“Mortals will insult their creators if they act in a deserving manner.” Lirenna slowly enunciated every word, as if she were speaking to herself as much as Kuon. “However, honorable and benevolent beings like Lady Kobayashi and Lord Endo will be worshipped as deities despite being mere high schoolers. Lose yourself to your own power and status, and one day someone will strike you down. No one can escape this fate—not even a god of creation.”
“To think I’d ever see you act all high and mighty,” Kuon spat, glaring at the sky. “What happened in our little garden in the time I was gone?”
“Hmph,” Shihono scoffed. “You thought Liese-tan was just a villainess in your grand scheme, but she happens to be way, way cuter than you could ever imagine. Liese-tan’s so cute that we became gods in your stead, the prince fell in love with her, Lirenna regained her sanity, and every single person around Liese-tan is safe and happy. No one over there is going to die: not Liese-tan, not Bal, and not even the Witch of Yore. They’re locked in for a Happy End to End All Happy Ends!”
Shihono’s smile was chock full of defiance. She placed a hand on her hip and pointed straight at Kuon.
“That’s why an evil god like you who’d get in the way of someone else’s love should give up!” Shihono said. “Let your wife lock you away!”
For a moment, Kuon simply stopped and stared at Shihono. He turned Kirise’s light brown eyes into a mystifying glowing gold. He stared at her for some time, then suddenly chuckled cynically.
“You sure do talk big for someone with such a twisted heart.”
Shihono froze. Aoto immediately stepped forward to shield her from his gaze, but Kuon didn’t even notice. The god’s eyes remained fixed on the girl as he piled on his poisoned words.
“Your soul is tainted in the same shade of jealousy as mine. Tell me, girl, do you really want a happy ending? Admit it. There’s someone you envy, isn’t there?”
Kuon’s grin was breathtakingly beautiful. His demeanor controlled the scene, as if to say that he was the main character eloquently delivering the final monologue.
“There’s no such thing as a world where everyone is happy. One person’s smile comes at the cost of another’s tears; the light of joy casts a shadow of despair. And how could it not? All things are limited. That’s why we take from others for our own sake. Everybody does it without thought, without guilt. No one can blame you for wanting to be on the better end of the deal, don’t you think? Hey...how about I lend you a hand?”
Kuon advanced by a single step. Nobody else could move. Not Aoto, nor Shihono hiding behind him, nor even the goddess that was meant to protect them. He’d swallowed them whole, robbing them of their ability to act.
Cling. The sound of metal tapping metal echoed in the silence. What followed was a voice that was never meant to be heard.
“I see no need to lend any ear to a wretch so steeped in ill intent.”
“Liese-tan?!” Hearing her beloved villainess speak from so close to her, Shihono shouted out in reflex. Aoto joined her in quizzically scanning the area.
This was impossible. Yet they knew for a fact that the voice belonged to Lieselotte; they’d spent countless hours watching over her, after all.
“None other. Eldest daughter of the Riefenstahl Marquisate, Lieselotte, at your service. O noble, loving voices from beyond my dream, I take it that you are the gods from beyond Sieg has told me of?”
Lieselotte was calm and collected as her words filled the air. Yet in contrast, Lirenna was in a state of panic.
“L-Lady Kobayashi, it’s the doll! It’s that doll hanging from your backpack! I don’t know why, but part of Lady Lieselotte’s soul is inside of it. Seriously, why?! Is it because of my presence? Oh, wait. Lady Lieselotte, are you sleeping?”
“I am indeed. Here I had thought the familiar feeling of those accursed nightmares you showed me to be returning, only to awaken in this tiny body.”
“Oops, it looks like I pulled her spirit along with me. Maybe Lady Kobayashi’s blessing is another reason... But why is she in a doll? Wait, what’s with this doll, anyway?! It has so much raw sentiment packed into it! Does this thing have some sort of mythical origin to it?”
Shihono couldn’t keep up with what was happening. Yet as flustered as she was, she managed to answer Lirenna’s question.
“Uh, I think it’s because I made this by hand. They don’t make any Liese-tan plushies even though they have plenty of them for Fiene, so I made my own out of spite.”
“Holy moly,” Aoto said. “I thought that was an official product this whole time. Kobayashi, you’re incredible.”
Shihono flashed the awestruck boy a bashful smile.
“Do you see now, you depraved creature?” Lieselotte said to the fallen god. “A pitiful fool like you has no hope of harming me when I inhabit an idol crafted with such care.”
Kuon had been bitterly glaring at the doll ever since Lieselotte had first shifted the tide of the conversation. Now, all he could do was hang his head in frustration.
“This body is overflowing with your purehearted love, Lady Kobayashee. Not too long ago, the two of you saved me alongside a shining ray of light. There has been something that has stuck with me ever since you bestowed me with your favor in the spring. I felt it in the ever-present care of your gaze, in the voices calling out to me amidst my nightmare, and again in this doll. This warm kindness is a thing of true beauty.”
Lieselotte spoke slowly and with great care. Shihono’s eyes gleamed wet with emotion.
“Lady Kobayashee, let me speak of your virtue on your behalf. And you, beside her, as well. I can tell from the way you watched over me that the both of you truly held me dear. To wish for another’s dream to come true so earnestly, and to succeed in seeing it come to fruition, is an act of compassion like no other. Do not lend any ear to this sort of meaningless drivel.”
“But...” Shihono weakly shook her head. “I can’t write off what Kuon said as meaningless. Liese-tan, I...really am jealous of you. I envy you.”
“Yet you never once let yourself harm another out of such emotions. Is there anything so wrong with an envious heart? To feel is natural. In fact, Artur Richter goes as far as to voice his frustrations more frequently than not. Being of privileged birth, I have endured my fair share of jealousy. Yet their ill will means nothing to me, as you have granted me happiness.”
“But, but! I can’t be like you, Liese-tan! You always put Sieg first, no matter what. I’m just an awful person, getting in the way of my crush’s true love. I’m sure that’s why Endo fell for my sister instead...”
“...Me?”
While Shihono was fighting back waterworks and desperately debating Lieselotte, Aoto tilted his head. He had no idea why his name was being brought up. Unfortunately, Shihono didn’t notice his confusion and continued wading through her sadness.
“I know that once this is all over, I should walk the path of a proud villainess like you and die for the man I love—er, well, maybe not die, but I should at least get out of his way. But it hurts so much that I feel like I won’t be able to do it...”
“How ridiculous.”
Lieselotte’s succinct remark stopped Shihono in her tracks. The high school girl had buried her face in her hands as she tore herself down, and the noble was quick to apologize.
“Ah, my apologies for misspeaking. I ought to elaborate. I don’t find you ridiculous, Lady Kobayashee. No, it is the other god to whom I direct my statement. As poorly spoken as I may be, I would wager you are the one who needs to explain your thoughts more clearly.”
Shihono looked up, now plagued with a look of confusion.
“Lord Endoh, was it? I daresay you should put your emotions to words. Although I managed to surmise your feelings from a mere handful of observations, there are things in this world that gain meaning when uttered for the first time.”
Now it was Aoto’s turn to hold his head in his hands. No way, he thought. This isn’t happening. Is it? But I guess...
Aoto’s gaze hopped from point to point as his mind did the same. Eventually, he caught a glimpse of Shihono; she was crying and insecure. That was the final push for him to lock eyes with her and lay his heart bare.
“Hey, I think you’ve got some weird misunderstanding. Let me just make this clear: you’re the one I like, okay?”
“...Huhwha?”
“Don’t you ‘huhwha’ me. Why did you even think that I was in love with your sister, anyway? I feel like I was super easy to read!”
Even as Aoto raised his voice, Shihono simply stared back with her head still tilted to one side. Realizing that she legitimately did not understand what he was saying, the boy heaved a long sigh. With the most serious expression he could muster, he resolved himself to be as unambiguous as possible.
“I like you, Kobayashi Shihono. I’ve always, always been in love with you ever since I first decided to join the Broadcasting Club.”
“No way...” For whatever reason, Shihono still didn’t believe him.
“I’m serious,” Aoto said, halfway to tears. He slumped his shoulders. “Everyone in our club knows I have a crush on you, and the only reason I joined you for this game in the first place is because I liked you. Going back a few steps...why did you think I had a thing for your sister?”
“B-Because I saw you confess to her at the cultural festival!” Shihono shouted, just as teary as Aoto. “You said she was a perfect angel in every way, and that you were unbelievably, hopelessly in love!”
Aoto grimaced. She’d overheard their conversation after all, but only at the worst possible timing. He regretted having not asked, but realized that it wasn’t too late to right his past wrongs and slowly explained what had happened.
“I only said those things to answer your sister when she asked me if I was interested in you. All the stuff about a perfect angel, and me being hopelessly in love was...about you.” Although Aoto was bright red from his neck up, he managed to squeeze out the whole story. With a glimmer of hope in his eyes, he glanced at Shihono. “And so, um, from the way you were talking earlier, you...like me too? If, uh, you don’t mind, do you wanna go out?”
“I do! I love you too, Endo!”
Shihono didn’t so much as pause to think as she instinctively accepted Aoto’s confession. However, an afterthought caused her to guiltily peer up at him.