Shurein and the others brought Miku to see Towa, who was in the management layer, and she was surprised.
“Towa, big brother?”
“Yo, Miku. It’s been a while.”
Towa and Riku do interact as paternal siblings, but they don’t have as much familiarity with Mia, who spends most of her time in the management layer.
Still, Towa smiled and patted Miku’s head, pleased that she remembered his face and called him by name.
“Today, Miku will be performing Streep for us, won’t you?”
“Big brother, will you listen?”
“Yeah. I’m staying here tonight… well, I’ll be sleeping here. If Miku plays, I’ll listen properly.”
As Towa said this, stroking his own cheek with his right hand, Miku blushed, perhaps from embarrassment or excitement, and then smiled.
“Okay! Miku will play!”
“Hahaha. Is that so? I’ll be looking forward to it.”
“Yay!”
As Towa nodded while laughing, Miku ran over to Peach with her hands raised in a V-sign.
Towa, who had been watching the scene, turned his gaze to Miku and said in a small voice to Floria, who was beside him.
“Is it because she’s Peach’s child?”
“…What? What do you mean?”
Towa’s words made Floria furrow her brow slightly as she asked. She hadn’t expected Towa to have such a thought from their recent exchange.
“You haven’t noticed? It’s not that you’re charmed, but you were quite drawn in, weren’t you?”
“Hmm. No, I suppose so. To be frank, I hadn’t noticed. It seems some things are hard to discern when you’re too close.”
Floria, who trusted Towa’s senses as King, had a troubled expression and nodded several times. Floria and the other members had been traveling with Miku for a long time, so it was difficult for them to notice. Furthermore, they had attributed the effect to Streep’s performance. If Towa was right, Miku’s innate charm power might have increased considerably.
“I’ll check thoroughly later… but I’m glad to know what I know now. Thank you.”
Towa shook his head at Floria’s thanks.
“It’s nothing to be thanked for. Miku is like a dear sister to me too.”
“Heh. Is that so? …Ah, right. This isn’t a thank you, but I’ll tell you just in case.”
Floria said this with a strange preamble, and Towa tilted his head again.
“When you hear Miku’s performance, don’t fall over backward from shock, okay?”
“…Is it that bad?”
“Indeed. We’ve gotten used to it, so we have some resistance, but who knows what will happen to someone hearing it for the first time? It includes watching that reaction too.”
Towa’s mouth twitched as Floria said this with a chuckle.
“…If Mother says that, it must be quite something. I understand. I’ll brace myself in advance.”
“That’s not what I meant… but, well, it doesn’t matter. You’ll understand when you see it anyway.”
Towa looked at Floria with a suspicious expression, as she dared to say “see” instead of “hear” regarding Streep’s performance.
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Miku, holding a small Streep meant for children, sat on the chair prepared for her performance. To those watching, the sight was heartwarming. She exuded a nervous energy, like a small child trying their best, which warmed Towa’s heart, seeing her for the first time. However, Towa’s composure only lasted until Miku settled into position and played the first note. The sound Miku produced from the Streep was not clumsy, like a beginner’s, but a smooth,伸びやかな tone that hinted at her talent. If it were just that, it wouldn’t have surprised Towa, who was hearing Miku play for the first time, to such an extent. He would have perceived her as just another talented child with the Streep. The problem wasn’t just the sound Miku produced from the Streep itself, but the overall atmosphere, including the sound. Towa was able to avoid exclaiming in surprise only because he had heard Floria’s warning beforehand. If not, he would have at least let out a groan. Miku’s Streep performance possessed a certain something that drew viewers in to such an extent. Towa pondered what that something was, and it wasn’t until after Miku’s Streep performance had ended that he realized it was the captivating power he felt from Miku during their first greeting.
Miku finished her performance with an expression of having given her all and looked at Towa. Despite his inner turmoil, Towa, as King, maintained a composed exterior and smiled warmly.
“You played very well. Please let me hear you play more often.”
“Yes!”
Towa’s praise made Miku beam with happiness as she lifted the Streep with both hands. It was Miku’s way of expressing her joy. After that, the other members, who had been listening to Miku’s performance alongside Towa, took turns praising her. Each time, Miku expressed her delight, but to an observer, she was simply a child happy to be praised by adults.
Perhaps it was because she had poured all her energy into her Streep performance in front of Towa for the first time, but as the excitement of being praised by everyone wore off, Miku began to doze off. She had insisted on “listening hard!” while the adults talked about the Streep, but eventually fell asleep right there. Peach decided not to wake Miku and let her stay in the management layer for the night. After she was tucked into the bed in Peach’s room in the management layer, it was time for the adults. Towa, having confirmed Peach’s return, immediately brought up Miku’s performance.
“So, what was that exactly?”
Everyone present understood how surprised Towa was by that single question. Towa’s direct question prompted Kousuke and the others to exchange troubled glances. Then, Mia, who was most knowledgeable about Miku’s performance, replied on behalf of everyone.
“Brother. We don’t fully understand Miku’s performance either.”
“That’s right. Of course, there are various theories, such as her inheriting Peach’s charm power, or a throwback to her Siren ancestry, but none are clearly the correct answer. The current prevailing view is that it might be a combination of all of them.”
Everyone present, except Towa, nodded at Floria’s additional explanation.
“I see, you don’t understand…? However, isn’t it very dangerous to let that out?”
Miku, treated as a dangerous object, was pitiable, but Towa’s words held the truth. If Miku’s abilities became known, it would be dangerous for Miku herself in many ways, and also dangerous for those who heard her performance, as they could be instantly captivated.
“That’s right. That’s why we’ve strictly told her not to play outside of areas permitted by the adults around her. Succubi, who naturally possess charm powers, are used to such responses.”
“Indeed~. While it’s different from the charm power our clan possesses, the villagers are used to it too.”
Towa showed a look of relief after Floria and Peach’s explanation. A child with such unknown (?) power. As he himself had said earlier, if those with malicious intentions found out, who knew how she would be treated. Of course, in the worst-case scenario, Towa, as her brother, intended to act with all his might. However, the members in the management layer would act swiftly if anyone tried to lay a hand on Miku, without Towa needing to move. In that case, what Towa would need to worry about were those who would foolishly attempt to harm Miku, and in a way, were pitiable for their impending misfortune. However, Miku, who rarely left the village or the management layer, was almost never targeted by unsavory individuals. Miku had powered up! Towa, being a third party, was in a good position to explain things. There will be a more detailed analysis in the next chapter.
