Alice Tale in Phantasmagoria Chapter 83

I have received ill.u.s.trations.
The details are introduced in the activity report so, if you're interested be sure to look.
The has been updated.
2014.11.24

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Another early morning before the sun has begun to rise.
In the mansion’s wide lawn, I'm facing off against s.h.i.+on-san and supporting her practice.

「Sse!!」

Full body palm strike.
That's easily dodged.
And, that was within predictions.
Just how many times do you think I've seen s.h.i.+on-san fight.
Right, I didn't think my attack of this level would hit or anything!
My agility and, combat experience are inferior.
To compensate for that there's――Nothing except magic!
I clad my body in magic power.
I counterattacked quickly with movement a.s.sisted by lighting magic.
Rotate as such and release a kick.
I succeeded in making s.h.i.+on-san bend backwards as she dodged that as well .
Proof that my agility has accelerated enough to catch s.h.i.+on-san.

――Noow!

Quickly changing my pivot leg so as not to kill my rotational power, I added to my body and magic power's spin and released a backward spin kick at s.h.i.+on-san as her stance crumbled.
s.h.i.+on-san evaded that attack in defiance of her crumbled stance with a back hand stand jump――in short a backflip――.
I'm still not surprised.
As for why it's because I adore how Oneechan is amazing more than anyone!
Within prediction, within prediction!
The moment she lands from floating in the sky, that itself is the greatest opening.
I suppose Till or Eclair could carry out adjustments to their vector and the like at this point.
However to Oneechan that's not available!
No, it's still questionable whether Till or Eclair could evade to such a degree.
……I feel like it wouldn't hit Till in a different meaning though.
Anyway to make something of the greatest chance in this practice, I activate the upper limit of my lightning magic power.
With that normally unreasonable action an impossible speed is born.
By forcefully stopping the rotational power and, explosively accelerating from there I switch into an intense forward kick like a stab.
As the load on my body was ma.s.sive it hurts a little but……let the knot be tied!
Lightning speed kiiiick!

「――Fast!」

s.h.i.+on-san gazed intently at my movement just before she landed.
I have her!
――I, thought that.

「――Eeh!?」

To speak of this time this time even I really was surprised.
s.h.i.+on-san danced like a leaf in the sky and my kick was eluded in mid air without a chance to catch her.
Without accepting my kick with her arms she, twisted and eluded me.
No resistance.
That movement, was like a willow.
……Is that motion still doable while floating in mid air?
At the place where s.h.i.+on-san landed, we somehow both judged that this was a good place to finish and the practice ended.

「I see, fast aren't you, Alice. That surprised me.」
「It'd be fine if you praised me by telling this me to use her arms you know?」
「Hai hai, in reality you didn't just kick but attacked by kicking while putting in your specialty lightning so it ended there you know.」

Since s.h.i.+on-san has no magic defense does she.
So that means that moment she 『Takes』 my attack it's over isn't it.
But.

「……By the way, how many times did my head fly in the time until we reached there?」
「Maybe 3 times?」

s.h.i.+on-san lost her weapon so, she imitated her katana swings with empty hands.
To begin with because when the opponent doesn't have a weapon or the like, I have an overwhelming advantage.
If s.h.i.+on-san had held a sword then I suppose there would have been completely different developments.
As expected isn't close combat unreasonable.
That is to say that in short with an opponent like Leoneil, fighting with simple close combat 『Alone』 is difficult isn't it.
Daily training is important.
Even just by understanding that this was worthwhile practice.

「I admit it. This is my loss――Let's marry, oneechan.」
「I'll think about it.」
「Ehー」

No, no good is it.

「……In my hometown when meeting an opponent who you lose against there's something like a tradition where you marry them.」
「Then, don't I have to marry the elf o-chibi-chan in front of me?」
「Buー」

s.h.i.+on-san stroked my head while smiling bitterly at my inflated cheeks.
While ruffling my hair a little excessively, I narrowed my eyes like I always do when stroked.
This could become a habit, couldn't iit.

「Furthermore, for a normal sword, it seems like it wouldn't reach you.」
「……」

It certainly is true that outside of evasion as my ultimate method of protecting my body, there's my repulsion field.
With a general weapon it's impossible to give me a life threatening injury.
……I've been seen through haven't I.

「Why didn't you steal Leoneil's magic sword from him?」

Magic sword Raikiri.
But with that magic sword that can cut magic to shreds, without a mistake, that would mean my head would fly.

「Nn～, kind of, you know, it felt like a person's weapon so I couldn't interest myself in it.」
「I might understand that sensation.」

However if s.h.i.+on-san had that magic sword her affinity would be excellent, I feel like she'd have no enemy wherever she went.
Since she'd smash through her natural enemy magic.

「Then as expected we'll be holding high expectations of Saira then.」
「I suppose so. The sword I carried was peculiar so, I a.s.sumed that without research it's impossible to make something good.」
「It'd be a difficult delivery for Saira I guess.」

But I feel that for that extent an impressive sword――katana――seems like it will be born.
Setting that aside.

「Then our practice is finished so, let's enter the bath or something, eat a meal, and then go out, oneechan!」

It's good weather for a picnic you know!

「As always you have no concept of what's called work do you……」

When I need to do it I'll do it, it's fine that way!
As I nodded with a self satisfied look, s.h.i.+on-san sighed at me.

Though I said the word play, there's still the sort of problem of what would be good to do.
For now I'm taking a carefree walk through the royal capital because of that.
Coming up with a great idea while walking with no real purpose is a common occurrence after all.
It was at that time that s.h.i.+on-san gave a certain suggestion.

「Base stealing game?」
「Aah, but it's something I discussed with Ilya earlier you see. It's a game where you split up into any number of groups and steal bases. For the field shouldn't doing it in the nearby mountains or the like be fine I guess?」

I see, base stealing game.
Does it have the feel of a survival game?
That might seem interesting!

「After splitting into teams it'll become heated won't it!」
「Welll, all the maids are here so, I think that if we pick out the generals from within my comrades and compete seriously it might be interesting mightn't it.」

What is that, hot!

「And it'll become command training so it's just right.」
「I see, oneechan is thinking of various things so that I don't become neglectful, that consideration is occasionally visible.」
「It's for the best if you've noticed that.」

That's family isn't it.

「But that does seem interesting. I have a premonition that I can't lose this fight.」

I don't know the rules yet but, command is important is it.
Command, with it like that there isn't a person surpa.s.sing Kran is there.
No, I don't think Kran would partic.i.p.ate in such a time killing event though.

「I was thinking that with general sub-general pairs, we should make teams alongside all the maids though.」
「I see.」

I, Ilya, s.h.i.+on-san, Saira, Till, Kran, Eclair, Aim?
With that it'd become 4 teams I suppose.
Since it's unclear whether Till and Kran will partic.i.p.ate, it might be 3 teams though.
Before that if those 2 people partic.i.p.ate, it'll be cheap.

「……Nn? 2 Person pairs?」

……I notice that there are countless pairs that must not be put together.
I feel like there's a high probability of those problem children getting together.
No even so, which of those pairs is strongest is deeply interesting isn't it.

「Let's show them our bond, oneechan!」
「Though I haven't particularly said that I'll be on the same team as Alice you know.」
「Tha, that agaiin～」

It's fine if oneechan at least doesn't become like Eclair you know!

「What is this when I'm completely satisfied just being together with oneechan.」

I tried acting a.s.sertive toward s.h.i.+on-san as she walked beside me.

「What is this when I'm completely satisfied just being together with oneechan.」
「It's fine to not repeat it so.」

She has this much leeway.
Is, is it no good……?
While we were doing such unproductive things, a man with suspicious behavior stood in front of us blocking our path.
I came to a stop while exchanging a glance with s.h.i.+on-san.

「……Ano, is there something?」

The man took a deep breath and interjected himself between us and, he turned back toward me with a resolute expression.

「――I, I love you! Please go out with me!!」
「………………」

I want to check my own current expression with a mirror.
I suppose a vertical line might've entered my strained smile.
Ane is inspecting the situation with seeming amus.e.m.e.nt.
……Surely you're not expecting something weird are you, oneechan?

「……Ano, I don't know who you might be and, it's impossible.」
「I, am called Rick!」

Don't name yourself.

「Wait, I still haven't taken an interest in going out with men so, it's impossible.」

It isn't, still though is it, still is.

「I, will wait! Please observe, my seriousness!」

I'm begging you so, don't wait.
At this point there's no mistake that this side should also take a firm att.i.tude.

「I have a person who I've set my heart on so, it's impossible. Absolutely impossible. Please give up.」

The man who named himself as Rick looked like he had been hit by lightning and, his shoulders dropped.
……What is, this feeling of guilt.

「That's……how it is then……then――I'll support you.」

……Support?

「I'll create your fanclub, and support you soooooo!!」
「Waii!?」

Leaving us as we couldn't endure being such a public spectacle, Rick or whoever raised a war cry and ran off.
……That person, it's stunning how he was able to confess in the middle of that isn't it.

「Alice.」
「……Hai?」

s.h.i.+on-san smiled toward me as I was lost in my worries and, reached her hand out to me.

「Want to hold hands?」

I opened my eyes widely and looked at ane.
What, what do you mean?
Abruptly again……
She was triggered by that man?
I somewhat feel that I'm being treated like a child but……
However!

「Even if linking hands between ane and imouto is called the truth of the world it's not an exaggeration. There's no mistake.」

After I became certain I took s.h.i.+on-san's hand――
No, I didn't take it……

「……Oneechan?」

She pulled her hand in at the last moment and, oneechan's smiling satisfiedly.

「I'm embarra.s.sed so, actually Iーm out.」
「I was being played with!?」

What is this!
But to intimate sisters, is something like a little play an everyday normal event?
Aah, thinking like that my face somehow loosens doesn't it!
This sort of thing might also be good!

「It's fine if you want to play around with me more, oneechan! ――Oww!」

s.h.i.+on-san's face had become a little red and she served me a strong fist……
At the same time, the people around us became noisy……
Un, please excuse me.
I had been rambunctious.
So as to avoid the inquisitive gazes, 2 people hurriedly ran down the street.

To change our location and do a preliminary check for the event, I used magic and went as far as a nearby mountain's summit.
Whether it was alike to hiking, or not like that, it was a strange trip.
To that extent, we reached the summit in an instant though……
And so I sat on the open summit meadow, and s.h.i.+on-san sort of put her head on my knees.

「……Un? Something is strange isn't it.」

This is a lap pillow.
But I'm not the one it's being done to.
I'm the one doing it.

「I feel like something's…… strange.」
「Is that so? Alice is feminine and, I think this sort of thing is fitting though.」
「……Is, is that so then? Look, don't I occasionally display some sort of manliness? Like it's seeping out, an unhideable manliness is.」
「No, not at all?」
「――」

It's a shocking answer.
Is this……something I should be happy about?
Or is it, something I must not be happy about?
I don't know anymore……

「……Has oneechan ever felt like she wanted to become a male?」
「No, not at all I guess. Has Alice? Though you said something strange before.」

If you say I did, I guess you could say that……

「How to say this, there are mysterious events that human wisdom cannot reach in this world areen't there, and I've personally experienced them.」
「Fu～n?」

When I answered vaguely s.h.i.+on-san looked at me with a questioning gaze.
For some reason that was embarra.s.sing, to cover my bashfulness I stroked s.h.i.+on-san's hair.
In reverse to what always happened, it was strangely fresh.
Fufun, you should see this imouto-sama's broad-mindedness, ane.
However continuing at this rate the time I'll have spent as a female will be long enough to overwhelm the time I've spent as a male.
There's also what's called the lifespan of an elf.
……Fumu, ma, when I think deeply worrying about it achieves nothing, at this point.
Now let's fully enjoy this harmonious air.
It calms my feelings doessn't it.
While I thought that sort of thing, s.h.i.+on-san put both her hands on my face from below.

「Oneechan?」
「That sort of calm face, I think it's good. Since you seem to have a lot of various issues you worry about you see.」
「……When we were in the town of Rinal, that frankly was so.」

It's not particularly the case that they've been resolved now.

「But beyond my self from that time, I think I've become a little better, by now.」

Mentally, ability-wise, and also in being blessed by my comrades.

「I suppose so. You're hugely different from when you were simply my imouto.」

When s.h.i.+on-san said as such she smiled like she was being sentimental.

「Even now, I'm, simply oneechan's imouto.」

Though I do somewhat realize that I've added a lot of extra positions.

「It's really difficult keeping up with your running speed, you frivolous person.」
「If you instigate me I'll run any distance～, you know.」
「Hahaa!」

While laughing, s.h.i.+on-san spread both her arms forming a 大 shape and began to fall into what seemed like a nice feeling sleep.
However even if she sleeps while looking up those grand b.r.e.a.s.t.s that aren't pulled by gravity are……

「Alice.」
「I, I'm not looking!」
「?」
「……It's nothing.」

I resent my self that always moves my eyes!

「My dream is you see, to go to the fairy village outside of the deep green forest.」
「Fairy village?」

Certainly Ilya spoke of it at some point as an example of a fairy tale didn't she.

「Right, though it's something like a fairy tale which no one has reached you see.」
「Does it exist? Really」
「That's why there's a need to go and confirm it right?」
「I see.」

That is……an exciting dream isn't it!

「……I also, want to see oneechan's dream with you.」
「Aah, so of course you'll help out I a.s.sume? World's greatest magician-sama.」
「It can't be helped, since it's my oneechan's request isn't it.」
「Impudent.」
「Ehehe, that's the special privilege of an imouto.」
「Hai hai.」

Leaning against this air is the best.
I, will marry s.h.i.+on-san after making this dream come true.

「……」
「Did something happen?」
「No, I ended up imposing a huge hurdle for myself.」

I won't die you know?

「Fairy village is it……」

I got an objective didn't I.
That day those 2 people pa.s.sed a quiet time.

――And so.

「Legs, my legs are numb……!」
「Really, you do burn through people's generosity.」

Ane carried me for me and we descended the mountain……