The moment I open the door and stand before the branch manager, I hear shocking news. I'm to be in charge of the highest-ranked Sentinel, the one I've only heard rumors about—and very bad, scary rumors at that.

"Branch Manager... No matter what, how can you tell me this so suddenly?"

Before I can finish speaking, someone opens the door.

"Yes, did you call me?"

He grins, peeks his head through the door, then glides in, adjusting the collar of his neatly ironed dress shirt. He walks steadily to stand beside me, looking at the branch manager. A subtle scent of fabric softener wafts past my nose. For a moment, my body flinches—frozen. I glance at him out of the corner of my eye, then stiffen my neck and look back at the branch manager. Cold sweat trickles down. The branch manager looks at me, sighs softly, then speaks.

"...I'm asking you. Starting today, you'll be Chaser's exclusive Guide."

Whether he knows my feelings or not, or perhaps he's 'pretending' not to know... He tilts his head slightly to the side, looks at me, and smiles sweetly.