Chapter 36
Chapter 37
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Does Celen Like That Sort of Thing?
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Perhaps the greetings and introductions hadn't eased the awkwardness after all.
In the past, Trisha would have stuck right by my side,
whining, "Buy me this, buy me that too."
But right now, she was keeping her distance, so far away she was practically out of sight.
'That's why I wonder if you can really protect her...'
I tapped the magic device in my ear twice, sending the code phrase.
The secret code used only by House Noir.
Trisha had learned it too...,
but would that idiot really remember it properly?
'With Ruena right here, I can't just say it out loud either.'
As I worried, a somewhat hysterical voice came through.
"Why, wh-what!"
"Are you following properly?"
"Yeees─. I'm following suuuper─ closely, so don't worry─!"
For a moment, I thought my ear was going to burst.
If Ruena weren't here, I would have snapped at her to lower her voice.
But conveying my irritation through just tapping the code on the magic device wasn't enough.
'This puts me at too much of a disadvantage.'
Still, part of me was a little proud.
That idiot hadn't forgotten the code phrase.
I'd have to tell my brothers and sister when I got home.
That our youngest had performed a miracle.
As I thought that,
suddenly, the sound of munching came through the device, like she was eating something.
"Mmm, but hey... Celen."
"What."
"I have a question."
"What."
"Why do I need to be her escort anyway?"
The miracle Trisha had just pulled off vanished without a trace.
'That idiot...'
Having just one sister like that.
I pressed my forehead, which had started throbbing sharply.
She'd apparently forgotten everything I'd explained to her over the past five days.
Keeping a straight face, I quickly tapped the device with my finger.
"I told you. Ruena is the heir to House Eliad, so we can't let our guard down for even a moment."
"Uuuuh. I know thaaat..."
"You know? You remember that?"
"Uiii, what do you even take me for─?!"
I clamped my ear shut against the lion's roar echoing from the device.
Unthinkingly dropping my head,
Ruena, who was beside me, stared at me blankly and then carefully touched my shoulder.
"...Celen?"
"...Yeah."
"You okay? What's wrong?"
"No, just... my eyes got dazzled by a flash of reflected light for a second..."
Thank goodness the market street was so noisy.
My little sister's voice hadn't reached Ruena's ears.
Acting as if nothing was wrong, I took Ruena's hand.
"Let's go. Like I said yesterday, be careful not to get separated."
"...Okay."
Putting on my straight face again, I tapped the device furiously with my free hand.
"My ear hurts!"
"Hmph, that's what you get for daring to look down on me, you Celen."
"Call me big brother. ...Whatever. Just do your escort duty."
"No matter how I think about it, she doesn't seem to need it..."
I let out a sigh at Trisha's mutter and replied.
"She does. I've explained it over and over."
"Nooo. I know thaaat─!?"
"You know, but why."
"That big sister seems super strong, like she doesn't need an escort at aaall─!"
It was a valid point.
Ruena was the heir to the family with the kingdom's greatest martial prowess, after all.
...For now, at least.
But the Ruena I'd seen at the training grounds was completely different from what I'd expected.
I'd assumed that as an Eliad─
she'd naturally be skilled in swordsmanship, other martial arts, body techniques, and the like...
"...Ah."
"Hey─! Ruena! ...Grip the sword tight. It flew out of your hand again."
"Ugh..., ...ah."
"...You fell again? You okay? Let's check your knee first."
The prestige of being the heir to House Eliad, the kingdom's pinnacle of martial might, was nowhere to be found.
Contrary to expectations of her as a symbol of unyielding strength,
the real Ruena had more bandages on her knees than times gripping a sword properly.
If a threat came for such a Ruena...
'Absolutely not. That would end my life and House Eliad's reputation.'
Just imagining it made cold sweat pour down my body.
"She needs it, so protect her. No matter what."
"Jeez.... Fiiine. But you have to buy everything Trisha mentioned. Got it─?"
"Got it."
"And... I ate some skewers on credit, so add it to the bill, biiig bro."
The moment I tried to argue, the connection cut off.
House Noir lives up to its name─
for an idiot, her knack for securing her own gains was uncanny.
'Annoying...'
Whether swordsmanship or body techniques,
I needed to hone something and get stronger myself.
If I kept relying on that girl Trisha, I might go bankrupt next time.
Sighing, I gently squeezed the hand I was holding.
"Ruena."
"Yes?"
"Want to go eat something delicious?"
"Something delicious?"
I grinned and nodded.
Since we'd come this far─
I decided to let Ruena try some commoner food too.
It might be familiar to me, but it'd be a new experience for her.
Leading Ruena, I stood in front of the skewer stall.
The regular spot we always stopped at whenever Trisha begged in the market.
The owner recognized me and greeted me with his usual hearty laugh.
"Welcome─!"
"Two of the usual, please."
"Hmm─? I was wondering why you didn't bring your sister and were ordering on credit..."
The owner glanced at Ruena beside me.
Seeing his lips curl up, I could guess what he was about to say without hearing it.
"Girlfri...".
"No."
"Kehkeh, quick to deny? Must hear that a lot."
"I said no, just give me the skewers."
The owner laughed heartily and handed over the skewers.
Winking as if he knew everything, it was clear he wouldn't believe me no matter what.
'Such a pain, seriously...'
A bit irritably, I took the skewers.
As I went to hand one to Ruena, I took a bite first, just in case.
No way the old man would poison it, but better safe than sorry.
Fortunately, it was the familiar taste I always had.
Perfectly salty and spicy, with the smoky charcoal aroma stimulating my senses.
'Given what I know of Ruena's tastes so far... she might like it.'
A little expectant, I handed the skewer to Ruena.
At that moment─
A short exclamation and the old man's grinning voice came from somewhere.
"Keehya─, reminds me of me and the wife when we were young. That fresh vibe..."
"I said no."
I cut off the owner and pulled out my wallet.
Sticking around here would just mean listening to his nonsense the whole time.
"How much?"
"Let's see.... Two mixed skewers, five chicken skewers, eight mixed, four shrimp, three plain chicken, and also..."
"......I really hate this."
I dropped my head at the endless list of credit items with no end in sight.
'Trisha... you little...'
She's always been a big eater,
but today she was clearly out to drain me dry.
'I'll get stronger out of sheer resentment.'
No more asking that glutton idiot gorilla for anything.
Escort duties or even small errands.
With my wallet already noticeably lighter from the start, I left the skewer stall.
The main goal was buying necessary items.
With the budget cut by the glutton,
I had to shop around the market on foot.
But with Ruena watching, only plain things.
'Oh, right. Ruena.'
I looked down at Ruena, still tightly gripping my hand.
Ruena was holding the skewer she'd never seen before, examining it from every angle.
She looked just like a kitten getting a new toy for the first time.
'C... cute...'
Pushing away the sudden thought, I smiled brightly.
"Try it. It's good."
"Okay..."
The moment I finished speaking, Ruena cautiously took a bite.
Her eyes widened round in an instant.
Soon, a faint smile spread across her previously expressionless face.
"It's good..."
"Good?"
"Yes."
Ruena put a bigger piece in her mouth than before.
One cheek bulging out mysteriously evoked a hamster.
I couldn't help but chuckle.
"Want mine too?"
"What about Celen...?"
"I've had it plenty. Plus, this is more Trisha's favorite anyway."
Thanks to that, painful bleeding from the wallet.
Soothing my aching heart, I offered my skewer to Ruena.
Then─
Ruena unhesitatingly held out the skewer she was holding toward me.
"Celen too."
"...Huh?"
"Eat. It's good."
Her firm gaze made it hard to refuse.
Hesitating, I cautiously took a bite from the skewer Ruena offered.
"...It's good."
"Yes."
Honestly... maybe because my mind was elsewhere.
The stimulating flavors I'd felt just moments ago were gone...
But somehow, it felt like I shouldn't mention it.
I just chewed the remaining skewer in my mouth thoroughly and walked on silently. ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ They say things don't always go as planned.
I'd clearly meant to buy necessities─
but somehow, it turned into shopping that filled my stomach instead.
"Celen, is that good too?"
"Ah, that's..."
"Oh? Crepes? Perfect! I got those on credit too!"
"Please, just stop eating already!"
Still, it wasn't bad.
I got to see Ruena excited like this after a long time.
The wallet bleeding... I'd just resign myself to it.
"You're wandering around eating all that— are you sure you're escorting properly?"
"Jeez, you dare doubt me, Celen? I'm just going home!"
"......Ha?"
"Hii, hiiik─!"
A moment later─
A thoroughly cowed voice came through the device.
"Uwu..., I'm sorryyy.... Don't be maaad..."
"Just do your escort duty."
"Uuung, okayyy..."
She was all brute strength and sharp tongue,
but in reality, a crybaby, scaredy-cat, glutton idiot gorilla of a sister.
Now she'd properly do her job.
'Have to yell to get her to listen.'
Clicking my tongue, I turned my gaze toward where Trisha might be.
She was probably sniffling while munching snacks hugged to her chest.
My heart softened just a tiny bit─
when something caught my eye.
Amid the ordinary market scene, a man and woman with a noticeable age gap.
'Siblings?'
Unlike a certain house's gorilla,
this girl seemed quite gentle and affectionate.
She even kept beaming at her brother.
"Be careful."
"Ehehe─. Thanks, bro."
"Crowded, so don't let go of my hand. Got it?"
" Yeees."
I was too shocked to close my mouth.
She could even thank and appreciate her brother?
Our house gorilla in that situation, if I grabbed her─
"Ugh, you Celen─! I wouldn't have fallen even if you didn't grab me?!"
─would huff and puff off to her room.
Swallowing the rising bitterness, I blankly watched the siblings walk away.
'The world... is really unfair...'
If I had a sister like that, life would be less stressful.
Why was my one and only sister an idiot glutton gorilla?
As I turned away in resignation, Ruena squeezed my hand.
"What's wrong, Ruena?"
"Celen..."
"Yeah?"
"...Does Celen like that kind of thing?"
I nodded without thinking at the question.
Like that kind?
Of course I did.
If Trisha were even half as sweet as that, my life would be twice as peaceful.
'But... reality is...'
As bitter defeat washed over me again, Ruena's voice came very softly.
"I see..."
"Yeah. What?"
"Nothing. It's nothing."
With that reply, Ruena stared intently at the spot the siblings had left for a while.