Chapter 11

"Fuhahaha! If you didn’t know, then so be it! I shall forgive you, stalwart adventurer!"

"Uh, yeah. My bad, seriously. Or should I say, my apologies?"

"Spare the formalities!! I’m the younger one here—feel free to call me Clarise-sama!"

"Ah, so you do demand the honorific."

Leaving aside Mei, who was shrouded in a dark aura...

Laughing, Rex headed over to Clarise, who was causing a scene with an adventurer near the exit. When Rex informed the man that Clarise was "a genuine big shot," the middle-aged adventurer turned pale and immediately released her.

After all, he’d just committed an outrageous act of disrespect toward someone of higher standing. No wonder his face went white.

But though Clarise had been grabbed by the collar and struggled, she didn’t seem all that angry despite her haughty attitude toward the adventurer. She just laughed heartily and let him off easily.

Despite her arrogance, Clarise appeared to be surprisingly big-hearted. I started to understand what Rex meant when he called her "kind."

"...I think I’ll take an early leave for today."

"O-oh, take care..."

Meanwhile, Mei—who had been frozen with a doll-like expression this whole time—slipped away into the crowd while Rex was keeping Clarise occupied. She must’ve really not wanted to meet her.

Maybe jealousy and insecurity played a part, but I got the sense her exhaustion ran deeper. Mei, who was always smiling cheerfully, suddenly looked like she’d aged ten years.

"Well then! Long time no see, Rex! Has it been since last year’s ball?!"

"Yeah. Still tiny as ever, huh? Haven’t grown an inch?"

"Wahahahaha! My growth spurt’s long over, so what can ya do?!"

Near the exit, Rex and Clarise chatted boisterously. Meanwhile, Mei hid nearby, waiting for a chance to escape—but it wasn’t looking easy. Hurry up and get her out of here, Rex.

"We’ve got business to discuss about the request, but first—listen, Rex! I’ve finally got a lead on my little sister, who ran away last year! And get this—she was spotted in this very town!"

"Oh, really?"

"I was just about to take leave to search for her when the king ordered me to come here! I couldn’t wait, so I left Penny behind and came ahead alone! So tell me, Rex—you haven’t seen a short, black-haired, dimwit of a girl named Mei, have you?!"

"Hmm."

And just like that, Mei’s face went pale.

So that Clarise girl was looking for Mei? Wait, does that mean Mei-chan ran away from home without telling anyone?

Not exactly praiseworthy behavior. No matter how this is what her sister’s like...

"My sister vanished without a trace right in front of me last year! That idiot—she must’ve been lured away by some shady man with candy! No doubt about it!"

"...Uh-huh."

"Even now, she’s probably crying out for me! Ah, my poor, pitiful little sister! I must find her at once and embrace her!"

"I see..."

"As for her defining traits—she speaks politely but has a nasty streak, and she’s such a fool she’s always digging her own grave. Truly an entertaining little sister!"

Clarise’s lips trembled as she clenched her fists, on the verge of tears. The adventurers nearby who knew Mei could only watch with mixed expressions.

Meanwhile, Mei—the very incarnation of entertainment, now officially deemed "entertaining" by Clarise herself—was quietly grinding her teeth in hiding. Yeah, she was pissed.

"And Mei still wets the bed sometimes! No doubt she’s been embarrassing herself in front of her kidnappers!"

"......"

"Ah, my poor sister! If only I were there to secretly dry the sheets for her! She must be so ashamed right now!"

"W-wait, really?"

"Of course! That girl’s still such a child—when she has nightmares, she crawls into my bed and—"

"ENOUGH! Stop spewing baseless, humiliating rumors about me, you idiot sister!!"

Unable to endure her real sister’s relentless exposé any longer, Mei—having reached her limit—burst from the crowd and delivered a dropkick straight to Clarise.

"Little sister! You're safe!"

"Don't touch me! Don't cling, don't come near me, and never get involved with me again!"

"Fuhahahaha!! No need to be so shy!"

"I AM NOT BEING SHY!"

Mei, who had fallen for Clarise's (trap?) and been lured out, was now shouting with her face bright red. Meanwhile, Clarise looked utterly pleased with herself for having found her sister.

These two really weren’t on the same wavelength at all.

"W-well, damn. I guess this is what they mean by 'eccentric genius,' huh?"

"Nah… I mean, Clarise doesn’t seem like a bad person, at least."

"Right? She’s one of the most entertaining people I know. Zero malice in her."

Hmm, true, she didn’t seem to have any ill intent.

But just because someone means no harm doesn’t mean they cause no harm. This was a textbook example. If I were in Mei’s shoes, I’d probably go bald from stress.

"I haven’t wet the bed in years! And I only ever crawled into your bed once!"

"Hm? But back home, you’d sometimes use fire magic first thing in the morning—was that not to dry the sheets?"

"…That’s none of your business!"

Ah. Mei’s embarrassing secrets were being needlessly exposed. So… she did wet the bed but dried it herself? Wait, does she still do that sometimes?

But right now, Mei—furious and worked up—was undeniably showing a side of herself she usually kept hidden.

And despite their heated argument, there was an underlying ease between her and Clarise. Even if she resented her, they were still sisters. Different from my relationship with Rex—more complicated.

"Well, sort it out between yourselves. And Mei, if you ran away without telling anyone, you better apologize to your parents."

"…Ah. Rex-sama. Well, I—"

"Hm? We don’t have parents, Rex. Didn’t you know?"

…Oh. Rex’s face just went pale. Oops. Stepped on a landmine there. My bad.

"Ah—s-sorry, Mei."

"It’s fine. They were gone before I could remember…"

"Which is why I raised her! So technically, you could say I’m her mother!"

"…Stop acting like one."

Mei puffed out her cheeks and glared at Clarise. Just going by appearances, Clarise looked way younger… Wait, if she’s the same age as Rex, does that mean she’s already an adult?

"Ahh, she used to cling to me all the time when she was little…"

"Well, at least you two aren’t completely at odds. Mei, you’re a key part of my party. I know you’re not fond of your sister, but lend me your strength anyway."

"Ugh. What are you looking at?! We are not on good terms! …But if Rex-sama insists…"

"Great, settled then. Now we just wait for Penny’s old man and we’re off."

Hmm. When Rex took Mei’s hand and pleaded with her like that, she flushed and caved immediately. She really is adorable.

Clarise seemed to notice Mei’s reddened cheeks too, watching her with a sly, amused grin. She’s definitely about to tease Mei and stir up more chaos—but honestly, this kind of harmless drama is fine by me.

—Meanwhile...

"Hey, Flatche. You noticed too, right?"

"Hm? What a coincidence—you mean Mei? Yeah, I’ve seen this before."

As I idly watched the brewing storm, I nodded at Karin’s whispered remark.

Mei’s situation—losing her parents so young—it might not be as complicated as it seems.

"She’s just going through a rebellious phase."

"Yep. A teen girl lashing out at her overbearing mom-figure."

Exactly. At first, I thought it was just jealousy toward her brilliant sister and stress from her antics. But listening to them, it all sounded way too familiar.

It was just like my little sister, Natal, fighting with our mom after hitting puberty.

In other words—Mei, who lost her parents young, had been raised by Clarise as a surrogate mother. And now, as a teenager, she’d rebelled and run away. That’s all there was to it.

In a way, you could say Mei was growing up perfectly normally. Running away wasn’t great, but given time, she’d probably outgrow this phase.

"Shut up shut up SHUT UUUUP!! Clarise, don’t you dare talk to me ever again!"

"Fuhahaha! So tsundere! And hey, your face was super red earlier—what was that about, little sis?!"

"I SAID BE QUIET! And you—chew on the word ‘tact’ a hundred times!"

What had seemed like outright hostility between Mei and Clarise was, in reality, something far more ordinary—and oddly heartwarming.