An Extra's Rise in an Eroge-Chapter 277: She is a spirit

"Arthur," Alicia said again, her voice dropping an octave. Frost began to creep along the floorboards, freezing the spilled coffee into a dark, jagged stain. "I asked you a question. Who. Is. She?"

Arthur raised his hands, his mind racing at a speed that would have put a supercomputer to shame. The room was a wreck, the bed was destroyed, and Sol was standing there looking like the poster girl for "The Morning After." There was no way to explain this away as a study session.

"Alicia, wait. Dampen your mana," Arthur said, stepping between them, though he was careful not to touch Alicia while she was practically a walking blizzard. "It’s not what you think. She’s not... a human."

Alicia’s eyes narrowed, shifting back to Sol. "Not human? She looks plenty human to me. And she’s wearing your shirt."

Sol, who had been watching the scene with a mix of amusement and calculation, caught Arthur’s eye. He shot her a desperate, silent command: De-escalate. Now.

Sol rolled her eyes, letting out a dramatic, theatrical sigh.

"Humans are so possessive," she said, her voice echoing with a slight reverb she added for effect. She stepped forward, the oversized shirt slipping off one shoulder. "Relax, Ice Princess. I am merely a manifestation of his power."

"A... manifestation?" Alicia’s frown deepened, her mana flaring slightly less.

"A Contracted Spirit," Arthur interjected quickly, seizing the narrative. "You know how my strength has been fluctuating? How I was able to match the Demon yesterday? It’s because I formed a bond. A Soul Contract."

"A bond?" Alicia looked skeptical. "With a woman?"

"With a Spirit," Arthur corrected firmly. "Sol, show her."

Sol smirked, giving Alicia a little wave. "It was nice stretching my legs, but this form is terribly inefficient for mana consumption."

Before Alicia could ask another question, Sol closed her eyes. Her body began to glow with a brilliant, blinding golden light. The silhouette of the woman dissolved, the curves and the human features melting away into pure energy.

Poof.

The white shirt Arthur had lent her collapsed onto the floor, empty.

Hovering in the air above the pile of clothes was a small, glowing ball of light—Sol in her Chibi fairy form. She fluttered her tiny translucent wings, bobbing up and down in the air.

"Ta-da," Sol’s voice squeaked, though it still carried a haughty tone. "Happy now?"

The frost in the room evaporated instantly. Alicia stared at the floating fairy, her mouth slightly open. The anger drained out of her, replaced by pure shock.

"A... a fairy?" Alicia breathed, her eyes wide. "You contracted a Light Spirit?"

"High-tier Light Spirit," Arthur added, shamelessly embellishing. "She helped me finish off the Count-level demon. But manifesting a physical body takes a massive toll on her reserves. That’s why she was... resting."

Alicia blinked, processing the information. The "hickey" she thought she saw, the disheveled state of the room—it all suddenly seemed to fit the context of a high-stakes magical ritual or a chaotic summoning rather than a secret affair.

"Oh," Alicia murmured, her cheeks turning a shade of pink. She looked down at the empty shirt, then back at Arthur. "I... I thought... I’m sorry, Arthur. I assumed you got another girl again."

"Another...?" Arthur blinked, his brain stalling. "What was that?"

Alicia’s expression shifted instantly. The embarrassed flush vanished, replaced by a knowing, almost predatory smirk. She crossed her arms, her blue eyes boring into his.

"Do you really think the night visits from the Saintess are unknown to me?"

Arthur froze. A cold sweat that had nothing to do with her ice magic broke out on his neck.

’She knows about Eveline? Since when? How much did she see?’

He laughed, a dry, awkward sound that scraped his throat. "I—uh—well, that’s complex—"

"Save it," Alicia interrupted, waving a hand dismissively. "I smelled the Holy incense on you weeks ago. And the way she looks at you during the assemblies? Please. A blind goblin could see she wants to jump your bones."

Arthur stared at her, dumbfounded. ’This girl... she knew the whole time and didn’t freeze my balls off?’

He sighed, his shoulders slumping. ’Right. I forgot. World Logic. This is an eroge novel. The heroines are programmed to accept the harem route as long as the protagonist isn’t a total scumbag about it. Thank fuck for the developers and their horny rewriting of human psychology.’

"This girl is too good for me," Arthur muttered under his breath.

"I heard that," Alicia said, stepping over the puddle of spilled coffee. She stopped right in front of him, looking up. Despite being shorter, she held all the power in the room.

She reached out, grabbing the collar of his shirt and straightening it possessively.

"Look, Arthur. I am realistic. You are strong, and strong men in this world attract attention. Whether it’s a Saintess or... a Spirit." She glanced at the floating ball of light that was Sol. "If you are going to have a relationship with your spirit, I don’t mind. Mana transfer, dual cultivation, whatever you want to call it."

Her grip on his collar tightened, pulling him down until their noses were almost touching.

"But at least you should inform me. I am your First Wife. I am your only official fiancée. That means I get priority. Understand?"

The declaration was arrogant, possessive, and incredibly hot.

"Loud and clear," Arthur said, a genuine smile breaking onto his face. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her flush against him. "You’re the boss, Alicia. First Wife supremacy."

He buried his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling the scent of frost and lilies. She stiffened for a second, then melted, her arms winding around his back, squeezing him tight.

"You idiot," she whispered into his chest, the tension finally leaving her frame. "Just... don’t lie to me. That’s all I ask."

They stood there for a moment, ignoring the wrecked room and the coffee stain, just enjoying the warmth.

Then, a flash of golden light blinded them both.

"Hey!"

Arthur felt a weight slam into his side, nearly knocking him over.

Sol had rematerialized. She was back in her human form—still wearing nothing but the oversized shirt, which was now hanging off her shoulder again. She wedged herself forcefully between Arthur and Alicia, wrapping her arms around Arthur’s torso and glaring at the ice mage.

"You’re leaving me out," Sol complained, puffing out her cheeks. "I did all the work last night. I drained him. I deserve the cuddles."

Alicia blinked, looking at the spirit who was shamelessly sandwiching herself into their hug. Then, surprisingly, she chuckled.

"You’re a noisy spirit, aren’t you?" Alicia said, reaching out to fix Sol’s messy hair.

"I am the System," Sol corrected haughtily, snuggling deeper into Arthur’s side. "And I don’t share well. But... I suppose I can make an exception for the ’First Wife’."

Arthur looked down at the two women—one holding him with the weight of political engagement and genuine love, the other holding him with the possessiveness of a symbiotic partner.