Vol 2 Chapter 2 (1/2)

”—Due to the fact that Tia Lightning refuses adamantly to separate from Mononobe Yuu, she will be taken in by this Brynhildr Class Please get along with her from now on”

After the full-school assembly ended, shi+nomiya-senseihomeroom

Tia and I were standing at the lectern together because Tia refused to leavemy arm with her eyes partially closed and happiness written all over her face

This girl wouldn't be—the D whom I saved in the past, would she?

From her reaction that see of familiarity, this possibility was quite likely But I had no proof and could not ask in front of everyone either

If o free caer Mitsuki's position in addition to mine

”H-Hold on! Tia-san should be of an age that belongs in eleht? I doubt she can keep up with our curriculum”

Lisa asked shi+nomiya-sensei with a troubled look

”That's true indeed But her declaration, appearance and offensive attitude has ether with other Ds in her age group, it's probably i peacefully In that case, leaving her to Mononobe Yuu, the only one whom she opens her heart to, is the better solution”

—Leaving her to me?

I had a bad feeling about the way she phrased that

”So here is how it goes, Mononobe Yuu You will be in charge of her education Basic studies, coard, you will teach all of that to her”

”What? I-I'ard a month myself, you know?”

I argued anxiously but shi+no

”Ask other people if you run into difficulties You ard this as a mission associated with the anti-Basilisk battle If she causes serious trouble in Midgard, then the only option would be to hand her over to NIFL What this means You probably understand”

Ds ard in order for their hu exiled fro dee to dispose of her mercilessly in order to take care of the current incident

Just like when Leviathan attacked, they intended to kill Iris whose dragon ed color

”I got it Although I'm not confident, I'll try my best”

For a newbie like me, the responsibilities of this mission ay too heavy

But I could not leave the young Tia to her own devices And for so affection for nore a girl like that

”H?”

Tia looked up ata conversation about her, she paid almost no attention to it

”Yeah, from now on, Tia, you're classmates with us”

”Really? Then we can be together all the time here! Where is Yuu's seat?”

”Huh? Middle seat on the last row—”

I pointed at the last row of the 3x3 arrangement of seats—The spot sandwiched between Mitsuki and Iris

By the way, although I feigned ignorance the whole tiers atat me

”Then Tia will sit there too!”

Saying that, Tia pulled my arm

”You want to sit there? If you want the back row no matter what, I'll swap places with you”

”No, Yuu just sit here Come, sit down”

”?”

At Tia's urging, I sat down on my own seat

”Fufu, then Tia will sit down too”

Tia sat down on my lap with a plop

”H-Hey?”

”So comfy”

Ignoring ainst me

At this mo the end of her patience, she said to Tia:

”Hey Tia-chan! You'll get in Mononobe's way if you sit there You should sit in an empty seat!”

”Muu Who is this Onee-chan?”

”I am Iris Freyja, Mononobe's friend!”

Iris introduced herself proudly but Tia retorted without getting intimidated

”If you are his friend, Tia hopes you can read theyour nose into a husband and wife's probleht?”

”H-Husband and wife Didn't you just meet Mononobe, Tia-chan!? It's me who's been close to Mononobe the whole time!”

”Wrong, Tia and Yuu were tied together by the red string of fate a long tio No one can break us up”

Saying that, Tia changed her posture Wrapping her arhtly

”T-Tia, wait This is very uncomfortable”

Previously, I always treated her as a child and acted generously, but with such inti her delicate, petite and lightweight figure and her soft skin, I was forced to becoirl The fragrance drifting fro my nasal cavity

”—Tia-san, sitting in your own seat to attend class is a rule of this school's Please follow it”

Mitsuki's acute voice was heard at this tihtened up at the arrival of reinforcements

Tia pouted unhappily and turned her gaze to Mitsuki

”Again, you will say s to Tia?”

Tia seee about what happened at the full-school assembly

”I a up the rules Please do not cause Nii-san trouble”

”Nii-san? You're not Yuu's family, are you?”

Tia blinked in surprise

”Right, I aer sister”

”Aha Then Tia has to get along with you, because the husband's little sister is Tia's little sister”

Tia put away her defiance and smiled at Mitsuki

”I do not recall having an older sister younger than I am”

”Hmm, then you can be the older sister, or do you want to be the mother-in-law?”

”We are not playing house here, please do not randon roles, seriously Sensei, could you tell her off?”

With an exasperated look, Mitsuki sighed and sought help from shi+nomiya-sensei

”Yes You are right, rulesto ht noould be very difficult Hence, please tolerate her actions for now as long as lessons are not disrupted”

”No way”

Mitsuki and Iris both made speechless expressions then Tia raised her arms to cheer in joy

”Awesoood wife doesn't make trouble for the husband”

Tia resumed her earlier posture and sat properly onas she did not e to follow the lesson

However, shi+noaze at me and said:

”Mononobe Yuu, let me state for the record Her special treatment is only limited to today You have to settle this before tomorrow”

”Ehhh!?”

In other words, I had to make Tia obey school rules within today?

”Ehehe!”

Tia showed a joyful expression while her legs swayed nonstop

I looked down at Tia, ined, totally putting me at a loss what to do

Part 2

After that, Tia still refused to leave for even an instant

During homeroom, Lisa and the others introduced the up at my face

”M-Mononobe Yuu I shan't lose to you!”

This provoked a weird sense of competition in Lisa—

”Lolicon?”

Firill was inspired with unsavory doubts about me

”Only Mononobe-kun gets to talk to her, so unfair”

”Mm”

Ariella and Ren were looking at e was closest to Tia, she had kept glancing secretly at Tia ever since class started, quite curious about her

”Tia, why don't you talk to everyone a bit”

I encouraged her but Tia shook her head and refused

”No need, if Tia had to talk, talking with Yuu is better”

It looked I was the only thing that mattered in her red eyes Anyway, I had no idea how to persuade Tia unless I got to know her as a person Hence, I decided to let Tia do as she pleased for the first day, the only time for special treatment

”Hwah”

Keeping her proh she yawned in apparently boredo fourth period, she did not seem to be a child who could not be reasoned with

During the lunch break, ent to the cafeteria together as a class, sitting around a table as before

”Here, husband, say ah—”

But ly, Tia continued to sit ona spoonful of vegetable curry towards irls in the surroundings wereme uncomfortable

”Yuu?”

Due to Tia's uneasy look, I had no choice but to eat the vegetable curry Then I heard whispers all around Bothered by the surrounding gazes, I almost could not taste the curry's spiciness

”Fufu, we are like needs”

Tia setable curry too

Going with this situation, I was probably going to be labeled a lolicon tomorrow

But toher to play house like a children

Although she insisted she was the wife, I felt that it would be er sister

”Tia, you've got stuff next to your mouth”

After thinking of it that way, I stopped feeling particularly bothered In a natural manner, I used a tissue to wipe Tia's mouth

”A Thanks”

Tia thanked me somewhat shyly From the eyes of an older brother, I found that behavior of hers to be very cute

If the one sitting onme dote on her was Iris instead, I probably would not be able to remain calm like this

Thinking that, I looked forward, only to see Iris glaring at me with a pout

”Only Tia-chan can do that Too unfair”

Clutching her fork, stabbed in the pasta with tomato sauce, Iris spoke in a low voice

”U-Unfair? What's unfair?”

”I'm clearly your friend, Mononobe Coot to do the say 'ah—' thing, so I have to do it too!”

Saying that, Iris wrapped pasta around her fork and extended it before me

”A-Ah”

With cheeks blushi+ng, Iris spoke in a tre voice

I feltto race

”H-Hey, Iris”

”Mononobe, hurry, this is very e”

Seeing her plead tearfully, I opened my mouth despite the hesitation in my heart, but—

With a , Iris' fork was deflected by Tia's spoon

”Yuu is Tia's husband You're not allowed to do that”

”I can, because Mononobe is my friend!”

Iris' gaze turned sharp As though about to have a fencing match, she entered a pose with her fork, still with pasta wrapped around it

”Hey, what are you doing?”

Sensing danger, I yelled at her but Iris made a thrust with her fork

”Eat this!”

”You wish!+”

Tia used her spoon to defend again, but Iris' first strike was a feint Stopping her fork halfway, she evaded the ti past the spoon, she shoved the pasta into my mouth

”M!”

The flavor of tomato sauce instantly spread in my mouth While the fork was drawn out, the pasta was left in my mouth

”Success!”

Iris cheered and made a victory pose

”Oh no, husband is having an affair!”

Tia screahout the entire cafeteria All the students present were looking in our direction

”Knock it off, you two Be quiet in public areas”

Mitsuki spoke in a voice filled with rage

Iris instantly shuddered then scratched her head apologetically

”Oh, s-sorry, Mitsuki-chan I was too impulsive”

”Tia was clearly not at fault”

Despitein her mouth, Tia settled down Because Mitsuki was my sister, Tia cared about how she was viewed

”Phew Mitsuki, thanks—”

I was just about to thank her when I saw Mitsuki's extrerind to a halt mid-sentence

”—Nii-san is an idiot”

After saying that quietly, Mitsuki turned her head away

Lisa and the others all showed exasperation on the their faces In the end, the meal ended under an indescribable atmosphere

And after that, there were problems aplenty

Using the reet to know the cao to the washroo a dispute for a while

Persuaded by Mitsuki, Tia finally agreed to let go of my hand, but she kept holler ”Yuu, are you there?” fro me no peace while I did my business

—As a side note, inside Midgard, there were only tashrooard's core area, the clock toould have occasional visitors from outside, hence male washrooms were available for visitors to use The other one was the toilet in my own room at the dorm

Later on during afternoon class ti to drag me to the female washroom

I patiently convinced her, finally reaching a co to her calls

In thisseveral tier than usual

Buthere

”—Mononobe Yuu, I will let Tia Lightning live in Mononobe Mitsuki's dorood care of her”

During homeroom before dismissal, that hat shi+no Tia After school, I had to oversee her studies and Tia refused to leave ement

Although Mitsuki's expression seereed reluctantly

”Nii-san, I still have student council work to do, so please return first Although you will be alone with Tia-san te violating public morals”

”I know Could you believe in your brother a bit?”

I nodded with a wry smile and exited the classroom with Tia

Using her tiny right hand, Tia held htly

Acco entrance, but just as we reached the first floor's entrance, I noticed a student standing still in front of the school map

It was a very obedient-looking girl, wearing glasses, with long black hair in a braid

—Eh? I reether with Tia—

”Yuu?”

Seeing , Tia looked at me in surprise

”Sorry, Tia, come with me for a bit”

Holding Tia's hand, I approached the girl

If she was facing any trouble, I should help her, right? This was the spirit behind Midgard's founding This hat I learned froainst Leviathan

”—What's wrong?”

I asked her from behind

”Eh? Oh—”

She looked back, widening her eyes greatly after seeing me Perhaps she was startled because I was a man

To avoidher unwary unnecessarily, I smiled and talked to her

”I reht? Tachikawa What was it again?”

To be honest, because Tia caused reat shock, I had little recollection of her, even her name was fuzzy

”Uh—Right, I aht?”

She nodded and asked in a confir tone of voice

”You know about me?”

”Because you are the only male in the acade at the full-school assembly”

Speaking of which, thisI had rushed up to the podiu e so conspicuous, noabout the topic of me and Tia With that, whether she wanted to or not, she would surely hear my name

”Then we can skip the introductions Tia, you know her already, right?”

I motioned with ged lared at her silently

”Right, although I saw her for the first tireeted her But I did hear the student council president's introduction”

Saying that, she lowered her head and bowed to us

”Yuu-san, Tia-san, pleased to meet you”

”Yeah, likewise here”

I smiled in response but Tia scowled and refused to answer

”Sorry, how should I say this? Apart from me, Tia pretty much treats everyone like this”

I frantically explained for Tia, but she sently and said:

”No problem, I don't mind”

”Thanks, that would be a great help—Tachikawa”

”Just call me Honoka I'll address you by name too”

She replied in a relaxed tone of voice

”O-Okay Got it, Honoka”

Slightly nervously, I changed h she seeht turn out to be more approachable than expected

”So, what are you doing here, Honoka? If there's anywhere you want to go, I can lead the way”

I looked at theat

”No, it's okay I was just trying tohere from now on”

”I see, so you're not lost That's great Sorry for disturbing you”

I should have minded my own business I scratched my head

”Nothing of that sort, I' that you are such a friendly person counts as a kind of encourage to me here on”

Although Honoka thankedher around to familiarize with the campus should be what her classmates would do first Perhaps there was not anyone friendly in the class she was assigned to

”If you have any difficulties, you can find my any time I'll tell you my email address”

”Oh Thank you”

Honoka soodbye and walked out of the building

During that tiripped htly

”You're both transfer students, so why don't you try to get along with her? I think you'll surely become friends”

I said that to her while walking towards the school gates, but Tia shook her head

”No, Tia doesn't want to be near her”

”Doesn't want to be near”

Co a clearer attitude of rejection, baffling me

”And Tia is angry with Yuu too A irls”

”H-Hit on? No, that wasn't as happening just now”

Suddenly exchanging eirl, but the only reason why I told Honoka my address was purely because I worried about her

”Honestly not hitting on her?”

”Honestly”

”Okay Then Tia won't be angry”

Tia's displeased look changed to reveal all smiles

Seeing her h ere not a real couple and I was not obliged to explain to her, it made e for no reason

Then we passed through the school gates and headed to Mitsuki's personal dorm

Although we attracted the gaze of fe to the dorht anymore

We held hands and walked on the road along the beach That alone was enough tosun's rays, both her hair and her horns shone with red light

—Tia Lightning huh

Having acco clearly She extre from me

Almost like a lost child

She looked like a child as finally reunited with parents, refusing to separate again no matter what Most likely, Tia's affection towards me was neither infatuation nor love, but an expression of emotions from the fear of separation

Although that was possible, the correct answer could only be known by asking directly

There werethem, what I needed to confiriving Mitsuki trouble—I finally inquired of Tia at this time

”Say, Tia, have we met somewhere before?”

”Eh—Yuu doesn't remember?”

Tia asked as though she was struck by a blow It looked like we really did meet before

”Don't tell me you're the D whom I saved on in a warzone before?”

I voiced uess

Before coard, I had only irl I saved in a warzone without knowing her nairl was Tia

However, since she was a D, she could also be soly, hence I was not confident

”Oh, phew, good Yuu didn't forget”

Tia seeuessed correctly, apparently

—Lucky I did not confirm in front of others

Letting a discovered D go free was a complete breach of military discipline

Apart froet was Tia, it had caused NIFL to expend a lot of effort

I had no intention of fleeing from those responsibilities but I did not want to cause a situation that would cause Mitsuki problems

”So you really are the girl froed”

The girl in er and did not have horns like these

”Really? Did Tia become more cute?”

She looked at me with excited eyes I nodded in embarrassment

”Yeah”

Becuase the shock was too great, it was easy for the horns to steal the spotlight, but objectively speaking, Tia was a cute girl In two or three years, she would surely become even more beautiful

”Tia is—a cute girl, right?”

”Yeah, that's what I think”

I answered her question that see confirmation, but for some reason, Tia made a sad face

”Thanks I knew that if it's Yuu, you'd say that again Tia is so happy, but It's wrong”

”It's wrong?”

I did not understand as going on, so I asked her But looking at h her earlier childishness was a lie

”Tia is a dragon, not a girl”

I instantly felt a chill along my back In the depths of those red eyes, I saw a dark color akin to that of dried blood

””

I reflexively tried to tell her no but held ue before it came out Even if I unilaterally refuted Tia's assertion, it would only end up the same as what happened at the assembly

This was most likely Tia's berserk button If I had to touch it, I would best wait for the next opportunity

First, I should carefully find out—Why did she believe so strongly that she was a dragon?

”So to you, aon too?”

”Yes, all Ds are dragons”

Spreading her arms, Tia said that

”Why do you think that?”

”Because we have the saons, isn't this logical?”

We definitely possessed the saenerate dark ons, they anizations pushi+ng such beliefs Was Tia influenced by that kind of thinking?

”No, but you have huht?”

I had seen her parents when saving her in a warzone I thought that afterwards, they should be living together as a family of three

”Tia has no human papa or mama”

But Tia refuted me with an emotionless expression and voice

”No? But back then—”

I frowned and asked but I feltme to stop mid-sentence

I had apparently broached a very sensitive issue again

”Yuu, don't talk about that—Tia wants to touch the seawater”

Just as I was hesitating how to continue the conversation, Tia sed the subject

Tia pointed at the vast beach beyond the breakwater, pulling o there

”Okay, let's go down the stairs over there”

I gave up on the spot asking about her father and mother and took Tia down to the white beach

I'll have to find a chance to ask again later

”Wow”

As soon as she reached the water's edge, Tia instantly squatted down and dipped her left hand into the waves rushi+ng onto the shore I also squatted beside her and watched her scoop up seawater with her tiny hand

”You've never been to a beach, Tia?”

”No, Tia originally lived in a place without a sea And after co to this island, Tia could only look from a distance”

Saying that, Tia licked her fingertip, moistened by seawater

”Ah It's really so salty!”

Tia seemed quiteat her like that, I could not help but smile

—I can't force this child to make that kind of expression

When insisting she was a dragon, insisting she had no parents, Tia's face lost all emotion

Tia's issues seeined but I decided in my heart to help her resolve them bit by bit

This started as ashe was the D that I had met in a warzone, I could not stay uninvolved anymore because I had to take serious responsibility for her

If I had sent Tia to Midgard e first irl appearance

With ht hand, I tried to touch Tia's horn

”Kyah It tickles”

Tia made a startled sound and huddled herself

”Your horn has feeling too?”

It really was like a part of the body I could not help but gasp

”Yes, it's very sensitive too, so Tia doesn't like others touching it But it's okay if it's the husband”

Tia put her hand onshyly

That sincere affection made my cheeks heat up involuntarily

But just at that moment—I felt all my hairs stand on end

”!”

Feeling a sharp gaze of murderous intent, I forcefully spun around

Switching my consciousness to coht arm forward to create the dark matter required for a shi+eld

However I could not see any eneaze There was only the breakwater and coconut trees swaying in the wind

I sharpened my senses even more and searched for human presences, but there seemed to be no one nearby

Hence, I lowered ilance and put my hand down

—Was it ination?

Midgardsormr was already restored It was iain like last time

Inside Midgard here, there should not be anyone who intended to resolve the situation by killing Tia

Judging froination no matter who I asked

But I had survived battlefields all this tih my senses My instincts told me that it was too early to disination

—Things had become not very peaceful

In another sense, I must not leave Tia now

”Yuu”

Just as I scanned the surroundings with one red Speaking of which, in order to protect fro her forcefully Hence, I hastily relaxed my force

”Sorry Tia, does it feel very uncomfortable?”

”N-No, Tia is fine, but sorry, Tia doesn't knohat to do next”

Tia apologized

”What do you mean by what to do next?”

”Eh? Next up is that thing husbands and wives do together, right? Although it's so sudden, Tia was frightened, Tia is prepared now”

”What—”

Realizing Tia had a huge , I could not find words to speak for a while

”But Tia knows nothing about that kind of thing Tia is a failure of a wife So Husband needs to teach Tia No matter what needs to be done, Tia ork as hard as possible”

Tia looked at htly

”Hey, no, it's wrong! I didn'twave, I orried you'd get swept away, that's why—”

I would scare Tia if I brought up the murderous intent honestly, so I stammered a random excuse

”Really? Then Yuu was protecting Tia! Thank you, Yuu!”