Gomen ne, Oniisama Chapter 2 part 5

-Memorial of Spring- Before

The garden is covered by patternless white snow.
A shimmering flame burns in the fireplace, keeping the cold air out of the room.
Although I love the cold, my physical condition is too poor.
As February pa.s.ses, I continue to stay in my room, watching the flow of time slowly change the landscape outside.
Though I stay here, I really need to go out among the social circles and face the problems to come, whether my body is ready or not.
I rubbed the clouded window with my hand while sighing, and noticed the reflection of the chamberlain opening the door with a grim expression.

“Origa-sama. How are you feeling?”
“Just okay. What is going on?”
“Someone has come to visit…”

Since many people flocked to visit, normally they would be politely refused, meaning this must be someone important enough that the chamberlain felt refusing would be a bad idea.
Although usually I feel that her behavior is overprotective, recently I felt thankful for it.
If the heart is unstable, magic too will be unstable and difficult to use.
I don’t know how much it takes to completely lose control of your magic.
Anyways, currently rest is necessary for me.

“Yes.. I’m sorry, but can you tell them that I’m not currently in a state where I can meet visitors?”
“But it’s… Harvester-sama’s son.”

Without even having to hear his name, my expression becomes strained.

“I apologize for my appearance.”
“No, it’s my fault for visiting out of the blue.”

After pa.s.sing through the study and tidying up the room a little, Atlas handed me a bouquet as a visiting gift.
A collection of vividly colored flowers that grow only in the spring, ignoring the fact that it is currently winter.
It probably wouldn’t be hard to seduce any woman with the ability to give her beautiful bouquets of flowers no matter what the season using magic.
I mean, unlike the Ruzil family whose magic is only used to destroy, it’s the first time I’ve seen magic used for something simple and positive.
After conveying my surprise that the heir to the forest clan would visit, he replied shortly that it was for business.

“Feeling bad?”
“My body wasn’t quite ready to use magic on that level… did you not also have problems?”

It seems I hit the bullseye; I felt the urge to laugh at the appearance of Atlas sullenly furrowing his eyebrows.
Compared to fire magic, magic of the forest requires far more detailed control; he probably couldn’t stand at all for a while.
Anyways, I offered him a chair, and asked if he would like some tea.
Only the sound of water pouring, and the aroma of tea filled the s.p.a.ce.
As we sat face-to-face, his gaze wandered as if he was hesitating over something. We quietly waited for the first word to be spoken in a peaceful atmosphere.

The reason behind his visit, I wasn’t actually interested in.
Maybe his large sense of justice as a friend of the hero, or the fate of the magicians.
He shouldn’t have noticed anything about the battlefield. He can’t have noticed.
He should only be visiting because he felt suspicious, and not because he was confident about something.

―but if he does end up realizing it, the longer it takes, the better.

That kind of battle shouldn’t have occurred originally.
There were no magicians sacrificed at this stage.
That’s why, it may be impossible to follow the story to the end.
What I interfered with was only the timing of Origa becoming family head and sending Gil-sama away, it shouldn’t have a large influence on the country.
Yet, the deployment came far too soon, and not knowing the reason sends a chill down my back.
Perhaps, did I make a mistake?

“In that fort, the bodies of the magicians were found.”

In the end, what he spoke of was exactly what I expected.
The magicians of our country who died in that fort, and the enemy magicians who I burned.
He was worried about the future of the magicians of this country.

“They appeared to used as slaves by the enemy. We don’t know for sure what they did in that fort. But”

Ah, I have nothing but worries.
Hopefully, there won’t be any effect on the development of the heroes.
Surely, it’s only the timing that was affected.
Surely.

“Perhaps the captives were tested on using a magic… a method not employed in this country, but… I believe you have been exploring it yourself?”

He turned his brown eyes to me with a strained look on his face. His eyes, filled with growing embarra.s.sment, made me feel confused about the difference between what I remember【he】should be like and the current him.
The eyes【he】looks at me with, should be filled with more hatred and suspicion.
I wonder if I have affected Atlas by being too close to him.

“You knew?”
“Indeed. So?”

I had known when I took action that it would have some effect on the development of the world.
However, it’s moving even faster than I expected.
I may not know in detail what is occurring on the hero’s side, but I do know that behind the scenes, the conspiracy is acting.
Even though the shadows are moving faster than I expected after my destruction of the fort, I still know the direction the conspiracy is going to flow.
My mouth already feels dry even though I’m in the middle of drinking tea.

“The enemy is researching a method to neutralize magicians; we should look at the effects it had on that battlefield.”

Silence fell in the room, weighing down the atmosphere.

“Keika, please get me some more tea.”

Of course, Keika is aware of the rough version of the investigation results. However, this is something I can’t tell her.
Keika drew her eyebrows closer together for a moment, but silently left the room.
Feeling the fluctuation of her magical power receding, I whispered to Atlas under my breath.

“It was the day I was introduced to the battlefield. Even if they panicked and moved quickly, the contents of the experiment should not have been fully salvaged. How much of the information they saved, I don’t know, but I did what I could.”

Although it resulting in me falling to this state, I burned everything on the site as thoroughly as I could. Even with the spy placed on this side, they shouldn’t have managed to recover all the experimental data.

“…You didn’t report that.”
“Because I don’t know who the traitor is. Atlas-sama too, should be aware of his existence?”

My face was reflected on the tea in my cup; a childish face that still appears undependable― the face of a child who is not yet even twelve years old, but no one will mock.
Children who are and will be the heads of the magic clans, the hands that defend the country and are the symbols of magicians.
―The premature departure, might have been caused by me.

“You and me have both been monitored. However, we can’t act carelessly since we don’t know who’s behind the spy…. It could be someone with a high position.”

Because originally Origa would inherit the estate at fifteen years of age, some magicians died who would not have died in the original.
I, delaying the report like this, could cause more people to die.
My trembling hands disturb the surface of the tea, and I hide my anxious face behind a facade.

“Without magic, this country is ruined. What idiots we are… tch.”

Atlas growled with a resentful voice.
Finally, finally, the world began to move.

Around the magicians, a story of the right to rule. The story of the future of the kingdom and the magicians.
That’s why, it is not my desire to resolve this conspiracy. That task belongs to the heroes of the story.
However, I’ll just lend a hand where I can.
This last time, I will be involved with Atlas. 
After all, I’m sure that he’s also suffering.

“It was around a year ago, the Washels Company was first established. Looking at the numbers they appear to be a wholesome group, but their involvement with the aristocracy is a bit suspicious. Could you investigate it for me?”

“So because if you or your father were to show any movement, they would destroy all the evidence, you’re asking me, is it?”
“That’s right. But, I would prefer to rely on someone who doesn’t spend all their time inside.”

As I handed over the data that I collected, he stared at me with his dark brown eyes, question my true intentions.
A person like him, who can pave his path with belief, definitely won’t be able to understand.
His straightforwardness reminds me of Gil-sama, and because of the emotions born somewhere in the corner of my mind, a small smile was stuck on my face.

“In the current situation, I can only rely on you guys.”
“The Ruzil.”
“….Come on. The relationships in my family move based on power. The situation will only change if I show promise. If I want to hold the position of family head for many years then I need to do this.”

Of this, Keika is a good example.
She doesn’t actually trust me, and only follows me because of my power.
That’s why she betrayed father, for me.
I do not trust her either, even though I rely on her- after all, she isn’t a character that appeared in the novel.
Unless a character was working to help Gil-sama, I have no reason to trust them.
Even if it’s someone who vowed their life to me.

“…Please be a.s.sured. Considering the things they are researching, it is my responsibility to investigate it. However, are you sure about asking the people of the Harvester clan to aid you in betraying their own country?”
“―I understand. I’ll speak of this report to my father.”

He avoided responding to my question, and while thinking about the conversation that had been suddenly ended, I closed my eyes.

TN: Phew, a real info dump. Well, that explains why she was in such a hurry to set the place on fire. At least, I think it did.
If you’re confused, which I kind of am too, from what I gathered, I believe they found traces that the magicians in the fort were used for some kind of tests, and it’s a method to neutralize magicians. And Atlas is also researching this, and regrets it because neutralizing magic is most effective against his own country. I think. Also there’s a traitor.