Reincarnated as the Heroine’s Big Sister, but My Little Sister Fell for Me Instead - Chapter 8

Two weeks had passed since Lian started coming to the library.

On the first day, hearing footsteps descending the stairs to the basement, I wondered who it could be. Few students came down to the basement at this hour. When I looked up, it was my sister.

The fact that I had completely forgotten the sound of my sister’s footsteps—a sound I had firmly memorized and never missed when we lived at home—made me keenly aware of the passage of time.

“I’m here,” Lian said, pulling out the chair opposite me. I had no reason to refuse, so I stayed silent. And so, it became routine.

Today was the same. As evening approached, footsteps sounded, and Lian took her seat. We each opened our books. There was almost no conversation. Lian didn’t disturb me. I had thought since our time at home that she was a child who could stay quiet.

“…What are you researching, always?”

“The relationship between the interference range of dark attribute magic and mana attenuation.”

“That’s difficult.”

“It’s too advanced for you.”

“Will I understand it someday?”

I glanced at Lian for a moment.

I was about to say, “You will,” but changed my phrasing slightly. “If you study.”

In the game, Lian was set up as very intelligent. Even dark attribute magic—if she seriously studied it, she would easily surpass me. Whether Lian, a candidate for Saintess, needed to do that was another matter.

Having said just that, I returned to the documents. I continued writing notes in the margins of the pages. But I noticed my concentration was more scattered than before. Just having Lian sitting across from me was enough to distract me so much.

“Distract” didn’t feel quite right.

I was just intensely aware of her presence. The sound of Lian turning the pages of her book. The hint of her breathing. She had a habit of occasionally reading words under her breath, her lips moving faintly. My eyes were drawn to her every single movement. I didn’t know if it was because my past self had been a Lian fan, or because my current self was conscious of Lian.

The Lian I knew when I played the game in my past life was on the other side of a screen. I hadn’t thought she had body warmth. Now, being here like this, I could keenly feel Lian’s warmth, her breathing.

Footsteps came from the stairs.

The sound of shoe soles was heavy. I thought it was a male student. They walked through the bookshelves without hesitation. Someone who knew the layout of this basement.

I looked up to see who it was.

It was a tall male student with blond hair. And I knew this student’s name very well from my past life.

Edvard Rein. Third year. Student council president. Light attribute, with one of the highest mana capacities in the academy. One of the game’s romanceable characters. Extremely popular in the game. The eldest son of the Rein family, a ducal house, with dazzling golden hair like gathered beams of light and sky-blue eyes. Dressed like a prince. Contrary to his flashy appearance, he was more studious and gentlemanly than anyone.

But he was looking at me, not Lian. With those long eyelashes and clear eyes, he was looking straight at me.

“Rene de Croire?”

“That’s me. What does the eldest son of the Rein family want with me?”

Edvard mentioned last week’s practical magic class.

“I wanted to ask about constructing interference magic formulas.”

“Interference magic…”

“I heard you’re researching it.”

Edvard said. I thought for a moment. Carefully gauging Edvard’s intentions.

It wasn’t malice. I thought so. Edvard in the game wasn’t that kind of person, and his eyes just held pure interest in the magic itself. I understood that. And because I understood, it was all the more slightly troublesome.

Getting involved with the popular student council president Edvard felt like inviting unnecessary jealousy and envy. In the game, Lian, who became friends with Edvard, got caught up in troublesome affairs.

“Who taught you dark magic?” Edvard asked.

“Self-taught,” I answered.

“My. To master dark attribute magic theory through self-study…”

As the conversation continued, I realized Edvard’s interest was genuine. He asked questions of someone who had touched dark attribute research. Not mere curiosity, but an attempt to understand.

I thought such people were rare. Especially among light magic users. Dark magic users were generally shunned, and I thought it was particularly pronounced among light attribute users.

“Could I hear the details sometime? After school, if you have time.”

I searched for a reason to refuse. I couldn’t find one. I absently traced the page of the book I was reading. The smooth texture transmitted to my finger.

“…I’ll think about it.”

Edvard stood up and looked at Lian.

Lian smiled and introduced herself. “I am Lian de Croire.”

Then Edvard said, “It’s rare for sisters to have completely opposite attributes,” and Lian said, “I don’t think they’re completely opposite.”

I looked up.

Lian continued her words.

“Watching my sister’s magic, it doesn’t feel scary. It feels the same as when I’m in the light.”

The library fell silent.

“The feeling of being in the light.”

Edvard looked at Lian, then at me. His eyes were measuring something.

I returned my gaze to the documents. I tried not to let it show on my face.

Edvard left, and we were alone again.

I had my documents open but couldn’t read a single line.

Lian’s words repeated in my head. The same feeling as when I’m in the light.

I wanted to understand what that meant—and simultaneously, I felt that if I understood, something would change.

“Sister.”

“What?”

“That person will come again.”

“I know.”

“…Is it a bother?”

I thought about whether it was a bother. I don’t think Edvard is a bad person. I think he’s sincere in his magical research. But—

“Not really.”

I couldn’t say more.

To tell the truth, either was fine. Whether Edvard came or not, my interest wasn’t there.

My interest lay in whether Lian, sitting across from me, would come again tomorrow.

Since I couldn’t possibly say such a thing, I stayed silent.

“Lian.”

“Yes?”

“What you said earlier.” I said it while still looking at the documents. “About it being the same as being in the light.”

Lian thought a little. “It just feels that way… Sister’s dark magic isn’t cold.”

“Isn’t cold.”

“It’s not bright, but it’s not cold. It’s a strange way to put it, though.”

It’s not strange, I thought.

She was the child who, seeing my magic in the night garden, said it wasn’t scary but beautiful.

“It’s not a strange way to put it.”

My voice became smaller than I intended. I didn’t check if Lian heard it.

Outside the window was beginning to darken. The library lighting fell quietly upon the documents.

The sound of turning pages began again.

Listening to that sound, I continued writing the calculation formulas for interference magic.

I couldn’t concentrate. I couldn’t, but even so, it was fine.