kscans

Chapter 911 - Parallel Matters

Well… it would be easy if I only had to focus my energy on one thing.

But life has its challenges precisely because it’s not that simple. It’s the constant juggling of schedules and worries that makes the sudden moments of 'ease' shine so brightly.

"—Welcome home."

"You know, that's not really something a 'guest' is supposed to say."

So mused this eighteen-year-old man, just before ten at night.

After finishing up an additional, nearly hour-long session of what I can only describe as the hell of sorting through a sea of gacha prizes born from pure impulse and excitement—which was, to be fair, an incredibly fun and harmonious time.

Following Sora-san, who had logged out a bit earlier to prepare for school on Monday, the rest of the party casually disbanded. And so, when I returned to my home—our clan home—a single person was there to greet me.

Namely—

"Wel-come, ho-ome."

"…Yeah, yeah, I'm back, I'm back."

It was the little girl in light blue, who had shot up from the sofa the instant I teleported in and came pattering over to me.

It felt… almost natural at this point. As if it were the most normal thing in the world, she wore an expression that seemed to ask, what's so strange about this? as if my sense of normalcy was the odd thing out. This was Ri-na, my recently-materialized, self-proclaimed little sister.

"What floor did you get to?"

"Sixty."

"Amazing. But, just as I expected."

Her merciless headbutt to my solar plexus carried only a faint impact, thanks to her pure-mage build and low strength stat.

Ever since our relationship changed, she’d basically started saying whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted. I was gradually getting used to her whimsical conversational style.

And on that note…

"Staying up late is the mortal enemy of beauty, you know, Idol-sama."

"…It’s not even ten yet. You’re treating me too much like a child."

"What’s wrong with treating a little kid who throws herself at a guy without a shred of shame like a child?"

I was also, however reluctantly, growing a certain level of resignation to this overly close proximity.

I easily unwound the slender arms that had launched into a full-force hug without hesitation, grabbed the collar of her shirt with one hand as if picking up a small animal, and moved her.

Of course, Ri-na shot me a dissatisfied glare—

"Just for ten minutes."

"An hour."

"Demanding six times as much right off the bat… what a skilled negotiator this little sister is."

I tossed her onto her usual spot—one end of my favorite white long sofa—and sat down next to her. The matter was settled in an instant. The little sister, who was both incredibly difficult and incredibly easy to handle, fixed her mood faster than the blink of an eye and claimed my lap with her head as if it were her birthright.

"…What is it?"

"Nothing, really. …Besides, 'what is it?' is my line."

Back when she started Arcadia… meaning, three or four years ago, Ri-na, or rather, Amau Rina, had an avatar that looked exactly her age—a genuine thirteen or fourteen.

An age where you could easily call her a child.

Even so, as I observed her from directly above, thinking, her face is so tiny—a testament to her idol specs—I felt a poke on my cheek from one of her impossibly small, slender fingers.

I understood that if any of Mi-na and Ri-na's fans saw this, I would be erased from the face of the earth… but honestly, what a situation.

"What about you? How far did you get?"

"Floor fifty-five."

"What? Taking it pretty easy, aren't you?"

"We have two weeks, after all."

"Coming from a guy who’s also a student, two weeks isn’t a whole lot of time…"

"And I'm also an idol, you know."

"Can't argue with that. My apologies for the impertinent remark."

"…An hour?"

"After three thousand concessions, I'll give you twenty minutes."

After all the things that happened over those four days and three nights, I had, to my own surprise, gotten completely used to this.

—Yeah, I do think she's cute. Of course I do.

Setting aside her looks and her idol status, I'd always thought of Ri-na as a 'super nice kid.' The fact that she had now transformed into a 'troublesome being who calls herself my sister' didn't change that… and yeah. It doesn't feel bad to be this adored.

But, well, it's precisely because she's so open and honest in her affection that I've found myself completely and utterly made to trust her. There's nothing I can do about it now.

Ah, it's probably fine to just dote on her like this.

She really does see me as a 'big brother,' not as a 'guy'— though it's still impossible for me to treat her with the level of 'family' she truly desires.

In any case…

"…My head."

"For one second."

"That's just enough time to touch it and be done. Pat it properly. With all your love for your little sister."

"Hah, come back when you've earned some more sister points."

I've completely realized it now, but I'm an absolute, hopeless sucker.

When someone shows me pure affection, I have a reflex to return it. Whether that's a virtue or a bad habit is debatable—…considering my current situation, it's definitely the latter.

Something to reflect on.

However, this… relationship.

Though there are mountains of things to think about, consider, and reflect on, there is one particular point that stands as a clear merit not just for Ri-na, but for me as well.

That point is, simply, that Ri-na is a 'girl.'

To be more specific, she's 'a girl close to my age with whom there is almost certainly no chance of a romantic connection'—and on top of that…

She's 'a little sister who will take her 'big brother's' side'—an incredibly reliable female ally.

Alright, then. Enough with the theatrics. Let's get started.

"So, Ri-na-san. About that matter we discussed during the event…"

"An hour."

"Fine, fine, I get it. If anything, I'm the one asking for a favor here. Understood, I'm counting on you."

Along with my goal of reaching the hundredth floor of the Key Tree, there was another pressing 'matter' that was, well, arguably one of my highest priorities for the near future.

"Pats, pats."

"About that, I'm going to have to ask you to earn some sister points first."

"…How do I earn those?"

"By living each day earnestly."

"An older brother should earnestly spoil his little sister."

"'Earnestly spoil'…?"

Adopting the role of a big brother (family), I cast aside my shame and began our consultation—or rather, our strategy meeting.

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You'll find out what we're talking about soon enough. If you've already figured it out, you must be using Haze Oculus. Give it back to Kanata.