"Thank you for being so honest, Haruto-chan! I don't know how much I can do, but please allow me to help you with all my strength!" Right in front of me, Rias spoke in an exaggerated fashion.
"… I think I've gotten the gist of what had happened… to think that her rape novel could become something like that… honestly, I can hardly believe it. But seeing how hard of a time you're having telling us this, it must be true." Also, next to Rias sat Blake, who mumbled while sipping an iced coffee.
We were at a McDonalds close to Matsudo Station. I had sent them a message telling them I wanted to ask them for advice about Naruko, and just that weekend, it turned out that they were both going together to the Siscali qualifiers for the national tournament, so we ended up meeting that day. The qualifiers had taken place at the Tokyo Garibah game center near here and had already finished.
On Blake's lap there was a bag on which was attached a huge badge that was awarded to the players who had passed the qualifiers (It was designed like one of the essential items in the game. And the words "True Little Sister" were carved into it with holographic lettering). Now that I think about it, during the fall, the arcade version of that game had been released. I hadn't tried it yet. No matter how I looked at it, playing something like that in front of other people would have been embarrassing.
I had recently gone with Sun to the local game center. What was up with the people who were openly playing those games, like that one where you raised up an idol, something-Master or something, or that other Academy Quiz game or whatever? Were they able to get over their embarrassment because they were used to it or something? I didn't really understand it at all.
By the way, the badge that was on the bag had her player-name carved in it, but… our District Representative "Matsudo Nekomajo-sama"… was that a ring name or something?
"… Hmph, I see, this is why she didn't come to Winter Comiket… "
"Haruto-chan. The truth is, Blake-chan was really worried about Naruru-chan. She was wondering if Narutu-chan would be alright if the cold was dragging on this long… and she seemed pretty lonely…"
"Don't dramatize things like that please. It wasn't like I was really very worried. It's just this time my circle was accepted into Comiket, so we needed a girl to cosplay in front of our booth to help sell our books. In order to return the favors I've done for her before, right? But even then, she told me she had a cold and couldn't come. I was just pitying her for her misfortune…"
"I see… "
She wanted to go to the winter event with Naruko, didn't she…? And so, she had worked out a plan for the event… but then Naruko said she couldn't come, so Blake was probably pretty lonely.
"Sorry about that… and thank you."
"… I have no idea why you are apologizing or thanking me."
Blake grumpily turned the other direction. For some reason, whenever I praised her or thanked her, she ended up acting like this. I think she was just trying to hide her embarrassment, but if Naruko had her say, she would say otherwise. "Ah, no no. That shitty cat doesn't do that because she's tsundere or something, but because of her resentment. When a rebellious gross otaku like that gets complimented by winners like me, she just finds it annoying, yeah? Ahh, geez, being envied by a lower being like this is pretty gross, isn't it?" She would say. I did not understand her theory at all, but that's what she said. But in either case, it was a terrible thing to say.
"Being able to get through the end of the year without meeting with certain pretentious girls who think they're winners is actually quite refreshing."
Honestly, there was no way I could think of it other than her just being shy. After all, I was not one of those "winners" she was talking about. Having heard Blake's words, Rias also seemed to come to the same conclusion as I had.
"Hahaha, what are you saying, Blake-chan? Saying things you don't mean like that. The thought of this Blake-chan, who doesn't have a boyfriend, not being able to meet with Naruru-chan and spending the end of the year so lonely like that really made my heart sting."
"… Look who's talking. Please tell us, what exactly were you doing this Christmas?"
"Me? Umm, last year's Christmas, I painted my Gabthley and made an avatar for my Xbox Live profile. Hmm… the avatar really looked a lot like me, and I was really happy with it, so I uploaded a picture of it on SNS and boasted about it on Twitter."
What a sad way to spend Christmas…
"Hmm? Also, I seem to remember that the person I was talking to online then was Blake-chan… "
"… I-I guess that's true…"
Blake's proposed topic of discussion had completely backfired in her face. Having asked her opponent
"What did you do during Christmas?"
In order to make fun of her, she just got the hopeless answer
"Well, I was talking with you."
The Demon Cat of Mastudo, or should I say Blake, cutely cleared her throat to try to smooth over the conversation.
"Let's get back on topic… that terribly titled My Wing webnovel might have been stolen… but I would like to hear a bit more of the specifics."
"You're… going to help… as well?"
"You're shocked, aren't you? Is your head alright? I'm just curious, that's all. Why would I do something so human as to help someone else cover up for their own mistakes? Please never make that misunderstanding again." In a cute little movement, Blake sighed.
"… I see." To think that Rias and Blake would gather like this and listen to my story to help Naruko out of her pinch even when the person herself wasn't able to come… not good, I really might cry.
"You're really a good person, Rias-chan… and you too, Blake."
"You're the last person I want to hear that from. Don't just interpret my words in a way that's convenient for you, you masochistic siscon."
Blake spat out that last line looking incredibly unhappy. When I had first met this girl, I really found her so unsociable… but at the root of it, that probably wasn't the case.
"Fufu, my my," having heard what I had said, Rias' mouth curled up into her ω shape (or what the otaku called "Frieren"'s face) and she butted, "Now that I think about it, this is the first time we've met with Haruto-chan without Naruru-chan being here… so I want to take the opportunity to ask you something. Thinking about the first offline meeting you went to with Naruru-chan, or last year's summer Comiket… why do you go so out of your way to gallantly help your sister? At the very least… on the surface, it seems like a tremendous amount of trouble for you… "
That question… Blake had asked me something similar before, and now Rias was continuing the tradition. But as always, it was a tough question to answer. At any rate, it was something I continued to wonder myself, and a question I couldn't give a precise answer to even now.
As I fell into thought, Rias quickly leaned her body forward towards mine.
"… As I thought, could it be that you two are involved in an unusual relationship?"
"What the hell does that mean!? Definitely not! Don't say weird things like that!"
And she said "As I thought," didn't she!? Dammit, she had always thought that about us, hasn't she…!? This is why otakus are so…! Everything gets twisted into incest!
When I denied her accusations with all my strength, Rias pushed out her lower lip, and next, with a trembling expression…
"That's not it? T-then, don't tell me… Haruto-chan is one of those so-called 'masochists'… "
"That's even more wrong!"
Why did all otaku think like this!? These two are horrible! I almost pulled out my hair, but the one who came to my defense was, surprisingly, Blake.
"… It's not that unusual of a situation. Not being able to stand being so worried about your sister and going to great lengths to protect her… that goes beyond a matter of love or hate, and is a completely different class of emotion."
It was possible that she could say those words precisely because she had her own little sisters at home.
"That's what having a little sister means, right? That's the one thing you can't do anything about. Spending your own time and effort and getting comparatively nothing in return… it's like taking care of a moody cat."
Summing it up like that, Blake cast her eyes downwards. I'm sure that she was thinking about her own sisters while she was talking. She spoke with the same fluidity and gentleness as she did when she was talking about doujinshi at summer Comiket.
Rias looked like she had just immersed herself into a hot bath.
"Hm… Blake-chan is a good big sister, isn't she?"
"… It's nothing like that. I bully them every day."
As I watched Blake sneer somewhat sadistically, I felt like I had been rescued. The hazy feeling in my chest didn't stop, but I felt like I didn't care about it as much. A brother's relationship with his sister. My relationship with Naruko. I could just take it at my own pace. I felt convinced.
"Alright… well, let's go!"
Bam! I hit my fist to my palm. Rias smiled and gave me a thumbs up, while Blake expressionlessly shrugged her shoulders.