Do you.... think this means you've won? Don't be silly.
It all started during their first year in Magic school. Katarina was busy with her other friends. The Inner Circle was having a tea party in Mary's School garden. It was a week before they became friends with Maria.
"Why did you call us here, Mary?" Geord asked, surprised since normally Mary would never go out of her way to invite him.
"Yes. I have an announcement. I, Mary Hunt, will no longer compete for Katarina-sama." Mary's statement set off an explosion.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, MARY-SAMA?!" Sophia shouted as she stood up, her chair falling to the ground.
"What are you planning?" Keith wondered aloud.
"I see you've accepted the futility of your pursuit," Geord smirked. "But why now?"
"I simply realized that Katarina-sama will always see me differently. So I want to deepen our friendship and competing with you all for Romance would get in the way of that." Mary said. "So I'm withdrawing. Instead, I'll support, Alan-sama."
"Wait, support me in what? Why are we competing for Katarina?" Alan was thoroughly puzzled.
Mary patted his hand, "I'll explain later, okay?" Mary turned back to the rest of her friends. "I'm not going to take any actions other than those to support Alan-sama."
"Does this mean you'll stop hugging Nee-san?" Keith asked.
"Keith-sama, it's already too late for that to occur. Hugs have been part of our relationship since we were children. It would be strange to stop." Mary took a sip of her tea. "Please don't let your jealousy cloud your vision of reality."
"…" Keith was speechless.
"So with that, please do your best against my Alan-sama." Mary smiled like a blooming flower
♠Claes Manor, parlor 6 years ago♠
It actually started when they were 10.
"Katarina-sama!!" Mary exclaimed as she hugged Katarina, having just arrived.
Katarina, hugged Mary back, "Hey, Mary."
"Katarina-sama? May I kiss you sometimes?" Mary asked rather suddenly.
"I don't mind," Katarina said thinking Mary meant kissing on the cheek or forehead.
"Thank you, Katarina-sama!" Mary said and proceeded to lay a chaste kiss on Katarina's lips.
Katarina was surprised. She didn't think that Mary would take her first kiss. When they finished she voiced her thoughts. "It's okay, Mary. We're both girls so it doesn't count." Katarina gave a winning smile.
"It does, Katarina-sama?" Mary said covering her red cheeks with her hands. "Sex doesn't matter when it comes to Kissing, Katarina-sama."
"Eh?" Katarina was surprised. She started blushing when she caught on. 'Then she's my real first kiss?!'
"Did you know it's common for engaged noble ladies to have female lovers?!" Mary said clasping both of Katarina's hands.
"Huh?!" Katarina was startled. "That's unexpected."
"With that being said, I'll start courting you in three years!" Mary said with a radiant smile. "Now let's go to the Field!"
Katarina, who was still processing everything, could only agree, "Uhm, yeah. Okay."
★Magic academy, first year, Mary's room the night after her announcement.★
"I guess I'll start with the most troublesome one." Mary said circling Keith's name in her notebook, "He'll be a problem if I don't take care of him."
A knock came from the door and Mary got up from her desk to answer it, she opened the door to find a lady with long twintails and eyes full of dreams. "Ah, Miranda-san, you're right on time. Come in. She spoke, snapping the girl out of her daydream.
"Ah yes. Thank you for having me, Mary-sama." Miranda said.
"It's no problem at all." Mary said closing the door. "Now let me tell you all about Keith-sama."
The door shut with a quiet click.
to be continued.