13 - How to Escape from the Reverse Harem Cliché
Chapter 13
Although it wasn't indoors, Valerian was a character who, by setting, was more sensitive to Guiding energy than anyone else. So, if he felt it, I did consider the possibility that there might indeed be a Guide somewhere in the mansion.
Perhaps I might have Manifested and emitted Guiding energy without realizing it, unlike in the original work, but if that were the case, Valerian should have noticed when he grabbed my wrist a moment ago. Guiding felt stronger and more certain through touch than without it.
Even if he only touched me for a moment before letting go, Valerian would have definitely noticed in that brief instant.
"If I'm correct, you would have definitely known when you grabbed my wrist a moment ago, Young Master."”
“……”
Valerian offered no reply to my words.
It was something I could have let slide, but if I let it slide now, similar incidents might repeat. Moreover, such actions by an Esper could be quite threatening to a civilian.
“Why are you doing this to me? What have I done wrong that you keep interrogating and cornering me like this?"I apologize, Young Lady." My nerves were frayed, and I was rude to you.”
“Your frayed nerves have nothing to do with the rudeness you showed me. That’s not a valid excuse.”
Since it had come this far, I decided to push back hard. This was a method I had used on Orion Restro as well.
The Laila of the original work had an angelic, kind, and gentle disposition, which was why the male leads adored her, but I had no intention of meekly following the original story.
Even if I was called names for having a terrible personality, I didn't want to live my entire life in a place like this, unable to say what I wanted to say.
"I don’t know if this is how you handle things because you were born an Esper and received a high rank, sir, but I am merely an ordinary citizen of the Empire." And one who hasn’t even reached adulthood.”
“……”
“I want to ask if it is truly right to flaunt your strength and act coercively towards someone like me, a weakling. Is that the ideal pursued by those with high titles?”
Valerian was silent again at my question.
I had planned to use his disdain and the act of him grabbing my throat as an excuse to avoid going to the capital with him, but that plan had also fallen apart.
Valerian knelt down on one knee before me.
"Young Lady." I cannot even dare to ask for forgiveness for my mistakes. I have hurt you.”
No, well… it wasn’t exactly a hurt.
As I, flustered by the sudden turn of events, stammered and tried to avoid his gaze, Valerian took off his glove and extended his hand towards me.
“If your heart has softened even a little, would you permit me your hand for a moment?”
My hand… why? Was he trying to confirm if I was the owner of the Guiding energy he felt earlier by touching me? Did he still not believe me?
That tiresome man…
In the end, I was so fed up with Valerian’s actions that I firmly clasped my hand into his outstretched one.
As our hands touched, Valerian’s expression changed subtly.
"You are right, Young Lady." That was not your Guiding energy.”
“Yes. You believe me now.”
“I apologize. I will never make such a mistake again. I will not act without certainty from now on.”
Though his words seemed slightly off the mark, he had admitted his mistake, so I decided to accept it.
I tried to pull my hand away from Valerian’s grasp, but he pulled me towards him with a sudden movement, lightly kissed the back of my hand, and then let go.
Valerian, detached, stood up, offered me his usual smile, and left the garden without a backward glance.
Th-that…!
“……What kind of bastard is that!”
He’s no easy one either. All the male leads here are clearly insane.
As expected… escaping this place is the top priority. I didn’t want to be in the same place as guys like that for even a moment.
The next day, Valerian came to see me and apologized once more. The owner of the Guiding energy he had felt that day had been identified.
It belonged to two Guides the Count and his wife had brought from somewhere for Aiden. The timing coincided perfectly with when they alighted from the carriage, and when Valerian approached them to confirm, they testified that it matched the Guiding energy he had felt yesterday.
It turned out the Count and his wife had thought Aiden would return alone and had procured unregistered Guides, which was illegal. But by chance, Valerian, who was sensitive to Guiding, visited and discovered the existence of these illegal Guides.
As a result, those Guides would now have to accompany us to the capital to undergo inspection. After all, he had caught them breaking the law, so it wasn't exactly Valerian's fault…
Watching Valerian’s retreating back after he apologized, I found myself idly rubbing my forearm.
The garden where Valerian and I had encountered each other was quite far from the mansion’s entrance, yet Valerian had found it with uncanny accuracy. I was dumbfounded by his setting.
It sent shivers down my spine, truly. If I Manifest, I’ll have to avoid him like the plague. That thought consumed my entire being.
"Young Lady." The Young Master came but left again.”
Lena, who had come in to fix my hair, said cautiously.
This had been the situation for several days now. Knowing Aiden had come to my bedroom door but hesitated and turned back, I pretended not to know.
Finally, I stopped Lena, who was doing my hair, and stood up. It was something I had to face eventually. Nothing would be resolved by just avoiding it.
“Aiden. Let’s talk for a moment.”
The moment I knocked on Aiden’s bedroom door, it swung open.
He seemed flustered, perhaps not expecting me to come looking for him. Aiden, his eyes flickering intensely, opened the door wide and ushered me in, even stammering.
“C-come in.”
“Can I come in?”
“Of course, you can. Don’t ask things like that, Laila. It hurts my feelings…”
Aiden, the corners of his eyes drooping, urged me to come in quickly. I entered Aiden’s bedroom, leaving Lena and the servants outside.
Every time I entered this room, I felt an inexpressible longing constricting my chest. It was because I habitually lingered around Aiden’s room after he left for the academy.
After possessing this body, Aiden was the only one I could attach myself to. The Count and his wife were suspicious and I couldn’t bring myself to feel affection for them. The servants treated me like a demanding young lady. I didn’t want that…
On the other hand, Aiden was the only one who had always thought only of me, my sole ally. Even if I grumbled or sulked over trivial matters, Aiden would unconditionally yield to me.
We weren’t blood-related siblings, but I thought we might be bound by a relationship stronger than family, friends, or lovers.
That’s why, when Aiden left for the academy. I pretended not to be, but I was consumed by deep longing, perhaps why I frequented this empty bedroom.
“Laila. Are you okay…?”
Still unable to approach me, he stood far away, clasping his hands together, and examined my complexion.
I nodded and gestured for Aiden to come closer. Even so, Aiden couldn’t sit beside me and just kept his distance, looking at me.
“Aiden. You’re upset with me, aren’t you?”
“Huh? No! Why would I be? I’ve never been.”
“You were sad because I was avoiding you.”
“I was sad, but not upset. It was my fault for not being considerate of Laila.”
“I was just a little scared then. I’m sorry, Aiden. You were trying to protect me.”
“Don’t say that, Laila. Why are you acting like this…”
He trailed off, his expression anxious, and sat down next to me.
“Don’t be sorry. Okay? Laila, I’m more sorry.”
“That’s enough. You don’t need to be sorry either. Let’s not say such things to each other.”
“Okay.”
He seemed very pleased by the word ‘we’.
As if we had never been distant, Aiden moved a little closer and chattered about what had happened at his academy.
Then, the conversation turned to how his Esper ability was discovered.
“I hadn’t received Guiding for quite some time, so I wasn’t feeling well. But suddenly, Laila’s name came up, and I ended up using my ability without realizing it.”
“My name?”
“Ah… it’s nothing much, but the kids were very interested in me… so I guess they were interested in you, your younger sister, too. But don’t worry! I handled it so no one could bring up your name.”
Was the word ‘handled’ such a scary word? An Esper handling something against civilians…
I didn’t know where to start pointing out the flaws to Aiden, who was smiling brightly as if it were no big deal, so I just let it be.
It wasn’t my business, anyway. More importantly.
“You couldn’t receive Guiding? Why?”
“Ah, something happened to her. Actually, that’s why I’m going to the Esper Academy too. She was captured there.”
“The Guide who used to Guiding you?”
“Yes.”
“Does she have a high matching rate with you? Or is she a high-rank Guide?”
“The matching rate isn’t great, but she is high-rank.”
Guides can also be ranked, just like Espers. Just as Espers are ranked based on factors like the size and output of their abilities, Guides are ranked based on the efficiency, quality, and quantity of their Guiding waves.
A high-rank Guide means they possess good efficiency, quality, and quantity, so they are naturally an absolute existence for high-rank Espers.
On the other hand, matching rate has a slightly different meaning; simply put, it’s like compatibility for us. It can also be substituted with the term ‘synergy’.
Therefore, it is a measured value of how well a Guide and an Esper’s waves match when paired one-on-one, and it is independent of their individual ranks. For example, even a low-rank Guide and a high-rank Esper can achieve efficient Guiding if their matching rate is high.
Even a low-rank Guide, if they have a high matching rate with an Esper, that Esper will become more desperate for and obsessed with them.
It’s a kind of instinct for survival… but no matter how I think about it, it’s a perverted setting. Because Laila, despite her low rank, had a high matching rate with Valerian from their first meeting.
Forget about character development. It’s safe to say they just threw in all sorts of settings. As expected, all the protagonists are overloaded with settings.
