Volume 5
Chapter 11
Having left Zonne's shop, Nozomu and Somia were once again walking through the commercial district.
"............"
Nozomu recalled
Zonne's words from just a moment ago. Nozomu had been hiding various things,
including being a Dragon Slayer. He had encountered Lisa and Ken just before
going to the forest previously, and the dark impulse that surged within him
then. Irisdina and the others had been worrying about him because he seemed
strangely off, but in the end, Nozomu couldn't tell them anything. It wasn't
hard to imagine that this had hurt them.
(But if I told
them...)
Still, the anxiety
within Nozomu wouldn't disappear. It continued to smolder and gradually grew
larger.
"Nozomu-san? Is
something wrong?"
"Eh? N-No, it's
nothing."
Somia, walking beside
him, spoke up, peering into Nozomu's face. Nozomu, who had been lost in
thought, instantly pretended nothing was wrong when spoken to.
"Anyway,
Somia-chan. What should we do now? It seems we still have time."
As Nozomu said, the
sun hadn't set yet. Perhaps because spring had arrived and the days were
gradually getting longer, the number of people walking on the street showed no
sign of decreasing.
"Hmm. What should
we do... Oh? I smell something sweet..."
"Hmm? This scent
is..."
A sweet aroma wafted
past their noses as they walked down the street. Nozomu and Somia looked in the
direction of the scent and saw a small stall where children were gathered.
"Hey, mister!
Give me that candy too!"
"Oh, no fair! I
was going to get that one!"
"Now, now, don't
fight. I'll make enough for everyone."
The shop was the same
candy craft shop that Irisdina and Nozomu had visited before. Just like last
time, children seemed to have gathered, eager for the sweet candies. The candy
craftsman seemed happy to please the children, skillfully making candy crafts
with a beaming smile.
"Here you go,
it's done."
"Wow~! Thank
you!!"
The children, happily
thanking the shop owner, took their candies and ran off energetically,
disappearing into the crowd. Nozomu smiled at the sight and then spoke to the
shop owner.
"Hello
there."
"Hmm? Oh! You're
the student who helped out at the shop before. What brings you here
today?"
The shop owner noticed
Nozomu. He spoke to Nozomu with a smile, his hands never stopping their work,
skillfully creating one intricate candy art piece after another.
"I just stopped
by on the way home from school. As always, your candies look delicious."
"Oh, thank you.
And that young lady is..."
Nozomu was admiring
the shop owner's impressive craftsmanship when he noticed that Somia had become
quiet at the shop owner's words.
"Wow~~!"
When Nozomu looked at
Somia, her eyes were sparkling as she gazed at the many candy crafts before
her.
(Come to think of it,
Irisdina-san did say that Somia-chan has a sweet tooth...)
Nozomu remembered his
previous visit to this shop with Irisdina. She, who couldn't help but dote on
her younger sister, had been worried that Somia might get cavities from eating
too many sweets.
"That's right.
Young man, why don't you try making candy art again?"
"...Eh?"
Nozomu tilted his head
at the shop owner's sudden words.
"How about you,
young lady? You've probably never made candy art before, have you? Why don't
you give it a try?"
"Eh?
Really!?"
"Of course. We
still have ingredients, and there's enough for two. Of course, I'll charge you
for it."
The shop owner, with a
slightly mischievous smile, suggested candy-making to Somia. Somia also seemed
interested in making candy art and was excited.
"Nozomu-san,
let's try it!"
"...Alright. I
didn't do so well last time, so maybe I'll try again."
"It's settled
then. Come over here."
Satisfied with Nozomu's
answer, the shop owner led the two to the cooking area.
"Alright, let's
begin. You've done this before, so you mostly know what to do, right?"
"Yes,
mostly..."
Nozomu said that and
first placed a pot filled with starch syrup over the fire. He meticulously
controlled the heat to prevent the candy from burning, boiling it while adding
ingredients like sugar. While stirring the pot, he checked the color and
stickiness. When he thought it was just right, Nozomu took the candy out of the
pot, divided it into two, gave one to Somia, and began to shape the other into
candy art using two sticks, but...
"Whoa! Whoa,
whoa!!"
"! Whoops!!"
It still wasn't going
as planned. Somia almost dropped the candy on the stick, and Nozomu was
struggling with the softened candy that threatened to drip onto the ground. The
sticky candy clung to the sticks they were using to shape it, refusing to take
the form Nozomu and Somia wanted. Eventually, the heat escaped the candy, and
when it hardened, the two stopped trying to shape it.
"That didn't go
so well, did it?"
"Yeah. Mine
turned into something I don't quite understand either. What did you make,
Nozomu-san?"
"Hmm? I was
supposed to make a horse..."
Nozomu had tried to
make a horse, but the candy dripped while he was making the legs, resulting in
an oddly long-legged horse.
"I was making a
cat. But it's kind of..."
Meanwhile, Somia had
made a cat. However, its ears were strangely long, and the shape of its face
was distorted.
"Hahaha. As
expected, it doesn't go well at first."
"Haha! You're
right. I intended for a rematch from last time, but this long-legged horse is
just impossible."
Somia smiled, looking
at the cat she had made, and Nozomu laughed along with her.
"Fufu, we still have
ingredients, what do you say? Want to try again?"
The shop owner asked
if they wanted to try again.
" "Yes,
please!" "
The two answered the
shop owner's suggestion in unison. They tried making candy art several more
times after that, but all of their creations were something that one couldn't
tell what they were supposed to be at first glance, and each time, the two
burst into laughter. Both Somia and Nozomu felt strange from laughing at their
own creations, but still, they truly enjoyed making candy art.
***
While Nozomu and Somia
were enjoying candy art at the shop owner's suggestion, Somia's sister's group
and the beastman group, who had been tailing them, were peeking at Nozomu and
Somia struggling with the candy art from behind a cover.
"............"
"Hey, Ai, you
don't have to worry so much."
"...But just now,
Somia was almost touched by that old man."
Irisdina was probably
referring to what happened at Zonne's fortune-telling shop earlier. Irisdina,
realizing Somia's destination was the perverted old man's shop, must have been
incredibly worried about her sister, as she stared intently at the two standing
in front of the shop. And then Zonne came out from the back of the shop. At
this point, Tima and Mars had a bad feeling, and sure enough, the lecherous old
man, whose mind was filled with nothing but pink, tried to touch Somia using
the same method he had used to sexually harass Irisdina.
"B-But Nozomu-kun
managed to do something about it, didn't he...?"
"But she was
almost touched..."
When Zonne tried to
touch Somia under the guise of fortune-telling, Irisdina was about to draw her
rapiers from her waists and charge at Nozomu and the others. The situation was
diffused by Mars and Tima putting their bodies on the line to stop her, and Nozomu
stopping Zonne with an attitude that showed he wouldn't hesitate to use force.
But ever since then, Irisdina's gaze towards Zonne had become even sharper.
After that, Zonne seemed to have started fortune-telling seriously, and Somia
and Nozomu were listening to the old man's story, but Irisdina and the others
couldn't hear Nozomu's conversation. This was because they had distanced
themselves once Nozomu had looked at them on the way to Zonne's shop. Irisdina
looked frustrated again at not being able to hear the conversation, but in the
end, Somia had a bright expression, so she thought it wasn't a bad conversation
at least. Seeing her sister's smile, Irisdina finally put away her bloodlust.
In a way, it was no exaggeration to say that Zonne's fate was decided by
Somia's mood.
"But hey, isn't
this getting bad? Nozomu seems to have noticed us, and if we keep being
persistent, Somia will notice too, you know?"
"T-that's right,
Ai. Any more than this is too much. Do you want Somia-chan to dislike
you?"
"Ugh!?"
Tima's words, "Do
you want Somia to dislike you?", pierced Irisdina's chest. That single
phrase seemed enough to drive a wedge into the heart of the sister who doted on
her little sister.
"I know you're
worried about Somia-chan, but Nozomu-kun is with her, so it'll be fine."
"...Well, that's
true. In fact, that perverted old man couldn't lay a hand on Somia thanks to
Nozomu. That guy can handle any petty thugs, and Arcazam has good public order,
so nothing dangerous will happen..."
"...Ughhh~~"
Mars now agreed with
Tima's words. Irisdina was admonished by the two, but she still wouldn't move,
groaning, perhaps still worried about Somia, or perhaps for some other reason.
She looked like a child herself. Tima looked over at Nozomu and the others, and
there were Nozomu and Somia engrossed in making candy art. Nozomu was trying to
create art with two sticks before the boiled candy hardened, but he had a
difficult expression, indicating it wasn't going well. Somia watched Nozomu,
who was struggling with the candy next to him, with a gentle smile. Although
they were too far to hear their conversation, the two making candy together had
a very nice atmosphere. Irisdina watched the two with a sulky, childlike
expression. As if she was terribly dissatisfied that she couldn't be there.
(...Haa, it seems Iris
is worried about Somia-chan, but she's also concerned about Nozomu-kun, who's
on a date with Somia-chan...)
Tima let out a big
sigh and watched her best friend, who was showing an expression she had never
seen before. For her, Irisdina was her first friend since coming to this
academy, and her best friend. But she had never seen her looking so sulky
before.
(Does that mean she's
just that concerned about the two of them?)
Tima had noticed that
Irisdina was concerned about Nozomu. It was unclear if Nozomu or Irisdina
herself had noticed, but Irisdina's atmosphere when she was with Nozomu was
clearly different from her usual self.
"Hey, isn't it
good enough now? At least it doesn't seem like anything big will happen."
Tima, who had been
lost in thought while watching her best friend, noticed Mars's voice and looked
at him. Irisdina, who had been looking down and deep in thought at Mars's
words, suddenly questioned Mars.
"...Mars-kun,
what would you think if Ena-kun was walking with a man you didn't know?"
"Huh? What's with
the sudden—" "What would you think?" "N-Nothing at
all..."
Mars said he thought
nothing of it, but his averted gaze and faltering words revealed emotions
completely opposite to what he said.
"...I'm worried.
What if Somia and Nozomu..."
Irisdina suddenly
turned bright red and started muttering something. It was unclear what was
going on in her mind, but she suddenly glared at Nozomu in the distance, then
quickly looked down. And then, just when she thought she had looked up again,
she started holding her head and worrying.
"...What are we
going to do? She's completely confused."
"What should we
do..."
Honestly, even Tima,
who had known her best friend the longest in this place, didn't know what to do
with her. It seemed she wanted to be taught the same thing. At that moment,
Irisdina's eyes caught a shop in a corner of the street.
"That's right,
with this..."
"Wait, Ai! Where
are you going!"
Irisdina, without
answering Tima's call, rushed into the shop. She came out of the shop quickly,
but Mars and Tima were dumbfounded by the sight.
"Hey, what's
that?"
"Um, that's
probably Ai. I don't know why she's dressed like that, though..."
The shop Irisdina
entered was a clothing store. It sold not only everyday clothes but also thick
work clothes and sturdy travel clothes. Irisdina emerged from the shop. She was
wearing a hooded cloak that completely covered her body, and the hood was
pulled down deep, so, at first glance, one wouldn't recognize her unless they
peered into her face. However, her appearance was completely that of a
suspicious person. Clad in the cloak, she walked straight towards the candy art
shop where Nozomu and Somia were.
"...Don't tell me
she's going to go check on them in that outfit?"
"............"
Tima seemed speechless
at Mars's question. Nozomu, who noticed Irisdina at the candy art shop, was
clearly staring at her with a dumbfounded expression. Irisdina approached
Nozomu without hesitation. She seemed to be exchanging words with Nozomu,
pretending to be a customer, but the hood on her head was moving unnaturally,
showing Irisdina's confusion. The movement of the hood gradually became more
agitated, and Somia, feeling suspicious, came closer to the two. Then,
Irisdina, thinking it was bad, snatched the bag of candy Nozomu offered, gave
Nozomu a glance as if to convey something, and came back.
"...Somehow,
everything's a mess."
"...Yeah."
Mars and Tima sighed
in unison from their hiding spot in the bushes.
***
After enjoying the
candy art, we paid the shop owner and thanked him, then walked toward Central
Park. The sun was beginning to set, and the surroundings were gradually being
dyed crimson.
"Ah! That was
fun!"
"Yeah. But, honestly,
when we made too many, I wondered what we'd do."
I nodded at
Somia-chan's words, looking at the bag in my hand. We ended up making quite a
lot of candy. If too much heat was applied to the finished candy, it would
discolor or lose its flavor, so we couldn't remake it. I was worried we had
made too many, but the shop owner took the excess candy and sold them at a low
price. The shapes weren't exactly flattering, but the taste of the candy itself
hadn't changed. And what's more, Somia-chan even took the initiative to call
out to customers, saying, "We made them ourselves!" Seeing
Somia-chan, I also joined in calling out to customers.
At first, passersby
only watched from a distance. Somia-chan called out to various people: those
who had finished work, elderly people out for a stroll, and couples who were
about to spend time together. At first, they looked puzzled by the sudden
approach, but when Somia-chan offered them candy with a smile, their
expressions softened, and they started looking at the candy lined up in front of
the stall.
"As a result, all
the candy sold out. Couldn't ask for more."
"That's true. But
in the end, I made Nozomu-san pay for the shortfall."
Somia-chan's
expression darkened slightly. While the candy did sell out, it was sold at a
very low price due to its poor shape, so I had to cover the shortfall.
"It's fine. I've
had some extra income recently, so I have a bit of money. Besides, that old man
would say, 'This is a man's duty!', wouldn't he?"
I reluctantly brought
up that perverted old man, trying my best not to ruin the atmosphere.
"...Ehehe! You're
really kind, Nozomu-san."
However, Somia-chan's
slightly darkened expression suddenly changed. She stuck out her tongue and
showed a mischievous smile.
"...Somia-chan.
Are you doing this on purpose?"
"Ehehehe!"
"Haa..."
Somia-chan deepened
the smile on her face, as if confirming my words, and I raised my hands in
surrender. It seemed I had been played by this little girl. I was completely
outmaneuvered, literally, but honestly, I felt a shiver down my spine at
Somia-chan, who could manipulate a man at this age.
Somia-chan, with the
same lustrous black hair and jet-black eyes as Iris. Although still a child,
her features, like a younger version of her sister, clearly showed how charming
a woman she would become in the future.
(Well, Somia-chan and
Iris seem to have some troublesome aspects, though.)
When Nozomu and Somia
were at the candy art shop, Irisdina came to check on them, wearing a disguise
that couldn't even be called one. I was dumbfounded by her trembling voice as
she ordered candy. I asked Iris what she was doing, trying to make sure
Somia-chan couldn't hear, but she denied it in an agitated voice, saying,
"I-I'm not Irisdina." When I tried to press the matter, she got
defensive, but Somia-chan nearby asked, "Is something wrong?" We both
panicked and said "Nothing!!" at the same time. I quickly wrapped the
candy Iris had ordered in a bag and handed it to her. At that moment, I felt my
hand being squeezed tightly, and an incredibly intense glare pierced me from
deep within her hood. At that moment, without words, she seemed to say:
"Don't make any
mistakes!!"
...What on earth did
she mean by "don't make any mistakes"? Somia-chan is 11 years old.
Love is probably too early for her, and this date probably felt more like a
brother and sister outing than a romantic one.
"Nozomu-san.
Shall we rest over there for a bit?"
"Ah, sure. Let's
do that."
She pointed to a bench
in a corner of Central Park. We sat on the bench and took out candy from the
bag we were holding and put it in our mouths. The sweet smell and taste filled
my mouth and seemed to permeate my entire body. It seemed to be the same for
Somia-chan, as she sat on the bench, dangling her legs, and her face smiled as
she ate the sweet candy. Perhaps because I had done something I rarely did,
like candy art, I might have been more tired than I thought.
"...Nozomu-san.
Thank you for today."
"No, I had fun
too, so it's mutual. I also got to try candy art again. The result was... well,
it was like that, though."
My gaze met
Somia-chan's, and we both smiled. Although few words were exchanged, I could
fully feel that today's date had been enjoyable.
"Hey, Nozomu-san.
Can I tell you something?"
"Hmm? What is
it?"
Somia-chan asked me,
suddenly becoming serious.
"It's about what
the old man said in the fortune-telling today... um..."
"...Your
worries?"
Somia-chan nodded slightly
at my question. Today's fortune-telling. It was probably what that old man had
said.
"I can listen,
but is it okay if it's me? I think it'd be better to consult Iris if it's about
you, Somia-chan."
"Nee-sama is a
no-go. Um... my worry is about Nee-sama..."
It seemed she was
worried about Iris. I nodded to show I understood, and Somia-chan began to
softly speak her inner thoughts.
"Nozomu-san, you
knew, didn't you? That I want to be like Nee-sama..."
"Yeah."
Somia-chan's goal was
to be like her older sister, Irisdina. I had heard this when I first met her in
this park.
"Nee-sama is so
wonderful, isn't she? She's beautiful, strong, and can do anything..."
I nodded at
Somia-chan's words. Indeed, she was a very charming woman. It seemed that the
number of people who had confessed to her at the academy was not just in the
double digits, and her family was a prominent figure in the Kingdom of Foshia.
Moreover, she was the heir. Frankly, it was harder to find her flaws.
(Well, except when it
comes to Somia-chan, it seems...)
Without Somia-chan
noticing, I glanced at a corner on the opposite side of the park from where we
were sitting on the bench. Although I couldn't see them, I could feel the
presences of the people currently being discussed from that spot. They were too
far to hear our conversation, but their tailing seemed to be continuing.
"I love such a
Nee-sama so much, and she's a Nee-sama I'm proud of... but sometimes I can't
help but think bad things. Like, I'm envious, or, I wish I was like her. Of
course, I know Nee-sama worked hard and became able to do so many things... but
still, sometimes I just think that way."
"...Were you
perhaps worried about that?"
Somia-chan nodded at
my words. Even though Iris was a very important family member and still her
role model, Somia still sometimes envied her too-talented sister. And because
she knew better than anyone how much effort Iris had put in, she might have
started to dislike herself for thinking that way.
"...But I guess
it can't be helped, can it? I think everyone feels envy towards someone, and
even between siblings, that can happen, right?"
"............"
The answer that came
out of my mouth was a common one. Honestly, I didn't know how deeply Somia-chan
was troubled, so I could only give such a vague response, and her expression
remained stiff.
"............"
"............"
A moment of silence
passed. A slightly awkward atmosphere hung in the air, but then Somia-chan
slowly spoke.
"I used to hate
Nee-sama."
"...Eh?"
Upon hearing those
words, I doubted my own ears. Because Somia-chan, whom we had seen, loved Iris
more than anyone and even said she was her future dream.
"I've never seen
my mother's face. She died right after giving birth to me, so I don't even know
what kind of person she was. All I have is the portrait in my father's
room..."
"............"
Somia-chan began to
tell her past, muttering little by little. I listened to her words in silence,
without interrupting.
"I was never
held, never sung lullabies to, and never slept with her. Nee-sama often told me
stories about Mother. She said Mother had black hair like ours and was a very
kind person..."
As she continued to
speak, her face seemed to be filled with loneliness... and regret.
"Looking back
now, I think Nee-sama wanted me, who didn't know Mother, to know even a little
about her. But at that time, I thought she was making fun of me for not knowing
Mother. Or perhaps she resented me for taking Mother away..."
"............"
"So I never spoke
to Nee-sama or Father myself. If they hated me, then I hated them too. That's
all I thought."
The bag of candy
Somia-chan held crumpled with a crunch.
"No one cared
about me. No one worried about me. That's what I thought, so being at home was
painful, and I ran away from home."
"Eh!?"
A gasp of surprise
escaped me at Somia-chan's words. Her family was one of the most prominent
noble families in Foshia, and naturally, security measures appropriate for that
should have been in place. Moreover, Somia-chan at that time must have been a
single-digit age. Even though it's easier to exit a heavily guarded place from
the inside than to enter from the outside, her ability to act is incredible.
"But I had always
been inside the mansion, so of course, I had nowhere to go. Eventually, the sun
set, and I could only huddle in a corner of the town. It was cold, so cold I
couldn't do anything about it. But I still couldn't think of going
home..."
"............"
I was just speechless
at Somia-chan, who wouldn't try to go home even in such a state. How lonely she
must have been. How much loneliness had she suppressed in that small body?
"And then, it
finally started to rain. I desperately hugged my soaking wet clothes, trying
somehow to endure the cold. But my body just shivered and wouldn't get warm at
all. Eventually, when my consciousness became hazy, I heard a voice calling
me."
Somia-chan hugged her
dangling legs tightly. To me, her posture seemed to show the image of the girl
she was talking about, wet from the rain and with nowhere to go.
"At first, I
thought there was no way. Because I thought no one loved me, and no one would
be looking for me."
Somia-chan mumbled,
burying half her face in her knees.
"But gradually,
the voice calling me grew louder, and before I knew it, I heard that voice
right beside me. When I looked up, what I saw was Nee-sama, soaking wet just
like me. Nee-sama had even run out of the mansion to look for me."
Saying that,
Somia-chan's face, which she lifted, was not the gloomy one she had just moments
ago, but a bright expression.
"But at that
time, I said, 'What are you here for?!' Even now, thinking about it, I said
something terrible. Nee-sama said, 'I came to look for you,' and tried to lead
me home by the arm, but I wouldn't go."
Somia-chan let out a
bitter laugh, remembering her ugly behavior from back then.
"After that, it
was a battle of stubbornness between Nee-sama trying to take me home and me
refusing to go. Both Nee-sama and I eventually started yelling at each other
without restraint because the other wouldn't listen."
"............"
"In the end, just
like Nee-sama, Father came to look for me and took me back to the mansion.
After we got back, both Nee-sama and I were lectured endlessly by Father. At
that time, I just blurted out everything I had been thinking in front of
everyone. 'Why isn't Mother here!? Why does everyone hate me!? If you hate me
so much, just leave me alone!' I was crying and screaming those things. Then
Nee-sama, who was being lectured alongside me, slapped me hard."
Somia-chan stroked her
left cheek. That was probably where Irisdina had slapped her.
"I intended to
get angry and slap her back, but when I looked at Nee-sama, she was crying too.
She was desperately trying to hold back her overflowing tears, but they
wouldn't stop... Nee-sama always smiled in front of me, but thinking about it,
Nee-sama must have been very sad ever since Mother died. But she couldn't show
it, she desperately tried to hide it, but my words made everything she had
hidden overflow."
Come to think of it,
Iris was only about 10 years old at the time, and the death of a family member
was naturally difficult to bear.
"After that, both
Nee-sama and I cried and yelled at each other loudly, and before we knew it, we
had fallen asleep. Since then, I came to love Nee-sama and wanted to be like
her. Nee-sama, who desperately hid her sadness and still smiled. I want to be
like that Nee-sama."
"............"
Having finished her
story, Somia-chan let out a big breath and stretched broadly to loosen her
stiff body.
"Haa~. I feel
refreshed!"
"Hey, Somia-chan.
Why did you tell me that story?"
I asked the question
that naturally came to mind. Her request for advice, and this story, were not
things that could be easily told to just anyone.
"Hmmmm. I don't
really know! I just wanted to talk."
"You wanted to
talk?"
"Yes! I wanted
Nozomu-san to know about me. When I thought that, my mouth just opened
naturally!"
She smiled as she said
that. The stiff expression she had just moments ago was completely gone from
her face, replaced by her usual sunny smile. As expected, this girl is a strong
girl, just like Iris. She has the strength to care for someone even while
troubled.
"...Somia-chan. I
don't have siblings, so I can't truly understand your worries about Iris."
I don't have siblings.
My family was just my father, mother, and me, a family of three.
"But I've often
felt envious of others."
But it's not like I've
never been jealous of anyone. Days when I was told I couldn't get stronger due
to ability suppression, and no matter how hard I tried, things didn't go as I
wished. What if I didn't have ability suppression? What if I was stronger? It's
not like I never thought about such meaningless "what if" scenarios.
"I can't explain
it well myself, but you still cherish Iris, right?"
"...Yes."
Everyone has jealousy.
I, too, was secretly jealous of Lisa and the others who kept getting stronger,
leaving me behind, and I felt pathetic for never being able to get stronger. At
the time, I suppressed those dark emotions by making excuses like my promise
with Lisa, but looking back now, those dark feelings were definitely there. In
Somia-chan's case, she probably worried so much because she had previously hurt
Iris with that jealousy.
"Then that's
fine, isn't it? Because Somia-chan, you thought that if you told Iris, she
would get hurt, right? That's why you went to the fortune-telling and talked to
me, I think."
She's a kind girl who
loves her sister very much. That's why the memory of hurting her sister in the
past due to her selfish assumptions remained deeply etched in her mind, and she
was afraid that her sister would find out she was jealous.
"...Yes. When
Mother died, I remembered that Nee-sama, who was still smiling, was actually
forcing herself so much... And yet, Nee-sama cherished me. When I thought about
how I had hurt such a Nee-sama, I couldn't talk about it anymore..."
Somia-chan lowered her
head, letting out a depressed voice.
"Then it's
alright. No matter how much you envy Iris, the deepest root of your heart is
the feeling of 'I love Nee-sama.'"
"Ah..."
Somia-chan looked up
when she heard my words. Her eyes were wide and trembling. Because that's
right. She couldn't talk about it because she didn't want to hurt Iris. So that
means her sister is the most important person to her.
"Yes! I love
Nee-sama!"
Somia-chan declared
energetically. Her face, illuminated by the twilight, shone like the first
star.
"Alright! It's
getting dark, let's head back."
"Ah! Wait a
minute! There's still something."
Somia-chan stopped me
as I was about to get up from the bench. It seemed she still had something to
say.
"Hmm? What is
it?"
She turned to me and
took a deep breath. I felt as if she was about to make a major life decision,
and my back naturally straightened.
"...When I was
almost deprived of my soul before, you helped me, Nozomu-san. I haven't
properly thanked you for that yet."
"Eh? But you
already thanked me properly..."
She was definitely
talking about Rugato of the Wajiart family. But I was sure Iris and she herself
had thanked me the very next day...
"Yes. But I want
to thank you personally."
Saying that,
Somia-chan looked directly at me. Honestly, I didn't think she needed to bother
with thanks, but Somia-chan's gaze suggested she had made a considerable
resolution. I honestly didn't understand the reason for her strong resolve, but
at least I didn't want to make her resolve meaningless.
"...Alright. If
Somia-chan insists on giving it, I'll accept."
"Ah... Yes!"
Perhaps relieved that
I would accept, Somia-chan, her voice bouncing with excitement, stood on the
seat of the bench. At 11 years old, her height was naturally shorter than mine,
and standing on the seat finally brought her eyes level with mine. What was she
planning to do?
"Um, please don't
move."
"Hmm? What on
earth are you—" "N~!" "Eh!?"
Just as I was about to
ask Somia-chan, who told me not to move, her face filled my entire vision. And
then, a soft sensation on my cheek. At the sudden event, my mind went blank,
and I was just dumbfounded.
"Ehehe. I kissed
you."
"Eh, eh?"
When the soft
sensation on my cheek disappeared, what I saw next was Somia-chan with a bright
red face.
"It's on the
cheek, but as a thank you, it's my first kiss. It's also my first time doing it
to anyone other than my father."
Saying that, Somia-chan
smiled mischievously. Her face was very similar to Iris, who had led me all
over the place on during our previous date, making me think, "They really
are sisters."
"...You really
are very similar to Iris."
"Eh!? Really!? To
hear you say that—" "AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" "Eek!"
Somia-chan flinched at
the sudden loud scream. Nozomu instinctively looked in the direction of the
voice, and Iris, who had been hiding deep in the bushes, stood up and pointed
at them.
"W-W-W-W-W-Wha..."
Perhaps too surprised,
Iris couldn't articulate her words. Her fingertips were trembling, and there
was no trace of her usual calm and collected self.
"! No ~ zo ~ mu
~~!!"
"W-Wait!!"
Coming to her senses,
she screamed my name and rushed towards me at full speed. Her face was
terrifyingly rigid, and her eyes were bloodshot, like the "Fiendish Eyes
of Madness." Frankly, it was incredibly scary. She charged straight at me,
grabbed my shoulders with both hands, and squeezed my shoulders tightly. Her
nails dug into my shoulders, and in pain, I desperately tried to pull her hands
away, but her slender white arms squeezed my shoulders with unbelievable
strength, not budging at all.
"No~zo~mu... I
told you. 'Make no mistake'..."
"Y-Yes..."
My body stiffened like
stone from the glare that felt as if the Fiendish Eyes of Madness had truly
activated, and the voice that sounded like a lament from the depths of the
abyss. Truly, a helpless lamb and an enraged Cyclops.
"Then what was
'that'..."
"Um, that...
Ouch! Ouch!! Iris! Please let go of my hands!!"
The pain in my
shoulder intensified further, and I could hear the sound of her hands squeezing
me with a crunch.
"No. If I let go,
you'll run away. Now, explain what happened—" "That should be my
line, Nee-sama." "...Ah."
Iris, who was trying
to force an explanation out of me, finally understood the situation from
Somia-chan's voice from the side.
"Nee-sama, what
do you mean by this? I told you not to follow us, didn't I?"
"Ah, no,
um..."
Somia-chan glared at
Iris with deadpan eyes. Meanwhile, Irisdina, who was supposed to be the older
sister, could do nothing but flustered.
"And you even
involved Mars-san and Tima-chan... Nee-sama, who's in the wrong here?"
"N-No. I was just
worried about you, Somia—" "No arguments!"
Somia-chan's lecture
time began. Come to think of it, when I first met her, I got lectured by her
after fighting with Kuro, the stray cat... With Iris, who was being lectured by
her 11-year-old sister, sheepishly beside me, I took a piece of candy from the
bag and put it in my mouth. Iris, who was being lectured, looked at me with
teary eyes, but I deliberately averted my gaze, pretending not to see. I
decided to side with Somia-chan today.
"Yo,
Nozomu."
"H-Hello,
Nozomu-kun."
"Ah."
Mars and Tima who were
with Iris came out from the bushes and called out to me. So they were still
together after all.
"You seemed to be
having a tough time."
"Yeah, Irisdina
wasn't listening to anything we said... Oh, so you noticed after all?"
I nodded, confirming
Mars's words.
"Yeah, but
Somia-chan didn't seem to notice, and I thought if I revealed it, the date
would be ruined right then and there. But I also understand Iris's concern for
Somia-chan. I wished she would at least watch from a distance..."
"Ahahaha..."
A dry laugh escaped
Tima's lips. She probably didn't know what to say anymore about her best
friend's rampage today. Even if Somia-chan kissed me, it was on the cheek. I
think it was more a feeling of affection than love for her. But this is Iris,
who cherishes her sister more than anyone. If she saw her sister kissing
someone, even if it was just on the cheek, she wouldn't be able to stay calm.
"Seriously. What
are you thinking, Nee-sama!?"
"Ugh..."
Irisdina slumped her shoulders
dejectedly in front of her younger sister. There was no trace of her usual
dignified demeanor, but honestly, I found myself smiling at the sight. The
worries Somia-chan had been carrying. It seemed she had cleared them up, at
least a little.
"That's right,
Nee-sama. Since you did something like this, a naughty Nee-sama like you
deserves a punishment, don't you think?"
"P-Punishment!?"
Irisdina lifted her
head abruptly at the mention of punishment.
"Yes. In the
first place, I was the one who invited Nozomu-san on this date. And since
Nee-sama took out her anger on Nozomu-san, who was just invited by me, it's
only natural for you to apologize to Nozomu-san."
"W-What should I
do?"
Iris waited for
Somia's next words, looking nervous.
"It's simple. On
the second day of the next 'Special Comprehensive Training', form a party with
Nozomu-san."
" " ...Eh?
" "
"Nozomu-san, is
that alright with you? By the way, Nee-sama has no right to refuse."
"Um. I'm fine
with it, but..."
I glanced at Iris. For
some reason, her face turned red, and she hastily averted her gaze.
"Nee-sama, is
that alright?"
"Y-Yeah! Got it!
S-So that's how it is! Nozomu, I'll be counting on you..."
"Ah, yeah.
Likewise..."
I exchanged a
handshake with Iris, who offered her hand while fumbling for words, but her
face was still red, and her hand was somehow trembling. Somia-chan watched the
scene with a beaming smile. Perhaps she had intended this from the very
beginning. I had been at this girl's mercy from start to finish today.
After that, as it was
getting dark, we dispersed. Everyone headed home.
As for the other group
that was following me and Somia-chan...
"...Alright,
Nozomu and the others have reached the park. I don't think Nozomu would drag
Somi-cchi, who's 11, around at night, so this date is probably over here."
"You're right. So
far, it's been a normal date, nothing too exciting. Though, Irisdina-san's side
was quite amusing."
"............Haa."
Feo and the others
were peeking at them from even further behind Irisdina's group. In the end, Feo
and Mimuru continued their pursuit as their desires dictated, and Tom sighed
deeply behind them. TTom, who could be said to have a conscience among the
three, tried to stop Feo and Mimuru, but no matter how much he called out, the
two beastmen completely ignored his words. By the way, when Irisdina went to
check on Nozomu and the others at the candy art shop in a disguise that
couldn't even be called one, these two were laughing out loud without caring
about the surrounding eyes. The most unfortunate one was probably Tom, the only
sensible person beside them. His face turned bright red from the stares of the
people around them. Now, Nozomu and Somia were sitting on a bench in Central
Park, talking.
"Hmm. Still too
far. I can't understand what they're talking about at all."
"That's true. Hey
Feo, can't you do something with your talisman art?"
"W-Wait, you two!
Are you planning to use a technique in a place like this!?"
Not only peeking, but
also trying to eavesdrop using a technique. Tom's mental strength was being
rapidly eroded by the continuous string of outrageous actions from the two.
"Too bad. I
haven't made a talisman for that yet. Damn it, if I knew something this
interesting would happen, I should have stayed up all night yesterday to make
one!"
Feo clenched his fist,
genuinely disappointed. This fox would have used an eavesdropping talisman
without hesitation if he had one. Behind him, Tom was relieved that it wouldn't
become a crime.
"However, the
black-haired princess's side is getting quite interesting. Tima and Mars have
been desperately trying to stop her, but she's not listening at all. Well, I
guess the black-haired princess is human after all~"
Mimuru nodded
repeatedly in agreement with Feo, but her face was embarrassingly leering.
"But, it's
getting dark already. Haa, I guess nothing else will happen now... Hmm? What is
it?"
"Hmm? Feo, what's
wrong?"
In their line of
sight, Somia stood on the seat of the bench, looking at Nozomu. The next moment,
Somia's face moved closer to Nozomu...
" "HERE IT
COMESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!" "
The loud shouts of the
two beastmen echoed. Their excitement instantly reached its peak at Somia's
passionate act of kissing at the end of the date.
"Yes! Somi-cchi
did it!!"
"Yahoo!! Look at
Nozomu's face!! He's totally smitten with Somi-cchi!!"
"Oh! The
black-haired princess couldn't take it anymore and came out!!"
"A love
triangle!? A love triangle indeed!! Alright, we can't miss a single
second!!"
Feo and Mimuru, like a
rock rolling down a hill, ran rampant with no way to stop them. But they only
saw the scene unfolding before their eyes and didn't notice the fate creeping
up behind them.
"...You two seem
to be having a lot of fun. Do you not understand your own situation?"
"
"...Eh?" "
A clear, bell-like
voice resonated. The two turned around at the familiar voice they heard... and
saw despair.
"You two have
quite a hobby, peeking at other people's dates. I'm so speechless."
Long blue hair and
pointed ears. A perfectly sculpted face was plastered with an artistic smile,
simultaneously radiating tremendous anger. Shina Juliel, the woman Feo and
Mimuru least wanted to know about this tailing, stood there like a formidable
guardian.
"H-How did you
know!?"
"I had a bad
feeling. Knowing you, who stick your nose into anything you find interesting, I
wondered if you were doing anything strange to the two on their date."
Tom stood next to
Shina. He probably called Shina, whom he coincidentally met in the park, to
stop the rampaging Feo and the others.
Her smiling eyes
widened. Her mouth was smiling, but her eyes were completely blazing with
anger. Feo and Mimuru, who received her gaze, began to tremble like small
animals.
"Yet, today,
after seeing you concede to Somia-chan, I reevaluated you a little. But when I
came to the park on my way back from the library and saw some people making a
commotion, and Tom running frantically, I came to check... It seems I
misjudged."
She then turned her
gaze to Mimuru. Mimuru, being glared at by Shina with sharp eyes, let out a
shriek of "H-Hii!!"
"Mimuru. I just
told you yesterday, didn't I? That if you act purely on impulse, saying
'because I want to,' it could lead to terrible consequences..."
"Y-Yes~!!"
Mimuru bowed her head
deeply to Shina. Having instinctively sensed who held the higher position in
this situation, she bowed her head repeatedly, trying to soothe the anger of
her best friend, whose fury was reaching the heavens.
"It seems you two
have too much energy, so why don't we go for some training now? It's alright.
If you have that much energy, surely you can go all night, can't you?"
But by now, bowing
their heads wouldn't appease the enraged Yaksha before them.
" "U-Um.
That's a bit much..." "
"...Did you say
something?"
Shina deepened her
smile and spoke softly, but only with her voice. The way she ostentatiously
crushed something in one hand clearly indicated that talking back would not end
well. Seeing that they would only incur more of her wrath, the two immediately
prostrated themselves on the ground, begging for forgiveness.
" "W-We are
terribly sorry!!" "
"Seriously, you
two!!"
And so began the hell
of a lecture. It is unclear when they were released from that hell, but
according to Tom, who went to check on them out of worry, they had become like
dolls repeating the same words.
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