第３８８堀：知らなくても頑張る (Part1)
Chapter 388: Doing My Best Even Without Knowing
It seems like everyone has been busy for the past few days.
Did something happen?
But we haven't heard anything specific, so maybe it's not that big of a deal?
We haven't forgotten to read letters or failed to listen to conversations like we did before, so I don't think we've missed any confirmations.
"Everyone seems busy."
"Ah, do you think so too, Filia?"
"I do. But since we haven't been told anything, I think it's probably fine."
"Still, it's worrying, isn't it?"
"It is."
Filia and I say this as we watch the monster soldiers hurrying about.
We're not suspected here because we're like older brother's wives.
"Oh, right. I have to go see Dressa."
"That's right."
We have an important mission from older brother.
We're supposed to befriend Dressa, who was a slave in the capital of Ex, and heal her wounded heart.
Not many people become slaves by choice, and like older sister Ria at first, she's often in a strange state. So, our kind older brother asked us, who are close to her age, to look after Dressa.
So, for the past few days, we've been with Dressa, playing around Weed... completing our mission.
And today, on our way to the monster soldiers' barracks where Dressa is, we saw the monsters getting busy, as if things had become hectic since Dressa arrived.
But it feels like they've been even busier since yesterday...
It seems like there are no injured people, so I guess that's okay.
"Ah, here she comes."
"It's Dressa. Good morning."
"Good morning."
"Yes. Good morning, Aslin, Filia."
Since the first day, Dressa has been waiting for us like this in front of the entrance.
I'm sure she's having so much fun in Weed.
I was excited every day when school started, too.
"Today, we're going to that place you go to, the school, right?"
"Yes. That's right. We'll all gather and study."
"That's right. I have lots of friends like Viria and Hiiro."
"...The more I hear about it, the less I understand this facility. Teaching commoners knowledge? Instead of that, wouldn't expanding farmland feed more people?"
"Hmm. I don't really understand the details, but they say studying like this will be useful in the future."
"That's right. There's nothing wrong with being able to study."
"Was it a little difficult for you? This is adult talk, you know."
"Moo, Aslin and I are adults!!"
"Filia and I are adults!!"
Dressa always treats us like children.
I think this is the one thing that's not okay.
We are respectable ladies, and older brother's wives.
"Yes, yes. If you're an adult woman, can you stop teasing your younger sisters? I'll hang you up again, you know?"
As soon as that voice is heard, Dressa freezes.
We turn towards the voice, and there stand Labiris, Shera, and older brother.
"Older brother."
"Brother."
Filia and I immediately jump on older brother, and he catches us.
"What are you doing here today?"
"Aren't you busy with work, Brother?"
"Ah, today is Dressa's first day of school, right? I'm here to check on her as her guardian and the school principal. You know, Dressa isn't very straightforward, is she?"
"Ah."
"That part, a little."
Indeed, Dressa is a bit tsundere.
Even though she wasn't serious just now, she said things that made us angry.
I don't think she's straightforward.
If she were serious, I'd punish her.
And Dressa seems to be talking to Labiris and Shera about something.
"Ah, um, Labiris? What I said earlier was just a little joke. Yes, a joke. So please don't come at me with a rope..."
"There's a limit to jokes. What's so fun about teasing us every single day? I'm extremely displeased to see my sister being toyed with."
"Dressa-san. I understand that you can't be honest due to your personality, but I strongly recommend you choose your targets carefully."
"Hey, Shera, stop with the whip. That's how you treat a slave!?"
"Who struck first? You tsundere girl."
And, as usual, Dressa is tied up with a rope, hung up, and spanked with a whip.
*Crack!!*
"Kyaaa!? Hyan!?"
Although she's being hit with a whip, it only makes her bottom red, so it's okay.
If we were serious, we could even crack a giant boulder!!
However, this everyday scene didn't seem normal to older brother.
"...What are you doing? Is this some kind of S&M?"
"It's not. It's discipline, discipline."
"That's right. It's certainly not a hobby of ours. And, well, while it may not be common, it's how we communicate, so Yuki-san, don't worry."
"N-no! Yuki, I don't have such perverted hobbies... Huh!?"
Somehow, the light in older brother's eyes disappeared.
"Hey, Aslin, Filia. Is that normal?"
"Um, yes. We do it about once a day."
"If we do something bad, we get our bottoms spanked."
"Ah, so that's how you see it. You don't do it in public places, do you?"
"We don't go that far, of course."
"Yes. We don't do anything that terrible."
"..."
"Don't just stay silent, help me! Hyaaa!?"
"Can you stop talking as if you've done nothing wrong?"
"That's right. It's very unfair to be told we're bullying you. Should we have hit harder?"
"...For now, we're going to school soon, so take it easy."
Older brother says this, still with the light gone from his eyes, muttering something.
"...Discipline and education are difficult, aren't they?"
"Honestly, what if there are scars left on your bottom!!"
"I did fix it properly, though?"
"Guh, this is truly an indecent place."
"Originally, it's Dressa's fault for making fun of Filia and me."
"...Ah, yes. I'm sorry."
"Yes. We're friends again now."
"We're friends again."
"That's right. If you could have been considerate from the start, it would have been better."
"Well, Dressa seems to have gone through a lot, and that's why we're here."
"Well, yeah."
I don't really hate Dressa.
Because Dressa is kind.
But it seems like she can't be honest due to various things, so we do this.
Ah, maybe, like older sister Ria, this is also a trauma?
"Well, since you seem to get along, it's fine. But don't overdo it and develop strange hobbies. Or rather, you're not doing it on purpose, are you, Dressa?"
"W-who would do such a thing!!"
Dressa denies it in a panic, her face bright red.
That's natural. No one enjoys being spanked.
"...Ah, there was a possibility of awakening."
"...Were we already falling for Dressa's scheme?"
"I-I'm not!!"
I don't really understand.
"Hey, is that the school!? It's big, and it looks like a lot of children are going in."
"...She's obviously changing the subject."
"...That makes her even more suspicious."
"Shut up! Is that the school, Aslin, Filia?"
"Yes. That's right."
"That's right. Ah, Viria, Hiiro. Good morning!"
"Ah, good morning. Wait, older brother!!"
"It's unusual for Brother to be here..."
It seems like both of them were just arriving at school and joined us.
"Hiiro is small, isn't she? But Viria is not to be underestimated."
"...Dressa. Stop competing with me based on our bodies."
"...Indeed. Sigh, I can foresee the future."
Dressa is looking at our bodies again.
Even though, from the perspective of older sisters, we're all the same smooth skin.
Love is what matters, right? But I'll probably be bouncy.
"Older brother. Who is she?"
"I haven't seen her. A new student?"
"Something like that. She'll be in the same class, so please look after her. As you can see, she's not very straightforward."
"...I see. She's a bit tsundere."
"It's okay. We have people like that in our class, so it's not a problem."
We do.
There are quite a few tsundere kids like Dressa.
And they get punished by Viria and Labiris.
Both boys and girls.