1 - Prologue
This is a fantasy story. I welcome your impressions, but I will respond to them via activity reports and such. Basically, the story progresses from the first-person perspective of the protagonist.
※This story contains elements of fantasy, harem, and convenience. Readers who are resistant to these should select 'Back'.
※I may report things in the afterword, but my policy is basically to delete them when updating.
The opponent facing me in the mansion's garden was my sister.
A perfect existence.
If there is such a thing as a being loved by God, I think it would surely be someone like my sister.
(How did it come to this?)
Breathing heavily, I grip the one-handed saber with both hands. The tip of the blade was trembling.
It wasn't just exhaustion. The emotion of fear was also manifesting in the blade.
"Haa, haa..."
The saber in my hand is a real sword. The rapier my sister holds is also a real sword. Facing each other with weapons in hand seemed like madness.
However, the one who challenged me to this match was unmistakably my sister.
Wearing a dress and looking at me with indifference, my sister says.
"Are you still going to continue, Onii-sama?"
She calls me Onii-sama, but normally she doesn't even call me by my name. She uses terms like "that guy" or "that thing."
But no one around us reprimanded her for it.
My sister, wearing an off-white dress, is wearing red shoes. Despite the fact that we are slashing at each other in the garden, unlike me, she hasn't broken a single sweat.
It is as if she has just finished dressing up to go out. The rapier gripped in her hand is a masterpiece created by a master craftsman.
It is decorated, and a yellow Orb is embedded in the hilt. The Orb, which can no longer be created, is a special tool that triggers skills.
The rapier with that embedded is a weapon called a magic sword, classified as a magic item. It is an expensive item that cannot be bought even if one offered a hundred gold coins.
Despite holding a rapier that mismatched her dress, my sister's posture was elegant.
My sister, who turns thirteen this year, brushes back her long, wavy blonde hair. Her appearance was bewitching, unbecoming of her age.
Her blue eyes looked at me coldly.
A chill ran down my spine.
I'm scared. I want to run away. But I can't.
"Not yet. It's not over yet!"
Forcing down my fear, I stepped forward.
I had confidence that my honed sword techniques would not lose even to an adult.
The Walt family—I had been raised strictly from a young age to inherit my family, a count's house. I had confidence in my swordsmanship.
But—.
"Haa, you're slow."
Once, I too was praised as a genius, a prodigy, and so on. I worked desperately to meet the expectations of my parents and family.
That hard work was meaningless before my sister, who is two years younger.
My sister is a girl. She was not taught over time because sword techniques were deemed unnecessary. She was only taught the basics, knowing only how to hold and swing a sword.
And yet, I could not win against such a sister.
"What!"
By the time I had lunged several times, my body was carved with many shallow wounds. Even though I should have slashed her, my sister avoided it with minimal movement.
At the same time, the blade of the rapier, which flexed like a whip, left wounds on my cheek, arm, and stomach.
"With that, I could have dealt three fatal wounds, Liel."
The sister who utters my name with a smile is named Celes Walt.
Anyone would think that if there is a being loved by God, it must be the sister before my eyes. However, the one that Celes truly hates is me.
Having my attack dodged and being tripped, I tumble onto the lawn.
My body is covered in blood. And my clothes are sticky with sweat.
My blue hair clings to my cheeks, but I couldn't care about that now. As I stand up, the red shoes approach before my eyes.
"Guh!"
I blocked it with my arm, but I couldn't kill the momentum. My body lifted up, and I was blown away again, rolling on the ground.
"Pathetic."
"Yes, truly... thinking that such a thing is my son makes me feel miserable."
Where I had rolled, my father and mother were there.
The main vassals surround them, but not a single person directs a cheer toward me.
(Father... Mother... why...)
I wanted to cry. Enduring the pain, I stand up and look back, and Celes tells me with a smile.
"What's the matter? This is all you are, Liel."
She calls me by name on purpose, provoking me.
"Honestly, even though Celes was only taught a little swordsmanship."
"It's decided that Celes is the one fitting for the Walt family."
My parents' voices were directed at my back.
My parents say such things, but they were once kind. The saber I am holding now was originally something my parents prepared for me.
'Liel, you are also a man of the Walt family. You must possess a first-rate weapon.'
'It suits you, Liel. As expected of our son.'
The kind smiles were directed at me until I was ten years old.
After that, my parents began to dote on my sister, Celes. It was probably around that time that they lost interest in me.
That wasn't just limited to my family.
The vassals in the mansion were the same.
The vassals who had treated me as the next head until now began to treat my sister, Celes, as if she were the head.
I was spoken of behind my back, and told repeatedly that I was not fitting to be the head.
Until I turned ten, the vassals and the people of the territory said they were looking forward to me becoming the head.
But now it is different. This is reality.
"With this, Celes-sama will become the head."
"Honestly, even without doing this, it's just a matter of kicking him out."
"There's no way he could win against Celes-sama. What a fool."
Tears came out from frustration.
(What did I do? Why do you hate me this much!)
Celes is my sister too. It's not that I disliked her. Therefore, I treated her as an older brother.
However, did Celes not like that?
"Oh, are you crying? Truly pathetic."
Celes, who begins to giggle, looks very happy.
"Why are you doing this! What did I do to you!"
As I raise my voice, Celes's smile changes to an expressionless face.
"...You're noisy. It has nothing to do with you. It doesn't matter whether you're here or not. It's just that you've become an eyesore, so I'm having you leave."
"W-what are you saying..."
Then, Celes raised her left arm and pointed at me.
(Is she planning to use magic!?)
Before I knew it, my parents and the vassals behind me had already moved after seeing Celes's action.
They condoned the attack on me.
"Damn it! Ice Wall!"
A wall of ice appears before my eyes.
It is water-attribute magic and an improvised shield. It is one of the high-difficulty spells, but it appeared in a size large enough to cover me.
I never neglected my magic training. To be praised... because I desperately wanted my parents to look at me, I trained frantically.
Not just the sword. Magic, horse riding, and knowledge... but before the existence in front of me, those are probably worthless.
"Fire Bullet."
Celes, showing her composure, chanted the spell once my preparations were complete. It is fire-attribute magic, the opposite of mine, and the difficulty is the very beginning of the basics. However, it is also a convenient spell. Though, it is just a spell that shoots bullets of fire.
However, the thick ice wall I created is easily shaved away by the bullets of flame.
Not just one shot.
From Celes's fingertips, hundreds of shots were fired with a single spell. The power of each one was also high, and the magic I prepared should have had the elemental advantage.
But the result was that I couldn't even win against Celes's basic magic.
"Kuh, Earth Hand!"
From the ground around me, four arms made of earth grow. They attacked Celes according to my will.
"Boring."
Celes smirks, and with the rapier in her hand, she slashes through all the earth arms. A rapier is basically a weapon that excels at thrusting. While using that, she easily slashes through the magic.
"Earth Bullet."
To compete with numbers, I chanted the next spell. Pebbles are shot from the ground like bullets, shredding the lawn.
But now, I didn't have the luxury to care about such things.
"Shield."
Celes chants the spell while smiling, without changing her expression. A wall made of simple magical power completely blocked my Earth Bullets.
Though not on Celes's level, I should have fired dozens of shots. Yet, not a single one got through.
(I have no more magical power. I have no choice but to gamble here...)
Even I knew there was no prospect of winning. But I had to fight.
Otherwise, I would have been kicked out of the house without doing anything.
The beginning was, as expected, Celes's words.
'Hey, Father. Onii-sama also turns fifteen this year and is an adult. I would like to have a match to decide the next head of the Walt family?'
Normally, a male inherits the house.
But my parents agreed that Celes's argument was correct and approved the match between me and Celes.
'The loser leaves the house. That's fine, right, Onii-sama?'
The match with Celes, who hates me or finds me bothersome, began like this.
Normally, it was an impossible story.
There are cases where a girl inherits the house. But that is based on the premise that there are circumstances, and she is a proxy, or it is that kind of household.
In the Walt family, the heads have been men for generations. From The First who embarked on the colonization, the house has been passed down through direct male descendants.
It is a house with over two hundred years of history.
And yet, both Father and Mother followed Celes's words and approved the match with me, the eldest son.
"Celes, against someone like you!"
Stepping forward, I slash at Celes with all my might. I was slashing with all my might at my sister, who looked like a frail girl.
From a third party's perspective, I would certainly be the one in the wrong. However, I knew somewhere in my heart. The results of the thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of practice swings I had continued were manifesting in the slash.
The strike loaded with power would likely cleave Celes in two if it hit.
—Yes, if it hit.
The step was good. The slash was the best strike I could produce now.
However, my attack does not reach Celes.
Celes, who avoided the vertical slash by shifting her body, flexes her rapier and attacks me. As if tormenting me, shallow wounds are carved into me repeatedly.
But I cannot end like this.
"Not yet!"
Enduring the slash that was avoided and pierced the ground, I release my left hand and slash upward. The slash drew exactly a V-shape.
Seeing that, Celes's eyes widen.
It was my trump card.
It was a sword technique I had secretly practiced, but it didn't reach Celes. However, that blade slashes the edge of Celes's dress.
(She reacts to this too)
I intended it to be a finishing blow, but Celes's reaction speed is beyond that. However, even if it was just a scrap of a dress, I reached her.
(I can reach. My sword can reach Celes!)
From the outside, an older brother getting worked up against his sister would look unsightly. However, if the opponent is Celes, it has meaning for me.
It was worth it just to see that beautiful face distort with humiliation. As we both leap back, I, out of breath, raise the corner of my mouth and smirk.
It is my utmost resistance. Now, this is all I can do.
"What's the matter, Celes?"
Celes, who looked down and became expressionless, was trembling. She must be frustrated. How many times has it been that I've seen my sister, Celes, look truly frustrated?
"...Don't call my name, you filthy thing."
"...Eh?"
Before I knew it, Celes, who was before my eyes, was gone. And Celes's voice is heard from behind me.
At the same time I look back, Celes's fist is before my eyes.
(W-what?)
There was no pain. Just, before I knew it, I have released the saber from my hand and am being blown away. In the surrounding scenery that looks slowly in slow motion, only Celes seems to be moving normally.
Approaching, this time she kicks me up with her red shoes.
Looking up at me floating in the air, I see Celes attempting to release magic.
(This is bad, I'll be killed!)
I try to defend with magic immediately, but the magic Celes released was of high difficulty. Magic that requires considerable ability from the mage using it.
She is seriously trying to kill me.
"Fire Storm."
While hearing those detached words, I also chant.
"Water Ball!"
Squeezing out my remaining strength, I deploy magic around myself. A storm of fire swirls and tries to envelop and burn me to death.
I also exercise magic, but I don't know if I can block it completely.
However, I knew from the current magic that she is seriously trying to kill me.
"A-are you that bothered by me! Celes!"
At the same time I scream, I fall straight to the ground. As the impact is transmitted to my body, pain runs through my entire body there.
Combined with the pain I hadn't felt until now, I writhe in agony on the ground. And my saber falls before my eyes.
The blade is pierced into the ground, and my saber is slightly red from the heat of the flames.
If I grip it, burns are certain, but I reach out my hand.
I can't think of anything anymore, but I just didn't want to let go. Because to me, the saber before my eyes felt like the last bond with my parents.
"A, ah..."
The people around me watching my figure looked at me without helping. Some are even laughing as they see me crawling miserably.
The only one walking over is Celes, approaching with a vulgar smile.
"Serves you right. Though, it's a surprise you're still alive."
Saying so, she shreds the saber I reached for before my eyes. Perhaps because it was heated, or because of Celes's arm, the saber is slashed as if it were paper rather than metal.
The hand I extended fell uselessly to the ground.
Grabbing the grass as I do, I look up with tears. While playing with her hair with her left hand, Celes wore a full smile.
"That was your favorite, wasn't it? Too bad."
A happy-looking Celes looks down at me and enjoys herself. However, hearing my parents' voices, she looks back.
"Celes, that's enough. Your clothes are ruined. Let's go buy your new dress today."
"That sounds lovely, dear."
No one looked at me, who was in tatters from injuries and burns. I am already being treated as someone who isn't there.
"W-wait! Father, Mother!"
Squeezing out my voice, I reach out my hand. But my parents only cast a glance at me once. That glance was like a glance looking at something dirty.
Just like that, I slam my forehead against the ground.
Letting out a voice, I wailed and cried without caring about my surroundings.
How much time passed? It shouldn't have taken long for me to lose consciousness. I remember wailing on the lawn, but before I knew it, I was on a bed.
Bandages are wrapped all over my body, and it seems I've received treatment.
"Who on earth... Father? No, that's not possible."
Even though I'm saying it myself, there's no way Father would help me. It's clear from his attitude when he left, but more than that, the place was not the mansion.
Looking at the ceiling with wooden planks, I understood that this was not the mansion, my home.
Who helped me? While thinking that, I move my neck, which feels pain when moved, to check the surroundings.
In a place that is a wooden house, or rather closer to a hut, I returned my gaze to the ceiling. I woke up, but my body still seems to want sleep.
Besides, I didn't want to think about anything right now.
(Was I abandoned...?)
In my mind, abandoned by my parents, Celes's face emerges. Celes's face with a vulgar smile is mocking me.
It was then.
"...? Who is it?"
I was attacked by a strange sensation of people's voices around me, or rather, as if someone were speaking to me.
"There's no one here, right?"
There is no presence of people around. Thinking it's a misunderstanding, I close my eyes.
I don't know who it is now, but I've been treated. I wanted to sleep even a little to recover my strength. My body felt heavy, and I wanted to sleep.
(Right now, I don't want to think about anything...)
A short while after closing my eyes, I hear a voice.
'Hey hey, has it happened? It's definitely happened!'
A voice that is crude rather than cheerful is heard. The voice is loud, and I hear someone's voice laughing gahahaha.
(W-who is it? Could it be the person who helped me?)
However, my voice does not seem to reach them. Besides, for some reason, there is a sensation of fatigue. As if my magical power is being sucked away—.
'Father, please be quiet for a bit.'
This time, a slightly tired-sounding man's voice was heard.
(Multiple? Even so, the feeling of incongruity...)
I cannot make a sound. And the things I'm thinking are not transmitted to the other party.
'Understand the old man's feelings, Father. After all, it's the first conversation. And based on the feeling, a direct descendant is nearby. They definitely carry our blood.'
This time, a cheerful voice was heard.
(Three? No, are there more?)
Rather than voices, perhaps it's a presence; I couldn't think it was only three people.
'I understand the grandpa's feelings~. Let's first calm down and confirm.'
A new voice was heard. Since they are saying grandpa, are they family? But everyone's voices are young, or rather, they don't sound old.
'Well, it is the first conversation, after all. But you know, I think there's a chance they might not wake up.'
(Again. Is this the fifth person?)
Then, another new voice is heard.
'You're too pessimistic, old man. More than that, I want to know what's happening now. I hope they wake up... what's wrong, Broad?'
Hearing the name Broad, I was surprised.
After all, Broad is my grandfather's name.
(This... I might have died)
While thinking internally that maybe that's fine, I listen to the voices.
'It's my grandchild! It's Liel! There's no mistake, it's my grandchild!'
It was my grandfather's voice to the extent that it makes one want to give a wry smile. He was a person who was a bit too sweet toward his grandchild, and that feeling at the time is coming through in the voice.
However, it felt like a slightly younger voice. It's not a raspy voice like an old man's.
What on earth is going on? While I'm thinking that, after a short pause—.
'Seriously!?'
The noisy group seemed to be surprised in unison.
(............What on earth is the situation?)
On this day, my fate began to move.