My contract husband’s spiritual entity is a snow leopard. Whenever it gets close, it trembles and lets out a low growl. It also headbutts me. I thought it didn’t like me, so I gently suggested to Marcus that he keep it contained. But then I saw the live comments flickering in my vision: 「This leopard is trying to meow but sounds like it’s hacking up a year-old furball.」 「Sentinel: Honey, I love you! Honey: Why is this leopard headbutting me?」 「The wife has no spiritual entity, so she doesn’t know that Marcus is this shameless snow leopard.」 At the same time, I heard Marcus’s voice in my head: 「Just slap it. That’ll do the trick.」 A slap? I thought. Isn’t that more of a reward for you? 1 Marcus has gray-blue eyes. Exactly like the snow leopard currently rubbing against my calf. The only difference was the deep, purring rumble vibrating in the creature’s throat. Its round, shimmering blue eyes never left my face. I still couldn’t quite connect this massive cat with the man standing across the room. After I heard his mental suggestion, the comment feed exploded: 「When your wife slaps you, the first thing you notice is her scent.」 「What a way to reward himself. Marcus is a true connoisseur.」 「Aren’t Sentinels supposed to be impulsive hotheads? What’s this guy playing at?」 「Does anyone else see how cute Mochi is when he looks up like that?! I think Audrey is about to melt.」 「Wait, you’re telling me Marcus, the Chief Sentinel’s, spiritual entity is named Mochi?」 2 Marcus and I got married a month ago. The moment we signed the papers, he was called away on an urgent mission. After a rushed apology, he was gone, only returning today. My supervisor gave me the day off, considering a Guide’s primary duty is to provide spiritual soothing for their Sentinel. But the second I walked in the door, I was blocked by the snow leopard, leaving me no chance to get reacquainted with my new husband. Seeing me frozen in place, Marcus took a step closer. “Don’t be afraid. He’s just a little excited. He won’t hurt you.” I could smell the faint, clean scent of steam from his recent shower. I’d never been this close to a Sentinel before. I was a little nervous. I reached out and absently stroked the snow leopard’s ear. “What’s his name?” The next second, Marcus swayed on his feet. My hand met empty air. The snow leopard had vanished. I was about to say that I wasn’t scared of him anymore, that he didn’t need to put him away, when I saw Marcus’s jaw tighten. He spoke, his voice serious. “He needs to rest.” “Oh,” I said softly. I remembered then that he’d been on a mission for weeks. I discreetly started to back out of the bedroom. “Then I won’t disturb—” As I passed him, I noticed the tips of his ears were bright red. The comments mercilessly exposed him: 「Sentinels have heightened senses. Just a light touch on the ear from his wife and the whole leopard is about to roll over in ecstasy.」 「Little Marcus is on the verge of popping up to say hello to the wife.」 「Marcus, are you even a Sentinel? You compressed a three-month mission into one, worked nonstop to get back, and this is what you’re giving us?」 I paused. “Do you… need me to perform a soothing?” I asked, hesitating. “The people at the Citadel taught me the basics.” The words were barely out of my mouth before I regretted them. He was the Chief Sentinel. I was a deficient Guide with no spiritual entity and only a sliver of psychic energy. What good could I possibly do? I was so out of my league. Just as I was about to turn and flee in shame, a thick, furry tail curled around my calf. The snow leopard pushed me, and I tumbled onto the bed. Marcus immediately lay down on the other side. “My mindscape is dangerous. Just being near me is enough.” I didn’t understand what he meant at first. Not until a big, furry paw gently covered my eyes. We were just… sleeping. Wrapped in blankets. A stranger of a husband on one side, a giant, rumbling cat on the other. I thought it would be an impossible night. But when I opened my eyes again, it was morning. The room was empty. I assumed he’d been called away on another mission. Not thinking much of it, I got up and headed for the bathroom. Halfway there, I heard the sound of running water. Marcus hadn't left? The next second, the comments flooded my vision: 「Never thought the wife would be such a wild sleeper. Like an octopus. Marcus held back all night, he’s about to explode.」 「It’s been over two hours. Is this the stamina of the Chief Sentinel?」 「A moment of silence for the wife’s future.」 I was still groggy and didn’t process it right away. Not until I heard a ragged gasp, barely audible over the shower, and then a broken whisper. He was saying my name. My face flushed hot. I turned to go to the downstairs bathroom, but the comments kept scrolling furiously: 「Marcus’s pocket is bulging. What did he stuff in there?」 「What could possibly be in the wife’s bathroom?」 「I think I know.」 「Me too. No wonder it’s been two hours.」 「Stop being so cryptic, AAAAAH!」 The moment I stepped into the bathroom, the words vanished. I dawdled inside for a long time, until I got a message from Marcus saying he’d left. Only then did I creep out. He was gone. I went back into the bathroom and looked around. My entire face felt like it was on fire. A few days ago, a friend had sent me a silk slip dress as a gift. I’d complained that the design was way too daring, but the fabric felt incredible. Since Marcus was away, I figured no one would see me if I wore it to bed. The only problem was that it wrinkled easily, so I had a habit of hanging it up in the bathroom after taking it off. But now, it was gone. 3 With Marcus’s whereabouts unknown, I had nothing to do at home, so I cancelled my leave and went back to the office. As it happened, a new Guide intern had just started and had no one to mentor him, so I sat next to him to help out. Suddenly, I felt a weight on my lap. It was a chubby orange tabby. The intern’s face went crimson. “I’m so sorry! I just awakened, I can’t control him very well yet!” I couldn’t resist stroking the cat’s head. “It’s okay. He’s adorable.” We were both Guides, after all. It was the perfect excuse to get my hands on a cat. The tabby was soft and pliant, a world away from the dense, heavy presence of the snow leopard. I lost myself in the simple joy of petting him. Even after the intern left for a meeting, I stayed at my desk, playing with the cat’s paws. I never expected Marcus to show up at my office. He lifted the chubby cat out of my arms by the scruff of its neck. “Can spiritual entities get pregnant?” His words were a mortal wound to the cat’s pride. It let out an indignant meow and vanished on the spot. The moment I got in the car, I was tackled by the snow leopard. It licked my face with wild abandon, the rough tongue tickling me until tears streamed from my eyes. I could only plead with Marcus for help with my eyes. He reached over and peeled Mochi off me, pulling me up. But a second later, we were both knocked over. Thankfully, the car was on auto-pilot. Sandwiched between the snow leopard and Marcus, I struggled for breath. The comments flew across my vision: 「The leopard smelled a strange cat on his wife and is now marking his territory.」 「Can someone please explain to me how the Chief Sentinel can be knocked over by his own spiritual entity?」 「Fun fact: on the battlefield, this leopard can shatter an enemy’s skull with a single swipe.」 「Let’s not talk about that.」 ... As Marcus helped me up, I couldn’t stop my mind from racing as I stared at his face. Six months ago, agents from the Citadel had found me in a small border town. According to federal law, all Guides discovered in the wild must be brought under the Citadel’s control. I grew up in an orphanage, with no family, and certainly no spiritual entity. I never knew I was a Guide. I only knew that entering the Citadel meant one thing: waiting for the system to match you with a Sentinel. But on the way to the Citadel, our convoy was attacked. Marcus and his soldiers drove off the Wanderers. He told me our families were old friends. It was only then that I learned my parents had been high-level researchers for the state. They were killed in a targeted attack on scientists when I was six. I was lost in the chaos. At the Citadel, I attended classes with the others. Marcus visited occasionally. I heard from others that he was heavily criticized for not having a Guide. Many worried he would lose control without spiritual soothing. Meanwhile, I was facing my own mandatory matching. When I proposed a partnership, Marcus had a strange look on his face. He said he could help me apply for a deferment. “…Marriage is a serious matter, especially for a Guide.” I shook my head. “It’s going to be a forced match sooner or later anyway.” Besides, I really didn’t want to stay in the Citadel, learning flower arranging all day.
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