The desperate witch, the tightrope walker, the chivalrous pessimist, and the self destroyer 'clinked' their cups together.
""""Cheers!""""
As always, everyone besides me was drinking alcohol.
"Ahh, I can't believe it. We're all Level 9!"
"Well, after two months with Faun, I can't see how anyone could stay at a low Level."
I slowly shook my head with a small smile at what Souma said.
"You're giving me too much credit."
"I don't think we are. Remember that one Level 9 mission we took? Now, each of us can supposedly do that one alone. It doesn't feel like the truth, as if our Levels were artificially raised beyond what they should be."
"Good point Mitsuki, and you're right, none of you can do that mission alone. But I'm pretty sure that's because the Level stated back there was too low for what mission it was. It's a common tactic to make more adventurers able to take on the job."
"But aren't there safeguards in place for things like that?"
"Every once in a while, something slips through."
I shrugged. Nothing was perfect, and we just stumbled onto one of those imperfections.
Suddenly, Leila sprung up.
"Wait, so that means we completed a mission that was even harder than Level 9?!"
"Yeah. But don't get so carried away with Levels, they are not a perfect system. Barely good enough to not change ― is the definition of Levels."
My words went completely over her head. She was probably going to babble to her friends about being super strong even long ago.
I chuckled.
'Well, whatever makes her have fun, I guess.'
I will not stop someone from having fun if it won't affect me.
***
Mitsuki and Souma both walked into the guild together.
I was intrigued, what was up with Leila? They usually come together.
"Hey."
"Hey."
We bumped fists.
"So, for some reason, Leila wants to talk to you one-on-one."
"Really?"
"Yep, and she's waiting for you at our home. Can you go and talk to her?"
"Sure, I guess. It's weird that she wants to talk to me though."
I stood up from my chair and left the guild.
"...How do you boys always get along so quick?"
Souma wryly smiled at Mitsuki's question.
"I don't know, we just do."
***
I knew where the trio lived, so I just quickly walked there.
The door was unlocked, they probably didn't lock it because Leila is still here.
When I entered, I saw the first floor completely empty and quiet.
'Is she in her room?'
I walked upstairs, and saw four doors to four rooms.
I wasn't sure which one was Leila's, but if I were her, I would choose...
'This one.'
The second closest to the stairs.
I opened the door.
"Kyaaa!"
Leila was standing there, completely naked.
...I sighed in disappointment and closed the door.
After I heard some rummaging, the door was smashed open, and Leila was right there with a red face. This time, she was dressed properly.
"What the hell was that?!"
I feigned ignorance.
"What are you talking about?"
She grabbed me by the collar.
"That disappointed sigh! You saw me naked! Why was THAT your reaction?!"
My face remained impassive.
"Well, how else am I supposed to react to a scene that was prepared for me?"
"P-prepared?! What do you mean prepared?!"
Her eyes avoided mine.
"The whole house was completely quiet. If you were really getting dressed, I would've heard at least some sounds. But you just stood there, waiting for me to open the door."
"T-that's..."
I shook my head.
"Really, you are just pathetic. What's the need for all this fuss? Can't you just say "I love you"?"
She flinched and hanged her head.
"So... you do know."
"Of course I know."
"Was I really that obvious?"
"Nope. Both you and Mitsuki are quite good at this."
"So you even know about Mitsuki..."
She took a deep breath and looked me in the eyes.
"And you haven't told Souma, right?"
I made a wry smile. Souma... oh, I feel so bad for you.
"No, I haven't told Souma that you both love him."
Leila nodded.
"Good."
...
Silence. Not a pleasant one, might I add.
Leila uncomfortably shifted.
"Can I talk with you about this? I... I want some advice."
"You think I'll help you over Mitsuki with winning over Souma's heart?"
She cowered.
'Oops, not the time for jokes.'
I patted her shoulder.
"Don't worry, I won't help Mitsuki over you either. I just want to... stay out of this weird love triangle, you feel me?"
She nodded.
'...She looks completely miserable.'
I sighed internally and scratched my head.
"I can still talk with you about it. Just don't expect any advice from me. From what I can see, you both have been bottling up these feelings for a very long time, right? Saying them out loud can definitely help."
"Help... yeah, I guess I could use some stress relief right now."
She walked downstairs, I followed her.
We sat down at the table.
Since I knew Leila would find it too awkward to talk, I started the conversation.
"First, let's talk about what just happened. If I'm understanding this correctly, you used me as a test subject. You wanted to see how I would react, to know whether to use that same tactic on Souma. Am I correct?"
She nodded.
"Yes. I feel like... I feel like I'm running out of time. I need to make some serious advances, before Souma finds someone else. He has a lot of girl friends, who says he won't fall in love with those? I have to take my chance before that happens."
"Mhm. And how do you feel about Mitsuki? You do understand that you getting Souma would break your friendship. Are you fine with that?"
She started fidgeting with her fingers.
"Of course I'm not fine with that, but sometimes some things just have to be sacrificed. I cannot deny I will be hurt, but not being with Souma will hurt me more."
I kept silent. Leila looked at me in confusion, before taking a deep breath.
"Alright, I know, it's not that easy. Souma is too kind of a guy to allow us to break our friendship, it's one of his qualities I love after all. That means he will try to keep it alive even after we get together... but that will only hurt us more. He just values our friendship too much. I know that it will be a problem, but the main thing I want to focus on right now is getting him."
I laughed inside my mind.
'He values the friendship more than you think he does...'
I slowly shook my head.
"Being so in love really is a sickness, huh?"
Leila chuckled and nodded.
"Yes, yes it is. When you're ready to destroy all your friendships for it... it just becomes a kind of curse. And yet, I can't help but want to make it happen. That's just how overpowering it is."
I nodded.
"I understand you, but despite that, I do think you are taking this too far. Don't be so afraid of Mitsuki. She's so scared she won't make the first move, like, ever. You don't have to be so desperate."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
I looked at Leila.
'―――'
She looked back.
"Have you... ever felt something similar to love?"
I leaned back on my chair and looked at the ceiling.
"I don't think so."
I looked beyond the ceiling.
"...But I think I felt something similar, so I can somewhat empathize."
Yes, similar.
Not love... but obsession. Obsession to the point of ignoring all the red flags. That was what I felt once.
'Crazy for the crazy.'
I closed my eyes and plucked those thoughts out of my brain.
When I opened my eyes back, I realized our conversation was over.
To make sure this heavy atmosphere won't prevail―
THUNK
Having fallen backwards from the chair, I rubbed my head with a frown.
"Pft. Dumbass. Should've been more careful."
"Shut up. And don't tell anyone about this."
I stood up and dusted myself off.
"Sure sure, I won't."
She had a mischievous smirk on her face. She wasn't even trying to hide that she was lying.
I glared at her, but then just gave up and sighed.
"Whatever, let's go."
I commemorate this entire meeting to my memory.
***
I opened the door and saw Mitsuki sitting at the table.
"I am getting... a weird sense of deja-vu. The situation just feels eerily familiar, you know?"
Mitsuki chuckled.
"I just wanted to know what you talked with Leila about, that's it."
I raised an eyebrow at her.
"What? You're scared I hate you so much that I'll help Leila get together with Souma?"
She froze. I calmly walked up and sat down as the table.
Not waiting for her to recover, I continued talking.
"You know, realism and pessimism are two different things, despite them being confused together so often."
Mitsuki's face regained life and became somewhat sad.
"What are you trying to say?"
"Pessimism is only thinking about the worst. Realism is thinking about every possibility. Which one do you think you fit more?"
"Reali―"
"Pessimism is only thinking about the worst. Realism is thinking about every possibility. Which one do you think you fit more?"
She frowned.
"Rea―"
"Pessimism is only thinking about the worst. Realism is thinking about every possibility. Which one do you think you fit more?"
She narrowed her eyes at me.
I smirked at her.
"Are you trying to say that I'm pessimistic?"
"Of course you are! We birds of a feather flock together. You think Souma will never get together with you, despite wanting it. You think about how he will definitely fall in love with Leila. And then, you even think that I like Leila more than you, and that I will help her over you. What about that doesn't scream a pessimist?"
"I'm just thinking ahead and being cautious."
"Those things aren't mutually exclusive. Yes, you are thinking ahead, you are being cautious, and you are also being pessimistic!"
She took a deep breath and looked me in the eyes.
"Why are you eve saying this?"
I leaned back in my chair.
"I'm saying this so that you look a bit more positively on things. You have as much of a chance with Souma as Leila."
Her eyes widened.
"Oh, and don't worry, I won't help either of you. I... kinda want to stay out of this whole love triangle, you feel me?"
She nodded.
"So you're not helping Leila. Good. That's all I wanted to know."
"Indeed, indeed. I am not helpi―"
THUNK
"Pf..."
She held in her laugh before it could fully escape.
I rubbed my head and stood up.
"Don't... don't tell anybody about this, okay?"
She nodded with a serious face.
I smiled at her.
"Thanks. I know I can trust you."
I dusted myself off.
"Now, let's go. We don't want to keep those two waiting."
I commemorate this entire meeting to my memory.
***
A woman desperate to the point she is willing to show her naked body to another man.
A woman pessimistic to the point she thinks she has no chance and continues preparing for the worst.
Women like these... this man has continued fooling them for years on end.
'He knows it won't last for much longer though.'
"So, what did you want to talk about?"
Souma walked into my house, which was currently emptied.
"Here, take a seat first."
I offered him a chair. After he sat down, I leaned back in my chair.
"I wanted to talk with you about Leila and Mitsuki."
He made a wry smile.
"They talked with you about me, huh?"
I smiled back with a nod.
"Yep. I didn't tell them that you know, so you don't have to worry about that. I also didn't give them any kind of advice. But... I think you do realize that you are running out of time, right? You can only act ignorant for so long. This whole charade of yours won't last."
He looked at the ceiling.
We sat in silence for a while.
"...Hey, can I confide in you?"
"Of course. I empathize with you the most."
He took a deep breath, still looking up.
"I like our friendship. A lot. We've been friends since our childhoods, and I just have so much fun together with them. This... the love they have will destroy all of it. I've been trying to keep it the same for as long as possible. So that everything would be just like old times. But the more I go on, the harder it is. Ever since long ago, I had noticed that this won't work, I had to deal with this problem permanently. But... I just don't have the balls to. Choosing one over the other doesn't sound right, especially since I don't even love them. And choosing both... well, we all know that won't work, heh."
I gave him a sad smile.
'Indeed, it won't work.'
Polygamy was allowed in this world. Or it was allowed in this country, at least.
But it's not just as simple as having multiple people love you, those people also have to be fine with you having other lovers. If they aren't... then the emotion called jealousy will destroy the relationship. Even if you pay everyone equal attention, it won't work; envy isn't that easy to control.
That's exactly what will happen if Souma tries to go the harem route. All of it will fall apart even more than just choosing one.
'It's inevitable. There is an end to the rope.'
"I feel for you. You have been carefully balancing your interactions with both of them so that everything stays the same. And yet... it's not enough. Envy will destroy what you have been preserving."
People say that loving can destroy a person.
But I personally think that being loved can destroy someone more.
'Especially when that someone is kind.'
Just like this man in front of me, who still wants to be a kid.
I shrugged.
"I personally think you just have to keep doing what you have been do―"
THUNK
"Pfft. Hahaha!"
I rubbed my head.
I sighed.
"Well that was embarrassing. It's good that you're laughing, at least."
After having a good laugh, Souma took a deep breath.
"Oh, that was good. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."
He extended a hand out to me, which I accepted.
I smiled.
"Thanks."
We bumped fists.
*********
Tick.
Tock.
Tick...
Tock...
Tick...
...
Tock...
...
...
...
"Alright."
I opened my eyes after a long string of Thought.
"I have slowed down the clock just enough."