Translator: Nox

25 - How to Escape the Reverse Harem Cliché

Chapter 25

At any rate, I decided to gratefully accept Rowen’s kindness.

“Are there many Espers or Guides in the Imperial family?”

“Why are you suddenly talking about Espers?”

Rowen’s expression instantly stiffened.

It was understandable, as the reason Marquis Derman’s family was in conflict with the Olivite family was precisely because of Espers and Guides.

The United Nations. That is, an international organization formed by four countries, had long viewed Espers and Guides negatively.

If Espers were national power and Guides were money, then what about the rest of the ordinary people? What on earth did they live for?

As the discrimination between those with abilities and those without grew, the United Nations Neutral Agency had degenerated into an organization that protected and guaranteed ordinary people. Even though it was initially an institution established by the four nations to foster harmony.

And the direct subordinate organization of the United Nations Neutral Agency was this Academy, and Marquis Derman’s family was the family that made the largest donations to our Academy, so this much should tell you how hostile the Derman family is towards Espers and Guides.

“I’m sorry. I asked an awkward question. Just forget it, Rowen.”

“…No, I’m more sorry. Ah, why am I like this lately? Maybe it’s because graduation is near, but I’m getting so sensitive.”

Rowen pressed her temples firmly, massaging them, and shook her head vigorously.

In about two years, we too would graduate from here and enter society. Before that, noble children like Rowen and I would have to undergo something called a debutante ball, or whatever it is.

Thinking about that suddenly gave me a headache too. I already disliked crowded places because they drained my energy, but at the debutante ball, I’d have to be even more careful in case my Guiding leaked out.

It would be best to aim for escape before then. Just as I was thinking that, Rowen, perhaps feeling sorry, gave me the answer to the question I had been curious about.

“There are many Espers in the Imperial family. Quite a few Guides too. Apparently, if a precious Imperial Descendant manifests as an Esper, they have to save him, so they seem to pull high-ranking Guides from specialized Academies.”

As expected, Guides are no different from exploited machines.

I nodded along, offering appropriate responses to Rowen’s explanation.

“Laila may or may not know, but the First Prince, the Second Prince, and the Second Princess have all manifested as Espers. This generation does have a particularly high number of Espers.”

They were all direct children of the Empress. Legitimate Imperial Descendants.

However, the youngest prince I was curious about was not the Empress’s child. Was it the Imperial Consort, or a Concubine? In any case, not a legitimate heir.

“Hasn’t the Imperial Consort also not had a child?”

“Oh my! Laila, what are you saying? The Imperial Consort doesn’t have a child yet.”

“Ah…”

“You’re saying something that could cause trouble, Laila. You should be careful saying things like that outside.”

“Yes. I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize to me. Well, I’m a Derman, right? I don’t like the Imperial family much, so you can say those things in front of me.”

Then she smiled brightly at me. Fortunately, it didn’t seem like I had made a mistake, so I smiled back.

Then, I organized my thoughts. So, Andreas Aint is the child of a Concubine, not the Imperial Consort? Can I ask? No, I’m getting too fixated on the existence of Male Lead 3…

Since we’re people who will never see each other again anyway, let’s not dig any deeper. If I make a slip of the tongue, I might lose a friend unfairly.

“The Imperial Consort is from the Olivite family.”

At that moment, a chilling voice from behind me made the hairs on my entire body stand on end. Perhaps sensing the same shiver as me, Rowen’s face next to me also slowly stiffened.

Before we could even think of stopping and turning around, the person in question strode over and stood before both of us.

“What on earth does Derman have to be so arrogant about?”

Evan, whom I hadn’t seen in days, had a face full of irritation.

Even Rowen, who had been viciously bad-mouthing the Imperial family in front of me, was a weakling unable to say anything in front of the intimidating Evan. I could feel Rowen trembling from our touching arms.

In the end, I hid her behind me and faced Evan.

“Stop it, Olivite.”

“What?”

“Stop acting like this.”

“You’re bad-mouthing my family behind my back, and you expect me to just let it go?”

“That was my fault. I asked out of curiosity. Rowen is not at fault. So, get angry at me.”

Even with my words, Evan’s fierce expression remained fixed on Rowen. The atmosphere was so tense that I myself felt a chill, as if he were about to grab Rowen by the collar.

“I apologize, Senior Olivite.”

In the end, I was the first to apologize to him.

“I was thoughtless and showed interest in your family. This won’t happen again. If you want to scold someone, scold me.”

As I put up a wall, even using formal language, Evan’s displeased gaze turned to me, and his expression hardened.

I noticed that his condition was not good. Seeing his pale complexion, his Guiding levels must have dropped, but I pretended not to know, and ignored Evan’s distress.

It was a childish revenge for him threatening my friend.

“Derman. Get lost and go back to your classroom.”

However, Evan’s unusually vulgar remark to Rowen made me annoyed this time.

Rowen was trembling slightly behind me. Even though Rowen is a normal person, her body might be instinctively sensing the Esper and fearing him.

I quickly pushed her towards the stairs and told her to go back first. Rowen, looking at me with an uneasy smile, ran up the stairs as if fleeing.

“I should have added one more clause. A clause that says not to get angry at my friend.”

“If you have something you’re curious about, you can ask me. Why are you asking that trash?”

“Speak nicely. What do you mean, trash? Rowen is my friend.”

“Then I…”

“What?”

“What am I?”

I don’t know why he’s acting like this all of a sudden.

I don’t know if it’s a good idea to deal with an angry Evan in an empty hallway… but I had no choice but to spread my arms.

“What are you doing? Come here.”

“……”

“Your Guiding is depleted again, isn’t it? Come here. I’ll touch you.”

I haven’t seen him for days, so I don’t know what he was doing to use up all his Guiding. I’m sure I filled him up as much as possible the last time I saw him.

Rather than indulging Evan’s complaints, I intended to shut him up with Guiding. It was less of an energy drain for me. It was better to have my Guiding drained than my energy.

“…Damn contract.”

Evan, who had been silently glaring at me, suddenly uttered a subject out of nowhere. Not “Damn Pascianne,” but “Damn contract.”

I was too lazy to even try to understand, so I closed my eyes, and I felt Evan pull me into a hug, burying himself in my chest.

As if that wasn’t enough, he lifted me up and held me in his arms. My legs, which had been dangling in the air, instinctively wrapped around Evan’s waist, but he stopped, his nose buried in my neck.

“No.”

He looked at my lips with a strange gaze, so I reached out and covered Evan’s mouth, shaking my head.

My lips… it was my petty pride that I didn’t want to touch them without emotion, unless it was the absolute worst of the worst.

Regardless, Evan held me tightly again and moved to the open storage room on the first floor.

When I first guided Evan, it seemed to go smoothly, but today, perhaps because his condition was severe, no matter how much I held him, his Guiding levels showed no sign of returning.

Evan, perched on a dilapidated desk that looked like it might break, held me, who was dangling in his arms, tightly and breathed heavily.

“Evan. What on earth have you been doing? What kind of situation at the Academy would require you to use your ability…”

“My Guiding levels drop even when I do nothing. Because my rank is low.”

I knew that, but this time it’s a bit too severe?

Reacting to my inability to breathe properly due to the tightness, Evan finally came to his senses and pulled away slightly.

“Laila. Are you okay?”

“I’m not okay. My whole body feels bruised. My bones are about to break.”

“Sorry.”

He apologizes surprisingly well. Then, realizing I was joking, he frowned and got angry again.

“Is it fun to play with people?”

“I’m not playing with you. It really hurts.”

“You’re annoying.”

Despite saying he was annoyed, the intensity of his embrace weakened compared to before.

It was pathetic that Espers were so desperate for even this weak Guiding, and as a fellow human, I felt sorry. Separate from me being possessed and exploited as a Guide.

Yeah, well… would they want to be like this? What seemed like a mind-blowing setting in a novel became utterly tragic when it unfolded before my eyes.

“……”

“……”

A long silence followed.

I could feel my Guiding being slowly absorbed by Evan. Perhaps because the coiled energy was dissipating, my whole body felt languid, and my eyes gradually closed.

Meanwhile, Evan rubbed his cheek against my neck and uttered a shocking statement in a languid voice.

“…I want to be by your side forever.”

“Didn’t you read the contract thoroughly?”

“You don’t know my feelings, Laila.”

“……”

“You wouldn’t know how it feels to be choked by a Guide.”

I didn’t refute his words. Nor did I offer sympathy. Awkward sympathy would only hurt Evan more. I just felt sorry that both he and I were trapped in this crazy setting.

As I was held like that for a long time, I felt the heat from Evan’s body subside.

According to the setting, when the Guiding level in the body drops, a mole-like mark somewhere on the body becomes faint, but since I didn’t know the location of the mark indicating Evan’s Guiding level in the first place, I couldn’t confirm it.

I could only gauge it by the heat subsiding.

“You can let go now. Non-contact should be enough.”

“Your brother. He’s an Esper, right? And an incredibly powerful one at that.”

“Didn’t we agree not to be interested in each other? Why do you keep forgetting the clauses of the contract?”