◆◆◆ Never Meant to Be Heard

It was the last Saturday of November, and the Kobayashi living room was stewing in an uncomfortable mood.

Aoto got up from the sofa in the middle of the room and turned off the game console. He turned back to Shihono, still sitting on the couch.

“I mean,” Aoto said, “being lucky is great and all, but...”

“She juked out all of our preparations, acted pitifully, and her blessing is so meh. Some Witch of Yore the Goddess Lirenna turned out to be.”

The two of them sighed together in an attempt to dispel the ugly displeasure welling up inside them.

“Well,” Shihono said, stretching her back, “I’m not gonna complain about the details of a divine blessing we got for free. But still, how were we supposed to see this coming?”

“That’s what I’m saying.” Aoto popped his knuckles to loosen them up after their long gaming session. “I was so tense for the final fight too... Everything that happened came out of left field.”

They had steeled themselves for the final boss fight, anxiety causing both of them to stiffen up to the point of soreness. They’d amassed the strongest party they could manage, even receiving a surprise visit from Leon, yet they had still sat frozen in fear at the possibility that someone might die.

All the while, the two of them had been praying with all their hearts for Lieselotte and her friends to get through the battle without incident. However, when the black fog had settled, they’d been greeted by a thoughtless goddess just as in love with Lieselotte as they were. Their dissatisfaction was a matter of course.

“Well, at least Lirenna’s back to normal,” Aoto said. “We got to learn a lot thanks to her...”

The boy was absolutely positive that, had the goddess gone on for any longer, she would have likened Lieselotte’s one-sided love for Sieg to his own hidden crush. He’d managed to cut her off just in time, but a cold sweat ran down his back all the same.

“But seeing the goddess like that was so disappointing... Did you see all the blank looks on everyone’s faces? Fabby-boo had to shoot the fireball he prepared into the sky like a firework, for crying out loud.”

“Come to think of it,” Aoto said in realization, “I feel so bad for Professor Leon.”

“He went out of his way to dress up in costume, even if his disguise sucked,” Shihono said. “It must’ve taken guts to show his powers in public.”

“That brainless goddess really managed to screw up every little detail, huh? Begging on her knees isn’t gonna be enough to be forgiven for all she’s done...”

Once again, the two heaved a heavy sigh in unison.

“But hey!” Shihono pumped her fist to reinvigorate herself. “Either way, we still have to go visit Kuon Kirise and peel that evil god off of him!”

“I was about to say ‘evil god’ is a bit harsh, but that sounds about right. The only problem is how we find Kuon Kirise. I guess his college is our best bet, but what do we even do if we find him? Can we peel off an evil god when other people are watching?”

“Finding a secluded spot would be for the best. I predict that Kuon Kirise’s soul will need some time to take back control of his body, so he’ll pass out for a bit after I exorcise him.”

Aoto and Shihono froze when they suddenly heard a voice that they’d previously only heard from the TV’s speakers. Aoto instantly looked over at the game console, but both it and the television were turned off. To begin with, the Goddess Lirenna’s voice was coming from straight above.

“But thanks to, ahem, yours truly, you two are super lucky!” Despite being reduced to a disembodied voice, Lirenna’s smug grin flashed in the young duo’s minds. “I’m sure you’ll run into him if you loiter around a place he frequents!”

“Blegh, the goddess is following us around. Ewww.”

Shihono’s displeasure came straight from the bottom of her heart. Aoto’s face scrunched up in a similar manner.

“So this is what it’s like to be blessed... Does this mean you were listening this entire time?”

The two high schoolers had called her pitiful and brainless, and had even referred to her other half as an evil god. Aoto worried that Lirenna would be upset with them if she’d overheard everything they’d said. However, the goddess seemed unaffected.

“I was, but everything you said was true, so I can’t be mad!”

“You can’t?” he asked, incredulous. “Well, it’s not like I planned on taking back what I said.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Shihono said in a mild panic. “I don’t mind that you were listening in until now, but does this mean you’re going to be peeping on us and commenting on our every move from now on?”

In an instant, Aoto’s expression shifted to grave sobriety.

“All right, let’s go catch Kuon. You won’t spy on us after we’re done, will you?”

“N-No, of course not! Uh, um, don’t worry! I bestowed my divine favor on the two of you, so I can’t even peek in if you aren’t together! I won’t and can’t invade your privacy when either one of you are on your own. Lord Endo, I swear on my name as the First Goddess to stop meddling in your world once we catch Kuon!”

“In that case, I guess it’s fine,” Shihono said. “Kinda. Er, well...honestly, this is awful.”

“It really is,” Aoto said. “Having a constant observer that adds comments out of the blue is terrible. How do Fiene and Sieg put up with this?”

“I bet it’s because they seriously believe we’re gods. I don’t think I’d mind as much if Lirenna acted more holy...”

“Oh, I feel that...”

Yet again, the pair exchanged deep sighs.

“H-Hey, this whole ‘game’ will be over once we snag Kuon! Just put up with me for a little longer! Please?”

“Fair enough,” Shihono said with a nod. “Wow, this ‘game’ we’ve been playing since the spring semester is finally coming to an end. When I think of it like that, Lirenna’s voice seems so...no, never mind. She’s annoying. Anyway, let’s catch ourselves an evil god! I can’t live with Lirenna breathing down my neck, so let’s go first thing tomorrow!”

Shihono pumped her fist with vigor. Sealing away an evil god was no small feat. Yet for some reason, the two of them were preparing with all the gravity of a pair of grade schoolers going out to catch beetles.

“Woo,” Aoto said, slowly raising a loose fist.

────

The following day, Aoto and Shihono wound up dragging their feet right at the edge of Kuon Kirise’s college campus. Although the front gate was open, they could hardly see anyone on the premises. The quietness only accentuated the size of the empty space; unable to intrude on a place like this, the two of them spoke in hushed whispers.

“I guess it is Sunday,” Aoto said.

“I just checked with my sister, and apparently there are a few classes here on Saturdays, but literally none on Sundays,” Shihono said. “Pretty much nobody comes to school unless there’s something special going on.”

“There’s no way that ‘good luck’ is going to be enough to find him when the campus is this deserted.”

“Yup.” Shihono’s phone buzzed once, and after a pause, she said, “Oh, maybe our blessing is kicking in! One of my big sister’s friends borderline stalks Kuon Kirise, and she has his full class schedule. Look!”

Shihono raised her phone so Aoto could get a good look over her shoulder. As they scrolled through Kirise’s regular itinerary, it became clear that their chances of bumping into him today were abysmal. In short, the notes said that the actor had professional responsibilities to attend to on days without class, so he wouldn’t have any reason to be around his school on a Sunday.

“I guess we’re going home,” Aoto said, ready to give up.

“Yeah, let’s come back some other time.” Shihono seemed just as dejected as she typed up a response to her sister. “Ughhh, I’m sorry. I should’ve asked sis for help before we came all the way out here...”

“Don’t sweat it. I didn’t even think about the fact that colleges don’t have classes on Sundays. Let’s just call this a scouting trip and go out for lunch.”

Aoto’s attempt to lift the mood worked wonders, and Shihono’s expression quickly shifted to a cheery smile.

At the same time, Shihono’s sister finally ran out of Kuon Kirise intel to share. With the phone still in plain view, a final message appeared on screen: You should’ve just asked me if you want to meet him. I’ll show you around if you come visit on a weekday!

Shihono only glanced at the pop-up for a moment before her fingers had typed up a response: No way.

“Pft!” Aoto failed to contain a laugh, causing Shihono to look up at him, embarrassed. Still snickering, he said, “Ah, my bad. You’re usually such an angel, but you’re really tough on your sister, and I thought that was kinda funny.”

Shihono looked down with a small pout. This little display of rebellion, combined with her spoiled, affectionate tone when she talked about her “sis,” pointed to a side of the girl that she only showed around home. Getting a glimpse at something closer to Shihono’s true self made Aoto feel warm and fuzzy inside. In fact, he’d totally forgotten all about their god-dispelling mission.

Another message caused Shihono’s phone to buzz, this time accompanied by an emoji of a crying penguin: What do you mean no way?!?!?! Why is my little Sheepo so mean to me lately?! (ToT)

Aoto’s laughter only grew louder after reading the cute pet name Shihono’s sister had for her. She glared at him, her eyes wet with embarrassment.

“Sorry,” he said. “Pft, pffft, ahem. So your name’s Sheepo?”

“Ugh! That’s a nickname I’ve had since I was really little, and it stuck with my sister. I keep telling her to stop calling me that, but she never listens! Oh my gosh, this is why having an older sister sucks!”

Shihono thrust her phone into her bag. Aoto felt guilty for how much he’d teased her, especially since her sister was now getting left on read for something he’d done. As a small form of penance, he made a casual suggestion.

“Your sister’s family and all, so maybe we can just explain what’s going on and have her help us.”

“...Sorry,” Shihono croaked, tears welling in her eyes. “I...don’t want to.”

“Huh?!” Aoto panicked upon seeing her reaction. “Uh, sorry! I wasn’t all that serious about it, so you can completely ignore me if you’re on bad terms with your sister. I’m really sorry if I stuck my nose in too deep into your family business!”

“I don’t hate my sister or anything.” Shihono was clearly dispirited, and her words were broken up by sniffles. “She’s pretty, smart, and I’m proud to call her family—she even lent me the clothes I’m wearing right now. But...I’m sorry. I don’t want to tell her about Liese-tan. Anything else would be fine, but I want to solve this with just the two of us.”

Aoto nodded along fervently while desperately trying to think of something to say. However, before he could come up with anything, the Goddess Lirenna’s voice shattered the awkward atmosphere.

“Excuse me, Lady Kobayashi, Lord Endo! Um, I’ve been trying to stay quiet because I feel like you two sort of hate me, but this is an emergency! Can you please head north from here? I’m sensing Kuon—or at least, something vaguely Kuon-like! Whatever or whoever it is, it’s about five hundred meters northwest!”

“...Should we check it out?”

Shihono’s voice was still choked up, but she wiped away her tears. Aoto breathed a sigh of relief that they managed to escape the terrible mood from before and nodded.

“Yeah, let’s go. Sorry for what I said.”

“Don’t apologize. I should be saying sorry for losing my cool out of nowhere.”

Once the two exchanged apologies, they set off without a word. After months of being in the same class, club, and sharing the role of gods together, Aoto realized that he’d gotten a bit careless. No matter how close they’d grown, he thought, no friend should touch on family matters uninvited. As he reflected on his actions, the pair marched on to the quietest part of the lonely campus.

────

The two of them ended up behind the college’s library. Surrounded by large trees that spoke to the long history of the university they were planted on, the silent grove had a sacred air to it.

There, they came across a sloppily dressed young man. He seemed reserved, both from his clothes and his thick, black-rimmed glasses. A lone white cat was resting by his feet, feverishly wolfing down hard kibble bits on a plate—no doubt items that the man had brought.

“Hey, look how friendly she is now. It took so long to get to this point... Can’t we take her home today?”

The man’s gaze never left the cat while he spoke to no one in particular. Shihono and Aoto had been preparing to call out to him, but exchanged hesitant glances when they saw his strange behavior.

“What do you mean you don’t want a white one? ...Pink? There’s no such thing as a pink cat. Come on, her paws are pink, and her belly is kinda pink. Let’s take her home already.”

Who the heck is he talking to? Aoto thought. Despite his bewilderment, he took a step forward, placing himself slightly in front of Shihono.

“God, you’re so annoying. What’s with—hm?”

The man stopped to look up at Aoto in the middle of his aggravated soliloquy. His expression was listless and his hair unstyled. There were little pills of wool on his casual sweater. Above all else, he was dark and gloomy to the point where no one would ever think him to be an actor.

Yet on closer inspection, the man was incredibly handsome. The facial features suave enough to make his lame glasses look chic belonged to none other than Kuon Kirise himself.

“Whoa, who are—what? Huh? Your wife? What do you mean these kids smell like your wife? You mean the girlfriend you’re always going on about? ...No? Huh? That doesn’t make sense. Hello? Why’d you shut up, Kuon?”

Being confronted by unexpected visitors caused Kirise to fire off a volley of questions, but none of them were directed at the high schoolers. Unfortunately, his conversational partner refused to respond, and he was left in total confusion.

“Kuon’s presence grew weaker. Um, which means the person controlling Kirise’s body is Kirise himself. As for my husband...ugh! How in the world did he weasel his way that deep into his soul?”

The goddess’s exasperated tone was enough for Aoto and Shihono to get the gist. Apparently, Kirise wasn’t completely possessed, and currently had full control of his body. The evil god had turned tail and fled as soon as he sensed Lirenna’s blessing on the two young souls.

The pair discussed amongst themselves via eye contact, sharing a single message: what do we do now?

“Kuon’s spirit is hidden away deep inside Kirise’s soul,” Lirenna said, sounding remorseful. “What’s worse, their existences are far more interlinked than I’d originally imagined. Kuon is probably clinging on for dear life. Do you think the two of you could, I don’t know, upset Kuon on your end somehow? If you don’t destabilize him, I don’t think I’ll be able to peel him away...”

“Easier said than done...”

Aoto was stumped, but not nearly as utterly dazed as Kirise. Taking note of the latter’s confusion, Shihono offered a helping hand.

“Um, how about we start by filling in Mr. Kirise—can I call you that?”

“That’d be great,” Kirise said, still fighting his bewilderment. “Oh, and call me whatever you want. At this point, I’m used to strangers coming up to talk to me like I’m their best friend, so anything works.”

The young man’s candid honesty gave off a starkly different impression from the evil god of legend, the famous actor inside the television, and even the sunglasses-wearing Kirise the pair had previously crossed paths with.

────

Aoto and Shihono spent a long while explaining all the details to Kirise. The whole time, he sat with his legs crossed, petting the white cat sleeping on his lap.

“Uh-huh, gotcha. Okay. Take him away.” Kirise was nothing if not frank. “Kuon’s caused me a ton of grief too. I’m a major introvert, but he took my body and turned me into a movie star, and used all of the money he earned to develop an otome game! What the heck is with that?! Plus, he only gives me my body back once a week, he loses himself to fits of madness, and when I found this cute kitty—look, see?—he wouldn’t let me take her home! I’ve seriously been looking for a way to kick him out. Come on, Kuon, your wife’s here to take you home. Hey, Kuon? Hellooo?”

By the end of Kirise’s long rant, he was speaking directly to the parasite buried inside of him. Now that Aoto and Shihono had Kirise’s consent, they joined in to berate the evil god.

“Kuon, your plan has already failed,” Aoto said. “Kobayashi and I stole your spot as the Voices of the Gods, and all the people in the other world are alive and happy.”

“Both Liese-tan and Bal managed to avoid death, and Lirenna regained her divinity,” Shihono said. “And most importantly, Fiene’s head over heels for Bal! You don’t have a chance of pushing your way in!”

Alas, their efforts to shake Kuon’s spirit were met with zero response. With no way of telling if their words were working, they looked at each other for help. Seeing the two youngsters stuck, Kirise used the lull in the conversation to speak his own mind.

“You know, for all the ‘girlfriend this’ and ‘girlfriend that’ Kuon always talked about, it’s super freaky that she’s not actually his girlfriend. She doesn’t even know who he is, right? That just makes him a full-blown stalker. That’s nasty—argh!”

Kirise’s rambling was the final straw for the god of evil. The actor’s head swayed, and when he looked back up, his expression was wholly different.

“Why is it that not a single one of these mortals reveres me for my divinity?”

The man rose with a spiteful tone, causing the cat on his lap to roll off with a pitiful squeak. It landed on its paws and promptly ran off. The pure malice oozing out of the man’s every pore had frightened the cat out of its wits.

“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.

“But, well...do you mind that I fell in love at first listen?”

“At first listen?” Aoto asked, cocking his head. He didn’t know what that meant, or why Shihono needed to feel sorry for it.

“Yup, love at first listen,” she said, nodding over and over. “It was in April last year, around the time we first entered high school. I happened to hear a really nice voice and when I looked over, I was all, ‘Oh no, he’s my type too.’”

“Didn’t I have a complete buzz cut back then?” Aoto found it strange that he’d be anyone’s type with zero hair, and teasingly pointed this out.

“Yup.” However, Shihono’s response was exceedingly flat. “Your head has a really nice shape, Endo.”

“Th-Thanks?” Aoto didn’t know how to respond to serious praise about weird things. Still, he started considering shaving his head again in the back of his mind.

“Later on,” Shihono continued, “I’d watch you during baseball practice, and seeing you work so hard made me think you were a good person too. So, um...what I’m trying to say is that I had nothing but ulterior motives when I invited you to the club. I don’t think you should call me an angel or whatever, and honestly I feel pretty bad about it... But, um, is that fine?”

“I mean, all I can think of right now is that it’s super cute how honest you are. I’ll take care of you for the rest of my life.”

Moved by Shihono’s openness, Aoto pulled her close and hugged her like he was cradling the most precious thing in the world.

“Th-Thanks,” Shihono said, shyly wrapping her arms behind him.

Unfortunately, there was one person present that did not take kindly to the young couple’s heartwarming moment.

“Hey. Brats.” Kuon’s voice was practically jumping out of his throat to crawl on the floor. Seeing the two of them tied together before his very eyes was too much for the unpopular god. He glared at them with muddy hatred.

“Oh, shoot. I totally forgot. Er, sorry, I guess.”

The boy’s awkward apology as he let go of his new girlfriend only served to infuriate Kuon further.

“So you two get to enjoy your love too, huh?” the god said. “Humanity should just end already.”

Aoto reflexively moved to shield Shihono from the hateful god. However, the invincible lovestruck maiden went out of her way to scoff, stepping forward to taunt the pitiful mass of rage.

“Unlike you,” Shihono said, “I never killed my rivals, and I would never hurt Endo or anyone around him to win his love. Instead, I put in a lot of honest effort: I spent so much time thinking about clothes, hair, my body, and conversation topics, all so he’d think I’m cute. And after a year and a half of perseverance, we’ve finally grown close enough to date!”

Kuon could do nothing but angrily stare at the ground. With his immaturity on full display, he looked like a babbling child.

“And when Kobayashi did try and get in someone’s way,” Aoto said, “it was always so minor that it was more cute than mean. Kuon, you don’t have a shred of devotion, innocence, or cuteness; you’re sinister, violent, and self-centered. Have you even thought about what would make the girl you like happy? It doesn’t matter how handsome or powerful you are. No one will love someone like you.”

“Just so,” Lieselotte said, chuckling at her own memory. “Fiene confided in me that Baldur won her heart neither through looks nor power. His nearly idiotic level of candid affection, and the calloused hands he earned through years of diligent training broke down her walls. In fact, my sister wouldn’t stop bragging about him when she came to notify me of their official engagement.”

“Wait, they’re finally together?” Shihono asked with a beaming smile. “Yay! Did Sieg’s proposal inspire Bal to follow suit or something?”

“No, I’ve heard that Fiene announced that she was willing to marry him and inherit the Riefenstahl estate. For his part, Baldur said that he was going to do his utmost to keep her from regretting her decision by... Let me say that I have my reservations about his wording, but he is prepared to ‘tame’ her stomach, as it were. Apparently, he plans to treat her to a happy life full of delicious home cooking.”

“Bal already reeled in his catch, but he’s still preparing more bait!” Shihono squealed with joy. “Oh my gosh, he’s so precious.”

“Straightforward, loyal, and always thinking about what’ll make Fiene happy. That’s Baldur for you,” Aoto said. “Kuon, you were doomed to fail the instant you tried to cheat on Lirenna.”

“Lirenna is my other half!” Kuon said with an annoyed glare. “That thing loving me is a given. Isn’t it obvious that I wouldn’t be satisfied with that?”

“You’re terrible.” Shihono eyed him coldly, then turned to the sky. “Lirenna, you should forget about Kuon already and find someone else to love.”

“Ha,” Kuon laughed with scorn. “Lirenna can only love those that are her equal. As worthless as she is to me, she’s still a goddess. There isn’t anyone else that can possibly take my place in her heart.”

“Yeesh, what year is your info from?” Shihono asked. “They have an entire new generation of gods over there. Lirenna isn’t the only deity.”

“...What?” Kuon asked in shock.

“Why are you confused?” Lirenna asked her other half. “When we crossed fists with all our might, the remnants of our power flew out to every corner of the world to be absorbed by humanity. What do you think the magical spells they use are?”

Having developed Magikoi, Kuon clearly had some means of peeking at the possible futures of his original world. Thus, Lirenna had assumed that he knew about magic and the new age of gods, but she’d been wrong. He was completely lost.

“Uh... I... I just thought that they sure did evolve a lot in the time I wasn’t looking.”

“What? The way they bend the world to their wills is so obviously our power. And if a mortal soul manages to gather enough of it, then they’re the same as us. They’re gods, aren’t they? I managed to regain most of my strength, but there’s more than a few young ones that I might not be able to beat.”

Lirenna seemed somewhat proud as she delivered the news. As the Mother Goddess, she boasted about her children like a proud parent. Kuon shut up as the color drained from his face, but Shihono had no intentions of letting him slide.

“See?” she said, smirking. “There are other gods. Lirenna, aren’t there any that you might be interested in?”

“Uh, um, well... There are a few who celebrated my return to glory. And when they told me, ‘I rose to divinity because I felt your pain as the Witch of Yore and wanted to soothe your weary soul,’ my heart skipped a beat or two. But in the end, Kuon is my—”

“Give up on this cheater already.”

Shihono wouldn’t even let Lirenna finish her muttering. Aoto piled on yet another fact to push the goddess away from Kuon.

“Didn’t Artur’s ancestors receive divine favor from gods? Besides, as gross as it is, Kuon fell in love with Eve, right? I feel like Lirenna’s options aren’t as limited as Kuon makes them out to be.”

“But...humans are below her,” Kuon said.

“We keep telling you that the humans you made can become gods,” Shihono said. “Hold on, do we even know for sure that she loved you because you two were equals? I feel like romantic tastes change over time anyway.”

Now at a total loss for words, Kuon merely stood silent. He looked like his soul had left his body, prompting Aoto to whisper a question to the goddess.

“Hey, do you think you can capture him now?”

After a brief moment of silent epiphany, Lirenna shouted, “Gotcha!”

The instant the goddess’s excited voice rang out, Kirise’s body lost all strength. Aoto rushed over to catch him before he fell.

“Hgh...” Suddenly, Kirise gasped for air. “Wh-Whoa. Kuon’s gone...”

The young man blinked a handful of times in a state of awe. Still a bit unsteady, he pushed himself up from Aoto’s arms and raised both of his hands to wave lazily toward the sky. Once again the master of his own body, he shouted up at the heavens.

“Goodbye, Kuon! Make sure to listen to your wife when she scolds you! And thanks for everything!”

“You’re thanking him?” Aoto asked. “Wait, I thought Kuon was using your body for himself six days a week?”

“Oh,” Kirise said, turning around. “Despite everything, Kuon saved my life, you see. When I was in elementary school, I was a sickly, star-crossed, and incredibly pretty boy with only a few years to live.”

“Don’t say that about yourself,” Aoto said.

Kirise smiled.

Despite Aoto’s quip, he could see how a grin like this would necessarily come from a very pretty boy. The high schooler wasn’t wholly satisfied with how Kirise had said it himself, but the conversation moved along when Shihono joined in.

“So Kuon healed you, huh? Still, that doesn’t mean he can use your body however he wants. Lirenna, you better retrain him from scratch!”

“Yes, ma’am! You bet!” Lirenna was full of cheer and energy. “Don’t worry. I know I’m not the brightest goddess, so I’ll make sure to have my wonderful children help me. I’m not absolute anymore, but I’m not alone either!”

At that moment, something told Aoto that they were due for a happy ending. The original pair of gods and their relationship had been warped by their loneliness, yet now they would one day return to their original splendor. The boy held this belief close as Lirenna’s voice slowly drifted away.

“Oh, it looks like dawn is just about to break. Lady Lieselotte will awaken soon, and I have to hurry and seal Kuon’s soul away. I think this is it...”

Knowing that the end was close, Shihono rushed to unclip her Lieselotte key-chain from her backpack and stared intently at the noble girl inside.

“Please,” Lieselotte said in a bittersweet tone. “Don’t cry.”

Large beads of water bubbled up in Shihono’s eyes. “But I finally have a chance to speak to you, and you’re already leaving...”

“I’m sure this farewell will not be everlasting. Sieg and I will offer our thanks to you in the form of prayer, every day. Somehow, someday, I’m certain that we will meet again. After all, I have your blessing, don’t I?”

Shihono swallowed back her tears and nodded. Far, far away, she heard Lirenna’s voice come down from the heavens.

“Thank you for all that you’ve done! Lady Kobayashi, Lord Endo, I wish you the best!”

“Liese-tan, Lirenna, stay safe!” It took everything Shihono had to wring out her choked words with a smile. “Take care of everyone else, and...goodbye!”

Seeing Shihono grow emotional finally made it set in for Aoto that this was the end.

“I hope all of you can remain true to yourselves and stay happy! Goodbye!”

Whether the pair’s goodbyes reached the world beyond, they had no idea. The silent heavens offered no answer, but the two continued to wave regardless.