Months after their parents were declared missing, Hana still found herself crying in her room alone every day. Time and time again, Rin was there to help her find her footing, but she often slipped back into grief.
One day, she found the strength to leave her room and go to him in the living room.
“Oniichan…good morning,” she managed.
“…Yeah. Morning, Hana.”
He blinked at seeing her there, but quickly smiled.
“Listen, Oniichan. I need to tell you something—”
“Come here, Hana,” he interrupted.
“Huh? All right…”
She dried her tears and sat in front of him. He pulled a red ribbon from somewhere and used it to tie back her hair.
“What’re you doing?” she asked.
“Your hair grew out, can’t you tell? This is a present for you. There, all done.”
He handed a mirror to her, which she used to see her new ponytail. It was an unusual hairstyle on her.
“It’s…kinda messy,” she said.
“Oof. Tough critic. Want to tie it back yourself?”
“No, I’ll leave it. I like it.”
“Okay.”
They fell silent for a short while. Hana appreciated he’d thought of her, but that was why she knew she had to speak.
“Listen, oniichan—” she began. She wanted to apologize for the burden she’d been. Before she could speak, Rin placed his hand on her head.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “You don’t need to say anything else.”
“But I keep letting you support me. I want to help you too.”
“It’s fine, really. Big brothers are supposed to protect their sisters. I want you to know that.” He knelt in front of her so that he matched her eye level and smiled. “I’d never resent you for relying on me, so don’t stop doing it, all right? If you’re ever hurting or sad, I’ll protect you. If I’m not strong enough to help, I’ll get stronger until I am.”
In that moment, Hana understood why Rin didn’t want her to apologize. He didn’t need her to.
“Thanks, oniichan.”
“Of course.”
Finally, Hana brought herself to smile alongside him.
✦ ✦ ✦
I remember.
How had she forgotten? Rin would never expect her to say sorry. She’d only tried to apologize to relieve her own guilt.
There’s something else I have to do!
She remembered what Rin had told her. If you’re ever hurting or sad, I’ll protect you. If I’m not strong enough to help, I’ll get stronger until I am, he’d said.
Once Rin became an adventurer and was told he had no talent for it, no matter how weak he was, he worked himself to the bone to gain what he could. But there were limits to what was possible. Yanagi was probably stronger than he was, to the point where even if she asked for Rin’s help, he had no chance of winning.
Could she still depend on him despite that?
There was no more time to wonder. Yanagi pulled his eyes away from the swirl of the fireball and declared, “Let’s put an end to this.”
“Go,” he commanded the giant fireball. It launched toward her.
It undoubtedly contained the power to end her life. She had no hope of dodging or surviving the attack. Those facts drove her to a decision: even if it was pointless, she would struggle until the last millisecond. She knew he wouldn’t—couldn’t—come to her aid, but with every ounce of effort she had left, she closed her eyes and screamed.
“Help me, oniichan!!!”
Her scream rang out through the dungeon, but the only sound that echoed back to her ears was her own voice. She hadn’t expected a response, and yet, in her heart—
“Leave it to me,” Rin said.
No way…!
In the inky dark behind her eyelids, she knew she heard his voice. Slowly, she opened her eyes. Somehow, the fireball had disappeared, supplanted by the steady back of the person she wanted to see more than anyone. He gripped a crimson blade in one hand.
“Oniichan!”
Rin turned around and nodded with a comforting smile. He moved closer and took a knee before her. The short sword he held vanished into some sort of space she couldn’t see. She hugged him with all her might.
“You…you really came!” she cried.
“Of course I did. That’s what big brothers are for,” he replied kindly. He withdrew a liquid-filled bottle from that invisible space. “This is a health recovery potion. Drink it.”
“Mm! I will!”
She drank it, and he placed his hand gently on her head.
“You did great, Hana. You’re safe now. Leave the rest to me.”
“O-okay!”
Hearing his words made relief wash over her, like she was already saved. Yanagi eyed the two of them dubiously.
“How are you even here?” he asked sharply. “And why didn’t you take any damage from that magic attack? Answer me, Amane Rin!”
Rin rose slowly, his back still turned to Yanagi. “Before that, answer a question for me. Did you try to kill Hana?”
“…You know what? I did. I’m going to kill her and steal her unique skill because I have the power to do that. Satisfied?” Yanagi sneered.
“Yes. I understand perfectly now,” Rin replied evenly.
He slowly faced Yanagi. Unlike when Rin faced Hana, rage was plainly scrawled in angry strokes across his face. He moved to close the distance between them.
“Oh, what? I answered you honestly, and you’re not going to answer my question?” Yanagi said. “Whatever. I’ve got an answer for you. Get up, treant!”
“How—” Hana began, but the sight before her stole her words. The treant she thought she’d destroyed repaired its body and rose again.
Horrified, she remembered that the system hadn’t said anything about leveling up when it fell. Her attack wasn’t strong enough, so the treant survived and bided its time.
“Kill him!” Yanagi shouted.
The treant obeyed, launching its large body at Rin with astonishing speed, its branches and vines twining into a club that it swung at him.
“Oniichan, watch out!” she screamed.
She had no idea how Rin blocked the fire magic, but considering his level, he wasn’t strong enough to defeat the treant. For a second, she regretted calling out for him. Asking for his help led to this. She had put them both in danger.
In the next second, she witnessed something unbelievable.
Rin’s blade met the treant’s attack head on.
“You’re in my way,” he said in an ice-cold voice. His arm blurred as he slashed. The treant’s thick wooden body splintered and exploded like a balloon popped by a sharp needle.
“…What?” she gasped.
“The hell?” Yanagi snarled.
Hana and Yanagi, the only witnesses to the miracle, reacted with shock. Meanwhile, Rin wore a neutral expression, as if this amount of power was natural to him.
He turned to Yanagi and said coolly, “I will take you down.”
Deep darkness glinted in Rin’s eyes.