"As for her..." Kaito paused to think. "How should I put it — she has a very high tolerance. She wouldn't make a sound."
That was the excuse he came up with on the spot for why Wendy had never needed to use that particular item.
His first instinct had been to simply say Wendy didn't want to use it — but on reflection, he'd worried that might make Miko feel he was being unfair. So he'd improvised.
Wouldn't make a sound?
The moment those words left his mouth, a faint blush crept across Miko's cheeks.
She couldn't help it. She had, admittedly, been a little... loud earlier.
Hmm...
It's all Kaito's fault!
If it weren't for him, why would I have been that loud?
Yes! Exactly! That's all there is to it!
After talking herself through it, Miko returned to her usual composure. It wasn't her fault. It was entirely because of Kaito.
Right... there's also Kiana...
But I'd better not ask about her.
Don't want to end up stepping into something I shouldn't...
She had remembered that Kaito hadn't said anything about Kiana, but after turning it over in her mind, she decided to let it go.
She still harbored suspicions that Kiana had some kind of connection to the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles. Better not to wade into those murky waters. The last thing she needed was to learn something she wasn't supposed to know and end up in trouble over it.
"What is it, Miko? Are you thinking about Wendy...?"
"Right — you'd better keep that little brat by your side at all times," Miko cut in before he could finish. "Otherwise she'll just wander around insulting people left and right."
Kaito: "..."
"That's absolutely not happening."
He knew perfectly well why Miko had said it — the two of them had been trading barbs for as long as he could remember — so he simply shook his head and left it at that. No further explanation needed.
"That little brat calls me 'little fox' every single day. Not an ounce of respect for her elders." Miko had already anticipated his answer and hadn't expected anything different. She wasn't seriously demanding he do anything — she just wanted to get it off her chest.
Either way, a bit of complaining never hurt anyone.
"Elders?" Kaito blinked, mildly surprised that Miko had used that particular word to describe herself.
"Ahem — I mean, she doesn't respect me as her big sister," Miko quickly corrected herself, catching the look on his face.
She knew 'elders' made her sound ancient. She needed different wording.
For the record, she was extremely young. A mere few hundred years old. That was practically nothing. Where did anyone get the idea that she was old?
"Mm. I'll have her mind her manners going forward."
Kaito gave a small nod, a smile playing at the corner of his mouth.
"And while you're at it — have her call me 'Big Sister.' The same way she calls Mei." The implication behind Miko's words was clear. Now that things between her and Kaito had taken a step forward, she wanted Wendy to treat her the same way she treated Mei.
She was also self-aware enough to know she was the latecomer here — she'd come after Wendy. So Wendy would probably use that as an excuse to flip things around and demand Miko be the one calling her 'Big Sister' instead.
But Miko had no intention of entertaining that argument. In her book, age — and age alone — determined seniority. Not who showed up first.
"No problem."
Kaito's answer was immediate and unequivocal.
Not that it was difficult for him to promise. Wendy was him — of course he could make decisions on her behalf.
Of course, he wouldn't simply have Wendy start calling Miko 'Big Sister' out of nowhere. He couldn't make it look too easy. The Wendy that Miko knew was stubborn and prickly — if she caved without a fight, Miko would immediately find the whole thing suspicious.
Moreover, things that came too easily never held much value. If he handed her this too readily, Miko would lose interest before the novelty even wore off.
"You actually agreed just like that?" Miko hadn't expected him to be so straightforward about it, and her expression showed a flicker of surprise. "That little brat is not easy to handle, you know."
She had braced herself for at least a 'I'll try my best' or some other noncommittal hedge. Apparently, she'd been wrong.
Not that she was complaining. She was already looking forward to seeing how it played out.
"It'll be fine," Kaito said, noting her mildly surprised expression.
Right... has that little brat not come back yet?
The thought surfaced, and Miko spoke up: "Has that little brat still not come back with Lumine? It's already pretty late, isn't it?"
She glanced around the room, noting that the lamps were already lit — a clear sign that night had fallen.
She'd woken up from her nap around dusk, and after her three-hundred-round battle with Kaito, it was definitely deep into the evening by now.
"Right, they're not back yet," Kaito confirmed with a nod.
"And you're not worried about those two?" Miko asked, genuinely curious.
She'd asked something similar before, but she found herself wanting to hear his answer again.
"Not really. If the Anemo Archon ran into trouble in her own nation, that would be a little embarrassing." The words had barely left his mouth before Kaito's mind flashed to what had befallen Venti in the original game's story.
Not that any of that had happened here. And in this world's context, Wendy was essentially untouchable — so saying it out loud posed no issue whatsoever.
"That's fair. That little brat is obscenely strong. You'd worry less about her getting hurt and more about whether she'd end up pummeling someone." Miko felt the logic was sound.
"That definitely won't happen — you can rest easy on that front." Kaito chuckled softly, shaking his head.
He didn't go around picking fights, so naturally, neither did Wendy.
"Of course I'm not worried. If that little brat went around hitting people, she'd have hit me ages ago — and more than once, I'm sure." Miko said it with a laugh.
By now she had a pretty decent read on Wendy. The girl's mouth was a weapon in its own right — she'd snipe you with a cutting remark without a second thought — but actually raising a hand? That wasn't Wendy's style. At worst, she'd leave you thoroughly roasted and walk away.
As long as you didn't throw the first punch, she wouldn't either.
But if you made the first move — she'd return it without mercy.
"If she ever does hit you, just let me know. I'll deal with her immediately." Knowing the scenario was essentially impossible, Kaito still puffed his chest out as he said it.
"'Deal with her' — you sure that wouldn't be in bed?"
Recalling certain things Kaito had said to her just a short while ago, Miko fixed him with a distinctly suspicious sidelong look.
"That's absolutely not what I meant."
Kaito hurried to clarify, genuinely caught off guard that she'd jumped to that conclusion.
Although, to be fair, he hadn't actually thought through how he'd discipline Wendy. Mostly because Wendy was him, which meant he could simply guarantee she wouldn't lay a finger on Miko — no disciplinary methods required.
But as Kaito was quietly turning over the question of how to give Miko a more satisfying answer, Miko had already come up with the perfect solution on his behalf.
"Easy. Tie her up and stuff that thing in her mouth."
Kaito: "..."
He stared at Miko as she delivered this proposal with complete and utter casualness, and couldn't shake the feeling that she had awakened something truly formidable within herself.
____
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