Gomen ne, Onii-sama Chapter 1.1

First Year.

PASHIN, went the hard sound of the fan closing.

The boy who was forcefully awakened from his extreme nervousness, had drawn in a deep breath before he had realised it.
A woman with neatly ordered brown hair, with just a tinge of golden, gazed at the boy with cold eyes.

“Gilford, could it be that you cannot form even a fireball?”

“…I-, ‘m very sorry, esteemed (step)mother.”

The woman gave a deep sigh, as though she were disappointed from the depths of her heart, before placing a hand to her head.

She had become somebody that would no longer protect him.

This woman did not have the leisure to pay attention to the incompetent.
Even if this was a given result, it still aches the heart.

―――However.

The moment that the bishounen with the dull silver hair and green eyes was moved to tears by his failure, and was abandoned by the beautiful blonde woman…

To think the day would come that I would see with my own eyes this picturesque scene. I had never even thought it possible.

The person looking on from the side looked like nothing but the image of a cold-headed stepmother, but she had kindness that allowed her to never give up on him, no matter how many times, how many times he failed a test.

If she continued guiding them even after they failed the test, she would definitely collapse.
While calming this heart of mine that had been trembling with emotion, I cut in between the two of them to take on that duty myself.

“Okaasama. Would it be all right if I took over testing Oniisama?”

Since I’ve gained Okaasama’s permission, and I’ve seen her off…

I abruptly changed my posture, and after gazing at the bishounen with villainous, confident eyes, I let out a fireball the size of my palm into the air.

One, two, three――――――――――――ten.
The boy’s eyes were coloured with despair as he gazed at the fire balls surrounding my small body.

“By the rules of our family, I will not forgive a person eternally useless.”

Raising a small arm into the air as the fireballs followed my movements, I turned them towards the boy.
Regardless of the fact that there was a protective film cast over him, touching the balls you would find them appropriately hot, and those fireballs rained down onto the defenceless boy.

“Oniisama, let me teach you the difference between us.”

Even if they’re older than you, or in a higher position than you, the strength of the person takes priority.

The unconditionally meritocractic Luzil family is super muscle-headed.

…*

…*

Just like in many stories, 【I】 was reincarnated.

In the past, there was once a book that began to have a quiet boom, which bit by bit began to catch on, and just as they were about to conclude the series and people were thinking ‘The anime adaptation is pretty close too!’ …with such exceptional timing, the publisher went bankrupt, and it was postponed.

In the past, I was completely engrossed in it.
A book once a year, and at worst, even a book every three years. This series that would only be released at such a pace was to I, who spent my days in boredom, the only thing I had to look forward to in excitement.

There were many characters that I liked, but amongst them all, I was particularly fond of the protagonist.

Early life, an unfortunate childhood, a door opening to a world he never knew, a journey with his friends, schemes that stood in the way, blessings of a guardian spirit, grief on the battlefield, difficulties, and growth.
Each of these components were spices that made him shine―――the only regrettable thing was that just before his final confrontation, the publishers went bankrupt.

Now then, the world that I was born into was none other than that of ‘The Magician and the Country of Night’.
The truth is that when I was younger, my memories were unstable, so I wasn’t really sure, but once my ego had developed, I properly realised the situation.

Indeed; I realised that in the near future, the protagonist―――the Grand Hydromancer, Gilford, would become my older brother.

Honestly speaking, when I realised this, I was so excited that for days I couldn’t even fall asleep.

I spent every single day excited, and dived into my studies of magic with enthusiasm.

However, once I calmed down a little and thought through one of the memories in my mind, I realised that the road my future brother would be travelling would be filled with difficulties.

The worries on the battlefield, the conflicts with the enemy, the discord between friends; all of them were essential to growth, so it wasn’t a big problem.

But. But,

He was unmistakably the protagonist. However, he belonged to the type that matured and showed their talents later.

The Luzil family that Gil-sama and I belong to is a clan of pyromancers.

And even now, it was a clan that was a key cornerstone of our country, a clan that overpowered the forces of the opportunistic neighbouring countries that might seek to attack us.

As a result, this family of mine that values strength more than anything, is a complete meritocracy.
That’s why my late-bloomer Oniisama had for a long time been treated as something lower than a worm in this house.

Originally when Otousama had suddenly brought back a boy and said ‘This is my kid.’ it was a huge fiasco.

Gil-sama is a child who’s older than me―――in other words, he was a kid conceived during Otousama’s political engagement with the esteemed Okaasama.

It was a relationship with nothing going for it except trust, so it can’t be helped that it came to this though.

It was good to have even one more able magician serving the country.
That’s why she very properly trained Gil-sama in the magic of the Luzil family.

The result was that Oniisama had absolutely no talent for fire.

Had Gil-sama even a little bit of talent in pyromancy then once he grew up he could at least work as a magician to protect the country, even if it was work in support roles, so her husband’s infidelity was tied to supporting the country; it was for this reason that she could bear it.

And seeing Okaasama driven into a corner like that, those that sympathised with her, and those that were envious of his position, all verbally abused Gil-sama, so he ended up spending a pitiful ten years like that.

It was a family built on meritocracy, so that part of it can’t be helped though.

But, but, no matter how much growth you can gain from suffering, the circumstances really are just too much!
Even though the only one in the wrong is Otousama with his loose lower body, Gil-sama and Okaasama are really too pitiful. I was angry.

Thankfully, 【I】 am Origa Emelda Luzil.

In the book, Origa was such a powerful pyromancer that she was even called the heaven-sent child of pyromancy, and with a severe and flaming personality, she mowed down every person in the clan with her strength, and snatched the position of clan head from Otousama at the young age of sixteen.
And like that, because of that severe meritocracy, various incidents were―――no, that’s not something relevant right this moment though.

Even if I speed things along a little, it’s a predetermined ending, so there shouldn’t be any problem.

As long as it’s regarding matters outside of the blooming of his abilities, and his reign as the best magician in the country, I believed that I would be able to interfere.

So that’s how it is.

In other words, each day I do nothing but devote myself to playing the villain.

Sorry, Oniisama!
―――It’s just for a little while longer, so hold on, okay?

tl: “esteemed (step)mother”

Ah, for readers with no idea what I’m talking about, in Japanese, usually you would refer to step-parents or in-laws as ‘step/-inlaw’ when you write, but pronounce it as ‘mother’ or ‘father’. But since this is fantasy, I’m not exactly sure how things go.

Chapter end