White Big Sister and White Apostle

　Thereafter, we rode the carriage for two days. We knew that it was quite a long way to the town, thus we understood that it would take some time to get there, but apparently we hadn’t properly calculated how free we would be along the way. Incidentally, it should take another half a day for us to reach the town.

　By the way, we encountered several demonic beasts along the way, but they were merely on the level that even Rishe-chan could handle. In order to level her up, I have had her take care of the small fry demonic beasts. At present, Rishe-chan is the most lagging behind status-wise, after all. I guess there is some psychological cause for it, but as expected being unable to start over from level 1 is a huge setback.

　Or rather, I’ve reverted back to level 1 over and over again, but I wonder if it’s possible for the others as well? If it is possible, then, I think Rishe-chan would be able to regain her original status.

　Well, once I find out more about the details regarding my unique skill 『Re: Origin』, I bet I’d find out about it as well. Most likely, this skill is the cause why I revert back to level 1, after all.

　And then, speaking of Big Sis, she told us many stories about her journey along the way. For example, about how she and her sister did their best to escape from the goblins that were chasing after them, or about how they had slimes coil around them when they were bathing in the river, it seems that they’ve gone through perilous experiences in a lot of ways.

　By the way, it seems that slimes in this world don’t do erotic acts. They simply use the acid excreted from their bodies to dissolve flesh and turn it into nutrients. Yup, what a shame.

　And then, after that. Leila-chan and Nico-chan woke up, so I introduced them to Big Sis.

　As Big Sis has an easygoing personality, the distance between her and me and Rishe-chan was quite close. I think that was exactly why Leila-chan, who saw that, promptly squeezed herself between me and Big Sis and sat down. With her cheeks puffed out, she linked her arm with mine and stared at me with a reproachful gaze.

　Dear me, her looking at me with such eyes would be troubling, don’t you think? I mean, it’s not like Leila-chan and I are lovers or anything… Well, I can’t stop her from being jealous, though.

　Which brings us to the present. Since then, Leila-chan has been very cautious of Big Sis who is close in distance with us. Perhaps thinking that I’m going to be taken away, or perhaps she’s simply jealous because we’re being close with each other, well, it may be both, though. Just in case, I’ve told Big Sis that I and Leila-chan aren’t lovers. It’d be troubling if she misunderstands, after all.

“Leila-chan, why have you been pouting like that ever since Big Sis came?”

“I don’t know, but somehow I’ve been having this hazy feeling!”

“Oh, that’s why you’ve been sticking to me all the time?”

“I can’t?”

“Well, I have nothing to do, so I don’t particularly mind, though.”

　Leila-chan has been sticking close to me ever since Big Sis came. As expected, she separates herself from me when we have meals or take a break, but she’d be keeping an eye on me and Bis Sis all the while. I more or less understand her feeling, but this girl sure has become pretty human-like, hasn’t she?

　Well, seeing such a Leila-chan, Big Sis must have more or less perceived it. With a wry smile on her face, she distances herself from me a little. Right now, we’re comrades who are traveling together, so she must be trying not to rock the boat pointlessly. She is quite mature for someone who is only one year older than me. As expected of someone with a big-sisterly disposition.

　Nonetheless, Leila-chan, who doesn’t yet understand the feelings she has for me, mustn’t understand the emotion called jealousy either. I think it’s easy to explain, but I won’t because that would make me sound like a jerk.

　I mean, what do you think of a guy who goes and says things like: you get jealous when I talk to other girls because you like me, don’t you?He sounds like a huge jerk, doesn’t he?

　I wish Leila-chan could make friends with whom she could talk about love.

“…..”

“… Haa”

　Well, that’s no more than wishful thinking. It doesn’t help Leila-chan’s mood, whose cheeks are still puffed out next to me. It sure is troubling because in this girl’s case, I get the feeling that she’d go berserk if her frustration builds up, good graciousness.

“Leila-chan, I’ve got nothing to do for another half day, so… Come on, I’ll give you a lap pillow, so cheer up, okay?”

“… Really? … Ufufu♪”

　For the time being, I’m putting her in a good mood by giving her a lap pillow. Be it in the case with Duke Orba, or when I asked her with the protection of Nico-chan, in the end I didn’t get to give her a lap pillow afterwards, so I guess indulging her this much should be fine. From the beginning, Leila-chan had accepted my requests because she was eyeing the rewards, after all.

　While petting Leila-chan’s fluffy head, I do miasma juggling with one hand. I have plenty of free time, so I need to improve myself even a bit.

“You guys sure are close, aren’t you?”

“Hmm? Oh, Big Sis, well, I’m afraid of the consequences if I don’t pay attention to Leila-chan, after all.”

“Hahaha, she’s like a child who can’t leave her parents.”

“Well, it was even worse before, though, you see.”

　After all, it was at the level where she would chase you to the ends of the world to eat you, after all. I was close to getting killed by her.

　I mean, if I were to leave Leila-chan and go out with another girl, I wonder what would she do then? I try to give it some thoughts, but… Yes, first of all, the girl would die, wouldn’t she? Afterwards, I think I would either be killed or close to being killed… Which is scary.

“Worse than that… Hahaha! She must have been quite the spoiled child.”

“Muu… I’m not that much of a kid, you know? Right, Kitsune-kun?

“Ah, yeah, you’re right, I mean, you were more than just a spoiled child after all, right?”

“…..”

“Ah, wai, I get it, I get it, okay! Don’t hit me! Your attack power is no joke, after all!”

　As Leila-chan asks for my consent, I turn my gaze away and barefacedly answer her in a monotonous manner. And then, perhaps displeased with that, Leila-chan hits me in silence. I think she means to hit me lightly, but her attack power far exceeds my resistance value, so it hurts quite a bit, you know? If it were anyone but me, they’d be dead, you know?!

　At any rate, even as she rests her head on my thighs, Leila-chan pouts and turns her face away. It seems that the coaxing has conversely ended up putting her in a bad mood. Well, it’s Leila-chan we’re talking about here, I bet her mood will soon bright up as l pat her head.

“Come to think of it, is this child the child of the coachman uncle? What about her mother?”

　Then, Big Sis, sitting cross-legged, looks at Niko-chan sitting on her lap and asks me as such. In these two days, it seems that Nico-chan has grown attached to Big Sis as well, not just to Leila-chan. Well, Big Sis is quite a good-natured person, so I guess it’s easy for kids to like her, too.

　Even though I’ve known her longer, I just don’t get it. I want to have Nico-chan sit on my lap, too. The only thing I do is hold hands with her, you know? No, I’m not a lolicon or anything, you know? It’s simply that I have an extensive field of expertise.

“Her name is Nico-chan, and she’s indeed Higurd-san’s daughter. Her mother has passed away.”

“… I see, how unfortunate, even though she’s still so small. Nico, was it? It’s a good name, like a smile.”

“… Foria?”

“Floria, huh, I think it would suit a guy like you too, this name, I mean.”

　Big Sis laughs cheerfully as she hugs Nico-chan like a stuffed animal. So Big Sis is kind to children too, huh, she sure is an overly good person, isn’t she? Well, it doesn’t matter, though. But given things, could the little sister be a very willful child? I feel like I’ve read somewhere that when the elder sister is kind, the younger sister becomes willful.

　My inclination to meet the little sister has dropped a bit.

“Ah, by the way, that child is a big liar, so be careful.”

“Oh? Hahaha! You tell lies, huh? Even though you’re so small, that’s smart of you!”

“… I don’t tell lies.”

“That’s a lie, definitely a lie. What, is it only to me? Am I the only one to whom you tell lies? Bullying?”

　Well, as we engage in such conversations, we rock in the carriage. With Big Sis quickly fitting into the vibes, it’s a peaceful journey with no particular threats worth mentioning. Leila-chan’s sex education lesson is quite challenging though, I’d say.

　A short time later, we arrived at the next town… 『Lagoon』.　

◇ ◇ ◇

　Meanwhile, the Hero party had arrived at the next town the day before Kitsune and his group arrived at the Lagoon. The name of the town was 『Forance』, and perhaps because of its proximity to the destination country, which was an industrial city, as expected, the quality of the weapons was slightly better than that of the Grandile Kingdom.

　In the course of the day, Nagi switched from the common, ordinary sword to a somewhat better quality sword. To begin with, the sword he had been using was tattered due to heavy use. The blade had chipped in the exchange of blows, so it was a perfect time to switch.

　Well, the quality was probably several levels lower than the items on the class called holy swords or demonic swords, but it was still a sword on the level that low-ranked adventurers couldn’t get their hands on. Having money was, as expected, a privilege.

　And then, that day, they made a reservation at an inn and relieved the fatigue from their journey. Without taking any action in particular, it seemed that they had planned to take enough rest to not interfere with their activities from the next day onwards.

　And then, at present. The Hero party was heading toward the adventurer’s guild in that town. Their current objective was to build up the strength of the Hero, raise his rank in the guild and make him capable of at least defeating an A-ranked demonic beast, even if he couldn’t an A-ranked demon, before going to subjugate the Demon Lord.

　Lulu and Finia would also cooperate in the completion of requests as members of the Hero party, but as expected there was no denying that there was some distance between them.

“Err, Lulu-chan, and Finia-san?”

“What is it? Hero-san.”

“Ah, err… Well, I’ll be in your care today.”

“Yes. More or less, we’ll cooperate with you in the battle and we won’t meddle with your policy, as long as it’s not a reckless one.”

　And then, on the way to the guild, Nagi tried to approach Finia and Lulu. Rather, it was an action he took as he thought that it would cause an issue if things remained as they were, in terms of teamwork as well.

　Finia responded as such to those words of his. Her tone wasn’t that of refusal, but it seemed that she had no interest in getting any closer to them than a certain distance.

“I look forward to working with you, Hero-sama.”

“Y, yeah! Best regards!”

　Lulu, too, honestly bowed her head lightly and said so, perhaps having no objection to Finia’s words. Even so, perhaps seeing it as a huge progress, Nagi felt relieved that they didn’t show rejection toward him and normally put “best regards” into words this time, as opposed to just probing around.

　Miko Cecil, who was watching, let out a sigh of relief, thinking that at the very least they would not be stabbed from behind.

“Oh, so that’s the guild, huh.”

“I expected as much, but sure enough it’s a lot smaller than the one in Grandile, huh.”

“Well, the two are simply incomparable, no, Sieg?”

“Well, it doesn’t matter as long as there’s some guy with backbone, though.”

　And then, Nagi and co. arrived at the guild. Sieg couldn’t seem to hide his slight dissatisfaction with the exterior of the guild. Nagi, too, smiled wryly at such a Sieg and put his hand on the door of the guild.

　And then, the moment he opened the door…

“!?”

　Nagi let go of the door, and at the same time, everyone present sensed a chill running through their bodies.

　Instantly, Nagi and the others took a great distance from the door. And at the same time, the door exploded along with a bluish-white light.

　The broken guild’s door made a rattling sound, and inside the guild seen through the doors worth narrow opening, there was a single figure attached to the table that just happened to fit into that opening.

　And then the figure slowly rose and turned their gaze toward Nagi and the others. The dayflower-colored eyes pierced them with a gaze that seemed to see through everything.

“—Nice to meet you, visitor from another world.”

　The figure stepped out of the guild’s broken door and revealed themselves to the sun.

　Nagi and the others understood without needing anyone to tell them. That figure—no, the girl, was an opponent that they could not stand against even if they were to work together. She was an absolutely, higher-ranked opponent.

　And then the girl further added in a bell-like tone.

“I will — purify you.”

　With her white hair and white dress fluttering in the air, the girl manifested a spear of pale lightning. That spear, which was capable of killing even gods, was a lightning fury that once pointed its blade at Kitsune, who was similarly an otherworldly person.

　The pure white apostle Stella— finally appeared in front of the Hero.