Hearing the commotion and leaving the servants who had rushed in to clean up the scene, I took Sophia in my arms and took her to the guest room.

　One of the guest rooms that is maintained in a state of readiness by the maids at all times, I lay Sophia down on that bed.

　I take her pulse just in case - yes it's okay.

　He was a complete wizard type and his physical abilities were there, so there's little chance that he overdid it when he was reaping consciousness, but it's a form of confirmation, just in case.

'Ufufu, Hermes is kind after all, isn't he?
Don't make fun of me, sister.

　She smiled back at her sister who had followed her.

　More importantly--.

Sis, what exactly did you mean earlier about being number one?
Despina is a descendant of the 200, so even now, they still keep a pecking order in terms of combat power.
Yeah.
The idea being that it would encourage competition and provide the right amount of firepower when the Canós call upon us.
I see.

　When I think about it, more and more I realize that the Cano family=me and Despina=Sophia are connected on a deep level.
　That's.........I'd be furious if they said I didn't know anything about it.

　.........hmm?
　Huh?
　Wait a minute, that's ... that's kind of weird, don't you think?

''This girl is the number one in the pecking order in Despina right now. She has great magic and knowledge. They say she's a once-in-a-decade talent when it comes to magic--
Wait, sister, there's something else that bothers me more than that.
What is it?
'Why is this despina attacking me?　You almost convinced me that I didn't remember what my sister said, but I didn't. I was attacked out of the blue before we even had a conversation on the street.
What?

　She looks at me with a pout.

'Speaking of which, you were brown when you came back, Hermes.
Apart from the fact that it's browned.

　I don't think that's really a good description.

"Why am I being attacked? I'm not just going to destroy my master's house, that's what I do.
Yeah, sure.

　She put a finger to her cheek and looked thoughtful.

'Is it because the Lord we're supposed to serve is so lazy and unworthy?
I'd be rather pleased if that were true.

　The look I'm giving people is what I'm doing and it's working.
　And if that's the case, it would be nice for Sofia to be the one to carry your sister around, to help me get rid of the master, just like that.

　But that's not it.
　That murderous atmosphere is not that kind of thing.

　It's more of a sticky, personal feeling.

　If it was a mixture of the good cause of saying that the owner is a coward, it would be much crisper.
　There are some twisted causes in the world, but if you really believe in a cause, the air you release is much simpler and clearer.

　I'm pretty sure that's not it.

　I explained to my sister as I looked down at a sleeping Sophia.

'That's not enough to kill like that. That was something much more petty.
You understand that sort of thing, don't you?
Well.

　I answered immediately.

　Like when I reaped Sophia's consciousness, I don't have to hide anything when I'm alone with my sister.
　My sister knows almost all of my powers, and she usually goes around blowing things around.

　I've been doing this since I was still just the fourth son, living in my room, so it doesn't make much of a difference if my sister blows something extra on me now.

'I suppose that's how it works...'

　Wondering that of Sophia, she slowly opened her eyelids while letting out a groan, "Umm.......

　Her vague eyes stared at the ceiling and slowly turned to the side.

''Here, is........''
You've noticed.
Lady Sola!

　My eyes caught my sister's, and all at once they came into focus.
　Then, with a flash, she jumped up from the bed.

　I bow my head to my sister with all my might and trepidation.

'I'm sorry to have to excuse myself in front of Lady Solar.
'It's fine. You know more about me than that.
'Of course!　If Master Solar is here, then this is a mansion...?

　Sofia asks her sister fearfully, as if she were trying to see how she is doing.

"Yes. More importantly, are you feeling okay?
Yes, I'm fine.

　Sophia felt like she couldn't read between the lines and simply answered only in her current physical condition.

'Yes, I'm glad to hear that,'
That's all well and good, but why did you go after me?
"--Hey!　Hermes Cano!

　Sophia noticed me when I called out to her, and she boils over (...) at once.
　She glares at me with a look of hatred that is 180 degrees different from the attitude she had towards her sister.

"Calm down there!

　And it's so strong that it's pouncing on me again.
　The only thing that stopped it was--.

Sophia.

　-- it was her sister.

　Bitter - rather than a "jerk", Sophia stopped.

　And then, giggling........she turned her head towards her sister.

You're not going to be able to get it right.

　My sister was laughing.
　But it was a scary type of laugh.

　Her face and eyes are smiling, but her aura is like that of the King of Hell.

　As expected, Sofia was pressurized, and the killing spirit directed at me made me feel
She glares at me with a look of hatred that's 180 degrees different from her sister's.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry...

　Sophia is wilting.
　Seeing her like that makes me feel a little guilty.

　That Sophia glanced at me and glared at me.
　It's a much toned down reaction from the murderous atmosphere of earlier.

　It doesn't matter how much you look at me like this, I can handle it.
　We all have our differences, sister.

It's okay. More importantly, why did you attack Hermes?
It's...
Talk to me. I can help you if I can.
Really?
Yes. Despina and the Cano family have been together for several hundred years. Formally, they are master and servant, but they are relatives. Think of her as your relative's sister, and you can ask her anything you want.
"--!　Oh, sister!

　Sophia ate into her sister's words.
　She even changed the way she called him.

　Oh no, now the conversation was going in a bad direction.
　I don't know why Sofia would attack me, but if it was something that clicked with her, she would turn against her sister.

　I'm going to make an enemy of the sister I don't want to make an enemy of in this world.

　You have to do something about it, but there was nothing you could do about it.

　When your sister appeared to be a god of salvation, Sofia began to ramble on.

''He........''

　Sophia said and glanced at me.

'I won't be coming for you forever.
What do you mean, you're coming for me?
That was when I was 10 years old. I met him one day and we had a magical match.
Oh, dear.

　She held her mouth and looked at me with a "I can't put it in the corner" kind of smile.

　I mean, is it a magic match?

It's very unusual for Hermes to offer a match like that.
'Yeah. Because even then, the girl in black told me to play along, and she tried to play me for it.

　Ah....
　You mean back then?

"The girl in black?
The girl who trained me to slay dragons with tofu.
Come to think of it, there's a story about that.

　I've talked about it before, so my sister was immediately convinced.

　It was back when I met a girl and I was doing a lot of warrior training around.

　Well, you met him then.

　So that means - you're one of the ones who was defeated by me.

So you're bitter, and now you're attacking me?
"Sseed drftgy fujiko lp!

　Sofia made a strange, unspeakable, extremely frustrated noise and stepped on the ground.

　Her face turns red and she glares at me even more.

''Eh?　Did I do something wrong?
No, no!　Just remember what you said to yourself that time!
What I said...?

　Well, what did you say?
　I don't remember any of the details of that time.

　After all, training with that girl(,) is a hell of a day.
　I don't remember that many details, do you?

"Are you sure you can't remember, Hermes?
Yeah.
Well I've kind of figured it out.
'What?　Really, sister?
Maybe. Hey, Sofia.
What?
You can continue to call me big sister.
Yes!

　Sophia was happy.
　I can't see the story at all, but it's like she understands it, and Sophia understands what she understands.

'What the hell...?'
I'm glad, Hermes.
"Huh?
'I didn't expect Hermes to be courting me on his own. I know it's late, but I've got to cook some red rice.
A marriage proposal?

　Bulbs?
　Suicidal soul?
　...wooing?

　............wooing!

Hey, wait, wait, wait. Sis, how could you be so wrong?
Oh, I don't think he's mistaken.
What?

　My sister looked at Sophia, tripping over her.

'And yet ... you haven't come for me for any length of time, so ...'

　Sophia squirmed and looked at me with resentful eyes.

　Huh?
　Really?
　No, seriously?

Oof....

　It was now catching up to me, a childhood mistake that I don't even remember.