Ever since reaching Level 2, Shari has been in an extremely good mood. It seems that she’s keeping the new blessing a secret from our parents. It’s weird to have two benefits at her age, not to mention, the content of the blessing is difficult to explain.
“Onii-chan, it will be a secret between us.” (Shari)
As she says that, she clung to my side. I tried to point out that she was clinging to me too much but her reply was…
“It’s normal for siblings to be like this.” (Shari)
Is it really normal? Or rather, we are not technically real siblings?
Putting this aside, I also decided to explain to my parents that I received a blessing. When they asked what kind of blessings I received, I replied that…
“I can tell when there are people outside even when I’m inside the house.”
They were confused by the blessing, but the important thing is that I received one. So, they congratulated me that day with a kind of “I see, I see” attitude.
For now, my parents’ worries have been resolved, and from now on, I will be treated like an adult. Although, at the moment, nothing much has changed. For example, I occasionally help out with farm work, like weeding and such. Officially, I will be treated as an adult starting from New Year’s, with things like head taxes and such.
Shari on the other hand, has become completely energetic. In fact, she might be more energetic than me. Levels are amazing. She seems fully determined to go on adventures together with me, but before that, there are things I want to investigate. Plus, I need to make preparations before I leave.
When I asked Shari about it, she said her new blessing is called “Protection”. She is starting to look like a white mage, but it doesn’t seem to be related to any god. She mentioned that she came up with the name for the blessing herself.
I tried asking about the specific effects, but she only gave a vague answer saying, “It protects”. It seems like that is all she knows about her blessing. <Protection> can encompass various possibilities. It could mean increased evasion, the creation of a barrier, or becoming more resilient, among other things.
For now, I asked her to use <Protection> on me. It’s a strange sensation, like a slight discomfort or itchiness, similar to stepping into a hot bath with a chilled body. Even though we don’t take baths in this world, it feels somewhat like that. Something seems to have changed, but I’m not quite sure what it is. It’s hard to understand.
“How is it?” (Shari)
“I’m not sure.” (Finn)
“Well, in that case…” (Shari)
She went and brought over a kitchen knife.
“Should I cut you a little?” (Shari)
“But I thought you were supposed to protect me?” (Finn)
“I will heal you, so don’t worry.” (Shari)
That was quite a paradoxical1 statement.
For now, I prepared about ten small stones and asked her to throw them at me. Of course, we were inside the house. It would be strange if people saw us behaving like this outside.
“Well, how is it, Onii-chan?” (Shari)
I don’t feel like my evasion had increased. No barriers appeared either. However, I did feel like it didn’t hurt when the stones hit me.
“It doesn’t seem to hurt.” (Finn)
Shari approached me and pulled on my cheek gently.
“It doesn’t feel any different when touched. In that case…” (Shari)
Suddenly, Shari hugged me tightly. Within the overall soft and squishy sensation, there was a slight fluffiness. Her chest was touching me slightly.
“How is it?” (Shari)
“It feels… soft, I guess.” (Finn)
Shari took a step back, applied <Protection> to herself, and then hugged me again.
“How is it?” (Shari)
“Um… It feels… soft, I guess.” (Finn)
Shari grabbed my right hand and pressed it against her chest.
“How is it?” (Shari)
My fingertips touched Shari’s skin. Her body had the lack of subcutaneous fat2 typical of a child. However, only the palm of my hand had a different kind of softness. Shari held onto my right hand and slowly slid it across. I could feel the elasticity, and there was a distinct sensation in the center of my palm.
“Um, it’s soft… I mean, excuse me.” (Finn)
Shari chuckled lightly. She was clearly doing it on purpose.
“Well, it doesn’t seem like it makes the body stiff.” (Shari)
Shari tilts her head slightly while holding the knife in her hand.
“Let’s give it a cut after all.” (Shari)
Is that really necessary?
After trying various experiments, it seems that when subjected to attacks with a certain degree of force, the skin hardens. By the way, when the knife was slowly pressed against the skin, it cut and blood came out normally. I asked Shari to heal the wound for me.
The question now is how long the effect lasts. Does it wear off over time, or does it diminish with the damage received? Does it suddenly end, or gradually weaken? In general, explanations in this otherworldly setting tend to be unhelpfully vague and lacking.
After throwing small stones at each other every five minutes, it seems that the Protection effect on Shari wore off after about two hours. Mine, on the other hand, lasted for another two hours. Well, it’s just an estimation since we don’t have a clock. If it can last for four hours, it could be useful as a substitute for armor during adventures.
Another thing to confirm would be how many times it can be used in a day, for both <Protection> and <Healing>. When I asked, it seems that <Protection> can be used twice, while <Healing> can be used four times. Before learning <Protection>, which is at Level 2, <Healing> could be used twice a day at Level 1. So it appears that the number of uses increases with the level.
As for my own blessing, it seems that I can use it as many times as I want as long as I look at the person’s level. However, since I need to stare at the person, I don’t always do it. On the other hand, for transferring levels, I can only transfer up until I am back to level 1. If I were to reach Level 0, there’s a possibility that I might die.
◇
“Onii-chan, let’s go on an adventure.” (Shari)
Shari’s idea of an adventure seemed to involve going into the forest. She used to not be able to go outside at all, so this was a big step for her. We should equip ourselves with some weapons in case we encounter goblins. Even if it’s just a stick, it’s better than nothing.
Shari’s height is about 135cm. I start by carving a branch from an oak tree, making it approximately 1 meter in length using a knife. I peel off the bark and polish it. Well, this should do for now. Ideally, I would have liked to add weight to the head and attach spikes to make it more like a mace, but I don’t have the means to do such modifications myself.
“Look, it’s done!” (Finn)
I handed the weapon to Shari and she accepts it with a big smile, looking delighted.
“Alright, let’s give it a try.” (Finn)
We decided to take a short stroll around the neighborhood to test out the new weapon.
As we leave the village, we come across gentle hills with sprawling fields. It’s already autumn, but as long as the sun is out, it feels warm. The scenery is tranquil and peaceful. I decide to activate my <presence detection> and try to sense the surroundings. I can sense the presence of a rabbit and some sparrows, maybe. It’s not exactly seeing but more like a sensation that is closer to “hearing” in a way.
A glimpse of the forest can be seen a little further beyond the fields. Although I refer to it as a forest, the area near the village is often accessed by people for collecting firewood, so it’s not too dense. The trees are sparse, allowing sunlight to filter through, and it seems unlikely for goblins to appear in such an environment.
“Are there no goblins…?” (Finn)
I use my <presence detection> to investigate. Within the forest, I sense the presence of various small creatures rustling about. They seem to be small animals.
“Onii-chan, being outside is wonderful, isn’t it?” (Shari)
Shari had been unable to go outside until now, so everything she sees must be amazing to her. I hold Shari’s hand as we explore the forest together.
While we were picking up acorns and mushrooms, I noticed a slight change in the atmosphere. There were no signs of small animals. We might have ventured too deep into the forest. I held Shari’s hand and indicate to her to be silent. We went and hid in a nearby tree and I activate <presence detection>.
There it is. A Goblin is watching us from the shadows of the tree ahead. Our eyes meet. I slowly ready my spear.
“Waaahh!” (Finn)
I shout loudly and charge forward. The goblin freezes in its tracks when it heard my loud voice. Seizing this opportunity, I thrust my spear at it. The spear pierced through the goblin without getting stuck this time. Bracing myself, I swiftly withdraw the spear and thrust it at the goblin once more, twisting it.
The goblin turns into black smoke and vanishes.
“Onii-chan, I forgot to cast <Protection> on you. I’m sorry.” (Shari)
Today, I intended to just get used to exploring, but it seems like I went a bit too deep into the forest. Let’s go back now.
“Protection!“
Shari activates her blessing with a smug expression. That familiar, slightly itchy sensation spreads throughout my body. It’s a little late for that, but I suppose the adventure continues until we return home.
By the way, speaking of levels, I gained about 0.1 levels after defeating the goblin just now. I’m not sure if Shari has gained any levels.
The difference in levels could be due to me delivering the finishing blow or perhaps because Shari’s level is higher than mine. Let’s further investigate the conditions to verify.
◇
From that day on, Shari and I went into the forest around two days a week under the pretense of picking mushrooms. Before venturing deeper into the woods, Shari would cast Protection on me.
We only encountered goblins as monsters. It’s actually better if we don’t come across larger creatures like giant boars. Although I managed to defeat them most of the time, there were occasions when I couldn’t finish them off, and Shari would deliver the final blow. Shari would swing her staff-like weapon with a gleeful expression, enthusiastically striking the goblins. It’s a bit scary, to be honest.
After defeating goblins relentlessly for about a month, I’ve come to realize something.
The experience points earned from defeating monsters are divided among the party members.
Only half of the experience points go to the person who delivers the finishing blow.
A level 2 person receives only 1/4 of the experience points earned by a level 1 individual.
That means, when I gain 0.1 experience points by delivering the finishing blow to a goblin, Shari would only receive 1/8 of that amount, making it a very small number. It’s hard to grasp such small numbers, but that’s the general idea.
So, if I keep defeating goblins and reach level 2, Shari would be around level 2.1 or slightly higher.
“It’s been a while since I reached level 2.” (Finn)
I feel a bit excited.
And this time, I finally obtained the blessings of the spear. Well, that was part of the plan all along.
The problem lies in what happens afterwards. Upon reaching level 2, my body became more agile, and I can defeat goblins more easily than before. However, my level isn’t increasing significantly. Even after defeating 10 goblins, I only gained around 0.25 experience points. In other words, the rule of “a level 2 individual receives only 1/4 of the experience points earned by a level 1 individual” is still being applied.
If I were to transfer my level to Shari, it’s unclear what would happen. One possibility is that Shari would become level 3, but there is also a possibility that the rule of receiving only 1/4 of the experience points would still apply. There is even a chance that Shari’s level won’t increase at all. Well, even if it turns out to be a failure, the loss would be limited to a month’s worth of progress.
“What kind of blessing do you want next, Shari?” (Finn)
“Of course, it’s a blessing that will help Onii-chan!” (Shari)
As Shari says, she raised her nose with a proud expression.
I embrace Shari and gaze into her eyes. I can’t help but feel that these moments can be incredibly awkward if the timing isn’t right. What should I do?
Shari smiled softly and closed her eyes. She opened her mouth slightly and leaned forward. I pressed my lips against hers, covering her mouth. Her lips moved gently, and as I cautiously slipped my tongue between them, her delicate tongue entwined with mine. Within the joined space of our mouths, we both explored each other’s tongues.
“Level connection!” (Finn)
Shari accepts me, and a level circuit is formed.
“Begin level transfer!” (Finn)
I release my lips from Shari’s, a strand of saliva connecting us.
Only our heavy breathing can be heard. I check our levels…
Shari’s level has reached 3.
Hmm, this situation may be a bit problematic.
――
Finn: Level 1
- Blessings: Level Check, Level Transfer, Presence Detection, Spear (new)
Shari: Level 3 (up)
- Blessings: Healing (2x effect on Finn), Protection (2x effect duration on Finn), Attack Boost (new)
Image of Shari entering the forest for the first time at Lv2
“The scenery is tranquil and peaceful.”
~ Link to source
TL notes:
Thanks for reading!
I love that illustration, especially when you remember that Shari rarely goes outside cause of her illness. Btw 2nd sister (Akari) appears in the next chapter.
I have updated the character list and the ToC page so that it looks way nicer now. I uploaded a quick peek at how Akari looks like in character list, the images are actually from a character summary at the end of the first volume, but I think they look nice in the character list.
I wonder if NU is gonna accept the ToC vol 1 image as the cover image.
P.S. Ok I decided to add the Romance genre to this series. In later chapters, it becomes more obvious that this isn’t just familial love. Plus, they flirt a lot with each other.
Thanks for the chapter! I can’t wait to meet other women that will join the harem
Ne*t went to hello work.Manga ch4 pg7. Don’t worry I’ll heal you.