Chapter 126: 125 – The Eldest Sister’s Thoughts

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Part 1

Ever since she could remember, Norn's big brother had protected her.

Whenever Mommy got too clingy and tried to smother her. Whenever Aisha was a bit too mean and tried to force her along with her adventures. Whenever she was scared and didn't know what to do, Norn could turn to her big brother and he would save her.

So that was why she clearly remembered that day.

The scary monsters appearing everywhere. Miss Roxy doing her best to protect them. And then that terrifying black hole that sucked the whole house up and tried to pull her in as well.

Helpless. Too far away from anyone to help her.

Norn remembered crying. She remembered being terrified at the unknown.

But then a familiar warmth wrapped around her, keeping her safe against the terrifying force trying to take her away.

Her big brother, Rui- No, 'Rudy.'

He had been protecting their baby sister. Just like how Mommy said he did for her, Norn's big brother was protecting Stella from the bad guy who wanted to hurt their family.

And he was in danger too.

Norn remembered the black hole surrounding Rudy. One bigger and scarier than the one trying to gobble her up.

And she remembered his face. Even as Papa grabbed her and Big Sis Eris pulled them away, Norn saw it.

Blood running down his right eye. Fear, for the first time on her invincible big brother's face as he shielded their baby sister's body with his own.

Norn would never forget it.

Even though she was only a few years old at the time, Rudy's appearance back then was seared into her mind.

Not only that, but she kept hearing the words he told her a long time ago.

*Your big brother promises that he'll protect you against the entire world, okay? So don't you worry about a thing.*

Big Brother didn't lie. He kept the promise.

On that day, the entire world was out to get them. The black hole was like the world itself trying to gobble her up.

But Rudy saved her. Like always.

And then he was gone.

But not just him.

Mama. Mama Lily. Aisha. Uncle Laws. Auntie Rose. Auntie Lina. Big Sis Sylphy. Miss Roxy.

Everyone.

While Papa and Big Sis Eris were around, their home had disappeared.

Norn remembered wandering around looking for anything. Something to show that they had lived there.

And all that she found was Rudy's sword. A pretty blade that looked like it glowed in all the colors of the rainbow, just like the bubbles he used to play with her.

But that was it.

Her big brother wasn't there to save her anymore. Papa and Big Sis Eris were, but they weren't Rudy.

Papa was strong and caring, but he wasn't very smart.

Big Sis Eris was really good at fighting and making fires, but she wasn't very smart either.

So it was Norn's job to make sure everything went well. Because Big Brother wasn't around, she had to keep everyone safe.

So she learned.

Just like how Big Brother always watched everything and took careful notes. Just like how Big Brother quietly studied and practiced magic. Just like how Big Brother focused and trained his sword skills.

Norn did what she thought Rudy would do.

...Because it was her fault. If she hadn't gone back to grab a toy and just followed Miss Roxy and Aisha, Rudy wouldn't have had to save her.

So-

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Part 2

"Nee-cha? Aw you up?"

Norn blinked and saw a cute baby girl looking down at her.

Bright green eyes that reminded Norn of Rudy's. Blonde hair a little bit darker than Norn's and still short.

Stella, Norn's baby sister.

And also the one who had been with Rudy this entire time.

Adorable. Not only that, but the light in her eyes reminded Norn a lot of Rudy too. Super smart.

...Though it made Norn a bit jealous.

Even so, she put on a smile and said, "I'm up, Stella."

Stella leaned back and plopped herself on her butt.

Norn sat up and took a look around.

A beautiful and peaceful flower garden with a table nearby to sit and lush grass to lay down on.

It took a moment for Norn to remember where they all were. But then she remembered.

Right. Big Sis Eris wanted to take her and Stella out to walk around the area. But when they found the flower garden, the group decided to take a break from walking and relax.

Norn had been reminded of the old flower garden at her home before it was destroyed, so she subconsciously found herself relax. And it looked like she relaxed a bit too much.

...And the same was true for Big Sis Eris.

She was laying on the grass next to Norn, eyes closed and peacefully sleeping. A sight that Norn rarely saw.

Because of all the nobles back home trying to force Big Sis Eris to do things, she was always on edge. And even when they were training together, Big Sis Eris seemed to be chasing something Norn couldn't see. As if there was an opponent she wanted to cut down but didn't know how to reach.

Yes. Big Sis Eris was always troubled. But because she was troubled, she always did her best to remain calm for Norn. As if concerned that Norn would be worried, Big Sis Eris always smiled around her and stayed calm. Almost to make up for Big Brother not being around.

But because of that, she was never relaxed. Even when sleeping, she seemed to be restless.

Not now.

Big Sis Eris's pretty face was finally relaxed and calm.

Probably because they found Big Brother again and he promised to love Big Sis Eris too.

Norn shook her head and then looked to Stella.

Her baby sister was still sitting on the ground, quietly playing with the grass.

Seeing that, Norn felt sorry and said, "Did we sleep for a while, Stella? Are you hungry?"

Miss Kishirika's older sister had given them a lot of bottles for Stella in a small ice box before they left, so if Stella was hungry, Norn could get her one.

"No." Stella shook her head and said, "Is okay." She smiled. "Nee-cha can sweep. I'm pwaying wif my fwens."

"Friends?"

Norn blinked and looked around.

There wasn't anyone there.

She frowned and focused her eyes.

It was hard. Back when she was small, Big Brother taught her how to see mana. But since she started practicing with a sword instead, she started forgetting how to do it. Still, if she tried really hard, she could see a bit of it. And even though she couldn't, she could still feel mana. So...

Three faint flickers floating around Stella. Red, blue, and green.

The moment that Norn noticed them, three figures popped into existence.

"Wow!" A tiny girl with crimson hair and angel wings. "You can see us even when we're hiding!"

"As expected of Master Rudy's younger sister and Stella's big sister." A white cat with blue eyes nodded to himself.

A tiny yawn echoed and then another small girl with wings appeared, rubbing her eyes. Her green hair shifted in the wind beneath a halo and she said, "Did we have to materialize? I'm sleepy and that uses a lot of energy."

Stella frowned at the three figures and then said, "No messing awound."

"Aw..." The tiny girl with red hair pouted and said, "Can't I go explore?"

"No."

The tiny girl puffed out her cheeks and said, "Fine! Then I'm sleeping too!" After saying that, she did a backflip through the air and vanished.

The tiny girl with green hair yawned and then vanished as well.

As for the cat...

It drifted to the ground and then sat next to Stella. Grooming itself, the cat waved at Norn and said, "You can relax. I'll make sure Stella's safe."

"No fweezing za wurl."

"Okay Stella. But only because you say so."

Norn blinked and tilted her head.

Stella stared at Norn and smiled. "See? Fwens."

"I... see."

Norn really didn't.

She vaguely remembered Miss Roxy having a familiar, but for Stella to have three of them...

"...Stella's really smart, aren't you?"

Stella blinked and then shook her head. "No. I'm nowmo. Nii-cha is smawt."

Norn laughed and then ruffled Stella's hair. "Yes. Big Brother really is smart." She paused. "...But why do you call him Nii-cha, Stella?"

"Nii-cha is Nii-cha."

A simple answer just like a baby would give.

Norn laughed again and then said, "Whatever you say, Stella."

"...Hmf."

-NNG-

Part 3

Back at Rudy's tower after a long day walking around.

Stella was fast asleep, so Big Sis Eris carried her upstairs to sleep in her crib.

Norn was going to follow, but Big Sis Sylphy was sitting at the table on the first floor, so she sat down next to her. "What are you thinking about, Big Sis?"

"Oh!" Sylphy blinked and then let out a warm smile. "I didn't see you there, Norn."

Norn scooted her chair closer to Sylphy and then took a better look at her.

She was pretty. Like really pretty.

Big Sis Eris was pretty too, but Big Sis Sylphy was pretty in a different way. Shiny, mature, kind... She looked just like how Norn thought an Elf Queen might look.

But Norn also noticed that Big Sis Sylphy had a lot of scars. Big Sis Eris did too because of her training and all the fighting. And even Norn had a couple because she wasn't very smart when she was starting to train.

Big Sis Sylphy though... Even Papa didn't have that many.

Sylphy noticed Norn staring and laughed. "Don't worry, Norn. They don't hurt."

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"...Really?"

"Really." Sylphy let out a bright smile and said, "Even if they did... I'm happy. It means that I fought really hard to meet your big brother again, you know?"

"Mm..." Norn slowly nodded. "I understand."

"Good-"

"Big Sis Sylphy's an idiot."

"H-Huh?"

Norn stuck her tongue out and said, "Just kidding."

A joke to break the tension. Just like how Papa did when things were too serious.

As expected, Sylphy laughed and reached out to ruffle Norn's hair. "You're still as cute as ever, Norn. And a lot more behaved than Aisha too."

Norn's eyes lit up and she said, "Is Aisha okay?" She hadn't heard anything about her other sister, so she had always been worried. Papa said she was safe, but...

"She's fine." Sylphy smiled and said, "Roxy took Aisha with her to enroll in the Ranoa Magic University."

Norn blinked and thought hard about that.

Ranoa Magic University... Papa mentioned it one time, right? After asking if Norn wanted to learn magic or the sword...

"That's hard to get into, isn't it?"

Norn remembered now. The famous academy on the Central Continent that researched all sorts of magic.

Papa always mentioned how Big Brother would instantly become a professor if he showed up and probably even headmaster.

Aisha was going to enroll there?

Sylphy nodded. "It is. But Roxy's an alumni."

"Alumni?"

"Ah. I mean a graduate. It's the same school she went to when she was younger."

"Oh." Norn nodded. "So Miss Roxy is with Aisha there?"

"I think so." Sylphy frowned and said, "I haven't talked to them in a while though... But it should be fine." She smiled and said, "Roxy is really strong now, you know? Mercy too. And Aisha... Well, I think she's a bit scary for someone so small?" She paused and then looked at Norn. "Actually... I think she might be younger than you now? She's smaller at least."

"Really?" Norn tilted her head and said, "But Big Sis Sylphy is so old now."

Sylphy's left eye twitched. "I'm sorry, Norn. What did you say?"

Norn felt sweat run down the back of her neck.

Killing intent. That was definitely killing intent.

Norn let out a nervous laugh and said, "I mean... Um. Big Sis Sylphy went into dungeons too, right? Didn't you and Miss Roxy take Aisha with you?"

Sylphy smiled and said, "We did. But Aisha thought it was boring, so she usually stayed outside with Mercy."

"Boring?"

Norn tilted her head, confused.

Aisha was always the one to like adventures, so Norn thought her sister would definitely like going into dungeons.

Norn didn't really like adventures, but even she thought it was kind of fun beating monsters up and finding treasure.

"Anyway..." Sylphy looked at Norn and said, "How have you been? Did you enjoy your day out with Eri?"

"Mmhm!" Norn nodded and said, "This place is really pretty and peaceful. Big Brother did a much better job being a king than the Asura Kingdom."

Unlike there, Norn didn't see any poor people begging for money or weird people staring at her and Big Sis Eris with a creepy look in Rudy's kingdom.

For the most part, everyone was nice and caring. Even the two girls who challenged her to a spar when they arrived weren't really mean. After all, they weren't like the girls in the Asura Kingdom who sent in grown ups to try and beat her up when they lost.

Sylphy's smile dimmed a bit and then she looked thoughtful. "So Father-in-law, you, and Eri were transported to the Asura Kingdom...? It must have been terrible."

Norn shook her head. "No. Papa took us there to get help from Mister Orsted." She paused to think and said, "It was pretty bad though. Papa had to kill a lot of people because they were stupid."

"K-Kill?"

Norn blinked and then nodded. "Right. Kill." She tilted her head and said, "Have you not killed anyone, Big Sis?"

"N-No. I have. But..." Sylphy looked troubled and said, "Have you?"

"Mmhm." Norn nodded and said, "Bad people tried to kidnap me before so I used Big Brother's sword and killed them, just like he would have. Then I went back to Papa and Big Sis Eri. I think a lot of people got mad, but Papa took his sword out and made everyone scared so they stopped." Norn giggled and said, "It was really funny seeing the piggy people twist their faces."

Sylphy's eyes widened and she said, "I-I see..."

"Anyway." Norn shifted on her chair to look at Sylphy and said, "What about you, Big Sis? Did Big Brother come back yet?"

Sylphy shook her head. "No. He said that he'll be gone a few days."

"Oh." Norn pouted. "...I wanted to play with him though."

"I'm sure he'll be back soon, Norn."

"But I want him back now. It's not fair that Stella can yell for help and Big Brother-"

Norn paused, suddenly realizing something.

"...Norn?" Sylphy tilted her head. "What are you-"

"Stella held the necklace and yelled 'Nii-cha help', right? And that necklace has Big Brother's mana. So maybe..." She reached out to grab her sword.

Sylphy's eyes widened. "W-Wait. Norn, don't-"

Norn stood up and grabbed her sword. After that, she took a deep breath and yelled, "Nii-cha! Help!"

For good measure, she did her best to make it sound as desperate as possible.

A flurry of footsteps, followed by cursing as someone fell down the stairs. "Ow! Dammit! This... Gah!" Big Sis Eris. "Norn! Are you okay?! What happened!?"

Norn flinched, feeling a bit guilty. "U-Um... I just-"

A sudden surge of mana. A twisting of space, just like when Papa used his special technique.

Norn's eyes widened and she turned to look at it, smiling happy.

It was true. Just like Big Brother promised, whenever she was in danger-

"Good job, you two." Rudy walked through a glowing portal and said, "It's nice to confirm that time here is decelerated in comparison to the outside world and-" He suddenly paused, staring at Norn and Sylphy.

And then as Eris rolled onto the first floor in a ruffled heap, he tilted his head before slowly shifting his gaze to Norn, who was still holding her sword.

"Um. Did something happen?"

Norn looked at Rudy and her sword. Then she let out a deep sigh. "No. Nothing happened, Big Brother."

Rudy frowned. "It doesn't sound like nothing-"

"Daddy, can we still play a bit more? I'm not satisfied yet with just that."

A mature female voice echoing from behind Rudy. One that sounded a bit like the aunties who kept trying to get close to Papa.

"Yes. It's barely been a day, Father. I understand work is important and you want to find the rest of your family, but... It's not fair."

Another mature female voice, but one that sounded like those people who helped sort through paperwork for Big Sister Ariel.

A little while after those voices echoed, two people walked out from the portal behind Rudy.

Angels. Two women with fluffy white wings.

But the way they looked... Especially one of them...

That scary big chest, the long blonde hair and that pretty face. One that looked really familiar...

Norn tilted her head and hesitantly said, "...Mommy? Did you become an angel?"

"E-Eh?" The angel that Norn called out to turned around and quickly waved her hand. "N-No! I'm not your mommy!" After that, she paused and said, "...And why does everyone want to call me Mommy? Even those adventurers do."

Rudy cleared his throat. "Before that-"

"Ru~dy~." Sylphy called out in a singsong voice and said, "Who are they?"

Eris brushed herself off and then glared at Rudy. "...Yeah. Who the hell are those chicks? And why did they call you Da- Da..." Her face turned red and she muttered, "Daddy?"

Rudy paused for a brief moment. And during that moment, countless emotions crossed his face. But then he shrugged and calmly said, "Things just got out of hand."

Silence.

And then from somewhere up above, Stella's voice echoed.

"Nii-cha! Baka hentai!"

"N-No!" Rudy's calm expression immediately crumbled and he said, "Wait! It's not like that, Stella! Ena and Eos are actually my daughters! I love them like a parent, not like that!"

"Usotsuki."

A cold response, echoing from above. One that seemed to be amplified by wind mana.

Rudy flinched and clutched at his heart, like an arrow pierced it. After that, he fell to his knees, covering his face.

With that, the sharp tension from Sylphy and the glare from Eris stopped.

And watching all of that...

Norn pursed her lips and muttered, "How come I don't get any attention...?"

Rudy quickly raised his head, staring at Norn with a shocked look.

She flinched, not expecting him to hear that and averted her gaze.

"Norn-"

"Lord Rudras. There's something I have to say about who I am... No, that's a bit too forward. Lord Rudras, whatever you heard Sylphy say, it isn't... No. I shouldn't blame Mama like that..."

A heroic voice, echoing from outside. A man muttering to himself, lost in thought. And mutters that were soft enough to usually go unheard.

But the whole room had been quiet with the recent reveal, so everyone heard it.

And then the tower doors opened and a man walked in.

A knight in shining silver armor. His helmet, held under his left arm and revealing vivid green hair, as well as a face that looked a bit like Rudy and a bit like Sylphy.

Silence.

He froze, noticing the group of people already standing around there.

And then Rudy slowly got to his feet, his left eye twitching a bit. After that, he looked at the knight and said, "...Repeat that last part for me, Roland. Did you say, 'blame Mama?' And in regards to Sylphy?"

"...I see. So this turns out to not be heaven, but hell instead. Of course."

The knight let out a deep sigh.

Norn watched all of that and then nodded.

As expected. Big Brother was even better than Papa in having kids. He wasn't even grown up yet and he already had three. Only one more to be even with Papa.

-PNG-

"Achoo."

Pierre paused in the middle of untying the Pope's bindings and said, "Sneezing? Now of all times?"

Paul rubbed his nose and said, "Someone must be talking behind my back again. But anyway, let's hurry up and get this old guy out of here so that my Sister-in-law will stop cursing me to hell and back."

"Haven't you gone there accidentally already when practicing? I had to drag you out last time."

"Which is exactly why I'm only trying to cut space in one continent instead of multiple."

"...Just shut up and help me with this already."

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