Chapter 43

I, Alfrid, am sprinting down the hallway with all my might. I leap down the stairs two at a time and bound up them the same way. I feel like I've run around the first and second floors, even the garden.

The sound of footsteps follows from behind. Each step sounds to me like a death melody being played, closing in with a fierce and relentless pace, as if to cut my life short.

It seems I can't escape his astonishing physical abilities.

Feeling terrified that I can't shake him off, I run while thinking of ways to survive.

Why am I running? Because I'm fleeing.

From what am I fleeing? From the pursuer.

“Wait a minute!”

From behind, Elinora, my older sister, is shouting at the top of her lungs.

“Ah! It was involuntary!”

“Shut up!”

I tried to explain in a trembling voice, but she wouldn’t listen. My words were brusquely dismissed.

How unreasonable is this?

But, this unreasonableness isn’t something that just started.

The cause of this terrifying game of tag (where being caught means no guarantee of life, and there’s no chance to switch roles) began with an incident that happened just a little while ago.

Yes, it was a very ordinary day spent in the mansion.

× × ×

Perhaps because winter is approaching, the air is getting drier and colder these days.

Thinking about the long, cold winter ahead, I was holed up in my room today.

However, when I opened the window, I realized it was a warm and sunny day, a mild day in late autumn.

It would be a waste to stay cooped up in my room on such a warm and sunny day.

On a day like this, the best thing to do is to look at the autumn leaves from the balcony or go for a walk. It wouldn’t be bad to invite Thor and get some exercise once in a while.

With that decision, I, Alfrid, started walking from my room to the second-floor balcony.

As I walked down the hallway, I noticed that Elinora’s room door was open.

Peeking in, I saw Elinora in the room, which was filled with a pleasant aroma.

She was getting ready in front of a mirror she had recently acquired, humming a tune. She had always wanted a mirror, which until now was only in Mother Elna’s room.

Now she finally had her own, a large and high-quality one. No wonder she was in a good mood.

Elinora was neatly tying her long auburn hair. After smoothing her bangs with her hand, she twisted her body to check if there was anything strange about her appearance.

Then she stopped and started touching the hem of her dress.

It seemed she was concerned about her stomach, as she lifted the hem of her dress and touched it with a look of disgust.

“...Mmm”

“Hey, Elinora, did you gain weight—”

“Hmph!”

“Fat!?”

“Who said I’m fat!”

“No, no! Elinora, you threw a slipper at me!”

That was a scream! It hit my cheek.

Still, what a reaction speed. I didn’t even see her take off the slipper and throw it. She’s a terrifying sister, as always.

“By the way, I can’t overlook your first comment.”

She brushed off the violence with a casual “by the way”! Well, that’s fine. The important thing now is to make up for my blunder.

Still, why does Elinora have such a good memory for unnecessary things? She usually has a poor memory.

“...I can hear you, you know?”

“Whoa! I’m sorry. Please put down the slipper in your hand.”

As I hurriedly apologized, Elinora slowly relaxed her stance, but she didn’t put the slipper down.

A slipper. In a woman’s hand, it transforms from a mere shoe into a divine weapon. Especially when thrown by an experienced user, it is a hundred percent accurate, no matter how fast the target can run. It has even proven effective against our enemies in Japan.

“So?”

Elinora, holding the slipper, slapped it in her hand, urging me to explain.

“You bought a big, fat mirror, didn’t you?”

“Really? Are you sure?”

A suspicious gaze. Is it too harsh to doubt her own brother?

“Is there something wrong with your clothes?”

If I don’t change the subject, I’m going to lose. Here, Alfrid’s kindness prevents him from directly asking if she’s worried about her stomach.

“My clothes are fine, but I feel like I’ve gained some weight around my stomach recently...”

“Haha, Elinora, you gain weight every winter, don’t you?”

It’s probably the same as wild animals storing fat to survive the winter.

“...Al?”

“Lies, lies! Elinora, your legs, arms, stomach, and chest are all slim!”

“...Chest too?”

“Huh? Yes, your chest is also slim... Oh no! I ended up telling the truth!”

“...”

It’s over! I can’t even speak anymore. I gave up on defending myself and ran away as fast as I could.

× × ×

That’s the incident that led to this terrifying game of tag. Maybe I was a bit at fault this time, but I think it’s time for her to forgive me.

“Mostly, if you’re so angry, it means you were aware—Whoa! Don’t throw a wooden sword!”

“Wait!”

Elinora, you’ve been saying nothing but that since just now.

I ran down the stairs and burst through the door to the hallway on the first floor. I ran without a care. Running. Running. From behind, Elinora also rushed into the hallway.

“Hey! Running around the mansion is dangerous!”

A voice, likely Father Nord’s, tried to stop us.

But if I stop now, it’s not just dangerous. If I’m caught, my life isn’t guaranteed.

Even if I offer a different-colored Gekota, I don’t know if she’ll forgive me.

We both ran from the hallway to the garden in our slippers.

“Why are you so fast even though you’re not running? Is it magic again!?”

“Elinora, why can you run so fast in slippers!?”

I don’t understand how you can run in slippers like they’re shoes. Every time you run, Gekota’s face wrinkles and screams.

As for me, I’m just sliding around in my slippers. You see, in middle and high school, we didn’t wear indoor shoes but slippers, so I know all about efficient running.

Still, I can’t shake her off.

Even though I’m showing professional-level sliding. She maintains a constant distance and keeps chasing me.

Eventually, I’ll run around the mansion and return inside.

Damn, this is endless. Eventually, I’ll run out of stamina and be caught.

In this situation, I should use a teleportation spell. I ran up to the second floor and rushed into my room.

I immediately locked the door with a click.

“Open up! If you do, I’ll forgive you and train with you for a day!”

She pounded on the door, making a dangerous threat. It’s like a death sentence.

“No way!”

“Alright! I’ll open it for you soon!”

She left a dangerous line and moved away from the door.

I breathed a sigh of relief.

...Phew, I thought she would break the door down and come in.

But I can’t relax yet. The reason I didn’t barricade myself in my room from the start is that this mansion has spare keys. So barricading myself in is pointless.

But for me, who is buying time, the time it takes for Elinora to get the spare key is enough.

I opened the window and let out a rope I had retrieved with a spatial magic spell.

This should make Elinora think I’ve escaped the mansion.

With her calm lost, she’ll probably fall for it. She might even chase me to the village.

I was smirking to myself when I heard the sound of a spare key.

Oh, she’s already here. I imagined a certain place in the mansion, and my magic power instantly enveloped me, teleporting me.

“Get ready! Today, we’ll have a thorough training session! ...Huh?”