[V7C13] Half-Brother
Translated by Jodas 7: To the NorthRecently, the gazebo in the garden had become the site of Tia, Wren, and Sevil’s frequent strategy conferences.
Sevil almost always occupied the center seat on the bench. Sevil liked being in the middle.
“Sophie’s ‘Operation: Destined Encounter’ went off without a hitch.”
“Piyo!” “Ooh!” Tia and Wren voiced their excitement.
Sevil and Prince Axel would have an emotional reunion, then with the power of love they’d persuade the King of Darwock… That had been the outline of ‘Operation: Destined Encounter’ that Sophie had drawn up.
“Well, I did make some adjustments to the plan on my end.”
“Piyo? What did you change?”
Sevil nodded, then spoke with aplomb.
“Instead of persuading the King of Darwock, we’re going to kill or capture him instead!”
“That’s just a coup d’état! Why do you like coups so much?”
In response to Wren’s criticism, Sevil lightly shrugged her shoulders. “There’s nothing I can do about it,” She said.
“From the start, neither Prince Axel nor the Wedge Tower would be willing to leave the King of Darwock as he is.”
When it came down to it, Sevil’s intention was to use ‘Operation: Destined Encounter’ as a means to force herself into the plan of capturing the King of Darwock that Prince Axel and the Wedge Tower had already been considering.
By doing so, she could create a reason for her to go to Darwock.
“As such, my passage to Darwock has been secured. I have also already expressed my desire to have Tia, Wren, and Mr. Hütter come along with me.”
If she just planned to take Tia and Wren along with her, someone might suspect that something was up with these two.
Therefore, she wrapped Hütter in as well. That gave the impression that ‘Princess Adelheid wants to travel to Darwock with her whole class.’
In the unlikely event that someone were to ask for more details, then all she had to do was make use of the story that ‘Tia’s family lives up near Darwock.’
“If nothing occurs in the meantime, we depart in five days. Headmaster Möbius is scheduled to return later today, so the precise details won’t be hammered out until he gets back.”
Tia’s face tensed a bit at the name ‘Headmaster Möbius.’
He was the man who stole Tia’s wings. The man who wielded the Ancient Magical Artifact that could inflict unrecoverable wounds on Monsters, ‘Ignatius, the Severer.’
Sevil must have taken notice of that subtle change on her face. She pulled Tia closer and patted her on the shoulder.
“People are going to be quite busy over the next few nights. I think we should refrain from doing more investigation of the gardens for the time being.”
“Piroro… Okay.”
“Once the operation to take back Darwock commences, the Tower will be much more short-handed. We’ll have Julius take advantage of that opening for us.”
That girl — Fiene — might be living beneath the Wedge Tower.
The entrance to that underground area might be here in the garden.
Their investigation that night had to be cut short, but fortunately, they’d been able to bring Julius on as a collaborator.
In five days’ time, Tia and the others would leave for Darwock. While they were gone, Julius planned to investigate the Wedge Tower’s secrets.
Julius had come to the Wedge Tower in order to find the reason why his father was exiled. That meant he would prioritize digging into the Wedge Tower’s secrets over whatever was happening in Darwock.
(We have a lot to do…)
Leaning on Sevil, Tia thought through the things she needed to do.
First, as they prepared to leave for Darwock, she wanted to learn the basics of choral magic.
Then, she would go to Darwock and meet her sister. There, she would tell her that she was doing fine and to wait for her to make it back to Breakneck Gorge.
When they made it back from Darwock, she would have to investigate the relationship between that girl — Fiene — and Headmaster Möbius. Finally, with a hold on Headmaster Möbius’ weakness, she would learn how to fly.
(Once I learn how to fly, I’ll go back to Breakneck Gorge…)
That was the end point for her future. When that thought occurred to her, something in Tia’s chest got hazy.
Why? She should be happy once she could fly again and returned to Breakneck Gorge.
Singing and flying were all there was to Tia, the Harpy.
(Is it really okay to end things there?)
At the end of stories, humans liked to wrap things up with ‘And they lived happily ever after.’
—The Harpy Folulutia once again learned how to fly and was able to safely return home to Breakneck Gorge. There she lived happily ever after…
Tia wanted to know where the story went after there.
In the future after her ‘happily ever after,’ she wanted to laugh with Wren and Sevil.
(But, that’s not…)
“Pefuu…” Tia clenched her chest and let out a long sigh. Then, she picked up the sound of footsteps.
Tia lifted her slumped head up with force.
“Ah, Mr. Hütter’s footsteps!”
Wren and Sevil responded immediately. This would be the end of their secret strategy conference for now.
At that point, Hütter’s form emerged from the shadow of a tree.
During individual lesson hours, Hütter was usually busily running around doing research or making visits to the other Spires. So it was a little strange to see him in the garden.
“Hey, Wren!”
When he noticed them, Hütter raised his voice.
He must have been looking around for Wren for some reason.
Wren stood up from the bench and faced Hütter.
“What is it, Mr. Hütter? Do you have a job for a pretty boy?”
Hütter reacted to Wren’s casual remark with a strangely serious face. Tia likewise made a serious face in response.
Hütter probably came here to talk about something important.
“Someone calling themselves your brother came to visit.”
Wren’s eyes widened slightly.
If she remembered right, Wren was the son of a wealthy merchant’s mistress, and he had three older brothers.
She’d heard that his brothers, alongside their mother, constantly bullied Wren and his mother.
In a low, restrained voice, Wren asked Hütter:
“…What’s his name?”
“Kevin Bayer.”
Kevin Bayer was a plump young man, somewhere around the age of twenty. He had chestnut hair and light blue eyes, and anyone could tell at a glance that the clothes he wore were the highest quality.
Nevertheless, behind his imposing attire and stature, he gave off a weak-willed impression.
Kevin stood at the front gates of the Wedge Tower. When he told the gate guard that he wanted to meet with Wren Bayer, a man named Hütter came running and told Kevin to wait right where he was.
So, Kevin stood there, staring at the ground and nervously fidgeting with the buttons on his clothes.
‘Stop that shameful behavior right now! Hold your head up high, you’re a son of the Bayer family’ — His mother’s words echoed in his head.
Just as he recalled his mother’s scolding and hunched over his large body even more, he heard a familiar voice from the other side of the gate.
It was the voice of his half-brother, Wren.
With Tia and Sevil behind him, Wren ran.
The moment Hütter told Wren the name of which brother came to visit him, Wren took off running towards the main gate.
Running alongside Tia, Sevil whispered.
“I recall Wren saying he was on poor terms with his brothers.”
“Yeah. He said they bullied him.”
Sevil said nothing more. But Tia could tell that there was something she wanted to say. Tia felt the same way.
If that brother came to drag Wren back, or if he tried to say something mean… She would have to spread her wings and scare him off!
(But I don’t have wings now, so I’ll spread my arms!)
Funfun, funfunfun! As she huffed through her nose with determination, she caught sight of an unfamiliar human male by the main gate. He wore fancy clothes, but he was fat enough that his shirt looked like it was about to rip apart.
He looked nothing like Wren, but apparently this was Wren’s brother, Kevin Bayer.
In front of her, Wren began to run even faster, aiming straight for Kevin. ‘I see, he’s going for a ramming attack,’ Tia thought.
Wren opened his arms wide and grappled — no, clung to — Kevin’s plump body.
“Big bro!”
There was neither anger nor hatred in his voice.
His voice was filled with a mix of nostalgia, excitement, and a hint of embarrassment.
“Long time no see, eh, Kevin? Wait, have you gained weight since I left home? I bet you’ve been eating all those extra sweets you used to give me! Geez, you really are a lost cause!”
Tia and Sevil came to a halt and their eyes widened in shock.
The image of Wren clinging to Kevin and poking fun at his brother with a smile was what you’d expect to see from a younger brother who truly adores his older brother.
She heard that Wren didn’t get along with his older brothers, but apparently there was a brother he did like.
Wren was full of life in a way she hadn’t seen until now. In contrast, Kevin’s expression was much darker.
“Wren, please calm down and listen to me.”
Wren blinked and looked up at Kevin.
With his brows knitted in concern, he spoke in an anguished tone of voice.
“Katrina… Your mother… Has passed away.”