2 - How to Escape the Reverse Harem Cliché
Episode 2
So, the beginning of this novel is when Laila awakens as a Guide and enters the academy.
The problem is that the original work followed clichés very meticulously. That is, the female protagonist, Laila, disguises herself as a man and enters the academy in place of Aiden, who is ill, and from there, various incidents begin to unfold.
I found myself staring at Aiden's small back as he was about to open the bedroom door and leave.
Wait a minute. Is there really a need to follow the original story? I'm struggling just to survive; do I really need to disguise myself as a man and enter the academy?
Can't Aiden just go to the academy as he's supposed to? But is he a normal person? What happened to Aiden?
I wracked my brain, recalling Aiden's situation in the original work, and then bit my lip.
It didn't end well.
There was an instance where Laila, struggling to fight alongside her teammates at a Monster Manifestation site, was kidnapped. At that time, Aiden, wanting to save his sister, left his sickbed and rushed to the scene without a second thought, only to be killed by a Monster.
Ah, he's too weak. He's no different from me, who's like a sunfish. I even become a top-tier Guide with the heroine's buff later on, but he just ends up dying because of me, lingering in bed his whole life.
This won't do. If it goes on like this, both Aiden and I will meet a tragic end.
"Aiden!"
"Huh?!"
As soon as he heard his name, he reflexively answered, turned around, and looked at me.
At my gesture to come closer, Aiden practically ran and stood before me.
"What's wrong, Laila? Do you need something? What is it? Do you need something? Huh?"
"Aiden. Let's start basic physical training from tomorrow."
"Basic phy, what? What's that...?"
"It's a thing. You'll protect me from anything happening to me, right?"
"Huh? Uh! Of course! Laila, I'll definitely protect you. I'll protect you no matter what."
"Okay. To do that, you need to protect yourself first, big brother. Do you know what I mean?"
"Uh-huh! I know. You mean I need to get stronger, right?"
"Yes, that's right. We'll begin rigorous training from tomorrow."
Even though in my previous life, I was a lazy person who ran one lap less than required during the long-distance run in school's physical education.
Even though I was someone who lived by the belief that outside the blanket is dangerous, becoming one with my bed once I got home.
Even though I was someone who thought it was great when a friend suddenly canceled plans 30 minutes before, after I had already finished getting ready.
I can't live like that here.
Come to think of it, Laila was the daughter of the Count's family. Even though she was adopted, a Count's daughter is still a Count's daughter.
The home I wanted so much? No problem. This mansion, like a palace, no. This mansion, like the Palace of Versailles, belongs to my adoptive parents.
How to live a long and healthy life? Simple.
If I Manifest as a Guide later, I'll just hide it, and send Aiden to the academy. I just need to avoid all the clichés that might lead to meeting the male leads. At least I know how their first meetings happen, so I just need to avoid those.
There are plenty of supporting characters here anyway. There are so many supporting characters who can provide Guiding to the male leads, even without me.
Before worrying about their lives, I should take care of my own.
And so, on this day, I firmly resolved, holding Aiden's hand.
If I can't escape this damn reverse harem novel, then! I'll thoroughly shatter the clichés and escape the role of the heroine!
Three years have passed since I struggled to escape the role of the heroine, and thanks to that, there have been some changes from the original work.
First, I wracked my brain, trying to recall the novel's content, which I barely remembered, to figure out why Aiden ended up bedridden his whole life.
The point in time I transmigrated was when Laila was around seven years old, and the original story begins when Laila, at seventeen, awakens as a Guide. The past before that was only briefly described through Laila's short flashbacks.
Aiden was already bedridden at the start of the original work. He didn't have a specific chronic illness. What exactly made Aiden sick? When did Aiden start being confined to his bed?
Since this was the cause for Laila to disguise herself as Aiden and go to the academy, it must have been briefly mentioned.
So, after days of contemplation, I recalled a single sentence.
[When I was about seven, Aiden got a large burn scar on his waist trying to save me, and it remained a lifelong guilt for me.]
I thought it wasn't written for no reason, and my guess was correct.
I ran to Aiden, who was sweating with a wooden sword under the guise of basic physical training, and yanked up his clothes. Seeing only his smooth, pale skin, I felt relieved. It was before the fire incident had occurred.
From that day on, I became sensitive to anything related to fire and tried to protect Aiden.
Of course. I didn't want to live with guilt over this weak big brother.
The Laila of the original work knew she was adopted and always felt sorry towards Aiden, who was devoted to her. She always felt guilty that the parental love that should have gone to her brother was directed at her.
This was a major reason why, when Laila manifested as a Guide, it served as a means to repay the family that raised her and Aiden, who sacrificed his love for her.
So, first, I will discard such feelings of guilt.
Why should I? I didn't choose to be here. Gratitude is gratitude, but I don't want to feel sorry for something I didn't do wrong. So, I tried my best not to create situations that would warrant apologies in the first place.
Rescuing Aiden from the fire incident was the first step towards that goal.
I thought maybe he had just lightly burned himself by touching the brazier, but to my surprise, it was a real inferno, and he almost died.
One of the firewood piles we had stacked to put in the fireplace was accidentally knocked over by me and Aiden, causing sparks to fly from the inside. They landed on the carpet spread widely on the floor and began to burn fiercely.
I was startled by the unexpected way the fire broke out, but perhaps it had become a habit to protect Aiden, so I instinctively shielded him and ducked down.
Fortunately, the servants and the Count and Countess, alerted by our screams, extinguished the fire, but I sustained a palm-sized burn on my lower back.
Every time Aiden saw this, he would sob, and I would look in the mirror alone, feeling triumphant. Thinking that this was the first part of the original work I had changed with my own hands.
...But I never expected this to change too.
"Young Lady. I have wanted to meet you for a long time."
Is someone mocking me right now...?
No, why is this kid here? Isn't this... Male Lead 2?
"Young Lady. I am Orion of the House of Restro. It's a pleasure to meet you."
As I just stared at him without saying anything, Male Lead 2 smiled brightly and extended his hand towards me.
Everything had been going smoothly according to my plan. After three years of pushing Aiden, I was almost successful in pushing this weakling brother's stamina to its limit.
I thought this was a good start to diverging from the original work.
Why on earth is Male Lead 2 visiting my house at this timing!
I gazed at his hand and took a step back.
"My dear. Orion will be of help to you."
Even with the Countess's words, my mind was racing to figure out what was happening.
So, this kid... his name is Orion Restro?
Seriously, I'm flustered...
The childhood of the sub-male lead I was pushing was this handsome and cute.
Laila, why did you like that Regretful Male Lead instead of him? I just don't understand.
Anyway, let's organize the situation again. Male Lead 2, Orion, is the only child of the Marquis of Restro. He was an Esper who Manifested with the healing ability, Recover, at a very young age.
He was also a very old childhood friend of Adrian's, which is why he was the only male lead who knew Laila's identity when she reunited with him at the academy disguised as a man.
But why am I meeting Orion before Adrian... Ah, could it be?
"Young Lady. I have an ability. If my hand touches you, any wound on your body will heal quickly."
I'm doomed. Did it change like this?
So, the reason Adrian and Orion became childhood friends in the original work was due to the efforts of the Count and Countess, who sent a message to the Marquis of Restro to treat their son's burn?
But this time, because I was the one who got burned instead of Aiden, the meeting with Orion has been brought forward?
For the past three years, I had meticulously planned strategies to avoid meeting the male leads by any means necessary.
Especially Orion Restro, I thought he would have frequent contact from childhood as he was Aiden's friend, so whenever Aiden's friends visited, I never stepped outside my bedroom.
I never imagined the end of my three-year reclusion would be like this. Honestly, tears welled up. I felt like I had made a mistake from the very first step.
"Young Lady?"
"Laila. You should greet him formally?"
"She seems very surprised. I think I came too suddenly. I'm sorry, Young Lady."
Seeing that I couldn't bear it, the Count added a word, and Orion jumped up, waving his hands, and glanced at me.
In that brief moment, I thought a lot. Should I run back to my room? Or should I run to Aiden's room and send him out instead? To have them be friends?
But no matter what I did, the development wouldn't change now that I had a burn mark on my body. Until Orion tried to use his ability to heal this burn scar.
"This is Laila of Pascianne. I greet the esteemed guest who has come to the Count's mansion."
"D-don't say that! I just, I just wanted to help the Young Lady... That's why I came."
Orion, who had been speaking perfectly fine until a moment ago, started to stutter and his face grew redder.
Glancing at him babbling incoherently, I carefully took the hand of the Countess standing beside me.
"I'll receive treatment, Mother."
"Yes, that's a good idea. You don't need to be scared. Young Master will heal it completely without pain."
The Countess smiled brightly as she looked at me nodding.
