"No Marriage, Please! vs. Marry Me or Die: The Ultimate Love Showdown" - Episode 39

Alice and I continued working seriously on our research together. Through my conversations with her, my understanding of magic deepened, and my skill in manipulating it gradually improved.

Alice was always completely absorbed at her desk, scribbling down complicated magic formulas on sheets of paper. Beside her, various experimental tools were in motion. I couldn’t make sense of what exactly she was doing, but one thing was crystal clear—she was more dedicated than anyone.

“When complex formulas interact… yes, inefficiencies emerge. Even with singular formulas, when they collide, surplus energy is generated. To eliminate that—”

I had disclosed all my magical formulas to Alice. She used them as the basis to further refine and improve the magic itself.

Alice: “Phew… Let’s take a little break.”

Leaning back into her chair, Alice stretched her limbs with a long sigh.

Yuri: “Alice, I made a fresh pot of coffee.”

Alice: “Ah, thanks, Assistant Yuri-kun.”

I handed her a cup, which she sipped gratefully. But since she’d been cooped up for days now, I decided to make a suggestion.

Yuri: “Hey, how about taking a little break and going out for a while? You’ve been working nonstop lately. But if you’d rather stay focused on the research, I understand.”

Her eyes lit up immediately as she leaned forward eagerly.

Alice: “Eh!? Really!?”

Yuri: “Yeah, of course. I was thinking maybe we could visit a café on Lilith Street?”

Alice: “Yes! Let’s go! Definitely!”

Just as we were about to head out, Alice’s cheeks flushed slightly and she turned to me shyly.

Alice: “Um… would you mind stepping outside for a moment? I want to change.”

Yuri: “Huh? Ah, yeah. Sure. I’ll wait.”

Back when we first met, she would’ve changed right in front of me without hesitation. I guess something had shifted in her heart.

A few minutes later—

Alice: “S-Sorry for the wait…”

Yuri: “Eh—?”

I’d expected her usual white lab coat. She owned several identical ones, after all. But this time—she looked completely different.

She wore a soft cherry-pink frilled blouse that hugged her shoulders. A small ribbon was tied neatly at her collar, and delicate embroidery traced the cuffs of her sleeves. Her deep navy pleated skirt extended just below her knees, drawing subtle attention to her elegant legs. A small leather shoulder bag hung from her left side, completing the look.

But the most striking detail was the silver hair ornament that adorned her head—tiny gears and a star-shaped charm shimmered softly in the light.

Alice: “S-So… what do you think?”

Yuri: “You look beautiful.”

Alice: “Eh?”

Yuri: “It suits you really well. You’re adorable, Alice.”

Alice: “Ugh… Haha! I-I know, right! Of course I do!”

Yuri: “You’ve got amazing taste.”

Alice: “U-Um… thanks.”

Yuri: “But why the sudden change? You’re always in your lab coat.”

Alice: “W-Well… I mean, wearing a lab coat to a festival would be weird, right…?”

She looked up at me with innocent eyes—and the sheer cuteness of it nearly burned my retinas. Seeing her usual intellectual aura replaced by a look so age-appropriate and sweet… it struck something deep in my heart. N-No, this is bad. I need to keep it together.

Yuri: “Okay then. Shall we go?”

Alice: “Yeah!”

She held out her hand to me. Naturally, I took it. Hand in hand, we headed into the lively city streets.

We arrived at a magic café located in Lilia Street, a place popular with young people and always bustling.

It wasn’t the same café I’d visited with Ria and Eve. This one, I thought, was perfect for Alice.

Alice: “Wow… this is amazing.”

Yuri: “Right? I’ve wanted to come here with you.”

The moment we opened the door, the noise of the outside world faded away. Inside was a tranquil space where magic gently pulsed. Amber lights and floating lanterns softly lit the room. The walls were adorned with magical wallpaper that changed scenes on its own—currently a blooming garden.

We ordered lattes, and the cups arrived with shimmering, softly glowing magic circles drawn in the foam.

Alice: “Incredible! I didn’t know magic could be used like this…!”

Yuri: “Yeah. This city really is something else.”

We spent a quiet, gentle moment together. I just wanted Alice to be happy—even if only a little.

Then, she cast her gaze downward, eyes a touch melancholic.

Alice: “Assistant Yuri-kun… actually, the research is almost finished. I think your magic formula will be complete soon. Probably before the Seisui Festival.”

Yuri: “I see. Thank you, Alice. I haven’t been able to help much, though.”

Alice: “No, not at all. You’ve helped me immensely. It’s even opened the door for other research.”

Yuri: “That’s good to hear.”

Alice: “Yeah… so please, stay with me until the very end, okay? Assistant Yuri-kun.”

Yuri: “Of course.”

Alice reached out her hand, and I grasped it warmly in return.

We didn’t know it then—

But the time of our parting… was already just around the corner.

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†

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I left Assistant Yuri-kun and returned to the lab. The world was bathed in twilight.

I walked straight back, but my heart ached the entire way.

I could’ve delayed the research—stretched things out on purpose just to spend more time with him.

That temptation tugged at me, but I pushed it away.

Doing so would be disrespectful to him… and I have my pride as a researcher too.

He’d been helping me this whole time.

He says he didn’t do much, but that’s not true at all.

Talking to someone expands your world in ways you can’t imagine—

I’d never known that before.

“So… this is what saying goodbye feels like. It’s this painful…”

Back at the lab, I slumped into a chair and stared up at the ceiling.

He’ll be gone soon.

And I can’t stop him.

He must have a greater mission ahead of him.

So I’ll do what I can, until the very end.

Someday… I believe we’ll meet again in a distant future.

I was already looking forward to the festival—our last memory together.

Hehe. Maybe I’ll buy a new outfit just for him?

Some new accessories would be nice too.

He said I looked cute today, and… that really made me happy.

And then—a knock at the door.

I recognized it immediately. Prof. Nox.

Prof. Nox: “Alice. Do you have a moment?”

Alice: “Of course. What’s the matter?”

Prof. Nox: “Well… it’s difficult to say, but it’s about your assistant.”

Alice: “Hmm? Oh…”

I hadn’t expected him to bring up Assistant Yuri-kun, so I was caught off guard.

Prof. Nox: “I was transporting a recording artifact for an experiment. By pure chance… I caught his voice on it.”

Alice: “His voice?”

He played the recording—and without a doubt, it was Assistant Yuri-kun’s voice.

“Sure, Alice is a genius, but she’s a laughable kid. Trying to act all grown-up—it’s hilarious watching a child pretend to be a scholar. Hah! I’ll just use her while I can. Ugh, babysitting a brat is such a pain…”

Alice: “—What?”

Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies. Lies.

There’s no way… no way he would say that.

But it was unmistakably his voice.

My heart raced, pounding so violently it hurt. My vision blurred.

The shock overwhelmed me. My thoughts couldn’t keep up.

I couldn’t even tell what was true anymore.

Prof. Nox: “Alice, I say this for your own good—

You should dismiss him. It’s lucky this got recorded.

I just wanted you to know.”

Alice: “Y… Yeah…”

Prof. Nox: “Also—”

Whatever we talked about after that, I can’t remember.

The world that had once been so clear now felt like it was being swallowed in fog.

After that, I couldn’t bring myself to touch my research.

I curled up alone in the corner of the lab, unable to do anything but cry.

Alice: “Sniff… I—I was such a fool…”

Over and over and over, the words of Assistant Yuri-kun—mocking me—replayed in my head.

The sound of the world vanished.

Everything that once had color faded into gray.

I lost my sense of balance.

I couldn’t even tell where in the world I was anymore.

Tears poured down my cheeks, uncontrollably.

My shoulders shook as sobs escaped my throat.

“Hic… ugh…”

And just like that, I was consumed—

By a deep, deep despair.

A lightless, freezing pit from which no warmth could reach me.