Lately, I’ve been feeling a bit tired.
I realized it when I found myself getting irritated by Arcelia’s way of speaking.
Normally, I wouldn’t pay much attention to it, but for some reason, it’s been bothering me.
Arrogant and selfish.
Sharp-tongued, without any restraint.
Her words often blur the line between herself and others.
Most people would probably get annoyed or angry at her.
Or maybe they wouldn’t even bother to get involved in the first place.
But since I’m fairly easygoing and selfish myself, I’ve never really been angry with Arcelia.
After all, I believe that if you’re going to demand things from others, you should improve yourself first.
That said, as I mentioned earlier, I’ve been getting irritated by Arcelia’s words recently.
Not all the time, just at random moments.
Recognizing this, I thought it might be a good idea to take a break soon.
“Off to the library again today?”
“Yes, I still have books I haven’t read.”
Today, like always, Arcelia and I were walking together through the school building.
It seemed she was heading to the library again.
Reading books for long hours every single day… I’d get bored in an instant, but I guess her interests are just different from mine.
“And you?”
“As for me… I think I’ll take it easy today. I’ve been feeling a little tired lately.”
While it’s important to keep up with training, resting is just as crucial.
In my past life, I pushed myself too hard several times and ended up injuring my body, so I understand the importance of rest.
“Hmph. Then accompany me.”
“I’m too tired for that. Let’s do it another day.”
“It won’t be tiring. It’s just a little thing.”
“My standards are different from yours.”
…This conversation is exhausting.
Normally, I wouldn’t mind, but with how worn out I’ve been lately, it feels like a hassle.
Not that I’d get upset over something like this, though.
Genius or not, Arcelia is still a child.
And I’m an adult, at least mentally, thanks to my past life.
It’s best to just brush her off lightly.
“Oh, there you are.”
I heard a familiar voice from behind and turned around.
“Brother.”
It was my older brother.
The last time I saw him was the day after the entrance ceremony, so it had been quite a while.
“Long time no see, Kraze. Training again today?”
“No, today’s a rest day. I’ve been feeling a bit tired lately.”
After I replied, my brother looked surprised, thought for a moment, and then spoke.
“Then, would you mind hanging out with me for a bit?”
“What do you have in mind?”
“I just want to catch up with you, Kraze. I was thinking we could grab some tea in town… what do you think?”
Tea with my brother, huh? That doesn’t sound too tiring, so I guess it’s fine.
“Sure.”
“Really? Great! Oh, but is it okay? She’s glaring at you pretty hard.”
Following his gaze, I saw Arcelia quietly glaring at me.
She seemed more displeased than usual.
“What’s wrong, Arcelia?”
“You say no to me, but agree to go with him? How does that make sense?”
Sigh… What a hassle.
Well, I suppose it does feel unfair from her perspective.
“To put it simply, going along with you is exhausting, but my brother won’t wear me out. That’s the reason.”
I didn’t really want to say it, but my brother doesn’t drag me around selfishly.
Arcelia, on the other hand, always does.
Normally, I wouldn’t mind being dragged around by her, but today is my rest day.
It’s only natural that I’d choose the option with the least burden.
“What’s that supposed to mean…? It’s obvious you should come with me instead of talking to someone like him.”
“Why?”
When I asked, Arcelia’s expression shifted.
“Why? Because that man is beneath me. You know that, don’t you? He couldn’t even lay a finger on me in magical combat. Oh, and I just remembered him saying something really creepy too.”
Without even pausing to breathe, Arcelia kept belittling my brother.
It’s true my brother lost to her in magical combat.
It wasn’t even a close defeat—he lost because of an overwhelming difference in skill.
But after that, my brother worked incredibly hard.
He had always trained, but now he was pushing himself even further.
The phrase “like a different person” is entirely fitting.
And I know what that looks like.
“Listen, my brother has been training and improving his skills. There’s no point in dwelling on the past.”
I’m getting really tired of this.
I don’t understand why Arcelia is picking a fight like this.
Even if she’s upset, I just wish she’d stop being so clingy.
“Training? Hmph, like that matters.”
“Huh?”
She snorted and continued.
“He’s just another weakling. No matter how hard he trains, he’ll never reach either of us. Your brother is worthless. He probably just envies you for being stronger. So instead of wasting time with him, you should come with me—”
“Shut up.”
Without thinking, I cut off her words.
“It’s one thing to talk about me… but you’re insulting my family now?”
“So what? Family is—”
“Enough. Don’t say another word. You’re disgusting me.”
Every time she opened her mouth, more and more insults spilled out.
I can handle being insulted, but I won’t tolerate it when it comes to my family.
It reminds me of my past life.
In my previous life, I practically didn’t have a family.
My mother died shortly after giving birth to me, and I had no siblings. My only family was a drunken father.
And that father was a worthless man who beat me almost every day.
Eventually, I couldn’t take it anymore and ran away… but that’s a story for another time.
In other words, this current life’s family is my first true family.
That’s why they mean so much to me.
It’s not something I’ll ever openly admit, though, because it’s kind of embarrassing.
“There’s a lot I could say, but I’m too tired, so I’ll keep it short.”
I sighed deeply, frustration and exhaustion blending together.
“Just stay away from me.”
I misjudged her.
I thought that, despite her sharp tongue and bad attitude, Arcelia had at least some basic decency.
But I was wrong.
She’s more twisted than I imagined.
I can’t deal with her anymore.
Genius or not, no matter how great her magic is, I don’t want anything to do with her as a person.
And it’s pointless to get mad at someone like her.
Besides, I’m tired.
And so is she, probably.
It’s best for both of us to stay away from each other.
“Brother, let’s go.”
I turned my back on Arcelia and walked away.
I could hear her saying something behind me… but I ignored her and kept walking.
