Chapter 241
Chapter 241
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 241
Chapter Title: On Harems & Adelia
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***
Thud.
As Cheon-seong walked along the wide academy boulevard, his mood was far more subdued than usual.
“…”
To completely reset one’s mindset was a truly significant undertaking.
I had to overhaul almost everything, starting with my own values. And only by changing everything could I do what needed to be done without falling into this state of anguish.
That was why I had to set the standard straight, starting now.
Not by hesitating in my attitude while forming half-hearted relationships with several people…
‘I have to get my mindset right from the start.’
Thud.
As I walked with a different purpose on a Sunday that should have been for rest, one person inadvertently came to mind.
“How on earth… how did he do it?”
A truly strange feeling welled up inside me.
The original protagonist of this world, Leonhardt, who was likely spending his time in the infirmary right now.
A major reason I could make the decision I had just chosen was that Leonhardt had walked that path in the story.
As is often the case with protagonists in ‘harem novels,’ he rarely suffered much mental anguish despite making several women his lovers.
Unlike me, with my throbbing head, the Leonhardt from the story often had time fly by as he focused on overcoming the immediate crises.
…That felt so different from my own experience.
“Come to think of it, he seemed to take it for granted.”
While accepting several women as his lovers, Leonhardt had acted as if it were the most natural thing in the world. It was as if he felt he was meant to embrace them all.
But now that I was thinking of walking the same path, I found it difficult to accept my own thoughts.
‘Is love…’
Can it exist in a one-to-many relationship?
I had never experienced such a relationship, but even when I read harem novels, I had always thought of it as something fantastical.
Of course, I did. The common values of the reality I lived in were clear, and I believed love usually took a certain form.
‘Though there were countries in the modern world that allowed polygamy.’
But that applied to a very small number of nations, so it felt unrelated to me and didn't really resonate.
And looking at it that way, I was once again realizing that this world was completely different, even when compared to those few countries.
There is an empire with imperial authority.
There is a noble class and an anomalous power called Traits.
Furthermore, there are the clear threats of monsters and Apostles.
Many other things existed, and because of them, the various forms society took were also different.
It meant that things absolutely not permitted in my original world were permitted here.
‘A harem…’
And what I was contemplating now was a harem.
Currently, the ratio of male to female cadets in academies outside the capital is not significantly different. However, the gender imbalance on the front lines was stark.
It was a fundamental difference in enlistment rates.
As a result, the proportion of men on the front lines was much higher, and they lived under the threat of monsters and Apostles.
Consequently, the number of casualties was, of course, bound to be higher among men.
It wasn't that there were many women.
It was the reality that the number of men was dwindling.
Naturally, a gender imbalance occurred.
In this world, men were chronically in short supply, and the concept of a harem wasn't actually that special. Those with outstanding abilities and value naturally took several women as lovers and wives.
On top of that, there were differences in power and class, and those with power also bore a corresponding ‘responsibility.’
Thump.
I stopped walking, and my perspective shifted slightly as various thoughts crossed my mind.
Thinking about it that way, it occurred to me that… maybe I had been gravely mistaken.
“It’s all so different…”
These were all settings that appeared throughout the story, but I had never given them much thought.
When reading a harem novel, one doesn't scrutinize the worldview, values, or social structure just because there are multiple heroines.
But now, living in this world and facing this reality firsthand…
Only now… did the things I hadn't considered significant feel like they were hitting me squarely.
With my modern values, I had judged this world as myself.
So I had subconsciously believed I could never have something like a harem, and if I were to fall in love, I naturally assumed it would be with just one woman.
But in this world, my values weren't the norm.
…Even now, I could see various cadets passing by.
“The café will probably be crowded…”
“Then how about we spend some time in that lounge with the animals?”
“Yeah. That doesn’t sound bad.”
As cadets chatted in groups and walked past, even their uniforms were different. From A to D-Class, they wore a variety of uniforms and even received different living stipends accordingly.
Ordinarily, even that would be impossible in reality.
Treating people with blatant, open discrimination, and even displaying it to the cadets within a single academy.
Even such a minor detail was completely different from the modern world…
“…”
Perhaps my attempt to live in this world with modern values…
‘Maybe I was the strange one.’
At some point, my thoughts had led me there. Thud. As I resumed walking, my heart felt peculiar.
I had decided I needed to deny my past values and change my attitude going forward, and it had felt incredibly difficult.
But now, it seemed I no longer had a choice in the matter.
—I have to do it.
I had to accept it and change my way of thinking.
‘…If I ask myself if this is right.’
Still, I couldn't help the negative thoughts that arose.
Even if it couldn't be helped, the question of whether my actions were truly just and reasonable, whether I was allowed to do this, held me back.
The women I could think of right now.
Kalli, Glacia, or even… Adelia.
There were three women I could be ‘certain’ had feelings for me. I didn't know what I had subconsciously done to them, but I was aware of my situation.
“……”
If I were to tell them I would also be in a relationship with other women, would they truly be able to accept it?
‘I’m not very confident.’
I didn't even have the confidence to say it to their faces. It felt like I would be hated by all of them.
Instead, I was afraid they would despise and loathe me.
And the simplest way to determine if the other person could accept what you had to say was to put yourself in their shoes.
If I tried to imagine hearing my own words from their perspective…
“…Insane.”
After a brief thought, I found myself shaking my head.
An intensely negative emotion surged through me at once.
If Kalli suddenly told me she had another man, I would reject her in a heartbeat.
I would never accept such a relationship.
If she loved me, she had to love only me. And I would naturally demand that of her, and I would want her to do so.
…So.
That was why I couldn't fully establish my own thoughts right now.
I had thought about a harem and made a decision. I had to build relationships that way. But I myself was struggling to fully accept that idea.
Thud.
…My mind was in turmoil as I walked.
‘No matter how different the worlds we live in are, how different our values are… even our living environments…’
Am I really allowed to consider a harem?
Is my decision right now okay…?
Thump.
As I absentmindedly stopped walking, the now-familiar sight of the infirmary came into view. The infirmary where Adelia and Leonhardt were likely staying.
“Hoo…”
I let out a soft breath and tried to calm my heart.
Leonhardt and Adelia would be inside. I had promised to meet Adelia regularly, and now that I had arrived at the infirmary to fulfill that promise…
…my heart already felt different.
Originally, after accepting Kalli's feelings and getting closer, I had subconsciously decided to gently turn Adelia down.
I knew the feelings she held, but I couldn't accept them. But now, the situation had completely changed.
Gulp.
I swallowed hard and knocked cautiously on the door. I didn't know if I was truly allowed to do this, but I had to face it.
…I had to confront reality and establish my stance.
Knock, knock.
“It’s Han Cheon-seong. Instructor Adelia, are you in there?”
***
Sometimes, you could feel it in your body without meaning to.
The feeling was different when you were with someone,
what you thought was different,
and even what you each accepted was different.
Adelia was subconsciously aware that truly everything was different.
Glance.
“……”
Her eyes fell upon what was now an empty seat, where Cadet Leonhardt had been.
She had spent the past week with him in the infirmary, trying to encourage him. And that time spent together… she knew she shouldn't feel this way as an instructor, but honestly, the feeling was so different.
It wasn't as if she'd never treated a cadet long-term in the infirmary before. But perhaps because it was after spending time with Cadet Han Cheon-seong, she felt the difference even more acutely.
Cadet Leonhardt was certainly objectively handsome, and he was an outstanding cadet in many respects, including his character.
Though he had lost his Trait due to an unfortunate accident, the fact that he hadn't lost his will was admirable, regardless of their respective positions.
And yet, she was unwavering in her awareness of their roles as instructor and cadet.
Clink.
But as she faced Cadet Han Cheon-seong, who was setting a teacup down in front of me, she realized she reacted differently when she was with him.
“…I heard from Instructor Kalli.”
As the words left her mouth, she felt it even more strongly.
“What you heard from Instructor Kalli is…”
“About you encountering an Apostle on Friday.”
“Ah…”
Seeing Cadet Han Cheon-seong flinch, her eyes narrowed naturally.
She had been extremely worried after hearing the story from Kalli yesterday, but seeing him with her own eyes now, he certainly seemed to have no physical injuries.
While that was a relief, a small feeling of disappointment welled up.
“Why didn't you come to me?”
She spoke a little forcefully… and felt her heart tremble.
‘I really am…’
I was realizing more and more clearly that I was seeing Cadet Han Cheon-seong as a man.