第８７６堀：本当のご褒美 (Part1)
**Chapter 876: The Real Reward**
**Side: Vilia**
“…”
The three of us had gathered in Dressa’s room, but we sat in heavy silence. The reason was simple.
“Kagura-onee, Mikos-onee, Sta-onee, and Enora-onee… they were all proposed to…” Hiiro muttered, sounding uncharacteristically dejected.
It was true. While the three of us were bedridden for two days because we’d overindulged on our reward of roasted meat, Kagura-san, Mikos-san, Princess Stasia, and Bishop Enora had all received marriage proposals from Big Brother.
And, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, there had been nothing for us.
“…But why?”
“…”
Neither Hiiro nor I could answer Dressa’s question. Deep down, I suspected it was because he didn’t see us as romantic interests at all, but saying that out loud felt like the end of everything. If I acknowledged it, it would become real, so I kept my mouth shut.
“Why… Why her and not us?!”
*Thump!*
Dressa slammed her fist onto the desk. The impact knocked over a cup, spilling barley tea across the surface, but none of us—myself included—made a move to clean it up.
*Drip… drip…*
The sound of liquid falling from the edge of the desk was the only thing echoing through the silent room. I knew that if we did nothing, nothing would change. But I was deathly afraid of hearing a definitive answer.
“I’ve decided! I’m going to go ask Big Brother!”
“…Hiiro. Do you understand what you’re saying? He might turn you down.”
“…He might not let us stay here anymore if he knows we look at him that way.”
That was the fear. If Big Brother realized we harbored those kinds of feelings, he might move us somewhere else. And then, we might never…
“That’s not true. Big Brother wouldn’t do that. He’s just a little shy. Besides, everyone said he was the one who carried us back to our rooms when we collapsed. He couldn’t possibly hate us.”
“…But that just means he saw us at our most pathetic.”
“…He probably thinks we’re still just children.”
“Big Brother sees us for who we are. That’s why he entrusted the carrier to me. He treats us like ladies. That’s why I’m going to ask him. Dressa-onee, Vilia-onee, you don’t have to come. I’ll just marry him by myself.”
““Wait!””
Hiiro threw those words over her shoulder and bolted out of the room. Even then, my legs felt like lead…
“Ugh, fine! Honestly! Vilia, we’re going too!”
“What? But…”
“It’s a fact that nothing will change if we just sit here groaning! Even if he says he doesn’t like us, we’ll just have to make him look our way! That’s all there is to it! Besides, Seraria and the others said they’d support us, so it’ll be fine. We’ll push from their side too.”
“…But if Big Brother says no…”
“He hasn’t said that yet! Pull yourself together! Hiiro is right; this isn’t like us. Especially you, Vilia—don’t you want to be useful to Yuki? You’re just assuming you’ve been rejected because he proposed to someone else without even hearing it from his own mouth, aren’t you?”
“That’s…”
She was right, but…
“Good grief, Vilia! If someone told you to give up on Yuki, could you actually do it?!”
“I could never!”
The very idea was impossible. No matter what anyone said, I wanted to stand beside Big Brother, Seraria-onee-sama, and the others. I had sworn to be useful to them. I was determined to repay the people who had pulled us out of the slums!
“Then let’s go find out! We’re going to ask him why he went to Kagura and the others first!”
“Right!”
Exactly. Just because he confessed to Kagura-san doesn’t mean he hates us. I’m sure Big Brother has a very, very deep reason for it. I have to go hear it!
Thanks to Dressa, I finally found my resolve. I was about to dash out of the room when—
“Wait a second.”
“What now? Not another excuse—”
“The barley tea is dripping onto the clothes you left on the floor.”
“Wait, what?! It’ll stain! That’s my new outfit!! Wipe it up, quick!”
And so, after a brief cleaning session, we went to find Big Brother. As expected, he was in his office…
“There, there.”
“…Big Brother, you dummy.”
He was patting Hiiro’s head while she sobbed.
Wait, Hiiro is crying? Does that mean… we really were rejected?
Seeing that sight, all the courage I’d just gathered began to wither away. This was bad. I wanted to run—
“Yuki-san. Dressa and Vilia are here.”
Ah, Ria-onee-sama spotted us.
“Honestly, I can’t believe you still haven’t told them. You really need to fix that denseness of yours,” Jessica-onee-sama added, stepping in to block the doorway.
…There was no escape now. It seemed we were destined to face reality right here and now.
“Right. I’ll tell them properly.”
“Indeed. Come now, Dressa, Vilia. Over here.”
Urged on by Cleena-onee-sama and Samantha-onee-sama, we were led right in front of Big Brother. He looked up at us and spoke.
“Hey. How are you two feeling? Any lingering stomach issues from the BBQ?”
“…I’m fine.”
“…I am as well.”
“I see. That’s good then.”
Big Brother smiled at us with his usual kindness. But Hiiro was still sitting on his lap with swollen, red eyes, and my anxiety only deepened.
“Yuki-san. That’s exactly what we’re talking about.”
“Ria is right. Bringing up the overeating now of all times…”
“Yes. Unacceptable. Rude to a lady.”
“While I am loath to criticize you, Lord Yuki, your behavior is hardly commendable in this instance.”
“I’m sorry.”
For some reason, the older sisters were all scolding him. I wondered why, but then Big Brother cleared his throat and spoke.
“I heard the story from Hiiro.”
““!?””
So Hiiro had already talked to him. And she was crying. Which meant…
“I didn’t realize the three of you were so worried about it. As far as I was concerned, my marriage to the three of you was already a settled matter. The other wives said the same. I’m sorry for being so late in saying it officially.”
“Huh?”
“Pardon?”
Wait, it wasn’t that he didn’t see us as women? He said it was… a settled matter?
As I stood there in utter confusion, Hiiro looked up from Big Brother’s lap and turned toward us.