Battler rejects Shannon's first offer. (Stacks -3)

Battler glanced at the unusual parts of his outfit, pondered hard... then shook his head, throwing his hands up. "What the heck... I'm either more of a gentleman or more of a coward than I thought, but I can't do it. Regardless of who it is, you've already got your eyes on another guy. Bowing to me and calling me 'master'... It's useless, all useless! I'll be more comfortable making stupid jokes at you with the others, if that's okay."

Shannon looked surprised, but, ultimately, she smiled, bowing her head in spite of his request. "Thank you, Battler... That consideration of yours, and your friendship, of course, are more than I deserve. B-but still..." She frowned again, looking him in the eyes. "Are you, um, fine passing up the money? You know, if you don't accept my offer, Mr. Player over there has told me you won't receive a cent..."

"Eh, big whoop," the young man irresponsibly scoffed, rising to his feet in a quick hop. "I'll make my own money, somehow. But, you know, if you're feeling badly about it... you can still let me feel that awesome chest of yours, Shannon...!~"

"Ahaha... Y-you passed up the chance to pay for that," Shannon muttered shyly, just out of his earshot. "Shall we-"

Before anyone could go anywhere, Eva turned on the lights. She was standing by the door in her usual outfit but with an unusually furious scowl. "Shannon... Battler... You stupid children! What on earth are they teaching kids these days?! You definitely don't understand the value of money at all! It's not too late... Battler, give this brainless bimbo some cash and let's get on with it!"

"I'm good, thanks!" Battler shouted back at her in a tone as though he couldn't believe how she was acting. "I mean, I'm not that tight for money... And Shannon's a great girl! I'm sure she's, uh, gonna meet a great young man that'll line her future up for her real nice-"

"Could you be any more of an idiot?" Eva didn't bother sugarcoating her words as she marched towards him. I saw him motion for Shannon to get to the door, which she gladly took, fleeing from the room with an apologetic bow. Meanwhile, the irate aunt continued to yell in her nephew's face. "You think that idiot brother of mine, your father, is 'not that tight' for money? And you think that babbling, plate-dropping low-born half-wit is going to meet some generous man willing to marry a talentless, unqualified walking pair of tits to treat her well? That isn't how life works, Battler!"

I noticed with some alarm that she'd backed him all the way up to the window. Battler was easily more physically powerful than she was, if it came to a fight, but I was starting to wonder... I saw a scenario where Eva surprised him with a shove out the window, then made me the patsy for pushing him out while she smuggled away the money. Well, if it's come to this... And, considering Eva already lost... I suppose it's time for me to restart. I ran over to Eva, attempting to physically restrain her while Battler also left the room. As I'd hoped, he got out.

"Player... You bastard...! This whole thing was your fault to begin with!" Eva growled in my face, the **** I'd expected flashing in her eyes as she bared her teeth. "Your bet on Shannon didn't pay off at all. But if you want a witch so badly..."

Her face twisted in an inhuman sneer.

"Why don't you give up and die?!"

There it was... The furious mother shoved me through an upper-story window, and I fell into the darkness.

...

It was even darker outside than I expected. A flash of thunder blinded me. I became aware that the feeling of falling had left me... When I opened my eyes, I was floating over a theater stage, but with no visible audience, with a single spotlight trained on me.

Soon, the only ones watching me announced themselves... Beatrice appeared from the darkness, clad in her gown and holding her pipe aloft. On either side, she was flanked by the twin demons, Furfur and Zepar. Those two stepped across the stage, flourishing around me in mirrored movements.

"Ah, Zepar!" Furfur shouted dramatically, flourishing his/her arms at me. "Player has protected love! Isn't this ending a beautiful victory for love? Shannon's love, which faced a perilous test, lives on!"

"Ah, Furfur!" Zepar shouted dramatically, mimicking his/her twin's gesture. "True love is never defeated! This ending is the only outcome for love! Battler's love, that seed not yet watered, is free to grow!"

"Congratulations, Player!" The Golden Witch dexterously balanced her pipe between two fingers while clapping her palms together. "This was a wonderful outcome, as far as I'm concerned. Shannon and Battler almost made a terrible mistake, for the sake of money neither would live long to spend! Isn't it better to think that those two will enjoy an untainted friendship, and Shannon will enjoy George's proposal, free of guilt? For the short time they have left, that love will be beautiful."

""Ah! Love is beautiful!"" Zepar and Furfur declared in a loud shout to the rafters, although their eyes were twinkling as always, as though laughing at a joke only they understood, as they often did.

"Yes, good for her. Good for Shannon. You protected her with this ending, Player." Beatrice stood next to my upside-down body, her face close to mine. I basically had **** but to look at her giggling smile. "That furniture gets to continue to love...

... but for how long?" The witch's entertained smile broke into an ugly grin. "If Shannon's love grows more beautiful, like polished glass... It'll be that much more satisfying to toss it and shatter it on the floor, don't you think...?! Oh, all those pretty, pathetic shards... I'm looking forward to seeing that! Hehehe... Kyaaaahahahaha!!"

"Ah! Player, your love is just like this, is it not?" Furfur asked me, as I felt my body begin to slowly yield to the pull of gravity once more.

"Ah! Player, your fragile, breakable love is beautiful, too!" Zepar declared. I saw his/her approving smile for just a moment before I fell to the floor / wet ground below with a painful crunch.