As everyone left for their designated duties, Yamato and Yuki remained in the throne room. The long hall was filled with silence, as before he knew it, Yuki had returned to her spot on his lap. Overcome by his need to pet her head, he let himself go and started petting to his heart's content.
"…Y'know… I'm very angry, Master."
"You don't seem very angry to me…"
"That's because you suck sometimes…"
"Excuse me? I consider myself very aware of the emotions of the people around me. Besides, who are you to talk, receiving head pets from me still telling me you are angry at me?"
"I would stand up, but it'd be quite difficult for you to pet me while I being in any other position that would express my anger more openly. And while it is true that you are quite perceptive, to a frightening degree most of the time, you fail to see why I am angry."
"…I suppose so. Enlighten me."
"…You can't leave me like that."
"Hm?"
"I said you can't leave me like that! I've stayed composed until now, but what were you thinking?! If you would have died back there, what do you think would become of me… If you left me without a word like that… You scared me… Very much… And for that I am mad at you, even though I love you! No, because I love you! You acted careless and irresponsible. You admitted it yourself. And even so, I will not let you off the hook that easily!"
"I see… Even though I had nothing to do with the attack and was just the victim?"
Yuki suddenly sat up straight and straddled him with a serious look on her face.
"You're not supposed to he a victim! You're supposed to prevent things like this from happening before they happen… And you are not supposed to send me away carelessly if you believe danger could be a possibility… You have been spoiled by the security I provide, Master."
"You think so?"
"Why are you smiling at that! I can't stay serious if you do that!"
Despite her best efforts not to, she blushed st both their position and his content smile, already feeling that her scolding will not go as she imagined.
"I'm sorry. I just really enjoy this right now. You are right. I'm very spoiled, to be in such capable hands."
"I feel like this fight makes your heart race…"
"You feel that literally though…"
"Your heart is not supposed to race from this! That's not at all what I was going for!"
"Well, we do live in a world where I'm usually the one coming out on top."
"What exactly do you find so amusing…"
Cupping her face, as it felt natural to do, he held deep eye contact with her as her body grew closer to his.
"Amusing isn't the word I'd use… You make me feel many things right now, none of which are amusement or trying to change the subject."
"What kind of things are yoh feeling then? Are they… Good?"
"I'd certainly say so… What are you feeling right now?"
"I already told you, I'm mad at you…"
"Are you though?"
"I can't help but wonder, what else you might be feeling right now. As you said, I can't always tell with you."
"Do you want me to show you… What else I am feeling right now?"
"Please do."
"~…"
As their conversation moved to a near by bedroom, they would spend the rest of the day together there. The events of today, as well as the last week having been quite time consuming, leaving little time for their romantic side.
Leaving early the next day, the two went to a isolated mountain, where it seemed like no one was living near by.
"Are you sure, Master? If we do this, there is a chance everything falls apart."
"It's necessary. With Natsumi involved, things change drastically. A military approach is out of the question for now without risking your life every time. And a political approach takes too long for our economy to survive. It might just barely work one way or the other but it'd be a real pain… Let's stick with this route. Worst case, we just run off."
"Ah… Kinda romantic, don't you think~?"
"Yeah, I suppose it is."
"Mhm~ Alright then, I'm ready when you are!"
"I'm ready."
"Here it goes…"
"I can't believe I'm doing this… It had been in the back of my mind since we arrived in this world, but I purposefully avoided it… After all, summoning other angels only takes his attention away from me! I'm divine! Me! And no one else should be looked at that way! Just one at first, I suppose… But he is right. There is no other way. This is about his safety, and that takes priority. Despite knowing that we cannot trust them, I will do my best. And kill them if I have to."
Determined to summon an angel from her past, she cast a magic circle on the ground. Having served her in the past, they might do so even now, despite her not following god any longer. However, if that were not the case, she would kill them to avoid having another angel up against her. So the plan that she discussed with Yamato yesterday. One out of seven, chosen at random. With a giant beacon of light, the sky was cracked just enough for a foreign light to descend, and land in front of them.
Long, golden hair spread across the ground as tired eyes looked down, while the two that had summoned him carefully observed.
"Greetings, mortals who summoned me... I am Amael, the Diligence. How may I assist you in your prayers… I am here to help…"
His voice was quiet yet audible, probably due to divine effect. He seemed deeply troubled, depressed even. Yuki thought back to a time before Yamato, where Amael was anything but this. A happy soul, full of determination and ambition. His only goal had always been to be of help to other, and every task he was asked to do, he accomplished with the utmost care. Though Yuki had always taken advantage of that and made him do things for her which she very well could have done herself, and even watched him do them just for fun. But even that only made him happy. An irritating personality, as she thought. But one she would describe as truly diligent. Seeing him in such a state, a depressed and forced being, truly filled her heart with… Disgust.
"Amael…"
Her voice was devoid of sympathy and even carried gravitation magic with it, crushing him onto the ground in an instant. Her gaze felt like an inescapable presence that immediately made Amael recognize who was in front of him.
"Amael, you are… Embarrassing me in front of my master… You are meant to be useful to me, are you not? Tell me… How useful do you think you are to me like this?"
"—G-Arand Angel Yuki…! Is it truly you?"
Right as some light returned to Ameal's eyes, looking up at Yuki,
"Did I stutter? Answer me."
Yuki's eye twitched in irritation, and at that, every vein in Amael's body was simultaneously cut beneath his skin, making him drop fully on the ground. With an authoritative tone, which she rarely used while Yamato was present, her displeasure could not have been made more apparent.
"F-forgive my impudence, Milady… I of course remain but a humble servant meant to fulfill tasks that you deem beneath yourself..."
"That's right. Now hop, hop, status report."
"Yes, Milady. After my last task I remained on standby together with the other Virtues and their forces, waiting for your next command. Since that never came, I assume there was no need for further termination?"
"Hey, not that kind of report!"
"Termination? What kind of termination?", Yamato asked as it was the first time he heard of that.
"Oh, nothing, Master! Like, regular job termination! As in, letting people go, y'know? It's because so many angels in heaven get bored with one job and they lose motivation, but don't go search for another job, so they are fired! But given new jobs, yes! It was a fair and functional system."
With a new found smile and being reunited with Yuki, Amael stood up as his wounds had already healed and be spoke up in confusion.
"…But Milady,though that system sounds surprisingly believable, there never was such a system. I'm of course talking about the demon termination! And why are you referring to this human as Master?"
"Ubwah…! No, that's… Silly you, making things up~! You and your diligent fantasies, haha…"
"Yuki?"
"Tha—… I mean, if you, uhh… Nhg! Amael, you useless pest! Master, I didn't mean to lie, really, truly I promise! I'm gonna tell you now, so please don't be mad…?"
"Just tell me the truth, or I will get mad."
"…So like, waaay back, I visited this and some other worlds before. Briefly! To, let's say, regulate the equality of power between people. And it just so happens that demons were a little too strong! So, I lead a view angels, under which Amael and six others that together are known as Seven Heavenly Virtues, that each lead 100 angels of lower rank, into the demon realm of this world and we decimated them a little…"
"And you didn't tell me this because…?"
"Isn't it obvious?! It's not at all cute! And it was not that present in my mind either, as we always had different matters at hand, or at least there was never a time where I could casually mention genocide!"
"…That's fair I suppose. I do wish you would have just told me. But I realize, as crazy as it sounds, that it was a harmless reason that caused you to lie about it."
"And I don't really care about it all that much… I mean, demons are the personification of evil, right? Though I doubt I'd feel bad for any race, I feel like this one is somewhat justifiable. Or maybe not. I should ask Marneras or Petrisha about their culture. I think I could get objective answers out of them that could help me determine whether demons deserve sympathy or not. Ah, but that's off topic."
"Sooo… You're fine with it? And think I remain super cute and desirable?"
"You remain the cutest and only target of my desires."
"Yay! I'm so glad!"
As she jumped in his arms to hug him, Amael applauded supportively.
"I too am glad you worked our whatever it was that caused the tension, Milady and human that I have yet to know the name of!"
"You pest, that betrayal will still have consequences even if it worked out in my favor in the end…"
"But Milady!"
"Silence! And this human is your new god, so you better treat him accordingly! And you are henceforth property of the Absolute Empire, and will fight in the war we are currently in. Congratulations!"
"B-but… God? War? Could you please elaborate on some points, Milady?"
"Congratulations~!"