With Big Sis Around, It's Always Reassuring
Having a big sis around is always reassuring. I gritted my teeth and pushed with all my might, but no dice.
How the hell did she leap over this thing?
My arms flailed wildly in midair. The wall towered way above an adult man's height, completely out of reach. Even with my legs starting to stretch out lately, it was hopeless.
That's when a massive hand shot out from behind my waist.
"Whoa!"
Sariya Sis, bulking up to her four-cheok form, effortlessly lifted me from the other side. In an instant, the scenery beyond the wall unfolded beneath my eyes.
"Who said you could go off alone?"
Poof.
Sariya Sis scooped me up in one arm. Her other hand meticulously wiped her mouth with a white handkerchief, red juice of some kind staining it.
Did Sis eat the red moss too?
I glanced down at the carnage sprawled below the wall.
Two had fled for sure, but only one body remained. Hmm.
I got the picture.
"Thanks, Sis."
I thanked her and wriggled to be set down, but she wouldn't let go. She inspected every inch of me, then pouted her lips.
"You need to learn how scary the world is. Things that threaten a kid like you aren't just yokai like us, got it?"
Thonk.
She lightly flicked my forehead. It didn't hurt.
"Don't charge into danger alone next time. And you don't have to put on that act in front of me."
I stopped squirming and met her eyes. Worry and concern for me shone clear in them.
Maybe it was her sincerity. My heart eased.
My pounding pulse slowed. I'd witnessed that man's death up close earlier, but hadn't realized how much it shook me.
She's a kind sis.
I wasn't sure if "kind" fit a yokai, but whatever.
"I'll be careful. Sorry for worrying you, Sis."
"When you're scared, just say so. You can whine to me all you want."
My heart tickled warmly. If I had a real blood-related big sis, would it feel like this?
Yokai aren't always inhuman, huh.
My parents had been hard to live with, even as fellow yokai. But her words warmed me through.
"Thanks. Having you around always makes me feel secure."
I beamed back at her. Sariya Sis's eyes went wide for a split second.
Drip.
A cold, clear liquid trailed down her cheek and splattered on the ground. I was shocked. She was shocked.
"Huh?"
Drool?
No.
She slowly wiped from her right eye down to her sharp jawline. A damp trail of tears gleamed starkly.
"Wh-what's this? Tears? From me?"
Sariya Sis recoiled like she'd been scalded, setting me down and backing away.
"...What the hell? This is weird. Am I losing it?"
She clutched her forehead like it throbbed, whipping her head aside. Gone was her usual composure—pure bewilderment now.
"Wh-whoa? What's with her!"
Lannancy Sis pointed dramatically at Sariya Sis.
"No idea. Is she hurt?"
"Crying? Sobbing? A ghost? Pfft... huh?"
Lannancy Sis's eyes bulged as she approached me.
"You... taking off that hat makes you look totally different... way more human."
She cupped her slightly flushed cheeks, eyeing me up.
"Oh my gosh."
Her gaze sparkled like when she'd spotted jewelry at the market.
Come to think of it, I've never taken off the hat in front of Lannancy Sis.
Sariya Sis said the hat hid my "sweetness." I figured that meant something like charm, whatever it really was.
"No way... what are you? No wonder that eight-cheok ghost is stuck to you."
Lannancy Sis licked her lips and reached for me.
"You... no, lil' bro. Wanna get closer? Not as bro, but—"
Smack!
Sariya Sis, back to her normal size, slapped Lannancy Sis's hand away. She bared her teeth like the tears never happened.
"Hands off my lil' bro."
Sariya Sis blocked me and plopped the hat back on my head.
"More importantly, why'd you take so long to catch up? We almost lost those pests because of you."
Lannancy Sis huffed indignantly.
"Excuse me! I'm Lannancy! Frail fairy! How am I supposed to keep up when you blast off like a comet!"
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Her frustrated fists sliced the air. But Sariya Sis's icy glare made her gulp and shrink back.
"Still, for a frail thing, you look healthier?"
"Huh?"
Lannancy Sis scratched her head at Sariya Sis's observation.
"Yeah? I had that max life-force drain constraint... ahem. Lately, I've felt kinda lighter though..."
Thwack!
Sariya Sis mercilessly knuckle-rapped Lannancy Sis's crown. Way harder than on me.
"Ow! Why'd you hit me!"
"Yeah, definitely tougher now."
Lannancy Sis hopped around in pain while Sariya Sis alternated glances between her and me.
She pointed at Ronan, the dazed guy standing in the corner.
"Take that man. He'll spill everything about their base."
"Ooh."
I cheered inwardly. Jackpot—funds and ID secured.
Mission success!
Easier than expected.
ManShinJeon. Thought they were tough, but my sisters are stronger...!
Maybe yokai-worshippers were weak to yokai?
My sisters are ManShinJeon's natural predators...!
Who am I? Lil' bro to the strongest sisters.
Once we hit the Imperial Capital... do we have to split up?
The Imperial Capital had a massive barrier from the Church Lord's self-seal, blocking yokai entirely.
Estelle said even mid-tier yokai can't get in easy.
Meaning I'd have to part with my sisters.
Business here was done; we'd head straight to the capital. Was this really goodbye? Regret and reluctance sank my mood.
I'd left home to live with humans.
But these sisters taught me yokai could laugh and cry too.
Don't know about others, but these two at least.
Would be nice as neighbors.
Any way around it?
As I pondered—
Boom!
A alley wall exploded in a deafening roar.
Thud. Thud.
Dust settled, revealing Estelle standing there.
"...Huh?"
We three gawked at her. She stepped over the rubble, hands politely clasped.
"Impressive... truly remarkable."
Her meaningful smile lingered. Her white nun's habit hem soaked in pooled blood, but she ignored it.
"Uh... Estelle, did you just smash that wall?"
Do normal nuns pack that punch?
Estelle averted her gaze at my baffled question.
"I have a minor talent for converting divine power to strength. That's how I became a saintess candidate."
She added with a bright smile.
"Sorry for the delay—some small fry heard the commotion and I had to handle them."
Lannancy Sis muttered beside me, incredulous.
"Back at the cookie house, she wasn't this strong...? Barely helped, if I recall."
Estelle's face hardened coldly.
"I was out of divine power then. And you wouldn't know how limited half-baked force is inside a rule yokai's domain."
She snapped at Lannancy Sis.
"Only overwhelming power that shatters absurdity means anything against sturdier walls."
Estelle's eyes stayed fixed on me the whole time.
Intense.
Too much to meet head-on. Worse than the mercenaries treating me like an archbishop.
I sidled away, peeking at her reaction. Decapitated mages. Blood splatters from Sariya Sis's slaughter everywhere.
Too gruesome for a saintess candidate? But Estelle nodded with a gentle smile.
"No need to worry. Heretics must be judged decisively like this. A perfect example."
She clenched her fist resolutely.
"Heretics must die."
I swallowed dryly at the chill hatred in her eyes.
I didn't make this mess, but...
Her extremism screamed bad blood with ManShinJeon.
"Let's head back for now."
Time to wrap up in this city.
Back at the lord's mansion.
"Benefactor!"
Amelia's face lit with hollow relief at the sight of me.
"Returning without a scratch—truly a blessing."
She handed over a prepped coin pouch. Heavy leather bulging with gleaming gold coins, topped by a crisp ID card.
"One thousand gold and your identification."
"Already prepared?"
"Of course. I never doubted you'd succeed."
Amelia smiled warmly.
"Didn't know your name, so I used a placeholder."
"What'd you pick?"
"Oliver. Special to me."
Oliver.
Nice ring, but deciding my name like that?
Can't ignore the gesture though.
I checked the name field on the ID.
But.
Weirdly, it was blank.
"It's empty?"
"Pardon? I wrote it clearly..."
I rubbed it, held it to light, shook it.
Invisible.
I signaled Amelia silently. She peered at it, puzzled.
"Looks fine? You're such a prankster~"
"For real though..."
Damn, not believing me again.
Yokai effect?
Wished I had some of that salt from home to test.
"Any more favors?"
"Whoa, I can ask more?"
"Absolutely. You saved me and our territory."
"Hmm."
Favors... ideas swirled, but one stuck.
"Yeah."
"What is it? Just say."
"Can I handle the ManShinJeon branch takedown?"
"No, benefactor... you don't have to—"
"I insist."
That way the sisters could join in.
With my ManShinJeon predator sisters, nothing to fear.
"And any info on ManShinJeon branches en route to the Imperial Capital?"
"...!"
My plan.
Hand every branch along the way to the sisters.
Power them up that way.
Both said eating stronger foes boosts realm.
Wall-vaulting level? Prime supplement.
No real guilt.
These were the ones who tormented kind Amelia.
I wanted human company, not scum.
Plus, success might let sisters into the capital with me.
Fun just thinking about it.
Hehe, exciting.