“L-Lady Ristia?!”
“...Is this an acquaintance of yours, perchance? If so, I’m sorry. I saw you running toward her out of nowhere, and I was reminded of what happened with Mr. Gawain.”
“N-No, that is understandable... b-but I cannot believe y-you’re carrying me in your arms p-p-p-princess style. I, um... Hngh~” Her entire face went red as can be while she went into a panic in Ristia’s arms. Ristia felt her heart go aflutter as she laid eyes on the nape of Nanami’s neck, facing away from her, from up close.
“Hey, you! Who are you?!” Suddenly, she was asked for her identity by a blunt voice.
...Huh? What was I doing just now...? Ristia regained her senses, turning her attention over to the direction of the voice. There stood the young man who had tried to charge at Nanami just a few moments ago, glaring a hole through Ristia. He seemed to be a few years older than Ristia—perhaps in his twenties—with powerful facial features.
“I’m Ristia.”
“Okay, Ristia. And who are you to Nanami?”
“What am I to her?”
Ristia looked down at Nanami, then back to the young man.
“...What am I to her?”
“I’m the one who asked you, dammit!”
“Stop it...! Don’t charge at Lady Ristia!” Nanami interrupted their bickering, having come back to her senses.
“Lady Ristia, you can let me down; everything is okay.”
“Oh, um... ‘Kay.” Ristia slowly placed Nanami down on solid ground.
“Lady Ristia is the person who saved my life, so don’t be rude to her, Big Brother,” Nanami spoke clearly.
“She saved your life...? Saved your life how?”
“‘B-Big Brother’...? Nanami, you had a big brother this whole time?!” Next to the perplexed young man, Ristia was unbelievably shocked. Th-This is unreal. Nanami already had an older brother! Does that mean that, no matter how hard I try, I can never become her older sister?! J-J-J-Just, just gotta calm down. Just because she has an older brother, it doesn’t mean I can’t be her older sister. Yeah, it’s alright. I got this!
“...Um, Lady Ristia?”
“O-Oh. Don’t mind me. Just a little surprised because I didn’t know you had an older brother.”
“Aah... Um, Rick is my stepbrother. He took me in when I lost my relatives, and he saved me from being sold to slave traders.”
“He took you in...?! Stepbrother?! B-But that’s...” Ristia’s eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at the young man named Rick. Rick, on the other hand, had a discontent look on his face for some reason.
“Okay, let me clarify. Me taking Nanami in was just how things played out; I didn’t have any nefarious reasons for...”
“You have my respect!”
“...You what now?”
“I mean, you took in a lost girl off the streets and made her your stepsister, didn’t you?! I think that is a very, very big deal. It’s an amazing accomplishment, in my opinion!”
“O-Oh, then you understand my struggle?”
“Of course!” Ristia emphatically agreed with her eyes lit bright. Well, she agreed through the context of her own standards. Searching for a lost girl on the street is a big deal, gaining their trust even if you do find one is a big deal, and getting her to agree to be your little sister is, needless to say, a very big deal. But being able to do that in spite of all the factors weighed against you is incredible. I am so jealous!
“So, err, Lady... Ristia, was it?”
“Just Ristia is fine~”
“Be that as it may, Ma’am, I, uh...” Rick turned his eyes toward the clothes Ristia was wearing. Nanami was adding the title to Ristia’s name, so he seemed to think she had an appropriate reason to do so.
“I’ve been telling Dear Nanami here to speak to me in a more casual tone.”
“I could never do something so ostentatious.”
“...As you can plainly see, I’m just a normal girl, though~” Ristia had been trickling out appeals every so often to the girl with a sentiment that suggested, I’m trying to tell you that I don’t mind if you call me ‘Big Sis’ and fawn all over me. However, Nanami describing the idea as ‘ostentatious’ was the harsh blow that struck that idea down.
“...Mnghh~” Ristia grumbled, pouting her lips.
“Okay... Can’t say I get the whole picture, but anyway... So, Ristia...”
“Grr...” Nanami launched a death glare at Rick so intense that it was hard to imagine it coming from someone as sweet and innocent as her. The pressure coming from her stare caused a drop of sweat to drip from his cheek and prompted him to clear his throat.
“I-I mean, Ms. Ristia. Nanami said that you ‘saved her life,’ but would you mind explaining that? Does that have something to do with the recon team not coming back on the day they were scheduled to return?”
“Well...”
“...I’ll elaborate on that, Big Brother.” Nanami prefaced her story, revealing that the labyrinth they were meant to investigate was a den of monsters and how there was a dragon in the deepest regions of the labyrinth that wiped out nearly the entire reconnaissance team.
“Wait, a dragon?! You mean that you’re safe and sound after a run-in with that?!”
“I am safe and sound, seeing as I’m back home now. Although, if Lady Ristia hadn’t saved me back there, I probably would have been a goner.”
“Hold on, then what you’re telling me is... Ms. Ristia here beat that dragon?” Rick pointed his eyes toward Ristia in utter disbelief as the mysterious girl gave off a rather wry smile in response. The angelic smile she flashed caused Rick to blush.
“...Hey, Big Brother?”
“R-Right. Uh, what were we talking about again?”
Rick hastily turned his attention back after being addressed by a slightly displeased-sounding Nanami. Ristia was privy to the fact that Rick couldn’t take his eyes off of her back there. It doesn’t help that Rick seems to view me as younger than him, and a potential little sister, to boot. I can’t say I blame Nanami for being jealous and worrying since she’s already his little sister. But you needn’t worry your pretty little head. I’m not going to be a little sister. I’m going to be an older one! Ristia thought, completely missing the mark on just about everything.
“So, as I was saying about Lady Ristia... Oh, before I get into that, actually—Lady Ristia has yet to decide on her lodgings for today. So... would it be okay?”
“Hm? Oh, sure. I don’t mind, but you think it’ll be okay having her stay at our place?”
“I think it’ll be okay.”
“Alright, no problems with me, then.”
“Thanks, Big Brother!” It appeared that Ristia’s accommodations had been settled right under her nose.
“What was that about?” she asked, looking at Nanami.
“Would you like to stay at my house today, Lady Ristia?”
“At your house, Nanami?”
“Yes. To be more accurate, I simply stay there, but... there’s still no shortage of rooms.”
“While I appreciate the sentiment, wouldn’t I be intruding? I do have money for an inn.”
“You’ll be penniless if you spend that money... Plus, I want to talk things over with you about how much I should tell my brother and whatnot.” Nanami drew her face closer, stood on her tiptoes, and whispered into Ristia’s ear. It was a sight so cute that Ristia found her arms wrapped around Nanami in an embrace.
“Eek! L-Lady Ristia?!”
“Oh, sorry about that. You were so cute I got the sudden urge.”
“C-Cute...? Hnff... U-Um, so, will you be staying with us?”
“I certainly appreciate it, but...” Ristia pointed her eyes over to Rick for confirmation to make sure their plans were really fine.
“If you’re Nanami’s savior, then you’re a savior to me. Don’t feel like you’d be putting us out. Also, there’s a bunch I’d like to talk to you about.”
“Right, thank you. If that’s the case, then I appreciate the hospitality!”
──4──
They eventually came to the house in which Nanami’s family lived. It was a small magic item shop that was located a short ways away from the main street.
“This is our house. It’s tight on space, but please come on in.” Rick entered the shop with Nanami and Ristia following right behind him.
“Welcome to th’ sho—oh, shoot, it’s just you, Rick. Brought yerself back, eh?”
“Yeesh, don’t sound so excited, Mom. Anyway, forget that. Look, Nanami is back home,” Rick said, moving a step to the side. Once he did, Ristia and Nanami were able to see the woman tending to the shop.