The Mob Noble Who Got Reincarnated in a World Where Men Are Naturally Protected—So I Trained Like Crazy to Protect Girls Instead, But Their Love Got Way Too Heavy - Chapter 51 & 52

Chapter 51: A Lovey-Dovey Sibling Date

It happened that afternoon.

Grumbling to myself about how Fifth sis had been acting out lately, I headed toward the courtyard—when I suddenly heard voices.

“Let’s make her acknowledge us quickly so she stops getting in our way.”

“I’m in. So how do we take her down?”

At Wiz’s suggestion, Aegis immediately went along with it. I stopped in my tracks and quietly peeked over.

In the courtyard, the three girls—Wiz, Aegis, and Shia—were gathered, seriously discussing something.

The one who proposed an actual plan was Shia.

“How about reviving the Phantom Knights? If we overwhelm her with numbers in broad daylight, it shouldn’t be too hard.”

“That sounds good. I’ll also keep working on my next invention—something specifically made to deal with Big sis.”

“I’ll get ready too. A rematch. This time, I won’t hold back—I’ll crush her with my hammer.”

“…This is bad.”

I had figured their frustration toward Fifth sis had been building because of her recent rampage.

But I hadn’t expected things to escalate this far—to the point where they were seriously planning something like this.

“This is… not good. If I leave this alone, Fifth sis might actually get killed.”

To begin with, in a straight fight, Fifth sis was weak—just like me.

When I said before, “In a match setting, the three of you wouldn’t lose,” I meant it.

That said, Fifth sis was stubbornly tough too, so it wasn’t like she’d go down without a fight… But still.

“Right… my date with Fifth sis is after school today. I should probably talk to her about this too.”

Once I decided that, all that was left was to pretend I hadn’t heard anything.

I pushed it to the back of my mind, walked up with a casual “Yo,” and joined the three of them.

After school, I went out with Fifth sis to a quiet hill in a park on the edge of the student district.

The early summer breeze felt pleasant, and around us were only a few people—some napping, some reading.

In that calm setting, we sat down together on the grass.

“Ehehe~ being alone with you like this, Tec, it’s been a while, hasn’t it? Somehow… I’m getting shy.”

Fifth sis fidgeted, her cheeks slightly flushed.

What was she even saying—we’re siblings. 

I just shrugged.

“But is this really okay? I said I’d treat you, and we ended up in a park like this.”

“I can’t let my little brother spend money on me~. But I’m broke too, so, you know… going to a shop is kinda…”

She looked away as she said that.

Letting out a small sigh, I pulled out what I had brought—sandwiches and a water flask.

“Huh, Tec?”

“You always get hungry around this time, right? I made something easy to eat, so let’s have it together.”

“Tec~~~!”

Her face lit up instantly, and she jumped in to hug me.

I lightly patted her back before pulling her off.

“Geez, Tec, you’re so cold~. Let’s be all lovey-dovey like we are back home~”

“That only happened because I was outnumbered and couldn’t fight back. I just didn’t resist.”

When all my older and younger sisters came at me at once, there was no way I could resist without using magic.

So I just went along with it.

…Family is family, after all. No matter how cute they are, they’re still family.

Fifth sis was definitely beautiful too, but still…

Anyway, I sat back down beside her and took a bite of my sandwich.

“Let’s eat!”

Fifth sis opened her mouth wide and took a big bite.

Then she smiled, her cheeks softening.

“Mmm~! Tec, you’re really good at everything~. This tastes just like something from a shop!”

“Glad you like it.”

“Your blacksmithing was already good a year ago… did you spend your free time cooking too? Like training to be a groom or something?”

“Nope. I only learned cooking after I started working at Shia’s place.”

“…And it turned out this good in less than a month?”

Fifth sis stared at the sandwich suspiciously.

What’s with that reaction?

Then, with a blank expression, she lay down on the grass and spoke quietly.

“…Sorry for causing trouble at the princess’s place.”

“…It’s fine. You’re still thinking about that?”

“Of course I am~. I thought I’d stir things up a bit if you were getting all flirty with the princess… but I didn’t think I’d end up drowning her…”

“Honestly, it’s not something you need to worry about that much.”

Even if she had just woken up, I honestly thought Shia was at least half responsible for nearly drowning in the sink.

While I was thinking that, Fifth sis continued.

“The other two hate me too. Well… maybe Lady Aegis doesn’t as much… but still… I’m kind of just making things worse, aren’t I?”

She looked at me and asked, “Am I wrong?”

If I was going to say it, now was the time.

“…Whether you’re making things worse or not aside… they were planning an attack on you during lunch.”

“Ahaha. They’re really trying hard, huh~. They’re serious about you, Tec. Makes me a little jealous.”

Fifth sis let out a small breath.

Then she narrowed her eyes slightly and muttered—

“But I’m not going to lose. Not yet. I’m weak… so I can’t afford to lose to anyone.”

It was a stubborn statement.

More than about the three girls, it sounded like something driven by her own impatience.

“Fifth sis…”

When I called out to her, she snapped back.

“Ah—ehehe.”

She laughed it off, then, still lying down, poked my side.

“Still, my little brother really is popular. Hey, are you even aware of it~? Tec, you’re super popular, you know~?”

“Cut it out. The status gap is way too big. We get along, sure, but that’s it. And other girls avoid me since I’m just a knight’s kid.”

“Fufu, you say that, but~”

“More importantly, are you really okay? At this rate, those three are going to beat you up.”

“Hm~? You’re really underestimating your big sister. What, are you that worried about me?”

“Of course I am. You’re weaker than me.”

“Ugh! T-Tec, that’s only because you keep adding weird weapons! Without those, I’d totally win! You’re a guy, you can’t use magic, and I’ve got better physical ability than you!”

“There’s a difference between men and women, so using weapons is fair.”

“Geeez—! Such a cheeky little brother!”

“Whoa—hey, stop shaking me—cut it out—oi!”

She grabbed my waist and started shaking me, which got annoying fast.

So I grabbed her head and forced it onto my lap.

“Kyuu…”

It was a trait of the Garland sisters—when they got too noisy with me, forcing them into a lap pillow usually shut them up (I just sat cross-legged instead of kneeling).

Fifth sis was no exception.

Seriously, they’re all so easy.

“And besides…”

I added quietly, speaking honestly.

“You’re family. No matter what, of course I’m going to worry.”

“―――――”

Fifth sis’s eyes widened slightly.

Then she relaxed, the tension leaving her body.

After a short silence, she closed her eyes and smiled softly.

“…Yeah. Thanks. Well, I’ll figure something out. They’ve still got plenty of openings. Being the ‘weakest’ isn’t just for show, you know.”

“The kind of ‘weakest’ that isn’t just for show usually can’t beat anyone.”

“Shut up! It’s because I’m the weakest that I’ve had to do whatever it takes to win! And I’ll win again next time too!”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Well, if she was that confident, it was probably fine.

Honestly, I didn’t think those three would go too far against Fifth sis anyway.

If anything, she was the one overthinking it.

So I decided to just watch how things played out.

While eating my sandwich, I pulled out a blueprint.

“…Tec, is that the design for those night-vision goggles I paid for before?”

“Yeah, that’s the one. It’s almost finished now.”

“You’re amazing, Tec. You really can do anything. If you weren’t a boy, you’d definitely be the strongest in the Garland family.”

“If I can just become a guy who protects girls, that’s enough for me for now.”

“I still don’t really get that dream of yours… but with a personality like yours, even if you had some kind of harem duty, you’d probably handle it just fine.”

I casually patted Fifth sis’s head while staring at the blueprint.

“…Yeah, I guess I really do need a sunstone plate.”

“A sunstone plate?”

“It’s necessary for the night vision goggles. I’ve built most of it, but using sunstone fragments didn’t work well. So now I need a natural slab.”

“I don’t really get it. Tec, you’re so smart~”

I just shrugged.

“Sunstone itself is pretty common, but once you’re talking about a slab that size, it suddenly becomes rare. And since it’s not something people usually use, you can’t find it on the market no matter how much money you throw at it.”

“So you have to go straight to a quarry to get it, huh?”

“Exactly. That’s why I was thinking of making a quick trip… but it’s a bit far.”

I spread a map out on the ground.

Fifth sis lifted her head off my lap and leaned in to take a look.

“The academy is here, and the quarry is here. Even on horseback, it’s a two-day round trip. It’s not impossible over a weekend, but it might leave me worn out the next day… so I’m not sure what to do.”

“…Tec, how many people were you planning to go with?”

“Hm? Well, I was thinking of going tomorrow and the day after since it’s the weekend… but it looks like no one else is free, so I figured I might just go alone—”

Right as I thought they’d definitely make a fuss if I said I was going alone, I realized I’d just said it out loud.

Fifth sis was staring up at me, her face turning pale.

“Tec…?”

“N-No, I mean—”

She smoothly spun around and sat up, grabbing both my shoulders.

“That’s not allowed. A boy going that far alone? Absolutely not.”

“…But—”

“No means no! Even if a few girls go with you, having a guy along makes you a target—it’s dangerous! Bandits, thieves, raiders! Even monsters would come after you!”

“Ugh…!”

I clicked my tongue.

Once she got like this, she was a real pain to deal with—that much had already been proven with the attempted kidnapping before.

And this time, those three wouldn’t be on my side either.

If anything, they’d probably help Fifth sis stop me—and might even make up with her over it.

Well, that part wasn’t bad… but the real problem was that I wouldn’t be able to go.

“Hah… f-fine…”

In the end, I had no choice but to give in.

Even so, I couldn’t bring myself to nod right away.

Because I wanted it.

A sunstone plate.

I wanted to complete the night vision goggles.

Not everyone would understand, but… night vision goggles are pure dream material.

Being able to see clearly in pitch-black darkness—just imagining it made me excited.

Wait until everyone’s schedules line up on a free weekend?

No way I could wait that long.

But once I gave my word, I couldn’t take it back.

So I just sat there, hesitating, letting out a frustrated—

“Guh…”

“…If you want it that badly, should I go get it for you?”

“Huh?”

I looked up blankly.

Fifth sis leaned closer.

“Now that I think about it, I never gave you a gift for getting into the academy. So? Feeling a bit more grateful toward your kind big sister now~?”

“N-No, no, no! Letting a girl travel alone like that—that’s way more worrying!”

“Huh? That’s pretty normal, isn’t it? You get weirdly overprotective sometimes, Tec.”

“…Huh…?”

I blurted that out without thinking, but in this reversed world… that was normal.

I still hadn’t fully adjusted.

I ran it through that “reverse logic” filter in my head.

…Yeah, this was one of those times where I just had to accept it.

Which meant—this offer genuinely made me happy.

“R-Really? Seriously? You’re okay with it? It’s actually a lot of work, you know.”

“For my precious little brother, something like this is easy~!”

“Wooooah! I love you, Fifth sis! You’re the best! Thank you!”

“U-Um… yeah… when you actually say you love me like that, Tec… it’s kinda embarrassing…”

When I said it out of pure excitement, Fifth sis turned away, her cheeks red.

Then she looked back at me with a confident smile.

“Anyway, just leave it to your reliable big sister~! I’ll bring back that sunstone plate by next week!”

She thumped her chest proudly, and her ample chest bounced slightly.

“Alright! If that’s settled, I’ve gotta get ready!”

“Huh? You’re leaving already?”

“It’s a pretty long trip, right? Then I should head out early tomorrow morning! I got my energy from our date, so your big sister’s gonna do her best~!”

Fifth sis stood up and smiled at me.

“See you next week, Tec!”

“Haha, yeah. See you next week, Fifth sis.”

I smiled back, fully believing I’d see her again next week.

But the following week—

Fifth sis never showed up. 

Chapter 52: Rushing Toward Something Wrong

After school the following week, at the training grounds, Shia was facing off against the Phantom Knight Commander.

Apparently, defeating the commander in a direct match was the way to reclaim control of the Phantom Knights.

So I stood there with Wiz and Aegis, watching how things unfolded.

“Ya! Hah!”

“—Hmph! Ha! Your guard’s wide open!”

“Kya—! …No… not yet!”

Since he’d been summoned not as a pawn but as an opponent to subdue, the Knight Commander actually talked quite a bit.

Because of that—and since Shia was slightly weaker—it felt more like a sparring match between a teacher and student.

“Go, Shia—!”

“Please do your best, Your Highness—!”

“Illucia! Step in more—forward! Your magic defense is higher, so just overpower him and take him down!”

“Aegis is way more fired up than the rest of us.”

“Goooooo!”

Shia’s fight with the Knight Commander was interesting—

But honestly, Aegis was even more entertaining.

While I was thinking that, Wiz suddenly spoke.

“By the way, Tect. Your sister hasn’t shown up today, has she?”

“Oh… yeah, now that you mention it. Actually…”

I told her about what we’d decided last week.

About how Fifth sis had gone to get the sunstone plate for me.

“But if she got it and made it back safely, she should’ve shown up right away…”

As soon as I said that, a strange uneasiness crept in.

It was faint—but unmistakable.

Like a bad feeling you couldn’t quite put into words.

That small discomfort quickly swelled into a strong sense of anxiety.

My body moved before I could think.

Before I knew it, I was already on my feet.

“Sorry, I’m stepping out for a bit.”

“Huh? Tect?”

I hurried out of the training grounds and headed straight for Fifth sis’s classroom.

When I got there, maybe because it was unusual to see a younger male student show up out of breath, a second-year girl approached me.

“Huh? A guy!? What’s wrong?”

“Um, excuse me. I’m looking for Fifth sis… Vee Garland.”

“Huh—pfft, Garland-san? That one?”

“…‘That’ one?”

There was a faint hint of mockery in her tone.

I frowned.

The girl quickly tried to cover it.

“W-Well, I haven’t seen her today… but now that you mention it, the teacher did say something about her being absent without notice.”

“――――”

“By the way, what are you to Garland? Her boyfriend? Haha, like that could—ah, wait!”

Leaving her mid-sentence, I broke into a run.

I cut across the courtyard, heading back toward the training grounds.

On the way, someone called out to me.

“Hey. Don’t go running around like that. It’s disgraceful for a man.”

“…Huh?”

The one who spoke was a tall, well-built guy with sharp features.

Judging by his uniform, he was a second-year from the upper noble class.

“What’s got you in such a rush? And without any girls tagging along?”

“…My sister might be in danger.”

It wasn’t good to ignore him completely, so I gave a short answer.

The guy snorted.

“You ran over a woman? You’re a man. There are plenty of women around—you can replace one easily.”

“…!”

I turned on my heel.

That left a bad taste in my mouth, but it didn’t matter right now.

“Hey, answer me. I told you not to run—”

I ignored him and kept running.

I dashed straight back to the training grounds.

“Ah, welcome back, Tect. The princess’s match just ended.”

“Hey! Shia! How did you even lose that!? Oh—welcome back, Tect.”

“I know! I can’t focus with all that yelling, so stop the—…Tect?”

Everyone’s attention turned to me.

I wiped the sweat from my forehead and spoke.

“Something’s happened to Fifth sis. I need your help.”

I quickly explained everything.

That Fifth sis had gone on a long trip to get me a gift.

That she hadn’t shown up today and was marked absent without notice.

“Show me the map.”

I handed it to Aegis.

She scanned it quickly, then pointed to a spot halfway along the route.

“Here. There’s a somewhat troublesome bandit group based around this area. If she’s not in the dorms, there’s a high chance she’s been captured here.”

“…!”

I clenched my teeth.

Then I tightened my fists.

I shouldn’t have let her go.

Even in this reversed world, if I wanted to be a man who could protect girls—

I never should’ve let Fifth sis travel that far alone.

“I’ll go check your sister’s room in the dorm first!”

Wiz quickly stood up.

“I’ll come with you. Having royalty involved should make gathering information easier.”

With that, Shia followed after her.

And just like that, only me and Aegis were left behind.

Aegis let out a breath and spoke.

“It’s because of my bloodline. I tend to hear about groups like this. I should’ve told you earlier.”

“…This isn’t your fault, Aegis. The one at fault here… is me.”

“You’re not at fault either, Tect. It was Vee who suggested the gift and went on her own. The ones truly at fault are the bandits. If we had to place responsibility elsewhere, it would still fall on Vee herself.”

“But still! I let her go! That makes it my fault!”

I pushed back strongly.

But when Aegis looked at me with those calm eyes, I slowly sat back down.

“…Sorry.”

“It’s fine. I don’t mind. Can I continue?”

“…Yeah.”

I took a deep breath and faced her again.

Aegis tapped the map and began explaining.

“The group here is the Blue Leopard Bandits. Several subjugation squads have been sent after them—and they’ve repelled every one. They’re strong. Especially their leader.”

“The leader…?”

“Yeah. Pantera—the ‘Blue Leopard.’ She’s the head of the group, a highly skilled thief. A beastkin. Her magic power is low, but her physical abilities are extremely high.”

Aegis looked straight at me.

“The good news is—they don’t kill. They’re strong, so when they attack, they don’t cause much injury. They usually sell their captives or hold them for ransom. If it’s a knight’s daughter, she’d be treated as valuable merchandise.”

“So if this bandit group is the reason Fifth sis hasn’t come back… that means we still have time?”

“Exactly.”

I let out a small breath of relief.

It wasn’t certain, but it was something.

Then I started thinking seriously.

I stared at the map, running through possibilities in my head.

Just as my thoughts came together, Aegis spoke.

“So?”

She looked at me with a slightly teasing gaze.

“I already know what you’re going to say. And I know you won’t listen even if I try to stop you.”

“…I—”

Right then, Wiz and Shia returned.

“Your sister isn’t in the dorms!”

“We checked her room thoroughly, so there’s no mistake.”

Hearing that, I spoke.

“I’m going to rescue Fifth sis. Right now. Will you come with me?”

Wiz and Shia blinked at my words.

But right after, their expressions sharpened.

“That works! If we save her, even your sister will have no choice but to acknowledge us!”

“I’ll accompany you. I’ll have Hedda handle the necessary arrangements.”

I looked at Aegis.

She gave a small shrug.

“Did you really think I wouldn’t come?”

I took a breath—

And declared it.

“Alright. Let’s get ready for a long ride—fast. First—”

I quickly began organizing what needed to be done.

Bandits or whatever they were—

They really had the nerve to lay a hand on my family.

Gritting my teeth, I muttered—

“Fifth Sis is someone I’m proud of. If she’s got even a single injury… I’ll kill them all.”