Chapter 245 - Lara's Realization — What Was Lost

Lara's Perspective:

An afternoon during the academy break.

I was planning to sleep.

At least, that was the plan at first.

Too bad plans never survive contact with reality.

Because Lily came charging into my room clutching some magic tool she'd dismantled from who knows where.

"Big Sis Lara."

"Hm?"

"This one — Big Sis Nanahoshi said it was broken."

"Then it's broken."

"But I think it can still work."

"Then keep using it."

"But it won't work..."

"Then it's broken."

"But..."

"No buts. I don't know how to fix it."

I pulled the blanket over my head.

"Go find Dad. Dad will fix it."

Lily stared at the magic tool and murmured,

"Dad and Big Sis Nanahoshi are in the lab. I don't dare go there by myself..."

Hm?

Hold on.

Dad and Big Sis Nanahoshi are in the lab.

I pulled the blanket back down.

Opened my eyes.

"Dad's in the lab?"

"Yeah, just him and Big Sis Nanahoshi. And a lot of magic tools."

"How do you know?"

"Mama Aisha told me."

I sat up in bed.

"Let's go."

"Go where?"

"The lab."

"Oh!"

We called for Daibai.

Lily and I climbed onto his back together and set off.

Lily patted his head.

"Let's go, Daibai."

"Woof!"

I patted him too.

"I'll bring you something tasty tonight!"

--------

At the lab door.

I had just pushed it open when I heard Big Sis Nanahoshi's voice.

"Rudeus."

"Hm?"

"Help me move this one."

"Alright."

"That one too."

"Okay."

"And the one over there."

"Got it."

I poked my head in.

Dad was holding a box.

Big Sis Nanahoshi was sitting in a chair, directing.

When she saw us come in, Dad froze.

"Lara? Lily?"

"Dad."

"What are you two doing here?"

"Came to see you~"

"Really?"

"Of course."

Dad smiled and set down what he was carrying. He came over to us first and patted our heads.

The moment he finished, Lily bolted straight for the pile of magic tools.

She had completely forgotten that she came here to fix one...

Big Sis Nanahoshi saw her move and sat up instantly.

"Lily."

"Hm?"

"Don't touch the left side."

"Why?"

"It'll explode."

"What about the right side?"

"Just as dangerous."

"What about under the table?"

"Same! Come here, I've got other things for you to play with."

"Oh! Thank you, Big Sis Nanahoshi!"

Lily nodded and ran over.

Big Sis Nanahoshi led her to an open space and pulled a whole pile of magic tools from her storage ring.

Honestly, where does she keep finding all of these...

I sat nearby sipping juice, watching Dad help Big Sis Nanahoshi sort through documents.

Come to think of it, there's something I've always found a little strange.

Dad comes to the lab a lot. Because Big Sis Nanahoshi calls him over a lot.

Her reasons are always perfectly reasonable.

Testing. Moving things. Reviewing materials. Checking magic circles. Solving problems.

There's always something.

And Dad always helps. Because Dad has always been easygoing, especially with people he knows well.

But sometimes it still feels a little off.

Like right now.

Big Sis Nanahoshi clearly knows gravity magic. She can move plenty of things on her own. But she still called Dad over.

And then sat there drinking tea.

"Rudeus."

"Hm?"

"Tea's gone."

"I'll pour you more."

"Thanks."

"No problem."

Dad got up to pour it.

Big Sis Nanahoshi kept reading.

The whole thing was so natural it barely registered. Like they'd done it a thousand times before.

I chewed on my straw.

Watching.

Big Sis Nanahoshi noticed my stare.

"What's up, Lara?"

"Nothing."

"Then why are you staring at me?"

"Spacing out."

"Oh ho? Are you jealous?"

"Why would Big Sis Nanahoshi think that?"

"Because lately I've been sending things to Lily and not to the rest of you. Lucy, Windsor, Tina, Zeke — I should really prepare something for all of you too."

"Then I want food."

"Is there anything you actually can't get your hands on?"

"I want a dessert that Big Sis Nanahoshi and Dad research from scratch. Together."

"That's a lot of trouble."

"Then I don't want anything~"

"Rich kids are such a hassle."

Big Sis Nanahoshi smiled and went back to ignoring me.

A while later, Dad started organizing the bookshelf. Big Sis Nanahoshi was writing something.

Writing, writing,

her pen ran dry.

She reached out to the side without looking up.

"Rudeus."

"Hm?"

"Pen."

Dad didn't even turn his head. He reached across the desk, picked up the spare pen, and passed it over.

The whole thing took less than 2 seconds.

Smooth as breathing.

I blinked.

Looked at them again.

Big Sis Nanahoshi kept writing. Dad kept organizing. Neither of them thought anything of it.

But I felt something was off.

This wasn't the first time I'd seen something like this.

Sometimes when Big Sis Nanahoshi wants tea, Dad passes it over before she asks. Sometimes when Dad can't remember where he put something, Big Sis Nanahoshi tells him the exact spot. Sometimes they're mid-discussion and one of them will leave a sentence half-finished, and the other already knows where it was going.

How to put it...

There's a kind of deep familiarity between them.

Like family. But not quite family.

Like friends. But closer than ordinary friends.

Still, there's never been anything strange between them. Dad treats Big Sis Nanahoshi completely differently from how he treats Mama and the others. And Big Sis Nanahoshi, I don't know how she is with other friends, so it's hard to say.

That afternoon, a magic circle acting up. One that had been running continuously just stopped.

Big Sis Nanahoshi crouched on the ground to fix it. Dad crouched beside her. Their heads close together, talking through something.

I lay on the table and watched.

Lily played with spare parts nearby.

After a while, Big Sis Nanahoshi seemed to run out of steam. She dropped back and sat flat on the floor.

"My back hurts."

Dad sighed.

"I told you not to work in one stretch like that."

"Can't help it. Who am I doing all this for, anyway?"

"...It's not necessary."

"It is. Very much necessary."

"Take a break?"

"After I finish."

"Your health matters more."

"You're starting to sound like Sylphie."

"Am I?"

"You are."

Big Sis Nanahoshi smiled. Then she stretched, too big a motion, and her head went straight into the corner of the table.

THUNK!

"Ah."

Dad spun around immediately.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Is it swelling? Hahahaha."

"It's nothing serious. And what are you laughing at?"

"I can't even laugh? Come here, let me see."

"What's there to see?"

"It's swollen."

"..."

2 seconds of silence.

Then she obediently leaned her head toward him.

Dad looked it over and cast a healing spell on the spot.

I watched from the side.

It was kind of funny, honestly.

---------

The sky darkened. The lab lights came on.

Big Sis Nanahoshi finished the last of her work and collapsed into her chair.

"Done!"

"Good work."

"It's fine. I could've done it any time, really."

"Yeah. Just call me going forward. I'll come whenever I'm free."

"You're such a freeloader. I'm calling you every single day."

"Careful now — my children and my wives all need attention too. I'd rather not become the kind of father who doesn't show up for his family."

"Hehe~"

Nanahoshi looked at him.

"Are you heading home for dinner tonight?"

"Of course."

"That's nice."

"What's nice?"

"Having someone cook."

"You can come too. Actually — come whenever you want."

The air went quiet for a beat.

I had been spacing out. My head snapped up.

Dad's expression didn't change at all. Like he'd just said the most ordinary thing in the world.

"One more person makes no difference."

Big Sis Nanahoshi paused.

"Really?"

"Of course."

"My appetite is pretty big these days, you know."

"Probably not bigger than Pursena's, right? She's technically a maid, but she out-eats everyone in the house."

"That dog-eared maid?"

"Yeah."

"Ah... probably can't beat her, then. I ran into her at the dining hall once. She really can eat."

"Right?"

They both laughed.

If it were someone else, if Dad had invited anyone else home for dinner, they probably would've been flustered. Nervous for half the day.

Not Big Sis Nanahoshi.

She just thought about it for a moment. Then nodded.

"Alright. I'll go."

"Welcome."

"One thing though~"

"Hm?"

"After dinner I'm staying. Too lazy to go back."

"There's a teleportation circle."

"Are you shooing me out?"

"Of course not. There are spare rooms. I just wasn't sure you'd sleep well there."

"Well, that settles it. It's decided."

And that was that.

No pleasantries. No back-and-forth. No big reactions.

Because this had happened plenty of times before.

I stood up, ready to head home.

Big Sis Nanahoshi started packing. Dad helped her load documents into boxes. She didn't stop him, just handed over a few files for him to carry, then kept her head down and kept packing.

Hm.

Sometimes the distance between people isn't measured by what they say to each other. It's measured by what they've gotten used to.

Mama likes pinching Dad's cheeks. Mama Aisha likes teasing him. Mama Red likes hugging him out in the open. Mama Green likes it when he's the one who comes to her.

And Big Sis Nanahoshi.

She's just gotten used to calling out when she's busy.

Rudeus.

And Dad answers.

What is it.

Is that something? Maybe not, technically.

But it's not just friendship, either.

Though... I'm just Dad's cute daughter.

If it came down to having one more mother, I wouldn't mind. Big Sis Nanahoshi spoils me plenty already.

Thinking that, I stood up and followed them out.

The sky outside was fully dark.

In the direction of home, warm light was glowing.

Tonight was going to be lively.

Big Sis Nanahoshi was coming.

➤ Next: Lucy's Day