To get straight to the point.
Lia was defeated by me.
"M-Master-nim…"
"What? I can't hear you well."
"Ugh… M-Maasster-niiim…!"
After I forcibly acquired her most expensive city, I used the 2x toll fee privilege to raise the toll fee for that city for a certain period. This was Lia's most expensive city, currently ranked #1. Applying a 2x multiplier to that city meant the toll fees became astronomical.
As a result, Lia landed on that land several times, and instantly, our ranks were reversed. After that, the gap slowly widened, and she went bankrupt.
"This can't be… Ugh, this can't beee…!"
Lia, who had been teasing me with such arrogance, burst into tears, her face filled with confusion, and clutched her school uniform skirt tightly.
"Enough to cry…?"
"I guess it would feel unfair."
At my question, Sierra somehow nodded as if she understood.
Anyway.
"Now, then, what should I make our slave do…?"
"Hieek…!"
I gained a one-day slave.
Lia flinched at my grin and took a step back.
Just then.
━A sharp gaze.
I felt a sharp gaze from somewhere.
In response, I instinctively turned my head.
"Huh? Why?"
"No…"
I looked at her, wondering if it might be Sierra, but Sierra was smiling as usual.
It doesn't seem to be Sierra. If she were glaring, she would keep glaring even if I looked at her…
'In that case…'
I cautiously looked at the other person.
It was Bran.
I subtly assessed his state by just moving my eyes.
Bran was looking at Lia with his usual expressionless face.
No, it wasn't completely as usual.
'Displeasure…?'
It was subtle, but I sensed a slight displeasure in his expression.
'Why? He's the type who barely showed emotions even in the last regression…'
And immediately, the answer to that question came to mind.
'Ah… Now that I think about it, he was the only one different from the others.'
Bran.
He had a difference from the other male protagonists.
That was, in the setting, he had a crush on Lia, who played the villainess role, since the entrance ceremony.
The other male protagonists originally didn't harbor feelings for the villainesses in the original story. The villainesses, simply linked to them through events, unilaterally liked them.
But in Bran's case.
He had a crush on Lia since the entrance ceremony and joined her summer club to try and win her heart.
And Lia also knew this. She knew but didn't accept Bran's feelings, and they spent the summer.
Afterward, the story leads to Bran falling in love with Sierra and Lia becoming jealous.
Bran and the other male protagonists had such differences in their settings.
'So, is he displeased now because I'm treating Lia like a slave?'
In other words, Bran is currently in love with Lia, as per his setting.
'Hmm…'
I recalled the last third regression.
Near the end of the third regression, I thought about what that guy did to take Lia away.
And I fell into contemplation.
'…Would it really be okay to provoke him?'
Malcolm and Edric initially had little interest in the heroines. That's why they developed feelings for them while I was trying to win them over. By the time they planned something, the capture was already complete.
But Bran is different.
'The fact that he still likes her means… I don't know what he might do right now.' Moreover, he's a character whose emotions don't show easily on his face. Since I can't gauge his reaction, I have even less idea when he might explode.
"..."
However.
'If you're pissed off, that's even better.'
I, who had been contemplating, clearly decided.
It doesn't matter if Bran explodes. The ones who would be harmed are Lia and I. And I already know how Bran will act.
In fact, I would be grateful if I could make Bran feel even worse.
Therefore.
"Lia, I have a proposition. Would you like to hear it?"
"Y-Yes…? Master-nim, a proposition…?"
"I'll cancel the one-day slave thing."
"Really?!"
"Instead."
I glanced over. I checked Bran's expression.
He was looking at me at my words. His face was expressionless, devoid of emotion. However, a hint of curiosity about my subsequent actions was visible.
Feeling his gaze, I spoke to Lia, anticipating his anger.
"Instead of canceling the one-day slave, ━let's go on a date."
"A-A d-date…?"
"..."
A sharp gaze, a sharp gaze.
'What intense eyes…'
I could see Bran's eyes burning as he looked at me.
It seems I really got to him.
'This guy is easier to mess with than Malcolm or Edric.'
If what I suffered from him was having my partner taken, then what I'm doing now might be akin to taking his love interest.
Anyway.
I didn't care if this guy exploded or not; as long as he was pissed off, that was fine by me.
I really didn't care, but.
…However.
A sharp gaze, a sharp gaze.
"..."
"..."
I felt another pair of eyes glaring at me.
"...Emil."
My body was trembling for some reason. I cautiously turned around, tense.
Then, I met Sierra's pitch-black eyes.
…Why is she looking at me like that?
***
"W-Well, this is a bit sudden."
"..."
I asked Lia out on a date.
In the end, as afternoon arrived, I came out into the city with Lia.
Just then, a summer festival was underway in the city. It was a festival where people played by throwing water balloons made of magic.
And so, I immediately went on a date with Lia.
'What were those eyes earlier…?'
However, I was more concerned about Sierra's reaction from a little while ago than the date.
…Those eyes were similar to Mari's and Chris'. No, were they slightly different from the two of them? If their eyes were dull and empty with despair, then Sierra's eyes just now were black, deepened with rage.
'No, this isn't the time to worry about that.'
I shook my head, clearing my mind.
Although Sierra joining the same club is concerning, it doesn't mean I can stop trying to win over Lia.
"Wow, wow~. A water balloon festival? They have these too."
I looked at Lia, who was trying hard to act calm beside me.
"Is this your first date?"
"Ugh."
At my question, Lia flinched her shoulders and stopped moving.
Then, a moment later, she quickly turned around and looked at me.
She smiled awkwardly, pretending to be relaxed.
"No? Even if I look like this, I'm quite popular, you know? A date? Psh~? Well, I've done them as often as I eat three meals a day."
"..."
"Oh~, what's that expression? Aha, I get it. Emil, you don't go on dates much, do you? Ahahaha, surely I'm not your first? Did you muster up your courage to say that just now?"
Lia's act of pretending to be relaxed soon led to her characteristic provocation.
She giggled, covering her mouth, and looked at me as if teasing.
Her bluff is good, but I wonder if she knows that the fewer dates a woman has, the higher her value.
"Oh really? Then…"
"Huh?"
I slowly approached her, who was bluffing and crossing her arms.
Around us, people were busy throwing water balloons and playing at the water balloon festival. No one paid attention to what we were doing.
"Do you know that too?"
"W-What…?"
In that chaotic place, I gently cornered Lia against a wall.
*Pop! Bang!*
*Giggles.*
Amidst the laughter of the people, a tense silence enveloped just the two of us.
*Gulp.*
Lia looked up at me, trembling, her eyes wide as I stood close.
And I gently grasped her chin and spoke.
"What people usually do when a date ends."
"...Hmph, w-w-what?!"
As if she understood my meaning, Lia's face turned bright red.
Her relaxed pretense from just a moment ago had completely vanished.
"D-Don't be ridiculous━! Th-This is my first kiss, you know!"
*Whoosh!*
*Splat!*
"..."
"Ah, sorry…"
Flustered, she threw the water balloon she had received a moment ago at me. The water balloon accurately hit my face at close range.
The magic forming the water balloon scattered, revealing my drenched upper body.
But I didn't get angry. Instead, I grinned and looked at her.
"You've been on so many dates, but no kisses yet?"
"...Huh, huh?"
Lia, who had briefly looked apologetic, blushed again.
"Then I could be your first kiss, couldn't I?"
"W-What…?"
I threw the water balloon in my hand at the flustered Lia.
*Whoosh!*
*Splat!*
"Ughaaak!"
"Ahahaha!"
Lia, hit by the thrown water balloon, let out a pleasing scream and became as drenched as a wet rat, just like me.
"Y-You…! Since it's come to this, it's a contest to see who hits more━!"
And Lia, her face flushed red from my provocation, began picking up the scattered water balloons around her and throwing them.
'With this much, will her heart waver a bit?'
I dodged the water balloons she threw, observing her flushed state.
Currently, I was overtly seducing Lia. Although it didn't quite suit me, I was going with a Casanova-like playboy concept.
Of course, with Mari and Chris, I hadn't expressed interest this overtly. That's because when I recalled the previous regressions through 'Memories of Despair,' if I had overtly seduced them, it would have given them an excuse: 'Emil deliberately seduced us for revenge.'
Not wanting that, I chose to sway their hearts through events, rather than seduction.
In Mari's case, it was her older brother and the midterm exam. In Chris's case, it was her trauma and the dungeon crisis.
However, in Lia's case, I couldn't do that. That's because Mari and Chris's capture events were originally events where Malcolm and Edric appeared, which I intercepted.
'But Lia doesn't have anything like that.'
Lia's case is different from those two. Unlike the two who fell in love with the male protagonists through events, Lia's trigger was Bran, who used to like her, suddenly changing his mind.
Therefore, in Lia's case, there were no events I could utilize.
"Haha, for someone who talked big, you're not throwing very well, are you?"
"Ugh! You're just too good at dodging! I'm a board game specialist! I'm a beginner at these physical games, you know?!"
*Whoosh! Whoosh!*
I easily dodged the water balloons Lia threw diligently, just by subtly moving my head and upper body.
Compared to Chris's wooden sword, the speed was child's play.
And just as I was intently watching Lia's movements.
*Squish.*
"Oh, ugh━!"
Her foot stepped on a water balloon on the ground, and she lost her balance.
'Now…!'
I didn't miss that chance and grabbed her arm.
Normally, I would have held her and prevented her from falling here.
"Kyaaa!"
"Whoa!"
I intentionally pretended to be swept away by her and fell.
"Ah, ow…. Ugh, Emil. Are you alright…."
"..."
Lia and I lay on the ground, facing each other at a hand's breadth apart.
*A glance.*
Lia, who had momentarily gazed at my lips,
flushed a bright red.
'The Charm Beauty Mark is really effective.'
If it had been the third regression, which was on hard mode, it would probably have been difficult to make her heart flutter even with such a theatrical display.
*Thump, thump.*
"..."
"..."
My chest and Lia's chest were lightly touching. Through the soft fabric, the frantic thumping of her heart was conveyed.
For a moment, both of us were speechless, our bodies frozen.
Our body heat transferred to each other over our cold, water-soaked bodies.
"Em-Em-Emil…"
Just then.
Lia, whose eyes were trembling, softly spoke.
It was the moment she squeezed her eyes shut.
[Alright━! We will now begin the highlight of the 'Water Balloon Festival'!]
A voice amplified by someone's magic reached our ears.