351 348. Midwinter dream.txt (1/2)

I was reputed to be very close to my sister Yotaki, but I was .......

It's not that we were close siblings who never had any quarrels.

I'm not going to be able to say that I'm not going to be able to do that.

I'm not going to be able to say that I'm not going to be able to do that.

Youtaki would not know that record of consecutive losses. It's a shameful story that I challenged him on my own and kept losing by myself. ...... There's no way for anyone to know about it.

I'm sure the first time I became aware of the competition was during a special training session to freely let out a tear or two as an actor.

At that time, Yotaki was about half my age, yet he was ahead of his brother. If you only look at the amount of time he spent practicing, I think it was less than one-tenth of the time I spent practicing. From that moment on, I had a hint of awareness that my sister was not normal. But I dared to try my best not to notice, and somehow I was going to win someday. ...... I had faint dreams that were unique to children.

I competed many times.

It started with the training of actors, the evaluation of the actors in their studies, general studies that anticipated the future, and regular athletic tests. Plus, all the little things in our daily lives. How much attention is given to parents in life. In the end, I was alone in the game of which one of us could get a call from my mother first in the morning. ...... It was a bit morbid, I think to myself.

It's not just a matter of time before you'll be able to get the best out of them.

I'm not going to be able to say that I'm not going to be able to do that.

But in the end, I never won.

Even my athletic ability, which should have been at an overwhelming advantage in terms of age, was defeated.

While I was out of breath, Yotaki was always praising me with a cool face beside me.

She had received great praise from her resident teacher, as if she was in front of a historical gem. In fact, she was a historical gem and a biological gem, so .......

Anyway, I kept trying and losing and losing and losing and losing.

Then I was painstakingly broken, withdrawn, and driven to the point of suicide. At that time, I recovered thanks to my childhood friend, Lake Nagi. ...... If it wasn't for that encounter, I don't think I would be in this world now.

It's not just a matter of time before you're able to get your hands on a new one.

This was triggered by the disappearance of my parents.

Two siblings left alone.

There was only one choice.

I knew that I would never win against Yotaki, so I decided to stand next to her instead of in front of her.

As long as I didn't challenge the odds, I wouldn't lose anymore. Most importantly, in the meantime, my family, Yotaki, will need me. I will have a family. Finally, my family will love me and I will be able to love them. I will finally have something important that I've always wanted. So, this is it. I'm done with this. ......

-- and I admitted it.

That's the moment I completely admitted my defeat.

At the same time, it was also the moment I decided to live as my sister's 'ideal brother'.

I don't think it's so unusual.

There are moments, big or small, when children are denied their omnipotence and faced with reality. In my case, it was just that my foul-mouthed sister was a big part of it. Same with everyone else.

--From this story, what I want me to understand is a simple [reason].

[That Aikawa Uzumi can't beat Aikawa Yotaki].

Rather, the basic premise is that no one can defeat the existence of Aikawa Youtaki.

It was a miracle that he was able to have the 'courage' to challenge Youtaki this time, just by being able to challenge Youtaki.

That's why the outcome of that match was only natural.

Although they may call it a ”discussion” or ”family meeting” with their mouths, the actual content is a ”sibling quarrel”.

As a matter of course, the result was--.

I lost.

The Great Sacred City on the mainland has been frozen.

Fuzzyards Castle was frozen and shattered, shattering into pieces and disappearing into the sky.

All of the people that Nosfi had tried to save were frozen in place and laid to rest forever.

It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're going to do with it.

--I have a ”memory” of this, though.

This is only confirmed in a dream.

You're going to be able to find out what you're looking for.

It's the same old thing.

I already know and I'm used to it.

In the next moment, it's like it never happened.

The magical cold air will chill me and my memory will stop.

Stop, and stop, and stop.

This ”now” time will never move again.

It's a state where I can't regenerate to remember, so to speak.

And I, frozen by magic, am forced to return. I would wake up with the sensation that my body was slowly turning into icy sweets (sherbet) and shivering.

Not to the site of the Great Holy City on the mainland, which has become a great snowfield, but to the eighty layers of the Allied Nations' labyrinth.

From dream to reality - but not from reality to dream.

As many times as it takes. Until I give up.

--I can take it back.

◆◆◆◆◆ ...

That's dangerous, Kanami!　--Flame Arrow!

A white beam of light passes right by my left side.

My left eye is dizzy, my left arm is burned, and my left eardrum is about to tear.

Followed by a shockwave that hits my entire body.

My daydreams are completely over as I feel like I'm being swept around in a direct grip on my brain.

The memories of the immediate past are gone like an illusion, and I can't remember any of them.

I look around as I calmly analyze that loss of memory.

I was standing on the cobblestones with sand in them.

Looking around, I see stone structures lined with history and decaying. On the high ceiling, the wind was whipping around with a loud noise as if it were blowing a conch. Ruins that reminded one of the remains of some kind of civilization were the hallmark of this labyrinth of eighty layers.

''Kanami!　I know what you're thinking, but you've been too dazed lately!

And now I'm being warned by Deere, who has scraped off part of the ruins with Flame Arrow. Nearby, Herc Behemoth-san (rank 79), the giant quadruped-shaped monster that was touched by Deere's reverse scales as he delivered his attack to me, has his upper body annihilated and is disappearing into light.

''Just because we're stronger doesn't mean we're invincible!　You have to have a proper sense of urgency like in the old days: ......!

The girl who had made a horrible mess with her horrible magic was cute and angry for her age and gender.

''Sorry, I was saved. That's the ”Flame Arrow” of Deer, isn't it? ......

'Well, it's my job to cover you from behind ....... I don't have a choice now, Kanami is .......

Deere shrugs his shoulders in a good-natured way when I apologize, and then he forgives me very easily.

For the record, daydreaming in a labyrinth is something I should be lectured on for an hour. But she didn't pursue it deeply.

From the way she looked at me, I knew that Dia was happy to be in a position to protect me. Thus, it was one of her dreams to play an active role in the exploration of the labyrinth. It might be natural to feel a little buoyant.

However, instead of that buoyant Dia, her younger sister, Yotaki, said something that was difficult to say.

''Brother, it's very pathetic. I'm completely relying on Dia already.''

I try to blame my body, but Dia interrupts me.

'No, no, firecracker!　All along, Kanami has been the lone vanguard!　Sometimes you just need to let loose a little bit!　We've already made 20 layers of progress today!　Time to start losing focus!

...... haha. This is a lineup that Dear will cover for you no matter what. It only leads to your brother's corruption.

'I'm not going to cover for you no matter what, ......?　But since I forced Kanami into the labyrinth today, at least this is ......, right?

I'm happy to follow you.

But I feel the nostalgic pimping coming on, and I get back into it.

'No, Dear. Now that was my fault. I was completely distracted by the fact that we were fighting and I was thinking about something else: ....... I'll be more careful next time. I'm really sorry.

'I see. ....... If Kanami says so: ......

Dia didn't break even when Yotaki said it, but when I said it, it was easy.

Yotaki's eyes, faced with such a sweet sight, only grew cold.

As if to escape from that cold stare, I suggest.

''But I'm sure Dia is right, you're starting to lose your concentration ......?　We've made it 20 layers, so let's get back to the ground. Let's call it a day and rest the rest of the day.

'That's right, Kanami!　I'm running low on magic, and I've accomplished my goal: ...... Okay, that's it for today!　Go back to the ground and rest the rest of the day!

Dia immediately agreed, but Yotaki's eyes remained cold.

''...... haha. How your brother has managed to explore the labyrinth up to today ...... really is a sight to see. It's a good thing that you can see that your brother has been tricking, seducing and using an innocent girl.

'Hee, you're too much of a human being to listen to ....... I'd like to say that, but it's a little hard to deny it when I remember me in the beginning: ......

'In the beginning? I've heard that part, so I'll forgive you. I heard he had very little memory back then and didn't know left or right.

'Yeah. At first I didn't know what to expect, and the level was so low, it was really hard for me. ......

Remembering that I was summoned inside the labyrinth at level 1, I sincerely chewed on my good fortune to have survived to this day. That seems to be the same for Dia as well, ”I miss it. I was a level 1 back then too, I remember ......,” she mutters.

I dig up my memories and remember the status I once had when I was dying in the first layer of the labyrinth.

[Status]

Name: Aikawa Uzumi HP4/51 MP72/72 Class.

Level 1.

Strength 1.01 Strength 1.03 Skill 1.01 Speed 2.02 Wisdom 4.00 Magic 2.00 Element 7.00

[Status]

Name: Diablo Sith HP 39/52 MP 431/431 Class: swordsman

Level 1.

Strength 0.59 Strength 1.12 Skill 0.92 Speed 0.88 Wisdom 1.34 Magic 23.25 Element 5.00

I'm pretty sure it was about this.

Dia and I started at level 1, and gradually collected experience and improved our levels, and now our level and status are--

[Status]

Name: Aikawa Uzumi HP--/-- MP2834/2982 Class.

Level 52.

Strength 30.54 Strength 35.22 Skill 43.19 Speed 58.72 Wisdom 50.83 Magic 176.26 Element 10.21

[Status]

Name: Diablo Sith HP741/741 MP3412/3412 Class: explorer

Level 59.

Strength 15.13 Strength 13.55 Skill 9.49 Speed 10.89 Wisdom 39.91 Magic 177.24 Elemental 5.00

It's incomparable.

It's like the struggles of those days are a lie. We were dying in one layer before, but we've finally reached the 80th layer.

Then, let's go home. It's a good idea to be able to have a good time. --I'm not going to be able to get out of it.

A magical door was created in the corridor by Yotaki's hands, and the three of us pass through it.

Beyond that is the ground.

But instead of in front of the familiar labyrinth, I step out into a place surrounded by unfamiliar greenery.

In the midst of the great outdoors, not even buried by the pure white snow, I mutter to myself as I look around.

'Hey, is this ......?'

The Ancestor (...) This is the great garden of the House of Alais.

Then an old swordsman appeared from among the nearby trees and answered my questions.

His hair was white, his beard was long and wrinkled, but he was sharp-eyed. His attire was stiff, like that of a nobleman, and he wore a single sword at his waist. I had never spoken to him directly, but I knew his name.

But before he could utter the name, Dia shouted.

'Old Aleis!　You've been waiting for me!

The old knight responds to that with a sneer.

'Haha. It's just a coincidence, just a coincidence. I was just passing by and felt a tremendous amount of magic, so I just stopped by.

As soon as he changed the way he spoke, I felt the youthfulness of the tenth generation coming from the old man.

His keen eyes and a vitality that transcends age. Without a doubt, it was Fenrir Aleis-san, the current head of the Aleis family.

After a brief greeting with him, Yotaki explained.

''Dia is living in the Aleiss family. It will save us a lot of trouble if we go directly here.''

It seems that Yotaki maintains many ”connections” in the Allies, and he seems to have chosen the most appropriate place from among them. However, if that's the case, I was the one who wanted a word before I walked through the door.

I'm not fully prepared to face the old man, who is probably Dia's guardian. Hence, after bowing deeply, I throw out a very poor greeting.

'Well, uh, ....... Well, Dear has always been a great help to me. Fenrir Alais-san .......

However, to that lowly me, Fenrir-san responds with an even deeper bow.

''Founder-sama ......!　You may be in awe, but we are in trouble. You are the 'Founder' of the Levantine religion we worship and the 'Swordsman' who should be the example of the Aleiss family. Please, please lift your head.

'No. ......!　I'm not a foul, or a person from another world: ....... Anyway, I'm sure I'm not someone who's called 'The Founder' or 'The Sword Sage' in this day and age, so please call me out!　And how about the tone: ......!

”It's one of the few pleasures of my short-lived existence that the Founder is baffled by this. So I can't stop. It's the only thing I can do.

'Yeah, yeah ......?'

I groan with a troubled look on my face as I realize I've been teased from start to finish.

And just as I was attempting to play the hero in The Ideal, Dia scolded me.

'Kanami, you're being too respectful just because they're older than you!　Old Alais says he doesn't want that kind of thing, so go out with him more lightly!

'Hmm, you're right. I don't need any of that shitty etiquette. I'm tired of hearing sycophants elsewhere.

I've known from the beginning that Fenrir-san is that kind of person.

Like his ancestor Lowen Alais, he is a training addict, and he is not familiar with the customs of the nobility - or perhaps he is bored with a lot of things. If you lightly 'see past' his body and the magical power that leaks out, you can understand that much.

And Yotaki, who knows as well as I do, begins to pester Fenrir-san with a very nice smile.