Eyes with a brave sparkle, much like Erina's bright red pupils. However, the figure before me emitted a slightly different aura than the one I knew. He had grown taller and broader, looking more mature, as if a young man from his student days had become a dignified adult. The brave and confident look in his eyes was no longer from the naive confidence of his younger days. Instead, it conveyed fatigue and a sense of weight from his sense of duty, honor, and the pressures of real life.
Elbert Robias.
That was the name of the protagonist when I chose the male gender in the game I played. And now, the man with that name stood before me as the brother of the protagonist when the female gender was selected. Simply put, within my sight, two protagonists coexisted under the same sky. The appearance of the male protagonist added another layer of complexity to my journey. His presence stirred a whirlwind of thoughts in my mind. I had always believed Erina was the sole protagonist and had supported her, but now with another protagonist appearing, I was unsure of my next move. His presence left me feeling even more wary.
"Is there an adventurer named Erina here? I've heard she's active in this guild."
In the midst of my frantic thoughts, a voice, both respectful and weighty, echoed. All the adventurers in the guild hall fell silent. The sudden quietude made me feel an inexplicable sense of danger. Instinctively, I felt that revealing Erina to him now would be a mistake.
"Ugh... Brother... bringing all these soldiers and creating such a tense atmosphere, I almost didn't want to show myself."
However, without any sense of caution, Erina sighed deeply and revealed herself. Contrary to the heavy atmosphere emanating from Elbert, Erina stood up, seeming like a mature younger sibling dealing with an uncontrollable elder brother.
"Erina?!"
Upon seeing his sister, the other protagonist, her brother, widened his eyes. Erina looked slightly taken aback by his unexpected reaction, but...
"Wow! It's been a while, little sis! This might be our first meeting since you left home, right?"
He then greeted Erina with a lively tone and a bright smile that could tire someone else out.
"You look so serious; I thought something was wrong..."
She slumped her shoulders and made a weary face.
"In a way, you're right. You've turned our family upside down for your personal freedom, despite the head of the family's words."
His words sounded serious, but his casual tone made it feel like a joke.
"I wanted the life of an adventurer... To prove it, I've grown from the weak girl who only talked big to a full-fledged adventurer."
She pleaded desperately, but her brother wore a reluctant smile, as if he couldn't offer her any solutions.
"But I have to follow our father's orders to bring you back. You know how it is. Going against the head of the family's wishes can lead to all sorts of trouble."
He seemed to be trying to negotiate from a position of compromise rather than persuasion.
"If you talk to our parents, there might be a possibility. I'll be on your side."
Upon hearing Elbert's words, she scrunched up her face in displeasure, but soon let out a deep sigh filled with many worries and reluctantly nodded.
"Okay... I'll go with you, but on one condition."
Hearing her words, Elbert tilted his head and said, "A condition?", to which she pointed straight at me.
"This man here, Harold Wicker, he's my fellow adventurer. I want him to be invited to our residence too."
Elbert's gaze turned to me, and after a brief observation, he shouted to Erina with a hearty laugh.
"Is he your boyfriend?! If so, he's more than welcome!"
To his confident question, Erina responded with a self-assured smile. "Is he not a boyfriend but a groom-to-be?"
At this, he laughed even louder, nodding in satisfaction.
"Why did you introduce me that way, Miss Erina?"
No... Elbert was looking at me with a notably increased fondness.
"Hahaha! So, you're Harold, right? How about coming to our family home? Our family is quite kind to guests regardless of their status."
For a moment, Elbert's demeanor reminded me of the cheerful, naive, and overly positive male protagonist I knew from before. The essence of him seemed unchanged, reverting to the familiar persona, which brought me some relief.
"Is that okay, Harold?"
After already deciding, she grabbed my hand and looked at me with a serious face.
Honestly, my response was predetermined. With Erina's awakened abilities, she could likely overcome the challenges set by the family in the game's storyline, but...
"I can't do it without you..."
"Okay, if that's what you want."
She smiled happily, holding my hand tightly.
"Great, now that we've decided, let's head to the Robias family mansion."
Elbert gestured for us to follow and exited the building. There was something that had been bothering me since earlier. Elbert seemed too excited. Until Erina introduced me, he had continued with his indifferent demeanor. But after the introduction, he started to show excessive emotions as if a long-desired wish had been granted.
Elbert, the male protagonist from the game, made me wonder why he had such a reaction, and an inexplicable sense of unease began to creep in.
"Here we are! Welcome to our family home!"
As the carriage stopped, Elbert, like a musical host, greeted us with high energy and a dignified bow.
I was dying of curiosity, wondering what had made him so excited.
"It's good that our brother and Harold get along well."
From the long conversations we had, the only emotions I could sense from Elbert were regret and sympathy. After Erina's introduction, he resembled the confident and overly positive Elbert I knew from the game. Despite his mature appearance and laughter revealing fatigue, the essence remained unchanged. It felt like watching a pure child, always smiling with many dreams, grow into a weary working adult burdened by reality.
With this realization, mixed feelings surfaced, leading to a bitter smile.
And I learned more about Elbert.
I was curious about the life he had lived, and for a long time, I peppered him with questions. Despite being another protagonist in the game, I wanted to know about his journey and if he could influence mine. In conclusion... I probably shouldn't worry too much about him. He was essentially just a character with the name and appearance of the male protagonist. The details of his life were that he had talent with a sword since childhood, trained as a knight, worked in a knight's brigade, and finally secured a prestigious position guarding the throne.
Although the appearance of another protagonist was initially startling, for now, I felt there was no need to be overly cautious. While the future was uncertain, it seemed right to focus on Erina, with the main story revolving around her.
"How is it, Harold? What do you think of our mansion?"
Leaning back leisurely, Erina tilted her head towards me, waiting for my response, to which I gave a slight smile. While I've seen this place in the game, experiencing it firsthand is entirely different from just looking. As much as I've seen it in the game, being here in person gives it a fresh feeling. Trying to walk around this vast area did make me feel a bit fatigued.
"It would be really bothersome to take a walk in such a vast place."
I jokingly replied, chuckling, trying my best to ease the tension. Erina seemed a bit on edge right now. Understandably, she wasn't in the best mood, given that she's currently in a place where her family strongly opposes her wishes. Still, she tried to control her demeanor, thinking I might worry about her.
As we approached the main gate, waiting servants moved with grace, lining up to open the gate for us.
"Phew, it's better inside. With the weather getting hotter these days, it's tough to keep wearing these cumbersome and flashy armors."
Upon entering the mansion, Elbert wiped the sweat from his forehead and made that half-complaint. I could sympathize. Even in my ordinary leather clothes, I felt the heat. If one was continuously wearing knight armor, which represents the knight brigade, I would find it tough too. Especially when the tightly designed armor doesn't allow for much ventilation and considering one might be running around under the scorching sun...
"Ugh...”
Just thinking about it made me feel like I might get a heat stroke. Entering inside, the unexpectedly cool sensation was pleasant. I wasn't sure how the cooling system worked in this world... Maybe they used magic to cool the interiors?
As I was about to follow Elbert, a voice filled with displeasure came from atop the stairs.
"It's been a while, daughter. You've dressed quite shabbily."
Looking up, a woman in a red dress was staring down with sharp eyes.
"Mother..."
Erina responded, her voice tinged with resentment, and the atmosphere instantly grew tense. A silent stare-down ensued between the two, with the woman Erina called "mother" breaking the silence first.
"After leaving home to wield a sword that doesn't suit you at all, you return even more impolite. Do you think you can get married like this?"
While her mother openly showed her disdain, Erina confidently stood her ground.
"I wish to continue my adventure with these wonderful companions."
Her statement momentarily made me wary of a possible altercation, but the tension was soon redirected to me as the matriarch suddenly asked,
"How do you regard Erina?"
Usually, one would start with introductions, but Erina's mother abruptly posed this question. What do I feel for Erina...
Before I could gather my thoughts and answer, she interjected,
"Never mind, I think I can guess without hearing it."
Her words felt a bit offensive, but she quickly added,
"If I upset you, I apologize. It's just a sensitive time for me. As a guest and close friend of Erina's, I should treat you with respect."
With a snap of her fingers, butlers and maids who had appeared from somewhere separated Elbert, Erina, and me.
"Would it be alright if we, mother and daughter, have a moment to talk?"
Since the owner of the place has made her wishes clear, there wasn't much I could do. The initial impression of the matriarch wasn't great, but from what I remembered, there might be reasons for her behavior. I didn't know the exact reason, but she must have had her own circumstances...
So, for now, it seemed best to go along with her request.
"I have nothing to discuss with mother."
However, Erina had other ideas and strongly resisted, but... "How dare you defy my wishes?"
Erina's expression tightened as if a painful memory from the past pierced her, but she soon lost her will to resist, as if by magic, and hung her head.
"Ah."
She let out a short moan and began to ascend the stairs. As a foreigner, there was nothing I could do at the moment.
"How about you come out for a moment, Harold? I'd like to have a private conversation with you."
And with that, the opportunity to intervene was gone.
Elbert seemed to be trying to persuade me to agree with the matriarch's opinion. I hesitated for a moment and then said,
"Alright, let's do it..."
In the end, Erina followed her mother and disappeared at the end of the hallway leading from the stairs. I was led by Elbert in the opposite direction.
Will everything be okay?
I hoped that the next time I saw Erina, she would wear a bright smile.
Following Elbert, we arrived at a vast garden. Strangely, Elbert's expression was not as bright as before, and the garden seemed to be designed like an arena.
"Elbert, why have you brought me here?"
I cautiously asked about his intentions, but he silently continued with whatever he was planning.
Swiftly,
he rummaged through a box with such seriousness that I couldn't help but be swept up in the mood. My forced smile disappeared.
Suddenly,
he pulled something out of the storage box and threw it at me...
The object flew perfectly and landed in front of me. The item that Elbert threw was...
"Take up that sword."
A seemingly ordinary real sword.
"What... Why?"
I was baffled by this sudden turn of events.
Elbert had not appeared in the actual game, so I was certain that this event also did not exist.
"Let's have a match."
Holding a sword himself, all the playful air about him vanished, and he took a combat stance.
I had no idea why this was happening all of a sudden.
Feeling an intense aura emanating from him, my defensive instincts kicked in, and I gripped the sword.
"Elbert... Why are you doing this so suddenly?"
I cautiously asked, but he only replied with silence.
Soon, he announced in a calm voice,
"This is a test, to judge whether you are worthy of being with Erina."
Elbert's blade, as he lunged at me, quickly narrowed into my field of vision.
"Fight with all your might."
Despite having a superior sense of speed, his blade approached too fast for me to react.