The Labyrinth Raids of the Ultimate Tank

Translator: “Pink Tea” Editor: ”Ryunakama”

The two successfully trapped me and Manicia with their magnificent plan.

I don’t really care though.

Quite the opposite, I was grateful, having no intention of blaming them whatsoever.

The problem is Manicia.

Waking up on the bed she then tried to play it cool.

「Nii-san, why are you here? Won’t you hurry up and leave my room?」

「Manicia, that headbutt, are you okay?」

「…Wha-what do you mean?」

Monotone.

And while thinking that being so bad at lying she is also cute, I lower my head.

「Thank you for caring so much.」

Those words were everything.

As her eyes met with mine she turned red up to the very tips of her ears.

Gradually, tears built up in her eyes.

The tip of her nose also turned red.

「Nii-san, you should care about yourself more.」

「I do. I do care, and that’s why I currently live the way I do.」

「And you are searching for a nonexistent magic book. Please, stop wasting your life on me.」

「Putting the magic book aside, labyrinths have many not yet known mysteries. Someday, the way to cure you should come up as well.」

Besidesーー

「What’s wrong in living for the sake of your family?」

For a moment, hints of anger showed on her face, but then came a smile.

Tears run down her cheeks.

「Nii-san!」

She hugged me.

「……Manicia. Don’t worry. My happiness is you being alive and well.」

「……Nii-san. Sorry for what I did until now. Being an idiot, I thought this is the only way to make Nii-san happy…… But I don’t want Nii-san to hate me!」

「There is no way I can hate you. ……And it’s my fault as well. From now on, I will look for my own happiness as well. So, Manicia, you too…… Please think about what you will do after you are cured. Let’s live our lives the best we can after this ends.」

Basically, this is what I think.

I had no idea on how to live after Manicia is cured.

This is no good.

I have to find something. In that aspect, I’m just the same as Luna.

I gently pat Manicia on the back.

Manicia cries loudly.

It reminds me of the old days.

Back then I didn’t have enough power to protect her.

But, now it is different.

As I gently brush her on the back, she gradually calms down.

After crying too much, she is still making sobbing noises, twitching.

「Nii-san…… I’m sorry.」

「It’s fine. Manicia, let’s continue together again.」

「……Yes.」

Standing up I lightly pat her on the head.

For the first time in a while Manicia responded with a smile.

「Should we thank the two of them?」

「……Yeah, right.」

Holding hands with Manicia, we leave the room.

Right away, our eyes meet with Luna and Nin, who were sitting in the living room.

They looked relieved.

「Thank goodness. It looks like you reconciled. Fighting with your family is just stupid.」

「You are the last person I want to hear that from.」

Weren’t you on bad terms with your parents?

Manicia let go of my hand and returned to her aloof tone.

Then, she took a seat and intently stared at the two girls.

「……It was a mistake to talk about this with you.」

「……I concluded that Manicia-sama would prefer to reconcile. Was I incorrect?」

Luna lowered her head apologetically.

「……Ugh.」

Manicia’s cheek twitched, then, she turned to me, seeking help.

This is your problem.

I begin arrangements for an already cooked dinner.

「Luna-san…… Ehm.」

「Please, forgive me. I cannot fully comprehend a human’s feelings. I did my best with estimations…… Then consulted with Nin-sama and then took to action.」

Nin, who was sitting beside her, smiled, as if in mockery, and then showed a V sign.

……I wanted her to ask for my advice as well.

「If I was wrong, then I apologize. ……I did something uncalled.」

「You…… You are not…… You are not wrong. ……I wanted to get along with Nii-san. ……Yes.」

While I brought the food my eyes met with Manicia.

She went silent as her face turned red.

Luna breathed a sigh of relief.

「……Thank goodness. The last factor was my own feelings. I wanted Manicia-sama and master to get along.」

「……I, I got it. Yes, I…… That’s what I wanted as well.」

Manicia seems to be embarrassed to hear Luna’s real motives.

Can’t say that I don’t understand her.

I put the food on the table and sit down.

「A lot happened, but for now…… Let’s eat.」

All of us put hands in a praying gesture and after offering prayers to the God, began eating.

☆

「Nii-san.」

Seeing me upon leaving her room she happily smiled.

「Good morning.」

Raising my eyes from an issue of the capital’s newspaper for a bit, I then get back to it.

It takes about a week for it to arrive here from the capital.

Passed among the denizens of the town as they read, my house was the very last one it arrived at.

As a source of information it’s outdated.

At most one can check information about the situation in foreign countries or on the progress of labyrinth raids.

But this time, the front page was given to the failure of a hero.

It’s probably what Nin was talking about.

Then, Manicia walked up to me and sat on my lap.

「Nii-san, read me a newspaper.」

「……Aren’t you quite good at reading and writing?」

She learned that at the house of the noble that took us in.

However, Manicia shook her head and stubbornly insisted.

「Please read it.」

She shook her waist, pressing into me.

Her long black hair tickles my nose.

Unlike me, she had a small build, so she wasn’t heavy at all.

It was all thanks to Luna that she now acted so openly.

When no one was around, Manicia began acting like a spoiled child with me.

With other people around, she acted coldly, just like before…… Not to the same extent, but she still had that cold facade, but when no one looked she turned completely spoiled.

I read newspaper headlines in order.

Then, I would read the articles which Manicia put her finger on in more detail.

「Nii-san, you went to the capital, right?」

「A number of times, yeah.」

「…I’m so envious. Was it beautiful?」

「Not really. There are many people, so trash is scattered all over the place. The roads are dirty. The people too, there are all kinds of them. ……I like this town much more.」

「But this town…… There are fewer and fewer people. I’m worried about what will happen to it.」

She’s right.

Avancier is a good town.

But, there is nothing that stands out about it, so the population keeps dwindling.

I’d like to do something about it, but this alone I hardly can change.

Manicia pointed to the front page.

「This hero, it’s that guy that Nin-san doesn’t like?」

「Right.」

「Nii-san also was in the same party, right? Nin-san said that she hates him because he made fun of you.」

「Nin is a bit personally invested in this.」

「Oh, so you knew? And, there is nothing between you?」

She narrowed her eyes as she teased me.

……What a bind. I didn’t plan on saying this much.

Since it was embarrassing, I closed my mouth, but she lightly pinched my cheeks.

…Okay, I’ll tell you what I think.

「Well, not really. But I can’t think about this right now.」

「……Is that because of me?」

「No. ……Well, this as well. Since I want to cure you, I don’t think of this. ……If I get into such relations with someone…… I’m most likely a weak person, So I will stick to that happiness. I’m not that skillful…… Chasing two things at the same time is most likely impossible for me. So…… Nothing I can say about this, sorry. Until I cure you I don’t want to think of such stuff.」

This is the reason why Manicia was so cold to me.

I knew that, but this time I clearly said this aloud.

「……If you understand this, then it’s fine. But when you find a person that is really precious to you, please live for their sake. I’m happy even now.」

「……Okay.」

Manicia donned a smile and then leaned on me.

Then, she blushed slightly.

「But until then…… Ehm, please take good care of your little sister.」

「……Got it.」

After patting her head, the sweet smile that I knew from when she was young appeared on her face..

「Which reminds me, Nin-san is a noble, right? She doesn’t really talk about that kind of thing herself.」

「Yeah. She once dragged me off with her. She seems to be from a duke’s house.」

As expected, even Manicia would be surprised to hear that.

「Du-Duke?! She was such a person?! I said some pretty rude stuff!」

「I’m pretty much the same. Rather, she would hate it if you changed your attitude because of that.」

「……Is, is that so. Understood, I will try to tread on the line that at least won’t get me beheaded.」

「Well, that much should be okay. If you just act as your usual self there should be no problem.」

Manicia nodded slightly.

「But even so, Nii-san. You are quite a playboy. Bringing two girls right after you came back, I was surprised.」

「I get along with the two…… But please don’t put it like that.」

「Playboy. There are also people interested in you living in this town…」

「Well, I tend to have a lot of interactions with them.」

I don’t feel like a playboy or particularly popular at all.

In regards to the town, I think one of the reasons is that there aren’t many young men here. 𝗳𝒓𝙚e𝓌e𝚋𝙣𝚘𝐯𝙚𝙡.𝑐૦ｍ

「……Nii-san. You shouldn’t make girls cry, okay?」

「Of course…… I know.」

Then, a loud bang resounded making Manicia jump in surprise.

「Wha-what is this?!」

「Ru-Rude! It’s terrible! Pa-Papa is!」

Milena pushed open the front door.

Since Nin left for the school, the front door was left unlocked.

Rather, not many lock their doors here, to begin with. Everyone knows each other anyway.

Manicia jumped off me.

Her cheeks were red as she escaped to her room.

「Did something happen to Regil-san?」

「He collapsed at the forge!」

……No way.

「Got it, I’m coming immediately. Milena, can you still run?」

「N-no, hardly…… I will come after you……」

「No, we are going together.」

Someone will have to call for help.

I alone am not enough.

Carrying Milena I leave the house.