Illya opened her mouth as if to say something, but nothing came out.
She simply stood there, her long, silvery-white hair fluttering in the morning breeze, her purple dress gleaming softly in the sunlight, her crimson eyes wide and round, like a cat whose fish had been stolen.
"You... you..."
"What's wrong with my subordinate?"
"You're making excuses!"
"I was merely stating the facts."
"That's not true!"
What is that?
Yes--Yes--
Illya couldn't continue.
She turned her head to look at Higashino Makoto, her crimson eyes filled with a hint of grievance.
"Big brother! She's bullying me!"
Higashino Makoto stood to the side, arms crossed, watching the "war" with a half-smile playing on his lips.
"I didn't see her bullying you. I only saw you saying she cheated on you."
"But--"
She's right.
Higashino Makoto interrupted her.
"I am not yours; on the contrary, you are all mine."
Illya fell silent.
She lowered her head, looking at her toes, her long, silvery-white hair falling down and obscuring her face.
"But..."
Her voice was very soft, so soft that it was almost inaudible.
"--I want to stay by my older brother's side."
Higashino Makoto looked at her, a gentle light flashing in his dark eyes.
Nobody said you couldn't come with them.
He walked up to her and patted her head.
"But you have to follow the rules. The rules are that they rotate monthly. When it's your turn, you accompany them. When it's not your turn, you wait."
Illya raised her head, her crimson eyes looking at him.
"And what about her?"
She pointed at Kurumi.
"She stayed with the older brother for a month. Is it my turn now?"
Higashino Makoto looked at Kurumi.
Kurumi bowed slightly.
"According to regulations, my term of office ends today. Starting tomorrow, Miss Illya will take over."
"And today?"
Illya pressed for an answer.
"Today is still my term of office."
Kurumi's voice was calm.
"Therefore, big brother is still my subordinate today. If Miss Illya wants to stay with big brother, please start tomorrow."
Illya bit her lip.
"So what am I supposed to do today?"
You can follow along.
Kurumi's right eye curved into a crescent moon.
"Watching his subordinates accompany their elder brother."
Illya's face turned bright red.
"You--you--"
"What's wrong with my subordinate?"
"You're so mean!"
"Illya the compliment, Miss Ilya."
I wasn't complimenting you!
"I know, but I take it as a compliment."
Illya took a deep breath, then another, and then another.
Then she turned around, picked up her suitcase, walked to the carriage, and jumped in.
"Then I'll go with you!"
She sat on the edge of the car, her legs dangling over the edge, her long, silvery-white hair fluttering in the morning breeze, her purple dress gleaming softly in the sunlight.
"Starting today, starting tomorrow, and starting the day after tomorrow, I'm going to follow my big brother!"
She turned her head and looked at Kurumi, her crimson eyes flashing with a stubborn light.
You can't get rid of me!
Kurumi looked at her for two seconds, then chuckled softly.
"I had no intention of sending you away."
She lifted her skirt and bowed slightly.
"I was merely fulfilling my duty. As for what Miss Illya wishes to do—that is your prerogative. I have no right to interfere."
Illya snorted, turned her head away, and refused to look at her again.
Higashino Makoto looked at the two people.
One sat on the edge of the carriage, sulking, while the other stood beside the carriage, smiling with a slight upturn at the corners of his mouth.
Let's go.
He jumped onto the carriage and climbed into the compartment.
"If we don't leave now, it will get dark."
Kurumi lifted her skirt and followed.
Illya jumped off the carriage, climbed into the compartment, and sat next to Higashino Makoto, snuggling close to him.
"Big brother, can I sleep with you tonight?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because it's still Kurumi's term today."
What about tomorrow?
"Let's talk about it tomorrow."
Illya pouted, her crimson eyes filled with displeasure.
"Big brother is biased."
How have I shown favoritism?
"You let her sleep with you, but won't let me. What is that if not favoritism?"
Higashino Makoto was silent for a moment.
"... How old are you this year?"
Eighteen years old.
"Still sleeping with older brothers at eighteen?"
"So what if she's eighteen? Eighteen is still an older brother's sister!"
Higashino Makoto looked at her for two seconds, then sighed.
"Okay. We'll talk about it tomorrow."
Illya's eyes lit up.
"It's settled?"
"It's a deal."
"No taking it back?"
"No regrets."
Illya smiled.
That smile was innocent and radiant, and her crimson eyes sparkled with joy, like a child who had received candy.
Kurumi sat opposite, watching all of this, her right eye curving into a crescent moon.
"Miss Illya."
"What?"
Do you know the difference between "younger sister" and "cat who steals fish"?
What's the difference?
"A younger sister won't sleep with her older brother. Only a cat that's been stealing fish will."
Illya's face turned red again.
"You--you--"
"I was merely stating the facts."
"That's not true!"
What is that?
Yes--Yes--
Illya couldn't continue speaking.
She turned her head and looked at Higashino Makoto.
"Big brother! She's bullying me again!"
Higashino Makoto leaned back in his chair, his eyes closed.
"I didn't hear you."
You clearly heard it!
"No."
"Have!"
"No."
"Have!"
"Yes, it's possible."
Higashino Makoto opened his eyes and looked at Illya.
"But she's right. The younger sister won't sleep with her older brother."
Illya opened her mouth as if to say something, but in the end, she said nothing.
She simply lowered her head, clutching her suitcase, her long, silvery-white hair falling down and obscuring her face.
"But..."
Her voice was very soft.
"--I'm not the older brother's sister."
The carriage fell silent.
Higashino Makoto looked at her, a complex light flashing in his dark eyes.
"Then what are you?"
Illya raised her head, her crimson eyes looking at him.
"I am--"
She paused.
"A protector who wants to stay by my older brother's side."
Higashino Makoto remained silent for a long time.
So long that the carriage had passed through a field, so long that the sunlight outside the window had moved from the east to the south, so long that Illya thought he wouldn't answer.
Then he spoke.
"Then I'll accompany you, but we have to follow the rules..."
He said it in a flat tone.
"Oh, and don't pretend to be an adult when other people are around."
Illya's eyes lit up.
"Good!"
She smiled.
That smile was innocent and radiant, and his crimson eyes sparkled with joy, like a child who had won the whole world.
Kurumi sat opposite, watching all of this, a gentle light flashing in her right eye.
"Grown ups."
"Um."
"I have a question."
"Explain."
"Do you treat Miss Illya... the same way you treat your subordinates?"
Higashino Makoto looked at her.
Do you prefer them to be the same, or different?
Kurumi was silent for a moment.
"This subordinate does not know."
"I don't know."
Higashino Makoto closed his eyes and leaned back in the soft chair.
Some things don't need answers.
Kurumi looked at him for a long time, then bowed slightly.
"Understood."
She lowered her head and reopened the book.
The last page.