Editing Unlimited Fafnir:Volume 9 Chapter 3 (section)

===Part 4===

"The water is nice."

"Mm... Very nice."

"Really...?"

"Mm."

After lunch, Ren and I were soaking in the hot spring side by side, having this sort of brief conversation.

Taking consecutive baths in a hot spring was ultimately a strain. With my mind going dizzy, I could not talk to Ren properly.

However, Ren did not mind. Releasing air into her wet bath towel, she made it expand like a jellyfish.

"What are your thoughts on risk, Ren?"

Although this silent period did not feel uncomfortable, I was afraid no progress would be made if I fainted from soaking for too long, so I brought up the main point.

"...I don't mind. Father's place is no longer somewhere I want to return to."

Ren gripped the bath towel jellyfish tightly and answered resolutely.

"Really...?"

"Mm."

Ren nodded and inflated the shrinking bath towel again.

Ren's father—Miyazawa Kenya—was such a failure as a father that even I hated him too. Ren had directly confronted him in an argument and lost all expectations of her father, declaring all she needed was having me, Ariella and the rest of the girls at her side.

"So... Anyway, let's recover the color of your dragon mark first?"

To reduce the risk during NIFL's coercive inspection, I suggested.

"...Mm."

However, Ren looked hesitation without nodding.

"S-Sorry. This isn't something to decide in a hurry. It must be scary to know you're going to change into something else."

Did I rush her conclusion too much? I hastily added a comment.

However, Ren shook her head.

"I'm... not afraid. Becoming the same as Onii-chan... will surely be reassuring. However—"

She stopped and stared motionlessly at the bath towel jellyfish by her hand.

I waited for her to continue without hurrying her.

"...But if it's just me alone, no. It'd be better together with Onee-chan."

Before long, Ren said softly.

"Ariella too?"

I knew that Ariella was the only one whom Ren called "Onee-chan," so I asked in return.

"Mm."

Ren nodded clearly and pleaded with me seriously.

"Onii-chan, please."

"...Well, Ariella is up next. I can't ignore her own will and touch her by force."

I wanted to accept Ren's requests as much as possible, but this alone was was something I could not promise lightly.

"Mm—Wrong."

"Wrong?"

"Mm. What I'm saying is, if Onee-chan refuses... I want you to convince her, Onii-chan."

Seeing Ren look at me extremely seriously, I 

"Convince her... But since this is Ariella's own decision, I don't have the right to say anything—"

"Wrong!"

Ren disagreed in an even stronger voice.

"No, not question of rights. Onii-chan... do you wish for me and Onee-chan to be happy or what?"

"Uh..."

Ren's words made me realize my way of thinking was wrong. Leaving a choice to someone else was giving up responsibility in a way.

Firill and Lisa had searched for solutions on their own regarding the matter of risk and obtained an answer, thus I spontaneously stopped thinking about it. What I was supposed to do afterwards—how to bring happiness to Ren and the others who were facing risks—This was clearly the most important.

"—You're right. Sorry. Can you give me a bit of time to think?"

"Mm."

I apologized and Ren nodded.

Feeling her gaze, I pondered Ren and Ariella's current situation.

Ren would not find happiness by her father's side. She sincerly hoped for me and Ariella to stay by her side. Then for the sake of Ren's happiness, Ariella was essential. But what about Ariella?

As Miyazawa Kenya's adopted daughter, Ariella had him as her only kin. If she did not touch me, Ariella could return to his side after losing her powers at the onset of adulthood.

However, I did not think that Ariella would choose to live with him. Most likely, Miyazawa Kenya would also lose interest in her after losing her powers.

What would Ariella do after that? She had the fortitude to seek her own happiness, but—

'I hope... You can become Ren's true family.'

Ariella's words from last night—the expression on her face at the time—flashed in my mind.

I felt that I must not take my attention off her right now. I must not hand her over to anyone or anything apart from myself, that was what instinct told me.

Slight anxiety was hanging over the depths of my heart. This was a warning sign of intense impulse, what I had felt when Iris was being taken from me.

Ah—Right.

I realized unintentionally.

Lisa had said that it was possibly her own wish that caused her dragon mark to change color. However, I too must have prayed somewhere inside my heart.

To prevent them from being taken away by something else, I wished for their dragon marks to be dyed with my own color.

"Ren, I think I've made a mistake."

"Mm?"

Ren tilted her head slightly at what I said.

"I probably selected all of you through my own will. I want to protect everyone with these hands—I don't want you to be taken away. That's why I made all of you my mates."

I raised my left hand with its glowing dragon mark and stared into Ren's eyes.

"That's surely because I want to bring happiness to you and Ariella... I don't want to hand this task over to anyone—That's why I must tell this to everyone."

While putting my words together, I had already steeled my determination. I reached out to Ren with my left hand.

"I will support you no matter what happens from here on. I absolutely won't allow misfortune to befall you. So, allow me to protect you, Ren."

This was my actual wish. And they were the ones who had made the choice. I should have noticed this sooner.

"Mm..."

Ren's eyes widened in surprise. Then blushing, she held her hands against her chest. That was the location of her dragon mark.

"Will you say... the same words to Onee-chan?"

Looking up at me, Ren asked in a whisper.

"Yeah. Also, I won't give up even if she refuses me. For your sake and mine, I will convince her."

"...Mm."

Ren's stiff demeanor softened and she nodded slightly.

Then her tiny hands held my left hand tightly.

"I trust you, Onii-chan."

Our dragon marks glowed as blue light enveloped Ren's body.

The dazzling light made me close my eyes for a moment. By the time I opened them again, the blue light had already vanished.

Holding my hand, Ren looked at her dragon mark whose color had dissipated.

"...It's over?"

"I think so."

Hearing me reply affirmatively, Ren smiled in relief.

"Then Onii-chan has become... even more of an Onii-chan."

Ren happily pulled my hand and came closer.

Did her shyness decrease because my "Onii-chan" presence had increased? Ren rubbed her face against my hand like a cat.

"I see."

I smiled wryly and stroked Ren's head.

Seeing her close her eyes partially in pleasure, I decided in my heart that I was going to tell what I had just said to Ariella and Tia, the ones remaining.

Zuuuuuuuun...

But just at that moment, the cavern shook slightly with a low rumbling.

"Not... an earthquake. It's coming from above?"

Leaning against me, Ren looked up in surprise. Due to the shaking, rock fragments were breaking off and falling from the roof.

"Something might have happened on the ground. Anyway, let's get back to the group."

"Mm."

Tensing her expression, Ren nodded.

It was definitely unusual for vibrations to reach this deep underground.

Praying for Charlotte's safety, I looked upwards.