The weekend arrived with the sun breaking through the academy courtyard, its light spilling across the stone paths and trimmed hedges. Arios didn't have any obligations that morning, so he decided it was a good time to spend the day with the two people who had stuck closest to him since arriving here. Lucy and Liza had already made plans to hang around, and it wasn't long before Arios found himself walking toward the common area where they usually gathered before deciding what to do.

Lucy was waiting with her arms crossed, looking slightly impatient, while Liza was sprawled across one of the benches with a bored expression.

"You're late," Lucy said as soon as she spotted Arios.

"I'm not late. You said we'd meet in the morning, and it's still morning," Arios replied as he adjusted his jacket.

Liza smirked from the bench. "Technically, he's right. You didn't give him an exact time. You're just annoyed because you wanted to be the one waiting less."

Lucy turned toward her, eyes narrowing. "That doesn't matter. Everyone knows when you say morning, you mean early morning."

Arios raised his hands slightly, trying to keep the peace. "Alright, I'm here now. What do you both want to do today? It's the weekend, and for once, we're not buried under assignments or academy training."

Liza leaned back, hands behind her head. "I say we let the day just go naturally. Walk around, eat something, maybe drag Arios into embarrassing situations."

Lucy gave her a look. "Your idea of fun is making other people uncomfortable."

"Exactly," Liza said without shame.

Arios sighed. "Then let's at least start with something simple. Breakfast?"

The suggestion worked. Within a short while, the three of them were sitting at a small table near one of the campus cafés. The café was quieter on weekends, and most students who came by were there to relax rather than rush. Arios sat between them, which already created a noticeable tension.

Lucy leaned closer as she stirred her drink. "So, what's your plan for the day?"

"I didn't really have one," Arios admitted. "I thought maybe we'd just… spend time together. Something light."

Liza tapped her chin dramatically. "Light, huh? Then how about we do something fun like a little contest?"

Lucy raised an eyebrow. "Contest?"

"Yeah. Since Arios is always stuck between us anyway, we should see which one of us he prefers."

Arios nearly choked on his drink. "Wait, what?"

Lucy's face immediately turned red. "Why would you even suggest something like that?"

"Because it's true," Liza replied without hesitation. "He's always caught in the middle. Might as well make it official and settle it. Plus, it'll be fun watching him squirm."

Arios tried to wave it off. "No, I don't think—"

But Lucy was already flustered and defensive. "I don't need some silly contest to prove anything."

"Sounds like you're scared of losing," Liza teased with a grin.

Lucy slammed her cup down harder than necessary. "I'm not scared of anything."

Arios rubbed his forehead. "You two are impossible. Can't we just eat breakfast like normal people?"

"Nope," Liza said cheerfully. "Not when the opportunity's right here."

****

The conversation shifted as the morning went on, but Liza's teasing had already set the tone for the day. By the time they left the café and walked through the marketplace, Lucy had started trying to subtly one-up Liza in different ways. If Liza grabbed Arios by the arm to pull him toward a stall, Lucy would grab his other arm a moment later. If Liza commented on something, Lucy would argue against it just for the sake of not letting her have the last word.

Arios noticed it all but tried not to say anything, though it was hard not to feel caught between them.

They passed a stall selling accessories, and Liza quickly picked up a necklace to show Arios. "What do you think? Would this look good on me?"

"It looks fine," Arios said carefully.

"Fine?" Liza frowned. "That's not very enthusiastic."

Before Arios could respond, Lucy stepped in. "It's too flashy. Something simpler would suit you better."

"Oh? And what would suit you, Lucy?" Liza shot back.

Lucy lifted her chin. "I don't need accessories to stand out."

Liza smirked. "Sure, keep telling yourself that."

Arios groaned quietly as they started bickering again. He wondered how he always ended up in situations like this, but deep down, he knew it was because neither Lucy nor Liza ever backed down when it came to him.

****

By midday, they found themselves back near the dorms. The sun was high, and most of the other students were either training or resting.

Liza stretched her arms. "Alright, enough walking. Let's do something inside."

"Like what?" Lucy asked suspiciously.

"Like hanging out in Arios's room. It's bigger than ours, and he has better snacks."

Lucy hesitated. "You just want an excuse to bother him."

"Exactly," Liza said without shame again.

Arios sighed but didn't protest. Soon enough, they were all in his dorm room, the two girls sitting on the floor while Arios leaned against the bed. They started playing a simple card game, and the atmosphere relaxed slightly.

But it didn't take long for Liza to stir things up again. She leaned forward during one round, resting her head against Arios's shoulder casually. "You're pretty comfortable, you know that?"

Lucy immediately frowned. "You can sit properly without leaning on him."

"I could," Liza replied, not moving. "But this is better."

Lucy's eyes narrowed. "You're shameless."

"Thanks, I get that a lot," Liza said with a grin.

Arios froze in place, unsure what to do. He could feel the weight of Liza's head on his shoulder, and when he looked at Lucy, she was glaring daggers.

"Alright," Arios said finally. "Let's just focus on the game."

But the tension lingered.

****

Later that evening, after hours of games, small arguments, and laughter, the room grew quieter. The sun had set, and the only light came from the lamp by the bed.

Liza sprawled back with a satisfied sigh. "That was fun. I won more rounds than both of you combined."

"You cheated half the time," Lucy muttered.

Liza grinned. "Still counts."

Lucy shook her head but then glanced at Arios, who looked tired but content. Her expression softened briefly before she quickly looked away.

It was then that Liza spoke up again, her tone suddenly playful but sharp. "Alright, Arios. Time to settle something. Who's the better kisser? Me or Lucy?"

Arios's eyes widened. "What?"

Lucy's face went bright red. "W-what kind of question is that?!"

"It's a fair one," Liza said casually. "You've kissed both of us. So, who's better?"

Arios stared at her, completely caught off guard. "I'm not answering that."

"You have to," Liza pressed, grinning mischievously. "Come on, we're all friends here."

Lucy looked mortified. "Don't drag me into your ridiculous ideas!"

"Oh, please," Liza teased. "You're just nervous he'll pick me."

Lucy clenched her fists. "That's not—" She cut herself off, her blush deepening.

Arios sighed heavily. "You two are going to be the death of me."

Liza leaned closer, her grin never fading. "So? Who's better?"

For a long moment, Arios didn't answer. Then he shook his head, refusing to give in. "I'm not choosing. You're both… fine. And I'm not ranking something like that."

Liza laughed, clearly enjoying his discomfort. "Fine, fine. I'll let you off this time."

Lucy looked relieved, though she still avoided eye contact.

The rest of the night passed with smaller arguments and playful teasing, but underneath it all, the harem dynamic between them was undeniable. Arios, caught between two strong personalities, realized that this balance was fragile but also what made their connection unique.

When it was finally late, Lucy reluctantly stood to leave for her dorm, muttering about needing to rest. Arios walked her to the door, and before she left, she hesitated, then leaned forward to press her lips against his briefly. Her face was crimson as she whispered goodnight.

When Arios returned to the room, Liza was already lying on his bed, smirking at him.

"You really have no idea how much trouble you're in, do you?" she teased.

Arios sighed and sat down beside her. "Yeah. But somehow, I don't hate it."

And with that, the weekend evening drew to a close, the strange but growing bond between the three of them becoming clearer than ever.

· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·

[A/N:] Your humble author has a new challenge! I'm usually good for a 2-4 chapter drop, but I've been thinking... what if we could go for an epic 6-chapter release?

I've decided to make it a reality check. If someone out there blesses me with a Magic Castle (or any gift above it), I'll literally consider it a direct challenge and drop those 6 chapters in a single day or two. Can you make this happen? I'm fucking waiting.

Also a reminder of my new book, check it out and support.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.