Chapter 38: For the Family

We decided to replace our refrigerator because it had become quite small. We might even go ahead and buy a new TV. I’ll buy coats for the whole family, get new winter clothes, increase the number of storage cases, buy a kotatsu, and maybe even go to a hot spring during the long holiday.

I look at the bankbook and add the income from Area 4, mentally doing the subtraction.

It’s enough. More than enough.
No matter how I look at it, I can do everything I wanted to do.

I sigh, put away the bankbook and cash, and decide not to show the family.

I head to the living room, pour milk into a cup, and sit at the dining table. Maybe we could buy non-low-fat milk from now on.

I read a book borrowed from the library.

――It’s called ‘Monthly’ for being issued by Isshiki-kun personally.

Tokyo. The front line of Japanese adventurers. I might be able to adventure alongside the higher ranks. The back of Area 4, an unknown area with almost no information.

These thoughts keep swirling in my mind.

“…I… Itsuki-nii? Are you awake?”
“Yeah… I’m awake.”

“You’ve been on the same page for a while. Are you tired?”
“No, I was just a little spaced out.”

I close the book and take a breath. It’s a calm day today.
Sena and Seika went to play at a friend’s house. Mitsuru and Mutsuki are at the park. Nina is busy studying for exams. The house is quiet, leaving room for thought.

“It’s nothing, really.”
“Is that so?”

Once I put the book down, I find myself genuinely out of things to do. Should I pick the book back up? No, that would seem unnatural.

“Itsuki-nii, how about a walk? I’d like a little break.”
“A walk, huh. Sounds good.”

I’d just been thinking it was a pleasant day. I nod and stand up.
A jacket shouldn’t be necessary. I decide to head out as I am.

It’s not unusual for Nina and I to go for walks together when her study breaks coincide with my free time.

Walking in the sun is pleasantly warm, and the shade is comfortably cool. It’s the perfect season for anything.

Nina, walking beside me, starts the conversation.

“By the way, I got my results back from the mock test I took the other day.”
“Oh? How did it go?”

Nina moves her index finger in the air and smiles broadly.

“An easy A score.”
“As expected.”

Nina always had good grades and high scores on periodic tests. Now that she’s seriously started studying for exams, it’s no surprise that her mock test results are good.

Still, it makes me happy and eager to celebrate.

“What do you want to eat?”
“Oh, no. Just being able to take exams is the biggest celebration for me.”

“Well, don’t say that. If we celebrate Nina, it’ll be easier to celebrate everyone else, too. Like when Mitsuru does well in club activities.”

Before, we couldn’t even celebrate birthdays properly. But from now on, I want to change that.

“Hmmm.”

Nina makes a difficult face.

“Shouldn’t Itsuki-nii’s celebration come first?”
“Why?”

“Because you’re now able to go to Area 4. I looked it up a little, and that’s amazing.”
“Well, it seems so.”

“What’s the matter? You don’t seem too excited.”

As a newcomer, it’s probably considered an unusual speed. But after encountering Lila, an exceptional case… No, even before that, I didn’t care. Whether I progressed faster than others or was superior to other adventurers didn’t matter to me.

I was just satisfied thinking about magic and facing strong opponents.
I was making money from it too, so I had no complaints.

Since defeating the Undead King, it felt like there was a hole in my chest. It seemed like an inappropriate feeling, so I tried not to think about it.

“Well, you’ve always been like that, Itsuki-nii. You never seemed to care about rankings.”
“Yeah.”

“But you’re always working hard. How do you do it?”
“I set goals sometimes, but I’m often pulled toward things I’m interested in.”

“I set ranking as my goal. I think Mitsuru does too, right?”
“Yeah. I have the impression that you two are competitive.”

In the Isshiki family, the ones who hate losing are definitely Nina and Mitsuru. Sena, Seika, Mutsuki, and I are considered more easygoing for now. However, depending on their growth, it’s highly possible that everyone but me could become part of the competitive society.

After all, it’s Nina and Mitsuru who support the family in this house.

“Hey Itsuki-nii.”
“Yeah.”

“What’s your next goal as an adventurer?”

Nina’s question was the same as what Shiraishi-san asked me back in the log cabin.

What do you want to become? What do you want to do? Where are you headed? What will you accomplish?

I don’t know. Even if I did, I couldn’t tell Nina. I didn’t want her to carry any more burden on top of her studies and household responsibilities.

“To earn money. To come back unharmed. That’s all.”
“I see. That’s so typical of Itsuki-nii.”

“Right?”

It’s best to shut my eyes. To not reach out.

I should be used to this kind of restraint. Just as I’ve done hundreds of times before, I’ll deceive myself once again.

◇

When Itsuki goes to the dungeon, the Isshiki household manages five people.

There’s pre-made food stored in the new, large refrigerator. Canned food and instant miso soup are also kept handy for times when cooking is tough. Laundry is done daily, while cleaning waits until Itsuki returns and does it all.

As a result, Nina and Mitsuru are managing to balance their studies, club activities, and this lifestyle.

Neither is informed about the current income Itsuki is bringing in. Itsuki clearly tries to keep it hidden, and knowing it might throw the Isshiki household into confusion, so the topic is generally avoided as taboo.

However, tonight is different.
After the younger ones have gone to sleep, Nina speaks to Mitsuru.

“Hey, Mitsuru.”
“Hmm?”

Mitsuru was reading a book by a former professional baseball player but soon looks up.

“What’s up, sis? Is it something important?”

Mitsuru has an uncanny ability to sense these things. Nina feels like it’s almost animalistic, but apparently, this nature of his makes him quite popular. Valentine’s Day seems especially eventful, yet being a stickler for rules, he simply says, “We shouldn’t bring chocolates to school,” and never accepts any.

Nina exhales slowly and nods.

“How do you think Itsuki-nii’s doing lately?”
“He’s not sharp.”

“Huh?”
“He’s not crisp… maybe not perky… more like mellow or relaxed… in other words, he looks like he’s retired.”

“You come out with sensible things all of a sudden.”

Beneath the barrage of onomatopoeia, Mitsuru finally seems to have found the right words.

When Mitsuru says “retired,” he’s referring to a dog they often see on their way to school. It’s a pug that always watches the outside world from a sliding door window, and they named it because of the mysterious sense of dignity it exudes. Nina of course knows it well, and surely, so does Itsuki.

“A retired dog, huh.”

Nina finds the term oddly fitting.
Recently, Itsuki doesn’t seem to be chasing after anything, appearing more at ease. While it’s a good thing, he seems almost too settled. It’s as if his fangs have been pulled, or there’s a slight sense of lethargy about him.

Or perhaps he appears that way because he’s suppressing his emotions.

“Haruka-san mentioned it to me. Itsuki-nii could become a strong and amazing adventurer.”
“Of course. He’s our brother. Actually, he will be.”

Mitsuru states it like it’s the most obvious thing, and Nina finds herself momentarily at a loss.

Mitsuru tilts his head in confusion, waving his hand in front of Nina’s face.

“Sis, are you okay?”
“――Haaaah.”

Like the air escaping from a balloon, Nina lets out a long sigh.

“Mitsuru, you’re simply so easygoing.”
“Huh?”

“Oh, haha. Sorry about that. Thank you.”
“Huh…?”

With a relaxed smile, Nina contemplates a bit and then looks at Mitsuru.

“This Sunday, you don’t have practice, right?”