So Ristia replied in a similar manner. “I’m Ristia, and I’ll be seventeen this year.”
“...Is that all?”
“Well, I was hoping you’d get to know the rest over time.”
“...Sister, you’re an oddball.”
“I’m not odd. I’m a normal girl.”
“Heh heh... and you’re funny.” For whatever reason, she laughed at her. Ristia was disappointed, since she never intended to make the girl laugh, but Maria seemed to be enjoying herself, so it satisfied her regardless.
“Okay, Maria, you’ll be showing me around, I hope?”
“Are you really sure about this?”
“Yup, sure as sure can be.”
“...It’s strange. A little part of me is telling me that you’ll definitely be alright,” Maria said, tacking on under her breath, “Yeah... Even though there’s no way it could be.” It was an incredibly small murmur, but Ristia heard it crystal clear, being the True Blood that she was.
“I’ll be alright, you know? I swear.”
“Hah... Fine, I get it. I’ll start off by introducing you to everyone who lives at the orphanage, then.”
──7──
“So on that note, this will be the new girl taking care of everyone.”
Ristia was led to a large common room in the orphanage where she met face-to-face with all twelve orphans—Maria included—who lived in the institution. There were four boys and eight girls. While she marveled at how young Maria was when she first saw her, the other children were all even younger than her. From what Maria told her, anyone past twelve usually “graduated” from the orphanage. In any case, there were twelve children, every one of them likely a diamond in the rough. With their little heads peeking up, they looked at Ristia with a combination of hope and worry painted across their faces. Ristia kneeled down in front of them and spoke at eye-level.
“Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Ristia. I want to help children in need, so I’ll be working here at the orphanage from now on. Would everyone mind telling me their names?” She flashed that angelic smile of hers, which fascinated the boys and fired up their protective instincts. It was a smile that was so effective at reassuring the younger children that the majority of them, who had been on their guard, started to give way to its charms.
“My name’s Mew!”
“I’m Ayane!”
“Name’s Glen!”
A chorus of self-introductions all fired out at the same time.
“Come on, you guys. If you all speak over one another, you’re going to confuse the lady,” Maria spoke up, reprimanding everyone for their manners. Once she did, they all apologized in unison before going silent. “Sorry, Big Sis Maria!”
“Whoa...” Ristia looked at Maria, her gaze filled with respect. In her mind, she thought, ‘B-Big Sis Maria’! You’re incredible, Maria! Every one of these kids adores you like a big sister! I’m older than you when it comes to years, but you’re more rich in experience! I have so much to learn from you! I’ll do my best, but I’m not going to fall behind, either! Ristia found herself motivated.
“Thank you, Maria, but it’s okay.”
“Huh? What do you mean it’s ‘okay’...?”
“It’s okay, because I’ve memorized everyone’s names.”
“What are you talking about? Remembering a bunch of names yelled at you at the same time is crazy ta—” Before Maria could finish the world “talk,” Ristia pointed her eyes over to the girl standing the furthest in front.
“This adorable, tomboyish dog-eared child is Mew.” Ristia smiled, petting Mew’s furry, blue canine ears, prompting Mew to let out a tiny “woof” and smile in delight. “And the slender girl here is named Ayane. Her violet eyes are simply beautiful.” In regards to Mew, the children didn’t seem too convinced by Ristia’s claim, but as she continued and started to accurately call off more of their names, they gradually began to look astonished.
“Th-Then what about me?”
“Black hair just like mine? Your name must be Glen,” Ristia said, petting Glen’s head in a very natural manner. He was just a ten-year old, but being on the receiving end of Ristia’s beautiful smile was turning his cheeks beet red. And so, as a result of her display—
“You’re amazing, Sis!!”
Ristia was met with the applause and unanimous praise of the children. She began to celebrate inside her head. Ohmigod, I just got called “Sis”! By a room full of kids! And soon enough, I’ll have all of them adoring me. I won’t just be “Sis,” I’ll level up to “Big Sis Extraordinaire”! Ristia thought, getting herself pumped up. In any case, Ristia had accurately named ten out of the eleven kids.
“And last but not least is you. You never did introduce yourself, though,” she addressed the boy that was looking off into space a small distance away. Despite her trying to speak to the boy, the brown-haired child simply twitched in response, refusing to face forward.
“Come on, now, Allen. You know better.” Not willing to let this go by, Maria grabbed ahold of the boy’s shoulders and looked him straight in the eye.
“Big Sis Maria... How could you say that? This girl is friends with the director, isn’t she?” What was he implying by that? If he meant that Ristia was a “colleague” working at the orphanage, then that would make perfect sense... but Maria ended up shaking her head.
“I don’t think she is, at the very least.”
“How can you be so sure?!”
“How?” Maria started, peeking over at Ristia.
“Well, because... she’s kind of an airhead, and she seems pretty unreliable, I guess.”
Unreliable?! Maria thinks that I’m unreliable?! Ristia flung herself to the floor. Ungh, my poor heart. What a dreadful shock~ It’s not uncommon for someone you’ve just met to not fully rely on you, but I can’t believe she feels that way about me from just our first meeting alone. W-Well, if that’s how it’s going to be, I’ll turn up the heat! No more holding back! I’m going to follow through to the hilt and make sure Maria absolutely adores me! She’ll be saying, “Big Sis, you’re incredible!” in no time! Ristia thought, solemnly vowing in secret. In hindsight, this was probably the moment that decided the fate of the orphanage—no, the entire town. However, there was not a soul present that realized that fact.
There was only one child who thought, It was weird enough when she suddenly hung her head, but now she’s balling her hands into fists. What’s wrong with her?
“...Hey, Sis, are you alright?”
“Th-Thank you for asking, but I’m alright, Ayane.” Ristia pretended to be unaffected in hopes of not being considered any more unreliable... That didn’t stop her from getting a tad misty-eyed, though. “Anyway, do you happen to know what he meant by ‘friends with the director’?” Ristia asked Ayane as she let Maria and Allen argue, but the girl just shook her head in reply.
She did, however, whisper, “It might have something to do with Allen hating the director.”
“...Why does he hate him?”
“Well, see, Allen likes Big Sis Maria, but Big Sis Maria is close with the director.”
“They’re close...?” Ristia pondered, thinking back to the two interacting earlier. It didn’t give her the impression that there was any contempt, but they certainly didn’t seem close, by any means.
“You know, I see the director coming out of Big Sis Maria’s room sometimes when I’m going to the bathroom late at night.”
“...Oh, is that so?” Ristia seemed to have an idea of what was going on and thought to ask for some more details, but...
“Hey, Ayane, no. We got told never to talk about that, remember?”
“Oh, right. So yeah. Sorry, Sis.”
“Mm-mm, no. I’m sorry.” Ristia backed down from the subject and turned her attention back to Allen and Maria as they continued their spat.
“Point is, I don’t buy that flimsy nonsense reason at all!”
“I told you, she’s not the kind of person you think she is, All—” Ristia touched Maria’s shoulder and smiled.
“Thank you.”
“...Huh?”
“Thank you for standing up for me, but it’s okay.” She meant that less in the sense that she didn’t mind being suspected, but more in the sense that she was reliable enough to handle the situation herself. Regardless of the interpretation, Ristia faced Allen.
“Wh-What? You’re not gonna trick me like you did the others, understand?”
“Yeah, I don’t blame you for not being able to trust me. This is our first time meeting, after all.” Ristia finished her sentence, then simply gazed into Allen’s pair of blue eyes. Those eyes were glaring at her pensively, but she knew it was because he was worried for Maria. “It’s alright. I’m cruel to those who do bad things to people I care for, but I’m never cruel to those who don’t,” Ristia said, pulling Allen into her chest for a hug. With Ristia’s serviceably ample breasts, Allen’s whole head flushed red.