The next day, after explaining the situation to Lilliana as carefully as he could without causing unnecessary panic, Soren found himself sitting alone at a small café near the academy grounds.
The place was quiet at this hour.
Not empty, but calm, just the low murmur of conversation, the occasional clink of porcelain, and the steady hum of magic-powered heaters fighting off the lingering chill of early morning.
Soren cradled a warm mug between his hands, slowly sipping his caramel latte while staring unfocused at the surface of the drink.
He hadn't even realised he had ordered caramel.
'That was definitely Yvette.'
The thought had been looping in his mind ever since he woke up, refusing to fade no matter how many times he tried to distract himself.
It sat there stubbornly, resurfacing again and again, vivid and undeniable.
The girl from last night.
The reason she occupied so much of his headspace wasn't simply because she had appeared out of nowhere like a knight in shining armour, though, admittedly, that part didn't help.
It was because she was someone Soren recognised.
No, that wasn't quite accurate.
It felt wrong to say he merely recognised her.
Yvette was his favourite character.
Back on Earth, the username he had used on the TKS forums had been "YvetteMyBeloved".
He had written long, overly enthusiastic posts dissecting her story, her dialogue, her expressions in cutscenes.
He had defended her relentlessly in comment sections whenever someone misunderstood her character.
He had even commissioned custom-made merchandise for her, acrylic stands, charms, things he had never quite admitted to paying for out loud.
She wasn't just familiar.
She was important.
"And yet…" Soren muttered quietly, staring into his latte as the foam slowly settled.
'Something was different.'
In his memories of TKS, Yvette's first proper introduction had always been cold, brutally so.
During the second semester, the player would encounter her after she caused an incident during the mock duels.
She overwhelmed her opponent so thoroughly, so mercilessly, that it sparked outrage among the faculty.
The result was a temporary suspension, whispers spreading through the academy about her temperament and instability.
When she returned, Alex, the protagonist, went to talk to her.
Not because he was ordered to.
Not because he had to.
But because he felt something was wrong, and because helping people like that was simply what Alex did.
That first meeting had been unforgettable.
Yvette had looked at Alex with pure disgust, eyes sharp and distant, as if he were something filthy that had wandered too close.
Her words had been clipped, venomous.
Her posture rigid, coiled like a cornered animal.
If anyone touched her, even by accident, there were only two outcomes.
She either vomited and ran away, shaking violently…
…or she attacked.
No hesitation, no mercy, just raw revulsion carved across her face.
That all changed eventually, of course.
Time, trust, and repeated interactions softened her edges.
Her story was slow, painful, and deeply emotional.
But that wasn't important right now.
What mattered was the present.
Why had she been so kind to him?
Soren leaned back slightly in his chair, exhaling through his nose.
Sure, if someone insisted on comparing appearances, Soren would, admittedly, come out ahead of Alex with little effort; he was well aware of that.
But Yvette didn't strike him as someone who cared about superficial things.
Not like that.
Her reaction last night hadn't felt shallow or calculated.
It had felt… instinctive.
She had approached him carefully.
She had spoken softly.
She had patted his head.
The memory made his chest tighten in a way he didn't quite know how to process.
'Still,' he thought, a small smile tugging at his lips despite himself, 'it was nice to meet her.'
He took another sip of his latte, the warmth grounding him.
For just a moment, the exhaustion on her face when she crouched in front of him resurfaced in his mind.
The heaviness behind her eyes.
The quiet gentleness that didn't match the stories told about her.
'…She looked tired.'
Before he could sink any deeper into thought, the small bell above the café door rang.
Jingle-jingle-♪
"Ah! Hello, Soren, sorry I'm late!"
Soren looked up just in time to see Olivia hurrying toward his table, her movements flustered and her expression apologetic.
She slid into the seat opposite him with a nervous laugh, brushing her hair back.
"I slept in…"
He shook his head lightly, amused.
"It's fine, don't worry. Are you doing alright?"
"Yeah," Olivia nodded quickly. "Alex was a bit worried, so I had to spend some time telling him what happened. Oh! Alex is the boy I mentioned last time, ehehe…"
'Better late than never, I guess.'
Soren took another sip of his drink, his internal rating of Alex quietly plummeting a few more points.
Missing one important event was unfortunate.
Missing several was a pattern.
Still, he kept those thoughts to himself.
Despite everything, he continued to support Olivia's love life like a devoted spectator.
She was earnest and sincere, and she deserved happiness, even if the person she loved made questionable decisions.
"What happened after you left last night?" Soren asked instead, gently steering the conversation.
"Well…" Olivia hesitated, fingers curling around the hem of her sleeves.
She took a breath, then began to explain.
"After I ran off like you asked, I tried to find someone who could help. I thought if I just kept running, I'd run into a teacher or a guard or… someone."
She laughed weakly.
"But I got lost instead."
She went on to explain how the familiar streets had twisted into an unfamiliar maze, how every alley had looked the same under the dim lantern light, and how panic had slowly replaced urgency as she realised she didn't know where she was anymore.
"Eventually, I did find someone, but… at first, I thought I'd made things worse."
Soren listened closely as she described the figure she had seen sitting alone in the pitch black alleyway, bow in hand, tugging absently at the string while faint, shimmering spirits hovered nearby.
The image alone made his grip tighten slightly around his cup.
"When she noticed me," Olivia continued, "she stood up really fast and aimed her bow straight at me. I thought she was going to shoot…"
Her voice trembled as she described the moment her fear overwhelmed her, tears spilling over as she apologised silently for failing him.
How she had thought she had only caused more trouble.
"And then… she put her bow down."
Soren's chest tightened.
"She walked over really slowly, like she didn't want to scare me, and then she pulled her hood down and… and stroked my hair."
Olivia's hands clenched together as she spoke.
"When she told me her name, I couldn't believe it."
Yvette Astrin Yggdrasil.
Olivia explained how famous Yvette was at Stellaris Academy, how everyone knew she was the strongest in the second year, a position she had held from the moment she enrolled. The moment Olivia realised who she was talking to, she had grabbed Yvette's arm, only to flinch when Yvette reacted instinctively, and begged her to help Soren.
"She was so scary at first," Olivia finished quietly. "But… I thought she seemed lonely."
Soren nodded.
"That's probably true. She looked tired, too."
That, at least, aligned with his memories.
Even when Alex met her during the second semester, she had looked worn down, as though exhaustion had become a permanent part of her.
Soren stared into his empty cup.
'I shouldn't get involved, though. I can't solve her story.'
The cause of Yvette's suffering lay with her family, and that was something far beyond his reach.
Even knowing her future, even understanding the path she would eventually walk, there was nothing he could do now that wouldn't end in failure.
"Anyways," he said, forcing the thought aside, "do you want a drink? Mine's empty."
"Mmm… hot chocolate, please."
"Same as me then, alright, I'll be back in a second."
As he approached the counter, a familiar presence made him pause.
"Hi there. This is a surprise, isn't it?" a woman said lightly
Louise Cruentus leaned against the counter, her eyes strikingly similar to his own.
"Hello… Louise," he replied awkwardly.
Since their last meeting, he had avoided her entirely.
Not out of malice, but discomfort.
She was the one person in this world who held memories of the original Soren, someone who could expose him without meaning to.
"I told you to call me sis," she said with a smile. "Did you forget already?"
"Oh, right. Sorry."
She waved it off.
"It's fine. What are you doing here anyway?"
"I'm with a friend. She wanted some advice," he gestured to Olivia.
"Oho? Advice, you say?" Louise's eyes sparkled. "Can I help?"
"Uh…"
Soren hesitated, wondering if Olivia would be uncomfortable, but he quickly shook the thought off.
'Actually… she'd probably be over the moon.'
Olivia had next to no friends thanks to her spending all of her time with Alex and her lack of status, so she had been overjoyed when Soren had listened to her love talk and became her friend.
"Just make sure to ask her, I'm going to get some drinks."
"Oh! Get me a caramel latte!"
By the time Soren returned, Louise and Olivia were already chatting animatedly, both smiling far too brightly.
'I knew it.'
Relief washed over him as he set the drinks down and joined them.
"I'm back. Is everything okay?"
Soren's voice cut gently into the conversation as he sat down across from Louise, carefully placing the drinks on the table so nothing spilt.
The caramel latte steamed faintly in front of Louise, while Olivia's hot chocolate looked almost identical to his own.
Olivia turned toward him immediately, eyes shining.
"Yep! Miss Louise is so kind!" she said, clasping her hands together with unrestrained enthusiasm.
Louise laughed, resting her chin against her palm as she studied Olivia openly.
"Livia's just so adorable. Why didn't you tell me you'd already made friends at the academy?"
Soren rubbed the back of his neck, averting his gaze for a moment.
"Well… I've been busy."
It wasn't exactly a lie.
Between his training, tutoring sessions, classes, and spending time with Amelia, who seemed determined not to leave his side for more than a few hours at a time, his days had filled up faster than he ever expected.
"Busy, huh? That sounds suspicious," Louise teased lightly. "Are there any other friends you've made here that you'd like to tell me about?" she continued, her tone casual but her eyes sharp.
"Well… There's someone named Felix," Soren exhaled and leaned back slightly, resigned.
Louise's expression immediately soured.
He explained how he had met Felix shortly after the semester began, how his first impression had been awful, and how, despite Felix's unpleasant personality, the man had helped him more than once.
He made sure not to gloss over the bad parts, but he didn't exaggerate them either.
Louise listened in silence, her fingers tightening slightly around her cup.
"So he's rude, abrasive, and somehow still useful," she summarised flatly.
"That's… one way to put it."
She clicked her tongue softly but said nothing more.
Then Soren moved on.
"There's also Amelia."
Olivia shuddered the moment the name left his mouth.
Louise noticed instantly.
"Oh? What's wrong?"
"She's scary," Olivia said without hesitation.
Soren laughed quietly.
"That's fair."
He went on to explain what had happened during the midterm exam, how he had managed to land a hit on Amelia, how she had stared at him in shock, and then, seemingly out of nowhere, asked if they could be friends.
"And ever since then," he added, "she's been following me around."
Louise's expression turned complicated.
She knew the rumours.
Everyone did.
Princess Amelia, the Wild Wolf, violent, unstable, and terrifyingly powerful.
Hearing that her cousin was now being shadowed by her clearly stirred concern, even if she tried to hide it.
"And finally…" Soren hesitated for half a second before continuing. "There's Lilly. Lilliana Roseblood."
That name softened something in his expression immediately.
He spoke about how much Lilliana had helped him, how she had been there for him consistently without asking for anything in return.
He talked about their mutual support, the quiet way their friendship had formed, and the tutoring sessions she gave him outside of class.
Louise listened more carefully this time.
When he finished, she exhaled slowly.
"Soren," she said after a pause, "why is it almost all women?"
"Huh?"
Soren blinked, caught completely off guard.
Before he could respond, Olivia leaned forward, brows furrowing.
"What's wrong with Soren being friends with women, Miss Louise?"
Louise winced theatrically.
"Well, you know… hearing that my little brother has turned into a player isn't exactly comforting."
"Little brother?"
Olivia stared at her as if she had just heard something impossible.
It was then that Soren realised he still hadn't explained one very important thing.
"Oh, sorry, Livia. I should explain," Louise said smoothly. "Soren isn't my real little brother. He's actually my cousin. But we've known each other for a long time, so I decided to call him my little brother."
She turned to him with a knowing smile.
"And he decided to call me…?"
"…Sis," Soren said reluctantly.
Olivia's eyes widened.
"Anyways," Soren quickly redirected, turning back to Olivia. "I meant to tell you sooner, but there weren't really any good moments."
"Eh?! W-Wait? Soren isn't a girl?" Olivia froze.
Her mind visibly scrambled as she replayed recent conversations.
"Then last night, when you said you liked girls… Ah!"
Her face flushed bright red as her thoughts tangled themselves into knots.
"Wait, so… I never actually had girls talk?"
That, apparently, was the conclusion she reached.
"…Technically, you have now," Soren said slowly, glancing toward Louise
"Yes," Louise nodded firmly. "You and I are talking, aren't we?"
Olivia's expression instantly brightened.
"But Little Brother, why didn't you tell her sooner?"
"I—I tried, but Amelia interrupted us…" Soren said nervously.
"Oh!"
Olivia jumped slightly.
"That's what that was about?"
She remembered it clearly now, the way their conversation during the midterm had been cut short.
"Anyways, I'm sorry, Olivia," Soren said sincerely,
"It's no problem! But… does this mean you can't help me anymore?"
"Help you?" he blinked. "Oh—no, of course I'll keep helping. If anything, doesn't this make it better? I'm a guy like Alex is."
Her expression brightened, then faltered.
"U-Um… well… can I maybe get some help now?"
It wasn't Soren who responded, however.
"Yes, of course you can, Livia," Louise said immediately, eyes sparkling.
Olivia stiffened slightly.
"O-Oh, okay, well…"
She took a breath and began recounting her story again, this time more fully.
"Alex has always been a hero to me," she said softly. "So when I learned he was enrolling here, I applied to the Academic Studies major too. Then… when he discovered his [Divinity], something changed in me."
She blushed.
"I'd never prayed before, but suddenly I could channel divine power easily. When I told Alex, he was so happy… he kept saying, 'Now we can always be together!', it was so cute ehehehe…"
'Alex did that?'
Soren was genuinely surprised.
The Alex he remembered from TKS was passive, almost frustratingly so.
Back when he had played the game, Soren had always felt that Olivia's reason for falling in love was somewhat bland, as it was a typical childhood friend trope with no alterations.
Still, after hearing Olivia's story firsthand, he couldn't help but understand why she had held onto such feelings for so long, even during Alex's accidental playboy moments.
"So what did you want advice on, Livia?" Louise asked while looking like an excited puppy.
"R-Right! You know what happened last night, Soren? Well… when I told Alex about it this morning, he hugged me and apologised for not being there… and even promised he'd spend more time with me…"
"Oooohhh!"
Louise's exclamation was heard, but Soren ignored it, focusing on Olivia's words.
'So in other words, he missed the event and somehow still gained points? That's a protagonist for you, I guess.'
"We even made plans to meet up tomorrow outside of the academy…"
""A date,"" Louise and Soren said in unison.
"N-No, it's not a date!"
""It's a date.""
Olivia looked down, face burning red, and fidgeted with her hands.
"So," Louise asked, "what did you want advice on?"
"I was wondering if I could have some help with buying clothes."
Both cousins lit up instantly.
"I'll pay!" Louise shot to her feet.
"Come on, Olivia," Soren said brightly. "Let's go shopping."
"Wait— Soren?"
Before Olivia could protest, she was already being dragged toward the exit.
————「❤︎」————