In the end, I really did have to squeeze my older sister into the double bass case.

　She was quite bewildered, but I had anticipated this possibility and was fully prepared.

　I lied to customs, claiming it was a high-end vintage instrument being transported, and forced my way through.

　I didn't really need to buy vintage double basses or vintage cellos just for show, but well, I can always sell them there or play them myself. I might not have time to play around with instruments, though.

　

　My sister isn't small—she's of average build, so she fit into the double bass case, but being cramped in the dark case, constantly jostled and shaken, must have been terrifying.

"Good work, sis. We're just about to take off now."

After entering the cabin, I release Nanami sister.

"Whew... I didn't feel alive at all... Still, that was incredible. You really weren't found anywhere."

"Maybe it was just good luck."

My sister gazes out the window with curious eyes.

I look at the back of someone who feels almost like family, pondering what to do next.

My sister, who has become a unique figure in human history through 'resurrection by God,' might never be able to live a normal life again.

Though something like a bizarre religion attacking her, as seen in movies, probably won't happen, there's still a lot we can't predict.

If the government tries to interfere, it'll be hard to resist, but otherwise, as long as we keep our location secret, we should be fine.

Most Westerners probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference in Japanese facial features, so changing their hair color slightly and putting on glasses might be enough for disguise.

In any case, Nanami-senpai can't live an ordinary life. It'd probably be difficult for her to attend high school over there.

All we can do is spread the word that killing her will bring divine punishment, and have her officially placed under the nation's protection. For now, that's about all we can manage. Myself and Karen are personally wealthy, but that's all. Fundamentally, we're just clever little children.

If the country refuses protection and decides to go ahead with her assassination, then we're completely helpless no matter what. Even if we tried to run, we'd reach our limits, and if Karen were taken hostage right now, we'd be utterly powerless.

(…I've started thinking in the worst possible way lately… It's all because of God.)

I'm naturally optimistic.

"Things have worked out so far, and they'll work out in the future too" is my motto. And indeed, things have always worked out until now.

But after my brother was sent to another world, my actions often backfired.

It's like... timing was always off. Yes, timing was just bad in every single way.

Still, it's hard to believe that some 'god' is targeting me or my brother.

If a god were interfering, then the countless transfer victims who died due to bad luck would number over a hundred.

It's just hindsight, but my brother survived, grew stronger, and gained many viewers. If he were truly the target, he would've been dead long ago.

...No, actually, he should've been dead the moment he was killed alongside Sister Nanami.

I sat down and checked on my brother using my tablet.

It seemed he'd decided to cohabitate with Mademoiselle Jeanne and was out buying household supplies.

Karin was making commentary with a tone verging on jealousy, but seeing my brother smile brought me relief. It was sheer luck that Jeanne had transferred to a relatively close position to him. If someone else had been nearby, things wouldn't have turned out this way.

Apparently, Jeanne and my brother seem to get along well.

My chest tingled a little, but I wouldn't let myself lose focus.

No matter how far apart we are, my brother and I are bound together by an unbreakable bond.

"Still, what about this airplane?"

Nanami-nee cautiously scans the interior as she says,

"Did you buy it?"

"No way. It's a chartered plane."

The jet we're on is a private charter with eight seats.

Yet the interior is lavish, so immersive that you'd forget you're inside an airplane.

Well, I suppose I could afford it if I really tried, but I have no intention of doing so right now.

"Are you sure it's okay? Chartering a plane like this must be expensive, right?"

"I haven't fully explained it yet, but while Nanami-nee was... gone, we've been doing various things. In short, we became wealthy. That's why there's no need to worry. Anyway, please watch my edited version of the video during the flight."

Pressing the button built into the seat, a large monitor slides out right in front of us.

My brother ended up going to another world in place of Sister Nanami—though it's unclear whether he truly replaced her or not—but he endured a prolonged period of extreme danger. Now, thankfully, he's finally emerged from that perilous state and stabilized, though it must have been a difficult time for his sister.

Still, she must see it. In fact, since she's going to see it anyway, the sooner the better. There's no quicker way to learn what happened during the time her sister was dead than this.

With takeoff clearance received from control, we left the ground.

It's a half-day flight to the other side of Earth.

◇◆◆◆◇

During the flight, I worked on my tasks while occasionally answering questions that came from my sister, passing the time.

The flight itself went smoothly.

There were no problems whatsoever.

Other than her mental state.

"What's with this girl?!"

"Calm down, sis... Look, your brother was in a really dangerous condition, so thanks to Reifrea-san, things have improved a bit...

"Even so, I still don't like it. Hii-chan's been bothered too, you know? She keeps chasing after him, ends up going berserk, and nearly dies on her own—what kind of dangerous girl is she?"

"She does have her flaws, sure, but she's got good qualities too."

"Huh? You mean you're carrying her on your shoulder?"

"N-no, that's not quite it..."

Scary.

Nanami-sister isn't exactly a split personality or anything, but she suddenly snaps when it comes to her brother.

The story of a girl who got scolded by her sister for giving her brother Valentine's chocolate is legendary around town.

Moreover, my older sister is relentless as a serpent.

She never forgave her own parents, to the point of holding a grudge indefinitely.

It's hard to understand how someone who seems like an ordinary girl from an average family could develop such a personality.

She usually pretends to be a soft-spoken, unassuming girl, after all.

At first, Nanami-san watched her brother's adventure with tears in her eyes, but her expression gradually changed after Reifrea appeared.

In the end, it was the moonlit kiss scene that finally snapped her last thread of patience.

...Well, from her perspective, her brother was literally 'ours,' so it's understandable she'd be furious.

If I had only been watching the footage, I might have lost my temper just like she did.

But I understand that this is a record of my older brother’s desperate struggle to survive, and that Reifrea-san’s existence was also an essential piece in his ability to endure.

And… I just can’t bring myself to hate someone I’ve come to love the same person. Maybe that’s just the luxury of being his blood-related sister.

While my muscular older sister remained in the background, I was watching my brother’s live stream instead.

Though I’m not participating in the commentary, Jeanne-san unexpectedly emerged as a surprise asset—quickly winning him over and smoothly securing their cohabitation arrangement.

Truly the strongest woman. Deceptively calm and composed, yet utterly formidable.

It's skillful, making it seem as though efficiency is being prioritized—though perhaps it really is just that simple. No, this is just a woman's intuition; Jeanne is undoubtedly trying to "win over" her brother.

To Nanami-senpai, it must feel like someone she'd casually thought of as "hers" is being taken away by another woman, just out of reach. It's probably like being slowly strangled with silk thread.

However, no matter how much she might fret, right now there's nothing we can do about it.

◇◆◆◆◇

Jet continues flying smoothly, having already passed over Alaska, with about four hours remaining until reaching the East Coast airport.

Nanami-senpai is completely absorbed in a video editing of Jeanne handing her brother the "Pearl of Resurrection," her eyes gleaming with excitement.

I, exhausted from the forced march and slightly sleep-deprived, had just reclined my seat for a brief nap when a sharp ringing pierced the air.

It was from Karen.

"Hello? What's up?"

"Serican. Check the bulletin board."

"Huh? The bulletin board? I glanced at it a moment ago—looks like it's blown up again. Given the pairing of your brother and Jeanne, it's kind of expected..."

"Just hurry!"

Karen's unusually urgent tone made me quickly open my tablet.

And immediately, I understood the reason for the call.

"God..."

"It's not just your brother's post—every bulletin board has it, so it must be real. I mean, even I can't hack this site yet."

"See you in an hour... Who knows what's going to come out of this..."

The god's intent was unclear, but it probably wasn't bad news.

This god, fundamentally, truly aims to "entertain humanity," and seems to prioritize entertaining things as entertainment.

As a result, it appears the god doesn't much care about people dying—perhaps this is indeed proof that it is an otherworldly being... Yet, even if a human had obtained this power, they might have done even more extreme things, so it's not so simple to say for sure.

In any case, it'll be clear in one hour.

I set a timer and decided to take a nap.

One hour later.

The god appeared on the TV screen just as it did over half a year ago.

The "display" where the god appears is limited to unused screens only—it never suddenly shows up on a currently active screen. Whether for accident prevention or not, the god seems to show surprisingly thoughtful consideration.

'I am God. My beloved children, have you been well?'

The silhouette of dazzling light declared it.

Once before, it had said the same thing—what could it possibly mean? To this deity, it might not carry much depth at all.

'Now then, let's get straight to the point. First, the thousand souls transferred to another world—apparently, it was far harsher than I had imagined. It's beyond my expectations that over thirty percent of them have already dropped out within just a month.'

A chill ran down my spine.

I instinctively knew what the god would say next.

'That's why I've decided to proceed with the second transfer. The first group was chosen at random, but this time, let's select those with a stronger desire to go to another world. If someone is forced to go to a different realm without wanting to, it only leads to suffering.'

So that's how it is.

At the same time, I screamed, overcome by a bad feeling.

"Sister! Your palm!"

"Huh? What?"

I forcibly grabbed her wrist and checked.

And then—

'Ah yes, exactly. A child who originally held rights but died can reclaim those rights upon revival, thanks to a special exception. Enjoy yourself to your heart's content.'

On Nanami-sister's palm, geometric patterns writhed.

"God...! What even is this 'special exception'?! I'm not enjoying myself at all!?"

I nearly punched the TV screen, but managed to hold back at the last moment.

Of course, the deity wasn't paying any attention to me. Unfazed, it continued speaking at its own pace.

'The preparation period before transfer has been shortened compared to last time. It'll be exactly 20 days from now, at midnight. Also, there have been a few changes to the gifts before transfer—be sure to check them.'

"Twenty days!? Just that little!?"

At first, there had been a six-month grace period.

Even if shortened, there should be a limit to how much.

"As for the messaging function, it's been used in ways far outside my original intentions—yes, to put it simply, too many people are misusing it, and that pains me. Given the risk of harmful information being spread to the second-wave transmigrants, I'm temporarily freezing the messaging function for the next fifty days—until one month after their transfer. During that time, I'll be reconfiguring the system. You just need to watch their journey without interfering unnecessarily."

"Freezing the messages...?"

That decision came as quite a shock to me.

My brother, on the other hand, seems to have stabilized mentally for now. Perhaps this freeze could even be for the better.

But Nanami-senpai was different.

We planned to provide maximum support through messages and guide her toward a positive outcome.

'Then, you chosen fortunate ones. Enjoy your fulfilling life in another world.'

With those words, the god vanished.

Of course, the 'Proof of Being Chosen for Another World Transfer' would never disappear from Nanami-senpai's palm.

　

In any case, Nanami-senpai had once again been made a candidate for another world transfer.

And it was now certain that, at least for the first month after the transfer, we wouldn't be able to offer her any message-based support.