"Sorry, Wendy," William's voice, that was riddled with shame, and guilt, permeated within his Spiritual World. "I used you as bait in order to get close to Carter. I placed you in the way of great harm and he almost succeeded in forcing you to do things that you would have never done in your sober state.
"I don't know if you hate me right now, but know this, I will accept any punishment that you will give me once I recover. I'm sorry if you feel disillusioned with me. If you want to put an end to our relationship then I will accept it. I am the one at fault and I don't deserve someone like you in my life."
Wendy clenched her fist and lightly pounded William's chest. She had forgotten that the Half-Elf had told them not to interrupt his words. The feelings in her heart had burst out, which caught the two girls beside her by surprise.
"If you want to apologize then open your eyes and apologize to me face to face!" Wendy growled in frustration. I'll make sure to punch you without holding back until I have vented out all of my frustration!"
"... Are you trying to kill me?" William's voice laced with helplessness whimpered. "I'm only barely hanging on to life. One full-powered punch from you would immediately send me to the Cycle of Reincarnation."
Wendy stopped her punches. "Okay, I'll wait for you to recover then punch you. Why didn't you tell me this earlier? Is this why you were feeling anxious? Is this why you were feeling guilty? You've been bottling all of these feelings inside you for a very long time and fighting this battle alone. Why? Don't you have any faith in me?"
"I'm sorry," William apologized. "I promise I won't do it again. Just, don't leave me, Wendy."
Wendy buried her head on William's chest and cried. She had seen William's anxiousness throughout the entirety of the past week before the incident happened. She had seen the guilt on his face and the worries in his brows each time he looked at her.
William's consciousness was hovering above them, and saw his girlfriend's pained expression. If he could only move his hands, he would have definitely wrapped them around her body and whispered words of apology in her ears.
He then shifted his attention to the blue-haired mermaid who was hugging him from behind. His head was cradled on her chest. He watched as the gems embedded in his and Ian's bodies glowed in unison like the beating of a heart.
"Ian, thank you," William said. "If you didn't give me half of your heart then I would have surely died. I heard your words and I promise you that I will fulfill it. I will take responsibility, but, can you please, give me some time? I don't want to do things half-heartedly. I want to do it right.
"I know that this might be sudden, but I would like to know more about you. Let's talk about these things slowly. Also, is this why you always quarreled with me? They say that Love is just a thin line away from Hate. Aiyah~ I guess even mermaids can't resist my charms. Being handsome is a sin."
Ian shook her head helplessly because she knew that William was only trying to lighten up the depressing atmosphere. Even so, deep inside, she was happy. She could tell that William was serious when he said that he would take responsibility, and it made her feel that her sacrifice was worth it.
A smile appeared on Ian's face as she patted William's head,
"I would like to know more about you, too," Ian whispered in William's ears. "Don't argue with me all the time."
"It was you who always argued with me first…," William grumbled.
"What did you say?"
"Sorry, I was the one at fault. I will do my best not to argue with you again."
"That's better." Ian nodded and closed her eyes. She was feeling a little exhausted because she was the one that was handling the bulk of the spirit transfer to William's body.
William then shifted his attention to the girl with silver-colored hair.
"Est, you're very beautiful," William said. "Your silver hair, and especially your eyes. I've never seen someone with eyes as red as yours."
Est snorted and closed the eyes that William had praised a few seconds ago. However, her hands that were embracing the boy's body remained firm. It was as if she was afraid that William's body would fly away if she loosened her grip even a little.
"I know that this might sound like a stupid question, but, I have to know. Are you really a girl?" William asked with genuine curiosity.
"I was a girl," Est answered. "But, I am currently under a powerful curse and have to remain a boy for life. I don't know how Ian managed to 'temporarily' unseal the curse placed on her body, but I can only have this appearance inside your Sea of Consciousness."
"Who was it that placed a curse on you? Do you know?" William's voice contained a hint of anger, which made Est feel like a little kitten was scratching her heart.
"I was cursed by a Goddess."
"Her name?"
"Lady Astrid."
"Understood. I will talk to her while I'm here."
"Huh?" Est opened her eyes abruptly and gazed at the pale-faced boy. "What do you mean you'll talk to Lady Astrid? Where are you right now?"
A chuckle escaped William's lips, but he knew better than to say that he was currently at the temple where the Gods resided.
"Est, do you believe me?"
"No."
"Eh? Why not?" William inquired. "You dare not believe this amazing Half-Elf? This handsome Half-Elf that could make all the girls in the academy swoon with a single wink?"
Est scoffed and flicked the unconscious Spirit Body's head in annoyance. "Why should I believe in a womanizer? You already have Wendy, and Ian, now you want to have me, too? I'm not that cheap."
William smiled at the stubborn girl that was clinging to his body.
"I have an idea, why don't the two of us make a bet?"
"You and your stupid bets. I don't like to make bets with a womanizer."
"Don't be like that, listen to me first," William said in a voice that was similar to an adult coaxing a child. "How about both of us make a promise instead?"
"Go on, I'm listening," Est replied in a guarded tone.
"I will find a way to fully undo the curse on your, Ian's, and Isaac's bodies. After you turn back into a girl then you become my girlfriend."
"And if you are unable to undo the curse?"
William paused for a brief moment before answering. "If I fail to undo the curse then you can make me your boyfriend. It's a win-win situation, don't you think?"
"I have a better idea." A mischievous smile appeared on Est's face as she said her proposal. "How about I ask Lady Astrid to turn you into a girl instead? That way, I can marry you. It's a win-win situation for both of us. What do you think?"
"No! I will not allow William to be turned into a girl!" Wendy commented from the side. "He is going to marry me!"
"My Lady, I don't think this proposal is good," Ian interjected.
"Ian, you are still under the curse," Est reminded her retainer. "At most, you can only stay in that form for three hours. The rest of the time, you will be a boy. If William turned into a girl then there would be no problem. We could just have him give birth to both our babies. It's a win-win situation for the both of us."
Ian's heart wavered when she heard Est's words. It was true that she couldn't stay in her mermaid form for a long time. If she sided with Est, she would still be able to be intimate with William. Also, the thought of having the Half-Elf give birth to her babies sounded very tempting.
"No!" Wendy rejected the idea with everything she had. "I will not agree to this! I'm the First Wife. I will not allow William to be turned into a girl!"
"Tsk."
"Tsk."
Est and Ian clicked their tongues, while William watched the three of them with a complicated expression.
Naturally, he didn't want to turn into a girl, and he didn't want to give Est empty promises as well. For the time being, he decided to put the matter on hold until he had a proper talk with the Goddess Astrid.
In order to change the topic, William decided to inquire about what had happened after the incident. The Gods didn't tell him anything, so he was curious about the aftermath of Carter's failed attempt to take over his body.
The expressions on the faces of the three girls immediately became serious. They had completely forgotten about the affairs of the Kingdom after they heard William's voice inside his Sea of Consciousness.
"William, the war has started," Est said with a sad expression. "And it doesn't look good. We are currently being pushed back by the combined forces of the Two Dynasties. I'm afraid that it won't take long before their forces break through to our Second Line of Defense.
"Currently, the Sword Saint and the Archmages are holding them back. Even so, I'm afraid that it will only take a week or two before Windsor Fortress falls."
Est then narrated the series of events that followed the Demon Invasion in the academy. He now understood why David said that Wendy and the others were safe "for now". On that day, William realized how dire the Hellan Kingdom's current situation really was.