Aurora Ark Gate Rejoices At Gaining An Older Brother

I tried to explain everything to Onee-sama as soon as I got back, but apparently she had gone out to the Royal Capital, so I couldn’t see her.

After spending a sleepless night, I finally heard from Lisa that Onee-sama had returned, and with a tense expression, I headed for her office.

I didn’t bring Lisa with me. If I did, she might say something unnecessary.

Lisa was kindhearted, but when it came to keeping things from Onee-sama, she was the exact opposite of tight-lipped.

I headed toward the family head’s office, where Onee-sama was.

When I timidly knocked on the door, I heard Onee-sama’s voice from inside, so I opened it.

When I entered the room, Onee-sama greeted me.

“Aura, is something the matter?”

And behind the desk sat Onee-sama, wearing a terrifying smile.

She was the absolute authority of House Ark Gate, someone no one should ever defy.

Everyone said that, but she did have a kind side too—though only very, very occasionally.

Thinking back over what I was about to report, I straightened my back.

I was nervous, but I had to tell her. That was why I had come here.

“…The other day, I met Nova Onii-sama, the man you’re in love with, in town.”

With a soft clack, Onee-sama set the pen in her hand down on the desk.

She turned a broad, yet clearly artificial smile toward me, and I felt a chill run down my spine.

Whenever Onee-sama made that expression, it meant there was something she was slightly displeased about.

“Would you mind telling me the details?”

“W-Well… when I went into town yesterday, I stopped by a confectionery. And then I tried to cut in line…”

“…That is not exactly something worthy of praise.”

Onee-sama sighed as she said that.

She didn’t bring up House Ark Gate’s reputation, but when something was wrong, she plainly said it was wrong. That was just how she was.

“Yes… and Nova Onii-sama scolded me for it… That was how we first met.”

“He scolded you… did he?”

Onee-sama stared fixedly at me. I could tell immediately that she was observing me.

But I couldn’t run away. All I could do was wish for this moment to end as soon as possible.

Still, I had come here after deciding to tell Onee-sama everything.

So I had no intention of backing down or hiding anything.

“At the time, I didn’t know he was Nova Onii-sama, and I said some terrible things to him… I’m sorry.”

I honestly admitted it and bowed my head, but—

“Did Nova-san forgive you?”

Onee-sama immediately cut me off.

Though I trembled slightly from fear, I gave a firm nod with my head still lowered.

“We met again later in town, and he forgave me then.”

“I see. If Nova-san has forgiven you, then I have nothing to say.”

I let out a sigh of relief at Onee-sama’s words.

I raised my head and opened my mouth, deciding I might as well tell her about him too.

“I spoke with Nova Onii-sama, and he was such a wonderful person. Ah, but perhaps I should call him Nova-sama—”

Halfway through, I remembered that Onee-sama and Nova Onii-sama were not officially engaged yet, so I tried to correct myself, but—

“I think Nova Onii-sama is perfectly fine.”

Onee-sama stated it decisively.

“Huh? B-But I thought you and Nova-sama weren’t formally engaged yet—”

“I think Nova Onii-sama is perfectly fine.”

“Um… I-I haven’t asked Nova-sama whether I may call him that yet…”

“Then you should ask him the next time you meet. I’m sure Nova-san will accept it. If he gets a cute little sister like you, Aura, Nova-san should be happy too.”

“Y-You think so…? Ehehe…”

Being called a cute little sister by the Onee-sama I admired made me happy.

And when I imagined those same words playing in my head in Nova Onii-sama’s voice, I became even happier.

So I decided to tell Onee-sama even more about how wonderful Nova Onii-sama was.

“Lisa and I ate sweets together with him in the plaza, and we had a wonderful time. I think Nova Onii-sama is a kind and wonderful person.”

“…You ate sweets together?”

“Yes!”

When I thought back on what happened yesterday, it had only been a short while, but I felt it had been a truly happy time.

It was a memory shared by the three of us—me, Lisa, and Nova Onii-sama.

“Then that means you approve of my engagement.”

When I looked at her after hearing that, Onee-sama was gazing at me with a somewhat exasperated expression.

I felt as though the room had gotten a little colder, but I decided it was probably my imagination.

Still, whether I approved of Onee-sama’s engagement or not, huh.

“To begin with, I don’t think there’s anyone who could oppose a decision you’ve made, Onee-sama…”

“Even so, I want to know who will clearly say that they approve.”

“I see… In that case, I wholeheartedly approve!”

“…I thought you would.”

There wasn’t a single reason for me to oppose it.

If Nova Onii-sama was going to become my older brother, nothing could make me happier.

Phew. I’d finished telling Onee-sama, and thanks to Nova Onii-sama, I hadn’t even been scolded.

It seemed Onee-sama became just a little gentler whenever Nova Onii-sama was involved.

Though sometimes she became unbelievably scary.

“That’s everything. Well then, Onee-sama, if Nova Onii-sama ever comes to this mansion, please be sure to call me too!”

“Ah, wait a moment.”

“…?”

I was about to head for the door, but Onee-sama stopped me, so I turned back toward her.

“When Nova-san scolded you, did you feel anything strange? Like your body was tingling, or something along those lines?”

“Ah, I did. Onee-sama, do you know what that was?”

It had felt like my whole body was tingling, or heating up, or… something. It had been a very strange sensation.

It hadn’t felt unpleasant at all, but when I asked Onee-sama what it had been, she explained as though she knew.

“You know that House Fols and our House Ark Gate are incompatible, don’t you?”

“Yes. Our family’s mana tends to clash with House Fols’s Aura, so being around each other often makes both sides feel unwell, right? …Wait. Then why was Nova Onii-sama…?”

Yesterday, I had sat beside Nova Onii-sama, but I hadn’t felt sick.

Nova Onii-sama hadn’t seemed unwell either.

“Nova-san can’t use Aura. That’s why when he meets us, neither he nor we feel ill.”

Which meant—

“Then Nova-san is actually compatible with us!”

“That’s right. And there’s one more thing. I don’t know why, but Nova-san seems able to make our family’s mana submit to him… I thought it only applied to mine, but judging by what happened to you, Aura, it may be true for our entire family.”

“Um… isn’t that rather dangerous in its own way?”

If what Onee-sama said was true, then perhaps we wouldn’t be able to use magic in front of Nova Onii-sama.

Considering we were a family of mages, I thought that might be a serious problem, but Onee-sama’s smile only deepened.

It wasn’t her usual artificial smile. It was a smile unlike any I had ever seen before.

“If it were some random person, that would be a problem. But it’s Nova-san, so there’s no issue.”

“…Onee-sama.”

I pictured Nova Onii-sama in my mind—the person who had scolded me.

The kind Nova Onii-sama who had eaten sweets with me.

Perhaps I wouldn’t be able to use magic in front of him. I see.

“You’re right! Since it’s Nova Onii-sama, there’s nothing to worry about!”

I decided there was no problem at all. There was no way I would ever cast magic at Nova Onii-sama. Once I realized that, it turned out to be surprisingly simple.

So this time, I truly turned on my heel, looking back at Onee-sama with only my head.

“Well then, Onee-sama, please excuse me.”

“Yes. If anything else happens, be sure to tell—”

In the middle of her sentence, I heard the sound of a pen racing across paper.

But I was standing, and Onee-sama’s pen was sitting on the desk.

Which meant that if such a sound could be heard here, someone had used magical stationery.

“Is it from Nova Onii-sama!?”

Saying that, I hurried closer to Onee-sama’s desk. But Onee-sama shook her head.

“No, this is from Tanya-san. She’s Nova-san’s personal maid.”

“B-But it’s related to Nova Onii-sama, right!? What does it say!?”

I couldn’t contain my excitement, and even though I knew I shouldn’t look, I nearly peered at the letter.

Onee-sama was still smiling, but before long, her expression turned suspicious.

“…‘Please bring me some sweets from Norzampshon next time’?”

“…Huh?”

Onee-sama and I looked at each other.

“Aura, could these sweets possibly be…”

“I-I think she probably means sweets from Milky Way.”

“I see. Since you ate the sweets she asked Nova-san to bring her, she has decided to demand them from me, his elder sister-to-be.”

I could only apologize while recoiling from Onee-sama’s slightly dark, sinister smile.

“I-I’m sorry, Onee-sama. This is because of me…”

“No, no. That was Nova-san’s kindness, so you don’t need to worry about it, Aura. Now, go back to your room. You don’t want to stay here forever either, do you?”

I thanked Onee-sama for her considerate words and left that accursed office.

Once I was outside the room, I remembered Onee-sama’s wicked smile and silently offered a prayer for Tanya-san, a woman I had never even met.