Sometimes an Older Brother, Always a Younger Brother

"Is she really that energetic? I'd like to meet her."

"Yes, I'm sure Mother will like her too."

Saying that, Leo sipped his tea.

The next day, Leo promptly visited Mitsuba to tell her he would be leaving for the south.

Mitsuba did not say anything in particular to her hurried son. She knew that telling him to do his best would only make him try harder, while telling him not to try so hard would not stop him from doing so.

So Mitsuba avoided mentioning the mission and asked him about other things, and that was how the subject of Rita came up.

"It would be nice if Rita became friends with Christa."

Leo had never considered that Mitsuba might object.

Normally, she would have asked about the girl's family background, but such concerns were foreign to Mitsuba. Regardless of their status, one should associate with good people while avoiding bad ones. Mitsuba was consistent in that regard.

"Perhaps because Christa is a girl, she doesn't seem to have many friends. Even her friendships with noble children seem to be merely superficial, so I suppose it would be reassuring for her to have a close friend her own age."

"Yes, exactly. I'll bring her along next time we have the opportunity."

"Oh, my. For you to say something like that... You must really like her."

"I like girls like her. Christa is quiet, so I think she'll get along well with Rita."

"Is that so? Won't you be saying you want to make her your wife in a few years?"

Leo gave a wry smile at the teasing remark.

He did not yet see Rita, who was still very much a child, in that way.

However, he did think that if he were to marry, he would prefer an energetic woman like Rita.

However, since he had no idea what Mitsuba would say if he admitted that here, Leo gave the most conventional answer he could.

"In a situation like this, I can't think about marriage. If things settle down and Rita has grown into a wonderful woman, then I'll consider it."

"What a boring boy. At this rate, Al will snatch her away from you."

"Hahaha, that's true. My brother does seem to have a knack for meeting wonderful women."

"This isn't something to laugh about. Listen, Leo. Wonderful women don't fall for perfect men. You're more popular if you're flawed to some degree."

"Then I'm in no danger. I'm full of flaws."

"From my perspective, that's certainly true, but women in general don't see it that way. You should show your flaws more openly. You need to let more of yourself show. Everyone needs a sharp edge."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Saying that, Leo drained his tea and rose before the conversation could grow any longer.

Otherwise, Mitsuba might well begin lecturing him on how to win over a wonderful woman.

"Well then, if you'll excuse me."

"Honestly... Take care of yourself."

"I will."

With that, Leo left Mitsuba's side.

■■■

On his way back.

Leo suddenly headed toward the castle plaza.

As its name suggested, Imperial Sword Castle was shaped like a sword, with the sections corresponding to the guard jutting out on either side. That area was a plaza, and the knight candidates trained there.

The training held at the castle was not, to begin with, training for regular knight candidates.

Regular knight candidates trained at proper schools, whereas the trainees this time had been selected from among talented people in the impoverished classes who did not attend knight school. The Crown Prince had proposed that even displaced people and the poor should be given a chance to become knights if they possessed the talent, and the program was held every year.

None of them had become Imperial Guard knights, but some became knights serving local nobles, some became adventurers, and some joined the military. They each found their own path.

Training in the plaza had already ended.

The trainees were gone, and Leo felt somewhat disappointed, but—

"Kuu-chaaaaaan!!"

That feeling vanished immediately.

Hearing the boisterous child's voice, Leo couldn't help smiling.

But when he looked toward the voice, he instinctively hid behind a pillar.

The reason was—

"R-Rita... you're so loud..."

The Kuu-chan Rita had waved at and run toward was Christa.

Christa, carrying her rabbit stuffed toy as usual, spoke to Rita with a slightly nervous air.

It was a sight Leo had never seen before, and he couldn't help being moved.

"I see... They've already become friends... I was worrying about nothing."

"What were you worrying about?"

"Huh!?"

"Yes, don't raise your voice."

With a finger held to his lips, Leo stopped himself from shouting.

It was Elna who spoke to him.

Elna quietly peeked toward Christa and the others from behind the pillar where Leo had been hiding.

Then—

"I suppose blood really does tell..."

"Yeah. When all's said and done, Christa is our little sister too. I'm glad she found a good friend."

"That's not what I mean. I'm talking about you and Prince Traugott. Which one are you interested in? If you're staring at Princess Christa from behind a pillar like this, you're just like Prince Traugott. And if you're after the other girl, I'm going to have to put some distance between us as childhood friends."

"...Huh?"

"Don't tell me it's both...?"

"N-no, no, that's not it! It's not like that...!"

Seeing Elna genuinely put distance between them, Leo realized she had seriously misunderstood and tried desperately to clear up the misunderstanding, but Rita, who was brimming with curiosity, caught their voices and peered in their direction.

"Ah! Big Brother Leo!"

Saying that, Rita happily threw her arms around Leo.

Seeing this, Elna's expression grew grave.

Thinking this was bad, Leo tried to say something, but—

"N-no, that's not it! It's not like that, we're not in that kind of relationship, um, um..."

"..."

His panicked, incoherent explanation only deepened her suspicions.

While this was going on, Christa came over as well.

"Big Brother Leo? Elna too..."

"It's been a long time, Your Highness."

"Long time no see... Rita knows Big Brother Leo...?"

"Yeah! He took me to his room!!"

For a moment, Leo and Elna fell silent.

Christa simply said that she understood, but Elna was plainly flustered by Rita's shocking statement.

"N-no, no, no, no way... Really...?"

"N-no, Elna, this isn't what it looks like..."

Rita's perfectly timed remark left Leo at a loss for what to say.

Meanwhile, Rita continued to do whatever she pleased, clinging to Leo's waist and hanging from his hand.

But the truly disastrous situation came afterward.

Sensing someone's presence, Leo looked toward the entrance to the plaza.

Fiene was standing there with both hands clapped over her mouth.

Leo instinctively realized things had taken a turn for the worse, but before he could start explaining, Fiene began to fidget in distress.

"A-Al-sama! L-Leo-sama has developed a taste for little girls! W-what should I do!? How can I avoid hurting him!?"

Leo could not bring himself to say, "I'm already hurt," and his shoulders slumped.

As he resigned himself to being teased by Al about this, Al poked his head out.

Then—

"What are you talking about?"

"A-Al! Leo's gone down the same path as Prince Traugott!?"

"W-what should we do!?"

"The same path as Brother Traugott, huh? That man's perversion is on a level Leo couldn't possibly match. Don't worry, he hasn't fallen yet."

"What kind of explanation is that!? That doesn't reassure me at all! Clear up the misunderstanding properly!"

"Hahaha, I know, so relax."

Saying that, Al approached Rita, who was hanging from Leo's hand.

Noticing Al, Rita opened her mouth in astonishment.

"W-what!? There are two people with the same face!?"

"No mistake about it. You must be the girl Guy was talking about."

"W-why do you know Teacher's name!? And you have the same face as Big Brother Leo... Aha! You must be an incredibly powerful mage in disguise! Give Big Brother Leo's face back!"

With that, Rita charged at Al.

Al took advantage of their difference in reach, placing a hand on Rita's head and holding her at bay.

"That's not fair!"

"Just like Guy's student. You're quite the idiot, aren't you? Now listen carefully. I'm Arnold, Leo's twin older brother."

"T-twin...?"

"Yeah... Brother Al-sama... They're both Christa's brothers."

It took Rita a moment to process this, and she froze, but eventually she seemed to understand and clapped both hands together.

Then she pointed at Al.

"Al-bro! His distinguishing feature is his messy hair!"

Next, she pointed at Leo.

"Leo-bro! His distinguishing feature is that he's handsome!"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk! Don't underestimate me, Brother Al! Once you've reached Rita's level, you can tell which one is handsome! Right, Brother Leo!?"

"That one is my brother."

Rita, who had hugged the spot where Leo had been moments earlier, looked up at the speaker with a start.

A man with neatly arranged hair and clothes stood there.

When she turned around, another man with the same face, his hair and clothes equally neat, stood in the opposite direction.

"W-w-w-what!? Big Brother Leo split into two!? T-terrifying! Twins!"

"Brother Al-sama... Don't tease Rita..."

"Hahaha. Sorry, sorry."

Saying that, Al mussed up his hair, undid the buttons he had fastened, and disheveled his clothes again.

Then he ruffled Rita's hair as well and turned on his heel.

"See you. I've got things to do, so you three play together."

"Things you have to do, Brother?"

"I'll handle your work in your place. You're leaving for the south soon, aren't you? Go play with Christa and this girl. Christa wants to play with Leo too, right?"

"Yeah..."

"Rita wants to play too!"

"Yeah. I'm counting on you to look after my little brother and sister."

"Huh!? Brother!?"

"Don't take her to your room!"

"Wait! That's not it, okay!? Aren't you being considerate in a really weird way!? That's not what's happening!"

Waving to Leo, who was making a commotion behind him, Al left with Fiene and Elna.

"Why do you seem so happy?"

"Indeed. Al-sama does seem to be in a good mood."

"Do I? Well, maybe I am. I got to see Leo relax and be himself for the first time in a while. He's always thinking too hard, you know. It's been a long time since I've seen him let his guard down like that. I have to thank Rita."

Saying that, Al straightened his clothes and fixed his hair.

Then he straightened his back and, unusually, looked eager to work.

"Well, shall I work hard in Leo's place?"

"Honestly... You really do work hard whenever it's about Leo, Al."

"He's my little brother."

"What wonderful sibling love!"

As they continued this exchange, the three of them climbed the stairs.

Al could not possibly know that Leo, who remained behind in the plaza, would be run ragged by the two children and play with them until sunset.

"Damn it... You set me up, Brother..."