Humans have difficulty maintaining any emotion for a prolonged period of time.

Even when something precious is lost, the sense of loss would not last for ten whole years. Emotions get weathered down gradually, same as the stones on riversides and beaches.

Similarly, even positive emotions, such as happiness, won’t continue for ten whole years. So even the emotion that is anger would also wane as time passes.

In other words.

I am an advocate of the theory that if you evade an incoming collision with someone else and leave them alone for long enough, time will take care of the issue for you.

“Do you know what I was thinking while waiting for you in front of your dorm?”

“No idea.”

I answer frankly the question posed by Claire-nee-san, who had forcibly barged into my room.

Guess one day was not enough.

It seems that Nee-san needed a longer cooling-off period.

“I was beating you up inside my head. Again and again and again. For every second that I was waiting, my anger doubled.”

“Interesting.”

It’s my first time learning of a kind of anger that increases with the passage of time. But well, all humans eventually die. Regardless of how angry Nee-san gets, she can’t bring that emotion to her grave. In other words, it’s still something that can be resolved with the passage of time.

“You are thinking ‘whatever’ inside your head right now, aren’t you.”

“No way, of course not.”

I am currently looking up at the ceiling of my dorm room, with Nee-san mounted on me and strangling my neck.

I catch glimpses of Nee-san’s red eyes and black hair moving from the edge of my vision.

“Should we perform an experiment to test how long humans can go without breathing?”

“When humans get strangled, they faint because the carotid artery gets cut off and so blood stops flowing to the brain. It’s actually not related to breathing at all.”

“Ohhh, I see. Either way is fine though.”

The hands on my neck are tightening gradually.

Oh, I’ve a good idea. How about I just allow myself to lose consciousness here and go to sleep?

“You’re thinking of allowing yourself to lose consciousness and go to sleep, aren’t you.”

“N-, no way, of course not.”

“It’s written all over your face.”

“Just your misunderstanding.”

“The next time you break a promise, I won’t ever forgive you. Capiche?”

“I’ll try my best to become a human who fulfills his promises. And so, could you kindly get off me?”

Nee-san lets go of my neck, but still maintains her position on top of me.

“I heard that when dogs establish hierarchy, the dominant one gets on top.”

“I see. But no worries, I already understand fully.”

“Not good enough. I don’t like your attitude.”

So saying, Nee-san drops a piece of paper onto my face.

“This is……?”

I pick it up and take a look. Seems to be a ticket of some sort.

“Special seating at the Festival of the God of War. Absolutely unattainable by normal channels.”

“Heehhh~”

“I’m giving it to you, so go see the matches and learn from them. You can call me blind, but I see great potential in you, really.”

“Is that so?”

“Because I recognize your potential, I’ll practice with you. If you earnestly put in the effort, you can go quite far. More like, do so.”

“U~n, that’s quite impossible, I think.”

“It’s not impossible. You hear me, right? Make sure you definitely go watch!”

“Alright ok.”

“Good boy.”

Then Nee-san gets off of me while still looking displeased.

“Speaking of which, Nee-san, you’re not participating this year?”

“Hah?”

Nee-san glares at me with a seriously scary face.

“I am participating, as the replacement school representative in place of Princess Rose. You’re not going to tell me that you didn’t know that I’d be participating, right?”

“O-, of course I knew. I was just confirmin——guhi!”

Nee-san’s left hand is once again on my neck in an eagle grip.

Then she brings her face close and glares at me from zero distance. Like what those school delinquents do.

“Incidentally, you remember my birthday, right?”

“O-, of course.”

“Of course you do. And so you have also memorized my tournament record so far, right?”

“O-, of course.”

“What was the date of my first victory?”

“Y-, yep I remember.”

“Very well. There are things in the world that you must never forget. Things that you must not forget…… if you wish to live long.”

I can only silently nod my head.

Nee-san patronizingly slaps my cheeks a few times before letting me go.

“This year I’m going to take the championship, so make sure you come watch.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

After one last glare, Nee-san leaves my room.

“Haaah~ That was tiring.”

Tomorrow is finally the start of the tournament proper.

“Let’s get started on image training.”

I close my eyes as is.