278 How a certain sister skillfully deceives her older brother

Today, my older brother seemed off, didn’t he?

Want to know why?

Let me tell you.

Older brother, you’ve been chosen as the Hero.

The previous Hero was your brother too, but I killed him.

Heroes are inconvenient.

Should I erase you?

Hmm.

I’ll stop if someone helps me out.

Look.

That’s a digest of my sisterly interaction.

By the way, I was shocked when Yamada-kun started bleeding from the nose after hearing about the sister’s excitement over him becoming the Hero.

Turns out, nosebleeds from excitement aren’t just a myth.

The conversation was about to drift into older brother mode, but Fermina-chan stopped it in time.

Nice one, Fermina-chan.

As expected of a former noble.

Her verbal skills are beyond mine.

Incidentally, even though Yamada-kun became the hero, another one started ranting—Gyarsuka, as it were.

Well, he's a Vampire Child, after all.

Ah, right—forgot to mention that earlier.

To shut him up quickly, I kicked him into the wall.

He's embedded so deeply it looks like a gag manga scene. He should stay quiet for a while.

The younger sister looked pale with fear when she saw it, but I ignored it.

And I think Fermina-chan smirked through her nose, but that was probably just my imagination.

“What do you want me to do?”

Now, the younger sister is at a loss.

“Simple. If you wish to save your elder brother, betray your homeland. If you cannot do that, you will lose your homeland, your brother’s life, and your own. Choose.”

Fermina-chan, with a slight animation in her voice, pushes the younger sister further into a corner.

She does look like a villainess protagonist when viewed this way.

Normally suppressed in various ways, but Fermina-chan was originally a lady from a noble household.

She seems more suited to giving orders than receiving them.

The younger sister twists in distress, her expression strained.

Occasional ominous impulses surface, but are quickly suppressed and abandoned.

She knows that attacking would only result in retaliation.

After all, even if the younger sister struggles, she cannot defeat me.

Exceptional strength for a non-reincarnated human, but still beyond Fermina-chan’s reach.

The younger sister hesitates, hesitates again, and finally breaks.

Honestly, I did not expect such hesitation.

She’s obsessively devoted to her elder brother, after all.

I assumed she’d answer instantly—anything for her brother’s sake.

From the perspective of the detached observer, this child possesses no patriotism whatsoever.

Perhaps even disdain.

It depends on upbringing, but this child’s mother and elder brother—the one not named Yamada—are not particularly reputable.

They are, after all, the queen and the heir apparent of this nation.

Thus, I assumed there would be no resistance to the nation’s destruction.

Ah, I see.

To cooperate with us means opposing her beloved elder brother.

That explains the hesitation, the deep distress.

The younger sister slumps forward, her face twisted as if the world had ended.

Fermine and the vampire child, who had inexplicably revived, stare at the younger sister and smirk.

These two…

“Love between enemies.”

Whispered into the younger sister’s ear.

Her shoulders jerk violently in exaggerated reaction.

“Precisely why such forbidden feelings burn so fiercely.”

This time, it twitches violently.

"When he learns the truth, he will intensely focus on you."

"Let's do it!"

Pathetic.

What kind of delusional, obsessive fan is this?

In an instant, the despair on his face vanishes—now he grins slack-jawed, eyes wide.

No good. He must be stopped. Now.

No. Too late.

To maintain motivation, perhaps hand him a novel where the heroine falls in love with the enemy.

A happy ending. The two unite after overcoming hardship.

Not that I expect the younger sister and Yamada-kun to end up together.

Secure the younger sister’s delusion—her fantasy of overcoming trials to unite with her elder brother—then proceed to the next target.

Direct transfer. Go to Yamada-kun.

"Ah? What?"

Upon transfer, Yagami-kun was in the midst of indoctrinating the observer.

The fragment observed actions directly. Yagami-kun was gradually dismantling the observer through sustained indoctrination.

The observer in question belonged to Oshima-kun’s family.

Oshima-kun’s family held the title of Duke within the Kingdom.

The Duke and Duchess had already been compromised by Potimas.

Thus, Yagami-kun was acting precisely as intended—without my directive.

“Hm? You’re Waka?”

The disguise was supposed to be concealed through illusion. Yet he saw through it immediately.

Kusama-kun also failed to conceal his true face—likely because recognition was already established. Effectiveness is nullified when the face is known.

Incidentally, this is the first time we’ve met in a relatively stable mental state.

Regardless. That stability will be terminated shortly.

Fragment within Yagami-kun’s mind—proceed with execution.

“Ah?!”

Natsume-kun made a strange sound and rolled his eyes white.

"“““Ew.””""

The Vampire Child, Fermina-chan, and the younger sister’s voices overlapped.

Unhappy with the identical reaction, the Vampire Child and Fermina-chan locked eyes in a glare.

Don’t fight over trivial matters.

For now, using the fragment possessing Natsume-kun as a conduit, subtly暗示 that the younger sister is a compliant collaborator.

Simultaneously, guide her to act in ways that will overthrow the kingdom.

That will suffice.

Ah—better also alter memories to include us as supporters.

Having finished fabricating Natsume-kun’s memories, the body that had been rolling its eyes and convulsing with strange cries suddenly jerked violently and froze in place.

Then, as if nothing had happened, it returned to its usual expression.

"Ah, Shiro. What’s the matter?"

At present, I have configured Shiro to perceive me not as Wakaba-hime, but as White.

No particular significance.

"Using these children."

I gesture toward the vampire children standing behind me.

I will have my younger sister assist Shiro, and the vampire children will seize control of the Empire from within.

Fermina-chan, you'll come back with me to the Demon Realm to work.

Having explained this sequence of arrangements, I temporarily assign my younger sister the role of Shiro's assistant and reins-holder.

Given Shiro's request to gain some time regarding the matter with the Empire, the vampire children's involvement will likely be delayed further.

Thus, I leave the younger sister in Shiro's care and depart.