Chapter 33: Turning Point

Jake and Reina sat on the floor and faced each other. After leaving the restroom, everything became awkward for both of them, but Jake resolved to clear the atmosphere between them before everything became too convoluted.

"Reina, I love Marilyn. I don't want to abandon her," Jake said flatly. He knew he would hurt Reina, but he needed to be firm to resolve their situation.

Reina looked down and put on a sad face. "I never did things like that to any other men. It was my first time."

And it was Jake's first kiss too. He could have blamed her, but in the middle through the end, he enjoyed and led the kiss, so it wasn't entirely her fault.

"I don't plan to reject you either."

Reina slowly raised her head and looked at him with confusion. "Pardon?"

"I don't plan to abandon either you or Marilyn. I was trying to pretend today's event never happened, but I can't. I enjoyed the kiss, and I want more. Reina, become my second girlfriend."

"Second girlfriend?"

Jake nodded. "You are second because I fell in love with Marilyn first, but I won't focus more attention on her or you. I will focus on both of you accordingly, and I will prioritize myself," Jake said blatantly. He didn't want to sugarcoat his words so that she clung to false hope. At least, he was honest and upfront with his desire.

If Reina rejected him because of it, then so be it. That meant they were not fated to be together. If so, he would try to forget the pleasure he had experienced with her together.

"I—okay. I will become your second girlfriend."

Jake blinked his eyes. He was prepared for rejection, but he didn't expect Reina to accept to be his second girlfriend. He wanted to ask if she was sure about it, but he refrained because it sounded like he wasn't ready for the responsibility. He was ready!

"Well, hm, then please take care of me from now on, Reina."

"M—me too...."

Things became awkward for them, but Jake still led the conversation. There was one thing he needed to discuss with his partner when he got one, and that was the boundary. What they could do and not as lovers.

"Reina, I know we are still awkward with each other, but before we continue our relationship, I think it is important to set rules as lovers."

Reina nodded, and Jake continued. "I will propose rules first. I won't cheat on you and Marilyn. If I breach this, you can take my life. However, you can't cheat on me with other men, or I can take your life without opposition. "

Reina nodded. "I agree. Please don't let another woman in."

"I promise. Second rule. We have dreams, so we are free to chase each other's dreams. You can't get in the way of my dream, and I can't get in the way of your dream. However, if one of us resorts to inhumane ways when chasing our dreams, we can stop us."

Reina agreed again. "I won't let Jake become an evil person."

"I will make sure you are walking on the right path," Jake added. "Then, the third rule. All my loves, respects, and fortunes are yours and Marilyn's, so in exchange, please respect me and let me become the leader among us. You don't have to love me or give me anything. Just respect me."

"I decline." Jake frowned when he heard her, and she explained. "I haven't known you for long, but Butler seems like the type of person who will bear the burden of people in his care. I don't want you to suffer. Let's share our burdens together. Isn't that the purpose of becoming a couple?"

Jake laughed at her explanation because she made sense, and he was wrong. "You are right." He leaned forward and patted her. "By the way, call me Jake. It's so awkward to call me by my family name."

"Mhm, J-Jake."

"Then Reina, I will trouble you to share my burden. Can you help me?"

"I won't disappoint you."

"Let's meet Marilyn. I need to explain everything to her."

---

Jake and Reina went to the dormitory's garden. This was the place where Marilyn usually gathered with her friends to socialize. At the moment, she was having a tea party with her female classmates. They were laughing and enjoying the conversation. The girl was having her time to enjoy life.

Jake kind of felt guilty because he would hurt her feelings, but this was his decision. He needed to explain the things between him and Reina, and he wanted her approval. If she didn't allow his relationship with Reina, he would give up the idea of having a romantic relationship with Marilyn and stay with Reina. However, he would still protect her, even if she rejected him. At least, he would do that until she found her cure.

Jake felt nervous as he and Reina approached Marilyn. He didn't hesitate to hold Reina's hand intimately. If he wanted to openly two-timing girls, he wouldn't be a coward that hid his relationship with a second girl.

Marilyn saw Jake's action and frowned. "Jake?"

"Marilyn, can we talk now?" Jake asked as he grabbed Reina's hand tighter. Reina only looked down at the ground with a pale expression.

Marilyn looked at Reina and put on a worried expression. "Is Miss Rowe okay? Do you need me to cure her with a healing spell?"

"Reina is okay. I am here to discuss something about Reina and you."

"Me and Reina?" Marilyn put on a confused expression.

At the same time, her friends stood up and asked her permission to leave. After they left, Jake and Reina sat on the chairs. Marilyn still looked at him and Reina suspiciously.

"Marilyn, I am dating Reina." Jake was the first to break the ice among them with a bomb.

Marilyn dropped her teacup on the table, letting the tea spill. She didn't react when the hot tea fell to her skirt. She only stared at him blankly.

"For a note. I am not pranking you right now. Reina and I are dating for real."

Marilyn opened her blindfold and looked at Jake with a weak expression. "I still don't understand. You aren't the type to fall in love easily. How? Is this girl holding onto your weakness or something?"

"No, your highness. I did not do such things," Reina declined. Then, she began to explain the accident in the closet. How she lost control of herself and sexually assaulted Jake.

As she was in the middle of explaining her sexual assault to Jake, Jake stopped her and defended her. He explained how he started to enjoy the kiss and how he led the kiss till the end. Finally, he told her his intention to make both of them his lovers.

"Marilyn, I like you. Become my first girlfriend. I promise I will protect you both and support your dream."

Marilyn, however, didn't answer. Tears flowed from her eyes, and she sobbed. "You jerk. I have worked hard to make you fall in love with me, Jake. Do you know how long I hold onto this feeling? And now, a random girl suddenly becomes your lover? How dare you do this to me?"

Jake wanted to say something, but he couldn't bring himself to interrupt Marilyn.

"I only have less than three years to live, Jake. At least, you could have treasured me until the end of my life. You, you jerk!"

"What does your highness mean by that?" Reina asked in confusion.

"We won't let you die, Marilyn. You need to be positive."

"That's an empty promise! We all know mom won't make it alive if she ventures into a rank nine gate! My life is doom—"

Jake slapped her, and he immediately regretted his action when he saw her cheek turned red. He couldn't contain his emotion when Marilyn became pessimistic when everyone was working hard to preserve her life, especially his aunt. She crossed the line by saying Aunt Mercedes would fail.

"Aunt won't fail. Don't jinx about your mother's failure."

"I...."

"I am sorry, Marilyn, but it seems we need to calm down and continue this conversation later."

Marilyn's eyes suddenly turned orange, and her pupils dilated like that of predator beasts. She smiled coldly and said, "No, I accept to be your girlfriend, Jake... But there will be no other lover than me!"

Marilyn's eyes shone as she stared at Reina. However, Jake immediately lunged at Reina and pushed her to the side. After witnessing his mother's battle with Animarum, he knew about Elder Eyes' terrifying effect. Even a swordmaster like Reina wouldn't be able to resist the ancient power of chaos.

Jake looked back in horror as an orange wave exploded in the air where Reina had stood. As the explosion dissipated , a chaos monster emerged out of thin air. The creature's body was entirely a giant eye, but it had tentacle-like appendages all over its body.

Jake's face paled when he saw the monster's information.

[Name: Kruckangendreg

Species: Chaos Beholder

Level: 19]

Marilyn had summoned a chaos creature with the power of her [Elder Eyes], but Jake wasn't amazed by that. He still couldn't cope with the fact that Marilyn had tried to kill an innocent person.