Volume 11 Chapter 5 - Treatment of the Sisters

Part 1

After seeing off Ruijerd, we headed home.

On the way, we separate from Sylphy.

I want to be with her, but she has work to do.

It's not good to skip work without notice.

To inform Ariel of the situation, she heads off to school.

By the time we reached home, it was already noon.

Time for lunch.

Staying with Norn is a bit awkward right now, so I'll make the meal instead.

Aisha offers to help, but I'll cook alone this time.

The finished food was totally 'bachelor cooking.'

If I am going to name it, it'll be 'Bean Fried Rice,' or something like that.

Well, there is no helping it. Unlike Sylphy, I haven't seriously learned cooking.

"Is it good?"

"This is delicious!"

"……"

Aisha is eating cheerfully.

Norn is eating without complaint as well.

It's worlds apart from what Sylphy cooks, but it's not bad.

After finishing lunch, we went to living room.

Norn and Aisha sit beside each other and I in front of them.

I take a breath before I began.

"Well, it's a little late, but first, good job finishing the long trip to here."

"Yes, it's good to see Onii-sama in good health as well."

Aisha said, with a clear expression.

She's dressed in maid outfit.

Though compared to last time I saw her it's now a perfect fit for her.

It's patched up in some places, but it's probably the remnant of events of that time.

I guess this room is a new and interesting thing for her, since she is looking around with sparkling eyes.

Her brown ponytail is swaying back and forth.

Her ponytail is decorated with a white ribbon, but it's a bit rugged and turning gray in some places which makes it even more eye-catching.

"……"

Norn is looking down, just like a normal child.

Her clothing is normal children's clothing as well.

It's blue clothing with a cute design.

In Millis Kingdom I saw a lot of children dressed like this, but it might stand out a bit here.

Her blond hair is a little longer than Aisha's.

She has her hair behind her head with a large hairclip, very fashionable.

"It seems Aisha has worked fairly hard during the trip."

"Yes, it was all in order to see Onii-sama. It wasn't hard work at all."

Said Aisha earnestly.

But why is her tone weird today.

I wonder why she is acting so strange?

"We are a family and from today onward this is your home, so there is no need to refrain from anything, make yourself at home."

"Yes, but even though we are family, this is Onii-sama's house, so staying without doing anything is troubling, so I was thinking about helping with cleaning and house chores."

Somehow I feel a great distance between us, I wonder why. Did I do something. Maybe it's because she is using honorifics?

"Hey, Imouto-sama."

"What is it, Onii-sama?"

"That way of talking, will you please stop it?"

"I don't want to, it's the right way to talk to those older than you, is what you have said before, so why should I quit?"

Is it because of me, since I am using honorifics she won't stop using it either?

"I get it, I won't use honorifics."

"I understand, after all honorifics aren't suited between relatives. You will feel the distance, but Onii-chan I'll be using it, since you are older after all."

Oi, isn't that where you go with the flow and say 'I won't use honorifics either'? Well, it's okay. Learning how to use it from a young age means you know how to converse in the future. It's a good thing.

Hearing the words 'feeling distant' I wonder, maybe Ruijerd and Eris felt like that as well. Though I believe using honorifics is the smoothest way to communicate between humans.

Well, next time we meet, let's talk a bit more relaxed.

[Hey, Ruijerd, HOW'S IT GOING.

You have changed a lot. You were so thin and had no beard. What? That's not your name? Did you even change your name?]

…… something like that.

Ruijerd is someone I respect. Talking to someone you respect should be by using honorifics.

That's a given.

If I talked like that to Ruijerd or Roxy in a parallel world I would probably be beaten to death.

"Aisha, Norn, this is our first time living like this together, there will probably be things that we don't know about each other… well… let's get along well."

"Yes!"

"……"

Aisha nodded cheerfully.

It kind of feels like when I give Pursena meat. I can almost see her tail. It feels like she is saying, I'll listen to whatever you say.

In contrast, Norn is grumpy. That's the kind of face that says, she didn't want to come live with me at all.

Well, it can't be helped since our reunion wasn't a good one. I was drunk and had a woman along with me. I better treat her cautiously for now.

"I never thought Onii-chan would marry Sylphy-ane, I was very surprised, Norn-ane agrees, right?"

Like that, Aisha turns the conversation to Norn.

"I … I don't really remember much about Sylphy-san."

Said Norn while shaking her head.

No helping it, huh? Since she is unlike Aisha, and didn't take etiquette lessons together with Sylphy and didn't have much contact with her.

"Ne…ne, Onii-chan, did something happen? What happened to the Eris-san who was with you before?"

Said Aisha leaning in. Well, I guess everyone is curious about Eris.

"Yeah…"

After that, I explained everything that happened to me after returning to Fedoa Region, Eris leaving me, and me becoming an adventurer.

Then getting sick, and to heal myself being referred to Magic University, and then seeing Sylphy here and getting healed.

Well, I did hide the fact that my sickness was ED and how it was treated. After all, it's not something for 10-year-old girls to hear.

After that, I explained Sylphy's situation and the fact that she has to hide her gender in public.

Well, as for whether or not I can tell people about this, Ariel gave me the right to do so based on my judgment, though my little sisters might be too young for this.

Since we are living together, they would find out about it sooner or later.

It's not wise to lose their trust by hiding things from them, and this way, getting their cooperation is easier.

"That's how it is."

I finished my monologue.

Norn is looking down with a serious face, and Aisha is looking at me worriedly.

"So, is your disease okay now?"

"Oh, it is completely cured. No worries anymore."

Although I still take a treatment once every 3 days, and Aisha clapped her hands in understanding.

"Oh, I know!"

"N~?"

"Dad gave me something to pass onto Onii-chan when I see you."

Saying that, Aisha jumped up and went to the second floor and brought a trunk back with her.

"Yes, this is it. Take it please!"

The trunk is tightly locked, with three big locks put on it. Was it caution toward those who would try stealing it? Nah, in this case, it was probably to prevent Aisha and Norn from frivolously opening it.

"Oh, the key ……"

"N? Oh~"

It seems that Aisha has the keys. I get the keys from her and put them in the keyholes.

"Oh."

There was a treasure chest full of silver and gold.

Saying it like that is going too far, but it was a lot of money.

A few dozen of big bars from Millis Kingdom made of precious metals.

It's difficult to guess the value just from looking, but if sold, it would be worth a lot.

This is the lot of money Paul mentioned in his letter, with this much we can live for 10 years, but I have to be careful to not spend it wastefully.

In the other side of the trunk there are 2 letters, let's check them out.

One is the same one that arrived the other day.

The other one is from Lilia, it's regarding Aisha and Norn's education and personalities.

Aisha is a brilliant kid and won't make any mistakes, but since she is a bit mischievous, I need to be strict with her.

Norn is a common girl, but since she gets compared to Aisha in school a lot, she might have a rotten personality. But it's better to treat her kindly, is what is written in the letter.

Lilia seems to be a bit hard on Aisha. I think it's because she thinks of herself as the lover (mistress), and spoils Norn for that same reason.

But I think you have to treat both sisters the same.

However, Aisha's really excellent.

After just a year of study, there is not much to teach her anymore.

She is at a fine level in reading, writing, history and mathematics. Additionally she is skilled with cleaning, laundry, and cooking. Her swordsmanship is at elementary level in Water-God style and she is at the elementary level for all six basic magic.

Although she went to school in Millis, since Roxy arrived and Paul went on the trip to find Zenith she shouldn't have a been there for a long time.

With just that much Aisha is like this, no wonder Norn lost confidence.

Norn is normal, not so good nor bad. Though she is better than Eris was at the same age, I think she is average, no, maybe a bit below average.

Norn was caught in the Mana Calamity incident, and from then on she has given it her all. There is no reason to lose her confidence at all [she did do well.]

There is no other letter, I was expecting something from Roxy as well but…

Well, this is a letter from family members to each other, so she might have refrained because of that.

"Be that as it is, after you have settled in you should attend school."

"Ehh!"

Says Aisha with a displeased voice, does she have a bad memory from school?

"There is nothing more for me to learn at school, I just want to serve Onii-chan at home."

"But you know…"

"But I only want to take care of Onii-chan! Remember the promise from that time, here, I always held onto it."

Then she lets her hair down and shows me the ribbon, it's the headband I gave her when we separated from each other.

Part of the metal has been bent so it could be used as a hairband, though it's kind of unrefined and rugged looking.

Seeing what I have given her being treated preciously, kind of makes me feel happy.

Be that as it may, I wonder about her not wanting to go to school.

To be honest I don't think it's that necessary for her to go to school. The important thing is the will to learn. If there is no will, going to school is a waste of time. Just like me back in middle-school.

That said, it is written in Paul's letter to have them both to go to school.

There is no such thing as compulsory education in this world but…

"Then, at least take the Magic University's entrance exam, we will decide based on the result of that."

"Yes… Oh? I understand."

Said Aisha while grinning.

She seems to be confident in getting a high-score. Well, if she can get a high-score before going to school, then not going is fine. I'll say that to Paul as well.

"Norn, how about you take the exam as well?"

"……"

When I turned the conversation to Norn, she avoids looking at me and stays silent. I wonder if I am hated… maybe she won't ever talk to me again? While I am thinking that, she whispers …

"… but I might fail the exam."

I think it's the first time she talked to me, I might not be hated, well anyway I am happy.

Yes, being ignored is not good after all.

"There is no need to worry. That school, even if you fail, as long as you pay tuition you can get in."

"Erm… It's not like I want to go to school that much!"

I was yelled at, maybe because I mentioned the back door to get into school.

"Eh, Norn-ane, what's with that way of talking to Onii-chan."

"But, you heard it as well, he said he would do something about it with money."

"It's Norn-ane's fault for not being able to study!"

"I can do it!"

Norn started yelling and grabbed Aisha's hair.

Aisha grabs Norn's wrist and stretches her hand to Norn's face, scratching, pulling hair.

A cat fight, no it's the way children fight.

Nah, it should be like this, this is good.

Getting punched in the chin and mounted on can't be called a child's fight.

Quarreling in moderation is fine, but this time my way of putting it was bad.

Let's stop them.

"Please stop."

A voice lower than what I intended came out, both of them stopped their hands while trembling.

"……"

Norn still wanted say something, her downcast eyes were welling with tears …

…Hmmmm.

I guess she has a more severe complex regarding me and Aisha's existence than I thought.

"Well, you see Norn, this city's school will accept students who pay tuition regardless of their talent, race, or social standings, so it's not like I was trying to get you in by bribing them."

"……Gusu~tsu"

She tried wiping her tears while sniffing.

"You remember Roxy-sensei, right? She was attending this school as well. It's a very good school. Studying a lot, you might find something that you like as well…"

…Something that you can beat Aisha in, I refrained from saying that, in these situations it's best not to compare children with each other.

Norn kept looking down for a while and then said.

"…I understand, I'll take the exam."

Eventually, after saying just that, she stood up and left the living room.

Aisha said with an irritated voice to her back.

"Norn-ane, we still haven't finished talking!"

"Shut up!"

Then we heard her running up to the second floor and slamming the door.

I get it.

She is a difficult kid, in a difficult age with a difficult personality.

I wonder if I can get along with her …

"Ah~h she is always like this. I don't like difficult kids. Onii-chan agrees too, right?"

Aisha seeks my agreement while shrugging her shoulders.

Aisha as well, her attitude of looking down on Norn.

It's no good.

"Aisha."

"Yes, what is it?"

"Starting now, stop saying 'you don't study' or stuff like that so highhandedly to Norn."

"Ee~h……"

When I say that Aisha pouts and says with a displeased tone.

"But Norn-ane isn't even trying."

"Well, from your point of view it might look that way, but maybe Norn is giving it her best in her own way…"

"Well……… If Onii-chan says so, I'll be careful."

She nods unwillingly.

Well, me saying it probably has no power to convince her, since I don't know much about these two.

But, how am I going to treat these young girls, it's hard.

Part 2

Afternoon.

I left my two sisters at home and went to school. I visited the staff room to talk to vice-principal Jinas regarding the exam for my sisters.

"If they studied at another school before, they should able to catch up with the curriculum, so let's schedule their entrance exams as soon as possible.

That's why, we arranged for them to take the exam in a week's time.

It's like a pop-quiz, but it's all right I think.

"I bet they are excellent students, since they are Rudeus-san's little sisters."

"One is excellent, but the other one is a normal child."

"Don't be modest, I bet they can even use voiceless incantation?"

"No way."

While chatting like this with Jinas, I suddenly remembered something.

"By the way, vice-principal, is Badigadi-sama at school today?"

"His majesty… I haven't seen him today."

"Is that so."

He is an elusive fellow.

However, he causes a ruckus where ever he appears, so I can find him quickly.

"If you have some business with him, I can pass along the message if you want?"

"Nah, nothing specific, I just wanted to have a talk with him, just us alone."

"I understand, if I see him, I'll pass on that message."

I left vice-principal Jinas with those words.

I planned to go back after that, but since I had a bit of time, I decided to show up in Nanahoshi's place for a bit.

I knocked and went in, but surprisingly, she is not in the room. That hikikomori is not in the room.

Just to be sure, I take a look at the laboratory as well in vain, since entering the bedroom was forbidden, I just knock there to check.

"N… Ugh"

I heard a groaning sound, she seems to be in pain.

I was hesitating to go in or not, then Nanahoshi opened the door with a pale face.

"Hey, are you okay?"

"…… I feel sick …… …… …… My head hurts …… A"

Wow, it stinks of alcohol.

Hangover?

Well, it's not surprising, she drank a lot.

Even to the extend of alcohol poisoning, I wouldn't be surprised.

"Sit down a bit, I'll fix you right up."

I said that and took her back to the laboratory and sat her down on a chair, grabbed her head, and chanted detoxification magic. After that, I eased the pain with healing magic.

"Phew…… I'm saved."

Nanahoshi thanked me while holding her temples.

Then she puts on the mask on the desk and becomes the masked woman, "Silent Seven Star".

"What do you want today? If it's the reward, I haven't prepared it yet."

It's a cool response, but a bit of dere is mixed in.

Is this the rumored kuudere?

"The other day, when I went back home, my little sisters arrived from their trip. Since I have to make preparation for them to enroll in the school, I came today…"

"… little sisters? Do you mean the ones from our world? Did they make the trip as well?"

"No way. They are the little sisters from this world."

"Is that so?"

Nanahoshi stared at my face.

"If they are your sisters from this world, they are probably pretty cute, right?"

"Is it possible that just now, you complimented my face?"

"I meant it as in our senses. I don't know how you looked in our world and in this one you look more like the western side of our world."

"Ohhhh, yeah."

I was praised, damn, she's a dangerous gal.

In my past world, I would definitely misunderstand this as 'maybe this girl loves me…'

But the me right now, am not a virgin nor am I single, I won't be shaken by a single praise.

"How old are they?"

"If I'm not wrong, they should be 10."

"I see… I have a little brother of the same age back home, if the time flow of that world is the same as this world, he is probably older than me by now."

After saying that Nanahoshi narrowed her eyes nostalgically.

I wonder if she is remembering Japan.

I don't have any fond memories of the word 'Little Brother'.

"I want pudding."

Nanahoshi said abruptly.

Well, the topic just jumped somewhere else.

Why pudding?

"Do you have some special memories from pudding?"

"The one I left in the refrigerator was eaten without permission, it was an expensive one…"

It seems all the little brothers are the same, but Nanahoshi seems to miss even this kind of memory as well.

She is facing slightly up, maybe she wants to cry. I will look the other way.

"Well, I will come again "

"E~e… the last time, I caused you trouble. Now I have a better impression of you."

"Fufufu, if you fall for me, you'll get burned…"

"What is that, are you trying to act cool?"

Nanahoshi laughed a little after saying that, it's that Generation Gap, well, I'll ask about the experiment next time after she is a bit more settled.

Part 3

After school.

I am returning home with Sylphy, I have a lot I want to ask for Sylphy's help in regards to my sisters, since their age is close she probably understands a lot more about them than me.

"Oh, Rudi, let's go shopping. Since the number of people increased, we need to buy a bit more."

So I go along with Sylphy to the market.

When we set foot in the market, the first thing we notice is the sweet fragrance of beans being fried.

Market district is in full swing even in the evening.

My image of a Market district was that it would be crowded in the morning. But here, the fresh ingredients are the meats, and it's provided by adventurers and hunters who hunt during the day and return in the evening.

In other words, they stock up during the day to sell during the evening.

Though it's not that there are that many different products, and the prices are comparatively on the high side.

Still, in the [Magic Triumvirate] you can get anything you want with money.

But if you head east to the more impoverished countries, even if you have money you can't find anything to buy.

By the way, freezing the ingredients here is easy, since you can just request it through the guild.

Well, those are the requests of the students who are just learning magic.

I start talking to Sylphy about what to do from now on while we are shopping.

"I see, so their relationship isn't all that good, huh?"

"To be honest, I have no idea what girls of that age are thinking at all…"

"Really."

"Aisha does not want to go to school and insists on being a maid at our house. What do you think?"

"Since I am kind of out of the house mostly, if she says she's gonna help, I am kinda happy about it."

Sylphy said while laughing, it does not seem like she's worried about losing her role in the house.

"That said, Sylphy, we are supposed to be responsible adults."

"Yeah."

"Isn't it our job to at least provide Aisha with the opportunity of attending Magic University?"

"Un, I see. Then having her change her hair color and attend Magic university is a viable solution as well, right?"

Sylphy puts her hand to her chin as if thinking about what to do, but in the end she decided to buy ham for dinner, despite the price being a bit high.

"Sylphy, we are having a serious conversation, please think about it seriously."

"Of course I am thinking, but you know, I think Aisha-chan is way more outstanding than Rudi imagines."

"So what if she's outstanding?"

"I am sure, regardless of going to school or not, she will do well…"

"O~h."

"So, I think it's better to let her do what she wants, instead of just thinking about this and that."

Sylphy seems to have a lot of confidence in Aisha, come to think of it, Sylphy knows Aisha pretty well.

I mean, the younger Aisha that is, I heard a lot about how she was an outstanding child.

"The problem is Norn-chan, being separated from Paul-san and Ruijerd-san, she is uneasy. We should look after her properly."

"That's right."

When I saw how calm Sylphy is, I realized how nervous I was behaving.

Somehow, Sylphy looks so reliable, just like Fitts-senpai. Eh, she is Fitts-senpai after all.

"Let Aisha do as she pleases, and put Norn on the right rail, hah?"

"Rail?"

"It means making a road."

"I think yeah, that sounds good."

But doing that means treating the sisters differently, is that really okay?

But there is a big difference in their abilities, so treating them the same forcefully is the bad thing, I shouldn't confuse discrimination with distinction.

"I wonder if I said something arrogant?"

"No, you helped me a lot. I managed to sort out my thoughts."

"But, I have to guard Ariel-sama, so I can't look after them as much…"

Said Sylphy with a troubled face while scratching behind her ears.

Because she has to guard Ariel-hime, she said that with a troubled face, she might be actually troubled about it, like after getting married I ask her to stop working for Ariel-hime.

Oh, I suddenly decided to ask about this.

"Hey, Sylphiette-san…"

"What is it, Rudeus-san?"

"If I asked you to stop being Ariel-hime's guard so we could get married, what would you have done?"

I asked as lightly as I could, Sylphy stared at me with a straight face.

"…I might have refused to marry Rudi."

Eh?

…That's a little shocking. Maybe if I took my time and asked in a better way, but I see… so she would choose Ariel over me… I see Ariel is more important than me…

"Ah."

Seeing my face, Sylphy suddenly panicked.

"Don't misunderstand, I love Rudi. No, it's more than that. It's a complicated feeling that I, myself, don't understand."

Panicking Sylphy is cute as well.

"Well, I think both of them is love, and I naturally would like to have Rudi's child as well…"

Sylphy stroked her stomach while saying that.

Hearing that, I feel my body getting hot. Today's Sylphy is so bold, saying that in public.

"But I like Ariel-sama as well, it's a different like from Rudi… right, it's in the sense of a friend…"

Said Sylphy, come to think of it, this is the first time I've heard Sylphy's feelings regarding Ariel.

"Ariel-sama, despite how she looks, has many things she's not good at. If I am not with Rudi, I am sure you could do something about life by yourself, but if Luke and I are not around, Ariel-sama will probably die soon, so I don't want to abandon her."

After saying that, Sylphy is scratching behind her ears again.

And she adds to that [But the life I have now is the one I had dreamed about my whole life, so … if possible I'd like to stick with Rudi.]

Sylphy seems to be thinking that what she is saying is a selfish thing.

She thinks she used my good will to gain something that normally would not be possible, and because of that, she's trying her best to become the woman I love.

Though there is no way that's true.

"……"

Instead of answering that I kiss Sylphy on the cheek, the moment I do that we hear 'Hyu~u, Hyu~u' and some sleazy comments, without us noticing we had gathered a group of onlookers, Sylphy had her sunglasses on from the get go, Fitts-senpai looks cute as always.

After a few minutes, Sylphy calmed down and we resumed our shopping, though our conversation went a bit off-track.

Well, the things I wanted to talk about are mostly done, so as long as Sylphy gets along with those two, my hardship will reduce as well.

To be honest, I don't have the slightest idea what these young girls are thinking about.

"Since I don't understand the girls very well, I'll be relying on Sylphy again…"

"Un~… we are married after all, helping each other is a given."

Said Sylphy while laughing coyly.

My wife is so reliable.

But [Rudi will be fine without me, but Ariel-sama will die.] Hah, I bet Sylphy would be able to live without me just fine, unlike before.

A week later, Aisha got a perfect score on the exam.

Aisha's Ability:

She might not look it, but in truth she has already reached the skill level of a royal maid.