“That, by itself, kind of pisses me off.”

“Then what do you want me to do, damnit?!”

Surprisingly, as I exchanged some soft retorts with Nanjo Rin, my tensions gradually started easing.

It seems as though she had been waiting for this opportunity in particular. I even felt like I was being bewitched by a vixen.

[TL note: vixen is a female fox]

…I’m a little worried, but I guess it should be okay. Furthermore, once I became completely aware of her, I finally noticed that she was holding a campus notebook and a notebook PC. It seemed like this was the main reason why she led me to her home today. However, I couldn’t make a proper connection between the two in my head.

“So? What is the reason you called me here?”

“…If I say it, you won’t laugh?”

“Depending on your answer, I might.”

“Really, you… This is the reason.”

After saying that, Nanjo Rin proceeded to open her laptop, which had been in sleep mode, before showing it to me. 

On the screen, something familiar to me was unfolding.

“This… is…!”

“I was kind of curious about it after you showed and told me about it at that time. I tried the demo version, and thanks to that, I haven’t got enough sleep lately… Ahaha~.”

Find Chronicle Online… It was the game Hiyori and I played. It was an MMORPG.

I had mixed feelings. I was torn apart by the conflicting emotions I felt. That feeling of happiness that she likes my favorite game, and at the same time, that among all the games that exist in this world, why did she have to choose this one? 

But what was the point of her doing this? 

I looked back at Nanjo Rin, who seemed shy and fidgety for some reason, and asked her that exact question through my gaze.

“Well, you know… I’d like you to tell me how to register properly…”

“…HA!?”

Before I knew it, I blurted out a curt reply.

When I looked at Nanjo Rin quizzically, I saw that her face, ears, and all visible skin were dyed red, showing her shame. But her eyes were colored with childish anticipation and eagerness without an end.

Then, as I looked a little lower, I saw dark circles under her eyes that were cleverly hidden by make-up… I see. 

A complex mixed sigh bundled with several heavy emotions escaped my lips as if it felt a bit anticlimactic.

It was indeed a really hard situation to comprehend.

While making a half-exasperated face, I proceeded with Nanjo Rin’s game registration through her laptop.

Occasionally, I would turn my attention to her in order to ask for her details such as her email address. But everytime I do so, I would see her fidgeting and peering at the screen while asking, “Not yet?” “Not yet?”. —Being bombarded with such a gaze time and time again, I ended up letting out yet another sigh.

Did she really call me just for this? Being exposed to this innocent attitude, I had to hold back the urge to consistently retort to anything and everything she said.

FCO is an MMO endowed with what is called a monthly billing cycle.

If you just want to download the free trial version, you can do it with one click, but if you wish to register, you have to register on the management site, purchase the full version, enter the provided serial code, and set up a monthly subscription course. However, the registration process is quite tedious. You must register with the management site, purchase the product version, enter the serial code, and set up the monthly subscription.

“Nanjo, you need to purchase the full version of the product…”

“How do I do that?”

“You can go to a convenience store and buy prepaid electronic money, or with a credit card you—”

“A credit card. Is that right?”

“Eh!? It’s… no, I will feel troubled if you straightforwardly give it to me. You’ll have to type in the numbers and stuff like that yourself.”

“Enter the number… like this?”

For the first time in my life, I saw a black card. I’m sure the annual fee alone will cost several hundred thousand yen. At least, it was not something a high school student could have.

“Is that your parent’s card? Is it okay to use it without their permission?”

“It’s my personal card, so it’s fine.”

“…Are you for real!?”

“Rather than that, is it okay with this?”

Saying that, she instantly confirmed the payment and showed me the purchase confirmation screen on the notebook PC as if it were nothing. Her too calm demeanor instead brought out her complicated household circumstances upfront.

I know everyone has problems that they can’t or even don’t want to be questioned nor revealed. So, even if I was curious, I kept myself away from asking. Instead, I immersed myself in the rest of the work of the registration process.

“…”

“…”

The sound of keyboard keys echoed in the quiet room.

“…So, you won’t ask.”

“Do you want me to?”

“No… You’re really weird. Fufu~”

“Leave me be.”

For some reason, Nanjo Rin was in a good mood. 

For someone who couldn’t understand his stepsister’s feelings even after living together, there was no way I could understand why Nanjo Rin’s mood suddenly changed into good.

Instead, the desire to leave this uncomfortable space as quickly as possible grew stronger.

“…The black card is something like worker’s compensation.”

“Work? Some sort of part-time job?”

“The work of a cat-masked girl playing the role of Nanjo Rin, the perfect daughter of the Nanjo family, being both intelligent and charming.”

“I see. Work, huh?”

It was a line without any pre-emptive meanings. Perhaps she got hurt saying so herself, as she held her knees on the sofa and buried her face. It was definitely not a topic that an outsider could simply delve into just out of curiosity. But well, there are times when the participant wants to complain. The only thing I was only capable of was…

…To proceed and finish the official registration and scram as soon as possible.