"Buddy..."
At this time, Ben, who had been following them a few steps behind, caught up with their steps and called him out.
Luis and Alicia were aware of his presence, but Luis didn't care about him listening in on their conversation. Otherwise, he wouldn't have had that conversation out here in public, in the first place.
"Is it about the talk that we had in class before?" Luis asked with a knowing expression.
"Yes, I want your help."
Ben nodded as he stood at a meter's distance from them and looked at Alicia with some hesitation.
Alicia also noticed his actions, and it made her curious. Before, she wanted to give them some space, but not anymore.
"Go on. Don't mind me. Pretend that I'm not here." Alicia encouraged.
Hearing this, Ben felt kind of awkward and he turned to Luis, as if asking for help.
"Is your request something to be shameful about?" Luis asked, seeing the tangled expression on Ben's face.
"... Not really," Ben said, after a moment of thought.
"Then don't worry about Alicia's presence here. She won't do anything unfavorable for you. She may even be of help." Luis suggested, while observing Ben's expression.
If Ben still shows some hesitation about Alicia, he won't make it difficult for him and go talk with him alone.
"Hmm, maybe you are right." Ben nodded, then looked at Alicia with a firm expression. "Sister-in-law, then please help me."
Alicia gave a nod with a straight face, hiding her blush.
Then Ben led them out of the main building and brought them to the pavilion in the garden.
"There are no other people nearby. So, can you tell us now what troubles you?" Alicia asked with a plain expression. Which made it hard to believe that she had a favorable opinion of this boy in front of them, who called her sister-in-law.
Ben looked at them with a solemn expression.
"Buddy, Sister-in-law, the thing is... I want a girlfriend."
"..." (x2)
Alicia deadpanned, her heart full of regret. 'I shouldn't have insisted on following them.'
Luis's lips twitched, but he said with a calm expression. "Good luck, I guess?"
"Huh? That's it?"
Upon seeing the confused expression on Ben's face, Luis felt somewhat irritated.
"What else do you want me to do about it?"
"No, I mean. You can have such a beautiful girl-like sister-in-law by your side. So, can't you give me some good advice on how to impress a girl?"
Luis felt a headache. He wondered if he had misjudged Ben's character before.
'Why would he suddenly ask advice on how to court a girl? Hmm, wait!'
"Tell me something Ben, who is the girl you are interested in?"
"H-How... W-What are you talking about? I am not interested in anyone. I just asked because I wanted to try using your methods and see if I can get a girlfriend or two."
His shutters and his evasive eyes made it so obvious that he was lying.
"No, listen to me first." Luis raised his hand to stop Ben. Then continued. "What I meant was that there's no point in asking my advice. My experience won't be of any help to you. Diana is way different from Alicia. You will have to try another way."
"How so?" Ben asked, with some expectations.
"Hmm, let's see," Luis pondered, then started speaking. "She is half beast kin. So, if we consider her beast trait. She would look for someone stronger than her as her partner."
"Uh, I don't think I am anywhere close to defeating her," Ben said with some embarrassment.
"It's fine. She is also a half-human. So, maybe you can try the methods that work for humans and slowly cultivate feelings for each other."
"Cultivate feelings?"
"Yes, in this method. Time is your biggest helper. Diana is a simple but aggressive girl who loves battles. If it's romance, she probably hadn't even considered it. So, we can say even if someone wants to pursue her. They are bound to experience an immediate rejection."
After hearing this, Ben was stunned for a moment. Then he became saddened. If he was alone, he would have cried for sure.
"Don't be sad, bro. I didn't say she would reject you."
"She will accept me then?!" Ben became energetic.
The fast changes in Ben's expressions made Luis dumbfounded. Regardless, he was amused by it.
"I didn't say that either. What I meant by it is that you shouldn't rush things. Since you can't defeat her now. Work even harder."
"Talk to her, support her, get close to her. Though do everything in limit. If you do everything excessively. Instead of finding comfort around you, she may get annoyed and start disliking you. Try avoiding that situation."
...
At some point, Ben had already started taking notes on everything that Luis said. From Luis' detailed explanation, Ben found that all of Luis' ideas are very logical.
Though Luis didn't directly state what Ben should do. He explained many things that Ben should avoid doing if he wants to have a happy relationship.
"... That is all I can say. I don't know much about her, so the rest you can only try out yourself."
"No, buddy! You have already done a lot! I have learned many new things! Good thing that I had this talk with you. Otherwise, I might have done some of the stupid things you stated."
"As long as you are happy," Luis said with a smile. Then he gave a momentary glance at Alicia and said, "If that's all, then we will leave now."
"Yeah, please. Sorry for taking so much of your time sister-in-law and thanks buddy. You are the best!"
Luis chuckled and said, "Say that after you two get together and all the best."
With those words, he grabbed Alicia's hands and left together, while thinking in his heart.
'Hehe, I sure hope that you succeed in your pursuit, Ben.'
'I would love to see Alex, lose one of his future harem members to another person.'
'If Diana gets together with Ben. I don't think that day would come when she stood against Alicia along with Alex and all his harem members, like what happened in the majority of the game's routes.'
'Well, whatever, if everything goes well. I guess I can take both Ben and Diana as my subordinates if they are strong enough.'
Luis put those thoughts aside for now. Then, along with Alicia, he started walking in the direction of the Battle Arena.
***
Q:) Who do you support for Diana to get together with?
1) Ben Douglas
2) Alex Stain