If you had told me before I'd entered this godforsaken game again that I'd end up having to seduce my best friend, I might honestly have just taken the loss and gone on with my life.

Well, not really, but I'd have at least wished that were a valid option.

"You're such a prima donna, it isn't that big a deal."

I look up at Tyler, who sits across from me. We'd settled on a local coffee shop for our meeting, though I didn't feel like either of us were particularly interested in going there. While I'm not sure why he was so eager to meet up to begin with, he seems to be enjoying himself.

"So, you said you and Natsuki are polyamorous?"

"Yeah. We've, uh, been exploring that side of our relationship more lately, and both decided it would be nice to broaden our horizons." As someone who doesn't have much knowledge regarding the topic outside of a couple of college friends who were part of a polycule, I wasn't really sure how to justify myself. All I can hope for is that I'm doing good enough. Speaking in vague, barely understandable terms was the best I could realistically manage.

"That's cool! It's nice that the two of you have good enough communication to manage something like that."

Dude, just say you want to fuck me already.

I roll my eyes. It's cool that Tyler is alive and all, but this date is mind-bogglingly boring. For the sake of my sanity, this clusterfuck of a reunion needs to wrap up, and fast.

"Boss, what do you make of this?"

Despite it being a weekend, my employer had called me into the office to watch the sim with her. We had been anticipating this event for the whole

week, and if the cards fell right we might be able to figure out who the imposter could be. At the very least, we could likely eliminate a suspect or two.

Suddenly, my boss cranes her head towards me slightly. "...Xavier might not be Serena."

"Huh? Really, after all that points towards that conclusion?" Her conclusion comes as a shock to me, as it had previously felt near-conclusive.

"At first glance, it might seem as if Serena's statement of being polyamorous could be a ruse to get close to another member of the Literature Club, but I feel that may be too obvious."

"How so?"

"As someone who has seen his behavior in the past, Xavier is someone who cannot help but be clear with his intentions. Whenever he's tried to manipulate others for his own gains in the past, he always comes clean shortly after." I can detect a slight inkling of spite in her tone, despite the proclamation to his honesty.

"I see…" I decide to drop it, as the topic is clearly making my boss uncomfortable and I would rather not test her. "If that's the case, who do you think he could be?"

"Our second primary suspect is on the other end of Serena's developing polycule, Natsuki." Switching over one of the display monitors to show a stocky teenage boy sleeping peacefully, my employer carefully focuses the camera on him as if setting up for a photo shoot. "As of recent he's displayed some behaviors that could possibly mean that someone else is controlling his actions."

"I crane my head towards the image of the sleeping figure, perplexed. "Such as? I've been watching him quite a bit myself and haven't noticed much."

She sighs. "To be blunt, he spends a significant amount of the school day staring directly at the heretic's breasts. It feels almost intentionally obvious, to be honest with you."

I think to myself in silence for a few seconds before inspiration strikes. "It could be intentionally obvious, though! In the event that Xavier McEnroe came here with someone else, it could be a red herring to use as cover."

The scar-clad woman also takes some time to think, before formulating a response. "True, but who could he have come with? The wretched soul Xavier found himself in love with threw everything and everyone dear to her away. As for the former employee I mentioned who likely stole from our artillery, I highly doubt she would put herself in the direct line of danger like that. She has always been more than content to duck behind cover and attack from a safe distance."

"And there's no one else left who he could have possibly asked for aid?"

"Not that I know of, no."

We once again sit in awkward silence, the mood stagnant after our brief debate.

I wish Quandary were here…

Despite both being tasked with this special job, the two of us had grown more distant over the past weeks. She was always seated more closely to our boss than she was to me, and the two of them seemed to get on rather well despite her very cold demeanor. Not that I'm upset by the change, but I have as of late begun to feel nostalgic for the time I spent with her in the main supervision room.

This dull, dim office space is much less welcoming by comparison.

Before I can reminisce any more, though, my boss interrupts my thought process. "Supervision session is over, we need to leave."

"Huh? Why?"

"Policy states that we cannot monitor anyone engaging in any, umm…"She motions towards one of the screen displays at the end of the room. "Private activities."

Following her gesture to the large projector at the end of the room, I immediately understand what she is trying to imply. An unfortunate limitation, but a necessary byproduct of simulating the actions of humans, even if they're not fully real in most cases. In case Serena is not an imposter, it would be incredibly inhumane regardless of the annoyance she could potentially serve. "Yeah, that's probably for the best. Just let me grab my things."

My boss nods. "In that case, we will speak again on Monday. I'll see to it that you have sufficient overtime pay added to your monthly stipend."

Then, without another word spoken, she departs. As soon as she does, I move to get my things in order and follow behind her, making haste in order to ideally get out before Serena and Tyler progress any further in their… interaction. I couldn't hear it with my employer's voice over it, but the volume is set just barely high enough that I can make out what they are saying.

"All right, PG says there ideally shouldn't be anyone watching us anymore."

PG…? Glancing behind me to reaffirm that my boss is gone, I lean a bit closer and try to pay attention.

"Sorry about all that, Tyler… I'm sure you'll get laid someday, dude."

Are they not going to have sex after all? Did Serena change her mind? As soon as I finish my thought, I hear Tyler's just-as-confused-as-I-am voice.

"What's going on, exactly? Are you not-" He pauses for a split second and inhales sharply. "Wait a second…"

Serena's voice again. "Sorry, shoulda clarified first. I'm, like, kinda-sorta saving you right now. You know, from the simulation you're trapped in? You get it."

"We're…?" It's clear as day that Serena's the imposter now, but why would she be saving Tyler… I was told there were no longer real humans being kept in the sim, what's goi-

"Get out of here, Xavier."