It was rare for me to get a moment to myself, but when I did, I would seize the chance to do the laundry on the roof alone. Kurusu usually did it without me, despite being part of my job, and he was usually accompanied by one of the girls, so I could never really relax with him. He was Lucky; he had promised to take Miia on a date today, leaving me with a prime opportunity to take his place.

In hindsight, it may not have been worth fighting over doing laundry duty, but I had already called dibs on it - and that was that.

"BIG BROTHER!" screamed Papi hysterically as she crashed through the door like a thundering blue-feathered locomotive.

Why do I even bother?

"Yes, Papi?" I asked, trying my best to keep my frustration in check.

"Cerea won't stop playing her terrifying game!" the harpy sobbed, tears streaming down her face. "Papi wants to play games, and the game is frightening, and it's making Cerea scary, and it's not right!"

I should have anticipated that getting Centorea to play Dark Souls would have repercussions.

"Is she done with her turn yet?" I asked patiently, folding the next sheet.

Papi puffed out her cheeks in frustration, although it only made her look more endearing than angry. "Cerea's been playing Dank Scones for ages! It's Papi's turn now!"

I realized that the only time Papi switched to the third person so awkwardly was when she was upset or exhausted. Judging by her frantic flapping, I could tell she was neither, so I knew I had to resolve this quickly, even though I had no idea how to deal with Centorea's stubbornness.

I looked over the remaining laundry to fold, contemplating whether or not I should ask Papi to finish it. However, I knew this would likely result in an overblown and equally exasperating response, so I decided against it. "I'll do my best," I said to her with a long, drawn-out sigh. Taking a deep breath, I looked at her and said, "Let's go."

Papi's attitude shifted dramatically, going from tearful and immature sobbing to a broad and joyful smile. "Thank you so much, big brother!"

We entered the living room a minute later and saw the TV displaying the ominous words "YOU DIED" in bold, red letters. An array of feelings surged through me - frustration, anxiety, rage, and helplessness.

None of which could likely compare to the raging centaur, who seemed prepared to pulverize the controller in her grasp. Centorea's ears flattened against her skull, and her glimmering tail was whipping back and forth with such ferocity that I feared for my life should it make contact with me.

I fear I have made a grave mistake.

I took a deep breath and stepped bravely into the lion's den, feeling my heart racing as I slowly edged forward. Papi half-hid behind me, trembling. "Um, Centorea?" I said with as much courage as I could muster. "How... how are we doing?"

I was well aware of her current circumstances. If my memory served me correctly, she was still in the Undead Asylum, the introductory area of the game.

"This game is proving to be a vexing challenge," Centorea declared with a steely determination.

Yeah, I nodded slowly, feeling the emotional gravity of her words. It was almost as if we were discussing the atrocities of war, the darkness within humanity, or something similar. "That's the essence of the game," I said.

"I have solemnly sworn never to shy away from a challenge. To turn away would mean sacrificing my honor and my worth as a centaur. But this," Centorea gestured forcefully towards the television, where a knight was seated by a blazing fire, "This cannot be allowed!"

"I doubt telling you this is just a video game will do much to ease your distress," I said, massaging my forehead.

"No matter the form of the challenge, I must accept it with all my heart," Centorea lectured, her gaze fixed firmly on the TV. "But never before has an RPG posed such a daunting test for me!"

She fervently looked for the most convoluted manner to express, "This is difficult, and it frustrates me."

She continued, "No matter how hard I tried, the controls simply wouldn't respond as desired. Enemies would reappear as soon as I revived myself, and it seemed like traps were lurking around every corner. But even that wasn't the worst of it. With rage, she spun to face me and shouted, "Why couldn't I protect that valiant knight who had risked his life to save me?!"

Ah, it appears her hero complex was kicking in heavily. I shouldn't be too surprised by this.

I warned her, "The game teaches you what to expect going forward. Death will be a reality for you and almost everyone you encounter."

Centorea shook her head in dismay, "That just won't do. I take on the role of a knight to protect others, and every game I've played before allowed me to do so. So why must this game be so different?!"

I thought about using logical reasoning to explain that Dark Souls was not like most role-playing games and that the tutorial level was not as important as she was making it out to be. However, I realized that my words would not be able to reach her in her current state, so I decided to take a different approach.

"Why don't you take a break?" I suggested. "It's a great way to clear your head and get some perspective when Dark Souls gets too overwhelming. Taking a break can help you refocus and gain a new perspective."

Papi let out an indignant chirp behind me, "It's my turn now!"

"Furthermore, it's Papi's turn now," I added.

Centorea inhaled deeply, her long ears twitching and her tail swishing as she tried to regain her composure. Eventually, her shoulders relaxed, and she nodded in agreement. "You may be right," she said, her voice filled with determination. "But I swear I will avenge the brave knight, and I will destroy the wretched asylum demon for its viciousness!"

Trust me, when all is said and done, the asylum demon will be the least of your worries.

After turning off the game, Centorea declared that she'd be in her room "strategizing," As she walked away, I couldn't help but admire her enthusiasm for the game. She was enjoying the challenge; otherwise, she wouldn't have made such a big deal out of it. That was what I'd hoped for when I recommended Dark Souls to her, and it appeared to be paying off.

Papi cheered excitedly, giving me a tight hug and nuzzling her head against my chest. "Thank you so much, big brother!" she said brightly.

I chuckled and ran my fingers through her short blue hair affectionately. "All I did was lend an ear," I said, sitting on the couch as she switched on the Wii and waited for it to boot up. "So, what fun game were you planning to play?"

"Mario Kart!" Papi exclaimed, handing me one of the wheel controllers and picking up the other. "Let's practice together!"

"Oh, okay," I was taken aback, as I had assumed Papi wanted me to get Centorea off the TV. "I'm not sure I can be of much assistance here. You appear to be more knowledgeable about this than Miia is."

"I just wanted to have fun with you!" she chirped.

The statement caught me off guard, and the reaction it elicited was even more shocking. I had never anticipated that I would be wholeheartedly accepted by the girls or even noticed since Kurusu was always the center of attention. I feared that I would be relegated to the background, cleaning up after messes and occasionally making a sarcastic remark that would go unheard among the chaos. It would have been a mundane and tiresome existence, but it would also keep me from being a target.

My initial suspicion that this wouldn't be the case was confirmed when Miia came to me the first night I arrived, asking for advice. Despite this, I dismissed it as an anomaly, as it all seemed to come back to Kurusu in the end.

Here Papi was, willing and eager for me to spend time with her for seemingly no reason. It was something that I could not put into words, her innocence radiating through her actions. It made me reminisce of the family I had left behind and the friends who I could be with, doing nothing, and yet they would always be there for me when I needed them the most.

It made me feel truly wanted and cherished, causing my heart to melt with joy.

Papi gasped, leaning in close. "B-big brother? What's wrong?" she asked, her voice full of concern.

"Nothing, Papi," I answered with a warm smile, my eyes sparkling with joy as I firmly gripped the steering wheel. "I'm just so grateful to have had the opportunity to meet you."

The harpy let out a joyful giggle and nestled beside me, resting her head on my shoulder. "Papi is so glad you're here!" she exclaimed, her eyes twinkling with delight.

To be continued!