Looking at Umaru Doma's innocent face, Sogo Doma fell silent.
Wait!
Had he been drinking too much whiskey, vodka, and Rémy Martin lately? His memory was a little jumbled. As expected, he should stick to Moutai!
He tried hard to remember.
One day earlier.
Standing in front of the new house, Sogo Doma beamed.
"Umaru, this is our new home! Wahahaha! With all these smart appliances installed, doesn't our new home feel super high-tech? Wahahaha..."
He absolutely wasn't showing off!
"Onii-chan, couldn't we install all this stuff ourselves? Those people..." Umaru didn't answer Sogo's question directly. Instead, she pointed at the workers bustling around them.
Fool.
That was what Sogo Doma, a transmigrated slacker, thought as he smiled and spoke.
"My foolish Imouto, as the saying goes, the sooner you spend money, the better. Besides, if the two of us install all these appliances ourselves, heh, do you want Onii-chan to work himself to death, or do you want to work yourself to death..."
"Now, we can get everything done for just a little money. What do you call that? That's called paying to get stronger!"
"My foolish Imouto, whether it's a game or real life, only by paying—paying can you get stronger..."
Watching Onii-chan lost in his own world, Umaru Doma nodded blankly. "Uh-huh, uh-huh!"
The professionals really were something else. They finished the installation in no time at all. After both sides exchanged polite farewells,
Umaru began her grand treasure-hunting adventure.
"Onii-chan, what's this?"
"Wii! Nintendo's latest game console."
Umaru's eyes lit up.
She walked over to a screen with two gun-shaped grips and started drooling again.
"Onii-chan, what's this one?"
"That? It's supposed to be an online FPS. See that mat at your feet? It's apparently some kind of motion sensor. If you move around on it, your character moves along with you..."
"'Akasaka Fireworks'?" Before Sogo could finish explaining, Umaru's eyes widened and she grabbed his arm.
Looking at the little dumpling's sparkling eyes,
Sogo Doma found himself unusually embarrassed and pushed her away. "Yeah, I remember Ryunosuke saying that was the name. What? Is it famous?"
"Famous? That doesn't even begin to cover it, Onii-chan!" Umaru's expression was perfectly serious. "'Akasaka Fireworks' is a treasure in the otaku world—or no, the entire gaming world! I heard an invite to its closed beta is already worth five million yen. I-I'm really seeing this, right?"
"Probably." Ryunosuke Akasaka wouldn't lie to him, would he? It had to be real!
After Sogo confirmed it, Umaru rushed at him, her eyes misty. "Onii-chan, Umaru feels so happy!"
"Mm, mm." Got it. Go play the game. He brushed her off, but felt a little guilty. Still, would Akasaka really not mess things up?
"Brrring, brrring..."
Umaru was about to say something else when Sogo's phone rang. He frowned slightly at the number on the screen.
"Onii-chan?" Umaru seemed to sense something and looked up at him.
But Sogo still wore a sunny smile.
"Now, Onii-chan has to take this call. Umaru can go inside and play. Whoever doesn't do it will... hehehehe..."
"Got it. Onii-chan, stop treating me like a little kid!" Umaru opened the game console in a huff. What did Onii-chan have that was more fun than a game? Don't be ridiculous!
He stepped outside.
Sogo Doma answered the call from Keiryu Doma.
"Moshi moshi." His lazy voice was the greeting he used most often.
Then—
"Sogo Doma!" A man's voice roared through the phone, hoarse with fury.
"Well, well, old man. You still sound full of energy. Looks like I don't have to worry about you dropping dead anytime soon." Sogo's smile remained as he picked at his ear.
There was a long silence on the other end before the man spoke in a low voice.
"Tell me, why did you drop out of Totsuki?"
"Well, how should I put it? The Doma Family and Totsuki have already signed the contract, so it doesn't matter whether I'm at Totsuki anymore, does it?"
"You little bastard! Do you have any idea how important the title of Totsuki Elite Ten is to your future?" The voice on the phone was agitated, full of exasperation.
At that,
Sogo fell silent for half a second, then spoke again with a bright smile.
"That? Cooking just isn't interesting at all. Just like piano back then. I really only want to pursue things that are fun! Besides, do you really think the Elite Ten matters that much to me?"
"..." After a brief silence, the man continued.
"Forget about your dropping out for now. I want to know why you took Umaru away from the Doma Family without saying a word."
"That? Because I want Umaru to have a future of her own." Sogo glanced at his useless little sister, who was battling the game, and said it casually.
"You little bastard. Are you saying the Doma Family can't give Umaru a future?"
"No, no, no..." Sogo smiled. "Old man, you're twisting my words again. I mean I want Umaru to have a future that's one hundred percent her own choice."
Silence. Endless silence.
How could Keiryu Doma not understand what Sogo meant? Complete freedom meant being free from the family's restrictions, not being part of a political marriage, and even...
"Don't forget, everything you have was given to you by the Doma Family!" After a pause, the man's voice came through the phone again, ice-cold.
But—
Sogo smiled.
"Is this about who owes what? Then I guess we should settle the—"
"Shut up!"
"Sogo, you should understand that only in the Doma Family can Umaru receive the best education, get the best protection, and..."
At that, Sogo's expression turned cold.
He glanced at his useless little sister again.
"Are you talking about a young lady raised to wear a fake smile and follow etiquette even when she's sad?"
"..." The phone fell silent again.
"I don't want that kind of Umaru."
"Are you talking about a young lady who has to move with tiny, graceful steps even when she's miserable?"
"..."
"I don't want that kind of Umaru."
"Are you talking about those young ladies who can only cry in secret when their husbands yell at them after they're married?"
"..."
"I don't want that kind of Umaru."
"Are you talking about..."
"Enough!" Keiryu Doma roared again. "Then tell me, what do you want?"
Sogo glanced back at his useless little sister and smiled. "I just want a slacker little sister who gets excited over a new game, shouts 'That's refreshing!' when she drinks cola, laughs like an idiot while reading Weekly Shonen Jump, and is occasionally a little wicked—but always manages to stay happy!"
Silence. Once again, several full seconds of silence.
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