"No Marriage, Please! vs. Marry Me or Die: The Ultimate Love Showdown" - Episode 31

Ria: “…What’s going on, Yuri? Care to explain properly?”

Eve: “Onii-sama… don’t tell me… are you planning to leave me again…? Hey──”

Eek…! Both Ria and Eve were muttering to themselves in low voices, their eyes devoid of all light.

Ria: “Why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why? I’ve always been devoted to you, Yuri. Where did I make the wrong choice…? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?”

Eve: “Onii-sama, Onii-sama, Onii-sama, Onii-sama, Onii-sama, Onii-sama, Onii-sama, Onii-sama, Onii-sama, Onii-sama…? Is it because I came? Is it my fault…? Are we going to be separated again? No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.”

Yuri: If I part ways with them now, something terrible is going to happen. I can feel it in my bones. I mean, we’ll just regroup with Theo for the final battle anyway, so there’s no need to separate now, right…?!

Yuri: “J-Just kidding…! It was a joke! Hahaha! Of course we’ll still be in the same party!”

Ria: “Really…!?”

Eve: “Onii-sama…!”

Yuri: As I let out a dry laugh and said that, both of them immediately threw their arms around me. Ria was trembling, and a single tear glistened at the corner of Eve’s eye.

Ria: “Yuri… don’t ever say something like that again… even as a joke, okay?”

Eve: “Onii-sama… I will follow you for the rest of my life. So please, don’t ever say something like ‘throwing me away’ again.”

Yuri: I guess they really rely on me, huh? No hidden meanings, right? But for some reason, in that moment, I became painfully aware of the looming death flags hanging over me again.

Yuri: Once I had calmed the two girls down, I made my way over to Theo and Sophia.

Ria: “Yuri? It looked like something happened just now.”

Eve: “Are you okay, Yuri-kun?”

Yuri: “Hahaha…! Yeah, nothing serious. Oh, right—how about we all have dinner together tonight? We’ve got a lot to catch up on! I’ll also introduce you to our new party members.”

Ria: “Ooh, sounds great!”

Eve: “Yeah, I’m looking forward to it!”

And so, we decided to dine together that evening with Theo.

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The floating city of Ordina, the Waterborne Capital, is world-famous as the oldest city in existence.

Its streets are interwoven with countless waterways and arched bridges. Small boats serve as public transportation, crisscrossing throughout the city. A faint divine water barrier surrounds the city’s perimeter, making it impenetrable to monsters.

A city that lives with water—that is what Ordina is.

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Sophia: “My name is Sophia.”

Ria: “I’m Ria. I’m in the same party as Yuri.”

Eve: “I’m Eve. I’m Onii-sama’s little sister.”

Theo: “Well, Yuri-kun sure has some adorable companions with him.”

We had splurged a little tonight and come to a higher-end restaurant.

The building was white and blue, nestled along the canals. As we stepped inside, the scent of herbs and the sound of gently flowing water greeted us. The floor appeared to have a magical layer of water beneath the glass, sending ripples with every step.

Ordina is not only famous for its water, but also as a city of magic. Water and magic co-exist here, and the city is home to unique magical research. Hence, even restaurants like this integrate magic into their design.
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Theo: “Yuri.”

Theo tapped me on the shoulder. We were seated side by side, facing the three girls who were chatting animatedly.

Yuri: “What’s up, Theo?”

Theo: “You’ve got quite the cute party now, huh?”

Yuri: “Wha—no, it’s not like I picked them for their looks. It just… happened.”

Theo: “I see, huh…”

Theo grinned knowingly—clearly, he’d gotten the wrong idea. Wait, no, listen! It’s not like I’m interested in romance or anything! Not that I could say that aloud. I sighed quietly and glanced across the table—

…Only to find both Ria and Eve staring sideways at me.

They quickly averted their gazes and returned to their conversation, but for a brief moment, I’d felt their intense gazes.

We enjoyed the meal. Ordina is known for its seafood, and it was incredibly delicious. The use of dashi-based seasonings reminded me of Japanese cuisine, something I felt deeply nostalgic for.

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Theo: “Yuri. Want to take a walk?”

Yuri: “Sure. Let’s get some fresh air.”

The three girls headed to the inn, planning to hold a pajama party or something. Theo and I were left behind and decided to stroll around the city.

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Theo: “So your passive skill issue’s all resolved, huh?”

Yuri: “More or less.”

Theo: “As expected. You really are something else, Yuri.”

Theo gazed off into the distance as he spoke. But his usual bright smile was missing. I knew why. Theo had seen the empire’s dark underbelly. And he had seen death for the first time.

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Yuri: “So, what are you going to do now, Theo?”

I already knew, but I asked anyway.

Theo leaned against a bridge and answered.

Theo: “There’s a darkness in this world I had no idea existed. But I’ve been given power. I believe this power exists so I can help people. That’s why I’m going to keep getting stronger—so I can protect others.”

Yuri: “I see.”

That’s Theo for you. Even after confronting the world’s darkness, he doesn’t falter. He moves forward with unwavering strength.

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Theo: “I’m heading north. There’ve been reports of monster activity.”

Yuri: “Huh…? Really?”

Theo: “Yeah. What about you, Yuri? If you’re up for it, why don’t we team up again? I know it’s sooner than expected, but you’ve dealt with your problem, right?”

…Things are diverging from the original plot, I realized. In the game, Theo was supposed to stay in Ordina and meet one of the heroines. But my presence seems to be changing the flow of events.

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Yuri: “No, I’ve got my own things to take care of. But—I’m sure we’ll fight side by side again. That much, I’m certain of.”

Theo looked a little surprised at my conviction, then smiled and held out his fist. I bumped it with mine.

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Theo: “Yeah. If you say so, then I believe it. Let’s both do our best!”

Yuri: “Absolutely.”

Our conversation ended there, and Theo returned to the inn. I continued wandering the city alone.

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Ordina is also home to one of the most reliable heroines.

Theo likely won’t meet her this time. So, I guess I’ll be the one to make contact instead. That said, this heroine’s different. I won’t be teaching her how to fight.

Because—

Alice: “Whoa…!”

Yuri: “Hm…?”

Alice: “Hey, you there! Could you catch me real quick?!”

A voice called from above. Huh? Above?

I looked up to see a girl in a lab coat falling from the sky. I immediately boosted my physical strength and caught her. She was incredibly light.

Alice: “Whew… that was close. Another failed experiment, huh? Still, I gathered good data this time. Better jot it down quickly while it’s fresh.”

Even as I held her bridal-style, she was scribbling frantically in her notebook. I knew who she was.

Her deep blue hair, like the ocean depths, flowed down to her waist. Her bangs lightly covered her eyes, which sparkled with intelligent aqua-blue clarity. Beneath her white lab coat, she wore a black turtleneck and a vest of silver-blue. A pouch hung from her waist. Small and slender, her whole presence radiated sharp intellect.

Still nestled in my arms, she introduced herself.

She was one of the heroines, and her name was—

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Alice: “Ah, my apologies. Thank you for catching me. Oh, right—let me introduce myself. My name is Alice, the great young genius of magical research! Gahaha!”