Chapter 94

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Rina and Yukina invited me to their home.

As I entered the house, I smelled alcohol.

It seemed that the tools Yukina used for brewing were the cause.

She led me upstairs.

"There are two spare rooms. I heard three people were coming, so I cleaned them up. You can decide how to divide them."

Yukina showed us two rooms.

We decided that I would use one room, and Kuna and Anne would share the other.

"Thank you. I'll take good care of them."

"I appreciate that. Basically, my father and Yukina are busy. My father is the captain of the Elsia Elite Squad, and Yukina has her brewing. I'll prepare meals, but I'd like you to handle the cleaning and laundry."

"Understood. I can do that."

I'm staying here. I don't want to be a bother.

"Hmm, one more thing. My father called you. He wants to talk to you alone. After you put your luggage down, come downstairs. Kuna and Anne will help with the meal preparation."

"Got it, I'll be right down."

I put my luggage down, checked the new room, and then went downstairs.

◇

"Sorry to call you here."

"No, thank you for letting me stay in your home."

"It's no problem. This house is too big for just my father and me. When we built it, I thought we'd need this much space after getting married, but now I realize it was a mistake."

Rina smiled in a manly way.

"Alone? What about your wife?"

"I don't have one. I'm single."

"I apologize. That was an impolite question."

She probably divorced or separated.

"Hey, don't jump to conclusions."

"Conclusions? I thought you were living separately from your wife for some reason."

"Thinking that way won't help. I've never been married."

Rina laughed heartily.

"Then, what about Yukina?"

"She's an adopted child. Her mother died from an epidemic. She was my first love. When her mother fell ill, her father was away from Elsia. He was a busy man, always on the move. Even when I sent a letter telling him about her mother's illness, he didn't come back. He returned only after she died."

Rina seemed to be lost in thought, looking at something far away.

"I understood that he had an important job and that if he had abandoned it to come back, thousands or even tens of thousands of people might have died. Yukina's mother wouldn't have wanted that. She smiled just before she died, saying she was happy... But I couldn't forgive him. That's why I couldn't leave Yukina to you. I decided to raise her myself and took her in when she was young."

It seems there's a complicated story behind this.

"I see. So that's how it was. But, did you never think about finding a mother for Yukina?"

"No, I didn't. On the day I took her in, I swore to love that woman for the rest of my life. I promised to raise Yukina, the child she left behind, to be a capable person... I've told a rather gloomy story. Forgive me."

"No, it was an interesting story."

Rina is a straightforward man, for better or worse. Just understanding what kind of person he is makes the conversation worthwhile.

By the way, I heard that when Kuna was young, her brother was popular and often brought women home. The current Rina doesn't seem like that kind of man at all.

Perhaps he did those things to attract the woman he liked. After taking in Yukina, he vowed to continue thinking of her.

It's not easy to continue thinking of a first love to that extent. I could relate a little.

"So, the reason I called you here is to test your resolve."

Rina's stern face became even more serious as he looked me in the eye.

"Resolve?"

"Yes, Kuna has a complicated past. You nearly died to help her and lost your magic abilities, and now you suffer from burns and miasma aftereffects. If you stay with Kuna, you might go through the same thing again. This time, you might suffer injuries that even my father can't heal. Do you still want to stay with Kuna? There are plenty of other women out there."

That's not even a question.

"I want to stay with Kuna. I have that resolve. That's why I helped her and why I'm still with her. Besides, Kuna's charm isn't something that can be given up easily. I'm deeply in love with her."

When I said that, Rina laughed out loud.

"Really, I thought I was pretty crazy, but you're in the same league. A man should be willing to risk his life for the woman he loves. Good resolve. Your actions show that you're not just talking. From today, you're my brother."

Rina patted my shoulder firmly.

"I'm surprised. Kuna told me that Rina is a siscon and would beat up any man who gets close to her, so I was prepared to be hit."

"I only fight men who get close to her without any resolve. But, Soji, I can trust my sister to you."

Rina stood up and took out a cup.

"Drink. This is the cup of brotherhood. It's the best sake Yukina has made. She gave it to me for my birthday. I wouldn't open it except for special occasions."

"I'll drink it with gratitude."

The cup was filled with sake. A refreshing, fruity aroma filled the air.

The cup was placed between Rina and me.

"It's a half-and-half cup."

First, Rina drank half of it and placed it back in the center.

"Then..."

I drank the remaining half.

This is a ritual to form a strong bond, and drinking half each symbolizes that we are equals.

It's a message that Rina accepts me.

"From now on, we are brothers. I'll count on you, Soji."

"Likewise. Rina."

"No need to be formal with your brother. Talk more casually, or you'll make me stiff."

"But I'm the younger brother."

"Can't you listen to your big brother?"

Rina said this jokingly.

If he insists, I have no reason to refuse.

"Alright. Rina. I'll relax."

And I smiled.

◇

"So, I tested your resolve, but resolve alone isn't enough to protect the woman you love. You need strength. A weak man can't protect a woman."

"I agree. Resolve alone can't protect anything."

I know this all too well.

If I had been stronger when the Holy Knights attacked, I could have prevented Kuna from going berserk and crying.

"Soji, from your demeanor, I can tell you're a master. I don't think I can teach you anything about martial arts."

"That's true. I'm confident in my martial arts."

My martial arts, optimized and evolved by players over 168 years.

In terms of pure skill, I can even rival Cyril.

"Soji, do you think strength is determined by three factors: physical ability, magic power, and blessings?"

"Yes, I believe it's determined by how you use these three factors. And I can also use a fourth factor, miasma."

A fourth factor that only I can use.

This advantage is significant.

"You really can use miasma. Then you should understand the significance of adding another element to the factors of strength. Do you want to add another one?"

Another one? Does such a thing exist?

"In the Elsia Elite Squad, Ilax, we are trained to fight using four factors: physical ability, magic power, blessings, and one more. I will teach you this technique. While you're in Elsia, you'll hunt monsters during the day to increase your rank, and at night, you'll train to master the fourth, or in your case, the fifth factor."

My heart raced.

I had hit a wall in my pursuit of strength, beyond just increasing my rank.

This is a different approach.

"I want to. No, I want you to let me. I still want to become stronger."

"Good answer. Once my father heals your body, we'll train intensively. Be prepared."

"I look forward to it, Rina."

"Then we'll start tomorrow. For now, let's practice a method to become stronger that you can do with your injured body."

As Rina said this, Yukina appeared with a boiling pot.

Behind her were Kuna and Anne with large plates.

"Father, Soji, it's time to eat. As Father said, there's plenty of meat."

The pot was filled with sweet and savory stewed boar meat, and the large plate was piled high with stir-fried deer meat with a sauce.

"To become stronger, nothing beats meat, meat! This is the deer and boar I hunted yesterday. Eat up and get stronger."

I smiled wryly.

The rough and rustic cooking style suited Rina's tastes.

But it smells delicious. The aroma of the meat is spreading.

"I'll eat heartily."

Indeed, meat is important.

I'll eat plenty and build my body.

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