“Congratulations Alice.” Christina said. “You did it.”
What does she mean by that? Don’t tell me I fucked up.
“Yes.” Alice said with excitement. She was still hugging me tightly. “Thank you Brian.”
“...are you that excited for some bracelets?” I asked.
“Of course I am. Who wouldn’t be?” She responded.
The room was silent. No one said anything to that. But they are just some magic equipment. Yeah, they are kinda nice, but something to go crazy over? I don’t think so.
“Brian.” Christina began. “Did you not know that giving a bracelet with a magic stone you made is an engagement proposal?”
… it's WHAT? Of course I didn’t know. How would I know that? Laura, why didn’t you warn me?
(Access to regional culture is not available.) Laura told me. She sounded more mechanical than usual.
“... I’m sorry. I didn’t know that.” I told them.
“Does that mean… you didn’t propose?” Alice asked as she took some distance. As much distance as you can take while sitting on someone’s lap.
“I’m sorry.” I repeated. “I didn’t know a bracelet had a meaning like that.” I told her as I took her back into a hug. I’m not risking her running off again. I can only use MST once per day.
… Actually, now that I know it's just shade, I could just walk into the spell.
“Don’t you like me?” Alice asked. I heard her sobbing lightly. I think she might be crying
“Alice.” I began. “I told you yesterday, I need some more time.”
“Why??” She said mid cry.
“It’s just… I have my reasons.” I only told Christina about being from a different world after all.
“Why don’t you just tell her?” Christina asked.
“Mother?” Alice raised her head that was resting against my shoulder. “Do you know why Brian won’t love me?”
Christina got up from her seat and walked over to us. She then placed her hands on Alice’s cheeks, lining up their eyes.
“Alice, love is complicated. It doesn’t come immediately. Some people need more time for it. And Brian is still recovering from the loss of his family.” Christina told her daughter. “You shouldn’t try forcing him into anything. That will only push him away.”
“Then what should I do?” Alice asked.
…this doesn’t feel like a conversation they should be having while Alice is literally sitting on my lap.
“Do what you have been doing. Get close to him, hang out with him, show your good sides to him and charm him. I know you can do it.” Christina instructed Alice. Then she turned to me. “Or am I wrong?”
“... I guess not exactly.” I told her. “But honestly, at least half of this mess is your fault.” I said as I faced Christina. “That stunt you talked her into this morning. Why would you do that?”
“... “ Now it was her choice to be lost for words.
“Mother said it was to get you out of bed.” Alice told me. “She said you were sad and needed something else to focus on.”
“I guess that is true.” I said to Alice. “I was feeling terrible this morning.”
Last night, or evening, was rough. I laid a lot out to Christina, even if I didn’t even get to touch on Laura and that wormhole.
(Don’t call me a wormhole.) Laura complained.
But I never did. I just meant my relationship with your namesake.
(Master could always marry me.) She offered.
(I like the sound of that.) I told Laura. I still love her. Well, the other her. Even if she left me in that way. I know I would have taken her back if she had come to me and honestly asked. Perhaps she just is my weakness.
“But now you are feeling all better, right? We had a good date, didn’t we?” Alice asked.
“Yeah, we did. I did enjoy it.” I told her. She did manage to bring my mood up a lot. But I still feel like I need another heart-to-heart with Christina today. I should probably tell her about Laura as well.
In the end, I kept the bracelets for now. I promised Alice I would give them to her when I was actually ready to propose to her.
The rest of the day was quite peaceful. Other than Alice wanting to hug me and not let go when the rain decided to upgrade itself to thunder. Or would it be lightning? Lightning storm? Yeah, that sounds correct.
I really hope Brandon and the rest of them weren’t on their way here when the rain started. Camping out in that kind of lightning storm would be terrible. I guess if it was just Brandon I might not mind and would see this as a way of the world punishing him for being a bad parent. But the others don’t deserve it.
“Good night.” I wished Alice as we were leaving the dining room after dinner.
“Good night.” She responded. “Are you sure I can’t sleep with you?”
“I’m sorry.” I said to her. “It would be better if we did not.”
“... I’ll just sneak in again.” She said quietly.
“No you won’t. It’s not appropriate for a young lady to sleep with someone of the opposite sex.” Jenna countered. “I’ll sleep with you to make sure.”
“But I did it before…” Alice complained.
“That doesn’t make it better. Let’s head to your room. I still need to bathe you before bed.” Jenna said as she took Alice away.
I watched as the two of them disappeared from the room.
After they had left, I turned to face Christina.
“Could we continue the conversation from yesterday?” I asked.
“Are you sure you are ready for more?” She asked in response.
“Yeah, there is one more thing I want to touch on.” I told her.
We were back in the master bedroom. Christina brought out the same bottle of brandy that we opened yesterday. I guess I could enjoy one glass.
“So here we are. What secrets will you share today?” Christina asked after she had poured a drink for both of us.
“I don’t have much to tell today. It’s definitely less than what I told yesterday.” I said as I took a sip of the brandy. It does taste really good.
Christina also took a sip before saying. “Go on then.”
“It’s about Laura. And not the system support.” I began. “There is a reason why I named the system support Laura. That’s because she sounds exactly like someone from my old world. Someone who meant a lot to me.”
“She was your lover, wasn’t she?” Christina guessed.
“Yeah.” I told her. “I was planning on proposing to her. But she left me.”
“Left you? Why?”
“I really don’t know. The reason she told me was that I was using money in a dumb way. But it wasn’t like we were broke or something. She just got mad at me for using my money for something I wanted and left. She didn’t explain it, or anything. She just left me a note that she is leaving me.”
“I see.” Christina said understandingly. “But then why would you name the system support after her?”
“I really didn’t plan to. I already told you that when I talk with system support, she sounds just like Laura did. When I woke up for the first time in this world, she was the one waking me up. I thought she was Laura, so I called her Laura. That led to the system support liking that name and I just accepted it.”
“I see.” Christina commented.
“The worst part was that it was on the morning of the day I appeared in this world that the separation between me and Laura happened. I had barely processed it when I suddenly appeared in the core room of that dungeon. Then I had to fight my way out of the dungeon and everything. I never really had time to process all of it, until Alice’s confession yesterday brought it back to the surface.”
“I think I understand.” Christina said. “You really have it rough. But I think we should call it a night. I believe you didn’t sleep well last night. You should go make up for it.”
“Sure. Thank you for your time.” I said as I emptied my glass and got up. “Good night.”
“Good night.” Christina said as I left the room.
Like yesterday, I took a quick bath and got into bed.
“Congratulations Alice.” Christina said. “You did it.”
What does she mean by that? Don’t tell me I fucked up.
“Yes.” Alice said with excitement. She was still hugging me tightly. “Thank you Brian.”
“...are you that excited for some bracelets?” I asked.
“Of course I am. Who wouldn’t be?” She responded.
The room was silent. No one said anything to that. But they are just some magic equipment. Yeah, they are kinda nice, but something to go crazy over? I don’t think so.
“Brian.” Christina began. “Did you not know that giving a bracelet with a magic stone you made is an engagement proposal?”
… it's WHAT? Of course I didn’t know. How would I know that? Laura, why didn’t you warn me?
(Access to regional culture is not available.) Laura told me. She sounded more mechanical than usual.
“... I’m sorry. I didn’t know that.” I told them.
“Does that mean… you didn’t propose?” Alice asked as she took some distance. As much distance as you can take while sitting on someone’s lap.
“I’m sorry.” I repeated. “I didn’t know a bracelet had a meaning like that.” I told her as I took her back into a hug. I’m not risking her running off again. I can only use MST once per day.
… Actually, now that I know it's just shade, I could just walk into the spell.
“Don’t you like me?” Alice asked. I heard her sobbing lightly. I think she might be crying
“Alice.” I began. “I told you yesterday, I need some more time.”
“Why??” She said mid cry.
“It’s just… I have my reasons.” I only told Christina about being from a different world after all.
“Why don’t you just tell her?” Christina asked.
“Mother?” Alice raised her head that was resting against my shoulder. “Do you know why Brian won’t love me?”
Christina got up from her seat and walked over to us. She then placed her hands on Alice’s cheeks, lining up their eyes.
“Alice, love is complicated. It doesn’t come immediately. Some people need more time for it. And Brian is still recovering from the loss of his family.” Christina told her daughter. “You shouldn’t try forcing him into anything. That will only push him away.”
“Then what should I do?” Alice asked.
…this doesn’t feel like a conversation they should be having while Alice is literally sitting on my lap.
“Do what you have been doing. Get close to him, hang out with him, show your good sides to him and charm him. I know you can do it.” Christina instructed Alice. Then she turned to me. “Or am I wrong?”
“... I guess not exactly.” I told her. “But honestly, at least half of this mess is your fault.” I said as I faced Christina. “That stunt you talked her into this morning. Why would you do that?”
“... “ Now it was her choice to be lost for words.
“Mother said it was to get you out of bed.” Alice told me. “She said you were sad and needed something else to focus on.”
“I guess that is true.” I said to Alice. “I was feeling terrible this morning.”
Last night, or evening, was rough. I laid a lot out to Christina, even if I didn’t even get to touch on Laura and that wormhole.
(Don’t call me a wormhole.) Laura complained.
But I never did. I just meant my relationship with your namesake.
(Master could always marry me.) She offered.
(I like the sound of that.) I told Laura. I still love her. Well, the other her. Even if she left me in that way. I know I would have taken her back if she had come to me and honestly asked. Perhaps she just is my weakness.
“But now you are feeling all better, right? We had a good date, didn’t we?” Alice asked.
“Yeah, we did. I did enjoy it.” I told her. She did manage to bring my mood up a lot. But I still feel like I need another heart-to-heart with Christina today. I should probably tell her about Laura as well.
In the end, I kept the bracelets for now. I promised Alice I would give them to her when I was actually ready to propose to her.
The rest of the day was quite peaceful. Other than Alice wanting to hug me and not let go when the rain decided to upgrade itself to thunder. Or would it be lightning? Lightning storm? Yeah, that sounds correct.
I really hope Brandon and the rest of them weren’t on their way here when the rain started. Camping out in that kind of lightning storm would be terrible. I guess if it was just Brandon I might not mind and would see this as a way of the world punishing him for being a bad parent. But the others don’t deserve it.
“Good night.” I wished Alice as we were leaving the dining room after dinner.
“Good night.” She responded. “Are you sure I can’t sleep with you?”
“I’m sorry.” I said to her. “It would be better if we did not.”
“... I’ll just sneak in again.” She said quietly.
“No you won’t. It’s not appropriate for a young lady to sleep with someone of the opposite sex.” Jenna countered. “I’ll sleep with you to make sure.”
“But I did it before…” Alice complained.
“That doesn’t make it better. Let’s head to your room. I still need to bathe you before bed.” Jenna said as she took Alice away.
I watched as the two of them disappeared from the room.
After they had left, I turned to face Christina.
“Could we continue the conversation from yesterday?” I asked.
“Are you sure you are ready for more?” She asked in response.
“Yeah, there is one more thing I want to touch on.” I told her.
We were back in the master bedroom. Christina brought out the same bottle of brandy that we opened yesterday. I guess I could enjoy one glass.
“So here we are. What secrets will you share today?” Christina asked after she had poured a drink for both of us.
“I don’t have much to tell today. It’s definitely less than what I told yesterday.” I said as I took a sip of the brandy. It does taste really good.
Christina also took a sip before saying. “Go on then.”
“It’s about Laura. And not the system support.” I began. “There is a reason why I named the system support Laura. That’s because she sounds exactly like someone from my old world. Someone who meant a lot to me.”
“She was your lover, wasn’t she?” Christina guessed.
“Yeah.” I told her. “I was planning on proposing to her. But she left me.”
“Left you? Why?”
“I really don’t know. The reason she told me was that I was using money in a dumb way. But it wasn’t like we were broke or something. She just got mad at me for using my money for something I wanted and left. She didn’t explain it, or anything. She just left me a note that she is leaving me.”
“I see.” Christina said understandingly. “But then why would you name the system support after her?”
“I really didn’t plan to. I already told you that when I talk with system support, she sounds just like Laura did. When I woke up for the first time in this world, she was the one waking me up. I thought she was Laura, so I called her Laura. That led to the system support liking that name and I just accepted it.”
“I see.” Christina commented.
“The worst part was that it was on the morning of the day I appeared in this world that the separation between me and Laura happened. I had barely processed it when I suddenly appeared in the core room of that dungeon. Then I had to fight my way out of the dungeon and everything. I never really had time to process all of it, until Alice’s confession yesterday brought it back to the surface.”
“I think I understand.” Christina said. “You really have it rough. But I think we should call it a night. I believe you didn’t sleep well last night. You should go make up for it.”
“Sure. Thank you for your time.” I said as I emptied my glass and got up. “Good night.”
“Good night.” Christina said as I left the room.
Like yesterday, I took a quick bath and got into bed.
