Siblings Rivalry

For the rest of the day, Ryou kept doing the housework as usual, but his mind kept replaying that fight. He couldn’t forget how angry Kirihime sounded earlier, or how strange she acted. When night came, Ryou made her dinner as usual, but since Kirihime wouldn’t open the door, Ryou simply knocked and left the food near the door.
The next morning, when Ryou came to pick the tray, the food was already eaten and made Ryou sighed in relief. No matter how angry he was to Kirihime, he didn’t want her to fall sick. He tried to open the door, but it was still locked, so Ryou left her alone.
Around lunch, Ryou simply couldn’t take it anymore. He had cleaned the whole house until every nook and cranny, and he even tended to the garden, but he still couldn’t get Kushu out of his mind. He felt like he was going to go crazy if Kirihime didn’t talk to him today either.
“Kirihime!!” Ryou knocked on the door, decided that he would blast the door open if he had to. “Open up! You can’t lock yourself in there forever! There’s a lot of things I want to talk with you! So please...” Ryou lowered his hand. “...open the door.”
For few moments, there was no response from inside. Ryou sighed and turned away.
Suddenly he heard Kirihime screamed. But a split second later, her scream was cut and only eerie silence remained.
“Kirihime?! What happened?!” Ryou quickly turned around and tried to kick the door open.
But the door wouldn’t even budge despite his immense strength.
“Wha...?!” Ryou frowned and bumped his shoulder with more than necessary strength to the door.
Never mind budging—even the door still remained intact.
“Ah...Ryou, huh?”
Ryou paled when he recognized Kushu’s voice inside the study.
“I’ll be done in a minute, so wait patiently outside, okay? For your information, I’ve reinforced the door and the windows, so you can’t get in unless you defeat me, and since you can’t come in, that’s impossible. Even if you used your ability, you can’t break in, so be a good boy and don’t do anything stupid.” Kushu’s tone sounded carefree, as if he was just visiting for tea.
“Kushu!! What did you do to Kirihime?! Open up!! Kushu!” Ryou shouted, but Kushu clearly ignored him.
Ryou gritted his teeth, forcing himself to calm down and start thinking.
“He must’ve used some kind of trick to slip inside while Kirihime was working. Since it was information that he wanted, he wouldn’t kill Kirihime, but it’s highly possible that he’ll torture him. He said that he had reinforced the door and the windows, so the only way in is...”
Ryou straightened himself and took a deep breath. Then he shifted his fist into a giant fist and slammed it right through the wall.
“Wha—?!” Kushu, who was inside, shouted in disbelief.
Ryou ran inside through the huge hole he had made and immediately froze.
“Kiri...hime...?” Ryou whispered.
Kirihime’s hand was nailed to the wall across him. Despite that, she didn’t even try to pull out the knife that held her, and after a better look, Ryou saw that the knife was the only reason why Kirihime still standing. Her small body was filled with cuts and bruises, making her looked even more fragile than usual, as if she could break apart anytime. Fresh blood slowly dripped from her wounds, sapping her energy and she trembled from pain and fatigue. But Kirihime hid her face under her hair, as if she didn’t want to see Ryou.
“Aah, why did you come just now? I’ve almost finished with her.” Kushu shot a disappointed look to Ryou.
“W-What did you do to her?!” Ryou ran toward Kirihime, but Kushu blocked him.
“I said I’m almost finished, but that doesn’t mean I’m done.” Kushu said in deadly tone.
“Why?! You need information from her, right?! Then why did you almost kill her?!” Ryou demanded.
“Almost kill her?” Kushu burst out laughing. “I’m about to kill her, you know. And besides, that’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard from you, Ryou. Information? I don’t need such thing from her.”
“What do you mean?” Ryou narrowed his eyes, fighting wave of fear that was about to drown him. “You need to find your creator, right?”
“Poor, poor naïve brother. You kept saying about creator and revenge, but in the end, it was you who knew nothing.” Kushu looked at him with pitiful eyes.
Ryou gritted his teeth. “Please...don’t say it...”
“You still don’t get it, even after I flung all those hints at you? Why that princess would go out of her way to eliminate me? Why she acted so strange?”
“No...stop it...”
“You know why she kept researching Mazoku despite what she said?”
“Stop talking...!”
“You know why she took you in but throw me away?”
“I don’t want to hear it...!”
“It’s because Kojou Kirihime, the princess you’ve been protecting for this past year, is actually—”
“I don’t want to hear it!!!” Ryou shouted.
“...I’m the creator that turned Satomi Ryou and Shinta Kushu into artificial Mazoku.”
Ryou directed his gaze to Kirihime, who had just spoke in flat, defeated tone. “W...What...?”
Kirihime smiled bitterly. “You said you want to hear it directly from me. I’m the one you’ve been looking for all this time, Ryou.”
“No...” Ryou backed away, trying to fight back his despair. “It’s a lie...you must be lying, Kirihime...because...you’re the one who took me in...you taught me many things...you...you’re the one who saved me...it can’t be...” Ryou shook his head, unable to accept the fact that Kirihime had lied to him for this past year. “You always said that Mazoku isn’t supposed to exist!! You despise them!! There’s no way you could’ve created such—!!”
“Satomi Ryou!!!” Kirihime cut him. “It’s true that I despise Mazoku. But I had to create them. It’s the only reason why I lived.”
Ryou had no words to argue and fell on his knees. His mind kept on replaying the time he had spent with Kirihime, trying to prove that she was lying.
“Breaking people with unshakable fact? That’s quite a terrifying hobby you have there, [Princess].” Kushu turned to Kirihime. “Then, since I won’t get any more interference, I’ll finish you off.”
Kirihime lowered her face. “...do as you like.”
“Well, since I’m a kind person...” Kushu stopped before Kirihime and lifted her face with the tip of his sword. “...any last words, [Princess]?”
“Ryou.” Kirihime called out.
Ryou unwillingly looked at Kirihime. He found himself trying to memorize her, as if this would be the last time he saw her alive. Ryou could see sadness reflected in her eyes and regret clouded her face.
“I’ve left the antidote in this room. I’m sure you’d be able to find it. With this, my promise to you will be fulfilled. I have no more reason to bind you in this place. Thank you for putting up with me.” Kirihime smiled. A cute, apologetic smile.
Ryou held his breath as he remembered those words. “I’m not...”
“Then, see you in the afterlife, Kojou Kirihime!” Kushu lifted his sword and brought it down right at Kirihime’s heart, who did nothing to stop him.
“...putting up with you.”
TRANG!!!
“What the—?!” Kushu was surprised to see Ryou in front of him, blocking his attack with his bare hand. “Are you an idiot??!! Move aside!! Why did you protect her?!” Kushu snapped at him.
“Because if I don’t, I’ll break my promise to her!!” Ryou said fiercely.
Kirihime stared at Ryou with shock. “For the first time since I met Kushu, I agree with him. Are you stupid?! If you didn’t let me die, I can’t fulfill my promise—!”
“That’s fine!” Ryou interrupted her. “I’ve promised you that I’ll protect you until your promise to me has been fulfilled. As long as you’re alive, I’ll protect you. It’s that simple. I won’t let you die, Kirihime.” Ryou’s voice filled with determination.
“I’ve had enough!!!” Kushu summoned many weapons and threw them all at once at Ryou. “I thought you were a clueless, ignorant child, but it seems you’ve really been brainwashed by the princess!! Then you can die together with her for all I care!”
As Ryou struggled to protect Kirihime, his mind went back to that night, few months ago.

*****

“Kirihime!! Are you okay?! I heard you screamed!” Ryou stormed into Kirihime’s bedroom in the middle of the night.
The girl huddled at the corner of her room, hugging her knees and couldn’t stop trembling.
“Kirihime...?” Ryou knelt before her, but hesitated to touch her.
“Ryou...I had a nightmare...” Kirihime whispered. “People...a lot of people... dragging me down...calling me a murderer...”
At that time, Ryou didn’t understand what she was saying.
“It’s just a dream, okay? It’s not real. Why don’t you go back to sleep?” Ryou softly suggested.
Kirihime slowly looked at Ryou and clutched the edge of his shirt. “...can you stay with me? At least...until I’ve fallen asleep...please?” She begged Ryou.
Ryou stared at her for a moment and sighed. With such fearful eyes and trembling body, she was almost like a different person from the usual Kirihime. There was no way Ryou could abandon her like this.
“Yes, of course. I’ll stay with you. Come on, let’s get back to bed. You’ll catch a cold down here.” Ryou took her hand and led her back to bed.
Kirihime obediently lie down and Ryou covered her with her blanket. Then he stayed by her side until Kirihime’s breath slowed down.
“She usually looked older, but now Kirihime looked more like a child than a 16 years old girl.” Ryou thought as he watched Kirihime.
Ryou quietly stood and turned around, but suddenly Kirihime spoke up.
“Ryou...sorry...you always come and save me whenever I’m in trouble...but I never did the same to you...” Kirihime muttered half-asleep.
Ryou turned back and caressed her hair. “Don’t apologize. It’s my duty as your butler and your tool. You don’t need to feel guilty toward the tool you used.”
“You’re not...just a tool...” Kirihime reached out and held Ryou’s hand. “You’re a proper human...with proper heart...and you’re the kindest human...I’ve ever met...” Kirihime’s grip loosened and she fell asleep.
But her words gave him warmth and strength to keep on protecting her—as a human and a friend.

*****

Ryou snapped out of that memory when one of Kushu’s weapons grazed him. “Kirihime!! Tell me what to do!” Ryou shouted.
Kirihime looked at him in disbelief. “Are you sure...?”
“Yes!! Quick! Before we get turned into porcupines!” Ryou urged her.
“...very well.” Kirihime started concentrating. “Satomi Ryou, listen to my order. You remember that Aether sword? You need to...” Kirihime described her plan.
After she finished, Ryou’s eyes widened. “That’s crazy!! There’s no way it can work...!”
“You can!” Kirihime said confidently. “I know you can!”
Ryou hesitated for a moment, then he nodded. “Since you said so...then let’s do this!”
“It’s useless!!” Kushu roared. “Whatever you guys are planning, you won’t defeat me!” He stopped throwing weapons and instead he created mist.
“Paralyzing mist...!” Kirihime paled. “The one he used to take me down...!”
“As if I’ll let you!” Ryou lifted both his hands and closed his eyes to concentrate. His arms and legs shifted into Aether, just like when he fought Kurokage.
“That’s...!” Kushu narrowed his eyes. He might not know about Aether, but he could sense threat from it.
Ryou opened his eyes and his legs shifted back to normal. Kushu had thought Ryou wasn’t able to fully control his power and about to insult him when suddenly a spark appeared between his hands. The spark grew bigger and bigger until it became a human-sized shield made of Aether that Ryou took from his legs.
“I hope you’re right about this, Kirihime!” Ryou threw himself into the mist before him while still holding his shield.
“Idiot.” Kushu smirked. “Even a demon wouldn’t be able to move after he breathed in that mist. He’ll soon be paralyzed and—”
Kushu’s eyes widened in shock when he realized that the mist had dispersed—because of the shield in Ryou’s hand.
“You...You could erase the mist?! But...!” Kushu started to lose his cool.
“This isn’t just a simple shield, you know! This is a barrier in the shape of a shield, capable of piercing through any attack or magic! [Aether Shield]!” Ryou lunged at Kushu and flung his shield at him.
Kushu couldn’t react in time and the shield’s surprising weight slammed him into the wall. Kushu groaned in pain as he felt some of his bones broken. But before he could collect himself, he sensed danger and hurriedly rolled aside, just in time to dodge Ryou’s swords. The shield disappeared and Ryou’s sword stuck into the wall.
“Heh! You missed!” Kushu sneered as he forced himself to stand. “Now you’re no more different than your beloved master, aren’t you?!”
Before Ryou could free himself, Kushu created a sword and stabbed Ryou’s shoulder, making him screamed in pain and fell to his knees.
“I’d love to see your reaction when I killed your princess in front of you, but unfortunately, I really can’t let you live any longer.” This time Kushu created a knife, one that was filled with extreme pain that could make a person’s brain exploded from the pain.
He lifted the knife and swung it right at Ryou’s neck, but suddenly he just disappeared.
“What??!! Where...?!” Kushu quickly turned around and saw Ryou in front of him.
But he was bare-handed.
As Kushu stood there, puzzled, Ryou simply reached out his Aether-covered hands next to Kushu’s ear and clapped. Thanks to Aether, that clap had produced a sound ten-thousand times stronger than normal clap.
Despite this simple action, the effect was surprising. Kushu instantly fell on his knees and fainted.
“Well...that was anti climatic.” Ryou frowned. “I still can’t believe that he could be taken down this easily.”
“Since Kushu’s power came from his mind, this is... only a matter... of incapacitating...his...brain...” Kirihime’s voice trailed off as she slumped to the floor.
“Kirihime! What’s wrong?!” Ryou ran to her and pulled out the knife that had been holding her.
“Sorry...I think...I forced...myself...too much...” Kirihime collapsed.
“He-Hey! Hang on, Kirihime! I’ll get you some medicine, okay?!” Ryou was about to move when Kirihime grabbed him.
“Take...sleeping...pills...I made...and...give it...to...Kushu...” Kirihime ordered.
“What are you...?” Ryou stared at her in disbelief. “You want to keep him alive?! It will be easier to kill him here!”
Kirihime forced a weak smile. “He...is...your...brother...right?”
Ryou was rendered speechless. “She understood. She perfectly understood what it feels having a sibling. I’m...the one who know nothing.” Ryou thought.
“Okay. Leave it to me.” Ryou nodded and quickly went to get some medicine and sleeping pills.
Kirihime slowly closed her eyes. “Sorry, Ryou...but my time is already up... goodbye, my knight.”