金瓶梅第2部

Ultimately, Tycondrius' conditioning of Atusa had been successful.

The information she'd provided about the going-ons in the Free Nation had been most useful. Thus, his inquiries segued towards his personal curiosities.

He gently brushed his loyal servant's cheek, "Atusa, where is my sister?"

The fair-haired woman closed her eyes and shivered at his touch, but placed her hand over his. Circulating her mana, she mouthed several inaudible words...

Tycon tilted his head... "Atusa?"

"My liege," She opened her eyes, smiling warmly, "I sent the Princess a ⌈Message⌋ spell informing her of your return."

Tycon felt his mouth twitch, "Is... is that so?"

"Prince?" She pouted her lips coquettishly, "Have I done something wrong? I'll make it right, I swear to you! Please... p... punish me."

"No, no," Tycon placed a palm on Atusa's face, pushing her to arm's length, "That won't be necessary."

He could already feel faint bursts of mana, from the hallway... ending with the door to his room exploding in a burst of wooden shrapnel.

"WHERE IS HE?!" Cass yelled.

Tycon's blood-related sister, Cass, was a young, olive-skinned woman with deep black hair. One errant green lock of it stood out, the color identical to Tycon's own.

With the way her lively hair struggled to unstick to the perspiration on her forehead, Atusa's summon had interrupted a training session.

Cass was a War Princesss, recently returned from a victorious war campaign. However, she gave off the air of a novice swordswoman in her neat, dainty gambeson, and the sword on her waist-- a few ilms too lengthy for her height.

"Ahem," Tycon cleared his throat, "I believe the words you meant to say are: 'Welcome home, dear brother.'"

Cass whipped her head around to face him, nearly foaming at the mouth, "YYYOOUUU!!!"

Just as quickly, her face turned a violent shade of red, "P-p-p-put on some clothes! YOU!"

Tycon glanced down. He *was* wearing clothes. If Cass was referring to anything of him being less than proper, it was his yet unbuttoned sleeved shirt.

He tapped the cheek of the woman resting her head in his lap, "Atusa."

She shot up immediately, "Yes, Prince!"

"KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF OF HIM, SSSSLUT!!!" Cass shouted.

The angry War Princess began marching towards them, her vision undimmed, her hair raised, and her mana surging recklessly.

Atusa shrunk away, bowing her head, and nearly crawling on the ground. With the difference in power between them, while she wouldn't be petrified by Cass' ocular magic, she'd still grow ill if she chose to meet her gaze.

Tycon furrowed his brows, "What... is this about? Are you a spoiled Princess or a jealous lover?"

"Sh-shut up!" Cass barked. "You're an adult, Big Brother! Why is-- I don't... I-- love... No-- I... don't..."

Tycon stood up from his chair, turning towards the young lady with open arms, "Did you want to be the one to attend me?"

The girl's reddened face paled to white in an instant, "I... I what-- no... I... You can-- you... I..."

It was... amusing.

"Calm down, Cass," Tycon buttoned his shirt, chuckling to himself, "I'm pleased to see you. You look well."

As... vociferous as his sister was being, she seemed healthy and in good spirits. He'd forgive her slight belligerence-- he did not sense any actual malice in it.

"PERVERT!"

Tycon raised an eyebrow, "Pardon?"

A whimpering Atusa was hiding behind Tycon, "Forgive her, Prince. Every sun, without fail, the Princess has been lamenting your--"

"SH-SHUT UP, ATUSA!!" Cass yelled, her fists balled up at her sides.

Tycon sighed, "Atusa, go watch the door. Thank you for your assistance."

"I... I hear you, Prince," Atusa quickly hurried past the younger and stronger medusa Princess, bowing several times as she went.

Cass watched her go... and she turned to face him with an awkward expression, "Um... B-big Brother... I... I..."

Interrupting her, Tycon pulled his sister into a full embrace. Her face burned hot against his chest, but she stayed surprisingly silent, nuzzling him with her nose.

After a moment, she shoved him away-- using much less force than he knew she was capable of. He didn't want to take processing power away from his System to analyze Cass' rank, but he estimated it to be Iron.

"Wh... what... what was that for?" She muttered, her eyes on the floor.

Tycon held up the weapon belt he'd stolen from her, unsheathing the sword from its scabbard, "This looks familiar."

"That! I can explain!!!" Cass shouted, "It's not what it looks like!!"

Tycon pursed his lips in thought as he rotated the blade, comfortable in his hand... forged at a length that matched his height-- not hers. He'd used the exact same weapon... and somewhat recently.

Back then... it was a mana-creation of the Shadow Snake Princess, Suka.

As it was being carried by Cass... he realized its significance.

It was his. The Other-Him had gifted it to his sister... and she held great importance in it.

"How... amusing," He grinned.

"G-give it back!"

Cass lunged forward, but Tycon turned his body to keep it away.

She jumped again, oblivious to her balance. To prevent her from falling, Tycon grabbed her wrist and pulled her so she'd land uninjured on his bed.

"This," Tycon sheathed the blade, "is mine, young lady. I figured you'd have it replaced, by now."

Cass hid her face behind a pillow, her eyes peeking over, "I did! I did replace it... but that weapon broke. Your sword is just a back-up!!"

"Is that so?" Tycon cooed as he buckled the weapon belt to his waist.

"B-b-b-besides!" Cass growled, "You would've cried if I threw it away! Crybaby!"

"Mhmm~," Tycon hummed, gesturing for her to continue.

"I w's... I was just saving it!! --t-t-t-to show you when you got back!! See? It's in perfect condition! I had the slaves grind out the scuffs and marks just last week!!"

"Right," Tycon chuckled.

He sat down on the bed beside her. She turned away with a 'hmph', but made no motion to move away.

Admittedly, he was afraid that his sister was possibly working against him as an agent of her mother.

It seemed, however, that Cass had a different agenda... and her plans did not include outward hostility towards him.

"Wh... what are we gonna do on the bed?" She murmured.

Tycon flicked her between the eyebrows, "We're going to converse."

"Wah!" Cass covered her face.

Tycon reached over, snatching her ear and pulling her towards him, "What kind of impure thoughts has my little sister been having?"

"ME?! IMPURE?!?" Cass gasped indignantly, smacking Tycon's hand away, "Stars and stones, YOU'RE the impure one, Big Brother! You're the one who had his concubine lying on his lap with your shirt unbuttoned after you danced around her erotically!!"

She had run out of breath, illuminating what exactly had gone through her mind.

...Though when she came in, he was the one seated-- not Atusa. Would it not be more sensible if he was on the receiving end of an 'erotic dance'?

"I... see," Tycon had to concentrate to keep a straight face.

There was no value in insisting that she was mistaken.

It was his sister's right to be jealous of her handsome older brother.

"...Where have you been, anyroad?" She asked, her eyes peeking over his pillow.

"Where did you think I was?" Tycon smirked.

"You're *supposed* to be in the Holy Country! Cersei's Rest!" Cass pouted, "Or... or... somewhere in Ezyria with your forces!"

"Oho, *my* forces?" Tycon chuckled quietly.

The girl was correct... but he was enjoying himself, playing coy.

She smacked Tycon with the pillow in hand, "You're so dumb, Big Brother! Why would you name a guild Letalis Serpentia?! That's obviously your doing! And of course we'd find out your movements from Prince Landris' Arcanite crystal suppliers."

...Clever girl.

"So... dear sister," Tycon leaned his face closer to hers... "who else is interested in me?"

"Well..." Cass scrunched up her face in thought... "There's a wizard from the Sleeping Country."

"And you."

"Well, of course I'm interested in..."

Being so close, Tycon could feel Cass' heart rate rapidly spike. Her face again changed color.

...Was she a snake or a chameleon?

"YOU! TRICKED! MEEEEEE!!!" Cass cried out.

In an attempt to flee from the conversation, she dove away, buried her face in the pillows, and covered herself in his sheets.

Tycon sighed, "I didn't mean it in that way."

He could see how the girl might have misconstrued his intentions, though.

In an attempt to comfort her, Tycon gently rubbed his sister's back as she wept dramatically. It took well over a minute before she was calm enough to speak.

"Big Brother..."

"Yes, (Beautiful Child?)" He whispered in Parseltongue.

She hit him with her pillow, "Stahhhp..."

Tycon laughed aloud, not bothering to hide his amusement, "Go ahead, dear sister."

"Are you... back for good?" She asked.

Tycon shook his head, "Unfortunately, that is not the case."

Though he felt a twinge of pain, seeing Cass' crestfallen expression, he continued.

"To put it bluntly, dear sister... you're not real."