8 Can My Younger Stepsister Become the Heroine?

"Noëlle-saaan!" Ayari called out.

"...What is it, Akiba-san?" Noëlle asked, looking up.

"Oh come on, don't call me Akiba, just call me Ayari," she replied with a pout. "There's already another Akiba here, and well, he's kind of... you know."

Don't refer to your older brother as a 'you know'.

It was lunch break, and we were in our classroom.

Noëlle had been picking at a sandwich by herself. The moment she finished her meal, Ayari pounced on her as if she had been waiting for the perfect opportunity—which, knowing her, she definitely had.

This is bad. There's no way she could have figured out that Noëlle is our new staff member, but still...

"Ayari-san. Is there something you need?"

"Thanks for taking care of my brother," Ayari said sweetly. "That Development Room is basically just an adult video section, isn't it?"

"An... adult video section?" Noëlle parroted, tilting her head in confusion.

I immediately shot up from my seat.

Damn it, Ayari! You've already caught on...?!

I marched right over to where the two of them were sitting and shot them a warning glance.

They were both quick on the uptake. Taking the hint, they followed right behind me as I stepped out of the classroom.

We walked down the hallway for a while until we reached the very back, away from prying eyes.

"Hey, Ayari," I hissed, turning to face her. "How the hell did you figure out that Noëlle is helping out with my game?"

"I'm part of the family that owns the Ota Building, remember?" Ayari replied with a smug grin. "Accessing the security cameras is a piece of cake for me."

"I'm going to have to ask Kinu-san to change the password," I grumbled.

Nowadays, most security cameras were connected to the network, making it dangerously easy to check the footage right from a smartphone.

"So that building is equipped with security cameras as well," Noëlle noted, looking slightly surprised.

"Of course it is," I explained. "Akihabara is right in the middle of the city, and we're running a shop out of there. We need at least a baseline level of security."

I couldn't access the cameras myself, but I knew where they were positioned, and I always made sure the building was securely locked up at night.

"When I took a peek at the footage, what do I see but a familiar, beautiful blonde girl coming and going with my Nii-san, looking all chummy?" Ayari teased, tapping her temple. "Ayari-chan put two and two together immediately."

"Of course you did," I sighed.

Since she had already heard that a new staff member joined our circle, there was no way she wouldn't connect the dots.

I hadn't intended to act chummy with her. I was just escorting Noëlle whenever she left the Development Room to head home.

Given how often she gets hit on or approached by scouts, I try to keep an eye on her.

"Are you doing okay, Noëlle-san?" Ayari asked, her tone turning falsely concerned. "Nii-san hasn't been doing anything weird to you, has he?"

"If anything, the fact that he's holding back because he assumes it's 'something weird' is the real problem," Noëlle stated flatly.

"Huh?" Ayari blinked, taken aback.

"N-Noëlle!" I panicked, hastily interjecting. "We have a confidentiality agreement for development!"

"Ah, I suppose you are right," Noëlle agreed smoothly. "My apologies, Ayari-san. It is a secret between just Masato-san and me. We are doing unspeakable things in secret, alone together in that room."

"......" Ayari stared at us in stunned silence.

She's not technically wrong, but phrasing it like that just makes it sound incredibly suspicious!

Anyway, at least she didn't find out that I've been making Noëlle strike erotic poses using the excuse of needing a character model.

"What exactly are you doing as staff, Noëlle-san?" Ayari pressed. "You can at least tell me that much, right?"

She looked up at Noëlle through her eyelashes, begging her for information.

Leave it to my sly little sister... She really knows how to weaponize her own cuteness.

"No. Due to our confidentiality agreement, I cannot leak a single detail," Noëlle replied, completely unfazed.

"Are you serious right now?!" Ayari retorted, dropping her cute act in her exasperation.

Ayari instinctively dropped her act to play the straight man, but as a fellow creator, I couldn't be more thankful for Noëlle's tight lips.

Noëlle just stared coldly down at Ayari, fixing her with the exact same gaze she used when playing the aloof princess in class.

Even when dealing with a staff member's own family, she refused to reveal a single thing about the game's contents.

That's right. Individual skills are certainly crucial in game development, but being able to trust your partner is just as important.

"Ehh, but I told you all sorts of things about Nii-san," Ayari complained, pouting playfully. "Isn't that a little unfair?"

"Ugh..." Noëlle groaned softly, clearly caught off guard.

Noëlle is actually shrinking back... Right, Ayari blabbed all about me to her earlier.

Being the ridiculously serious person she is, Noëlle probably feels guilty keeping her own secrets after that.

"Well, you can at least tell her what you're working on, Noëlle," I offered, tossing her a lifeline.

"Are you sure?" Noëlle asked tentatively, glancing at me before turning back to Ayari. "I am, um, the scenario writer for our project."

"Huh?" Ayari gasped in surprise.

She blinked blankly, letting out a goofy, bewildered sound completely unbefitting of a beautiful girl.

"The scenario...?" Ayari repeated, dumbfounded. "You're writing it, Noëlle-san?"

"Y-Yes," Noëlle stammered nervously. "Is there something strange about that?"

"Well, I wouldn't say strange, but..." Ayari trailed off awkwardly.

She shot a pointed look in my direction, clearly wanting to say something.

I knew exactly what my step-sister wanted to say, but I decided to feign ignorance.

"W-Well, whatever," Ayari quickly recovered, turning back to Noëlle. "You know how to write scenarios, Noëlle-san?"

"My mother is French, but she has lived in Japan for many years and works as a novelist," Noëlle explained calmly. "She writes under a pen name and keeps her nationality a secret, though."

"Whoa, so a French person is writing novels in Japanese?" Ayari marvelled, her eyes widening. "Writing stories in a language that isn't even your mother tongue is incredible!"

She seemed genuinely impressed by the revelation.

Actually, Noëlle's mother being a novelist is completely new information to me too.

Does that mean she inherited her writing skills from her mom?

"My dad is also a creator. Well, more like a game developer, really," Ayari chirped proudly. "Have you heard of Akiba Tatsuya?"

"Yes," Noëlle nodded respectfully. "Masato-san's father, correct?"

"He's not quite grand enough to be called 'father' so respectfully..." I muttered, rolling my eyes.

If anything, he's borderline disqualified as a parent altogether.

"I am familiar with both Akitatsu and Akiba Tatsuya," Noëlle continued, ignoring my interjection. "You can look up that kind of information even from France."

"You even know the name Akitatsu..." Ayari murmured in awe before lighting up. "Oh, right! If you're joining Nii-san's game development, then you must know the scenario for The Mirage's Future Tree, right?"

"Yes," Noëlle breathed out softly, her eyes sparkling. "That scenario was absolutely wonderful..."

She cupped her cheeks, a thoroughly mesmerized expression washing over her face.

Come to think of it, she praised Shinmira's art before, but she never really mentioned anything about its scenario.

Given that she's a scenario writer herself, it wouldn't have been weird for her to take more of an interest in the writing aspect.

"I am still deeply inexperienced, but I will write a scenario that does justice to Masato-san's art!" Noëlle declared, clenching her fists with fiery determination.

"W-Whoa..." Ayari took a step back, visibly startled. "You're always so cool and aloof in class, but you're actually surprisingly passionate!"

My step-sister stared wide-eyed at Noëlle, clearly taken aback by her sudden, forceful declaration.

Well, Ayari was bound to find out about Noëlle joining the team sooner or later anyway. It's probably for the best that she knows now.

"Come to think of it," Noëlle began, tilting her head curiously. "Since both your father and your brother are game developers, Ayari-san, do you make games as well?"

"Huh? No way, not me," Ayari laughed off the suggestion, waving her hands dismissively. "I just swing by the Ota Building every now and then to pester Nii-san."

"Don't pester me," I grumbled, shooting her a deadpan glare.

In reality, Ayari had frequented the second floor of the Ota Building constantly while I was developing The Mirage's Future Tree.

She's part of the owner's family anyway, so her coming and going isn't exactly an issue.

"But with Noëlle-san around, I guess I'll just have to start visiting the Ota Building more often than before..." Ayari murmured, a mischievous grin spreading across her face.

"Why would you possibly come to that conclusion?" I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"Because we're talking about Noëlle-san here!" Ayari protested defensively, puffing out her chest. "She's a beautiful girl who easily rivals even me at school, you know!"

"Don't just casually brag about yourself," I retorted flatly. "And so what if Noëlle is a beautiful girl?"

"You're a teenage guy, Nii-san. You're definitely going to try and peek at Noëlle-san's panties, right?" she accused, pointing a dramatic finger at me. "I need to keep a close eye on you!"

"Your image of guys is seriously messed up!" I snapped indignantly.

Wanting to peek at a girl's panties? What am I, some horny elementary schooler?

No, even as a high schooler I'd want to see them, but it's weird to just stop at panties...

"But you've already seen my underwear," Noëlle pointed out.

"Hm?!" Ayari shrieked. "You've... already seen it?! Wait, Nii-san, have you been sexually harassing her?!"

"Ayari, you really don't trust me at all, do you!" I yelled. "Like hell I'd demand something like that!"

How could Noëlle just say something like that with a completely straight face?

I mean, she did show me her panties, but that was strictly for work!

"I guess you're right," Ayari nodded. "If you were that obsessed with girls' panties, Nii-san, everything in my closet would be gone by now."

"That'd just make me a complete creep," I retorted. "It was, well... just a little accident, I guess."

"A classic lucky pervert trope, huh," Ayari teased. "Even though you're a total introvert, Nii-san, you're pretty blessed with women—what with having a step-sister and a childhood friend and all."

"Being an introvert has nothing to do with this," I sighed. "Anyway, I'm glad you understand, Ayari. But keep it a secret that Noëlle and I are making a game together."

"Why is that?" Noëlle tilted her head. "I really wouldn't mind if people found out..."

"I-I'd mind!" I stammered. "I mean, an introvert like me and you, hanging out alone together... That's just asking for trouble."

"Is that how it works?" Noëlle mused nonchalantly. "Either way, it doesn't matter. I don't have anyone to discuss my after-school activities with anyway."

"Ooh, me, me!" Ayari cheered excitedly. "I'll be the one you talk to! Or rather, please let me be your friend!"

Ayari raised her hand in the air, hopping up and down excitedly.

Noëlle stared at her with icy eyes, before swiftly raising a single hand to shut her down.

"No, I am quite alright," Noëlle rejected flatly.

"Don't turn me down with such a stereotypically Japanese response!" Ayari whined.

"My Japanese is absolutely perfect," Noëlle replied.

She puffed out her chest slightly with pride.

Even through her uniform, her breasts are huge... I guess main heroines really do need to be busty.

Not that there's anything wrong with smaller ones, but bigger is definitely better.

"Noëlle-san, Nii-san is totally staring at your boobs right now," Ayari deadpanned.

"That is a very good sign," Noëlle stated matter-of-factly.

"No, it's really not?!" Ayari shot back.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Noëlle countered calmly. "My breasts are quite large, so it is only natural for a gentleman to take an interest in them."

"Y-You're okay with him just openly staring at you?" Ayari balked.

"No," Noëlle corrected her. "I do believe that staring exclusively at a woman's chest is incredibly rude."

"Huh? Then why is it a 'good sign' when Nii-san stares at them...?" Ayari asked, thoroughly confused.

Ayari crossed her arms, swaying her body from side to side in thought.

"Masato-san is special," Noëlle declared. "In fact, it would be quite problematic if he didn't look at them. In ero—ah, I mean, in galge terms, I am an 88-centimeter E-cup."

"N-Noëlle?!" I sputtered in panic. "What the hell are you saying?!"

"I have nothing to hide from you," she replied blankly.

"W-What exactly is the relationship between you two...?" Ayari asked, taking a slow step back.

Honestly, Ayari, I'm starting to lose track myself.

Aren't we just game development staff? I'm the lead artist, and she's the scenario writer and model... right?

"I merely wish to create a game," Noëlle explained sincerely. "Together with Akiba Masato-san."

"O-Oh, I see," Ayari muttered.

"And for that purpose, I would not hesitate to offer up my very body," Noëlle proclaimed.

"...Nii-san?"

"I'm completely innocent," I instantly pleaded.

Noëlle's Japanese might be grammatically perfect, but her word choice leaves a lot to be desired sometimes.

Come to think of it, Ayari knows we're making a game together now, but she still doesn't know it's an eroge.

There's a pretty massive difference between a normal game and an eroge, after all...

Noëlle is probably holding off on telling her on purpose, too.

It's only a matter of time before someone as close to me as Ayari finds out, but dealing with that sounds like a massive pain right now. I'll just kick that can down the road.