(Miu's Side)
It had been two days since the Auros Academy incident.
Having finished classes in the morning, I returned home a little early.
"I'm home!"
As I took off my shoes in the entryway, Mom poked her head out from the washroom.
"Oh, you're early today. What about Issei and the others?"
"Classes finished at noon today. Big Brother and the others said they'd stop by the clubroom before coming home, so they'll probably be back in about an hour, I guess? ...I have something to do, so I came back early, you see?"
Yes, I have something I need to do. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it my mission. I decided I'd finish it today.
Hurrying to my room, I placed my bag on my desk, then tied a triangular bandana around my head, steeling my resolve.
---Alright, let's do this.
Before my eyes was my target. This was it. I'd confronted it countless times and been defeated just as many.
Today, I wanted to conquer this.
What I was challenging.
It was...
"As expected, they really pile up... Manga, that is."
Manga---it was one of the things I'd gotten hooked on since coming to this world.
It all started when I read some that Big Brother had. Reading it to kill time was the beginning of everything.
The first time I encountered manga, I was shocked.
---This world has something this interesting?
Asto-Areade didn't have a manga culture. Especially since I grew up as the Devil King's daughter and a devil princess, I didn't have many opportunities to encounter this kind of entertainment. (...Or rather, Dad being strict was the biggest reason.)
For me, who hadn't been exposed to much entertainment, encountering manga was revolutionary.
Since coming to this world, whenever I got my allowance, I'd rush to the bookstore, or collect them from used bookstores. Everything from battle-oriented series like City H**, Fullme**, and Onepie**, to gag manga like Kochi** and Gintam**, and even romantic comedies like ToL**ve-ru.
Lately, I've even started reading novels in addition to manga.
The result was...
"Ugh... what should I do... No matter how many bookshelves I have, it's not enough..."
The number of manga I own easily exceeds five hundred. If you include novels, it's even more. Probably close to a thousand.
Looking at the books before me, I thought.
...Why did they pile up so much?
They don't fit on the shelves, and now they're lined up on the floor.
Why... why are there so many!?
It's true that I spend most of my allowance on manga, and Big Brother and the others gave me complete sets as gifts! I did end up relying on them a bit!
Isn't this enough to open a small bookstore!?
I thought about saying goodbye to them many times. But I couldn't...! Because I'd want to read them again!
So, I tried to organize them. I tackled it again and again. But the organizing just wouldn't progress...!
Because I'd start reading them while organizing!
Once I picked up a book and started reading, that was it. Before I knew it, I'd devoured the entire series!
How weak-willed I am...!
But today, I will! Today, I will organize these books!
I won't lose to myself anymore! I can't afford to lose!
I am the 'Bishop' of the Red Dragon Emperor's peerage! One of the servants who supports Big Brother!
If I can't even do something like this, I can't call myself Big Brother's servant!
I psyched myself up again and reached for a manga on the floor---.
"Ugh... no matter how many times I see this scene, it makes me cry... sniff. ...No, that's WRONG! What am I doing!?"
It was good that I started organizing after taking the books off the shelf once... but I read them again...! I got lost in them! I read five volumes!
I glanced at the clock on the wall and saw... an hour had already passed.
The organizing progress was... barely anything.
By taking all the books off the shelf, the situation had actually worsened. My collection was neatly lined up on the floor...
I sank to my knees with a thud.
This wasn't how it was supposed to be. By now, I should have been halfway done...
Oh... I can't see what's in front of me. My eyes are watering on their own... sniff.
At this pace, will I finish today?
If I asked Big Brother, he might help me. I think he'd even keep an eye on me so I wouldn't start reading.
But that would be completely relying on him... Or rather, I don't want to bother Big Brother with something like this.
The sweat of my heart wouldn't stop.
Just then, something caught my eye.
"This..."
I picked it up and opened it---and there was a photo of Big Brother and me.
Yes, this was our album. Big Brother had made it to keep our memories.
As I flipped through the pages, there were many nostalgic photos pasted inside.
Pictures from when we went to the beach together, and when we went to the amusement park. There were even some from when we went to a festival as a family.
"Oh, Matsuda-kun and Motohama-kun. ...This is from when the four of us went to karaoke."
There were also many other photos capturing everyday life.
Every time I see these, I feel like Big Brother really cherishes me.
Then, my hand stopped on a certain page.
On that page was a photo of Big Brother and me with a fountain in the background. My expression looked somewhat shy...
Curious, I looked at the back of the photo.
The date it was taken was written on the back---.
"This... was about a week after I came to this world, wasn't it?"
Back then, I still couldn't call Issei 'Big Brother.' I was happy to have a family, but I was too embarrassed to call him that...
How did I eventually start calling him 'Big Brother,' I wonder?
---Three summers ago.
"Miu, shall we go to Tokyo today?"
Issei asked me that at breakfast.
After swallowing my bread, I asked him back.
"Tokyo?"
Um, let's see, it's the capital of Japan... right?
It had been a week since I came to this world. Issei and Dad and the others had taken me to various places to help me study this world.
It was nearby parks, schools, or shopping streets. Common sights that were near our home and familiar to Issei and the others.
Still, everything was new to me, and everything I saw was fresh.
...Though I still can't get used to automatic doors that open by themselves. Or rather, they're kind of scary.
Issei nodded.
"Yes, Tokyo. We've pretty much covered the local area, right? So, I thought, how about trying to go to a bigger city?"
"Sounds good to me. I was wondering if it was good to keep going to the same places. It wouldn't be bad to go on a long trip for once."
Dad followed up.
However, Mom placed a hand on her cheek, looking uneasy.
"But isn't it a little too soon? She's not even used to this town yet..."
"If we go to a big city, this town won't seem like much. Besides, with Issei, we can rest assured. Even if she gets lost, Issei will know where she is, right?"
"Well, yeah. I'm always tracking Miu's ki, so even if Miu gets lost, I can find her."
Issei smiled and patted my head.
This feeling of being patted on the head... it's a little embarrassing, but also somehow comforting. How to put it... it makes me feel safe...
Sirius, the Devil King---my real father---only patted my head occasionally, but it feels similar to that sense of security.
...But I still can't call him that, can I...? Even though I really want to... it's just too embarrassing to say... And there's also the anxiety that if I suddenly call him that, he might think it's strange...
Issei continued talking.
"So, Mom. I'll protect Miu properly, it'll be fine. As a big brother, I have to protect my little sister."
"Hehe, ever since Miu-chan became part of the family, Issei seems to have grown so much. No, I suppose it's only natural since he grew three years in another world?"
"Hmm... maybe? So, Miu, what do you think? Don't you want to go to a big city in Japan?"
When Issei asked me that, I tilted my head and thought about it.
Tokyo... If even Kuoh Town felt amazing, then Tokyo must be even more incredible, right?
I'm a little anxious, but he's suggesting it for me, so...
It'll be alright if Issei is with me... probably.
"I'll go. Please take care of me, Issei."
"Alright!"
That day, in the afternoon.
After about an hour's train ride from the nearest station.
What Issei brought me to was---
"How about this! This is Akihabara!"
Issei said joyfully, spreading his arms wide.
I was overwhelmed by the sight before my eyes.
Buildings I'd never seen! Shops I'd never seen! Various things mixed together, forming one town! This was Tokyo, Japan's big city!
"Wow..."
"Oh, were you overwhelmed by the sheer scale of it?"
Issei asked with a grin.
I could only nod honestly.
Because it really was amazing.
"Not just the town, but there are so many people too... It's like a different world."
"No, this really is a different world."
Issei lightly retorted my muttered words, but I barely heard him.
Such a place exists in this world... As a devil princess, I didn't have many opportunities to go out to town, but I doubt there's any town as lively as this in all of Asto-Areade.
"There are also tons of manga here that you'd like, Miu? Look, see that signboard with the anime drawing? That shop is a pretty big bookstore. They have lots of manga too."
"Really!?"
Manga... I borrowed some that Issei had, also to help me study this world's language, but they're so interesting.
Thanks to them, I think I've learned quite a bit of Japanese.
"Alright, then, shall we just go into a random shop? Feel free to pick whatever you like, Miu? Dad and Mom also gave me a lot of allowance, saying it's for Miu! Or rather, please show some affection to your son too! No allowance for me!? I feel like there's a difference in treatment between son and daughter!?"
Issei yelled alone at the sky.
Ahahaha... How to put it, Issei is a lively person, isn't he? Well, I've come to understand that much in the past week.
Then, Issei took my hand.
"Let's go, Miu. Since we came all this way. Studying this world is good, but let's have some fun too."
"Ah... u-um!"
My face felt hot somehow...
"Whew, we walked a lot."
A plaza on the outskirts of town. Issei and I were sitting on a bench there.
At Issei's feet was a large paper bag.
Feeling apologetic, I bowed my head.
"Um... I'm sorry. You bought me so much..."
We had explored the town for about three hours since arriving in Akihabara... During that time, Issei bought me clothes, manga, and other things I was interested in, and the number of paper bags had become incredible.
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