Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei - Volume 8 - Reminiscence - Chapter 13

Chapter 13

August 8th, AD 2092 / Okinawa - Vacation House

From the first day, the Okinawa vacation had had a turbulent atmosphere. Yesterday, tranquility had been recovered. Right now on this day, time is also passing quietly.

Although you could call a boring summer vacation a problem, I would not want to endure a vacation where I was so worn out from difficulties.

At last, after our arrival in Okinawa on the fourth, we were able to enjoy our holiday in the South to the fullest.

However, I had doubt that Ani was included in ‘we’.

The current time is 1:00 pm. Instead of taking an afternoon nap right now, I am reading in my room. Sakurai-san found a rare paper magic textbook for me and I am indolently viewing it at my desk.

—It is good to be indolent. After all, I probably would be unable to understand all of it anyway.

Only the most technical volumes on magic are printed on paper, and even high school students have trouble getting a hold of them; it would be the height of hubris to think that I, a mere middle school student, could understand it by only reading it once.

However, that person just might be able to do it.

I received the impression that that person, in short Ani, had in his own room a workstation where he had been enthusiastically typing something related to CADs on his keyboard.

The CADs were the two gun shaped ones he had received from Lieutenant Sanada the day before yesterday.

At first, they used the word ‘lend’ as they talked, but in no time, it became ‘give’. I felt like there was a cross examination over "Is this okay? Doesn’t it belong to the national defense force?" ……He said it was an investment for the future, and it was not the case that I could not understand what he was anticipating. However, unfortunately, his investment is predetermined to be a total loss. Because that person is my ‘Guardian’, he will never be any kind of soldier.

That is no reason to refuse what can be called a gift however, it is only a prototype after all. There is no way it has any meaning beyond a souvenir given to a visitor that has a promising future.

Now that I think of it, that person seemed to really like receiving this present.

The day before yesterday, yesterday, and today, he fiddled with the CAD system whenever he had free time. —Is he able to do some kind of CAD tuning? I have never seen him do it. Still, until now he has never shown me his combat practice either. The reason for that might be because he had no free time to rest.

I wonder if he has lost interest in it?

Could fiddling with a CAD really be very interesting?

Well, even if you call it tuning, he is probably only at the level of using switches at assigned levels. However…….

Before I realized it, I was already standing in front of the door of that person’s room.

Umm, what did I come here for?

I probably want something, right.

In my confused state of mind, my left hand that was raised in order to knock on the door seemed like it belonged to someone else.

Due to my confused state of mind, my left hand froze on the brink of knocking on the door.

Somehow I feel as if I am playing the part of a buffoon without an audience for my antics. Even worse, a third rate buffoon.

I sighed and lowered my hand.

At that moment, I was about to turn on my heel and leave, however, I was a little too late.

The outward swinging door opened with a soft clink.

The door was opened in a way that took in consideration the fact that there might be someone standing in front of it. Thanks to that I did not end up with my nose struck by the door like a character in a poorly written slapstick comedy skit, but I had no leisure to put up a pretense and flee.

"Do you need something?"

Ani was acting as if he knew I had been standing there — in essence, now he knows it is right, but — he asked that upon showing his face.

"Uh, umm, er….."

"Yes."

Ani is waiting patiently on a reply from my incoherent self.

Although I call it waiting, it cannot be discerned from his poker face. Still, he is watching me.

Ani’s composed gaze increased my bewilderment.

"Er, is it alright if I come in?"

In this situation, I had, unfortunately, become a bit hysterical; that is to say, I was overcome by a sense of peril. Before I was completely overwhelmed, I regrettably tried to forcibly terminate it. After I carelessly spoke, I thought 'what are you going to do after you enter the room!?' However, that was way too late.

At that time, my face had probably turned red. Red faced and scowling — although I never intended to be glowering at him, but — in response to me who was staring at him fixedly, that person naturally widened his eyes but displayed no other sign of disturbance. He pushed the door away and invited me inside.

As usual his room was plain — that is to say there were not many things in it.

Within that deserted interior, the functional workstation made its presence known with a loud voice.

"Now, what exactly do you need?"

I could not answer Ani’s question.

At that time, my consciousness was drawn to the blatant code displayed at the workstation that was connected to a half dissected CAD. The monitor was crammed with an enumeration of numbers and letters.

Doesn’t this room look just like a CAD development lab………

To be honest, I lost my nerve.

However, the next word Ani spoke swiftly drew my consciousness back to him.

"Ojou-sama."

"Don’t call me Ojou-sama."

In response to me who had yelled, Ani froze in surprise.

For this person to look like he was at a loss for words is really unusual, but I do not think it was strange.

After all,

My voice just now was like a wail.

The voice sounded as if I was about to burst into tears.

"Uh….."

"………."

"Um, er…..that’s right! If you do not get accustomed to speaking to me normally now, you might slip up unexpectedly later on at somewhere else, right?"

Ani’s expression switched from ‘surprise’ to ‘suspicion’.

The mistrust in his gaze crushed me, but I whipped out a really bad excuse through sheer willpower.

"So please call me, Mi-Miyuki!"

However, that was as far as I could go.

When at last I finished speaking, that was my only thought as I squeezed my eyes shut.

Like a child afraid to be scolded, I grasped at the ploy of closing my eyes and bowing my head.

Although I did not know what I feared, I was indeed like a child who unconditionally feared a parent’s disapproval.

"…..Got it, Miyuki. Is that all?"

Ani’s reply was gentle.

It was not his usual adult like formality; he spoke casually as if he was speaking to a friend.

Ani probably spoke to people other than me like school friends and underclassmen in that tone of voice and informal language.

Ani was gazing at me with gentle eyes while speaking to me in a gentle manner.

"…..That is all."

I am indeed about to burst into tears this time.

It is all I can do to hold back my tears.

"Excuse me, I am going back to my room"

Since I did not have the endurance to do it for long, I escaped Ani’s presence.

Taking refuge in my own room, I buried my face in a pillow.

After all, I had unfortunately been aware of it.

That gentleness had only been an act.

Even the casual words that a brother would naturally direct toward his sister in a normal sibling relationship were only the output that came from cold calculation.

I had no evidence to back my unfortunate conclusion.

But, since I am that person’s sister......

It is only at these times that I can feel the bitterness of communicating through the bonds of siblings as I try to kill the sound of my weeping.