The next day.
I headed again to the library of Magic Department Building 7.
The dragon’s magic power enveloping the entire building made me feel as if I was wading out of a deep swamp with every step.
But that didn’t activate at all when I moved forward—only when I tried to step back did it press down on me strongly.
The illusion of a snake’s gaze fixed upon me, walking into the snake’s jaws.
When I returned inside the library, the blue woman was there.
“Little brother, you came?”
“Mm.”
“Hehe. What are you doing? Come, sit down. Big sis has so many things she wants to hear from you.”
“……Understood. Let’s talk.”
“Yeah. Yeah.”
Saying that, Phitia rose from her seat. When I tilted my head, she walked over to the opposite chair and sat down, and I was guided to the chair Phitia had been sitting in just moments ago.
When I sat down, it was warm from her body heat.
This kind of consideration is Phitia’s specialty.
Ah, this brings back memories of the game days.
“Oh my, why are you staring so intently at big sis’s face?”
“No. I just thought you were pretty.”
Ah.
I accidentally used my dedicated dialogue from the game days.
“……U-ugh. Th-that’s right? Hmph. Our little brother has an eye for people.”
As I’ve said before, Phitia is weak to ‘surprise attacks’ and ‘sustained offensives.’
But she’s incredibly sturdy against offensives she can prepare for—so when you suddenly attack like this, she gets terribly flustered.
Well, that was part of what made her a fun heroine.
I do feel a bit sorry that I unconsciously fell into the pattern play from my veteran days, though.
“A-hem. So, why did you come looking for big sis today?”
“Didn’t Phitia big… sis tell me to come find her yesterday?”
“…Ah. I did say that. Hehe. Then shall we talk?”
I nodded.
“First, is there anything you want to hear from me? I’ll answer your questions as sincerely as I can.”
“Oh my, what a good kid. Hmm. I see… Then, big sis’s most important question.”
“Mm.”
I have answers prepared for most questions.
Stories from outside Zefflin, stories about Hark von Lohengrin.
I’ve also prepared answers for questions like how much I know about Phitia.
“Little brother, do you have a girlfriend?”
“……”
【Imperial Bloodline activates!】
【Can only take actions befitting the bloodline.】
I nearly lost my composure with a single question.
Thank you, Imperial Bloodline. Truly… truly. I have no other words.
“Answer big sis’s question honestly.”
“Girlfriend… No.”
“I see!”
“I do have a fiancée.”
“………I see?”
What is it. Why did your words suddenly drag out.
And what’s with those eyes, why are you activating your dragon eyes.
“It’s only natural for an Imperial grandson.”
“…Ah, I suppose so. Preserving one’s race is an important duty.”
“Mm.”
When Phitia says that, my heart aches.
The dragons, with only ten remaining in this world, are inevitably destined for extinction.
And Phitia is the youngest of all dragons, has never set foot outside Zefflin, and has never met another dragon.
She merely stays here, guarding the eight gates.
“Do you have any other questions?”
“Huh? There are plenty. For example… where are your other siblings?”
“Other siblings, you say…”
“Yes! From Papa’s sons and daughters to all of them—tell big sis about everyone from the past three hundred years!”
“……”
Isn’t that too long?
C-could I just bring the family register?
“That would be too long. And Phitia.”
“Big sis. I’ll forgive the casual speech, but if you don’t call me big sis, I’ll have to punish you, alright?”
“…Big sis. First, shouldn’t we exclude those who have passed away?”
“They died? Why?”
“Lifespan. For humans, three hundred years is long.”
“…Big sis still has ten thousand more years to live, you know?”
“Anyway, since big sis can’t leave Zefflin, isn’t it enough to know only the Lohengrins within this world of Zefflin?”
“I see. Little brother is smart. Big sis is impressed.”
Saying that, Phitia patted my head.
“Currently in Zefflin, there are two Lohengrins. One is me, Wolfram von Lohengrin… and the other is the current youngest of the Lohengrin line, Eve von Lohengrin.”
“…Youngest? You have a youngest?”
“Mm. She currently serves as the student council president.”
“I see, hehe. Not just one little brother… Oohoho.”
Immediately after, my body floated up.
“…What are you doing.”
“What do you mean? Hurry and guide me.”
“Guide?”
“It’s a family reunion, isn’t it? Big sis wants to meet the youngest right now!”
“……”
I see.
Since I called Phitia my elder sister, she naturally becomes an older sister to Eve as well.
Even Eve, if she hears Phitia’s story, would surely accept her as family.
“Understood. Let’s go.”
—
Tia walked three steps behind me, and as we headed toward the student council room, she occasionally drew glances from those around us.
‘Wolfram-nim is taking another woman to the student council room…’
‘How many does that make now?’
‘As far as I know, Faith. Abyssal Dagger. Black Crystal. Magic Merchant. And I heard the Iron Fist from first year is also included? Plus the princess of High Melody.’
‘Didn’t he also use the Jewel Sword as a subordinate before?’
‘No, is the Academy a buffet? What on earth…’
‘He’s a good person, but…’
‘Shh. Don’t make eye contact!’
Something was being muttered intensely around me.
I couldn’t quite hear what they were saying, but it was probably gossip about me.
Since I’m used to being the villain, I ignored it and knocked on the student council president’s door.
“It’s me.”
“Come in.”
When I entered the room, Eve was alone, wrestling with documents.
Eve glanced at me briefly before returning her eyes to the paperwork.
“This is a problem. Outsiders are prohibited from entering here. If it’s you, a fellow blood relative, I could somehow smooth it over, but…”
“I know.”
“Then come back later.”
“No, she’s not an outsider.”
“……Huh?”
The hand that had been busily moving the magical quill stopped abruptly, and Eve looked up at me.
Hmm.
How should I introduce her?
Ah.
There’s a perfectly appropriate word.
Let’s see, in times like this…
“She’s going to be your new older sister.”
“………………Huh?”
Hm.
A perfect explanation.
But unfortunately, Eve, who had been deaf since childhood, seemed not to understand my words.
I cleared my throat with an “Ahem” and said it again louder.
“She’s going to be your new older si—”
“This madman has finally—I knew this day would come. But I trusted you because you hadn’t caused any trouble in that regard!”
“Hm?”
“What do you think the Imperial bloodline is!? 【Light Spear: Non-Lethal: Single Shot: Speed Spell: Absolute Hit: Stun】”
In an instant, the Light Spear was loaded and fired straight at my forehead.
A six-verse spell containing only the meaning of guaranteed stun without damage.
The Light Spear shot toward my crown like a flash—but.
“…Uh, eh?”
“Oh my. Is your family’s tradition to shoot magic instead of greetings?”
With a single gesture from the ancestor of magic standing behind me, it was blocked.
“…Let me make this clear, Phitia big sis. There is no such tradition.”
“B-big sis!?”
“Really? I see. Big sis is disappointed. And here I thought our youngest could use such magnificent magic?”
“Youngest…?”
Phitia walked out from behind me and approached Eve.
Eve broke into a cold sweat as she looked at the Light Spear that wouldn’t move no matter how hard she tried.
“Magic domination…”
“Hehe. No, no. If you overcome big sis’s domination without getting enough sleep, big sis’s pride would be shattered, wouldn’t it? Here, big sis will use a little more power. You understand, don’t you?”
“…Y-yes?”
Well, that’s only natural.
Their pure magic power is probably similar or Eve might be higher—but Eve has Soul Change constantly activated due to overwork, so her currently available magic power is likely lower than Phitia’s.
Her dominance was taken away in an instant… and then.
“Oof!”
“Yeah. The youngest has the same magic wavelength as Papa too. Just like Hark Papa, your magic shines.”
“…Wh-who? That name.”
“Yeah. Big sis is very fond of both her little brother and her youngest.”
Approaching Eve, Phitia pulled Eve into her arms and patted her head.
Then she lowered both hands to Eve’s waist and started tickling her enthusiastically.
“So stop thinking about taking back control and surrender to big sis. Hehe. Hehe.”
“Wait a moment. Ah, ahah! Ahahahah! U, Wolfram, this person is—kyahah!”
Have I ever seen Eve look this undignified?
No, I haven’t.
A development not in the original.
This too is a taste, a flair. As a veteran of D/Z SAGA, I can’t interfere with such a development.
“Ehehe! Hurry up and surrender!”
“Kyah, u, Wolfraaaaam! Help, help me!”
Hmph.
Why would I help someone who fired a Light Spear at me the moment they saw me?
“How peaceful.”
“Hehe.”
“Kya, kyahahah u, Wolfraaaaam!”
Handle it yourself.
—
In the end, Eve gave up control of the Light Spear and declared surrender, and at the same time, the hellish tickling ended.
Afterward, we were able to have a conversation, and Eve’s face turned pale after hearing the gist of it.
“So… you’re saying she’s the adopted daughter personally taken in by our great ancestor?”
“That’s right.”
“And she’s currently carrying out the mission our great ancestor commanded here in Zefflin?”
“So hurry up and call me big sis. Come on.”
“I, I couldn’t possibly…”
“Then big sis has no choice but to tickle you again, does she?”
“Phitia big sis.”
“Good girl.”
Eve flinched but accepted Phitia’s hand patting her head.
Since such a development is ‘completely impossible’ in the main story, seeing these two together is rather fascinating.
“Th-then, Phitia big sis.”
“Yes? What is it, our youngest?”
“Th-that… may I ask what mission our great ancestor gave you?”
“Hm? You don’t know, youngest? I see… Papa didn’t tell you.”
“……”
Phitia’s face grew excessively dark.
I clicked my tongue. Is it really that perfectly set up?
Phitia is a hidden heroine.
And fitting that position, she’s a heroine who can be pursued from the second playthrough onward.
Naturally, since the strategy assumes knowledge of the first playthrough’s content, there’s a ton of additional settings.
But where is first playthrough or second playthrough in reality? In this world that has become reality, Phitia has become a heroine 【cursed to be forgotten and not passed on by Hark in the future】.
“No. That’s not it. Hark von Lohengrin certainly did pass it on.”
“Huh? R-really?”
“The fact that I found Phitia big… sis. That is the proof.”
“I see. Papa didn’t forget about big sis.”
“Mm. So I hope you don’t get too troubled.”
“Hehe. Little brother is so mature.”
Phitia smiled with a much brighter expression.
“Little brother, do you know why big sis is in Zefflin?”
“I have a rough idea. Eight, right?”
“You really know almost everything. Big sis is surprised. Hehe. But still, it’s hard to tell the youngest about it, you know?”
“Eh?”
“It’s that heavy and dangerous of a story. Understood?”
“……Ugh. Understood.”
“Rather than that, shall we talk about something else?”
“What do you mean by something else?”
“About Zefflin. Big sis is too busy to go around much, you see.”
“……”
“Youngest. This cradle that Father created for humanity’s prosperity and future—what kind of place is it? Is it a wonderful place?”
Phitia’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Eve.
To that question, Eve gave a gentle smile.
The smile she wore as student council president toward a new student dreaming of enrollment.
“Yes. This Zefflin is a very wonderful place.”
“I see, hehe… Would you please explain how wonderful it is, Student Council President?”
“Of course. Big sis.”
As she explained, Eve stared intently at me.
A look that said, ‘You’ll tell me everything later.’
I nodded.
And raised my middle finger in response.
As if I’d forget the grudge from that Light Spear just now.
—
The conversation afterward flowed more amicably than I expected, and leaving Eve, who still had work to do, behind, Phitia and I headed back to Building 7 Library.
Under the setting sun. Phitia walked ahead of me with her hands behind her back, then spun around and smiled at me.
“The youngest is such a good child. Unspoiled, with eyes for conviction—truly a child I want to tease.”
“I agree.”
“But it’s even more surprising because that conviction is real. The youngest… truly loves this cradle.”
“When it comes to conviction, there’s no one who can beat Phitia big sis.”
After all, she’s been living for a single purpose for three hundred years.
“Little brother, how much do you know?”
“The guardian of the 【Eight Demon Gates】. The youngest dragon. Phitia Bluebreeze.”
“And what more do you know?”
“Additionally, bound by an oath, she cannot leave this Zefflin. The only way is to completely close the 【Eight Demon Gates】.”
“You really know almost everything. Big sis wants to give you a ‘good child’ stamp or something.”
Almost everything?
Really now. What do you take me for.
I am Lee Young-jin.
A man who has memorized every single setting of this D/Z SAGA.
I’ve died thousands, tens of thousands of times on her route over 20,000 hours.
Of course, I also know the strategy for the 【Eight Demon Gates】.
“Do you ever want to be free?”
“Of course… Of course I do. The dream of soaring through the sky, the dream of traveling the world, the dream of meeting other dragons. Big sis dreams every day. But they’re nothing more than dreams, aren’t they?”
“I see. What if there were someone who could make that dream come true?”
“If that were so… big sis could give everything. Truly everything. All of big sis.”
“I don’t need that much, though.”
Couldn’t you just give me one scale or a few items per gate?
While I was thinking about what rewards I’d receive from Phitia…
“………Hweh?”
Hearing a strange sound, I looked beside me and saw Phitia’s face blending with the sunset.
More precisely, there was a dragon redder than the sunset.
Phitia was silent for a moment, then, as she had done with Eve, she poked my side with her fingers.
“You little. You little.”
Ah. What is that!
That really hurts!
