Bea and Miyuki, two of the greatest beauties I’ve ever seen, and both out to get me. Can I survive this? If there were anyone around, beauties like them, wearing clothes like theirs, would surely come off as celebrities going incognito.

  Then again, why was Miyuki wearing clothes in the same style as Bea? “Miyuki…” I looked into her eyes. “Why did you pick that outfit for today?”

  “Huh?” She jumped, slowly averting her eyes. “No reason… I just felt like wearing something different today.”

  No way… I gripped her shoulders tightly. “Yo- you planned this whole encounter in advance?! You made me think our meeting was a coincidence and even made me feel bad for not being a good friend, and now you’re telling me it was all a part of your plan?” I fell for it… One of her tricks… I knew these two were dangerous.

  “Ahahahahaha! Surprise!” I frantically shook her back and forth. She tried to play it as a joke, but I’m not letting you off that easily! “Geez… Stop already! You don’t have time to worry about me right now, do you?”

  I let her go.

  “I don’t?”

  “Nope…” She pointed behind me. “Look. Your princess is slipping away.”

  While we were caught up in our back-and-forth, Bea wandered off on her own. Somehow, there was a bus stop nearby with one stopping and opening its doors for Bea.

  “Iroha, what’s this? It stopped just for me. Can I take a look?”

  Huh… “Wait!”

  I ran immediately after her, but it was too late. The doors closed behind us, and we couldn’t step out in time. Th- this wasn’t part of the plan, but… It’d be embarrassing to say we got on by accident, so I paid her fare, and we grabbed a seat.

  “Sorry… I had no idea this was going to happen.” Bea was sitting next to me. She seemed sorry for getting on without asking, but… “Woah! We’re going so fast! How is this city so big? Was this really built by humans?”

  “Mhmm, yeah… Not like there are demons in this world, just so you know…” She was completely glued to the window… Her feeling sorry didn’t last for long.

  “It’s okay, Iroha, don’t be upset.” The bus had very few people on, and Miyuki managed to snag the seats behind us. “Our goal is to show her around, right? Doesn’t this work out nicely?”

  “You managed to get on in time too, huh? And what? Are we a team now?” Since when was that OUR goal?

  “Don’t make it sound like you don’t want me around!” She shook my seat back and forth. “I still haven’t forgotten how you haven’t talked to me once since school ended!”

  “What? Who said anything about not wanting you around!? I luv hanging out with you!!”

  “Ahahahahaha! That sounded so fake, Iroha!” Prevented you from breaking my seat. Good enough.

  Bea had seen enough to get a basic idea of our world and slowly turned her head back to us. “Now that we can sit down, I really have to ask. What’s the relationship between you two? Is… Miyuki, right? A member of your harem?” She knew to lower her voice when talking about this.

  “No.” “Yes.”

  I get the feeling we’re not on the same page… I said no, she said yes which, when added, makes up a kinda, the actual correct answer.

  “Miyuki… Did you change your mind? You said you weren’t ready for us to get together…”

  “I haven’t changed anything. I’m still not ready, but I told you I’d definitely be your girlfriend one day. I’m technically a member. A future member.”

  Did hearing Bea call herself my fiancé mess with her head? Is she trying to match her? She definitely wouldn’t say it so readily otherwise… I mean, wasn’t she the one who wanted to keep this under wraps until she was ready? Why is she giving herself away?

  “*Sigh…*” I turned to Bea… “As you can see, it’s complicated.”

  “Ahahaha… I think I’m starting to notice a trend. Nothing is ever simple around you, is it?”

  “It’s not really my fault…” Or is it…? Could Bea be right? “Miyuki, when are you going to make up your mind? I wanna introduce you to the others properly already!” Her face was directly above mine as I tilted my head back against the seat.

  “I told you I needed some time… Soon, Iroha… Soon…” So noncommittal… Miyuki pulled her head back and sat properly for once.

  I can’t let things between us stay like this… It’s true that after that one kiss, we haven’t done anything that lovers usually do. Effectively, we’re not dating. But saying there’s nothing between us is not right either. There is something, and keeping it from Carol and the others makes me feel bad… It’s not right… “Don’t you think so, Bea?”

  “Hmm…?” The girl next to me looked genuinely troubled. “Think what? I got a feeling you got lost in thought and now expect me to read your mind.”

  “Oh… Anyway, am I cheating on my girlfriends with Miyuki?”

  Not sure if she was just that smart or if she was used to dealing with unreasonable people, but she managed to more or less pick up on what I was asking. “I can’t say for sure, but… Don’t you have a harem? Isn’t getting with a lot of girls the whole point? What are you worried about?”

  “But my actual girlfriends all agreed to me dating them all at once. Miyuki and I aren’t dating, but she already said she’d like to one day. If I don’t tell them about her just because there’s technically nothing right now, isn’t that cheating?”

  Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

  “Hmmm…. That’s actually very hard to say…”

  Bea crossed her arms in thought, then continued. “I think you’re right on the borderline of what I would consider acceptable… If one of your girlfriends were to give you a hard time because of it, I think it’d be acceptable, but not necessary. Hmm… You put a lot of thought into this harem of yours. Very interesting.”

  Was that a positive impression? That’s what she got out of this mess? Should have kept my mouth shut… At this rate, she’s gonna insist I join that stupid tournament of hers and marry her.

  “Bea, we’re not getting married, but you’re not allowed to tell the others anything about Miyuki, got it?”

  “Ahahahaha! I wasn’t planning on it.”

  “Hey, Iroha…” Miyuki poked her head between our seats again. “We got on the bus, but… Where we going?”

  Where are we going? More like, where is the bus going? I don’t even know that…

  …

  Glistening ocean water bobbed gently around us on this bright summer day. Sudden as it may be, we ended up on a leisure boat trip just off the coast of Three Records. The bus took us down to the entertainment and commerce district. The afternoon sun pushed us towards the shore, where the sea breeze helped us cool down, and our fate was sealed.

  One thing led to the other, and now we were on the deck of a medium-sized boat that tourists board to get a good look at the city from the sea.

  The tall and shiny modern buildings off in the distance are a symbol of Three Record pursuit of excellence and its very heart. To our left and much closer to us, the colorful beaches of the entertainment district and the top of a Ferris wheel. Even as a resident, I had never seen the city from this angle. It was hard not to stop and admire for a while.

  “Your city’s impressive, but so is this boat… Iroha, do you mind if I take a look around?” Not for Bea, it seems. There were two things that caught her eye, and her attention was perfectly divided. “I won’t get lost this time. Not like there’s anywhere to go here at the sea.”

  “Sure… If that’s what you want…”

  “Thanks! I’ll be back soon!” With that, she set off to inspect the boat. She shouldn’t be in danger here, but… Don’t die, Bea… We don’t want any interplanetary conflicts on our hands.

  Miyuki and I were left alone next to each other, holding the railing while gazing into the city in the distance.

  What is going on between us? We were friends before, but what are we now? The only reason our relationship became like this is because she said she saw a future where we’d be dating and that she wouldn’t mind hurrying that along. Why aren’t we making any progress then? How does she feel about me? *Sigh…* I guess this view is putting me in a romantic mood or something…

  “Miyuki… Do you still love me?” That sounded so needy! How embarrassing! “I mean, you’ve had some time to think, so why aren’t we dating yet?”

  “I told you, didn’t I, Iroha?” She answered without turning her head. “I’m waiting for the right time.”

  “And what does that mean? Generally speaking, isn’t that how people say they’re not interested without sounding mean?” Which would mean I should just give up. Just accept being friends. Which… I still want to be.

  But Miyuki’s not a completely normal girl, is she? She and time have an interesting relationship, so if she’s waiting for the right moment…

  “Is it because of one of your premonitions? Is it one of those that you can’t tell me about?”

  She nodded. “Something like that…” Her chin rested on her arms, and she finally looked at me. “But haven’t we talked about this enough?” She pouted. “You were supposed to make it up to me after ignoring me for a long time. Let’s talk about something fun.”

  Changing topics… Now that she mentions it, the last time I saw her was at the mall… On the day we fought Ayumu, I remember seeing her outside the mall just as we ran in. I had almost forgotten about it, but…

  “Tell me about Ayumu then.” Maybe not the fun topic she wanted, but oh well. “You know what happened with her at the mall by now, don’t you? You even knew ahead of time. Why didn’t you warn me about what was going to happen?”

  “My dreams don’t let me see everything about the future. What makes you think I knew ahead of time?”

  “Don’t mess with me… I saw you outside.”

  “Oh…” She was taken back and stood up straight. “Ahahahahaha! Okay, you got me. I’m sorry, okay, Iroha? I knew something was going to happen, but I had no idea how big a deal it was gonna be. The futures I see in my dreams change when I tell you about them, so now I think it’s better not to tell you unless I see something really bad coming up. You get that, right?”

  This comes up a lot in stories about time travel… “The butterfly effect, right?” Not exactly, but close enough. “That’s fair, I guess… What about the separator then? Can you tell me who they are?”

  “Separator?” She tilted her head.

  Do I have to explain it? “How do I say it? Basically, there’s someone in our world who’s trying to separate the two worlds, and they have some kind of supernatural powers to help them do that. The separator is one of our greatest enemies right now, but I don’t know anything about them.”

  “Really…? An enemy? Wouldn’t separating our worlds be a good thing? The portals and the monsters would be gone, and everything would go back to normal, right?”

  I wagged my finger. “Sounds good on paper, but it’s not that simple. If our worlds get separated, the other world stops being real and becomes a fictional world once again. Don’t ask me exactly how that would work, but it’s true.”

  “And that’s bad? It was originally the world from a game, wasn’t it?”

  “Yeah, but the people from there are not in a game anymore. If their world returned to being just a game, they’d stop being real people. They would lose their lives, in a way.” Ohh… Miyuki’s expression said. There’s a lot to consider here.

  “So you feel sorry for them and want to save them? How heroic of you, Iroha!” Is the idea of saving a world exciting to her?

  “There’s that… yeah…” Which I care about. I swear… “But… Two of my girlfriends are from the other world. I don’t wanna lose them.”

  “Oh… You’re just worried about your girls? Is that it, Iroha?” She smiled smugly.

  “Well… Yeah…” If I can prevent unnecessary deaths, good, but that’s not why I need to stop the separator. “Yeah, they’re the only ones I care about, but don’t tell anyone I said that. Makes me sound like an asshole.”

  “Really? Doesn’t it just make you a good partner?”

  “You think so?” Maybe I’m not that naughty… Who knew?

  “Either way, I’ll keep it in mind. If I learn anything about this separator, I’ll let you know. I don’t want to see your heart broken.”

  “Thanks…”

  “Ahem.” Bea finished exploring the boat. Alive. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but are you two done?”

  “Oh, Bea, welcome back. Did you see everything you wanted to see?” With a nod, she walked over and grabbed the railing on my left.

  “For now… There’s still a lot to see, but I don’t think I can take any more in today.” She’s already satisfied.

  “Ahahaha… Sorry, maybe it was a bit too much bringing you here without explaining anything. Still, at least now you see why we can’t get married. We’re from different worlds. Our worlds are way too different.”

  She looked off into the city, not saying anything. When she turned her head, her expression was completely unfazed.

  “So?”

  She looked me straight in the eye and continued. “If that was that much of a problem, wouldn’t some of your current girlfriends be disqualified too? I believe both the alchemist and the cat girl are inhabitants of our world. Ririna is even from my country. I don’t think it’s a problem if you’re willing to try.”

  “But you’re different… You’re a princess. You have a much bigger stake in your world than them.”

  “You know, since you are chasing a harem, I thought you’d be way more of a romantic, Iroha. Someone who chases her dreams without paying any mind to what is and isn’t possible. Why are you letting status get in the way of love?”

  “It’s not the status… It’s the responsibility… I just don’t see myself being a king. I’m a girl… And I don’t think I have what it takes for such an important position.”

  The same tired arguments… Bea couldn’t help but shake her head.

  “*Sigh…* Maybe I’m just not your type. Maybe I was na?ve to assume you’d be jumping with joy at the opportunity of marrying a princess. Having a harem doesn’t mean you don’t have standards, I suppose.”

  “Th- that’s not it!” Bea’s definitely good enough for me… “Yo- you’re really pretty, okay? And if I had to say whether or not I like you, I’d have to say yes. You’re definitely not the problem, it’s just…” I have my hands full protecting my girls already… How much more would I have to protect if I started dating her?

  “Pretty… That so?” She squirmed bashfully in place, but in the next second, her expression turned into one of pouty anger. “But if that’s the case, I have something I absolutely must tell you!”

  She leaned forward, her puffy cheeks now closer. I’m getting scolded here, aren’t I?

  “I had my suspicions before, but in addition to all the good things that you are, you’re also a big idiot!”

  “Wha?!” Behind me, I could hear Miyuki trying to suppress a laugh.

  “Why do you look so shocked, Iroha? That’s a big part of your charm, right?” Miyuki watched like I was a character in a romantic comedy.

  “Shut up, you!” I don’t need her making fun of me now… Ignored her and turned back to Bea. “Why am I an idiot? What did I do wrong?”

  “Your genius move to convince me that us getting married was a bad idea was to bring me on a date to a wonderful world and show me a good time.” Her tone was very sarcastic there… I think I deserve a thanks, then, not sarcasm. “Why did you think that would ever work? I’m only more interested in you now.”

  “So this is the power of a harem protagonist… Even by accident you manage to captivate girls, huh?”

  “Miyuki! Aren’t you on my side? I don’t need this two-pronged attack!” If she was a de facto girlfriend, I’d definitely do something naughty as payback.

  “We’re not done, Iroha!” Bea forcefully steered my face to look at her. “Let me tell you why this move would never work. As a royal, one of the most important things for me is having an escape plan. I love my country and my people, but that doesn’t mean I’m perfect. There are so many nobles and merchants who care so much about themselves, always eager to work with the enemy, that sometimes I just feel like running away.”

  She continued. Not missing a beat. “Besides, you know how I am. I like to get out of the castle every once in a while and go on an adventure. That’s why Flanne’s always nagging me. That’s why if you show me such an interesting place, I’m only going to get more interested. It was never going to work.”

  “In my defense, bringing you here was an idea that just popped into my head. I didn’t plan that far ahead.”

  “How’s that a defense? You say you’re not an idiot, but your defense is exactly what idiots do.” She said with a judgmental glare.

  “Okay… I get it... You can stop making fun of me now…”

  “Then join the tournament. It’s not like anything’s set in stone yet. If you don’t win, we can’t get married regardless, so forget about all the complicated stuff and just fight.”

  Am I really just overthinking things again? It’s getting harder and harder to justify rejecting her at this point… I should be all over her… She wasn’t wrong about that. So why am I hesitating so much?

  “Guhh…. Fine. I’ll join the tournament.”