32 - How to Escape the Reverse Harem Cliché
Chapter 32
“Evan. I’ll do all the explaining, so you just go and don’t say a word.”
“Alright, but hold my hand.”
The moment I took Evan’s hand, the space seemed to twist, and our location shifted abruptly.
In a place thick with acrid smoke, someone spotted us and shouted.
“Laila!”
Aiden called my name and rushed over, then used his ability on Evan. Evan, with a teleport, easily dodged Aiden’s telekinesis.
But Aiden was persistent.
Bang! Boom-!
The abandoned building shook with the incessant explosions, and cracks began to form in the pillars.
As Aiden’s ability, contorted with rage, threatened to bring down the entire place we stood on, I had no choice but to grab Aiden’s hand and turn him around.
“Stop it, Aiden! The building will collapse!”
“You were kidnapped!”
“It’s not like that. He used his ability unconsciously. And we returned safely.”
“But…!”
“Calm down, Aiden. Is your Guiding level okay?”
Aiden’s hand, which I was holding, was hot. Only then did Aiden seem to regain his senses. After huffing for a long time, he pressed his forehead with his palm and dropped his head.
Seeing him tremble all over, his Guiding level was undoubtedly low. In my haste, I tried to transfer my Guiding to Aiden, but he shook his head and pushed me away.
“There are a lot of guys here sensitive to Guiding. We’re not as far away as before, so if Laila were to Guide, they’d notice immediately.”
“But….”
“Rose!”
Seeing Aiden call Rose’s name irritably, as if he were angry, I had no choice but to step back.
This was my choice. I had decided not to live as a Guide, so stepping back now was the right thing to do.
“What a temper. Lady Pasianne, would you please move aside?”
“Ah, yes. Please do.”
“That’s not what I wanted to hear from you, Young Lady.”
“……”
“Adrian. You’re in debt twice today, you know?”
“Shut up and just Guide me.”
Aiden replied with a chuckle at Rose’s words and offered her his hand. Rose took his hand familiarly and released her Guiding.
Espers feel Guiding, but Guides cannot feel the aura of my Guiding or that of others. At best, they can only feel the sensation of their own Guiding leaving them.
Yet, it felt as if the Guiding Rose was sending reached even me, a Guide. That’s how immense the Guiding was, S-Class Guiding.
“I don’t like physical contact, so adjust your levels properly. It’s so annoying I could die.”
“Ah, thanks.”
After their Guiding levels were sufficiently replenished, the two separated cleanly from each other.
Rose frowned, rubbed her hands together, and stared intently at me.
I thought she’d look away soon, but as if challenging me to a staring contest, her gaze grew more intense.
Why is she acting like this…? Her fierce gaze was embarrassing, but my petty pride wouldn’t let me break eye contact, so I stood there, trembling, unable to do anything but meet her gaze.
“Enough.”
Orion stepped between us, breaking up the standoff.
He covered Rose’s eyes with his hand, pushed her aside, and then sighed, launching into a lecture.
Not at me, but at Rose.
“I told you not to be rude, Lady Rose.”
“Are you my superior?”
“In terms of rank, yes, you are. You’re a cadet who hasn’t even graduated yet.”
“Even if I haven’t graduated, you and I are both just trainees. How can an elite not know that, Sir Restro?”
“That’s enough. I have no desire to exchange further words with you. Please return to your post.”
“So proud. Just how noble are you that I can’t even look at you? Adrian, you and she are exactly the same. How can anyone live like this?”
“Rose. Don’t cross that line.”
I wondered if Rose’s mention of ‘how noble’ was referring to me.
Hey, I’m sorry, but please don’t drag me into your fight. I absolutely don’t want to be involved with you. Please, just don’t pay attention to me.
Sweating profusely, I tried to distance myself slightly from Orion’s back when suddenly, the outside grew noisy.
“You’ve arrived, Lord Astolphe!”
At the voice of a man with a rigid posture, all our gazes turned towards the entrance.
If I recall Rose’s words, students who haven’t graduated from the academy are all just trainees on the battlefield, but the atmosphere over there was completely different.
Valerian, his expression stiff, gave a slight nod to the adjutants who greeted him before approaching us.
Looking at his cold face, I wondered if the person who had held an umbrella over me and draped his coat on me when I was caught in the rain earlier was someone else.
That’s how much killing intent was contained in Valerian’s every step now.
…How is that a male lead? Isn’t he a villain…?
Laila. I’m genuinely curious. Why did you like that regretful male lead? His personality wasn’t particularly good, either.
As I was inwardly lamenting Laila’s taste, Valerian, who had been walking without pause, stopped. Then, his gaze fixed precisely on Evan.
…Did he find out Evan is an Esper? Was he not just sensitive to Guiding, but also able to detect the wavelengths of Espers?
As my heart grew anxious about whether Valerian’s insane settings might hide another layer I didn’t know about, I realized I was worrying about Evan foolishly.
“Are there more Guides here? Besides Lady Rose, I can feel the Guiding of another Guide.”
Gasp. I was startled by the sudden declaration, but my Guiding had been well hidden for a long time. I had concealed it since Evan’s dorm, so there was no way he could feel it.
However, Valerian’s gaze hadn’t wavered from Evan since earlier. By now, he was almost certain.
I swallowed dryly and slowly looked around.
Wow, the people gathered here are quite dazzling. Can this many people really gather in one place?
Caught amidst this impressive and formidable lineup, I could only roll my eyes and keep observing the situation nervously.
“Are you the Olivite Spiritual Body?”
To the stiff question from Male Lead 1, Valerian, Male Lead 2 Orion blocked the way of Supporting Role 1 Evan.
“Lord Astolphe. I believe you are pushing too hard. He is the Spiritual Body of the Marquis Olivite family.”
“I am aware. Therefore, please step aside.”
However, Male Lead 1 paid no mind. He brushed off Male Lead 2’s words and merely stared at Supporting Role 1 with cold eyes.
Oh, this is quite interesting. If I had popcorn, I’d be watching this spectacle with it.
Even though I am the female protagonist, it would be quite an amusing sight if I weren’t present. With the male leads and Rose, a major supporting character, involved in this fight, there’s nothing more entertaining.
So, from now on, like Supporting Role 2, I intended to be a mere object and watch quietly.
“Olivite Spiritual Body. Are you a Guide?”
“What are you talking about? Are there any Guides here besides me?”
It was a topic that should have made one flinch, but at that moment, Rose, the major supporting character, stepped forward to try and resolve the situation.
However, Valerian, as if accustomed to ignoring Rose’s words, seemed to trust his intuition. His gaze fixed on Evan, unwavering.
“You’re not a Guide?”
“Lord Astolphe! This is not the time for us to argue amongst ourselves! Nothing happened, and Laila’s friend was found safely, so if we send him back to the academy, our task is complete. Do you understand?”
Aiden also stepped forward, trying to de-escalate the situation, but Valerian remained unmoved.
His deep green eyes scanned Evan from head to toe, searching for any trace of subtle Guiding. Then, his gaze still fixed on Evan, he looked at Aiden with disbelief and asked.
“Lady Pasianne. You are reporting that nothing happened, despite such clear traces of Berserk?”
“That’s because I used my ability a moment ago…”
“Hey, I’m an Esper. Not a Guide, an Esper.”
Evan’s sudden declaration made me sigh involuntarily. It was a statement that cracked the facade of my composure as I watched as a mere object. I told him to just stay put, but he wouldn’t listen.
“Want to see the mark?”
Without anyone stopping him, Evan pulled at his clothes and revealed the symbol on his collarbone.
At that action, Aiden muttered a small curse. The plan to send Evan back to the academy without revealing his existence, which I had asked for, was now in vain.
Meanwhile, Valerian’s expression shifted to one of even greater seriousness than before. He didn’t seem shocked by the news that Evan was an Esper, but rather his expression suggested he was focused on something else.
“I left the Berserk traces. And this woman Guiding me before I went Berserk.”
Evan pointed at Rose with his finger.
I expected him to retort with nonsense, but surprisingly, Rose remained silent with an expression that neither confirmed nor denied.
“Then, are the Young Master’s doubts resolved?”
Evan shrugged with a smile tinged with a hint of mockery.
Soon, his gaze met mine. His expression seemed to say, ‘Don’t worry’… Is he kidding me? How can I not worry? After causing all this trouble.
“Bring the Inspection Stone.”
The adjutant standing beside him received Valerian’s command and busied himself leaving the area.
In this situation, where the plot was unfolding at breakneck speed, I seemed to be the only one bewildered. The others watched Evan and Valerian with expressions that suggested this was inevitable.
My head throbbed. I couldn’t fathom what would happen next, and the future seemed dark.
I should have explained everything to Aiden as quickly as possible and returned to the dorm with Evan. I should have at least given a brief explanation when Valerian arrived and left this place, but I made the wrong judgment.
“Young Master. I would like to speak with you for a moment.”
In the end, I called out to Valerian, stopping him.
