"Obaa-chan, honestly. I rely proposed showing the cooking skills of Yamai, to repay the grace of raising us. And incidentally——let everyone judge between and my other half, whose cooking is superior. Was it really necessary to get that angry?"
While complaining about what happened last night, Kaguya tossed the hagoita shuttlecock high into the air, then swung the wooden paddle at the right mont.
——Bang!
With a crisp sound, the shuttlecock quickly flew toward Yuzuru.
"Answer. Rather than that, Yuzuru thinks Yumi Obaa-chan was angry because Kaguya ate outside before dinner."
——Pop!
Calmly hitting the shuttlecock back with her wooden paddle, Yuzuru answered without changing expression.
The day after being lectured by Yumi, Yuzuru and Kaguya brought the hagoita set they had bought during New Year and ca to a small open space in the city park.
Originally, they had planned to go to the arcade today to continue yesterday's match. But because they had spent a lot of money on yesterday's big eater contest, and had their allowance cut by Yumi after returning ho, they had no choice but to use toys like this to continue their match.
"What! My other half, did you not also agree at the ti?"
Hearing Yuzuru's words, Kaguya beca sowhat dissatisfied and struck the shuttlecock back harder.
Yuzuru maintained her defensive posture and accurately returned the shuttlecock.
"Refutation. Yuzuru only heard Kaguya's stomach make a very cute sound, so she softened for a mont and did not refuse."
"Wha——"
Hearing this, Kaguya's face stiffened. The hand holding the wooden paddle slowed by half a beat, and she mistakenly hit a high ball.
"Target. An opening."
"Crap!"
Seeing Yuzuru pose for a jumping smash, Kaguya hurriedly stepped back to defend.
However, Yuzuru did not smash as Kaguya imagined. She only went "——pop" and lightly pushed with the paddle.
Realizing her mistake in judgnt, Kaguya hurriedly went forward to save it. But she was still a step too late. The shuttlecock fell to the ground in a perfect arc.
"Point. This match is Yuzuru's victory."
Yuzuru's expression did not change, but her tone faintly carried pride.
"Uu... To use ntal warfare at a ti like this. Too cunning, my other half."
"Correction. Yuzuru only stated the truth. Kaguya was the one who got careless and made a mistake."
Hearing Yuzuru's words, Kaguya puffed out her cheeks unwillingly. But in the end, she breathed out and honestly accepted defeat.
"No matter. This is rely one draw, four wins, and four losses. In the next contest, I shall return this defeat many tis over."
"Challenge accepted. I welco it."
"Hey~ Yuzurun~ Kaguyan~"
Just as the two were about to begin the next round, they suddenly heard soone calling their nas.
Following the direction of the voice, they saw a girl with short gray hair walking from the park entrance while waving to them.
Kaguya and Yuzuru were a little surprised.
"Oh, is this not the Azure Dream Painter? For what purpose do you call the nas of Yamai?"
"Response. Long ti no see. Is sothing the matter, Nia?"
"Nothing really. I just happened to see you two while passing by, so I ca over to say hello."
Smiling and shrugging, Nia pushed up her glasses. Looking at the wooden paddles in their hands, she sighed with so nostalgia.
"Hagoita, huh? How nostalgic. After living alone, I rarely play this kind of thing anymore. But what's going on? New Year's should still be a while away, right?"
"Answer. Yuzuru and Kaguya are currently having a duel."
"The success or failure of this battle shall decide the end point of Yamai's fate."
"Oh, I see. In other words, sa as always."
Nia nodded in understanding. The Yamai sisters's duels were already an old story in her eyes, so she was not surprised.
"Question. Why is Nia here? Your apartnt should not be nearby."
"Mm, ?"
Nia rubbed her head and answered with a dry laugh.
"A few days ago, my editor caught and locked in a hotel to finish my manuscript. I just handed it in today and got released. Haha~"
"You are the sa as ever..."
Kaguya broke into a cold sweat and muttered. Then, as if inspiration suddenly struck, she asked Nia,
"In that case, Azure Dream Painter, your ti from now on should be quite free, yes?"
"Mm? Well, I am pretty free."
Hearing this, Nia was a little stunned, but she answered directly without thinking much.
Yuzuru and Kaguya looked at each other. They seed to have thought of the sa thing, and nodded with perfect understanding.
"My other half. If we continue dueling like this, we may be unable to decide a winner for a very long ti. Why not choose a field neither of us has touched before, and let an expert in that field judge us? Then both of us can be satisfied."
"Agreent. Yuzuru also thinks it is necessary to find an objective third person as judge."
"Mm? What's going on?"
Nia looked completely confused.
"Kuku——rejoice, Azure Dream Painter. You have been chosen as the witness of our Yamai fate."
"Explanation. For the next duel, Yuzuru and Kaguya have decided to settle victory through manga. Please, Nia, you must serve as Yamai's witness."
...
"...And then you agreed to beco their judge?"
After hearing Nia's story, Yumi asked helplessly.
"Well, I'm free for the ti being anyway. I thought their proposal sounded interesting, so I went along with it."
While eating the dinner she had co to freeload from Yumi, Nia answered.
"Sigh... Honestly, you..."
Yumi could not help letting out a long sigh.
"What's wrong, Yumi-obaa-chan? Is there a problem?"
Nia asked curiously.
"Actually..."
After hearing Yumi explain the whole situation, Nia nodded in understanding.
"I see. It's about their future paths after graduation? Deciding that kind of thing with a contest really is a bit too careless."
"This contest... No matter who wins, it will not be good for them... Nia... what do you plan to do?"
In response to Yumi's question, Nia answered as if it was obvious.
"Well, of course I'll judge fairly. After all, when it cos to manga, I'm also very strict. And if I give them a vague answer, it'll only leave resentnt between them."
"Nia..."
"Okay, okay~ Don't worry, Yumi-obaa-chan."
Seeing Yumi's worried expression, Nia patted her flat chest and guaranteed it.
"I'll discuss the matter as it is. No matter how the match ends, I won't just ignore sothing like this. As a mature adult, and as a caring big sister, I'll properly guide them and make them understand that they must not destroy another person's life just to satisfy their own possessive feelings."
"That is not the problem... sigh... never mind..."
Looking at Nia, who was not taking it seriously, Yumi started to speak, then stopped. She only sighed tiredly.
"When the ti cos... you will naturally understand..."
...
One week later, at Honjo Nia's apartnt. (TL:maybe between old chapter so ti I might type Honjou instead of Honjo, don't worry about it, soti I just forgot and make mistake,just like soti I might type Shidou instead of Shido)
"Here, Azure Dream Painter. This is the masterpiece I poured my heart and blood into. I await your critique."
"Yes, yes, received. Kaguyan's manuscript. I'm looking forward to it."
Imitating the tone of her own editor when receiving a manuscript, Nia received Kaguya's manuscript with great interest.
"I'll read it properly after you leave. I'll probably reach a conclusion tomorrow."
"Kuku——then I shall trouble you."
After letting out two cool low laughs, Kaguya turned her head and looked around. Then she asked sowhat tentatively,
"...Speaking of which, Dream Painter. Is my other half here?"
"Yuzurun? She hasn't arrived yet. She'll probably co later."
"I see..."
Kaguya said softly. After a short silence, she spoke to Nia very seriously.
"Nia, don't tell Yuzuru what I'm about to say."
"Mm? What is it?"
"For the result of this contest, choose Yuzuru as the winner."
"——Eh?"
Nia froze, not quite understanding the situation.
Although the rare fact that Kaguya was speaking like a normal person also surprised her, what shocked her even more was the content of Kaguya's words.
"Kaguyan, what do you an? Are you planning to forfeit?"
"How could I? If it is a victory like that, Yuzuru definitely would not accept it. You, as the judge, must make the decision. Only then will Yuzuru accept it."
"Mm... Can you tell the reason?"
Hearing Kaguya's words, Nia scratched her hair in distress and asked.
Honestly, if Kaguya had co to persuade her in order to secure her own victory, she could understand. But Kaguya's attitude of not caring about her own defeat or future instead made Nia confused.
"Mm? Do you even need to ask sothing so simple?"
Facing Nia's doubt, Kaguya answered as if it were obvious.
"Yuzuru is very cute, is she not? She is beautiful, her personality is understanding, and in class, many girls have gone to her for love advice. Also, her chest is so large and full of kindness. If she becos a nurse in the future, she will surely heal many patients."
"...Why does that sound a little like the start of a doujin plot?"
Nia broke into a cold sweat and retorted.
"Well, I have said what I needed. If you dare make my other half lose, I shall let you see a hell more hopeless than death."
Finally, after saying a serious sounding threat in her chuunibyou tone, Kaguya turned around and left without looking back.
"A hell more terrifying than death, huh... hmph——"
After softly repeating the line, Nia smiled with disdain and looked into the distance.
"Hell or whatever... I've already experienced it countless tis at deadlines."
Saying this, Nia relaxed completely and sprawled across her beanbag chair.
(Still, this is unexpected. I didn't think Kaguyan, who looks so competitive, was actually thinking so much for Yuzurun.)
Nia felt sowhat surprised. But after thinking carefully, the two were normally extrely close. Choosing to give way for the other was also understandable.
(Well, this isn't a bad thing. Rather, with one fewer person to persuade, it's much easier. As long as I persuade Yuzurun after tomorrow's contest, everything will be fine.)
Just as Nia was secretly pleased, the doorbell suddenly rang.
"Report. Nia, Yuzuru has co to hand in her manuscript."
"Oh, co in, Yuzurun."
"Excuse. This is Yuzuru's work."
"Mm, thanks for your hard work. I'll read it properly tonight and give you two my answer."
"...Reminder. What Yuzuru is about to say, Yuzuru hopes Nia will keep secret from Kaguya."
"——Mm?"
Nia frowned in surprise. Facing this developnt that felt like worldline convergence and déjà vu, an ominous feeling rose in her heart.
"Request. For tomorrow's duel result, please let Kaguya directly obtain victory."
"Explanation. Kaguya is very cute. Although she is clumsy, inside she is warm-hearted and kind. At school, she often acts as outside support to solve crises for other clubs, and many people trust her. Also, she has a rich imagination and is very good at writing. If she studies professionally and systematically, she will undoubtedly beco a famous writer."
"Supplent. If Nia does not choose Kaguya as the winner, Yuzuru will definitely make you regret it."
"Possibility. One hour before your next deadline, Nia will watch with her own eyes as her manuscript slowly burns into ash in front of her..."
...
...
...
"Save eeee!!! Yuemonnnn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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