35 - How to Escape the Reverse Harem Cliché
Episode 35
That day too, I was sitting in the storage room, reading a book.
The literature assignment, which should have been finished in a month, was taking longer than expected, so I had planned to meet him in the storage room from the morning and work on the assignment and Guiding together. Coincidentally, something happened within the Academy that morning, causing all classes to be canceled.
Usually, Evan would arrive early and wait, or loiter near the stairs on the first floor, but today was different. He wasn't in the first-floor hallway or inside the storage room.
He wouldn't miss our meeting without a word like this. If I thought he'd forgotten the appointment, I remembered how he'd been pestering me since last night.
It felt like Evan was coming to the Academy not to attend lectures, but to see me. He used to be someone who was late or absent all the time, but just seeing him arrive earlier than anyone else for my Guiding was proof of that.
Figuring he must have something urgent, I pulled out any book from the shelves packed tightly with them.
This place no longer functioned as a storage room. It felt more like a library than the actual library within the Academy.
The silence, where even the slightest noise was absent, felt strange and I was slightly taken aback, but soon I was so engrossed in the book I'd picked up that I lost track of time.
“……Why would an Esper be here?!”
Just as I was concentrating on the text, a phrase that suddenly pierced my ears made my eyes snap open. The moment I heard an unknown student's voice, I dropped the book I was reading and shot up. An Esper?
Without thinking, I rushed to open the door, only to find the first-floor hallway already packed with people.
“They say he came looking for the Prince.”
“The Prince?! What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“I don’t know. Let’s just go outside.”
I had come out surprised by the word "Esper," but now it was "Prince." The string of words that didn't fit this Academy left me utterly bewildered.
“Laila!”
Rowen, who had been coming down the stairs with a frown, spotted me and ran over.
She seemed to have something she wanted to say, as she tightly gripped my hand and her lips moved repeatedly.
“Rowen. Why is there suddenly so much commotion? Why is everyone on the first floor?”
“That… Laila. Did you know about this too?”
“What….”
“……I think it’s best if we go outside, Laila.”
Rowen seemed reluctant to say anything. If the cautious Rowen was reacting like this, it meant the situation was serious…
Yet, she kept hesitating. I was torn between the instinct that I shouldn't go outside and the reason that I had to. I had a feeling that if I went out now, I would face something irreversible.
“Laila. You look unwell. Do you want to go to the infirmary and rest? I’ll find out what’s going on and explain it to you later.”
“No. I want to go out too.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
My steps as I walked out with Rowen felt heavy as lead. Moreover, pushing through the crowd that stretched all the way to the plaza left me utterly exhausted.
So, I decided I'd just grasp the situation and go back. Or so I thought.
“Evan…?”
Evan, who had been running a hand through his silver hair as if tired, froze at my voice. His eyes, filled with surprise, met mine, and just as he turned to grab me.
“Your Highness, the Prince.”
A voice that still haunted my dreams was clearly heard from within the crowd.
The students who had gathered stepped back as if by agreement, and thanks to that, I could identify the owner of the voice.
“……Prince Astolphe.”
Why was Valerian here…
No, more importantly, why was Valerian’s gaze fixed on Evan, and why was he calling him by an incomprehensible title… I truly couldn't understand. My thought process seemed to have shut down at that moment.
To be precise, I think I had already recognized it but was denying it because I didn't want to accept it.
However, Evan himself ignored Valerian’s words and, looking at my dumbfounded face, spoke with a bitter expression.
“Laila. Were you waiting for me?”
“Evan. What is all this…,”
“Your Highness Andreas.”
People often use the expression that pupils shake when they are too flustered. The pupils repeatedly contract and expand, unable to fix their gaze on one spot.
That was exactly my state. I didn't realize my pupils would shake so violently. I hadn't been this flustered even when my Guiding spread at the checkpoint.
“Shut up. Don’t call me that.”
Evan, seeing my shock, grabbed Valerian by the collar and swore and threatened him openly.
Valerian, however, paid no mind. He easily shook off Evan’s hand gripping his collar and, with an indifferent expression, continued to say what he had to say.
“‘Effective immediately, the status of the Third Prince Andreas Aint is reinstated, and the Third Prince is ordered to transfer his affiliation from the United National Academy to the Imperial Academy for Espers.’”
“…….”
“This is an imperial decree from His Majesty the Emperor. His Majesty has ordered that force may be used if Your Highness does not comply. Must I do so, Your Highness?”
“Shut up. I was going to go anyway.”
Evan scanned Valerian up and down, then immediately turned his gaze back to me and reached out his hand.
He seemed about to explain what had happened, but I unconsciously took a step back, moving away from Evan.
“…….”
“…….”
Evan, who had been staring at my pale face for a long time in silence, turned his back to me with a hollow laugh.
Then, he blended in with the Espers who had been dispatched to escort him. After Valerian also joined that group, they vanished in an instant via teleportation.
Only after the Espers disappeared as if nothing had happened did the students start to murmur and cause a commotion.
I sank to the floor, my eyes glazed over like a stunned fish.
Evan Olivite was actually the youngest Prince, Andreas Aint, and the third male lead of this novel – I had foolishly only just realized it.
Andreas Aint.
Why hadn't I suspected him at all? Why had I never thought that Evan could be the third male lead?
Primarily, I should have been suspicious when I learned Evan was an Esper. I should have investigated his ability, even if it meant digging.
Male Lead 3 Andreas's ability was Mind Reading. The power to read others' thoughts.
However, in the early stages of its Manifestation, his rank was low, making it impossible to use his ability without direct physical contact, and it was difficult to control, so if he touched someone, their thoughts would be read unintentionally.
That was why. That was why Evan always wore gloves. To avoid using his ability…
The more I thought about it, the more I felt like applauding my own stupidity.
Evan had even told me his rank himself. He said D-Class.
I distinctly remembered that Andreas, if nothing else, had started at D and gradually increased his rank, so how could I have had not a single shred of doubt?
“Laila. Are you alright? Goodness, why are you sweating so much!”
Rowen, who had pulled me up from the floor, fretted over my complexion, her concern pouring out.
Yet, my entire mind was focused on Evan.
Wait a minute… then what about the teleportation?
Clearly, during the Berserk incident two months ago, Evan had used a teleportation ability. He had moved while I was Guiding him, and he had used his teleportation ability when returning after the Guiding. Hadn't he told Valerian that teleportation was his ability?
But Andreas's ability was Mind Reading, that was correct…
Furthermore, after Rose died in the original work, he rapidly grew after receiving Guiding from Laila, becoming unparalleled in the psychic type.
Mind Control. He reached the stage where he could even control others' thoughts. And on the battlefield, this manifested as sadistic attacks.
“No way… he has two abilities?”
“Laila, did you know?!”
Rowen’s eyes widened as she heard my subconscious mumble, and she asked.
Did I know? That question made me feel certain that Evan truly had two abilities, so I couldn't say anything.
Rowen suddenly grabbed my arm, helped me up, and led me to a secluded corner away from people, where she sat me down on a bench.
“Laila. It would be best not to let anyone know that you are close to Evan Olivite.”
“What do you mean?”
“The situation is not good. A High-Class Esper has been living hidden in our Academy for years. And that person is a Prince. He even hid his identity.”
“That’s…!”
“Laila. The details aren't important. What’s most important is that there could be a problem between our Academy and the Imperial Family.”
“…….”
“I don’t want Laila to get caught up in this. So, Laila. If anyone asks you about Evan, just say you don't know much. I’ll explain things to the other students. After all, the kids haven’t completely dismissed their suspicions that Evan was bullying you.”
Rowen’s family was one of those that opposed the Imperial Family or Esper organizations.
In particular, her father, Marquis Derman, was a high-ranking official in the United Federation’s independent agency, which likely influenced Rowen. Because of this, Rowen seemed to extremely dislike me getting involved with Espers.
But what was important to me now wasn't the United Federation or the Imperial Family.
“Rowen. I have something else I’m curious about. Does Evan… really have two abilities?”
