*

The church is so big.

　Mako stood in the garden behind the church and looked around.
　The garden was not a magnificent one.
　No, it was probably once a magnificent garden.
　The fountain in the center, the statues here and there, and the pavilion can give you an idea of what it used to look like.
　On the other hand, it was so desolate that we can only imagine how it used to be.
　The fountains have run dry, the statues are hidden behind plants, and the pavilion is covered with ivy.
　There are flower beds and potted plants, but these were probably added later.

'--this feeling.

　It looks like my parents' garden.
　It's the kind of garden that has come to have a mismatched impression due to the maintenance of it as I recall.
　This is where I'm supposed to meet Fene's brother.

Brother~

　Fene's pitiful voice echoed.
　When I turned around, my tail was sticking out from behind the bushes.
　This is what they say about hiding your head and not your ass.
　I can't help but wonder where the tension we had just witnessed has gone.

"Hide your tail.
Okay.

　A hand reaches out and pulls his tail behind a bush.

'Brother, are you okay?'
That's what you're trying to do.
That's true, but I'm worried.

　The bushes rustled and swayed as if they were poorly shaken.

'What do you think, brother?'
I'm hoping you'll understand.
Don't be so irresponsible, a**h*le.

　Mako scratched her head, wondering how she really felt about it.
　When he heard Fene's dream - that he wanted to pay off his debts and live with his brother - he was angry.
　He told her to stop talking like a dream and get real.
　But Fene got enough money to pay off his debts and get on with his life.

''Well you're here.

　The bushes trembled loudly and then stopped moving.
　After a while, the boy walked up to Makoto.
　His hair and eyes were brown in color.
　He was about the same height as Makoto.
　He has a slender body that can be seen even from the top of his robe.
　Her hanging eyes are colored with doubt.

''........Are you the one who wants to meet me?''
Yeah, it's Makoto.
My name is Redd.

　When Makoto held out his hand, Fene's younger brother - Redd - bowed his head with a pecking order.
　Well, this is how it would be if they had never met before.

''What do you want?　I'm busy with church business...
It's a little thing about Faine.

　Redd narrowed his eyes.
　Eyes that were trying to find out what Mako's purpose was.

'Since the debtor is my sister, I have no obligation to repay the debt.
It's not about the debt,

　Judging from Redd's attitude, Stan was doing a lot of things.
　I thought about suing him, but he's so much more than just commissioning the collection of debts, so I guess he's got all the measures in place.
　I resent the fact that the law doesn't protect the weak, but unfortunately the law is not on anyone's side.

'What do you want, then?'
I'm one of Fene's fellow adventurers.
My sister?

　Redd gave me a quizzical look.
　Maybe he knows that Fene is forced to work solo because of his debts.

''We were able to explore the dungeon together and obtain a rare magic stone. If you don't believe me, you can ask the Priestess.
....

　Redd is silent.
　It's not unreasonable.
　It's like being told that you won the lottery and could pay off your debt.
　Who would believe such a story?

'I understand that you were able to pay off your debt, but what does that have to do with me?
....

　Now it was Mako's turn to be silent.
　Maybe Redd doesn't want to live with Fene.
　Such thoughts passed through my mind.
　But the die was thrown.
　There's no going back now.

Fene says she wants to live with you.
Yeah?

　Redd nodded, choking on his words, and then fell silent.
　An awkward silence descended.
　How long had he been silent?
　It should have been less than a minute, but it felt like many times that to Mako.
　It was Ledo who broke the silence.

''Could you please tell my sister? That you don't want her to leave me alone anymore.''
What does that mean?
Excuse me.

　Ledo bowed his head vigorously and turned on his heel.
　At that moment, the bushes rustled and shook.
　Mako scrambled through the bushes, but there was no one there.
　Should he look for Fene, or, no, it was better to question Redd about his true intentions now.
　Mako returned to the garden and grabbed Redd's shoulder, motivated by anger.

'Hey, wait!'
Let me go, sir.
You're not listening to me!

　The blood rushed to his head and he turned to face himself with force.
　Then Redd looked like he was about to start crying.
　That cooled my anger.

'Hey, if you don't mind, can you talk to me properly?'
....

　Mako gently led Ledo to the fountain and sat him down on its edge.

'Please. I just want to get you guys right.
I didn't want to bother my sister again.

　Redd said, choking on his words.
　Mako heard his words and was shocked as if she had been punched in the head.

'No, Fene doesn't think it's a nuisance. He said his dream was to pay off his debts and live with you ... to get his life back to normal.''
I don't want my sister's life to be spent on me.

　Mako bit her lip.
　What was the difference?
　Why couldn't we be like this?
　But I don't have time to think about that.

''So you don't hate Fene, then?
'We're only two sisters and a brother, remember?　How could I not like it?

　Makoto patted his chest.
　If they didn't hate each other, they could start over.
　They can start over.

'I'll tell you how I feel about you. I'll tell you that you don't hate Fene and that I've decided to live apart for the future.

　So,' continues Makoto.

'You're going to tell Fene how you feel at the Spirit Festival. Choose your words and tell her how you feel so there's no misunderstanding.'
Why are you willing to go to such lengths?
...it's

　Makoto clammed up.
　It's a natural question for Ledo to ask.
　They are strangers to each other, even if they are relatives.

''That's because ... I'm the leader.

　Makoto got up and started to run.

*

　Mako opened the western door roughly, and to her surprise, Shelly stopped cleaning.

'I'm home. 'Where's Fene?'
He came home and went right upstairs.

　I let out a breath of relief.
　If he hadn't been here, he didn't know where he would have gone, and he would have had to run around the city.
　Mako ran up the stairs and knocked on the door of room 103.
　But there was no answer. He reached for the doorknob at will.
　If I break it, I'll have to pay for it, she thought as she twisted the doorknob, and the door opened easily.
　I enter the room and look around.
　The bed, or rather the blanket, was unnaturally puffy.
　Apparently, it was wrapped in a blanket.
　Mako closed the door and sat down on the bed in a heap.

''I've been talking to your brother.

　The blanket shakes with a jolt.

'Your brother said he didn't want your life to be spent on him.
...Brother, did I make a mistake?

　Fene asked in a shaky voice.

'You're not wrong,'
So why?

　Fene sat up with a bang and stared at me with her bright red bloodshot eyes.

'I tried my best. We've had a lot of pain, a lot of hard times... and we worked hard to start over.
'Your brother Redd was looking at you properly. I didn't want to be a burden to him because he was watching you properly.
I don't know. A family is only a family when it's together, isn't it? If you deny that, I don't know what I've worked so hard for.

　Large tears fell from Fene's eyes.
　The way she cried without body and soul is so hapless, that's why it hit my heart.

You know what, Fene. I'm a little brother, he has his own ideas.
So you want my feelings to be ignored?
No, no. It's not.

　I think both Fene's feelings and Redd's thoughts should be respected.
　They are both right.
　There is no such thing as wrong on either side.

Let's talk about it. Let's talk about it and find the best answer for ourselves.
...my brother.

　Fene hugged Mako.


I know. I know how you feel. I know exactly how you feel. No one is denying your feelings, okay?

　Mako gently hugged Fene back.
　It would be nice if Fene's efforts were rewarded.
　It would be nice if what they both wanted came true.
　On the other hand, a dark feeling was swirling around.
　Now that I think about it, Makoto was jealous.
　He was jealous of her for being in a similar situation but never losing her health.
　He hated her for embodying the ideals he wanted for his brother.
　Mako bit her lip and continued to stroke Fene.