Chapter 3 Elder Brother's Manipulation Plan
After finishing my meal, I headed straight to Neil's room to work my magic on my elder brother.
"What do you want? Get out!"
I was shoved right outside the room.
Ouch.
"I want to play with you, Elder Brother! Please let me in!"
"No way! Why the hell would I play with you?"
"I'll eat the veggies for you! Oh, and I'll give you some meat too, it's a trade!!"
"......"
So that's what it takes to sway him.
"N-no way! Mom said not to hang out with losers like you..."
Hmm, so that's the angle he's taking.
I was almost there.
But hey, I could tell from our little exchange that he's still just a kid.
If I can sweet-talk him a bit, I'm sure I can get him to do whatever I want.
"Don't worry, I'll keep it a secret. Plus... I'll throw in dessert after dinner, okay?"
"Alright, I'm in."
Wow, that was quick.
Too easy, honestly.
But hey, I'm not complaining.
Dessert and meat are basically free for me.
"So, what are we gonna play?"
"Well..."
What I need to suggest should be something Neil would actually enjoy, not just what I want.
No matter how much I dangle bait, if it's boring, he'll get tired of it eventually.
For a boy his age, what kind of games would he like? Since Neil seems to be the outdoorsy type, running around or playing ball would be ideal.
But, unfortunately, with Yumie's current specs, I can't keep up with an older boy in sports.
It'd be fun if I could win easily, but if there's no challenge, it'll be boring.
"Actually, I really wanna see Elder Brother's magic. Can you show me, please?"
After thinking it over, that's what I came up with.
Apparently, the Granbell Family is a prestigious line of magic users, having produced many talented magicians.
Maybe it's in the blood, but Neil's magic is really impressive.
I've heard he's been learning the basics from his teacher every day and improving rapidly...
Getting praised for the skills you've worked hard to improve? Nobody's gonna feel bad about that.
If you butter someone up and get them in a good mood, it's gotta be easier to get along, right? More than anything, I wanna see magic with my own eyes.
"Magic, huh... well, okay then."
"Thank you! I'm looking forward to it!"
There's a bit of a vibe that he's not totally into it, but hey, he agreed, so that's good enough.
We moved to the training area behind the mansion.
A little ways off, there were wooden targets set up, and Neil took a big deep breath.
Suddenly, something invisible burst forth from his still-young body.
"(Fireball)!!"
As Neil shouted, that something gathered at the tips of his palms and ignited.
It shot out as a ball of flame.
The roaring fireball hit the target dead on, scattering and leaving scorch marks behind.
"Phew... well, that's about it."
Exhaling deeply, Neil rolled his shoulders.
While he was doing that, I was still kinda frozen in place.
"Wow..."
It wasn't like he unleashed some crazy destruction like you see in anime.
But still, a person created a ball of fire and shot it out with their own will.
That sight left a shock in my chest that was beyond what I imagined.
"Elder Brother, that's magic, right? That's amazing, so cool!!"
My vocabulary was totally shot, and all I could think of was a really childish reaction that felt just right for a ten-year-old.
I was barely managing to keep a girly tone.
But seriously, I was that moved.
Wow, so this is magic!!.
"R-Really that much...?"
"Yes! Please show me more!"
By begging him earnestly, I got to see a few more magic tricks.
Magic that raised the earth to create a simple barrier.
Magic that produced water to wrap around the opponent.
Magic that stirred up the wind to lift and carry things.
None of them had some crazy standout effect, but they were undeniably miraculous powers.
I couldn't stop the excitement.
"Yeah, my brother is really amazing! From now on, even in my heart, I'll call him Elder Brother with respect instead of Neil."
I already call my parents 'Father' and 'Mother,' so it feels a bit late for that.
"Haha! Hey, Elder Brother, can I do this too?"
While being lifted high into the air by wind magic, I ask him like that.
Even though I'm ten years old now, am I getting a bit too excited? I mean, I wanted Elder Brother to have fun and get closer, but here I am, just enjoying myself.
What an idiot I am.
"...Yumie, I don't think you can do it, right? They said you don't have much magic power naturally."
"Eh!?"
As I'm brought back down to the ground, I crumble in shock.
I thought being born into a prestigious family of magic meant I'd have some talent for it too...
So that's what Mother and Elder Brother meant by "failure.".
"But, but, not having much doesn't mean I can't use it at all, right? If I try hard, can I use cool magic like Elder Brother?"
"Well, you might get to my level eventually, but why would you want to do that? I'm saying you don't have the talent."
Maybe it's because he's a kid, but Elder Brother cuts right to the chase without mercy.
Honestly, I want to cry, but there are plenty of reasons I still want to do this.
For now, the biggest one is...
"Because... I don't have much else to talk about with Elder Brother..."
At first, my memories as Yumie were muddled, but they're gradually coming back.
But this girl, she sadly didn't have anything that could be called a special skill or hobby.
In my previous life, all she did was stay home playing games or reading manga, nothing more.
She doesn't have a single topic to talk about with Elder Brother.
Honestly, the only thing we can both be interested in and talk about right now is magic.
"I... since we've become a family, I want to get along with Elder Brother, and with Mother and Father too. I don't want to just fight all the time; I want us all to laugh together and enjoy meals."
The feelings simmering inside me spill out as words.
Every time I say it, my chest tightens, and I start to lose control──.
"...I don't want to be alone anymore."
Before I knew it, those words had slipped out.
I don't even know why I said that.
It seems related to my past as Yumie, to the life I had before coming to this house, but no matter how hard I try to remember, it feels like my memories are locked away, and nothing comes to mind.
"I'm, I'm sorry for saying something weird... um, I promise I'll keep my word, so see you tomorrow!"
"Ah..."
Leaving Elder Brother, who looked confused, behind, I ran away from the spot.
If I kept talking, I felt like I would just start crying.
"...I mean, being a girl, maybe I should've just cried... but still, that'd be kinda embarrassing for a guy..."
It's strange to think that, even though I'm a girl, I feel embarrassed like a guy.
Thinking that, I dashed into my room.
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