"Clorinde? I’ll be imposing on you for a while, okay? And don’t let anyone know I’m coming here, got it?"
"Yes, understood. But... this boy..."
"Hello. My name is Avrora."
"Avrora... You are the child who came first in the judicial examination, aren’t you? How do you know him?"
"Urgh... We just happened to meet and became friends. Clorinde? You should greet Avrora too, shouldn’t you? We’ll be seeing each other often."
"Understood. I’m Clorinde, and I work at the Palais Mermonia. I look forward to working with you."
"Y-Yes... Likewise."
She was so stiff that I had no idea what to do! But she was already working at the Palais Mermonia? Wasn’t that awfully fast? More importantly, Clorinde had grown up fast too. Her chest was already that... The contrast with Furina was really glaring.
"Since Avrora came from an orphanage like you, maybe you’ll find it easy to get along? Once he passes the judicial examination, you’ll be seeing him even more often~"
"Why are you assuming I’ll pass? Don’t you know the third round is the turning point?"
"That’s true, but... you can definitely pass! I guarantee it!"
"Lady Furina has always been quite confident, but today, she seems particularly happy. What is your relationship with him, Avrora...? Should I call you Mister?"
"May I ask how old you are?"
"I’m sixteen this year..."
Sixteen? But those proportions, damn... Would Peruel end up like that when she grew up too...?
"Then you’re older than me, so please speak casually. You can just call me Avrora."
"All right. Avrora."
"And don’t be so formal with me, either. Just address me casually. You’re being too stiff."
"I’m sorry. Since you’re Lady Furina’s friend, you give the impression of being someone important, Mr. Avrora."
She even added a mister. As though I were somebody important.
"Heheh~ Of course he’ll become someone important~ Once he passes this judicial examination? I’ll make him my personal legal officer~"
This bitch? I was going to become a lawyer!
"Hey! When did I ever say I’d work under you?! I’m going to be a lawyer!"
"Eek?! Wh-Why would you become a lawyer?! Stop talking back and come work under me!"
"That’s my choice! And what the hell are you saying in front of Clorinde?! Didn’t we come here to play the piano?"
"Ah... I forgot... Ahem... Forgive me, Clorinde. Forgive my rudeness in your home..."
"Y-Yes... It’s all right, but... I had never seen Lady Furina get so worked up before, so it was rather fascinating."
"Anyway, let’s play the piano, Furina. Clorinde, may I use a chair?"
"Yes, of course."
And so began my one-on-one piano lessons with Furina.
"Hmm? You’re progressing faster than I expected. At this rate, you’ll be able to play most ordinary pieces by around next year."
"Does ‘most ordinary pieces’ include things like transcendental études?"
"Those weren’t written for humans to play, you know?"
Just as I thought. Anyone who could play those wasn’t human, right?
"Still, I’m relieved you’re progressing faster than I expected. In a few months, you’ll be able to play in front of people without embarrassing yourself."
"Really? That’s good, then... Furina, can you write sheet music too?"
"Sheet music? I can, but why?"
"There are several tunes in my head, but I can’t put them into form. Could you write them down for me?"
"That much is easy~ So, what kind of song is it?"
"It’s an Inazuman song, so the lyrics would need to be changed a little, but the melody itself won’t be too different. I’ll sing it for you."
"What? An Inazuman song? It’s not something where you bang on drums or anything, is it?"
"It’s a piano piece. It just has Inazuman lyrics."
"Really? If it’s a song, it needs a title too. Have you thought of one?"
"It already has a title. And when I think about the lyrics, it makes me think of you."
"Ngh...! What?! Is it a song dedicated to me?! Then... I’ll devote my heart and soul to it! A song Avrora is dedicating to me, hehehe..."
Well, the singer’s personal color was the same blue as yours, and her chest too... Though Furina’s might still be bigger? Their clothes hid it, so they looked about even.
"Then... let’s write the sheet music! Avrora! Sing me the melody!"
"Give me a moment to think... It’s been a long time, so..."
"The mood is awfully dark. This is the song that makes you think of me?"
"I said it makes me think of you when I consider the lyrics. And I never said it was a song dedicated to you, did I?"
"Aww... I thought it would be something cheerful... What a disappointment. Then when are you going to write the lyrics?"
"Hmm... When I pass the fourth round?"
"Hey!!! You’re doing this on purpose to make me worry, aren’t you?!!!"
Furina grabbed me by the collar and shook me back and forth. Clorinde drank her tea with a smile, seemingly amused to see Furina acting that way.
"If Lady Furina can be so unpretentious around you, then you must be a good person. Let us wait without worrying."
Clorinde? My personality isn’t that good, you know? I’m the leader of slaves. And a sadistic one at that.
"A-All right.... Avrora! You have to pass the third round, okay?! Today’s lesson is over, so go straight home and study!"
"Are you my parent or something? Why are you barking at me to study? I’ll do it even if you don’t tell me to, so don’t worry."
"Well then, Clorinde, thank you for letting me use your piano. I look forward to seeing you again."
"Come visit with Lady Furina even when it isn’t piano time. It is rare to see her like that, after all."
I took Furina’s hand and left Clorinde’s apartment. When I took her hand, was that pop! sound from Furina’s face just my imagination?
After parting with Furina, I returned to the Bouf d’ete Residence. Angelina asked how my lesson had gone, and lunch was already laid out on the table. But lunch seemed rather sparse?
"Bread and butter? Are you going somewhere?"
"Ah, a mission came in. Sergei and I are going to take care of it. We’ll be gone for a few days. I left money over there, so handle your meals yourselves."
"All right. Where are the others?"
"They’re all in their rooms. They can’t go out without your say-so, so they’ve been waiting anxiously for you to return."
"Is that so?"
The moment they heard my voice, the three younger kids came downstairs together.
"Avrora! Avrora! Can I go out?! I made new friends at the playground! We said we’d meet after lunch, so I have to go now!"
"Avrora... I want to go buy a picture book and some crayons..."
"Angelina, you have time to watch them while they play, right?"
"Well, I can manage that much."
"Citra and Cravie, eat first, then go with Angelina. And for the next few days, we’ll have to stay here by ourselves—"
"We already heard all that! The four of us get to use this huge place all by ourselves. It feels like a dream!"
"Where did you go this morning, Avrora? I was asleep, so I didn’t see you..."
"I went to learn piano. I want to play something for you all."
"You little rascal... So that was your scheme? You might be their big brother, but you’re damn good at handling kids."
Ready to leave, Sergei roughly ruffled my hair. Honestly, it wasn’t as if they had ever had the chance to enjoy any culture before.
"Hey, you kids! While we’re gone, listen to Avrora, all right?!"
"Yes!!"
Citra and Cravie answered energetically. But why had Peruel been silent this whole time?
"Then, Angelina? Please take care of them."
"All right, Citra, Cravie? Come along."
With that, the four of them left, leaving only Peruel and me behind.
"Then I suppose I should study too—"
"Brother..."
"What is it, Peruel?"
"Whose house did you go to?"
"I told you, I went for piano lessons. So I went to a house in another residential district."
"Then... why do you smell like that disgusting blue-haired bitch?"
Gasp! She could tell by my scent?! This had gone beyond terrifying and entered the realm of awe.
"Well... that is..."
"Brother? You know I hate lies, right?"
"I-I know?"
"Tell me the truth. Did you meet that bitch?"
I had no choice but to confess. Sorry, Furina...
"Yeah... I met her... Honestly, Furina is the only person I know in the Court of Fontaine..."
"I like it when you’re honest, Brother... But whenever you meet that bitch, take me with you. I need to keep watch.... I have to manage that bitch in heat, since there’s no telling what she might do to you..."
Now she was even calling her a bitch in heat. At this point, I was beginning to suspect that the one who would eventually kill Furina would not be Kujavina, but Peruel.
"All right... From tomorrow on, let’s go out together..."
"I love you, Brother..."
Peruel embraced me. She was nearly as tall as I was, so rather than cute, it felt burdensome. Furina was shorter than me, so at least she was cute, but Peruel was a little...
"Peruel... How tall are you again?"
"...I remember being 162 centimeters. Why?"
She was going to grow nearly another fifteen centimeters from here? That was fucking scary.
"I see... I feel like I’ve somehow stopped growing, that’s all."
I knew boys grew later than girls. But lately, it felt as if I had stopped growing at around 164 centimeters.
"Don’t worry. Even if you’re a short brother, you’ll still be my brother. Forever..."
"I hope so..."
Then I could just let Peruel go out and fight while I drank tea behind her. What a wonderful little sister she was, fighting in her brother’s place.
"So, how long are you going to learn piano? Couldn’t I learn with you too?"
"What would you learn for... To begin with, it’s one-on-one with Furina—"
A venomous light rose in Peruel’s eyes. Hearing the words one-on-one, she seemed to have decided she absolutely could not let that slide.
"I’ll learn faster than you, and instead of that bitch, I’ll teach you. And every night, you and I can play the piano together..."
Peruel’s face reddened as she trailed off. Apparently, she was embarrassed.
I stroked Peruel’s hair and said,
"Just keep an eye on things in moderation... I don’t know whether Furina will let you learn, but it would look nice, you and me playing the piano together."
"All right... Brother..."
It was a day when the red thread binding these adoptive siblings grew even tighter.
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