In the end, Leo Ash tried to forcibly end the conversation by arguing, 'You started bewitching me after I implanted the core. Are you helping the Honkai?'
Although this reasoning wasn't entirely baseless, but...
Sigh, so annoying.
Is it the Honkai bewitching me, or have these stray thoughts surfaced because I've actually relaxed a bit recently?
I really don't know what to say.
I was never this kind of ascetic person to begin with. Maintaining such a tense state of mind ever since I transmigrated is indeed not quite right.
But still...
[If you really thought this was bewitchment from the Honkai, you wouldn't be this conflicted.]
[Admit it, this is who you are—but there's nothing wrong with being this kind of person!]
[And speaking of which, it's just a Pseudo-Herrscher Core. How could it be that powerful—you're not scaring yourself again, are you?]
Stop talking, I need some quiet time.
[You're always like this, in life and in battle, you always complicate things.]
[Many times, just going for it is the best strategy, yet you, because of excessive worry, end up in a constant state of indecision.]
I can't help it. That's just the kind of person I am.
If I weren't, I probably wouldn't have been chosen by The Wavering Scales.
[One of the awakening conditions for The Wavering Scales is 'an unbreakable will amidst hesitation.' You're hesitating now, sure, but—where is the unbreakable will?]
[What I've said today wasn't all just to mess with you. The main thing is, you should have noticed it by now.]
[Because of your overly strong constitution and long-term use of certain abilities, some hidden dangers have already appeared in your body.]
[Besides the fact that your overuse of Phantasmagoria has brought you closer to the tragic end of 'ceasing to exist,' a second problem has appeared.]
[If The Wavering Scales fails to awaken, it's possible that in battle, due to overdrawing the Sphere's power or becoming overly attached to certain emotions, you, as the Sphere Holder, could be swept away by your feelings and lose your ability to judge.]
I've only had this thing for less than a month, is it really that intense?
[Isn't that obvious? How many years did you grind in the illusion? You dare say you didn't secretly research the Sphere's power?]
Wait, that time counts???
[Of course. You're the one who became a tryhard. As you grind, your proficiency increases, and naturally, the Sphere gets closer to its second stage.]
[And a Sphere Holder who is approaching the second stage but cannot complete the awakening will naturally face the crisis of going berserk.]
Although these two items are indeed very powerful, but...
—Sigh, these attached abilities are such a hassle.
Now that you mention it, something feels off. You're still encouraging me to mess around. Are you afraid I'm not getting enough stimulation, or do you want to see me eat my condemned man's last meal before I go?
[Oh, cut it out. If you can go berserk just from sleeping with a girl, then you're truly a prodigy.]
[Remember what this System said when we first met?]
CAST IN THE NAME OF GOD, YE NOT GUILTY?
[That's right, CAST IN THE NAME OF GOD—this refers to this System.]
[YE NOT GUILTY, I absolve you of sin—this refers to you.]
Yeah, sounds very grand. So what are you trying to say?
[It means you shouldn't have any psychological burden. Just go for it boldly!]
[Start a harem! Start a harem! Start a harem!]
Start a harem... Start a harem... Start a harem...
Leo Ash felt like he was being hypnotized.
But he felt that the System might actually be right.
He had so many choices to make in the future, yet now, even in this situation, he chose to be indecisive—how could he be a Sphere Holder like this?
Strengthen my conviction!
I am a lecher!
I want to sleep with Sist—
...Damn it, if the previous Sphere Holder saw me completing the awakening with this mindset, they would probably laugh and cry at the same time.
But one thing at a time. I really need to adjust my mental state now.
Whether this is the System messing with me or my own inner desires, it doesn't matter. My current mental state is off, and it's a major problem that anyone can see.
Forget the people around me, even Mike and Teacher Wraith, whom I've only met three or four times, can see that something is wrong, which means the problem is already serious.
Perhaps I should pause for a moment and listen to my inner voice.
Just before reaching Himeko's home, Leo Ash took out his communicator and sent a message to both Yuna and Bronya simultaneously.
Perhaps what the System said is right.
What's the difference between me now and a scumbag who adheres to the Three Nos Principle?
I should face my desires head-on. That way, I can see my own flaws more clearly.
After all, only by knowing my heart's true thoughts can I better continue moving forward in the right direction.
...
That night. Inside Bronya's room.
In her room, Bronya looked at Yuna, who had arrived on time, with a hint of complicated emotions in her eyes.
No matter what, Yuna was, after all, the person who had directly killed Cocolia.
Although Bronya knew that Cocolia's sins were unforgivable, it was obviously impossible for her to view her adoptive mother's death with complete rationality.
"Alright, stop staring at me like that."
Seeing the girl watching her with such a complex gaze, Yuna took out a small knife and placed it on the table.
"I understand your feelings very well. After all, I've been through the same thing."
"Cocolia was the true culprit who killed my mother, but similarly, I am the true culprit who killed your mother."
"If hurting me would make you feel better, I'll let you stab me a few times."
Seeing Yuna's forthright attitude, Bronya sighed helplessly.
"Sister Yuna, Bronya is grateful for your consideration, but..."
"Mother Cocolia had already gone mad at the end. You sending her on her way was the bitter fruit of her own choices."
"Your revenge was justified, and Bronya... has no reason to inflict further violence on you, a victim."
"Alright, since you feel that way, then things are much simpler."
Looking at the girl before her, Yuna walked up to her and extended her right hand to Bronya.
"I didn't get to say this before, but now, I don't think it's too late."
"Welcome back, Bronya."
"Mm, B... I'm back."
As if to change her inwardly weak attitude, Bronya rarely omitted her verbal tic, referring to herself with 'I.'
"But, you asked me here today for more than just this, right?"
Looking at the textbooks on the girl's desk, Yuna sat down on the bed as if she owned the place and said helplessly.
"After Kiana came to your room earlier, she must have asked for more than just help with tutoring, right?"
"Yeah, I..."
Recalling the text message she received during the day, Bronya felt that things were even more difficult now.
Originally, she wanted to ask what type of swimsuit Leo liked, then make this information public so that everyone would wear those swimsuits, thereby achieving a subtle state of [arms race balance].
But today, Leo's reply to her text was—study hard, you little brat, don't think about these unnecessary things.
This is so hard.
In Bronya's eyes, Kiana was already preparing to make her move.
Then, recalling the look in Mei's eyes when she occasionally glanced at Leo, she felt that Mei might also be preparing to make a move.
And in this situation, no matter how good their relationship was, when it came to love...
"Bronya..."
After some thought, Bronya could only turn to Yuna, who hadn't yet shown any intention in that direction, for help.
"I want to know what type of swimsuit Big Brother Leo likes... Forget it, that doesn't matter anymore."
"Sister Yuna, do you know what kind of girl Big Brother Leo likes?"
"...You, you're much more direct than those two."
Recalling the conversation she had eavesdropped on, Yuna said with a helpless smile.
"If Kiana and Mei were half as direct as you, Senior wouldn't be able to 'avoid' it now, would he?"
"...Sister Yuna, you knew all along????"
Oh no, could it be that even Sister Yuna...
"Don't look at me like that."
Being stared at by Bronya's shocked gaze, Yuna shrugged helplessly.
"I think you should be able to understand how the three of us feel, after all..."
"—Senior has really helped us a lot, and he's risked his life doing it."
"He's handsome, strong, gentle, and would actually risk his life to help us. Under these circumstances, it would be abnormal for someone not to like him."
"...That's a truly irrefutable point."
"Besides, the Class Rep probably has feelings for Senior too. I think that's something you can see with the naked eye."
"...That's a truly irrefutable point."
"So, under these circumstances, I don't want to make things difficult for Senior."
As she said this, an inexplicable look appeared in Yuna's eyes.
"Senior is ruthless when facing enemies, but when facing his companions, he uses what are actually very gentle means to help everyone."
"And he was originally a special agent, much better at reading facial details and sensing emotions than ordinary high school girls like us. I guess—he probably saw through our feelings long ago, right?"
"...That's a truly irrefutable point."
Thinking about it carefully, now that Sister Yuna had calmly analyzed it, Bronya felt that everything she said was right.
Big Brother Leo is such a smart person, and while Sister Kiana and Sister Mei haven't directly confessed, they've been so obvious. He must have known their feelings already.
In that case, for him to still be dragging his feet without making a decision, doesn't that mean...
"Does Big Brother Leo want to two-time them?"
"Shh."
Hearing Bronya say this with a deadpan expression, Yuna immediately covered the girl's mouth and whispered to her.
"Keep your voice down."
After seeing the girl nod slightly, Yuna released her hand and whispered to Bronya.
"Senior probably doesn't have that in mind. He's just thinking about how to act without hurting anyone else."
"But in my opinion—as long as he chooses one of them, the other will inevitably be hurt."
"I really like the daily life we spend together, so—I've made a decision."
At that moment, Bronya felt an incredibly terrifying aura emanating from Yuna.
"As long as he chooses both, a world where no one gets hurt will be achieved!"
"In other words—as long as Senior starts a harem, all problems will naturally be solved!"
Ah, you say that, but Sister Yuna, have you ever considered—if this isn't handled well, both sides could explode????
"It's just that, right now, I can't accomplish this alone, so it's a good thing you came to me today."
At that moment, a glimmer of hope flashed in Yuna's eyes as she grasped Bronya's hands.
"Bronya, you're my companion, right?"
"...Does Bronya have a choice?"
"Of course, you do. Even if you refuse me, I can understand your thoughts—after all, this plan does sound a bit reckless."
"But, I won't let you help me for nothing."
At this moment, Yuna spoke to Bronya with utmost sincerity.
"I'm already a headquarters-recognized A-rank Valkyrie. As long as I can completely master the power of these two cores, Lord Bishop Otto will eventually make me an S-rank."
"Once I'm promoted to S-rank, I'll be able to access more intelligence and technology from the Schicksal database. With S-rank authority, I can help you rescue your companions who were kidnapped by World Serpent and those who have been quantized more easily."
"Senior, of course, has this authority too, but right now... I don't think he has the time to deal with these things."
"Deal!"
At that moment, Bronya broke free from Yuna's grasp and proactively extended her own right hand.
As they both clasped each other's right hands, different thoughts surfaced in their minds.
*Very good, for the sake of Senior's harem—*
*For Seele, Rozaliya, Liliya, and everyone else—*
*Bronya must work hard!*
...