第４２４堀：お掃除の成果 (Part1)
**Chapter 424: The Results of Cleaning**
**Side: Vilia**
"Um... what’s with the bandages?"
As usual, I arrived at the Adventurer Guild early in the morning to pick up work, and just as expected, Kina-san immediately spotted something wrong.
It was hard to miss. After all, Dressa had bandages wrapped several times around her forehead.
"I just put them on to get myself pumped up. Don't worry about it," Dressa replied, clearly trying to brush it off.
"No, no, there’s blood seeping through!" Kina-san pointed out.
There was no way she could hide it when the red stains were that obvious. Since we have to undergo a health check before heading out on a job, someone wearing a blood-stained bandage is naturally going to be stopped.
"You didn't have that wound when you came back from work yesterday, did you?"
"No. This... this happened during dinner last night," I answered for her.
"During dinner? Were you attacked by something? I didn't receive any reports about an incident..."
"No. Actually..."
Just as I was about to explain, Hiiro cut in from the side.
"I don't know why, but Dre-ane suddenly started bashing her head against the table. She kept going until she bled."
"Huh?"
Kina-san’s reaction was perfectly reasonable. I, too, thought she had lost her mind at first. But that wasn't it.
"Anyway, it’s nothing. I’m fine," Dressa insisted.
"You are definitely not fine. If Milly finds out I sent you out to work in this state, she’ll kill me. At least tell me why you did it. You know I can't assign jobs to someone who's emotionally unstable, right?"
"T-That’s... I—I just felt like it, okay!?"
"Yeah, I definitely can't give you work with an answer like that. You're in a dangerous state of mind."
"Ugh..."
As expected, Dressa wasn't going to admit the cause herself. However, if we kept dodging the question, Hiiro and I would have to do today's work as a pair. I wanted to avoid that, so I decided to lend a hand.
"Kina-san, could I have a moment?"
"Hmm? What is it? I still need to hear from Dressa—"
"It’s about that. I have an idea of what caused it."
"Oh? Really?"
"Yes. But it’s not something to discuss in front of everyone. Could we go to the back room?"
"I don't mind. Come this way."
"Oh, Hiiro. Please treat Dressa while we're gone. She won't be able to go to work like that, and you can use a bit of recovery magic, right?"
"Roger that."
"...What are you planning to say, Vilia?"
"Only the truth. Or rather, to be more specific... it’s about my brother."
The moment I said that, Dressa’s eyes snapped wide open. Her face turned bright red, and her mouth hung open, agape. Just as I thought.
"T-That’s not it! That’s impossible!"
"Dre-ane, stay still."
"Ah, sorry. Wait, Vilia! Don't you dare say anything weird!"
Watching Dressa’s frantic reaction, Kina-san seemed to realize that I was close to the mark.
"I see. Vilia-chan, let’s have a long talk in this room."
"Yes."
"Wait! Viliaaaaa!"
"Dre-ane, you're noisy."
*Smack! Thud!*
The last thing I saw was Hiiro striking Dressa with her staff because she was being too loud, sending her face-first into the floor. The surrounding adventurers recoiled in shock, but it couldn't be helped. Her wound might have opened up further, but she brought that on herself. If it doesn't heal, we'll just have to ask Lady Rurua for help.
***
"So, what’s the reason? Judging by how desperate Dressa looked, I’m guessing I’m on the right track."
"I believe so too. To put it simply, I think she has fallen in love with my brother."
"That’s pretty direct. But Dressa was definitely reacting to the mention of him, so I think you're right. Just to confirm, 'brother' refers to Yuki-san, right?"
"Yes. Exactly. There is only one person in this world I call my brother."
"Haha, you really do love Yuki-san, don't you, Vilia?"
"He is my pride and joy. There is no reason to be ashamed of it."
"I think it’s amazing that you can be so honest about your feelings. But it seems you haven't been able to tell Yuki-san himself?"
"...Well, how should I put it? He sees me as a younger sister, and I find myself wondering if I can truly be of use by his side."
"I see. It certainly looks like it would be tough to stand beside him right now. But Milly and the others seem to have given their approval?"
"Yes. I’ve received a lot of encouragement from my brother’s wives, but I am still inexperienced..."
"You're so serious. Well, I guess that’s just who you are, Vilia-chan. I’ll be cheering for you from the sidelines. Anyway, we got off track. Why did Dressa end up like that? Usually, she just talks to him normally, doesn't she?"
"Well, I don't know the full details, but yesterday, while she was bashing her head against the table..."
*'It’s impossible. No way. Why does he understand what’s bothering me? Normally, he should be angry, but he just talks to me like it's nothing. What is wrong with that guy? More importantly, why can't I get Yuki out of my head?! Argh, get out, get out!'*
"She kept repeating things like that over and over."
"Ah, I see. Yuki-san showed some adult composure and kindness, and it shook Dressa up... or rather, she fell for him."
"Probably. And it seems Dressa isn't used to those kinds of feelings."
"So she was smashing her head against the table just to deny it? How youthful. Or rather, that’s very much like her. She’s not very honest with herself."
"That is the situation. So, could you please allow Dressa to participate in the job? It would be quite difficult with just the two of us."
"Ah, yeah. I understand. If that’s the reason, Milly won't have any reason to be mad at me."
With Kina-san convinced, we were cleared to head out to work.
***
"...You didn't say anything weird, did you?"
"I didn't. Only the facts."
"And what 'facts' are those?! Tell me!"
"That you, Dressa, feel that my brother is—"
"Waaaaah! Waaaaah! There’s no way that’s true!"
"In that case, give me that candid photo of my brother you got from Kina-san this morning."
"I received this, so it’s mine! It has nothing to do with this!"
Dressa continued her futile resistance. By the way, the reason Kina-san had photos of my brother was apparently at Milly-san’s request; she takes them because they sell for a good price.
...Still, how did she manage to get a photo of my brother half-naked? As for me, I’m extremely happy about it, so I don't mind.
"Big sisters, the trash bags—"
"Right. Dressa, the bags."
"Ah, yeah. Here, Hiiro."
"Thanks—"