48 - How to Escape the Reverse Harem Cliché
Episode 48
It was when I pressed my lips against Valerian's face and embraced his whole body.
“……My… love?”
At the low voice, stammering out words, I pulled my lips away from his marked neck and lifted my head.
“How could you….”
“Ah, really… Why are you waking up now! Why are you only coming to your senses now!”
“…….”
“I thought you were going to die! If you died, I would have guilt…!”
I couldn’t finish my sentence. Because he grabbed my head with his remaining arm and pulled me towards his lips.
Valerian, who had instinctively opened his mouth wide, began to mix our tongues, drawing out my Guiding with all his might.
I weakly surrendered my body to him, collapsing.
Before I knew it, I was lying on my back on the floor, and Valerian was on top of me.
As our lips met, leaving deep marks on each other without either of us knowing who started it, I was seized by unspeakable emotions, gasping for breath.
Guiding was strange. Theoretically, only Espers should be consumed by longing and heat for Guiding, but I, who wasn't an Esper, was flushed and didn't know what to do.
“Laila.”
Even in my daze, the moment Valerian’s deep voice reached my ears, my whole body trembled. With every kiss, a hot fever surged as if sparks were flying.
It felt like flames were spreading throughout my body.
It felt like my whole body was becoming his. As if I were trapped within Valerian’s massive shadow.
No. I might really burn to death at this rate.
To suppress the tension and excitement that came without reason, I gently pushed Valerian away, but he grabbed my hand, pulled his lips away, and stared down at me with a languid gaze.
It was merely a look, but I was so flushed, like I was completely exposed, that I could only bite my lips shut. My heart pounded, and my toes curled inward, making my lower abdomen ache.
“Laila, just a little more.”
“Please….”
I didn’t understand any of it. Even as I said it, I didn’t know what I wanted him to do.
As I reached out with my hand, which had been covering my mouth, to stop the groans that burst out without reason, I slowly touched Valerian’s face, and our lips immediately met again.
As our mingling tongues became rougher and more intense than before, my body involuntarily jolted once, and my neck tilted back slightly. Although Valerian immediately supported the back of my neck with his hand, I twisted my body, gasping for breath, and pulled my head away.
“Stop…!”
At my strained voice, which sounded like it was about to break, our lips finally parted.
All my strength was drained. I was so exhausted that even breathing felt difficult.
It seemed that both I and Valerian had finally returned to our senses.
“Laila.”
I looked at Valerian, who called my name, blinking slowly.
He, showing incredible recovery powers, unlike me, wore a strange expression and pecked my face repeatedly. Each time, my Guiding was drawn out towards Valerian as if pulled by a magnet.
“……Stop. My Guiding is draining away, and I’m dying.”
“…….”
“Are you feeling any better?”
“Yes. I survived thanks to you.”
Yes, it’s good that you know it was thanks to me. A relieved smile escaped me, followed by a sense of relief after narrowly escaping danger.
But soon, my gaze fixed on his left arm, and I realized it wasn't the time to just smile. I scrambled to my feet, grabbed the hem of Valerian’s clothes, and checked his condition.
“Young Master, your arm is still…!”
“It’s fine. I can get recovery treatment.”
Seeing his arm lying on the floor, I couldn't help but frown. Even if he could get recovery treatment, the pain wouldn't disappear, so I didn't understand how he could be so nonchalant.
Is it like this every time? Are all Espers who roll around on the battlefield like this, as if accustomed to being cut and torn?
I shook my head, dismissing the thought. Now was not the time for such considerations.
“Then let’s hurry back to where Orion is. We can’t afford to waste any more time.”
“Laila. You must go with me.”
“……Because I’m a Guide?”
“…….”
Valerian didn't answer my question. He seemed to have read the reluctance in my eyes in that brief moment.
“I cannot leave you here.”
“I know. I was prepared for this the moment I decided to Guide you.”
Although I answered like that, I didn't feel pleased at all and was still anxious and scared. I bit my lower lip, wavering between regret and resignation.
“Laila.”
Valerian gently took my hand and called me in a tone I had never heard before, so tender.
I was slightly taken aback. The unexpected softness from that man, who had only ever seemed weary, made me even more uneasy.
They said many Espers go mad from a single Guiding.
Of course, Valerian had good self-control, and he had Rose, a High-Class Esper, to fall back on, so it was unlikely, but still, I couldn't help but feel anxious.
I snatched my hand away from his grasp, turned my head sideways to avoid his gaze, and mumbled,
“I’m just a Low-Class, after all. You’ve experienced it, Young Master.”
“Guides, regardless of their class, all belong to the Empire.”
“That…!”
I was about to retort but closed my mouth.
Just as I couldn't understand them, Valerian probably couldn't understand my thoughts either. Our lives and environments were different.
In the end, I vaguely escaped the situation by nodding and grabbed him.
“I understand, so let’s hurry back. Your treatment is the priority.”
“Excuse me for a moment.”
He stood up, took my hand, and pulled me up, then leaned me against his chest.
No, anyone would think I was the patient if they saw this.
……But I am the patient. Valerian became energetic from my Guiding, and I was drained, like someone whose energy had been sucked out.
If Valerian hadn't supported me, my trembling legs might have buckled the moment I stood up, and I might have collapsed onto the floor.
Hiding my Guiding so it wouldn't leak out any further, I rested my head against Valerian’s chest. I was too exhausted, feeling like, whatever happens, happens.
“Laila. If we go by horse…”
“……What?”
As Valerian was leading me towards where my horse was, something suddenly appeared before us.
A familiar voice and scent. But unlike before, the voice was coldly subdued and filled with killing intent, and I lifted my head from where it was buried and looked at him.
“……Evan?”
I had completely forgotten Evan’s existence.
Of course, he must have been fighting Monsters in this area, but I had been so focused on Valerian that I had forgotten my own situation.
Evan, who suddenly appeared through his ability, looked back and forth between me and Valerian, then strode forward and pulled Valerian away from me.
“Young Master Astolphe. Are you insane?”
“…….”
“Do you mean my words are meaningless? You might even disobey the Emperor’s decree at this rate.”
Despite Evan’s sarcastic tone, Valerian’s expression didn't change. He merely looked at me, who had slipped from his grasp and was now standing by Evan.
It was clear that another commotion was about to break out. With my barely holding on mental strength, I pulled Evan to make him look at me.
“Evan, the Young Master is not in good condition. This is not the time to be arguing about right and wrong…”
“Laila. Was his embrace the only place you could hide?”
“……Why do you speak like that?”
“How wonderful and spacious must it have been for you to ignore me when I was searching for you so desperately.”
I was so dumbfounded and bewildered that I lost my words.
It would have been better if he had just grabbed me and yelled or gotten angry. I was sick of Evan’s sarcastic tone as he looked down at me with a face devoid of any smile.
And the next words that followed further suffocated me, who was already drained.
“But Laila. Why do I sense your Guiding energy here?”
“…….”
“You Guiding? Him?”
I knew he was crazy, but there were limits to his madness. How could he say such a thing in this situation?
Seeing Evan, who had become a lunatic after half a year, I could no longer hold back. I forcefully pushed away Evan’s arm that was supporting my staggering back and pulled away from him.
“You really haven’t changed your way of speaking at all. Still the same. Rude and annoying.”
“Yes. I’ve gotten even worse.”
“You know that? Do you think it’s normal for you to be blinded by my Guiding when your comrade is on the verge of death with an arm severed?”
“Do I have to care about some Esper? When the Guide I finally found is right in front of me, why should I care about Astolphe’s arm?”
“Evan!”
“So? Am I supposed to take him back? Then will you stay by my side until you die?”
Before Evan could finish speaking, he used his ability.
Normally, Teleport Espers have to hold onto someone to move them together, but Evan moved Valerian without even touching him. His ability made me close my mouth, which had been open in surprise.
In the blink of an eye, we were dropped into a camp where numerous people were moving chaotically. Only then did I truly realize his S-Class rank.
