Chapter 7

CHAPTER 2 CHALLENGER In the Kingdom of Elkia, the capital, Elkia—specifically, Block 3 of the Western District. The siblings had checked out of the inn, where they had more or less blackmailed the innkeeper into letting them stay several nights, without staying a single one. Now they greeted a new morn at Stephanie Dola’s house. Or to be more precise—at the bath. “…Brother, please, explain.” Shiro was naked, and her head was being washed. “Explain? If we’re pushing the envelope, we’ve gotta have a bath scene. What more explanation you need?” “…Brother… Bath scenes are…censored… Elementary schoolkids…are totally off-limits.” “Worry not, my sister, Mr. Steam is on the job, so we’ll just be pushing the envelope.” Thus declared Sora as he viewed the grand bath, unnaturally full of rising steam. “Could it be that this is the only reason you ordered me to boil the grand baths?” Steph washed Shiro’s hair, aghast. “What do you mean, the only reason? It’s important.” “Do you know how much firewood the staff wasted for that?” In addition, of course, it was impossible to get into a bath that was boiling. They had also wasted water to raise the steam… “If you want to go there, what about you, using this huge bath all by yourself?” “—Nggh…” This was perhaps what it meant to be part of the royal bloodline. Steph was even richer than Sora had imagined. Her mansion, built in a style vaguely reminiscent of Rome, was so big that the siblings, who had known only Japan, would have believed it if told it was a castle. Steph’s private bath, which they were using now, seemed spacious enough for ten people to use. The bath, also reminiscent of Rome in its furnishings, was steamed up to be appropriate for all ages and was so magnificent that it was impossible to think that humans were in decline after losing so many games. “Ah, excuse me. My sister hates baths—and she always fusses, ‘You can’t show naked eleven-year-olds even if it’s R-18!’ and won’t let me wash her, so she doesn’t get bathed much. After she suggested pushing the envelope yesterday, I thought I’d better take advantage of it.” “…Nggh… Brother, I hate you.” It was about pushing the envelope on Steph. That was Shiro’s subtext. “My sister, if you do things right, you’ll be a dazzling beauty, so do things right.” “…I don’t have to be…a beauty.” “Your brother likes the beautiful Shiro betterrr.” “…Ngghhh…” Shiro groaned as if that meant something, but didn’t end the discord. —That didn’t really matter. Well, it was a little annoying how close they were, but setting that aside, there was a more important question that couldn’t be ignored. This situation. The event that was currently transpiring. Why was she washing a naked Shiro’s hair, while a clothed Sora was behind her with his back turned? “—Sora…why do I have to be naked and washing Shiro’s hair?” —No, don’t all chime in. Why, then, had she not refused? She was well aware of her responsibility in this matter. “Weren’t you listening to me? Because this is the only way Shiro will take a bath.” “Wha—so, you don’t care about me?!” “Hm? You want me to look?” “Of—of course not! I’m asking you if this is harassment!” “Don’t worry, Steph. I intend to view your naked body carefully by other means.” “—Wha—” As soon as she heard this, she flushed red and hid her body. At the same time, at hearing Sora suggesting that he did have some interest in her, she felt relief. Steph looked around for a wall to bash her head against, but then Sora spoke up apologetically. “However, for now you must forgive me—I cannot rely too fully on Mr. Steam.” “……Excuse me?” “For instance, if I should join you in the bath only for my indolent member to suddenly regain motivation, or if Mr. Steam should fail to perform as hoped in preventing me from viewing my young sister directly, it won’t be R-18; it will be banned.” “—Uh, I see.” She didn’t, really, but Sora seemed to be saying that he didn’t need to look right now. The limits of Steph’s comprehension here were perhaps unavoidable. Set up in the bath were two phones and a tablet. Steph had no way of knowing the meaning of those little cameras. —Later Sora would have Director Shiro check the footage and show it to him if it seemed acceptable. Sora swore this in his heart and repressed his urge to turn around. “Hff… That hits the spot…” “Mngh… My hair’s all papery… It’s itchy…” Sora had waited for Shiro to get out of the bath and then taken a quick shower. Sora was refreshed, having finally gotten a chance to wash himself. Shiro spoke to him crossly. —Sora had been right, after all, about how Shiro looked when her hair was washed and nicely combed. Her tresses made a gentle wave, looking soft to the touch and white as snow, and further brought out her porcelain-white skin—along with her round face, balanced features, and red eyes, she was like a doll made by a master of the craft. “If only you could be like that all the time; it’s such a waste.” “…It’s not like anyone but you…is gonna see.” Sora, too, had just finally shaved and despite his teasing was also looking sharper. How to put it? I—I blew it, thought Steph when she looked directly at him; she could hardly stop herself from getting a nosebleed, it was so… His initial scruffiness had been alleviated, and now he had the clean freshness of a “fine young man.” But—that wasn’t the problem. Steph desperately struggled to stop blood from dripping from her nose. “Y-y-you two—put on some clothes!” she shouted at the towel-clad, half-naked siblings as they looked on blankly. “…You’re the one who told us to send them for cleaning. Those are all we’ve got; are they dry already?” Sora asked, doubting that this world had dryers. To which Steph replied, “Th-th-th-that’s… Fine, then, I’ll get you something else—I-I wonder if I have any gentlemen’s clothes… Ng, nghh… Why do I have to be…” Steph turned, muttering to herself, to look for clothes. And ten minutes later. In the same location as before, Steph had fallen to her knees and hung her head, experiencing massive regret. I—I blew it……! “O-ho, so this is a butler’s outfit—what you call a tailcoat… It’s a bit formal, but it’s like cosplay, so it’s fun! Shiro, you look good in that, too.” “…Too many frills. Hard to move…” Shiro was clad in a dress that Steph had worn as a child.