chapter_0152

In a sense, the Priscilla, Rosalia, and Laura who knew the original Aria and Leona no longer existed. Leona’s influence had shifted from Aria to me, changing her personality and the course of her life.

The original Leona, influenced by Aria, was overly self-sacrificing to the point of exasperation, prioritizing her role as a hero over her own well-being, and constantly blaming herself for any deaths she couldn’t prevent.

However, the Leona influenced by me was different. She prioritized her own happiness and well-being, recognizing the importance of her role but not letting it consume her. She still strived to save as many people as possible, but without the self-destructive tendencies of her original self.

This change wasn’t a problem. If the Goddess had disapproved, she wouldn’t have granted Leona the power of the Holy Sword or bestowed her strength. It was an implicit approval of their relationship.

“What do you think, Mira? Isn’t it amazing? There are a few other places like this, but this is the biggest and most beautiful,” Aria said, spreading out the blanket.

“It’s a bit of a shame it’s daytime. This place is even more stunning at night with the fireflies, but maybe we can come back later?” Aria suggested, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

In other words, the Aria and Leona who almost kissed here in the original story no longer existed. Their relationship had changed, and the influence of their original selves had faded.

“Sit down already, you two. Stop fussing with the blanket,” I said, nudging them aside. I couldn’t help but smile at their antics, but there was no hint of romantic affection between them, just the comfort of old friends.

I hadn’t read the original story or witnessed their interactions myself, so I couldn’t fully understand their emotions and thoughts, but Priscilla’s perspective offered some insight.

‘Priscilla doesn’t know everything, though,’ I thought.

The important thing was that these two were just simple childhood friends, nothing more, nothing less.

“Huh? What’s wrong?” Leona asked, pausing in the middle of spreading the blanket, her eyes narrowing in confusion. Aria, who was using magic to help her lift a rock, gave me a similar look.

“Nothing. You two just seem really close, that’s all,” I said, my voice casual.

“Why are you bringing this up now? It’s a bit late, isn’t it, Mir Mira?” Aria teased, a playful smile on her face.

Indeed, it was a bit late to be bringing this up now, almost five months after we first met at the Academy’s entrance ceremony.

The reason I brought it up was because this was the place where, in the original story, Aria and Leona had almost kissed, and it made me feel a bit uncomfortable, though I couldn’t quite explain why.

“It’s fine. We’re friends too, right?” Leona said, her tone light.

“Yes, we’re friends with Mir Mira, in a… slightly complicated way?” Aria added, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

“So, does that mean we’ll keep sleeping in the same bed while we’re here?” I asked, a playful smile on my face.

Leona and Aria froze, their faces turning bright red. It was an understandable reaction, given what had happened that morning. One of them had sucked on my fingers in her sleep, and the other had shown me her bare body, albeit unintentionally.

“Th-that…” Leona stuttered, at a loss for words.

“I was just thinking…” Aria began, her face still flushed.

“No, I mean, that kind of thing doesn’t usually happen when I wake up. It’s the first time I’ve shown someone my naked body like that in the morning… oh.” Aria trailed off, realizing she was digging herself into a hole.

The two girls tried to explain themselves but ended up making it worse, their faces burning with embarrassment.

“……”

After an awkward silence, Aria was the first to break the tension.

“Um, Miss Mira…” Aria began, her voice soft and hesitant.

“It’s definitely not in a strange way, and I’m genuinely curious… I mean, how did you feel when you slept with us?” Aria asked, her eyes fixed on me with a mixture of curiosity and anticipation.

“Aria?!” Leona exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise. Aria’s face was flushed, her cheeks and even her ears turning crimson, but she didn’t back down, her gaze unwavering.

“Well, I was surprised, to be honest. I thought you would have left by the time I woke up, but there you were, in the same bed,” I replied, trying to keep my tone light.

“And… was that all?” Aria pressed, taking a step closer.

She knelt on the blanket, her arms bracing against it, her hips slightly pushed back, and her upper body leaning towards me, her back arched slightly.

“And… it wasn’t just a feeling that friends would feel, right? Friends don’t have to hold back or endure anything,” Aria said, her eyes shining with determination.

Leona, her eyes wide, looked at me expectantly, waiting for my response.

It wasn’t a lie. I had felt similar emotions with Priscilla, Rosalia, and even when I supplied Nika with life force.

‘It’s not normal to be able to hold back in the first place, though…’ I thought, attributing it to the aftermath of the mental breakdown I had experienced in the past.

“……Mir Mira. Leona and I are old childhood friends, but as you said, we’ve never had to hold back with each other,” Aria said, her head lowered, her eyes filled with determination.

Aria looked up, her gaze intense. “So, I’m asking if there’s a possibility that our relationship could develop beyond just friends, that we could have feelings beyond friendship.”

“……” Leona’s eyes widened, and she waited with bated breath for my response. Aria’s eyes were filled with anticipation.

I nodded slowly. “Yes.”

Their eyes widened in surprise. Yes, but there were conditions. For this world to continue existing after we returned to our original world, or for the people of this world to come with us, there needed to be a solution.

I didn’t want to lose something precious again. Even though they weren’t my lovers, they were still important to me, and I didn’t want to dismiss their significance.

It was a brutally cruel statement, but until this issue was resolved, I had no intention of crossing the line with any of the four girls possessed by the novel’s characters.

“But, to be honest, I don’t really know how to proceed. I’m not the most emotionally sensitive person, as you know. You’ve seen how Priscilla acts around me,” I said, downplaying my own feelings.

“It’s okay, Mir Mira,” Aria said, her smile radiant as she took my hand. The sunlight of midday shone upon us, and a gentle breeze ruffled our hair.

“Mir Mira, you’re definitely not that kind of person. I’ve heard a lot about how dense you are, and I told you that I like perceptive people,” Aria said, her hand gently resting between my breasts.

“And, as I said before, I believe in fate. I’m certain that you’re my destiny.”

“Fate…” I began, but before I could finish, a hot sensation welled up from deep within me, as if something was stirring inside. My heart raced, and I felt a strange warmth spreading throughout my body.

“Ugh?!”

“Heek?!”

We both pulled away simultaneously, startled by the sudden surge of emotions. Aria looked at me with wide eyes, and I must have had a similar expression.

‘……What was that?’ I wondered, my heart pounding. It felt like something deep within me was trying to break free. I clenched and unclenched my fists, but nothing changed.

“Are you okay, Mir Mira?” Aria asked, her voice filled with concern.

“For now, I think so. Aria, how about you?” I asked, still a bit shaken.

“I’m fine. I was just surprised because you suddenly let go, but it’s my fault too. Don’t blame yourself too much, Mir Mira,” Aria said, her smile returning. The awkward atmosphere lingered, and I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease.

It seemed too coincidental that we had let go at almost the exact same time. Aria’s reaction was too quick for her to have noticed my movement, so it was pointless to overthink it.

The tense atmosphere was broken by Leona, who quickly changed the subject. “Stop standing there and let’s eat already! We haven’t had lunch yet!”

Leona eagerly opened the lunch boxes she had brought, and Aria enthusiastically clapped her hands, agreeing that it was a good idea. I nodded, grateful for the change in topic.

As I had noticed before, the amount of food was quite substantial. There were eight containers, each filled with a generous portion, and it seemed like it would be a challenge for the three of us to finish it all.

But Leona wasn’t done yet, as she pulled out a smaller lunch box from her bag. “Mira, remember when I gave you onigiri and asked you to guess which ones I made and which ones Aria made? I’ve been practicing a lot since then.”

“Yeah, I remember. The ones that were more crooked were yours, and you jumped for joy when I guessed correctly,” I said, a smile tugging at my lips.

“This is the second round. I’ve been practicing really hard,” Leona said, opening the lunch box to reveal perfectly shaped rice balls arranged in a circle. It was impossible to tell them apart with my eyes alone.

Leona hesitated for a moment, then with a determined expression, she reached out and picked up one of the rice balls from the left side, her arm stretching towards me. “Here, ah, aaang…”