Chapter One 

Yukihime Yukigane: The Strongest Girl in the World

“Always be aware of your identity as a guardian of the world, and never refrain from self-improvement.”

Atop the stage, a girl spoke in a dignified voice. She was the headmistress of our academy.

At Star Gate Academy, the definition of a ‘headmistress’ was a bit different. After all, this school also served as a defense academy that trained students to become star sorcerers. Therefore, while the headmistress assisted in managing the academy, her main job was to act as the representative of Star Gate Academy, the organization that preserved world safety.

Long story short, she was really powerful and important.

“Now, I hope you all enjoy your winter break,” Yukihime said, concluding her speech.

A round of applause swept over the gymnasium. I halfheartedly joined in, despite thinking ‘Your Identity as a Guardian of the World’ was an over-the-top subject for the final assembly before winter break.

With the assembly finished, students began to pour out of the gym.

“Headmistress Yukihime always looks so adorable.”

“She isn’t just adorable, she’s beautiful!”

As I joined them, I could hear all the other students singing Yukihime’s praise. She wasn’t just the headmistress, she was the idol of the academy. She was the strongest, got the best grades, and had flawless looks to boot. It was no wonder people worshiped her.

“Ooh, I wish she’d walk all over me!”

“I wish she’d glare at me with those blue eyes and tell me I’m a bad little piggy!”

Nodding to myself, I listened to the voices around me. I could sort of understand how they felt. I didn’t worship her myself, though. After all, we had known each other since we were little kids, and after a certain incident, we’d started living together.

I was privy to this perfect girl’s imperfections. For example, one time when I was going to take a bath...

I opened the bathroom door, only to find Yukihime standing there in her underwear. Instantaneously, our gazes met, and we both froze up for a moment.

So what did Yukihime do next? Instead of screaming, covering herself up, or taking a swing at me... she hid something that she was holding.

“...Did you see that?”

“...Yes.”

Despite her swift actions, it hadn’t escaped my eyes: a pink bra with ridiculously huge cups.

You see, Yukihime was so flat that if I ever found myself in a life or death situation where I needed to balance a chopping board on a girl’s chest, she would be my savior – which meant there was no way that bra belonged to her.

That was my little sister’s. She had ridiculously huge boobs. And come on, what good older brother would ever mistake his little sister’s bra? It was hers, definitely... So then what was Yukihime doing with it?

“...Are you jealous of her?”

“Don’t you ever tell Towa about this...”

The way she glared at me with beet red embarrassment all over her face made me realize this was a death threat. Towa was my little sister’s name, by the way.

“Okay, I won’t. I’ll take it to my grave. But just so you know... Wearing Towa’s bra isn’t going to make your boobs any bigger, you know?”

“I know that! Now get out of here! And drop dead while you’re at it!”

Realizing speed was essential to my survival, I retreated at once.

...So there you have it. Just one of the weaknesses of the girl that everyone considered perfect.

I think small boobs are cute in their own way, but her reactions are so funny that I can’t resist teasing her about it. She should have more self-confidence and forget about competing with others... I silently nodded to myself, content with my own conclusion.

“What are you doing?”

Suddenly, Yukihime was standing right next to me.

“...Hang in there.” I placed my hand on her shoulder encouragingly.

“...Huh? What’s this all of a sudden?”

“Oh, never mind.”

“...Hmm? Oh yeah, I think it’s your turn to answer the teacher next class.”

“Really?”

“I never saw you studying... Are you ready for this?”

“No... Show me yours.”

“Ask me like you really mean it, and I’ll consider it.”

“Please teach me how it’s done, Headmistress Yukihime.”

I bowed down to a 90 degree angle with every ounce of my strength.

“...Fine, if you insist. But you’d better be ready next time. Otherwise, you’ll never make any progress.” Yukihime shrugged in exasperation.

Homeroom began when we arrived at the classroom, followed by our first class. It wasn’t long before Yukihime, who sat next to me, stood up to answer the teacher’s question.

“In the year 2000, construction began on the seastead city that would later become Otherworld City. Four years later, the First Otherworld War began, which threw our world into a crisis. After the war, the star sorcerers revealed themselves to the world, and Otherworld City became the defense citadel it exists as now.”

Our teacher began writing the events Yukihime spoke of on the blackboard.

Star sorcerers: Those who possess star power, which allows them to use star sorcery.

They used to be known as sorcerers. While concealing themselves from the world, they used their hidden powers to defeat monsters that invaded from one of the other worlds. But after the large battle that came to be known as the First Otherworld War, the entire world found out about the other world and the massive horde of monsters that had appeared. The sorcerers were the ones who defeated them and won the war.

Afterwards, the sorcerers changed their title to star sorcerers and revealed themselves to the world. They also began recruiting new star sorcerers in order to prepare for the inevitable second war.

We lived in Otherworld City, a man-made island that floated off the coast of Yokohama City. The area had become a battlefield when otherworld gates opened up nearby. When star sorcerers moved to the city in order to gain control over these gates, Otherworld City was born. In order to become a star sorcerer, one needs to begin training at a very young age. Therefore, most of the inhabitants of Otherworld City were students.

...So yeah, Yukihime stood there parroting all that off. Then, with a cool look (it’s her way of being like ‘nailed it’) she sat down again.

It was a simple request from the teacher in order to get class started: ‘Tell me something you know about the Otherworld War.’ Yet Yukihime had gotten totally carried away and listed off everything that the teacher was about to explain.

Everyone started to applaud, and the teacher showered her with praise. “I should have known not to call on you!”

I also clapped, just because. Clappity clap. Whatever.

“Do I detect some sarcasm in your clapping?”

“Oh, no. Just admiring your skills, what else?”

“Well, I am a step above all the normal people.”

“Yeah... Normal definitely isn’t how I’d describe you.”

“...What are you staring at?”

Silently, I averted my gaze.

“Kokuya, you didn’t forget about lunch today, did you?”

“You think I’d ever forget about my own little sister?”

That day, at lunch, Yukihime and I were supposed to hold a special class to help teach elementary and middle school students how to fight using star sorcery. My little sister, a middle school student, said she’d join us, so I was way more pumped up than usual.

“I guess not... But remember, this class isn’t just about her, okay?”

“I know, I know.”

As lunchtime approached, Yukihime and I headed to school arena, where 30 elementary and middle school students awaited us. Perhaps because it was just before winter break, the turnout was a little less than what we had expected.

My little sister, Towa, was also there. When our gazes met, a tender smile rose up onto her face, and she ran toward me.

So cute...

“Big brother! I’ve been so excited for today’s class. Oh, and thank you so much for taking the time to teach us, Yukihime!” Her bright, blonde pigtails bounced as she spoke.

She was the complete opposite of a certain arrogant, cold-blooded, flat-chested girl I knew... Filled with mercy and compassion, Towa’s voluptuous breasts could give any angel a run for her money. And despite how developed her chest was, she was actually a bit short for her age. She always looked so adorable whenever she’d chase after me.

In other words, she was a loli with huge boobs – the best kind of loli there is.

First, let’s talk about the loli part. Lolis are the best, of course. Innocence and purity. Constant whispers of true, blind love for her brother, without even a bit of distrust. Her love for me was the only pure thing I’d ever found in this world of lies, and I knew that I needed to be strong for her.

Next, her huge boobs. It should go without saying by now that huge boobs are also the best. Any man would agree with that. They’re a symbol of motherly love – a symbol of femininity itself! Their size is proportionate to the size of their owner’s love, and their tenderness to the tenderness of their bearer’s heart. They accept, embrace, and love all they touch. This is what boobs do.

Combine a loli with huge boobs, and what do you get? Omnipotence. Nothing can beat that. It’s a simple fact.

Therefore, my little sister was undeniably the cutest thing in the world.

“Yes, I hope this class goes well, too... Kokuya, what’s with that stupid expression on your face?” Yukihime’s words rang out cold and harsh. But with Towa in front of me, I was impervious to her barbs.

“Well, I don’t want to get in the way, so I’ll go back to the others, okay?” Towa said, then went back to her spot. Not only was she cute, she was also considerate.

“Awww, Towa’s gone...”

“Yes, yes... Cool it with the sister complex stuff already. We’re about to begin.”

Once I nodded, Yukihime instantly switched her cold glare into a smile. Usually, her furrowed brow and angry countenance was all I ever saw, but she was surprisingly nice to children.

“Hello everyone.”

The students enthusiastically returned her greeting, with Towa sounding just as excited as the elementary kids. It melted my heart.

After a light introduction, Yukihime started to explain about star sorcery, which was the focus of this particular class.

“You all know that star sorcery is powered by star power, correct? Okay, so today, let’s try to learn a bit more about star power itself.”

Yukihime turned her right palm upwards and raised it. A blue light began to emanate – then, a beautiful ice flower bloomed.

“Wooow!” “Cool!” “That’s so pretty!” The students exclaimed in admiration.

“Each person’s star power has its own elemental affinity. As you can see, mine is ice. Ice is a basic element, so many people share this element. I bet some of you are ice elementals too, aren’t you?”

Several of the students raised their hands.

“What element is that guy?”

“His is a bit unusual. He’s a time elemental: a special affinity known as an abstract element that isn’t included in the basic elements.”

The basic elements are fire, water, wind, earth, ice, wood, and lightning. Anything else is categorized as abstract, such as my time element.

“Time? You mean you can affect time? Cool!”

“Stop time for us!”

“...Sorry, I can’t do that. I’m just a G Rank.”

“G?! Lame!” “Even I’m a D already!”

All star sorcerers were ranked from G to A. The G Rank was the lowest, and got assigned to star sorcerers who had star power, but couldn’t use it well, if at all. They weren’t that different from normal people.

Next came F Rankers: people who could do basic things, such as a fire elemental who could light a match. E Rankers could create as much heat as a lighter, but weren’t that different from F Rankers. D Rankers could create fireballs in their palms, while C Rankers were basically human flamethrowers. They were about as powerful as an armed civilian. B Rankers could control fire on an even larger scale than C, and a single one had the potential to do even more damage than a tank. Finally, there were A Rankers. There were only ten of them in the city, and each possessed top class power.

Most high school first years were usually D or E Rankers. Rank was determined by overall star power, activation speed, and range. Not only did I possess a low amount of star power, I also had one other critical flaw: my star power range. I couldn’t use my ability to affect anything other than myself, meaning I couldn’t even stop time.

“It’s true that he’s a G Rank... But rank isn’t everything when it comes to being a star sorcerer.”

“...Hey, Yukihime!”

She was being unusually nice...

“Of course, let’s not forget that I’m an S Rank... The only person in the world who’s been able to surpass A Rank.”

“Whoaaaa!” “You really are amazing, Headmistress!”

...So much for that.

She was right, though. Even though ranks only ranged from G to A, Yukihime was a special exception. She was an S Rank, a class above the rest. She’d even surpassed the ten A Rankers who lived in the city.

And yet I, the lowest of the low, was trying to beat her.

Ever since I decided to surpass her, I kept challenging her and losing. But no matter how many times I lost, I never felt like giving up.

“Well then, shall we begin?”

With the preliminary explanation finished, it was now time for us to continue class by actually fighting. Yukihime and I stood about 15 meters apart on a 30 square meter stage. This star sorcery-enhanced space prevented us from being wounded, but attacks still hurt. A particularly powerful attack could even knock someone out.

“The most important things to a star sorcerer are elements, and...” Yukihime began her final bit of explanation.

“Liberation – Snowbloom.”

As Yukihime whispered those words, a blue light burst out from the palm of her hand, revealing a sheathed blade.

“Liberated star armaments like these can be pulled out at will,” Yukihime explained, as she hung the sheath on her belt.

I outstretched my right hand and took a deep breath.

“Liberation – Chronoslayer.”

A silver light burst out and materialized into a silver twinblade: an unusual sword with two blades extending from opposite sides of the hilt. The side that pointed upwards when I held it was a bit longer – the length of a longsword, while the bottom blade was more like a dagger. The moment I gripped my star armament, my liberated star power caused clock dial patterns to glow in my red eyes.

I brandished my twinblade. Yukihime ordered the students to step back, then returned her gaze to me.

“998. Do you know what that number represents?”

“I dunno. The number of times you wished you had bigger...?”

A huge icicle burst up right next to me. Chills ran down my spine, both physically and mentally. Maybe it was time to stop playing around with Yukihime.

My attempts to insult her were pointless. I’d only be able to salvage my own pride with my blade.

“Alright, let’s do this. Battle number 999.”

“...Oh, so you do know.”

998. Yukihime had asked me what that number represented, and the answer was simple. There’s no way I’d ever forget.

It was the number of times I had lost to her. Yet I still hadn’t given up.

“You know, I think it’s about time I won one of these.”

“I hope you haven’t forgotten about our little agreement, because you’re about to hit 4 digits.”

“Oh, you mean the one where you become my slave?”

“Why would I ever become your slave?! You promised to become my slave if I beat you a thousand times!”

“But if I can beat you even once before I hit a thousand, you’ll become my sex slave, right?”

“Sure. It’ll never happen.”

“Alright, if you say so. I’m gonna make you do some crazy stuff, just you wait.”

“...What? W-Wait, hold on a second... What did you just say? S... Sex slave?” Yukihime went from white as a sheet to bright red.

“I’m gonna do stuff that’s even freakier than what’s in those dirty books you read.” I lowered my voice so that only she could hear me.

“What could be freakier than those?! ...Wait, no! I don’t read stuff like that! I have no idea what you’re talking about!” Yukihime’s face got even redder. She was a pro at digging her own grave.

“I bet you’re real curious about the details. Ready to finish this?”

“I’m gonna shut that big mouth of yours once and for all! En garde!”

That last line sounded like something an evil henchman would say right before they eat the dirt. It was hard to imagine just how strong she was based on how cheesy her lines always were.

“Okay... Here I come!”

I took the initiative, launching myself off the bare concrete and speeding toward her. Since I had no long range attacks, I had no choice but to get up in her face. The same wasn’t true for her, so projectiles came flying at me.

Yukihime opened her hand and created a blue star circle, a geometric configuration used when casting star sorcery. It wasn’t necessary to create one during activation, but they have the power to enhance star sorcery abilities.

A swarm of icicles shot out from the blue star circle, all aimed toward me. Each one was 20 cm long and thick as a thumb.

The barrage of icicles closed in on me. I won’t be able to dodge them all... What can I do?

A very simple answer popped up in my mind: Slash them.

I locked my eyes onto every flying icicle and cut them down. Even slicing up bullets was an easy task for me. My time element didn’t allow me to stop time itself, but I knew how to employ it in a different way.

First, I sped up my brain. This made it seem like the bullets were moving slower. Then, I sped up my body. By only speeding it up whenever I slashed an icicle, I was able to prevent excess physical stress and star power consumption.

Ultimately I succeeded in cutting my way past the icicle barrage and closed in on her. I swung my twinblade down toward Yukihime.

“Azure Wall.”

A crystalline sound echoed across the stage, and suddenly, my blade slammed into a wall of ice.

“Oh, there it is. Gonna actually use that for once, huh?”

“Just my way of thanking you for irritating me even more than usual before the fight. Now you’ll bite the dust without even getting a chance to touch me.”

Azure Wall. This ridiculously durable hexagonal structure that had just appeared before my eyes was filled with all the high-quality star power that Yukihime could muster. I’d never been able to break it – in fact, no one had. Did this mean that it had become impossible for me to attack Yukihime? Not necessarily. There was one way to break through. It was a pain in the butt, but I didn’t really have a choice at this point.

I started spinning my twinblade clockwise. My star armament, the Chronoslayer, enhanced my star sorcery. Using it while casting made things much more effective, and in this case, spinning it once to the right would double my physical speed. Normally it took time to speed up, but this shortened the process.

Once I reached double speed, I took a step to the right and slashed my longsword sideways. As the Azure Wall blocked it, I immediately stepped backwards and slashed out again, this time with the dagger. The wall blocked the attack again, but this time something was different. It had moved closer to Yukihime.

I leapt back and attacked again from the front, swinging my longsword down from above. Once again, the Azure Wall moved, and this time it lined up right against Yukihime’s head.

I instantly swung my blade and moved behind Yukihime. Our blades clashed. Yukihime had unsheathed Snowbloom. Its azure blade glistened beautifully, and a shrill metallic sound shrieked across the stage.

“The Azure Wall has been defeated.”

This time, it was her blue sword that had blocked my twinblade. Yukihime had unsheathed Snowbloom with her left hand and managed to block my blade without even turning around.

“You’ve improved at getting around it. Everyone usually struggles with that.”

Yukihime had programmed the Azure Wall star sorcery so that it would appear automatically whenever someone got near her. However, since she poured most of her resources into increasing the star sorcery’s durability, it was a bit slow to appear. If she wanted to put it out quickly, she could only make it so big. It’d probably take a considerable amount of time for her to cloak her body in it, and if she wanted to make a new wall, she’d first have to erase the previous one.

Right, left, front, and back. Suddenly changing directions like that prevented her from keeping up. It required someone who could move fast enough to outrun the wall’s activation speed, which meant that only an exceptionally speedy person could pull it off. Of course, moving at double speed put incredible strain on my body, so it was by no means an easy task. Still, it allowed me to break through the defense of the world’s strongest’s star sorcerer, so I figured it was worth the cost.

“I’m sure you were getting bored of whacking that thing over and over again anyway, right?” The edges of Yukihime’s lips curved up into a faint smile. “Here, I’ll pull it out for you. You should feel honored.”

“Really? You’re gonna pull it out for me? But I haven’t even won yet...”

“...Huh? What are you talking about?”

“Oh, if you don’t get it, then never mind.” She was surprisingly dense considering how much erotic fiction she read.

As she deflected my twinblade, Yukihime spun her body around and swung down Snowbloom with both hands. “Hey, what did you mean just now?”

“I’ll explain if you beat me,” I said, as I blocked the attack horizontally with my longsword.

“I’m going to win and you know it. Roses are red, the sky is blue, I always win. Logic so common that even a child would understand it.”

“That’s why it’s so fun to prove it wrong.”

We continued to banter as we pushed against each other’s swords.

“Common sense never changes. That’s why it’s common sense.”

Yukihime stepped in and shoved me back. The minute we got some distance between us, she shoved her sword straight into the ground.

“Freeze.”

Instantly, the entire stage froze solid, except for the spot where Yukihime was standing. Icicles also shot out toward me. I tried to twist and dodge, but since I needed to be careful not to slip, I couldn’t move how I wanted to.

“I thought you were going to fight me with your sword! What are you trying to end this so quickly for?!”

“Shut up! I’m just being logical!”

She wasn’t playing around here. With this move, she could limit my movements and pick me off from afar.

A swarm of icicles sprung up around Yukihime. “It’s over.”

I could have tried to cut them all down, but if I happened to slip and fall, I’d be done for.

Besides, if I kept using star power to speed up my brain in order to slash the icicles, I’d eventually use it all up.

I couldn’t beat her in a game of endurance. I hardly had any star power to begin with, while she had access to an endless pool of it. Unless she used a bunch of powerful moves, she’d never run out, and although I hated to admit it, there was no need for her to use such powerful weapons against me... Which meant there was only one thing to do.

I took off my blazer and rolled up my right sleeve. My bare arm was clad not in skin, but silver. It was a silver prosthetic arm, a star armament just like my twinblade.

Braveright. This star armament was different from Chronoslayer and Snowbloom in that it was permanent, and therefore always present.

As I held my twinblade in my left hand, I bent my right wrist up, then bent it down twice and clenched it into a fist. Instantly, the click of a loaded gun sounded out, and an empty casing flew out from the mechanical part of my right arm with a hollow clink.

The series of movements I had just made with my arm were all in order to eject that cartridge. Unleashing the star power that had been charged in it would allow me to power up one of my attacks by a great deal.

I raised my right arm. A staggering amount of star power was overflowing from within. Then, I slammed it down onto the concrete.

With a rumble, the earth split, and a concrete wall rose up before me. Even though it would soon be pierced by the icicles, it could still buy me a little time.

Cracks spread out from me along the ground, crumbling the frozen surface. The stage was now a mess, but at least I didn’t need to worry about slipping anymore.

I picked up my twinblade and sprang out from behind the concrete wall.

“Aww, look what you did!” Yukihime stared at the totaled stage.

This space nullified physical damage against human bodies, but objects could still be destroyed. The teachers would probably get mad at me later, but if it meant beating Yukihime, then it’d be more than worth it.

“Guess it’s okay for me to break some stuff too, then.”

Suddenly, I felt some intense star power coming down from above. I looked up to see a block of ice that was large enough to cover up half the stage.

Yep... This is a one-hit-kill. I mean, I won’t die here, but it’ll definitely hurt like hell.

“There it is! The Stardrop!”

“He’s dead meat... She wins!”

I could hear the students shouting. Due to its flashiness, this was one of Yukihime’s most popular moves.

...Hey, who are they calling dead meat?

“Guess that’s it for today.”

As the block of ice came sailing down, I spun my twinblade in my right hand and threw it down. I hadn’t sped up my body. All I did was boost the speed at which star power was charged into the cartridge in my right arm.

Progress Boost. By boosting my star power charge speed, I could power up one attack to an immense degree. Star power was already charged up in the cartridge, and by ejecting it, I could greatly increase my star power output. Ejecting and Progress Boost were each capable of boosting me on their own, but in order to obliterate this block of ice, I needed to pull out all the stops.

The block of ice eclipsed my vision.

“It’s not over...”

I ejected the cartridge, releasing a colossal amount of charged-up star power.

“...till I say it is!!”

I raised my right arm over my head. My silver fist crashed into the crystalline blue ice, and my body was slammed down into the ground. Even more fissures spread out along the ruined ground in a radial pattern.

We clashed for a moment, then I heard a sharp snap. Cracks began to run up along the ice block, until finally it split in two. A heavy boom echoed through the arena, and was immediately followed by the students’ cheers.

That’s it, kids. Go wild. I’m about to defeat the world’s most powerful star sorcerer.

I had only managed to nullify her attack, yet I already felt like I had won. Then, I started to get a strange feeling. The students weren’t looking at me. They were looking above me.

“Well, I guess you fought a little harder than usual today,” Yukihime said arrogantly. Sheathing Snowbloom, she crossed her arms.

“Why are you acting like you’ve already won?”

“Look above you.”

“Above?”

I looked up. Now there was an even bigger block of ice floating there.

“Really?”

There was no way I’d be able to immediately charge up enough star power to destroy that. I raised my twinblade, spun it, ejected, and... Nope, I wasn’t going to make it.

“Now kneel before me and lick the ground. That’s what defeat tastes like.” Yukihime revealed a sadistic smile, and that was the last thing I saw right before I lost.

“...Soft.”

That word was all that existed in my mind.

“Oh, are you awake now?”

“...Huh?”

I could hear a voice. It was such an adorable voice, just hearing it was enough to make strength come surging out from within me. I extended my hand toward the beautiful voice...

Smush.

What was that soft feeling? No, wait, I knew this feeling. How could I ever forget? These were...

“Wah, mm, mmm... H-hey, big brother, why are you touching me there?”

My little sister’s boobs!

“...Good morning, Towa. What are you doing?”

“That’s my line!” Someone smacked me in the head.

“Oww... What are you doing, flattie–err, Yukihime?!”

“Don’t even pretend like that was an honest mistake!”

Yukihime’s smack liberated my little sister’s breasts from my hands. Just what was she? A monster? A demon? A man-eating hag?

“Come on, big brother, Yukihime... You’re overdoing it.” Towa sighed as she stared down at me.

Her blonde hair bounced softly. At that moment, my head was resting in Towa’s lap. The softness I felt when I awoke came from her thighs. Her boobs were soft too, though.

I had lost to Yukihime, fallen unconscious, and rested in my little sister’s lap on the side of the stage. Talk about pathetic... Although I didn’t really mind, since it had given me access to little sister thighs.

“Sorry, Kokuya.”

Yukihime apologized. Now this was a rarity. She was the kind of person who believed the whole world belonged to her, and that every member of the human race was basically her servant, so humility was not something she practiced often. She did have a weakness for Towa, though.

“Don’t worry about it,” I replied. I don’t need your consideration. Just go back to your usual arrogant self...

“...Towa, like I’ve always told you, when Yukihime and I fight we go all-out. There’s no way to prevent stuff like this.”

“B-But you lost consciousness, big brother...”

“Yeah. It happens all the time. People can’t get hurt in there, so it doesn’t matter.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

Even though the space prevented physical damage, getting hit with enough mental damage to knock someone out over and over again would drive any person crazy. I hadn’t gone crazy yet, though. I was used to it. I mean come on, how many times had she beaten the crap out of me? 999?

“Hmm... I’m still worried, though.”

“Well, I’m grateful for your concern. You’re such a good girl, Towa.” I stroked Towa’s hair as I rested on her thighs.

“Heh heh heh! Thanks!” Towa grinned goofily.

“Are you two done yet?” Yukihime glared at us out of the corners of her eyes.

“I dunno. I could keep this up forever.”

“Lunchtime is going to end, you know?”

“You really think I can escape from the softness of these thighs?”

“I can’t believe you can say that with a straight face.”

“But I’m serious.”

“Come on, stop being silly, big brother. Want to go to the infirmary?” Towa stood up.

Towa’s thighs slipped away from my head. Farewell, my love!

Afterwards, Yukihime finished up the class, and all the students started to leave.

“You looked pretty awesome out there!” “Don’t give up!” “You’ve got a huge sister complex!”

I did my best to send fake smiles back to the middle school students who shouted stuff at me on their way out. It seemed like I had earned myself a better reputation than what I started out with, but it was partly due to a rather embarrassing reason.

...I mean yes, I know I have a sister complex, but still.

Right after school ended and I was getting ready to head home, I got a text.

And that was that.

“What are you smirking about? Did you get a text from Towa?”

“How’d you know?”

“The only time your perv face gets even creepier is when she’s involved somehow.”

“I guess.”

“What did she want?”

“Oh, nothing. I’m gonna walk home alone today. Got something to take care of.”

“Oh. You’re going straight home?”

“Probably. If it turns out that I’ll be home late, I’ll let you know.”

“Okay.”

“See ya.”

At the time, Towa, Yukihime and I were living together due to an unfortunate situation involving Towa. Usually I’d always walk home with Yukihime, but it seemed like Towa had something she wanted to talk to me about alone. I wondered what it was. Maybe she finally wanted to cross the boundary of brother and sister?

Oh no... If that’s the case, then who can I ask for advice?

“Hey, Yukihime.”

“What? What do you want now?”

“What should a big brother do if he just loves his little sister so much that he finds himself stuck in the rift between brother-sister love and morality?”

“Drop dead?”

I waited for Towa in front of the school gate. Soon, she came trotting toward me.

“Sorry, did I make you wait?” she asked.

“No, I just got here.”

“Yeah, I saw you arrive.”

I really had just arrived. I just felt like saying something date-y.

We started walking side by side.

“So, what’s this shopping thing you want to keep secret from Yukihime?”

“Well, Christmas is coming up, right?”

Oh... Right. It was December 19th, and Christmas was right around the corner.

“Don’t worry, Towa. You’ve been a good girl, so you’ll get presents.”

“You always just put weird stuff under my pillow every year, big brother...”

“Weird stuff?!” How dare she call Santa’s presents weird!

“Why would you put knee socks there? And you hid them inside of another sock...”

“Well, hiding presents inside socks is a Christmas tradition...”

“I thought people just hung those up as decorations.”

“Are you saying you don’t want a present this year?”

“Well, I liked the present itself...”

A mischievous smile slid onto Towa’s face, and she snapped one of the knee socks she was currently wearing. I had just given her those recently, and she knew just how to repay her big brother’s kindness...

“Anyway, that’s not why I’m here, big brother. Christmas should remind you of something else, remember?”

“What could I possibly have to remember besides your Christmas presents?”

“Bzzt! You just lost two love points from me. I’m going to move 20 cm away from you now.”

Towa took a step back from me.

“What? No way! Two whole points, just for that?”

“...Are you playing dumb, big brother? Did you really forget?”

“No, of course not. It’s Yukihime’s birthday, right?”

“Correct. You just gained two love points from me!”

Towa took a step toward me.

“...If I get more points, Miss Towa, will you walk arm in arm with me?”

“Hmm, I dunno... I’m still testing out this new system, after all.”

“I see... So, we’re going to buy Yukihime’s birthday present today?”

“Yeah. I know we do this every year, but let’s make this one special!” Towa grabbed my hands and struck a pose.

“What do you want to get her this year?”

“Hmm... I haven’t decided yet. That’s why I want you to come and help me pick something out.”

“Leave it to me. I know everything about Yukihime. Which sock she puts on first, even her measurements...”

“You’re not supposed to know her measurements...”

We continued to talk until we reached the bus stop. From there, we got on a bus and headed toward the commerce district. Otherworld City was split into different areas that were focused around different purposes, and you could buy pretty much anything in the commerce district.

As the bus drove on, we watched the scenery change. Soon, we turned onto a dazzling street lined with advertisements projected into the air in gorgeous illuminations. The trees along the street were also decorated, and I spotted an idol in a Santa outfit carrying some Christmas-related products. It seemed to be another projected advertisement. Everyone I saw walking along the street looked so radiant.

In other words, I was surrounded by a ton of people with actual lives. This was one of Otherworld City’s most famous date spots, so I guess I should have expected as much. I would have never come here if it wasn’t for Towa, and her being here with me made everything different. It felt like I really was going on a date with her, which was like heaven.

“Oh look, it’s Rabino!” Towa said as she stared at an advertisement.

For some reason, the idol in the Santa outfit was also wearing rabbit ears. I didn’t really understand what it was going for, but it was cute. Rabbit ears are nice. Now, if only she had been a bunny girl... I really like bunny girls. Not that it matters. Despite how cute the idol was, she was no match for Towa.

“Who?” I asked.

“You’re always so out of touch, big brother... Rabino is an idol who’s been gaining a lot of popularity lately. Haven’t you ever heard her catchphrase? ‘Rabino-pyon wants to get eaten by a carnivore like you-pyon!’”

Towa mimicked ears with her hands, tilted her head a little, and said the line in a fake cute voice. I figured it was just some line the idol said a lot.

“Hey, that was pretty cute. Do it again.”

“N-No. It’s embarrassing...” Towa was cute even when she looked embarrassed.

“You’re way cuter than that Rabino girl.”

“...St-stop it... You’d better not say that in front of her fans, or they’ll get mad at you.”

“No, I’ll get mad at them, because I’m your fan!”

“You’re so weird, big brother...”

This went on for a bit longer until we reached the commerce district bus stop. Once we got off, we started strolling through the streets and gazing at the different stores. Then, Towa stopped in front of one and said she was going to go inside. Behind the display glass, I could see various costumes.

“A cosplay shop?”

“Yeah. You know how the middle school students do a costume party for Christmas every year? This’ll be my last year in middle school, so I might do something special with my friends.”

“Really? Can I go and watch?”

“You should go to the high school party.”

“I want to be a middle school student...”

“You already were, up until last year.” Towa casually shot me down as she scanned the costumes within the store.

“I’m going to try a few on, so tell me how they look.”

“Sure, leave it to me. How about this one?” I asked, handing over a costume that was near me.

“Okay, I’ll try this one on too, then.” Towa took it and went into the changing room.

After a bit, she popped her head out from behind the curtain.

“Big brother... There’s this zipper in the back here...”

“...Huh? It’s okay for me to come in?”

“Yeah, just don’t look around too much.”

“I won’t, I won’t.”

Of course I would.

Towa was wearing the same miniskirt Santa outfit that the idol had been wearing in the advertisement. Now it was beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

Towa blushed as she turned around. The zipper was stuck around her hips. I had to admit, it was really sexy how I could see her back and the pink straps of her bra.

“It feels a little tight around my chest...”

I bet she said that about every piece of clothing she wore.

If Yukihime heard that line, she’d go berserk. I did my best to yank the zipper all the way up.

“Mm, thanks... Now, for the final touch,” Towa said, putting on a Santa hat. “Wh-what do you think?”

“Please be my Christmas present.”

“I mean about the clothes...” Towa frowned.

“Looks good to me. Christmasy and cute. Oh, and if you ever want to put it on again, just call your big brother in!”

“I’ll ask a friend.”

“I see...”

“Okay, time for the next one! Get out!”

“Roger that.”

I did as I was told and left the changing room. After a bit, Towa popped her head out again.

“I-I changed...”

For some reason, she was blushing even more than she had been before. What could be more embarrassing than having your big brother zip up your dress?

“Why did you give me this costume, big brother...?”

Oh... She’s wearing the costume I gave her. Suddenly, it all made sense.

“I figured you could surprise everyone. You know... No one would expect you to go to a winter party in that.”

“It’s weird...”

“I like it.”

“It’s perverted...”

“Yet you still put it on.”

“I guess the atmosphere of the store made me a little numb to it... Especially considering the previous costume I wore, it didn’t seem that different at first... But then when I actually put it on, I realized how weird it was...”

“It’s too late now.” I yanked open the dressing room curtain.

“No, big brother! Stop!” By the time she said that, my eyes were already feasting on her.

A school swimsuit. That’s right. I had given Towa a school swimsuit. And now, the navy blue swimsuit enshrouded her body. Her arms and plump thighs were completely bare. Yes, it certainly looked good on her. It was beautiful. I wish I could have written her name on the nametag on her chest. I bet it would have gotten really distorted. You know, because of her boobs. Now that’s what you call artistic.

“But I’ll be shivering in this!”

“Trust me, they’ll love it.”

“I mean physically! Physically cold!”

“Just psyche yourself out, and you’ll warm up.”

“What if I catch a cold?”

“Towa, hurry up and change out of that. Warm yourself up.”

“You’re unbelievable... Y-You’re the one who made me wear this...”

“Oh, wait a second. Is it okay for customers to try on swimsuits in this store?”

“Don’t worry. I still have my underwear on. See?”

Towa slid the shoulder strap and crotch area of the swimsuit to the side, showing me the pink underwear she had on underneath. She did stuff like that so innocently... That’s what made her such a force to be reckoned with.

So sexy. Towa just gained a trillion love points from her big brother.

“...What’s wrong, big brother?”

“Oh, nothing. Guess we’ll just have to save the school swimsuit for summer, huh? Your health takes priority over all else, Towa.”

“Phew... You act crazy most of the time, but I’m glad you can still manage to be serious every now and then, big brother.”

My own sister thought I was crazy.

“I’m going to put on the next one now, so close the curtain, okay?”

“Do I have to?”

“I’ll call for help.”

“Closing now.”

I closed the curtain and waited for Towa to change again. I could barely wait to see what was coming next. The Santa outfit and the school swimsuit had both looked so nice... But Towa looked amazing no matter what she wore. I was sure her next outfit would look super cute as well. There I stood, eagerly awaiting what she was going to show me next.

Suddenly, the curtain opened again.

“Whoa, that was quic... Whoaaaaaa!” I bellowed out suddenly.

Towa was wearing... a bunny girl costume.

“Towa wants a carnivore like you to eat her, big brother-pyon!”

The shock nearly knocked me unconscious.

I was awestruck. Cute white bunny ears that bobbed whenever she moved her head. A red leotard that revealed the curves of her shoulders, back, and thighs to an inappropriate degree. The chest part was also cut wide open, allowing full view of Towa’s deep, ponderous cleavage. I felt like I was going to get sucked right into them. And let us not forget her small, round tail. Oh, and what would the costume be without the cuffs, collar, and bowtie, all neatly arranged despite how much of her skin was showing? It was charming as a naked woman wearing only gloves, socks, or a necktie. “So much of you is exposed, yet you’re hiding that one part.” “So much of you is exposed, yet you went out of your way to put that one accessory on.” The mismatched, unbalanced feeling of it all was truly magnificent. It was the antithesis of functional beauty, and utterly useless accessories only enhanced its eroticism. Now then, back to the bunny girl. Towa’s plump thighs were shrouded in black stockings. Even though this lowered the overall exposure of her body, it made her look even sexier. I know we’re straying from the topic of bunny girls here, but stockings are fantastic in their own right. Black stockings are famous for making legs look more beautiful due to being a slimming color, but there was much more going on here. When something is ‘shrouded’ in something, it gains a sacred essence. Legs, one of the most fetishized parts of the body, shrouded in black. Her legs were inviolable now, and the moment they became shrouded in black, they reigned. Oh, I wish I could rub up against them... No! I wish I could beg for the sweet mercy of rubbing up against them. They had vaulted up to great heights as an object of envy. Her legs were noble now. From there, a normal person who saw them would be struck by one very common desire: They would want to be stepped on. They would want the legs shrouded in black to step on them. Did a sweeter pleasure exist? Perhaps if those legs were to restrain a certain part of the male body? I suppose Yukihime would be better suited for something like that. Let me get back to the matter at hand: Towa. Towa in a bunny girl outfit. Why were bunny girls so sexy to begin with? Their bunny ears? Their tails? The degree of exposure? Oh, it was all so wonderful. But let’s think about this on a more fundamental level. What is the origin of the bunny girl? Bunnies can reproduce all year round, and it’s said that their mating season lasts forever. Perhaps that’s the true idea behind the costume – to send a message that the wearer is prepared to take in a man at any time. In other words, bunnies are perverted. And girls who wear bunny girl outfits become perverted. Probably. I doubt Towa was aware of these details concerning the outfit’s origin, though. And maybe I was the biggest pervert because I’d memorized it all. It was like Towa wasn’t even aware of what she was truly wearing. The costume was sexy enough on its own, but it got even more hare-raising when you learned about its origins. See what I did there? Anyway! Bunny girls were the sexiest beings in existence, which also made them the best! Bunny girls were the beeeest!!

“Big brother... You need to give me some feedback, or else I’ll just feel really embarrassed...”

“It’s perfect! Towa, I’m buying that for you!” I said, as I gave her a thumbs-up.

“Y-you really like it that much?!”

“You bet I do!”

“Huh? Oh no, big brother, your nose is bleeding! And why are you crying?”

My love for bunny girls was simply so great that I was starting to scare my little sister.

“We stayed here longer than I thought we would.”

“You’re just too good at egging me on, big brother. And I always let you...”

“Towa, your cuteness is your sin...”

“Stop trying to change the subject.”

After spending way too much time in the cosplay shop, we rushed out and started looking for Yukihime’s presents.

“What should I get her this year? I got her gloves last year, right?”

“Yeah. She liked them so much that she ended up wearing them every day.”

“Really?” I asked.

“Yeah. You two are so close.”

“Close? Me and Yukihime?”

“Don’t act like you don’t understand.”

“But I really don’t.”

“Must be tough when both of you are tsundere...”

“She’s a tsundere, but I’m a deredere! Toward you, Towa!”

“Yeah, yeah. I guess it would be silly to call a tsundere a tsundere and expect them to say ‘You bet I am!’” She really seemed bent on labeling me as a tsundere.

“...Oh!”

“What’s wrong?”

Frozen in place, Towa was staring at a mannequin in a shop window.

“I just thought that would look good on Yukihime.”

“What would?”

“That scarf.” The mannequin was wearing a white scarf with a snowflake pattern on it.

“A scarf, huh? Heh heh. Sure, why not?”

“Why are you laughing?”

“I-I wasn’t laughing! I think it’s good! Let’s buy it!” All of a sudden, I was panicking and pushing her to buy the scarf. What exactly was I trying to cover up for?

As I decided to buy Yukihime a scarf as a present, I realized what had happened. I had imagined Yukihime wearing it. It would definitely look great on her. Her face was the one good thing she had going for her, so most items complimented it.

Towa also found her present within the same store: a hairpin shaped like a snowflake.

With our presents in tow, we headed home. I hope she likes her presents this year, too.

“Welcome home... Hey, what’s with all the bags?” Yukihime asked, the moment she saw us come home.

“Guess we bought a bit too much.”

“Yeah.”

“How come?”

“Tee hee! You’ll find out later, so get excited!” Towa stared at Yukihime and smirked.

Yukihime cocked her head to the side in confusion. She glanced at me, but I didn’t understand why Towa was smirking either. If it was just about the presents, then why did she say ‘later?’ I cocked my head as well, signaling that I had no clue.

Afterwards, something happened during my daily training.

“Y-You’ve gotta be kidding me! There’s no way...”

“You’ll be fine! Big brother loves stuff like this!”

I overheard Yukihime and Towa talking, so I went to their room and knocked on the door.

“What are you two doing? Can I come in?” They both replied in a flash.

“Sure!”

“No way!”

Interesting. Of course, I had no choice but to do as my little sister said, so I entered the room.

Inside, I saw Yukihime in a bunny girl costume – white bunny ears, a blue leotard, and black stockings that made her slim legs look even more beautiful.

“Wh-whaaat?!” This was the second time in one day, so I was determined to keep my cool. Still, that surprised cry escaped my throat.

“K-Kokuyaaa! Look away... Stop staring at me! Get out!!” Yukihime pleaded in a weak voice, in complete contrast with her usual tyrannic ways.

I ignored her. And ogled her, of course. I was shocked. I’d always loved bunny girls, of course, but there was more to this. I would have never expected her to put on something like this at home, and – this is probably the biggest reason why I was so shocked – it looked good on her. Really good.

Of course, Towa had also looked fantastic in a bunny girl outfit. That fact will never change. But here, I’d like to raise a question. Small boobs or big boobs – which do you think would look best in a bunny girl outfit? Most people would probably say big boobs. And this may be the logical answer, especially when you consider the nature of the costume itself and where it normally would be worn.

However. However! I think small boobs in bunny girl outfits possess their own special charm.

To begin with, bunny girl outfits leave a lot of the body exposed, and also emphasize figures. Normally, when people think of bikinis, or any other kind of swimsuit, they usually agree that big boobs look better in them. (The logical next step here would be to discuss the wonders of school swimsuits, or small boobs in bikinis, but since I don’t want us to go off track, we’ll skip that part.)

The fact that big boobs look good in bunny girl outfits is a given, which is why purposefully making a girl with small boobs wear such a costume is wonderful and amazing in its own way. With a bunny girl costume, the girl’s thin, petite body becomes visible for all to see. Naturally, this will embarrass the wearer – especially if they already believe that bunny girl outfits should only be worn by women with big boobs. That’s why it’s so powerful. ‘Shame’ is the best weapon to use against small boobs. I think that small boobs possess other charms apart from this, but shame is truly a magnificent thing, especially combined with the humiliation of being forced to wear such a costume.

I looked Yukihime in the face. I never knew a person’s face could get so red. Her mouth was clamped shut, her eyes were spinning, and small tears were welling up in the corners of her eyes. At that moment, I felt like I had uncovered a whole new truth. Yes... Big boobs in bunny girl outfits and small boobs in bunny girl outfits are both the best.

I gave a thumbs-up to my little sister, who had been key in unlocking this truth, and she returned the gesture.

“...Hey! Siblings! What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Why do you sound so scared?”

“Ahem... I thought I told you not to look at me. Actually, didn’t I tell you not to come inside in the first place?”

“It looks good on you.”

I thought I heard a loud thump. Then, though I didn’t think it possible, Yukihime’s face got even redder.

“See? What did I tell you, Yukihime? Big brother likes this kind of stuff!”

“...” Yukihime flicked her head to the side and sat down in the corner of the room. Her bunny ears drooped down with her.

“Aww, you made her pout...”

“Don’t fret, little sister. Just act normal,” I said, as I used my phone to snap a picture of Yukihime.

“...Don’t take pictures of me.”

“Please look this way!”

“No.”

“But it looks good on you.”

“...Really?”

“Totally!”

“I think this sort of outfit would look better on Towa.”

“Not necessarily.”

“If only my body was more like hers...”

“Your body has its own appeal.”

“...R-Really?”

“Really. Now, just look this way...”

“Stop taking pictures of me!” Yukihime chopped me right in the head.

“Oww...”

“Big brother... How could you keep doing that when she was clearly telling you to stop? You’re the worst.”

“Stopping now.”

Prompted by my little sister, I reluctantly brought Yukihime’s photo shoot to an end.

After the bunny girl fiasco, we ate dinner and took turns in the bath. All we had left to do now was go to sleep. I was feeling a little thirsty, so I headed for the kitchen, where the fridge was. There, I found Yukihime pouring hot water into a mug.

“Coffee?”

“That’s right.”

“Gonna drown it in milk and sugar as usual?”

“Shut up. What do you care what I put in my coffee?”

“Where’s Towa?”

“Already asleep.”

“She always goes to bed so early. A well-slept child is a well-grown child, I guess.”

“Just shut your mouth already... Is that all you ever think about?”

“But I haven’t even said anything yet.” I guess I had racked up enough bad karma that it didn’t really matter, though.

“Are you staying up? Gonna study?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“Such a hard worker. An inspiration to us all!”

“Are you going to sleep, Kokuya?”

“Yeah.”

“...Pfft.” Yukihime gave me a belittling smirk.

“What?”

“Did you manage to finish tomorrow’s homework?”

“...Could you pour me some coffee, too? And tell me the answers to these questions...”

“Hm? I didn’t hear you say ‘Please, Headmistress Yukihime, the most beautiful woman in the world?’”

“Please, Headmistress Yukihime, the most beautiful woman in the world.”

“...You’re so quick to abandon your pride when you’re in a pinch.”

“Some things are more important than pride.” Like homework.

“You’re pathetic... Fine, let’s just get this over with.”

Yukihime and I opened the textbook on the table. Even though it was annoying how she always made fun of me and acted like she knew everything, Yukihime was a great teacher. She really knew how to teach people things. She still annoyed me, though.

“You don’t even understand this?” I must have heard that line about five times before we got to the end. “Where did you and Towa go today?”

“Why are you suddenly interested in that?”

“She made me wear that weird costume, so I got curious.”

“I need to explain the details of my date with my little sister to you now?”

“Your date? Please...”

“What else would you call it when two members of the opposite sex who love each other go somewhere together?”

“...A guy with a sister complex.”

“What’s wrong with a big brother loving his little sister?”

“There are limits to how far it can go... Understand?”

“Love is limitless.”

“...You’re such a pain.”

“I know you are, but what am I?”

Yukihime gritted her teeth and glared. I smiled back and let it wash over me.

Yukihime let out a sigh. “Fine, whatever... Seemed like Towa had fun, though.”

“Yeah.”

“...It’s already been nine whole years.”

I didn’t need to ask what she meant. It had been nine years since Towa and I first met Yukihime – which reminded me, I had just been talking to Towa about the same thing.

“Towa’s really changed,” Yukihime said.

It was true. She hadn’t always been this cheerful. Well, she had been up to a certain incident, but after that, she had stopped smiling altogether.

“I’m, uh, grateful, you know.”

“My, you’re unusually earnest tonight. If only you acted this way all the time, you’d make the perfect servant.”

“I’m always earnest when it comes to my little sister.”

“...You’ve changed a bit, too.”

“Me? How?”

“You had a lot more rage when we first met.”

“Oh, well, yeah...”

A lot had happened, and it was all connected to the reason why I had started living together with Towa and Yukihime.

After our parents died when I was six years old, Towa and I were taken in by a friend of our father’s. It turned out that he was a member of the Phanatics, a criminal organization composed of star sorcerers who used their powers for illegal purposes. When he first took us in, we had no idea that we had just fallen into the clutches of a man who belonged to a criminal organization. But during our time with the Phanatics, we had no one else to trust. The man who took us in was always off on missions, and rarely ever came to visit us at the organization’s school.

It’s no wonder I had a lot of rage back then. Without anyone to trust, I was just trying to survive and protect Towa all on my own. She would always stay in our room while I was forced to fight other star sorcerer children. Age didn’t really matter in these battles – power was everything. All anyone cared about was becoming strong enough to serve the organization.

“Thankfully, things... aren’t so bad now.”

“...Yeah.”

Maybe I wasn’t being honest enough. Things weren’t just ‘not bad,’ they were actually good. I hoped these days would continue on forever. I wished that I could just go on teasing Yukihime and getting scolded by Towa until the end of time. Fighting Yukihime and losing over and over... Wait, no, I didn’t want to just keep losing. It was about time I beat her already.

“You don’t care about it anymore?” My heart skipped a beat. She was talking about getting revenge.

Ten years ago, my parents were murdered. I still dreamed about it sometimes. I had vowed to avenge their deaths, and when I was with the organization, that was pretty much all I ever thought about. The same was true for when I first met Yukihime, and I think I’d caused her a lot of trouble.

“...I don’t know. I don’t think about it all the time like I used to, but I doubt I’ll ever be able to completely forget it.”

“...Oh.” Yukihime nodded and smiled gently. Geez, that’s so unlike her. “Well, let’s get back to your homework.”

“...Okay.” Seemingly embarrassed, Yukihime suddenly changed the subject.

I felt just as embarrassed, so I followed suit. The only reason I had this life now was thanks to her, and I felt very grateful.

I wonder when I’ll muster up the courage to say that straight to her face?