Roland took a sip from his tea cup and smiled. "No need for thanks between friends, Evelyn."
Marisa munched on a frosted cookie and nodded. "That's right. But what's the matter? You don't usually call us here to hang out."
Evelyn bit her lips, staring into her tea cup. Then after a moment, she looked up at the two and said, "Do... you two know what is happening with Alex?"
Roland frowned. "What do you mean, Evelyn? Did he do something reckless again?"
Evelyn shook her head. "No. At least... I do not believe so. But..." She sighed. "I do not know. He just seems... different, recently."
Marisa hummed. "He seems fine to me. He has been working more with Professor Endless, but that's because he's an apprentice Gate Explorer, isn't he?"
Evelyn nodded. "Yes... But..."
Logically, that was the explanation. Alex was simply spending more time with Uncle Elio in order to catch up with everyone else. After all, Gates were the fastest way to improve. And with Uncle Elio supervising him, there was no way Alex was in danger.
But for some reason, Evelyn felt that wasn't right. That the reason Alex was acting different wasn't simply to catch up.
Roland stared at Evelyn for a bit and said, "Evelyn..."
"Yes, Roland?"
Roland tilted his head and said, "Aren't you thinking about this too hard? Isn't Alex just working hard to be able to court you?"
Evelyn turned a bright red. "W-W-What?"
Marisa's eyes sparkled. "Oh! That's right!" She smiled and said, "Alex HAS been quite affectionate with Evelyn recently..."
Roland nodded. "Mmhm." He looked at Evelyn and said, "He's probably just working hard so he can stand beside you, Evelyn."
Evelyn turned an even deeper shade of red. "T-That is... W-Well... P-Perhaps..."
It made sense.
If Evelyn simply took Alex's actions at face value, it *did* look like the actions of a man striving to better himself for her sake. And yet... it still felt wrong. Although Evelyn didn't have the Light of Wisdom like Headmistress Lux, nor did she have the Path to Victory that her Uncle Elio had, her instincts were fairly accurate.
...Although it was strange why her dear brother Maximillian felt off to her.
But that aside, Evelyn had never been wrong in her judgments and intuition. And both were telling her that Alex was doing something incredibly dangerous, even if he didn't appear to be.
Roland sipped his tea and then said, "Well, Evelyn. If you are that worried about it, why not just ask him?"
Evelyn blinked. "Pardon?"
Roland shrugged. "Alex is a serious guy, but he can get thrown off pretty easily. Especially by you." He let out a mischievous smile and said, "Why don't you just confess and then ask him what you're really worried about while he's processing it?"
Evelyn felt her face burn as she processed Roland's words.
Confess? Her? To Alex?
It wasn't that Evelyn didn't want to. But... for a woman to initiate... No, for her to. What if Alex didn't feel the same way? Moreover...
Marisa clicked her tongue and smacked Roland's arm. "You can't ask a maiden to do that, Roland! Even as a joke, to suggest using a confession as a false pretense to-"
"No." Evelyn interrupted and slowly nodded. "Roland... has a point."
Roland blinked. "Evelyn?"
Evelyn firmed her resolve and then looked up. "I... care for Alex. Truly." She placed her hand over her heart and said, "I know not if this is love. But... but if it is, then I should express it clearly. And... I should see how he feels in return."
Marisa gasped. "Evelyn..."
Roland's eyes widened and he quickly spoke up. "Wait, Evelyn. Hold on, think about this a bit-"
"Thank you, Roland." Evelyn stood up and drained her tea as if it was alcohol. Then she smiled, feeling like all the weight on her heart had been lifted. "I will tell you both how it went afterwards." And after saying those words, Evelyn dashed off.
===
Marisa let out a deep sigh. "You idiot, Roland."
Roland groaned and leaned back in his chair. "I didn't think that Evelyn would actually go through with it..."
Marisa threw her hands up and said, "You know Evelyn is serious!"
Roland rubbed his face. "I know. But I didn't realize she was *that* serious about Alex. Well, I suppose they're both serious people so I should have expected it, but..."
Marisa grabbed Roland by his shirt collar and shook him. "What if Alex breaks Evelyn's heart, Roland? No, think about it! Can he even refuse her affections!?"
Roland froze. "That's... a good point."
If word got out that Alex refused Evelyn's advances...
He was already on the hit list of everyone on campus for monopolizing Evelyn's time. If it got out that he even went so far as to reject her...
Well, Isaac would have something to say about that. Him, and all the other male students along with about half the female students...
Roland groaned and jumped to his feet. Without thinking, he naturally pulled Marisa's arm and tucked her into a one-armed hug. "Come on, Mari. We have to sort this out before all hell breaks loose."
Marisa blushed, reflexively clinging to Roland's side. "R-Roland! T-This... it isn't..."
"Let's get going." Without waiting for her to respond, Roland started walking, tugging Marisa along.
Marisa kept clinging to Roland as they moved, her face a beet red. As they walked, Marisa muttered, "Evelyn and Alex aren't the only idiots around here when it comes to love..."
"Huh?" Roland glanced at Marisa. "What are you talking about, Mari?"
Marisa huffed and smacked Roland's arm. "Whatever. Come on, Roland. Let's make sure our friends are okay."
===
[Eve]
Will you meet me in the gardens behind the dorms when you are free? There is something that I must tell you. It is truly important.
Evelyn vi Eternia
Your dearest friend
===
I walked out of the shower and stared at the message flashing on the phone I left on my bed.
It was 7 PM right now, with the sun starting to fade outside.
I'd been out all day with Elio again, exploring a Gate and getting into the swing of things as a Gate Explorer.
It was important.
To put it into gaming terms... Right now, it was like in Persona.
There was a clear deadline. And until then, it was important to spend the remaining times wisely.
I spent the morning and classes increasing my 'social link' with Roland, Marisa, and Evelyn by hanging out with them. But my free time was spent basically exploring dungeons, gathering resources, and leveling up.
Today had been a long one.
Because there was something I needed to confirm in the Gates, I insisted on staying out a bit longer with Elio. And so I was pretty exhausted.
The plan had been to grab a quick bite to eat, shower, and then crash.
But it seemed that, like in Persona, there were mandatory story events. And I had just bumped into one of them.
===
> Quest Line unlocked!
[Optional Quest: Affection of the Doomed Princess]
> Your actions have completely ensnared Evelyn vi Eternia's heart. Her every thought and action revolves around you, and she has finally resolved herself to declare it.
> However, her fate remains unchanged.
> You have yet to find a means to avoid her fated demise.
> Do you dare accept her affections even knowing the parting that draws all too near?
> Objective: Accept Evelyn vi Eternia's love and swear to stand beside her until the end.
> Acceptance: Evelyn vi Eternia's happiness, delayed Demonification
> Rejection: Evelyn vi Eternia's sorrow, accelerated Demonification
> Time limit: Until the end of the night
===
I tossed on a t-shirt and jeans. Casual wear. As I did, I stared at the quest box with mixed emotions.
The System... no. Rob, was right.
I didn't have a solution yet. While I had ideas and working theories, they weren't guaranteed. If I loved her, failing to save her would crush me. I knew that without a doubt. But...
Love. It was a fickle but powerful thing.
If I considered love as a 'feeling,' I didn't really love Evelyn. There wasn't that heady butterfly sort of warmth in my chest when I thought of her. Although I admired her and I felt comfortable around her, to call it love was far too soon for me.
And yet, if love was considered to be an action, a choice. A decision...
I chose to save her. I chose to make sure she was happy. I chose to give her what she had never experienced.
Because I was the one who wrote her life like that.
To say I was in love with her was wrong.
But to say I didn't love her would be wrong as well.
So...
I slipped my phone in my pocket and swiped my hand, dismissing the messages. Then I made my way towards the gardens where Evelyn was waiting.