You Haven't Changed At All
Choice -> [Respond] "Shall we go back to how things were before? Yeah?" Marie's seductive gaze swept over my eyes and lips. With that look came the soft, warm press of her body against my torso, muddling my thoughts. I had to say something. I needed to spit out anything to escape this situation.
"……."
"Emil…."
Smooth…. Pluck…. Pluck….
While I was racking my brain like that, Marie's hands had already undone most of the buttons on my shirt. Smooth…. And then her smooth stomach and cute navel were revealed under the moonlight. Marie smiled alluringly, exposing the flesh beneath her open shirt.
But.
"……Marie."
I opened my mouth.
"You're trying to torment me again, aren't you."
"Wh-what……?"
Her smile vanished, and her pupils began to tremble with unease.
Yeah, no hesitating.
I didn't want to hurt her any more if I could help it. My goal was accomplished, and that had settled the grudge from my suicide in the first loop. But if she was going to force herself on me like this, I had no choice.
"In the end, you haven't changed at all."
I stared at Marie with endlessly cold eyes. I could feel her trembling through the waist she was straddling.
"N-no…. Emil…! That's not…!"
As if she'd realized what I meant, Marie tried to explain something. But I didn't listen and pressed on.
"You definitely remembered. What we were to each other, what you did… and what I did."
"Ugh…."
At my continued words, Marie's face drained of color, her hands shaking violently.
"You're just like that girl after all. Whether you left me or not."
"No…, no, Emil…! I was wrong…! I just loved you with all my heart…!"
"I said I don't want this."
"……."
"I told you to stop."
"……."
"But you just do whatever you want. Following nothing but your desires."
"……I, I was going to…."
Tears welled up in Marie's eyes as she began to sob. There was no more of that crazed look or seductive allure. Marie just shook her head at me, denying my words as if reliving that memory.
"Do whatever you want."
"……Huh?"
I turned my head away from her and said quietly.
"Do what you want."
"Emil…."
"You're tied up anyway, right? You can do whatever. Keep going."
"……."
I closed my eyes in resignation. After that, I said nothing more. I didn't plead with Marie to stop or shout for help. I just let her do as she pleased.
…But she won't.
Marie wouldn't go through with it. I knew that. Because if she laid a hand on me here, it'd prove she was the same as her first-loop self.
"U, ugh, sob…. Why, hic, why do you say I'm not…! I just, hic, really like you, sob, I really like you…."
Drip, drip….
Feeling water droplets fall onto my clothes, I cracked my eyes open slightly. Smooth…, smooth….
Marie leaned her upper body forward, caressing my wrists. Probably untying the restraints.
A moment later.
"You're not gonna do anything?"
"……."
I rubbed my freed wrists and asked Marie. She didn't answer. She just sat on my bed, sobbing and letting tears fall.
I watched her for a bit, then untied the restraints on my ankles. Why had she only freed my wrists? Lingering attachment, maybe?
"……You gonna keep sitting here?"
With all restraints gone, I got up from the bed and said.
"Emil…."
Marie, who had been sobbing nonstop, asked in a tear-soaked voice.
"Do you hate me…?"
"……."
How should I answer? If she was asking if I hated her, no, not really. My grudge was settled, and in this loop, she hadn't done anything major to me.
But.
"Who knows…."
I gave a deliberately vague reply, lacing it with a warning not to cross the line again.
"Hic, sorry…. I'm sorry…."
Marie staggered up from the bed and approached me. She collapsed to the floor and grabbed my clothes.
"Don't hate me…. Hic, don't hate me…. I'm sorry…."
"……."
With my limbs free and my mind calming, I stared calmly at the ceiling.
I didn't expect this level of obsession….
I'd conquered first-loop Marie too, but she hadn't liked me this much. Probably the Easy Mode Charm's Tear Spot amplifying things.
"Marie, I told you before."
Still, leaving her like this was trouble. To sever her feelings, I spoke as calmly and kindly as possible.
"Just like someone else instead of me."
"……Ugh."
"You're attractive, so you'll definitely meet someone great."
"If I'm attractive, then Emil, you…."
"Marie."
"……."
As her whining started to veer off, I called her name in a cold voice. She flinched and bowed her head.
"Don't make me hate you more."
"……."
"Answer me."
"……Yeah."
"Then go back. I need to sleep."
"………Yeah."
A moment later, Marie hesitantly stood. Still crying sadly, she gathered her clothes.
"Button the shirt."
"……Yeah."
Unable to watch, I tossed her a word. She'd probably head out with her shirt fully open. Hearing me, she buttoned up, put on her jacket, and left my room.
Creeeak…. Thud.
"Haaa…."
Thud.
Only then could I slump onto the bed and finally relax.
Maybe add a lock to the door….
I never imagined Marie would barge in like that. Sneaking in at night, even tying me up.
What if I hadn't spoken up properly just now….
I recalled the moment tied to the bed. From her crazed eyes then, she might've gone all the way.
"No, even so, that wouldn't happen…."
Reverse rape? The original game was all-ages. Even deranged, she wouldn't go that far.
Still, good thing I talked it out….
Not full-on that, but staying silent might've led to who-knows-what.
"Haa…, time to sleep…."
I sighed in relief and lay my tired body down.
〇 〇 〇
The next morning, sunlight greeted me like nothing had happened. But traces of the night's events lingered around the room. Especially the ropes that had bound my limbs.
I wonder if Marie's okay….
I thought that while staring at the ropes. Not worrying she'd be sad or hurt, of course.
She won't come again, right….
My concern was purely her mental state. She'd gone through something unexpected.
What if… Chris too….
This made me start worrying about my next target, Chris. What if Chris snuck in at night and tied me up like Marie?
…Could I resolve that with just talk?
And the other girls after….
This was the difference from past and this loop. Before, I targeted one heroine per loop, so no clashes with others. But this time, all at once.
"Haa…."
Worries breeding worries, anxiety from anxiety. I let out a small sigh.
"Guess I'll head out…."
But sighing solved nothing. I changed for morning training and left the dorm.
"Hey! You're late today?"
At my usual spot, Sierra was warming up.
"Yeah… Chris?"
"Dunno? Hasn't shown."
Chris late for training? First time, even counting up to loop four.
"Wanna start just us?"
Sierra spoke first to my blank stare. We started running, leaving Chris behind. She still hadn't come by the end of running or even bodyweight exercises. Skipping today, it seemed.
Because of yesterday's date…?
Not sure if related, but only reason I could think of. In the end, I ignored Chris and continued with Sierra.
"Emil, you're quiet today?"
"Huh? Am I…?"
"Yeah, something up?"
After push-ups, during a break. Sierra, sitting naturally beside me, asked.
Something up…? Yeah, but….
Her question brought back the night's events.
"Hmm…."
But I couldn't tell her that. So.
"……What about you."
"Huh?"
"Say you wanna do something risky. …What would you do?"
I rephrased the thought dominating my head and asked her.
"……Sudden advice session?"
"Wasn't that vibe…?"
"Haha, kidding. Of course it'd be fine!"
Sierra laughed brightly and humored me.
"So? About a dream? Heh, didn't peg you for that. Surprising?"
"Don't tease. So, what would you do?"
I shot a mild glare at her giggling and poking my arm. She dropped the playfulness, propped her chin, and thought.
"Hmm…. Risky, huh…."
After pondering.
"Headache. Why worry about that crap?"
She gave me her signature pouty look.
"……You sure you're runner-up?"
"Says the top student fretting this?"
She shot back at my dumbfounded stare. Then she suddenly jumped up.
"Boils down to 'maybe it happens,' right?"
"Uh, yeah?"
She came behind me and stood. Placed both hands on my shoulders.
What was she—
"Hup…."
"Urghaaaah!"
She naturally leaned her weight into my arms, shoving my back. Legs spread, I bent forward into a trunk stretch. And.
Squish….
Ugh…!
Her weight pressing made her torso stick to my back. The softness was hard for any guy to endure.
"Worry after it happens. Du~mbass."
"……."
"See? Perfect answer, right?"
"……Enough, get off."
"Haha, why~? Stretching's best for tangled heads."
Blushing, I glared; she giggled and backed off.
"Okay, my turn. Help me stretch."
"……."
She sat naturally in front of me, showing her back.
Shouldn't have asked.
Why'd I even bring it up to Sierra? Couldn't understand past-me.
"Hup."
"Hrghuuuh…!!"
"You're a girl, but way too stiff?"
"Eeeek…! To a lady…!"
Still… my tangled head felt clearer.
Worry when it happens….
I pushed her waist, gazing at the clear sky.
"……."
"Hrghuuuuh…!"
Yeah, can't skip walking fearing rain. Dodge it when it pours.
Chris's conquest end-event is soon anyway.
I tossed aside hesitation and worry.
I'll end Chris's route completely there.
If Chris goes crazy like Marie, worry then.