Rudeus Greyrat
Turning six didn't change my life much. I spend my mornings practicing magic. In the afternoons, if I have any free time, I do chores in the fields and train under the tree on the hill.
As for Daiki?
Well, he does the exact opposite. He trains with the sword alongside Paul in the morning and practices magic in the afternoon. He claims it's "not his style," so he does it less often than I do. Sometimes I wish I had his drive to wield a blade, but I could never get the hang of what he calls "Mana Reinforcement," so I just gave up. Luckily, Paul never saw an issue with that and focused all his efforts on my big brother.
Because of this, I've recently had to test different ways to support my movements with magic during combat. I've been trying things like blasting wind to boost my speed, generating a shockwave to change direction mid-air, or creating a swamp beneath an enemy's feet to immobilize them.
Some might think I'm just messing around with cheap tricks and ignoring pure fundamentals, but I don't see it that way.
In fighting games, there are two main ways to get strong.
You either find a way to win using a low-tier character, or you grind until you eliminate your base weaknesses.
I'm focused on the first option. Hypothetically, my goal is to beat Paul one day, though I know Daiki will beat me to it.
Paul is strong. He has a long way to go as a father, but as a swordsman, he is first-class. Daiki is following the traditional path. It's the second option: honest, grueling physical training until he eventually surpasses him.
And he will. I'm sure of it.
I am six. In ten years, I'll be sixteen, and Paul will be thirty-five. By then, Daiki will likely have already overtaken him. My brother has the kind of cold, calculated determination that guarantees results.
I, on the other hand, plan to win differently. If I can combine magic and tactics to defeat Paul in real combat, even without pure swordsmanship, that would be a victory in its own right.
With that in mind, I'm training under the tree again today.
....
Daiki Greyrat
I was heading inside when my father decided to get serious. Eager to force some improvement out of me, he lunged with his wooden sword.
I blocked one of his strikes and launched a counter that grazed his hair, close enough to whistle past his ear.
"Whoa, son. Not bad."
"It's not fluid enough. I need to be faster, stronger..."
"Hush now and get inside. Your mother will be furious if she sees I'm still working you to the bone." He turned away. "Oh, and eat something, please."
I sighed and went inside without further complaint, dragging my feet as I analyzed Mana Reinforcement.
I understood it better now, but I kept mentally dividing the process:
Step 1: Execute technique.
Step 2: Channel mana.
Step 3: Impact.
It should all be one seamless motion.
"I need to work on the reinforcement..."
"Yeah, but..." Paul lowered his voice. "Just don't let your mother find out, okay?"
"Paul!" A shout came from behind him. "What are you doing, darling?"
Paul threw both hands up in surrender.
"We're eating, that's all!"
"Uh-huh. You'd better be."
Then she looked at me.
"Son, why don't you go join your brother and his friend?"
"Alright, Mom..."
Paul muttered, "When will he realize it's a girl? I almost want to scream it at him."
"Our son is so dense. Now, who does that remind me of...?"
"Hey, I'm not that dense!"
I couldn't help it; I laughed a little, and they both looked at me.
"Son." Zenith walked over and dried my face with a towel. "Hands up!"
"But, Mom..."
"No 'buts', do it. That's an order."
Unable to refuse, I lifted my arms, and she wiped my underarms.
"What's wrong? Are you embarrassed to have your mother take care of you?" I could swear Paul was laughing, choking on his drink in the background.
She pulled me into a hug against her chest.
"Actually, it feels nice."
"Kyaah! I love you, my sweet boy!"
...
Eventually, I decided to head to the tree.
They were sitting right there.
"Daiki-niisan." Sylph saw me first, greeting me with a smile that lit up her face.
Those red eyes, so similar to mine, shone with genuine happiness.
"Sylph. Rudeus." I nodded to them.
"Finished training with Father already?" Rudeus asked.
"For today. He said I pushed myself too hard and sent me to rest."
"That sounds exactly like you." Rudeus smiled. "Want to join us? I was teaching Sylph about combined magic."
"Sure." I sat in the shade of the tree. "Carry on. I'll just watch."
But Sylph scooted closer, sitting next to me.
"Brother Daiki, do you know combined magic too?"
"The basics. Though I'm not as good as Rudeus when it comes to magical theory."
"But you're good with the sword." Sylph touched the practice blade at my belt. "Would you teach me someday?"
"You want to learn the sword?"
"Yes. Rudeus teaches me magic. You could teach me the sword. That way I'd be like... like you two. Both things."
I glanced at Rudeus, who smiled his approval.
"If you want to learn, I can teach you the basics," I said finally. "But the sword takes discipline. Daily practice. It's not like magic where you see quick results."
"I don't care! I want to learn from you."
A warm feeling stirred in my chest.
"Okay. We'll start with the basic stance tomorrow."
Sylph practically glowed.
"So I'll be her magic teacher, and you'll be her sword master. Like good big brothers."
"Exactly. We complement each other well."
"Daiki-niisan," Sylph looked at me curiously. "Is it true you can split rocks with your sword?"
"Accurate. It's called 'Mana Reinforcement.' You use internal mana to enhance the physical capabilities of both yourself and the object you're holding."
"That's incredible!" Sylph grabbed my hand. "Will you teach me that too?"
"Eventually. First, you must master the fundamentals."
"Yes!"
We spent the afternoon like that.
Rudeus teaching magic theory.
Me occasionally adding a practical perspective from a combat standpoint.
Sylph soaking it all up like a sponge.
It was... nice.
Having siblings. Teaching. Sharing knowledge.
In my previous life, I never had this.
...
Rudeus Greyrat
Forget those bullies; Sylph was my priority now. I gave him magic training disguised as games. If he learned magic, he could defend himself.
At first, Sylph would get winded after using a basic spell five or six times. But over the last year, his total mana capacity had increased quite a bit. Now he could practice magic for half a day straight without issue.
"Total mana capacity is fixed."
That common wisdom didn't seem very reliable to me.
I was living proof that mana could be increased with consistent practice.
Although my brother didn't increase his mana quantity, it seems his growth was directed toward his internal mana usage, though I'm not entirely sure on the mechanics.
Technique-wise, however, Sylph was still lacking.
Specifically, he was bad at fire magic.
Sylph handled wind and water beautifully, but he couldn't get good results with fire.
"Sylph, are you afraid of fire?"
He shook his head but showed me his palm. There was an ugly burn scar. He told me that when he was about three, during a moment of parental carelessness, he had grabbed a red-hot iron rod from the fireplace.
"But I'm not scared anymore."
Even so, he was surely reacting with instinctive fear.
That was when Daiki spoke up.
"You know, I used to think like you, but then I realized that traumatic experiences affect magical affinity."
Always the show-off, big brother.
"Subconscious fear creates mental resistance. That resistance makes it difficult to channel mana toward that specific element."
"Do you have an elemental weakness too, Daiki?" Sylph asked suddenly.
Daiki paused.
He was quiet for so long that I thought he wouldn't answer.
"Fire. In the beginning... Yes."
Sylph and I looked at him in surprise.
"But I overcame it," he continued, conjuring a small flame in his palm. "By understanding that fire holds no malice. It is just energy. The problem wasn't the fire. It was the user."
"How did you overcome it?"
"It simply... happened. Now, what's important is this: you can do the same. The fire that burned you had no intention of hurting you. You were just too young to understand the danger."
Sylph looked at his hand, processing the words.
"Daiki is right," I added. "Besides, you don't need to master all the elements. Specializing in wind and water is perfectly valid."
"But I want to do it." Sylph clenched his fist. "I want to be strong like you guys. You can both use all elements."
Daiki and I exchanged glances.
"Then we will practice together," said Daiki. "I will help you overcome the fear of fire. Rudeus will teach you the theory. Between the three of us, we'll get there."
Sylph smiled with determination.
"Yes!"
Several days passed. I dedicated myself to teaching him magic with the same passion Roxy had shown me. As for Daiki, he hadn't taught much swordplay yet. He insisted Sylph first strengthen his body and learn to find that internal energy to empower his attacks.
Sylph practiced without complaint. Maybe because he was the one who asked. With my wand (Roxy's gift) and the magic book (brought from home), he practiced with a serious expression, reciting incantations.
It was a beautiful sight. Even I, being a man, could admit that. With that green hair shining in the sun, those focused red eyes, that determination in every movement...
I'm sure he'll be very popular in the future.
"Hey, Rudy, how do you read this?"
While my mind wandered, Sylph held up the book and looked at me with pleading, upturned eyes. That look was dangerous. It made me want to hug him and protect him from the world.
"That's read as 'Nadare'. It means 'Avalanche'."
"What is that?"
"It's when a massive amount of snow piles up on a mountain and collapses under its own weight. Like when snow slides off a roof in winter, but on a huge scale."
"Ah... That's incredible! Have you ever seen one?"
"An avalanche? Of course... well, no, actually."
Teaching Sylph to read the grimoire also served as a literacy lesson.
Between us, Sylph was getting a pretty complete education.
"I did it!"
Sylph shouted with joy.
He had successfully executed the intermediate water spell, Ice Pillar.
"You've improved a lot," I said, genuinely proud.
Daiki, who had been practicing sword forms nearby, stopped and walked over.
"Impressive, Sylph. Your control is much better."
Sylph practically beamed at the praise.
"Yes! But, Rudy, the spell you used isn't in this book, is it?"
Sylph tilted his head, intrigued.
"Huh?"
When he said "the one you used," I realized he meant the hot water. I opened the book and pointed to two entries.
"Here. Waterfall and Heat Hand."
"...?"
"Used at the same time."
"...Huh??..."
He tilted his head again, even more confused.
"How do you recite them both at once?"
Oops.
I got carried away by my own logic.
"It's combined magic," Daiki explained, bailing me out. "You use one spell, then another. Or you cast one voicelessly and add the second. They aren't exactly simultaneous."
"Exactly," I nodded, grateful. "You have to cast Waterfall without the chant, then heat it with Heat Hand. Though you can just conjure one. You could fill a bucket with water and heat it after."
I demonstrated, casting both silently and simultaneously. Sylph watched with wide eyes.
"Teach me that."
"That?"
"The thing where you don't say it out loud."
It seemed Sylph wouldn't settle for alternatives.
"Hmm... Let's see... Recall that feeling when you recite, that sensation of mana gathering from your body to your fingertips. Try to do that, but without speaking. When the mana gathers, picture the spell and release it. Start simple, like Water Ball."
Sylph closed his eyes, concentrating hard.
And then...
"I did it! I did it, Rudy!"
Sylph shouted, firing off volleys of Water Ball without chanting.
"Impressive." Daiki nodded.
"It's because Rudy and Brother Daiki are good teachers!"
We both smiled.
"Alright. Now try using every spell you know without chanting."
"Yes!"
If he could do silent casting, teaching became easier. I just had to explain what I did naturally.
"Huh?"
Just then, a drizzle started. I looked up; at some point, black clouds had completely blanketed the sky.
Moments later, the rain began to hammer down.
"Dammit," I muttered. "I got too distracted."
Normally I managed the weather so it wouldn't rain until we were done, but I'd been careless.
"Wow, this is heavy," Sylph said, shielding his head.
"Rudy, if you can make it rain, can't you stop it?"
"I can, but we're already soaked, and crops need rain. Unless someone complains, I prefer not to interfere."
Daiki stood up.
"Sylph's house is too far. Ours is closer. We should head there."
"Right." I looked at Sylph. "Is that okay? We'll tell your father later."
"Yes! Let's go."
We took off running toward the Greyrat estate.
...
Inside, Lilia was waiting with large towels, as if she'd expected us.
"Welcome back, young masters... and your friend." Her gaze lingered on Sylph with an expression I couldn't quite read. "The bath is ready. Please go upstairs and wash up before you catch a cold. The Master and Mistress will return soon, so I must attend to preparations. Can you boys handle it?"
"Yes, no problem," I replied, grabbing a towel.
Lilia must have seen the storm and anticipated our state. She's a woman of few words, but a highly competent maid. Seeing Sylph, she simply fetched another towel without asking questions.
We kicked off our shoes and dried our hair and feet. Water dripped from our clothes, pooling on the wood.
"Be careful upstairs. The floor is slippery," Lilia warned before vanishing into the kitchen.
We went up to the room I share with Daiki. A large tub of hot water sat steaming in the center. There are no showers here, nor full baths really, so this is how we wash. Roxy mentioned hot springs exist elsewhere, but for a guy who never loved long baths, this was fine.
"Well, let's get cleaned up," I said, peeling off my wet shirt.
That's when I noticed.
Sylph stood frozen by the door. Not moving. Barely breathing. He stared at the water with a look that reminded me of...
"Sylph? What's wrong?"
"Rudy, before you invite her in... given the circumstances, and since she doesn't know what's happening, I have to tell you something."
"Brother?" I looked at Daiki, confused. "What...?"
Did he just say "she"?
He didn't answer me. Instead, he turned to Sylph.
"Why didn't you tell him when it mattered, Sylph?"
"I... I was nervous. It all happened so fast... Wait, why are you saying that?"
My brother leaned in and whispered something in her ear.
"Oh..."
"Can you two tell me what is going on?"
They looked directly at me.
My heart raced.
A secret? What kind of secret required this gravity?
"Rudy, if I tell you, will we still be friends?"
"Of course. Nothing can change that. Absolutely nothing."
"It's just... I'm a girl, Rudy. I thought you knew, that it was just a nickname..."
"WHAAAAT?!" I whipped my head toward my brother. "And you didn't say a word while I confidently treated her like a guy?"
"I thought you'd figure it out. But I decided to use it to your advantage."
"My advantage?"
"Yes. Tell me, if you had known she was a girl from the start, would you have treated her the same way?"
I opened my mouth.
Of course I would have...
The words died in my throat.
I couldn't say anything.
Because, to be honest... I couldn't say for sure.
"Exactly. You needed this."
He was right.
Of course he was right.
My older brother, who struggled with emotional connection, had understood something about human relationships that I, with all my experience as a hikikomori in my past life, had completely missed.
"But, Sylph, I..."
"Sylphiette. That is my name."
"Sylphiette." I used her full name for the first time. It felt more... real.
"What were you going to say, Rudy?"
"You are very beautiful."
Damn it, it slipped out... Oh well.
She blushed and turned to the door.
Then she spun back, smiling.
She threw herself at me.
"Thank you! Thank you, Rudy! Thank you!"
I hugged her back, feeling her small shoulders tremble.
Over her head, I looked at Daiki.
My brother watched with an unreadable expression.
But there was something in his eyes. Warmth. Satisfaction, perhaps. Relief.
"Thank you," I mouthed.
...
That night, after dinner.
Zenith walked Sylph home to explain everything to her parents.
Lying in bed, staring at the wooden ceiling, I spoke to Daiki in Japanese.
"Brother. You awake?"
"Yes."
"I have a friend. For the first time in two lives, a real friend."
"Yes."
"One who trusted me."
He nodded.
"And you..." I turned to his bed. "You made sure that friendship grew naturally. Without prejudice. Without the insecurities I would have brought from my past life."
"I only did what was right."
"No." I shook my head. "You did something incredible. You understood human connection in a way I didn't. You protected Sylphiette from my own emotional density."
I heard Daiki let out a soft laugh.
"Your density is legendary, little brother."
"Thanks for the compliment."
"You're welcome."
I smiled in the dark.
"I really have the best big brother in the world."
Silence hung for a moment.
"And I have the best little brother," Daiki replied finally. "And now... the best little sister, too."
"Family," I said.
A warm silence settled over us.
"Daiki..."
"Yes, Rudy?"
"I noticed Sylphy calls me Rudy, but she calls you Daiki-niisan. What do you think that means?"
"I couldn't say... Go to sleep, okay?"
And with that warm thought, I let sleep take me.