to speak.

“No, I just meant—you seemed like you wanted to imprint, so...”

“Hyung, you took my purity. Now you have to take responsibility.”

“......”

He kissed the ring on my finger.

“The price for taking my virginity is marriage. So don’t even think about anything else.”

“...Okay.”

I answered softly, all the while thinking desperately of a way to escape the mad dog.