Sword, Magic and Academic Society

While the barbeque preparation started at someone's clap, Al continued with his self-introduction.

"I'm Aldore Engraver, from Marquis Endumion’s territory. Please call me Al. Also, I truly apologize for the misdemeanor that the folks from Endumion had caused you during the entrance exam, Rose-san."

Yup, expected so. Elder sister blankly stared at Al, completely clueless even after hearing about the 'entrance exam.' I stepped in to explain.

"Sis, it's about the entrance examination of the Royal Academy that you withdrew from after sending more than 60 students to the hospital. You at least remember that, right?"

She let out the third 'Ah' of today after listening to my words and then shifted her gaze.

"W-W-What are you talking about~? Your big sis doesn't remember anything like that~"

"Haa... But there's no one chasing after you so it's not like there's any problem. By the way, does mom know about it?"

My words immediately caused her shoulders to drop. She really wore her heart on her sleeve, huh?

"I think so. She gave me such a long stare when I said I was rejected at the preliminary round, asking "Don't you have anything else to say to me, Rose?". I uttered one or two lies out of fear and after pausing for a while, she didn't say anything. I was really scared back then. So I'm sa~fe."

Elder sister broke out with a girlish smile similar to mom’s.

...Well, mom must have already sensed something was up for sure. After gathering details, she probably judged that there was no point in rebuking her.

But if you ask me, it was quite out of line. Then again, it was just me and my own unique set of values.

"Pfft. Such a big incident happened but your mother didn't consider it important to listen to everything...... Sure enough, not even your mother is a normal person. I'm Leo Zatsinger. Just call me Leo, Roselia-senpai."

Leo introduced himself with a gleeful expression. I wonder what kind of nerves he had to actually be delighted in hearing that a friend's mother was someone detached from common sense.

"I'm a classmate of Allen-san, Jeuri Leverance. I've been meaning to ask you, did Allen-san truly never visit here even once? Even if he's from a viscount family, something like reporting to his family is quite basic......"

When Jeu asked about my home visit, Elder sister puffed her cheeks and glared at me.

"It's true! Allen-kun is such a blockhead! I had done all that preparation to celebrate, believing Allen-kun would definitely be accepted in the Academy, and waited for him to come back. And what did I see? His scribblings on a paper saying 'I've been accepted and I'm going to stay in the dormitory', and an empty house. And he never replied no matter how many times I sent him letters. I was really worried when he didn't come back to even get his allowance."

She said while bubbling with rage. Just when I thought she was about to explode, instead tears pooled in her eyes as she started crying.

"I-I really thought that maybe Allen-kun has no attachment to his family... Sniff."

It hurts… Everyone was glaring at me with 'What a mangy cur' gazes... And Kate, she was staring at me with a completely serious face as if saying 'Truly a scumbag,' nodding to herself.

Well, anyone who has never felt the beast that lay behind her fragile persona with their own skin would surely see me in a bad light after hearing all that… I do want to insert my piece but I wasn't idiotic enough to say at the current moment.

There had been many times when trivial squabbles turned into a sibling's quarrel. Everyone's expression had started easing up on seeing elder sister reigning her calm. But I had long past getting tricked by that cover.

Judging from the emotional ups-and-downs she has been showing since earlier, plus the four months’ worth of murky feelings swirling around her— even with my eyes closed I could tell that an accidental spark might light up the catastrophic fire that would swallow everything in its flame.

You know what, I don't care what they think of me for now. I just want to somehow squeeze my way out of becoming one of the ingredients for the barbeque.

I glanced at the metal skewers that the cooks of the Dragoon Family were sticking meat with and immediately decided to admit my fault.

"I'm really very sorry, Sis. I thought I might slack on my studies when my esteemed elder sister was in front of me… It was truly a bitter decision that I hadn't wanted to take, but I needed to and that was why I never visited here until today.

I was making it a practice to earn my allowance by myself and that's why I didn't come to pick it up. Of course, I’m more or less used to my school life now, and I believe I would be able to show myself here more often. I really feel unworthy to cause you so much trouble.”

The always optimistic Al nodded and said 'I see, so Allen has his own share of trouble' at my humble attitude. However, all my elder sister did was huff.

"Hmph. But you also never responded to my invitations to hang out in the Aristocratic School. I'm not going to believe you anymore, never, nay."

She said while pulling on her lower eyelid and sticking out her tongue— the so-called children's taunt, causing everyone to laugh at her childish act.

Apparently, no one could sense the palpable sensation on their skin except me…

The last one, Kate, stepped in to introduce herself next.

“I'm Kate Senkalp. I'm in Class A just like everyone else. By the way, I have to say you sure adore your little brother. I also have a little brother but he doesn't even talk to me. So I'm truly jealous of your relationship. Ahahaha.”

Like one of these chatty aunties, Kate threw in her hook to probe. Elder sister beamed and answered after hearing that.

“I know, right? Allen-kun was truly a cutie pie since childhood. He used to be so adorable back then, but I really wonder how he had grown up to be such a heartless person~? Maybe I spoiled him too much?”

Elder sister seemed to be taken by her emotions as her body swayed as she turned her beaming face at me.

I instinctively took three steps back. But she, too, took three steps forward perfectly to close the distance. However, before the spark could turn into a tsunami of fire, like a goddess of salvation, someone jumped onto the scene.

“Good morning~ Ohh, there are so many lively faces here. Err, so which one is the lil' bro of Rose?”

“Oh, hey, Fu-chan! You're quite fast. I was just about to tease Allen-kun, since you know it's been a long while~”

I looked no further and rushed towards my goddess of salvation, the great Buddha, the one and only Fu-sama, and greeted her as spiritedly as I could.

“Good morning! I'm the unworthy little brother of Sis Rose! I'm thankful for your care of her!”

“Ahaha! You're one humble person for being someone with so many rich rumors about yourself. I'm Furie, and I’ll be imposing myself here today.”

With her slightly flaxen brown hair arranged in a ponytail hairstyle, and two strands spilling in both sides of her face, she was an unmistakable beauty.

She was quite tall and slim— a slender body that would make her popular among not just boys but also girls. She was dressed in a baggy sweatshirt and trousers.

She should be an elite, considering she was a school friend of my sister, but she hardly gave off such aura.

“...Oh my, to think that the famous, anti-social Furie Elvart-senpai would grace us with her presence… I would have expected anyone but definitely not her. It seems like today's not going to pass like any other day.

Hey, Allen. Can you now stop rubbing yourself to this beautiful lady and introduce me?”

“... ‘Solitary Scholar’ Furie Elvart-senpai, the first person to graduate from the Royal Academy at the top of the class despite being from a commoner background in the past 20 years.

A genius Artificer, daughter to Asim Elvart who graced us with breakthroughs in magic-powered machinery and a popular model for the cover of a female-oriented magazine… It's another strong rival.”

“Oh dear, aren't you quite popular for your plain face, lil’ Allen? Hmm, indeed only Rose’s brother is capable of this. Well, not even a hundred of me can be compared to Rose.”

“What!…… What's the meaning of this, Allen-kun!? You're not deceiving these two girls, right? You should at least introduce yourself properly if you're going out with anyone… But considering you didn't say anything, so…… I take it they're just friends, right? You haven't come to visit me because of her, haven't you? Huh? Where's your answer?”

“H-H-H-How should I interpret this? Sure enough, Roselia-senpai has special feelings for her brother Allen?… What a silly thought, ohohoho.”

“Things sure are heated up huh, Allen. Allen?… Hey, what happened? Woah, he's not even breathing.”

T/N - We will soon be touching the Red Carpet incident. And on another note, damn, MC truly sounded like one of those lowlife for a second there. I presume this arc will show why MC was so afraid of his sister.

E/N - I kept waiting for the sister to explode only to be blue balled by the end chapter. Makes me think the MC is overreacting again.