9 - How to Escape the Reverse Harem Cliché
Chapter 9
Sight, smell, hearing, taste, touch.
These are the five types of sensory receptors in the body, which in the world I lived in, were called the five senses.
And unlike these, a sense that doesn't exist but can clearly be felt is called a sixth sense. The sixth sense, also known as intuition. I've always had quite good 'intuition' since I was young.
Because my ability to miraculously find the correct answer in multiple-choice questions was excellent, my friends would take my test paper, not the top student's, to compare with theirs after mock exams in high school.
Of course, not everything I guessed was correct, but I could say I was particularly good at answering questions that were undeniably ambiguous.
Anyway, it seems that intuition in that world is a sense that Espers in this world are born with.
Aiden said that on the way to the estate, he suddenly felt like I might disappear, so he abandoned the carriage carrying his luggage and used his ability to arrive here a day earlier.
Hearing that sent shivers down my spine. If things had gone as planned, I would have left tomorrow morning, and Aiden would have arrived at the mansion the day after.
As I felt chills from the intuition of that mad Esper, my resolve to avoid getting involved with Espers grew even stronger.
Compared to my meager intuition, which could only guess at multiple-choice questions, it was nothing.
“Laila. Are you okay? Huh? Are you okay now? I’m sorry… I didn’t know you’d be so startled. It’s my fault……”
Aiden had been fidgeting as if he were a criminal since earlier. Meanwhile, I lay on the bed, staring intently at Aiden’s face, which I hadn’t seen in over half a year.
My goodness, he’s handsome, whoever he is. The characteristic purple hair and amethyst eyes of the Pascianne family make Aiden stand out even more.
He’s grown up well. Seeing that he’s still a crybaby makes me wonder if the rude Aiden who only appears before Orion is the real Aiden. In the original work, Adrian was described as a frail, delicate, and infinitely kind older brother.
“Pascianne. Her Ladyship looks tired.”
“Ah, right! I’m sorry, Laila. I kept you for too long.”
At Valerian Astolphe’s words from the corner, Aiden finally emerged from his sadness.
As Aiden pulled up my blanket to cover me, I rolled my eyes and watched Valerian’s retreating back as he walked towards the balcony.
Fortunately, the current Valerian has no interest in me.
Naturally. I am currently a commoner who has not yet manifested as a Guide. There was nothing that an Esper like Valerian would find interesting.
“Didn’t you know you have to report to the Imperial Academy immediately upon manifestation? You committed an illegal act, so I will transfer you to the Council of Elders.”
That was roughly what Valerian said the first time he met Laila in the original work.
What kind of male protagonist grabs the female protagonist by the collar the moment he sees her and talks about dragging her to the Council of Elders? She’s clearly a child who just manifested and knows nothing. She’s going to get into trouble like that.
It feels like just yesterday I was thinking that…
As they say, life is unpredictable. Who would have known that I would actually become the heroine dragged to court? I unconsciously placed my hand on my neck and let out a sigh of relief.
“Laila. Are you okay? Is it still hard to breathe?”
As I looked at Aiden, whose face was full of worry and distress, I was about to say I was fine when Valerian, who was roughly tidying up the broken balcony window, turned around and re-entered the bedroom.
Gasp. I involuntarily inhaled sharply and stopped. Hiding half my face under the covers and trembling, Valerian’s steps towards me halted. Then, standing at a distance, he introduced himself slowly.
“My apologies for the intrusion in the late hours, Young Lady. I am Valerian Astolphe, from the Imperial Academy where Pascianne’s Spiritual Body will be attending.”
“Ah, I am Laila Pascianne.”
I was so nervous, perhaps because he was the real male lead, that I felt suffocated, unlike when I saw Orion.
Moreover, Valerian was the character most sensitive to Guiding. He could feel even the faintest Guiding carried on the wind.
In the original work, the place where he noticed Laila’s Guiding was at a festival in the capital. Amidst that vast crowd, he felt Laila’s faint, low-grade Guiding.
It truly is a perverse setting.
So, it’s natural that I’m trembling like this right now. If, by some slim chance, I had manifested early… I might be dragged away right now.
They already know I’m a woman, so I can’t cross-dress, and Aiden is alive and well, so I can’t pretend to be Aiden. Guides are in a more disadvantageous position when they are women. That’s why Laila in the original work insisted on cross-dressing.
This means that no matter what, I must not let Valerian discover that I am a Guide.
“It’s okay, Laila. He’s not a scary person. The one who just saved you was Duke Astolphe.”
“……Thank you for your help.”
As I offered my thanks, wanting to resolve things quickly, Valerian gave me a slight bow with his characteristic indifferent expression.
Then he glanced at my face, and his gaze felt somehow uncomfortable. It seemed like a look of displeasure, or perhaps annoyance.
I’m not sure, but based on years of part-time and corporate work, that is definitely a look of annoyance. Did I do something wrong?
“Pascianne. I will be outside. Finish up and come out.”
Fortunately, Valerian spoke as if he had no further business and left the bedroom.
Only then could I breathe freely. After he had completely left, I pulled down the blanket and met Aiden’s eyes, which were looking at me strangely.
“What’s wrong, Aiden?”
“Are you acquainted with Astolphe?”
“Me? No? I saw him for the first time today.”
Aiden’s expression, bringing up such a sudden topic, felt unfamiliar.
He had always shown me a puppy-like demeanor, wagging his tail, but now his face was guarded, like when he deals with Orion.
It’s bewildering. Anyone would think I brought Valerian here. You brought him!
But that’s secondary; getting Aiden out of here is the priority. I’ve reunited with him too early, against the Countess’s intentions.
“I’m tired, Aiden. I want to sleep.”
“Ah, I’m sorry. Laila, sleep well and let’s meet tomorrow. I’ll wake you up in the morning.”
“What? You’re staying here? You said you abandoned the carriage. You need to go get it.”
“It will come on its own. Going there and coming back is a waste of time and Guiding.”
“Right! How are you handling your Guiding? Are you okay?”
“I have a Guide introduced by a friend. She sees me periodically, so I’ve been fine.”
That’s a relief, at least. Though I didn’t say it, I had been very worried after sending Aiden to a regular academy.
I was concerned about what would happen if he was too high-grade an Esper and went Berserk without proper Guiding.
But seeing him get introduced to just any Guide suggests his grade isn’t that high. If so, even after graduating from an Esper-specialized academy, he won’t be assigned to dangerous field missions, which is a relief.
“Laila, you might not know, but I was discovered at the academy. That I’m an Esper. So I was expelled. Our dean has a deep grudge against the Empire.”
He said it as if it were no big deal, but Aiden must have been very distressed. Judging by the letters he occasionally sent, which always mentioned how much he liked the academy, it seems he genuinely enjoyed it there.
I decided it was better to pretend not to know and move on rather than offer hollow comfort. Deliberately yawning and acting sleepy, Aiden once again adjusted my blanket and headed towards the bedroom door.
“Duke Astolphe seemed to have tidied things up roughly earlier, but still, if the cold air comes in, call a servant and sleep in another room. Alright, Laila?”
“I understand. Go quickly.”
“Sleep well, my Laila.”
“Sleep well, Aiden.”
I closed my eyes. Tomorrow morning, the Count’s estate will be in an uproar, but that’s for the Countess to handle, I suppose.
Thinking of it so casually, I closed my eyes.
“Laila. But why is the room so bare?”
The bedroom door seemed to close, then opened again.
Aiden, leaning against the doorframe, had a glint in his amethyst eyes. In the dark night, with only the dim moonlight illuminating my bedroom, Aiden’s pupils scanned every corner.
At that moment, I got goosebumps all over.
I probably wouldn’t have gotten this many chills even when I met Valerian.
“Laila. Where are you going?”
“I felt uneasy, so I came ahead to see you, even abandoning the carriage. It was quick using my ability.”
I recalled Aiden saying that just a little while ago. I thought it was amazing intuition and tried to ignore it.
“Where are all your belongings, Laila?”
“Aiden. I’m tired……”
“Is it Mother’s doing?”
Mother’s doing? The kid has become a rebel while I wasn’t looking.
Aiden, staring intently at me, lost for words, gestured towards the air. Then, the door to the small toiletry room inside the bedroom opened.
Aiden didn’t stop there and used his ability. He was using telekinesis to pull everything inside the toiletry room out, but naturally, only a nightgown came out.
My luggage was already loaded onto the carriage.
“How am I supposed to interpret this?”
