Becoming Their Guiding Spirit

I’m feeding Mr. Reeve, you know Staring at the broken sword in her right hand.

The cheers of the surrounding crowd left Franka in a bit of a daze.

I lost?

It was hard to believe. She had actually lost.

True, she was only using a low-quality training rapier and not her preferred rapier. She also hadn’t used many of her sword techniques, including her Originium Arts.

But she was an elite operator of Blacksteel International, while Jessica was just an ordinary intern.

How on earth did Jessica learn such sword techniques that she had never seen before? And her Originium Arts—Franka had been completely unaware of them.

Most importantly.

Putting aside the Originium Arts and sword skills.

The fact that she could almost perfectly dodge the [Fleeting Sword-Thrust] was what shocked Franka the most.

Many knew just how fast her Fleeting Sword-Thrust was.

Even for an elite operator, it would be difficult to rely purely on evasion to dodge it completely. Yet Jessica had actually done it, avoiding all attacks using only her movement techniques. Her near-perfect footwork left even Franka deeply impressed.

*Hiss...*

Could it be that this child is truly suited to be a combat operator?

Franka looked down at Jessica, who had collapsed on the ground from exhaustion but was giving her a shy smile. She was a completely different person from the one who had just fought her!

One was fierce and calm, the other was sweet and ditzy.

Two completely opposite extremes manifested in a single person.

Franka extended a hand and pulled the fallen Jessica to her feet.

She wanted to say something, but she didn’t know what was appropriate at this moment.

But Lucas Reeve’s biggest worry had come to pass.

After the assessment, because the result was so unexpected—one might even say unbelievable—the judging panel did not immediately announce the outcome.

Instead, Jessica was immediately sent as an injured party to the neighboring Rhine Lab hospital for a comprehensive examination.

Blood tests revealed no traces of any performance-enhancing drugs. As for her mental state, there were no issues either. Regarding the possibility of multiple personalities due to dissociative identity disorder, even the psychiatrist couldn’t be certain, stating that it was a possibility. After all, cases of a second personality with a drastically different temperament appearing were not rare. Ordinary people might not see it often, but psychiatrists had seen plenty.

In the end, the doctor prescribed Jessica some psychiatric medication and told her to come back for a follow-up in a week.

”Ugh, I’m so tired....”

Jessica lay cutely on the table like an exhausted kitten, her eyes half-closed, letting out little purrs from time to time.

An entire afternoon of medical check-ups wasn’t physically tiring, but it required intense mental focus. It would have been disastrous if Mr. Reeve was exposed. To celebrate Jessica successfully passing her promotion, her two seniors, Franka and Liskarm, immediately dragged her to a restaurant in a nearby mall to celebrate.

*Pop~*

Franka suddenly set off a small party popper, startling Jessica, who was lying on the table.

”Congratulations, little Jessica, you’ve officially been promoted! I have to say, with the sword skills and proud reflexes you showed in that match, you might just become an elite operator at Blacksteel International one day~”

Franka wore a warm smile the entire time.

Jessica, on the other hand, felt a bit apologetic and scratched her head in embarrassment.

”I’m sorry... Franka. Because of me... you lost face in front of so many people....”

In truth, after the assessment ended.

Jessica, who had always been timid and highly concerned with others’ feelings, began to worry. She was afraid that her victory had embarrassed Franka, an elite operator, and that Franka would start to dislike her...

*Pfft~*

Hearing this, Franka and Liskarm both burst out laughing.

”What are you laughing at?”

Jessica asked.

Franka: ”Nothing, I just thought of something funny.”

Liskarm: ”Me too.”

Their jokes dispelled Jessica’s worries, and she opened up, laughing and chatting with her two seniors.

However.

Something rather strange happened at the dinner table.

For example.

When the food was served.

After Jessica put some food in her mouth, her aura inexplicably changed again. The feeling was exactly the same as during the assessment.

*Hiss...*

This scene left Franka and Liskarm speechless for a moment. Nothing seemed wrong, yet deep down, it felt completely wrong.

”Mr. Reeve, how is this steak? I really like it...”

Jessica muttered to herself in a voice only she could hear.

Inside the necklace, Lucas Reeve nodded.

”It tastes pretty good. Have some more.”

This then evolved into Jessica controlling her body to put food in her mouth, and then Lucas taking over control to savor the long-lost taste of food. As a major foodie in his past life, tasting food again after so long was a true pleasure for Lucas.

This rather bizarre method of eating made Jessica blush.

Then a thought occurred to her.

Isn’t this the same as me feeding Mr. Reeve?!!

*Pfft, how embarrassing (
▽
), hehe!!*

Across the table from Jessica.

Franka and Liskarm were stunned, silently watching Jessica’s one-woman show.

As the gathering was winding down.

Franka seemed to remember something. After whispering to Liskarm, she finally said.

”Jessica darling, I remember you mentioned yesterday that you’ve been getting a strange feeling at home recently. How about Liskarm and I sleep over at your place tonight?”

”!!!”

Jessica, who was still lost in her shy thoughts, suddenly widened her eyes.