"Big bro, wake up, wake up!"
"Mmm... Just a little longer..."
"Nooo! You said that earlier! Hurry up or we'll be late!"
My little sister straddled me in bed, shaking my body.
It happened daily, but I wished she'd wake me more gently.
"Go on ahead..."
"Nooo! We'll go together! Has to be together!"
My name's Engy, a totally normal high schooler. My grades and athletic ability are average, and I don't have any special talents.
The one making a racket just now is my sister Nia.
I'm a little worried she still can't separate from her big brother, but I can't just ignore my doting sister. This is an everyday affair.
"Come ooon, wake uuuup."
I clung to my futon, resisting as she shook me violently.
"Okay, okay, I'm getting up."
Giving in, I dragged myself out of bed.
No time for breakfast, I quickly got ready. My bedhead was sticking straight up but I didn't care.
"Ah, big bro! You've got bedhead! Geez, you're hopeless without me."
Sounding happy about it, she started fixing my hair.
It was too much trouble to protest, so I obediently let her do as she liked.
"Ehehe, big bro? It's time for our morning kiss."
Huh? We did something like that?
I tried recalling with my still muddled head, but before I could, my sister's face drew close.
"...Mmm."
The time was morning. But right now, in front of me making kissy lips was the eye mask girl.
However, this was the inn in Pressacott, specifically my room.
I had no companions and booked a single. Yet the eye mask girl was here. Why?
"Yo, what're you doing barging into someone's room! Get out!"
I shoved the eye mask girl outside and locked the door.
"Ahhh! Why!? That's so mean! Let me in!" she protested, pounding on it.
I should be asking why! No way was I letting her in.
"How'd you even find my inn room? What're you after? And what was that just now!? Trying to steal a kiss in the confusion!"
"What!? How rude! We promised to go out together today, remember? And just now, you suddenly made a move when I got here. I just went with it!"
"Uh huh."
"Uh huh what!? You started it!"
"Must be a demon spawned from my weakened heart."
"Why're you acting like some stranger did it!? You're shameless, but..."
Why do I have to get lectured by someone I barely know?
"Even if we did promise, you shouldn't just barge into someone's room. And about earlier, there are limits to messing around!"
Ignoring her accusations, I scolded the eye mask girl.
But she said promise... Something about that gave me pause, and I tried recalling yesterday.
I was drinking alone at the town tavern last night.
I remember her showing up at some point and me thinking ugh, don't come over here. After that...
I found something fun so come with me—
Ah, right.
Between using her as a decoy to climb the mountain, getting angry at her for punching her stomach, and her pestering me when I was fed up, I must have made some promise like that to get her off my back.
Well, I still don't think I was in the wrong for punching her.
I figured I could avoid meeting her, but that was naive of me. Can't believe she'd come barging into my inn.
"Let~me~in! In~to~you! Ah, messed up. Let~me~in!"
Dammit, what should I do?
Messed up on purpose for sure. While I thought, she kept giggling like a freak outside the door.
Call the cops, that's right. Gotta call the cops in times like this— no, that's useless.
We weren't in Japan here.
"It might be related to the tears of the gods you're looking for!"
Bang! The instant I heard that, I flung the door open.
"Quit messing around. Let's go."
"Yaaay~!"
The eye mask girl was rolling around holding her forehead. What is she doing...
Truth is, I really was at an impasse.
I'd been thinking the past few days but couldn't come up with a good way to retrieve the Godstone.
Forcible methods were an option, but it wasn't like I was pressed for time.
That was a last resort.
So while I really didn't want to go out with her, reluctantly, regrettably, I'd decided to spend today with the eye mask girl in case she had any useful information.
And now she walked a bit behind me, sulking.
"...Don't you have anything to say to me?"
"Huh?"
"Hint: it's around my bangs."
Some weirdo suddenly started a quiz. What the hell, with no lead-in or anything.
But I know how to respond to a girl's random, nonsensical questions like this.
Some hint that is, it's practically the answer!
Smooth guy that I am, I say it even though nothing looks different to me at all.
"Oh, you got a haircut?"
"Wrooong!"
Guess she took it off. These things happen sometimes.
"Look! My pimple! It's all swollen!"
Yeah, figured it was something like that.
How should I know about some pimple on your face when we barely know each other?
"Yeah yeah, it looks good on you."
"Wrong again! I didn't say it fishing for compliments! You did this! You made this pimple!"
No way. Don't remember at all, but past me did a great job if so.
"Geez! It's all red! What if it leaves a scar on the cute face you said you loved!"
Never said anything about loving her or her being cute. Don't find her attractive whatsoever.
Do find her weird.
"God, you're so cruel to me!"
The eye mask girl was pouting grumpily, but seemed to have an idea and started grinning smugly.
"Ugh, I want you to treat me nicely like that shrine maiden girl~"
"Huh?"
Shit. While we had met up a few times the past few days, she saw us?
Don't recall being particularly nice, but somehow it irritated me that she had dirt on me.
"The hell're you talking about? We just talked a bit."
"Hmm~? Is that soooo? You clearly had a much kinder face chatting with me."
Did not. Or rather, she's a bad comparison.
Anyone would seem the same next to her.
Changing the subject.
"So where are we going today?"
"Come ooon, you're supposed to take the lead at times like this!"
"Got it. We're done for today then. See ya."
Let's head back. That's the best course.
"No, wait wait! Fine, I'll tell you! I'll tell you!"
Next time she jokes around, I really will leave.
"Where is it?"
"The Lake of Spirits."