(BL) Hunting The Field Guide novel Chapter 267

Chapter 267: Side story- 6 years ago Kellen and the Captain part 2

There were a lot of people on this side of the front lines. He normally avoided areas like this, where the bustling of others could be noticed. He was mainly worried that someone would see him and think of his Mom. It was the reason he’d buzz cut his hair. You could barely tell he had black hair like this, and blue eyes were a common shade.

No one would be able to say he was Esper Woods kid when he looked like this.

He could pick out the few Guild tent cities over here and Kellen clenched his hands around the straps of his backpack.

He wasn’t envious of those who joined Guilds. It wasn’t something he could be envious of. C Classes were treated terribly in this world because they were considered ’common’. He’d realised that reality when he’d been trained with C Class Espers and had been expected to perform to the same level as them.

Even though Guides were known to be slightly weaker then their same Class Esper counterparts. Even though Guides had different duties. Even though Guides were viewed as fuck toys and then discarded once they were of no more use.

How many times had he heard stories of Guides being thrown away in gates because they were ’just C Class’ and could be easily replaced once they left the gates? It was infuriating, and honestly, it didn’t matter if you were with a Guild or not.

All C Classes were treated that way. It drove Kellen up the damn wall, but that was the reality he was in now.

He hadn’t realised how damn privileged he’d been before when it was assumed he’d turn out as an A Class like both of his parents. Hell, no one had expected him to be a Guide. He’d been assumed to be an Esper until he’d awoken.

He’d even thought he was going to be an Esper. It had been quite the shock to find out that he wasn’t going to get cool powers like his Mom and instead was going to have to be a safe, warm spot for Espers to heal.

Kellen didn’t have a healing bone in his damn body. He was too rough around the edges. He’d always been that way. Even his Dad, his soft, wonderful Guide Dad, had been shocked. Honestly, it would have made more sense that his sister, Gwen, who hadn’t awoken yet but probably would at any moment, had come out as a Guide.

It was unlikely now, since there hadn’t been any recorded instances of an Esper and Guide pairing having two of one awakened type. So, Gwen was either going to awaken as an Esper, or not awaken at all. If the science held up, but who was to say? It wasn’t until a few years ago that any of this was even being investigated seriously.

Kellen glanced around the wide, cleared area. The ground underneath his feet was hardened dirt, a surprise since he would have assumed that the Guilds would have paved the area or some other ridiculous shit. The air was crisp, and he could tell that fall was coming.

Soon he’d have to start worrying about winter, and what that would mean for the front lines. It usually meant sleeping in the same sleeping bag as another Guide since it was dangerous to do that with Espers you didn’t trust. Since Kellen didn’t have anyone who he could trust, he usually just figured it out on his own.

Even if it meant he’d worried he’d almost frozen to death a few times.

He was tough. He could get through this. He didn’t need help. He didn’t need handouts. He didn’t need anyone. He could do this without his parents, without his friends, without anyone else.

He could be more than what everyone made him out to be.

Kellen scanned the area, checking the signs until he noticed the newest of the Guild signs. It wasn’t a wooden sign that had been pounded into the ground like the others, and instead was a banner spread between two wooden poles shoved into the ground.

Written in a sprawling script was two words. Saturn Guild.

That was the new Guild that needed Field Guides, and who Kellen was hoping would take a chance on him. He was smart. He was a good researcher. He was fast, too. He could do this.

They were also offering mere pennies in comparison to the job they were asking for, so Kellen knew that many of the big names wouldn’t be here. At least, he hoped so.

Marching towards the marked off area, Kellen noticed that many of the tents in the area were decorated with an army green and black pattern. He assumed that was the colour of the Guild since that was what most of the Guild’s did in the area. As he approached, he noticed that there was quite the crowd and gathering forming near the doors of the largest tent.

The silver haired man looked him up and down before he slid a form towards Kellen, a pen already sitting on top of the paper.

"Well, you heard right. Before your time slot, fill out a bit of information on yourself, just to make sure that you aren’t trying to trick us." Trick them? Who the hell did they think they were?

Silver hair watched as Kellen’s face twisted with confusion. Kellen didn’t make a comment on his words, even if his expression said enough, and he grabbed the pen and quickly filled out the form before handing it over.

He really wanted to lie about his name, but it would only hurt him in the long run. It was better to be honest from the beginning, even if it made things awkward.

"Uh, can I ask what you meant by time slot?" Kellen asked as silver hair looked over his paper. He glanced up at Kellen and nodded.

"Yeah, of course. Since we have so many people coming in and our Captain is a particular kind of guy, he wanted to make sure that we screened everyone. You have about 10 minutes to show us the plan you’ve come up with to conquer the gate, and if we like it, we’ll call you back and discuss some more with you." He smirked, putting down his paper. "Why? Do you have somewhere else to be, Guide Woods?" Kellen felt his cheeks warm and he narrowed his eyes at the other man.

He was clearly an Esper. Kellen hadn’t been sure before, but now he was certain. This kind of behaviour? This cockiness? Sure, a Guide could be like this, but it was more common with Espers. Kellen’s fingers itched to touch him, just to see how compatible they were before he tsked.

"I was just asking a question. You didn’t need to be rude." Kellen muttered, going to stand near the group of other Field Guides who were clearly waiting for their turns to speak.

Kellen could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He hadn’t anticipated that it was going to be like this. Usually it was fast paced, quick, in and out. They must have been such a new Guild that they didn’t know the normal standards for the front lines, or they didn’t care. Kellen wasn’t sure if that would bode well for him.

Most times, Guilds who wanted to do things differently clashed with Kellen’s beliefs. He just hoped that this wasn’t one of those times.