Chapter 3 Challenger

Part 1 Kingdom of Elchea, Capital of Elchea— Western Region, District 3. After threatening the boss to stay in the Inn, the siblings didn’t even last one night before wordlessly checking out. However, the second morning had already arrived for the siblings who We are currently lodging in Stephanie Dora’s home. No, to be exact— on the second morning, the siblings had arrived in the bathroom of her house. ".......Nii.......I hope... you can explain." The naked shiro asked while being shampooed. "Explain? If it is about the cleaning scene, then there won’t be any sort of development if it isn’t a Bathing scene. Should I explain more?" "........Nii...........bathing scene.......otherwise..........grade schoolers.............are, perfect NG’s[16]......" "Don’t worry, little sister, the infamous [Mist block] will play a role and make the scene [Pure]." Sora gazed at the unnaturally thick mist in the bathroom and said this. "Could it be, because of this reason, you actually ’boiled up the entire bath’?" Steph responded with a dumbfounded expression while she was.h.i.+ng s.h.i.+ro’s hair. "Exactly this reason. This is an important place, after all." "Did you know, because of this, the servants had to needlessly burn that much firewood?" And after boiling the bath, it was common sense to not soak in it. Senselessly wasting all that water to create a mist effect......... "If you want to say it like that, then what about a particular person who gets to enjoy such a large Bath and still dares to accuse someone of being wasteful?" "—Guuu...." (As expected of the lineage of royalty.) Steph was much wealthier than Sora had imagined. The house was built with Roman-styled infrastructures, so it would not be inappropriate to call it. A [Castle], much to the chagrin of the siblings who only knew j.a.pan. Furthermore, the personal quarters were adorned with intricate tapestries and grand chandeliers, a stark contrast to their modest home back in Japan. The bath that Steph had was spacious enough to fit ten people inside. It was a luxurious haven, complete with marble tiles and ornate fixtures, where she could unwind after a long day of exploring the vast grounds. As she sank into the warm water, the siblings peered in with awe, their eyes wide at the opulence surrounding them. They couldn’t help but wonder how such a place existed, so far removed from their everyday lives. The baths, which were also Roman-styled, were currently boiled up to make the scene [For all Ages]. With this level of luxury displayed, people really couldn’t help but wonder if this was a House from a race that was on the verge of destruction. "And also, I’m sorry. Because my sister hates to take baths—she also stubbornly believes that [This includes even if an eleven-year-old girl is in an eighteen-year-old’s ero book] so she wouldn’t let me help her wash, which explains why she rarely takes a bath. But yesterday, she said that if it was in a clean scene, then it was okay, so I thought there was no reason not to take advantage of that. I suggested we set up a fun bubble bath with her favorite toys and some calming music. Maybe, just maybe, I could change her mind about baths and make them enjoyable rather than a chore. It was worth a shot, right? After all, even the most stubborn of hearts can be softened with a little creativity." "........Guuuu......Nii, hate." But the bottom line is that this rule should be the most applicable to Steph. s.h.i.+ro lamented, implying that she was protesting. "Little sister, if you take care of yourself, then you will become super beautiful, so be a good girl. And take a bath." "......It’s fine... if I’m not a beauty." "Your brother loves a beautiful s.h.i.+ro." "........Guuuuuuuuuuu........" Muttered Shiro in a low voice. She found it hard to complain more after hearing Sora say that. But it will be fine either way. No, they had attracted unpleasant emotions due to their intimate relations as siblings, but this. The fact was ignored. Compared to that, there was something even more concerning that was at hand. (This situation. Why did it happen in the first place?) (Why am I hugging a fully naked shiro’s hair, while Sora is wearing clothes and standing on the opposite side?) "—Sora.......why do I have to wash s.h.i.+ro’s hair?" —No, it shouldn’t be this thorough. These queries were raised after suffering from deep remorse about not rejecting him. Before. "Did you listen to what I said? It’s because if you don’t do it, s.h.i.+ro will refuse to take a bath." "Do- does it even matter to me?!?" "Un, you want to let me see?" "He—h.e.l.l, no! I am just asking if you are intentionally creating more trouble for me!" "Rest assured, Steph. I will use my [Additional measures] to appreciate and feel your naked body later." "—Wuh!" Being told off like this, Steph blushed and covered her body. But on the other hand, hearing the indication that Sora might have an interest in her allowed her a Sense of "peace of mind". Thinking that Sora was looking for a hole in the wall in which he could peek through, Steph surveyed the room. "But now, even if included — You can’t blindly trust this [Mist block]." "Huh?" "Just like after my bath, my 'little brother' would rise, or the mist block is too insufficient to block off my little sister, then that wouldn’t be M18[17], but issued ban." [18] "—Th-this, ah..." Steph didn’t understand what Sora had just said. But most importantly, Sora had no reason to peek over. However, this was the limit of understanding that Steph had, which couldn’t be helped. What was set in the bathroom were two mobile phones and laptops. And Steph didn’t know that the two tiny holes were cameras. — After the bath, s.h.i.+ro would confirm the screen. If there weren’t any problems, they would start watching. So, in Sora’s heart, he swore to repress the impulse of wanting to go back to that. World. Part 2 "Fuu... how comfortable..." ".....Muwuuu........hair slippery........very ticklish...." While waiting for Shiro to finish, Sora hurriedly took a shower himself. The seemingly refreshed Sora was in total contrast with s.h.i.+ro’s unhappy look. —It appeared that it was exactly what Sora had mentioned earlier, after s.h.i.+ro’s white hair was being combed. Her gently wavy hair, which was as white as snow, was drawn down. Accompanied by that Porcelain-like white skin and coupled with her red eyes, she was just like a doll produced by a Professional craftsman. "It would be fine if you’d remain in this state forever. It’s such a waste." "....Anyways, apart from Nii.......won’t show it." Speaking of which, Sora did also have a hearty appearance after he shaved his stubble. How to Say It. (Wh-what a failure...) Staring intently at Sora, Steph desperately tried to suppress her nosebleed..... Currently, Sora did not have the vile feeling that he emitted during their first meeting, but instead had the hearty image of a [Good Youth]. However, the problems didn’t stem from here. Trying desperately to endure the forthcoming gushing nosebleed, Steph blurted out. "Y-you, both of you— get dressed!" —Steph got so shocked that she stood up, while the siblings, with only towels wrapped around themselves, replied. "......Didn’t you say you wanted to wash our clothes? We only have those. Clothes to wear...unless they’ve already been dried?" Said Sora, who didn’t expect that dryers would exist in this world. "Th-that, that.........Then I will prepare you some clothes— male, do we have male clothes to wear.......gu, guuuuu...................why did it end up like this.........." Grumbling, Steph turned around and left to search for clothes. —10 minutes later. The same location as before. Steph was kneeling on the ground with her head. Down, deeply regretting what she had done. (Wh-what a failure...) "Ho ho, this is a butler’s uniform— the so-called [Tuxedo], right..........although moving around If it is quite inconvenient, it’s quite interesting, like cosplay! And it matches the white. lining." Standing in front of the drooping Steph was a butler-dressed Sora. "............Fluttering, too much. Inconvenient for movement......." And s.h.i.+ro, who was wearing Steph’s dress from when she was a child. This was her satisfactory choice after searching for suitable clothes that would fit both of them. There was only the servant’s clothes for the men— which was the butler’s uniform. Similarly, for clothes suitable for an eleven-year-old girl, only the clothes that she wore in the past could be acceptable. Anything new felt too foreign to her, as if it would somehow change who she was. She clung to the familiar patterns and colors, each piece holding a memory of laughter and play. It was a comfort zone she wasn’t ready to leave behind, even as she grew taller and her tastes began to shift. So, rummaging through her old wardrobe became a nostalgic journey, where every garment told a story and reminded her of simpler times. The gestures of both siblings were like those of a highborn Ojou-sama with her butler beside her. Steph stole another glance again. Probably because of his slender body and broad shoulders, the subtle butler kind of style perfectly matched Sora, which made Steph’s heartbeat pound furiously. Looking at the little sister who looked like his master, Steph’s heart clenched for the third time. "A failure..." "Hmm? What’s wrong?" "Nothing at all!" Carelessly misspeaking out her inner anxiety, Steph hurriedly shook her head. Patting on herWith knees that were still planted on the ground, Steph stood up. But if this slender girl’s mind could be easily perceived, then Sora did not resent the eighteen. Years of being a virgin. Whispering to himself. "Slept, refreshed after a bath— Steph." "Hm, ah, eh? Wh-what is it?" "What are you panicking for? Erm....this house............this building........castle?" For the Tokyo-born Sora, he was unable to classify what Steph’s "residence" type was within his Cognitive range, but he concluded that this was [Just fine]. "Does it have a library or a stack room where books can be accessed and reviewed?" "Ah, yes...............there is one..........what are you going to do?" "Steph, are your ears bad? Didn’t I say I want to review the books?" "Th-that of course I heard it! I am just asking what do you need to check!" "Check what...........hmmm, naturally about all the things in this world." "—[This World]?" Steph was somewhat confused about these words that would normally come out of inhabitants. From a different world. "......Nii, that.....we haven’t told her yet." Said s.h.i.+ro with a dejected expression, seeming unwilling to accept her dried hair. "—Hmmm? That? Is that so?" "Erm...I don’t understand what you are saying." "Ah, how to explain this. This will feel awkward explaining things now." This kind of topic, whether it is believed or not, could be said to be the biggest obstacle. Sora thought carefully about what he should say to gain trust. —Scratching his head, he sighed. It was obvious that Sora was showing a troubled expression. Then, without affectation, he casually said, "To put it simply, we are [from a different world]. So we want to acquire knowledge of this world." He paused, glancing around at the unfamiliar surroundings, and continued, "Everything here is so different— the customs, the technology, even the way people interact. We need to understand it better if we’re going to find our way back home. It's not just about survival; it’s about learning how to fit in and making the most of our time here." His sincerity hung in the air, revealing the weight of their journey ahead. —Just like that. Part 3 They were guided to the library— or what looked like one. Almost the same proportions as a high school library; it was Steph’s [Private stack Room]. Huge amounts of books filled the bookshelves that were neatly arranged against the wall. Although they wanted to investigate something— "Eh, Steph." "Hmm? What is it?" Sora unexpectedly ran into a huge obstacle. "—The common language of this country, it isn’t j.a.panese?" Holding the book, which was in a foreign language, Sora hugged his head and groaned. "j.a.panese? I don’t quite understand, but the natural lingua franca for the human species is [Human language]." "Whoa............a super, straightforward world." There wasn’t a problem with communicating. Yet the text written in the book could not. Be identified. ".........Then, are you guys really from a different world?" "Yeah, I know you’ll find it hard to believe—" People wouldn’t believe Sora’s words, but rather think that it was a plot in a story. Even Sora didn’t expect to be trusted easily. "Ah, no. On that point, I have never doubted it." Hearing Steph’s soft reply, Sora could not help but be stunned. "Huh? Why?" In return, the conversely shocked Steph also replied. "You ask me why.......the Elves who possess high-level magic were originally summoned from In other words, this is not an eye-catching thing. Moreover, looking at your appearance, it was Certain that you were not people of this country, but you could only be human..." —After all, there was only one country left for mankind. "Ahhh.......that’s right~. This is a fantasy world, after all~.......Fuu." Seeming to be too paranoid, Sora sighed deeply. Once again, he flipped through the foreign book and scratched his head. "Hmmm... it is indeed troublesome not to be able to rely on our general knowledge. Can you remember it...........s.h.i.+ro?" "Un." "How?" ".....Un." Sora and s.h.i.+ro. They seemed to be exchanging information with a communication method known only to the Siblings. Casting their line of sight on the books, both of them fell silent. Unable to stand this awkwardness, Steph sighed. "......So, what should I do?" This time, she would probably have to [Contribute] and be a tutor for both of them, which could I can't help but add a little self-deprecating flavor. But Sora, who had moved his sight away from the book, proposed something different. "No. What I want is something different." Hearing that, Steph suddenly remembered what had happened last night and this morning, before a.s. suming a defensive posture. Even though Steph would not be surprised if she heard dozens of perverted things coming from his mouth, "Could you answer a few questions for me?" "— Okay.......ah, huh? That, no problem." Hearing something unexpected yet serious, Steph stroked her chest in relief. Putting on a serious Face, Sora continued. "Yesterday, when I groped your chest, you had no resistance, so why did you hit me when I tried? To flip your skirt, just why— okay, okay, I’ll be serious, that was just a joke........." Feeling the penetrating gaze of Steph, Sora’s gaze once again fell back onto the book. "Hmm, I often hear the words ’Human race’, so what are the other ’Races’, then?" It looks like she had Heard an incredible question, Steph rejoined. "Is there only the human race in Sora’s world?" "Well, at least the only form of interaction we have should only be with that of a [Human]— so?" "Ah, guu.......this, eh...." As they had claimed, they were not from this world, so what should be clarified first? After considering this point, Steph began talking. "Firstly— do you know about [G.o.d’s words]?" "How the [Ten Oaths] came into being? We heard it from some choir group by the fountain, not too long ago." "I understand...— then—" she paused, her brow furrowing in thought. "If the oaths were inspired by their songs, perhaps there's more to their meaning than we realized. We should seek out the choir again and ask them to share the full story. There might be hidden truths within those melodies that could guide us on our quest." Her determination shone through, igniting a spark of hope in their hearts. —Cough cough. "The so-called [Races], for which the [Ten Oaths] were laid down for, are the intellectual 【 Sixteen Races】 ." "Sixteen races..." "With the [Ten Oaths] as the basis, the rights to encroach, violate, destroy, and mutually kill for The 【 Sixteen Races】 — were all taken away, and the result was that war disappeared from this world." "......I see. And I was originally wondering where the food would come from — but it turned out. That the [Oaths] were only limited to intellectual life." While flipping through the book, Sora felt quite satisfied with what he had said. Seeing this, Steph sighed and muttered ’How smart’ in her heart before continuing. "However, let’s see, using games to determine ongoing wars. Which are also territorial battles— ’Gambling for the country’. Even as we speak, someone would most likely be playing this sort of game." [Gambling for the country]— Sora had some reaction to this previously heard phrase. "The human race’s country is only left with Elchea, right?" ".........Currently, it is indeed true...........even though it was not said that other races would have Only one country— but for the human race, we are only left with Elchea." — Even till here. Sora kept asking questions that he already knew the answers to. Compared with this world, their world seemed to have more common sense. Which means, "So if there is no war, why fight for territory? Can’t interlocution solve anything?" ".....Guu, that....." But, s.h.i.+ro replied instead of the halted Steph. "Resources are limited as long as continuous propagation is infinite........sharing will also be limited...............leading to common demise." "Y-yeah. Just like that!" Hearing the opinions of s.h.i.+ro, who had s.n.a.t.c.hed her chance to speak, Steph hurriedly nodded. "........You...didn’t even consider that before, right......." Because Shiro answered first, Sora, who did not perceive the perception as a resident of this world, might have helplessly watched Steph. "Wh-wh-what are you saying, this type of thing!" —Indeed, she did perceive all of this as "common sense" since she was born here, after all. So, as for why the games were used to compete for this problem, it was going to be difficult to answer when questioned. ".......In any case, this problem is quite similar to our world’s too." Sora sighed. Even without [War], [Compet.i.tion] still exists. —Which also means, [Total equality] is unachievable. If equality was equal to handing out limited chairs, then competing with each other would be a Game of Musical Chairs. And the results, the wealthy would be the [Minority] while the poor would be the [Majority]— What a pain, there was nothing different between this world and their world....... "Then, What kind of specific races are there in the 【 Sixteen Races】 ?" Pausing all his thoughts, Sora got the topic back on track. Steph hummed........like she was desperately trying to recall things while counting numbers. Using her fingers. "Below only G.o.d, the first is the Divine Spirit race, then the second is the Phantasma race, number three is the Elementals race— there is also the Dragon and Giant. Race...........Elf and werewolf races, erm— and so on." "Hmmmm, as expected of a benevolent fantasy world." Steph seemed to have given up on reciting the sixteen races after reaching the middle. Facing the weak-minded Steph, Sora suddenly remembered another question. "Hey, what are the [Number placings].........for?" "Uh, that. I am not so sure myself, but it seemed to be some sort of ranking sequence." "— Ranking sequence?" "Un, un, to say it simply, the level of their adaptive magic, which was what I heard." "What do you mean, what I heard...you are ambiguous. Steph, did you receive education?" Disregarding his NEET identity. i.ty, Sora asked a seemingly unhappy Steph. All the things he said led to a new topic before he coughed afterward. "First things first, I did~ I did graduate from college, okay?! And about this ranking sequence, There was nothing to research about humans— because we are number 16— which means that our magic adaptive level is 0. It couldn’t be observed no matter how hard you research about it." ".......0?" Sora shifted his line of sight away from the book and asked. "Hmm—? Wait, humans can’t use magic?" "Yeah. Apart from that, we can’t even perceive magic." ".............I feel like.............as long as you use props, wouldn’t that do?" "Games infused with magic could be played... because the game itself requires magic to be driven— but magic for mankind is just impossible." "Absolutely?" Although Sora kept firing annoying questions, Steph didn’t show any signs of boredom. It would be better to say— "Absolutely. Humans can’t connect to the [Spirit Corridor], which is the source of magic." Steph slightly lowered her head. "That’s why we are on a losing streak for [Gambling for the Country]..." —Aaa. With a slightly bitter smile, Sora went on. ".......Then, the most adept at using magic are? It is the number one, right?" "Ah, no. Being closer to number one means being closer to becoming gods— their existence. It could be regarded as a form of magic. But generally, for the most adept in using magic, it would be the [Elf race] from number seven." Elf. A typical impression crossed Sora’s mind after hearing the word. "Elf... isn’t an Elf...pointy eared, pale skin?" Steph gave out an expression that wondered how residents from another world know. So much. "Errr, yes. Now, the largest country in this world would be [Avant Heim], a place that is driven by magic. But upon mentioning magic, the word could be synonymous with the Elf race." —Sora sighed with a ’Fuu’. Placing his hand on his chin, Sora used a very serious expression and started thinking. "—" Because Sora was decked out in a tuxedo uniform, in addition to his serious face, Steph’s heart started beating wildly. (Illusion, illusion, illusion— these are only instilled feelings.) Just when Steph’s heart went into meditation, Sora seemed to have finished his thoughts. As if wondering about something, Sora carefully worded his reply. "...........A race that can’t use magic..........can’t have a [Big country]?" "Eh, ah, no, the Werebeast race from number 14 can’t use magic either..." Steph reluctantly and Incoherently answered. "But, what’s different is, they can rely on their powerful senses to read the magic atmosphere and People’s feelings. The islands in the South-Eastern seas are joined together as the Werebeasts’ Country, the [Eastern Union], which is the world’s third largest country—" Steph painfully and unconsciously increased the strength of her hand that was clutching her arm before continuing. ".......Even if they can’t use magic, they can still compete with others— except for Aylwin Gerudo, They can rival many races and nations. But it doesn’t. Matter because, in a human’s eyes, it would seem as if they were using something similar to [superpowers] or [Super sensing]." "—Aaaa. So that’s how it is." If humans can’t even detect the usage of magic, wielding it would be impossible. A unilateral disadvantage where the opponent uses cheats that can’t be detected, of course, Humans can’t win. —If this was confirmed, then losing was natural. "Hmmmmmm, there is such a thing, eh." As if Sora had figured it out, he nodded strongly. But at the same time. "......Nii—I memorized it." s.h.i.+ro’s voice sounded. "Oh, as expected of my little sister." "..........Continue, praising me." "Ohh, of course. As expected of my proud sister, so talented! Very awesome." Sora stood up and casually stroked Shiro’s head, for which Shiro responded by narrowing her eyes. Eyes like a cat. Steph did not understand what was going on and just stared at them before muttering. "Eh? Memorized what?" "What are you asking about? Of course, the human language." shifting his sight to the amazed Steph, Sora casually said. "But she is incredible, eh. I still need a bit more time." "......Nii, how slow..." "..........Huhuhu, for a man, compared to fast, slower is better, right?" "............Nii, how small." "It, it’s, it’s, it's not small!! On, on what basis—— Steph, are you okay?" Steph was stunned just by listening to their conversation. With her tone changed, she said. "That......I didn’t hear wrongly, right? Did you all just— memorized a language?" "Well, yeah? So what?" ".......(Nods)." "—In such a short time? Are you kidding me?" Her face slightly twitched again to confirm it. But Sora breezily replied. "This is nothing surprising. Since grammar and words are similar to dialogues, won’t memorizing the text settle everything?" "........Nii........that, you haven’t memorized it yet." "Finis.h.i.+ng it in 10 minutes is too fast for your brother. Your brother isn’t as smart as you. I will probably still need one more hour. Oh yeah, how to read this, by the way. I can’t seem to grasp the marking law—" ".......That, isn’t........j.a.panese............use Latin grammar, to read it.........." "No, I’ve thought about that already, but the syntax for the position of the predicate is quite. Strange." "...........Ancient Chinese............." "Eh? So only the depiction part is in front! How annoying— ah, but now the sentence is Smooth." "...........Nii, needs to master, more languages..." "For you to learn eighteen different languages is already a special case. As for me, I am just a people person. Six languages is already enough for me to play games without encountering any difficulties." —Steph implausibly listened to the sibling's conversation. But the siblings only had a casual Look. Both of them seemed to be taking her for granted, casually talking to each other. Language, also Could communicate. As long as the text is memorized. Arranging that sentence, it did indeed sound quite simple. However, they haven’t enumerated another important fact into their conscious yet. Which was— [No one to teach], which also meant that what they did was not『 Study』, but『 Interpret』. They completed such a thing in a short time, yet they did not seem boastful. ( In their world, is this counted as normal?) Both of them had already exceeded her comprehension of creatures. Looking at the siblings that were not from this world, Steph felt a chill down her spine. However, At the same time, faint warmth started pouring out of her chest. ......Unless this is. Unless she. Are meeting people that have transcended humans. And they are the ones who will eventually change the people of this country. "— Hm? What’s wrong?" Aware of being stared at, Sora turned his head to face Steph, which heated her inner agitation. Even more. "Eh, ah, no, that— I will, go make tea." Steph hurriedly left the library in a panic, with her ears dyed red. Puzzledly at Steph Leaving, Sora said. ".......What’s wrong with her?" But Shiro did not even glance at him and just continued reading the book. "......Nii, doesn’t know... a maiden’s heart." "— If I understood that, I would not have kept my virginity for 18 years already. And what does A maiden’s heart have to do with that?" A scene where an eleven-year-old girl is preaching to an eighteen-year-old boy about a maiden’s Heart. Although men mature later than women.......... At least for this occasion, this saying was applicable. "......., compared to s.h.i.+ro..........better, at reading others feelings........" s.h.i.+ro whispered, and that boast made Sora look triumphant. "In games, this would reflect my ability, but in reality, reading a person’s mood is a completely different matter. That's a.n.a.logy to compare games and the so-called female— No, "so-called human"..... Just like a galge, where tens of thousands of time-limited options would jump out every second. Facing that kind of impossible game that generates their ideas was, of course, not natural. —But that matter does not matter right now. "Okay..." With Hiro’s help, Sora was finally able to understand the human language. He read an entire. Book to confirm his results. After closing the hardcover book with a ’Pata!’ A serious face began showing. "Okay— s.h.i.+ro." ".......Un." "You are aware of it already, right?" "......Un." The siblings were communicating in a language that only the both of them understood. Sora, hesitating and with little insight, asked. "What do you think?" But s.h.i.+ro closed her eyes and replied. "........s.h.i.+ro—Will follow.....Nii." Slightly opening her eyes and showing the usual deadpan look, s.h.i.+ro dismissively said. ".......Just like that promise—no matter where." —Promise, yes. Father brought a [Little sister] from the previous marriage—s.h.i.+ro. The amazing little sister who It was a born talent. And a brother whose innate mind was horrible. Because of their erraticness, both of them complemented each other better than real siblings. Eventually, both parents abandoned them. Without any friends nor companions, a promise was forged between them. —Because of being too capable, the little sister was misunderstood by others. —Because of being too incapable, the brother was good at reading others. To make up for the shortcomings, the ten-year-old [Brother] from then proposed. And the three year old [Little sister] that was capable of multiple languages, nodded and pinky Swore. Stroking the head of his [Little sister]. Since then, for eight years— The little sister who would follow her shameless brother— s.h.i.+ro. However, a brother who did not even take her out of the room— Sora. If it wasn’t a regret, then it was..... "In short— compared to [That world], this side is much more interesting, right?" He stared at the Distant horizon where a chessboard was faintly visible. Taking out his phone, Sora started the schedule planner. Part 4 Steph watched as the boiling water sounded with a ’Gulou Gulou’. Needless to say, when boiling tea leaves, the temperature of the water is extremely important. Accompanying the tea were pancakes made yesterday. It had been too long since the human territory last had sugar, so snacks were thoroughly lacking. She could only use cinnamon as a replacement for sugar for the pancakes, which she made, full. Of confidence. —The tea, with the sliced pancakes, was placed on the tray. "Okay, there should be no more problems." Feeling a sense of accomplishment, Steph gently wiped the sweat off of her forehead. Well done. "Erm, Ojou-sama." As if waiting for the chance to approach her, the maids asked Steph. "Ah, what is it?" "No... sorry for our rudeness, but Ojou-sama, what are you doing?" ".........Indeed, you are very. Rude. Why the sudden question?" "No, that... if you had just commanded us, we, the maids, would have prepared the tea and Snacks, but you wordlessly did it on your own... and you seem to be desperately trying to Do it well......." ——................... A-re? Hearing that, she wondered: why did she make the tea with her own hands? Raising such a She had a question for herself, and a scenario started appearing in her head. [Whoa. How delicious. Steph, you’re good at housework, aren’t you?] Just like that, Sora would hold the teacup in one Hand and smile. ——............Puu, dee. Blood started filling Steph’s face. "——AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, what the h.e.l.llllllllllllll!!" Shouting this, Steph headbutted the wall. "Why do I have to personally make snacks to prove my housework prowess? That man, it would’ve been enough to just give him that water over there— and that rock, plus the weeds!" "Oj-Ojou-sama! Please calm down!" "Ch-chief maid! Oj-Ojou-sama’s mentality is unstable—!" The maid hurriedly stopped Steph from producing more of the ’bang bang bang’ sounds, falling. Into a state of chaos. Part 5 "Ah~......" Sighing sadly, Steph walked into the hallway while carrying a silver tray. On the tray, there were 2 portions— the tea and refreshments that were prepared for the siblings earlier. Once again failing to overcome her feelings, Steph personally prepared the Items meant for them while sighing again. Self-loathing, but at the same time, the thought of seeing Sora enjoying the food and praising Her— ".............Can’t deny that I am a little bit expectant.........heh." However. Steph suddenly stopped moving. "Wait a moment, Steph. This food, will it suit the taste of someone from a different world?" Steph was confident with her tea and cooking techniques. But the receivers were not from this world. "Ah—darn it—" Another scenario swept past her mind. 『 Whoa, sorry, but I’ll pa. s.s on this one』 Sora blubbled with a wrinkly face. "Ahhhhhhhhh.......is, isn’t that bad, the retreat route of saying『 this was made by the maids』 Had disappeared already— erm, what kind of retreat route is that! No matter what they think, I don’t care— no! Ahhhhhhh Really..............this, is a curse......" Getting completely caught in a state of confusion and helplessness. Taking a deep breath, she started organizing her thoughts to search out an excuse. "Ye-yes. Not only being taken as a fool, if I can’t even make one cup, or one piece of snack, this. Would tarnish the Dora family’s reputation. But this is unquestionably tasty, it must be the Cultural difference if it was disliked— yeah, this excuse— this" Chattering everything out. While reciting the excuse, with both hands that were in an empty state, she struggled to open the door. The stack room’s door. "—A-re?" —Surveying everywhere, the figure of the siblings wasn’t there. Wind that came from an unlocked balcony door near the front stairs blew against the curtain. Slightly. Arriving at the balcony.......Steph found the siblings there. The butler-dressed brother was currently leaning on the balcony, taking a picture of the street. With his phone. The little sister, who was reminiscent of a white-haired Ojou-sama, leaned against her brother. While reading a book. —The duo that was always together wouldn’t surprise anyone if they died due to separation. Seeing the pair in a picturesque scene— and their relations.h.i.+p. Her heart started to clench, but Steph reminded herself that it was just a misconception. ".......What a bustling street." Watching the commotion outside, Sora said. "Yeah. The selection for the king’s position is still ongoing." Replied Steph placed the tray on the table on the balcony and started pouring the tea. ".......That.......please enjoy." "Ah, thanks." "Little sister should drink one too." ".......Un." The initial impression was that it was a city of a『 Typical fantasy world』 — but now it was slightly. Different. — Due to the prohibition of war, the city was not damaged in any way. The various buildings that resembled Romanesque architecture, classical architecture, and Baroque architecture were intertwined. The road was paved with bricks, a wagon was walking up link, and a barque was docked on the Harbor not far away. It looked like even steam engines had not been invented. Even more distant away was a range of terraced hills, with the agricultural practices using a Style that was more ancient than this city. —If war did not happen, this scene would be the perfect reflection of it. Ironically, 『 Chemistry』 was accelerated during the war so that fertilizer and fuel were Dependent on technology to significantly leap forward. Then again, the books seen in Steph’s library were almost entirely written by hand— manuscripts. Probably, typography wasn’t invented yet, or it was still not popularized. "Renaissance of the Medieval Europe. Or, probably before being contaminated by the industrial revolution.............what a beautiful city." ".............Copied references...........from strategy game..............you worked hard." —But, Sora thought. According to G.o.d’s words, the great war where the celestial body turned this into a scorched Earth was probably thousands of years ago. That is to say, since the conclusion of the『 Oaths』, it had been a few thousand years already. And [humankind] who was incapable of using any magic. The same constitution as the [Human] in their original world. After thousands of years, their world level was still stuck in the early fifteenth century. —How about that racial civilization that could use magic to cheat? What was their situation? Sora suddenly asked. "Ne, Steph—you, why do you want to be the King?" "Ah?" "I heard that it's because you will no longer be royalty and that you were desperately trying to disprove this rumor," Sora recalled what he had heard in the Inn Tavern. But. "—That, it doesn’t matter anymore." —In the final a.n.a.lysis, rumors are rumors. One laugh, and it would be over. She stood next to Sora and overlooked the street view. "—This country— Elchea- is considered pretty big, right?" Looking into the distance— past the normal line of sight- she continued. "In the past, the world had several human countries. And Elchea was considered its largest." Prideful, yet self-deprecating, she continued. "But since the introduction of the『 Ten Oaths』, this had become the sole『 Last country』 for mankind already." "......." "It looks very lively, right? But............ Elchea is moving towards the path of destruction." Once again, she was looking at the hustle and bustle of the street, but this time, her expression was Depressing. Following the line of sight, Sora easily imagined it out. Losing territory, a small country with a huge population. Lack of resources and food would eventually lead to economic stagnation. Wanting to produce food, yet no land to do so, and with no outputs, there would be no labor. Positions. Although the order made by the『 Ten Oaths』 was stable, —He thought of the time when he arrived in this world, ganged up by a group of thieves. Sora gazed towards the direction of the cliff. S.H.I.R.O., who was leaning on her brother’s leg and reading a book, browsed towards Steph. "The previous king— my Ojii-san, lost the gambling for country, forcing him into an impa.s.se, which was the capital. With the humans on a losing streak, the situation would keep deteriorating..." Clenching her fist, Steph bit down on her lip. "Accused of being stupid, yet still thinking of saving the country, wasn’t wrong in any way—" —If land was not taken back, humans won’t be able to multiply indefinitely. Rather than waiting for its demise, it was better to find a way out from this poor environment— Was it? "I—want to save Elchea...." Steph was trying to fight back her tears. "Prove to everyone that Ojii-san wasn’t wrong—the continuation of the humankind... actively take the offensive to recapture territories, otherwise shortly, humans will be extinct." —This sentence came out painfully from Steph. With her usual expression, s.h.i.+ro indifferently asked. "......Steph.....like.........this country, this world?" "Un un—of course!" —Smiling with tears. Steph promptly answered. However, in contrast with her actions, both siblings lowered their heads. ".........How great, ah......." "..........Yeah, it is enviable that one could a.s.sert it out." But—Sora used a calm, yet Indefensible tone of voice. And shattered the glimmer of hope that Stephanie Dora had. "But that sort of wish cannot be accomplished." "—Wuh...." "And, to say something worse—" He got close to the speechless Steph and attacked(Verbally). "Your grandfather—right here right now, I will say he is the worst foolish king." —............ Looking like she was trying hard to squeeze out words, Steph opened her mouth after the long. Silence. "—Wh-Why.......would you think so?" Biting her lips, she felt the nails digging into the flesh of her palm. .......If violence wasn’t prohibited in this world, those words would have rewarded a slap across Sora’s face. Even so, Steph was still fuming mad and angrily remarked. Obsessed with him—no. No matter how strong the mandate of falling in love is, she could not forgive such verbal abuse. But for this question, Sora sighed and took a photograph using his phone. Reminiscent of the European city from the fifteenth century. No reasons to go to war, and the old and new buildings are mixed, showing a beautiful city. However, precisely because of this, remorse could be felt. "If this goes on—this country will perish. At the same time, the selection of the new King is going on." The unexpected phrase came out. Using a hysterical tone, the confused Steph retorted. "Wh-Why would you say that! Precisely because this wasn’t supposed to happen, the Selection of King was created." The somewhat helpless Sora and s.h.i.+ro lifted their heads to look at the sky. A different shade of grey from what they were familiar with, like the color of a spilled blue ink, a Generally blue sky. —Then, both of them thought of the events when they had just arrived. The words "G.o.d" Said to them. All decisions are decided with a simple game, the world similar to a chessboard [Dischord]. My—s.h.i.+ro’s— —A dream world —New lease of life—world. ".......Steph, when will this gambling a.s.sembly end?" Although Steph did not accept the words said previously and looked unhappy, she still replied. "Today is the last day." Setting her line of sight on the eastern side, what looked to be a King’s city. "In the evening, the last game will be played in the hall if there are no people who would raise Objections to the final victory, then the victor will be the new king.........is there any problem?" Closing the book with a ’Pata’, s.h.i.+ro stood up. Sora stretched his waist and patted his cheeks. "Yos.h.!.+ Eh, little sister." "......Un." "No matter what your brother does, will you follow?" "Un." "Instantaneous reply, eh. And I was prepared for some struggling to—" ".......Liar." "Hmm?" "......Nii, looks........very happy." As expressionless as usual. A smile could be seen through the sights of Sora. "Haha, busted by you, right?" Ending it, both of them turned and went. "Hey, wait, where are you going!?" "King City." "Aa?" Seemingly not able to grasp what Sora had said, Steph sent out a silly voice. However, not minding that, Sora continued walking. "I am going to prove that your grandpa was right." "——Aa?" Sensing that Steph was hastening from behind. Sora confirmed the matters in his phone’s schedule planner. —『 Target』 —In any case, become the King first. Showing a wry smile, Sora pocketed his Phone. "Rarely obtaining a new world, it would be troublesome to come to a place where it keeps losing." "............(Nods)(Nods)." "Then let’s go be king and s.n.a.t.c.h back the territories." —Was that misheard? Stephanie Dora tried to confirm what was said earlier. Then, when it was confirmed that she had not misheard, she looked at the man’s back. A relaxed Tone as if going out to buy something. But wanting to confirm a piece of the matter, the rebellious self-confidence and a sense of Trust— The man’s back that declared that he was going to recapture the territory of humanity. "Ah, right." Grabbing the snack from the balcony table, Sora stuffed it into his mouth. "Ah!" Facing towards Steph, who had forgotten that the snack was even there, "Un, delicious. The Refreshments were all delicious. Thank you!" Turning his head around, he smiled at himself. Her heartbeat was increasing violently; was it because of the [Oath]? Even Steph was not sure of that. Now.