Sibiling's Bond

Genji's Pov:

Provoked by her brother's words, Brenda stood up hitting the table "Enough is enough! Gin is just a poor kid and a victim here. Stop saying bad things about him!" Leonard teased more "Oh? How come there's some terrifying aura surrounding him since the moment I talked to you? Are you sure he isn't some kind of demon who wants to obsess you?" "He can't even if he was. Wanna me prove that?" "Of course, I'd like to see how my little sister's skills had developed when I wasn't around." "That settles it. The dead forest is the location and the afternoon is the time." And like that, the siblings decided to challenge each other while their mother smiled helplessly.
I helped the mother with cleaning while the siblings prepared for their duel. Once the afternoon came, the four of us left for that forest.

I commented on our way there "The forest looks dead but there are some scary monsters. Why do you always like to go there, Brenda?" Leonard answered before she could "It's simply because she wants to blow up some beasts in order to get enough fees to join Terra's academy." "I no longer need that." Replied Brenda in a proud tone only to be teased by her brother "Blowing up a huge area randomly isn't proof of strength you know? I'm sure you get this by making a big explosion that took all your mana. In a real battle, that technique doesn't work." Brenda pouted "I didn't have my weapon in hand to use so I had no choice. But after all, Gin was who saved the day... I can't be less cool than him as his teacher and savior." I laughed awkwardly at that statement... It is funny that I got a teacher who is just 4 years older than me.

We reached a huge empty area with no trees around and both siblings stood in front of each other waiting for their mother to announce the start of the duel. Honestly, I was nervous more than anyone and found it strange that Madam Lila really didn't show any kind of worry so I couldn't help to ask just as she announced the duel debut "Madam Lila, aren't you worried about your kids?" She smiled faintly "You should stop calling me this. Aunty is enough. And about that, you can say this is the way they say welcome home to each other and we are used to it. You know that here in Tyrranosia, the law of the jungle is on a different level. Seralia kingdom which is nearby and other kingdoms always had these basic rules but the power they talk about is the power of authority. Here it's the magical and physical power. Years ago a Tyrant came to our land and conquered it, and he set those rules to kill anyone who was weak. I hope you don't take any grudges against Leo because he suffered a major trauma back then. He is afraid Brenda might go through the same thing."

The lady's words only fueled my curiosity "What happened to him?" With a heavy sigh she said "When he was 5, the knights came here to check on the kids' abilities and powers. We didn't know about the new rules back then so nobody prepared his kids for the test. You noticed that people here hate the knights a lot, didn't you?" I thought about it and I kinda found it right... Back then when we were shopping and talking about the tyrant army the shop owner showed scary features as if we did a crime. "Why is that?" Her hands trembled as she said the words "Because they made a massacre against their children... I'm still unable to get over that horrible memory, so what about my son who witnessed the death of his friends?"

I was unable to say anything about that... To experience something horrific at the age of 5... But if it was the tyrant knights doing, why- "You will ask why would he join the knights if he hates them?" My train of thought was cut by her reading me so I just nodded and she answered "It's Brenda. He was terrified for long and when I gave birth he became more terrified of losing his sister. The knights have some privilege that their family members get two chances at the power test. Even if they fail in the first one they can live another two years to train and pass it again but it's harder. Brenda failed at the first exam because of her being unable to control her mana. In the second one, she faced a Cerberus who wasn't at his full power and she managed to turn her mana into a weapon to survive thanks to that. She became famous because of that in the town and in one year, she mastered her mana flow but she still lacks experience. That's why I always let her hunt monsters here, they are at a low level so she won't be in great danger." She smiled at her children who were fighting "This duel is their way to assure each other that they are strong enough to survive. It's also close to being a sort of safe training since they won't try to hurt each other."

Madam Lila who always looked composed and collected... For the first time, I showed those emotions... I really felt bad for her and understood why she wanted to save me, a stranger instead of giving me up to protect herself and her family. That incident from the past surely left a deep scar in this town...

Before long, Leonard's sword was on Brenda's neck "It's over, dear sister." Anyone that carefully looks closer will notice the care in Leo's eyes... But honestly, I didn't want Brenda to lose so I cheered for her loudly "Brenda! You can flip the table and win! I believe in you!" I had an idea when I shouted, if Brenda proved herself to her brother the burden he has will subdue even a little, cause after all from his tone earlier, he believes that his sister is just very lucky. But I didn't expect those words to have a powerful effect.

Brenda smiled excitedly "I will show you how great your teacher is, Gin!" Brenda disappeared from her place and came behind her brother to attack shocking the three of us. Leonard blocked the attack but she started using a weird pattern in her fight. She was standing above in the air then infused her lance with flames and started vertical attacks that weren't hard to dodge. I looked at her mother and she explained what Brenda did "Brenda has a high amount of mana that's why it's easy for her to make a layer using it to stand in the air. Leo has a lower amount than her so this step is risky for him... But if she is going to fight this way, she is about to waste a lot of mana recklessly as usual. Glad that she found a new fight strategy but I hope next time she makes it more-" the lady stopped mid-way of her talk with a surprised face "Impossible! The mana amount Brenda has now!" I looked at her confused, but not before long, Brenda threw her last attack and Leo held the lance by his hand "Now that you lost your weapon, you can just give up!" Brenda smirked "Brother! You should always remember that I'm a mage before being a lancer!"
Brenda's earlier attacks had dag holes in the ground. Exploiting that, she made her fire flow from all of them making a cage of fire then from those fire cage bars came many fire blades that were created aiming for Leonard's neck. "Now what about you give up! Brother?" Leonard smiled mischievously "Of course I will... Not" A great light blinded our sight and when it disappeared Brenda was in her brother's hands "Leo let go!" "I caught you princess so you lost!" Brenda pouted "Not fair! You cheated in the last moment " "In a battle to survive, there's nothing called cheating sister. But I will admit you were formidable today!" The mother heaved a sigh and looked worried about something she didn't seem to be sharing. So after the siblings finished the battle, we went back home.

Through all the way back the siblings were arguing about the duel outcomes, I was often teasing Leonard and then hiding behind Brenda... Yet what was eating me from the inside was Lila's worried look.

Once we reached home, I helped with dinner cause Brenda wanted to take a bath and rest so was Leo. I took this chance to ask the lady about her worries when she beat me to it "Gin... Have you ever met Brenda before?" "Huh? I don't think I did... Why the question?" "Are you sure you don't remember anything, Nicholas?"