The Study Group Gambit
Joining the strategy study group went exactly as planned—and it was a resounding success. But…
“Emil.”
“Uh, yeah.”
“You get this problem? I looked at the solution, but it’s not clicking.”
“Where…? Oh, this one’s about spotting errors in the elemental operation formula… like this…”
“……Heh, way simpler than I thought.”
Sierra. The original game’s protagonist joining this group was completely out of left field.
Is she filling in for that guy…?
By “that guy,” I mean the top student I’d sweet-talked into the group back in Loop 1 just to get close to Marie. My grades were average then, so Marie wouldn’t let me in. Instead, she dragged in another top student to take my place.
Of course, now that I was the top enrollee this loop, there was no way “that guy”—whose name I couldn’t even remember—would show up. Looks like Sierra had filled the empty spot.
“Top spot really makes a difference, huh.”
“Haha… yeah, thanks.”
We’d barely exchanged words over five loops, so chatting this close felt incredibly awkward. And on top of that, her looks were the best among all the current Revel Academy students, by canon standards. Even compared to the five heroines, her face held its own—no, if we were talking faces alone, Sierra edged them out.
No wonder the male leads were so obsessed.
That said, Sierra wasn’t superior to the heroines in every way. For example.
Bounce.
“Whoa, what problem did Emil explain?”
“Yeah? Oh, the magic formula interpretation homework. Feels like it’ll show up on the midterm.”
“Hmm… eek, you solved it by parsing this? I asked the professor, and he just said memorize the solution and answer… As expected of the top student. Amazing…!”
As I finished explaining the solution to Sierra, Marie approached with her ample breasts bouncing, sliding up beside her.
…Yeah, when it came to boobs, she outclassed everyone.
Then.
Thunk, screeech…
“Ah, I’m late. Sorry.”
“Malcolm! You’re late! Everyone’s already started!”
The classroom door swung open, and the last group member, Malcolm, stepped in.
“Hey, Emil.”
“…Hey.”
I forced a friendly smile and returned his greeting.
Malcolm. The final member of this group. Facing him stirred a boiling rage inside me. He was the first guy to shove that taste of despair down my throat—in Loop 1.
“Where’ve you been?”
“Sorting homework. But Sierra came super prepared. Like, sorry-not-sorry levels of organized. Hehe.”
“It’s fine. I’m getting something out of this too.”
“Man, having the top and runner-up students really sets this group apart.”
“If you think that, at least show up on time, Malcolm!”
“Haha, sorry.”
Sturdy build, friendly features, and a crisp sports cut that suited him. That was Malcolm—Marie’s childhood friend position and one of Sierra’s five male leads.
…And in Loop 1, the bastard who stole Marie right out from under me while we were dating.
“Emil.”
“……”
“…Emil.”
“Wha—huh?”
“Could you explain this part too? …What’re you thinking about?”
Lost in memories of the past, I jolted back at Sierra’s call. Turning, I saw her sitting beside me, pouting as she stared.
“Oh, sorry. Got lost in thought for a sec.”
“…You copied my notes, so I’d appreciate the help. I’m only here because of you, you know.”
“Mm, I’ll keep that in mind.”
As I awkwardly apologized, Marie’s laughter rang out.
“Ahaha, Sierra’s so cold.”
“Hehe, don’t take it to heart. Half of it was a joke.”
“So the other half’s serious.”
Thankfully, Marie’s signature bright, innocent laugh melted away Sierra’s pout.
Resuming my help with Sierra’s homework interpretation, I subtly shot a glance at Malcolm.
Malcolm and… Sierra in the same group, huh.
I didn’t dislike Sierra or anything. But her joining created a snag.
The issue was Malcolm and Marie’s relationship.
By the original plan, Malcolm should’ve had some feelings for Marie by now.
The plan was for Malcolm, Marie, and me to form a love triangle in the group. But with Sierra here, the original heroine and a male lead ended up together.
“Oh, Miss Sierra. Mind helping me with this too?”
“Huh? Emil’s better at explaining…”
“Haha, but he’s been fielding so many questions already. You’re runner-up too.”
“Sure, then…”
And as a result, those two were getting cozy. …If Malcolm’s heart got stolen by Sierra by mistake, my plan would only half-succeed.
I need to handle this somehow…
As I chewed on my pencil in thought.
Drag…
Marie quietly pulled her chair over to my side.
“Huh…?”
“Ehehe, Malcolm’s learning from Sierra, so… I’ll learn from Emil.”
“Ah, yeah.”
“Sorry, am I being too clingy? You need to study too.”
“Nah, it’s no problem at all.”
“Whoa, so you’re confident you can tutor others and still top the midterms…?”
“No, I just mean I’m not as serious about midterms as you are.”
Whether it was the top student title or the Charm's Tear Spot, Marie seemed to rate me pretty highly.
“Hehe, in that case, I won’t hold back. …Mind explaining this part?”
“Mm… here…”
Thanks to that, getting close to Marie was a breeze compared to Loop 1.
…Back then, it was all legwork.
‘Ma, Marie…! Here’s the predicted exam scope info… and the professors’ trick questions…! I got it all…!’
‘W-What, all this…? How…?’
I scraped info from the professors using game knowledge and handed it all to her on a platter to boost her grades. But in Easy Mode now, cozying up felt effortless—like that old grind was laughable.
“Wow… Emil explains it so simply. Feels like a professor’s lesson.”
“You’re exaggerating. Just sharing what I know.”
“……Can I ask you lots more from now on?”
Marie shyly murmured that after listening.
…Back then, a question like that would’ve thrilled me pathetically.
I smiled leisurely and replied.
“Anytime. Ask whenever you need.”
“……Hehe, thanks.”
She blushed faintly with a soft smile. I gazed at her face for a moment.
Pink hair swaying gently before my eyes after so long. The familiar floral scent. Her soft voice tickling my ears, those clear, gentle eyes.
……Memories of happy times from Loop 1 flashed through my mind.
And with them.
The despair from back then began surging again.
。 。 。
About a week after the study group formed.
“Whoa! Amazing! Seriously amazing! First time seeing a score like this!”
In the interim, a small quiz before midterms had happened. Marie’s score had improved dramatically from the early one.
“It’s all thanks to Emil and Sierra…! Hwaaang…! Thank you so much…!”
“Come on, Emil did most of the teaching. I just provided notes.”
“Yeah, thank you so, so much…! Emiiil…!”
“No crying till we ace the midterms, Marie.”
“Uuuu, b-but…!”
Despite my words, she clung to my hand, sniffling nonstop.
…I got it, knowing her backstory. A quiz score bump had her in tears—she was dead serious about midterms.
As Marie kept holding my hand and whimpering.
Zing…
I felt a sharp glare from somewhere. Glancing toward it casually.
There was Malcolm.
…So he does have feelings for Marie.
He was glaring at my hand in hers from behind Sierra. Seemed like jealousy. Music to my ears.
Good—Sierra joining hadn’t erased his interest in Marie entirely.
Or.
The more affectionate Marie and I acted, the more it’d provoke him.
Second option’s more likely…
Thinking back to Loop 1, yeah. He’d been all over Sierra, ignoring Marie. But once Marie and I became a couple, he flipped and stole her from me.
…Maybe an intimate Marie-Emil dynamic was the trigger for his feelings.
Then I’ll stick to the plan.
Things with Marie were progressing smoothly. Way easier than Loop 1’s grind to even become “friends.”
But.
We weren’t anything yet. The Charm's Tear Spot made her act girly sometimes, but having dated her, I knew: she didn’t see me romantically.
For her to develop those feelings, she needed one trigger.
Of course.
I knew exactly what it was.
It was the desperate struggle of Loop 1.
The event on the annex rooftop after the pre-midterm quiz results came out. After school.
Wonder if it’s starting…
I checked the time, recalling Loop 1. As the expected moment neared, I headed to the annex rooftop.
It was already 6 p.m. Most students had left the main building for the dorms. The sky was awash in sunset hues.
And on that sunset-lit rooftop.
Two figures faced each other.
Screech…
Waiting quietly by the rooftop emergency exit door, I watched the scene unfold.
Marie, her pink hair swaying. Her face wasn’t its usual idiotically sunny expression.
A timid, anxious look—like she was scared. She stood before one man.
“Oppa…”
“What is it, Marie? Dragging a busy man all the way up here.”
Her counterpart: third-year Damian Clozer. The root of Marie’s inferiority complex, the reason she staked her life on midterm scores.
Her half-brother, who’d shown genius talent since childhood—unlike her. Now, he was the academy’s student council president.
And above all.
Grind…
One of the men I had to crush. Another of the five male leads who’d stolen a heroine from me.