149 – The Hero – I


    Rudy set down his cup and then continued speaking in Japanese. "As you know, I was reincarnated just like you." He paused and then said, "...You are reincarnated, right?"


    Ste rolled her eyes and spoke in Japanese as well. "Of course I am. What kind of toddler can do things like this?"


    "Well, your big sisters were pretty smart too, so I had to make sure. Also, I spoke a lot of Japanese when you were a baby and babies pick things up really easily..." Rudy rubbed his chin and then stared at Ste and said, "Who''s the prime minister of Japan?"


    Ste frowned and said, "...Abe Shinzo? I think?"


    She remembered her dad talking about him a lot and ranting about how his policies threatened Japanese pacifism and were damaging rtions with China and South Korea.


    Rudy blinked and then said, "Really? Huh." He frowned and then said, "...Do you remember what day you died?"


    Ste gave Rudy a nk stare. "...Is that something you should be asking your baby sister?"


    Rudy let out an awkwardugh and said, "Probably not. But it will help clear some things up." He reached over to pick up his hot cocoa and took a sip. After that, he frowned and said, "Like why both of us were reincarnated in the first ce."


    "Eh?" Ste blinked and said, "You mean you don''t know why you reincarnated, Onii-chan? I thought you were an isekai protagonist?" She sipped on her cocoa and said, "Didn''t you get to talk to a goddess or something to give you your cheats?"


    "What?" Rudy blinked and then burst outughing. He waved his hand and said, "No way. I was just an ordinary person before I died." He paused and then said, "Well. Probably less than ordinary considering how much trouble I left behind for everyone."


    Onii-chan? An ordinary person?


    Hearing that, Ste couldn''t help but give Rudy a nk stare.


    Heughed again and said, "Yeah, yeah. Things got a little out of hand, but I seriously was an ordinary person. Even in this life, you know? The only reason I''m like this now is because I took advantage of my headstart as a reincarnator and bootstrapped my way all the way up here."


    "...Uh-huh."


    Ste didn''t believe that.


    Even if magic was some wishywashy concept that you could do anything with like that story with the scar-faced wizard kid, no ordinary person would be able to do what Onii-chan was doing now without some help.


    Rudy waved his hand and said, "Enough about that. For now... Let''s get a timeline sorted out." He put on a serious face and said, "I died around the new year of 2015 after my life support was turned off. Shortly after that, I woke up in Mom''s arms and came face to face with our silly Dad. What about you?"


    ...Ste felt like there was a *lot* of information in that bit Onii-chan said, but he had a point. Knowing when they died might help figure out why they reincarnated. And if they figured out why they reincarnated... Well, maybe they could figure out how to stop all the craziness around them?


    And also smack the person responsible a few times.


    Ste had some choice words to give to the person who dropped her in this crazy world without her permission.


    Granted, she wouldn''t give it up since she had a super cool and reliable Onii-chan, pretty and kind (if a little ero) Onee-chans, and both friends and family who cared for her. But she''d still liked to p that person in the face, or kick in their balls if they were a guy.


    But anyway, Onii-chan''s question.


    Ste swirled her hot cocoa and tilted her head before saying, "I... think it was mid-January? I remember it being just before Winter break ended."


    "Huh." Rudy frowned and said, "...Then is it not rted? That''s definitelyter than when I died... Unless I really did linger around as an earthbound spirit for a while before I passed? That would exin why my memories are kind of fuzzy- Ah." He blinked and then said, "Wait. Do you have all your memories of your past life, Ste?"


    Ste blinked and slowly nodded. "...Yes?"


    She just... tried her best not to think about it too much these days, but she definitely remembered everything.


    Rudy''s frown deepened and he muttered, "Does samsara exist then? If so, did the fact that I had a proper Buddhist funeral mean that the sinsmitted were washed away and let me be reborn as a human instead of a monster or an animal? No, did I break out of the cycle of reincarnation then?"


    ...Onii-chan kept saying he was a normal person, but with everything he kept casually saying...


    "Hey, Onii-chan."


    Rudy blinked and said, "Yeah, Ste?"


    "...What were you in your past life, really?"


    "Hm?" Rudy tilted his head and said, "I told you, didn''t I? I was just an ordinary guy. I mean, I wasted a lot of my life and talents trying to take shortcuts to make it big, but in the end I was just a normal sryman. I even died a fairly normal death all things considered, haha."


    Rudyughed and brushed it off like it was nothing, using that excuse again.


    Ste didn''t let it go though and kept asking. "Well, what was your job as a sryman? Onii-chan *can''t* have been just an ordinary person."


    There was no way. He was too smart, too creative, and too much a natural at being a Demon Lord for him to just be an ordinary person.


    Rudy shook his head. "I don''t know what to tell you, Ste. I got hired at a typical 9-5 job as a project manager for a finance firm... or something." He paused and said, "Come to think of it, I don''t remember the details... but that should be it. Ah, I remember it had good life insurance policy though. In the end, I managed to help pay off my family''s debts and get them good Christmas presents." After saying that, Rudy finished with a bright smile.


    After hearing all of that and seeing his face, Ste realized it.


    "Onii-chan."


    "Yeah?"


    "You''re an idiot."


    Rudyughed and patted Ste''s head. "Yep." He pulled out a notebook from his sleeve and waved it around. "And that''s why I started making a Dummy''s guide on how to not be a Greyrat. I''m sure it''s going to be a coveted heirloom in the future... For now though, it''s doing a lot of good." He paused and said, "Oh yeah." He put on a serious face and said, "Something I forgot to mention that''s really important for you especially, Ste."


    Ste put on a serious face as well and said, "What is it, Onii-chan?"


    Rudy ced both his hands on Ste''s shoulders and stared deep into her eyes. Then, with a solemn tone of voice, he said, "Remember. You''re still a kid."


    Ste puffed her cheeks and brushed off his hands. "I am *not* a kid! Dummy. I don''t need you to-"


    "I''m serious." Rudy cut her off and said, "Even though your mind might be older... I mean, you were probably a high schooler, right?"


    "...Yes."


    "Right." Rudy nodded and said, "Then you have to be more careful." He ced his hand on his chest and said, "Even though I didn''t have many memories, I still clearly knew that I was an adult. But after being reincarnated, I naturally started to be a kid again and acted like one without me realizing it. And when I tried going against that natural instinct..." He paused and said, "Well, I guess Being W was messing around, so it wasn''t entirely my fault, but in the end things got messy."


    Ste crossed her arms and said, "So what? I should just y pretend and ignore everything?"


    "Of course not. But Ste." Rudy ced his hand on Ste''s head and said, "Whether through fortune or misfortune, you got a second life. You really got reincarnated and have a chance to have fun as a kid again. Don''t be in too much of a rush to grow up, okay? Onii-chan will be here to handle things, so you can do what you want. And if that''s saving children from being kidnapped, that''s great. But don''t do things just so that you won''t be treated as a kid. Because even if you think you aren''t, to us... Well, to me at least, you''re still my cute little baby sister, okay? So just have fun."


    "..." Ste lowered her gaze, suddenly finding it hard to meet Rudy''s bright gaze. "...Baka Onii-chan. It''s not fair for you to be that cool."


    Rudyughed and said, "Well. I''m just happy that my baby sister thinks I''m cool this time around instead of the scum of the earth. It''s a nice change of pace. But anyway." Rudy stood up and finished his hot cocoa. "How about we go meet your new friends and get everyone ready for a fieldtrip, hm?"


    Ste picked up her cup and hopped off the bed, shyly moving behind Rudy. "...Fine."


    Rudy smiled and then started walking off. "I''ll lead the way then... Oh. And Ste?"


    "Yes, Onii-chan?"


    "...Don''t tell Norn that I gave you hot cocoa. Your Onee-chan''s already been hounding me about ying with her and making up for breaking my promise, so she''d definitely start clinging to me even more if she found out I was spoiling you a bit."


    Ste sipped on her hot cocoa, thinking about it for a bit. And then she nodded. "Okay."


    "Great. Then-"


    "I''m definitely telling Onee-chan that Onii-chan is ying favorites."


    "H-Hey now! L-Let''s talk this out, Ste-"


    Ste giggled and then ran ahead to open the door.


    "Wait! Ste. Ste! STELLAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"