When the unexpected person appeared, Tino couldn't help but widen her eyes.
Unlike her usual black robe, she wore a white yukata adorned with a floral pattern. The contrast between her lustrous jet-black long hair and her almost translucent white skin was so breathtakingly beautiful it drew a sigh.
Her delicate, almost fragile aura—that was distinctly different from the kind possessed by Big Sister Liz, and of course Big Sister Citry as well.
"B-big Sister Lucia... you too, Big Sister Lucia!?"
"Hm? What are you talking about...?"
"...Nothing. But, um... this is Mastaa's room, and—Mastaa is currently bathing..."
Tino had interacted with every member of the Mourning Specter.
Naturally, she had interacted with Big Sister Lucia too, but the woman always had an otherworldly presence about her that made Tino feel somewhat intimidated.
Big Sister Lucia listened to Tino's words and blinked, then sat seiza beside her, cleared her throat with a small cough, and spoke.
Her long hair draped over the white yukata.
"I know. That's why I came... keeping watch during times like this is always my role... So what's Tea doing?"
"...I was asked by Mastaa to keep watch..."
"...T-That man... the Leader is making Tea work overtime again..."
"N-no, I wanted to do this myself!"
Big Sister Lucia furrowed her brow, but without another word, she snapped her fingers.
Cushions came flying from nowhere, landing near Big Sister Lucia and Tino. A teapot and cups arrived and began brewing tea of their own accord.
The first time Tino had seen it, she was startled, but Big Sister Lucia using odd, unconventional magic unlike other Mages was simply the way things were.
"Th-thank you very much."
"No need. Tea, you can go play now. I'm here."
Big Sister Lucia opened the book she'd been tucking under her arm onto her lap, settling in as if fully prepared for a long haul.
But Tino couldn't do that. She was a loyal Hunter. Clenching her fists, she declared.
"No, since Mastaa asked me to..."
"I see... Then let's keep watch together."
"Yes! I'd appreciate it!"
At Tino's spirited response, Big Sister Lucia's eyes went wide, and she let out a soft chuckle.
§ The faintly warm sensation against her back, the strangely pleasant feeling of fingers gliding through her hair.
Tino had removed her usual ribbon, leaned her back against Big Sister Lucia, and was having her hair combed.
The way she ran the comb through was incredibly gentle and delicate. As she received it, Tino's heart grew calm.
The voice drifting from behind her was equally soft.
"Even though you have Mana Material, a Hunter still has to take proper care of their hair, or it'll get unruly in no time..."
"Yes... I'd like to grow mine long like yours, Big Sister Lucia, but I can't seem to manage it..."
Big Sister Lucia's long, lustrous, beautiful black hair was something any woman would envy.
However, excessively long hair could be a liability for a Hunter. At Tino's words, Big Sister Lucia said.
"For a Mage... hair that holds strong magic can serve as a rather convenient catalyst.
For a Thief— if you don't have the confidence to move nimbly like Liz, you might want to reconsider cutting it short."
"Yes..."
"Losing your head—well, even Anthem probably couldn't fix that..."
"Y-yes. Besides, it gets in the way during close combat... But once I get stronger, I'll definitely grow it out just like you, Big Sister Lucia."
"Maintaining it is quite a chore, though—"
Big Sister Lucia murmured in a small voice, then pinched a lock of her own hair and pressed it against Tino's cheek.
Even though both had black hair, that lock felt distinctly cool and weighty.
"Matching... might not be so... bad, actually."
"Yes!"
Tino answered with sparkling eyes, and Big Sister Lucia tied her ribbon back on with a gentle giggle.
She really was such a kind person. Tino knew she should pull away now that her hair was done, but she couldn't bring herself to move.
Then Big Sister Lucia murmured.
"They're coming... honestly, always, always—never learning, are they."
Her eyes had turned sharp—so sharp they looked nothing like the ones she'd been directing at Tino moments ago.
Before Tino could say anything, the door burst open. The one who appeared was yet another sister—the lively one.
Big Sister Liz kicked the door down, caught sight of Big Sister Lucia, and without a moment's hesitation came charging straight ahead.
While Tino stood there bewildered, Liz kicked off the wall and ran along the ceiling as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Krai-kun! I'll wash your back!"
"!? B-big sister! Right now Mastaa is—"
She wasn't listening in the least. As Liz dashed forward with her yukata hem flapping wildly, the sister who'd been running along the ceiling was suddenly wrenched down by gravity and came crashing to the floor with a tremendous thud.
The yukata Big Sister Liz had been wearing had turned gray. A moment later, Big Sister Lucia spoke from behind her in a cold voice.
"'Turn to stone.'"
"That's cruel! What did you do that for?!"
Big Sister Liz, whose clothes had been neatly transformed, rolled across the floor and glared up at Big Sister Lucia.
"That's my line. How many times must you do this without ever getting tired of it?"
"Hah!? This has nothing to do with you, Lucia! Dammit, get out of my way!"
"'Harden.'"
Big Sister Liz pounded both fists against the petrified yukata, trying to shatter it, but even blows powerful enough to break metal left the stone garment without a single crack.
In front of the stunned Tino, Big Sister Liz screamed.
"Ugh! Fine, fine already! Lucia, and Tea too—you can both come along, so just stop!"
At those words, Big Sister Lucia's well-shaped brow twitched.
"'Disappear.'"
§ "...What are you here for? Luke."
A taut, prickling tension hung in the air.
Under Tino's gaze, Big Sister Lucia's question was answered by Big Brother Luke, dressed in a crimson yukata, in a dead-serious voice.
"Well, you see... Lucia. This hot spring... it doesn't have a waterfall."
"..."
"I can't train like this... I was thinking of asking Krai to teach me hot spring training at a different place. He's inside, right?"
When he did things like this—incomprehensible things—it was genuinely troubling.
Those crimson eyes were dead serious, and his tone held no trace of joking. Big Brother Luke was, in a sense, the most difficult person for Tino to deal with.
Tino had been tasked by Mastaa with keeping anyone from entering.
But Big Brother Luke was the same gender. Letting him in might not be a problem, she reasoned. The large bath was separated by sex, and Big Brother Luke would surely leave right away if he heard the situation.
Hesitating, she looked up at Big Sister Lucia beside her. Without the slightest hesitation, Big Sister Lucia gave a small sigh and said.
"...Fine. I'll create the waterfall, so go somewhere else."
"Make it a hot one."
"Fine, fine."
§ "AngyaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!"
"!?"
The door to the room was blasted open, and a familiar light blue dragon came barreling in.
Not just one or two—excited, plump dragons were growling, stamping their feet, and charging toward Tino in a stampede.
Completely at a loss over the utterly nonsensical situation, Tino screamed in panic.
"Big Sister Lucia! A herd of hot spring dragons has—!! Why?!"
Big Sister Lucia remained unfazed even in this incomprehensible situation. Simply channeling her power, she intoned.
"'Everyone, disappear.'"
§ Heavy footsteps thundered through the broken door as a gray giant entered the room.
It was Kirukilu. Perched atop his back sat the last sister, her face peeking out from above a paper bag over his head, looking down at Big Sister Lucia, who was still sitting seiza.
"Hehehe... After using that much magic, you must be worn out too, Lucia."
"Big Sister Citry!? That herd of dragons was—"
Tino stood in stunned silence. Big Sister Citry wore a smug expression—one that made even Tino, who had encountered all manner of villains up to this point, shudder.
Bloodshot eyes peered out from beneath the paper bag. Kirukilu was a powerful magical creature. Even alone, he was far too much for Tino to handle.
At this point, she had no choice but to rely on Big Sister Lucia as before.
Big Sister Lucia channeled her power with a grim expression.
"'Disappear.'"
"Hehehe... It's futile. I've come prepared with countermeasures specifically for you, Lucia... Don't assume you can repel me as easily as usual."
"..."
Big Sister Citry held up an empty bottle behind her back. Tino didn't know what had been in it, but judging from the way she spoke, it must have been something that temporarily boosted magic resistance.
That gesture, to someone who knew the usual Big Sister Citry, was remarkably childlike.
...How immature, Big Sister Citry.
As Big Sister Lucia frowned, Kirukilu shuffled forward toward her. From atop his head, Big Sister Citry's gleeful voice drifted down.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to eat you or anything. I just want to give your back a quick wash. Oh, Lucia—you can call me Big Sis, you know."
"..."
Big Sister Lucia rose to her feet. At the dark look on her face, Tino involuntarily took several steps back.
Her slender body was wreathed in fierce magic. Glaring at Big Sister Citry, Big Sister Lucia spoke in a low, suppressed voice.
"...I understand. You want it that badly, huh. Very well—I'll flatten you just like always, Citry, Big Sis."
§ Behind Tino, something that could no longer be called a mere fight was unfolding—a full-blown monster showdown.
Debris rolled, heat and cold swept across her cheeks. There was no longer any sense of shame or decorum. She pounded desperately on the door, calling out names in a voice that sounded almost like screaming.
"Mastaa! Please help! Big Sister Lucia and Big Sister Citry are— Mastaa!!"
If a stray attack hit her, she could easily be killed. She hammered on the door until her hands ached, and after dozens of seconds, perhaps her plea was finally heard—the door slowly opened.
"Angya?"
Mastaa, in the form of a light blue dragon, tilted her head and fixed her round, innocent eyes on Tino.