With Big Sisters Around, It's Always Like This (2)
One hour later, I finally managed to leave Amelia's room.
What was with all that extra fussing over me...?
It started after I said I'd go subjugate them.
Who knew she'd suddenly ask about my parents?
I was totally caught off guard. I couldn't exactly say my parents were yokai, so I told her they weren't around—just the ones who raised me.
Then she said:
"Would you ever consider becoming my adopted son?"
After that, it was just a loop of refusals and persuasions.
No way in hell.
It'd be a betrayal of my yokai parents, for one.
And if word got back to them somehow...
The whole territory would vanish.
My parents are terrifying when they're mad. They've never laid a hand on me, but everything else? No mercy.
Like that time as a kid when I threw a tantrum in the yard because I wanted to play more.
Mom smiled and lightly tapped the ground—and the whole yard flipped upside down.
The yard became a demon yard.
After that, I grew up as a good boy. Picky eating aside.
"You're back?"
The sisters waiting in the hallway welcomed me.
"She gave permission. But she insists I have to go with you."
"Perfect! Finally, some real food!"
I ignored Lannancy's cheering and held out my ID to Sariya.
"Sis, can you read the text on this?"
An ID with no name.
I figured it might look the same to her, so I asked.
"Yeah? Little bro? Your name's 'Little Bro'?"
"That's what it shows you, Sis? What about Lannancy Sis?"
"Lemme see... It says 'Collectible'?"
A brutal thwack! rang out, and Lannancy clutched her head, rolling on the floor.
"Eek! That hurts! You crazy 8-cheok ghost!"
"Oops, my bad. Slipped my mind."
"You did it on purpose!"
"No way. And hey, you've gotten tougher lately—probably from all the hits you've taken from me. So you can take a few more, right?"
"That doesn't even make sense...!"
Hmm.
Doesn't look blank to them either.
If it's different for everyone, it's not that I'm weird or anything.
Is it dangerous?
ManShinJeon retaliation?
Sniff sniff.
I sniffed it just in case, but not even a speck of that sweetness.
"We'll move at night, so rest up."
We were already at the room doors.
Sariya patted my head and went into her room first.
I quietly showed my ID to Estelle, who was following behind.
"Lady Estelle, what does it say here?"
"Oh my."
Estelle looked at the ID and beamed.
"It says 'Saint.' Perfectly fitting, really."
"For real?"
"Yes, absolutely."
I asked a few times, suspecting a joke, but her expression was dead serious. Tilting my head, I slipped the ID toward a passing elderly servant.
"Excuse me, what does it say here?"
"Ah, Archbishop. Here... it says 'Hero.' Heh heh, is your real name Hero, sir?"
"What? No no! Absolutely not!"
I waved my hands frantically, stunned. An ID that everyone reads differently.
This is seriously weird.
I cautiously asked the servant,
"Is there anyone named Oliver in the territory?"
His face turned pitying for a split second. He glanced around and whispered,
"That was the pet name for the child Lady Amelia Fruitsring lost to the curse before it took her."
I went blank. It clicked with how she'd treated me like her own son.
That seals it.
This ID shows what others expect from me.
"Thanks for telling me."
Suddenly somber, I thanked him and headed to my room.
An ID inscribed with whatever name people want to see.
Wonder if it's okay to use this...
It has the count's seal, but if the name changes for everyone I meet, that could be trouble.
...Should I ask for a reissue?
We were supposed to head to the Imperial Capital tomorrow—that'd delay things.
"Tch..."
I stared holes into the blank name field, then grabbed a pen and scribbled random words.
Mango.
The writing vanished instantly.
Orange mango.
This time it faded slower.
I pondered, then tried the nicknames my parents used for me.
One lingered the longest.
Son of [blank].
Everything else faded about the same.
Yeah. Better than nothing.
Either way, this got me one step closer to my dream of owning a house. Off to the capital tomorrow!
In a dark, damp cave.
A woman hung suspended in midair, her limbs bound by thick iron chains. Through her torn clothes, a charred cross emblem of the Holy Church scarred her pale skin.
Thud. Thud.
A man's footsteps echoed through the darkness.
Clank! Clank!
The moment his silhouette appeared, the woman thrashed wildly.
The man crouched before her, gazing up at her bloodied form with keen interest.
"Still got some fight left? Impressive."
Ptoo.
She spat blood-mixed saliva in his face. It trickled down his cheek. He grinned, sticking out his long tongue to lick it up.
"Don't worry. I won't disappoint you today."
Her eyes quaked with terror.
"Day 80 today, right?"
She didn't answer.
Clap clap.
His subordinates in black robes dragged in a girl.
"Hic, please spare me!"
The girl screamed at the sight of the hanging woman. A twitch spasmed at the woman's eye—for a moment. Then she stared blankly at the child.
The man cackled.
"Pretending to be numb won't change the outcome—you know that best."
Slice.
His flashing blade mercilessly severed the girl's right ear.
"Kyaaa! It hurts! It hurts!"
Her agonized scream filled the cave. The woman bit her lip until it bled. The man picked up the severed ear from the floor and swallowed it.
"ManShinJeon may stand against your Holy Church, but in the end, you humans' hypocritical nature is no different from ours."
He sneered, yanking the girl's hair.
"Think I don't know what you did to street urchins to artificially create saints?"
As his blade crept toward her other ear—
"Lord Yuk Sado!"
A subordinate rushed in, kneeling behind him.
"Emergency!"
Shwick!
The apostle's hand cleaved the air. The reporter's left arm flew clean off, tumbling to the ground.
"...I said not to interrupt when I'm enjoying a conversation."
The subordinate clutched his stump, enduring the pain to report.
"Amelia Fruitsring's curse has been lifted!"
The swinging hand froze.
"And the branches from Fruitsring territory to the Imperial Capital are being wiped out one by one!"
"...Traces?"
His voice sank low. The subordinate stammered,
"None... not a single one left."
His eyes flashed wide.
"Kuh, kuahaha!"
He turned to the chained nun, erupting in eerie laughter.
"The monster your church created has finally stirred? Or has something else come to flip the board!"
This is fun.
As he muttered, the woman spoke for the first time.
"...Judgment will come. You've piled up too much karma."
"Judgment?"
He stopped laughing abruptly, spreading his arms wide.
"...!"
"No! Close your eyes!"
The subordinate averted his gaze and the woman shouted—too late.
"You think I, blessed by Him, will face judgment?"
Splat!
Blood sprayed. From the girl's head, who hadn't looked away.
No scream.
Just the thud of the headless corpse collapsing.
"Look forward to it. I've already rigged every branch. Whoever it is, they won't die easy."
His voice returned to normal.
"And you'll learn—the goddess you worship has abandoned you."
She ground her teeth to the breaking point.
"No one can stop us. Not the Council, not you, not the Empire."
That was all she could do.
Goddess, please judge these wicked heretics and save Your poor lambs...
Still no answer. As the man said, she was exhausted.
200 years since horrors invaded the world.
Not public knowledge, but in those blank 200 years, the goddess hadn't responded once. Except for that one saintess.
Divine power recovery slowed with time.
The leadership's situation worsened. With faith's core silent, enemies grew stronger daily, and belief wavered—inevitable.
But surrender wasn't an option.
ManShinJeon now wielded undead en masse with black mage influx. Their power had to be checked.
God... no, anyone but God.
She halted life-sustaining divine power, offering a forbidden prayer.
The ultimate taboo for a believer: praying to another besides her goddess.
But she was that desperate.
Sorry to her saintess candidate sister—it was the limit.
Even knowing it might be what they wanted.
She couldn't stop.
Please... if this prayer reaches...
Look upon us in mercy.
In this world hurtling to despair, a single ray of salvation.
Children who should play in fields becoming snacks.
Two sacrificing for one to live.
The virtuous tormented by the wicked, unrewarded.
I won't ask You to fix it all. Just... the possibility of peace for those left.
I want to find meaning.
That someone's good deed, sacrifice, effort will someday be rewarded, somehow.
That it wasn't in vain.
I pray, earnestly, earnestly.
She closed her eyes.
Then condensed her life-sustaining divine power into her head, heart, and lower abdomen.
I offer my existence and all I've built.
A mere speck of an offering—may it please You.
The moment her prayer ended.
Whoosh—
Ah.
A soft warm breeze pushed aside the cave's freezing air, gently caressing her cheek like comfort.
The prayer...?
An answer. Undeniably. No illusion. Overwhelming fullness surged from her soul's depths, enveloping her body.
Aah, Goddess. Your 200 years of silence, this despair... washed away so easily by one warmth.
Whether yokai, demon, or nameless heretic god—it didn't matter. Someone acknowledged her desperation. That alone filled her empty heart to bursting.
Now. No regrets left.
Shhh—!
Condensed divine power hit critical mass inside her, radiating blinding light.
The man noticed the alien wave too late—his face twisted viciously.
"...You crazy bitch!"
His hand lanced like lightning through her heart.
But.
"Kuh, kuhehe."
Even vomiting black-red blood,
She laughed.
"...He comes."
The one to shatter your madness and drag you to hell.
As her final breath cut the cave's silence.
KABOOM—!
Pure white light and an explosion erupted inside.
"What's up, kiddo?"
"Nah, just... itchy ear."
Someone talking about me?
I scratched my ear.
"Little bro! We've checked almost everywhere around here—heading to the capital now?"
After Lannancy's question, I thought a bit and replied.
"Let's look a little more. The capital's close anyway."
"Sure? Awesome! I'm super strong now anyway!"
She really was. The sisters had leveled up their realms.
No one could call them middling anymore.
So why was I holding off on the capital?
I didn't know exactly.
Just feels like I should, y'know?
Yeah.
ManShinJeon are the bad guys.
Confirmed again wiping out branches.
After we hit 'em, the sisters were thrilled next day, and folks there looked brighter.
Sariya said it's like her cleaning trash.
Clearing trash for others is good.
Doing good—no need to overthink.
Capital's almost here.
Not much journey left.
For the sisters, I'd be thorough just a bit longer. That's what I'd tell myself.