Clarice Fia Atlee always believed in Destined Love. How could she not? She saw it every time she looked at her parents.

When it was explained to her that she would be betrothed to a boy named Jilk, she was so happy. It meant that she would get to experience the love and happiness that her parents have been.

When she met him, she was immediately smitten. A kind, considerate, and handsome boy. A bit shy and someone of few words, but Clarice was taken all the same.

As they grew up, her love for Jilk grew as well. When his talent in riding airbikes surfaced, she personally sponsored the acquisition of a top of the line model for him.

When he was finally enrolled at the Academy, Clarice could not have been happier. She would finally have the chance to spend more time with him. Granted, his duty was to Prince Julius, but she knew that they would have time to be alone.

It did not take long for things to unravel. It started as whispers and absurd rumors. A first year from a poorer noble house getting the attention or the heirs of the great houses? She just laughed off the concerns of her followers when they told her that Jilk was one of those involved.

The rumors continued as time went by and she became worried. She tried whenever she could to get an answer from Jilk, but her love would not give her the time. Frustration and desperation drove her to try to change her look and behavior to get his attention. It was less than successful.

It was then that one of her followers gave her an invitation to a Tea Party. To her disappointment, it was not from Jilk. Instead it was from another first-year named Leon Fou Bartfort. One she later looked into and found herself impressed, but she already had a love.

Her decision to attend was more of a whim and a bit of anger towards said love. She had other obligations on the date suggested, so she just decided to barge into a Tea Party that he was already hosting. It would have been a good chance to see if she could be convincing as a rebellious type.

That decision was probably the most life changing one she had ever made so far.

New friends made and another reunited.

The truth about Jilk revealed.

A fateful challenge.

A duel.

Heartbreak.

A bet made for her sake, one she couldn't comprehend.

Why had Leon gone so far for her?

He claimed friendship, but the actions of knights in stories of love paled in comparison.

His actions for Angie's sake were equally as surprising.

He fought himself to exhaustion for them. When they scolded him for it, he simply smiled and claimed it was not a big deal. He hadn't even asked anything in return.

Honestly!

Clarice wasn't exactly sure, but that was probably the moment when she started to truly see him as a man.

The moment when she started seeing him as someone she could love was because of Jilk.

True to his word, the two of them talked. He explained his stance. She cried, she begged, she screamed, she struck. Jilk accepted it all. Damn him.

"Leon Fou Bartfort would be a worthier match for you. He is a good man. I suggest you take the initiative before the Redgrave House does." Were the words Jilk left her with when their talk concluded.

The more she thought about the possibility, the more appealing it started to become. He was already a good friend. She was sure that she would fall for him more as they spent more time together.

There was one concern though.

Olivia

She and Angie had the impression that Leon and Livia loved one another, regardless of their assertions. It made too much sense for them.

They had talked to the girl about it over the break, even before her father broke the news of the engagement offer between her and Leon as well as the similar offer from Angie's family.

It frustrated her that Livia continued to assert that they were just friends. It was obvious that she just wasn't being honest with herself!

Angie and her had already agreed to work together for an outcome where Leon would marry them both. They just needed to get Livia on board.

Clarice Fia Atlee believed in Destined Love. She saw it with her parents and she could see it with Leon and Livia. She deserved to be with him as well. It was meant to be!

When Leon asked her to take a walk with him around the estate, she giggled at how innocent it was. She was happy though, and couldn't help but take his hand as they walked off.

All they did during their walk around the estate grounds was just talk about any little thing. Despite the seeming lack of substance of their conversation, Clarice didn't want her time with him to end. Such a simple thing.

"Leon, can I ask you about something?" Clarice asked as she looked out to the distance, she could even partly see the red of Leon's ship from the hill they were on.

She couldn't help but feel her heart skip a beat when he looked at her with intense seriousness. "If you heard it from Jenna or Finley, then I had nothing to do with it."

"No, silly. I'm being serious here!" She laughed at how easily he broke the tension.

"Fine. What is it?"

Clarice took a calming breath and spoke what had been on her mind. "It's about Livia."

"I had nothing to do with it." She actually reached out and pinched both his cheeks for that. She was being serious! "Okay! I'm sorry! I'll answer seriously!"

"Are you sure that there isn't anything romantic between you two? Angie and I both feel like there is something more there." She explained. She had talked with her friend about it and they both agreed that they would have been more than fine with Livia being taken as Leon's concubine. If only the two would stop being so stubborn.

Clarice blinked when she thought that she noticed something.

It was a faint feeling from somewhere she couldn't descri–but it was something she probably didn't need to worry about.

Leon gave her an easy smile and confidently responded. "Livia and I are just friends."

There it was again. Clarice tried to focus on what it was and where it was coming from. It was like there was something in Leon's eyes that she couldn't–

–seem–

–wha–

"If you're sure." Clarice said with a smile, relieved that she hadn't been inadvertently getting in between her friends.

The two of them proceeded to walk back to the Bartfort estate, hand in hand.

She was overjoyed that everything was fine.

…

In comparison with the walk I had with Clarice, the Tea Party I attempted with Angie had a bit more distractions. Confusingly, the girl herself seemed happy with having Colin and Finley join us.

I suspected that it had to do with both of my younger siblings liberally calling her Big Sister.

In any case, Livia's advice came through and I was actually having fun spending time with Angie and Clarice individually. None of the anxiety I was worried about ever surfaced. I still wasn't sure if I could be the man they wanted, but I wasn't afraid to find out.

The remainder of the week was spent like that, with my three friends even watching some of the training maneuvers I did with Black Getter. A bit more and I might even be able to catch Tomahawk Boomerangs!

Eventually, the final day arrived and I decided to give the three girls a surprise.

It turned out that, since the Nagare was designed to take on civilians for an extended period of time, it had the amenities that people would need. One of those very amenities was what my friends were looking out in awe.

"Is this a bath?" Livia asked as they took in the indoor hot springs.

"It's not really a bath. It's commonly known as a hot spring." I explained while fanning away some steam from my face with my hand.

"I mean, it looks like a bath." Clarice pointed out.

Allow me to explain.

Control got the girl's attention. They had previously run into Colin cradling the AI in their regular drone form and speaking to them. I was asked about it and decided to properly introduce everyone to Control.

They took it pretty well, all in all.

"It's unsurprising. It is a Lost Item after all." Angie helpfully explained. The others nodded as if it was no big deal. I supposed that was also the reason why my family accepted Control's existence so easily.

Control proceeded to explain the purpose of the hot springs as a place of relaxation as well as the number of health benefits that it provided. They were particularly interested when they were told of the skin care benefits of the minerals in the water.

It took very little convincing for them to partake.

It was unfortunate that I couldn't join them out of personal principle, regardless of how Clarice teased that she and the other girls wouldn't mind.

Instead, I spent time with Control at the hangar. That was when I asked about all the extra empty space.

"I mean, can't we just make more Getters?" I suggested. If I could learn to pilot one, then others should be able to as well.

I would suggest against the idea. The reasoning for the lab, Black Getter F, and the Nagare as the only ones powered by Getter Rays is to prevent gathering attention. The latter two in particular are heavily insulated by design, in order to minimize Getter Ray emissions during regular use.

I nodded at the words. "Why would we need to do that?"

The enemies of humanity are assumed to be gone by this era. Otherwise, I would have detected them. However, we cannot guarantee that there are no beings in deep space that would not be attracted to Getter Ray dispersal. I would rather avoid the possibility entirely in case they end up as hostile.

Right, don't get the attention of any space monsters. That was a pretty reasonable reason.

I went back to the hot springs after a while and saw the girls cuddled up together on a bench while wearing the provided yukatas.

"I'm guessing you three had a good time?" I asked rhetorically, smiling at the contentment in their faces.

"Can I live here?" Clarice asked as she snuggled against Livia's back.

Angie nodded while rubbing her cheek against Livia's. "I admit, the experience was very soothing. You are also correct about the health benefits. Livia's skin is so smooth now."

Was Livia stealing my prospective fiancées?

"Leon, heeeelp~" The girl in question whined as she tried to reach out to me. It was futile, she had become a Livia sandwich.

We eventually had to go back to the Academy, Nicks and Jenna joining us on the Nagare after their own preparations.

We split up when we arrived, though the girls all stayed together since they all went to the same dorm. When I went to the front desk to get the key to my room, I was helpfully informed that I was actually transferred to a better room.

Oh yeah, I was a Viscount now.

A marked improvement in accommodations.

"More chairs for Daniel and Raymond to knock over." I pointed out to Control with narrowed eyes. I was looking forward to seeing the two again.

Have you thought about how to proceed in regards to the engagement proposals?

"Hm? Yeah, I'll spend time with both Angie and Clarice and we'll all see where it goes. We have a bit more time before the deadline their dads gave me." I explained as I sat down on my new bed. Man, this was way softer than my old one.

You seem much more confident in your plan of action.

I smiled at the memory as to why that was. "Livia gave me a pep talk and the initial idea."

I see. I hope you reach an outcome you will all be happy with.

"Thanks, Control." I said as I started unpacking my things.

A few days later, I found myself sitting at a bench in the Academy grounds as I waited for the next class. People had been greeting me whenever I walked in the hallways and the guys usually gave me nods of admiration and respect. It was weird. Didn't I cost most of them a lot of money?

"Leon!" I turned to the familiar voice and was surprised at who it was. Greg Fou Seberg approached me with an easygoing smile.

"Hey Greg, you need something?" I asked warily. The man didn't seem to mind my apprehension and sat on the available space at the bench I was on.

"Not really, I just wanted to get to know you more." He said with a grin. What? Get to know me?

"Huh, why?"

"You're kidding right?" He asked and shook his head when he realized my confusion. "Dude, you made Knight at sixteen. You went from Provisional Baron to Viscount in a single term."

"Okay, when you put it like that." I coughed when he just laid it out.

Greg's smile became a bit gentler as he continued. "I wanted to thank you too."

"I'm an Adventurer too. I'm not too shabby at it if I do say so myself." He was right too. If Greg had been able to equip more things in the game, he could have breezed through most of it by raw stats alone.

"I was so sure of myself and my strength that I didn't think I needed to get stronger anymore." He looked up at the sky as he kept talking. "You made it perfectly clear that I was wrong."

We both sat in silence after that. The speed and decisiveness of his elimination probably weighed on him. Honestly, I took him out first because he was the most dangerous. Greg was using an outdated Armor but he had the most actual combat experience of the five. I didn't want to give him the chance to coordinate his friends.

"Let me guess, you've managed to go even further beyond?" I asked and got a grin in return.

"You got that right! The five of us have been training all summer and we've managed to come up with all sorts of cool stuff!" He proudly stated with a flex of his arm. "So thanks, for kicking us in the right direction."

I blinked and couldn't help but chuckle. "I don't think that's how the saying goes."

It was strange how easy it was for us to share a laugh.

"You know what, me and the guys are going out for some meat skewers. Why don't you join us?" I was nervous about the offer. Greg was one thing, but the others might not be as friendly.

"I wouldn't want to impose." I reasoned out.

"Nah, the others would probably want to talk to you too. I know for sure that Julius and Jilk are pretty grateful that you knocked some sense into them." He powered through with a slap on my back before pulling me to my feet. "C'mon man! Let's go!"

This was definitely not what I was expecting when I encountered the love interests again.