Mebius World Online – Mari’s VRMMO Diary, Embarking on a Laid-back Adventure as a Novice - Chapter 27
INTERLUDE 2
1-27. Mari-nee and the night that only the siblings know
Crossing over to the next day, 1 a.m.
I sat on a large sofa that seemed unnecessarily expensive, occupying the vast living room. I habitually checked the monitoring results for Mari-nee’s day.
The monitoring covered numerous parameters such as body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen saturation. In the past, specific devices had to be worn to obtain such data, causing some burden to the wearer. However, with the evolution of devices, sensors embedded in the bed now collected most of the data. The vast amount of data sent was constantly analyzed by the sophisticated AI, and in case of abnormalities, alerts would ring on smartphones and home devices.
So, in reality, there was no purpose for me to check the monitoring results like this.
There was no purpose, but I couldn’t calm down without doing it.
So, it became a habit.
You know? Checking your smartphone even when there are no notifications.
In my case, what I was checking without notifications might be different.
As I stared at the display, I felt the sofa sink at a space equivalent to one person.
During this time, the only person who comes to the living room in this house, excluding me, is one.
“Masa-nii, observing Onee-chan again?”
“You’re not wrong, but there could be a better way to put it!”
“Oh, really? Like what?”
“Well, you know… that’s it… watching over?”
“As expected of Masa-nii, whose sister complex has gone too far! Your choice of words is a bit different!”
“It’s not a sister complex!”
“Well, I’ll leave aside Masa-nii’s sister complex for now.”
This cheeky sister… I’ll definitely get back at her someday, except not in financial terms.
“Onee-chan, is she asleep?”
Looking at the brainwave parameter on the display, the status showed non-REM sleep, meaning she was in a deep sleep.
“Oh, she’s sleeping well.”
“Yeah… for the past six months, wasn’t she having nightmares every night? I’ve been worried all along.”
“There were nights when the AI alert rang multiple times.”
“Yeah. But for just a few days, the alert hasn’t rung since she’s been sleeping, right?”
“Not at all. I checked the past data as well, but even the brainwaves during sleep are stable. It seems she’s just sleeping normally.”
“Could it be because of the game after all?”
I was the one who suggested the game to Mari-nee, but it was all Maki who actually made the preparations for the game to work, realizing the need for a break from reality. I knew Mari-nee was struggling, but I didn’t know what I could do to help.
While studying to become a physical therapist, I also delved into mental care. Yet, I couldn’t do anything. However, my sister could, even without studying in that field.
Honestly, it was frustrating and unbearable for me. But if I were to spew out words full of jealousy here, I would be nothing more than trash. I concealed my pathetic inner feelings beneath the facade of being an older brother, and later, when I was alone, I could let it all out.
“It’s probably just the influence of the game. There haven’t been any other changes. I’ve been thinking about it for a while, but how did you manage to get it? A hundred times the odds, seriously?”
“Well, it’s fine if it’s you, Masa-nii. Actually, the company that’s developing Mebius World Online, I’ve invested in it.”
“Huh? Invested… invested!?”
My voice involuntarily rose at the astonishing fact.
“It’s not that surprising. It’s common to spot a promising company early and invest in it, right? This time, it’s like a benefit for investors. Did Masa-nii know that Mebius World Online is based on something originally researched for medical use?”
“I knew, since Mari-nee is playing it.”
“As expected of the brother with a sister complex.”
“Oi.”
Does this person have some kind of illness that won’t let them be satisfied unless they treat me as having a sister complex?
She hasn’t changed much from the old days. Even when she was shut-in, she never showed mercy to me alone.
“When I was consulting about the investment, I mentioned Onee-chan’s condition and asked if there was any way to give her more free time to move around like before.”
“And that’s when the software actually arrived?”
“That’s right.”
What an initiative, seriously.
The pretext of investing in a promising company was just a formality; the real intention was probably because it seemed beneficial for Mari-nee.
“I’m tired of being surprised… You’re amazing.”
“Really? It’s the only thing I can do. But Masa-nii, deciding on your future for the sake of Onee-chan is also amazing, despite your severe sister complex. It’s a bit creepy, though.”
“Cut it out already!”
“But you know, the most amazing one is still Onee-chan.”
“…Well, yeah.”
I stopped my attempt to retort and found myself nodding.
That comeback was a bit unfair.
“You know, when I was bullied and shut-in, I thought about ending my life. Because, since Mom died, our sister seemed to be struggling every day with school, work, and taking care of us… I seriously thought at the time that if I died, it would reduce her burden. But even then, our sister, every day through the door, spoke kindly to me. And at the end, she said, ‘Thank you for listening. I can do my best because Maki is here.’ With just those words… I couldn’t… hold back my tears.”
I quietly unmuted the display and let the sound of Mari-nee’s heartbeats flow from the speakers. Although it was supposed to be just electronic sounds, the rhythmic drops seemed strangely warm, as if enveloping something.
Phew… damn it, I can’t let go of the brotherly facade in front of this person.
“It’s not something everyone can do. Even in difficult times for yourself, being able to do something for someone, even if it’s family, is rare. I’m studying in that direction now, right? So I ask quite a bit. There are quite a few families who, while worn out from taking care of their important ones, end up thinking, ‘If only this person weren’t here.’ When I was a kid, I would have thought, ‘What are you talking about?’ But when you actually try it, you can’t empathize, but you can understand some aspects.”
Breaking off my words, I continued speaking to reassure myself.
“We were able to stand and support ourselves because we had Mari-nee. But Mari-nee, even though she would deny it if I said this, stood there alone, supporting us. It’s amazing, really.”
“*Sob… it’s true, isn’t it?”
After venting emotions for a while, she seemed to calm down. When she raised her face, the usual slightly unpleasant expression had returned.
“By the way, how does Mari-nee feel in the game?”
Knowing Mari-nee, she’s probably being the perfect older sister, right?”
“Oh, yeah, I’m totally convinced. It’s Mari-nee after all.”
The two siblings simultaneously nodded and chuckled a bit.
“What did she name her character?”
“I think it was Maria. She said she just stuck the ‘a’ from ‘Aki’ in her last name, ‘Akitsuki,’ onto the end of her first name, ‘Mari.'”
“As expected of Onee-chan, she has a sense of humor. In that case, if we search online, we might find something interesting.”
“She’s a beginner at games, you know? Is there anything noteworthy happening?”
“You really don’t get it, Masa-nii. With her appearance, there’s no way she won’t stand out. I can’t say it in front of her, but I think her youthful appearance for her age is extraordinary.”
“When you put it that way, it’s more like anxiety than understanding.”
“Exactly, right? So let’s search.”
Maki split the display, showing a search screen in one half.
The entered keywords were [Mebius World Online], [Maria], and [small].
Is the last word really okay, my dear little sister?
“Hmm, I wonder if we can find anything with the name Maria.”
“Huh? Wait a moment, there’s something here. Words like ‘small’ and ‘high school student’ are lined up. Is it a bulletin board? There’s something called ‘From the Window of the City of Eden.'”
“Really. Oh, there are images too. Hey, isn’t this exactly like Mari-nee! She changed her hair and eye color, but it’s totally her!”
“Wow, seriously? I warned her to be careful about revealing her identity.”
“More importantly, Masa-nii, who are these people? They’re calling Onee-chan things like ‘loli teacher’ or something creepy like that. Should I do something about it? It’s okay, right? We can handle it socially with money alone.”
“Your idea is not a joke! Are you trying to hire a hacker to deal with them?! Where did you even meet these people in the first place?!”
In the end, that night, I made a loud noise trying to stop the unruly Maki, only to be scolded by Mari-nee for being ‘noisy.’
By the way, Maki had disappeared without a trace.
Remember this, little sister.
With the words of a villain echoing in my heart, I endured Mari-nee’s lecture.