OriGami-chan Channel was already a popular streamer by the time I entered elementary school.

My parents weren't the type to play with children, so both Serika and Karen, like me, had been using games and the internet quite a bit since a very young age.

Now, Serika and Karen make use of the internet more skillfully than their own limbs, but of course they weren't born knowing how to do that.

At first—when they were about three years old—they could only watch videos on game consoles.

It was during that time that we often watched OriGami-chan Channel.

My younger sisters were three years apart, so I often ended up taking care of them, and I was greatly helped by his daily streams.

The influence of OriGami was significant; Serika and Karen first became obsessed with Minecraft, and I believe their growing proficiency with computers—especially Karen's—was largely due to the experience they gained while playing Minecraft.

I often watched OriGami's channel alongside them.

We never missed a single early origami video, and thanks to that, my siblings and I learned to fold all kinds of origami.

For me, who didn’t have many good memories from elementary school, the consistently cheerful image of OriGami remains one of the few vivid memories I clearly recall.

Back then, I suppose... I was a bit rebellious.

Why do I have to take care of my younger sisters? Why do I have to handle the household chores? Why am I always the one being scolded?

...If it weren't for my sisters.

Looking back now, it's embarrassing how childish I was, but that's exactly how I felt.

The more my sisters clung to me, the stronger those feelings grew, and as a helpless elementary school student with no way to control my emotions, it must have shown in my behavior.

At the very least, Serika must have sensed it—by the time she entered second grade, her decision to proactively help with the housework was undoubtedly tied to my attitude.

Karen, on the other hand, remained her usual laid-back self.

We weren't enemies or anything.

My younger sisters, three years below me, were utterly devoted to the family without any conditions, so young that they didn't even possess the concept of good or bad. No matter how intelligent they might have been, emotionally they were undeniably children, genuine, full-sized kids. I, who was just as real and ordinary, found their presence annoying, even hated them—especially since they were so incredibly smart that comparing myself to them was unthinkable. My mother would often say, "You two are different from your older brother," and both of them would brightly reply, "Yes, we are different!"—a response that only deepened my gloom. I was too afraid to ever bring up those memories with them. After all, they were just stories from our childhood.

By the time I entered middle school, both of them had already become capable of doing almost everything on their own, to the point that I sometimes felt overwhelmed, and I had stopped acting strangely.

They had grown up.

That must have been it.

Or perhaps there was also pity for the two of them, burdened with expectations from our mother that were far too great.

As a child, I hadn’t understood why I felt that way.

But by then, I had come to realize that it was precisely they—so extraordinary—that constantly lived with the sense of "Why me?" in their hearts.

So by the time I prepared for high school entrance exams, I had already decided on my path: I would graduate high school, get a job, stay at home to support our parents, while sending the two younger sisters out into the world—

because I was the only one who could free them from that family.

I actually wanted to run away too.

My father cared only about himself, and my mother was extremely cold toward me. Living with them was nothing but torment. I can't deny that it was only because of my younger sisters and Nanami that I managed to get by day by day.

But I had made up my mind.

By the time I entered high school, both parents were barely working at all, and the household was barely surviving on Selica and Karen's earnings. If I ran away, Selica and Karen would never be able to stay away from their mother.

Of course, I believe their own wishes should be respected. If they really want to stay with their parents, that's fine by me. But I knew that wasn't the case.

I'd overheard them secretly discussing how to escape from this house on more than one occasion.

I wanted to support him as an older brother.

...I used to want to.

Now, it's all too late.

Anyway, at home it was like that, but watching Origami-san's livestreams was a lifeline for me. Back then, I had little free time and few friends, so his online broadcasts were my salvation.

Now, Origami-san is right in front of me.

I naturally felt I wanted to help if I could.

"Are you staying in this town for a while?"

"Hmm~ I guess so. It seems leveling up in the dungeon is the most efficient, so I'll give it a try! I'll go for battle! Battle that makes your blood boil!"

After clenching his fist and saying that, he added quietly, "Though I'm not really the fighting type."

True, leveling up is important.

Strength increases, and endurance improves as well. Most importantly, one's ability to respond to external threats grows significantly. Even if attacked by bandits in an isolated wilderness, a higher level should increase the chances of survival. The same applies when facing wild animals.

"Do you have any combat experience?"

"Well, I do have some, but when it comes to wild animals, I tend to hesitate."

"Ah, wild animals are indeed frightening. Even after defeating them, their bodies remain."

I once heard from Refrea that creatures outside are generally not considered monsters.

The difference between monsters and wild animals seems to lie in how they originate, though some theories suggest that all living beings originally emerged from the Spirit Pool as "monsters," making the distinction rather complicated.

Whether monsters or wild animals, defeating them outdoors always leaves behind a physical body—essentially, a corpse. In the labyrinth, only spirit stones remain, so it feels somehow cleaner. That aspect also makes it less daunting.

"Is there anything you'd advise?"

"Well... I suppose, although Jeanne knows more. Still, how you allocate your points is crucial. Orikami, did you take the vitality boost?"

"Yes, yes! Though only at level one."

"Then I don't think you'll have any trouble with the first floor."

The first floor is designed for beginners, with skeletons moving slower and weaker than ordinary humans.

Armed skeletons can be a bit dangerous, but as long as you stay alert, there's no real issue. Once you get used to them, you'll be able to take them down with a single hit.

You can even use a staff, and it won't cost much.

The downside is you won't earn much, but that's just how it goes.

We continued chatting, but it seemed Orikami had started with quite a safe point distribution. As expected of someone who's been streaming for a long time, they clearly understand the importance of longevity. Unlike my build that dies quickly, they focused solely on vitality, stamina, and resistance, and even postponed their spirit contract until after teleportation, choosing to perform it at the temple.

The contracted spirit is water. So far, they can use up to the third spell.

"Kuro, we can start exploring this afternoon. You can show that guy around for a bit."

Jeanne suggested, perhaps because we'd talked for so long.

Honestly, I appreciated it.

"Huh, really?"

"It's fine. No problem."

"Is Refrea okay with it?"

"Yes. It's fine. No problem."

Refrea answered, mimicking Jeanne's tone.

I was glad to part ways with Origami-san here, since I felt it was a bit abrupt.

I decided to take advantage of the two of them, and I offered to guide Origami-san.

Though, to be honest, I don’t know much about this town yet—still, I knew the basics.

I showed him where the inn and bathhouse were, and introduced him to the blacksmith.

After explaining the situation at the shop of old Dwarf Dad, Dalgos, he generously gave me an iron rod for skeletons at a bargain price.

Apparently, rookie explorers from Meltya usually swing clubs, but according to the old man, iron rods are more powerful and safer.

Indeed, they seem more effective than clubs.

Even as I guided him, Origami kept speaking as if always aware of the viewers, switching camera modes at times, brightening with laughter, and allowing me to feel once again like I had when I last lived on Earth.

I don’t know how much Origami truly understands about my situation, but I was grateful that he didn’t pry into those details, instead treating me simply as a fellow transfer.

And the next day.

Since it was originally scheduled as a day off, I met up with Origami in the morning and headed toward the labyrinth.

Refreia came along too, saying she had no plans.

"You’re really going to help, Refreia? That’s kind of you, but thanks!"

Origami’s energy was high from the start of the day.

Perhaps aware of the audience, he was constantly overreacting.

From his perspective, the capture rate of Refleia is considered high. Even though I've grown accustomed to living with her, she's still undeniably stunning—always making my heart skip a beat.

Incidentally, Jeanne is still asleep. Since she's supposed to get her own meals on holidays, she'll manage on her own. There's always fruit available, after all.

After stopping by the guild to register our exploration, we enter the dungeon.

"Just a moment, hmm… maybe the camera mode would work better…"

Origami's expression, as she contemplates how to shoot, is far different from her usual playful demeanor—she looks genuinely serious.

In this world, interaction with viewers is limited to little more than messages, and those viewers—I once thought of them… no, even now I don't really want to actively increase their number—well, that's the kind of presence I am.

But to him, it's probably just as important as when he was on Earth.

"So! I'm finally going to dive into the dungeon! A dungeon, a dungeon! I never thought I'd actually be entering a real-life dungeon—it feels like a dream! Gyu! It hurts! It's not a dream!"

Amazing! Live stream!

I manipulated the status screen to switch to camera mode and captured Origami-san on screen. I think that was a brilliant move on my part.

It's unclear how the divine broadcast is showing us—maybe it's always from a distant shot. That's probably why Origami-san is making use of camera mode, though it can't actually display the traveler themselves in camera mode.

I'm filming Origami-chan Channel!

"Hikaru, is that guy an actor or something? He looks just like someone I saw a long time ago in Syltion—a traveling troupe of performers."

"Ah, yeah, maybe he's kind of like that. We both move while explaining things in a way people can understand."

"But... um... it's kind of... embarrassing, you know?"

Refrea subtly stepping back, keeping her distance.

If this were Earth, people would instantly recognize it as video recording if they saw a camera, but here, no one would get it—she’d just be seen as a strange eccentric. Even Origami-san must know that, yet she manages to stay true to her style—truly impressive.

In reality, she's already drawing a small crowd of onlookers, standing out noticeably. Video streaming is still way too early for people from another world.

"This is the second-largest labyrinth in the Ringpil Continent. Its name is the Meltya Great Labyrinth. Whether it's just a labyrinth or a great labyrinth seems to depend on the number of Great Spirits residing in the city. Meltya has four—fire, water, wind, and earth. Hmm? Should the unit be 'people'? Oh well. The largest labyrinth in the world is said to be in a city called Alismaris, but even this Meltya Great Labyrinth is enormous—so much so that, surprisingly, only up to the sixth layer has ever been reached. That's insane!"

Probably, information about the other world has been transmitted to Earth with incredible detail.

If everything is being broadcast, that means the same level of information I know is also reaching them. Naturally, details about labyrinths are no exception.

But then again, OriGami-san is a pro.

They carefully explain things for newcomers before diving in.

Exchanging greetings with a lighthearted joke with the gatekeeper, I enter the labyrinth.

In truth, this time I proposed a joint exploration.

Though it might sound boastful, with my spirit magic, I could level up safely in just two floors. With Refleia along, it'd be even more stable.

But Origami firmly declined, saying, "It's an appealing offer, but then it defeats the purpose."

I realized my suggestion had been arrogant and apologized.

Power-leveling is essentially cheating, after all. Of course Origami wouldn't accept something like that.

As I narrate the scene, we pass through the labyrinth entrance and descend into the first layer, the 'Twilight Underworld District.'