Translator: LynneSuzuran——

  Now then.

  At the entrance hall, the ornaments and the tree branches that were scattered about were mostly cleaned up, but… In other words, it returned back to its condition before we decorated it, though. Also, when you carefully looked at it, some portion of the carpet was torn off, and there were cracks on the wall.

  I wonder what we should do with it?

  “All that is left is to redo the decoration, right?”


  “It’s going to be a sleepless night, huh? Well, I don’t mind, though.”


  “In exchange, let’s finish quickly tomorrow and sleep!”


  …The servants said those things as if they were natural. It sounded just like the orphanage director before the Christmas party. In other words, be that as it may with the evil spirit invasion, they were quite used with pulling an all-nighter, huh? Isn’t that not good?

  Amidst all that, Jigen-san put his hand on the cracked wall, and for some reason, his mouth moved. …Ah, awesome. The cracks on the wall stuck together and disappeared as if it was some sort of CG. Then, after noticing my gaze, he showed his usual smile, “Hohoho.”


  “Oh my, oh my, did you see it? Well, this grandpa will fix the wall and the floor. No need to worry.”


  “Eh, ah, yes. Please do.”


  Nah, I have no choice but to answer that, right? So, you can fix the wall with magic. Hahaha, really, please do.

  Anyway, being able to use magic inside the mansion, did they say that the magic wall weakened? I wonder if the defense was all right?

  “How about it, Mikoto-san?”


  [Well, as for guarding the mansion, as long as Darling and I are here, then everything will be all right. During the Week of the End of the Year, the evil spirits will come out, but because of the humans’ clamour, their power won’t be as strong.]

  My ancestor responded comfortably. Darling—which meant Koyata-san—too, nodded while he was hugging Mikoto-san tightly. Eeh, enough, isn’t that embarrassing?

  Wait, that’s not it. Yup.

  “…Which means, with this, everything is done for now, isn’t it?”


  [Mhm. You’ve worked quite hard, Seiren. Everyone, too.] [Thanks for your hard work. The main culprit had also disappeared, so everything is all right now.]

  The two ancestors nodded at the same time. Ah-, the problem with the evil spirit was finally concluded, huh? So tired.

  …I want to see Taiga-san.

  [Now Seiren, I understand that you want to meet your beloved, but you still have things that you need to do.] “Whoa, hii?!”


  “Seiren, your face was so lovestruck, you know?”


  “Well, Taiga-dono is also worried about Seiren. Please write a letter to him later.”


  Whoa, it was not so bad when it was seen only by Mikoto-san, but Tou-san and Kaa-san also saw it. Or rather, everyone in the entrance hall, why were your gazes all so focused on me?!

  “No, you said that you wanted to meet Taiga-dono, after all.”


  “Eh? Yuzuruha-san, did my voice leak out?”


  “Yes, and very clearly, too.”


  In response to my question, Yuzuruha-san nodded and showed a very serious face.

  Aaaaah, I want to dig up a hole and bury myself in it right now.

  [Hey, hey, stop squirming and hurry take a rest, Seiren. Tomorrow, the important task of distributing the snacks will be waiting upon you.]

  Instead of someone clapping on my shoulders, the exasperated voice was thrown at me, and I was suddenly taken back to reality. Eh, distributing the snacks?

  “Eh, I will distribute them, too?”


  [It is after all your debut before marriage. Give it your all.] “That’s right. Everything is fine over here, so please rest now.”


  “Y-ye-s!”


  Before marriage.

  I see. Next year, I will be at Taiga-san’s place. Celebrating the New Year by my parents’ side like this, could it be my first and also my last?

  If that’s the case, then in order that we can enter the New Year properly, shall I just quickly sleep now?

  In this Week of the End of the Year, I need to properly distribute the snacks to the fief population for the first and the last time.

  Y-yosh, I renewed my mind, and for the time being, let’s just escape to my room. Huh? My face is still hot, too.

  “T-then, please take care of everything here. Excuse me, I will head back first.”


  “Good night, Ojou-sama!”


  “Please have a good rest-!”


  When I bowed my head, the servants answered with a somewhat amusing face. Speaking of which, this was my first time exchanging a proper good night greeting with these people, huh?

  “A-Ane-sama!”


  “S-Seiren-sama, welcome back!”


  “Welcome back, that was quick, huh?”


  When I returned to my room back with Minoa-san and Oriza-san, I was greeted by Saryuu and his accompanying maids with their restraints unfastened. And they were kneeling with the tops of the feet flat on the floor.1

  Kaya-san and Alica-san who were sitting in the same manner as them on the floor were on opposite side of them, and upon checking that it was me, they stood up in a fluster. Just what the hell were you all doing?

  While I was pondering on that, Saryuu’s maids simultaneously bowed their heads.

  “Seiren-sama! Sorry for causing such a great inconvenience this time!”


  “That, I don’t really remember, but truly, please excuse my impoliteness!”


  “I’m really sorry!!”


  Tokino-san, Maki-san, Kanna-san. The three of them bowed their heads deeply. …Ah-, this is…


  “Everyone, has your consciousness returned?”


  “Y-yes, somehow… And then, uhm, Kaya-san and Alica-san told us about it.”


  “I see.”


  Ah- yup, perhaps they had already conducted the questioning. Kaya-san made a somewhat complicated face, perhaps it was since their situations overlapped with her own situation.

  Although I might say that in case of these three people, it was obvious that they had no consciousnes during that time at all. Saryuu seemed to remember, though.

  That’s why, I leaned over and watched the three girls’ condition.

  “Then, I’m glad. Are you not hurt?”


  “Ah, yes. We’re all fine.”


  It was Kanna-san who answered on their behalf. Well, I guess it can’t be helped that they all looked so dejected.

  In this case, no matter what I say, they seem like they will still be dejected. In this kind of time, what should I do?

  Change of mood, nothing is better than that.

  “Well then, what about helping out the others and cleaning up the entrance hall, together with Kaya-san, too? Things were quite awful before. Is that okay with you, Saryuu?”


  When I suddenly brought up that subject, Kaya-san immediately nodded after saying, “Me? Understood.” Saryuu blinked with surprise but then he shook his head. Arbitrarily.

  “Eh? Ah, t-then, if Nee-sama is fine with that…”


  “I’m fine with it, and it seems that they are short of hands. If Tokino-san and the others were to lend their hands, I think that they will all feel saved.”


  “I see.”


  Saryuu and the others don’t know the condition of the current entrance hall, but once they go, they will know. Even though they don’t do that, when they are about to return to Saryuu’s room, they will pass through the hall on upstairs and see.

  Anyway, my younger brother quickly faced the maids and plainly ordered. This side of him also felt like he was indeed the heir of a feudal lord’s house. Even more than me, always.

  “Maki, Tokino. I’m all fine, so go and help them clean up. Kanna, can you stay here for a bit?”


  “Understood. I will go now.”


  “Understood.”


  “Eh? Ah, yes.”


  In accordance to Saryuu’s order, Maki-san and Tokino-san quickly stood up. Kanna-san stared in puzzlement but she obediently straightened herself.

  I called Kaya-san who was moving along with the two maids that just stood up and halted her. For now, I have to say this to her.

  “Kaya-san.”


  “Yes?”


  “Kaa-san and I won’t say anything about what you will do from hereon.”


  “…Yes. I intend to say it with my own mouth.”


  “Yes.”


  When I nodded, Kaya-san lightly bowed her head before disappearing to the opposite side of the door along with Maki-san and Tokino-san.

  Kaa-san would also be more content if she were to tell it by her own words, after all. I will leave the rest up to Kaa-san.

  Now then, the thing that I have to do is…


  “Alica-san, Oriza-san, Minoa-san. Can you please head to the bedroom first?”


  “Eh? Ah, yes.”


  The inner side, is it?”


  “…Understood. For the time being, let’s go, the two of you.”


  After sending off my maids who disappeared to the bedroom as if they were pushed by Minoa-san, I faced towards Saryuu who remained in this place with Kanna-san.

  “…Now then, Saryuu.”


  The thing that I have to do for now is perhaps to make things clear with my younger brother.

  Perhaps this guy likes me, and so things escalated to that extent just now.

  “Yes?”


  “To me, you’re my cute younger brother. Although we’re not blood-related, that kind of thing is completely irrelevant, and you’re my younger brother.”


  “…Yes.”


  “I know that you’ve been working hard in order to succeed this house, and I’m rooting for you. However, the one who will be rooting for you the most at your side might not probably be me, but I think that it will be someone else.”


  “…Yes, Ane-sama…”


  “At least, I’m happy to know that you like me. But still, I’m only your older sister.”


  No matter what happens, I am still his older sister, Seiren.

  And an older sister is not going to be his partner in love nor marriage.

  In addition, I already have that kind of person by my side.

  Saryuu is supposed to understand that too, but still…


  “Hahaha. I have been broken hearted, huh?”


  Ah-, but for some reason, rejecting a male is amazingly awkward, huh? In addition, it’s someone who I’m so familiar with, it’s all the more awkward.

  There were tears in Saryuu’s big eyes, but even so, he didn’t cry but he tried hard to laugh. Ah- stupid, it’s okay even if you cry here, this guy.

  “Sorry.”


  “Please don’t apologize, Ane-sama. You’re not bad. It was my bad for having my first love be Ane-sama.”


  “…”


  I wonder if that is so? Or rather, I’m your first love?!

  My first love… was perhaps the other director who had raised me along with the orphanage director, so I thought, but I don’t remember about it clearly. Could it be that perhaps my first love was actually the orphanage director?

  Really, I don’t remember about it. In this case, it might be attributed to the uncertainty surrounding my gender. I was born as a female, but I grew up as a male in the other world.

  However, perhaps this was what attracted Saryuu.

  “…Kanna-san, can I please ask you to take care of Saryuu? Please have him rest in his room.”


  “Yes, I understand.”


  “N-nee-sama, please excuse me…”


  I had no other choice but to watch as Saryuu who was still crying went out of the room, accompanied by Kanna-san.