BSS 116

Chapter 116

My sister didn’t even really know what this was. She had no sense of its value at all.

That’s why I found myself at a difficult crossroads.

Should I lie, saying it was a cheap trinket to increase my chances of keeping it, or tell the truth and make it impossible to claim, no matter how much I begged?

[Why are you hesitating so much?]

[If it were someone I disliked, I’d just cheat a little, but this is Anel-sister we’re talking about.]

[Hey, I could make an identical fake. Want to switch it?]

[If there’s a devil’s whisper in me, it’s all thanks to you.]

[Master! I only respond to the voice of the Master’s heart! Of course, I push it toward what I like. Kyakya!]

If Undine was an angel, Rai was clearly a demon.

The problem was that I spent more time with demons than angels.

“Jini, why so quiet?”

“Uh… this is—”

[Say it’s trash!]

“Maybe it’s broken and useless.”

At this moment, what was noisily stirring inside me was a mix of overflowing greed and a pinch of conscience.

Most of the time, conscience was buried so deep under greed that it couldn’t even lift its head.

“…No. I-I-I can fix it.”

“That’s a relief!”

“And if it gets fixed… it could be a treasure that spirit users will never see again.”

It was a choice so hard that I stammered.

Rarely, my conscience would win.

That happened when the other person was far too kind. When they looked at me with complete trust.

That’s why I preferred dealing with evil people. No guilt, no remorse, no trouble!

Why are you so nice, sister!?

Suddenly, countless moments when greed had won flashed through my mind.

Which just meant the world was full of wicked humans.

“So, what about you?”

“Of course it has meaning for me too. It’s precious, isn’t it?”

“That’s great. Then if I give this to you, you’ll do me a favor, right?”

I thought I misheard.

Since her expression remained cheerful, I wondered if I’d let my greed get the better of me and imagined things.

I asked skeptically,

“…You’ll give it?”

“Yes.”

“This has been passed down through the village for generations!”

“It’s the chief’s, not just the village’s. And I am the next chief of this village.”

So there was another reason Kenta had been abandoned. My sister was, if you exaggerated a little, practically royalty.

“And even if it’s gone, no one will care. It’s not very meaningful to us, but if it’s useful to you, then grant me one favor.”

“…What is it? I can’t catch a dragon, you know.”

I was secretly worried about what kind of mission might fall on me.

What favor could she want that would make her willingly give something she had treasured for so long?

Please, let it not be something that tests the limits of humanity.

“Could you take Aini to the city?”

It was so simple it was almost unbelievable.

A condition I had never expected. Unsure of how to respond, my sister held out a small pouch from her waist.

“Actually, the reason I brought you here was to ask this favor.”

The pouch felt fairly heavy for a human.

“This is all the money I’ve earned working as a mercenary. It might be little to you… but if you take the notes in this pouch to a bank, they’ll give you even more. Take it all.”

Even though it was broken, she was piling two spirit stones on top of money. This sister was seriously running a losing business.

This is why nice people don’t work in the real world.

Should I explain more carefully the value of this necklace? Maybe non-spirit users wouldn’t appreciate it.

“It’s a favor. Can you use this to enroll Aini in the academy?”

“Academy…?”

“Yes, you’re a noble, after all.”

Only with her earnest tone did I understand my real mission.

No wonder it all seemed too easy.

“You knew, didn’t you, sister?”

“You seemed like you were hiding it. Maybe you feared we’d dislike you, or maybe you were worried because it’s a mercenary hideout. But I think everyone already knew.”

“I thought I was hiding it pretty well.”

“Even more now… but no matter where I look, you’re a noble lady.”

Phew, my elegance was impossible to hide. Was it really that my mere presence radiated class and dignity?

I secretly felt pleased by the unexpected compliment.

Until Rai chimed in.

[Master is definitely a bit of a troublesome type.]

[…Hey.]

[Oh? Are you feeling guilty? If you were innocent, there’d be no reason, right?]

Annoying little spirit brat.

Yes, I see you take after your master. If it weren’t for my sister, I’d have plucked every hair out of you…

“Jini… please help me. You can do it, right? Please, say yes.”

Because of the serious atmosphere, punishing Rai had to wait.

My sister’s expression was desperate, and the pouch in her hand was heavy.

Her eyes burned black with worry for someone other than herself.

I saw a shadow of a mother in my sister.

It didn’t take long to assess the situation. Aini, even to my eyes, was a delicate child who didn’t belong in the jungle.

“So, to summarize. This is what you want? For me to get Aini into the academy?”

“Yes!”

Her sudden excitement made her nod, then she quickly shifted to a more cautious stance.

“Is this too much to ask?”

Not really. I had connections that could help, and especially after returning, I was confident I could earn the king’s favor.

“Aini always wishes for things I can’t give her. Like the academy, freedom from sword training… meeting her father… things like that.”

“Oh my.”

“She always dreams of living in the city. She hates the jungle, often begging me to leave. I’ve looked into it, but it’s impossible… but with your help, Jini, she could go somewhere, right?”

For a child to go to the city alone, a boarding academy was ideal.

The continent had countless academies, and the more prestigious, the stricter the admissions requirements.

Of course, there were mediocre academies that accepted anyone with money and a recommendation.

The problem was social status. At minimum, students had to be commoners.

Slaves couldn’t enter at all, and tribal children had it slightly better but were still nearly impossible.

Being a tribal child meant you were neither commoner nor slave.

Tribal people often didn’t participate in wars, so naturally they received none of the nation’s benefits: official status verification, basic education, and so on.

“You’re the only noble who could make this request.”

Most academies only accepted citizens, so foreign or tribal children needed a powerful patron.

Strictly speaking, a patron of at least count rank was needed.

But no one would vouch for a tribal child they didn’t know. Nobody wanted the potential trouble.

When I remained silent for a while, her expression darkened like a cave.

“I’m sorry. Don’t misunderstand my kindness as trying to manipulate you. I thought long and hard about this.”

“I don’t misinterpret it. If you had selfish motives, I would’ve known by now.”

“…I guess I’m not a very good mother.”

“Sister.”

“I often wondered if Aini just wanted to live like you. Born into a noble family, attending a good academy… wanting to live safely, wasn’t it?”

It hadn’t even been a few days since we’d reunited, so I couldn’t be sure what kind of mother she was. But I could faintly feel her care for Aini.

She cared and worried deeply, like any loving mother.

“She wasn’t always timid and scared. She used to be like other children. She didn’t isolate herself like she does now.”

I had thought she had no friends because she was always alone. Turns out I was right.

“What happened?”

“…An accident. After that, she refused to hold a sword, was traumatized by blood, and couldn’t properly socialize. Being scared made her a constant… target for teasing.”

“Well, it’s a tribe known for bravery. I guess that makes sense.”

She let out a small sigh, stroking the scabbard at her waist, speaking bitterly.

The more I heard, the more I thought I needed to show respect to my parents here.

Thank you for not making me grow up in the jungle.

“When Aini was younger, she had a group of friends she was close to. They went to the forest to study herbs… adults were there, of course. But except for Aini, all were eaten by an ogre. Alive. Right in front of Aini.”

“…That’s horrifying.”

“Aini survived because she hid early, and the ogre was full after eating everyone else.”

I wouldn’t want to live in the jungle either.

I briefly pictured Magicos devouring the ogre, and my stomach churned.

Watching humans being eaten isn’t just gross—it’s a traumatic experience.

Plus, the food chain—dragons eat ogres, ogres eat humans—twisted my stomach even further.

“After that, she changed. She became terrified of blood, had nightmares every night, feared the forest she used to love. She couldn’t bear being apart from me… cried constantly. That’s when she started wanting to go to the city.”

I nodded, understanding everything without needing further explanation.

“I can help her get into the academy.”

“Really? Thank you!”

“But there are conditions. First, I borrow this spirit stone necklace until I die. Second, Aini must willingly agree to follow me.”

Should I have asked for it?

No, it’s irrelevant after death. Obvious enough.

My sister bit her lip and nodded urgently at my conditions.

“Of course! That’s fine! She’ll be delighted. Ah! How can I ever express my gratitude… Jini, I promise. If you ever need my strength, I will help. Our clan values gratitude as highly as life. We will never forget.”

Holding my hands, she poured out her gratitude, tears shining in her eyes. I knew these were tears of genuine happiness.

“And sister, did you know? Aini has talent as a spirit user.”

“Aini? A spirit user?”

“She listened when I talked with a spirit. That’s a very rare talent.”

“I had no idea… I just thought she had no skill in swordsmanship. A spirit user, huh.”

“And at the Drike Academy I attend, there’s the continent’s only Spirit Department. How about there?”

To be honest, that was the only place I could get her into.