Yoori: “So that’s why you came back home late.”
As Igni finished retelling the day’s events to Yoori, Yoori looked back at Igni as he spoke.
Igni: “Yeah, Miss Miko really liked the present we chose together, and I’m glad I was there.”
Yoori: “Hmmーー if you’re looking for gifts for a boy, you could have invited me.”
Igni: (Wait, is he saying I should have chosen a more stylish gift?!)
Igni was startled at the thought for a split second.
Igni: (NーNo, pretty sure that that’s not what he means.)
He immediately calmed down.
Igni: “WーWell, Yoori, you just look….well…..”
Yoori: “Hey! You and everyone else are being so weird! No matter how you look at me, I’m a boy, right?!”
And with that, Yoori took one step closer to Igni. His white hair danced into the air, and a soft, nice scent came between Igni and Yoori. This isn’t Igni’s smell. It’s Yoori’s.
Igni: “YーYeah, you’re definitely a (wo)man.”
Yoori: “Do you really mean that?!”
Igni made sure to ex out the first syllable and just focus on the second to escape from this conversation.
Igni: “YーYeah, of course. I really think so.”
Yoori: “Well, fine. If that’s the case…”
Yoori puffs out his cheeks to show his discontent forwardly. No matter how you look at it, he just doesn’t look very manly.
Igni: (But...it’s what Yoori says, so I need to believe him. Yeah….)
Yoori: “Oh yeah. Igni, I’ve decided on a date to return home. I’m sorry, but you’ll have to get up yourself on that day.”
Igni: “Yeah, don’t worry. I may not look it, but I’m good at waking up on my own!”
Yoori: “.......Igni, I admire you in so many ways, but when it comes to waking up in the morning, you’re definitely worse than average.”
Igni: “I’ll sleep till noon, so no worries.”
Yoori: “That doesn’t resolve anything.”
With Yoori’s retort, they both smile and laugh.
Igni: “Oh yeah, Yoori, where is your hometown anyways?” Yoori: “My town? It’s a small town on the edge of the Owlight Territory.” Igni: “I see. It’s in the Owlight territory.”
The Owlights are a very famous Noble Family. Many famous Knights and Generals have come from that family, and they not only focus on refining their Spells but also their sword skills. They are a hardcore military familyi. Even their youngest is a 1st rate Wizard and is enrolled in the Rolmad Wizard Academy.
Yes. The No. 1 Girl Elina. Her full name is Elina Owlight.
Igni, who has impeccable, indestructible memory when it comes to memorizing girl’s names immediately recalled that fact.
Igni: “Then Elina is….”
Yoori: “Yeah, she’s the Governor’s daughter to me.”
Igni: “But in that case, you were being awfully casual with her, no?”
Yoori: “Don’t you think with Miss Elina’s personality, she would hate it if I did otherwise?”
Igni: “Well, I don’t know about hate, but I don’t think she cares about those kinds of things.”
In Igni’s mind, Elina seems to prioritize her grades over all else. How downtrodden and depressed she was after getting 2nd place in the midterms was not normal.
Igni: “The Owlight Territory is on the east end of the Kingdom. It’s pretty far.”
Yoori: “Yeah. I’ll take a carriage to the Capital and switch carriages there. It’ll take me a few days.”
The Owlight Kingdom is also on the edge of the Kingdom’s territory as well, so the edge of that territory’s edge would mean it’s on the farthest east point of the Kingdom.
It’s no wonder that President Miru had such a hard time finding information about Yoori.
Igni: “I see. So it’ll be a lot of hassle going back home then.”
Yoori: “Yea. It really is. Will you be staying at the dorms the whole time, Igni?” Igni: “That’s the plan so far.”
Yoori: “Oh yeah. Where is your home by the way?” Igni: “I don’t have a home”
Yoori: “IーI’m sorry!”
Yoori immediately apologized. From her…..I mean, from his perspective, it must have felt like she stepped on a landmine. But Igni did not care one bit and laughed it off.
Igni: “It’s not that big of a deal.”
Yoori: “RーReally?” Igni: “Yeah, my Grandpa’s alive anyways.”
Yoori almost mentioned about his father being alive, but after the [Tournament] ended, Yoori saw someone who might have been Igni’s father from afar. Since he didn’t know the relationship between the two, Yoori thought it best to avoid the subject for now.
That’s why Yoori opted for…
Yoori: “I see.” And with only that, he smiled back at Igni.
<<<<>>>>
“Elder Sister, it’s almost nightfall.”
“Yeah, you’re right. I guess we should wrap up here for now.”
Night began darkening the skies around them, and two girls walked through the forest with their shoulders sagging wearily. Carriages do run through this road normally, but they decided to be extra frugal this round and opted to walk instead to the next town.
“Tonight, we’ll camp! I’ll make my famous mushroom soup!”
“Yay! Tonight’s Elder Sister’s Mushroom Soup?! I’m so happy!”
“Just leave it to me! I’ll make sure to make it just the way my dear little sis likes it!”
“Thank you!!”
Both refer to each other as sisters.
But the two are not actual blood-relatives.
“Okay, we’ll sleep around here tonight. Little Sis, I’ll set up the tent so can you lend me a hand?” “Yes, Elder Sister.”
The two put up their tent, and the younger sister used her Spell to make a fire.
As the fire began to transfer to the firewood, the older sister began preparing to cook.
She filled the pot with water with her Spell, and she began throwing in mushrooms she found this morning and added some herbs and spices. Since they are low on funds, she’s only using a little bit.
While waiting for the water to boil, she took out a knife, cut a piece, and handed it to her younger sister.
“Elder Sister, how much longer until we reach town?” “Let’s see. If we continue at our current pace, we should arrive around tomorrow evening.”
The older sister stirred the soup with weariness coloring her expression.
“I’m sorry, Little Sis.”
“........Elder Sister? What’s wrong?”
“Honestly, if it wasn’t for me, by now, you would have been able to make your name well known as a mercenary…...”
“WhーWhat are you saying, Elder Sister! I decided to come with you because it was you!”
The younger sister felt a sense of panic and stood up as she spoke.
“You’re a true genius, Elder Sister! Please have more confidence! Even though all I could do was use Spells, you were the one who has made it possible for me to eat every night!”
“But still……..”
As the older sister’s shoulders dropped towards the ground, the next instant, a sound of an explosion echoed from somewhere in the distance.
“.......little sis?!”
“It was from over there……..”
As sundown was being swallowed into darkness, the two readied themselves for battle. It was highly likely that they would encounter thieves or robbers. But the sound came from much farther than their current position.
“What should we do, Elder Sister…….?” “Let’s go, Little Sis.”
She patted the head of her younger sister gently to reassure her, and the older sister stood up.
“If there’s anyone getting attacked by bandits, we can get a reward for helping them! If it’s just Adventurers, we can just leave!”
“That’s a great idea, Elder Sister!!”
“Then let’s go!”
“Yes!”
The two erased their presence and began creeping towards the direction where they heard the Magic explosion. On the way there, they smelled blood being carried by the wind. The older sister reached for her short sword that was hanging from her waist.
They hid behind a tree and looked at the owner of the voice. There, they saw a multiple men there.
“EーEEEK!! Please! Please spare my lifeーーー!!”
“WHAT?! I TOLD YOU ALREADY!! JUST GIVE US SOMETHING OF VALUE, AND WE’LL LET YOU LIVE!!”
Looking closely, bandits surrounded a man who looked to be a merchant. There were many possible guards lying in their own blood nearby.
(Little Sis, it’s our big chance……!)
(Yes! Let’s go, Elder Sister!)
(Little Sis, will you restrain the bandits with your Spell?)
(Yes, I can!)
The next moment, the bandits surrounding the merchant <began to sink into the ground>.
“WhーWhat’s happening?! Who’s doing that?!”
“IーI can’t move my feet! I’m sinking!!”
“Huh……? Whーー? WhーWhat’s...happening….??”
The merchant looked around at his surroundings with the bandits.
And in the midst of their confusion, the older sister broke the silence.
“You’re okay, now that we are here!!”
And everyone’s gaze fell on the older sister.
“WhーWho are you?!”
“I’ll only say this once, so listen well!!”
The older sister puffs out her chance, and the younger sister stands right behind her.
“I am the “White” Lania!”
“IーI’m in the “Black” Nie!”
Both the merchant and bandits just looked blankly at the girls in silent confusion.
“Together, we areーー”
“ “The Black and White Sisters!! ” ”
<BAAAAAAAN!!> (sfx dramatic entrance)
Lania: “.........that was perfect.”
The older sister Lania couldn’t hold back the immense smile spreading across her face.
But being completely overwhelmed by chaos and confusion by the intruders, both the bandits and merchant fell into awkward silence. A few moments laterーー
“GーGod……?”
The whispered word of the merchant fell onto the girls’ ears.
