I went to the hamburger shop near the junior college where Aya attends.
「I'm sorry to keep you waiting, onii-san.」
「Ossu, onii-chan~.」
Mai-san has something to discuss and sets up a meeting.
However, although Mai-san is calling me『onii-san』……
should I propose『become my imouto』to her?
「Actually, when I mentioned onii-san to okaa-san, I've been told to bring you to the house.」
「No problem, I also wanted to ask her about various things too.」
「Iya~, it's a fast talk which saved me a lot of trouble.
Then, follow me.」
「Eh, now!?」
I've pretended to go to the bathroom to return home for a moment and explained the situation to Elena and Hilda.
It might be better for Elena and Hilda to have a mobile phone or smartphone too~.
***
Mai-san's house is located in a place a short distance away from Kochijoji Station.
There's a big house where history is felt.
「Onee-chan, welcome ho~me.
Eh? Visitors?」
What greeted us at the entrance―
was a little girl who looked just like Mai-san.
「N!? Mai-san's twin sister?
……
No, I'm not going to be tricked!!
You're Mai-san's okaa-san!」
「……hehehe……
How admirable of you to have seen through it!
Right! I'm Mai's okaa-san!!
As expected of the man who beat Mai!」
What farce is this……
Her actual age is probably around 40 years old but―
both her appearance and behavior are on the same level as a 10-year-old child……
「Stop it, okaa-san. It's embarrassing.」
「Oh, isn't it fine. It's a normal thing, isn't it?」
You always do such a thing, huh.
But, they look exactly alike.
I've heard that they've been mistaken for sisters but―
they've been mistaken for twin sisters, huh……
「Although I'm embarrassed to say, this is my okaa-san.」
Mai-san's okaa-san respectfully bows while pressing three fingers of each of her hands on the floor.
「Well, since it's hard to talk while standing, please come in.」
Mai-san's okaa-san welcome us inside while having a dark smile.
「Have you had dinner yet? Please eat.」
Umu, it seems to be a very common Japanese dining table but……
the figure which is preparing dinner quickly looks like an elementary student trying to help.
「Really, I didn't expect that you were this young.」
「Ara ara, you're such a flatterer, ohohoho.」
No no, realize that it's not a compliment!
It already somewhat felt like playing house.
「Nonetheless, as I've heard from Mai, I can sense that you have a frightful 'ki'.」
「Ki?」
「Ah, even though I've said I can sense your ki, I can only tell so because I'm with Mai.」
Because Mai-san can sense magic, is that it?
「I also want to fight a person who seems to be so strong once.」
「Okaa-san!」
「I understand~
even without making such scary face,
I wouldn't do such a thing thoughtlessly for my age too ~.」
「By the way, does obaa-san not come?」
「That reminds me, you've said that you wanted to hear the story of our obaa-san.
I'm going to call her out now.」
「Good evening, I'm Mai-san's obaa-san.」
What appeared is an ordinary human.
She's refined and seems to be a little young to be called obaa-san.
However, when looking at these three people, no matter how you look at them, nothing but an obaa-san and twin grandchildren can be seen.
「Let's talk later, please help yourself.」
As we've been offered, we accepted and partook of the meal.
Every dishes that little girl okaa-san cooked were delicious, it seems to be what they called the『taste of mom's cooking』.
A mystery because despite her appearance, she seemed to be a person of suitable age when seeing this part of hers.
That reminds me, are Elena and Hilda having a meal properly?
When I checked the tracking beacon's video, Elena and Hilda ordered a pizza delivery and were eating with great relish while they were stretching the cheese with *nyoro~n*.
When we finished eating and drinking a cup of tea―
「While taking a rest, I'll tell you an old tale.」
obaa-san began to talk.
***
Going back exactly 40 years ago……
When the young obaa-san was on her way home and was walking down the street at night which had become a little dusky―
she heard a sound like a beast’s groan from a grove of mixed trees where she happened to passed by.
She was very scared but badly curious for some reason―