"No Marriage, Please! vs. Marry Me or Die: The Ultimate Love Showdown" - Episode 33

Yuri: “Whoa, whoa, whoa…!”

Alice suddenly took off her lab coat—then started stripping off the clothes underneath as well. Realizing how bad this could get, I quickly turned around.

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Alice: “Hm? Why are you panicking all of a sudden?”

Yuri: “Why are you undressing?!”

Alice: “Oh, just thought I’d change clothes.”

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I could hear the rustling of fabric behind me. Judging from the sound, she was completely undressed and walking around like it was no big deal. Once she’d finished changing, she called out again.

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Alice: “All done.”

Yuri: “I-I see… But seriously, don’t start changing in front of me again.”

Alice: “Hm? Why not?”

Yuri: “Well, I’m a guy. And you’re a girl. Isn’t that… embarrassing?”

Alice: “Not really. It’s not like you lose anything by seeing someone naked, right?”

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Alice genuinely looked puzzled, like she didn’t understand what I was saying.

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Yuri: “It’s more of a psychological thing…”

Alice: “Huh. Is that how it works? For the record, I don’t feel any romantic interest, so I don’t see why it should matter.”

Yuri: “Well, I do care.”

Alice: “I see. Well then, I’ll try to be more mindful going forward.”

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At least she seemed willing to meet me halfway.

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Alice: “Anyway, let’s get to the point. Your technique really is something special. Even I, a certified genius, don’t have that much magic computation capacity. Yours is probably among the best in the world. That said, the problem lies in your mana efficiency, right?”

Yuri: “Exactly.”

Alice: “Then let me summarize. You want to refine your magic formula, and I want to collect experimental data. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement. So—how about you come work in my lab for a while?”

Yuri: “Gladly. That’d be a big help.”

Alice: “Good. Then I’ll go ahead and file the paperwork with the university. I’ll register you as my assistant. That works better on my end, too.”

Yuri: “Wait… won’t that take a while to get approved?”

Alice: “Hahaha! I’m a genius, remember? The paperwork will breeze through!”

Yuri: “…Is that really how it works?”

Alice: “It absolutely is!”

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Well, if that’s the case, I guess I’ll be working in Alice’s lab as her assistant for a while. I should probably talk to Ria and Eve about this too.

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Yuri: “Well, I’ll be heading out for today. Looking forward to working with you, Alice.”

Alice: “Likewise. Welcome aboard, Assistant Yuri-kun.”

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And so, my new life as Alice’s assistant began.

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As I walked back to the inn, I reflected on everything that had happened.

Tomorrow, Theo and Sophia were heading north. I’d decided to let things play out naturally. I didn’t want to intervene and risk stunting Theo’s growth.

For now, I wanted to focus on helping Alice with her research—to bring out the full potential of her abilities.

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Just then, I heard two voices behind me.

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Ria: “Yuri.”

Eve: “Big Brother.”

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Wh—?! I nearly jumped out of my skin. They appeared as if they had melted out of the shadows of the night.

They were both smiling… but their eyes were definitely not smiling.

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Yuri: “Uhh… weren’t you two having a pajama party with Sophia?”

Ria: “That’s already over. It’s past midnight, after all.”

Eve: “Yes. Sophia has already gone to bed. It was very enjoyable. Truly.”

Ria: “You left Theo quite a while ago, didn’t you? He told us everything.”

Eve: “How odd. Where has Big Brother been since parting ways with Theo, I wonder?”

Yuri: “Uh, well, that’s…”

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Am I being interrogated right now…?

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Yuri: “Well, let’s talk more back at the inn. We’ve already booked a room—come along.”

Ria: “Yes, let’s have a detailed conversation in our room.”

Eve: “R-Right…”

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They walked in perfect sync, flanking me like guards escorting a prisoner. Yeah… I definitely felt like I was being marched off for questioning.

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Our inn was called Tsukimi no Yado—”The Moon-Viewing Inn.” Located in the heart of the city, it was one of the more luxurious lodgings. Its crescent-shaped exterior, made of pale stone, curved in harmony with the water’s edge. The walls were embedded with magic stones that gently glowed, reflecting moonlight and starlight in a soft, luminous shimmer.

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When we entered, Ria and Eve made their way straight to the top floor.

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Ria: “This is it.”

Eve: “Please, Big Brother. After you.”

Yuri: “Wait… isn’t this the top-floor suite…?”

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The room was shaped like a graceful dome of crystal glass. The walls and ceiling were completely transparent, enchanted so that you could see out, but no one could see in.

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At the center stood a large, blue-canopied bed. Nearby were magical lamps and a moonlight-reactive crystal side table. A semi-circular balcony jutted out from the window, and the translucent floor beneath it revealed a view of the dazzling water city of Ordina.

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Only… there was one bed. Just one. It was big enough for three, sure, but… why only one?
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Yuri: “There’s just the one bed?”

Ria: “Yes. That’s right.”

Ria: “It’s big enough for the three of us, so I don’t see a problem.”

Eve: “R-Right…”

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Wait—when did we decide we’d all be sleeping together? But the atmosphere didn’t allow for further questioning. Besides… it wasn’t like this was the first time.

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Ria: “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

Yuri: “Y-Yeah… But this place must be really expensive.”

Ria: “I made quite a bit of money back in the capital. It’s thanks to that. Like I said before, you can leave the finances to me.”

Eve: “I also contributed a little. I thought Big Brother might like it. From now on, Ria and I will earn even more—for your sake. Please count on us.”

Yuri: “O-Okay. If you’ve got it covered, then… Should I chip in?”

Ria: “Nope! Yuri, you don’t need to lift a finger!”

Ria: “Indeed. You are the master here. There’s no need for you to worry about such things.”

Eve: “…Right.”

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Was it really okay to let them do all this for me…? Honestly, being spoiled this much was kind of overwhelming.

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Ria: “So, Yuri… where were you?”

Eve: “Yes, Big Brother. You are obligated to explain. Please do so honestly.”

Yuri: “Well… I was at the university…”

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I then explained everything—how I’d met Alice, and how I wanted to improve my inefficient magic formula. They both listened carefully, but then Ria asked something pointed.

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Ria: “Okay, I get the situation. But Alice is… a woman, right?”

Yuri: “Yeah, she is.”

Ria: “…I see.”

Eve: “…Understood.”

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The two of them narrowed their eyes at me in perfect sync. Their gazes were intense—so much so that I felt a chill run down my spine.

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Uh… should I have told them beforehand?

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Yuri: “Ah, but there’s nothing suspicious going on, alright? I just happened to run into Alice by chance!”

Ria: “If you say so.”

Yuri: “Yes, let’s leave it at that.”

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I exhaled in relief. The tension in the room slowly eased.

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Yuri: “So, I’ll be attending the university for a while as Alice’s assistant—there’s a reason for it.”

Ria: “Is that so…”

Eve: “I see…”

Yuri: “I’ll explain properly, I swear!”

Ria: “As you should.”

Eve: “Of course. Now, Big Brother—please, go ahead.”

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Gulp. Their eyes sharpened once more. Still, this was a good opportunity to have an honest conversation about what came next. We needed to align our goals.

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Ria: “The night is long, you know. We expect a thorough explanation.”

Eve: “Yes. We must discuss this in depth.”

Ria: “Exactly. We won’t allow you to abandon us ever again, got it?”

Eve: “Big Brother. A little sister should always be at her brother’s side. To leave us behind would be… unforgivable.”

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Their rapid-fire remarks left no room to breathe. Their eyes, still devoid of light, bore down on me without mercy.

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Y-Yeah… this might actually turn into a long night.