When Liam left the waiting room, Rosetta snapped out of her dazed state, giggling to herself.
“Is something the matter?” Marie asked.
Thinking about how Liam had just acted, Rosetta explained, “I simply didn’t expect Darling to be so nervous. Seeing him that way calmed me down, and it just struck me as funny.”
Marie nodded. “He doesn’t even act like that on the battlefield. That side to him belongs to you alone, Lady Rosetta.”
“I don’t think that’s true. I think Darling’s number one will always be Amagi… She’s who’s truly special to him.”
✦ ✦ ✦
After leaving the waiting room, I walked down the hallway. Amagi followed behind me to one side. It was how we always traveled in my mansion, but today it felt strange.
“That surprised me, Amagi.”
“I apologize. However, it is true that you were enchanted by the sight of her, is it not?”
“Wha—?! Th-that’s…”
“I could tell by your eye movements, Master. Pairing those with how difficult you found it to compliment her, it was a simple deduction.”
Amagi had been by my side since I was little, and it seemed I was an open book to her. “…You didn’t have to say it in front of everyone.”
“I determined that my statement had meaning precisely because of the people present. Master, I believe it would behoove you to be more honest with yourself, at least at a time like this.”
“I’m trying to be a villain, not a devoted husband!”
It was too late for the latter, wasn’t it? I couldn’t take a different path now, and I didn’t want to, either. I’d said goodbye to my former self—that was how I’d gotten where I was today.
“Anyway, as soon as this marriage is finalized, I’ll be a duke. It’s all thanks to you that I got this far in a hundred years, Amagi.”
The Guide had provided assistance too, of course, but Amagi had supported me all through these long years. When I thanked her for that, she responded with her usual neutral expression.
“All I did was support you, Master.”
“That’s how I got this far. I could never have done it without you.”
When I was handed a domain on the brink of ruin, I’d had no idea what to do, but Amagi had made it all easy to deal with. There’d been hard parts along the way, but I’d made it through because I wasn’t alone.
“I’ll still be counting on you in the future, too. Stay by my side forever.”
After I told Amagi that she would continue to be important to me, her tone of voice changed, if only subtly. That tiny change, which only I would notice, made her sound a little sad. “You no longer need my support, Master. You have already accomplished more than I could ever do for you.”
“Well, I’ve been at this a long time, so I’ve got some experience now.”
It had been almost a century since I’d started governing, but I’d only managed that because Amagi was at my side.
“My work could easily be handled by someone else. I believe you should rely on Lady Rosetta from now on, not me.”
“Even if someone else could do your job, no one could replace you. Stay by my side. Didn’t I say that already?”
I turned around and saw that Amagi looked a little happier. She smiled at me. “I shall serve at your side for as long as I am able.”
That was the same answer she’d given me before. The “as long as I’m able to” part bugged me, though. “Why do you put it that way? Don’t you trust me?” Did she think I’d change my mind someday? “Do you think I’d ever be cruel to you? I won’t ever abandon you.”
“There are no absolutes in life, so you can make no guarantees.”
I felt myself smiling at that AI-like answer. It had been a while since Amagi had said something like that. It was true that there was so much fighting in this universe that it wouldn’t be strange for me to be killed at any time. Accidents in space were frequent too, so no one could guarantee the future. No one except for me, at least—since I had the Guide’s protection.
“You’re right. But don’t worry. I’ll be with you always. I can guarantee that.”
“…Yes, Master.”
✦ ✦ ✦
The Guide was looking down on House Banfield’s home planet with an expression that suggested that he’d eaten something sour.
“Don’t think that this is over, Liam!”
Even from space, the Guide could view Liam’s wedding to Rosetta. Liam was feigning a neutral expression as he stood before his bride, but the Guide could see how happy he was.
“I can’t believe he’s this happy when he said all that other stuff before! What happened to never trusting a woman again, huh?!”
The Guide had wanted to see Liam’s distrust of women play out further, so he was highly displeased with this outcome. Thus, he decided to play a prank on Liam.
“I’ll take all the negative emotions I collected on the battlefield and throw them at you! A little prank is all I can manage right now, but I’m not going to stand by and do nothing!”
Since the Guide had absorbed all the negative emotions produced by the proxy war, he’d regained some of his power. Unfortunately, Liam had set foot into the realm of the inhuman himself, so at this point the Guide couldn’t do much more with that power than tease him. He was also concerned that, if he took some petty revenge here, he’d lose all the power he’d built back up.
Still, the Guide couldn’t bear seeing Liam look so happy. What he should’ve done was leave Liam alone and continue to restore his strength for later, but he chose to be irrational; that was the sort of petty creature the Guide was.
“Make a fool of yourself in front of everyone, Liam!”
Black mist emanated from the Guide’s body and flowed down toward House Banfield’s home planet, onto the wedding venue. Meanwhile, the Guide watched the moment just before Liam and Rosetta would kiss.
“Don’t think I’ll let you—hmm?”
As the Guide’s curse-like attack sped toward the couple, the gemini-plant clothing both wore reacted and shone brighter. The holy plant that staved off evil didn’t just shield the pair from the Guide’s attack—it reflected the curse back at him. Boosted by the celebratory feelings of Liam’s subjects, the light below took on more and more of the holy power the Guide despised. Before he knew it, that holy power had transformed into a silver lance. It was aimed out into space at the Guide, having locked on to his presence.
“Another holy item?! Is tormenting me that fun, Liam?!”
Flying toward the screaming Guide, the lance reached the speed of light. It was meant to destroy the creature that had cursed Liam and Rosetta.
The lance impaled the Guide, then ate away at his body.
“Eyaaaaah! I’m meltiiiiing!”
The Guide’s body fell to pieces and scattered, and he flew away, once more reduced to nothing but a hat.
“I’ll remember this, Liaaaaam!”
If he’d hung back, he wouldn’t have taken any damage, but the Guide never learned.