Chapter 21: Avalon Academy(3)

In the end, I had no choice but to follow my older sister to the academy.

If I said I wasn’t going, she looked at me with eyes as if she would really lock me up. How could I refuse?

I’m riding in the carriage with my older sister, and she was looking at me with burdensome eyes.

“…Big sister. Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I’m curious when our author will write.”

“…A, no, you have to give me time to write!?”

“Don’t worry about that.”

My older sister handed me a document, and what is this…?

I checked the document, and it was a document stating that I could live in the academy anytime as an honorary student.

“Fortunately, there was a professor who likes our youngest.”

“……”

Did, did the professor who guided me recommend me…?

M, more than that, what does she mean by ‘living’…?

“Big sister…? Does living mean that I can eat and sleep at the academy…?”

“Of course. Shall we live happily at the academy with unnie from now on?”

“No…”

I refused outright.

No, I have so many things to do, how can I have time to attend the academy!?

Soon, starting with the annual event, I also have to go down to the Duke’s territory.

My big sister showed disappointment after hearing my words, but I can’t help it.

I reluctantly took out a document from the subspace bag and handed it to the disappointed big sister.

When big sister asked what it was, I told her to read it. As soon as big sister read it, tears started flowing…?

“A, no, big sister!? Why are you crying!?”

“I was moved after just reading the first line.”

“……”

After arriving at the academy, my older sister told me to go to the student council room right away, but I said I’d meet the professor first, and headed to the professor’s office.

I didn’t know, but I heard that the professor is a very famous person!

I knocked on the professor’s office door, and the professor’s voice told me to come in.

I opened the door and went in, and the professor I met yesterday greeted me as soon as he saw me.

“Heh heh heh, our Miss keeps her promises very well. I really like that.”

“Ehehe, hello! You told me to come and play yesterday, and so I came!”

“More than that, did you check the documents?”

“Ah, big sister brought it to me! It’s about the honorary student, I’ll only accept your feelings!”

The professor showed disappointment after hearing my words, but he quickly recovered.

“That’s too bad. I wanted to see Miss Aria Liberica at the academy.”

“Huh!? You knew my name?”

“I see you don’t remember. Look at this.”

The professor showed me a photo, and the professor, our grandfather, and a baby were in it.

But, I feel like I’ve seen this baby somewhere…?

“Is this me!?”

“Heh heh heh, that’s right. This old man is friends with your grandfather.”

According to the professor, he’s been old friends with our grandfather and visited once when I was a baby.

He said he regretted not being able to contact him after those busy years, but he was so happy that I visited the academy like this.

And, he held my hand and told me with a warm gaze.

“You can come and play anytime you want. Miss Aria Liberica is an honorary student of our academy.”

I felt shy and grateful at the same time, and I told him I understood, and left the room and headed to my big sister.

I feel like happy things have been happening these days… My heart was fluttering.

When I entered the student council president’s office, I saw a desk that I hadn’t seen before…?

“Did our author come? Try sitting here.”

“Big sister…? I haven’t seen this desk until yesterday, what is it?”

“Huhu, you’ll know if you sit.”

Big sister made me sit, and the desk had everything needed for writing.

“You can work comfortably here.”

“Bi, big sister!? I came to play! I didn’t come to work!”

“…Not anymore.”

“Hiiiiiiiiik!?”

In the end, I could only be released after writing for two hours that day.

When I was released after being forced to write for two hours, I could escape using the excuse that I had an appointment with Liriel unnie.

“Liriel unnieeeeeeee”

“Oh my, what’s wrong with our youngest?”

I complained to Liriel unnie as soon as I arrived.

And, I was complaining to Liriel unnie for a while when her body suddenly started trembling…?

“Liriel unnie, why are you trembling…?”

“Will you look behind you…?”

I turned my head and looked back, and my older sister was standing there.

“Hoo? Our author is very upset. How about having a cozy talk with your big sister and tell me why?”

“…He, help me!!!!”

I quickly hid behind Liriel unnie, but I could hear my older sister slowly approaching.

I looked at big sister with trembling eyes, and she came closer and reached out to me.

I closed my eyes, and then I felt a gentle touch on my head.

I looked up at my older sister with surprised eyes, like a rabbit, and her face was full of apology.

“I’m sorry. I made our youngest suffer because of my greed.”

“……”

I couldn’t say anything and just hugged big sister, and she stroked me, apologizing.

After a while in big sister’s arms, I was embarrassed.

Big sister is 16 years old, and I was 17 before the regression.

I’m being hugged by a younger person than me, what am I doing!?

But, right now, I’m 5 years old, so…

I stepped away slightly, coughed, and opened my mouth.

“Ahem, big sister, I’ll forgive you. So, don’t force me like that in the future?”

“…Isn’t it okay to force you just a little?”

“No.”

“……”

When I firmly refused, she went back with a sullen expression, saying she understood.

When I asked her why she’s going back already, she said she just came because she missed me, and that she was going to work.

I felt sorry for her slightly depressed back, and I said to Liriel unnie.

“Liriel unnie, we need to publish the book earlier than planned.”

“Oh my, is it because of your older sister? Is that so? As expected, our youngest is so kind.”

“Th, that’s not true!”

For a while, I denied it, but she smiled and stroked my head, saying that a strong denial is an affirmation.

“Ah, no, it’s really not true…”

“Of course, of course, it’s not true. Then, I’ll publish it earlier than scheduled.”

“…Thank you.”

The book was published earlier than planned, and the empire went crazy.

There was a time when it was said to be as difficult as picking stars from the sky to get a book, no matter which bookstore you went to.

You could get it easily with the power of authority, but I couldn’t do that.

Because it wasn’t polite to the author.

I went around all the bookstores in the empire, but none of them had it for sale, and they were only taking reservations.

I went back to the academy, feeling disappointed, to work, when the youngest was waiting for me in the student council room.

“Big sister! Where did you go?”

“Uhm. I went out for a bit because I had something to do.”

I stroked the youngest’s soft hair and wondered if she would give me at least one if I asked her… but I couldn’t say it.

Even if we’re family, there’s a line.

At that moment, the youngest handed me something.

“Big sister! Here’s a present!”

“Th, this is…”

What I received from the youngest was the novel I had been looking for, “The Disappearance of the Bear and Ggomsuni.”

My hands trembled as I received the book, but something was different.

The book cover was different from the cover on the advertisement.

“The book cover is different from the advertisement…?”

“Ah, it’s a first edition, so it’s like that!”

I turned the first page with my trembling hands, and then handed it back to my youngest.

Looking at the youngest, who had a puzzled look, I said.

“I’m a fan, please sign it!”

“…Eh?”

Big sister’s heart filled up and disappeared with a popping sound.

I scribbled, which is called an autograph, on the book and handed it back, and she hugged the book with a moved expression.

No, more than that, doesn’t our big sister practice swordsmanship…? She seems to always be in the student council room.

“M, more than that, big sister…? Aren’t you practicing swordsmanship? I’ve never seen you do it.”

“Ah ah, I’m always wielding it at dawn, so our youngest must not have seen it. Shall I show you this time?”

“No. Your eyes are sparkling as if you want to read that book right now?”

“Ahem, th, that’s not true. Then I’ll show you tomorrow morning.”

“Promise!”

After promising big sister, I said that I would go home early today and left the room.

I didn’t want to disturb big sister’s reading time.

As I went home, I was on my way to the Magic Tower to briefly stop by my little sister’s and check if she was living cleanly.

Suddenly, the carriage shook, and I heard a scream.

“Attack, attack by monsters!!”