[V5C3] Commonality: Sisters are Strong

At the mansion of Marquis Highown, Cyril was summarizing the results of the collaborative research with the Thorn Witch, Raul Roseberg. Once their work reached a good breaking point, Cyril, while sipping tea, broached a serious topic with a slightly furrowed brow.

“…I might be disliked.”

After stuffing a whole cookie into his mouth, Raul asked, “By whom?”

“…By Monica…”

“Monica…?”

“…Monica’s cat.”

After crudely licking the cookie crumbs off his fingers, Raul tilted his head.

“Huh? Monica has a cat?”

“Yeah, a black cat. I’ve seen it occasionally.”

When Cyril visited Monica’s house in Sazandol, he had spotted that cat several times. The black cat seemed to have a special fondness for Isaac, often playing around his feet when he prepared meals.

Cyril secretly hoped the cat would come over and perhaps allow him to pet it… However, whenever Cyril approached, the black cat would immediately jump onto a cupboard or flee upstairs.

The reason was clear. Back when Cyril didn’t know Monica’s true identity, he engaged in a battle with her. His mana had gone out of control due to his condition of mana hyperabsorption. At that time, the black cat had taken Cyril’s magical brooch, provoking him into attacking it.

He couldn’t make any excuses about his actions, as the cat wouldn’t understand a word he said. Surely, it was afraid of him.

“…Last time, I tried luring it with the dried fish I secretly stashed in my pocket, but the cat still refused to come close.”

“Seriously, Cyril? You tell me off for putting vegetables in my pockets, and here you are with fish in yours.”

Cyril scowled at Raul’s criticism. Cyril only brought dried fish when he visited Monica’s house. He was nothing like the man who carried vegetables into the castle or formal parties.

In sync with Cyril’s irritation, a slight chill mixed with mana leaked out.

Staring at Cyril’s brooch at his collar, Raul muttered softly.

“Could it be that animals don’t like you because of the mana you emit? Animals are surprisingly sensitive to magic, you know.”

“Tch, you might be right…”

Cyril clenched the brooch and hung his head.

As someone with mana hyperabsorption, Cyril required the brooch-shaped magical tool to periodically release the accumulated mana from his body. This resulted in the area around Cyril having a slightly higher mana concentration. Also, the expelled mana was converted into his specialty, ice magic, making it a bit cooler.

After considering the possibility, Cyril realized he was quite well-liked by animals during his childhood. The change only came once he started learning magic.

“Should I use magic beforehand to reduce the mana in my body before approaching? …Or maybe it’ll come closer seeking coolness in summer… Also, I could try subtly asking Monica about the cat’s favorite food.”

Cyril began mumbling to himself with a stern face, contemplating possible ways to befriend the cat.

Unfortunately for Cyril, the Black Dragon of Worgan preferred meat over fish, and heat over cold.

As Cyril began seriously pondering the subject, Raul finished his tea and muttered something under his breath.

“You know, there’s something that’s been bothering me a bit about Monica.”

The always cheerful Raul had an unusually serious expression.

However, Raul Roseberg was known for making absurd suggestions with a straight face. Surely, whatever bothered him wasn’t anything significant.

Cyril didn’t think much of it, until Raul continued in a low voice.

“Monica… She was crying at the party the other day.”

Cyril involuntarily turned serious.

“…Because you forced her into the villainess role.”

“No, I mean before that! I saw her crying alone in the hallway.”

“What?”

Monica was a timid girl who cried surprisingly often, so her crying wasn’t particularly unusual. However, the fact that she was crying alone bothered Cyril.

“After the commotion with Ray settled down, I tried to approach her and ask her what happened, but Monica went home right away. I never got the chance to talk to her,” Raul explained.

Cyril had an idea about why Monica returned home so quickly.

Recalling the incident with Monica’s dress, Cyril felt his cheeks getting red. Her dress had nearly fallen off, so Monica likely left early because of that.

(Back then, Monica seemed like she was about to say something to me… Could it be that she had something to consult with me about?)

After the incident, Cyril had sent a maid to deliver Monica’s dress. That maid also reported that Monica left the party immediately after changing.

Since then, he never had any chance to speak to Monica.

(That shouldn’t have anything to do with Monica crying but… when someone is troubled and such incidents pile up, it can make things worse…)

While the incident with Monica’s dress was entirely accidental, Cyril couldn’t help but feel partly responsible. If he had stopped the foolish villainess plan, Monica wouldn’t have needed to wear such a flashy and oversized dress.

Thinking about it that way, Cyril couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt.

Of course, the gentlemanly Cyril had averted his gaze almost immediately, having seen only a little bit of skin. However, he couldn’t help but feel bad at how upset Monica must be after revealing herself in front of a man like that.

As Cyril was tormented by the memories of that day, Raul put on an unusually serious expression.

“Hey Cyril… Do you have any idea why Monica was crying that day?”

“No! I absolutely didn’t see anything!!”

“…Didn’t see what?”

Ignoring Raul’s question, Cyril cleared his throat.

“Ahem, you’re certain that Monica was crying in the middle of the party, right?”

“Yeah. Oh right. If a friend is feeling down, shouldn’t we go cheer them up? Do you have any good ideas?”

“You expect that kind of idea from me…?”

Cyril made a bitter face, and Raul continued unabated.

“Well, Cyril, you have a sister, right? What would you do to make your sister happy if she feels down?”

“…”

Cyril’s non-biological sister, Claudia, could not be described as a cheerful noble lady. She was always emitting a gloomy aura, despite her beauty.

If Claudia were sighing with melancholy, what could Cyril do to make her happy?

If he were to ask Claudia what she wanted, she would probably say:

“…I’m very glad to have such a kind brother… Please, from the bottom of my heart, I implore you to do absolutely nothing.”

Cyril crossed his arms and looked at Raul with a furrowed brow.

“Claudia and Monica have completely different personalities. What about you? Don’t you have a sister? What would you do if your sister was feeling down?”

“Huh? If my sister was feeling down… Uh, I’d probably run away since she’d definitely take it out on me!”

“What? That’s not helpful at all.”

“My sister is also totally different from Monica. She cheers up just fine by drinking some booze and going to sleep.”

This discussion wasn’t going anywhere. They decided to set aside their sisters for now and focus on Monica.

If Monica was crying, there must be something bothering her. In that case, wouldn’t it be reasonable to first lend a listening ear? Perhaps the problem wasn’t as significant as it sounded, so even Cyril could help her.

“How about going to Monica’s house on the next holiday and offering to listen to her troubles?”

“The next holiday… oh right, Ashelpikeh’s Festival!”


This festival was named after an ice spirit from an ancient Ridill legend.

Ashelpikeh loved creating beautiful ice sculptures, and became depressed when they melted away in spring.

Overwhelmed by grief, Ashelpikeh would cry, causing a snowstorm. This prevented the arrival of spring.

Ashelpikeh’s friend, a white dragon, decided to transform into a human and search for a present to make Ashelpikeh happy. What he found was a candy so beautiful that it resembled ice.

He offered the candy to his friend Ashelpikeh.

──”Pikeh, Pikeh, don’t cry. I’ll give you ice that won’t melt.”

Upon receiving the exquisite candy, Ashelpikeh rejoiced, and the snowstorm ceased immediately. Thus, that year’s spring arrived without further hindrance.


…In commemoration of this legend, people exchanged candies on the day of Ashelpikeh’s Festival.

“Yeah, that sounds perfect! Let’s bring Monica some beautiful candy!”

“Pikeh, Pikeh, don’t cry. I’ll give you ice that won’t melt, right?”

As Cyril recited the lines from the legend, Raul enthusiastically agreed.

“Maybe I’ll try making rose-shaped candies… By the way, in the legend, the candy is called ‘Unmelting Ice,’ but those candies do melt when you put them in your mouth.”

“Ashelpikeh probably kept that candy as a decoration without eating it.”

“Wouldn’t the bugs get to it then…?”

“Don’t ruin the mood.”

While responding to Raul’s banter, Cyril secretly considered buying candy for Monica.

What kind of candy did Monica like, he wondered. Perhaps colorful and beautiful candies would be good.

——Thank you so much, Cyril-sama.

Cyril imagined Monica lowering her eyebrows in a shy expression of gratitude. A small, unconscious smile appeared on his mouth.

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