"F-fox?"
Seele could clearly hear Mei's slightly frightened voice.
"And, and a thieving cat... Seele, what on earth does that mean?!"
"That's what it means!"
Dark Seele turned on the room light with a sullen look on her face, staring at Mei, who had been entangled by her Honkai energy tentacles.
"You asked us to call you sister just to get closer to Onii-sama... Sister Mei, cough, Mei, you are too cunning."
"Could you please let me explain?"
Although her body was bound by a bunch of unknown things, Mei was still able to keep calm as she looked at Seele in front of her.
"It's not like I had that thought from the very beginning..."
"When was it then?"
Dark Seele's scarlet pupils looked at Mei with disgust, which inexplicably made people feel a little scared.
But even so, Mei was not afraid, mainly because they had spent too much time together.
Seeing Seele's face, Mei was only surprised by her drastic change in temperament, but she didn't feel scared at all.
Well, there is no killing intent or anything like that in Seele.
"I fell in love with him for some unknown reason..."
Mei turned her head.
"One day, I was suddenly attracted by the leader. Could it be his charisma?"
"How can you say such shameless words?"
Dark Seele curled her lips.
"I think someone is just a shameless dog."
"What about you, Seele? Don't you have a personality anymore? After all, my brother has always taken care of us. "
Dark Seele's eyes darted away a little.
"Liking the soul does not conflict with liking the face; in short, it is much nobler than you!"
"Seele, you are being very stubborn today."
Mei complained calmly.
"So, in terms of reasons, both of us are pretty much the same, aren't we?"
"Who is the same as you? Stop trying to get close to me!"
Dark Seele said gloomily.
"Isn't this person no longer in high school? Why is she still looking at my brother? Could it be that you are not popular at all?"
"If I say I'm not, does it count if I receive enough love letters every week to bind them into a book?"
Mei replied after a moment of hesitation.
"Are the boys in your school so bold?"
Dark Seele was a little scared to hear these words.
"Although I agree with this statement... it's probably just a normal reaction during adolescence. "
Mei was also quite helpless.
"Besides, the comparison only highlights my brother's excellence. By the way, Seele, have you met more than two digits of men in your life?"
"I don't think so."
Dark Seele flipped through her memories and then curled the corners of her mouth.
She stays in the orphanage all day, how could she come into contact with any men?
"Single digits are quite good! So I think I have more say than you about my brother's excellence. Although I have never talked to other men besides my father and my teachers since I was a child, I have made an effort to observe their behavior. "
"What? Do you go to school in some kind of zoo?"
"No, it's just that I'm considered an exceptional talent and find it difficult to fit into the group."
Mei said it with a face that wanted to complain.
"I don't know why, but it seems like everyone's impression of rich girls is that blondes are tsunderes or villains, and brunettes are the 'high-class beauties'... and I'm just an ordinary student."
"Are you the only normal person in your class?"
Dark Seele couldn't help but complain at Mei's words.
"It's not that difficult to see my brother once a week."
Mei said somewhat embarrassed.
"And the main reason is that I don't quite understand how to correct this strange impression. Sometimes, normal conversations are treated as official matters..."
"Because Mei, you really have that kind of aura."
Dark Seele seemed to have thought of something.
"That kind of unexpectedly serious aura, speaking logically and methodically, and being elegant and generous... Tsk, now that I think about it, Mei, you really are a rich girl."
Even Dark Seele had to admit that the reason why Mei was able to make all the children call her sister willingly on the first day she arrived at the orphanage was not because of bribes like candy, but because of her genuine sisterly temperament.
"So you are only a normal student."
"Seele, your words are really cruel."
Mei had no way to refute.
So that's how others see her?
"Uh, could you please untie me first? I don't know what this is, but it's quite uncomfortable to be tied up like this. "
"It is used to tie foxes."
Dark Seele said disdainfully as she obediently untied the Honkai energy tentacles wrapped around Mei.
But then, Dark Seele was stunned for a moment.
Wait, wasn't she supposed to teach Mei, that thieving cat, a lesson?
Why was she chatting with her so cordially now?
"…"
So, how do we proceed now?
Tie up Mei and gag her again?
It doesn't seem right.
Anyway, let's get back to the point.
"It is better for you, cunning cat Mei, to stay away from my brother, next time, I won't just tie you up."
Dark Seele threatened her to make up for the loss.
"Seele, premature love is not good."
Mei taught seriously.
"Who needs your sermon? Aren't you a minor too? "
"But according to the law of the Far East, I am already of marriageable age."
Mei dropped the bomb with a smile on her face.
"In other words, my behavior is not considered adolescent love; it can even be considered normal. According to Estonian law, Seele is not legally married until age 18, but with the consent of her parents or the court, she can do so at 15. "
Seele is Estonian... but Seele is only fourteen now!
"Gu... isn't it possible that I was born a few years earlier?"
But speaking of this, Mei suddenly remembered something.
"Speaking of which... that..."
"Hmm? What's wrong?"
"It's not pleasant to say, but the age of marriage in Russia is 14."
"What does Russia have to do with me... huh?"
Dark Seele suddenly remembered something.
Sister Bronya seemed to be exactly 14 years old.
Since the nature of Anti-Entropy itself is not limited to a single country, the Cocolia Orphanage does not belong to any country, so it is fine for the children to use their nationality as their country.
"So what! Orphanages don't have to follow these rules!"
"But this is a reason that can convince others."
Mei replied very calmly.
"That's all. If there are no big bugs, I'll go back."
Mei didn't want Seele to tie her up again tonight.
Also... Mei is not blind, she can clearly see Seele's scarlet eyes.
Although this assumption may be a bit bold, but... maybe this Seele is not the Seele I know?
"Don't go!"
Dark Seele pushed Mei down in annoyance.
After all, compared to the others, I am the most pitiful, right?
"Eh? What is that?"
Mei, who was pressed against the floor by her, looked under Seele's bed and suddenly showed a strange expression.
"Seele didn't need such a rudimentary skill to change the subject when she was ten years old!"
Dark Seele said with a sneer.
"With the strength you have shown so far, I won't be able to break free from you even if I try to change the subject, right? Besides, there really is something under the bed. "
"R-really?"
Mei's serious expression convinced Dark Seele.
"Sister Mei really won't take advantage of me when I'm looking down..."
(Let's get Sister Mei out.)
In her mind, Seele said with a little panic.
What is this girl suddenly talking about?
Dark Seele curled her lips and completely ignored Seele's words.
Then she lay down curiously, wanting to see what was under Seele's bed.
(Don't look!)
After Dark Seele lay down, Seele became completely anxious and stopped her in her mind with a crying voice.
But this had no effect on Dark Seele, and the tone even aroused her curiosity.
(Oh? Seele, your reaction is really interesting. Now I want to see what's inside even more.)
Dark Seele narrowed her eyes and looked under the bed.
Although it was completely dark, that didn't stop her gaze.
"Ah... a cardboard box and a book that fell? The physiological function of minors..."
(Hahaha! Seele, you're not secretly reading physiology books every night, are you?)
Dark Seele, who had laughed at Seele for this before, laughed at her even more unscrupulously in her mind.
Then, the Honkai energy in Dark Seele's hand condensed into the shape of a sickle and directly hooked the cardboard box under the bed.
"Hmm... Let me see what's here... Eh... Chinese? Mathematics?"
Dark Seele, who had just unpacked the cardboard box, felt a little dizzy when she looked at the two books on top.
"Hmm... Is this where Seele keeps her books?"
Mei took a look and refrained from turning it over.
But Dark Seele didn't have so many worries.
She threw away the book that made her dizzy without hesitation.
Seele must have hidden something here without her knowing.
If not, why would she feel so guilty now?
Dark Seele confirmed it with absolute certainty: although she was an inner personality, Dark Seele couldn't actually always pay attention to Seele's situation.
After all, she had been sleeping in those two courtyards for a while, and getting her to read could also leave her "paralyzed."
Seele must have done something bad secretly while I was sleeping!
But when Dark Seele turned the pages, she found that there were fairy tales, textbooks, workbooks, and things like that, all of which she was familiar with.
Could it be that there really was nothing in them?
Dark Seele was a little hesitant, but Mei suddenly saw something in the book that Dark Seele threw away.
Mei silently took out the book, flipped through it, and easily found the booklet that was sandwiched between the books.
You can definitely see it if you look carefully, but Dark Seele has always been clumsy when it comes to books.
It turns out it's not Seele...
Mei looked at Dark Seele, who was still rummaging through things with great certainty, and then opened the booklet in her hand.
"This is... eh??"
Mei was suddenly surprised when she saw what was in the booklet.
"Eh? Sister Mei, you found it... woo~! Sister Mei-nee-nee..."
Dark Seele hadn't finished speaking when Seele pushed her down.
Then, Seele looked at the booklet in Mei's hand and couldn't help but let out a cry of pain.
"I-I'm sorry, I didn't expect you to read something like that..."
Mei's face flushed with embarrassment.
She stiffly closed the booklet and put it back in the book.
"It's true, you can't judge a person by their appearance."
"Waa, waa, waa~~"
Seele covered her face, as if she could do nothing but scream.
Being seen...
She could have hidden it immediately...
"What... what happened to you two?"
"Seele, what happened?"
However, at that moment, the voices of Tian Shi and Bronya were heard outside the door.
"No, no!"
Hearing that voice, Seele, who was whimpering, reacted faster than anyone.
I must not let my sister and my brother find out about this!
"Sister Mei..."
Seele looked at Mei next to her with a look of help.
"I'm sorry about what happened a moment ago... wu~~"
Seele was still thinking about how to ask Mei for help, but Mei reacted even faster.
She swept all the books under the bed with a brusqueness that was not usual for her.
"What's wrong, brother?"
Then Mei opened the door and asked with a smile as she looked at the two people outside.
"Uh... I thought I heard both of you making a lot of noise, so I came to take a look."
Tian Shi's gaze swept over Mei and then to Seele, who was inside.
Seele's eyes are a little red, but Mei looks normal.
Hmm... Is my own perception wrong?
Although it's not pleasant to say this, it's fine for Seele to cry in this situation, because if Mei cried in this situation, something must have happened.
Just because Mei didn't cry meant that the situation wasn't serious.
"Because that bug was wandering around and scared Seele."
Mei responded very appropriately.
Seele actually read that kind of book secretly.
Just thinking about it made Mei's ears a little red.
I never expected Seele's sister to be so brave...
"Um... I'm glad you're okay, um, I'm glad you're okay."
Tian Shi nodded strangely.
Then he exchanged glances with Bronya.
Something must have happened between these two!
The insects were obviously an excuse: what insects could get past Dark Seele?
And both of them saw Seele transform into Dark Seele.
Something happened!
"Remember to come down and eat the cake later, and don't call your dad so late."
"Yes, thank you for reminding me, Alliance Leader Brother, I understand. "
Mei bowed and thanked him calmly.
"I'll comfort Seele and then I'll come down."
"Well, thanks for your help."
Tian Shi and Bronya turned around and went down the stairs as if nothing had happened, while Mei slowly closed the door and turned to look at Seele.
"Thank you, Sister Mei..."
Seele was still very well-behaved.
"And I'm sorry, the other one must have scared you..."
"No, let's not talk about that for now... "
Mei took a deep breath, as if she had already decided.
"I'll forgive you if you lend me some books, how about it, Seele? "
"Eh?"