"Asia, there's something you need to understand. I may not be as kind as you imagine.
No one can confidently say that everything they do is just. There are too many things in this world that people are forced into.
So don't let the fact that I saved you blind you. Think carefully before you decide. I want you to calm down and consider it properly before giving me an answer. Don't make a choice you'll regret."
"Then I can answer you right now, Cid-san. I trust you. No matter what you do, I'm sure you have your own reasons."
…Are you actually this naive?
Cid was stunned.
She had perfectly avoided every trap.
He had tried to steer the question toward whether his actions were just, but she shifted it to whether he had his own reasons.
If she had insisted his actions were just, he could have used that to reject her, saying she wasn't suited for the darkness.
But she didn't.
She said he must have his own reasons.
That single answer completely cornered him.
An Eminence in Shadow is supposed to have some kind of guiding purpose.
He didn't.
If he had to force one, it would be "I want to become an Eminence in Shadow."
But that didn't count.
What kind of Eminence in Shadow uses "becoming an Eminence in Shadow" as their goal?
The other option was to say he had no reason.
But looking at everything he had done over the past year, that would basically make him nothing more than someone who stirs up trouble for fun.
That wouldn't work either. It would ruin his image just the same.
…Wait.
Thinking about it again, maybe letting Asia become his assistant wasn't such a bad idea.
Sure, she wasn't very smart, had no money, and might even expose his identity.
But he had already gone through all that trouble, even involving the World of Life's Norms and Heaven for her sake.
Wouldn't it be a waste to just send her away now?
Even if the whole thing only took a few minutes.
…No.
He couldn't let her go.
That would be too much of a loss.
At worst, he could just treat her as someone he had to support and cover her expenses from his own pocket.
Right, that worked.
"You… you're actually serious."
After staring into Asia's determined eyes for a long moment, Cid spoke with a hint of surprise.
"Then, on my own behalf, welcome, Asia. Welcome to the ranks of the Shadow Guardians."
He extended his hand, a gentle smile on his face as he offered a handshake.
Asia looked overjoyed. She reached out with both hands and clasped his.
"Let me ask, where are you staying right now, Asia?"
"Ah, I followed the guidance the Lord gave me and came to Itogami Island four days ago to find you, Cid-san. I've been staying at a hotel since then. Is there a problem, Cid-san?"
Seeing her confusion, Cid's smile grew even wider.
"Ahem, it's nothing. There are just a few things I think I should tell you in advance."
Perfect. Everything was going exactly as he wanted.
"For now, aside from me, you're the only member of Shadow Guardians. That means if something happens, there may be no one to support you. And…"
His tone suddenly became more serious.
"There is no salary in Shadow Guardians. In other words, you won't earn a single yen. It will only take up your personal time.
If you can't accept that, you can still leave now, while you don't know too much yet."
This was his strategy.
No salary.
Even Gamma, that shameless profiteer, understood one simple truth.
No matter how easy workers are to fool, you still have to pay them.
Otherwise, sooner or later, they'll flip the table on you.
Ah, at this point, wasn't he even more of a profiteer than Gamma?
"Cid-san, are you short on money? I still have some savings I can give you. I haven't sold the antiques the Fallen Angels gave me either. There are quite a few of them in my hotel room…"
I was just thinking of freeloading off someone else's efforts, and you're offering up everything you have. Where did this even come from?
Forget it. He still had one last move.
"No need, Asia. I'm just trying to make one thing clear. Being part of Shadow Guardians is entirely your own choice. Aside from when you're carrying out missions, where I'll be with you and help you, you won't gain anything personally useful from it the rest of the time."
"Mm, I'm ready, Cid-san."
Asia looked full of energy, her voice firm, her eyes shining with anticipation.
"Good.
Oh, right, there's one more thing.
As my assistant, you'll need to live at my place. After all, I'll need you to provide an alibi when…"
"W-What? I… I'm going to live with you, Cid-san?!"
Asia suddenly interrupted him. Her cheeks flushed bright red, her lips slightly parted, looking completely overwhelmed as if her mind had stopped working.
For a brief moment, the corner of Cid's lips lifted, then quickly settled again. Ignoring her stunned state, he continued.
"Yes. I know you're a nun, so…"
"I-I can really live with you, Cid-san?"
She cut him off again, but this time her voice was filled with excitement, joy, and disbelief. Her eyes looked at him with open anticipation.
Cid fell silent.
He really shouldn't have believed that a nun who ended up with the Fallen Angels could still be called devout.