My name is Eris Boreas Greyrat. I am almost fourteen years old, and ever since the incident, I have been waiting for this moment. According to Rudeus, a year and five months have passed since then, and now, after walking far too much, Rudeus's dear black-haired older brother is finally close by. Meanwhile, here I am, holding the cloak I bought him like an idiot.
Will he want it? Will he accept it? According to Rudy, he already has one; maybe... No, first I need to look good... Look good?
"Eris... Good morning... I've been watching you for a bit. Are you nervous?"
"What? Stop talking nonsense, I am perfectly fine."
"You've brushed the same lock of hair three times..."
He rubbed his eyes and stood up.
"He won't care about that..."
"He...? You mean..."
"I mean my brother isn't like that. You could show up with leaves in your hair... and he really wouldn't care. He just wants to see that you're okay."
I dropped the brush and stood up. It was true; as a warrior, I couldn't afford to worry about such mundane things as brushing my hair. Even so...
"Hey, Rudy, how much has he changed? I mean..."
He laughed, just like always. "He's five centimeters taller than me, and although his hair is a bit longer than it was at the mansion, it's still well-kept."
"F-five centimeters taller than you? That means..."
Then he added, without answering: "Plus, his arms are bigger. When he hugged me, I felt it."
Damn that Rudeus, he knows exactly what he's doing!
I just huffed and put on my shoes, ignoring the descriptions... For now, I wanted to see it for myself. I wanted him to hug me like he did when he saved me from the ceiling.
"Ah, and I forgot to mention one more thing," Rudeus said as he adjusted his robe.
I stopped dead in my tracks, my hand already on the doorknob.
"What now? If you're going to say he has a girlfriend or something, I'll hit you."
"No, no, nothing like that," he waved his hands defensively, though that smirk didn't disappear. "It's just that... well, his voice has changed. You know, puberty and all that. It has a much deeper tone now."
I squeezed the cloak in my hands so hard I feared I would wrinkle it forever.
"I don't care about his voice at all!" I shouted, though my mind was already imagining the sound. "Let's go already!"
He laughed. "Hehe... The great warrior who traveled the Demon Continent is—"
I didn't let him finish; I gave him exactly what he deserved. No need for descriptions—he asked for it, and I gave it to him with pleasure.
When we walked out, Ruijerd was already waiting for us at the entrance, as if he knew exactly where we were and when we would be... Well, yes, he knows perfectly well.
"Hello. Ready to meet your brother?" Then he looked at me. "That cloak... you'll finally be able to give it to him. All that effort protecting it during the journey will finally bear fruit."
"I'm good at taking care of things, don't you think? Besides, I'm a little nervous."
Only with Ruijerd was I truly myself, because I knew he was wise and would understand my situation; after all, he has lived for a long time... And he wouldn't make fun of me like Rudeus did.
"I know you are nervous. Unlike Rudeus, you haven't seen Daiki for over a year."
He just patted my head like he used to. "Time changes people, Eris. But the bond you have with him is strong. Do not fear."
I nodded. Ruijerd always had the right words.
The moment of peace was short-lived. Rudeus, who came walking over while rubbing the cheek I had punched, decided he hadn't learned his lesson.
"Yeah, yeah, the bond is strong and blah, blah, blah... But, Eris, there is another logistical detail you haven't considered..."
"Shut up!" I interrupted him before he could try anything.
"But..." I glared at him. "Okay, I won't mention anything else."
After that chat, we walked toward where Rudeus said his brother would be. It was a boarding house, quite tidy, with people entering and leaving with papers in their hands. That must be the "search party" he mentioned. The place where Daiki has been working.
"I'll go in first. I should warn him, or you're sure to find him in some embarrassing situation."
A few minutes later, he returned with a smile and invited me in. Damn it, I thought I was ready, but I'm paralyzed...
Ruijerd put a hand on my shoulder and nudged me toward the entrance.
"Go ahead, Eris. He is waiting for you."
I entered with a certain caution, looking around. There was a little blonde girl on a sofa, staring intently at me.
"He's in the courtyard. He says a cordial greeting between swordsmen happens on the battlefield."
Daiki surely knows about my nerves. That's why he did this. Fighting is how I express myself best... Yes, that's just like him.
The door opened and there he was, taller than I remembered, with a more serious posture, standing with his back to me. All I could see was his back and the nape of his neck.
I took several steps until I was level with him. He simply turned around, and for the first time, I felt an intense shiver. Those red eyes, so intense, the ones that once saw me for the first time; the ones that never judged me for how I acted, but for who I was... it was him... but more handsome—I mean... sharper. The hair suits him better now. Damn it, I bit my lip shamelessly.
Before, Daiki was a reliable boy, someone strong... but now, standing in front of me, he felt like... a man. A complete warrior. Even if he was younger than me.
"Young Eris?" he asked.
Phew, thank goodness, he didn't notice, I thought. After that, I stared at him, wanting to see the difference between this Daiki and the one I knew back at the mansion.
"H-hey, don't you guys feel the atmosphere is heavy?!" said Rudeus. Even though he wasn't a swordsman, it was easy to perceive the killing intent of a swordsman—or in this case, the instinct to attack without thinking twice.
Without warning, I lunged at him, grabbing one of the training swords.
To my surprise, or perhaps my hope, he also lunged in the same direction. When our weapons clashed, the combat was already over. I remained suspended for a few seconds as my sword pressed against his, and then, in one fluid movement, he flicked his sword and disarmed me completely.
"You've grown," he said, and a small smile appeared—that same smile he gave me on my birthday. "And you look... strong."
Strong...? Me...? He had disarmed me in a single move. It was frustrating... and at the same time, thrilling.
"You too," I replied, trying to maintain my composure, though I wasn't succeeding. "More than I expected."
"It's been almost two years," he said, stopping in front of me. "I thought I wouldn't see you again."
"Idiot," I blurted out without thinking. "Did you think I would leave that easily?"
He laughed.
"No. I never believed that."
What should I do? I'm not prepared for these things.
"Daiki... I..."
Before I could finish, he reached out and placed his hand on my head, ruffling my hair just like he used to.
"Welcome back, Young Eris."
I blushed and looked away.
"You're going to mess up my hair!" I huffed, accusing him, but I never pushed his hand away.
"You should be careful with that, brother. She spent the whole time preparing to see you."
"RUDEUS!" I shouted, spinning toward him with my face burning. "Who asked you?!"
Rudeus recoiled at my shout.
"I'm only telling the truth! You were fixing your hair the entire way here."
That bastard... I'm going to kill him!
"Is that true?" he asked in a tone I couldn't decipher. was he teasing? Or was it curiosity?
I didn't look at him. I couldn't.
"...I just wanted to look presentable," I murmured. "There's nothing wrong with that."
"I didn't say there was."
"Whatever," I said, crossing my arms. "We have a lot to talk about. And I want a rematch later."
He nodded.
"Whatever Young Eris desires."
After the introductions came the gift. The thing I had been carrying for a whole year.
He pulled his hand away.
"Ruijerd, the cloak!" I said, snapping my fingers.
Ruijerd approached and handed me the carefully folded cloak.
"Here," I said, holding it out to him without looking him in the eye. "It's for you."
Daiki took it. It was a high-quality hooded cloak, durable yet elegant, black with a crow logo.
"Eris, this is..."
"I didn't buy it!" I blurted out quickly. "It was on sale and... and it was Rudeus's idea. I only carried it because he's a weakling."
"Eh? But you were the one who—"
I shot Rudeus a murderous glare.
Daiki observed the cloak for a few more seconds, then folded it carefully and held it against his chest. When he looked up, his eyes locked directly onto mine.
"Thanks, brother," he said, without taking his eyes off me for a single instant.
...I knew it! I knew he was lying!
"S-stop looking at me like that!" I huffed, turning away sharply. "It's just a cloak!"
"Put it on now; don't let the effort of bringing it be in vain."
Daiki nodded and, without saying a word, draped the cloak over his shoulders. The fabric fell over his back, complementing his figure. It was a perfect fit.
It looked even better on him than I imagined.
"Well?" he asked, extending his arms slightly. "How do I look?"
"...Acceptable," I muttered, looking away.
"Wow, coming from you, that's almost a compliment," Rudeus said teasingly.
Daiki took a few steps toward me. He stopped a short distance away.
"I will take good care of it... with my life... Thank you, Young Eris."
Then Rudeus walked over.
"Wow... Now you're like Guts."
"Guts?"
"You know... The Black Swordsman. You're just missing the giant sword and some scars."
"A big sword is inefficient," Daiki said, shaking his head. "I prefer speed and precision."
"Guts? Who is that?" I asked, looking at Rudeus with confusion.
"Ah... just a warrior from a story I read," Rudeus replied, scratching his cheek. "A guy with a huge sword who fights demons. Very dramatic."
"Sounds stupid," I huffed. "Why carry something so heavy?"
"Exactly," Daiki agreed. "A sword should be an extension of the body, not a burden."
"Although..." Daiki touched a small scar on his forearm. "I've already got the scars covered."
I frowned, stepping closer without thinking and grabbing his arm to examine the mark.
"When did you get this?" I demanded.
"A few months ago. An unfortunate encounter."
"Unfortunate?" I tightened my grip. "With whom?"
He just looked at me calmly.
"It wasn't a 'someone' exactly, just a spider in the Great Forest."
Suddenly, the door burst open.
"Let go of my big brother!" said the blonde girl, cheeks puffed out and clearly annoyed. "Don't touch him!"
Daiki slipped out of my grip and walked over to Norn, lifting her into his arms.
"Norn, this is Eris. Eris, this is Norn. Please don't kill each other."
Safe in his arms, she looked at me and stuck her tongue out.
That brat... I like her (but I'm going to crush her).
After that, he carefully set Norn down, and she continued glaring at me while hugging his leg.
He turned toward Ruijerd. Simply knelt before him.
"Warrior Ruijerd, my brother spoke very highly of you... I am entirely pleased that you brought him back. From warrior to warrior, you have my loyalty for life."
"Raise your head. Your brother is strong... he protected himself."
"No..." he shook his head. "He may be strong, but he is still my brother. You took care of him and Eris as if they were your own blood, and they are my life."
Then he stood up... Wait, am I... his life? Did he include me along with his brother? Since when did he think that of me...?
"Well," Daiki said, brushing the dust off his knees. "Father is about to arrive, and he will surely want to meet the Superd who helped my brother."
I felt red as a tomato, and yet, I followed him... because he told me I was his life, and that made me very happy.
"Daiki..." A female voice said, entering the boarding house. "I forgot to leave you some books for Norn..."
And I saw her, a quite beautiful girl holding a book to her chest. A girl who seemed older than me...
"Emilia... Do you remember the lost brother I told you about? Well, let me introduce him."
Rudeus bowed. "Nice to meet you, Lady Emilia... It is a pleasure. My name is Rudeus Greyrat."
He said it with that tone of his, the usual one, the one he uses to try and woo girls without realizing it.
"The pleasure is mine. Daiki spoke very highly of you and Eris; he said he missed you both very much."
He told her he missed me?
"I-I am Eris," I said, crossing my arms and straightening my back.
Then Daiki leaned in close to Rudeus and whispered something in his ear. I didn't intend to listen, but I did anyway.
"Don't try it," he said in a low voice. "She loves books. In terms you understand, her romance parameters are permanently blocked. It's not a lack of interest: she simply doesn't process that type of stimulus."
...That Daiki.
"Me...? Try something? Come on, big brother, you have such low esteem for me..."
"Rudy... I know you. You were preparing a water spell for her, I'm not stupid."
Rudeus threw his hands up. "Fine, fine... you caught me in flagrante. You nailed it, brother."
"In fla-what?" I asked, tripping over the word.
"Did something happen, guys?" asked Emilia, clearly confused.
"Don't pay attention to this pair of idiots," I told her.
And like that, with Rudeus's laughter and Daiki's calm, I finally felt complete again. All that was left was to return home, see if my grandfather was okay, and... and become stronger so I could tell him I love him.
"They are my life." He had said... He included me. Me. The wild girl who barely knew how to control her temper.
Maybe... maybe I wasn't alone anymore.