Elder Sister and Elder Brother
A children’s spade made with extremely light metal and tip reinforced with a magic fragment was inserted into the ground.
While surprised that the spade encountered close to no resistance, a little girl with a straw hat on top of her silky hair resembling silver threads was enjoying the feeling of playing with dirt.
However, only a few knew that she is, in fact, completely different from what her current appearances suggested, as she was a genius sorceress overflowing with wisdom.
The soil containing plenty of air was excellently nourished, and anti-insect magic tools were installed in regular intervals.
That wasn’t all the magic tools were used for, they were also used to calculate and arrange an environment tailored specifically to the planted flowers.
Preparing this many magic tools just for a flower bed wouldn’t normally be possible, but this flower bed was worth it.
The one who groomed and worked earnestly on this flower bed every day, was the eldest daughter of the Christophe House――Ellistina.
Within the academy, this beautiful girl is called the Sheltered Princess.
But, not many people besides her relatives know that she is an active member of the Knights Order that was made for the sake of her beloved little sister.
Furthermore, she inherited her grandmother’s astounding talent, thus being endowed with an ability that leaves her unmatched among her generation.
However, she is still the tender-hearted older sister in front of her beloved little sister, as they are currently enjoying the dirt together.
「You are doing well, Lily. Put the soil you dig up in here, okay?」
Guiding her blind sister’s hands, she enjoyed devoting herself to assisting her.
Her movements were as delicate as if handling a fragile article. Watching her gentleness was healing.
「This soil you see, it was specially made by mixing soil from eight kinds of lands. It’s very soft with lots of nutrients, so the flowers are growing healthily. Here Lily, try touching it?」
「Ai」
Taking the soil and placing it in the palms of her little sister, she also presented the fruits of her research.
The extended little hands that showed the palms that were much smaller than Ellistina’s enjoyed the touch of the soft soil.
The elder sister who was warmly watching over her little sister with partly closed eyes was at the pinnacle of happiness as a magical power was faintly oozing out of her.
While surprised by the texture of the soil that was much softer then she expected, she was also able to share the happiness fully with Ellistina by touching the magical power oozing out of her elder sister as well.
「Shoft and fluffy~」
「Yes, soft and fluffy~」
「Shoffy~」
「Fufu…… do you like it?」
「Ai!」
「I am glad to hear that. Then, let’s plant the flower next?」
「Ai」
Reluctantly separating from the hands she was supporting, Ellistina who stood up went to pick up the flower seedling she prepared.
That being said, it was a distance that was only a few steps away, so she fetched it immediately.
「Lily, this flower is called Ambrosia and she has very lovely peta……!?」
Picking up the seedling, Ellistina who turned around as tried to explain about the flower, became horrified as she saw her little sister drawing her face near the soil.
Little children put anything into their mouths.
But, Ellistina knows that her little sister is a wise child that has never done something like that before.
Even while knowing that, the scene before her played out in slow motion with her thoughts on the verge of suspension.
But, Ellistina who trained daily with the Knights Order wasn’t an ordinary child.
「Lily! You mustn’t!」
「Fue?」
Quickly seizing the hands of her little sister that were approaching the mouth, the person in question stopped her actions while letting out a voice as she was caught by a surprise.
Nevertheless, the mimetic muscles of hers whose expressionless was on default didn’t move at all, but one could understand from her voice that she was bewildered.
「Lily, the soil is not food, so you must not eat it, okay?」
「…… Ai」
She was blinking her eyes in surprise, but she understood that Ellistina had some kind of misunderstanding, so she obediently lowered the soil in her hands after nodding earnestly.
In truth, she only tried to sniff the scent of the soil, but she recalled that she is still a little child at the age where she should still be putting anything and everything into her mouth.
「Lily is very adorable, clever, lovely and cute, so you get it after being told once, right? Fufu…… But, this soil is so soft it makes you want to eat it, yeah? I understand」
「Nu~」
She was looking at the little bit of remaining soil in her hands, but all she saw was magical power.
And yet, she did not forget to throw in appropriate words to her elder sister who seemed to be in a bliss.
「Now then, Lily. Let’s plant this flower seedling together」
「Ai」
Gently placing the seedling into her little sister’s hands, they slowly inserted it together to the hole they dug up.
Ellistina understood that the flower had no magical power, making her little sister unable to see it, so she carefully assisted her.
「Let’s push the soil back next. Slowly and gently, okay?」
「Ai」
Putting her hands on her little sister’s, they slowly covered the hole with soil.
The little hands of her three years old little sister were still too small for the job, but they finished covering it with soil safely.
「Well done, Lily. You did really good! Let’s water it next, okay?」
「A~i」
Gently and carefully wiping the soil off her little sister’s hands, she took her hand and they slowly went fill a watering can in the well.
The well and the flower bed were right next to each other, and the watering can was also a very lightweight, child-sized one.
Usually, Ellistina uses the normal, adult-sized one as well.
She had used a child-sized watering can before enrolling into the Knights Order, but by now, she had trained to enough to carry the adult-sized one that can take more water.
「Here, Lily. It’s a little bit heavy, will you be fine?」
「N…… sho」
To Ellistina, the watering can’s weight was almost non-existent, but that wasn’t the case for her little sister.
In fact, she was tightly grasping on the watering can’s handle with both of her hands while staggering.
However, Ellistina was sure to quickly assist her, and the two slowly brought it to the flower bed.
「Nsho, nsho」
「Do your best, Lily. Just a little further」
「Aii. Nsho…… fuu」
Before being able to safely arriving at the flower bed, the little sister had to take a breather even when assisted by her elder sister.
「Fufu…… you were admirable, Lily. It’s just a little bit further, so let’s do our best, okay?」
「Ai」
Encouraging the little sister that carried the watering can with the utmost effort, she then assisted her with watering the Ambrosia seedling.
The water rained upon the leaves and soaked into the soil.
「That’s it, you are doing it well, Lily. Keep doing it slowly just like this. But, too much water is not good for the seedling, so let’s be careful, okay?」
Freely manipulating the watering can while gently supporting her little sister’s hands, and skillfully sprinkled the seedling with water.
The permeating water and the nutrition of the soil were slowly being absorbed by the roots little by little…… the affectionate sisters kept carefully continuing their work.
「Yes, well done. You were very good, Lily. I cannot believe it was your first time! You have a talent for raising flowers! Let’s take care of the flowers together tomorrow as well, yes?」
「Ai」
A whole-faced smile floated on Ellistina’s face that showed the signs of wanting to tightly hug the little sister at any moment, but she couldn’t help but give up as she was slightly dirtied by the soil.
On the other hand, her smiled deepened even further when she obtained a promise from her cute, adorable, beloved little sister.
「E, Ellie! It’s my turn tomorrow, you know!? You cannot make her promise on tomorrow so shrewdly!?」
「…… You are so noisy, Oniisama~ Now then, how about we go wash our hands, Lily?」
「Ahh! Wa, wait! It’s my turn next though!?」
「Gee…… I get it. Or what? Are you intending on keeping Lily’s cute hands dirtied!?」
「Ugh…… T, that’s not it, but……」
「Geez, that’s why men are……」
The elder brother――Theodore, who was watching from a tree’s shadow close to the flower bed raised a cry that it was his turn tomorrow, but Ellistina was able to befuddle him as always.
However, although she withdrew unwillingly as a joke, she would skip the turn if Theodore didn’t interrupt.
The two get along really well when it doesn’t concern their little sister, but Ellistina was a girl who would jump the gun when it comes to her little sister.
While going to wash the hands of her beloved little sister, she was coming up with a plan that would allow her to monopolize her little sister.
Theodore who had struggled for a victory immediately grasped the other hand of his little, tiny beloved sister and did not let go.
Their secret contest for the little sister ended quietly in a draw like usual, but it was starting to get intense.