Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: Magic (3)
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After Father took that unexpected blow.
I made Ariel apologize to him the moment he came to.
Ariel's unpredictable behavior wasn't anything new, but this was the head of the family—our father—she'd knocked out.
It was too serious to just let slide, so I stepped in and made her apologize on the spot.
...
Father just stared down at Ariel with his usual stony expression.
Even when I gently pushed down her stiff head with my hand to bow her properly, he didn't react.
Only after I prodded her did she finally mutter that ridiculous apology—"Sorry"—and still, no response.
He simply gazed at Ariel steadily, then alternated his gaze between her and me as I sighed beside her, taking responsibility as her big brother.
"You've grown a lot."
With those cryptic words, he forgave her.
I forced Ariel's head down again as she stubbornly insisted, 'See? I didn't do anything wrong.'
And it's already been several days since I scolded her not to pull stunts like that again.
Finally, the day Ellie was due to visit our mansion arrived.
"The carriage has passed through the ducal territory. She should be here soon."
"Got it. Thanks."
I nodded at the servant's report.
Ellie's carriage would arrive at the mansion any minute now.
Still some time left—what should I do?
Actually, I'd already decided.
'Ariel's been on my mind.'
Maybe it was because our adorable little sister hated seeing me with other girls, but lately she'd been holed up in her room and refusing to come out. It worried me.
I had no idea what had gotten into her. She wasn't even following me around like she usually loved to do—just shutting herself away.
As her big brother, how could I not worry?
Knock knock.
"Ariel? You in there?"
"......"
Ariel didn't answer right away.
I could hear rustling inside, so she was definitely there.
It had been forever since she'd failed to respond excitedly the moment I showed up. This might be the first time.
Rustle, rustle.
After a short wait, I heard the sound of blankets shifting inside, and then came her reply.
"What?"
"Missed you."
"......I don't want to see you."
"Gasp."
No, what the hell was going on?
Ariel saying she didn't want to see me?
It was a shock. Like raising a daughter you'd cherished since she was a baby, only for her to hit puberty and yell, 'I hate you, Dad!'
Not that Ariel was my daughter, of course.
Still, since I'd taken responsibility for raising her from the day she was born, I thought of her no differently.
And now that very little sister was rejecting me.
......I refuse to accept this!
"Ariel. You really don't want to see me? Not even my face?"
"No. Not that bad."
"This is truly shocking. Alright, I'm sorry. I must have done something wrong. That's why our pretty little Ariel is mad at me. Sigh. I'm the worst sinner. I'll atone with my death and slink back to my room alone."
"Ugh. No, that's not it. I just—......don't have the confidence to face you."
"Huh?"
My mind went blank as I babbled nonsense, then it hit me like lightning.
No confidence to face me?
Impossible.
Ariel, who always lit up at the sight of me? No way!
"Ariel. Is something really wrong? Big bro's here to listen. Open the door?"
"......Can't it wait till later?"
"No. I'm too worried like this—I won't sleep. If I can't see my little sister's face right now, I might die."
"Idiot."
Taking that as permission, I opened the door.
A mountain of blankets rose from the bed like a hill.
And huddled inside like an igloo was Ariel, blankets pulled over her.
'Huh.'
Why was our cute little sister like this?
Ariel, who never felt an ounce of shame or embarrassment and was always so bold—now shriveled up like this.
I rushed straight to her.
"What happened? How did it come to this?"
"......Nothing."
"Liar. You can't lie to big bro, remember? I know everything. Tell me honestly."
".......You won't laugh?"
"Of course not."
If anyone laughed at Ariel's troubles, I wouldn't forgive them.
Ariel hesitated, biting her lip.
"......Magic. I can't use it."
"Huh?"
"I studied the magic books alone, really hard. Tried everything to make it work. I wanted to help you, big bro."
"Ah."
So that's what it was.
Last time, after I said I was learning magic from Ellie, Ariel had declared she'd teach it to me.
And now she was like this because of that?
"But. It doesn't work. No matter what I do. I have no talent. ......This is the first time. Wanting something and not getting it. It's ridiculous."
Ariel looked utterly dejected, like she'd been betrayed.
As if something that should have worked naturally just... didn't.
As if something she'd believed she could do effortlessly wasn't happening.
"Did you have any reason to think you could? Even for you, magic's brand new—it's hard to pick up right away."
"But. I mastered the sword instantly. And everything else. So I thought magic would be the same. But no."
"That other world of yours didn't help?"
"Yeah."
Ariel sniffled and nodded.
I got it now.
Ariel had hit her first wall—even the back world couldn't solve it.
She was the back world itself. Nothing had ever been impossible for her before.
Swordsmanship? Top of the world. Anything else? A genius among geniuses, incomparable to ordinary humans.
And now Ariel was admitting she had no talent for magic.
'Probably because it's a function that doesn't exist for her.'
An elephant might rule the land, but it can't live in the sea.
A whale dominates the ocean, but can't fly the skies.
The sun lights the whole world, but can't hang in the night sky.
That's how it was.
No matter how blessed Ariel Leonhart was as the world's strongest backed by the hidden realm.
She couldn't do something that was a 'non-existent function' from the start.
"I. I shouldn't be like this. I need to help you, big bro. Or else you'll get taken away......"
Ariel rarely looked this close to tears.
One poke to her cheek, and droplets would fall.
Seeing that, I couldn't help but smile.
'Haha.'
People called Ariel a disaster.
Said she was inhuman, that she'd never fit into society.
As if.
How could this cute girl, moping over one tiny failure, not be human?
"Ah. Big bro. You smiled. ......You lied."
"Sorry, sorry. It wasn't because you're funny. I was just... happy."
"Happy? That I can't help you?"
"No, not that."
She was deflating into paranoia now.
But even that was a new side of Ariel I'd never seen, so it thrilled me.
"I was happy realizing even my little sister has things she can't do. I thought if it was you, you could slice the sky with a sword."
"I still can."
"Haha. Right. Still, I'm relieved. You have weaknesses too."
"......"
Sniffle.
Ariel blew her nose and whispered quietly to me.
"......So. You forgive me?"
"For what?"
"I can't help you. I said I'd teach you magic but failed. ......I'm useless, right?"
"No way."
How did our little sister end up with worries like this?
I pulled her into a tight hug right away.
Her small, bird-like body melted against me.
"How could I ever hate you? Don't say that—don't even think it. It hurts me more hearing it."
"......Really?"
"Of course."
"......"
Ariel stayed silent in my arms.
Rubbing her damp eyes against my chest.
"Then... can I stay with you when you meet that Ellie girl?"
"Huh?"
"I can't help, but I want to be there."
"Do whatever you want. I don't mind."
She pleaded so earnestly that I ended up nodding.
Hmm.
Honestly, I'd hoped to keep her away from Ellie to avoid any drama.
But I couldn't shove aside Ariel when she was this vulnerable.
And above all, she was cute.
First time seeing her like this—I had to savor it.
Clop clop.
The carriage rolled into the mansion's front garden.
The ducal servants stood at attention to greet it.
Ariel and I watched from a bit away, near the mansion.
"......"
Ariel clung to my hand without moving.
Normally she'd narrow her eyes or radiate sharp hostility.
Maybe her confidence was shot from the magic fiasco, or maybe my repeated warnings had sunk in.
Either way, she was uncharacteristically meek, just gripping my hand tightly.
'Not that flashy, huh.'
The Rosnet family hadn't sent many people—less than I'd expected.
When a ducal house invites you first, a viscount family usually pulls out all the stops.
Improving ties with us was pure profit for them.
Yet only one carriage from the Rosnets arrived.
No extras.
Creeeak.
A modest yet elegant carriage adorned with purple roses.
It stopped, and the door opened smoothly.
Pat pat.
Out stepped a girl.
Her insecure expression was the same as ever.
But unlike at the Cluster of Stars gathering, she'd clearly put real effort into her appearance this time.
Purple hair tied back in a long ponytail.
Exposing her pale nape.
And following that line down... a chest way too generous for her age.
It amazed me every time. How did she carry weapons like that and still act so friendless?
The purple lady, Elysia Rosnet, stood demurely and looked around.
The servants were already handling the luggage among themselves.
Ellie's searching gaze landed on us.
"Ah!"
Her tense face lit up instantly.
Ellie hurried over to me with quick steps.
"I-it's been a while! ......Eek."
Her timid speech pattern unchanged.
Even after a year apart, she blushed at her slip-up.
"H-how have you. B-been? Young Master Kline."
"I've been good. You look the same as ever, so I guess you have too."
"Wh-what do you mean unchanged?! Ugh. I-I put so much effort into getting ready......"
"Kidding. Want to head inside? Must be tiring after the long trip."
"H-huh. Y-yes. As a lady of House Rosnet, I accept Young Master Kline's invitatiooon...... Eek."
If you're bad at it, just don't try.
I let flustered, pouting Ellie follow behind me.
As I led her to the drawing room, she suddenly asked,
"Um. B-by the way, Young Master Kline?"
"Yeah?"
"Th-that person next to you... who's that? I don't think I've seen her before......"
"Ah."
Ellie was curious about Ariel.
I'd planned to introduce her once we sat down.
But no harm in telling her now.
"My little sister."
"Ah! ......R-really? Oh. Right. Yeah."
"?"
What was with the weird reaction?
Ellie glanced awkwardly between Ariel and me, nodding.
She seemed bothered by something.
"If something's off, say it now. Not later."
"Huh? N-no, nothing like that......"
"What, because Ariel and I have different hair colors?"
"......"
Ellie's eyes spun in circles.
What on earth had she imagined to look so scared?
Ariel, meanwhile, stayed expressionless.
True to her word, she wasn't interrupting our conversation.
And finally.
Ellie timidly voiced her thoughts.
"......Um."
"Yeah?"
"The way your sister looks at you... it's, uh, dripping with love or affection or something. I thought for sure she was a concubine...... S-sorry!"
'Oh.'
Nine years as Ariel's big bro.
And suddenly my little sister was a concubine.
......Score?