Mash-Up Anime World: Adopted by the Sawamura Family

"But for the sake of the Sawamura family's reputation, and for grandmother's health, we must maintain a facade of propriety. Please give me some time to come to terms with all this."

Hearing Akira's words, which sounded almost like a confession, Sayuri and Eriri were completely stunned.

The former couldn't help but mentally rejoice, feeling as if her spirits had soared into the heavens. The latter, however, was filled with a mix of anger, dissatisfaction, and sour disappointment. She blurted out:

"Big brother, what nonsense are you spouting now?"

She hadn't even had her chance yet. And now it looked like their mom had already claimed him. No way, absolutely not. Akira, that shameless flirt of a brother, was hers!

"Eriri, listen to me."

"What I mean is that even Mom has certain... physical needs."

"You can't expect her to keep using those doujinshi of me for... self-indulgence. It's not healthy and might cause issues down the line."

"Plus, being too engrossed in such base desires can affect both your physical and mental well-being."

"Eriri, I know you're still young, but you need to learn some restraint."

"Try to think less about those wild scenarios when you're not drawing."

"Overworking your imagination can be taxing on your mind. You've always had a delicate constitution, catching colds often even back in middle school."

"Many otaku have poor physical health, and that's no coincidence."

That's because they... self-indulge far too often.

"Starting this term, you need to begin exercising regularly."

"Understood, big brother."

Hearing Akira's heartfelt lecture, Eriri lowered her head and obediently agreed. She knew he was only looking out for her.

"But big brother, you and Mom..."

Eriri still couldn't help but worry about the relationship between her brother and their mother. The idea of a mother-son dynamic turning... twisted felt like something out of a forbidden manga scenario. How had that kind of plot come to life?

"Eriri, I've studied psychology."

"I can tell that Mom has some... attachment issues."

"Just a little? You're really sugarcoating it for her, aren't you?"

"Well, I've always been rather charming."

Akira instinctively took responsibility upon himself.

"Big brother, this isn't about you. It's Mom who's too perverse."

"Eriri, you're her biological daughter. Are you saying you're not also a bit... unconventional?"

Sayuri retorted, clearly feeling wronged.

"Mom just went through a painful divorce."

"If I had accused and scolded her outright, calling her a twisted otaku... what if she couldn't handle it?"

"No way, Akira. I'm not that fragile!"

"Mom, just earlier, when I mentioned leaving home, you looked like the sky was falling. Your eyes went dull, as if life had lost all meaning."

"If I really left, what kind of drastic things would you have done?"

Hearing this, Sayuri's face turned beet red, and she buried her face in her hands, trying to disappear.

"Mom, what if I wanted to leave home instead?" Eriri tentatively asked.

"Really?"

"Eriri, I think it's time you gained some independence."

"How about I help you rent a high-end apartment, and you can live on your own?"

"Dream on, you old woman. You just want to get rid of me so you can have the house to yourself and my brother."

"I won't let your dirty schemes succeed."

"I'll be the one to protect Akira's honor!"

"Tch! Eriri, I was just joking with you."

"Do you think I don't know you're secretly a twisted sis-con?"

"Always drawing all those sibling-themed... risqué stories in private."

Having been jabbed by her daughter, Sayuri fired back by exposing one of Eriri's embarrassing secrets. After all, she had plenty of dirt on her.

"Ahhh! Mom, shut up!"

"Stop talking!"

Eriri, trying to pick a fight with her mother, was still too green.

Hadn't she realized by now that their mother had been playing her for a fool since she was little?

"Akira, don't listen to Mom's nonsense!"

"I'm not a twisted sis-con!"

"That's just a lie she's using to drag me down with her."

"I hate flirty men!"

Eriri defensively protested, her words not matching her true feelings.

If she admitted to being a sis-con, wouldn't she forever lose face in front of Akira?

Akira already knowing about her doujinshi drawings was enough to make her feel ashamed.

She couldn't bear to be seen as a deviant by her brother. One perverse mother in the family was already more than enough.

Honestly, the only reason Akira tolerated their mom's behavior was because he was worried she'd do something drastic otherwise.

She wouldn't use such means to force Akira into accepting her.

Her pride wouldn't allow it.

She would rely on her own charm to get Akira, that shameless flirt, to confess first.

She wanted to make Akira admit that he was the one drawn to her as a little sister.

Only then could she regain the pride she'd lost in front of him.

"That's great, then."

"Eriri, I'll definitely believe you."

"Even though we're not blood-related, I've always thought of you as my real sister."

"I've always worried our sibling bond might... change."

Hearing this, Eriri felt as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped over her, cooling her down completely.

"After all, you used to say that when you grew up, you wanted to marry me."

Akira forced himself not to laugh as he said this, putting on a serious face.

As soon as the words left his mouth, Eriri's face turned beet red, steam practically rising from her head.

She never expected Akira to remember that.

She quickly covered her flushed face, shouting:

"Ahhh! Akira, stop saying that!"

"I never said anything like that as a kid!"

"Then I must have remembered wrong. Maybe it was one of my other childhood friends who said it."

Akira graciously gave his tsundere sister a way out.

"I'm tired. I'm going to bed."

With that, Eriri turned and fled upstairs, unable to handle any more.

She would never admit to being a sis-con—at least, not until she could "train" Akira into a doting brother.

As they watched her retreating figure disappear up the stairs, Akira and Sayuri exchanged a glance, both seeing the same exasperation mirrored in the other's eyes.

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