Coming to my senses, the back of my head was wrapped by something firm yet soft.
Harder than my usual pillows, but warmer and full of bounce along with a gentle rustle over my head.
Ah, a lap pillow.
I see, I'm still in bed.
"Mmm, I can't eat anymore."
Pretending that I'm still asleep, I turn around and bury myself in the Bermuda Triangle between those thighs.
I take a deep breath of that crevasse, and at the same time, rub that behind.
"Yah?"
Eh?
The shape of these buttocks... not Sylphy's.
Sylphy's are small and slender, with so little fat that you can't grip them in your hand.
That smell isn't Roxy's either.
A whiff of Roxy would calm me, yet this smells a bit of sweat.
Alarms ring danger from the back of my head as soon as the smell reached.
It's not bad at all, actually rather nostalgic.
Slowly, I turned around and open my eyes toward the owner of these lap pillows.
Two mountains tower above, and above that, a pair of sharp eyes glare.
Eris.
Eris grabs my cranium.
It's going to break--
Sylphy, Roxy.
Please forgive me, for this is goodbye.
Yet, suddenly, my head was rubbed by a strong but gentle hand.
I curl up into a ball looking at Eris.
She's pouting, her face red, but she isn't angry.
"Excuse me, Eris.... sama?"
"Just Eris."
"Eris... Em, I'm sorry."
For that apology, my head was grasped forcefully.
Ahh, please forgive me, for this is goodbye.
"...To be honest... I was also in the wrong."
"Oh, well... yeah."
"The letter, I read it. Rudeus must have had it hard too."
With my brain firmly locked in place, I nod lightly at Eris.
I'm not mature enough to say that Eris did nothing wrong.
Back then, we misunderstood each other.
I was hurt, and now Eris is hurting.
"Hey, Rudeus."
"What is it?"
"..."
Her mouth shut. Eris looks uncertain about what she should say.
Things that must be said, but are so difficult to put into words.
For me, for Eris, these five years have been too long.
"Rudeus, those two, do you love them?"
"Yes, I love them."
With those words, Eris's grip grows stronger.
"Even more than me?"
"...Yes."
Hearing that from me, sorrow overwhelms her features.
It's over; I should have picked my words more carefully.
They can't be compared.
I like Eris. I have fallen for her all over again.
"Do you... hate me?"
"Of course not, it's just... we've been separated for too long. So maybe, I don't know how I can face you."
"Even now, I still like Rudeus. I want Rudeus to love me."
Eris, red faced, was that a...?
No, of course that was a confession.
How should I respond?
The answer has already been decided. But before that, I should make sure.
"But, I already... have two wives."
"..."
With a face of fury, Eris stands up suddenly.
From the lap pillow, I fell over onto the floor.
Looks like I'm in the living room, but there's not a person in sight.
Even though Norn and Aisha should both be home, they're nowhere to be seen.
Those clever girls must want to give us two some personal space.
Towering over me, Eris crosses her arms, staring me down. Her feet are shoulder-wide, and her chin is raised in the exact posture when we first met.
"Rudeus, outside, duel!"
"Eh! Duel?