"Are you going to school? I'll pay the tuition. I'm very good at magic and I'm going to be an adventurer."
I don't want to go to school...
"Look~this heavy bag is full of silver coins, and this is just a commission!"
I don't need this money...
"Don't be willful. What will happen to our source of income if I stop being an adventurer? These jobs in the city can't afford your studies."
I don't need to study...
"Okay, your sister, I am very powerful. Do you know what the adventurers in this town say? They say that I am like the next Lord Rudeus. It is said that Lord Rudeus was also an adventurer before helping His Highness Ariel."
It doesn't matter at all...
"I'm sorry, your sister... she was like this when we found her in the maze."
"Ah...!"
woke up from sleep
Here it is again...
Get out of bed
I walked to the shrine, knelt down with my hands clasped together
"Millis Master... I pray..."
end of prayer
I stood up and walked to my sister's room
My sister still hasn't changed, she's still so motionless.
I walked to my sister's bed and sat down
"Sister..."
I don't know how many times I woke up from my sleep.
It's been more than half a year since my sister became like this, but I'm still not used to it
Should I be grateful that my sister is still alive?
But what is the difference between this and death?
No... there is still a difference, my sister sometimes makes some moves
That's enough
I sat by the bed until dawn
"Then, I'm going out"
Loosen your clasped hands and put on your coat and gloves
walk out of home
Winter mornings are a hundred times worse than summer mornings. The air I breathe in makes me uncomfortable.
"Huh... today... let's help shovel the snow."
Ever since my sister became like that, I started doing odd jobs while going to school
The reason why I'm still in school is that my sister has already paid the tuition fee, and it would be wasted if I don't finish it.
Follow the marks on the map and come to the residential area
"Here~here~"
I saw some fat uncle waving to me, so I trotted over.
"Hello, uncle"
"Oh... little girl, you..."
"Although I look young, I am already 13 years old this year."
"Okay"
In this country, you can start working after the age of 11
Of course, many jobs cannot be done until you reach adulthood at the age of 15.
But helping others shovel snow is not something you need to be an adult to do.
"Little girl, our hotel is quite big. It's too big for you to clean it all by yourself, and it's dangerous for you to go up to the eaves... How about someone else come in?"
"I can do it!"
"Okay... I'll get you a ladder and a shovel."
The uncle reluctantly went to get the ladder and shovel
I set up the ladder and climbed up with the shovel in my hand.
Because this is a hotel, it will be much larger than an ordinary house, and the workload will be greater.
But it's precisely because it's a hotel that we hire people to shovel the snow.
If it were not a hotel, most people would solve this problem by themselves.
"It would be great if I could be as magical as my sister..."
Looking back on the past, sister's winter eaves only needed a magic to solve it
Shaking his head to stop himself from thinking about this, he picked up the shovel
"Okay, let's get started!"
The work lasted for more than three hours, until the noon sun shone
"Oh! It's okay, little girl."
"Are you satisfied?"
"Yeah, I'm very satisfied."
The uncle smiled and handed over a silver coin.
"This... I don't have any money to give you change..."
"Little girl, I think you did a good job, and the extra 30 copper coins will be your reward."
"Thank you..."
"Come on"
After leaving the hotel, I walked towards the school
I just arrived at school and it was almost time to start class.
The time is planned just right
Just don't have time to eat...
Come to the classroom, find your own place and sit down
I didn't have much energy to listen to the class all afternoon. I knew very well that this knowledge had nothing to do with me in the future.
I can't use it and I don't want to use it
I also have a part-time job after school, which is to help attract customers in front of the bakery.
Because I look pretty cute, I can get this part-time job
When the sun went down completely, I walked into the bakery
After looking around the counter, I spoke weakly.
"Today..."
"I've saved it for you, hot sausage bread, this is grilled pork chop! And this porridge, you take it back to your sister to drink. If she looks like that, you can feed her some soft food, do you understand?"
"Well... thank you, boss lady"
"What else are you talking to me about? Without you, I wouldn't be able to sell out all the bread every day. Here, today's wages."
After accepting the wages and food, I bowed to the landlady
"I will come to help tomorrow"
"Take a good rest when you're tired! It's not important to me here."
"I'll come!"
Feeling the tenderness of people, I walked towards home
There is a man standing at the door of the house
He has brown-blond hair and wears a gray-black adventurer's robe.
Is he my sister's former adventurer partner?
He seems to be the kind of well-educated person...
Out of judgment on the appearance, I walked up with peace of mind.
"Hello?"
Hearing my greeting, he turned his head and lowered his head
wow...
Are they nobles or some kind of royal family? This feeling...
"Is it Miss Bruni?"
"Ah... right"
"My name is Rudeus. Greyrat"
Eh?
Rudeus. Greyrat?
That Master Rudeus. Greyrat?
In the Asura Kingdom, there is no civilian who does not recognize the name Rudeus. Greyrat
It took less than two years to liquidate almost all the nobles.
There is no reason or what he needs
Rudeus. Greyrat-sama used violence for no reason and made all the nobles succumb to him.
Submission, the nobles serve the common people and can preserve some interests of the nobles
resist, die
It is said that he will support His Highness Ariel only because His Highness Ariel has drawn a clear line with the nobles.
Therefore, many people call him the King of No Country
But is it really him?
Right!
It is rumored that he wears four rings of the same size but different colors on his left hand.
Representing his four lovers
I cast my gaze on his left hand
Really... there are four rings...
"You... you... you are..."
"Don't be nervous"
Take a deep breath...
Rumor has it that Lord Rudeus is very gentle towards civilians.
Although the things he did were scary, they were only aimed at nobles
"What do you want from me...?"
"Well, I want to meet your sister"
"Sister? She... is sick"
"I know"
"It's Maze's kind of disease... can't wake up"
"I know"
Eh?
"Okay..."
In short, put aside the doubts in your mind first
I opened the door to my home and led Mr. Rudeus into the room.
My sister was lying on the bed, not moving
Master Rudeus walked forward, looked at it for a while and then nodded.
"Miss Bruni"
"Here! Master Rudeus!"
"You don't have to be so restrained, I'm asking for something from you."
"Eh?"
"I want to heal your sister"
"Eh?!"
Treatment...?
But there hasn't been a single successful case in the past hundred years.
Neither human intervention nor waiting for the patient to wake up naturally has been successful.
Master Rudeus said that he needs treatment...
"Do you agree?"
"Are there risks...?"
"Of course, you may die directly."
I opened my mouth slightly, not knowing how to answer
Master Rudeus is very powerful. If he really wants to do harm to my sister and me, he can easily eliminate us.
After all, he killed a lot of nobles, not to mention civilians...
But...
"I..."
"I know what you are worried about. Have you heard of the Archbishop of Holy Country of Millis?"
"Of course! The Chosen One who can restore a broken arm, or even resurrect the dead..."
"I can help you and let your sister go there for treatment."
"Really?!"
"Well, but if the treatment fails, let me handle it. What do you think?"
"I..."
Turn around
I looked at my sister
My older sister was so confident
She has a better future than anyone else
For me, she chose to be an adventurer
For me, she went to the underground labyrinth
For me, she became like this
And now, there is a chance
A chance for my sister to recover...
However, it is also possible that my sister will die completely...
If it were a sister, how would she choose...?
"I know this will take some time to think about. I'll come back tomorrow."
"No! I agree... When can we set off?"
My sister has never been an indecisive person.
She definitely doesn't want to stay in bed like this for the rest of her life
If my sister dies because of my choice
Then I can just die. If there really is an underworld, our sisters will definitely be reunited again.
"Then tomorrow?"
"Can it be the day after tomorrow? I need to explain it to some acquaintances."
"Okay"
In the carriage, my sister and I were sitting facing each other
It is said that it takes half a year or even a year from the Asura Kingdom to Holy Country of Millis, but Master Rudeus said that if you stay well in the carriage, it will only take a month.
In short, Master Rudeus did what he said
It's simply a miracle...
Treatment... failed and I returned home with my sister
The Archbishop was helpless, he even knew it was impossible
He was only willing to try it because Master Rudeus asked him to try it...
The so-called God's Chosen One is simply fake!!
I knelt in front of the shrine and put my hands together
God... must exist...Millis-sama must...
"Millis Master... I know you are very busy every day..."
But even for one second? Look at your believers for one second...
Isn't it your job to denounce the suffering in the world? Please...
"Dong dong"
A knock on the door interrupted my prayers
Get up and go to the entrance door to open the door
Brown-blonde hair, gray-black robe
Rudeus Master...
"How's it going?"
"Sister... is not cured"
"Then according to the agreement, I will take over the treatment next."
"Well... please... Master Rudeus..."
When I said these words, I fell to my knees on the ground
treatment begins
Master Rudeus's treatment seems completely different from that of the Archbishop.
Rudeus adults come every day, each time lasting about two hours
Even if I am not a magician, I can tell that Master Rudeus is releasing magic into my sister's brain.
every day
Every day is suffering
Master Rudeus comes every day, but my sister remains the same every day.
I'm scared
On what day are you afraid, Lord Rudeus will say it?
[Sorry, failed, your sister is dead]
I have obviously decided at the beginning that if my sister dies, I will accompany her, but now I am afraid...
Am I afraid of my own death or my sister's?
I don't understand
Today is the 67th day of treatment
After the usual treatment, I stepped forward
"Rudeus Master..."
I raised my head and found Master Rudeus smiling
The gentle corners of the eyes that curve downward, coupled with the calm tone
His eyes were not on me or my sister at all.
"The treatment was successful"
I turned to look at my sister, but she didn't move at all.
"I have added healing magic to the hypnotic magic that I have cast on her. She will wake up in about three or four days."
"Thank you... thank you!"
Mr. Rudeus did not respond to me, but left directly
On the fifth day after Master Rudeus left, my sister woke up
It's not like she was in a sluggish state with her eyes open and unable to speak. She woke up.
Looking around, even wanting to say something
"Sister!"
I quickly took the water glass over and my sister took it and took a big sip.
"Rei... Nee...?"
"It's me, it's me! Sister!"
"Why didn't you go to school...?"
"Ah?"
Sister woke up
But... it's a little different than I imagined
My sister actually has vague memories of this year
She knows that sometimes I don't go to school and she knows that I work part-time
She even felt that she was still doing adventure activities and was just tired and wanted to rest...
I also explained to my sister her illness and what happened.
"So... that... that... Master Rudeus, this... hasn't... come in the past few days?"
"Well... he didn't come back after he said the treatment was successful."
Just when we sisters wanted to talk about this matter, there was a knock on the door
I hurried to the door
As expected, it's Master Rudeus
"Rudeus Master, my sister is awake!"
"Well, it seems there is no problem"
Rudeus Master said, walking towards the room
When my sister saw Mr. Rudeus, she wanted to get out of bed and salute.
But as soon as I got out of bed, my legs went weak and I knelt down.
"It seems that the body has been inactive for too long, and even with healing magic, some functions will deteriorate."
Rudeus-sama murmured
"Thank you... Mr. Lu...Rudeus!"
"Is it a little inconvenient to talk?"
"Yes... yes..."
"Well, let's try this"
Master Rudeus took out a scroll
The scroll suddenly glowed in his hand
That light covered my sister's whole body
"Try talking again"
"Rudeus Master, thank you!"
"It seems there is no problem"
"Yes..."
"Well, then I'll leave first."
Master Rudeus just turned around and was about to leave.
Didn't say much
Not asking for anything
It's like just for therapy...
Looking at the back of Lord Rudeus
Subconsciously, I spoke
"Rudeus Master, is there anything I can do? I want to... repay you."
Master Rudeus turned his head and looked at me
That expression again
That gentle expression without looking at me
He said calmly
"No need to repay, just live a good life"
Just such an ordinary sentence, after saying that, he left
... I froze in place for a long time, feeling this illusion
"God... must exist..."