Golden Experience

“…How have you been?”

“…You’d know if you looked.”

“No, that’s just an avatar in the game.”

“Well, it’s been decent.”

“Did you feel lonely without me?”

“Not really. I tried not to think about it too much.”

“I see…”

“Won’t you ask about Mother or Grandmother? If they’re doing well?”

“Yeah, I have. I’ve met them.”

“What!? Why!?”

“Why…? Well, they’re family. It’s normal to meet occasionally.”

“I don’t mean that!”

“Then what?”

“…That’s fine already.”

“Oh, you meant ‘You’ve even met mother, so how come you didn’t come to see me?’”

“I said that’s enough!”

“…Because, it seemed like you were angry about something? Oh, not now, I mean when I decided to pursue my studies.”

“I wasn’t angry. Just disappointed.”

“Because I said I wouldn’t inherit? Or because Grandmother approved of that decision?”

“…You have more talent than me, ■■■. I’ve never won against you even once. And y you chose not to inherit and went off to some university.”

“I might have been stronger back then. But now, you’re probably stronger, ■■■. I don’t understand talent, but if ■■■ is stronger now, then ■■■ was probably more suited to be the heir in the first place. It’s not like I ran away. I did what I wanted to do.”

“Isn’t that so? If we had trained similarly, I might have been able to beat you—”

“That’s not possible. We can’t train the same way. Everyone has things they can and cannot do. I can’t train the same way you can. I knew that from the beginning. But I can do things without training. So, I always had the idea in mind, that ■■■ would surpass me someday.”

“…So, you backed off?”

“I didn’t back off. It was a rational decision. I don’t know why I’m strong. I’ve been able to do things from the start. But you’re different, ■■■. At first, you always lost to me, but now, even Grandmother can’t beat you, right? ■■■, you trained every day and became strong. If you are stronger now, then you were more suitable to be the heir. It’s not like I ran away; I did what I wanted to do.”

“Then, is it also a rational decision that Grandmother didn’t say anything when you left?”

“I don’t know exactly what Grandmother was thinking. Well, that might be part of it. But more likely, you seemed to enjoy training. Seeing that, Grandmother probably felt that ■■■, who enjoys training, is more suited to be the successor than me, who isn’t suited to teaching others. I knew from an early stage that I’m not good at teaching. I was told that back in middle school. ‘You won’t get anywhere if you don’t think more before you act’. I couldn’t figure it out even if I thought about it, so I stopped thinking.”

“…I wasn’t training because I enjoyed it.”

“Is that so? It seemed enjoyable from my perspective. You always cried when you lost to me, but that’s part of training! ‘Close your wings!’”

“…So, Grandmother and Mother approved of you going to some university?”

“That’s right. I can’t afford tuition and living expenses. Do I look like the type who can work and study at the same time?”

“Then, you’re really attending university?”

“Yeah, what do you think?”

“…I thought you had just abandoned everything.”

“I wouldn’t do that. Why would I run away from everything? …Come on, don’t cry.”

“I’m not crying!”

“I know. It’s just that tears seem to come for some reason. Come on, let it out.”

“But suddenly saying you’re leaving home and going to university—”

“It wasn’t sudden. We talked about it properly. You just weren’t listening properly. Probably talked about it even when you were around. Maybe not, though.”

“I wasn’t listening.”

“Maybe you just didn’t want to hear it? Well, discussions about future plans don’t usually involve younger siblings. If Grandmother and Mother didn’t say anything, maybe they didn’t want you to know, or maybe they didn’t want to tell you.”

“…I can never beat ■■■, and suddenly Grandmother says you’re the successor, so I thought you were running away, pushing the heir position on me because ■■■ doesn’t want it.”

“…Oh, I see. Well, I didn’t run away because I hated being the heir. If you asked me if I wanted to do it, I’d probably say it doesn’t suit me much, but if you really hated it, I would probably do it. But ■■■ seemed to enjoy training, and Grandmother probably thought that ■■■, who enjoyed training, was more suitable than me, who isn’t good at it.”

“…Mom doesn’t say anything, but she gets mad when I leave burdock root.”

“…You still can’t eat it? How old are you now?”

“Age doesn’t matter. Grandmother leaves it too.”

“…How old are you now?”

“…I don’t have anyone to complain to anymore.”

“Oh… I’m sorry. But, you know, earlier I mentioned you seemed angry when I left home, and I feel hesitant to contact you. From what I hear about you from Mom and Grandma, you seem settled, so I thought it was fine. Sometimes, I receive data of you in casual clothes or training attire—”

“What!?”

“Surprised you! It’s ■■■’s data. That stern-looking one. Always had that expression. It seems like not so much now, though. It’s just a game, right?”

“Delete it! Isn’t that weird!?”

“Huh? No way. It’s currently set as the start screen for the VR module.”

“I can’t take it anymore!”

“Oh, come on, don’t cry.”

“I’m not crying! …Forget it. More importantly, what is it that you want to do?”

“What do you mean?”

“You said it earlier. That you didn’t run away but did what you wanted to do.”

“Oh… Yeah. ■■■ seems to enjoy training so much. I always thought I didn’t have anything like that.

I don’t need to practice things I can do from the start, and I don’t enjoy things that require practice… Or rather, I can’t find joy in practicing.

So, I was a bit envious. I wanted something like that too.

That’s why, now I think the most enjoyable thing for me is observing ■■■.”

“Isn’t it strange?”

“I’ve been thinking about observing, even if I don’t become the family head. I’ve been considering ways to continue observing, and that led me to research the application of VR technology for rehabilitation.

If we can use this effectively, combining it with the VR training we’re focusing on now, maybe we can achieve a synergistic effect.

I never liked moving my body, but I always enjoyed watching others move. I thought of pursuing a qualification like a physical therapist, so I enrolled in the medical school’s health science department.”

“…I thought you were crazy at first, but surprisingly, you seem quite sane after all.

So, did you leave home because of this? If you’re majoring in rehabilitation, there would be practical training, and you can’t do all your studies through VR commuting, right?”

“No, it’s within commuting distance from home.”

“What’s going on!?”

“I’m regretting it now. I left home because it was a bit awkward with ■■■. Well, I was young, or rather, I’m still young.”

“…What is this?”

“Well, it was a shock for me. Suddenly becoming distant. She used to stick to me all the time. I thought I could live alone and peacefully leave home, feeling awkward but still okay. I never thought she would feel that way…”

“…Because even if I ask Mother or Grandmother, they just say, ‘She’s going through that phase. Forget about it.’”

“They’ve misunderstood me. They think I’m manifesting something typical of adolescence…”

“…Is that what it meant? If you suddenly decide to live on your own so close to home, of course, they’d think that. I thought I couldn’t see you anymore. What was it all about…”

“Well, um, so is it okay now? You’re not angry anymore?”

“…As long as you didn’t leave me behind, it’s fine.”

“I didn’t leave you behind or anything. The heir was always going to be ■■■. I thought you already knew, so I just decided on my path normally.”

“I didn’t know! I only found out when you mentioned going to university! So… ugh.”

“Here, take this tissue. I see. So, are you not angry anymore? Can I come home?”

“…Even if you ask me, isn’t it up to you? If you left on your own, you could come back on your own. Besides, if you’re doing fine living alone, isn’t that enough?”

“Well, the latest full-option VR module maintenance costs quite a bit. It’s not something a student living alone should have. So, I needed to go home to get some money occasionally.”

“Did you observe the family at that time! Unbelievable!”

“I cut back on food expenses and used the money for electricity and such.”

“You baked and ate tarts every day in the game, didn’t you? They taste good, but they won’t fill your stomach! Are you paying rent properly!?”

“No, I’m being taken care of by a distant relative, so rent and such probably come from home…”

“The worst! So, you’re coming back asking for more money from the family even after leaving like that!? What kind of nerve is that!”

“Yeah, that’s why it’s tough…”

“It’s your own doing! …Well, I can’t say anything; I’m just living in my parents’ house, eating their food, and playing around.”

“But you’re an assistant instructor, right? If you’re teaching disciples, that’s already a decent job, isn’t it?”

“Oh, that’s nothing special.”

“It’s not nothing. The chance to be directly instructed by ■■■ has an incredible success rate. Grandmother mentioned that ■■■ is quite popular.”

“…I didn’t hear about that.”

“Because you’re stronger than the instructor, right? Or rather, stronger than the family head? You’re just an assistant because of your age, right?”

“Well… that’s true, but…”

“I’ve never beaten Grandma. Actually, I can’t beat her. What’s with that old lady.”

“…Just so you know.”

“What’s with that sister?

Anyway, as long as you’re capable of living, there’s nothing to be ashamed of for you, ■■■.”

“I had no idea. I never received any salary, not even pocket money. But I guess that’s why she buys everything for me lately…”

“Well, with that said, if ■■■ isn’t angry, I’ll go back.”

“…Sure, but there’s no room now.”

“No room!? Why!?”

“Mother cleaned it up. And also, she thought you wouldn’t come back since ■■■ and I feel awkward.”

“Isn’t that harsh…?”

“Is it…? Isn’t it more human to leave on my own, periodically come asking for money?”

“Anyway, since ■■■ is not angry, maybe I’ll go back after the event. Oh, it’s been a long time since I met the real you. I see you every day at the start of the game in recordings.”

“It was a video!?”