Chapter 7 - My stepbrother’s magic is quite powerful (2/2)

Father said so as he was hugging me. Upon receiving his bear hug, somehow or other my head and body seemed to be throbbing. Also, my father’s tears and runny nose…… came very close to me. Please, just don’t get it on my face… Father tried to fight off the tears by covering his face and wiping off his runny nose.

“Katarina, I know that you’ve just woken up, but how’s your condition?” This time it was mother that spoke up.

“……Condition?”

“Did you forget? You were sent flying by Keith’s earth golem, hit your head, and fainted!”

“……Oh, that’s right!!!”

Since waking up to see my father with a runny nose was such a terrible sight, I forgot to think about why he was here. Even though mother had been spoiling Keith more than me lately, of course she was also worried about me.

“So, how’s your condition? The doctor said that there’s no problems besides a bump on your head, and some swelling on your back.”

“Come to think of it, my head does hurt a little bit…… Oh wow, it’s true, there really is a bump!”

When I touched my head the sudden pain informed me that there indeed was a bump on my head. My back was also aching a bit.

“Well, the doctor said that you will heal naturally in a few weeks. Until then you are to rest quietly. You are banned from entering the garden until you heal.”

“Ehh, such a thing, but I have to take care of the field~~!”

Almost by reflex, I protested while glaring at my mother.

“If you’re going to act so selfish, then in the future, you’ll be banned from the garden permanently.”

“……Such a thing…”

“Until you heal, you’re not allowed in the garden. Behave. Got it!?”

“……Yes.”

I shrank back like a frog that was being stared at by a snake.

“Hey, Anne.” I spoke in a low voice to the maid Anne who was waiting next to me.

“Yes, Ojou-sama?”

“If I recall correctly, mother should be someone that feels more gentle……”

“Yes indeed, no matter who you ask, Madam always gives off a gentle feeling.”

“Indeed, that’s so. I wonder why she suddenly gave off such a strong impression…… I wonder if she’s gained some confidence from being so lovey-dovey with father?”

“Ojou-sama, if her child is being a problem, the gentle mother will quickly disappear. Madam surely also has to change for the sake of her child.”

“If her child is being a problem you say, what on earth are you saying. Keith is a very good child.”

“…………I’m really, really sorry for Madam.”

And then, as I was secretively talking with Anne, I remembered.

“That’s right! How is Keith?”

I involuntarily let out my voice. My father, the person who had been repeatedly saying “I’m glad Katarina is alright” while wiping his runny nose answered me.

“Keith returned to his room after the doctor told him that Katarina would be alright.”

“Is that so. Since he was calling me so much when I was injured, he must have been quite worried.”

“Katarina, about Keith……”

Father didn’t have his usual idiotic parent face, but put on a serious face.

“What is it?”

“Well, about Keith. Although he has really strong magic, he cannot handle it properly quite yet. As such, he will now be properly taught how to use it by the magic tutor, and has promised to not blindly use magic until he can control it. I also explained such a thing to you when you two first met, no?”

“……Well, uh……”

I don’t remember hearing such a story…… That’s right!? When father first introduced Keith to me, I was being too distracted by my own thoughts to listen to him.

“Father, I’m sorry. I, didn’t hear what father was saying at all at that time.”

“Well, I thought it would be something like that.”

Father smiled wryly, while mother listening behind him had a shocked face.

“I never told this to you before though…… before, where Keith was living previously, his magic got out of control and injured his stepbrothers. Keith has a good understanding of his magic’s scariness. So, I was very surprised to hear that Keith was using magic.”

I remembered how Keith was when I saw the magic. Although I was too excited to get a clear image of him, now that I think about it, he had a rather stiff face. He was very hesitant to use magic.

“Well, Keith said, ‘I arbitrarily broke the promise to not use magic, and even injured nee-san. Everything is my fault. Please, by all means, punish me.’”

“Such a thing!? Keith didn’t do anything wrong! It was me that was being unreasonable in demanding him to use magic! ……Besides……”

What was it that Keith was saying to me while I was rushing towards the three meter earth golem…… I wasn’t really paying attention since I was too excited……

Certainly, I think he said, “It’s dangerous! Nee-san, don’t get close!”

“Besides, even though Keith warned me to stay away from the golem because it was dangerous…… I, was too excited about the magic and didn’t hear him properly. Keith did absolutely nothing wrong. It’s all my fault as I got too carried away. I’m really sorry.”

As I was saying so, I lowered my head to mother, father, and Anne who were all worrying about me.

“As such, if there is any punishment, let me take it!”

I said so as I looked up at my father.

“Thank you for talking everything out properly. My cute Katarina. To both you and Keith, of course I have no intention to punish either of you. However, you definitely have to rest properly until your injuries are healed because you have been a little too tomboyish as of late. Understood?”

My father patted my head gently as he said so. I seem to have heard mother grumbling behind him “is being tomboyish really that cute?”

“I also have to go apologize to Keith.”

“You’re right, Katarina. But because it’s too late today, please do so tomorrow.”

If I look outside the window next to my father, it is indeed completely dark and the sun has set. Since Keith and I were out in the garden during early afternoon, I seem to have been asleep for almost half a day.

“Well then, come tomorrow I shall go apologize.”

“Please do so. Well then, from now, please earnestly rest.”

After stroking my head again, father pulled mother out of my room.

I asked Anne to help me get ready to rest again, and went back into my bed.

When I closed my eyes, I saw Keith’s stiff face in front of me.

Even without having heard my father’s story, I knew from the game settings that Keith had injured his stepbrothers by mistake before coming to this mansion. Before I lost my consciousness, Keith’s desperate voice calling me over and over had been like a scream of pain……

His cuteness had turned into something really sad. Tomorrow, let’s go apologize to him first thing in the morning. I swore so to myself as I went to sleep.

However, I wasn’t able to fulfill this promise. Keith would no longer come out of his room.