Chris and Emil arrived at the academy when the sky was dyed with the colors of the sunset.
'We're already here.'
The time had been as enjoyable as a dream.
Just as dreams eventually end, so too did her date with Emil.
Thump, thump.
Perhaps because of this, Chris's footsteps gradually slowed.
Matching Chris's pace, Emil's footsteps also slowed.
'I don't want to go in….'
Should I suggest we stay a little longer before going in?
Chris, who would normally be embarrassed and detest such a suggestion, was even thinking this.
"Um… Emil."
"Hm?"
But it was still difficult to say such a thing.
Instead, she decided to continue with small talk.
She felt that if they kept talking, this moment might be prolonged, even if just for a little while.
"You asked me before why I wanted to learn swordsmanship so badly."
"Ah, right."
"You said it was because of your grades."
"That's right."
At Chris's question, Emil chuckled, seemingly recalling that time.
Glancing at Emil, Chris asked,
"…Is there a reason you want to get high grades?"
"..."
While seemingly simple small talk, this was Chris's interest in Emil.
A trivial question, but she wished to know even such minor information.
It wasn't merely to stall for time; she was genuinely curious.
"Hmm…"
At Chris's question, Emil looked up at the sky for a moment, lost in thought.
'What should I say?'
If he told the truth, he'd have to give a crazy answer like, "It's to capture you and show you my memories from the fourth playthrough."
But he didn't want to make up a lie either.
Lies beget more lies.
So, it's not good to carelessly spout false stories.
"I have a goal."
"A goal…?"
Therefore, Emil decided to give a vague, appropriate answer.
At Emil's words, Chris seemed to recall something and spoke.
"Is it… related to you praying at the temple a little while ago?"
"Ah, right. That's it."
At Emil's answer, Chris's cheeks instantly flushed.
Not knowing the content of his goal, she had filled that empty space with her own hopes.
Chris, seizing the good opportunity, asked with anticipation,
"…What's your goal?"
Thump, thump.
Of course, she knew she wouldn't get the answer she wanted.
But the 'what if' possibility made her heart pound.
"It's a secret."
"…What? That's unfair."
She was slightly disappointed by Emil's refusal to tell her.
"It's a really important goal. I can't just go around talking about it."
"Hmm…"
Emil recalled the first day of this playthrough.
He spoke, remembering the feelings he'd had back then.
The resolve that even if this playthrough ended in a bad ending, he would give those who had screwed him over the worst possible feeling.
Recalling his resolve, Emil's eyes were more serious than usual.
'It must be a dream he really wants to achieve.'
And looking at his serious gaze, Chris thought Emil was cool all over again.
A man with a clear goal who strives to achieve his dreams is always attractive.
With the added bonus of his charming tear mark, Emil unknowingly increased Chris's affection rating even further.
"Then… I'll help you too."
"Hm…?"
"That goal of yours."
Slide.
Chris, who had been walking beside him, gently narrowed the distance and looked at Emil with a shy face.
And at Chris's words, Emil instantly burst into laughter.
"Wh-what? Why are you laughing?!"
"Haha, no. It's nothing."
How could he not laugh?
After all, she, who was one of his goals, had just said such a commendable thing.
"You're already helping me plenty."
"..."
At those words, Chris smiled softly, looking pleased.
And Emil also felt a refreshing sensation at the sight of Chris smiling.
'You really are helping, Chris.'
Chris was now vaguely showing affection for him.
Because her having such feelings for him was part of the process of achieving his goal.
"Today was fun."
"…Yeah."
The two of them eventually arrived in front of the dormitory.
The girls' dormitory and the boys' dormitory were separated by a large road.
The two, separated by the road, bid each other farewell, and Chris watched Emil's back as he walked away, her face filled with regret.
Soon after, she also returned to her dormitory.
Thus, the sweet time, which she had never experienced before, came to an end.
"..."
However.
That sweet time was a harrowing, teeth-grinding experience for someone else.
At the moment the two returned to their dormitories.
One person was still outside the dormitory, staring blankly at the building.
Mari's agonizing time, spent watching and biting her nails, had finally ended.
"..."
Following that, Mari walked towards the dormitory.
***
"Haa…"
Having finished the date with Chris, I let out a small sigh as the tension finally relaxed.
I casually hung my outer clothes on the hanger and headed straight for the bed.
'I'm tired….'
Acting like a decent guy caused fatigue.
Although the influence of Easy Mode and perks had made me someone good at various things.
My true nature was still that of an extra, after all.
To capture Chris, I unconsciously tried to maintain a flawless appearance in front of her.
'At this rate, it's like I actually like Chris.'
Of course, the reason for that effort was indeed to win Chris's heart.
But now, acting like this for someone I didn't like felt a little unfair.
'Still, it won't be long now.'
The date today was certainly to raise Chris's affection level.
But on the other hand, it also served to check how high her affection level was.
The result seemed satisfactory.
The attire was different from the last playthrough, and the atmosphere of the date itself was different.
In the last playthrough, she still had a very carefree feeling about her.
But Chris in this playthrough was entirely a girl.
She was shy, cautious, and calm.
'Somehow, that pisses me off.'
That meant that Chris from the fourth playthrough didn't have as high an affection level as she did in this one.
Well, maybe that's why she betrayed me.
"Alright, alright…."
Anyway.
It could be said that today's date was a success.
So I lay down on the bed and gently closed my tired eyes.
With a body tired from continuous training recently, and having been tense during the date.
The refreshing air blowing from the window naturally lulled me to sleep.
And so.
I fell asleep soon after returning to the dormitory.
When you're truly exhausted, you don't dream.
As if skipping a game's story.
You close your eyes, open them, and somehow time has passed, and it's already the next day.
"…Wake up."
But for some reason, this time, not much time had passed.
"Mmm…"
I gently opened my eyes to a sensation of being shaken on my chest.
The surroundings were dark.
'Dawn…?'
The moment I had collapsed onto the bed from exhaustion had been at sunset.
The dark room proved that not much time had passed since then.
"Wake up…."
Shake, shake…
Then, that sensation that had woken me up was felt again.
And a familiar voice tickled my ear.
"Mmm…"
With drowsy eyes, I raised my head towards where the sensation was coming from.
Then.
"Wha…?"
"Are you awake?"
Tight.
My limbs wouldn't move.
But it wasn't the feeling of sleep paralysis.
This was something binding me.
My hazy mind instantly sharpened.
"Ma-Mari."
"Hehe, you must have been very tired. You looked… cute sleeping, Emil."
Mari was sitting on top of me.
Binding me to the very center of the bed.
She was dressed in her familiar school uniform, sitting directly on my belly button, looking down at me.
Her pink hair and pink eyes gleamed in the moonlight.
Those eyes stared down at me seductively.
Mari's lips were curved into a soft smile.
"Mari, wh-what on earth are you doing…!"
I immediately thrashed my body and shouted at her.
I could feel the soft touch of Mari's thighs and underwear on my trembling stomach.
And simultaneously, her large chest jiggled once.
"Don't be so flustered, Emil."
"…What?"
Even in this situation, Mari smiled naturally and gently bent forward.
Then, she ran a slender finger up my chest and spoke to me.
"I didn't come here to do anything bad."
"..."
"So… hm? Just listen to me for a bit…"
"…If you're just talking, why are you doing this?"
"..."
I glared at Mari with wary eyes.
'Should I scream if worst comes to worst…? No, Mari wouldn't just stand by and let me do that.'
While thinking this, I tried to figure out a way to break free from this situation.
Just then.
"But…"
An empty.
Dark gaze, which anyone would find unsettling, stared blankly at me.
"But Emil… you had some strange girl by your side."
"…What?"
Brush.
Mari's small hand moved from my solar plexus to my chest.
Slowly, it brushed up from my chest to my face.
"Ugh…"
"Who was that girl?"
"..."
Mari stroked my cheek with her finger and brought her face closer.
Her empty eyes and glistening lips came into view.
And a sweet fragrance tickled my nose.
"You know, Emil. …I saw everything."
"..."
Mari maintained her position and continued speaking to herself.
"You went on a date."
"..."
"You had a cozy, seemingly enjoyable date with that girl."
"..."
Mari's sudden, abnormal behavior.
I realized its cause.
'Did she watch me with Chris?'
It seemed that had flipped some kind of switch in her.
"Yes… I went on a date."
But I hadn't done anything wrong.
"But why does that matter?"
From the start, she and I.
Weren't anything to each other.
"You're doing this because of that? You?"
"..."
I asked Mari that, recalling the first playthrough.
Although Mari in this playthrough wasn't perfectly identical to the one in that playthrough.
She also had memories of the first playthrough.
I asked as if to question if she had any conscience.
"Heehee, hehe…"
Then a chilling laugh escaped Mari's lips.
"No… Emil…. I told you…"
And Mari immediately began to shed tears, tear drops falling.
"Hiccup, I told you I like you, I told you! Now I only have you… Ugh, sob…"
"..."
Mari's hand rested on my shoulder, seizing my body tightly.
And Mari's tear-streaked face drew closer to me.
"I like you."
"..."
"I like you, Emil, I really, really like you. I love you. There's only you in the world. I love you, Iloveyouloveyouloveyou."
"..."
"Hm? Emil, answer me. Tell me too. You used to tell me so much."
"..."
In that moment, from Mari right before my eyes.
The Mari from the first playthrough flashed past.
"We were lovers, weren't we? You hugged me and talked to me so much. So tell me. Answer me. Hm? Emil…"
She was crazy.
Mari's current state could be summarized in that one word.
'Are her memories from the first playthrough mixed in…?'
Mari from this playthrough, who had fallen for him and was obsessed with him.
And Mari from the first playthrough, who had become his lover and shared love with him.
Those memories were jumbled together.
It seemed her jealousy, after watching the date, had caused her to burst.
"Emil…. I told you, didn't I?"
When I didn't answer, Mari gently lifted her body from me.
And looking down at me with empty eyes.
Slide.
She slowly took off her school uniform jacket.
"W-wait. Mari…! What are you…!"
"Everything about me is new."
"Wait…!!"
"That girl isn't me, I'm clean, there's only you…"
She carelessly tossed the removed jacket under the bed.
After that, Mari.
Click, click.
Her shirt buttons, one by one.
One by one, she unbuttoned them.
"Emil… you've often seen my chest, haven't you?"
"..."
"I know."
Through the increasingly open shirt, a bra with elaborate lace was revealed.
And then.
Her ample cleavage entered my vision.
Slide.
"Emil, I'll do everything you want."
Mari leaned forward, overlapping her upper body onto mine.
Then I felt her soft breasts pressing down.
"Ugh… Mari…"
"Let's go back to how we used to be? Hm?"
Mari's breathing grew ragged.
Her body temperature rose as she pressed against me.
Simultaneously, my breathing also grew ragged.
'What… should I do…?'
And I, merely feeling her unilateral contact while my body was bound.
I desperately searched for an answer with a confused mind.