Chapter 7
Morning. The moment I wake up, my heart starts pounding.
To “escape from that cause,” I quietly shift my body, trying to slip out from under the thin towel blanket.
As I step out of bed and look down at my empty shell of a bed, there she is—Arnie… onee-san—sleeping peacefully.
No matter how skilled I am at controlling my mind and emotions compared to others my age, being this close to a beauty of this level is dangerous for the heart—especially when I’m only seventeen.
“…Well, I guess I’ll just have to accept it for now.”
I recall the little spat we had last night before bed. Well… it was unavoidable, so I accepted it.
“Oh, right. I haven’t prepared your room yet. Let’s clean the spare room and bring in a bed that isn’t being used… Arnie, help me set up your room this time too.”
After finishing dinner, while spending the evening watching the summer break special on TV, I remembered that Sis had only just arrived and her room wasn’t ready yet.
So I suggested quickly securing a place to sleep, but—
“…Akira, I’m going to sleep with you for a while.”
“What are you talking about? At worst, I can set you up in my parents’ room—”
“…No, that’s not it. Please, I just want you to indulge my selfishness.”
In an unusually weak, pleading voice, she said this.
Why…? Why does she make such a small, childlike request?
“I… didn’t realize at first that you had died. Right next to the bed, I didn’t notice you were about to give your life, I just assumed you were sleeping… and watched carelessly… That’s why I can’t sleep unless I’m in a place where I can check that you’re really asleep, that you’re really alive… So please sleep with me… I beg you, Akira.”
There was none of her usual teasing or playful tones in her pleading.
I couldn’t bring myself to refuse her.
And so, that’s why we slept together in this small bed.
…Somehow, I managed to sleep well.
Lying in bed, Sis’s ash-silver hair sparkles in the morning light, spreading across the sheets like liquid as she sleeps.
Because it’s hot and she doesn’t have pajamas yet, she wears only a school shirt I don’t normally use, and her bare limbs stretch elegantly.
Honestly, any man seeing her like this would probably have impure thoughts.
Shaking my head, I quietly slip out of the room, get ready for the morning, and prepare breakfast before she wakes up.
…Even though she’s technically the maid.
I take the somen noodles I boiled in bulk last night, along with various condiments and vegetables left in the fridge.
I cut them into appropriate sizes, stir-fry them with sweet-salty seasoning, and finally cook everything together with beaten eggs.
“Somen Champuru–style Spanish omelette… I have to admit, it’s quite a fusion dish.”
Okinawan cuisine plus Spanish cuisine.
But thanks to some cooking experience from the previous round, I feel much more skilled than before.
With leftover condiments, I make a Chinese-style soup, and with the omelette, a proper breakfast is ready.
At that moment, the door to my room upstairs opens forcefully, followed by the sound of Sis rushing down the stairs.
When she opens the living room door—oh, what a sight.
“Sis, go change first… you should really get some pajamas.”
“…Phew… Akira, if you’re up, I wish you’d woken me too… Sorry, it might be a bit selfish, but I woke up alone in your bed… I was worried that everything that happened yesterday might have been a dream… I felt uneasy…”
This reaction was a little unexpected.
She’s in just a shirt and underwear, tears in her eyes.
I rush from the kitchen to her side.
…What an idiot I am. I didn’t even notice that.
“Sorry, onee-san. I should’ve been more considerate.”
“…Yeah. Sorry, I still don’t really feel it yet.”
I had thought of her as arrogant, mischievous, carefree, and self-centered.
But clearly, that wasn’t all.
Apparently, I was far more important to her… a precious family member occupying a large part of her heart.
“This is delicious! Sis could even drink alcohol with this! I know Okinawan cuisine, but this twist is great… Somen is standard in summer, but… the country should make a law so this automatically comes with the next meal, don’t you think?”
“I’m glad you like it. Honestly, it really is tasty…”
“The chopped chikuwa and tuna really bring out the flavor! Sis, while you’re out buying pajamas and alcohol while I train, I’ll need you to share some money with me later.”
A little later, Sis had fully regained her energy and changed into her maid outfit.
It seemed that all her maid outfits had also been carried over—she pulled out from her poshette, and of course her four-dimensional storage, a “Monday through Sunday” set of daily maid outfits, as well as a special maid outfit for dungeon exploration, and showed them to me.
“Right… I have to think about living expenses… Since I don’t have any money earned from the last round, for a while I’ll probably have to rely on your dungeon earnings… Also, as a post-report, I need to tell my parents about school and discuss tuition and other fees.”
“So that means… finally, Sis is going to support you? A complete role reversal! Hehe, Sis is finally going to rise up!”
“Haha, there’ll still be a little allowance, but you’ll probably have to cover your own energy drink costs.”
“…Energy drinks taste best when you’re drinking someone else’s money… Sis, I think nothing beats eating yakiniku, drinking alcohol, and drinking energy drinks on someone else’s dime.”
“Until I get my license, attend school, and earn money as an adventurer, that will have to wait.”
“Got it! I’ll look forward to that. I’ll do my best to catch up to your level, even just a little.”
“Hm… Sis, what’s your level now?”
“Wait a second, I’ll check right now.”
She opened her window and confirmed her abilities.
Looking at it this way, the window really feels like a futuristic tool. It’s a bit inconvenient, but it even has a bulletin board function.
“Looks like onee-san grew from the last battle in the previous round. She’s at level seven now.”
“Level seven… that’s only about the top three percent among adventurers in the country… Sis, you’re probably fine, but don’t act recklessly.”
“…Yeah, of course. My reckless actions might have been the cause of your death… I’ll never do anything strange again.”
“Ah! Don’t be so down! I just meant, don’t recklessly reveal your own information or abilities, okay? You’re strong, so don’t make careless mistakes with that power.”
“Of course. Well then, after I eat, I’ll head out. Akira, is there anything you want as a souvenir? Today, while shopping, if I earn lots of magic stones in the dungeon, I’ll treat you to something delicious with that money!”
“Eh? Then… honestly, if I could just eat together with you, that’s enough, so anything you want to bring back is fine.”
“Akira… you’ve grown into such a responsible kid… Sis is proud of you.”
“Decide whether you’re complimenting me or teasing me, okay?”
Yeah, Sis is definitely Sis.
I finished breakfast and headed out to participate in a PvP tournament being held today at the training facility.
Since it’s summer vacation, there are many students around, and these tournaments are held frequently… I wonder how many consecutive victories I can manage.