Mari Cloze. She was the illegitimate child of the Cloze family. Her mother's name was unknown. Only that she was once a woman who entertained her father for his amusement.
Mari's mother, after forcefully pushing her newborn daughter into the Cloze family and entrusting her to Mari's father, leisurely left the mansion. Afterwards, as if she had forgotten Mari, no news was heard from her. Not even a single letter.
Therefore, not a single person in the Cloze family was on her side. The mistress of the Cloze family, Mari's stepmother, looked at her—born from her husband's infidelity—as if she were a sewer rat. Her biological father, too, never regarded her, his own flaw, as beautiful.
Only one person. 'Mari, are you crying again?' Her older brother, with whom only half her blood was mixed, was her sole support.
Although she sometimes met her childhood friend Malcolm, that was only for brief playtimes on weekends. At the mansion, only her older brother was her friend and family.
'Oppa…! I, I want to…! I want to go with you too…!' 'Alright, let's do that.'
Because of this, Mari followed her older brother, Damien Cloze, like a shadow. Mari was happy when she was with Damien. In those moments, she didn't feel alienated and could feel the warmth of family.
The resentment towards her mother, who gave birth to her and abandoned her at the mansion, and the resentment towards her father, who created her and hated her. She could completely forget them when she was with Damien. For that time. Because Mari was a younger sister, not an illegitimate child.
'Mari is…' But. 'Foolish.' Even that comfortable sanctuary. Suddenly disappeared at some point.
…
"Oppa, th-this…. This is the pop quiz I took." "..." Even under Damien's cold gaze, Mari extended the paper in her trembling hand.
It was the paper with the results of the test she had taken today. Though it was just a paper with a good score. Its meaning was special because it was a high score from Reville Academy, a prestigious school among prestigious schools.
"I…, I worked hard…." "..."
Therefore, Mari specifically called Damien aside to show him this. Of course, not just to brag about getting a good score. But to let him know how hard she worked to achieve this score. To inform him of that.
Rustle…. Damien took the paper Mari offered. And looked at the contents written on it with indifferent eyes.
In the awkward and heavy silence. Mari struggled to open her mouth again.
"O-of course, this isn't the end…! This is just the beginning! I told you! I'd show you the results on this midterm exam…." "...You certainly said that. …So?" "..." "This isn't the 'result' you spoke of. …Surely you didn't call me just to show me something like this?"
"Th-that is…." "As expected, Mari is foolish." "Ugh…."
At Damien's words, Mari felt her heart sink. Cold sweat ran down her and her hands trembled.
"To be honest, Mari…." "..." "I don't believe you'll ever do well." "...What?" "So, are you trying to gloss things over with a mere pop quiz score like this?"
"N-no…! I just wanted to show you my effort…!" "Show your effort…?" At that moment, Damien snorted and glared at Mari.
"Surely you didn't call a busy person just for such a reason?" "...Th-that." "Mari, you truly are foolish." "Ugh…."
"You can't even calculate the weight of my time you're currently wasting. …And you say you'll show results?" "..." "Alright, fine…."
A cold voice, devoid of even a hint of laughter, pierced Mari's heart like a wedge.
"You've shown the results, alright. …That you are foolish and dim-witted." "..."
At his cruel words, Mari felt her heart freeze solid. It was painful. It was bitter. And it was lonely.
Because in this moment, she felt her older brother, whom she once relied on and needed more than anyone, had moved one step further away.
"…Next time, think a bit more before you call me. Alright?" "..." "Your answer?" "...Yes." "Even your answer is dull." "..."
Thud. Damien, having spouted cold words without hesitation, placed the paper on Mari's head. Then, without any lingering attachment, he turned and left.
Her older brother was leaving. 'Say something more…' This wasn't what she had wanted. 'But then he would definitely hate me more…'
Just a few words. She had only wanted to exchange those few words that they hadn't shared for so long. Like before. Like when they had a good relationship. But. 'As expected, I…' Her foolish self had ruined it.
"...Who are you?" "Who do you think?" Just then. A familiar voice suddenly came from the direction of the door. Upon hearing that unexpected voice, Mari, with tears welling up, looked towards the door.
"I'm Mari's friend." "..."
…
Step, step. 'Is it finally over…' I, who had been holding my breath and waiting behind the door, took a deep breath, knowing it was finally time to come out.
'From now on, the real strategy begins…' This was an important moment. Even I felt nervous at this moment. Because this was a capture point I hadn't been able to utilize in my first playthrough.
Mari and Damien. The two had grown distant due to a trouble they had in their childhood. That incident, involving their strict parents, had turned Damien into a cold and ruthless person. And it had given Mari a huge complex that gnawed at her confidence.
And the first event at the academy that showed their story was this very moment. I thought there was no better capture point than this. However. In my first playthrough, I couldn't fully utilize this point. The reason was simple. Because I was just an ordinary, plain extra.
'Mari…' 'Sob, ugh, sob… What, sob, why…' 'I-I'm sorry, I overheard.' 'Go away… Ugh, I said go away… Leave me alone…'
Back then, after Damien left. I could only stand by Mari, who was crying. Of course, even that created quite a tender atmosphere between Mari and me.
'…Actually, that wasn't the method I wanted.' The reason I had no choice but to take that approach back then was because of my own low standing. Even if I had confronted Damien head-on at that time. No argument would have worked on Damien. And it would have only made Mari feel more ashamed.
But. Now, it was different.
"...A friend?" "Yes, and… I apologize, but I overheard your conversation." I blocked Damien, who was about to open the door and leave, and glared fiercely at him. Then I glanced at Mari. She was staring blankly at me with tearful eyes.
As this happened. Damien, who had been scrutinizing my face, opened his mouth with an expression of recognition. "You are… that first-year who gave the speech back then." "Do you know me?" "Of course, the student council attends the entrance ceremony. …It's unexpected that someone like you would be friends with Mari."
"Because Mari is a good person." "Haha, well, she's innocent and has a head full of flowers, so she's probably good for playing with." "...No, Mari is a smart and wise friend. Furthermore, she spares no effort."
"..." I glared at Damien and said so in the coldest voice possible. I conveyed my true feelings to him.
Of course, there was also the fact that he was one of the male protagonists who stole my heroine. 'I hadn't liked this bastard since the first playthrough…'
At the time, I was sincere towards Mari. Of course, my initial approach was simply due to a mission. I had only seen her as a heroine to capture. But the Mari I actually saw was a wonderful woman who was smart, wise, and spared no effort.
Therefore, as I captured her, I truly fell in love. And since I disliked Damien for treating her with such an attitude. It was as if I was now resolving the lingering regrets I had from the first playthrough.
"…So? Mari's excellent friend here. …What do you want to say after being caught with the bad habit of eavesdropping?" Damien, who had been receiving my direct gaze, asked as if mocking me. And at his question, as if I had been waiting, I raised my hand. And pointed directly at Mari.
"Praise Mari." "...What?" "She worked hard and came here just to hear those words from you. As her older brother, you have that responsibility." "..."
Damien, upon hearing my words, looked at me with a dumbfounded expression. And retorted my words in an indifferent tone. "If you eavesdropped, you must have heard the conversation just now." "…That you're busy?" "Yes. What part of a foolish younger sister, who doesn't even know whose time she's wasting just for a single word of praise, is worthy of praise?"
Damien said so with a very confident expression. You narcissistic bastard. The words rose to my throat, but I barely swallowed them down.
'His precious time, huh…' And I recalled what Damien had said to Mari just moments ago. I had clearly heard those words. I had heard them five playthroughs ago, and I had repeated them so much they were etched into my ears. Therefore, what I wanted to say was set.
"Then this great and wonderful gentleman. …Can't even spare a moment to give a single word of praise to his younger sister?" "..." "If it's the time of such a person, wasting it shouldn't be a problem." "..."
At that, Damien closed his mouth with a displeased look in his eyes. Our gazes crossed for a moment. The feelings we had for each other were similar. After that exchange of emotions lingered for a while.
"Hmph…" Damien sighed softly and closed his eyes. Then he slowly turned his body and looked at Mari.
"Mari." "...Y-yes?" "..."
At the sudden call, Mari's dazed face showed surprise as she looked at Damien. And Damien, receiving his younger sister's bewildered gaze, then.
"You did well. It was indeed a high score." He said softly as he turned his body. Step, step. And he walked past me, descending from the rooftop.
…
Mari stood there, staring blankly at Damien's retreating back. And she recalled his words, small but clearly heard. 'You did well. It was indeed a high score.'
A warm word from her older brother, heard after a long time. Although Emil had intervened in the process. Mari, having heard those words she had longed for after several years,
"Ugh, sob…. Sob…." She endlessly shed tears, drop by drop.
Her anxious and cold heart precariously melted. The despair that had come, thinking it was over, receded. Thus, Mari wiped her face with her sleeve, tears still flowing.
Just then. Rustle…. "..." "...Sob, huh?" Emil, who had been quiet despite her crying, approached Mari without her noticing. And carefully offered her a white handkerchief.
"..." He said nothing. Just moments ago, when confronting Damien, he had voiced his opinion so clearly. Now, as if considering Mari, he said nothing at all.
Thump…. At that action. Mari, without realizing it, began to feel an emotion she had never felt before towards Emil.
"Thank you…. Emil…. Sob, thank you…" Feeling grateful for his consideration. Mari wiped her tears with the white handkerchief.
And only then did Emil softly smile and quietly open his mouth. "You can thank me after the midterm exam is over, Mari."
And Mari, meeting that smile, finally realized what this feeling she was experiencing was. "...Okay."
This was an emotion she had once felt for Damien in the past. But it was somehow different from that emotion. It was a gentle feeling, something different from the warmth of family. However, as the spark of that emotion had just been kindled. Mari simply smiled brightly out of gratitude.