I contacted House Banfield’s home planet, excited to talk to Amagi for the first time in a while.
“Lady Ciel has left the domain to begin her primary school education,” Amagi informed me. “It is only a temporary separation, but several people already mourn her absence—particularly Mr. Brian.”
“Brian’s always crying. Ignore him. So, Ciel’s off to primary school, huh? I’ll miss her a bit myself.” She was no Chino, but I found Ciel’s presence similarly soothing, so I was reluctant to let her go. “Well, it’s not like I could leave here anytime soon anyway. By the time I get home, she’ll probably be back at the mansion, so it’s not bad timing.”
Amagi looked a little saddened by my words. “Even you think this war will drag on, Master?”
“I don’t like being away from you either, but getting out of this would be too tough. People are working against me behind the scenes here, which only makes things harder.”
Amagi hesitated. “It is not me whom your absence pains, but Lady Rosetta.”
When Rosetta’s name came up, I looked away from the screen. “I’m sure she’s just sad that we’re postponing our wedding, right?”
I’d initially wanted to marry Rosetta to upset her, but she didn’t feel the same way about me now as she had back then. I’d wanted the strong-willed Rosetta of those days to resist me the way Ciel did. Now, though, Rosetta was like a wolf with her fangs pulled… No. Like a big dog wagging her tail, begging to be petted? No, that wasn’t it either. Basically, the way she was now, she wasn’t my type.
“Maybe we should give up on holding a ceremony and file the marriage paperwork just to be done with it. The way Rosetta is now, I think that’d affect her more deeply. If doing that might let me see her look frustrated, I suppose it’s worth a shot.”
I snickered as I told Amagi my nasty idea, but she gave me a sharp look. “Lady Rosetta wishes only for your safe return, Master.”
“Huh…?”
Hearing me express doubt, Amagi played me a video of a conversation between Rosetta and Ciel earlier. As Rosetta earnestly prayed for my safety, there was one thing she said I couldn’t ignore.
“Back when I met Darling, I dreamed in order to escape from my painful reality. I could only forget that reality by imagining happiness for myself. But my real circumstances always crushed those happy dreams of mine, however much I fantasized. Reality forced me to recognize how pitiful I was every time I imagined a happy life for myself.”
My chest tightened at those words. They reminded me of my own past life—of those painful days right before I died. I’d once believed that I would be rewarded for my hard work too. I’d gone to sleep dreaming that one day I might have happy times with my family again, but would only wake to cruel reality instead.
I clutched my chest, and Amagi stopped the video. “Master?!” she exclaimed, worried.
“Amagi…get me Wallace.”
“Of course, but is your—”
“I’m fine!” I shouted.
At that, Amagi moved to carry out my command. “Very…well.”
When the call ended, laughter bubbled up from inside the ache in my chest, which I couldn’t ease.
“She went straight for my old wounds… You’ve done it now, Rosetta. I guess I’ve been underestimating you.”