Gomen ne, Onii-sama Chapter 1.2

Take care of yourself, Oniisama!

Second Year.

Seeing the boy chant the spell for the fireball again and again and again, the maid shoved him hatefully.

Even though it had already been two years since the clan head had brought him to the main house, the boy hadn’t learned pyromancy at all.
Even though he had inherited the blood of the man who was said to be the most talented clan head in history, the boy hadn’t inherited even a fragment of his power, and the irritation towards him was just growing.

That even though he had less talent than anyone else, being allowed to live in the main house had invited her jealousy.

But more than anything else―――the fact that he was the elder brother of that girl who was blessed with more talent than anybody else, had invited her jealousy.

However, there was nobody in this mansion that would condemn her for such actions.

“Origa-sama is using it now. Please move, Gilford-sama.”

The boy who had fallen on his backside sluggishly raised his head, and perhaps due to exhaustion, tilted his head with a vacant expression.

Because magic that failed to activate would continually drain one’s power, his mana itself had probably run dry.
As for the little mistress, her copper eyes were gazing at her half-brother with a calm expression, and she gave a small sigh.

“You’re an eyesore, Oniisama. How about meditating outside? You might end up being able to use a little magic.”

Such was her passing remark, as she pointed outside the window expressionlessly, where the cacophony of roaring thunder and the violent rain striking the ground could be heard.

There was no way for the incompetent brother to refuse, and as the maid saw him walk, head hanging, to the door that lead to the courtyard, she felt a feeling akin to satisfaction.

…*

…*

UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHI’MSORRYI’MSORRYGIL-SAMA!
I’m really truly sorry. Even though he’s only 10, if he stands in this heavy rain he’ll definitely catch a cold.

But I can swear that this definitely isn’t meaningless.

By doing that, you can little by little increase your affinity with mana.
Even I spend a few hours every day continually lighting up the bonfires responsible for the mansion’s barrier, and exert myself trying to heighten my affinity.

But even though Gil-sama’s aptitude is for water, the Luzil clan is a pyromancy clan.

To begin with, although each person in this pyromancy clan has their own differences, they unfailingly have the aptitude for fire.

In our clan, as long as you have even a little bit of suitability for fire, in order to extend that, all other aptitudes are sealed, and you train up the fire little by little but…
This method that the Luzil family uses that completely sacrifices all other elements to specialise in just the one, has instead become one of the things that’s discouraging Gil-sama’s hydromancy from blooming.

Then if you consider my explanation of Gil-sama’s aptitude just now, you might be wondering ‘Then why not just have him leave the house?’.

The common sense of my old world doesn’t work here.

…Well, what can I say, it was that sort of rough world that was depicted in the novels.

At this rate, his life will really be in danger!

And there’s so much water element in the downpour!

…But, I really am sorry.

“Keika, the tea.”

Seeing as a sigh almost escaped me, I shook my head to clear it away, and feeling down, I asked the maid for tea.

Seeing her coldly gaze into the courtyard as though she were looking at an irritating bug, anxiety immediately gushed up in me.

Where they looked the door to the courtyard, and Gil-sama was left there even when he collapsed.

Uwahh, although it’s to grasp a rare chance for Gil-sama to train, now that his mana is depleted, it’s really easy for him to fall sick.

“Here you go, Origa-sama. I have just prepared it.”

“…Also, please bring Oniisama to the training spot. I shall instruct him.”

Now that I’ve said this, he’ll probably be taken in from the rain in about two hours.

Afterwards I’ll be treating him badly enough to be called abuse, but unlike the novel where they were trying to abuse him as much as I’m trying to hold back, and where they wouldn’t give him medicine even when he fell sick, I’m sure the situation now is definitely better. Probably.

The maid’s face warped in displeasure in the corner of my eye when she heard the word “instruct”, so I gave a small sigh.
I know that Gil-sama has a delicate position, but… Argh, geez! Human relations are so troublesome!

…*

…*

After my afternoon training was over, the message I received from the maid was that I would be dining with Otousama for the first time in a while.

While wondering exactly what kind of whim brought this about, I hurriedly changed and headed to the dining room to find that, again, something of a rare occurence, Gil-sama was sitting there as well.

Though I was wondering whether it was going to be raining spears tomorrow, with a composed expression I sat down at the table and had dishes carried to me one by one.

I began to slowly eat, feeling that I should at least set an example.
Otousama who was sitting interposed between Oniisama and I, just sat there sipping wine with a smile as he gazed pleasantly at us.

I’m not good at dealing with this person.

I didn’t really have any favourite characters, but as a fellow woman, I sympathised for Okaasama due to her unfortunate marriage.

Don’t you also think it’s difficult? Before the matter of your parent cheating or whatever, knowing that this person who you aren’t good at dealing with is somebody that you’ll definitely bump heads with one day.

But there’s also one thing about him that I have unconditional faith in.

In other words, there shouldn’t be any such people taking the stage in the open.

If one or two more of us popped up, I’d never be able to handle them, so I’m thankful.

While only Gil-sama and I were quietly eating, Otousama called for more wine, again and again.
He was sitting there with an unreadable expression, but once the dessert was brought to our table, he finally opened his mouth.

“Gilford. I’ve heard the report. Spend more time training. And it’s about time that I give you a tutor for the sword, so continue to apply yourself.”

“…Understood, Esteemed Father.”

While I was watching Otousama uninterestedly imply that Gil-sama wasn’t suited for magic with his curt orders, perhaps he noticed my gaze, because he looked my way with a smile.
Resembling my own, those dark, copper eyes narrowed like a predator’s.

“By the way. It seems that you’ve been working quite hard, haven’t you, Origa.”

“Yes. I am trying my best each day so that I can become a magician that can support the nation and the Ruzil family, even a day earlier.”

“Ohh?”

Thinking that it was the optimal response, I recited a line that 【Origa】 often gave, and in response his red lips curved into a smile.

The room was filled with a sodden heat.

…*

“I can’t say I really recommend that way of doing things.”

I felt like my heart had suddenly frozen over.

―――Ahh, it’s here.

As expected, this man had noticed what I’d been doing to Gil-sama.

Just how many people have noticed this?
Did somebody report this to Otousama?

“…Whatever could you be talking about? I am following the training each day that you have advised me to, but…?”

If he’s been noticed by the clan head, Otousama, then Gil-sama who isn’t even a real member of our fire clan is as good as done for.

There’s no way that this story would allow that.

In that case, even if he’s my father, even if he’s the clan head, and even if he’s somebody I can’t match, as long as he gets in my way…

In harmony with these feelings of mine, the candles in the room blazed brighter.

So that I wouldn’t miss a single action.

The person who was receiving my hostility glanced at the changes in the candles atop the table.

“Well then. If you think that it’s cultivating that talent, then do as you wish.”

Otousama spoke in a jesting tone as he closed his copper eyes, and the moment that he did, the heat that filled the room was stopped by mana and faded.

Just the fact that things ended without butting heads with him was a godsend.
I slowly let out the breath that I had been holding, quieted my feelings, and brought a stop to the tremors of the flame.

“If you can surpass me, then you can do as you like. Well, there’ll be restrictions though.”

“Yes. I understand, Otousama.”

Although I have talent, my experience is overwhelmingly lacking.

It’s something that my father, called the most talented in history, has. And it’s something that I am lacking――――experience.

But one day, once I can compensate for this deficiency…

-kushuu-

A small sneeze rang out through that frozen and bloodthirsty atmosphere.

Ahhh, geez. Nothing would come out but a sigh.
So depressing.

―――It seems that Gil-sama really did catch a cold.

Take care of yourself, Oniisama!
―――I’ll bring you medicine and warm milk later, okay?!

What do I do about terms like chichiue and hahaue? Obaue etc.? I’ve been translating it as Esteemed ____, since I don’t need to translate otousama etc. that way, but if everyone already knows terms like ojiue and stuff, then I guess I could leave it in? What’s the average level of knowledge for a weeaboo? Would they know terms like aniue and aneue stuff?

“Though I was wondering whether it was going to be raining spears tomorrow…”
This comes with the Japanese equivalent of ‘whatever happens’/’come hell or high water’; ‘whether it rains water or spears’.

Chapter end