Chapter 69: My Brother’s Girlfriend!

"Phew... finally home... There's nothing like the feeling of being back," Sikong Xu sighed as he sank into the soft sofa in his house. His little sister, Ye Xi, had not returned yet.

Sikong Xu's home was spacious—a standalone villa within a residential estate, featuring two floors and a broad balcony. For the siblings, Sikong Xu and Ye Xi, this was a vast living space, with many rooms inside the house as well.

But this was for the best, as it avoided the awkwardness of having nowhere for Mikasa to stay once he summoned her.

Originally, Sikong Xu had intended to summon Mikasa at school, but when he received the memories from "All Paths to One," Ye Fei had cautioned him not to reveal his abilities or his knowledge of the fantasy world, lest he attract the attention of those with ill intentions.

So Sikong Xu decided not to summon Mikasa in haste. Now that he was finally home, he could begin preparations to summon her.

"To the one who has entered into a contract with me, I call upon you to heed our pact and answer my summons." Standing on the wide balcony of his home, Sikong Xu closed his eyes tightly, his short hair ruffled by an unseen wind.

Summoning a contracted partner was simple: he needed only to use his innate skill and receive the partner's consent.

A moment later, a massive magic circle, about two meters in diameter, appeared before him, radiating a mysterious light. The glow was so intense that it remained visible even under the dazzling midday sun.

With a sudden burst, a great pillar of light shot up from the magic circle, piercing the heavens. Fortunately, it was daytime, so the light pillar wasn’t as conspicuous as the magic circle itself. Otherwise, who knew what trouble such an extraordinary sight might attract.

Gradually, the pillar of light dimmed, and as it faded, a graceful figure materialized before Sikong Xu.

"Mikasa..."

The shadow within the light was indeed Mikasa!

"Xu..." Upon seeing Sikong Xu again, Mikasa's usually indifferent expression softened with a trace of joy. Thankfully, after Sikong Xu completed his mission in the world of "Attack on Titan," time there had come to a near standstill.

Otherwise, given the previous hundred-to-one time ratio, a week spent here would have condemned Mikasa to wait in her world for what felt like an eternity.

"You probably have a general idea of the situation here," Sikong Xu said.

Thanks to the nature of the contract summoning, Sikong Xu could transmit key information about the real world to Mikasa upon summoning her. So to Mikasa, this world was already somewhat familiar.

"Yes." Mikasa gave a small nod, then glanced around. "So, this is your home, Xu?"

"Yes... this is our home..."

"Home..." A hint of confusion flickered in Mikasa’s eyes, but when she looked at Sikong Xu, it quickly turned to resolve.

...

Half an hour later, Ye Xi finally arrived at the front door.

She was a third-year student at Jinling City's First Middle School, the most prestigious junior high in the city. Naturally, the cost of attending such an institution was quite high. Though tuition was waived by the government, there were always unavoidable expenses for textbooks and supplies.

Ye Xi and Sikong Xu depended on each other, so the burden of supporting the household fell on Sikong Xu’s shoulders.

"Brother..." Standing at the threshold, Ye Xi whispered. She always felt a special affection for her brother, despite the lack of blood relation.

She wished she could grow up quickly—so she could take care of her brother.

She took out her key and opened the door. With her cute backpack slung over her shoulders, Ye Xi changed into a pair of pink slippers.

It had only been a week since they last saw each other. Though Ye Xi wore her usual cool, distant expression, in her heart she was eager to see Sikong Xu again.

"I'm home..." she murmured in a voice only she could hear, then stepped into the living room.

There, on the living room sofa, sat her brother, Sikong Xu. Just seeing his delicate profile lifted her spirits a little, but in the next instant, her heart plummeted.

She saw that beside her brother sat... a beautiful girl!

The girl was stunning—long black hair cascading past her shoulders and a flawless, rosy complexion that would make any other girl pale in comparison. Her cool, aloof expression softened only for one person, a tenderness that could drive any man to madness.

"Oh, Ye Xi, you're back. You must be hungry. I'll get started on dinner right away—tonight, we'll have a feast!"

Sikong Xu, who had been chatting with Mikasa, noticed Ye Xi's arrival and his smile brightened, radiating warmth like the gentle sun. He truly was a caring older brother.

"Who is she..." Ye Xi’s voice was icy, her mood having sunk to rock bottom. Sikong Xu could only smile wryly, thinking she sounded as cold as ever.

"Hello, my name is Mikasa Ackerman." Mikasa had already learned from Sikong Xu that he had a younger sister, unrelated by blood.

So, upon meeting Ye Xi, Mikasa took the rare initiative to greet her.

"Who is she..." Ye Xi’s tone grew even colder, a hint of interrogation in her voice. But Sikong Xu failed to notice—she had spoken this way for years.

"Uh... she’s my girlfriend," Sikong Xu replied after a brief pause, smiling.

Since he’d summoned Mikasa, her identity had to be defined. Any household registration or other formalities could be left to Principal Sun Gongming—he was more than capable of handling them.

"Girlfriend..."

"Yes, from today on, she’ll be living with us." Sikong Xu kept smiling. As if to atone for the mistakes of their parents, he had always cared for Ye Xi, never letting her suffer, always speaking to her with a gentle smile.

Ye Xi said nothing more. She shot Mikasa a cold look, which Mikasa calmly returned, then silently turned and retreated to her room.

Sikong Xu couldn’t read anything from the cold mask Ye Xi wore.

"Your sister doesn’t seem to be in a good mood," Mikasa observed once Ye Xi had closed her door.

"She’s been like this for years... In the end, it’s my parents’ fault."

"Xu..."

"It’s nothing. I’ll go make dinner. Mikasa, you just relax for now."

It wasn’t until Sikong Xu finished cooking that Ye Xi came out of her room again, her eyes red as though she’d been crying.

"Xiao Xi, what’s wrong with your eyes?" Sikong Xu asked.

"None of your business," Ye Xi replied, casting him a frosty glance.

"Uh... Come and try my cooking. I’ve made great progress, you know." Hoping to ease the awkward atmosphere, Sikong Xu changed the subject. Thanks to "Endless Martial Mastery," he was now a master even in the culinary arts.

Unfortunately, Ye Xi seemed distracted and uninterested. She only picked at her meal before quickly returning to her room.

"Your sister seems a bit hostile toward me," Mikasa remarked quietly as she ate beside Sikong Xu.

"Seems so... Maybe she’s just not used to having someone new at home. Don’t mind her—Xiao Xi has always been like this."

"Mm." Mikasa paid Ye Xi little heed. In her world, there was only one person who mattered—Sikong Xu.