"Little sister?" Maruzensky echoed blankly. Her previously obsessive eyes grew vacant, as if Mizuno had spoken in a foreign tongue.
Where on earth did that come from?
It felt like they were locked in a fierce battle, only for her opponent to suddenly burst out laughing and ask, "Hey, wanna be my kid?" It was too absurd to follow. But even that wasn't the most baffling part.
Given Maruzensky's mature figure, gentle demeanor, and natural charm, most people saw her as a dependable older sister. Even though her personality had taken a more timid turn recently, surely she still retained some of that mature air.
This was the first time someone had asked to treat her as a younger sister.
While it left Maruzensky thoroughly puzzled, it also sparked a curious interest.
"So… what kind of little sister are we talking about?" she asked, intrigued.
"Huh?" Now it was Mizuno's turn to be thrown off.
A little sister was a little sister—how many kinds could there possibly be?
"Just… you know… a little sister," Mizuno responded, slightly bewildered by her question. "More specifically, a sworn sibling relationship—like, if trouble comes, the brother shields his sister first, and if there's happiness to be had, the sister enjoys it first. Even if they aren't related by blood, their bond is stronger than real family."
Maruzensky's eyes widened, seemingly astonished by his answer.
"Oh?! So that's what you meant! I thought…" Her face flushed slightly pink, her tail flicking wildly.
"You thought…?" Mizuno raised an eyebrow suspiciously.
"Ugh…" Maruzensky didn't reply. Instead, she covered her face with both hands and squatted down in embarrassment, as though Mizuno's words had triggered some unspeakable misunderstanding.
Seeing her flustered reaction, Mizuno felt a sudden chill run down his spine.
Whatever she misunderstood, it couldn't be good.
Wait… Mizuno's eyes widened in horror. Could Maruzensky have thought that he'd invited her to become his "little sister" in the other sense—as in, his "playmate"?
"Geh!" The thought hit Mizuno like a truck.
Given the context of their conversation so far, it wasn't exactly impossible that she'd interpreted his offer that way.
Imagine you're a girl, and some random guy suddenly asks you to become his "little sister." Who wouldn't think he was hitting on her?
Thankfully, Maruzensky hadn't immediately agreed, choosing instead to clarify first. And fortunately, Mizuno's explanation afterward had cleared things up quickly and clearly, resolving the misunderstanding.
Otherwise, Mizuno didn't even want to think about what might have happened if Maruzensky had happily agreed to become that other kind of "little sister"…
Just as Mizuno's imagination was running wild, Maruzensky—still hiding her face—spoke again.
"But… why…?"
"Hm? Why what?" Mizuno snapped back to reality, looking at her.
"Why would you want me to be your little sister?" Maruzensky cautiously raised her head, peeking at Mizuno through her fingers.
She couldn't understand it. A moment ago, Mizuno had looked at her as if she were a ghost; now, suddenly, he wanted to form such an intimate sibling bond? Maruzensky had the distinct feeling that Mizuno wasn't actually interested in becoming her sworn brother—he'd just panicked at the situation and rushed to appease her.
"Well, you see…" Mizuno scratched his cheek awkwardly.
He certainly couldn't say that he was worried she'd mount him, so he'd hastily proposed becoming siblings in hopes she might spare him out of respect for family bonds.
If Mizuno dared voice that thought, his name would probably appear in tomorrow's missing-persons report.
But he also couldn't admit the truth—that her current personality reminded him so strongly of Rice Shower that he impulsively wanted to treat her like a sister. Nobody would appreciate being told they resembled someone else so closely. Every person was unique; comparisons would only feel hurtful.
Since honesty was out of the question, Mizuno had no choice but to improvise.
"Well…" Mizuno cleared his throat and spun a lie without batting an eye. "I noticed how much you seem to 'care' about my safety. Clearly, you're a very kind girl, and, honestly, I've always wanted a little sister who can protect her brother and has absolutely zero sexual interest in him. So… I just naturally thought of you."
"Kind girl…?" Maruzensky blinked, her ears flicking rapidly.
His answer struck a chord.
After all, she'd been stuffing notes under his door precisely because she wanted to show Mizuno that she cared deeply and possessed enough strength to keep him safe. As for whether she had any sexual interest in Mizuno and his irresistible Uma Mint scent…
Well, Maruzensky was confident she could keep those urges under control.
"I guess that makes sense…" Maruzensky nodded happily, her ears twitching faster.
She didn't outright accept, but her reaction made it obvious.
Maybe the idea of being someone's little sister for the first time felt fresh and exciting, or perhaps this new relationship gave her a legitimate reason to keep close to Mizuno. Either way, she was thrilled to agree.
True, she'd only known Mizuno a few days—she probably should've spent more time figuring him out before entering a sworn sibling relationship. But judging by the way Symboli Rudolf treated him, Mizuno's character had to be beyond reproach. To earn such open favoritism from that prideful [Emperor], he definitely had to possess some unique charm.
Although Rudolf's dignity prevented her from admitting it openly, as her close friend, Maruzensky saw right through her.
The day Rudolf had brought Mizuno to visit, her sticky gaze and that restless, stalking ponytail practically spelled out "I absolutely have to UMAPYOI him!" in giant letters on her face.
Unlike Maruzensky, Rudolf hadn't even seen Mizuno's true face, nor had she been directly exposed to his Uma Mint—but still she'd been hopelessly obsessed. Clearly, Mizuno possessed some secret appeal beyond just his handsome appearance.
Perfect. Now Maruzensky could use this chance to carefully study what exactly made Mizuno so irresistible to her good friend.
And if, by some happy "coincidence," she managed to glimpse Mizuno's true face once more… well, that would just be a bonus. Either way, Maruzensky couldn't lose.
"So, um… how should I call you from now on?" Maruzensky nervously twisted her fingers together, carefully posing the question.
"Eh… Whatever's fine," Mizuno replied, shrugging nonchalantly.
He genuinely didn't care about titles. Call him whatever—even "useless mob" would be fine, as long as she kept her hands to herself.
"Then…" Maruzensky hesitated slightly, licked her lips, and finally summoned the courage to timidly try:
"Onii-sama?"
"Cough—cough—cough!" Mizuno burst into violent coughing, instantly sounding like a tuberculosis patient.
"What's wrong? Are you okay?" Maruzensky asked, worried.
"I'm fine…" Mizuno waved his hand weakly, looking pained. "Maybe just call me 'Nii-san' or 'Nii-chan'…"
"But why?" Maruzensky tilted her head, genuinely puzzled. "I thought 'Onii-sama' rolled off the tongue pretty nicely."
"Cough—cough—cough!" Mizuno went into another coughing fit. "Using '-sama' is too grand, too formal. Try something else."
"Alright…" Maruzensky lowered her head, slightly disappointed, but obediently changed her choice.
"Then… Onii-chan?"
"Mm… that's fine…" Mizuno's lips twitched awkwardly.
It was still embarrassing, but at least better than "Onii-sama."
At the very least, Mizuno wouldn't feel like he was betraying Rice Shower this way.
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T/N: NEW LITTLE SISTER ACQUIRED!!