Chris opened her eyes.
It was dawn when she awoke, too early for morning to truly arrive.
But Chris didn't fall back asleep.
Nor did she get up and get ready.
"E-Emil…. Ugh, h-huh…"
She merely pulled the covers over her head and let the tears flow.
The last memory she'd seen in her dream wouldn't leave her mind.
The memory from the dream soon seeped into her own memories.
The third-person perspective shifted to her own perspective within the dream.
Emil had.
Slit his own throat right before her eyes.
With a vacant expression, without even blaming her.
"Emil, Emil, Emil…."
Chris trembled, repeating the name of the Emil who had died.
Did Emil possess that memory?
He probably did.
If so.
It meant Emil had experienced that.
Sending him far away, trusting her, only for her to betray him and sleep with another man.
Witnessing that fact right before his eyes and falling into despair.
And choosing death himself in frustration.
"Ugh…"
Chris felt her stomach churn from the overwhelming emotions.
Suddenly.
Everything she had done with Emil until then flashed before her eyes.
Emil approaching her and asking her to teach him swordsmanship.
Him saving her, and her beginning to feel affection for him.
The moments she dreamt of a future with him while on dates.
"..."
At that time, did Emil have this memory?
"..."
If he did.
Even with such a memory, he.
Saved her when she trembled in the dark, protected her when she was isolated, and fought, sacrificing his life.
"..."
Why did he do that?
How could he?
'Emil… isn't resentful…?'
To such a man, she, not knowing, fell in love and confessed.
And she did so impulsively, at a sudden moment, without considering him, pouring out her heart.
And then she ran away.
"..."
At that time, what must Emil have felt?
She didn't even want to imagine it.
"..."
Chris, having finished her thoughts, removed the covers from her head.
And got out of bed.
Tears no longer flowed.
Her eyes were dim, lacking their previous sharpness.
But she stared clearly at her goal.
What she needed to do now.
Chris thought.
***
'Has she come out…?'
Entering the academy's main building, I cautiously surveyed my surroundings.
There was one reason for my vigilance.
Yesterday, I had confirmed the message that 'Memories of Despair' had activated.
That meant Chris had confirmed the memories from the 4th timeline.
'I need to be careful, given the precedent with Mari….'
I looked around, utterly tense.
The reason for such caution was simple.
Chris was dangerous, unlike Mari.
In Mari's case, even if she went astray, I could overpower her physically.
However, Chris's case was different.
Her basic physical stats surpassed mine.
'What if she goes astray like Mari and does something strange….'
At that point, I'd be completely helpless.
Just a short while ago.
I recalled the moment Mari broke into my room and tried to pounce on me.
…If Chris were to do something like that.
'I'd be defenseless, unable to even make an excuse.'
A chilling sensation ran through me.
And then.
"Aish!"
"K-Kyaaah━!!"
Thud!
Someone bumped into me from behind, and being tense, I let out a pathetic shriek.
"Ahahaha! What, what?! A coward! You get that scared over something like this?"
"..."
I subtly glared at the person who had bumped into me.
Of course, it was Sierra.
She cackled with laughter, watching me, my legs giving out, as I sat down.
"Come on, get up. Hand."
"..."
After she finished laughing, she extended her hands to me.
Both hands.
…Am I a child?
"What~, I was being considerate."
"Treating me like a kid is considerate?"
"Hehe."
I got up without taking Sierra's hand.
It was embarrassing enough that I'd fallen back in surprise; taking her hand would double the humiliation.
"Seriously, you get way too startled."
Sierra, standing beside me, naturally joined me as we went up the stairs together.
Thanks to her, my tension felt foolish.
"Just a few days ago, you were so brave."
"..."
Sierra mumbled, bumping her shoulder against mine, and glanced at me.
A few days ago…
She was probably talking about the dungeon practical.
"I'm not particularly brave, nor am I a coward."
I answered vaguely like that and went up the stairs ahead of her.
…Somehow, it's hard to stay calm when Sierra is next to me.
Pat-a-pat!
"So, where are you going this summer vacation?"
"What?"
At that moment, Sierra chased after me, who was walking ahead, and walked beside me again.
And then she brought up a sudden topic.
Summer vacation…?
"In a few days, it's the closing ceremony, and then summer vacation. Emil? What are you doing for summer vacation?"
"...Why are you asking that?"
"We're friends~, I can be curious. By the way, I'm…."
Sierra said that and briefly tapped her chin with her index finger.
Then she turned her gaze and fell into thought.
Is there anything to think about…?
Curious about her answer, I intently watched Sierra.
She turned her eyes back to me, smiled sweetly, and then.
Thump!
Bumped her shoulder against mine again.
"It's a secret! I'll tell you if Emil tells me first!"
"Then why did you talk as if you were going to tell me?!"
"Hehe, curious? If you're curious, tell me. What are you doing for summer vacation? Going home? Or traveling?"
Sierra looked at me, tilting her head as if teasing me, as usual.
The sparkling gaze from below was burdensome.
"…I'm just staying at the academy."
"Oh? Here? Not going anywhere?"
"Yeah."
Of course, I could go to my family home.
But there's one heroine left to capture during summer vacation.
I'm staying at the academy.
Of course, it was the same every time in previous timelines.
"Hmm~."
At my answer, Sierra thought something with a strange smile, then.
"Actually, I'm also staying at the academy for summer vacation."
"..."
She glanced at me again and said that.
I avoided her gaze and said.
"I'm not particularly curious."
"Aw, you were definitely curious."
Sierra chuckled, teasing me as usual.
"..."
At that sight, the anxiety I'd felt in the morning completely disappeared.
A strange sensation.
If I'm next to this girl, my head feels like it'll go strange.
Maybe that's why.
My mind felt comfortable, which was good.
And.
After the day's activities and after school.
'Chris… ended up not coming to the academy.'
Contrary to my worries, Chris didn't show up.
That part was the same as with Mari.
'If this is the pattern… will the other heroines be similar from now on?'
It seems okay to relax a little the day after rejecting a confession.
But the very next day.
…Edric also stopped coming to the academy.
***
Edric received a letter from Chris.
'I was worried she wasn't coming to the academy…, what is this?'
A smile spread across Edric's face as he read the letter.
The letter's content was short.
[Edric, I want to confirm our feelings. Please come here. -Chris]
Confirming feelings.
The sweet nuance alone made Edric think it was definitely a confession.
'No, maybe a confession is too much.'
Edric grinned, got dressed, and left the dormitory.
It was late at night.
The letter had been on his desk when he returned to his room after dinner.
And so, Edric headed towards the meeting place with light steps.
The meeting place was sketched on the letter as a map.
But there was no need to ponder much.
Because it was a place he had already visited a few days ago.
'Why would she call me to such a secluded place….'
A man and woman confirming their feelings, meeting in a deserted place late at night.
Such thoughts ignited Edric's desire.
Perhaps… he could make her fall for him.
He unconsciously hummed a tune.
If things went well with Chris like this.
What kind of expression would Emil make?
"Hah hah…!"
More than anything, Edric was looking forward to that.
And a moment later.
Step, step….
"Chris…?"
Edric arrived at the meeting place.
It was a dungeon.
The academy-managed dungeon, where the floor had previously collapsed due to an accident, and even the guards had disappeared.
The place where Edric had wet himself a few days ago, leaving him with a terrible memory.
But.
This very moment, that memory would be overwritten with another, better one.
"Chris, I'm here."
And Edric cautiously called her name from the dungeon entrance.
Then.
A torch flared.
Step, step.
"Chris…!"
"Edric."
Chris, holding a torch, appeared before him.
She planted the torch at the dungeon entrance and faced Edric.
Even in the torchlight, her face was incredibly beautiful.
At the same time, Edric's crotch stirred.
"So…, what's going on? Chris. …What do you mean by 'confirming feelings'?"
"..."
At Edric's shy words, Chris took a step closer to him.
Thump.
Then Edric's heart trembled.
"Edric, there's something I want to ask you."
"Huh, huh?"
"Do you… love me right now?"
Chris asked abruptly.
The question of whether he loved her.
Edric was startled for a moment by the sudden question, but.
'A-As expected….'
He smiled at the similar flow to what he had expected.
And he answered her with a serious face.
"Y-Yes…, actually, I… I like you. Chris, do you perhaps…"
"Then."
Just before Edric could continue speaking, Chris cut him off.
And one step.
Step.
She stepped even closer to Edric.
Her indifferent yet beautiful face became even clearer.
Edric stared at her face as if enchanted.
"…Then, can you do anything to have me?"
"Huh…?"
And Chris's question continued.
Edric answered seriously this time too.
"Yes, I can do anything."
"..."
A slight tremor.
Chris's shoulder trembled for a moment.
She opened her mouth again.
"Really anything?"
"Yes."
"Then, if there's someone I like."
"Huh…?"
"To the extent that you could even kill that person?"
Chris's hard-to-understand questions continued.
"..."
Edric had been happily answering with a fluttering heart until just now, but at this moment, he sensed something strange.
However.
Thump, thump.
Chris's beautiful face, now close.
And her voluptuous figure.
Imagining the skin beneath her clothes paralyzed Edric's reason.
Ultimately.
He answered lightly.
"That's right, I can really do anything…! Even if it means killing someone who interferes with us!"
"..."
"...Chris?"
He had answered.
This must be the right answer.
Edric was confident.
And.
A smirk.
Chris's lips curled into a smirk for a moment.
"Good, that's a relief."
"...What?"
Chris's murmur.
It was the moment Edric dazedly asked back at her murmur.
Slam━!!
"Argh! Ch-Chris?!"
"..."
"What are you doing?! What the hell are you doing?!"
Chris, who had approached Edric, moved instantly and subdued him.
She pinned Edric beneath her, gripping his arms to keep him from moving.
There was a difference in physical build between man and woman, but her overwhelming skill made up for the size disparity.
And.
Crackling━.
"Argh, Aaaaargh━!!"
A sound like a log snapping came from one of Edric's arms.
Simultaneously, his scream filled the area.
But.
Only Chris and Edric were in the vicinity.
The two of them began their intense time.