As the class at the Academy went on, my anxiety continued to grow.

It was a fear that stemmed from instinct.

I hadn't even felt this kind of fear when battling the Tower's Dragon.

"...Ken, are you okay?"

Emily approached me during break time, noticing my trembling anxiety, and asked with concern.

Forcing a smile, I responded.

"Of course. No problem."

"It looks like you have a lot of problems."

"I'm really okay...."

In truth, I wasn't.

After all, once the Academy ended, I would have to boldly admit to the girl who likes me that I was essentially two-timing.

No, actually, three-timing.

To be fair, I hadn't responded to Mary's confession, so we were still just friends.

'No, I've already decided on my answer to the confession.'

The real issue was how to handle the situation after I told Mary about the three-timing.

The worst-case scenario would be.

'...Then let's pretend the confession didn't happen.'

That kind of response.

"Are you really okay?"

I already have feelings for Mary. Actually, they might be bigger than I thought.

Because when I think about all the kindness she's shown me, believing it was because she likes me...

I can't help but feel her presence in my mind growing.

But if Mary, with her expansive heart, were to pierce it with a look of scorn...

That balloon would deflate and burst.

"Even in the worst-case scenario, I'd still be by Ken's side."

"Don't say things like that... I want everyone to be happy."

"I know, I just said it out of selfishness."

Emily blushed and turned her head coyly.

Finding her demeanor adorable, I firmly held Emily's hand, standing next to me.

“W-wait… If you do this in the classroom, someone might see!”

Embarrassed, Emily blushed even more but didn't pull her hand away.

Instead, she just covered our hands with her body while glancing around.

‘Ah, this warmth calms me.’

Holding Emily's soft hand and feeling her warmth made me feel more at ease.

"Geez... you're such a fool."

Upon seeing my relaxed expression, Emily shyly glanced at me but held my hand tighter.

"Isn't it a bit odd to reassure yourself about confessing to one girl by holding another girl's hand?"

"Ugh…"

With Emily's teasing remark, I clutched my head again.

Maybe I really am a scoundrel.

“...Ken.”

After all the classes ended, everyone began leaving school.

As I was packing up my books and things, Mary called out to me from the front of the classroom.

"You arrived quite quickly?"

"...Yes, my heart couldn't wait."

Mary, blushing shyly, answered as she approached my surprised question.

Her response made my heart race and my cheeks flush as well.

And then, as I recalled what I was about to do with her, my head cooled down again.

"Shall we go?"

After that, we walked home together.

We had plans to spend time after class, but since there was nothing particular to do, we naturally headed towards the dormitory.

"...That must have been a big ordeal."

"Yes, but everyone worked together, so it wasn't too difficult."

Our pace as we walked towards the dormitory was slow.

Both of us took slow steps while exchanging trivial stories.

And before I knew it, I was talking about what happened on the uninhabited island.

'It's not easy to bring it up...'

I was too nervous to start talking about the main subject.

We were chatting pleasantly, laughing at unimportant small talk.

Yet, in the pauses between conversations, there was an awkward silence as we both looked away.

'Mary must have gathered a lot of courage too...'

I realized again how difficult it must have been for Mary to confess to me after our previous date.

I'm only responding to her confession.

Yet, it's so hard to open my mouth.

"......"

"......"

With each gentle step, the distance between us grew closer.

So close that our hands nearly touched, but we didn't hold hands like before.

We just blushed with shyness and didn't pull away when our hands brushed past each other.

'Don't hesitate!'

Mary had already gathered her courage once to tell me her true feelings.

Even with the anxiety of possibly being rejected.

Yet here I am, hesitating as a man; It's truly disgraceful.

"…Uh."

I gently grasped Mary's hand as it brushed against mine.

She let out a small gasp, startled.

"…"

Mary blushed and held my hand in return.

Interlocking our fingers, we walked silently and slowly toward the dormitory, feeling each other's warmth.

Thump, thump.

'No, my heart feels like it's going to explode.'

This wasn't the fear of confessing my true feelings to Mary.

It was the nervous excitement of holding hands and walking with a girl I liked.

"Mary."

"Y-Yes?"

But I couldn't just leave it like this without saying anything, so I resolved myself once more and spoke.

Mary, just as nervous, responded in surprise.

Her trembling eyes looked at me with an expectant gaze.

"Shall we sit down for a moment before going on?"

I suggested, gesturing towards a bench along the walking path to the dormitory.

Mary nodded silently.

'Now that I've come this far, there's no point in hesitating...'

We had already held hands.

Mary must understand by now what my answer to her confession would be.

So, don't be afraid, just answer.

"I like you too, Mary."

After exchanging a few trivial words on the bench, I paused for a moment and then responded to her confession.

I could feel Mary's shoulder trembling beside me.

"Then... does that mean?"

Mary looked at me nervously.

"Is it okay to think that we're no longer just friends?"

She asked with a softly trembling voice, as if the question carried great importance.

I nodded gently in response to her question.

With that, Mary's previously tense expression turned into a genuinely joyful smile.

She smiled at me as if she was truly happy.

'The real issue starts from now...'

However, I couldn't return her smile because I still had unresolved matters ahead.

"Mary, I have something important to tell you in addition."

"Oh, so Ken has something to say too? I also have something I really want to tell you."

"Yes?"

Mary, who seemed to be in a good mood, said with a smile just as I was about to get to the point.

Holding my hand with both of hers as if cherishing it, she shyly played with my fingers and spoke.

"But it's okay if I say it after you."

Seeing Mary look so refreshed, as if a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders, made my heart ache, knowing how her expression might soon change.

"Mary, to be honest... this is something very disrespectful to you."

"...What?"

When I started with a nervous face, Mary's smile faded and her expression became serious.

It's just one more step.

Just a step of courage is needed to bring it up.

This has to be discussed anyway. Without overcoming this, there's no happy future for the three of us.

I looked at Mary, who was anxiously gripping my hand tightly, with a serious expression.

I struggled to open my mouth.

"...Actually."

I then explained everything.

I talked about Raphne, who was the first to confess her feelings for me, and about Emily, who had told me how she felt during the Loop, even though I had forgotten.

I summarized what had happened up to this point and how my feelings for them, and for Mary, had changed over time.

As Mary listened to this long yet short story, her face darkened, and tears began to well up in her eyes.

Seeing this pained me, but I had to speak.

I had to express the future I wanted for the three of us.

"So! It's presumptuous, but would you marry me?!"

"...Huh? What?"

Mary's face, which had been dark with anxiety, now filled with astonishment at the abrupt climax I blurted out, driven by my impatience.

Then, her face gradually turned red, and she looked around in confusion, asking again.

"Ma-marry?"

Of course, I was just as flustered.

"No, I mean! It's just that in the Lillias Kingdom, polygamy is allowed, so actually, it's not about marriage, but more about... under the premise of marriage! No, that's not it either..."

What I intended to ask was if she'd be willing to accept a relationship with all three of us.

In the Lillias Kingdom, where polygamy is permissible, it was meant to be a proposal for a happy future together with all three.

But in my hurried summary, it came out as a marriage proposal.

"So, Ken, are you saying... you want to marry all three of us, including me?"

"If you look at the result... yes, that's true."

Putting it in one sentence made me feel like there's no bigger jerk out there.

However, instead of looking at me with disdain, Mary's eyes welled up with tears, and she looked at me with trembling eyes.

And then.

"I'm relieved..."

She hugged my arm, sniffling.

"Relieved, you say?"

"While I was listening, I thought you were going to tell me you couldn't be with me because you liked someone else. So, I'm relieved..."

It seems she thought my explanation was a roundabout rejection.

'So, it's not that she's shocked by the idea of juggling three relationships?'

Suddenly, I began to feel hopeful.

"Th-then, are you okay with it?"

"Are you talking about marriage?"

"Well, if you look at the result, yes..."

With my answer, Mary smiled brightly, tears in her eyes.

"Ken, you're a worse person than I thought."

"Ouch!"

Mary’s playful comment, likely said in jest, hit me hard.

Seeing me clutching my chest, Mary chuckled, finding it amusing for once.

"But it's the conclusion you reached after much thought, right?"

"I intend to do my best."

There's no lie in that.

Even though I’m a selfish jerk wanting to have relationships with three women at once.

Yet, my desire to make all three of them happy is genuinely sincere.

Mary, hearing my answer, smiled wistfully and nodded.

"Then there's nothing else to be done. Even if you're bad, I still like you, Ken."

"…Mary."

Her gentle gaze melted away my anxiety, filling my chest with a warm sense of comfort.

“Well, since my confession was accepted… may I request one favor?”

“…A favor?”

Responding with a puzzled look, Mary lowered her head slightly, as if gathering her thoughts. Then, she suddenly hugged me tightly.

"I like you. Among the three, I am more confident in my feelings than anyone else."

With her face buried in my chest, Mary wrapped her arms tightly around my waist as she spoke.

I could feel her warm body and gentle presence.

"M-Mary…"

"In times like this, you should at least stroke my hair. You promised to be responsible."

"Yes, yes…"

Feeling my heart race, I nervously yet gently ran my hand over her hair at her request, and she beamed with joy.

Usually indifferent and less expressive, seeing her smile like this made me feel incredibly happy, too.

‘…I’m glad I had the courage.’

Mary didn't get as upset as I feared and accepted my sincerity. Although she seemed a bit disappointed, there wasn’t any sign of rejection.

What a relief.

"So, was the thing you wanted to say really just about asking for a hug?"

Just a moment ago, she mentioned she had something to say.

However, isn't the request to be hugged a bit too trivial for something like that?

When I questioned her suspicion, Mary suddenly appeared as if she had just remembered something important and quickly stepped back from my chest.

"Actually, I intended to say this after confirming your response to my confession..."

Mary continued, somewhat cautiously.

What she wanted to say.

It was...

"Could you accompany me to my family's home?"

It was an unexpected story about the introduction meeting with her family.

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