The scene takes us back to when Harold and his group visited the shrine of Morione.
"Well... I'm not sure... but perhaps that's likely the case...?"
Although she didn't sound entirely confident, her eyes seemed to cloud over, as if reflecting on various scenes from the past.
"Can you foresee the finer details of the future?"
"P-pardon?"
Taken aback by the sudden change in tone, Morione wore a forced smile, her face betraying her fear.
"I asked if you can predict precisely what will happen. You're the goddess of fate after all; you should have some insight, right?"
"That... that's..."
She stammered, sounding like a distressed patient, avoiding eye contact due to her overwhelming discomfort.
Her body tensed, her gaze wandering aimlessly, seeming almost agoraphobic, avoiding direct confrontation with the two.
However, Morione's reaction wasn't entirely unwarranted given...
"Tell me!! The future where I can be with Harold!!"
The two girls, possessing enough power to potentially end her, exuded an intense, frenzied aura, which was likely why Morione was so terrified.
"Eek?!"
Startled by the sudden shout, Morione clutched her chest in alarm.
The redhead seemed somewhat kind, likely due to her mortal nature, but...
"If you don't speak up, I'll twist fate and create a future where you don't exist..."
The black dragon, bearing contempt for deities, displayed no mercy. Now, seemingly running out of patience, she grabbed Morione by the collar.
"G-gasp..."
Struggling to breathe, she tried to pry her grip away.
"O-okay... I'll... tell..."
Only after managing to gasp for air did she finally get a chance to take a deep breath.
"Heaving... heaving..."
After several deep breaths, Morione, with trembling lips, began to speak.
"Got it... You want me to look into the possible futures, right?"
She gave a playful smirk, almost as if she had a trick up her sleeve.
"I call these futures 'possibilities'."
*Possibilities* - a concept representing the extent to which events can transpire. For Morione, this term meant foreseeing various potential futures for someone.
"Understood. Show me the most probable future where I can be with Harold."
Having grasped Morione's meaning, Miru and Erina took a moment to reflect. They then looked at Morione with determined expressions.
"I, too, wish to see a future where I can be with Harold."
After confirming the girls' intentions, Morione nodded in satisfaction.
"Alright, let's begin."
With that, Morione slowly closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and looked skyward, her expression distant.
"Sa--... Ah... Dr--..."
She murmured words too fast for anyone else to grasp. Soon, mystical illusions surrounded her, and Morione seemed to float, as if defying gravity.
After some time, Morione, having finished her divination, returned to her original state. Upon opening her eyes, she wore a cryptic smile. "I've looked into both of your fates and glimpsed the most likely possibility where you can be with Harold," she whispered confidently. The two, as if they had been waiting for this, cried out impatiently with their voices tinged with desperation.
"Tell us now."
"What did you see?!"
Holding back the two girls who seemed like they might rush at her, she gestured for them to calm down.
"I got it, I'll tell you! There's no need to be so hasty!"
Though they were reluctant, knowing that listening to Morione was the only way to understand their chances of being with their beloved, they quickly closed their mouths, maintaining their silence.
"I need to tell you something first. If someone knows another's fate, it becomes malleable, almost certain. So, I will whisper the results individually," she proposed. The two nodded in agreement without any objections. Following that, Erina gestured to Miru.
"Dragon, lend me your ear."
At Morione's request, Miru gently brought her ear closer to her mouth. As she whispered the possibilities, she listened intently, then asked,
"Are you sure?"
"Now that you know, I can't say it's 100%, but that's likely the best course of action."
After hearing all the advice, Miru looked at Morione with a hint of doubt. However, faced with her serious demeanor, she seemed to reluctantly accept.
"Alright, now I'll tell you the possibilities I saw for you," she said, turning to Erina. As it was Erina's turn, she nervously leaned in, trying to grasp the somewhat complex words she was hearing.
"What I glimpsed for you is quite profound. To be with Harold, you'll have to give up on one side. If you choose him, you won't be able to realize the dream you've always had. While there's a slim chance you could achieve both, pushing too hard might make you lose Harold."
Erina tried to comprehend Morione's words, repeatedly going over them in her mind.
"A future with him, but without my dream..."
She reflected on the aspirations she had nurtured for so long.
'My dream was to embark on adventures freely and eventually become a hero...'
She remembered her initial reason for setting out on an adventure.
'But if I can't realize that dream and instead have a fate with Harold...'
She weighed the internal values, pondering which outcome would bring her greater happiness.
'Surely being with Harold is what I truly desire?'
Her internal conflict resolved quickly. While it might have been a dilemma in the past, Erina, now more certain of who she was and what she wanted, quickly came to a decision.
"Whenever that time comes, I won't miss it."
She looked at the man she yearned to share love with, making an endless vow to herself. Erina might not have fully understood Morione's words at the moment, but she would eventually, once the situation arose.
However,
"If it means I can be with Harold, I'll gladly give up my fleeting dream of adventuring."
Even so, if that time ever came, Erina would never miss the opportunity.
------------------------
The chirping of birds, like a natural alarm, along with the warm sunlight, gently nudged him awake.
"Yawn..."
Still half in a daze, he tried to get up, but the inviting comfort of the bed tempted him to sink back in. He felt unusually tired, having slept deeply and comfortably for the first time in a while. Having spent the night in the luxurious Robius family home, He felt well-rested, unlike his usual self.
Suddenly, the curtain was pulled back, flooding the room with light and forcing him to shut his eyes.
"Harold! It's morning, wake up!"
Following that, the soft voice of Erina could be heard. He scrambled in the bed, trying to get up.
"Sorry... I guess I overslept..."
Although he looked a bit disheveled with messy hair and a slightly greasy face, Erina, dressed in the same outfit as the day before, appeared neat and tidy. "It's okay! We need to accept such habits to live together without conflicts."
After yesterday's incident, I couldn't handle her escalating delusions and the atmosphere she created. I haven't expressed my exact intentions yet, but Erina already seemed more lenient and happier, perhaps imagining a harmonious family life.
"We're using separate rooms now since things aren't settled, but soon we'll be able to share a bed."
Ignoring Erina's approach with a budding smile, I pitifully look at the equipment in the corner of the room. My used clothes and armor were coldly discarded, as if they were mere clutter.
"Being adventurers is inevitable, but if we continue to be together-"
"Erina."
My voice, which might sound cold, interrupted Erina. She looks slightly startled at the spot I've been staring at.
"We shouldn't stay here. We belong at the guild hall."
Hearing my words, Erina's smile persisted, but it seemed forced, as if she was desperately trying to avoid something.
"How about learning about administrative tasks starting today? It'll be helpful in the future."
"No... Our job is to fend off monsters."
"Also, how about dressing neatly? How about getting a suit fitting for Harold?"
She continued to speak, completely ignoring my words and pushing her own opinions.
"I have a plan in mind-"
"I look forward to seeing you in a suit! I'll introduce you to the whole family."
She persistently interrupted me, making it hard for me to speak.
"Erina!"
Unable to hold back, I called her name with a forceful tone, causing her face to instantly shift to shock.
Silence filled the room, creating a heavy atmosphere, but I felt I couldn't afford to waste even a moment.
"Let's convince your Mother to return to adventuring. If we do well, we can regain our previous life."
I tried to persuade Erina with a serious tone, but for some reason, she seemed less considerate than usual and vehemently disagreed.
"No... Why continue a dangerous lifestyle? As of now, we can live comfortably and happily for the rest of our lives."
With a sorrowful face, she tried to entice me into the current lifestyle.
"Please, let's be content with this present life..."
Despite her earnest plea, I had a clear goal and needed to be steadfast.
"Let's protest right now, trust me, I'll make an opportunity-"
"No."
My earnest explanations were met with cold indifference.
"Erina?"
Suddenly, the room's temperature dropped, as if a cold front had swept in. The ruby-red brilliance of her eyes dimmed, and a chilling aura made my limbs feel numb.
"Why are you so keen on leaving this life? We have each other right now..."
Suddenly, I felt a strong pain around my wrist, as if my freedom was being snatched away. I was utterly overpowered by a force I couldn't resist.
"Harold."
The frosty atmosphere started morphing into something even stranger...
"Er... Erina? Why are you tearing your clothes?"
Suddenly, she ripped off her neatly worn clothes and looked at me with malicious eyes.
"So, you're reckless because you have no life to be responsible for."
With overwhelming strength, she easily overpowered both my hands with just one of hers, rendering me helpless.
"If you now have someone to look after, will you stay here obediently?"
She sneered maliciously and then uttered words that made my heart sink. "?!?!"
"If you become a father, wouldn't you be too worried about the child to go on an adventure?"
The absurdity of her statement chills me to the bone and pushes the limits of my rationality.
It's as if an emergency alarm is sounding in my mind, heightening my anxiety as my heart begins to race.
"Erina? Stop...!"
But she continues with that suspicious smile, seemingly enjoying my discomfort.
"Don't worry; it'll be over before you know it."
Realizing Erina's intentions, I desperately try to break free, but she's beyond control.
"This isn't right, this is the wrong thing to do!"
"No, it's not."
Our perspectives are so misaligned that words fail to bridge the gap. Despite my best efforts to resist, it felt futile.
"I can't understand why you're making such a face. Just change your perspective, and you might even smile, right?"
She treats me like an object, and I'm powerless against her. I have no choice but to listen to her soft, seductive whispers.
"You don't need to be so serious; just take what's given."
My thin clothing has long been removed, and the situation is dire.
"This act is a crime..."
With my last hope, I plead for her rationality to return.
"Why do you think it's a crime? If both feel good, isn't it okay?"
She casually recites a common justification used by sexual offenders.
"Just accept it; it'll be easier if you enjoy it."
Ignoring my wishes, she brings her lips close, speaking in a sweet voice.
"So, what I'm trying to do isn't rape, but consensual sex."