Chapter 5: A Family’s Bond

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I woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside the house.

Thanks to my skills, I can sleep deeply even with short hours lately, and if I want to, I can sleep soundly for seven hours straight.

It feels the same whether I sleep for three hours or seven, but since I can’t enter a dungeon right now, sleeping for seven hours helps me adjust my schedule more easily.

Fujii-kun is sleeping peacefully with calm breaths.

I could sense the quiet presence of Hina and the others sleeping in the next room too.

I quietly got out of bed and went downstairs to the living room.

“Good morning, Hinata.”

“Good morning, Mom.”

Mom fell asleep earlier than anyone yesterday, but as usual, she’s the first one up.

“You’re up early. You could sleep more, you know?”

“It’s fine. I slept well.”

“Really? You do look healthy, and your body seems a lot stronger too. Is that the effect of going into dungeons?”

“Yeah. My level’s still 0, though……”

“I see…… But for someone at level 0, you’ve gotten pretty sturdy. I was shocked, you know.”

“R-Really?”

“Yes! I didn’t get the chance to say it because Shino-chan and the others were surprised too, but I was the most shocked by how much you’ve changed, Hinata.”

“Haha…… I don’t really feel it myself.”

As I sat next to her on the sofa, Mom started curiously touching my chest. It tickled a little.

“Your muscle density hasn’t increased that much, huh? But somehow, you’ve become more gallant……”

“I think it’s because I’ve been through a lot in the dungeons and gotten a bit stronger.”

“Hmm………… I see~ So my little Hinata’s growing up, huh~”

I couldn’t bring myself to say something like “I’m not a kid forever” to Mom, who sighed while looking up at the ceiling.

“Mom, I wanted to give you this.”

“Hm?”

I took a paper bag out of my Dimensional Storage and handed it to Mom.

“Ara ara? A present from my son, perhaps~”

Mom opened the paper bag with a grin, but her expression suddenly darkened.

“Hinata. What is this?”

“Uh, it’s money Hina and I earned in the dungeon.”

“…………And why are you giving this to me?”

“It’s an allowance for you.”

“…………”

Mom tightly closed the paper bag and placed it on my lap. Then she looked straight at me.

“Hinata? Don’t tell me…… you became an explorer just to do something like this?”

“Uh, well…… yeah. Rent and stuff must be tough for you to handle alone, right? I wanted to earn money too, to make things a little easier……”

“…………I can’t believe I made my own son worry about something like that…… I’m really a terrible mother.”

“Mom!?”

“Wait a moment.”

Saying that, Mom headed to her room, but she stopped at the stairs and looked up.

“Rin-chan. Come downstairs too.”

“O-Okay!”

I heard my sister’s sleepy voice from the top of the stairs, and she slowly came down to sit next to me.

Overwhelmed by Mom’s intensity, we both forgot to greet each other and waited as she returned with a bankbook.

“Listen, Hinata, Rin-chan. This is my bankbook. It seems like you’re worried about money, but that’s not the case. We’re not struggling with money at all.”

As she opened the bankbook, it detailed all the financial transactions.

One thing stood out—there were no withdrawals for what I assumed would be a substantial loan.

We moved into this house when I was six and my sister was five. Before that, we lived in a small apartment with two rooms, but Mom suddenly built this house and brought us here, happily telling us about it. It felt like a dream back then.

That’s probably why I still remember it so vividly.

Until high school, I never heard anything about rent, but I assumed a house built just ten years ago would still have a loan.

Yet, there wasn’t a single trace of a loan payment in the bankbook.

“First of all, you know what I do for work, right? I earn enough to easily cover living expenses and send you both to college.”

I’ve looked into how much adults typically earn per month, so I have a rough idea. Compared to that, Mom’s salary is definitely on the high end.

Honestly, I was shocked she made that much.

When I researched housing in cities, I thought it was unusual how spacious my room was or how big the bath was, but now it makes sense.

“And you know what? There’s no loan. Because this house—I built it with cash.”

“Cash…… Mom, that’s amazing.”

“Hehe. But here’s the thing—it wasn’t me who paid for it.”

“Not you?”

“The money to build this house—it came from your dad.”

“Dad!?”

The unexpected answer shocked both me and my sister. After all, Mom had never once talked about Dad.

“Mom? Is Dad…… alive?”

“Hm? Well…… I don’t know.”

“You don’t know!?”

“That’s right. I don’t know if he’s alive or lost in a dungeon. There’s been no contact at all, and I don’t think he even knows how to reach me.”

I was stunned that I’d learn even a little about Dad here. My sister’s eyes were sparkling too, probably feeling the same.

My sister and I had one rule: “Don’t ask Mom about Dad.”

When we were old enough to understand and asked about him, I remember Mom giving us a terribly sad smile.

I’d never seen her so sad before, and it left a strong impression on me. I told my sister about it, and we decided together never to bring it up again.

That’s why it made me a little happy that Mom was talking about Dad now.

“Mama! Tell us more about Papa!”

“Oh? I thought you two weren’t interested in your dad?”

“No! It’s not that we weren’t interested…… we just thought asking might make you sad, Mama……”

“I see…… I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you two had grown up so kind and that I was taking it for granted. I should’ve told you what I needed to………… So, I’ll tell you what I know about your dad, okay?”

“Yeah!”

I took the chance to pour hot water from the pot on the table and made tea.

After taking a deep breath, Mom started talking about Dad.

“Honestly, I don’t know much about him either. I just happened to find him lying in a rice field.”

“You found him!?”

“Hehe. I picked him up and took care of him, and somehow I got attached. He didn’t seem to want to talk about his past and didn’t tell me anything, and I wasn’t really interested either. I just knew he wasn’t a bad person. We lived together for a few years, but all I know is his first name. I don’t even know his family name.”

I knew our family name, Suzuki, was Mom’s, but I was shocked she didn’t even know Dad’s family name. Plus, the father’s section on our family registry is blank.

I thought there’d be some complicated circumstances, but it’s a bit different from what I’d imagined.

“All I know about him is that his job was being an explorer.”

“Dad…… was an explorer……”

“That’s right. So when you said you passed the entrance exam for Seishin High School to become an explorer, Hinata, I couldn’t help but think, ‘Of course it’d turn out this way.’”

I remember when I took the entrance exam for Seishin High School on my own and told Mom I passed, she agreed to it so easily. She must’ve seen Dad in me.

“But for an explorer, he didn’t seem that strong. He lived with me for a few years, then said he was going off to work. He came back after a year, lived with me for another year, went off to work again for a year, came back, and after the third time he left, he never returned.”

The casual way she said he didn’t come back gave me a glimpse into Mom and Dad’s relationship.

“Despite how he looked, he must’ve been a top-tier explorer because he had a ton of money. Delivery costs, living expenses when you two were babies—it was all covered by his money. Even then, there was so much left over that we built this house. So, Hinata, you don’t need to worry about money for the house, okay?”

“I…… see. Sorry, Mom.”

“No, I’m the one who’s sorry. I had no idea you were carrying that kind of worry…… So please use that money for those cute girls. And for Rin-chan too, okay?”

“Got it. But I’ve already set aside money for that, so it’s fine.”

“Even with that huge amount…… Dungeons really pay that well?”

“It’s less about me and more that Hina and Shino are incredibly strong. They even said we didn’t need to split the earnings, so thankfully I’ve been taking all the materials. We’ve kept funds for the party, but even so, it’s a huge amount.”

If I really needed money, selling a purple magic stone (Magic Stone Δ) could get me over 100 million yen. But I don’t want to sell it. I’ve got a bad feeling about it.

“Somehow, Hinata, you’re starting to remind me of him…… An explorer with a lot of money but looking kind of unreliable.”

“…………”

I’ll keep that in mind. I need to work hard at what I can do and not become a burden. Well, Dad probably wasn’t a burden, though.

“Mama? Can we hear more about Papa later?”

“Of course. When Hinata goes back to school, I’ll secretly tell Rin-chan more.”

“Hehe~ I’ll brag to Onii-chan~”

The tense atmosphere melted away in an instant.

My sister grinned mischievously and went with Mom to prepare breakfast.

I stepped into the yard for some morning stretches and returned to the living room, where Hina and the others had woken up and gathered.

Hina was still a bit sleepy, and her usually cool demeanor was nowhere to be seen. Her long, silver hair had strands sticking out here and there—probably bedhead—which made me chuckle.

We took turns getting ready at the sink.

We ate the breakfast Mom prepared. As expected, Fujii-kun polished off five servings in the morning like it was nothing. No matter how many times I see it, that tough stomach of his that can handle so much food in the morning is impressive.

“I’ve got work today, so buy something for lunch, okay? Money’s—”

“Mom, we’re fine with money.”

“Right. Then I’m off to work. Let’s have dinner together tonight. I’ll pick up ingredients on my way back.”

“Got it. See you later.”

We all saw Mom off and started discussing what to do today. That said, being in the countryside, there aren’t many places to hang out.

No…… maybe it’s just that I don’t know about those places. I haven’t really gone out to have fun in Seishin Town either.

“There are lots of places around the station, so let’s head there first~!”

Naturally, my sister took the lead for everyone.

Fujii-kun and I followed behind the three girls.

“It was so hectic yesterday that I didn’t notice, but it’s a peaceful landscape, huh~”

“Yeah. Just rice fields and cars, though.”

“Hehe. True. Not many people walking around, huh? By the way, are there no dungeons here?”

“I think there are two or so, but I’ve never been.”

“I see. Since we’re here, maybe we should try entering a dungeon?”

“I’d love to, but…… if we go into a dungeon, my sister would be left alone, so I’m kinda torn about what to do.”

“Rin-chan’s still in middle school, huh. She’s so mature, it doesn’t feel like it~”

“She might not look it, but she gets lonely easily, so I don’t want to leave her by herself too much.”

“True. It’s not good to leave someone out. Plus, it’s a rare day off, so maybe we should take it easy.”

“Yeah, let’s do that.”

When we reached the station area, it was, as expected, the busiest part of this rural town, with quite a crowd.

The large shopping mall was full of families, and other entertainment spots were packed with young people.

Amidst it all, just like yesterday, I could feel the stares piercing into me.

Hina and the others seemed to notice the attention too, glancing around.

“Hinata-kun? You okay?”

“Yeah. I’m…… fine.”

Truthfully, I still had a slight headache. Knowing this would happen and still not being able to do anything about it made me feel pathetic and weak.

Normally, I’d run away or shut myself indoors. But not now. Things are different. I have friends now—Hina, Shino, Fujii-kun, and my sister. They’re all here with me.

I imagined being in a dungeon.

I’d faced powerful monsters over and over, challenging them head-on.

My level never went up, but gaining skills made fighting a bit easier. Even though I’m weak, I could defeat the weakest monsters, and I even gained comrades like Hina and the others.

Thinking about that—strangely, I wasn’t afraid at all.

After all, in dungeons, I’d faced the killing intent of monsters countless times. Compared to that, the stares from the people here were nothing.

Oh…… it was that simple. I’d been living my life worrying about others’ gazes, staying weak, refusing to change, and wanting to blame someone else without realizing it. But now, figuring out how to face it felt so easy.

The scenery shifted from the black ground I always stared at to a crowd glaring at me. Raising my eyes further, I saw an endless blue sky stretching out.

The world is vast. If I just look up, the possibilities feel infinite.

Entering a dungeon on my own for the first time had changed me by letting me gain skills.

So I moved forward on my own two feet, facing ahead.

“Everyone, shall we go?”

“Onii-chan? Are you…… okay?”

“Yeah. Sorry for worrying you, Rin.”

I reached out and gently patted my sister’s head as she looked at me with concern.

Her tense expression gradually softened, and she soon smiled.

《Through experience, you have acquired the skill ‘Despair Resistance.’》

Even Skill-san is lending me strength, huh? Thanks as always.

As usual, cold stares are directed at me, but none of them bother me anymore.

For the first time in years, I confidently entered a shopping mall with my sister.

Inside, as expected, a huge crowd fills the vast corridors.

“Wow, so many people~”

“I’d heard rumors, but I didn’t think a rural shopping mall could be this impressive……”

Hina and Shino, apparently visiting the countryside for the first time, widen their eyes and look around as if seeing something rare.

“I’ve been to rural areas overseas a few times, but none had this many people gathered.”

“Is this something unique to Japan?”

“Maybe? Is it usually like this on weekends too?”

“Yeah. It’s even more crowded because of the long weekend, but weekends are usually like this too.”

Hina suddenly looks up at the top of the shopping mall with a curious expression.

“Hinata-kun? It looks like there are fewer people at the very top. What’s up there?”

“Oh, the top floor is supposed to be a luxury area for explorers. I’ve never been there myself, so I don’t know the details.”

“Hii-nee and Shii-nee, you don’t come to places like this?”

“First time, I think~”

“It’s my first time too~”

Haha…… I thought high schoolers coming to a shopping mall for the first time was something that only happened in movies, but here they are right in front of me.

“Then! I’ll guide you around~!”

“Thanks, Rin-chan~”

We start exploring the tenants from the entrance on the first floor. We don’t always go inside; sometimes we just glance from outside while passing by.

Among them, the three girls’ eyes light up at a general store, going inside and squealing over cute trinkets, which is really heartwarming to see.

“Fujii-kun, don’t you come to shopping malls either?”

“Yeah. It’s not my first time, but it’s been a really long while. The places I’ve been to didn’t have this many people, though.”

“Cute~!”

When my sister puts on a pure white headband, the other two immediately let out excited squeals.

Indeed…… it’s cute.

“Doesn’t it look childish?”

“Not at all! It suits you so well~”

“Ugh~”

My sister glances at me.

“Rin, it really suits you.”

“Really!?”

As my delighted sister beams, Shino gives a peace sign from behind her. As expected of Shino—her fashion sense feels unmatched.

When we all went clothes shopping together, Shino coordinated everything for us too.

“Then I’ll buy it~”

I quickly stop my sister’s hand as she reaches for her wallet.

“Rin, you don’t need to pull out your wallet when you’re with me.”

“Onii-chan……”

“I worked hard so I could do this, so I want you to rely on me a little.”

“Okay……”

That aside, it’s my first time buying a headband, but compared to what I’ve earned in the dungeons, it’s pretty cheap.

I thought I understood how much I’d earned based on food prices, but shopping like this really drives home how much I’ve managed to make.

Well, more than that, seeing my sister’s happiness so clearly on her face makes all the effort I put into challenging dungeons absolutely worth it.

After that, we continue wandering around the shopping mall.

Everywhere we go, Hina’s silver hair stands out, drawing lots of attention, and some people even ask to take photos of the girls’ beauty, though we turn them all down.

Thanks to my Gaze Detection skill, I can even sense the stares of people trying to sneak photos of Hina and the others, stopping them all beforehand.

I’d seen it online before, but I didn’t realize so many people would try something like sneaky photography.

The first floor has tenants and a supermarket, while the second floor is lined with a food court and amusement facilities.

There are lots of young people, and as Hina and the others pass by, they get squeals like “Cute~!” and “They’re like models!”

The third floor is a bit more upscale, with stores selling stylish clothes unlike the affordable ones on the first floor, as well as jewelry shops. Because of that, there are hardly any young people or families—just couples enjoying the scene.

“Rin, do you want any jewelry or something?”

“Eh? I don’t need it?”

“If it’s about the price—”

“I don’t want it.”

“O-Okay.”

“Yeah. Don’t want it.”

My sister shuts it down firmly. I’d heard women like jewelry, so I thought I’d get her something if she wanted it, but it seems she doesn’t.

The upscale third floor doesn’t spark much interest in Hina and the others—maybe it’s a familiar sight to them—unlike the first and second floors.

We head up to the top floor, the fourth floor.

Unlike the third floor, there are far fewer people, and the number of stores isn’t that high either. Instead, each store is spacious, with all the goods displayed in cases, untouchable by hand.

“Lots of magic tools here, huh~”

Fujii-kun, who casually looks around, speaks up. As expected from the son of a family that runs a magic tool shop.

“Onii-chan? You’re even checking out a place like this?”

“Yeah. The main reason we came here today is this floor.”

“Huh? Really?”

I bring my puzzled sister into a certain shop.

A formally dressed female clerk bows politely to welcome us. Her white gloves show how carefully they handle the magic tools.

“Hello. What kind of magic tool are you looking for today?”

“I’m looking for a magic bag.”

“A magic bag, you say? Will it be used in dungeons or for everyday life?”

“For everyday life, and she’ll be using it.”

Pointing to my sister, the clerk smiles brightly and immediately guides us.

Magic bags are among the most widely used magic tools.

A sign labeled “Functionality-Focused” displays backpack-style magic bags. Magic bags have a weakness: if the fabric tears, they lose their effect. That’s why explorers often favor durable, thick backpack types.

On the other hand, everyday-use magic bags prioritize fashion, with cute or cool designs. There are tons of varieties—wallet types, tote bag types, waist pouch types—and it feels like you could easily find whatever shape you want.

“Shino, Hina, can you pick out something that’d suit Rin?”

“Leave it to me~!”

Shino runs toward the magic bags with sparkling eyes, while Hina pushes Rin’s back to follow her. Rin herself looks stunned, glancing between me and Hina as she’s dragged along.

“Hehe. Rin-chan’s so cute.”

“Yeah! I think she’s the cutest in the universe!”

“Hehe. Meeting Rin-chan really shows how great she is. She’s adorable.”

“I’m not giving you my sister……”

“No, that’s way too much! Besides, I’m pretty sure there’s no future where Rin-chan and I end up like that.”

“…………”

“It’s not me, It’s Rin-chan who doesn’t seem interested.”

“I see. That’s kind of a dilemma for me…… I don’t want her to get a boyfriend, but I also worry about her not being able to.”

“You sound like a dad worrying about his daughter!”

“Oh, I kinda get that feeling~”

“Look, look, cute Rin-chan seems to want you to see~”

After trying various types, they settle on a chic shoulder bag with white fabric and black floral embroidery.

Seeing it, I realize white really suits my sister.

“Rin, it looks great on you.”

“Really……?”

“Yeah. You’re already cute, and with a cute accessory like that, you’re like a real angel.”

My sister looks down shyly, which makes her even more endearing.

“I’ll take this magic bag.”

“Understood.”

I pay with the explorer license etched on the back of my right hand. The license doubles as a bank account, letting me pay directly from the money stored in it.

Most of what I’ve earned in dungeons is in the license. It’s managed as party funds, but thanks to Hina and the others’ kindness, they said I could use it however I want. I’d already discussed using it for my sister beforehand.

They both happily agreed, leading to this moment.

“Thank you for your purchase.”

We look around at other magic tools, but my excited sister is too happy to care about anything else.

We also visit amusement facilities and take purikura photos together with Rin.

I’d already taken some with Hina and Shino before, so this makes up for it—Rin forgives me with a smile. Yep, a smile. Though if we hadn’t taken one with just me and Rin at the end, that smile might not have happened.

For lunch, at Hina and the others’ insistence, we eat at a family restaurant. Rin and I usually eat Mom’s cooking or bentos, so we don’t come to family restaurants often. Locally, the cold stares kept us away, so it feels really refreshing to be here.

Fujii-kun seems to feel the same, saying he’s usually at cafeterias, so this is exciting.

At the family restaurant, we’re seated at a table, and the five of us start ordering what we like—but Fujii-kun suggests with a smile, “Everything on the menu, please!” The waiter gives an incredibly troubled smile in response.

Thanks to that, the table is soon covered with every dish, which we all share.

Ordering individually is nice, but sharing all sorts of dishes like this is fun too. I’ve never been, but I hear buffets or all-you-can-eat places are like this. It must be something similar.

While we eat and chat noisily, Fujii-kun keeps chowing down dish after dish—truly impressive as always.

After eating, we leave the shopping mall and head home.

At that moment, a group of men surrounds us.

Four burly guys with a rough vibe, leering with crude smiles.

“Hey, cute girls~ Why hang out with boring brats like them when you could have fun with us?”

Eran Town is rural, so you get to recognize most people’s faces around the station.

Especially among young people, there are a lot of familiar faces, but I’ve never seen these guys before.

Maybe they’re here for the long weekend from somewhere else……? And it’s not just their looks—I can sense some explorer-like power from them too.

It’s not about their strength but the aura of whether they’ve been active in dungeons recently that tells me they’re explorers.

Shino looks scared and starts to confront them, but I step in front of the girls first.

“Oh, what’s this? A skinny kid like you thinks he can take us on? Huh? Dungeons are crawling with scary monsters…… I’ll teach a brat like you a lesson about the real world!”

Without hesitation, he swings his thick arm down.

“Onii-chan!”

I hear my sister’s worried voice, but there’s no need to worry.

As he said, dungeons are full of terrifying monsters. I’ve nearly died in them, and I’ve seen many lives lost in the battle against that Tyrannosaurus.

I’ve also seen explorers Fujii-kun protected get exposed to a monster’s despair.

That’s exactly why this guy’s killing intent feels—way too weak.

I grab his descending arm with my left hand, slam my right fist into his stomach, and send him flying high backward. His larger-than-me body soars through the air and crashes behind.

The remaining three guys are stunned watching this, but since they attacked first to harm my sister and the others, I take them on.

I still remember Shino once saying I tried to kill Gai-kun. So in fights against people, I always activate the Soft Touch skill.

I target pressure points on the human body, knocking them out with single strikes.

Thanks to training with Grandpa, my martial arts have become much stronger.

Against Grandpa, who was too strong, I couldn’t test it, but with these guys, I can efficiently land effective attacks.

One by one, they collapse to the ground.

I check the four men lying on the ground, making sure they’re all fully unconscious just to be safe.

“Now, what should we do with these guys……?”

“Onii-chan~! That was so—cool!!”

My sister’s eyes sparkle as she shouts excitedly.

“Hinata-kun, I got video evidence and reported it to the police with the location, so it’s fine to leave them here~”

Shino shows me her phone with a peace sign.

“As expected of Shino. Thanks, that helps a lot.”

“Hehe. I was shocked you jumped in first like that, Hinata-kun.”

“I didn’t think guys like these were worth Hina or Shino dealing with.”

Even if I hadn’t stepped in, those two could’ve easily handled them. I can picture them tossing these guys around with ease.

“Onii-chan, you’ve really gotten strong!”

“Ahaha…… My level hasn’t gone up, but I can handle guys like these, I guess?”

My cheerful sister clings to my right arm.

“Still, people boldly hitting on us in broad daylight like that—does that really happen?”

“Now that you mention it, yeah. It’s my first time too, but have you seen this before, Shino and the others?”

Hina and Fujii-kun shake their heads.

Only Shino gives a wry smile.

“I’ve had it happen a few times. You know, getting hit on. If Hina-chan went to the station area, I bet she’d get hit on nonstop too.”

When I look at Hina at Shino’s words, she’s glaring down at the fallen men with the same cold eyes she had when we first met.

“Hina……?”

At the sound of my voice, Hina quickly switches to a smile.

“I always head straight home, so not really. Back in middle school, some boys from my school confessed to me, but no one was that pushy.”

Since it’s widely known that Hina has S-rank potential, people probably didn’t mess with her too much—getting frozen would be a risk. That makes perfect sense to me.

Guess cute girls really do get approached a lot……

We leave the men sprawled on the ground and head back home.

Shino gets a message on her phone saying the guys were arrested. The video she took of them attacking me first served as clear evidence, so we’re completely in the clear.

They’re charged with assault, facing a fine and a several days in jail.

If they’d pulled something like this in a dungeon, explorer laws would’ve made it a much bigger deal.

When Mom gets home, my sister tells her about today while they prepare dinner together. Fujii-kun, who’s used to this, helps out too. In the living room, Hina, Shino, and I wait for dinner, wiping the table and setting out chopsticks.

My sister’s excited voice keeps coming from the kitchen, making me chuckle wryly.

“Rin-chan seems really happy.”

“Onii-chan was super cool today and did a bunch for me. Right, Onii-chan~?”

“Ahaha…… If my little sister thinks I’m even a bit cool, then I’m glad.”

“Hinata-kun, you were really cool.”

“Yeah, yeah! It felt like the usual Hinata-kun was back!”

Getting praised face-to-face like this feels kinda embarrassing.

Dinner’s ready, and the table’s filled with food again. I’m used to single portions, so a huge spread like this still feels unfamiliar, but with Fujii-kun around, it somehow makes sense.

Mom put extra effort into tonight’s dinner, and it’s way tastier than restaurant food that I ended up eating more than usual.

Later that night, after getting ready for bed and relaxing in the living room, the TV starts playing the news.

“Today marks two weeks since the irregularity in C-rank Dungeon 3. A moment of silence led by the government and related parties will now begin. We ask all viewers to join in this moment of silence.”

Maybe recalling that tragedy, Fujii-kun hugs his own arms.

“—Moment of silence.”

Following the announcer, we observe the silence too. Surely, many others who weren’t involved are offering their prayers as well.

May a tragedy like that never happen again……

After the silence, the news shows prominent government figures.

Two people stand out among them.

Both in military uniforms. One’s a woman with long, fiery red hair that stands out even at night, like it’s burning. The other’s a large, rugged man exuding the aura of a seasoned warrior. Even through the screen, their strength is palpable.

“Oh, Nee-chan.”

“Stupid brother……”

Hina and Shino speak at the same time.

“Weren’t both your older siblings generals or something?”

“Yeah. This one’s my dumb brother. And that’s Hina-chan’s big sister.”

I see…… I thought Hina’s sister might look like her, but they’re totally different. Hina takes after her mom, but her sister must take after their dad. She’s got muscles even noticeable through her clothes—standing side by side, you wouldn’t guess they’re sisters. Plus, their hair colors are completely different.

Shino’s brother is the opposite of her slim frame—he’s as muscular as Hina’s dad. He’s big, and his mere presence commands attention.

“Whoa~ Hii-nee’s big sister and Shii-nee’s big brother~”

“We don’t look much alike, huh~”

“Nope!”

“Hehe. We each take after our mom or dad. Seems like it’s the same at Hina-chan’s place.”

“Yeah. But she’s a really kind big sister. Though she’s scary when she’s mad.”

“Hehe. Judging by her hair color…… fire-type, maybe? The total opposite of Hina, huh?”

“Yeah. She was kinda disappointed about that. She wanted me to awaken fire-type powers too, if possible.”

I glance at my sister.

I’m “Level 0,” but my sister must have some kind of talent. We haven’t talked about it much, so I don’t know how much potential she has.

If she awakened a power like mine, could I teach her something? Or maybe she’ll awaken something completely opposite and go on to do amazing things?

Noticing my gaze, my sister tilts her head and goes, “Hm?”

Either way, I hope her potential is something that’ll let her achieve her dreams.