17 – The Real Sister (2)

Haniel wasn’t born frail.

She was originally healthy.

She was a quiet child who loved reading, so she wasn’t particularly active, but whenever I was whining, she would take my hand and stroll through the iridescent garden.

Just like now, in a way.

Of course, unlike when we were children, we weren’t holding hands.

I was matching my pace to Haniel’s slow steps, following behind her.

“Walking together like this after so long… it reminds me of when we were little. I always brought you to the garden whenever you were crying.”

“It does.”

Whenever something bad happened to me with my siblings, or when Porto scolded me, or when I realized my talent and became frustrated, I always went to Haniel when I was sad.

My sister would always embrace me while I cried.

-It’s okay to cry. There’s nothing to be ashamed of when you’re sad.

-You can be as spoiled as you want. I’m always on your side, Ester.

-The iridescent garden is a place our mother made. Isn’t the amaranthus beautiful?

When I was younger, I relied heavily on Haniel.

She was the only person I could call family.

She was the only one who indulged my whims.

-Don’t bully Ester. If I see you doing it again, I’ll make sure you have a truly terrible experience.

She even protected me from Felix when he tormented me.

Until she was confined to her sickbed, unable to leave her room…

We were the very picture of devoted siblings.

“Congratulations on inheriting the baronetcy. Never thought that crybaby Esther would become such a remarkable person, hee hee…”

“…”

“While I’ve been stuck in this room, you’ve grown so dependable. You’ll be quite the hit with the ladies at social gatherings later on. Come to think of it, isn’t Esther’s coming-of-age ceremony next year? Cough…”

I steadied the faltering Haniel.

There was no need to play the prodigy mage in front of her.

“Sister, let’s slowly head back to your room now…”

I watched her with eyes full of concern.

Haniel had fallen ill with shocking suddenness one day.

The cause remained a mystery.

Countless physicians visited the Tristi estate, yet no suitable remedy could be found.

Unlike myself, Haniel was a girl brimming with talent.

Not only magical aptitude, but she also possessed every ability needed to be the head of the family.

Porto’s most cherished child was Haniel, without a doubt.

Within the family, within the dominion, everyone had considered her the next family head.

Porto spared no effort in trying to heal Haniel.

Even the Crimson Tower Master confessed ignorance regarding Haniel’s condition.

As the days passed, Haniel grew weaker and weaker, and no one could offer assistance.

Not even Nob AI.

“…”

My sister’s beautiful black hair had turned white.

Her weight had dwindled to the point where even I, lacking in strength, could lift her with ease.

I maintained silence, walking alongside her.

“Esther, do you intend to become the family head?”

Haniel suddenly inquired.

I shook my head.

“Do you intend to become the family head, Sister?”

“Yes.”

“May I ask why?”

Haneul gazed skyward.

Her eyes seemed to fix on something beyond the azure canvas.

“I made a promise to Mother. And one to myself, as well.”

“Is that so?”

Haneul offered a smile, as if details were a closely guarded secret.

“Heh heh, back then, whenever I spoke so ambiguously, Esther would whine endlessly for me to tell him. You’ve changed.”

“I’ll be an adult next year. Can’t act like a child forever. Oh, Sister, there’s something I wanted to say.”

“Yes?”

“This successor trial… I’ll help you from the sidelines.”

They arrived at the detached residence where Haneul was staying, passing through a garden blooming with amaranthus, symbols of eternity.

Amongst her siblings, Haneul was in the most precarious position.

She struggled even with a simple walk; there was no way she could properly undertake the successor trial.

Setting off on the pilgrimage in her condition was akin to suicide.

He couldn’t allow his sister to die.

He was already attracting plenty of attention.

If, yet again, Nob AI were to propose a brilliant solution and garner public interest…

He could simply pass it off as Haneul’s accomplishment.

“Are you sure you’ll be alright, Esther?”

“Don’t worry about me; worry about yourself, Sister.”

Someone who’s unwell keeps worrying about me.

It was why he had been avoiding seeing Haneul until now.

He couldn’t bear to cause his ailing sister concern.

“Still…”

“Surely you don’t think Father’s successor trial is easier than a Millennium Prize Problem, do you, Sister?”

Haneul chuckled softly.

“Heh heh, you’re right. In that case, I’ll do my best to help Esther too.”

“There’s really no need to worry about me…”

Haneul stroked his hair.

“I’m your sister. There’s no helping it. Esther is the most precious, the one I must protect.”

No matter what grand feats I accomplished.

Even if everyone hailed me as a prodigy, a genius.

In Haniel’s eyes, I seemed destined to remain her little brother, barely past nine years old.

*

The reason I couldn’t abandon this manor was my sickly older sister.

My very reason for wanting to live as a leech within the Tristy estate stemmed from being able to watch over her from a close distance.

But, hearing the details of this upcoming succession trial, I understood with stark clarity.

The way to truly help my sister wasn’t to simply stand by and watch.

Rather, I needed to resolve the fundamental cause of her suffering.

And I possessed the ability to do so.

Nob AI’s potential was limitless.

Given sufficient learning, it could accomplish anything.

Once this trial was over, I intended to escape this manor and seek out a cure for my sister in the outside world.

There were things I needed to obtain from Ersph, and with the power of Nob AI, it should be entirely possible.

Participation in this trial, however, was unavoidable.

While Kenneth Uriel was a cur, he wasn’t as easily handled as Felix.

My brother Jeper was just as capable, to boot.

At the very least, if I didn’t help my sister during this trial, a dangerous situation might arise.

It couldn’t be helped.

Frankly, I longed to take my sister and flee with Dalpi.

But she seemed to desire to remain within the Tristy manor, with designs to become the head of the household.

I respected her will.

Even if I were to leave this manor without a word, she would respect mine.

Therefore, the best I could do was to find a way to cure her, no matter the cost.

Porto never considered the state or desires of his children.

Under the guise of a trial, he only stoked a more brutal competition.

A thoroughly malicious b*stard.

I held no ambition for the position of family head.

Nor did I particularly want to exact revenge upon my siblings.

I avoid stepping in shit not out of fear, but because it’s filthy.

I could, with a thought, cast someone like Felix into oblivion using Nob AI, easy as pie.

But unless lines are crossed, I see no reason to waste my precious time on such elaborate endeavors.

This confirms that I have absolutely no reason to remain in this mansion.

Once this exam is over, I’ll settle down in a pleasant city.

Finish Haneil’s treatment, then spend the rest of my days lazing about, without a care in the world.

“Young Master.”

“Hmm?”

“Why are we suddenly heading to Daebo Village?”

I was riding in a carriage.

My destination was the wastelands in the Tristi Autonomous Region, notorious for its frequent appearances of demons. It was a place where mercenaries, making a living by slaying demons and selling their spoils, mainly resided.

And Daebo Village was a place created by those merchants who traded with these mercenaries.

It was also the region where the most famous Carlson Mercenary Company and Johnson Mercenary Company had established their bases.

“It’s a day just perfect for dying, but alas, I wish to live.”

“Who said anything about dying??”

“I’m still a virgin. If I die, I might be resurrected as a vengeful virgin ghost, cursing the Tristi Autonomous Region.”

Ugh.

Dalphy had been making it abundantly clear from the start that she didn’t want to come.

She was pulling the carriage while wearing a sour expression, sighing heavily every minute.

“If you hate it so much, you shouldn’t have come.”

“But Young Master told me to come….”

I was speechless, dumbfounded.

“When did I ever say that?? I told you that I’ll be going to a dangerous place from now on, so if you want to stay in the mansion, stay. And Ian is following behind us, so what are you even worried about!!”

Ian, Haneil’s escort knight, was following behind the carriage on horseback.

To introduce him, he’s a vassal who has served in Tristi for about ten years, and I believe he’s a knight from the Steel Lion Knights Order who helped me out before.

Ian is also my swordsmanship instructor.

Of course, due to my awfully weak physique, I haven’t properly learned any swordsmanship so far.

The reason Ian is following me is because Haneil is so worried.

-Ester absolutely cannot go to dangerous areas without an escort knight.

-But I have Dalphy with me, so it’s okay….

-Dalphy is a frail maid. What’s okay about it? Is Dalphy going with you this time too? If so, then Ian is even more necessary.

The situation was roughly thus.

It seemed my sister didn’t quite grasp what kind of maid Dalphy was.

This one could lift the Tristy estate with his bare hands, you know.

Why such a fellow was a maid?

That, I also don’t know.

“If young master perishes on the road, I’ll be unemployed. Starving to death or dying at the hands of a demon, it’s all the same to me. I have no choice but to follow.”

“I think Dalphy could survive alone even if thrown on a deserted island.”

“What exactly do you take me for, young master?”

A pretty gorilla.

“It’s because of the heir trials, so there’s nothing to be done. Just bear with it for a while.”

“Haa, understood.”

The reason I was headed to Daebo Village was for Nob AI’s learning.

『Information pertaining to demons is required.』

Know yourself and know your enemy, and you shall win a hundred battles, as they say.

Regrettably, the study held no books dealing with demons as biological entities.

There were historical texts aplenty, but I needed books of science, not literature.

Furthermore, according to Nob AI’s explanations, the area where the influence of the curse was strongest within the Tristy Autonomous Territory was in the vicinity of Daebo Village.

“Young Master Ester!! A demon has appeared 300 meters to the rear!!”

Ian’s voice echoed from beyond the window, prompting me to turn my head.

Something akin to a wolf, but its hide was bizarrely crimson.

“That’s a Chainsaw Wolf. Its defining feature is its teeth, which rotate with a ‘weeeeing’ sound.”

Dalphy explained in detail.

“How do you even know such things?”

“It’s a maid’s basic qualification.”

Anyway.

We hadn’t even arrived, and already a demon was welcoming us with open arms; Nob AI was accurate, indeed.

Weeeeing—the Chainsaw Wolf’s teeth began to rotate, just as Dalphy had described.

It was loud and chaotic, like the sound of a chainsaw.

The distance was still quite considerable; could there be something more to it?

“Ah, right, and the sound of the Chainsaw Wolf’s teeth has the property of attracting demons in the vicinity.”

“Huh?”

A sense of foreboding settled over me as Dalpi continued his explanation.

And wouldn’t you know it, the ground began to tremble all around.

“You should’ve mentioned that sooner!”

“Slipped my mind for a moment. Should have taken care of it the moment I saw them, but that’s just asking for trouble now.”

From the four cardinal directions, demonic figures began to materialize.

The number, roughly…

『36, to be precise.』

Right. Thanks, AI.

Ian drew his sword, while Dalpi clicked his tongue and produced a knife.

‘Well, this is opportune.’

Thanks to the red magic tower lord, mana now flowed within me.

So, shall we see what my new strength can do?