Me and Solstice are the same age, 13 years old.

　Solstice is a genius girl who doesn't neglect to work hard, and she's also a skilled wizard.

　That's why I honed my sword skills so that I wouldn't lose to her.

　In a way, I see her as a rival, and at the same time, we've fought demons and people alone in the past, and I've always thought of her as a battle buddy.

　A friend who has always been an equal, I thought of her as such.

　And yet.

"I'm going to be her little brother next week...

　It's a hiccup.

　Illtimina, walking next to me, chuckles at my slumped shoulders.

　I blurted out.

''........Solstice, it's not fair for one person to be 14 years old, is it?''
Well, it's not like Sol decided to have a birthday on his own.

　Your sister is still defending her sister. Ugh..........

　Nudge.

　Iltimina's white hand strokes my hair as if to comfort me.

'Being a year older doesn't change your relationship with Sol and Marle. Don't worry about it.
I'm not worried about it, but...

　But it's a little frustrating.

It's only a year old, but it's only a year old.

　I feel like she beat me to it because we were the same age.

　I puff out my cheeks.

　Ms. Illtimina laughs again and then says in a voice that sounds like she's regained her composure.

I don't want to talk about Sol, but that's about it. Now that we're out together, let's enjoy ourselves, shall we?

(Uh.....)

　It was.

　Now we're in the middle of walking around the city, trying to do some sightseeing in Karanka, the capital of Vega country.

'Yeah, right. I'm sorry, Iltimina.
"Hmmm, no.

　She laughs softly at my apology as I remember it.

　She's a really sweet sister.

(Yeah, I'll enjoy my time with her now!)

　I'll change my mind too.

　Perhaps it's because of its proximity to the equator, but Vega is a very hot country.

　If you are in the Kingdom of Shumuria, it would be late autumn or early winter, but we in Karanka are wearing only a shirt.

　The sunshine is strong.

　However, the sidewalk where we were walking on was sandwiched between waterways on both sides, and was hidden under the big leaves of trees on the road, so it was surprisingly cool.

(Is that how it's designed?)

　The buildings that surround it are all made of white stone.

　Gold is used in abundance for decoration.

　So the view of the city was dominated by all white and gold and the green of plants.

　And, of course, there's the obvious.

(All those beastmen walking around.)

　I look to my right, I look to my left and it's mofo.

　...I'd like to touch it.

　Oh, no, no, no, no. Merle, don't do that. What would you call that, Merle?

(Patience, patience.)

　If it happens, I'll let you touch Illtimina's long, beautiful hair like I did the other day, yes.

?

　My sister tilted her head with a smile as she looked up at me.


　◇ ◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇


　There were shops in the street.

"Vena, Bobasa!
Oui, oui, oui!
Laiho!

　A beastman who seems to be a clerk is calling out to me in the official language of the dollar continent.

　Incidentally, during the first month or so since I arrived in this country, I was being taught the official language of the Dollar Continent every night while Iltimina-san held me in her arms.

　Thanks to that, I've learned to understand the language at least a little bit.

　So, the call I just made was

(Inexpensive, buy, delicious, delicious, welcome.)

　Is it?

'Yes, it's right. That's Merle.

　I asked Dr. Illtimina and she smiled and praised me. Ehehe.

　Since I've taken the trouble to look at the products in the storefront.

(Is this a grocery store?)

　There's a lot of fruit on the line.

　Fruits like oranges and bananas are lined up in rows, a lot of them.

　Some of them were red fruits shaped like little stars.

Would you like to try some?

　I was looking at it and Illtimina asked me that.

'Are you sure?'
Yes, sir. Prince Arnold has given me the currency of the dollar continent as well.
Okay, I'd like one.
Yes, sir.

　Mr. Illtimina laughed and approached the clerk.

'Loit, Delk,'
Yeah!

　The shopkeeper's brother was a cat-like beast of a man.

　With his pawed hand, he stuffs about ten star-shaped fruits into a paper bag.

(Thank you ... ha, er ...)

"Claro.

　I say in an unfamiliar pronunciation.

'Benna!'

　Your brother smiled brightly and said, "Every time! And handed me a paper bag.

　Thank God, I think I got through to her.

　Ms. Illtimina was watching over me with a gentle smile.

　When we left the shop, there was a square nearby.

　There was a bench there, so we sat down together.

　Quickly, we tasted the food.

　Mug, mug, mug, mug.

Oh, that's sweet.
Yeah.

　Much better than I expected.

　We looked at each other and laughed.

　Mug, mug, mug, mug.

　I'm sitting on a cool shady bench in a hot exotic place, eating fruit with my favorite Illtimina and sharing a good time with her.

　Yeah, I'm terribly happy.

　In the midst of all this, I ask her something that just occurred to me.

'Oh, by the way, when is Illtimina's birthday?'
Next year.
Next year?
Yes, it's still a few months away.

　Heh, I see.

'So, what about you, Mr. Quilt?'
The quilt is ... next month, I think.

　Next month.

Thirty?
Yeah.

　At my words that I clearly said, Illtimina-san nodded with a little bit of a wry smile, probably because she was a woman.

　Hmm, I see.

　By the way, my birthday is the day I met Illtimina and I registered as an adventurer.

(Three months to go, huh?)

　I mean, for three months I'm Solstice's little brother........

　No, well, it's okay.

　I've got a few more things on my mind than that.

"What should I get her for her birthday, what should I get her for her birthday?

　I muttered, looking up at the blue sky.

'Yeah, right,'

　mumbling

　Mr. Illtimina also thinks about it while eating the fruit.

'What did you give her last year?'
It's a book.
A book?
Yes. That's the grimoire she wanted.

　Well, a grimoire.

(How typical of Solstice.)

What about the year before last?
It's a magic wand. It's the big wand she's using right now.

　Oh, really?

　That was a birthday present from Illtimina-san, wasn't it?

　However, according to Illtimina-san, Solstice was still a 'blue mark' at the time, so it wasn't a very expensive item.

''If she's that girl now, I think she could use a better wand, though.

　Hmmm.

　A magic wand, huh?

(But it looks expensive...)

　The magic activator bracelet on my right wrist costs 30,000 rides - 300,000 yen.

　If I bought a full-blown big wand, I think it would cost millions of dollars.

　Mug.

(As you can imagine, that's not the amount of money you're getting for your friends, is it?

　Hold on a moment.

　And when I stuck my hand in to eat more fruit, the paper bag was empty.

　Oops, it looks like I've eaten it all before I knew it.

　I lick my fingers with the sweet juice.

　And.

"Yes, Merle.

　The thoughtful lady lends me her handkerchief.

'Oh, thanks.'
'No. There are still days until Solstice's birthday. Why don't we take our time and look around for something good to do while we sightsee?

　He laughed so gently.

'Yeah, I guess so.'

　I nodded.

　Solstice's birthday was important, but so was her date with Illtimina.

(Yes, let's take our time deciding.)

　He wiped his fingers, handed back his handkerchief and we got up from the bench.

'Well, shall we go over there this time?'
Yes, sir.

　We hold hands and start walking.

　As if this area is a main street, there are many people on the sidewalk.

(.........ah.)

　At that time, I found an unusual figure in the midst of all the mofos.

　It looked just like a human, but it was beautiful in appearance, and most importantly, unlike a human, it had long, distinctive ears.

　I mean, yes.

Eh, Mr. Elf!
..........

　My blue eyes begin to sparkle.

　On the contrary, Illtimina-san, for some reason, became a masterful gaze. ........Huh?

　The elf looked like a traveler.

　He was carrying a large backpack and his cloak was a bit dirty.

　He was looking around curiously, so I wondered if he was the first person to visit this country, or perhaps an elf.　I thought.

　I couldn't help but look at it.

　bang

(Ah!)

　Perhaps it was because he was looking away, but Mr. Elf bumped into someone walking towards him.

　Mr. Elf would fall on his butt.

　It would be bad if Mr. Elf, the treasure of the world, were to be injured!

　I was about to rush over to him.

　bang

Excuse me.

　Illtimina-san, who was next to me, bumped into the shoulder of the male beastman who had collided with the elf.

　Hmm?

(Now, Illtimina, I think she went to hit it herself...)

　The male beastman who bumped into him looked back at Illtimina as if he was surprised.

　Then he glared at her sharply.

''..........''
..........

　Hmm...?

　A quiet 'pressure' was emitted from Shumuria's new 'Golden Mark Demon Hunter'.

　The beastman turned pale, and without complaining, he quickly disappeared into the crowd.

　Um..........

　When I was unsure of how to address her, Illtimina-san's cloth bag was held in her right hand before I knew it.

''That........''
Your wallet.

　Huh?

　But it's in a different form than Ms. Illtimina's purse.

　She starts to walk towards Elf-san as it is.

　I hurriedly chased after her.

''Hui........''

　The elf who had been on her buttocks was putting her glasses back on, which had fallen to the ground.

　She was a beautiful elf sister with long silver hair.

　However, her hair was a bit disheveled due to her long journey, and she looked a bit disheveled due to the dirt on her clothes.

　She noticed us approaching due to her glasses.

　Ms. Illtimina squatted down in front of her and held out the cloth bag purse she was carrying.

'Ray, Larant, Crocker,'
Fe?

　A scowling elf.

　I think Illtimina-san said, ''Your wallet, your, lost property.

　Mr. Elf hurriedly and quickly go through his body to make sure that nothing is found.

'Weka!　Mimint and Crocker. Claro.
"Benassie.

　With his head down, Elf-san receives the wallet with both hands.

　..............

　Um.........What does this mean?

(Do you mean that that man beastman stole the wallet from Mr. Elf and Illtimina stole it back?)

　He caught my eye.

　giggle

　Iltimina-san put her index finger to her lips and smiled gracefully.

　Wow.........

　The favorite sister I fell in love with, how wonderful she is........

(I couldn't help but fall in love with her again........)

　Illtimina-san was a bit tickled by the glittering, respectful gaze.

　Then, with Iltimina-san's help, Elf-san also got up.

''Well then, we're done with this. --Sina.

　The kind sister bailed and turned to leave.

　Geez.

　The elf's thin hand grabbed that hand.

(Huh?)

"Wick, Claro, Artattakita.
What?
Fen, Lililola.

　Elf-san smiles and talks to him.

(Hmm...?)

　It was a little too fluent and long-winded for me to hear.

　I looked up at Illtimina's profile.

　She noticed.

How about a cup of tea for the three of us?　I was invited to join them.

　He told me.

　........Can I have tea with Mr. Elf?

　We looked at each other.

　She smiles as if she's given up on something and asks.

'What do you want to do, Merle?'
What?

　I'm an elf lover, and my answer to that is, well, it's a given.

　--So we're going to have tea with this silver-haired elf in the city of Karanka.