episode_0074

Ah, it’s been ages since I came back home.

Riel, snapping out of his drowsy state, stretched languidly before spotting Linia with her arms folded. He let out a snicker and waved her off.

“What’s with you? If we’re counting, I’m technically the head of this household, you know?”

“Look at you acting all high and mighty just because you earn money now. Must be nice—getting born with all that genius magic talent while the rest of us got nothing.”

“Yep, sure is.”

Because it lets me protect the people precious to me. Riel grinned as obnoxiously as he could. A retaliatory fist flew toward him, but how much damage could a girl possibly do?

“Ow…!!”

The boy, whose physical prowess was downright pathetic without magic, crumpled over the desk with a yelp.

Unseen by him, his two-year-older sister’s fists had grown sharper. Such was the might of daily labor—housework, laundry, hauling heavy loads—skills he could never grasp, reliant as he was on magic.

“If you know what’s good for you, hurry up and come eat.”

“You finished cooking already? You should’ve told me. I’d have helped.”

“No need. If I leave all the chores to you while owing you my entire livelihood, what does that make me and Livia? Parasites? Yeah, no thanks.”

The three siblings—though their youngest sister wasn’t present just then—had clung to one another after losing their parents, surviving through sheer mutual dependence. That was before Riel’s magical talents were discovered, before the Magic Tower scouted him. Their days of scraping by in a derelict shack, surviving on foraged greens and mushrooms, were now just a distant memory.

They lived comfortably now, in a home more than spacious enough for them, never lacking for money. They ate what they wanted and wore what they pleased. Riel sent them enough each month to afford such luxury—yet, shockingly, when he returned home after so long, he found his sisters had used that money to open a clothing store.

“Just you wait. We’ll double what you sent us and pay you back. ……Though we’re still in the red for now.”

The money had been meant for them to spend freely, so it didn’t matter—but Riel couldn’t shake his unease. He remembered just how much his siblings had struggled before, and though things hadn’t been as hard for him (being male), the other two were women.

He didn’t want them to spend their youth toiling for money. He wanted them to play, dress up, fall in love—like other girls their age.

“That’s why I sent you plenty.”

He never expected them to swear they’d pay him back and become self-sufficient.

“If we just laze around living off your money, what would we even do all day?”

“Find good men and get married, obviously. Hell, if either of you actually put effort into your looks, you’d have nobles swooning left and right.”

Honestly, whose siblings were they? Riel held his elder sister Linia and younger sister Livia in as high regard as he did his own appearance—and given how objectively true this was, it only made his arrogance even harder to dismiss, much to everyone else’s annoyance.

Yet Linia shook her head leisurely.

“I’ve said it before—I’m not getting married. I’ll live with you and Livia for the rest of my life.”

“……Since when? Actually, who said you get to decide that?”

Suddenly conscripted into Linia’s eternal single life, Riel’s spine stiffened with dread.

“Don’t drag me into this. I have no plans to die a virgin.”

“You say that, but I know you’ll stick with us.”

“More importantly—what’s for dinner? Should we eat before it gets cold?”

Escaping the conversation like a man fleeing a water ghost, Riel hurried out of the room and glanced at the lavish spread before scanning for his missing younger sister.

“Livia? Where are you?”

No reply came.

“Did she leave?”

Then, from beneath the table, a girl sprang up like a jack-in-the-box, shouting—

“Big bro, happy birthday!”

—and thrust forward a cream cake adorned with one large candle and six smaller ones. Right… Today was Riel Frost’s birthday, the one day of the year (aside from that single week) he was granted leave from the Magic Tower to return home.

“Oh. Thanks.”

“So boring. At least pretend to be surprised.”

“Nothing you do will ever surprise me, so give up.”

Taking the cake, Riel flicked his finger lightly—snuffing every candle at once. He scooped a fingertip of frosting and tasted it.

“Pretty good. We can all dig in later.”

“Right? I went all the way to the capital to get it.”

“Thanks.”

“We’re the ones who should be grateful. Always… thank you, Oppa.”

With Linia joining shortly after, the family settled around the table and began the meal. Given the occasion, the spread leaned heavily toward meats—Riel’s preference—which he eagerly helped himself to. Seizing the moment, Linia casually broached a topic.

“Come to think of it, Riel—how are things with Marika?”

“Huh? What about her?”

“Don’t ‘what’ me. I’m asking if you two are progressing.”

“It’s been over two years since I’ve even seen her face. And we were never that kind of relationship to begin with.”

If pushed to define it, he’d call her… another sibling. Though childhood friends of the same age, to Riel, she felt more like a younger sister than even his actual younger sister, Livia. Saying that out loud would probably make Marika rage at being treated like a kid—but what could he do? That’s just how it was.

“So, Oppa, did you just pass up a future Saintess? What a waste.”

“Pass up? Nah. We still exchange letters at least.”

“There you go! So? What do you two write about? Sweet nothings?”

Honestly, why did people insist on shipping guys and girls who got along? Women especially seemed to lose their minds over romance tales—hadn’t Rick mentioned that? Seeing this, he might have been onto something.

“Just personal advice. She says studying divine arts is rough—gets a letter every week. I’m kinda worried she hasn’t adjusted to church life.”

“You know… that might be…”

Linia set her spoon down, about to say something—but Livia grabbed her sleeve and whispered:

“Don’t tell him. Things like this are better realized on your own.”

“Marika’s got a tough road ahead, huh?”

“Well, with him as her target, what can you do?”

The oblivious “target” in question (?), chewing absently, gestured for a drink instead.

His unusually ditzy demeanor drew a quiet laugh from Linia.

“Still cute, though. A little hardship might be worth it.”

As Linia got up to fetch the drink, leaving Riel and Livia to chat—a voice called from outside.

“Rieeeeel…”

At the sound, Riel—leaning back in his chair, nursing his full stomach—blinked.

“That voice…?”

“Who else would it be? What other girl visits this house?”

True. But—should she even be here right now?

Riel rose, opened the front door—and locked eyes with a red-eyed girl he never expected to see this year.

“Marika? Didn’t you say you were too busy to come?”

“Surprise! I worked myself half to death to finish early for your birthday! You can praise me, you know.”

“Sure, sure. Good job~”

Patting her head as usual, Riel grinned when Marika—delighted—immediately clung to him. Rubbing her face against his chest like an excited puppy, she was downright adorable.

How could anyone not see her as a little sister? Then again, that sharp inhale he heard must’ve been his imagination.

“Let’s head inside. You eaten yet?”

“Nope, not yet!”

Figured. Not that it mattered—Marika might as well be family to the other two anyway.

“Oh, you’re back. And with a girl attached to you.”

“Welcome, Marika.”

“Not surprised? You knew?”

“Duh. Everyone knew—except you. Anyway…”

Linia smirked at the two still glued together.

“Thought you said you weren’t ‘that kind of relationship.’ Looks pretty cozy to me.”

“Cut the crap and let’s eat. Marika, sit tight—I’ll grab you utensils.”

His tone was conspicuously tender, prompting the other two to whistle teasingly. Ignoring them, Riel vanished into the kitchen.

The moment he was gone, the girls huddled, giggling and whispering.

“Marika’s got guts. What was that just now?”

“Hehe… I just got excited and hugged him, but he didn’t seem to hate it.”

“Of course he didn’t. Ah~ How long until big sis Marika officially joins the family? Gotta savor this dynamic while it lasts.”

Livia flopped dramatically against Marika’s lap. Flustered but pleased, Marika fidgeted, face reddening.

“R-really? But Riel says he sees me as a younger sister…”

“Please. That’s just his tsundere side talking. You think he’d ever confess first?”

“Oh, Marika… still so pure. Classic lines—‘I’m not interested,’ ‘I don’t see you that way’—those are the most dangerous guys.”

Spurred on by their relentless encouragement, Marika mustered her courage.

“Should I… confess right now then—”

“Well, that could work… But in romance, it’s better to steer the guy into confessing. Oh! What if you made him jealous?”

“Jealous?”

“Yeah, listen close…”

Whisper whisper. Marika’s expression shifted dramatically—brightening, then sobering, then turning solemn.

“What’re you scheming now?”

Returning with utensils, Riel frowned, suspicious of Livia filling Marika’s head with nonsense again.

“None of your business, Oppa. Right, sis?”

“Yep.”

“Hear that? Hands off our girl talk.”

The three nodded firmly, united—blissfully unaware that their assumptions were dead wrong, and of the consequences soon to follow.