On the Banfield family's home planet, there was a mansion for Yasushi.

A large building with a spacious garden.

These were prepared by Liam, the Count of Banfield.

Yasushi, who should have been the master of this magnificent mansion, was slumped over on an expensive sofa, dressed in a worn-out kimono.

"—Haaah, I lost again."

Having lost badly at the casino, Yasushi's face was drained of all life.

In front of such a dejected Yasushi, the one in high spirits was [Shishigami Fuuka], who was sparring with his son, Yasuyuki.

"Listen up, Yasuyuki. Big sis here is gonna teach you some swordsmanship."

"Y-Yes!"

In the spacious living room, Fuuka took a two-sword stance with shock swords.

Shock swords are tools also used for training; touching the blade delivers an electric shock.

With the power turned down, it's just a tingling sensation, making it safe even for children.

The reason Fuuka, who could handle real swords with ease, was using shock swords was likely to avoid injuring Yasuyuki by any chance.

Fuuka was telling Yasuyuki about the art of the sword.

"You have to sharpen not just your technique, but your spirit as well. As long as you rely on strength and skill, you're only half a man. If you train your heart, you can become even stronger."

After encountering a non-human entity named Falavel and landing a blow, Fuuka seemed to have shed a layer and grown as a swordswoman.

It seemed Yasuyuki had sensed this as well.

"Fuuka-neechan, I feel like you've gotten stronger than before."

Praised by her cute little brother figure, Fuuka grinned.

Then, she swung the shock swords, and in an instant, a fruit outside her reach was peeled and sliced into enough pieces for everyone.

As the fruit on the table was cut into four equal parts, Fuuka picked one up, tossed it into her mouth, and chewed.

"You think so too? Then you're growing as a swordsman as well, Yasuyuki. Don't you think so, Master!"

Suddenly brought into the conversation, Yasushi was listless, partly due to losing a large sum of money at the casino.

Still, he tried to compose himself in front of his disciples by crossing his arms—but he couldn't concentrate, still bothered by the loss of a great deal of money.

The thought of what excuse he would make to his wife occupied most of his mind.

(She's definitely going to be angry today. I'd be lucky if it's just a lecture, but she'll definitely get physical. No? Maybe she'll even pull out a kitchen knife?)

An old wound his wife had given him ached.

Today might be dangerous—while harboring these worries, he dealt with the children.

"Umu. Fuuka has grown. I can feel Yasuyuki's growth as a swordsman as well. Both of you, continue to devote yourselves to your training without faltering."

To Yasushi, these were just words to get through the moment, but Fuuka was beaming with a huge smile.

"You bet!"

◇

In a corner of the living room where the parent and child, master and disciples were gathered, sat Rinho on a chair.

Rinho's gaze was fixed on Fuuka.

(There's no way I could lose to her.)

The two of them had grown up together since childhood.

She had been proud that she was superior in terms of skill, and in reality, she was strong.

But after the encounter with Falavel, Fuuka seemed to have grasped something and had grown stronger as a swordswoman.

She had become an existence one or two steps ahead of her.

She had shown that she was getting closer to Liam, who was ahead of them as a swordsman of the One-Flash style.

(Impossible. Absolutely impossible. I can't lose to Fuuka. It's fine to lose to my senior disciple. But to Fuuka, of all people—)

Her rivalry as a sister was making Rinho impatient.

Just then, Fuuka looked at a basket of fruit placed on the table in front of her.

Just as one of them seemed to roll out, the moment it fell onto the table, it was neatly cut into four equal pieces.

Even from Rinho's perspective, it was a truly magnificent technique, and her eyes widened.

While she was still surprised, Fuuka said something to Yasushi.

What she heard was Yasushi's voice.

"Umu. Fuuka has grown. I can feel Yasuyuki's growth as a swordsman as well. Both of you, continue to devote yourselves to your training without faltering."

Those words were directed at Fuuka and Yasuyuki, not at her.

When Rinho stood up, the gazes of the three people in the living room gathered on her.

However, Rinho was only concerned with Yasushi.

Yasushi's troubled face, turned towards Rinho, seemed to speak volumes about her worth as a swordswoman.

"M-Master?"

Rinho's voice trembled.

(No. I don't want to be abandoned by Master, of all people. If Master abandons me, I'll—)

Yasushi let out a deep sigh, then muttered without even looking at Rinho.

"You should do your best, too."

He had told the other two to devote themselves, but the word for her was to do her best.

That difference was received by Rinho as more than just words.

"D-Do my best... that's..."

Thinking something was wrong with Rinho, Yasuyuki approached her with a piece of fruit.

"Rinho-neechan, you should have some too."

Rinho brushed Yasuyuki's hand away.

It was almost unconscious, but when she realized what she had done, the blood drained from her face.

"I-I'm sorr—"

"What are you doing, Rinho!"

Before she could apologize, Fuuka cut in.

As Fuuka grabbed her by the collar, Rinho looked at Fuuka's glaring face and reached the limit of her patience.

She unleashed a flash from point-blank range.

It was a flash that could have taken Fuuka's life.

However.

"That was dangerous!"

Fuuka, holding the shock swords, managed to block it.

Rinho's eyes widened.

(To be blocked so easily...)

It was a life-threatening blow, but she had expected Fuuka to block it, though not without injury.

She was shocked that it was completely blocked.

Fuuka leaped back and threw aside the shock swords.

As a dangerous atmosphere began to drift between the two, a flustered Yasuyuki sought help from Yasushi.

He tugged on his kimono, pleading, "Do something!"

Yasushi let out a small sigh and stood up.

"Do it outside."

—Permission was granted by their master.

Rinho invited Fuuka outside.

"You heard him. Let's go outside and test our skills. Let's make it clear which one of us is superior."

Fuuka looked at Rinho with pity in her eyes.

"You still don't get it, do you?"

Rinho couldn't forgive those eyes.

She was irritated by Fuuka looking down on her.

"You already think you've beaten me? —How ridiculous. I'll tear you to shreds and make you understand your place."

◇

The fight between Rinho and Fuuka ended anticlimactically.

After going outside and facing each other for a few dozen seconds, Rinho immediately collapsed to the ground.

It seemed she had been cut multiple times with a flash, but none of the wounds were fatal.

At first, Yasuyuki wondered if Rinho had dodged.

But then Fuuka, looking down at Rinho, opened her mouth.

"I avoided your vitals."

Hearing those words, Rinho's face showed surprise—then despair, followed by seething frustration.

Losing was one thing, but to have her vitals intentionally avoided and be shown mercy was likely the greatest humiliation for Rinho.

"You're saying you held back against me? You? Against me!?"

Faced with the enraged Rinho, Fuuka was a little bewildered.

But, as a sister, she must have gotten angry as well.

"Did you really think you and I would be a match right now?"

As if to say the outcome was obvious before they even fought.

Rinho let out a sob.

She must have been frustrated about losing to Fuuka as a swordswoman.

Yasuyuki looked at Yasushi, who was standing next to him with his arms crossed.

"It was over in an instant, I have no idea what happened."

He wanted to ask Yasushi what had happened, but he didn't get the answer he was hoping for.

"It happened as it was meant to. That's all. Yasuyuki, tend to Rinho's wounds. I shall contact the hospital."

"Y-Yes."

Yasuyuki couldn't accept it, but for now, first aid was the priority.

As he headed back to the mansion to get bandages and other supplies, he glanced back at Rinho just once.

There, he saw Rinho, shedding streams of tears as she watched Yasushi walk away.

◇

(Even if he says he has no idea what happened, I've been unable to comprehend this stuff for a long, long time!)

Back in the mansion after contacting the hospital, Yasushi shuddered as he recalled the match between the two.

(Still, Rinho used to have the winning record, but now Fuuka's stronger? Well, it's not like I can understand the difference anyway.)

They are both inhuman swordswomen.

The matter of their superiority was in a realm beyond Yasushi's comprehension, and he had no interest in it.

(More importantly, I'm definitely going to get yelled at today... haaah.)

Right now, Yasushi was far more terrified of his wife coming home than he was concerned about Fuuka and Rinho.

◇

As Yasuyuki was treating the dejected Rinho's wounds, Fuuka spoke to him.

"—I think things will get complicated if I'm here, so I'm heading home for today."

"I suppose so."

Perhaps because the defeat was so frustrating, Rinho kept her head down and couldn't speak.

Fuuka seemed concerned, but perhaps thinking that anything she said to Rinho now would be an insult, she left.

Yasuyuki thought that was for the best.

Once the two of them were alone in the room, Yasuyuki spoke to Rinho.

"From my perspective, you're both amazing swordswomen. So, that—no, I suppose you don't need my consolation."

He wanted to encourage the older sister who was so fond of him, but as a swordswoman, Rinho was on a higher plane than he was.

He couldn't find the words to say.

Rinho raised her face.

"A swordsman of the One-Flash style must be strong."

"Eh? Ah, yes."

Wondering what was suddenly wrong, Yasuyuki tilted his head, and Rinho began to cry, her face expressionless.

"A weak person like me isn't needed. That's why Master turned his back on me back then."

"That's not true. You're both incredibly strong. Just because you lost once—"

"That one time is the problem. A wall that cannot be filled has formed between Fuuka and me."

The fight made her understand.

The realm Fuuka had stepped into was a distant place for Rinho.

At the same time as her defeat, Rinho was made to understand.

"I can't stand in that realm. I can't, Yasuyuki."

"Rinho-neechan, if you train more, I'm sure you can catch up."

"—Haha."

Hearing Yasuyuki's consolation, the light vanished from Rinho's eyes.

"It makes sense that Master didn't teach you the One-Flash style."

"Eh?"

"The ranking between me and Fuuka is settled. And that's not all. I can't step into the realm of Fuuka or—our senior disciple. —I know I don't have the talent for it. Master, our senior disciple, and even Fuuka have probably realized it. Even Ellen will notice eventually."

It's something only a swordsman of the One-Flash style could understand, she thought.

With that, Rinho let out a sob.

"I couldn't prove my worth to Master."

Yasuyuki couldn't find any words to say to Rinho, and could only stay by her side.