Ch.149Aria and Leona – 5

In truth, it would be fair to say that the original Aria and Leona known to Priscilla, Rosaria, and Laura no longer exist. After all, the person who influenced Leona has changed from Aria to me.

The original Leona was the type who had Aria by her side, was frustratingly naive to observers, considered her role as a hero more important than her identity as a human, tried to save as many people as possible, and blamed herself even for deaths she couldn’t prevent.

But the Leona influenced by me was different.

She prioritized herself as a human being over her role as a hero. While she naturally felt a sense of duty, she wasn’t crushed by it or tormented with self-blame. She was more focused on doing her best to save those who could be saved.

This change wasn’t really a problem. If the goddess had disapproved of this mindset, she wouldn’t have awakened the holy sword or granted her power. It was as good as tacit approval.

“What do you think, Mira? Isn’t it amazing? There are a few other places like this, but this one is the biggest and widest. It’s also the most beautiful.”

“It’s a bit of a shame we’re here during the day. This place has so many fireflies that it’s truly beautiful at night. Should we come back at night sometime if we get the chance?”

This meant that the Aria and Leona who had clearly recognized each other as more than friends in this place no longer existed either.

I watched the two of them busily spreading out the picnic blanket after pushing me aside, telling me to just sit quietly as a guest. Their backs showed nothing more than the affection of old childhood friends.

Since I hadn’t read the original work or directly observed the two of them in this world, I could only explain through Priscilla’s eyes what emotions and thoughts Aria and Leona had when they were here.

‘Even Priscilla doesn’t know everything.’

But what was clear was that the two of them now were simply childhood friends—nothing more, nothing less.

“Hm? What’s wrong?”

Leona, who had been spreading the blanket, tilted her head, perhaps sensing my gaze. Aria, who was helping Leona by magically removing stones underneath, had a similar look.

“Nothing. I was just thinking how close you two seem.”

“What’s that about, bringing this up so suddenly now?”

“Isn’t it a bit late for such comments, Miss Mira?”

The two laughed lightly. They were right—it was rather sudden. It had been almost five months since we first met at the academy entrance ceremony.

Despite knowing this, the reason I brought it up was because thinking about this place where the original characters had almost kissed gave me a tingling feeling. The reason was unclear.

“It’s okay. We’re close with you too, Mira.”

“That’s right. We’re close with you too, Miss Mira. In a somewhat… complicated way?”

“So that means you’ll keep sleeping in the same bed with me while I’m here?”

Leona and Aria froze in place. Understandably so. One had sucked on my fingers while half-asleep, and the other had shown me her bare upper body, though that was all.

They were the ones who came into my bed first, but they had accumulated such embarrassing memories in just that one instance that they couldn’t help but react this way.

“T-that’s…”

“I was thinking…”

“No, remember what happened this morning? I’m just wondering if what happened this morning is the kind of mishap that can occur between friends—”

“Aaaahh! Aah! Okay! Stop! We were wrong!”

When I deliberately emphasized “this morning” twice, Leona finally couldn’t take it anymore and covered my mouth with her bright red face.

Aria had turned slightly away, covering her chest while muttering, “Miss Mira is a pervert…” Though as expected of a romance fantasy protagonist, her size was considerably smaller compared to the four of us who had possessed bodies.

“N-nothing happened so it’s fine, right?! Aria and I always sleep in the same bed! That finger thing was because I woke up and saw you there and thought I was dreaming so I wanted to try— Aaah?!”

“I also have rather bad sleeping habits… B-but I don’t usually end up like that when I wake up. Showing my naked body in bed, Miss Mira was the first— Oh.”

The two tried to make excuses while rambling, but ended up self-destructing with their words and fell silent. Leona and Aria’s faces turned redder than radishes.

“…”

“…”

After their self-destruction, both became much quieter. They only glanced at me nervously with flushed cheeks, without continuing the conversation at all.

“Um… Miss Mira.”

Surprisingly, Aria was the one who broke the silence first.

“This absolutely isn’t meant in a strange way… Really, truly, I’m asking out of pure curiosity… How did you feel when you slept with us?”

“Aria?!”

Leona looked like a startled rabbit, but Aria, despite her flushed cheeks and ears, continued to look at me intently. She seemed determined not to back down.

“Well… I was surprised. I thought you would just leave. But when I woke up, you were both in the same bed with me.”

“And? Was that all you felt?”

Aria moved closer.

She knelt on the blanket, supporting herself with both arms, pushing her hips back slightly while leaning her upper body toward me and arching her back slightly.

“And… it probably wasn’t the kind of feeling you’d have between just friends. Friends don’t have to hold back certain feelings around each other.”

This time, Leona stared at me with wide eyes.

It wasn’t a lie. It was the same when Priscilla or Rosaria clung to me, when I supplied energy to Nika, or when the chairwoman expressed her maternal love by hugging and rolling around with me.

It’s not that I don’t have those feelings. I’m just able to control them.

‘Though it’s probably not normal to be able to do that at this point…’

I suspected it was an aftereffect of my previous mental breakdown.

“…Miss Mira. Leona and I are old childhood friends, but as you said, we’ve never had to hold back anything around each other.”

Aria, who had been thinking with her head bowed, looked me in the eyes again. Her eyes showed firm resolve beyond her still-flushed face.

“So what you’re saying is… that there’s a possibility we could develop into something more than friends, that we could have feelings beyond friendship?”

“…”

Leona, no longer surprised, was waiting for my answer with a very thoughtful expression, while Aria had an incredibly earnest look in her eyes. She had clearly thought through this question.

After considering a bit more, I answered.

“That’s right.”

Both of their eyes widened.

It was true. But the problem was that conditions were needed. We would need a way to sustain this world after we possessors returned “home,” or a way for the people of this world to cross over with us.

One experience of losing something precious is enough. Even if the person wasn’t even a lover, that doesn’t mean they weren’t important.

As cruel as it sounds, I had no intention of crossing the line into a relationship with characters from Laura’s novel until this issue was resolved.

“But, I don’t really know how. I’m not very sensitive to emotions. You know how Priscilla acts toward me.”

Of course, my answer to them was somewhat different. I just implied that I was the problem. That I was so insensitive that I showed no particular reaction even when Priscilla was constantly clinging to me.

“It’s okay, Miss Mira.”

Aria took my hand with a radiant smile. The midday sun shone from the sky, and a gentle breeze carefully tousled our hair.

“You’re absolutely not that kind of person. I’ve been called dense plenty of times too. I told you before, didn’t I? I like perceptive people.”

The hand she held was gently placed between her chest, covered by her dress.

“And I also told you that I believe in destiny. I can be certain. You are my destiny, Miss Mira.”

“Destiny—”

Just as I was trying to find words to respond to what was essentially a confession, I felt something hot stir deep in my chest. That sensation quickly spread throughout my body.

“Ugh?!”

“Eek?!”

We pulled our hands apart simultaneously. Aria was looking at me with a shocked expression. And I probably looked the same.

‘…What was that just now?’

My heart was pounding wildly. It felt like something buried deep inside was stirring, trying to come out. I clenched and unclenched my fist. Nothing seemed different.

“Are you alright, Miss Mira?”

“For now. What about you, Aria?”

“I’m fine. I was just startled when you suddenly pulled your arm away. What happened? Is something wrong?”

“…No. I think I just felt something strange. I’m really sorry. Did I scare you?”

“I should apologize too for asking such a question. It’s partly my fault, so please don’t blame yourself too much, Miss Mira.”

Aria showed me another pure smile. But the unsettling feeling wouldn’t subside.

It had appeared as if we had released hands almost simultaneously.

The interval was too short for her to have been reacting to my movement. It really seemed like we had let go at the same time, but if Aria was saying otherwise, there was no point in dwelling on it further.

The sticky, heated atmosphere had suddenly become awkward. Aria was fidgeting and watching my reactions, while I was hesitating, not knowing what to say.

“Don’t just stand there frozen! We’ve laid out the blanket, so let’s eat first! None of us have had lunch yet!”

Leona hurriedly changed the mood and pulled out the lunch boxes she had brought. Aria clapped her hands once and said that would be good with a smile, and I nodded.

I had noticed from the first time I saw them, but they were quite large. There were eight compartments in the food container, and each one was not small by any means. I wondered if the three of us could even finish it all.

I thought that was it, but another small lunch box emerged from the bag. Leona smiled meaningfully.

“Mira. Remember last time? When I gave you rice balls. I asked you to guess which ones I made and which ones Aria made.”

“I do.”

I also remember how she jumped up and down when I correctly guessed that the more crooked ones were made by Leona.

“Today is round two. I practiced really hard.”

With those words, she opened the lunch box. Rice balls beautifully shaped into circles were neatly arranged. True to her word about practicing hard, I couldn’t tell them apart by sight.

Leona picked up one from the left row from my perspective, hesitated for a moment, and then extended her arm with an expression of having made a big decision.

“Here, ah, aahn…”