[Rokudenashi] Memory Record Vol.6[Inheritor of the Flame](1)

Part 1 of the translation. Translation is on progress but will probably have 3~4 parts overall.

“Don’t fucking mess with me!”
Young man’s scream of anger vibrates throughout the area.
This place is a secret base of operation located on a mountain.
Surrounded by forests and valleys, on a cold, misty night.
At there located a big tent, blending in with the environment.
Now, a young man is angrily yelling at a woman.

“Are you insane!? What the hell are you thinking right now!?”
The man clad in Royal Imperial Mage Corp uniform, Glenn Radars
“You’re noisy.”
At the opposing side there is a young woman.
A beautiful figure with bright red hair. She looks at Glenn with a sharp glare that stark contrasts with her beauty.
Even with the uniform you could tell that she possesses an astonishingly amazing figure.
However, what lies beyond that beauty is an aura that will make many shivers.
Her name is Eve Ignite.
An heir to the prestige House of Ignite.
And a leader of the Imperial Court Mage, Number 01 “The Magician”, a mage of an amazing calibre.
An elite among elites like her, is currently bickering with Glenn without even trying to keep her irritation from showing at her face.
“Don’t make me repeat myself. We are going to abandon all hostages. This has already been decided.”
Glenn angrily clenched his fist in response to such statement.
However, Eve gives it no concern and continues.
“A village in the mountain, Kirumu town. There is a terrorist organization “Revolutionists of Dawn” making it their operation ground. Taking an entire town’s population as their hostages. They demand the release of their captured operatives. Who the hell is going to agree to this kind of demand?”
“Everyone knows about that! Who’s going to let those terrorists run free!?”
“They stated that if they can’t confirm the safety of the operatives within the agreed time they are going to massacre the hostages. Besides, Kirumu town is a really difficult place to raid. Rescuing hostages is almost realistically impossible.”
“And that’s why you’re going to abandon them all!?”
“Yes. Is this way too difficult for an idiot like you to comprehend?”
“This is also a chance. While this location is hard to attack. It’s also a place with no escape route due to being enclosed. If we can completely eradicate them right here, another tumor plaguing this empire will be dealt with. Do you understand how much this will contribute to the safety of people? And how significant this feat is as a military accomplishment?”
“…..!”
“Do you understand? This is ultimately for the peace of our country.”
“Even with that reason. Is it right to just sit here and watch those people getting murdered!?”
Glenn grabs Eve and violently stares at her.
“I won’t comply to such strategy. If you won’t allow my actions no matter what, I’m going to quit being under your command ! I will do it on my own !”
“Wha—!”
“It’s true that we are responsible for dirty works. But ! Aren’t them for the sake of protecting the likes of Kirumu civilians!? Isn’t this the last line that we shouldn’t cross no matter what!?”
“A-About that…”
“If we even ignore what we are supposed to protect, could you call the result an honor? Could you continue to call yourself an Empire Army? Don’t fuck with me ! It’s precisely because the world is like this I will continue to pursue and go down the road I believe ! Who cares about your situations!?”
At that moment.
“COULD YOU JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP!?”
What part of Glenn’s speech could probably anger her this much?
Until now, even while bickering, she still holds her calm and collected image.
She grabs him back and stares at him with an equally violent glare.
“Even at a time like this, are you still trying to be a “mage of justice”!? Just stop it already!”
“Why can’t you just listen to the order!? I’m your superior! Don’t you know that opposing your order is a military crime!? Do you want to get punished in the court that bad!?”
“Ahh! Do it if you can! I didn’t say anything wrong anyway!”
Throwing angers against one another
Eve is glaring at Glenn from a close distance.
Within his eyes then lies a flame, as if showing his conviction to stay true to his believed path of justice no matter what. Such a dazzling flame makes Eve feeling even more irritated.
—Because it’s such a brilliance that she won’t be able to possess…
“I hate you… I really, really hate you…!”
Eve’s voice suddenly becomes colder and her gaze becomes sharp.
While she’s burning inside, the atmosphere is as if going below the freezing temperature.
“It seems that I need to make you understand by force…”
Suddenly Eve’s hand that grabs Glenn’s chest is ignited with flame.
Since this is inside their base of operation. Of course that this is inside the effect of her “The Seventh Garden”— An outrageous spell that enables it’s user to completely abort the casting process of any flame-based spell when stay inside the designated area.
“Y—You!”
“I’m already getting sick of bickering with you. I’ll punish you myself!”
Eve’s flame gradually increases the surrounding temperature.
And Glenn is gradually reaching his hand to the pocket holding his pistol.
Exactly at that moment—
“Stooooooooooooooo—p!”
Bam !
Coming with the girl’s scream is a violent gust of wind blasting the erupting flame away, disrupting the tension between the twos.
“Stop it right there.”
Another man suddenly voices up, grabbing Eve’s hand.
Albert.
And behind these twos there stands Christoph who just entered the Royal Mage Corp.
“Infighting is no-no!”
“What would you guys achieve with trying to kill each other here?”
“As the other twos said, please calm down, both of you.”
Sera is pouting. Albert is having the usual stoic expression. And Christoph who calmly intervened.
Eve then awkwardly pulls her hand away from Glenn.
“Geh—!”
“Hmph. The reason for this bickering isn’t hard to imagine. It’s about that strategy, isn’t it?”
“I’ll say it just in the case, I’m not the one at fault here. It’s Glenn!”
She said it while snorting and looking away with her arms crossed at her chest.
“As usual, huh?”
“If you understand it’s good, Albert. Couldn’t you say something to him? We’re going to abandon the hostages. For the one who’s focusing on efficiency like you, this is not hard to accept, right?”
As if trying to find an ally, Eve asks Albert.
However his reply is unexpected.
“About that though. I also opposes your opinion.”
“Wha—!?”
“What’s becoming of you!? Are you trying to oppose your superior too!?”
“We are the army. If it’s inevitable sacrificing some for the sake of majority then it’s fine. But, is this actually the case this time?”
“—!?”
“Cut away the one to save nines. There’s time when this type of decisions need to be made. However, I think that in this case it’s still too early to sacrifice the one.”
“Y—Yeah. There’s still time before the time those terrorists stated.”
And then Sara starts speaking
“Let’s think of the way to save the hostages together, okay? I know that you can do it Eve. We’re going to help you with all of our might too. Of course, that also includes you, Glenn,… isn’t that right?”
“Hmph! Who knows!?”
Glenn sulks and Sara could only laughs awkwardly.
“…Ugh…!”
Not only Glenn, but the other two main members like Albert and Sara are against her.
“Even with that, I…! I must…!”
As a commander, to retract an order you once delivered is a shameful act.
As she’s trying to use her authority as a commander to force the threes to follow her order, at that moment.
“Why are you being so impatient, Eve?”
Albert’s words suddenly pierce Eve’s heart. A certain memory runs through her head like a curse.
—“Eve, about this operation. You know what to do, right?”
—“A failure is not forgiven. In the name of Ignite.”
—“And if you failed, you’re going to—”
“I…I must…!”
With that, Eve suddenly lost her confident look and her face turned pale.
Seeing Eve like that, Albert lets out a big sigh.
“Have a few rests. You’re being too mentally exhausted from the stress.”
“That’s right. You can’t think properly when you’re tired”
“That’s not it! I’m not tir—!”
“While you’re resting, I’ll take command in your place.”
“I’ll also continue the investigation and observation on Kirumu village. I leave the rest to you.”
“Um. I understand. Christoph-kun. Please be careful. Hey, let’s go Glenn. You also need some rests too.”
“Kuh—!”
Without pause, Albert and everyone leaves the tent.
“W—Wait! What’re you guys doing without my orde—!”
Seeing the attitudes of her subordinates, Eve is about to explode again.
But just before that happens, the flame fades away like a candle in the wind.
“What’s with those guys? Hahhh……”
Her heart feels heavy. It’s true that she’s feeling tired at the moment.
Why did I become irritated like that?
She tries to find out about the true cause of this unpleasant feeling while falling down on the table.
Although the cause it’s obvious.
“…Glenn…”
It’s precisely that man.
A man who foolishly continues to chase his childish ideal of a “mage of justice”.
But could you say that Glenn is just a true naive idiot?
No
If he’s truly just an ordinary idiot she could’ve just left him alone. But that’s not the case. That’s why it’s so unpleasant.
Glenn already knew that his ideal is realistically impossible. He already knew his own limits. No matter how hard he tries, he will never reach his ideal.
But
Even when facing with such reality. Glenn continues running forward, staying true to his belief and justice.
Looking at Glenn like that makes Eve feels—
“It’s annoying!—Ah…! It’s so annoying!”
—irritable every time.
“What’s with that guy!? Why I always feel so irritable with him!?”
It’s as if something of Glenn is constantly scratching at the deepest part in her heart, making an unpleasant screeching noise.
“What about him that —”
Eve is thinking about it while still facing down on the table.
As if trying to indulge in this little relaxation time granted to her, Eve continues pondering.
——
———It’s sudden, but let us look at an old story.

My mother’s name is Sheila Distrei.
She’s truly a good person and a good mother. But, she didn’t get rewarded at all.
She was of the commoner birth.
Just a servant in the House of Ignite’s service.
Even now the details are still unclear but, she got exiled from the House after becoming pregnant with me.
My mother losing her stable and peaceful life is my fault.
Mother was ignorant of the ways of the world.
Even though she had an education, she didn’t possess any special skill or expertise.
Within such a cruel society, having no relatives and being suddenly exiled like that, it’s not difficult to picture a grueling life waiting for her.
But—
She didn’t even once regret giving birth to me. Didn’t try to distant herself or physically abuse me at all.
Those things that can happen anywhere else, didn’t happen even once.

—“Fufu. Good girl. My dear Eve. You’re so cute.”
—“Thank you for being born to me. Thank you for coming to my side.”
—“I’ll protect you. I’ll protect you forever.”
—“That’s why, when you grow up, let’s go to some vacations together, okay?”

—In my memory, my mother was always smiling.
She didn’t let out a single complaint and trying to raise me as a single mother.
But
For an ordinary girl without any ability. Plus having a child with her. Finding jobs is certainly not an easy feat. The income isn’t going to be great either.
Our life had always been difficult. Working and child raising. Having to do both tasks must’ve putted a lot of stress on her.
And if I looked back now, it won’t be strange if it turns out that she also did some works that couldn’t be told to children, like prostitution, just for my sake.
But
If you asked me do how do I feel about my life back then, I can answer you with certainty that it’s not an unpleasant feeling at all.
Mother had poured all of her love into me, who’s clearly just a big burden for her, and raised me with all her efforts.
Even with her daily stress plaguing her health she was still kind towards me.
And as a young girl I was, I tried my best at studying, dreaming for a more peaceful life for my mother.
I studied at a church near my house, where free education are offered by volunteers, from day to night.
Luckily that I was born with good intellect. Eventually I was praised as a genius and a prodigy, resulting in many scholarships and official supports.
“Your daughter deserves to have a much better education in prodigious schools.”—I can’t forget the look on my mother’s face when she heard that.
You’re so great, Eve! — She cried, rejoiced, and praised me with all her hearts. It was as if those were her own accomplishments.
With this, our lives may have become more peaceful, I should be able to reduce her stress, even if only a little.
I have been protected for all of my life. Now it’s my turn to protect my mother.
Everything is going to turn for better — The young me was holding that little hope. At that moment.
The incident was when I turned 9 years old.
A heretic mage was being chased by the army of Imperial Mage Court, into the slum area where me and mother lived, and the gruesome battle unfolds.
And I was unluckily got involved at the site of the incident.
That was the first time in my life I witnessed the terror of magecraft and I wasn’t able to move an inch.
Then a stray flame magic launched by someone was flying at me.
—“Guh…! I’m…sorry…Eve. It seems that…I won’t be able to stay…at your side… any longer…”
—“I’m sorry…Eve…for being such a…bad mother”
—“Please…forgive…me”
Mother just barely able to come and receive the blast in my stead and died.
The farewell between us happened way too abruptly and easily.
And I thought that everything was going to be fine. That things will start turning for better for us.

Mother was a good person and a good mother. Yet she hadn’t been rewarded a single time in her life, not even once.
To finally show us a small hope, then immediately smash it to smithereens.
If this is the God’s will, then isn’t the God way too cruel and heartless?
What did my mother do wrong that she must ended up like this?
What kind of sins from her previous life she have? Was it all my fault?
Marrying with an average man, having an average family, a peaceful life like this should’ve been promised to her. She deserves to be the happiest person in the world just like that.
But all of that went to ruin just because she gave birth to me, just because I stayed by her side…
———
I first met my father, Duke Azel Le Ignite not so long after that.
“You are…Sheila’s daughter…”
He appeared to me while I was standing there in front of my mother’s grave, crying.
Did he use the information network of the family? I don’t know the truth but he actually appeared before me so abruptly without any warning.
Hair and eye color. Aura. Or rather, something more primal. We possesses the same things.
Hereditary is such a strange thing.
I immediately understood that the man was my father even before he said anything.
Should I rejoice at the reunion? Or should I resent him at the fact that he abandoned us?
Without pausing a single moment to mourn for a woman, even though she was just his mistress, whom he should’ve once be passionate with, he straight up said to me.
“One of our legitimate child, Lidia’s younger sister Aries, just died from a sickness, you see. And now we’re in short of a “spare” heir.”
“That’s why, although imperfect you are, I decided to make you a “spare” heir just because you have the blood of Ignite in your veins”
—“Spare”— He said such a word to me whom he just met for the first time.
And he also said that as an Ignite, I had no rights to refuse and that I must become a mage.
Such a cruel joke. The little hope for a happy reunion with my father was crushed immediately.
“But anyway, your name is Eve, right? Even though it’s still not Lidia’s level, your magical output is still decent. A passing grade for a “spare”.”
“It seems that even that foolish and useless Sheila did a good work for once before she died.”
Of course there were angers at his words against my mother.
But as a mere 9 years old girl I couldn’t do anything.
Besides, it was my sadness that triumph over my anger towards the insolent and heartless father.
The reality that my mother, a good person, didn’t hold any meaning for him was cruel and harsh.
(If I become an outstanding mage, will he look at my mother in a new image? Will she be able to finally become something a little bit special to him?)
Such a baseless and silly delusion of a young girl.
But even with that, a sole thing I could cling on at the time was that little hope.
There wasn’t a choice for a 9 years old girl anyway.
I placed all of my past behind me.
At that moment I became a cog-wheel that helps running the House of Ignite.
Yes, at that moment Eve Distrei became Eve Ignite.
And then, time flies—
——
Outside of the royal capital Orland, at the special training ground for the Imperial Mage Corp,
“《Roar, the flame lion—!》”
The girl with red hair, cladding in a brand new uniform, chanting a spell while sidestepping.
At that moment, a sharp lightning bolt grazed her
And her fireball hits the target head on.
“Guahhhhhhh!”
An impact from the explosion sends the man flying
“Stop!”
Then the intructor interrupts and declares the victor
“0-3! Victor: 10-man commander Eve Ignite!”
“Woahhhhhhhh!”
Every audience who watched in awe finally lets out their astonishment.
“Unbelievable! Even that Crow was defeated!?”
“Shit! As I was trying to pick up on newbies. It turned out that we were the ones getting beaten to pulps instead!”
“That girl, didn’t you say that she just freshly graduated from the military school!?”
“As expected from the head of military, the House of Ignite…”
After vanishing the flame on her left hand, she bows to the storm of praises and expresses her gratitude.
Eve Ignite. Now 14 years old.
After getting admitted to the school, with arduous amount of efforts and talents, she skipped grades at unprecedented pace and became it’s youngest graduate in the history.
Obviously she then got admitted into the prestige elite unit of Imperial Mage Corp immediately afterward as a newcomer.
A talented woman who already has an accomplishment on a few combat missions.
This figure of her constantly stacking an accomplish on top of one another is truly befitting a prestigious name of Ignite.
And this time was the mock battle tournament for U18 rookies in the Imperial Mage Corp.
As expected, it was Eve who utterly dominated every contestant and grasped a complete streak of victories.
“Nooooooooo! I lost againnnnnnnnn!”
A mage who lost to her earlier. He who dyed his hair in red and gold tints has an image not so befitting of a mage or a soldier.
“Shit! What’s with you!? Why are you so damn strong while being younger than me!?”
“And aren’t you quite so either, 10-man commander Crow Orgam? Despite just graduating last year you already ranked third.”
“Shut up! You graduated THIS year and already won the entire tournament! Don’t brag yourself!”
To Eve with disappointing look, Crow says to her while having teary eyes.
“I will! Train more and more! And will definitely win against you someday! Remember and wait! Waaaaahhhhhh!”
Crow then ran away while sobbing.
“Haah…Such a bothersome man…”
Looking at the man, Eve lets out a big sigh.
However, within the Imperial Mage Corp, an honest and straightforward man like him is a rare case.
Normally it would be like this:
“Fuck…What with those Ignites? Isn’t that unfair?”
“Why the hell those filthy nobles can do what they please?”
“So the world is all about family and talent after all…”
“Shit…I don’t want to even try anymore”
Prejudice. Jealousy. Hatred.
Among the audiences these negative thoughts are way more common.
Even the ones who praised her, if looked carefully, you can see that most of them only did so due to her talents.
—“It’s impossible” “Are you kidding me?” “Why did a brat blessed with such talents?”—
These thoughts are what lie hidden under the praises.
But she can’t afford to pay attention to those petty gossips either, or she won’t be able to move forward.
She’s already developed her mental fortitude to easily ignore these.
The problem is—
“Hmph. It seems that you’re in a good form again, Eve Ignite”
A real trouble like this that comes to her by itself.
It was a young man with gloomy atmosphere.
“Magical researches and trainings cost you a lot. You, who have done that many researches, how much money you received from your house? Ah~Ah~ being Ignite is so good”
“Crushing your political enemies with dirty methods. Treating everyone as your tools. How do you feel about winning with those dirty moneys. It must feel so good, right?”
“Commander Rezaph. What do you want with me?”
“Hah? I just thinking about lecturing a young girl from Ignite about the society a little bit.”
“It’s unneeded. Besides, my rank is higher, I’m your superior. Beware of your attitude.”
“Hmph. Don’t get too cocky. You little brat.”
“If you plan to further speak of anything unpleasant on top of those groundless accusations against the house I’ll have to do something about you. Are you ok with that?”
“…Tch”
“Don’t you think that your fake authorities will last forever, you dirty nobles.”
“…….”
He then left spitefully like that, and Eve only watched with silence.
———
The House of Ignite holds a lot of lands under it’s control.
However, since it’s the most powerful organization next to the royal family, it’s head can’t afford to just shut themselves inside and only bother with internal government all years long.
That’s why normally the internal management is left to a trustworthy proxy selected among family members so that the actual head of family can commit on his main duty.
The office of such head of the family is located in a privately owned townhouse.
At the study of that townhouse,
“What do you want?”
A middle age man doesn’t even look away from his documents while speaking to Eve.
Duke Azel Le Ignite.
A man who is at the top of the empire military who holds an enormous influence and power among the country ruling body.
“Getting a first place in a mock battle tournament? Did you come here just to report such a petty thing that should be a matter of course for the Ignite?”
“N—No, father. I just wanted to—”
“Rather than that, I’ve already read about your earlier terrorists suppression mission report.”
“Y—Yes! At that mission even the 100-man commander Ernest praised my—”
“Are you kidding me? Your ambitions are way too low.”
“Do you actually feel satisfied just by getting a praise from a commoner like Ernest? Fool.”
“…ugh!”
“Besides, there was a moment when you abandoned your post, right? That was an opportunity to raise more military accomplishments. But you abandoned it so easily. Do you have any eagerness?”
“N—No! At that moment if I don’t do anything—”
“Silence. Don’t you dare talk back to me.”
“You are being too influenced by your meaningless sympathy and emotions and forget who you truly is.That’s why you stay as a third-rate. How long it will take before you’ll become a first rate? It seems that Sheila’s foolishness runs in your blood.”
“……..”
“It doesn’t matter if you’re an impure half-blood. You’re still an Ignite. No excuse is allowed. I want you to become a proper Ignite as soon as possible.”
“M—My deepest apology, father! I will try my best and polish myself to become a suitable vessel for the House of Ignite to answer to your expectation and—”
“This ISN’T an expectation. Your efforts into becoming a suitable Ignite is your DUTY.”
“…!”
“There’s no more to say. Just get out and do what you must.”
“…Understood”
With that the depressed Eve then leaves the room.
Duke Azel didn’t even pause and send her a single glance, just continuing his paperwork.
Eve leaves the townhouse and goes back to her military dorm.
(…I knew. I already knew that this would happen…)
She lets out a sigh.
Just by reporting about her victory, there’s no way that a reaction other than the earlier one is possible.
But the reason why she decided to go there anyway was because she had a tiny bit of hope and expectation in her.
An expectation that Azel would praise her and recognize her deeds.
(If father accepted me, then mother can become at least somewhat special to him. If I don’t do that, then my mother would remain unrewarded…)
With this thought, she has been trying her hardest for five years.
The things she understood are: Mother really meant nothing to him and that Eve herself is just a spare part of the framework that supports the gigantic House of Ignite.
(It may be a time for me to finally look at the reality…)
After she came to the Ignite. There has always been troubles and worries for her.
A daughter of a commoner who has “red blood” flowing in her vein, attitudes of the family  members towards an impure half-blood like her are the same, not only those of Azel.
They always demand the perfect result. If she fails even a little bit they will just mark her as a fool or the half-blood. Even if she succeed no praise would come, instead they just merely tell her to continue doing so as if she’s a machine.
Her current life is truly a living hell, a life way too detached from the normal stereotype of the lifestyle of nobles.
The fact that she didn’t get crushed by the sheer pressure and stress is already something akin to a miracle.
(No…This is not any miracle. The sole reason I am able to continue staying here is solely because of “that person”, if it wasn’t for her I wouldn’t be able to stay here even for a second…)
And the moment she thinks about that person.
Suddenly she feels lonely and want to meet her.
(If I recalled correctly, she’s currently just finished her mission at the northern border to exterminate magical beasts and should return to the capital today…)
As she’s thinking to herself, a presence appeared behind her.
“Who~is it!”
Along with the voice, her vision suddenly turns dark.
Someone just sneaked behind Eve and cover her eyes with their hands.
This is extremely unusual.
While extremely young, to be able to completely erasing one’s presence and avoid detection from Eve is an extremely difficult feat even for highly experienced first-class mages from the Imperial Mage Corp.
That’s why the culprit can only be that person.
“L—Lidia elder sis!?”
“Fufu. Long time no see, Eve.”
There lies a young woman clad in Imperial Court Mage Corp official uniform.
Judging from her look she’s probably in her twenty.
A long scarlet hair with violet eyes akin to a gentle flame. She emits a warm air around her.
Compared to Eve’s stiff and cold atmosphere, this woman feels much more to-the-ground and amiable.
If Eve possesses a beauty of a war goddess, then this woman’s of an earth mother goddess.
As if she’s the flame that will light the path for people, such a woman is Lidia Ignite.
A leader of Imperial Court Mage Corp, Number 01 “The Magician”, an elite among elite. A legitimate heir to the House of Ignite. Eve’s half elder-sister.
“Sis…I’ll say it again but, please stop doing “Who~is it” while erasing your presence…”
“Eh~ Isn’t it fine? We’re sisters so it should be okay to have some skinships!”
“Haah…as usual. And it seems that you just came back from your mission.”
“Yeah. I just finished my report. I~am~tired~!”
“With that tension it seems that the mission went just fine. I hereby express my greatest joy from my heart confirming your safet—”
“Oh, by the way, Eve, are you free now?”
Answering to Eve’s rigid formality. Lidia smiles mischievously.
“Eh? N—No I am planning for a self-training progra—”
“You see, my work today’s over, do you want to be my company?”
“N—No, as I said earlie—”
“Hmhmhmhm, I see! A sisterly trip without any intervention, I see! Now without wasting anymore time let’s go to the shopping district in the town!”
“S—Sis!?”
Lidia then grabs Eve by her hand.
Without any mean to resist, Eve could only follow Lidia to her trip.
——
“Ummm. So delicious! You see, I’ve always wanting to try out crepes from this shop!”
“………”
“This crepe is delicious, Eve, don’t you think so too?”
“U—Uh, yeah…”
Even Eve is a girl.
There’s no way that she doesn’t found a great sweet enjoyable.
But the problem is—
They’re currently on an eating tour while still wearing their military outfit.
The thought of being seen in such a disgraceful form by anyone from Ignite fills Eve with anxiety and renders her enable to properly enjoy her sweets.
“Fuhah~ I feel so alive~ By the way Eve, haven’t you ever wonder why those military rations taste that bad? Isn’t it a obvious that delicious supply directly leads to more morale?”
“…the purpose of rations are to provide enough nutritions necessary for missions. If they enable us to continue our missions in prolong fights the taste shouldn’t be of any concer—”
“Haah~ You know, if you stay like this it will be hard for you when you get married in the future…”
“I—It’s none of your business!?”
Such a conversation continues—

“Woah, look, look! Isn’t that accessory pretty? Kya-! How cute! I think that it will suit Eve perfectly!”
“That’s probably not for a plain and dull woman like me…”
At time, while loitering at various stalls…

“Hahahaha…! That was hilarious. Did you see it, Eve!? Who would’ve thought that there was a trick in that pumpkin from earlier. Pffft”
“…I don’t know what’s the funny point at all…”
At time, while giving tips to street performers…

“Uwa~ That cloth is so cute~! I want to try it so bad~”
“Sis. How old are you? Do you think about how you will look like in that frilly dress?”
“Hm, is that so? Then it must look good on a younger girl like Eve right!? Al~right I decided, I’ll buy it for you!”
“No! Thank you! I don’t need it!”
“Okay now let’s try it out, shall we?”
“Did you even listen!?”
At time, while making Eve into a dress-up doll…

That was a nonchalant time between sisters.
While it was mainly about Eve getting dragged around by Lidia, this was undoubtedly the time when she feels relieved.
As if her cramped stress is being gradually melted away…
A bright and extroverted Lidia
An unsociable and asocial Eve
These twos share almost no common points in their tastes and preferences
But
In a house where everyone views Eve as a dirty half-blood. Lidia certainly is her sole place of comfort.
“What’s wrong, Eve?”
“You’ve been looking blank for awhile now.”
“N—No, it’s nothi—”
“M—My apology sis. It seems that I was dazing off for awhile…Anyway what was you talking about?”
“Fufu. Of course it was about your great accomplishment”
“My accomplishment? Sis, what do you mean by…?”
“You know, I actually already heard about it. Didn’t you just completely dominate the mock battle tournament for the young rookies?”
“!”
“…Yes. Even though I’m just those from a lowly birth, I’m still an Ignite. So I tried my best. But in the end it was just a mock tournament. There was no honor for me to feel proud of—”
“Isn’t that great!?”
“Eve, didn’t you just turn 14? And you just entered the corp. Even with that and you still dominated that tournament where elites gather. This isn’t something anyone can accomplish you know?”
“B—But I—”
“You know, even I entered the corp when I already turned 15. At this rate you might end up surpass even myself!”
“Sheila-sama…If your mother is still alive, I’m sure she’ll be proud of you too.”
“!”
As if her bottled up emotions reach their limits, Eve stands still.
“……What’s wrong Eve?…Are you crying?”
“N—No, I—”
“Ah, I’m sorry. Did I said anything rude to you?”
“N—No, it’s not like that…”
“M—My apologies. I couldn’t control my emotions. I tried but, if father sees me like this, he would surely reprimand me for being a third-rate…”
“…Eve…”
“Good girl, good girl”
With a warm smile, she gently pats Eve’s head
“Eve’s trying her best. I know that you’re…”
“…Sis…”