The Play-by-Play Caster Endo and Color Commentator Kobayashi... Their titles sound funny, but those are what they wish to be called, so those are their official names.
Those two brought me dizzying, unbelievably happy days. Thanks to them, Sieg understood me shockingly well and broke through my bluffs with his divine level of composure. There were times when I thought his teasing went too far, but I felt blessed the entire time. I was happy. It was a very, very fun year.
There was no strife with Sieg, Fiene, or anyone else. Even I know how inexplicably stubborn I am at times, and yet the days went by without anyone opposing or shunning me. In fact, it’s the opposite. Sieg and Fiene love me, although I still sometimes wonder if I’m dreaming.
I always thought my love for Sieg was unrequited. I thought it was fine that way. But now I know how blessed and sweet it is to be loved back!
There was someone who cast a shadow over me, but Sieg and the gods dispelled them, saving me from the darkness and encouraging me to be strong.
Yes, I couldn’t be happier. Starting tomorrow, I can be beside Sieg at all times. I will be his only equal in this country where he must stand above everyone else. I’ve longed for this position all my life, and tomorrow, it’ll be mine. I’m very, very, very, very happy.
But that’s not the end. If anything, tomorrow is a new beginning. From now on (it’s extremely hard to write this, but it’s definitely going to happen, so I have no choice but to write it), I’m sure we’ll have quarrels, mainly because of me. Nevertheless, I’ll try to build a relationship, household, and love that won’t be shaken.
From a year ago until now, Sieg went through a lot of effort and hardship while following the gods’ guidance. Now, it’s up to me—no, us—to protect this ultimate happiness—the Happy End to End All Happy Ends the gods led us to—and we will succeed.
So please watch over us from the heavens, Play-by-Play Caster Endo and Color Commentator Kobayashi. Although, when I write their names out like this, I have reservations about calling them those, even if they wished for it themselves.
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“Awww... I’m so happy for you, Liese-tan. Good for you!”
When we returned after changing clothes, we were greeted by Lady Kobayashi sitting on the sofa, covering her face with a handkerchief as she bawled her eyes out, and Lord Endo beside her, gently patting her back.
Lord Endo glanced at us and lowered his head with an awkward smile. “Oh, sorry, guys. You must be confused. Shihono burst into tears while reading the diary. Well, they’re tears of joy, so you don’t have to worry.”
Lieselotte giggled. “It was surprising, but I couldn’t be happier to know she cares so much for us and rejoices in our happiness.”
“Yes,” I said. “It’s because of your efforts and guidance we were able to reach this point where you can say, ‘I’m so happy for you.’ Thank you again, Aoto and Kobayashi.”
“Thank you,” Lieselotte said. “I’m eternally grateful to you for bringing us together. We wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for you.”
“No, I should be thanking you...” Lady Kobayashi groaned, burying her face deeper in the handkerchief.
“Shihono, you’re crying too much,” Lord Endo said. “You’re gonna get a headache. Well, I know you’re really attached to the game, so I’m not blaming you. You were so desperate to find a happier ending that you tried everything you could think of, didn’t you? Like that weird solo clear.”
“Yeah... I even wrote fanfics, thinking if the devs wouldn’t give Liese-tan a happy ending, I would. So seeing the real Liese-tan—and Lieselotte’s Memoir—have such a ridiculously happy ending makes me...so relieved...”
“Ahhh, that just made the crying worse... Shihono, you’re probably sobbing more than the parents of the bride and groom. Look, Sieg and Lieselotte already came back from changing. Shouldn’t you stop crying so you can talk to them?”
Lady Kobayashi looked up, but her eyes were red and the tears she was trying to hold back were still streaming down her face.
“Thank you so much,” I said. The words of gratitude came out again naturally.
“Yes, thank you,” Lieselotte said. “I’m so grateful, I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”
Lady Kobayashi smiled weakly, shaking with sobs. “Oh no, you don’t need to thank us. As long as you two are happy, nothing else matters! If anything, I’m grateful to be able to see you happy together! Oh, and those outfits are wonderful.”
“Yeah, she’s right,” Lord Endo said. “We’re friends, so don’t worry about it.” His eyes were also teary and red. His voice trembled slightly as he spoke. “But I want you to know your Happy End to End All Happy Ends was an incredible miracle. That’s why Shihono’s reacting like this. Take good care of Lieselotte, Sieg.”
“Yes, that goes without saying, Aoto,” I said. “Lieselotte will have my eternal love. I will cherish her for my entire life, so as to not ruin the happiness you’ve given us.”
“A-And Liese-tan, don’t be too stubborn, all right?” Lady Kobayashi said. “Well, I know that’s what makes you cute, but a tsundere has to show her soft side too! If you’re sweet on Sieg every now and then, you can turn him into a sappy pile of mush.”
“After all, you’re such a great girl that even a goddess from another world was praying for your happiness,” Lord Endo said.
“That’s so true! I just want you to be happy forever...” Lady Kobayashi began to cry again.
Lieselotte gave a firm nod. “Yes, I vow to protect this bond you forged for us, this happiness you brought us, and my b-beloved Sieg forever.” She spoke with dignity, like a true Riefenstahl.
I hugged her tightly without thinking. “I’m so happy, Lieselotte. Ha ha, it’s almost like a second wedding vow. No, I suppose it really is one. We have a bride and groom, swearing an oath in front of the gods. Up close and personally, in this case.”
“Oh my. We must never break this oath, then.” Lieselotte giggled.
“Huh?” Lady Kobayashi wiped her tears as Lord Endo wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Wait, we’ll give you all the blessings we can! As many times as it takes! If we really do have divine powers, I wanna pray that your oath will last forever, and that it’ll never be defeated by anything that tries to get in the way!”
“Shihono! Something actually appeared. What is that? Light coming from the sky? It’s raining down on Lieselotte and Sieg, but like, it’s going through the ceiling? That’s scary.”
Light came down from the heavens, surrounding me and Lieselotte. It was similar to the light we’d seen about a year ago in the academy’s dining hall, when Lieselotte and Baldur had received divine blessings.
Lady Kobayashi’s light was gentle and soft. Lord Endo’s was gentle as well, but it also felt somehow powerful. The mystical combination of their lights engulfed us in endless warmth, and we could only stare at it in awe.
“Huh? Light?” Lady Kobayashi looked up. “Whoa, you’re right! So pretty... Well, I don’t know what’s going on, but it looks like a good thing, so I guess it’s fine? I’m sure it means their marriage has the gods’ approval and blessing.” She grinned happily.
“You probably gave them your blessing, and I guess I did too,” Lord Endo said. “I have no idea how any of this works...”
Lieselotte slipped out of my arms. “Well, while you may have done it unknowingly, the fact is you gave us your approval. That means anyone who would try to interfere with our oath will be branded a traitor. As someone with a jealous streak strong enough to embody a witch, I’d love to have this recorded in official law...”
“That’s that, then!” Lord Endo said.
“No objections here!” Lady Kobayashi said.
I realized Lord Endo and Lady Kobayashi really were our age, though they still had their childish innocence. Still, to me, they were greater, more likable, and more precious than any other gods. I was glad we were able to swear an oath in front of them.
Lieselotte called herself jealous, but even I was narrow-minded when it came to her. Besides, I was merely a crown prince, while she was a saint who had brought about the revival of Lirenna the Goddess of Creation and had the blessing of a goddess from a foreign realm, Lady Kobayashi.
The light just now could be used to discourage others from getting between us. It was a miracle that had occurred in the palace, so there must’ve been witnesses. The Goddess of Creation and the priests who accompanied her were sensitive to divine phenomena.
Those selfish thoughts ran through my head. However, even if the light hadn’t come—even if Lady Kobayashi and Lord Endo were only, as they had claimed, regular high school students rather than gods—it wouldn’t change the fact they were our dear friends who had led us to this Happy End to End All Happy Ends.
Thus, more than anything, I felt happy, proud, joyful, and even lucky we were able to reach this day—this moment—together. With the oath we made earlier in my heart, I renewed my resolve to walk hand in hand with Lieselotte, treasuring this happiness.