第２８２堀：家族とは (Part1)
**Chapter 282: What Family Means**
**Side: Aslin**
"...Unyu."
……?
Ah, I see. I’m still asleep.
Last night, I stayed up late participating in the meeting with Big Brother and the others. My body is still telling me it wants to sleep. But I have to get up. I have to make breakfast with Big Brother.
Today, we’re heading to Cleena-oneesama’s country.
Amidst that lingering drowsiness, I shift my body under the covers.
"...Nyufu. Niisama..."
Beside me, Firia-chan is clinging to my arm. Because she loves Big Brother just as much as I do, she often talks in her sleep like this. Whenever we sleep with him, she always uses his arm as a pillow, and in the mornings, she’s always wrapped around him like this.
"Niisama’s scent..."
I’m sorry, Firia-chan. Today, it’s not Big Brother, it’s just me.
When I’m with Big Brother, I do the same thing as Firia-chan—I snuggle up and breathe in deep. It smells like him, and it makes me so happy.
"Yeah. It makes me happy."
Big Brother, the older sisters, Labyris-chan, Shera-chan, Firia-chan, and the babies—everyone is Aslin’s family. My treasures.
When I was a slave, I didn’t know anything. I thought living as a slave was just how the world worked. Every single day, my stomach would growl, I’d be cold, and I’d huddle together with Labyris-chan and Firia-chan to get by. I still remember how happy I was when Mauve-ojisan and the others bought us and we were finally able to go outside.
But the happiest thing of all was meeting Big Brother.
Thinking back on it now, we were so dirty and unkempt back then, having barely bathed, yet Big Brother didn’t hesitate for a second to pat our heads and hold us in his arms.
No matter what anyone says, Big Brother is *my* Big Brother.
Ah, but he’s also my husband, isn’t he? Because I married him.
It’ll be a while before I have a baby with Big Brother, but one day, we will.
"Nyufufu..."
I’m sure it’ll be a cute baby, and Big Brother will be so happy.
As I was thinking about that while waking up, my eyes suddenly caught the time.
It’s 9:10 AM.
"Fueh!?"
No matter how many times I look at the clock, it says 9:10.
Classes at the Academy start at 8:00.
Breakfast is at 7:00.
That means...
"We overslept!?"
I quickly check the call screen, and it’s 9:11.
...Labyris-chan isn’t here. She must have let us sleep so she wouldn’t wake us. We were supposed to leave for Cleena-oneesama’s country at 10:00. Everyone else must have already gone to the Academy. They probably intended to wake us up at the very last minute because they’re all so kind, especially since we were up so late last night.
"Firia-chan, wake up!!"
I have to wake Firia-chan up so we can get to the Academy. I shake her body.
"Unyu... ...?"
She’s not responding well. Unlike us, Firia-chan learns blacksmithing from Narjia-san after she gets home and works on various projects, so she’s much more exhausted than we are. She’s a heavy sleeper.
I have no choice but to use my secret technique. I take a deep breath...
"Big Brother left us behind!!"
"I don’t want that!! Niisama, please don’t leave Firia behind!!"
She jumps up immediately. The effect is incredible. But now, Firia-chan’s eyes are brimming with tears.
"...Uuu, I don’t want to be alone."
She starts to sob.
"I’m sorry, Firia-chan. But since you’re up, let’s go to Big Brother. He would never leave us behind. Look, check the clock."
"Sniff... Aslin? The clock? Wait, it’s already this late!! We overslept!!"
Firia-chan sees the clock and realizes we’ve overslept, too.
"Yeah. So let’s get changed quickly and go to the Academy."
"Okay! I wish Niisama or Labyris had woken us up..."
"It can’t be helped. We were in a meeting until late last night."
"Umyu... I’m still being treated like a child."
"It’s our fault for not waking up. For now, let’s tell Kirue-oneesama we’re going to chase after them, and then eat breakfast. As for our clothes, we can stay in our pajamas for now, and have the Doppels change for us later."
"Understood."
As we get out of bed and walk past the table...
*Rustle.*
I hear a sound and look at the table, but there’s nothing there.
"What’s wrong?"
"Oh, it’s nothing."
I felt like I heard the sound of paper, but there’s nothing on the table. It must have been my imagination. More importantly, we have to eat breakfast and get to the Academy. We trot toward the kitchen.
"Oh, good morning, you two."
"Au..."
"Au!!"
Inside, we find Kirue-oneesama with her baby, Shael-chan, and Deryu-oneesama’s baby, Yuyu-chan.
"Good morning."
"Good morning!"
We both greet Kirue-oneesama properly.
"Yes. And since you’ve come here, I assume you’re looking for breakfast?"
"Yeah."
"That’s right! We have to eat quickly and chase after Niisama and the others!"
"There’s no need to be so panicked; it’s only natural since you were up so late yesterday. Your husband and the others are well aware of that."
"But we still overslept."
"We overslept!!"
"Fufu, even though you aren’t blood-related, that earnestness is exactly like your husband’s. I’ll prepare it, so please look after the children."
Kirue-oneesama hands Shael-chan and Yuyu-chan over to us.
"Eh? We can prepare it ourselves, you know?"
"We really can!"
"U?"
"Au?"
But since we’re already holding the babies, we can’t cook. Kirue-oneesama has already started working on the meal.
"No, no. You’ll hurt yourselves if you’re in such a rush. I will prepare it for you. In the meantime, please keep the children company and calm your hearts. It’s alright. You’ll make it in time."
"Okay. Understood. Shael-chan, what should we do?"
"Au."