Julius' status and charisma helped a lot in smoothing things over between Clara and her family. He said that he would talk to the Queen about their situation and circumstance as victims during the whole incident. It was a moment that reminded me that the guy was actually raised to become a King one day.

We were on our way back to the Capital and everyone was getting a well deserved rest. I lay on the bed in the Captain's Quarters of the Nagare with the Saint's Necklace dangling in my hand above my face.

"Such a tiny thing." In the game it was just a key item that took up a new slot in Olivia's equipment screen. It wouldn't do anything until the event where she revealed the power of the Saint, at which time it would serve as a booster to her magic stat. It was a way for the players who chose to run a non-magic Olivia to access the endgame spells that needed high magic stats. Of course, it just gave the ones who ran magic specs even more power.

What? That sounds like broken game design? Of course, it was. It was part of the reason why the difficulty spike later on was so nuts.

Should we give the necklace to Olivia once we arrive back at the Capital?

That was the question, wasn't it? I was effectively banking on the possibility of the necklace unlocking enough of Olivia's Saint Power for her to actually take control of it. If she really was manipulating everyone's minds subconsciously, this along with Control talking her through the issue might help her break the spell. What happens after that, well…

You seem uncertain.

"I know that the world doesn't revolve around events or flags, but I can't help the sinking feeling of what would happen if doing that reveals Livia as the Saint this early." I admitted, Marie's actions along with a bunch of other things happening out of order was making me nervous about what else would trigger.

You believe that it may cause something else to occur early as well?

"I don't really want to deal with Fanoss this early. Sure, you and I may be able to take on whatever they send against us. The problem is that the rest of the Kingdom likely won't fare as well as we can." Just thinking about the Principality and the pain in the ass that was the Black Knight made my head hurt.

I understand. What about the route of giving the necklace to Marie instead? She has a motivation to want to become a Saint and the relics may give her enough power to match Olivia's. Possibly enough to counteract her spell.

That was definitely another way to deal with the issue, by effectively turning Livia into a boss that I had to trust Marie to be able to beat. It wasn't a mindset I was keen to follow. "Pitting two girls with the power level of a Saint sounds like a Last Resort kind of thing to do."

A unique conundrum. Do you wish to delay for now? We have the relic on hand and can use it once we have a clearer plan of action.

"Can we keep it on the Nagare for now? It'll probably be the safest place to store it." I sat up from the bed and looked around.

Of course. There is a safe behind the painting to your left, I will ensure that it remains there.

It wasn't the ideal solution, but it was better than making a rash decision that I couldn't take back. If we ever needed the necklace, I knew exactly where it was. Control opened the empty safe and I tossed the sacred artifact inside.

The sound the safe made when I closed it didn't sound foreboding at all.

We managed to return to the capital before the holiday ended. Julius and Jilk quickly organized the authorities to accept the captured pirates. The two of them patted me on the back and wished me luck just as the boys' Armors were done being unloaded from the Nagare's hangar. I understood what they meant when I saw my fiancées and Livia walking towards us.

"How did they know I was already back?" I whispered while Julius and Jilk made themselves scarce.

I took the liberty of letting them know about our return.

Control's stealth drone appeared above Clarice's shoulder at those words. Ah, that made sense. I noticed that their gazes were directed behind me and remembered that Clara was standing there the whole time.

"I can explain." I said raising my hands as I stood in front of Livia, Angie, and Clarice.

"Can you, Leon? Can you really?" Clarice asked, looking more amused than angry. We all went back to the Academy and decided to talk about everything in my usual tea room. I felt like a trapped animal as both Angie and Clarice refused to let go of my arms as we walked. Livia hung back a few paces and talked to Clara on the way.

I explained what happened before, during, and after the pirate attack. I knew that I was doing something wrong based on the expressions that my fiancées were sporting the further along the story I went. Why are they looking at me like they were expecting this outcome and were disappointed that they guessed correctly?

Angie sighed and rubbed her head once I finished. "Will you be making a habit of picking up strays whenever you go out from now on?"

Clarice laughed at the question even as Clara looked like she didn't know how to take the comment.

"I think it's great that Leon was able to save Clara!" Livia cheered, seemingly taking a shine to the girl after their talk.

"On a more serious note," Clarice began while looking at Clara. "What exactly do you plan on being for Leon? What use are you for my man? I hope you don't have any delusions of becoming another of his wives."

"No! I would never presume to be worthy of such an honor!" Clara quickly answered with a shake of her head. "I shall be whatever my Lord wishes me to become. I will accept anything from him."

Okay, that amount of devotion was getting kind of creepy.

"Dubious as the circumstances of her recruitment was, I cannot deny that Leon can benefit from having followers now that he is a Viscount." Angie sounded like she was pulling teeth as she said that. Me? Followers? Oh no, did I really have to start thinking about that kind of stuff?!

"If Angie is okay with it, then I won't have any objections. As long as Clara here doesn't forget her place then she can become Leon's little minion." Clarice agreed with a shrug.

"Of course! All I am is for the benefit of my Lord!" Clara stated with a proud smile, it even almost looked like her eyes were sparkling.

"Isn't that great, Leon?" Sure, Livia, Absolutely fantastic.

A few days later, I found myself walking alongside Angie and Clarice through the main entrance of the Redgrave estate. Both their fathers summoned us for a meeting, no real mystery as to what the subject was going to be. Clara and Livia were back at the Academy and doing their own thing.

"Why do I feel even more nervous than I did the last time I was here?" I whined after a bunch of servants greeted us at the entrance hall. "There seems to be an air of expectation now."

"Of course there is, silly." Clarice giggled from my left as she squeezed my hand.

"The servants are merely giving a proper greeting to the man who shall become my husband." Angie declared from my right as she also squeezed my hand. They led me to a room on a higher floor than the audience chamber where I talked to the Duke last time. Angie knocked and the door was opened to reveal her brother. I glanced past him and saw the Duke and Minister talking over a couple of glasses of wine.

"You're late." Gilbert flatly stated and I suddenly got nervous. We were?! Did I just make two very scary dads wait on me?!

"Don't mind my brother's teasing, we're not late." Angie assured me as she pulled me past the smirking man. Oh no, that's going to be my brother-in-law.

Minister Atlee greeted us first, standing up and enveloping his daughter in an embrace. Clarice accepted the hug with the patience of a daughter who knew how much she was loved. "Dad, We just saw each other last week!"

Despite her protests, it was obvious that she was happy to see him again. I glanced past them as Angie stood up straight when her own father approached her. Duke Redgrave smiled down at his daughter and asked one thing "Does he make you happy?"

"Yes, father." I couldn't keep the flush from my face at the smile Angie showed when she answered.

"Leon has been wonderful, sometimes a bit too wonderful." Clarice commented with a teasing look towards me. "Angie and I have been thinking about getting a leash to make sure that other girls know exactly who he belongs to."

What have I gotten myself into?!

A hand patted my shoulder and saw that it was Gilbert. "This is the future you chose."

After introductions were finished, we all sat together in the room. I took up one couch with Angie and Clarice at my sides. The couch across from us held Duke Redgrave with Minister Atlee and Gilbert flanking him.

"I must say, we are quite happy that you chose to marry both our daughters. From how they talk about you, we know that we have entrusted them to the right man." I could hear the 'this time' that Minister Atlee implied at the end of his statement.

"Thank you Minister, Duke," I bowed to both men. "I still don't know if I deserve to have both Angie and Clarice, but I'll do everything I can to make them happy."

"Of course you will." The certainty in Duke Redgrave's voice was a bit intimidating. "I suppose it will take some time for you to get used to referring to myself and Bernard as Father."

He was not wrong.

"I must commend you for your decision not to remain antagonistic towards Prince Julius and his companions. Not only becoming amicable, but actually befriending them." Gilbert pointed out my relationship with Julius and the boys.

"Like I said before, my only real problem with them was how they treated Angie and Clarice. They're actually good guys once we got past that. They even helped me deal with a situation recently." I stated, referring to the last time that I spoke to Angie's father and brother.

"Ah, yes. The Palace was rather surprised when Prince Julius and Jilk returned with several pirates as prisoners. It has certainly helped his image that he has actively contributed to the safety of the Kingdom's skies. From what I understand, you have even taken in the daughter of the Wayne house as a follower." Minister Atlee said in good humor. Huh, I guess that would be how people would see Julius' actions. Well, good for him. I got the pirates off my hands and Julius got a rep boost.

I sighed and didn't miss how my fiancées hands squeezed just a bit tighter on my own. "It wasn't by choice. Carla practically threw herself at my feet and declared that she'd dedicate herself for my sake."

"You have guaranteed her loyalty to yourself, having such people is not common. Do not dismiss her devotion as a flight of fancy. I'm sure our daughters can assist you on how to best utilize her." Duke Redgrave told me with a nod. "But enough about that, we should move on to the main topic of our discussion."

Wait, this wasn't the main topic? What was I actually here for then?!

"Of course! Now then, have you three already discussed the actual date of the wedding?" I felt myself sweat loudly once again at those words. Wedding?! Already?! "Ah, from your expression, I suppose not."

"Leon still needs some time to get used to the idea. Though Angie and I have been talking about when the three of us should get married." Clarice smoothly picked up the conversation despite my panic.

"Yes, Livia has been quite passionate about the topic as well." I blinked, of course Livia would have been involved in those kinds of discussions. "She wants Leon to marry both of us at the same time, though I was thinking that he should marry Clarice first once she graduates. We can wait for my wedding until our own graduation."

"And I argued that it wouldn't be fair for me to be Leon's wife two years earlier than her." Clarice responded and pouted at Angie, it seemed to be something they had argued about before.

"And what is the future groom's opinion on the matter?" The smirk on Gilbert's face made it pretty obvious why he put the attention back on me.

"I'm not really ready to give a final answer to that kind of important choice but," I began, trying to find my next words. I glanced at the two girls at my side and saw the nervous smiles they were giving me. "Both, I want to marry them both at the same time. I don't know when exactly, but I can't think of doing anything less."

I thanked the stars that both their fathers were willing to table the discussion for now. In fact, it was almost like they were expecting my choice with how easily they agreed to talk about it again in the future. I swear, I couldn't understand what those two were thinking at all.

"Well, that was exciting." Was all I could say when we left the room before I found myself with an armful of Clarice. Her lips were on mine for quite some time, the way she smiled afterwards indicated that I did a good thing back there.

"Leon, dear. You don't understand how happy you made me with your words earlier." She said excitedly with a toothy grin. The grin changed into a different kind as she continued speaking. "If I was less than a proper lady, I would have dragged you and Angie both to an empty bedroom right now."

Oh, that was certainly a part of our relationship that I haven't thought about at all. No sir! No active imaginations here!

"Clarice, please don't tease Leon so much." Angie told Clarice even as she kissed me as well.

"Who's teasing?" The other girl asked with a smile.

We managed to get back to the Academy without any further incident and both girls gave me another kiss before we split up and headed back to our respective dorms.

"Don't wait too long to have us in your bed, Leon. Angie and I are pretty excited to show you what we've been practicing together~" I remained expressionless even as Angie scolded Clarice for talking too much about what they have been apparently doing. My impassiveness continued as I walked back to my dorm room, friends and strangers who greeted me along the way were summarily ignored.

Ah, Leon. I was wondering when you wished to continue with the simulati–is anything the matter?

I ignored Control's voice and flopped face first onto my bed. Angie and Clarice were going to eat me alive the first chance they got and I was pretty sure I wasn't going to be ready for it.

A few weeks back into the resumption of classes, Julius informed me that the Offrey house had been officially dissolved for their conspiracy. He also handed me a letter from the Palace. It was a formal invitation to meet the Queen in a few days to receive my reward for my own efforts against the pirate menace.

I guess the King was busy?