World After Worlds

Lyndon enlivened from a trance when Tiana stood up from her seat. He wandered his attention and saw Yanarym entering at the door with the bastard Kraig. She glanced at him and that admiring smile twinkled upon locking their eyes. It was quick though, and because she had to play lovers with the bastard, she couldn't look at him as much as she wanted to.

Lyndon gave them a bored look and shifted his eyes to Tiana who had a heartbroken visage. He grabbed her elbow, he was delicate on pulling her back to sit down, when she turned to look at him, he saw subtle misty tears forming in her eyes. He inhaled sharply and maintained his steady expression. "Don't cry, Tia." His voice was low and rasped but it was soothing and gentle. She pressed her lips tightly and promptly wiped out the tears that were supposed to fall from her eyes. Lyndon did not let go of her elbow and slowly moved his hand to her hand, and she politely refused to hold him. Her eyes were glued to Kraig while Lyndon's eyes turned colder as he stared at Tiana perceiving the rejection. He did not say a word; rather, he straightened his arms and fondled her hair, she did not shove him this time.

Lyndon was with Tiana in any way possible, though all she ever did was talk about Kraig, Lyndon was not in a hurry. He was not stupid, pressuring Tiana would only cause him further delays, it would push her away. He was willing to be patient to completely win her affection. Moreover, Yanarym was helping him a lot in the process. Kraig was ignoring Tiana as if she was an insignificant person to his life. As a result, the more broken-hearted Tiana was, the easier it was for Lyndon to creep into her heart. Lyndon brought Tiana's hair close to his nose and whiffed her scent. She's not using the shampoo Yanarym used. A slip of thought appeared in his mind.

He was not a clingy person, he did dislike physical contact with anyone before. Even if he liked Tiana back then, he did not practice holding her as much as he did now. Lyndon thought it was unnecessary trouble to keep on having that close intimacy. However, he was craving for touch these days, the lingering comfort of warm skin against his fingers was stirring him… he could not pinpoint what it was but he wanted to hold Tiana. Her hands, her hair, her arms, every inch of her skin, he wanted to feel them.

Guide-sama: "I thought you want Lyndon to fall for you," Yanarym blinked as she heard Guide-sama's voice chime.

Yes.

Guide-sama: "Then, how are you supposed to make him fall for you? He is all over Tiana. You don't even try hard to seduce him. With this, it won't take long for you to lose him."

Is that what you think is going on? Yanarym glanced at Lyndon's direction once more and saw that he was caressing Tiana's hair earnestly with a straight face. Because that is not what the situation appears for me.

Guide-sama: "Are you that confident in yourself? I guess you are indeed losing."

Do you want to bet? Yanarym who returned her eyes to Kraig smiled. What can you stake, Guide-sama?

Guide-sama: "What do you want?"

I want a proper life in the next world.

Guide-sama: "I won the bet from before. Your next world would be random of my choosing."

I know, but I want to be a very lazy person so that I can always take a break. The next original must not be a hard worker, alright?

Guide-sama: "You are already a lazy person."

Will you bet with me or not?

Guide-sama: "What if I win?"

What do you want?

Guide-sama: "For you to stay longer in this world."

… alright, it's a deal. Yanarym replied and grinned, it was her win. Looking at how these people transpired, she knew she won this game.

The book was about fluffy romance. Not complicated shifts of triangle affair—was it square because she was involved? Or pentagon because Matteo was there too? Hmm, I think Matteo is a tangent. Anyway, the point was, this time, the struggle was not from the exterior.

Guide-sama: "Why are you talking about math?"

I'm picturing the circumstances because it's starting to get funny. The complication between the three on the original plot was directed at her—the original. There was slight internal conflict between the trios but mostly what strengthened their bond was the outer conflict. She was the main villain after all, most likely, worst of bad, she would often receive the blame if the situation did not get along with the leads. However because Yanarym pervaded that trio, the turbulence was surging inwardly. Which was different from the original plot.

The story of this book was good, if she was a reader she would like Tiana's Mary Sue's halo, she would root for Tiana. As a reader of the romance genre, she often imagined herself as the heroine who would have a compelling love just by being herself. She did know about anyone but Yanarym preferred soft sails over the rough adventures. She liked excitement, sure but she was a low-key hedonistic, very low tolerance for pain.

Tiana was favored—deeply favored by her two male leads. Although Kraig was desperate to avenge his mother and his anomalies caused ripples to his development with Lyndon. They made a peace treaty during the external attack caused by the original, during that time, they slowly managed to fix the misunderstanding. Though that was the circumstance, it did not mean the clash of love rivalry ended. The truth was, there was no clear ending for the story because the final chapter was where the original died and the three were pleased. Tiana… did not make her choice yet.

The sub-genre was a reverse harem, with two male leads competing, they were doing their best to be the best for her. Tiana seemingly was torn between Kraig and Lyndon during the tide of the story. Tiana being the female lead who had lacked from her upbringing, have to have everything.

For Yanarym, nothing was wrong with Tiana. Some people wanted it all because they experienced privation, lack, poverty, or some awful things from the past which they wanted to get filled in the present. The female lead was aware of that, she was not vengeful at becoming the unfortunate girl, because she had a halo. No matter what, she would have a promising future. None can do anything dangerous to her, she could be hurt in the least way possible because she was always protected by her male leads. It was a soft-fluffy cruising for Tiana, two cruises.

Having a harem. Whether the subject would be women or men. It did not matter; the one who was at the top could have it all. In life nothing was fair, Yanarym believed that the strong survived but she also believed in karma and luck. It was all variables. But the most precious ingredient that brings close to what the person wanted or needed was consistency.

She had encountered four female leads, so far, Cailly was the one closest to her, Tala was her favorite, and uninterested in Alyana at first but Alyana ruined that impression by spitting on her food. Alyx took revenge for her so Yanarym forgot the animosity she had for Alyana.

The current female lead, Yanarym thought of Tiana; Yanarym was annoyed by Tiana on the first day but by a week had passed she disregarded that discontent she had for Tiana.

Tiana was enthusiastic, she was eager to stand from the top. However, love came. Yanarym was not bitter, she was practical. Love is great but a person cannot have it all. And like she had mentioned, Tiana wanted it all. No one revealed who Tiana chose, whether Kraig or Lyndon.

Guide-sama: "If you were Tiana, who would you choose?"

If I am Tiana? I don't know, I don't know how much she likes Kraig or Lyndon.

Guide-sama: "No, I mean, who would you choose if 'you' are Tiana?"

Do you mean if habited Tiana's body instead of the original? Of course, I can have both. But I don't have to be Yanarym who returned her eyes to Kraig smiled. Lyndon and Tiana were in the process of falling in love. Tiana to have Kraig and Lyndon. They would naturally fall for me.

Guide-sama: "...why Tiana can't?"

Because she loves them, I don't. Yanarym casually sat and looked up front, she felt Kraig's thumb stroking the back of her palm while their fingers were intertwined. She smiled at him bashfully and he seemed to dazed back at her for seconds.

Guide-sama: "Will you use sex to make them fall in love?"

Sex is for my fun, not theirs. Who says a man can only enjoy the rides of flesh?

Guide-sama: "How will they fall in love with you?"

Variables. Yanarym grinned and blinked her eyes at Kraig. Variables and consistency.