Mari's midterm exam preparations proceeded smoothly.
At this rate, she would certainly reach her target score.
The comparison group was Mari from the 1st playthrough.
Mari from the 1st playthrough had also achieved her target score through my pitifully desperate struggles.
If it was her, who was acquiring knowledge much more easily than back then, there was definitely no problem.
"Ugh… I'm so nervous… What should I do? I feel like I'm going to make a mistake."
Of course, that was a fact only I, who knew the future through regression, was aware of.
Mari, unaware of the future where she would do well, still couldn't trust herself and felt anxious.
"It's okay, don't worry. You'll definitely do well."
"Really…?"
"Yeah. If you really can't trust yourself, then at least trust me."
"Emil…?"
"I'm the top of the class, you know. Doesn't that give me some credibility?"
"…Yeah."
However, that part actually worked to my advantage.
The more anxious Mari became, the more I continued to offer her supportive encouragement by her side.
And the more I did, the more Mari began to lean on me.
"Somehow… it's strange."
"What is?"
"When Emil says I'll do well… even though it's just a hypothetical, my heart feels stable."
The extra tutoring session, held just between the two of us, had ended.
As the sun began to set, Mari gently leaned her shoulder against me and said that.
I could feel the unique warmth and soft skin of a girl through her uniform.
It felt as if her heart pounding was transmitted through the air.
Mari's face was flushed.
She silently lowered her gaze, her eyes trembling.
'Well, of course, I'm speaking with certainty.'
However, unlike her pounding heart, my own heart was utterly cold.
If it were me from the 1st playthrough, my heart would have pounded endlessly too.
Mari was that beautiful.
And I was this close to her.
But now, the more I felt her warmth and soft skin, the more…
[Okay… haa… I love you… Malcolm…]
The scene I had witnessed back then flashed into my mind.
'I didn't even kiss her back then.'
A light hug with Mari from the 1st playthrough was all it had been.
Of course, there were times during dates when the atmosphere was right and a kiss seemed imminent.
'I-I'm sorry…'
'Huh…?'
'I… I'm not ready yet…'
Back then, she had pushed me away, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
I, in turn, had been happy at pure Mari's reaction.
I had vowed to myself to slowly nurture our feelings.
But thinking about it now, it wasn't a cute reason like shyness.
Mari had clearly hesitated then.
Hesitated to give me her first kiss.
She had ultimately put it off.
"Emil…?"
"…"
While I was lost in thought for a moment.
Mari, who had pressed closer to me, quietly called my name and looked up.
Sparkling pink eyes.
Moist, full lips.
Her fair skin stimulated a man's instincts.
Mari, with a cute and innocent face yet a captivating aura, looked up at me.
And slowly closed her trembling eyes.
But not completely.
She looked at me in a peculiar way, as if she would fully close her eyes the moment I moved.
Silence fell.
I knew this atmosphere.
The atmosphere I had missed once in my previous life.
"…"
I briefly met Mari's gaze.
Her face was flushed, and a slight tremor, showing her nervousness, was visible.
If I were to gently lean in now.
I could taste the kiss I couldn't have in the past.
But.
"It's getting late, shall we head back?"
"H-Huh?"
I stood up and moved away from Mari.
"…"
Mari, who had been engrossed in the subtle atmosphere just moments before, stared blankly at me, her eyes wide with bewilderment.
And when she saw me tidying my bag, she also began to move in a hurry.
I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye.
Mari's cheeks were bright red, and she looked extremely embarrassed.
That scene overlapped with me from the 1st playthrough.
A slight disappointment and bewilderment, along with a small flutter of excitement and anticipation.
A complex mix of emotions on her face.
It felt quite pleasant to see her, who had pushed me away in the 1st playthrough, making the same expression I had back then.
'Everything's going smoothly.'
Both Mari's studies and her capture.
Everything was proceeding smoothly.
All that remained was to wait for the decisive day.
If Mari's midterm exam results were good, our connection would be concluded.
So, I waited for the exam day with a relaxed mind.
However.
"Hey."
There was something I had overlooked.
"…Ugh."
"What's wrong with you lately?"
"What do you mean?"
It was Sierra.
"What do I mean? You've been strangely avoiding me lately."
"…"
Since entering the 6th regression, she had somehow always been there, a minor obstruction.
"I'm not really avoiding you."
Of course, I was avoiding her.
The reason was simple.
Mari had asked me not to get too close to Sierra.
'It'd be troublesome if I ignored Mari's words and the strategy went awry.'
So, I minimized contact with Sierra as much as possible.
During regular class hours, I tried not to pass by her classroom.
Even during study group time, I avoided talking to her if possible.
Conversations were kept brief and to the point.
But it wasn't that I acted coldly.
I would accept her greetings and gently smile if she made a joke.
However.
"Don't lie, you're avoiding me. Do you think I'm stupid?"
Sierra seemed sensitive enough to notice even such minor changes.
"I won't get angry, just tell me honestly. I came here just to find out the reason."
Sierra had even come to my classroom during lunchtime to call me out and ask for an explanation.
It seemed she was already certain that I was avoiding her.
Since it would be strange to deny it any further.
I reluctantly led her away.
"Where are we going?"
"Somewhere else for a moment."
"Why? Let's talk here."
"You want me to talk about it in front of all the other kids in class?"
"Hmph, it must be quite a shameful reason, then?"
"Why are *you* acting so brazen when *you're* in the wrong?"
She didn't seem to understand how much attention it would draw to openly state that I was avoiding Sierra in front of other students.
This girl, how does she have more friends than me with such poor social awareness…?
Anyway.
I pulled Sierra along to the rooftop.
During lunchtime, when students were bustling everywhere.
The rooftop was the easiest option.
*Creak*…
*Bang*.
After firmly closing the rooftop door, I explained the situation to Sierra.
Then.
"Oh? Mari did?"
Sierra's eyes widened in surprise, as if she hadn't expected it.
Then she grinned and poked my arm.
"What, what? You kept denying it, but it turns out it was that kind of thing after all, huh?"
"I said it's not that."
"If it's not, then why would you grant Mari such a request? …And the request was to avoid *me*."
Sierra narrowed her eyes and gave me a subtle glare.
"Or what, you just wanted to avoid me?"
She really seemed to dislike being ignored.
Knowing her persistence well, I had no choice but to explain the truth.
"It's simple. I just don't want to accidentally affect Mari's exam scores because of me."
"…Is that all?"
"Yeah, I'm definitely not avoiding you because you make me uncomfortable."
"Hmm…"
Was she not satisfied with my answer, or was she just going to let it go?
She watched me intently, lost in thought.
And then.
"Well, whatever. If there's no ill will."
She easily dismissed it.
Then, it was my turn for a question to bubble up.
"No, but my attitude wasn't that bad, was it?"
"Hmm… That's true."
"Then why did you bother coming all the way to the classroom to ask about something that could have been easily ignored?"
At my question, Sierra, who had been expressionless, subtly furrowed her brow.
"But it bothers me."
And she answered boldly.
"I'm the type who can't stand it if I don't resolve something that bothers me."
"I know that."
"Then it's settled. What's your complaint?"
"What I'm curious about is why you care so much. Just me avoiding you, someone like me, could be ignored."
That's what I had thought.
Mari disliked me being close to Sierra.
But I judged that creating distance from her wouldn't be a big deal for Sierra.
That's why I had acted lightly.
But for her to react so drastically all of a sudden, I was bewildered.
And at my bewildered question.
"Haa… Emil, you're the top student, but you're an idiot."
"What did you just call me?"
Sierra shook her head, as if pitying me.
"Well, that's obvious, isn't it?"
She looked at me with a prim face and answered boldly.
"We've only just become friends. If you suddenly try to distance yourself… it hurts!"
"…"
Her cheeks were slightly flushed, as if she was a little embarrassed by what she had said herself.
But her eyes sparkled boldly, gazing straight at me.
Listening to her words and meeting her gaze.
I felt a faint sense of trust in Sierra's eyes, which usually only seemed playful.
'Friend…?'
It was the first time I had heard that word since possessing this damned game.
It was truly the first time anyone had called me a friend.
So, I stared blankly at Sierra.
At my dumbfounded expression, Sierra grinned playfully.
*Pat*.
She patted my shoulder.
"I'll be careful in front of Mari. Let's go."
And Sierra grabbed my wrist and led me away.
It was a feeling I had never experienced before.
"…"
It was the sensation of a single drop of cold dew falling onto parched earth.
But because I didn't know the exact definition of that sensation.
I quietly followed Sierra, who was leading me, down from the rooftop.
***
Time flew by in an instant.
And then came the awaited day of the midterm exam.
'I can do it… I can do it…'
Mari, who had received encouragement from Emil even this morning, entered the exam with a face full of confidence.
And the moment she solved the first problem.
Mari instinctively knew.
'I can really… do this…'
That this exam would be a success.
And that intuition gave Mari's pencil a boost of acceleration.
She solved the problems faster and more accurately than when she practiced with predicted questions.
That speed continued until all subjects were finished.
"Everyone, you worked hard."
The sounds of students' laughter and sighs of relief from around her.
Those noises told Mari that everything was over.
And.
Amidst that noise, Mari.
Her cheeks flushed with excitement, her eyes sparkled.
'This exam…'
She had a feeling she had pulled off something big.
'It's a huge success…!!'
Her pink eyes sparkled as if they had met stars.
The results of the midterm exam, for which she had prepared diligently, were extremely successful.
And that meant.
That Mari had achieved the goal she had yearned for since entering the academy.
And one more thing.
"E-Emil…!!"
"Mari, how was the exam?"
The goal she had secretly vowed to herself.
"Ugh, it was totally fine…! *Sniff*, it's all, all thanks to Emil…!"
It meant she could finally reveal the uncontrollable feelings she had held in her heart to him.