“Over? Over what?”
“From today onwards, we’re just ordinary neighbors and classmates. Nothing more than that. What you want to do is your freedom, and I won’t cooperate with you. You don’t need to cooperate with me either.”
“…You mean, both sides won’t interfere with each other?”
Siloque smiled and nodded.
Bried was stunned.
For the first time—well, maybe before but Bried had no recollection—she saw Siloque’s youthful and radiant smile.
“I don’t care. You’d better stick to your word.”
Bried was the first to avert her gaze.
Maybe it was the invisible sixth sense honed by years of sword practice, or perhaps the nameless feelings of childhood friends causing trouble.
Recalling everything that happened today, Bried could assert:
“By the way, you seem a little different today?”
“Isn’t it normal for someone to change a bit after entering high school?”
That wouldn’t explain such a big change.
Bried took a step back and assumed a battle stance.
“Are you saying your brain’s been parasitized by aliens?”
“You’re overthinking it.”
Siloque was quite speechless.
Siloque had only met Cas Benor for one day, and their relationship had suddenly gotten very close—very strange.
Later, Bried wanted to ask Cas how Siloque knew to give the item.
But Cas ignored her and Kersey, left a note saying “Meet at the Dungeon tomorrow for training,” and went off to find Siloque himself.
“By the way, you and Cas…”
Siloque interrupted: “You feel awkward too, don’t you, Bried?”
“?”
Siloque said apologetically:
“I’ve rejected you so many times, yet you keep persisting. We’re neighbors and you can’t be too harsh.
I know you’re a stubborn girl.
You’ll follow through on promises, no matter what.
Honestly, our parents stopped caring about when we finish school long ago.
We’re already in high school; we should make our own decisions.
The Childhood Promise is basically obsolete—it’s a burden for both of us now.”
“Huh? Wait, what did you just say…”
Bried’s thoughts were a bit chaotic.
Siloque waved his hand and ended the topic himself, closing the courtyard gate.
The invisible shackles forged over the years were just like that—broken.
Bried’s feelings were strange.
She didn’t feel uncomfortable; if she really believed what Siloque said, they would just be ordinary neighbors from now on.
She felt relieved.
Still, there were things Bried cared about.
Her childhood friend’s behavior today was downright alien.
Shouting out in class.
Helping out unexpectedly.
And was he really just unlucky to have run into Cas?
He looked so carefree then, so Bried didn’t pay much mind.
“Whatever. Whatever he’s like, it’s none of my business. At least I don’t have to see his gloomy face anymore. Yeah, that’s a good thing.”
She tried to whistle, though she couldn’t really do it.
***
“Was this door hit by a missile?”
Siloque gripped the door handle.
The door panel was battered and uneven, looking like it had been gnawed on by a monster.
Now that Bried’s matter was handled, it was time to deal with his own family’s affairs.
“Big brother!!”
A pure and joyful voice pierced Siloque’s mind, followed by a yellow head flying straight at him.
Time seemed to stretch as the bright yellow head came closer and closer.
Here it comes.
My family daily.
The yellow twin-tailed head belonged to Siloque’s sister.
Hill.
No relation to “Please, Another Me.”
She was a third-year junior high student.
14 years old.
Her talent was—[Superhard Matter].
Discovered during a summer vacation test with the family.
In short, a lively, friendly little sister.
Siloque hadn’t liked Hill before and had always refused any contact with her.
Not just because of their extremely opposite personalities—his gloomy and reclusive nature versus her cheerful and outgoing one.
Since Hill awakened her talent, every time he came home, she would rocket headbutt him as a welcome.
But he never caught it before, always curling up and dodging.
…Have I long since become Bried’s loyal fan?
The back door was replaced with a Bulletproof Steel Door, but even that couldn’t withstand his sister’s assaults, leaving “bullet holes.”
To this, Siloque thought:
How embarrassing!
He smiled confidently, spreading his arms.
If you’re a man, you have to proudly accept your family’s love!
“Come at me, Hill!”
With the determination and spirit of an old sword saint going to his death.
——!!
Siloque caught Hill head-on!
The missile-like strike slammed his back hard against the door, shaking him so much it felt like his insides were twisted.
Crack.
His spine made an unpleasant sound.
“Eh? Big brother, are you okay?”
Seeing Siloque’s face turn blue-purple, Hill’s large watery eyes welled with tears.
“I’m back, Hill.”
Spinal misalignment, old wounds cracked open.
Siloque wiped a trickle of blood from his mouth, flexed his right arm hard, and forcibly reset his bones.
He dared to catch her because, first, Teacher Beiren’s potion was still effective, and second, being Lv2, his physical condition was much sturdier than ordinary people.
A mere headbutt didn’t hurt him a bit (just toughing it out).
“S-sorry, big brother, I thought you’d dodge. Sob… I just wanted to welcome you home.”
“Dummy. If I dodged, you’d be the one getting hurt.”
Hill was stunned by that.
Siloque smiled and tidied her yellow twin tails.
Her gem-like clear teal eyes, slightly chubby fair face, small stature but well-developed figure, radiated a pleasant milky scent.
Honestly, she really resembled that autumn something-ai someone…
“Big brother, you’re so cool! I don’t know what happened to you today, but Hill really likes you!”
Hill hugged Siloque tightly again.
“You’ve always been so handsome. By the way, I think it’s the first time I’ve heard you say you like someone.”
“Today’s big brother is so gentle… so warm…”
Hill’s innocent wonder, completely relaxed expression, like a well-behaved little kitten.
“How come big brother smells like another woman? Not that orange-haired woman’s scent either…”
Is my little sister a yandere now?
Siloque gently tapped Hill’s head.
“Ow!”
“You’re overthinking it. Big brother went to the Entrance Ceremony today. It was crowded—maybe he accidentally bumped into a girl and caught her scent.”
If it was close contact, it should’ve been Teacher Beiren…
Siloque smiled unconsciously.
“Is that so…”
Hill’s eyes lost their sparkle.
And why was she hugging tighter and tighter? Didn’t she feel hot?
“In any case, I, big brother, debuted in high school.”
To prevent Hill from accidentally strangling him, Siloque quietly loosened her arms.
“What does ‘debuted in high school’ mean?”
“Just look it up on noogle. Also, don’t use your head to say hi anymore. When meeting people, just speak loud enough for them to hear.”
“Okay, Hill will listen to big brother!”
Siloque chuckled wryly.
Such a simple thing, and he’d never properly told his sister before.
Such a good sister, yet he hadn’t cherished her well. He really was blind.
Properly cherish, that is.
“Oh~ Siloque protected Hill today, so amazing.”
“Hey, you little brat! Stay away from my daughter! You’re having Fishbone Fried Rice for dinner tonight!”
They were Siloque’s parents.
“The culprit, shut up.”
After the game turned real, the original owner’s “family” patch was added as the backdrop.
Finally, they weren’t just black silhouettes or characters with only one or two dialogue lines.
Mother Cohen, a housewife.
She smiled sweetly at Siloque and Hill,
Then twisted her husband’s ear.
“Ow ow ow ow ow!!! Honey, don’t do that!”
Father Claude, though blond and tanned like a beachside yellow-haired guy, was a genuine 996 company slave.
The problem was that he spoiled his daughter way too much. Instead of stopping her from headbutting people, he wanted to replace the door with a better one so she could keep headbutting!
“Today’s Siloque’s Entrance Ceremony. He got into the National School, which accepts only the top ten percent city-wide. We have to celebrate properly. Claude, you can eat your Fishbone Fried Rice yourself—the trash bin has the ingredients you want. Siloque and Hill will eat what I cook. Hill, come help Mom.”
“Okay! Mom! Big brother, just rest well. Hill’s NS is on the couch, she’ll play and wait!”
“Ah, thanks. Really don’t need help?”
“No need! Just lie down like usual, big brother!”
Hill bounced happily towards the kitchen, while Claude covered his ears and rolled on the spotless wooden floor, muttering, “The smell of the wife’s footsteps is so good…”
Siloque was speechless.
Ignoring the man happily rolling on the floor, Siloque went back to his room upstairs.
***
“I thought my sister was already invincible, but this one’s even heavier.”
When Siloque opened his door, he was shocked by his room.
It was a mess.
Messy enough to become a “Pre-Human Civilization Exhibit” if humanity went extinct and reborn.
If Doraemon returned to such a room, he’d have no hesitation going back to the 22nd century…
He had wanted to take advantage of being alone to carefully consider his next plan of action, but there wasn’t even a proper spot to sit.
“No way, looking at this pile of prehistoric trash, I can’t think calmly at all!”
Siloque rolled up his sleeves and, despite the aching body, began cleaning.