I watched as Zwei-san struggled to deal with Ein-san’s teasing—or rather, as she tried her best to maneuver her teasing sister to another location—while I continued to listen to Alice.
"Well, the girl is truly earnest to a fault, for better or for worse... and because of that, she tends to be misunderstood even by her own family."
"Is that so? I mean, she certainly seems strict... but even though it hasn't been long since we met, it’s obvious to me how much she treasures her family."
Zwei-san was indeed a stickler for etiquette, and she often chided Fia-sensei for her clumsiness. However, I understood that she only did those things because she cared so deeply for them. Even Fia-sensei and Noin-san, despite being intimidated by her, didn't seem to harbor any actual ill will, at least as far as I could tell through my Sympathy Magic.
It was more like they loved her as a devoted older sister but found her stern side frightening. Given that, I hadn't really felt like she was being misunderstood...
"No, see... Zwei-san isn't actually strict at all."
"...Huh?"
"The family’s evaluation of Zwei-san is split into two main camps. One group sees her as a 'strict but devoted sister,' while the other sees her as a 'gentle and devoted sister.'"
"Those are polar opposites. Why is the divide so extreme?"
"Well, that’s the crux of the misunderstanding. Just a second, I’ll bring a representative from each camp over here..."
A few moments after Alice vanished, two people appeared in her place.
"Oh my? It’s Kaito-kun-san! Hello! Congratulations on your new home!"
"Raz-san... Er, thank you."
"You’re very welcome!"
The first was Raz-san, who offered her blessings with a beaming smile that seemed to radiate from her entire tiny frame. Yeah, she was definitely on the "gentle" side. She and Zwei-san had seemed quite close during the Six Kings Festival, too... though to be fair, I had yet to meet anyone who didn't get along with a Communication Monster like Raz-san.
"Hello, Miyama-kun. Thank you for the invitation... So, um, Shaltier-sama said you needed me?"
"Hello, Fia-sensei."
The second to arrive was Fia-sensei, who greeted me with a soft smile. She was likely the one who viewed Zwei-san as "strict." As someone prone to blunders, Fia-sensei was often on the receiving end of scoldings, and while she didn't dislike her, she seemed genuinely afraid of Zwei-san.
While I was reflecting on this, Alice reappeared and addressed the two of them.
"You two, take a look over there. See? Zwei-san is here."
"Oh! It’s Zwei-neechan! She’s been so busy lately, I want to go talk to her later!"
"Gah! Zwei-neechan... O-O-Oh no, what should I do? Miyama-kun, is my outfit okay? Is my hair messy?"
Their reactions were perfectly diametric. Raz-san looked delighted to see her sister, while Fia-sensei immediately began fussing over her appearance in a panic.
"And there you have it. Two patterns."
"Right. I see that... but what’s the misunderstanding?"
"You’ll see in a moment. Raz-san, mind if I ask you a question?"
"Yes? What is it, Phantasm King-sama?"
Giving me a knowing, slightly wry smile, Alice turned her attention to Raz-san.
"You’ve known Zwei-san for a long time. Has she ever scolded you for your manners or behavior?"
"Of course she has! She tells me, 'Bad girl!'"
"I see, I see... And when she scolds you, does she go on for a long time?"
"Huh? Why would she? Zwei-neechan is very sweet, so she doesn't give long lectures. At most, it's maybe ten minutes?"
"Whaaat!?"
As Raz-san spoke with genuine confusion, Fia-sensei’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. I was just as shocked. According to Fia-sensei and Noin-san, a lecture from Zwei-san was a grueling, multi-hour affair. Yet Raz-san claimed they lasted ten minutes at most. That was a massive discrepancy.
"R-Raz!? What are you saying? Have you really never sat through a long lecture from Zwei-neechan?"
"I haven't. Is it different for you, Big Sis Fia?"
It appeared Raz-san truly had never experienced a long lecture. I looked at Alice for an explanation, and she spoke again with that same wry smile.
"Exactly. This difference in perception is the key. And the reason for it is... Fia-san, how do you behave when Zwei-san is scolding you? You just stay silent and motionless until she’s finished talking, don't you?"
"W-Well, yes, but..."
"Big Sis Fia, that’s no good!"
"Wait, really?"
"Yes! If Big Sis Fia stays quiet, Zwei-neechan won't know if her words actually got through to you!"
"Huh? What?"
I began to see where Alice was going with this. A personality that was too earnest for its own good, combined with the difference in how Raz-san and Fia-sensei responded... The conclusion was obvious.
"Hey, Alice. Is it possible that the reason her lectures are so long is... because she assumes the other person hasn't understood, so she just repeats herself over and over?"
"Bingo! And because she’s so damn serious, she tries to adjust her phrasing and explanations every single time she repeats herself."
Fia-sensei looked utterly stupefied.
"All right, Kaito-san. It looks like Ein-san is done teasing her and Zwei-san has calmed down. I want you to go over there and say exactly what I tell you."
"O-Okay."
"Fia-san, you stay here and listen. You can hear them just fine from this distance, right?"
"I... I can."
Though the revelation was startling, I followed Alice’s instructions and approached Zwei-san.
"...Zwei-san. Er, good work today."
"Miyama-sama. My apologies for subjecting you to such an unsightly display."
"No, please don't worry about it. Actually, I wanted to ask you something..."
"Something for me? Very well. I shall answer to the best of my ability."
Perhaps because my image of her had shifted, I didn't feel as nervous talking to her as I once had. Her expression barely changed, and her sharp eyes still gave off a stern impression, but if I looked past my preconceptions, she was being incredibly polite and considerate. She had accepted my sudden request without a second thought. She really was a kind person, just as Alice said.
"Well, I heard you often provide guidance to the family. Isn't that a lot of work?"
"Not at all. It is for the sake of my precious family; I have never found it a burden. It pains me to have to reprimand my younger siblings, but it would be far worse to let them go out and bring shame upon themselves. I would never forgive myself for that. So, though it hurts my heart, I do find it necessary to be somewhat strict at times."
"I see... That’s quite admirable."
"I am flattered by your praise, but... it is not something I am particularly proud of. To my shame, I have a bad habit of overcomplicating things when I speak. Because of that, my guidance often drags on far longer than it needs to."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. If I were a better communicator, I could be much more concise... but it is quite difficult. I try to improve, but I never seem to make much progress."
So my guess had been spot on. And Alice’s point about her being too serious made perfect sense. Zwei-san was the type to assume that if something went wrong, it must be her fault. She was exactly the kind of person to be misunderstood because she kept everything bottled up inside.
After chatting with her for a little while longer, I thanked her and returned to Alice’s side. Fia-sensei was in a state of total shock, her eyes darting back and forth.
"Wait... So the reason Zwei-neechan’s lectures were so long was really... because I was just listening in silence?"
"Exactly. Think back on her lectures. Doesn't she pause for a moment every now and then?"
"...Now that you mention it, yes. She does."
"If you had just said, 'I failed because of this, and I’ll do this to fix it next time,' the lecture would have ended right then and there. But since you stayed silent, the overly serious Zwei-san assumed her explanation wasn't good enough, so she started all over again using different words."
"..."
So that was it. The divide in the family’s opinion came down to whether or not they responded during those silences.
"Now that we’ve solved the mystery, let's put it into practice. Fia-san, here. Take this glass."
"Huh? Er..."
"Go spill it right in front of Zwei-san and get yourself scolded. Then, try out what we just talked about. I guarantee the misunderstanding will vanish."
"I... I’ll try."
Fia-sensei’s face tensed up at the thought of being scolded on purpose, but she took the glass and began walking slowly toward Zwei-san. As I watched her go, a sudden doubt crossed my mind.
"Alice... Fia-sensei is so honest and she’s clearly nervous. Won't it look forced if she tries to be clumsy on purpose?"
"Oh, don't worry about that. Her clumsiness is so ingrained that if I nudge her like that, she’s guaranteed to trip on something else entirely—"
"Whoa!?"
"—See?"
Before Alice could even finish her sentence, Fia-sensei stepped on the hem of her own dress and took a spectacular tumble. Alice’s prediction was perfect.
Zwei-san reacted instantly to the crash.
"Fia! Honestly, you..."
"Hiee!?"
"How many times must I tell you to watch your step?"
"I-I’m sorry!"
"Listen to me. In the first place—"
And so, just as expected, a lecture on carelessness began. Between her stern expression and her sharp, authoritative voice, the scolding was quite intense. Even though I wasn't the target, I found myself instinctively standing a little straighter.
Zwei-san spent a few minutes lecturing the now-kneeling Fia-sensei. Then, having reached a certain point, she stopped speaking and stared fixedly at her. Fia-sensei, who usually would have shriveled up in silence under that gaze, seemed to remember Alice’s advice and spoke up tentatively.
"...I-I’m sorry, Zwei-neechan. If I had just been looking where I was going, this wouldn't have happened... Um, I’ll be much more careful from now on."
"..."
When Fia-sensei bowed her head and spoke, Zwei-san’s expression suddenly softened.
"...As long as you understand. Come now, stand up, Fia."
She helped her sister to her feet and began gently brushing the dirt off her clothes, a kind smile playing on her lips.
"It is not just about the embarrassment. You are strong, and you won't get hurt from a simple fall... but even so, it makes my heart stop to see my precious little sister tumble like that. Please, do not worry me so."
"...Zw-Zwei-neechan..."
"There. You’re all clean. Remember what I said and go enjoy the—"
"Zwei-neechaaaaaaaan!"
"F-Fia!? What’s come over you all of a sudden?"
Overcome by Zwei-san’s gentle words, Fia-sensei lunged forward with teary eyes and hugged her sister tightly.
"I’m so sorry! I... I’ve been misunderstanding you all this time!"
"Misunderstanding? What are you talking about? I don't quite follow..."
"Neechaaaaaaaan!"
"C-Calm down, Fia. Whatever happened, I’ll listen, so stop crying... We’re in public, you know?"
Zwei-san looked utterly bewildered by her sobbing sister, likely feeling a mix of confusion and guilt for making her cry. As she flusteredly tried to comfort her, she looked like nothing more than a sweet, doting older sister.
It had been quite a series of revelations, but I was glad I’d had the chance to see the real Zwei-san.
Deciding it would be rude to keep staring, I quietly slipped away to resume my greetings. Despite the occasional outburst, the party seemed to be proceeding quite smoothly.
Or so I thought. I’d told myself that despite the high-profile guest list, I’d survived my birthday party and could handle this one just fine...
...Until I looked over and saw the God of this world and the God of an otherworld glaring at each other, their clashing Magic Power intense enough to literally warp the space between them.