Takanashi Tōka's sharp eyes stayed fixed on the check lying on the table. Her fingers were interlaced beneath her chin, and she had maintained this pose for a full ten minutes without moving.
Just earlier, Minamoto Senya had explained in broad strokes how this ten million yen had come to be.
Even so, she still found it impossible to believe.
This was ten million yen!
For her parents, even if they combined their incomes and carefully saved after daily expenses, it would probably take at least two and a half years to accumulate that much.
And now—just because her stepbrother, with whom she shared no blood relation, had reminded a certain woman to go for a hospital checkup, and she'd actually gone, and then… and then the money had just appeared?
Tōka stole a sideways glance at Senya. He was calmly eating the dinner she had just reheated for him. His expression was normal, showing no hint of guilt or deception. He didn't look like someone lying.
Still, she couldn't help wanting to confirm one last thing.
"Um… Senya."
"Mm?"
"That woman, Tōma Yōko, she gave you this ten million purely out of gratitude, right?"
"Yeah."
"How old is she?"
"Early thirties, not quite forty. About the same age as Mom."
"I see…"
Senya had just finished his bowl of rice. As he reached to get himself a second helping, Tōka quickly slapped away her younger sister's sneaky little hand that had been creeping toward the check. She stood up briskly, took Senya's empty bowl, and went to refill it for him.
"Then, when Ms. Tōma gave you the money, did she say anything else?" Tōka asked, studying his expression carefully.
Senya bit into the hamburger steak, chewing, then looked at her in confusion. "Anything else? What do you mean?"
"I mean… like, after giving you the money, did she ask you to do… something else for her?"
She phrased it cautiously, since their little sister was sitting right there.
But how could she not think about it?
For any normal family, a windfall of this scale was beyond belief. It was only natural to wonder if there was some kind of trap or conspiracy hidden behind it all.
And worse, she had personally witnessed the way women at the "En" bar had practically worshipped her stepbrother with feverish enthusiasm.
She was genuinely afraid that Senya, being so young, might lose his way and step onto a… dangerous path.
If that ever happened… when Mom and Dad returned, she would be branded the worst sister in history.
Senya nearly choked on his rice at her implication, barely managing to keep from spraying it everywhere.
Are high school girls' imaginations really this wild these days?!
"Tōka, I think you should try searching the name 'Tōma Yōko' on your phone."
"…What do you mean?"
"She's a world-class pianist. She just won first prize at the Chopin International Piano Competition — one of the most prestigious and influential piano contests in the world.
And besides… the Porsche she drove me home in today? Conservatively, that car cost at least forty million yen new."
"So you mean…"
"Exactly. What feels like an outrageous sum to us is nothing more than pocket change to someone like her."
Senya took a sip of water, then addressed the very suspicion Tōka had been worrying over.
"So no, someone of her status wouldn't be that kind of person."
Rikka, curious, tilted her head. "Wouldn't be what kind of person?"
Tōka's cheeks flared crimson. She flicked her sister's forehead. "Why are you still here? Weren't you going to take a bath?"
Her stepbrother just brought home ten million yen, and she still has the nerve to skip her bath?!
Rikka ignored her cranky sister and instead flitted over to Senya, kneading his shoulders with a grin. "Hehehe~ Senya—ah, I mean, onii-chan, I passed by the shopping street earlier and saw this really cool flintlock gun model…"
Senya immediately understood what she was hinting at. He replied in three clipped syllables: "Go buy it."
"Yay! You're the best!"
Tōka rolled her eyes at her little sister's transparent attempt at bribery. But after a moment's hesitation, she asked seriously:
"So… it's okay for us to accept this money?"
"Yeah. There won't be any problems."
"Then I'll call Mom and Dad right away. This'll make them so happy."
"Good idea."
Tōka rose to leave the kitchen, but then returned a few seconds later.
Senya looked up, puzzled. "What is it?"
Her cheeks flushed pink as she brushed her hair back. "No rush on the phone call. I bought some steak at the supermarket earlier, planned to cook it tomorrow night. But… since you've had such a long day, let me make it for you now as an extra dish."
Senya hadn't even responded before Rikka leapt up in protest. "What the heck, sis! I asked you to make steak tonight and you said no!"
Tōka shot her a cold glare. "Look at your legs — flabby and pudgy from sitting around all day with no exercise. And you still want steak?"
In the end, though her words were harsh, her heart was soft. She cooked two steaks anyway.
Rikka and Senya devoured them happily, juice running down their chins.
—
The next day, the three of them went to the bank together and deposited the check straight into the family account.
Even though Tōka had already been warned the night before, seeing that string of digits appear in their passbook left her dizzy and lightheaded.
Rikka got her flintlock model, just as she'd wanted.
Senya's mood was equally good. Perhaps because saving someone's life was akin to a great virtue, his system had rewarded him generously this time.
Three free attribute points.
As usual, he distributed one point each into Strength, Agility, and Constitution, leaving Charm untouched.
[Strength: 19.3][Agility: 19.1][Constitution: 21](Average for a twelve-year-old: 10.3)
[Charm: 26]
Stronger again. As expected of me — all talent and hard work!
And now that the family had financial stability, Tōka no longer had to live with constant anxiety. Senya didn't need to take shifts at the bar during holidays anymore either.
At this stage, the most important thing was to keep improving himself. The chance to earn big money would come naturally in the future.
—
Monday noon, at the kendo club.
Busujima Saeko asked after Senya's father's condition. Hearing that his recovery was going smoothly, she relaxed.
She then brought up the matter she had postponed before.
"Senya-kun, during the first week of August, there will be a nationwide middle school kendo tournament. Our club always takes part, by tradition. Would you be interested?"
Unlike the small regional events they'd entered before, this would be a national-level competition. Though limited to middle schoolers, it still carried considerable prestige.
Entering would be a chance to test his skills against peers from across the country, gain valuable experience, and — if they placed well — add a shining achievement to his record.
For Senya, who now had no pressing worries, the answer was obvious. Of course he agreed.
Time passed almost without notice.
By early July, Yukinoshita Yukino, after more than a month away, boarded the plane back to Japan.
⚡ End of Chapter ⚡