New Game+

I slowly opened my eyes. The familiar ceilings of my bedroom greeted me. I sat up and stretched my stiff body before reaching out to ring the bell.

“…huh?”

I paused mid-way, feeling something off.

“This is my bedroom…right?”

I climbed down the bed and walked to the nearest mirror, peering into it anxiously. The face that I saw in the mirror was unmistakably my own, with unblemished white skin, clear sky-blue eyes, and flowing blonde hair that the maids took meticulous care of. I seemed a bit younger than I remembered, but perhaps it was simply a trick of the eyes. More importantly, I could feel an abundant of magic power coursing through my veins, as if I suddenly gained a great amount in one night.

“I wonder if it’s possible to suddenly awaken your latent magic power? What is happening to me?” I tilted my head as the uneasy feeling kept tugging at me.

Knock. Knock.

“Miyuki-ojousama, this is Mai. May I come in?”

I shifted my gaze toward the door. “Oh, yes. You may enter.”

My personal maid, Mai, entered the room with a water basin.

“My, you woke up early today. Are you that excited to meet your younger sister?” Mai remarked as she put the basin in front of me.

I froze. “Younger sister…?”

“Yes, didn’t His Grace tell you about her last week? He adopted his illegitimate daughter who showed great magic potential. I heard she single-handedly cured everyone in her village from the plague. If that’s true, then she will be an amazing mage in the future.” Mai chattered as she prepared my dress.

My heart started beating wildly the more I listened to her. “Mai…is that girl’s name…Akari?”

“Yes, I believe so. I’m surprised you remembered her name, Ojou-sama.” Mai nodded.

I fell silent as I let Mai took care of me, using this chance to organize my thoughts. I felt like I kept forgetting something and there was this nagging feeling that I wasn’t supposed to be here. That feeling only grew stronger when I ran into my older brother in front of the dining room.

“Good morning, Onii-sama—”

“Miyuki…is your magic always this strong?”

Fuyuhiro rudely interrupted as he stared at me with an intense gaze.

“I-I don’t know…I don't feel any different today.” I answered evasively.

“Hmm…” Fuyuhiro narrowed his eyes. “Well, it doesn’t matter. You better watch your behavior when that girl, Akari, arrives. Don’t make any unnecessary trouble.”

After giving me a stern warning, he left without waiting for my response. I was used to his frosty demeanor, however, and simply heaved a relieved sigh that he didn’t interrogate me further.

In the middle of my breakfast, Mai suddenly ran into the dining room in a fluster.

“Ojou-sama, His Grace’s carriage is here!” She reported.

I paused my breakfast and quickly went out to the front entrance. I’d asked Mai beforehand to call me when my father returned with my new younger sister, so I could greet them first. I had to admit that I was more excited than usual, since I’d always wanted a younger sister to dote on.

The carriage rolled into a stop in front of the house and the driver opened the door. From inside, a petite figure emerged. She had shoulder-length hair with lovely pink color reminiscent of cherry blossom petals from the far-east kingdom. Her sky blue eyes, the same as mine, darted around nervously. Her already small build seemed to shrink even smaller as she took in the luxurious mansion and rows of neatly lined-up servants.

Then she saw me and our eyes met.

“Ah…” I gasped as flood of memories came over me like a tidal wave.

*****

I remembered myself running over to that petite figure and holding her hands tightly.

“Hello! You must be Akari! My name is Miyuki, and from today onward, I’m your big sister! Nice to meet you, Akari!” I introduced myself.

“I-It’s nice to meet you too…” The pink-haired girl timidly returned my smile. “…Onee-sama.”

*****

I remembered visiting the royal palace to meet my fiancée the crown prince, around a month after Akari was adopted. I wanted to arrange a tea party to introduce my lovely sister to him, since they’d be a family one day. But when I reached his study, the door was slightly ajar and I overheard the conversation inside.

“…finally, we have the perfect sacrifice in our hands. Duke, you have my gratitude for taking that child into your house.”

“I only did what’s necessary, Your Highness. If we manage to transfer that child’s power to you, no one can threaten your claim to the throne.”

“Hijiri, I’ll leave the preparation for the ritual to you. You’re the one who found that ancient magic circle in the first place, so no one is more knowledgeable than you. If the ritual succeeds, that achievement alone will be enough to make you the next Tower Master.”

“Yes, Your Highness. In order for the ritual to succeed, she must feel a great attachment to the target. Ideally speaking, she should fall in love with Your Highness. But we can’t force her feelings, so I propose we all should try to make her fall in love with us. Whoever receive her heart will gain her magic power as well, so we’ll be able to support His Highness.”

“Your Highness, after hearing that, I have a suggestion. We should eliminate her village before we conduct the ritual, just in case she’s attached to someone from that place.”

“You’re right, Fuyuhiro. Duke, I’ll leave that village to you. Make sure to kill her mother especially, since she’s the most likely person to receive her magic power.”

“I understand, Your Highness.”

“What about Daichi?”

“That simpleton will ruin the whole plan if we tell him, so I’ll just order him to get closer to that girl. No need to tell him anything else. Oh, and Hijiri, you should put a tracking magic on the girl, just in case she senses something and runs away.”

The more I listened to their ominous discussion, the more I grasped what they were trying to do. My father didn’t adopt Akari out of his kindness or familial obligation. He planned on using her as a sacrificial pawn, transferring her magic power to the prince or one of his people to secure his position as the crown prince, thus cementing the duke’s own position as his backing.

At that moment, I resolved myself to save my sweet, innocent sister from these monsters who selfishly only thought of themselves, even if it meant putting my own future at risk.

I turned around to leave and nearly collided into Daichi.

“Oh, Miyuki-jou? What are you doing here?”

“G-Good afternoon, Daichi-sama. I’m here to find His Highness, but it seems he’s still deep in discussion, so I’ll just go back later. Would you do me a favor and keep our encounter a secret from His Highness? I don’t want him to feel bad that I had to visit twice just because he’s so busy.”

“Sure, of course! You’re always so considerate of His Highness!”

*****

I remembered changing my attitude toward Akari and began harassing her, just enough to make her hate the nobility and go back to her hometown. But when I investigated her village in order to prepare for her return, I found out that Fuyuhiro and Tatsuo already razed the whole place, killing everyone in the process.

Now even if I chased her out of the duke’s house, she wouldn’t have anywhere to return to. Then I remembered the crown prince of neighboring kingdom, whom I met when he was studying as a transfer student in our Magic Academy. I sent him a letter, asking for his help to shelter my younger sister. With his help, I arranged for people to take Akari out of this kingdom, so she could escape the crown prince’s grasp.

But in the end, that scheme failed when Suoh discovered our exchange of letters.

*****

I remembered being condemned as the villainess in my own graduation party. At that moment, I realized Suoh was suspicious of me, hence why he was trying to get rid of me as well. But thanks to Akari’s interference, I was simply exiled from the kingdom. To be frank, I didn’t really know what to do after being thrown out of the kingdom’s border, since I never expected things to go this way.

Fortunately, Kazuya—the crown prince of neighboring kingdom—kept an eye on my movement and went to pick me up personally.

“Kazuya-sama, thank you very much for your help.” I bowed to him as we moved in the carriage toward his royal villa—the place he’d prepared to shelter Akari. “If it wasn’t for you, I probably wouldn’t survive out here.”

A few moments before Kazuya came to pick me up, I was accosted by a band of thugs. They seemed keen to strip me down and sell me as a slave, so I was really thankful that Kazuya swooped in like a knight in shining armor.

“No, I’m just glad that you’re safe, Miyuki-jou. Really, I don’t know what’s going on in that crazy prince’s mind.” Kazuya sighed as he berated Suoh. “When I heard he’d go as far as using the forbidden magic to rob an innocent person of their magic, of course I’d help stop him. If he succeeds, who knows when that power will get into his head and turn him into a warmongering tyrant.”

I lowered my head further, feeling ashamed that I was unable to stop my own fiancé. “I’m sorry for troubling you with other kingdom’s problem—”

“Stop. You don’t need to apologize. You did nothing wrong, Miyuki-jou.” Kazuya held my cheeks and lifted my face. “Besides, I didn’t help you purely out of the kindness in my heart. I’ve found something I want to make mine, after all.”

He grinned at me, sending me into a fluster.

However, that moment was abruptly cut off when a blindingly bright light robbed my sight, and then—

*****

“…Ojou-sama?”

“Ah…!” I gasped, snapping back into my senses.

I was still standing at the front entrance, staring at Akari who’d just arrived in her new house.

“Ojou-sama, are you alright?” Mai whispered in concern.

I nodded and quietly swore to myself.

“Akari, I promise this time I’ll definitely save you from this terrible fate. I’ll use all the weapons I have in my disposal to ensure you and I can live happily together.”

I clenched my fist, feeling the magic power coursing through my body, and recalled Kazuya’s warm smile.

“So, let’s achieve our true happy end together, Akari.”

I ran over to my new younger sister and held her hands tightly, imbuing that wish into my smile.

“Hello! You must be Akari! My name is Miyuki, and from today onward, I’m your big sister! Nice to meet you!”