I Hope We Can Get Closer

Gloria had lived her whole life under countless misunderstandings. The way she always wore a scowl even when nothing was wrong. The way she barely spoke and came off as cold and unapproachable. Her jet-black hair, dark as pitch, and her vivid red eyes, sharp as fresh blood, only deepened that impression. She took after neither after her father the Demon King nor her mother the Hero in appearance — her presence was so chilling and imposing that calling her the Successor of the Grim Reaper would hardly seem out of place. But beneath all those stares, Gloria's true heart had always been like this.

— Uh... what kind of face should I make...?

— I-I'm so awkward I c-can't even speak properly...

— If I joke around like this... w-will things get cold...?

...The truth was the exact opposite of her outward impression.

Gloria was a woman with a very fragile, delicate heart.

"How can you have spent so long in the military and not changed one bit... Sis! You're twenty-one already!"

"...B-But I joined the army because I couldn't talk properly to people I'd just met."

"Tch."

Cerdi let out a hollow laugh of disbelief.

"'I'm afraid my own little brother might break if I touch him wrong, so I can't even pet him' — that's genuinely the most creative bullshit I've ever heard. Right?"

"What do I do... I can't even face Kael properly."

"Yeah, yeah. I get it. You still see him as a guy, but at least you've kind of accepted him as a brother now."

"What?"

"Anyway."

Something weird slipped out, but Cerdi smoothly and casually brushed it aside. Gloria tilted her head, but she couldn't argue with the one person who actually understood her.

"If you keep this up, you won't last long at home, you know. I heard Kael's crying right now because of you."

"Wh-What?! Oh no... I-I'm sorry..."

"Yeah. Forget getting close to Elania again — at the very least, Kael should feel comfortable enough to cling to you. And more than anything, you're the eldest daughter. You should be the one he can act spoiled with, right after Mother."

"Y-Yeah..."

"Hoo... So, shall we go see Kael?"

Cerdi rose from her seat.

"Huh? Isn't that too fast?"

"Isn't sooner always better?"

"Pfft... Pffft..."

"There there~ It's okay, it's okay. Aww~ Did our little brother get upset because his ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sister wouldn't pet him?"

"...No, I'm not upset... I'm a big kid now! I don't get upset over something so trivial... Pfft..."

"For someone who says that, your cheeks ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠are all puffed out like you're advertising 'I'm totally sulking' to the whole world~"

"A-Anyway... I'm in a bad mood, so I'm going to stay cuddled in your arms, okay? Got it?"

"Yes, yes~ If our beloved little brother wishes it, of course I must oblige~ Hehe."

I rubbed my grumpy face against Elania's chest, letting out my frustration. After getting completely ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠shut down by Gloria, I'd come sniffling to Elania's room. Cerdi probably would've comforted me, but I felt like she'd also add something like "You're crying over that?" I wanted consolation right now, not a lecture.

When Elania saw me show up like that, she pulled me into a tight hug with a very satisfied expression, then lay down with me on the bed and even offered me her arm as a pillow. Snug in her embrace, I buried my face in her chest, breathing in to calm my anger, then pulling my head back to exhale sharply...

Mwah

"Mwah... pah... I'm gonna keep kissing you..."

"Ehehehe... H-Here, keep going... on your sister's cheek~"

"Mwah, mwah, mwah..."

"Eep?! Eheu... hehehe..."

Elania let out strange little gasps at my kisses, squirming her thighs together. I tilted my head at the sight for a moment, then dropped it back down and noisily puffed air into her cheek.

What was that about? We weren't even close to begin with, and my memories were so hazy — I'd been trying so hard to get closer to her. When I asked my other sisters to pet me, they'd hesitate at first, but in the end they'd always gently stroke my head. That's how I got close to Cerdi so fast. Even the other noble ladies, when I asked them to pet me, would make surprised faces but still eagerly pat my head. How should I put it... they all looked absolutely ecstatic, I guess. Anyway.

So why, when I asked Gloria to pet me, did she suddenly stiffen up and push me away?

'Well, she didn't exactly push me away... she sat me on Mother's lap...'

But still, same thing, isn't it?! In the end, Gloria took me out of her arms and handed me over to Mother, didn't she?! So my anger right now is completely justified. I am absolutely, definitely not sulking over something trivial and whining about it.

"Aww... So you were hurt? upset? You worked up the courage to approach your big sister, and instead of petting you, she rejected you?"

"...Yeah."

"Alright, then let it all out on your sister, okay?"

"I will... Pfft... Mmmph..."

"Hngh... Hahaha...! D-Don't blow air into my cleavage...! T-That tickles, hahaha!"

I pressed my lips against her soft, warm flesh and blew. Each time I did, she flinched and squirmed, but Elania only hugged me tighter. She seemed to like it even as it tickled, and her thin, trembling laughter tickled my ears in a strangely pleasant way. More than anything, there was the soft, moist, sweet, and fluffy scent of her skin against my lips. And the cozy sensation that made my mind melt every time I buried my face into her. Letting those pleasant feelings slowly dissolve my sulkiness, I kept acting spoiled in Elania's arms for several minutes.

I'd been so excited. Outside, Gloria was described as this terrifying yet lonely, powerful general. And don't I love characters like that? That's why I liked the Hero Aurelia, and why I liked the Northern Grand Duke Adelheid. Beings who stood at the pinnacle of overwhelming power, commanding respect and lofty status. I admired them, I loved them, and more than anything, one of those people was my own mother. So I had such high hopes for my eldest sister, Gloria — the successor of the Ellion family, the Empire's youngest brigadier general, called the Successor of the Grim Reaper. I expected so much, and I wanted so badly to be petted by her...!

'You just kicked away your chance to become my next favorite character. Hmph.'

That thought made me even more petulantly burrow deeper into Elania's embrace. Cerdi sometimes showed signs of shyness, and Skeleton would pull me out of his arms too often saying I needed to study. Mother had been so busy lately that I barely had time to act spoiled with her. But Elania readily nodded and hugged me whenever I asked. Sometimes she even asked me to come to her first. So she was the one I clung to most freely.

...Still, Mother was still my favorite.

'...'

Cerdi silently wiped her face. Honestly, if someone came at you with a face like they'd just killed ten people, wearing an expression that made your skin crawl, and offered you cookies — who in their right mind would say "Oh, thank you~" and take them? Especially right after training, when her body was drenched in sweat and she was still panting heavily. With bulging, rippling muscles and a look that said she'd genuinely kill you if you didn't accept — there was nothing more to say.

"...D-Do you maybe think you might have done something wrong there?"

"I-I was trying my best to be considerate of others..."

"Aish, fine. What am I even supposed to say to you? Outside, you're the youngest brigadier general, a symbol of terror and fear, a hero of honor and peace. But peel back the layers and you're just someone who's too scared to pet a single kid because you're maxed out on introversion... Kiyah. If a novel were written like this, the author would get roasted. Right?"

"I-I've been trying so hard to get better...! Ah, it's no use... I've been working so hard. Standing in front of the mirror practicing all day, even setting up a punching bag and talking to it..."

"A punching bag? What the..."

Cerdi finally covered her face with both hands.

"Seriously, am I the only normal one in this family?! How can you spend that long in the military and not change at all, sis?!"

At Cerdi's exasperated lament, Gloria scratched the back of her head with an embarrassed look. It was hard to even explain. She'd been like this since she was little. Cerdi had long since given up any expectation that she would suddenly change now. Wasn't there a saying? You can't remake a person. Cerdi shook her head and let out a deep ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sigh before looking back at Gloria. The moment their eyes met, Gloria flinched and started nervously checking Cerdi's expression. Seeing her eldest sister, who was a finger taller than her, act like that always made Cerdi feel like her heart was about to burst.

"So, sis. If you keep this up, you won't last long at home, you know? I heard Kael's crying right now because of you."

"Wh-What?! Oh no... I-I'm sorry..."

"Yeah. Forget getting close to Elania again — at the very least, Kael should feel comfortable enough to cling to you. And more than anything, you're the eldest daughter. You should be the one he can act spoiled with, right after Mother."

"Y-Yeah..."

"Hoo... So, shall we go see Kael?"

Cerdi rose from her seat.

"Huh? Isn't that too fast?"

"Isn't sooner always better?"

"Pfft... Pffft..."

"There there~ It's okay, it's okay. Aww~ Did our little brother get upset because his sister wouldn't pet him?"

"...No, I'm not upset... I'm a big kid now! I don't get upset over something so trivial... Pfft..."

"For someone who says that, your cheeks are all puffed out like you're advertising 'I'm totally sulking' to the whole world~"

"A-Anyway... I'm in a bad mood, so I'm going to stay cuddled in your arms, okay? Got it?"

"Yes, yes~ If our beloved little brother wishes it, of course I must oblige~ Hehe."

I rubbed my grumpy face against Elania's chest, letting out my frustration. After getting completely shut down by Gloria, I'd come sniffling to Elania's room. Cerdi probably would've comforted me, but I felt like she'd also add something like "You're crying over that?" I wanted consolation right now, not a lecture.

When Elania saw me show up like that, she pulled me into a tight hug with a very satisfied expression, then lay down with me on the bed and even offered me her arm as a pillow. Snug in her embrace, I buried my face in her chest, breathing in to calm my anger, then pulling my head back to exhale sharply...

Mwah

"Mwah... pah... I'm gonna keep kissing you..."

"Ehehehe... H-Here, keep going... on your sister's cheek~"

"Mwah, mwah, mwah..."

"Eep?! Eheu... hehehe..."

Elania let out strange little gasps at my kisses, squirming her thighs together. I tilted my head at the sight for a moment, then dropped it back down and puffed air into her cheek.

What was that about? We weren't even close to begin with, and my memories were so hazy — I'd been trying so hard to get closer to her. When I asked my other sisters to pet me, they'd hesitate at first, but in the end they'd always gently stroke my head. That's how I got close to Cerdi so fast. Even the other noble ladies, when I asked them to pet me, would make surprised faces but still eagerly pat my head. How should I put it... they all looked absolutely ecstatic, I guess. Anyway.

So why, when I asked Gloria to pet me, did she suddenly stiffen up and push me away?

'Well, she didn't exactly push me away... she sat me on Mother's lap...'

But still, same thing, isn't it?! In the end, Gloria took me out of her arms and handed me over to Mother, didn't she?! So my anger right now is completely justified. I am absolutely, definitely not sulking over something trivial and whining about it.

"Aww... So you were upset? You worked up the courage to approach your big sister, and instead of petting you, she rejected you?"

"...Yeah."

"Alright, then let it all out on your sister, okay?"

"I will... Pfft... Mmmph..."

"Hngh... Hahaha...! D-Don't blow air into my cleavage...! T-That tickles, hahaha!"

I pressed my lips against her soft, warm flesh and blew. Each time I did, she flinched and squirmed, but Elania only hugged me tighter. She seemed to like it even as it tickled, and her thin, trembling laughter tickled my ears in a strangely pleasant way. More than anything, there was the soft, moist, sweet, and fluffy scent of her skin against my lips. And the cozy sensation that made my mind melt every time I buried my face into her. Letting those pleasant feelings slowly dissolve my sulkiness, I kept acting spoiled in Elania's arms for several minutes.

I'd been so excited. Outside, Gloria was described as this terrifying yet lonely, powerful general. And don't I love characters like that? That's why I liked the Hero Aurelia, and why I liked the Northern Grand Duke Adelheid. Beings who stood at the pinnacle of overwhelming power, commanding respect and lofty status. I admired them, I loved them, and more than anything, one of those people was my own mother. So I had such high hopes for my eldest sister, Gloria — the successor of the Ellion family, the Empire's youngest brigadier general, called the Successor of the Grim Reaper. I expected so much, and I wanted so badly to be petted by her...!

'You just kicked away your chance to become my next favorite character. Hmph.'

That thought made me petulantly burrow deeper into Elania's embrace. Cerdi sometimes showed signs of shyness, and Skeleton would pull me out of his arms too often saying I needed to study. Mother had been so busy lately that I barely had time to act spoiled with her. But Elania readily nodded and hugged me whenever I asked. Sometimes she even asked me to come to her first. So she was the one I clung to most freely.

...Still, Mother was still my favorite.

— Bang!

"Yo! Little siblings!"

"...What. You don't even knock."

Elania narrowed her eyes at Cerdi.

"We were having some quality time together, why'd you have to barge in?"

"Hehe."

Cerdi had suddenly thrown the door open and walked in. At Elania's cynical response from Elania, who shook her head, Cerdi shrugged and laughed before speaking.

"Let's all go to a dungeon!"

"?"

"A dungeon...?"

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