“Ugh… mm…”
“Munya, munya… nyaah… big brother…”
“Mm…? Ah, that’s right—”
I’m at my parents’ house.
I reaffirm this realization. By the way, in this single bed, my younger sister Stella is sleeping beside me. Since I had just returned home after a long time, we decided to sleep together.
Watching her sleep so peacefully was heartwarming.
She must be having a pleasant dream.
Glancing at the clock on the wall, I see that it’s 6 AM.
It’s about time to wake up…
I gently shake Stella, who is still sleeping beside me.
“Stella, it’s morning. Weren’t we going to play together today?”
“Mm… munya… mmm…”
She rolls over toward me and suddenly clings to me. But her movements are clearly not those of someone still half-asleep. As I sit up slightly, I speak to her.
“Stella, you’re awake, aren’t you?”
“Mm… As expected of big brother!”
With a sudden burst of energy, Stella jumps up and leaps off the bed.
Her agility is impressive—just what I’d expect from her. It seems she hasn’t neglected her training.
“I wanted to admire my big brother’s muscles a little longer… but that can wait for another time! Let’s get ready!”
“Yeah! Let’s do it!”
We head downstairs together, where breakfast is already prepared.
Our parents are both working, so they aren’t here.
Actually, both Mom and Dad work at the Magic Association’s branch office. The headquarters is in the central district, but they both work at the eastern district branch.
They usually don’t leave this early, but they had something to attend to today, so they were already gone.
After having breakfast with Stella, we go to the washroom and brush our teeth side by side.
“Alright! We’re all set!”
“Yeah.”
After changing into our outdoor clothes, we step outside.
The sun is blazing again today, and if we’re not careful, we could get heatstroke. Of course, we’ve packed water and salt in our backpacks as a precaution.
Side by side, we head toward the forest.
My family home is near Dogma Forest, which is classified as a top-danger zone. However, there are magical barriers and fences in place to prevent monsters from escaping, so it’s not a constant threat.
To enter the forest, one must be accompanied by a hunter with at least a Gold-class license.
At the checkpoint in front of the forest, I go through the necessary procedures.
“Huh? Ray, is that you? You’re back?”
“Yes, it’s been a while.”
“Uncle Tom! Hey there!”
The man at the checkpoint is Uncle Tom, the caretaker of this forest. Though he’s already 52 years old, he actually holds a Platinum-class hunter license.
That’s why he’s capable of managing this dangerous Dogma Forest. A Platinum hunter isn’t just for show.
“Are you heading in with Stella today?”
“Yes. Can you approve the entry for both of us?”
“Of course. If it’s you two, I can rest easy.”
“Yep! Big brother is super strong!”
After writing both our names on the permit, the gate is opened, and we step inside.
The sound of cicadas echoes through the forest, their cries amplifying the summer atmosphere.
At the same time, I can sense the presence of monsters nearby. They watch us from a distance, lurking in the shadows.
Kafka Forest is dangerous in its own right, but Dogma Forest is in a league of its own. It’s even used as a test site for Platinum hunter exams, and over the years, quite a few people have lost their lives here. Before it was officially designated as a danger zone, it was known as the “Cursed Forest.”
Sunlight filters through the trees, casting flickering patterns on the ground.
The intense heat presses down on us, as if trying to smother us.
“Stella, here—drink some water.”
“Okay!”
After hydrating ourselves, we continue deeper into the forest.
“When was the last time you came here, Stella?”
“Um… about three days ago?”
“You’ve been coming here alone recently?”
“Yep! Actually, I recently became a Gold-class hunter!”
“Heh, as expected of my little sister.”
“That’s right! Big brother’s sister is pretty impressive, you know? Fufufu!”
She puffs out her small chest, proudly boasting. And honestly, it is an incredible achievement—almost legendary. She’s probably one of the youngest Gold-class hunters in history.
For reference, the current record holder for fastest hunter rank advancements is my master. She became a Grand Hunter—the highest rank—at just fifteen years old.
Her reaction at the time? “Hah! Somehow, I passed! Gahaha!”
Completely nonsensical.
With someone like her as family, it’s no surprise that Stella also possesses exceptional talent.
When I used to live at home, we often played together in this forest. I taught her everything I knew about being a hunter.
Stella doesn’t necessarily want to be a professional hunter, but she’s always been fascinated by this forest. So, we would run around here from morning until night.
“Mm… Look over there.”
“A Huge Scorpion, huh?”[TN: Yes it’s says HUGE Scorpion{ヒュージスコーピオン} in katakana]
What we found was a Huge Scorpion. It was several times the size of a human, with its tail towering toward the sky. The ecosystem here was more abnormal than other forests, filled with countless monsters.
Experts say this place is a treasure trove of monsters.
Because of that, researchers often hire high-ranking hunters to visit this place. I, too, have taken on that job in the past.
“Kiiiiiii!”
A shrill screech rang out.
For an ordinary person, it would be terrifying, but the two of us calmly watched.
“Alright, let’s do this.”
“Wait, big brother.”
“No way… Stella, are you going alone?”
“Hehe. Let me show you how much I’ve grown!”
“Alright. I’ll leave this to you.”
With that, Stella dashed forward. In her right hand, she held a small knife… but was she really going to be okay?
I had my doubts, but they were completely unnecessary.
In an instant, the Huge Scorpion collapsed to the ground.
Looking closer, I saw that Stella’s knife had already pierced straight into its skull. She flicked off the blood with a swift motion and turned to me with a bright smile.
“Big brother! I did it!”
“Whoa… that’s incredible.”
I could only marvel in admiration.
Of course, it wasn’t just an ordinary stab with a knife. She had infused it with sorcery, and Stella clearly had an extraordinary talent. From the way her sorcery manifested, she resembled our master quite a bit.
“Alright, let’s keep going at this pace.”
“Yeah!”
After that, Stella and I ventured deeper into the Dogma Forest.
We traveled to various locations, facing monsters along the way. Of course, if we went on a killing spree, it would disrupt the ecosystem, so we only culled the numbers where necessary. Normally, this job was handled by Uncle Tom, the forest’s caretaker, but today, I had taken on the role in his place.
Eventually, our path led us to a lake.
Just like the last time we visited, the water was crystal clear. And of course, we couldn’t just stand there without doing anything.
“Stella, did you bring a swimsuit?”
“Actually, I’m already wearing one underneath!”
With a swift motion, she stripped off her outer clothing, revealing a navy blue school swimsuit underneath.
“Alright! Time to swim!”
She dove straight into the lake and swam energetically, moving through the water as smoothly as a fish.
I quickly changed into my swimsuit as well and followed after her.
“Big brother, let’s race!”
“Yeah!!”
We continued enjoying our time in the forest, doing all sorts of things together. While we didn’t plan to camp overnight, we roamed freely through the Dogma Forest.
“We played so much today!”
“Yeah, it was fun.”
“Ehehe! It’s always fun when I’m with you, big brother!”
Stella clung to me happily, and I gently patted her head. The sun had begun to set, and we made our way back home, holding hands just like we always did in the past.
It had been a while since I last spent time with Stella, and it was truly enjoyable. I couldn’t remember the last time I had such a fulfilling day. After all, we had spent the entire day deep in the forest.
“Hey, big brother.”
“Hmm? What is it?”
“Let’s play together again, okay? Promise?”
“Of course.”
“Yay! I’m so happy!”
We chatted warmly as we continued walking.
◇
“Uuuu… Biiiig brooootherrr! Noooo! I don’t want you to gooooo! Waaaaahhh!”
After staying for about five days, it was time for me to return to my dorm at the academy.
I had already told Stella in advance, but now she clung to me, refusing to let go. She gripped my body tightly, desperately trying to keep me from leaving.
“Ray, take care of yourself. Come back again, okay?”
“Of course. Mom, you take care too.”
“Ray, if anything happens, don’t hesitate to rely on us.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
After exchanging words with my parents, I turned to face Stella one last time. Lowering myself to her eye level, I gently patted her head.
“Stella, we’ll see each other again soon.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Next time, why don’t you come visit me?”
“I can!?”
“As long as Mom and Dad allow it.”
“Okay! Big brother, next year, I’ll definitely enroll in the academy too!”
“I’ll be waiting. Alright, I’m off.”
After saying my goodbyes, I began walking the path back.
Through the beast trail, past the fields of sunflowers stretching on both sides.
The sky was clear once again today.
The blazing summer sun shone down on me, casting an intense shadow behind me.
Looking up, I saw a sky without a single cloud.
Once again, I was struck by the beauty of nature.
—Ah, it really is beautiful. I’ll definitely come back.
With my backpack on my shoulders, I stepped forward onto the land once more—alone.
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