Becoming Their Guiding Spirit

# Chapter 12: Jessica Wants to Overcome Her Timidity The next day, at Blacksteel Worldwide.

Jessica was at the company’s training ground for her morning physical training, same as always. For a mercenary, physical fitness was essential. Every mission was basically a life-or-death situation, and good physical condition and solid combat skills were the keys to survival.

However, compared to the surrounding sea of muscular men and women in black.

Little, adorable Jessica stood out in the crowd.

Not like a crane among chickens, but more like a Ragdoll cat that had wandered into a pack of cheetahs, and what’s more, this Ragdoll cat was earnestly trying to learn how to hunt.

”One, two, three, four, two, two, three, four~ One more set!”

Jessica’s workout volume today was much higher than usual. Normally, she would have started resting by now, but today a voice was chanting slogans in her mind.

”I can’t go on~~ Mr. Reeve, if this keeps up, huff... huff... Jessica’s going to die...”

Jessica panted heavily, her cute little face flushed red. Beads of sweat dripped down like rain, and the ground beneath her was already soaked.

”Last set.”

”Wuwu~ That’s what you said last time, Mr. Reeve~”

Though she complained, Jessica’s body obediently continued with the push-ups.

”If you want to be brave and overcome timidity and weakness, a good physique is essential.”

Inside the necklace.

Lucas Reeve was enthusiastically supervising Jessica’s training.

Since he had made a wish pact with Jessica yesterday to change her from being timid and weak, Lucas Reeve was determined to see it through, both for the prayer power and for Jessica’s sake. The system could have helped; for instance, it had offered him an ability.

[Emotion Deprivation]

This ability could directly strip emotions from others and even oneself, including joy, anger, sorrow, and all others.

But on one hand, this ability wasn’t very useful, serving only this specific wish. On the other hand, in Lucas Reeve’s view, this kind of transformation through an ability would make Jessica incomplete. Losing an emotion, even the most useless one, meant she would no longer be a whole individual.

Therefore.

Lucas Reeve wanted to help Jessica change in his own way.

To that end.

He had spent much of the previous night, while the three were asleep, quietly floating out of the necklace to search for methods online.

”97... 98.... 99... 100!”

*Thud!*

After finishing the last set, Jessica deflated like a punctured ball, collapsing onto the ground and gasping for air. She didn’t have the strength to move.

”I did it! Mr. Reeve, I didn’t disappoint you!”

Jessica was very pleased with herself. Today’s workout was three times her usual amount. Even though she was exhausted, as long as Mr. Reeve was satisfied, it was definitely worth it.

”Well done, Jessica. A good physique is the foundation for overcoming cowardice. So, please keep up the good work in the future~”

”Heehee~”

Receiving Lucas Reeve’s praise, Jessica’s face beamed with exceptional happiness.

Seeing Jessica muttering to herself and giggling over there, the surrounding muscle-bound figures all consciously took a small step back.

*Gurgle~

Eh?

Lucas Reeve was suddenly taken aback.

Because he had just felt a portion of prayer power flow into his soul.

”!!”

He rejoiced internally. Could it be...

Prayer power isn’t only provided upon a wish’s completion?

What a pleasant surprise!

Lucas Reeve smiled faintly. Although this portion of prayer power wasn’t large, only about half of yesterday’s, it was a welcome bonus.

Lucas Reeve didn’t use it immediately but saved it for a rainy day.

Lying on the floor, basking in the memory of Lucas Reeve’s praise, a blissfully happy Jessica suddenly heard a gentle voice next to her.

”Little Jessica~”

She turned her head.

”Ah! Franka-senpai~”

Jessica scrambled to her feet, wiping the sweat from her forehead to make herself look less disheveled.

”You’re training very hard today.”

Franka was half a head taller than Jessica. She reached out and patted Jessica on the head.

”Because I want to work hard... and not disappoint... someone’s hopes.”

Jessica’s little face turned red again.

As expected.

Even though she was so familiar with Franka-senpai, she still got flustered talking to her face-to-face.

Why isn’t she this nervous when talking to Mr. Reeve?

”Because you can’t see me... and you only need to whisper to yourself for me to hear, so naturally you wouldn’t be as nervous.”

Lucas Reeve silently retorted.

”Oh!”

Jessica covered her face.

Oops!

I forgot my thoughts are linked with Mr. Reeve; he can read my mind.

Watching Jessica once again start ’gesturing’ inexplicably, Franka’s expression grew strange again.

Yesterday, she had found nothing at Jessica’s house, but she had noticed some very strange behaviors, though she couldn’t make sense of them.

”Um~ Is something the matter, Franka-senpai?”

”Oh, I came to give you an update. There’s good news and bad news.”

”The good news is, your promotion was just approved by the higher-ups. I spoke with HR and had you kept in my and Liskarm’s squad, just like during your internship.”

”Really?!!”

Jessica pumped her little fists in excitement.

She knew that after her promotion, she would have to be reassigned to a new squad. Typically, each junior operator would be randomly assigned to a veteran’s team. Jessica had considered Franka and Liskarm, but the two senpais had a high combined ranking at Blacksteel Worldwide and were already elite operators, so it was unlikely they would be assigned to train a newcomer.

The thought of being in a team of strangers had worried Jessica for a long time. For someone with severe social anxiety, it was a nightmare.

Thank goodness she was still in a squad with her two senpais.

”As for the bad news, a new mission has been assigned. I’m sorry you have to go on a business trip right after being promoted. Pack your bags now, we’re leaving on a private jet this afternoon to carry out the mission.”

”Where are we going, senpai?”

”Lungmen.”