Ch.201Polygamy (6)

Ireh arrived at work early in the morning.

Every step she took was accompanied by an automatic yawn. Sleep deprivation.

“This is driving me crazy……”

Physics studies were still difficult. But they were becoming enjoyable. As she continued, she gradually gained momentum.

It was currently vacation. Days guaranteed for self-study and research. In some ways, it was both the most comfortable and uncomfortable time. Immersing oneself in research was no easy task.

Ireh made her way to the laboratory.

“Eidel? I’m here.”

She immediately sensed something was wrong.

He wasn’t there.

That research maniac Eidel wasn’t in the main laboratory.

“Where did he go?”

Did he shoot up to the sky? Did he sink into the ground?

“Did he go to meet the professor?”

That was the most likely possibility, but it didn’t make sense given Eidel’s personality. Whenever Eidel went somewhere, he always left a note or email.

She tried calling to see if he was oversleeping, but there was no answer.

“……”

Something felt unsettling.

Every morning when she opened the lab door, Eidel would greet her with “Has our prospective graduate student arrived?” It was her routine to start the day by drinking the mixed coffee he made while reading papers, and having that rhythm disrupted was unpleasant.

After putting down her textbook, Ireh immediately left the lab.

After searching through all the classrooms and physics department faculty offices, she finally made her way to the large shared research lab.

There, she found Eidel collapsed.

“Huh?”

For a moment, she couldn’t understand.

Why is this guy sprawled out sleeping here?

Sensing something was seriously wrong, Ireh rushed over.

And soon realized.

“Oh, n-no way.”

That Eidel’s eyes were rolled back.

“Wake up! Hey!”

Hesitating to touch his body, Ireh gathered her courage and shook Eidel.

If this person dies, everything is over.

Suppressing her embarrassment and reluctance, she touched his face, hands, and back in sequence.

Cold.

“Damn it……”

The situation was more serious than she thought.

Ireh took off her cardigan, laid it on the floor, and placed Eidel on top of it. She knew exactly what to do next.

“Hello? Is this the hospital?”

Fortunately, the natural science building was close to the campus hospital. The paramedics would arrive in a few minutes at most. Until then, Ireh considered what emergency treatment she could provide that might help.

Despite it being summer, his body was cold, suggesting hypothermia. Sure enough, the air conditioning was on for temperature and humidity control.

Turn off the air conditioning, and share body heat.

“Hah……”

The former was easy, but the latter was incredibly difficult.

But it had to be done.

Having made her decision, Ireh, in her sleeveless top, embraced Eidel.

***

The rescue team arrived and provided appropriate treatment. Eidel was transported to the hospital and immediately admitted, receiving an IV drip.

He hadn’t regained consciousness.

“How is he?”

“We’re not certain yet. Whether it’s simple overwork, or something else…”

The doctor said detailed tests were needed.

“His body temperature had dropped significantly. Fortunately, thanks to the first responder’s proper treatment, we were able to prevent the patient’s condition from worsening. You did an amazing job.”

Ireh twisted the corner of her mouth. She felt unnecessarily embarrassed and got goosebumps.

To think she had nestled into a man’s arms.

Ugh…

It was something she would never have done if it weren’t for Eidel.

“For now, we’ll let the patient rest and determine the treatment direction as we monitor the situation. Thank you for your help.”

“Thank you.”

After finishing her conversation with the doctor, Ireh returned to Eidel’s hospital room. She pulled up a chair and sat down. A sigh escaped her.

Well… it’s probably overwork, as expected.

It wouldn’t be the first time Eidel had collapsed from researching too hard.

It was needless worry. He’d be up soon enough, whining for papers. The corner of Ireh’s mouth curled up slightly.

“Phew.”

Still, her heart had dropped for a moment.

If Eidel died, humanity would perish. Moreover, Ireh would lose the only person who understood this iteration.

If this iteration failed, there wouldn’t be another. Even if regression was possible, a world without Eidel would likely be doomed.

If Eidel died, what should she do?

“Really, you need to take better care of yourself…”

As she grumbled, looking at Eidel receiving his IV drip, she heard:

“Young master!”

A woman’s urgent voice.

Turning her head, she saw Sonia rushing in. Upon meeting Ireh, Sonia raised her voice like an interrogating police officer.

“How is Young Master Eidel? Is he alright?”

“They think it’s likely overwork.”

“That’s… ah, I see. That’s a relief, considering.”

Sonia checked Eidel’s face. He looked noticeably gaunt. Sonia bit her lip and lamented.

“I’m a worthless tin can. I deserve to be thrown in the scrap metal bin. To think the young master was in critical condition and I, his attendant, didn’t even notice first…”

Then, the sound of two more people approaching was heard.

Rustila and Zernya.

The two women had postponed their schedules and rushed over as soon as they heard Eidel had been taken to the emergency room. They were glaring at each other.

Ireh was surprised.

Not only had they come together, but they weren’t fighting upon meeting.

In tens of thousands of regressions, she had never seen the two of them get along this well.

“Eidel, are you okay?”

“What’s wrong with him now?”

Despite the two lovers’ responses, Eidel remained silent. Ireh calmly explained what had happened that morning.

“It looks like overwork to me.”

“I think so too.”

Zernya also made her own diagnosis.

“He barely sleeps three hours a day because of research. Plus, recently, he’s probably been under a lot of stress because of someone, don’t you think?”

As Zernya said this, her gaze was directed at Rustila. Rustila flinched and turned her head away like a sulking child.

“You’re both busy, right? I’ll call you right away when Eidel wakes up, so go back to your work.”

“Wait.”

Zernya glared at Ireh and spoke up.

“I need to stay here.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m his wife.”

Zernya wiggled the ring finger of her left hand and sat down in a chair.

Rustila’s expression immediately soured.

“I want to stay too.”

“Ha, please. Who are you? Are you family?”

Zernya’s gaze was as cold as ice. But Rustila was no longer the fragile person she once was.

“You’re just a fiancée, why are you lying about being his wife?”

“Because it’s a contract marriage. It’s a foregone conclusion that Eidel will become my husband. Remember that I have more legitimacy than you, at the very least.”

“Then…”

“And I’m a medical student.”

Rustila frowned.

“If there’s a problem, I can notify the higher-ups immediately. I also study at this hospital. I frequent this place daily, so I can handle things better than you, don’t you think?”

Unlike the previous day, Zernya had returned after getting enough sleep.

With a clear mind came near-perfect logic. She skillfully cornered Rustila as if yesterday’s defeat meant nothing.

“Anyway, having more than two people here will only disturb Eidel. I’ll stay, so you and the android should go take care of your business.”

“You…”

“What are you waiting for? Shouldn’t you be training hard with that precious ‘sword’ you received as a gift?”

Rustila hung her head. She began to gnaw on her lower lip.

And that’s when it happened.

“If you’re going to argue so loudly, both of you leave.”

A sharp voice filled the recovery room.

Both women’s attention focused simultaneously. The source of the voice was none other than Ireh Hazlen.

“What?”

“I said, if you’re going to argue so noisily, go outside to fight.”

Ireh continued speaking calmly.

“If you like Eidel that much, you should at least not raise your voices in the hospital room. Especially you, Adelbein. You claim to be our lab leader’s wife, so why are you behaving in a way that harms your husband?”

“…Ha.”

“The same goes for you, Rustila. Don’t respond to every petty provocation. What’s important now is Eidel, not having a power struggle with Adelbein.”

“Yes… Sister Ireh is right.”

Zernya and Rustila closed their mouths. Ireh pulled up chairs and seated the two women. She herself picked up her bag, preparing to leave.

“If you want to watch over him, then do it together. Ah, right. If anything unusual happens, Adelbein can call and Rustila can bring the doctor.”

“Where are you going, sister?”

“There’s no point in me staying here.”

Having already concluded that Eidel was suffering from overwork, Ireh decided not to dwell on it further. She judged that studying physics would be more effective for saving the universe than needlessly worrying about Eidel.

Above all, Eidel had collapsed because he took on all the research by himself.

If her skills could develop even a day faster to help him, the frequency of him collapsing like an idiot would surely decrease.

As Ireh crossed the threshold, she gave one final piece of advice.

“That playboy was whining about marrying both of you anyway. Instead of bickering every day, try working together at times like this. If he really dies, it’ll all be for nothing, right?”

“……”

Both women nodded simultaneously.

Ireh grinned and left the hospital.

Meanwhile, Zernya added one thought.

Ireh Hazlen.

She’s quite a reasonable woman.

***

I never knew the sin of trying to love two women simultaneously would be this deep.

“Pathetic. You’re truly a pathetic youngster. Wasting precious time over mere romantic entanglements…”

In a formless space filled with darkness.

Between faint light sources, long navy blue hair fluttered like flower petals.

I slowly hung my head.

Tentacles, tentacles, and more tentacles.

My entire body was bound by firm tentacles.

I couldn’t move an inch.

Although this was a space detached from reality, the sensation of the suction cups felt more vivid than ever, making it clear that something unusual was about to happen.

“Hey, youngster.”

A familiar voice reached me.

Cartesia. It was her.

“Answer me.”

“Yes, yes. Divine One.”

“How do you think I’m feeling right now?”

“You seem extremely angry.”

I naturally speak formally. Why? Because right behind Cartesia stood a row of “feminized” divine beings.

Even the violent male divine beings had been transformed like that by this monster. There was no guarantee I wouldn’t end up the same way.

Damn it…

“That’s right. Why do you think I’m angry?”

“Because I started with other research instead of making the graviton bomb as you asked.”

“What else?”

“Because I took equipment from your lab without permission.”

“And what else?”

“Because you told me to write a paper, but I was fooling around with women and making no progress.”

“You know well.”

Cartesia lifted my chin with her finger and said:

“Did you do wrong?”

“Yes, I did wrong.”

“What will you do from now on?”

“If you release me and send me back, I’ll do better from now on.”

“No, there’s something you need to do before that.”

“Payment for helping with the research, you mean…”

“You know well.”

Cartesia responded with a sinister smile.

Then her finger pried into my mouth.