Marie Fou Lafan looked on impassively while Prince Julius and the other capture targets fought a group of monsters. They were presently exploring a dungeon that Greg recommended for training. It was one they have gone through repeatedly throughout the summer break.

The prince coordinated the attack with him, Greg, and Chris at the front. Jilk and Brad were further back, providing support and calling out monster movement and actions.

Marie was in the far rear of the group in case anyone needed to be healed using her magic. Prince Julius said that even though he can no longer be her lover, he could still help the development of his friends and protect her. The memory of that duel made Marie grind her teeth.

Leon Fou Bartfort

A name she had quickly learned to hate.

Everything was going perfectly! She was triggering all the right flags and even managed to create her perfect harem! Then that guy just had to stick his nose in her business.

And for what? The useless Saint? The violent Villainess? The irrelevant Fiancée?

He used that dumb imitation Super Robot of his to crush her harem for those worthless women?!

Where did he even get that? Was he some late game optional boss? Why was he yelling like they were in some lame anime?!

Now he was supposed to be a Viscount and an Independent Knight?!

Prince Julius even said that he was offered the hands of Angelica Rapha Redgrave and Clarice Fia Atlee in marriage!

If he wanted to have such a defective harem, then he can have those rejects!

"Marie! It's safe to proceed now." She put on her fake smile with practiced ease when Brad called for her. This was how their dungeon diving adventures had been going recently. When they started, she had to heal them constantly. A lot of the time, she was worried that she wouldn't have enough energy to keep up.

Then their need for healing became less and less as they repeated the dungeon. They stopped fighting around each other and started fighting alongside each other. They constantly talked and met about how to improve their cohesion in combat. Now, they have been trying to see how fast and efficiently they could clear the whole thing.

When she asked them why they were going this far when they were already good enough to clear it, they all looked at each other and gave determined nods.

"Leon Fou Bartfort wasn't just good enough." Jilk answered with a solemn expression.

What?

Greg sighed but was smiling when he spoke. "The bastard ran through us without a second thought and even had time to give Jilk and Julius some tough love. Yeah, I'm pissed that we lost, but I'm not ashamed of losing to a man like that."

Wait.

"Indeed, he has forced me to truly look at my way of fighting and find flaws that I had never considered before." Chris added while staring at the blade of his sword.

Huh?

Brad looked wistful and shook his head. "I felt completely helpless during that fight. It's a feeling I never want to experience again."

But that's…

"He made me reconsider my actions and realize things about myself. About who I think I am and who I can yet become. I can never take back my mistakes, but I can ensure that I never repeat them moving forward." Julius concluded with a handsome smile directed at her. The rest of his friends agreed and they all started to make their way deeper into the dungeon.

Marie looked at their retreating backs in stupefaction.

If they don't even need her to heal them in a dungeon, they might not even need her at all one day. What then?

Would she have to crawl back to those animals that she was forced to call family?

No! She would rather die all over again!

She was the main heroine dammit! She had the affections of the capture targets! She had healing magic! This was her story! She's the protagonist! She would get her happy ending!

She wouldn't let them leave her!

Not like how her big brother did!

…

"So you'll marry them both, right?" Thank you Livia, for having the subtlety of a sledgehammer wrapped in several pillows. I wasn't surprised that she was able to track me down, she literally had waypoints that lead to me. I was surprised that she made sure that neither Angie nor Clarice were around when she approached to talk to me.

The two girls in question were back at the estate and were having tea with mom and my sisters. Honestly, it was just mom trying to show off the new pastry recipes she got from Control. I guess Livia opted out in order to talk to me about the whole engagement thing.

"You think I should? I would have thought that you would have wanted me to only marry Angie." I asked. With how super close the two girls have been, you'd think that they were long lost sisters or something.

"I used to, but now I also want Clarice to be happy. I think you can make them both happy." Truly, Livia was a Saint, powers or no.

I was about to comment on her faith in me when I saw Black Getter standing in the far distance and remembered something. "How does Black Getter look to you anyway? Does it also glow?"

"Huh? The bunny?" Bunny? Excuse me? "Not really? I guess I can feel the green light from it, but you glow more than it does."

That's weird, I should have gotten the Getter Rays on me from piloting it.

"What about the Nagare?"

"The ship? It's the same as the bunny from the outside."

She couldn't feel a lot of Getter Rays from it? Wasn't it also powered by the stuff? "What about when you got onboard?"

"I could definitely sense the light, but it was coming from deeper inside than we were allowed to explore. It wasn't bad or overwhelming or anything. The only impressions it could get from the light there were sleep and big." Huh, that must have been the reactor that Control didn't want anyone getting close to. "Leon, why are you trying to change the subject?"

"I wasn't, but I guess it would look that way." I said with a tilt of my head.

"Weren't you having trouble with finding a girl to have tea parties with? You said that no one had ever given you a chance to fall in love during the duel with his highness." Livia correctly pointed out.

"And you're saying that I literally have two great girls who are giving me the chance I always wanted?" I smiled awkwardly and finished the thought for her. She nodded and waited for me to say more about it.

"This and that are a bit different, at least for me." I started to explain. "Me finding a wife through Tea Parties was just a requirement for my noble rank before I graduated. At most, I would have been fine with a woman who would marry me out of convenience and we would just stay out of each other's way."

"But that's not how marriages are supposed to be like!" Livia protested with a cutely indignant expression.

"It is for most of the nobility." A sigh left my lips, thinking about the situation with the engagements more. "But it's different when it comes to those two. I genuinely like them as people. They're my friends."

"Then what's the problem?" The frustration in her voice was obvious.

"The problem is that I'm scared that I might do something wrong and become another Jilk or Julius for them." I finally admitted and Livia actually looked mad.

"What?! No you wouldn't!"

I smiled and shook my head. "Livia, I don't think I know how to love someone."

"What are you talking about?" She asked haltingly, like she couldn't believe what I just said.

"I've read the books, I've seen other couples, I've heard all the advice. If I wanted to sweep a girl off her feet, I can probably do that with enough preparation." I recalled all the stuff I crammed into my head before I departed for the Academy. "But when I imagine doing that with either Angie or Clarice, I feel sick to my stomach. It's like doing those things would be a mistake."

"I think you do love them, Leon." I looked at Livia with wide eyes at the gentleness and certainty of her words. "If you didn't, then you would be worrying so much about this."

"But that doesn't–"

"I'm not saying that you love them romantically. Yet. I just mean that they are precious to you and you are scared of losing them." She interrupted, sounding more confident as she went. The words made something stir in my chest.

I believe that the lack of emotional attachments you have experienced in your prior life has amplified your bonds with the people around you in this life.

My eyes widened when I remembered what Control said when we talked about how the Getter Rays were changing me.

You, as a person, found something you never thought you needed and did not want anything to happen to it.

"Then what should I do? I don't want to hurt them by doing something but I don't want to hurt them by not doing anything either." I quickly asked, my mind racing.

Livia just smiled at me and nodded. "Then how about this, what is it you want to do with Angie and Clarice when you just close your eyes and think of them?"

Aside from the obvious loaded answer to such a question, I followed her suggestion and closed my eyes. Then I thought about each girl, really thought about them.

"I want to host a Tea Party with Angie and see her have fun." I whispered as I saw the scene in my mind. I smiled when I thought about another scene. "I want to hang out with Clarice and just talk about whatever."

"Then do that!" I opened my eyes at Livia's happy declaration.

I raised a brow as I didn't feel as confident about it. "How is that any different from just being their friend?"

"It's not? But wouldn't it give you all a chance to get to know each other more? You might even fall in love along the way with one or both. They might fall in love with you even more!" Livia reasoned out with a smile and a clap.

My brain stalled for a moment when she said the last part. "They're in love with me?"

"Leon, you literally fought for their honor without expecting anything in return. With that and the way you did it, what were you expecting?" She asked with narrowed eyes.

"Gratitude as their friend?" Please stop looking at me like that, Livia. It's making me want to crawl into a hole and disappear!

Things settled down to a companionable silence and I just had to point something out. "You know a lot of stuff about this."

"It's mainly things that the women from my home village say. A good marriage is based on good communication, a great marriage is based on trust and understanding. You need a lot more time for the second one." Livia explained. I took her word for it as I didn't really know a lot about her home village, even from the lore of the game.

"You should start advertising about that skill of yours when school starts up. A lot of people would pay good money for love advice that's useful." I suggested, making Livia gasp in surprise.

"What?! I couldn't possibly charge people for that!" I grinned at her indignation.

"Fine, I'll charge them for you and keep the money for myself."

"Leon!" I couldn't help but start laughing when she slapped my arm.

I'm glad I had Livia as my friend.

…

Olivia watched Leon ask Clarice if she wanted to take a walk around the estate grounds. It was pretty cute how he was so uncertain about himself in this when he showed unflinching decisiveness in other things. She walked up to her best friend as they both watched Leon and Clarice walk away, the boy surprised when he was pulled along by the hand.

"Are you okay, Angie." Her friend gave her a soft smile.

"Of course. I just hope to have the same opportunity with him." Angie said with a nod and a fond look at the pair.

Olivia reached out and took hold of Angie's hand, their fingers intertwined immediately."You will, Leon just needed a clearer vision on how to move forward."

"You spoke with him while we were with his mother and sisters." Angie correctly surmised.

"He was nervous about a few things. I think he'll be fine now." She explained and gave her friend's hand a squeeze.

"What about you, Livia?" Angie asked, fully facing her and holding her other hand. "Both Clarice and I had the impression that you had romantic feelings for Leon as well."

For Leon? She could see it, she supposed. Perhaps in another time or another place.

She smiled and shook her head. "It's like Leon said at the first Tea Party we had. We're friends."

Angie looked a bit skeptical but eventually nodded. As she followed Angie back inside the estate, she took a glance in the direction where Leon's ship was docked. It was far off at the edge of the floating island they were on.

The distance didn't matter.

She could hear it.

She could feel it.

She would cherish Leon, Angie, and Clarice.

They were her treasures.

Her purpose

Her destiny

Her love

She would nurture and support them.

Three hearts beating as one.