“…How have you been?”
“…You’d know if you looked.”
“No, that’s just an avatar in the ga.”
“Well, it’s been decent.”
“Did you feel lonely without ?”
“Not really. I tried not to think about it too much.”
“I see…”
“Won’t you ask about Mother or Grandmother? If they’re doing well?”
“Yeah, I have. I’ve t them.”
“What!? Why!?”
“Why…? Well, they’re family. It’s normal to et occasionally.”
“I don’t an that!”
“Then what?”
“…That’s fine already.”
“Oh, you ant ‘You’ve even t mother, so how co you didn’t co to see ?’”
“I said that’s enough!”
“…Because, it seed like you were angry about sothing? Oh, not now, I an when I decided to pursue my studies.”
“I wasn’t angry. Just disappointed.”
“Because I said I wouldn’t inherit? Or because Grandmother approved of that decision?”
“…You have more talent than , ■■■. I’ve never won against you even once. And y you chose not to inherit and went off to so university.”
“I might have been stronger back then. But now, you’re probably stronger, ■■■. I don’t understand talent, but if ■■■ is stronger now, then ■■■ was probably more suited to be the heir in the first place. It’s not like I ran away. I did what I wanted to do.”
“Isn’t that so? If we had trained similarly, I might have been able to beat you—”
“That’s not possible. We can’t train the sa way. Everyone has things they can and cannot do. I can’t train the sa way you can. I knew that from the beginning. But I can do things without training. So, I always had the idea in mind, that ■■■ would surpass soday.”
“…So, you backed off?”
“I didn’t back off. It was a rational decision. I don’t know why I’m strong. I’ve been able to do things from the start. But you’re different, ■■■. At first, you always lost to , but now, even Grandmother can’t beat you, right? ■■■, you trained every day and beca strong. If you are stronger now, then you were more suitable to be the heir. It’s not like I ran away; I did what I wanted to do.”
“Then, is it also a rational decision that Grandmother didn’t say anything when you left?”
“I don’t know exactly what Grandmother was thinking. Well, that might be part of it. But more likely, you seed to enjoy training. Seeing that, Grandmother probably felt that ■■■, who enjoys training, is more suited to be the successor than , who isn’t suited to teaching others. I knew from an early stage that I’m not good at teaching. I was told that back in middle school. ‘You won’t get anywhere if you don’t think more before you act’. I couldn’t figure it out even if I thought about it, so I stopped thinking.”
“…I wasn’t training because I enjoyed it.”
“Is that so? It seed enjoyable from my perspective. You always cried when you lost to , but that’s part of training! ‘Close your wings!’”
“…So, Grandmother and Mother approved of you going to so university?”
“That’s right. I can’t afford tuition and living expenses. Do I look like the type who can work and study at the sa ti?”
“Then, you’re really attending university?”
“Yeah, what do you think?”
“…I thought you had just abandoned everything.”
“I wouldn’t do that. Why would I run away from everything? …Co on, don’t cry.”
“I’m not crying!”
“I know. It’s just that tears seem to co for so reason. Co on, let it out.”
“But suddenly saying you’re leaving ho and going to university—”
“It wasn’t sudden. We talked about it properly. You just weren’t listening properly. Probably talked about it even when you were around. Maybe not, though.”
“I wasn’t listening.”
“Maybe you just didn’t want to hear it? Well, discussions about future plans don’t usually involve younger siblings. If Grandmother and Mother didn’t say anything, maybe they didn’t want you to know, or maybe they didn’t want to tell you.”
“…I can never beat ■■■, and suddenly Grandmother says you’re the successor, so I thought you were running away, pushing the heir position on because ■■■ doesn’t want it.”
“…Oh, I see. Well, I didn’t run away because I hated being the heir. If you asked if I wanted to do it, I’d probably say it doesn’t suit much, but if you really hated it, I would probably do it. But ■■■ seed to enjoy training, and Grandmother probably thought that ■■■, who enjoyed training, was more suitable than , who isn’t good at it.”
“…Mom doesn’t say anything, but she gets mad when I leave burdock root.”
“…You still can’t eat it? How old are you now?”
“Age doesn’t matter. Grandmother leaves it too.”
“…How old are you now?”
“…I don’t have anyone to complain to anymore.”
“Oh… I’m sorry. But, you know, earlier I ntioned you seed angry when I left ho, and I feel hesitant to contact you. From what I hear about you from Mom and Grandma, you seem settled, so I thought it was fine. Sotis, I receive data of you in casual clothes or training attire—”
“What!?”
“Surprised you! It’s ■■■’s data. That stern-looking one. Always had that expression. It seems like not so much now, though. It’s just a ga, right?”
“Delete it! Isn’t that weird!?”
“Huh? No way. It’s currently set as the start screen for the VR module.”
“I can’t take it anymore!”
“Oh, co on, don’t cry.”
“I’m not crying! …Forget it. More importantly, what is it that you want to do?”
“What do you an?”
“You said it earlier. That you didn’t run away but did what you wanted to do.”
“Oh… Yeah. ■■■ seems to enjoy training so much. I always thought I didn’t have anything like that.
I don’t need to practice things I can do from the start, and I don’t enjoy things that require practice… Or rather, I can’t find joy in practicing.
So, I was a bit envious. I wanted sothing like that too.
That’s why, now I think the most enjoyable thing for is observing ■■■.”
“Isn’t it strange?”
“I’ve been thinking about observing, even if I don’t beco the family head. I’ve been considering ways to continue observing, and that led to research the application of VR technology for rehabilitation.
If we can use this effectively, combining it with the VR training we’re focusing on now, maybe we can achieve a synergistic effect.
I never liked moving my body, but I always enjoyed watching others move. I thought of pursuing a qualification like a physical therapist, so I enrolled in the dical school’s health science departnt.”
“…I thought you were crazy at first, but surprisingly, you seem quite sane after all.
So, did you leave ho because of this? If you’re majoring in rehabilitation, there would be practical training, and you can’t do all your studies through VR commuting, right?”
“No, it’s within commuting distance from ho.”
“What’s going on!?”
“I’m regretting it now. I left ho because it was a bit awkward with ■■■. Well, I was young, or rather, I’m still young.”
“…What is this?”
“Well, it was a shock for . Suddenly becoming distant. She used to stick to all the ti. I thought I could live alone and peacefully leave ho, feeling awkward but still okay. I never thought she would feel that way…”
“…Because even if I ask Mother or Grandmother, they just say, ‘She’s going through that phase. Forget about it.’”
“They’ve misunderstood . They think I’m manifesting sothing typical of adolescence…”
“…Is that what it ant? If you suddenly decide to live on your own so close to ho, of course, they’d think that. I thought I couldn’t see you anymore. What was it all about…”
“Well, um, so is it okay now? You’re not angry anymore?”
“…As long as you didn’t leave behind, it’s fine.”
“I didn’t leave you behind or anything. The heir was always going to be ■■■. I thought you already knew, so I just decided on my path normally.”
“I didn’t know! I only found out when you ntioned going to university! So… ugh.”
“Here, take this tissue. I see. So, are you not angry anymore? Can I co ho?”
“…Even if you ask , isn’t it up to you? If you left on your own, you could co back on your own. Besides, if you’re doing fine living alone, isn’t that enough?”
“Well, the latest full-option VR module maintenance costs quite a bit. It’s not sothing a student living alone should have. So, I needed to go ho to get so money occasionally.”
“Did you observe the family at that ti! Unbelievable!”
“I cut back on food expenses and used the money for electricity and such.”
“You baked and ate tarts every day in the ga, didn’t you? They taste good, but they won’t fill your stomach! Are you paying rent properly!?”
“No, I’m being taken care of by a distant relative, so rent and such probably co from ho…”
“The worst! So, you’re coming back asking for more money from the family even after leaving like that!? What kind of nerve is that!”
“Yeah, that’s why it’s tough…”
“It’s your own doing! …Well, I can’t say anything; I’m just living in my parents’ house, eating their food, and playing around.”
“But you’re an assistant instructor, right? If you’re teaching disciples, that’s already a decent job, isn’t it?”
“Oh, that’s nothing special.”
“It’s not nothing. The chance to be directly instructed by ■■■ has an incredible success rate. Grandmother ntioned that ■■■ is quite popular.”
“…I didn’t hear about that.”
“Because you’re stronger than the instructor, right? Or rather, stronger than the family head? You’re just an assistant because of your age, right?”
“Well… that’s true, but…”
“I’ve never beaten Grandma. Actually, I can’t beat her. What’s with that old lady.”
“…Just so you know.”
“What’s with that sister?
Anyway, as long as you’re capable of living, there’s nothing to be ashad of for you, ■■■.”
“I had no idea. I never received any salary, not even pocket money. But I guess that’s why she buys everything for lately…”
“Well, with that said, if ■■■ isn’t angry, I’ll go back.”
“…Sure, but there’s no room now.”
“No room!? Why!?”
“Mother cleaned it up. And also, she thought you wouldn’t co back since ■■■ and I feel awkward.”
“Isn’t that harsh…?”
“Is it…? Isn’t it more human to leave on my own, periodically co asking for money?”
“Anyway, since ■■■ is not angry, maybe I’ll go back after the event. Oh, it’s been a long ti since I t the real you. I see you every day at the start of the ga in recordings.”
“It was a video!?”
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