It has been almost two years since Caron joined me in my Magic Training. Then, a few days after she turned four, the day finally arrived.
While we were training as usual in the courtyard, Caron, who was practicing light magic beside me, shouted with delight.
"Onii-sama! Onii-sama! Please take a look!"
Caron's fluency when it comes to talking has been smoother these days. It's a pity that I can no longer hear her slurring her lines, but as an older brother, I guess I should be happy for her growth.
And since there isn't any older brother who doesn't respond to his beloved sister's call, I turn my body toward Caron.
There she is, with a ball of light floating between her two upraised hands.
No matter how I look at it, that sphere is an elementary-level Light Magic [Light Ball]. At last, Caron had succeeded in manifesting light magic.
I then invoke the non-attribute detection spell I have developed over the past year—By diffusing a large amount of Mana and using the reverberations to search for things around me—I investigate who's witnessing this scene.
Fortunately, there was only one other person in the vicinity besides me and my sibling. It's my maid. If it's her, I would be able to handle it. This is the most convenient development for me.
With a sense of relief, I gently grasped both of Caron's hands. My hands covered the [light ball], and the magic suddenly faded away as she lost her concentration.
"Congratulations, Caron. It's incredible that you were able to activate light magic at the age of four. You really are my sister, and a genius one at that."
First, I praise her. Caron probably approached me because she wanted me to praise her, so I will do my job well. Well, I want to do it to her regardless of that.
"Thank you very much, Onii-sama!"
Caron smiled broadly after saying so. If she had a tail, she would be wagging it as if she is about to burst.
"Caron. I'm sorry to ruin your excitement, but the fact that you can use this magic will be a secret between you and me. You must never tell anyone else that you can use Light Magic, understand?"
I patted her on the head as I quietly explained.
Hearing this, Caron's joyful mood turned into a sullen one. It hurts my heart, but it's necessary for her future.
"Did I do something wrong…?"
"It's not your fault, Caron. It's just that there are very few people who can use light magic. And if people know about it, you would attract a lot of attention."
"Is it bad attracting a lot of attention?"
Caron tilted her head as if she didn't understand it.
It would be difficult for a four-year-old kid to understand the dangers of scarcity. Instead of going into details, I decided to simply tell the truth.
"It's not a bad thing, but there's a chance that someone bad will take notice of you. If that happens, they might separate us together."
"Then, I won't tell anyone about the Light Magic!"
She immediately answer that it would have won her the prize if it were a quick quiz.
I was confident that Caron would nod his head when I said this.
Caron had grown up to be a splendid Bro-con that even I, a Sis-con, could put to shame. She's with me at all hours of the day, except for when I go to the restroom, and we even bathe together.
There was no way she could stand to be separated from her brother. I couldn't stand it either.
The phrase, "Separate us," is a must-have line that kept things between us a secret. I also use it with our Magic Training and Mind Magic. I assured her that she wouldn't talk about it.
"Whenever you practice light magic, be sure to ask me for help, and never use light magic without my permission. Can you promise?"
"Yes, I will promise that I will keep it a secret!"
Hearing Caron's cheerful reply, I nodded my head in satisfaction.
This was enough to deal with Caron. All that remained is to silence the maid who accompanied us. Well, I would deal with her later.
Following that, we continued training until nightfall while feeling the maid's eager gaze.
After training, I managed to persuade Caron, who wants to take a bath together, to give me some alone time.
With my maid accompanying me, I went to the edge of the garden, where people rarely come.The garden was completely dark, and the lack of any signs of life gave me a creepy feeling.
"Now then."
I turned to the maid who was following behind me after probing my surroundings with my detection spell.
The maid's name is Shion Shuhira Chromis. Her age is nineteen. She stands 167 centimeters tall, weighs 50 kilograms, and comes in three top sizes: 80, 56, and 83, with pale blue-purple hair and green eyes. She is a Magician with three attributes: water, darkness, and wind. The profile is based on her resume, not on any other intention.
When one's an attendant of a count's son, it's usual to appoint a veteran servant or someone close to his age, but in her case, she was special. She was recommended by the royal court, so it was difficult to assign her to a position other than her current one.
Her cool expression, chignon hairstyle, and tight clothing suggest a serious personality—but she's a little careless. When she washes dishes, she breaks dishes; when she cleans, she breaks pots; when she washes clothes, she ruins fabrics; and so on. She was a woman with a significant gap between her inside and her outside look.
And such a person knows about Caron, I must persuade her to keep it a secret.
It was very difficult to convince her because she only has the attribute of a careless girl and her personality itself is that of an inflexible serious girl.
Furthermore, her background complicated the situation.
I believe that she's a spy for the Royal Family, and she was here to keep an eye on Caron, who has a Light Attribute. In fact, she often pretended to accompany me to spy on Caron's movements.
Why do I know that?
Of course, it has to do with non-attribute magic. There was a time when each of my five senses was strengthened as part of a [Body Strengthening] experiment. At that time, I heard Shion muttering to herself about spying and the like.
I would like to complain bitterly that she might not be aware enough as a spy for the royal court, but…it seems that this was her first mission, so I can't help but wonder if that is the case. No, it's still too fatal a mistake to say it out loud.
Sending such typical trash to the Foranada family is, well, typical. The current head of the family, my father, is an unqualified aristocrat and underestimated by everyone around him. Shion's first assignment is likely because they believed that even if she made a mistake, it wouldn't be a big deal.
However, that decision will push her over the edge. After all, Foranada now has an irregular named me. Now that it's clear that she is a spy, I have no choice but to take advantage of it.
"....."
"....."
In a darkened corner of the garden, Shion and I stare at each other in silence.
While Shion maintained her usual cool demeanor, I could sense some confusion. I was certain it was because my research into Mind Magic had enabled me to read emotions from the Mana leaking from her body.
I silently smiled to agitate her even more. The pressure of a silent smile is foolproof.
Sure enough, Shion's emotions wavered. She "flinched" at my eerie presence, causing the Mana around her to become unstable.I would not have been able to carry it so well if this had been a seasoned spy. I'm grateful that Shion is Shion.
"Shion is a spy for the Royal Family, am I right?"
When the agitation was at its highest point, I put the final nail in the coffin. I pressed her with an assertion that she don't know if I was right or wrong and induced her not to utter a word of denial. In addition, I use a [Bewilderment] Mind Magic and made a strategic move to prevent her from returning to being calm.
"Ah, eh…That's…"
"If you're not denying it, that means it's true, right?"
I pressed further. Shion was pitifully flustered, but once I got her this far, she has no way to escape.
"I'll keep quiet about you being a spy…But, in exchange, I want you to keep quiet about the fact that Caron can use that magic, too."
In the midst of her confusion, I threw a bargain at her. I don't care if it's unfair. My little sister's life is at stake, and I will go to any length to ensure her safety.
"I-I can't do that. I-I have sworn allegiance to the Royal Family."
Still, Shion kicked off the negotiations, as if she was proud to be a spy.
So it's not a matter of rationality, but of conviction. Hmmm, this is a troublesome hand. I thought she was a rationalist by nature, but I was mistaken. In this case, even if I presented the merits of joining hands with me, she would kick it out with words saying, "I can't betray my master."
I had no choice then.
"If you do not agree to my demands, I will publicly reveal vital information about you."
I decided to use my best trump card against Shion here. I liked her even if she was a spy, so I didn't want to take this action if at all possible. However, my first priority is Caron's safety.
Shion's eyes swim around as she heard my threat.
"What exactly do you mean by my information?"
Despite her blatant attitude, she's pale white.
…I mean, how could she say those words? I'm more than impressed. I doubt I would normally be able to express a negative opinion after being so clearly exposed.
I sighed and muttered a single word.
"Elf."
"!?"
I'm right, Shion definitely is not a good spy. I would recommend a career change right now. If this gag order is successful, I'll put in a good word with her to consider it.
Seeing her shoulders tremble like that, I felt a little weak. However, I couldn't stop here, so I held in a sigh and continued the conversation.
"Shion. You're an elf, aren't you…? Yes, I said it like I was asking, but I've already determined it. Denial is futile. If you don't give in to my demand, I will make this fact public."
In this world, as in many other fantasy works, there are non-human species—Humans, Beastmen, and Elves, three different species mingle together.
The Holy Kingdom and the Forest Kingdom, a predominantly elven country, are not on the best of terms. Because their lands do not adjoin, wars have not occurred, but political skirmishes are a daily occurrence. If an elf was discovered in the Holy Kingdom, everyone present would thrash them to death.
As a result, Shion will perish if I reveal that she is an elf. The entire nation will turn against her, metaphorically or literally.
Well, it would be better if it was only her personal sacrifice. Perhaps the problem will spread further. After all, she's a servant recommended by the Royal Family. Inevitably, the Royal Family and the elves would be suspected of being close, and in the worst case, they might be overthrown. An individual named Shion is going to shake the nation of the Holy Kingdom.
Naturally, Sion must understand the consequences of my accusation. In fact, her complexion was as white as snow. I was worried that she had forgotten how the blood flowed.
"How did you know that?"
She asks in a squeezed voice.
It's a natural question. Shion is constantly using disguise magic to conceal the pointed ears that are characteristic of elves. Normally, there's no way she could have been discovered, and she was able to conceal them until now.
But this time, she met the wrong guy.
"The disguise magic that Shion's using is the type that envelops the disguised part with magic, right? That type of disguise doesn't work on people who can see Mana directly."
In the process of experimenting with [Body Strengthening], I developed the ability to see Mana. For someone like me, who has what's known as [Mana Sight], Shion's disguise was as good as none at all.
"You know that if you reveal the secret, the country will be in ruins, right?"
"And?"
I replied to her words with a question as if daring her.
I understand the intent of her statement. "As the son of a noble family, is it all right to bring chaos to the country you serve?" That is what I think she's trying to say.
—However, that's not true at all.
As I mentioned earlier, my top priority is to ensure Caron's safety.Everything else is insignificant. Of course, there's nothing better than making a minimal sacrifice, but I am prepared to make a decision if necessary.
That's why I gave an answer to Shion as if I don't care.
"...."
Shion fell silent, perhaps realizing that any further questions and answers were pointless.
I then asked her, as if I were trying to break a deadlock.
"What do you think? Are you going to accept my demand or not?"
There was no way out for Shion.
"...Yes, as you wish."
Thus, I prevented the information about Caron's Light Magic from leaking out.