ようやく平常通りに体が戻り、一階にあるリビングに降りていくとインターホンが鳴る。
もう未祐が戻って来たのか? と思ったが――ああ、そうだった。
俺は玄関に向かうと、ドアノブを回してゆっくりとドアを開いていく。
するとそこには、予想通りの人物が待ち侘びるようにして立っていた。
「ただいま帰りました、兄さん」
ける様な笑みを見せつつ中に入ってくる。
俺の頭一つ分は低い位置にある色素の薄い髪が、動きに合わせてサラサラとなびいた。
こいつは家に帰ってきた時、いつもこんな風に安心したように笑うのだ。
「お帰り、理世。玄関の鍵、開いてただろ? どうして自分で入ってこないんだ?」
「もう。分かってる癖に」
「前に言ってた出迎えがどうのって奴だろ。お前は本当に寂しがり屋なのな」
「ええ。私、兄さんがいないと寂くて......」
理世が後ろ手で鍵を締める。
が、未祐が戻ってくるので開けておいた方が良いだろう。
未祐の家は歩いて五分程度なので、往復するのにそれほど時間は掛からないはずだ。
俺はドアを指差して理世にこう言った。
「理世、鍵は開けておいてくれよ。未祐が後から戻ってくるから」
すると、そんな俺の言葉に理世の表情が固まる。
それから俺の言葉を
理世は上下二つの鍵を閉めた上で、ドアチェーンまで掛けてにっこりと微笑んだ。
あれぇ!?
「なぜ閉める! 開けておいてくれって言っただろ!?」
「ごめんなさい、間違えましたぁ。それよりも、兄さんは家事の途中なのではありませんか? ちゃんと開けておきますから、先に行っていて下さい」
仮に理世が嘘をついて開けておかなくても、鍵が掛かっていれば未祐がインターホンを鳴らすだろう。
一階に居る限りその音に気付かない事はないだろうから、特に問題はないはず。
玄関に理世を残して俺はキッチンへと向かい、料理の準備を開始した。
今日のメニューはビーフシチュー。
知り合いから大量にフランスパンを頂いたので、セットで食べようと思っている。
日本人なのでご飯でもいけるが、やっぱりシチューと言ったらパンの方が合うだろう。
幸い、未祐が来る前に
おおよそ正午過ぎくらいから約五時間、赤ワインに材料が漬け込んである。
中身は牛すね肉、玉ねぎ、人参、少量のニンニク、ローリエの五種類。
その中からまずは牛肉を取り出し、表面に塩、
香ばしい匂いがキッチンに広がり――おっと、換気扇のスイッチを入れ忘れていた。
「手伝いましょうか?」
掛けられた声に視線を向けると、制服から私服に着替えた理世がそこに立っていた。
相変わらず、俺のお古の服をおしゃれに着こなしている。
たまに俺が着ていた物と同じ服とは思えなくなる時があるんだよな......ちゃんと女の子らしく見えるし、経済的だしで非常に助かっている。
そのまま横に並んでエプロンを着けるので、手伝ってもらうことにする。
「じゃあ、そっちの鍋の具材を取り出して火にかけてくれ」
「はい。沸騰したらアクを取ればいいんですね?」
「うん。丁寧に頼む」
焼き上がった肉をよけ、理世が取り出した野菜をフライパンで炒める。
更にトマトペーストを加え、炒めた野菜を肉と共に圧力鍋へ。
次は、理世がアクを取った赤ワインをここに注ぎたいんだが――
俺は鍋をキッチンミトンを装着した両手で掴むと、シノワの上から沸騰したワインを圧力鍋に注いだ。
使い終わったシノワを理世が水に浸ける。
うん、いつもながら手が四本あるみたいに楽だ。
飛び散ってしまったワインもサッと拭いてくれている。
「......お、おい。急にどうした?」
「あ、逃げないで下さいよぉ。いいじゃないですか。お料理はこれで一段落でしょう?」
確かに、圧力鍋を使っている間はそれほどの作業はないけどな......。
クッキングヒーターの前に二人で並ぶと、自然と肩が触れ合う程度の距離になる。
......なるのだが、別に密着する必要性は皆無なんだが?
「......あー、まあ......何だ。よしよし......?」
「くすぐったいですよぉ、兄さん。ああ、幸せです......」
すると、それだけのことで理世は猫の様に目を細めて喜んだ。
甘えられる相手が基本的に俺しか居ないので、多少は仕方ないとは思うが......ちょっとなあ。
15という年齢を考えると、もう少し兄離れが進んでもいいように思う。
理世が上目遣いで俺に聞いてくる。
明乃というのは俺達の母の事だ。
明乃、職業は看護師。
「母さん、今日は変則勤務だから遅くなるって言ってたぞ。日付が変わる頃まで帰ってこないんじゃないかな? 夕飯は別にして残しておく......っていうか、いい加減に母さんって呼んでやってくれよ。泣くぞ? あの人」
話しながらも、理世が俺の方に一層、頭を寄せてくる。
俺と理世は再婚した両親の連れ子同士だ。
理世は唯一血のつながった父親を亡くしているので、寂しいのか俺にべったりと懐いている。
代わりにというか、家を空けることが多い母さんとはやや距離がある。
別に仲は悪くないんだが、母さんは理世の態度に対して少し寂しそうだ。
「いいんです、これは私の......意地のようなものですから。いつか本当の意味で、お
「ん? 良く分からないんだが......その内、ちゃんと呼ぶってことでいいのか?」
「そうですねぇ......兄さん次第でしょうか......ふふ」
「俺次第? 何で?」
何で理世の母さんの呼び方に、俺が関わってくるんだ? 本当の意味?
――と、その時、背後から不審な物音がした。
理世の体をそっと離し、振り返って音がした方を確認すると......リビングの窓、か?
あまり耳慣れない音だったので、何だか不気味な感じがする。
「ちょっと見てくる。圧力鍋のタイマー頼むな、三十分で」
「あっ、もう終わりですかぁ? そんなの、放っておけばいいのに」
「不審者とかだったらどうするんだ。母さんに留守を任されてるんだから、俺は家を守る義務があるの」
俺は理世に鍋の管理を任せると、カーテンが閉められている窓へと近付いた。
鳥でもぶつかったか? それにしては、何かが張り付くような変な音だったけど。
外を見る為にカーテンを開くと、暗闇の中に居る「何か」と目が合った。
血走った目が、こちらを凝視し――
何かと思えば、両手と顔を窓にべったりと張り付けた未祐がこちらをじっと見ていた。
美人が台無しだ!?
特に後輩の女子が......。
俺に気付いた未祐が張り付くのを止めたので、すぐさまリビングの窓を開け放つ。
「お前、何やってんだ!?」
「お前こそ、インターホンを押しても出ないなんて酷いじゃないか! それとも、さっきのボディプレスがそんなに頭にきたのか!? 父さんに話したら、地に頭をこすりつけてでも許して貰えって言うから謝りに――」
「土下座はもういいから! じゃなくて、インターホンを押した? いつ!?」
「うん? 五分前くらいから鳴らしていたぞ? 私の16連射でな!」
「押し過ぎだよ馬鹿野郎! いや、それ以前に俺はインターホンの音なんて聞いて――あっ」
俺は未祐の言葉に応えず、リビングに戻ると急いでインターホンの電源を確認した。
あ、やっぱり切れてる!
理世を出迎えて戻って来た時には間違いなく作動していたので、犯人は一人しかいない。
「理世、お前――居ねえ!?」
理世の姿はそこにはなく、タイマーが設定されて湯気を出す圧力鍋だけが台の上に鎮座していた。
いくらなんでもこのイタズラは悪質過ぎるだろう!?
「すまん、未祐! 直ぐに開けるから玄関に回ってくれ! 章文おじさんにも事情を説明するから!」
「ん? 良く分からんが、怒ってはいないんだな? 亘は」
「怒ってない。むしろこっちが謝る必要が......はぁ。理世の奴......」
その後、何故か自分の部屋でなく俺の部屋へと逃げ込んでいた理世の首根っこを掴むと、一緒に章文おじさんに対してひたすら謝った。
れないとか、無礼千万としか言いようがない。
「いやあ、多感な年頃だからね。亘君も、そんなに理世ちゃんの事を叱らないでやってよ。おじさん、気にしてないからさ」
「すみません! 本当にすみません!」
「理世ぇ! 何だその棒読みはぁ! それが人に謝罪する態度か貴様!?」
「ハハハハハ。亘君も苦労するねぇ」
章文おじさんは人の良さそうな笑みで、俺達の失礼を許してくれた。
一見すると繊細で優しそうな外見をした、黒髪の若作りなおじさんなのだが......
「その調子で未祐の事も頼むよ。君に預けておけば、おじさんも安心だ!」
「章文おじさん!?」
「「わははははは!」」
シンクロした笑いで察しがつくと思うが、おじさんの性格も未祐に劣らず大雑把だ。
彼の職業は製薬会社の営業部長。
製薬会社の営業はMRとも呼ばれる特殊なもので、高い自己管理能力が求められる為か、おじさんは仕事以外の部分がかなりずぼらだ。
休日であってもゴルフの接待などで留守の事が多く、こうして未祐と一緒に我が家に来る回数はそう多くない。
それから少しの時間を掛けて、俺はビーフシチューを完成させた。
理世にはその間、付け合わせのポテトとブロッコリーを作っておいて貰った。
湯気の立つビーフシチューを前にした未祐が、前のめりで涎を垂らす寸前のような顔をして座っている。
行儀が悪い。
「おおおおおー! 食べていいか? 食べていいのか!?」
「がっつくなって、作った身としては嬉しいけどさ。今、皿を並べ終わるから」
「......下品ですね」
理世が小声で呟く。
が、聞こえるように言ったというのがありありと分かる表情を見せている。
当然、悪態をつかれた未祐が
「あ? 何か言ったかちんちくりん」
「は? ちょっとスタイルが良いからって調子に乗らないで下さい。不快です」
......この二人が一緒に居ると、大体はこんな感じだ。
俺もおじさんも、慣れてしまっていて特に反応を返すことはない。
食べ始めた瞬間にちゃんと喧嘩を止めるなら、それで構わないと思う。
「おじさん、ワインもどうぞ。シチューの中にも入っていますが、それはそれということで」
「さっすが、気が利くねえ。おじさん、今日は沢山飲んじゃおうかなー」
食事が始まった直後、二人の悪口の応酬も止む。
うん、それでいい。
席順は俺の隣に理世、対面に未祐、斜向かいに章文おじさんという配置。
両手を合わせ、一斉にスプーンをビーフシチューにつける。
「うーむ、美味しい。適度な酸味、野菜の甘味、そしてこのコクと香り......先週接待で行った洋食店に負けてないよ、亘君」
「ありがとうございます。でも、おじさんが行くような星が付いている高級店と比べられましても......完成まで一週間とか掛かるようなのとは、比較になりませんって。特に煮込み時間が全く足りない」
謙遜。一般家庭の調理器具でこのレベルなら――ねえ、未祐」
「ああ、いいよ喋らなくて。見なよ、亘君。未祐もこんなに夢中だ。君のような幼馴染が居て、私の娘は本当に幸せ者だよ」
「は、はあ。どうも......」
こいつは何を食べててもこんな感じだと思うけど......まあいいか。
ビーフシチューは好評だった。
フランスパン共々、母さんの為に残した分以外は綺麗に無くなったので作り手としては大満足だ。
章文おじさんも宣言通りにワイン一本を空けると、未祐と共に気持ち良さそうな足取りで家へと帰って行った。
After having recovered, I went to the living room on the first floor and the intercom rang.
Has Miyu already returned? Is what I thought but...oh, right.
I head towards the front door, turned the doorknob and slowly opened the door.
There, the person I was expecting to be there was standing there as if she was tired of waiting.
[I have returned, nii-san] 
My little sister Rise went inside while showing me a charming smile.
She was about a head shorter than me, her hair color was lighter than mine and it waved in tandem with her movements.
Whenever she comes back home, she always smiles as if she was relieved.
[Welcome back Rise. The door was open, right? Why didn't you just come in by yourself?] 
[Geez. Even though you already know why] 
[You mean when you mentioned that I had to come to greet you, right? You sure get lonely easily] 
[That's right. I get lonely whenever nii-san is not here...] 
Rise proceed to place a hand behind her to lock the door.
However, Miyu is going to come back so it should be better to leave it open.
Miyu lives about five minutes from here, so it shouldn't take her long to go and come back.
So I said this to Rise as I pointed at the door.
[Rise, don't lock the door. Miyu is going to come back later] 
When I said that, hearing my words, Rise's face stiffened.
After that, as if she was digesting my words for several seconds, her eyes were wandering for a while...
Rise locked both of the locks and even hung up the chain, then smiled at me.
Eh!?
[Why are you locking the door!? I told you to leave it open, right!?] 
[I'm sorry, I heard wrong. More importantly, nii-san, weren't you in the middle of some domestic chores? I'll open it, so go first] 
Even if Rise is lying and she doesn't leave the door open, if it's locked, Miyu will probably ring the intercom.
Since I'll be on the first floor, there's no way that I won't hear it, so there shouldn't be any problem.
I left Rise at the entrance and headed into the kitchen, then I proceeded to start making preparations for dinner.
Today's menu is beef stew.
We got a big amount of french bread from an acquaintance so I was thinking about eating it together with that.
As a Japanese, I could also make rice, but if we are talking about stew, bread goes better with it.
Luckily, before Miyu came, I had already made the initial preparations.
From around noon until 5pm, the ingredients had been pickled in red wine.
The contents were: beef, onions, carrots, a small amount of garlic and five types of bay leaves.
First I took the beef out, sprinkled it with some salt, pepper and wheat flour. Then I proceeded to stir fry it on a frying pan.
A fragrant smell spread throughout the kitchen...oh, I forgot to turn on the ventilation fan.
[Should I help?] 
When I turned around, Rise was standing there after having changed from her uniform to casual clothes.
As always, she was wearing my old clothes and they suited her really well.
Sometimes, they didn't seem like the same clothes that I once wore...she does look really feminine in them and it does save money so it really helps.
Since she had already put on an apron, guess I'll have her help out.
[Then, take the ingredients out of that pot and turn on the fire] 
[OK. I should just take out the scum once it starts boiling, right?] 
[Yup. Please do so] 
Once the meat started to gain color, I took the vegetables that Rise had taken out and started frying them too.
Then I added tomato paste and added the beef with the vegetables to the pressure cooker.
Next, I should pour the red wine after Rise has taken the scum out but...
I grabbed the pot while wearing kitchen mittens in both hands and poured the boiling wine on top of the chinois.
Once we were done using it, Rise soaked the chinois in water.
Yup, it's like I had four hands and I felt at ease.
I wiped the wine that had spilled.
[...H-hey, what's with you doing this so suddenly?] 
[Ah, don't try to run away. Isn't it fine? We are done cooking, right?] 
It's true that while the pressure cooker is working there's not much to do but...
If we lined up in front of the heater, our shoulders would naturally touch.
...That was the case, but there was no need to be so close to each other?
[...Ah, well...uh...well done...?] 
[It tickles, nii-san. Ah, I'm so happy...] 
When I did so, Rise narrowed her eyes in delight as if she was a cat.
The only one around that can spoil her is me, so I don't think I have much of a choice, but well...
Considering she's already 15 years old, I'd like her to voluntarily get away from her brother a bit.
Rise proceeded to ask me that question with upturned eyes.
Akeno is our mother.
Kishikami Akeno, she works as a nurse.
[Mom said that she had some urgent work and that she would be late. She probably won't be back until around midnight? I'll leave some dinner for her...that being said, how about you call her mom already? She will cry, you know?] 
While I was talking, Rise placed her head even closer to me.
Rise and I are fellow children from parents that had remarried.
The only person that was blood-related to her was our dad and he died, it might be because she was lonely, but she stuck close to me.
Contrary to that, there's a distance with the mother that is usually away from home because of work.
It's not like they don't get along, but mom feels a bit lonely because of Rise's attitude.
[It's fine, it's like...a stubbornness of mine. Until one day I can call her mother in the truest sense of the word] 
[Hmm? I don't really get it but...you mean that when that time comes, you'll properly call her mom?] 
[Let's see...that would depend on nii-san...fufu] 
[Depend on me? Why?] 
Why is the way she refers to mom related to what I do? In the truest sense of the word?
...At that moment, a strange sound could be heard behind me.
I gently separated from Rise and turned towards the sound...the window of the living room?
It wasn't a familiar sound, I had an ominous feeling.
[I'll go take a look. I'll leave the timer of the pressure cooker to you, set it to 30 minutes] 
[Ah, is it over already? Just ignore it.] 
[What if it was a suspicious person? Mom left taking care of the house to me, I have a duty to protect it] 
I left managing the cooking to Rise and approached the window with the closed curtain.
Did a bird collide with it? However, it did make a weird sound as if something was sticking to it.
I opened the curtain to take a look outside and my eyes met with [something]  in the darkness.
Bloodshot eyes were staring at me...
Just when I thought about what it could be, I saw Miyu with both of her hands and face stuck to the window.
Her beauty was ruined!
Particularly the younger female students...
Since she had stopped sticking to the window after noticing me, I immediately opened the window.
[What do you think you are doing?] 
[What about you!? Isn't it cruel of you to not come out even when I ring the intercom!? Or did that body press mess up with your brain!? When I told dad about it, he said that you'd forgive me if I prostrated on the floor so as an apolog-] 
[Stop doing that! Wait, you said you rang the intercom? When?] 
[Hmm? I've been doing it for five minutes? I rang it 16 times!] 
[Too many, you idiot! Wait, I didn't hear the interc...Ah!] 
Because of Miyu's words, I left the living room in a hurry and checked if the intercom was turned on.
Ah, it's turned off as I had expected!
Since it was still on when I went to greet Rise, there can only be one culprit.
[Rise, did you...she's not there!?] 
There were no signs of Rise being there, only that of the pressure cooker with steam coming from it after having its settings changed.
Isn't this going too far for just a prank!?
[Sorry, Miyu! I'll open the door immediately so go back to the front door! I'll explain the situation to uncle Akifumi!] 
[Hmm? I don't really get it, but you are not angry, right?] 
[I'm not. In fact, I should be the one apologizing here...hah. That Rise...] 
After that, I grabbed the neck of Rise, who had escaped to my room for some reason instead of her own room and went to earnestly apologize to uncle Akifumi.
To not let them in after I had invited them, I can only say that it was a really rude thing to do.
[Well, she's at a quite delicate age. Don't scold Rise-chan that much Wataru-kun. Uncle doesn't really mind] 
[Sorry! I'm really sorry!] 
[Rise! What's with that attitude! You, is that the attitude of someone apologizing!?] 
[Hahaha. You have it hard, Wataru-kun] 
He looked happy, smiled at us and accepted our apology.
At first glance, he looked like a slim and kind man with black hair that made him seem young but...
[With that being said, I'm counting on you to take care of Miyu. If I leave her in your care, I'll be relieved] 
[Uncle Akifumi!?] 
[[Wahahaha!] ] 
I guess you can guess from how synchronized their laughs were, but uncle's personality is about the same as Miyu.
His occupation is the head chief of the sales department in a pharmaceutical company.
People refer to him with [Mr]  within the company, it might be because the job asks a lot of him, but when he's outside work, he was quite sloppy.
He likes playing golf on his days off so he tends to be absent from home, that's why the times he came over together with Miyu were not many.
After some time, I gave the beef stew its finishing touches.
In the meantime, I had Rise prepare the potatoes and broccoli that would be used as a garnish.
When she saw the beef stew that was still producing steam, Miyu leaned forward and made a face that looked as if she was on the verge of starting to droll.
That's bad manners.
[oohhh! Can we eat it? Can we really eat it!?] 
[Don't be so hasty, though as the one that cooked it, it makes me happy. I'll finish placing the plates, so wait] 
[...So vulgar] 
Muttered Rise in a low voice.
However, she made an expression that clearly displayed that she had said that.
Naturally, being fed up with that kind of abusive language, Miyu's beautiful eyebrows stood up.
[Ah? Did you say something, midget?] 
[Hah? Just because your figure is a bit good, don't get so full of yourself. It's unpleasant] 
...When these two are together, it's usually like this.
Since I and uncle are already used to it, there wasn't much of a reaction.
Once they start eating they will stop quarreling, so I don't think there's anything to worry about.
[Uncle, here's some wine. There's some in the stew, but that's another matter] 
[You are so attentive to things like this. Then, guess uncle might drink quite a bit today...] 
As we started to eat, they stopped fighting.
Yup, this is fine.
The way we arranged seats was with Rise next to me, Miyu in front and uncle diagonally opposite to me.
Each one of us joined both hands together and proceed to take simultaneously some of the beef stew with a spoon.
[Hmm, delicious. The moderate sourness, the sweetness of the vegetables and this rich fragrance...it won't lose to the one they made in the western restaurant I was invited to last week, Wataru-kun] 
[Thank you very much. However, compared to the highly rated restaurant you went to...where they cook them for a week until it's done, there's no comparison. Especially when it comes down to stews] 
[Haha, you are so humble. If only a normal family's level of cooking was like this...right, Miyu?] 
[It's fine, you don't have to say anything. Look, Wataru-kun. Look at how immersed Miyu is. To have such a childhood friend, my daughter is really fortunate] 
[A-ah, thanks...] 
I believe she's like that no matter what she eats though...oh well.
The beef stew was quite popular.
Other than the portion I had left for mom, the frying pan was cleaned up so as the one that had cooked it, I felt satisfied.
As uncle Akifumi had said, he drank an entire bottle of wine and went back home with Miyu while they both looked satisfied.
VRMMO no Shien Shokunin ～Top Player no Shikakenin～
ＶＲＭＭＯの支援職人　～トッププレイヤーの仕掛人～
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/vrmmo-no-shien-shokunin-%ef%bd%9etop-player-no-shikakenin%ef%bd%9e/
Action Adventure Comedy Fantasy Harem Slice of Life
Adventurers Beautiful Female Lead Blacksmith Brother Complex Calm Protagonist Childhood Friends Clan Building Cooking Crafting Curious Protagonist Dense Protagonist Elemental Magic Fantasy Creatures Game Ranking System Gamers Hard-Working Protagonist Healers Level System Love Interest Falls in Love First Love Rivals Male Protagonist Misunderstandings MMORPG Ninjas Possessive Characters Priests Siblings Siblings Not Related by Blood Sword And Magic Virtual Reality Younger Love Interests Younger Sisters
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4014ds/
二階堂風都