Arika, Stuck in a Sibling Fight

It seems like Rana and Rama live with Elder in this big house, and for now I am allowed to stay in Rana’s room that has a bunk bed. Elder had decided to research something to learn more of the reason for my descent and Rama, knowing my personal interest in Elder that he found quite disgusting, had convinced him to let me stay here instead of helping him.

“This room used to be both mine and Rama’s, hence the bunk bed. You can take the one on the bottom.” Rana explained with a smile, as she tidied the bottom side of the bunk bed that seemingly was unused for a while. Somehow, my mind ends up imagining the two of them as children fighting who’d get the top of the bunk bed– something that seemed likely with how these two interact even with their age now.

It does make me wonder about something, though.

“Are you two Elder’s children?”

…Though, I could guess they’re not. The way they treated him and vice versa wasn’t one that feels like they have proper blood relations, as if there’s an invisible wall between the twins and Elder. Besides, Rana did mention that she used to have a crush on Elder when she was younger— there should be no way he’s related to her, unless Rana is into that, in which I may not be able to judge yet until I knew more of this world’s morals and whatnot.

“Us? No. He just took care of us after we lost our parents in a civil war as recent as 50 years ago. He was like… our father’s friend— no, more like a work partner, I guess?”

“Oh… Sorry.”

“It’s nothing much! Please don’t beat yourself up too much over it, Lady Arika. People could just die, whether they have a long lifespan or not.”

The way Rana casually mentioned a civil war 50 years ago that wasn’t even mentioned by Elder in his explanation before made me realize how much of a difference in values we had, whether it’s the form of time or whatnot. I would’ve been a forgetful grandma by 50 years, but in Rana and Rama’s case, it may have been like the three years from starting to graduating high school to me.

Talking about a grandma…. right. There’s no way an Isekai world that resembles my Grandma’s favorite game, and the fact that I got into this world as Grandma’s character, would be completely unrelated to why I’m summoned here, isn’t it? I need to know more about the timeline of this world…

“Then, how old are you and Rama—”

“More than that, what kind of world did Blessed Ones like you come from? You said it was called ‘Earth’, wasn’t it? I’m a little curious!”

The timing of Rana asking that question really felt like she’s purposely avoiding the question of age, but I’m not one to judge as I would also avoid the question like crazy in my previous world.

“I don’t know about the other ‘Blessed Ones’, but…I think it’s nothing special. There’s no magic and elves, when you say ‘people’ it’s only humans, though everyone has the internet where we can communicate from far away rather easily, search and ask for information, and even play games....”

“Oh, is the Internet something like Comanet? We could search for information there too!”

I was going to lie down on my side of the bunk bed and chill out but hearing that statement from Rana jolted me back awake.

“You guys have some sort of internet here?!”

“Yeah, it’s a form of communication by teleportation magic! Though we never heard of it being used for games….” said Rana, popping her head down from up the bunk bed to my side of it. “But not everyone has it as it requires a lot of mana and machinery… We do have it in town libraries, though! I believe Elder is there right now…”

…Right. He did say he was going to research. I wouldn’t expect him to be researching from a magic-driven internet search engine, but it is what it is. The similar world of ETO was, after all, an online game too. There might be clues on this world’s version of the internet!

“Rana, could you take me to the library? I really wanted to help Elder with his Comanet research after all, since it involves me!“

“Mm, sure! It’s boring just staying here on standby, anyway!”

I’m glad Rana is much easier to convince than her twin brother. It didn't take too long before we ended up preparing ourselves to catch up with Elder to the library. Talking about it, I wonder where Rama went? Oh well, who cares. If he knew, he probably would stop us anyway….

~*~*~

I hate the fact that I jinxed myself that easily. As we were trying to go for the town library, Rama was standing in our way as soon as we took a step outside the gate, arms crossed as he stared sharply at me and Rana with the Cheshire, Rui, being held on a leash by him.

“Elder told you to wait, didn’t he?”
“You were the one that convinced him to make us wait just because you’re disgusted with me!”

I protested as I raised my voice. Rama rolled his eyes in disapproval, as he sighed loudly.

“Sure I was disgusted by your obvious crush on Elder. But it’s also dangerous to let you walk around town– that’s why Elder was convinced.” Rama walked closer to me, still holding Rui’s leash. “You do know that your mere existence could cause chaos if the public knew, right?”

“I’d agree it’s hard to argue about it, but that’s why we have Rana’s illusion magic thing-y, right?” I turned to Rana, wanting her to fill out the argument— oh wait, it seems like Rana is ready for that, judging from the offended, fiery looks on her eyes.

“Lady Arika is right. Are you saying my magic item isn’t enough, Rama?”

“There’s still a risk, Rana. That magic item of yours may be of a good quality, but it’s not for long time use.”

“It’s Elder Sister Rana!”

….Neat, now we have twin siblings bickering. It’s something that is beneath my expectation from what I knew of the two’s characters, yet somehow it still surprised me with how much they’re yelling. Even if I end up going by Rama’s wishes, I feel like their brand of yelling could’ve summoned curious onlookers nearby the house anyway.

“Okay, you two, at least calm down.” I clapped my hands to try and catch the two’s attention. “Rama, I get your point, but if you’re yelling like that, you’d just get some neighbors wondering about the noise.”

There’s no neighbors in my sight right now, as the house was pretty isolated with a variety of trees surrounding it, but there may be some people that I didn’t know of. With how this world is inhabited by elves, I could not dismiss the possibilities of fairies living within the trees, or something similar.

“Shut up, you ____! This is between me and Rana!”

I couldn’t quite catch Rama’s choice of words and I am no linguistic expert, but I’m sure with how they were spoken in context as well as Rana’s gasping reaction, it’s clearly something equal to a very rude swear word.

“You couldn’t say that to anyone, let alone an honored, Blessed One like Lady Arika!”

“Oh, right. You’re the biggest ____ around here, loser.”

“Argh, that’s it! Rama, game on! Let’s have a duel!”

“That’s what I’m waiting for! I’ll be the older twin and you won’t be stepping out to town if I win!”

They’re really bickering like a kid, to the point I got mentally tired enough that I just decided to stroll over to Rui the Cheshire and give his fluffy head a pat. With how off-guard Rama is, he didn’t even have the leeway to stop me from that. As usual, Rui is very friendly to me, as he snuggles to my hand in waiting for the pat, while purring in comfort.

Ah, what a bliss I would enjoy a little more if it wasn’t for a fiery explosion in the background.

Wait, explosion?

“Heh. As usual, that’s what your Destruction Magic is only good for, Rama.”

“As if your magic is any better! What are you going to do with your illusion, huh, ___?!”

“Don’t call me that! That’s too rude for calling a lady!”

I could see Rana jumping out from the smoke field of the explosion with a smirk, all while Rama was lost in all that smoke and I could only hear his loud voice. I instinctively hid beyond Rui’s absolute guard of fluffy furs, my legs shaking as I did. This may not be the exact first time I saw Rama’s magic, but it is totally the first time I could see the extent of its destruction. It is really called Destruction Magic for no joke.

“Lady? Ha! Don’t joke around with me Rana! Without our noble parents, you’re just a spoiled girl!” Rama declared, as the smoke cleared up, before it got covered again by smoke from another fireball-based explosion. “I’ll get your ear pinched in a minute or so that you'll be calling me your older bro!”

While I was in both awe and panic, Rui just meowed in a bored manner, as if he had already seen the same scene over and over again. The fact that there’s no neighbors or even any townie coming to check by the explosion also alerted me of the fact that this might be a common occurrence with these twins— is that why no one bothered to check the forbidden forest upon me falling loudly as a meteor?

“Let’s see if you can, huh, sorry excuse of a little brother!”

Rana materialized a wand on her hand, and suddenly, there were ten of her— nine, actually, since Rama struck one of them with a fireball, one that caused her to disappear to bits that revealed its illusionary nature.

“Rama, you bastard! What would you do if that’s the real me!” Nine of Rana yelled in unison as they each acrobatically avoided Rama’s barrage of flames and thunder— wait, Rama could do thunder too?! One even nearly hits me if it wasn’t for Rui carrying me, biting my cape with its mouth avoiding it so casually! Regardless, this is getting out of hand!

“Rui, is there anything I could do to make them stop?!”

Asking a giant cat might sound like a desperate attempt, but judging from how it avoided Rama’s barrage of explosions, he might be smart enough to understand my words. Rui took a glance at me, before throwing me on its back with one smart and swift movement. I held on to his furs so desperately like a jockey riding a racehorse, as Rui began to run as fast as it could, avoiding Rama’s careless attacks directed to Rana and her clones.

“Ack! That girl ran away?! Was this your plan after all, Rana?!”

I could hear Rama’s voice complaining, but my adrenaline doesn’t even let me turn my head back.

I didn’t even realize something fell off in all those explosions.

~*~*~*~

Rui stopped in front of a large, oversized tree with a few doors and windows– something that looked so much like a fantasy world more than anything else I had seen so far. He nudges over at me, as if telling me it’s safe to get off his back. My head still spun round as I tried to get myself out of the Cheshire’s back, so much that I fell to my butt as I did.

In between my headache and some of the elven crowds that looked at me weirdly and whispering to their own, I could see someone I knew looking at me confusedly as he came out of the large tree’s door.

“Elder! Help! No time to explain, Rama and Rana are fighting!”

I immediately understood why Rui took me here. He knew that the Elder is the only one who could stop the fight, what a smart fluffy boy! But I have no time to praise the kitty for what he did, as Elder immediately pulled me by my hand to help me stand.

“Where’s your necklace?!” He asked while whispering, rather panicking as he did. That was when I noticed the illusion necklace thing made from Rana’s magic was gone, probably fell down thanks to all that swaying and exploding. I gasped.

“Oh no! I must’ve dropped it by mistake!”

Elder sighed heavily, as he pulled the hood of my cape to cover my face. He glared at the crowds as he declared.

“Do not worry much. This is mere cosplay using illusion magic. We are practicing for a play about Mage Hero.” He instructed me to ride Rui’s back again, but not before he whispered to my ears. “I do not know how far that lie could buy us time. I’ll explain once we’re back home.”

I gulped. Did he find something strange in the library— on the Comanet? I couldn’t help but wonder.