159 – The Genius Sister is Doubtful – I


    <span ss="s2">Aisha Notus Greyrat. That was the name of the young teen walking through the streets of Sharia. Wearing the white zer and pleated ck skirt uniform of the Ranoa Magic Academy, she stifled a yawn and then tucked a strand of her maroon hair behind her ear. After that, her violet eyes swept across the windows of the shops around her, looking for anything useful.


    <span ss="s2">‘Let’s see… Big Sis Roxy has been busy recently, so something that could help her rx…’


    <span ss="s2">As always, the streets were bustling with people. But since today was a break day from sses, Aisha could see a lot of other students walking around as well, their uniforms distinctly setting them apart from other people.


    <span ss="s2">Seeing them, she let out a sigh. “It’d be nice to see everyone again…”


    Spoiler


    [copse]


    <span ss="s2">Aisha could still vaguely remember her family. The goofy father, her serious mother, her cute older sister, her super serious older brother… There had been some other people with their family as well, like Big Sis Sylphy, but after all this time it was getting a bit hard to remember.


    <span ss="s2">Fiddling with her purse, Aisha frowned and muttered, “Is Big Brother really that great though…?”


    <span ss="s2">After the spacetime distortion, everyone had been scattered throughout the world. It wasn’t just Aisha’s family that had been affected. As a world-wide phenomenon, it indiscriminately sent people all over, and it was the luck of the draw whether someone was safe or not.


    <span ss="s2">Well. Roxy said that wasn’t entirely true. Apparently, her Big Brother was a super genius who made it so that they were all transported to a safe ce. He was also apparently someone who could have resolved all of the issues Roxy was facing right now with a snap of his fingers. Not only that, but he was someone that Big Sis Sylphy was so desperate to see, she went off on her own to be an adventurer and dive into distortion dungeons to try and find him.


    <span ss="s2">It all went to show how great her big brother apparently was.


    <span ss="s2">Apparently.


    <span ss="s2">Aisha doubted that though.


    <span ss="s2">To begin with, if he was so great, why hadn’t he showed up already? When they were in danger with Roxy and Sylphy risking their lives to keep Aisha safe, when they spent years and years in distortion dungeons trying to make their way out, when Aisha herself had grown up to a young teen from all the distorted time that she and Roxy had to go through while making their way to Ranoa Kingdom…


    <span ss="s2">Yes. Aisha doubted that her big brother was that great. She had vague memories of him being able to use magic when he was pretty young, but Aisha could do the same. And she was even the youngest student to enroll in the Ranoa Magic Academy in the past decade.


    <span ss="s2">No. Aisha thought that Roxy was just deluding herself. Especially since they hadn’t received any contact from him despite Roxy being so famous.


    <span ss="s2">After all, by this point Roxy Migurdia had gotten so famous as the <Thousand Master Sorceress> that even people from the distant Begaritt continent and the Heaven continent had sent some envoys to meet with her and discuss the Spacetime Distortion Incident.


    <span ss="s2">If Big Brother was as great as Roxy said, he should definitely have heard about them and sent a message their way. And if not that, with how great he was, they should have heard something about them.


    <span ss="s2">For example, even their goofy Father’s name hade up recently as a Sword God of a brand new school. And because of that, Aisha knew that her older sister Norn was safe and sound.


    <span ss="s2">But Rudeus…


    <span ss="s2">Nothing.


    <span ss="s2">“Realistically, he’s probably long dead. My baby sister too.” Aisha mumbled to herself to sort out her thoughts as she kept walking through the streets. “After this long without any news… Mom and Mommy Zenith are probably fine. Big Sis Roxy said that Mommy Zenith was a famous adventurer and Mom was a good swordswoman, so they’re probably just trapped in a dungeon somewhere. But Big Brother and my baby sister…”


    <span ss="s2">No matter how much of a genius her big brother was said to be, Aisha just couldn’t believe that he’d be able to survive being tossed into a random dangerous location.


    <span ss="s2">After all, Aisha was the youngest and best magic formation sorceress Ranoa had ever seen with innate talent in both seeing mana and manipting every elemental branch of magic all the way up to <King>.


    <span ss="s2">Even then, that was when she was ten years old. For someone even younger than that to be able to survive…


    <span ss="s2">Aisha walked past a stall selling kebabs and absently paid for one to snack on before walking away.


    <span ss="s2">As she did, Aisha heard a young woman’s voice echo from behind her.


    <span ss="s2">“Hm. These look pretty good… Do you think the kids would like some?”


    <span ss="s2">Aisha nced back to see a group of three people standing at the kebab stall. A handsome young man with green hair surrounded on his left and right by a pair of beautiful blonde women.


    <span ss="s2">The green-haired man rubbed the back of his neck and frowned. “I’m not sure…”


    <span ss="s2">Aisha resisted the urge to snort and then walked off.


    <span ss="s2">Guys… they were always so indecisive.


    <span ss="s2">Like all the guys trying to date Roxy. Always beating around the bush and never saying things straight out…


    <span ss="s2">Aisha nibbled on her kebab and kept walking along the streets, thinking to herself.


    <span ss="s2">Seriously. Roxy should just rx a bit and go on some dates… Then again, thest time someone tried asking Roxy out, he was sted through a window on reflex.


    <span ss="s2">Aisha sighed and finished her kebab, turning the stick to ashes with a small me. After that, she stuck her hands in her zer’s pockets and kept walking.


    <span ss="s2">Okay. The problem was definitely with Roxy. If she would just loosen up a bit more and rx… After all, Aisha wasn’t a toddler anymore. It wasn’t like Roxy had to worry about her. And she also wasn’t getting any younger, so-


    <span ss="s2">A light tug at the back of Aisha’s shirt, followed by a young girl’s voice.


    <span ss="s2">“Um. Excuse me?”


    <span ss="s2">Aisha blinked and then turned around to see a cute blonde girl wearing a backpack, white shirt, and blue jeans.


    <span ss="s2">The young girl looked up at Aisha with sparkling green eyes and said, “I’m looking for my big sister, but I got lost. Can you help me find her?”


    <span ss="s2">“Big sister?” Aisha tilted her head and stared at the young girl.


    <span ss="s2">She was cute. Barely over five years old, if that. She looked like she also had really good mana affinity too with how the elemental mana in the air were naturally drifting towards her.


    Spoiler


    [copse]


    <span ss="s2">That made Aisha curious about who the girl was. If the girl was that much of a natural, then her big sister…


    <span ss="s2">“Miss?”


    <span ss="s2">Aisha blinked and realized she was spacing out. She let out a soft smile and said, “Sorry. But yes, I can help you find your big sister.”


    <span ss="s2">“Great!” The young girl stuck out her hand and said, “I’m Ste!”


    <span ss="s2">Aisha smiled and took the young girl’s hand. “You can call me Ai, Ste.”


    <span ss="s2">“Okay, Miss Ai.” Ste smiled and said, “It’s nice to meet you!”


    <span ss="s2">“And you too. Now, what does your big sister look like? And where did youst see her?”


    <span ss="s2">“Well…” Ste ced her left hand on her chin and said, “Onee-chan has blonde hair like me and green eyes. She’s around your age too, I think?”


    <span ss="s2">“Really?” Aisha hummed and said, “Does she go to the academy then?”


    <span ss="s2">“Not yet.” Ste shook her head and said, “Onii-chan said that he’s heading there to do the paperwork, but Onee-chan isn’t a student yet.”


    <span ss="s2">So not someone that Aisha would know. That made sense. Since she was the student council president, Aisha remembered the faces and characteristics of all the enrolled students. And she would definitely remember someone like that enrolling.


    <span ss="s2">“I see… It might be hard to find her then.”


    <span ss="s2">“Oh!” Ste looked up and said, “She’s dressed like an adventurer too! And I think she said she wanted to go check the adventurers guild? Do you know where that is?”


    <span ss="s2">“I do. Should we-“


    <span ss="s2">*GROWL*


    <span ss="s2">Ste blushed and looked down, covering her belly.


    <span ss="s2">Aishaughed and said, “How about we get you some food first?”


    <span ss="s2">“…Please and thank you.”


    <span ss="s2">-ENG-


    <span ss="s2">Eos watched Ste walk away with a red-haired teenaged girl and frowned. Looking towards Rnd, she said, “Should we follow them?”


    <span ss="s2">Rnd stared at the red-haired girl with a strange expression before shaking his head. “It’s fine. Dad made Ste take all of her elementals with her, remember?”


    <span ss="s2">“Ah.” Eos nodded. “True…”


    <span ss="s2">Since Rudy was going to be busy sorting out various affairs, he had forced Ste’s elementals to be with her all the time in spiritual form to act as invisible protectors.


    <span ss="s2">Ena happily munched on a zed barbecue kebab, ignoring how the sauce dripped on her chest, and said, “These are delicious!”


    <span ss="s2">Rnd looked at her and then sighed. “Sis. You need to be more self-conscious about these things.” After saying that, he pulled out a handkerchief in his pocket and reached out to wipe off the sauce.


    <span ss="s2">An act that gave him a lot of pointed looks from all the males in the vicinity.


    <span ss="s2">Eos snorted. “Hypocrite.”


    <span ss="s2">Rnd finished wiping off the sauce and then looked at Eos. “What?”


    <span ss="s2">She rolled her eyes and then grabbed Rnd’s left arm. “Just hurry up and guide us around.”


    <span ss="s2">Ena finished eating the kebab and carefully cleaned the stick with water magic before shoving it in her sleeve. After that, she grabbed Rnd’s right arm and said, “Yeah! Take us shopping, Big Bro!”


    <span ss="s2">Rnd sighed before muttering, “Some things never change, do they?”


    <span ss="s2">-NNG-


    <span ss="s2">Norn looked around the fancy building she just walked into and whistled. Taking a look backwards, she said, “This is a lot prettier than the other adventurers guilds we visited, isn’t it, Big Sis?”


    <span ss="s2">Eris walked in behind Norn and gave an absent nod. “Sure.”


    <span ss="s2">Norn frowned and said, “Are you still mad Rui didn’t take you with him to see Miss Roxy?”


    <span ss="s2">“No. It’s just…” Eris blushed and then took a look around before leaning close to Norn and saying, “I-I don’t know how weddings work…”


    <span ss="s2">Norn blinked and thenughed.


    <span ss="s2">“W-What?!” Eris leaned back with a huff and said, “It’s not funny!”


    <span ss="s2">“S-Sorry, Big Sis. It’s just…” Norn smiled and said, “You really are girly around Rui, aren’t you?”


    <span ss="s2">“I’ve always been girly!”


    <span ss="s2">Norn’s smile widened before she grabbed Eris’s hand and said, “Come on! Let’s go see if there are any fun requests we can do before meeting up with Rui.”


    <span ss="s2">-RNG-


    <span ss="s2">Miko looked around the fancy courtyard with wide eyes before looking back at me. “Mister Rudy… Are you sure it’s fine for me to be here?”


    <span ss="s2">I waved my hand and said, “Don’t worry about it. You’re both Ste and Norn’s friend, so I can spot the enrollment fee for something like this.”


    <span ss="s2">It was tough making new friends, so having Miko there to round out a group of three would help a lot. Especially since Miko was good at reading people’s intentions with her special eyes.


    <span ss="s2">Leaning on my right side, with my arm wrapped within her own, Sylphy hummed and said, “So this is where we would have gone if Father-inw hadn’t decided to betroth you to Eri, is it?”


    <span ss="s2">“Back to calling him Father-inw instead of Father or Paul, Sylphy?”


    <span ss="s2">Sylphy giggled and said, “Well. I think Papa will get jealous, so I have to be careful.”


    <span ss="s2">“Ooh. That’s a good point.”


    <span ss="s2">I hadn’t met Laws for a while, but since heid out a symphony on Dad’s facest time, I wouldn’t be surprised if he could do a whole epic. Even if Dad was a Sword God who mastered crazy and BS anime techniques.


    <span ss="s2">Sylphy shifted her gaze to the tallest tower of the academy and said, “Do you think the Headmaster will agree to let them in?”


    <span ss="s2">“It should be fine.”


    <span ss="s2">I was a bit curious though.


    <span ss="s2">Whoever was in charge of the Ranoa Magic Academy was incredibly skilled at magic and understood it on a granr and fundamental level that I hadn’t even thought about.


    <span ss="s2">Mostly because I was focusing on the ‘bend reality to your will with mana’ avenue instead.


    <span ss="s2">I could still use my magic and irvoyance without restriction here, but from the way everything was set up, that would trigger all sorts of red gs. Well, unless I thought real hard about how to get around it, but it wasn’t worth the effort to antagonize the Headmaster.


    <span ss="s2">Besides, I overheard from a few different people that Roxy apparently had a job here because of that Headmaster, so I didn’t want to be too rude.


    <span ss="s2">Moreover…


    <span ss="s2">I reached up with my left hand to adjust the bowtie of my fancy suit before pulling out my expensive looking pure diamond cane from a subspace. Tapping it on the ground, I smiled and said, “And if it isn’t… Well, I’ve always wanted to try and y the obscenely rich nobleman.”


    <span ss="s2">Sylphy’s eyes lit up and then she snapped her fingers. When she did, a ck leather cor appeared around her neck.


    <span ss="s2">“…What’s that for?”


    <span ss="s2">Sylphy smiled and said, “Well. If you’re an obscenely rich nobleman, that means that you’re rich enough to afford a high ss courtesan ve like me, right?”


    <span ss="s2">“…You’ve been reading those trashy Asuran Noble romance novels again haven’t you.”


    <span ss="s2">“Teehee.”


    <span ss="s2">I sighed and ran my left hand through my currently brown hair. “Whatever.” I grabbed my diamond cane again, left floating as I ran my hand through my hair, and walked towards the main entrance, ignoring the curious gazes of the students around me. “Let’s go finish this paper work and entrance interview before looking for a priest to ordain our wedding.”


    <span ss="s2">Hopefully there was one that wasn’t a super stringent Saint Milis follower nearby. If not, I’d need to go pop back into Milis to grab Cliff-


    <span ss="s2">Oh. And I should probably go look at real estate to get a house here. Since it was the center of magic research, it’d be a hassle if I just magicked something into existence, so I had to make sure I went through the proper red tape.


    <span ss="s2">Then there was dealing with Roxy, setting up a ce for everyone else…


    <span ss="s2">…Well. Better than running a kingdom and dealing with politics, right?<span ss="s2">