37 The Prison Finally Goes on Break

Sae Itoshi’s pectoral muscles are incredibly comfortable to lean against. Combined with a sentinel’s naturally elevated body temperature, being encircled in his arms feels as cozy and soft as a warm bed in the middle of a cold season.

...No, wait. You weren't like this before!

This is all because Kaiser serves as such a stark point of comparison!

You regain your senses, realizing that being squeezed into the middle of the narrow backseat is a dire situation. Perhaps sensing that Shidou is about to bump into you, Sae pulls you in with a forceful arm. A familiar scent fills your senses, and for the first time, you feel the well-toned body of Sae, leaving you feeling slightly dizzy.

As your cheek presses against the thin fabric covering his chest, the sentinel’s breathing becomes a bit more rapid and heated. Your psychic powers synchronize subconsciously; amidst the extensive physical contact and emotional contagion, Sae’s psychic pathways seem to boil and leap as if set ablaze.

Is this considered a positive expression of emotion...?

Ryusei Shidou squeezes in without a shred of hesitation. Once seated, he turns back to the manager with a boastful look and reminds him, "Try not to pinch your hands, okay?"

The moment he finishes speaking, the car door slams shut with a loud bang.

Manager: "............"

Shidou has usurped your original spot, causing Sae’s arm around you to tighten even further.

The furnace-like embrace is fine for a moment, but you are now finding it difficult to breathe.

"What were you two talking about just now? Something about taking medicine?"

Ignoring the murderous glare from Sae, Shidou continues to pour oil on the fire. Seeing you pulled to the other side, he brazenly leans over. He doesn't even notice his knee bumping into you, instead feigning a grave expression as he sniffs the air. "Hmm, I smell the scent of a sentinel looking to mate..."

...I’m in a hurry. Does anyone have a tutorial on how to make Ryusei Shidou shut up?

You feel like you’re sitting on pins and needles. You try to adjust your posture, only to discover in despair that a corner of your clothing is pinned down by Shidou.

You struggle to sit up and surrender to the two of them. "I'm getting out of the car. You two can chat."

You signal Shidou to move, but he acts like a rascal, his knees firmly braced against the back of the front seat.

"Aren't we all moving to Spain to live together? We'll have to rely on little Sae to support both of us then."

His golden eyelashes flutter as he says the most infuriating things with the utmost sincerity.

What is with this sense of entitlement?

You want to say something but hold back, struggling to calm yourself before turning to look at Sae Itoshi.

Clearly, Sae has also reached his limit.

He stares at the sentinel in front of him with a look full of warning; you get the feeling that a pink-haired cockroach might pop out and start attacking at any second.

"So, could you... move?"

You ask tentatively, wanting to exit from Sae’s side.

"............"

A vein pulses on Sae’s forehead, but in the end, he grants your wish.

You and Ryusei Shidou are both booted out of the car.

As the window rolls up, Sae gives you a final word to stay in touch via phone.

You nod, watching him leave in the cold wind. After all, he has an international flight to catch. On the bright side, this whole mess means you successfully dodged his request to enter your mindscape.

However, the thought of not seeing Sae for a long time leaves you feeling quite conflicted—if it weren't for him, you would likely still be a long way from becoming a full-fledged guide.

"You and Sae Itoshi aren't at that stage yet, are you?"

Ryusei Shidou, who is standing beside you, speaks up.

The mischievous energy from the car has faded significantly, and his tone is certain as he questions you.

"What stage?"

"The stage of entering the mindscape."

His usually devil-may-care pink eyes are fixed on you. "If you don't want to, just refuse."

...So, what exactly defines the stage where one can enter a mindscape? Is it just the level of familiarity between a sentinel and a guide?

You think of Kaiser, your eyes growing hazy.

Entering a mindscape isn't really a matter of "wanting to" or "not wanting to" for you, because it doesn't have much effect... well, aside from the separation anxiety that follows.

"Not good at refusing, are you? You can practice with me."

His tone turns infuriating again, and he leans in close. "Please, enter my mindscape, little guide~"

"...I refuse!!!"

*

The Blue Lock project has entered a happy two-week break.

After enjoying a long-overdue sleep-in at home, you open your eyes in a daze.

It looks like it’s already noon.

You pick up your phone to check for new messages.

One is from Chigiri asking if you have time to hang out tomorrow, mentioning that Isagi and Bachira will be there too; one is a greeting from Sae Itoshi upon his arrival; one is from your cousin Anri asking if you have time this afternoon to discuss the drafting of the contract; and one is a certification process notification from the Sentinel-Guide Association.

The gist is that the initial compatibility data has passed the review, and the next step is a randomized test.

—The compatibility test will take place on the morning of Month X, Day X. A compatibility score of 75 or higher is required to pass. The following are the test subjects randomly selected from the high-level sentinel pool:

**Seijuro,** Reo, **Keigo (The order above does not denote any ranking).**

Everything feels a bit familiar.

...Are you sure this "random selection" from the Sentinel-Guide Association is actually random?