Why am I in a duel?! (3)
Upon arriving at their destination—
“Huh…?”
Haru froze.
Something felt big.
No—
Huge.
Through her special ability, an overwhelming presence pressed against her senses, making her instinctively hold her breath.
She had imagined a normal house entrance when they arrived, maybe a large one at most.
But the gate in front of her was on a completely different level.
This wasn’t a house gate.
It looked more like the entrance to a fortress.
Tall and heavy, it stood silently before them, as if it had been there for hundreds of years, watching over everything around it.
“My… seeing this gate again… it really…”
Eiko’s voice softened as her words trailed off.
The moment she laid eyes on the gate, memories quietly surfaced.
After six long years, she was finally here again. Finally returning to her family.
“Haha… it really has been a while since we last visited…”
Takeshi let out a nervous laugh as he spoke.
“I just hope they won’t start blaming me for why we haven’t been able to visit more often…”
As soon as the words left his mouth, his shoulders stiffened.
Images of sharp glares and silent pressure from his in-laws flashed through his mind, making him swallow dryly.
And then—
“Fufu~”
Eiko chuckled, as if she had seen right through him.
“Knowing them, dear, they’ll probably understand once we explain,”
she said gently.
“…No, actually, I’m sure they already know.”
“Y-Yeah… I guess you’re right…”
While Takeshi slowly began to calm down, Haru watched the whole exchange from the backseat.
Wow…
…This is the first time I’ve ever seen Dad this nervous.
Haru blinked.
Is Mama’s family… really that scary?
…Well, I guess I’d be nervous too.
This place is huge!!
Now I understand what Mama meant when she said Grandpa and Grandma’s house had “a lot of people.”
If you owned a place this big, of course you’d need a lot of people to take care of it!!...
I wonder how big it is inside…
And that crest on the gate…
Why does it feel so familiar…?
Just as Haru tried to recall where she had seen that symbol before—
*RUMBLE*
The gate began to move.
The ground trembled as the massive doors slowly opened.
Their sheer weight was shaking the earth beneath them.
Haru instinctively held her breath, her small hands tightening on her lap.
After several long seconds, the shaking finally stopped.
The gate stood fully open.
“Well then…”
Takeshi said quietly, gripping the steering wheel.
“Let’s go.”
The car drove forward.
After passing through the gate and driving a short distance, they arrived at a wide parking area not far from the entrance.
“Alright, sweetie, we’re here~”
Eiko leaned back with a grin, peeking at Haru’s face through the rearview mirror.
“Well? Are you surprised? Fufu~”
Haru hesitated, slowly looking around once more before speaking up.
“M-Mama…”
She glanced at her mother, her voice filled with innocent curiosity.
“…Are Grandpa and Grandma rich?”
** * **
Eiko blinked.
Then—
“Fufu~”
A soft laugh slipped past her lips before she could stop it.
“My, my~ is that what you were thinking?”
She reached out and gently brushed Haru’s hair.
“Well… I suppose from your point of view, it does look that way, doesn’t it?”
“U-Uh… I mean… the gate was just really big!”
That only made Eiko laugh more, her voice warm and light.
“Haha~ you’re not wrong.”
Her expression softened as she looked at her daughter.
“But money isn’t really the point here, sweetie~”
She said softly.
“This place is… a bit special. That’s all.”
“…Special?”
Haru tilted her head.
“Yes,”
Eiko replied quietly, a nostalgic glint passing through her eyes.
“Very special.”
After the seemingly mysterious conversation, Takeshi cleared his throat.
“Alright, let’s go everyone. Gorou and his daughter are probably waiting for us at the entrance, and we still have quite a walk ahead of us.”
Haru had just stepped out of the car.
Just when she landed on the ground, her father's words finally registered.
…Huh?
Wait.
Did Dad just say Gorou?
Before she could think further, Eiko’s eyes suddenly lit up.
“Ah! That’s right!”
She turned to Haru with a cheerful smile.
“Haru, sweetie, this is probably your first time meeting your uncle~”
“…Uncle?”
“And your cousin too!”
Eiko added playfully.
“Her name is Mizugami Mio~ You’ll meet her as soon as we see your uncle Gorou.”
Haru’s brain completely stopped.
WAIT.
WAIT WAIT WAIT—
MIZUGAMI MIO?
AS IN THAT MIO?
THE INFAMOUS SADISTIC LUNATIC MIO???
** * **
While Haru and her family made their way toward the mansion’s entrance—
Mio, who had been standing quietly beside her father, finally broke the silence.
“Father… may I ask something?”
(お父様)
She lifted her gaze toward him, her posture straight and composed.
“Is my cousin… truly that special?”
Her voice was calm, laced with gentle curiosity rather than doubt.
Gorou did not answer immediately.
Then, in a steady tone.
“Yes. She carries our blood… and something more.”
Mio folded her hands neatly in front of her, considering his words.
“…I see.”
After a brief pause, Gorou spoke again, this time quietly, almost to himself.
“The ancient lake has also noticed her.”
Despite the low murmur, Mio heard it clearly.
Her eyes widened, just slightly.
“…!”
For the first time, her composed expression wavered.
“Father… is that truly—”
Before she could finish, a voice echoed from the stone path ahead.
A small group of people could be seen approaching along the stone path.
The conversation was cut short by a bright, familiar call.
“Brother!! We’re here~!”
(お兄ちゃん)
Eiko waved cheerfully, a mischievous grin spreading across her face, as she had intentionally called out to her brother with “Oniichan,” as if making up for all the teasing she'd missed after leaving the household.
While her husband beside her wore a noticeably nervous smile.
Gorou, the current head of the family, was momentarily caught off guard by the sudden childish teasing and could only let out a small sigh.
“…This girl, honestly.”
He said it dismissively, yet the faint warmth in his voice betrayed his true feelings.
After all, it has been many years since he last saw his sister.
** * **
While Gorou hadn’t realized he was smiling.
Eiko was already standing right in front of him, and Haru and Takeshi just behind her.
For a moment, Eiko said nothing
She simply looked at him quietly. And carefully, as if confirming something.
Then she smiled.
“So it really is you, Gorou,” she said softly.
“From far away… I almost thought I was looking at Dad.”
There was no teasing left in her voice now.
Only warmth, and a hint of longing.
She didn’t call him Onii-chan this time.
She simply said his name, the way she always had.
Gorou let out a slow breath, only then realizing he’d been holding it in.
“…You really took your time coming back,” he said. A trace of dry humor in his tone.
His gaze briefly shifted to Takeshi.
Seeing the couple standing together, unharmed and doing well, Gorou felt a quiet sense of relief.
Unfortunately, Takeshi misunderstood that look entirely.
His nervous smile tightened as a cold sweat began to form.
Eiko noticed her husband’s nervousness and let out a small laugh, turning her gaze back to Gorou.
“I know,” she said gently.
“But we’re here now.”
Eiko’s smile softened.
Time had passed.
And a lot has changed.
And yet, standing here like this.
Nothing felt out of place.
For just a brief moment, it felt as though they had returned to those distant days—
Back when they were still children.
