"These past few days, you know."
"…Huh?"
It was after school, during their usual study group session.
While Mari was explaining a formula to Malcolm, Sierra, who was next to me, softly whispered.
"...Haven't you gotten closer to Mari?"
"..."
It was a whisper quiet enough that Malcolm and Mari couldn't hear it.
I subtly glanced sideways, and Sierra was looking at me with a rather intrigued expression.
"Why do you suddenly think that?"
"It's not sudden; it just really looks that way."
I tried to gloss over it, but her simple answer left me speechless.
'Is it really that obvious?'
It doesn't matter if it's obvious, though.
Just as Sierra said.
Recently, Mari had become very friendly towards me.
'Emil! Did you sleep well? Please take care of me again today!'
'Emil, teach me this too. …Huh? D-did you forget! Just one more time… please teach me…'
'Emil… are you going straight home after this today…? No, I just…'
Her attitude had clearly changed dramatically since before the pop quiz.
'Malcolm's reaction has changed too…'
And as a secondary result, Malcolm, who usually clung only to Sierra, had recently shown interest in Mari as well.
Even now, as part of that process, he was asking Mari, not Sierra, to explain the formula.
His gaze shifted slightly…
The moment my eyes met Malcolm's.
He smirked.
Malcolm smiled subtly, so faintly that it was hard to notice at first glance.
'Is he hoping I'd feel jealous?'
Of course, because I had a history of being provoked by him, I immediately recognized that faint smile.
Malcolm was currently wary of my relationship with Mari.
In other words, things were going according to plan.
"So? What about it? Huh? What are you two?"
And Sierra asked me again, as I exchanged glances with Malcolm.
"Why are you making such a fuss, unlike you?"
"What's 'unlike me'?"
"…Hmm, someone who's only interested in studying and not in others."
"That's rude. I'm very interested in romance stories, you know? You're talking about me like I'm some golem who only thinks about studying."
"You're interested in romance stories…?"
"Of course, that's what girls usually talk about. …And I have more friends than you, by the way."
"..."
Sierra's direct hit left me speechless.
Well, it's true I don't have friends.
Even if it's because I wanted it that way, a lack is still a lack, so I had nothing to say.
"So? …Heh heh, seeing that you can't answer, there really is something, isn't there?"
When I remained silent, Sierra continued the conversation as she pleased.
'Well, it's hard to say yes to this.'
That's obvious.
Because ultimately, I had no intention of ending up with Mari.
Therefore, if I were to unnecessarily affirm Sierra's question now, it could lead to an awkward situation later.
What should I do?
After a moment of thought, I.
"What about you, then?"
"Huh? Me?"
Chose to change the subject.
"Malcolm, I mean."
"..."
"Well, I'm sorry if I'm wrong, but from what I see, Malcolm seems interested in you."
My choice seemed to be the right one.
Sierra was speechless at my question, just as I had been a moment ago.
She looked like she was struggling with how to answer.
"...Why are you curious about that?"
And she immediately returned the same answer to me.
Of course, there was a predetermined answer for her.
"I'm also very interested in romance stories, you know."
"…It's nothing special. And Malcolm is just friendly, that's all. Unlike some people."
"Really? Okay, never mind then."
"…Somehow, that's irritating."
"You asked first, though?"
"Ugh…."
Sierra, as if hit where it hurt, closed her mouth with her characteristic sullen expression.
She's smart, so she must have understood what I meant.
The meaning being, 'Your question wasn't very pleasant.'
And as expected, Sierra didn't ask about my relationship with Mari afterward.
'Anyway, it seems there's no real progress between Sierra and Malcolm either.'
Additionally, I could also confirm Malcolm's situation for certain.
Of course, it was clear that Malcolm was very conscious of Mari right now.
But judging by Sierra's reaction to my question just now, it seemed nothing had happened between them.
What I was worried about didn't happen.
In other words, I just needed to proceed as planned.
Just then.
"What are you two doing? What are you talking about?"
Mari, who had finished her private tutoring with Malcolm, approached the two of us who were together.
At that, while Sierra was making a sullen face.
She suddenly grinned, as if something had occurred to her, and looked at Mari.
What is it…?
"Yeah, Emil and I were talking about a little secret."
"...Huh?"
This brat.
When I glared, Sierra met my gaze and smirked.
It seemed she was getting her revenge in her own way.
Naturally, Sierra's intention was.
"A secret…?"
To make Mari jealous.
'She's messing with me while also confirming Mari's feelings.'
As expected of the protagonist, who achieved the second-highest rank in the grade purely through skill, unlike me who received the Easy Mode privilege.
"What kind of story…?"
And Mari, who fell into Sierra's trap, sat down next to me, showing her jealousy without even trying to hide it, and gently tugged at my clothes.
Her moist pink eyes looking at me seemed to be pleading for something.
It was as if she was sending a telepathic message: '…Tell me too.'
"Hmm…, indeed…"
And Sierra, confirming her reaction, smiled contentedly with a look of conviction.
As expected, she seemed to have roughly grasped the situation through Mari's reaction.
Just then.
Snap.
A faint sound like that came from the front, not from either side.
Looking at the source of the sound.
The cause was a broken pencil lead.
"..."
Malcolm's gaze was directed at the problem on his desk.
But as if he had been listening to our situation with his ears, his hand was clenching tightly.
Even a slight tremor was visible.
'This is quite…'
I subtly smiled at the sight.
The two women Malcolm was conscious of: Sierra and Mari.
It seemed he was quite furious as the two of them created a strange atmosphere with me between them.
And at the same time.
The time in the first playthrough.
His face, which had taken Mari from me, kissed her, and then brutally beaten me, came to mind.
'…This feels quite good.'
It was a stroke of luck, but.
Thanks to Sierra messing with me, I got to enjoy a good spectacle.
***
"We didn't talk about anything special. It was just some light banter."
"..."
Mari gazed intently at Emil, who was trying to gloss over it.
His answer that it was nothing special.
But Mari didn't believe him.
'What could that secret be, known only to the two of them?'
It bothered her.
Even though she clearly needed to focus only on studying right now, that 'secret' bothered Mari too much.
And.
"Let's stop chatting and focus again."
The sight of Emil sharing some kind of secret with Sierra.
Brought a strange sense of unease to Mari's heart.
This unease was very familiar.
'It's similar to that time.'
Damien's back as he entered the study at his father's summons.
A similar unease to what she felt watching his back at that time rose within Mari.
And although she didn't know then.
Mari, having experienced Damien's situation once.
Knew what this unease foretold.
It was a sign that she might lose something.
"..."
However.
Even knowing, Mari could do nothing.
Should she grab him and ask until he answered?
Like she used to cling to her older brother when she was little?
Would she feel relieved if he said no?
What if.
He answered yes.
"..."
Mari softly shook her head.
'Emil is bothering me so much I can't concentrate.'
Because the upcoming midterm exam was more important than anything else to her.
She felt pathetic that at such an important moment, all she could think about was him, sitting next to her.
If Damien knew, he would definitely look at her with contempt.
That was something Mari absolutely did not want to experience.
But.
Still…
Still, Emil bothered Mari.
Therefore, after school, when all study group activities had ended.
"Malcolm…"
"Yes?"
Mari, after Emil and Sierra had left, stayed behind for a moment alone with Malcolm to talk to him.
Consulting Malcolm was a familiar thing for her.
To him, her old friend, she had shared everything from the circumstances of being an illegitimate child to the awkwardness with Damien.
Therefore.
Mari wanted to consult her old friend about this matter too.
"I… have something I really want to say."
"..."
Inside the separate building's classroom, bathed in the orange sunset.
Malcolm stared blankly at her words.
Somehow, he blushed and scratched his head.
And he subtly nodded.
"Yeah, ...what is it?"
Fortunately, Malcolm agreed to her consultation.
Thus, Mari smiled brightly and felt grateful to her old friend.
She poured out her frustrating feelings to her kind friend.
"E-Emil is…"
"...Huh?"
"What kind of relationship does Emil have with Sierra?"
"...Emil?"
But.
As she brought up the topic of her consultation, Malcolm's face, which had been red, hardened coldly.
***
"So, you know? Just as my brother was about to leave, I suddenly heard Emil's voice…!"
"..."
The two leaned against the classroom windowsill, standing side by side and talking.
Mari's unique pink eyes sparkled.
She recounted her experiences, looking visibly excited to anyone watching.
And.
Her old friend, silently listening to her words.
Clench.
He tightly gripped the windowsill his hand was resting on, as he listened to her seemingly joyful words.
What he felt was clear displeasure.
'Making that kind of face…'
Not only his hand, but his clenched molars also bit down hard.
'Are you talking about Emil…? Mari…'
Why was he feeling this way?
He had listened to Mari's troubles countless times until now.
But being with her.
And feeling such displeasure was a first.
"S-so… I guess Emil has been on my mind lately. …Ah, you know! This midterm is super important for me!"
"...Yeah."
"But I can't concentrate because all I can think about is Emil…! What should I do? Is there any good way?"
"..."
What kind of answer should he give?
How would his usual self answer?
'Just ask about it. Or should I ask for you?'
But he couldn't give such an answer as he usually would.
His head was simply complicated and dizzy.
Why was he feeling this way towards Mari, his childhood friend?
When he asked himself, the answer immediately sprang forth.
Jealousy?
No.
This was possessiveness.
Mari, whom he had been with since childhood.
At some point, Malcolm had started to think of her like a younger sister he had to protect and care for.
But.
When she, like that, talked about another man with *that* kind of face.
Malcolm felt like his stomach was turning inside out.
Therefore.
"I don't really know, but."
"Yeah!"
For the first time in his life.
"Sierra and Emil."
Instead of advice for Mari.
"…Aren't they, like, into each other?"
"...What?"
He gave an answer that was a lie for his own sake.