Chapter 136: Two Options

Well, I thought it would be funny to recreate that scene when I saw her waking up with a bewildered look on her face, completely clueless, but it seems she has an "age radar" too.

I guess it’s something elves have.

"Yeah... Wait! W-what is this place? W-why am I here? H-how did I g-get here? R-really, what do you want to do with me?" (Olivia)

"Oh, you’re getting nervous again. Hmm, you’re the type who doesn’t get along well with strangers, aren’t you? Since you got along so well with Camellia, ".

"Y-yes, I’m not very good with... No! Answer my q-questions!" (Olivia)

"Oh, you’re trying to act brave, but your voice is shaking. All right, I’ll tell you. You remember how Scarlet and I were teasing you earlier, right?"

"Yes, at that moment I saw you say there was something behind us, then there was a flash of light and... w-what did you do to me?" (Olivia)

"Me? Nothing. I was scared by that explosion and the light, too. I panicked a little and ran around aimlessly. When I could see again, I realized I had you in my arms, unconscious."

"That sounds like a lame excuse, and it doesn’t explain how I got here." (Olivia)

"I’m getting to that. The thing is, by that point, I was outside that corner where we were all standing. Since I’m not very good with directions and didn’t know how to get back, I finally decided to head back to my place."

"Huh?! Y-you left even with everything that was going on?! And with me?!"(Olivia)

"Yeah, luckily I didn’t run into anything strange along the way, and we made it here safely. I don’t think it was anything serious, and, well, this is my massage parlor."

"Is that really what happened?" (Olivia)

"Yeah. By the way, since we’re here, why don’t we have a little fun? We can do all that stuff I told you about earlier."

"Y-you definitely brought me here on p-purpose." (Olivia)

"Well, it was either that or leave you lying there. So obviously I brought you here on purpose. So, what do you say? Don’t you want to have some fun with me?"

"N-no! Ah! S-stay away from me!" (Olivia)

During our conversation, I was quietly moving closer to her, and before she realized it, I placed my hands on her shoulders.

I began giving her a gentle shoulder massage, and she immediately felt the effects.

"Hey! Well, I applied pressure to a few spots that’ll help you relax a bit. I can tell you’re tense from everything that’s been going on lately. Okay, I guess it’s not right to jump right into it either—it’s good to get to know each other a little first. Hmm, talking about the person we have in common will help us connect faster. Why don’t you tell me a little about how you and Lys met?"

"N-no, that’s none of your business! And get your hands off me!" (Olivia)

Strangely enough, at first glance she seemed easy to rattle and pressure—even more so than Shiro—but it seems that’s not entirely the case, and now she’s highly on the defensive.

There’s also the fact that she really seems to be in love with Lys.

Yeah, I feel like I’m not getting anywhere this way; I think a different approach will do the trick.

"Yeah, I guess you’re the type who keeps her precious moments to herself, and I get that. Although I don’t think Lys feels the same way, I’ll ask her later. Hmm, though, I wonder if that was important enough to her to even remember it."

"Seriously, cut it out. I know Lys will never return my feelings, but that doesn’t mean I want anything to do with you. Yes, you’re beautiful and pretty, but that’s all. I have no interest in you. Just because I like women doesn’t mean I like you."(Olivia)

It seems my words really hit a nerve, because she got angry, pulled away from me, and glared at me—there were tiny tears in the corners of her eyes.

"I see... I guess I won’t be able to have a little fun with someone with a broken heart. That’s a shame. It seems I underestimated you."

"Hmph! I’m not some slut or a pervert like you. You’re a disgrace to the elves. Just seeing you really pisses me off. I’m leaving."(Olivia)

Oh! This little one went on the offensive.

I guess she wants to throw some hurtful words back at me before she leaves, but I won’t make it that easy for her.

"Yeah, you can go back and spend your time as Lys’s friend—since that’s all you’ll ever be—and then spend your whole life never being able to express your feelings, because you’re a coward who can only speak properly when you’re angry."

"(?__?), y-you..."(Olivia)

"Oh, what’s the matter? Are you angry? Are you going to attack me? Fine, go ahead, but whatever happens next, I’ll claim it was self-defense. That I undressed you? Self-defense! That I licked you a few times? It was self-defense! I was scared and didn’t know what to do."

I said that while sticking out my tongue and making licking gestures.

She was now looking at me with a really red face. She was angry, but also embarrassed by my shamelessness.

"You’re really disgusting." (Olivia)

"Haha! Come on, you can’t tell a joke when you hear one. Hmm, or is it because it was just a half-joke that you didn’t get? Hey, Olivia, what do you think is the truth in everything I said? Hehe~."

"You... No, continuing this conversation makes no sense at all. I won’t waste my precious time on you. I can see that all you do is spout stupid provocations with an ulterior motive." (Olivia)

"Oh, so now you’re suddenly starting to speak reasonably? Haha, I thought you’d bring out your aggressive side and attack me, but I see that, instead, you’re showing your reasonable side. Haha! You’re so funny! Although that won’t make Lys love you."

"(?__? )Stop saying that just because you can!. You won’t get anything out of me." (Olivia)

"No, I’ve already managed to make you get angry every time I say it. Haha! And the fact that you don’t say anything in response means I’m right—how pathetic you are. I bet you’d volunteer to be her godmother when she has her first kids, haha! And you’d do something like imagine they’re your kids with her."

"Enough already! I’m not going to keep doing this..." (Olivia)

Finally, as if she didn’t want to keep wasting her time with me, she walked toward the exit.

Well, I was just testing the waters a little to figure out what kind of person she was—though I won’t deny I had a little fun teasing her—but now it was time to lay my cards on the table.

And before she left, I spoke to her.

"Haha, Livvy, it’s true that your chances with Lys seem hopeless. Even in the short time I saw them, I noticed she couldn’t care less about you—she didn’t even notice you were there until the guy she liked pointed in your direction, and she didn’t waste any more time on you even though you looked like you were in trouble."

"..." (Olivia)

She didn’t answer and kept walking toward the door, but my hearing is so sharp that I could hear her clenching her teeth in frustration.

Yes, for better or worse, she seemed to have known everything I said for a long time.

She loved Lys, even though she knew for certain that her love would never lead anywhere.

But that’s how love is, isn’t it? You can’t always choose who to love.

And no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t push those feelings aside. So she settled for staying by her side, even if only as a friend.

It wasn’t much, she knew, but at least it allowed her to remain a part of her life.

She probably didn’t even plan on trying to change things. She wasn’t going to confess her feelings or risk losing what little she had with her.

She preferred to keep everything just as it was, clinging to that closeness which, as painful as it might be, was still better than not having her in her life at all.

She was already prepared to stand on the sidelines, in silence, watching as the woman she loved found happiness with someone else.

And when that moment came, she would try to smile, be happy for her, and convince herself that seeing her happy was enough to make her happy, too.

Although, deep down, perhaps a small part of her heart would always wish she had been that person.

Yes, that was the most likely outcome. But...

To hell with that. The only clichés I like are the ones with happy endings—possibly including wild sex. So it’s time for some emotional manipulation... I mean, to make an offer.

Yeah, I don’t like that scenario at all, and I have nothing to gain by letting it run its course, so I’ll dive right in.

"Haha! Yeah, the odds are so low that it’s understandable you’d never confess, but I have a way to help you and her get together and greatly increase the chances that she might reciprocate your feelings—and the best part is, even if it fails, you’ll both be able to stay friends."

As soon as she heard that, Olivia stopped dead in her tracks. Her hand, just about to turn the doorknob, also stopped.

Now there were two options: either she’d dismiss my words as meaningless nonsense and go out without listening to me, or...

"What do you mean by that?" (Olivia)

’Haha! Sweet Olivia, this decision is something you won’t regret.’