Chapter 95
Chapter 95
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 95
Chapter Title: Last Boss
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"I'm back, Rapne."
After wrapping up the visit to the Haidia family and the subsequent funeral, my return to the academy took longer than planned.
I'd told Rapne it would be at least three days.
But I didn't arrive until five days had passed.
"Ken—!!"
Maybe that's why her face looked so grim when I opened the door to the tower.
Her face, pale and shadowed after so long, brimmed with tears.
"Why are you so late...!"
I spread my arms to catch her as she rushed toward me sobbing like always.
But the moment Rapne saw my face, she slowed her charge.
"Wh-what happened...?"
She approached me gently, wrapped her arms around my waist, and looked up with worry.
Kind of impressive. Back then, she wouldn't have even checked on me—she'd just cling and whine.
"It's just... complicated feelings that are hard to explain."
I brushed it off vaguely and pulled her into a hug, burying my face in her shoulder.
Her familiar scent washed over me.
Of course, I'd only spoken with Raymon for a single day—a few minutes, really.
But I'd stayed by his side until the end, watching Mary sob beside me as she held back her tears when he breathed his last.
It was agonizing.
Not as much as for Mary, who'd just lost her father.
But the helplessness of having nothing to offer her gnawed at me.
Those emotions must have built up during my journey here, and Rapne picked up on them.
"Sorry. You must've waited forever."
"No... it's fine."
Rapne nestled into my arms, hugging my waist tightly as if sensing my mood.
Her warmth and that familiar scent soothed my tangled heart.
"I don't know... what happened..."
Then she kissed my neck and whispered softly.
"But no matter what, I'll always be by your side."
It was her way of comforting me, the best she could offer.
And those words unraveled the knot deep in my chest like nothing else.
I wish I'd said something like that to Mary.
"You'll really stay by my side no matter what?"
"Y-yeah! Of course! You're all I have."
"Even if I do something awful?"
"Even if you became a traitor to the kingdom, I'd stay right with you."
Her gentle, calm voice carried unshakeable confidence.
She'd keep that promise through anything.
"I can't live without you, Ken."
Rapne pulled back from my shoulder, looked at me, and smiled innocently.
Her adorable smile coaxed a natural grin onto my darkened face.
...
A week had passed since my trip to Mary's family home.
Thankfully, Mary seemed to regain her energy after returning to the academy. On the surface, she was as bright as ever.
Of course, I couldn't tell if it was forced acting.
Or if she'd just shoved her grief deep down.
"This is unusual. Rapne giving up her lunch time with Ken."
"Right? I was shocked when she suddenly suggested we eat together today."
A week later, Mary, Emily, and I were having lunch together.
For the record, there were two lunchboxes in front of me.
Two boxes overflowing with love from two women.
"Well... no one decided who'd make it..."
"By the time I realized, I'd already made one."
"No, it's fine! I can eat both! Haha, you know how much I can pack away!"
I forced a smile at the apologetic pair.
It really was okay.
Back when I was fat, this amount would've been a breeze.
Even now, two boxes were no sweat.
'This'll happen a lot from now on...'
Today, I'd asked Rapne to eat lunch separately.
In the time left, I'd invited Emily and Mary to join me.
And so, we sat on a bench in the small garden behind the academy's history hall, sharing lunch.
The menu: lunchboxes.
My thoughtless slip-up had led to both Emily and Mary making one for me each.
It was blissfully happy.
But eating both their loving lunches together stirred an odd guilt.
"How is it? I put a lot of effort in."
"The egg roll is my specialty. Does it suit your taste?"
With their tense gazes from both sides, I sampled each box.
"Mmm! Perfect! Best lunchboxes I've ever had!"
"Doesn't 'best' contradict having two?"
"Cough!"
Emily's sharp point made something go down the wrong pipe.
Mary hurriedly handed me a drink, and I chugged it to recover.
Too bad.
By my standards, both were top-tier—no way to pick a winner.
Was this the polygamy dilemma?
No, regular two-timers don't get three people scheduling lunch together. This was my unique mess.
"Anyway, what's the occasion? You suggesting lunch, Ken... and with Emily too."
"Yeah, I've been wondering."
"Oh, that..."
Today, I'd specifically asked Rapne to postpone lunch.
Which meant tonight, I'd spend it cradled in her arms like a doll, fighting a tough battle.
But anyway.
Inviting them wasn't just for this cute lunchbox event.
I had something important to discuss.
Namely...
"...How do we tell Rapne?"
"Ahh..."
"Come to think of it, she doesn't know yet."
Mary hadn't questioned us three eating lunch together, love-packed boxes and all.
Because I'd declared it boldly when answering her confession: I'd marry all three.
And she'd accepted.
That's why she was okay with me spending couple-time with Emily simultaneously.
"Yeah, that's the tough part... Dealing with Rapne is overwhelming."
Emily nailed my core worry.
Exactly.
Emily and Mary had accepted my polygamy declaration.
Now I had to pitch it to Rapne too.
Of course, she wouldn't attack me or snap and try to kill me over it.
Not even if the earth split in two.
But...
Rapne had precedent.
I recalled the past: the first time I gave her the Goddess's Pendant.
Yeah.
That day, she'd confined me in the tower.
A beautiful memory where she confessed her love, but unforgettable for the lockdown.
I'd talked my way out back then.
"...This time, she might really lock me deep underground."
"Well, we wouldn't just stand by if that happened."
"Yeah, so don't worry too much."
The two kind women stroked my head as I shivered.
Their calming touch settled my heart.
"Anyway, that's why I called you both today—to brainstorm this together."
These two, who'd accepted my declaration, were my future companions.
Rapne's issue was theirs too.
I wasn't shouldering it alone.
If we could share the burden, we would.
Dangerous stuff excluded, of course.
"Maybe she'll agree surprisingly easily?"
Emily offered some optimism.
"I mean, the main point is you proposing marriage, right? We're side characters... maybe she'll let it slide?"
"That's too good to be true for us."
"Hmm... yeah, probably."
"...Remember when you jumped into that trap? Makes me think it'll be hard."
I tilted my head at Mary's words, but Emily shuddered like a chill had hit her.
"W-was Rapne that bad off?"
"Yes. The moment you vanished, she turned into an unchained beast."
Mary referred to when I'd fallen alone into the trap in Tarros Tower.
I'd spent a year at the bottom, clueless about topside.
Rapne had gone berserk, huh.
Even more anxious now.
"Wh-what do we do?"
I clutched my head, sinking into fruitless worry again.
The two pondered solutions too.
Mary reached a conclusion first.
"Anyway, we have to face it head-on."
"...Huh? What do you mean...?"
"Exactly that. No matter how we persuade her, you're still marrying three women."
"Urgh..."
"No words will change that, so it's up to Rapne to decide."
Mary's take was spot-on.
I'd been mulling workarounds and clever persuasion.
True to her cool nature, she'd said it straight and left the aftermath to Rapne.
"But don't worry too much, Ken."
She saw my tense face, smiled gently, and took my hand.
"When you tell Rapne, I'll be right there. ...We're in this together from now on."
"M-Mary..."
So reassuring.
In this terrifying confession scenario, her warm hand, smile, and promise to stick together steadied me like nothing else.
...Is this what marriage feels like?
"M-me too! I'll go with you! After all, I brought it up first!"
Noticing me gazing at Mary moved, Emily grabbed my other hand.
Her blushing, anxious face was adorable.
Not as rock-solid as Mary, but cute as hell.
She probably didn't want to lose points to Mary.
No need—she'd get equal love from the moment I decided on three.
Anyway.
We concluded: the only way was straight ahead.