Chapter - 16

"Shizuku!"

Ikki rushed over to his sister and took her hands.

"Wow, it's really you! You've grown up so much, I didn't recognize you!"

"Of course, since we haven't met in four years. It would be more odd if I didn't change."

"Ahaha, that's true. But still, I'm so happy! To think that Shizuku would come for me! I was going to look for you myself, but I had a bit of trouble in class and―no, that doesn't even matter, right? Sorry, I'm getting too excited."

He wanted to say many things, to apologize for suddenly leaving home, to share his joy in this reunion. But all those things tried to leave his mouth together, so he couldn't speak properly. It was quite troubling.

"Hey Ikki. Could she be the sister you mentioned this morning?"

Stella's question was a lifesaver, giving Ikki a chance to pull himself together.

"Eh? Ah! Yes! Stella, I'll introduce her to all of you―"

But when Ikki turned to the class, Shizuku grabbed his sleeve to draw his gaze back, and pulled him closer.

"Onii-sama… I've wanted to see you so much…."

Touching Ikki's cheeks, Shizuku kissed him with pale pink lips.

At this heedlessly public kiss, the rest of the class screamed.

"WHAT THE HELL―!?"

"W-Wait a minute! Ikki! Y-Y-You! What do you think you're doing!?"

Of course, Ikki was the one most confused about getting kissed by his little sister. He quickly removed Shizuku's hands from his jacket.

"I-I-I don't know what happened either! Shizuku! Just now, what did you…!?"

"Shizuku! Just now, what did you…!?"

"What? …It was a kiss, you know?"

"What? …It was a kiss, you know?"

"I know that! I'm surprised because I'm totally clear about that! But why did you kiss me!?"

"Does there need to be a reason? A kiss is proof of deep love, something done even by people sharing the shallow, fickle, and crude bond of romantic love, so isn't it natural for siblings of the same blood to kiss? Rather, it's odd for them not to. Besides, kissing is simply a greeting in other countries."

"Eh? Is that true? Stella, am I the weird one here?"

"Of course not! Why are you following her pace!? First of all, mouth-to-mouth is an inexcusable greeting even in other countries! Is Japan a nation where siblings kiss!?"

Their classmates recoiled at Stella's question and began to mutter among themselves.

「No, that's definitely wrong.」

「Totally impossible.」

「I'd throw up just thinking about it.」

"Oh, then Shizuku, you're the one who's weird. The voters were unanimous."

Shizuku laughed softly at that.

"There's no problem at all, Onii-sama, because they are them, and we are us. I'm sure the sibling bonds of everyone else here are as cold as tundra. Our modern era is sick like that. But you and I are different. Such a kiss can't even express the love I've felt for four long years. Even if we have sex right here, it'd be no more than a greeting."

"LIKE HELL THAT'S POSSIBLE!!!"

It was only the first period of the first day of school, but Year One Class One found themselves already unified in mind and spirit.

"No, Shizuku, what are you saying!? For a young lady to say s-sex so easily, how is that decent!?"

"It's a joke. You're so cute, blushing like that."

Who… who was this!? Shizuku's enchanting smile made Ikki break into a cold sweat. The sister in his memories was terribly shy and scared of crowds. How in the world did she turn out this way?

"Well then, Onii-sama, let's put those trivial things aside. Please feel more of me, and let me feel more of you too."

Shizuku said that, and her arms wrapped around Ikki's neck like white serpents. Her jade eyes, having not fallen on anyone else since she entered the classroom, shined at Ikki like those of a bird of prey.

"These four years, I've been so lonely…."

"Wa…ah!"

Her pink lips came near for a second kiss. This was bad. Going any farther was bad. This was no healthy relationship for siblings. But even though Ikki knew that, he couldn't move. His sister had locked her green eyes onto him and wouldn't let him flee, so the two of them once again―

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

But Stella ripped Ikki out of that dangerous position.

"Hey Ikki! Why aren't you stopping her!? Get a hold of yourself!"

"S-Sorry! I mean, thanks for saving me Stella!"

For the first time, Shizuku looked at someone other than Ikki, as if she had just now noticed the other girl's presence.

"What are you doing?"

"That's my line! What are you up to!? Why were you getting close to Ikki!?"

"What? I was going to kiss him."

"Th-That's right! Why on earth would you do that!?"

"Why? Well if I have to answer, then―"

Shizuku sighed at Stella's question.

"―I do with my brother whatever I like."

"Ikki! Your sister is strange! What part of her is 'a normal blood-related sibling'!?"

"No, I'm surprised too!"

"You've interrupted us more than once now. You're that rumored Princess Stella, right? Why is royalty intruding on a conversation between commoners?"

"Can commoners stand such an obscene conversation either!?"

"As I said, they are them and we are us."

"You're just glossing over the issue! Think with common sense for a moment!"

"…What a noisy person. Fine, even if―let's pretend if―it's odd for a sister to kiss her brother, and I've done something contrary to common sense… why does it matter to you?"

"Err…."

"This issue is between him and me. A small-minded princess who's not involved in our affairs should stay away."

Shizuku said that with a half-lidded gaze, and Stella winced. This little sister's resolve came from a great longing for her brother Ikki after four years of separation. Stella certainly had no direct connection, and she shouldn't be pricking at their reunion from the sidelines, but―

"Onii-sama, there seems to be a hindrance here, so let's go somewhere quieter and reclaim the years we lost."

―but this wench wasn't acting like a little sister. She was speaking to Ikki in a manner that crosses beyond right-minded blood relations, and Stella couldn't leave that kind of person alone with Ikki.

So Stella braced herself.

"…If it's a connection you need, then I have one."

Her face was dyed red as she said it.

"We have a relationship, so him kissing you, I can't allow that!"

"Eh!?"

Those words shocked Ikki, because Stella had just declared it wasn't okay for him to kiss another girl.

Does that… by any chance… mean that Stella, towards me―

"Because Ikki is my master! If my master turns into an perverted sis-con and gets thrown out of society, it would obviously bother me!"

"That's your reason―!?"

"Super huge scandal―! I can finally see the first issue, 『Squirm on My Chest! Princess and Savage Locked in Room Almost 72 Hours!』 It'll definitely be that!"

「Kurogane seemed mature, but he's even into…?」

「Wow, maybe he's hiding really strong appetites?」

「Making a princess your servant? That's some high level degradation play.」

Th-This is bad. Stella just turned everything in a ridiculous direction.

"W-Wait a minute, Stella! What are you saying in front of all these people!?"

"B-But isn't it true!? We fought that duel while betting our all, and I lost to you. Which means, even though I'm unwilling, that my body and heart belong to you! You could even say we're one in body and soul. There's no way I'm not part of your affairs! And keeping one's lord on the right path is a vassal's duty!"

"Didn't I say we should just forget about that promise!?"

"No! My royal pride won't allow it, and haven't you already given this princess the order to 'Live together with me'!?"

"I don't remember it sounding that smooth! And I wasn't implying anything immoral either!"

"But what you said wasn't very different!"

Which he couldn't argue, but….

"Is that true?"

An ice-cold voice struck Ikki's back, and it sent a chill cutting through Ikki body as if water had been poured into his veins. The charm Shizuku had been showing was nowhere to be seen. Her cold voice resounded again.

"Is it true?"

Shizuku stood there staring at Ikki, her face as stiff a Noh mask.

Scary!

"Onii-sama. I'm asking whether that was true or not."

What a heavy question. He wanted to deny it. If he didn't deny it, something bad was going to happen. Ikki knew that, but unfortunately it was almost exactly as Stella said, so―

"W-Well, I think some spiteful nuance was added, but… it's like she said."

The honest Ikki couldn't help but give that answer, even if honest people didn't live long.

"Oh, so it's true? Fu… fufufu… fufu―hii!"

"Shizuku…?"

"Liar."

Shizuku smiled with narrowed eyes, and fear―as if someone was licking his spinal cord―raced through Ikki's body.

"Why would you tell such a lie, Onii-sama? There's no way you'd do that. You'd never make me sad, never say something that could hurt me. That's not―"

"E-Erm, Shizuku…-san?"

"―you at all. Ah! I understand. I'm sure this woman is blackmailing you to go out with her. And you're covering that fact so you won't make me worry, right? Yes, what else could―"

"Wait, just listen to me for a―"

"―it be? Poor Onii-sama. What a horrible woman. This is exactly why I didn't want you to leave home. You're so amazing and fascinating, why else would lewd and stupid people―"

"Shizuku, I'm begging you to calm down a bit and we'll talk this over―"

"―who only have large breasts come near you? You're not to blame. You're just captivating and dreamy. So it's all this woman's fault. It's all this woman's fault. That's why I'll set you free. Splash away, Yoishigure!"

"H-Hey Shizuku, that's bad! You can't do that! Put that dangerous thing away and listen to me! I'm not actually being blackmailed―hey, are you listening!?"

Ikki could only stand there with a blanched face as Shizuku summoned her kodachi-shaped Device, Yoishigure.

"Oh please, Onii-sama. I am listening. How can Shizuku not hear something Onii-sama said? That's more impossible than the world spinning backward. I might be the runner-up among the first-years and a B-Rank inferior to Stella-san, but my element is water, the natural counter to her fire. Still, I'm thankful for your worry. I love you, Onii-sama."

"You're obviously not listening at all! You've been talking nonsense since the beginning!"

"Serve me, Lævateinn."

"Wha!? Why is Stella getting aggressive too!?"

"Sorry, but unlike you, I'm not so soft I'd hold back while someone points a Device at me. If she wants to fight, then I'm ready and willing."

By the time Ikki realized it, neither Shizuku nor Stella were looking at him any longer. Only the enemy was reflected in those jade and ruby eyes. He could no longer stop them with words, now that they were set on beating each other.

"Okaaay! Everyone, please go out to the hall. If you stay here you'll die, you know~!"

Kagami had already started the evacuation, showing the great adaptability of a journalist. Soon, the only other people remaining in the classroom were the two girls glaring at each other.

"But still, you have such a modest Device… just like your chest."

"And you, a weapon with no elegance at all, just like your vulgar breasts. Both are only uselessly large. They fit you well."

"Someone so deprived can't help but speak her bias, but I shall forgive it, since I'm a woman whose heart is as big as her chest."

"…Fatty."

*Snap*

Ikki heard an unpleasant sound from Stella's direction.

Ahh, it's hopeless.

Ikki left the room with his shoulders slumped, and the unavoidable tragedy began.

"I'll kill you!"

Those two Blazers turned Year One Class One to rubble.