Editing Unlimited Fafnir:Volume 9 Chapter 2 (section)

===Part 6===

Ultimately lacking the courage to undress in our rooms and burst out into the living room while wrapped in a towel, Mitsuki and I exited the cottage in our uniforms first.

Then undressing behind a different rock respectively, we put on a bath towel and met up. Since we could not touch yet, we stayed at a distance beyond arm's reach.

"I-It is more embarrassing than I thought. Hurry and enter the water."

Applying pressure to her bath towel, Mitsuki dipped her foot into the steaming natural hot spring. Due to the cloudiness of the hot spring water, her body was almost invisible after she waded in up to her shoulders.

Relaxing slightly, Mitsuki extended her hand and waved to hurry me.

"Please come quickly, Nii-san. If we do not enter the water at the same time, I will be the first to faint from staying in the bath too long."

"Oh, okay."

Feeling a slightly different kind of embarrassment as bathing with Iris, I entered the hot spring too.

The water was shallower than I thought and hotter than the bath water in Charlotte's room. There was a slippery feeling that you can only find in water at the source.

"It feels like this hot spring water is very good for the skin."

Mitsuki raised her arm, stroking with her finger the pale skin that almost seemed to meld with the hot spring water.

"Yeah, it's different from last time's—"

Accidentally bringing up the hot spring at the volcanic island, I frantically stopped myself.

"Last time's?"

"Oh, no... mm, we went to a hot spring when we went traveling as a family in our childhood, right? I just remembered from that time."

Left without a choice, I lied to Mitsuki. She nodded with comprehension.

"—Speaking of which, that did happen. Back then, I could not travel by car, I was so obstinate and spoiled... In the end, we had to get there by switching between many trains. I caused so much trouble for your family, Nii-san."

Mitsuki reminisced in a whisper.

Although I was looking for an excuse, I did remember about the hot spring trip. I could not recall it earlier, but after Tia released Yggdrasil's curse, my memories would now surface naturally in my mind.

"But even so, it was still quite fun, right? I was very excited to ride all kinds of trains. The lunchboxes at the train stations were quite tasty. Well, I suppose Mom and Dad were quite exhausted."

I smiled wryly and recounted my memories.

Mitsuki's refusal to ride cars had started after losing her family to the traffic accident. It was fine during elementary school but when we were going to the hot spring, she could not even take a bus.

"Yes. To be honest, I was very happy too. To have another family outing like that again—"

Agreeing with me, Mitsuki made a helpless look mid-sentence.

She had realized that this wish could not come true if she were to be barred from leaving Midgard for the rest of her life.

"Mitsuki..."

I said with worry but she shook her head to indicate she was fine.

"Three years ago... when I outed myself as a D so that I could meet you, I had already resolved myself to abandon the life I have led till then."

Looking straight at me, Mitsuki said decisively. She did not seem like she was lying. However, there was one fact here that could not be overlooked.

"—Mitsuki, you've still kept your house beside my home."

"Y-Yes."

Slightly startled, Mitsuki nodded.

During our return to Nanato City, I had seen Mitsuki's old home that was now partially used for storage. Back when we were only childhood friends, Mitsuki's room was facing mine, allowing us to talk just by opening our windows.

"You haven't sold the house. Isn't that because you have some kind of dream? You won't be able to make that dream come true unless you return to Nanato City, right?"

Mitsuki had mentioned a dream when tidying up the rooms with Lisa and the others. Hence, our discussion could not continue until this point was clarified.

"...That is... a secret... I cannot reveal."

Mitsuki looked very shy, even dipping her mouth into the hot spring.

"But I might be taking that dream away. I need to know my responsibility accordingly."

I spoke forcefully. Soaked in the hot spring, Mitsuki blew bubbles then lifted her head with determination.

"—Nii-san, you must not laugh, okay?"

Mitsuki felt quite embarrassed about it? She confirmed with a blushing face.

"Okay, I promise not to laugh."

"Then I shall tell you... I-In the future, if I were to get married to you, Nii-san... I wish to live there. U-Umm, if our family increased in size, it would be like housing for two generations... U-Umm... S-Sorry!"

Blushing red to her ears while she spoke, Mitsuki could bear it no longer and submerged the bottom half of her face into the hot spring.

"No, umm... You don't need to apologize..."

My face also heated up due to hearing Mitsuki's unexpected words.

"......"

Blowing bubbles with her face in the water, Mitsuki seemed to be murmuring something with her eyes lowered. She was probably still apologizing.

While we continued to gaze at each other, this itchy silence persisted for a while. However, with her noise in the water, Mitsuki's breath ran out. With a blushing face, she emerged from the hot spring.

"Umm... I am aware that bringing up the topic of marriage under these circumstances would force you to feel responsible on a different level, Nii-san. That is why must apologize after all."

"No—I'm the one who has to apologize. I've clearly remembered our childhood promise... but I've kept delaying my answer."

To my childhood self, Mitsuki had been more important than anyone and we made a marriage promise. But due to my deal with Yggdrasil, I had forgotten the promise and fallen in love with Iris.

Having recovered my memories now, both feelings occupied my heart, clashing with each other.

Until recently, Mitsuki and Iris had been yielding to each other, but that was also why I could not reach a decision.

Due to this sense of guilt, I looked away from Mitsuki. Maintaining her distance, Mitsuki moved and met my gaze once again.

"Nii-san, please do not show such a pained expression on your face. This topic... let us shelve it for now. Just as Shinomiya-sensei and Mica-san said, whether we make contact with you or not is merely a matter of weighing risks, Nii-san."

Smiling wryly, Mitsuki brought us back to the main topic.

"And to me, this is a matter of responsibility... Right?"

"Indeed."

Mitsuki noded then continued in a firm tone of voice.

"The fact that you changed us, Nii-san, isn't that tormenting you? I would rather not make contact with you if it would force you to shoulder many burdens, Nii-san. To me, the greatest risk is whether you feel tormented by this."

Compared to losing the dream she had just mentioned, Mitsuki was more concerned for my feelings.

These intense thoughts and feelings made my chest feel tight. I clenched my fist.

Now our positions were reversed. I was clearly the one who had put Mitsuki and the others in danger. It would be absurd if she had to worry about me instead. Right now, I was a failure whether as her childhood friend or older brother. And to Mitsuki, I was the fiance she was engaged to.

How could a man in such a position be unreliable?

"In that case, there's nothing for you to worry about."

Looking into Mitsuki's eyes, I declared firmly.

"Nii-san..."

"If you or anyone else face problems arising from touching me, then I will be the one to handle them. This is my responsibility. But it's not something I do unwillingly. This is how I feel."

This was not acting tough. Instead, this feeling came from the bottom of my heart.

"But that would be too much of a burden for you, Nii-san—"

"You're wrong. I don't find this a burden. Rather, it would be burden if you felt troubled but I could do nothing about it."

I spoke over Mitsuki and conveyed to her the fact that we were thinking alike.

"In that case, there is already... nothing to agonize over."

Smiling wryly, Mitsuki used her finger to wipe the corners of her eyes. I did not know whether it was condensation or sweat. Perhaps they were tears from Mitsuki's eyes.

"I want to become the same kind of being as you, Nii-san, to walk along the same path. The dream I just mentioned would have no meaning at all without you, Nii-san. So please—Change me."

Mitsuki spoke with eyes of determination.

"Yes."

I replied. Pushing through the hot water, I approached Mitsuki.

"Oh—Wait, please hold on!"

But when I reached out, Mitsuki suddenly stopped me.

"Umm... This is an extremely special act for us... like a ritual. Hence, rather than a simple touch, umm..."

Fidgeting, Mitsuki turned her back to me and pushed aside the hair behind her. On her pale and exposed neck, the blue dragon mark was glowing.

"Could you use your lips for contact?"

Mitsuki spoke her wish quietly. She seemed quite embarrassed and her pale skin went red in an instant. My heart also started to pound and my mind blanked out.

"Use my lips... So a kiss, you mean?"

Wavering, I asked the obvious.

"Y-Yes—Uh, oh, n-no! Not mouth to mouth, I mean the dragon mark! It would be very romantic if you could turn me into my new self with a kiss... It would become a precious memory..."

Frantically, Mitsuki explained, pointing to the dragon mark on her neck.

"S-So that's what you mean..."

I felt slightly relieved, but immediately froze when I imagined myself kissing the back of Mitsuki's neck.

In a certain way, this was even more embarrassing than an ordinary kiss. However, Mitsuki kept her hair lifted, waiting for me.

Having made such a strong declaration earlier, I could not falter here and cause Mitsuki to worry.

"—I got it."

Answering in a forceful tone as though to convince myself, I approached Mitsuki's back.

While closing in, I could smell the sweet fragrance coming from Mitsuki's skin, a refreshing scent. Decorated with beads of sweat, Mitsuki's skin had turned pink from nervousness and the heat.

The blue dragon mark gave off greater brilliance. As though in response, the dragon mark on my left hand glowed faintly.

"Okay, here I go."

Gulping, I mustered my determination. Hesitation would only make both sides feel more embarrassed. Do it in one go.

"...Yes, I am counting on you, Nii-san."

Mitsuki steadied herself and waited for my kiss.

Bringing my face against the back of Mitsuki's neck, I touched the blue dragon mark with my lips.

"Mm..."

Mitsuki's body suddenly shuddered and a small moan escaped from her lips. In that instant, blue light was released from the dragon mark, enveloping her entire body.

"—Kuh... Ahhh!!"

Hugging herself tightly, Mitsuki moaned.

"Are you okay, Mitsuki!?"

Speaking of which, I had not witnessed the instant of Iris and Shion's transformations. This was my first time seeing the change after contact with my own eyes.

Mixed in the blue light were black particles, most likely Mitsuki's dark matter. Charlotte had said before that chances were very high that a D's own dark matter was what the dragonification process used. Then right now, Mitsuki's body was being remodeled using dark matter.

"D-Do not worry... It, does, not, hurt."

Despite the look of hardship on her face, that was how Mitsuki replied. The blue light slowly dimmed while at the same time, Mitsuki's expression also gradually grew gentle.

Then the light vanished completely. Exhausted, Mitsuki collapsed.

"Mitsuki!"

Seeing Mitsuki about to sink into the hot spring, I hastily caught her in my arms. Her body temperature felt quite elevated, but I could not see any external changes.

"Nii-san..."

Mitsuki opened her eyes slightly and held my hand.

"Are you really okay? You looked like it was really painful—"

"I am fine. It did not hurt. How should I describe it...? Umm, rather, it was too pleasurable... To avoid making strange noises, I had to endure desperately."

Mitsuki avoided eye contact shyly while she talked about the transformation just now.

"T-That's good to hear... I guess?"

Unsure how to react, I concurred ambiguously.

"P-Please stop asking me! However... With this, I can finally touch you, Nii-san."

Despite still avoiding eye contact, Mitsuki gripped even more tightly to prevent my hand from leaving her.

"...I see."

I gripped Mitsuki's hand firmly in turn, but noticing that we were clad in nothing but bath towels, I did not know where to look.

"Mitsuki, it's time... we got out, right?"

I suggested since this would be embarrassing for Mitsuki too if this continued. However, Mitsuki shook her head lightly.

"I would like us to stay like this for a while."

"...You'll faint, you know?"

"If that were to happen, please carry me back to the room, Nii-san. After all, I will be sleeping in the same room as you, Iris-san and the others."

Mitsuki spoke in a slightly coddled voice, resting her head against my chest. The body warmth and softness of her skin were making my heart race but I also felt a nostalgic sense of reassurance. I sighed.

"Just a little longer in the bath, okay?"

Despite noticing that I also wanted to stay like this longer, in order to maintain my pride as the older brother, I answered in an exasperated tone of voice.