Conquering The Novel

The three of them were now seated in an empty restaurant, the tension thick in the air.

"Okay, we need to talk," Ares said firmly, interlocking his fingers on the table.

Diana and Livia both looked up at him, their expressions a mix of confusion and apprehension as they straightened their disheveled hair, caused by the speed of their transport to the restaurant.

Ares paused, his eyes darting back and forth between Diana and Livia. His expression was serious and contemplative, as if he were weighing his words carefully.

"I know you both have feelings for me," he said, his eyes meeting each of their gazes in turn, "...and I have feelings for both of you as well."

With a single sentence, Ares had changed the dynamics of their relationship. His revelation marked a pivotal moment, as he made the decision to embrace the role of a harem protagonist, and pursue relationships with both Livia and Diana.

!?

Livia's face twisted sourly as soon as she heard him, while Diana's reaction was completely different.

"W-What? You have feelings for me too, Ares?" Diana asked, her face reddening with a blush as she put her hands over her cheeks in embarrassment.

!!

Livia's voice was tinged with anger as she spoke up. "What are you saying, Ares?" she demanded.

As she heard his response, her heart sank. 'No, it can't be! You're supposed to be mine and mine alone!' she thought inwardly, her fear and jealousy beginning to show.

"....."

"I'm trying to keep the peace, Livia," Ares replied calmly, his voice soothing. "There's no need to fight over me."

"B-But she said she loves you—!" Livia protested.

"I know, and I'm grateful to have both of you in my life," Ares said with a sincere tone. "But I can't choose between you two. I don't want to hurt either of you. We need to find a solution that works for all of us."

Livia's mind raced as she thought, 'No, he doesn't need to choose between us. He just needs to choose me!

Her expression betrayed her thoughts, and Diana spoke up, "Livia if you think you can have Ares all to yourself, it's merely your pipedream."

Diana's words brought Livia out of her daze, and she shot the elf a withering glare. "What do you know about my love toward Ares, you pointy-eared freak?" she spat.

Diana raised an eyebrow. "More than you, apparently. True love is about wanting the best for the person you care about, even if it means sharing them with others."

Livia scoffed, but Ares spoke up before she could respond. "Diana is right, Livia. We need to find a way to make this work without anyone getting hurt. I don't want to lose either of you."

Livia bit her lip, feeling the anger boiling inside her. She couldn't stand the thought of sharing Ares with anyone, especially not with Diana.

Her mind still racing with thoughts of killing Diana. But for now, she kept her thoughts to herself, knowing that she needed to play her cards right and wait for the right moment to strike.

Her eyes flickered toward Diana, and she gave the elf a twisted smile. "You're the reason for all of this, it's all because of you," she snarled, her voice dripping with malice.

"...No, it's not because of me. If you think I'm your only competition, then you're in for a rude awakening," Diana remarked with a smirk.

!?

As soon as Diana said that, Ares looked at her in surprise, while Livia asked in a rage, "What do you mean by that? Explain!"

"Huh? Don't act like you don't know, Livia." Diana scoffed before adding, "I think you already understand how many other girls are after him. You also saw how he rushed to save his ex-fiancee from that Hero association members, right?" She asked.

"....."

Livia stayed quiet, clenching her fists. She knew very well that many other girls wanted to keep Ares for themselves, just like she did.

"So, you already know, huh? You're just in denial, I guess," Diana taunted, her demeanor of a "dumb potato" now nowhere to be seen.

As Ares observed Diana, he began to notice subtle changes in her demeanor that hinted at a side of her he hadn't seen before.

The more he watched, the more he began to realize that Diana had been hiding her true personality all along, successfully fooling everyone, including him. He felt a sense of unease at the thought of someone being able to deceive him so easily.

'So, this is her real personality?' Ares thought to himself, his mind racing with questions.

The fact that she was able to conceal it for so long, despite the taunts and criticism from others, made her dangerous, regardless of her motives.

'Even more dangerous than Ayla,' Ares reflected.

With Ayla, her intentions were clear, but with Diana, Ares wasn't sure what her true motives were, which made her unpredictable and all the more dangerous.

As he continued to observe Diana, Ares couldn't help but wonder, 'what else she's hiding behind her facade?'

Diana's grin widened as she watched Ares, enjoying the discomfort and surprise that flashed across his face.

'Oh, my love Ares, I can't take it anymore,' she thought, her eyes starting to swirl with a perilous dazzle as she imagined the scenes she had witnessed while stalking him. 'It hurts to see you with someone else and pretend like I don't care. I hated it when you used me to get on Erina's good side. I hate it when Livia is always hanging around you. I hate it when that vampire is sucking on your blood. I hate it when you kissed your master! And I also hate it when you ignore me and act like you don't know about my feelings.'

Her thoughts spiraled out of control as she recalled all the times she had seen him with other women, pretending not to care while the jealousy burned inside her.

"...."

However, unbeknownst to Diana, Ares could actually discern the swirling emotions in her eyes, thanks to his left eye. He was able to realize that Diana's obsession with him went far beyond what he had initially imagined.

'Interesting,' he mused to himself, his eyes still fixed on Diana. 'I never would have guessed she had the potential to be a Yandere all along.'

Little did he know that Diana had been secretly stalking him for quite some time, and he was completely oblivious to it.

Livia's expression softened as she suddenly spoke, catching Ares's attention and bringing Diana out of her reverie.

"...I know that I'm not the only one competing for your heart, Ares," she said, her voice gentle.

Livia was well aware that Ares had many admirers, and the competition to be with him would be fierce. But at least Ares had acknowledged her feelings, and for the moment, that was good enough for her.

'I should be happy that he didn't reject my feeling leaving me for worst possible choice to take. But I can't let my guard down,' Livia thought to herself. 'I need to become stronger so that I can claim him for myself when the time comes. I know that there will be many other women vying for his attention, but only the strong and capable can truly deserve him.'

She smiled softly at Ares, hoping that he could sense her determination and resolve. She would do whatever it takes to become the woman who can stand by his side and support him, no matter what challenges they may face.