The Guide is Actually a Body-Switching Esper [BL]-Chapter 248: Sister-in-law

"Clara, when I allowed you to stay the night, that’s not what I had in mind..." Damien sighed heavily, rubbing his furrowed brows.

"But that’s exactly what I was afraid of!" Clara exclaimed, no longer even trying to hush her voice, since Damien was already up anyway. "He comes back in the middle of the night, smelling off... Well, nothing, actually! It’s clear he took a shower right before coming here, his hair is even still wet! Isn’t it suspicious?"

"What’s suspicious about that?" Lane scoffed, rolling his eyes. "I was dirty, so I wanted to wash up before bed."

"Dirty with what?"

"With dirt."

Clara raised her arms helplessly, her eyes so wide almost bulging out. Try to have a conversation with this guy!

"Dirt like what? Lipstick? Perfume? Other guy’s cologne? Or maybe-"

"Clara," Damien interrupted her, his voice calm, but stern. "I told you to stop."

"But Damien!" Clara protested. "Can’t you see that those are all the signs-"

"Of you being paranoid," Lane finished for her, no longer amused by their little back-and-forth. He could take criticism - he was well-aware that he was terrible in many aspects - but he didn’t like being accused of something he wasn’t guilty of. He had never cheated on Damien, and wouldn’t do it in the future either! Since he had agreed to take it further than just a casual fling, he would remain exclusive for however long their relationship lasted.

"Alright!" he clapped his hands. "It was, ugh, nice to see each other again and all, but it’s getting late, so it’s about time for you to go home, don’t you think? Sister-in-law?"

"Sister... What?" Clara’s eyes widened, her face turning pale in sheer horror.

What indeed.

But jokes (because it was just a joke, right?) were no longer funny if explained, so Lane just carried on. "You remember when the door are, don’t you? Or do you need me to show you the way?"

"...Are you throwing me out?" Clara looked at Lane in disbelief, as if everything he had done so far hasn’t been pushing the man toward such a decision. "From my brother’s apartment? In the middle of the night?"

"What middle, it’s only just past midnight! I can call you a cab or something?"

"I am a young woman, how can you make me return home alone at night?"

Lane rolled his eyes. Just a poor, helpless, innocent young woman, riiiight. Totally not a skilled A-rank Esper with combat training and dungeon experience. Rather than worry about her safety, Lane would rather fear for everyone around her! And she didn’t even live in any shady area!

But, just to finally get rid of her, he offered, "Then I’ll give you a ride!"

"...Dressed like that?" Clara looked him up and down.

"Do you mind?" Lane shrugged his shoulders, but still went to the master bedroom, pulling some joggers and T-shirt out of the walk-in closet. They were a bit loose on him, but Lane didn’t mind. But then he looked at his feet, and went, "Oh."

It was one thing to borrow Damien’s clothes, but shoes were a little... Well, Lane would do it if there wasn’t a better option, but one of the perks of sharing this ’two story condo with invisible staircase’ was that he could just go up and grab his own in just a minute!

"Be right back!" he called, and jumped out through the balcony.

Leaving Damien sighing, and Clara completely stunned.

"That’s illegal!" she yelled.

Yeah, they were siblings alright!

"That’s an unauthorized use of ability," she repeated, when Lane returned a moment later. Once again, through the balcony.

"Just let it go." Surprisingly, Damien was the one to shut her up, shocking her even more. "Should we go now?"

"Wait... Are you actually kicking me out?" Clara looked back at Damien, feeling betrayed.

"I..." Damien glanced between Clara and Lane, trying to figure out what to do. In the end, he tugged Lane by the wrist. "Can we talk inside, for a minute?"

"Yeah, sure." Lane nodded his head, and shut the bedroom door right in Clara’s face. "What is it?"

"...Would it be alright for Clara to stay?"

"Hmm?"

"Just for tonight," Damien quickly added. "It’s just that... Didn’t you see my earlier message?"

"Hmm?" Lane tilted his head. "What message?"

"I’ve texted you earlier. About Clara..."

"Ah?" Now that Lane thought about it, he hasn’t checked his phone since leaving the dungeon. He hasn’t even taken it out of his spatial bag...

Well, he should probably pay more attention to things like that, to avoid such unpleasant surprises in the future. If he knew about Clara’s presence, he probably would have made a slightly less inappropriate entrance...

But it wasn’t the point right now.

"Well, it’s your place... So it’s ultimately up to you," he answered. "If you want her to stay, then of course she can stay..."

Even if Lane really hated the idea.

...Should he just grab Damien and take him to sleep in his apartment upstairs?

Before he could try to execute his new idea, though, Damien exhaled with relief. "It’s just for tonight, I promise. I just want to show her that we’re good and everything is okay..."

It clearly wasn’t working, but that was to be expected. Lane had a feeling he would have to completely reinvent his personality to even hope to get Clara’s acceptance.

And he had no intention on doing that. It wouldn’t work long term, anyway, especially since she was Damien’s sister, living in the Capital, and working for the Association, so they were bound to ran into each other every now and then!

"Well, fine. She can sleep in one of the other rooms. As long as she doesn’t come bother us!" Lane shrugged his shoulders, and threw himself on the bed.

"Thanks," Damien gave Lane a small smile, and went out to settle Clara. Lane listened through the half-open door as Clara made a few more unfavorable remarks about him...

Perhaps he should buy another condo. Preferably on the other end of the country, and settle Clara there. Samantha and Eloise could stay in the Capital, as based on his previous encounters, the two women were unproblematic, but Clara...

A condo on the other side of the country, a great job opportunity, and a boyfriend or a girlfriend, whichever she preferred. Find a way to keep this nuisance out of his way!