The Darkness Was Comfortable for Me

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—–

The next day.

A fresh morning for a change.

Blessed by good weather too.

You could say this is the best day to do something.

I take out the Resurrection Gem from the Shadow Storage.

(It wasn’t a dream.) (Hikaru)

The gem was giving out a mysterious light as it did, and it was shining dully on my palm.

I put the gem back and exited the inn.

There’s still a bit more before the meeting time with Jeanne, but I should buy something for breakfast before that.

No, she must have her preferences, so maybe it would be better to wait for her before doing that.

The market close by opens their stalls early in the morning, so there’s plenty of choice from meat, fish, vegetables, and a whole ton of other things -on quantity and cheap to boot.

The taste is not bad, but I would say the flavor is thick, and it is apparently them using their spices effectively, but there’s the chance that it doesn’t match her palate.

I don’t know what French people normally eat after all.

Last night I ended up drinking heavily.

I don’t know if it is because Jeanne is French or what, but she was drinking quite a lot.

I got drawn in by that and ended up drinking too much.

I was a bit apprehensive about drinking alcohol as a minor since a bit of my previous world’s common sense was left, and I was worried about the viewers as well, but Jeanne is a Chosen too, so it was also in part because there wasn’t much point in being bothered by it.

With tasty alcohol and tasty food, my memory was flying.

I clean my body with the water well.

It cleared up my mind that had a bit of alcohol remaining in it too.

While at it, I washed the clothes that were soaked with the sea water of yesterday.

Being able to use as much clean water as we want is one of the best points of this city. It is splendid in sanitary terms. There’s a variety of Great Spirits.

After I finished washing the clothes, I aired them.

There’s a place to hang clothes in the garden of the inn, and it is okay for lodgers to use it as well.

Now, if only they provided meals too…but this inn doesn’t do that.

Well, there’s as many eateries as you want and the marketplace is there as well, so they are probably telling you to just help yourself.

(At any rate, she is late.) (Hikaru)

I have nothing to do, so I have been doing maintenance to my shortsword and polishing my boots while I waited, but there’s no signs of Jeanne showing up.

She has already given me the Resurrection Gem, so she has excused herself from very early in the morning…is a possibility.

If it is that straightforward woman, it is possible.

I found the inn’s old man, and asked if Jeanne had already taken her leave.

“No, I think she is still here. She is with you, right? Just go and check on her then.”

“There’s that.” (Hikaru)

This inn is not a Japanese hotel. Most are ‘do it yourself’.

I knocked on the door of Jeanne’s room.

It seems to be locked, so she should still be there, but there’s no response.

We drank quite a lot yesterday, so she might still be downed.

Should I prepare a detoxifier or something with Crystals?

I knocked a good number of times more, and after the dull sound of something falling, footsteps rang, and Jeanne showed her face.

“Muuh~, morning already?” (Jeanne)

“Yeah, good morning. Hangover?” (Hikaru)

“There’s no hangover for me who has Poison Resistance Level 3… Just that it felt nice cause it has been a while since I have slept on a bed…” (Jeanne)

“I see.” (Hikaru)

Jeanne without her armor on and a loose shirt gave out the impression of a girl of my same age to the point that it made me forget the imposing aura of yesterday.

Her slender legs and arms showing from her shirt’s hem and sleeves made it hard for me to believe that she can bring so much power out of them.

“Wha~t are you staring at? Pervert.” (Jeanne)

“Ah, no. Sorry.” (Hikaru)

I hurriedly closed the door.

No matter the circumstances, I was way too unreserved towards a girl that just woke up.

I went outside and waited for a bit, and Jeanne came down.

A rough attire completely different from yesterday’s armored figure.

“Made you wait. I am weak in the mornings. I was more nocturnal originally after all.” (Jeanne)

“It can’t be helped. It has been a while since you have slept on a bed. I myself was sleeping for the whole day when I first came to this city.” (Hikaru)

I don’t remember well, but I slept around evening, and when I woke up it was midnight. I think I slept around 30 hours. Well, I was on the verge of dying in the forest, and I was in tatters mentally, so it might have been the natural outcome.

Maybe I should have let Jeanne sleep a bit more.

“And so, what will you do? Can you resurrect Nanami?” (Jeanne)

“Aah.” (Hikaru)

Celica told her in a message to please do it in the morning, so I think it is already okay anytime.

If we take our sweet time, it will end up being noon.

“Let’s do it in the garden.” (Hikaru)

At the garden where there’s a lot of sheets fluttering about with the wind, I take out the gem.

I opened the Status Board and a screen I am not familiar with showed up.

>

“Prayer… How exactly? Ooh God, please hear my wish!” (Hikaru)

It was a complete haphazard prayer, but the ‘offer a prayer’ itself was most likely just a formality, the screen changed anticlimactically.

>

・Souma Nanami

・Souma Hitomi

・Souma Yukio

Seeing those 3 names lined up there, my heartbeat accelerated to a painful degree.

It is not only Nanami. There’s also the names of uncle and auntie.

The 3 were killed. It felt as if that reality had been pushed onto me.

(……Nanami.) (Hikaru)

Even though it is okay to just touch it, my finger was trembling.

For a moment, I wondered if it really is okay to resurrect her…that maybe this is a path that deviated from that of a human.

Even if I can resurrect Nanami, uncle and auntie won’t be there.

Won’t she instead fall into despair after resurrecting…?

“What’s the matter? Did you push it already? I can’t see the Status Board of other Chosen, so I can’t tell what’s happening.” (Jeanne)

“No…I still haven’t.” (Hikaru)

Just imagining Nanami resurrecting in that room alone, panicking, not understanding the situation, it made me doubt if it was okay to do this at this point in time.

I want her to come back to life. There’s no lie in that feeling of mine.

But isn’t that just self-satisfaction?

Maybe I just want Nanami to resurrect in order for her to prove my innocence…?

“I don’t know what you are worried about, but everything is being broadcasted, you know? There’s no need to worry about what happens after Nanami resurrects. There must be people in the neighbourhood, and at worst, the country will protect her.” (Jeanne)

“I see… Right…” (Hikaru)

I am worried.

But it really might be pointless to worry about the resurrected person.

Nanami was chosen for the transfer, so she was famous, and Celica and Karen are most likely making their move too… No, they are not in Japan, so that would be impossible, huh.

Anyways, there’s no choice of not using this.

I resolved myself and pushed the text for Souma Nanami.

>

(Come back, Nanami.) (Hikaru)

I call inside my heart.

And then, the Resurrection Gem in my hand floated up, and then, it scattered into fine shining particles as if it were melting into the air.

Those particles were being absorbed by the Status Board, and that marked the end of all the phenomena.

But this was displayed on the screen.

>

I have been dreaming…dreaming this whole time.

An orange ocean where no one is present, floating there the whole time.

It wasn’t only me. People of varying ethnicities were floating around, but we understood that there was no point in moving our bodies, so no one did anything and simply floated on top of the ocean.

The whole time I was simply floating, but there was no point in just staying like this the whole time, so I gave up and thought that I might as well just sink.

But then, a voice rang from afar.

To come back.

A nostalgic voice. The voice of the person I loved greatly.

As if guided by that voice, I desperately moved my body as if it weren’t my own.

And then, from far beyond, a light pillar grew closer as if welcoming me, and I touched that.

…The next instant…

I was in my own room.

“Eh… Wa…?”

It is my own room. No doubt about it. But something was different from my memories.

It is dusty, or how to say it, it is as if it had been abandoned for some time.

There was one girl standing in the room.

Someone that’s practically my real little sister.

“Karen-chan…?” (Nanami)

“…Yeah, that’s right, Nanamin. You can tell who I am?”

“What’s with that. What do you mean…? That’s so weird…” (Nanami)

I answered this and my memories began to grow clearer little by little.

Why am I in the house?

I should have been chosen to be transferred to a parallel world.

At the very least, I had been spending my days preparing for that…

“Ah…eh…? I…why am I in the house…?” (Nanami)

I should have been killed by a person of the same grade who I don’t know the name of…

My memories are hazy, but I do remember thinking ‘Ah, I am going to die, huh’.

But…that might have been a dream. I am currently alive here after all.

In front of me there’s the little sister of Hi-chan, Karen-chan, and…

“You remember now?”

“Y-Yeah… A bit hazy though….or more like, you are Celica-chan, right? Why are you acting like Karen-chan?” (Nanami)

When I said this, Celica-chan smiled and tied her lowered hair into a ponytail.

“That’s a relief. Looks like you are the real Nee-san. Resurrections haven’t happened since Christ, so I was worried about whether you were the real deal or not inside.” (Celica)

Celica-chan says this decorated as a joke.

“Resurrection? Also, the inside…?” (Nanami)

“We are talking about that God here after all. There’s the chance you were just a lookalike… Since we’ve got the chance, how about we try doing a quiz here? Like: what was the name of the dog you picked up a long time ago, Nee-san?” (Celica)

“Ai-chan, right? Are you messing with me?” (Nanami)

“Correct. Also, you snapping easily is the same as well, huh…” (Celica)

Celica-chan mutters this.

No matter the person, they would obviously get pissed if someone were to touch their past wounds, you know.

“Sorry, Nee-san. I had to confirm a lot of things no matter what, you see. You can tell Karen and I apart, and you also have your past memories. Your appearance doesn’t seem to have any problems either…” (Celica)

Just what in the world is happening here?

It is true that the twins Celica-chan and Karen-chan are spitting images of each other. When they seriously try to pass off as each other, it is impossible to tell who is who.

I can tell almost instantly since I have known them for long though…

Even so, appearance, she says…

I unconsciously look at my own hand.

My usual hand. My arms and legs too—

“Kya! Why am I naked?!” (Nanami)

I pull the sheets off the bed and cover my body.

Celica-chan had a serious look, so I didn’t notice. I am buck naked. We have been bathing together since we were little though…

“When resurrecting, you come back in your birthday suit then. I have prepared your clothes, so put them on.” (Celica)

“…Hey, Celica-chan, more importantly, who are the ones there? Or more like, you have been filming this whole time?” (Nanami)

“It is the first resurrection of human history after all. It is a treasure footage in two meanings of the word.” (Celica)

“…You are going to delete it, I hope.” (Nanami)

“No way! Of course I am going to publicize it to the whole world… Nee-san, it might be pointless telling you as a victim, but a lot of things happened before you resurrected. I will have you work, including the publication of this.” (Celica)

“T-The whole world?! Why do something like that—” (Nanami)

“That’s just how many people are interested in your resurrection, Nanami-neesan. You have no veto right here.” (Celica)

Celica-chan says this straight without breaking her serious expression.

It is impossible for me to convince her when she is in this mode. No matter what I say, I will end up being coaxed.

Even so, all of the world… My head is not clear yet, so I honestly can’t keep up with the scale of this.

“And so, who are the people there?” (Nanami)

The foreign man and woman in black suits at the back of Celica-chan were standing there with serious faces. One of them is rolling the camera.

People I haven’t seen before.

Celica-chan’s interpersonal connections are unbelievably vast for a middle schooler, so it doesn’t surprise me that she has adult acquaintances, but who are they?

“They are my bodyguards. A lot has happened, you see.” (Celica)

“I-I see…” (Nanami)

Bodyguards? Celica-chan really is on a different level.

Even if I were to look around the whole world, I am sure there wouldn’t be a girl like this.

It seems like they are in a hurry, so I put on my clothes first.

Celica-chan has even prepared my underwear. She is quite meticulous.

It is for some reason a high school uniform, but there must be a reason for this. There’s no point in me saying anything here, so I obediently pass my arm through the sleeve.

When I finish putting my clothes on, Celica-chan speaks.

“Asking just in case, but at the time when you were about to be transferred…can you remember when you were killed, Nee-san?” (Celica)

“Uhm…” (Nanami)

That day.

A boy of the same grade I don’t know well visited early in the morning, and I stiffened at this.

That’s because I planned on spending my last day with Hi-chan.

I had already finished my farewells with Celica-chan and Karen-chan the previous day. The 2 encouraged me saying that they would be backing me up as much as possible and to not die.

He came early in the morning. It was practically before the sun had come up. The transfer was at 9, so it was at the time when I had woken up early and was preparing everything.

It was a boy who I didn’t know the name of, but I did know his face somewhat.

I think he was a boy in the class next door.

My parents received him, and they said he had something to talk about with me.

I didn’t want to bring a boy I don’t know in my own room, so I told him that I would talk with him outside so to wait, and returned to my room.

In the first place, I was still in my pajamas.

In the time I changed and fixed myself, I think I heard something below, but it was erased by the sound of the rain, and I couldn’t tell what sound that was.

I finished changing, and just when I was about to leave the room, the boy opened the door and entered the room.

And then, with the big knife stained in blood, he…

“Uh…” (Nanami)

I remembered and I ended up pushing onto the place in my body where I was stabbed.

I see. I was killed…

Eh…? But I am alive, right…?

I don’t understand the current situation well. Celica-chan said it is a resurrection though…

“Nanami-neesan died, but Onii-chan resurrected you.” (Celica)

“Hi-chan did…? Why? Is Hi-chan the envoy of God?” (Nanami)

Like an angel that came down to the mortal plane while hiding his identity…?

Celica-chan and Karen-chan are pretty inhuman in their own right, so…it could be possible. Angel siblings… I see…

“I am sorry for breaking your bubble here, but there’s no way he is an envoy of God. That’s also a long story, so I will tell you while we move.” (Celica)

“I see. Of course it would be. Eh? Speaking of that, where is Hi-chan?” (Nanami)

My childhood friend that would be the first one to run to me at times like this is not anywhere in sight.

She said that he was the one who revived me, but I don’t get it.

“Onii-chan, you see…is currently in the isekai. I don’t know if he went in your stead. I don’t know if God did it out of spite, or if it tried to save him.” (Celica)

“Hi-chan has gone to the isekai…? In my stead…? But…” (Nanami)

“I don’t understand either. I am just stating the facts. Also…it is hard to tell you this, but uncle and auntie…were killed at the time too… But the only one who could be revived was you, Nee-san.” (Celica)

“Eh?” (Nanami)

Father and mother are…dead?

Did she say they are dead?

I see…

So they died.

I stood up and left the room.

I checked my parents’ room before going down.

The dining kitchen doesn’t have its lights on, and it was filled with an atmosphere as if it were ruins.

Even though it is my own house, it feels as if it is not.

Father and mother were not there.

Without my knowing, they had been erased from this world.

“Your relatives were the ones who did the memorial service for the bones. So I say, but it seems like they put it in a *permanent memorial service*, so it might be a bit difficult to bring them out again and make a grave for them.” (Celica)

Celica-chan who followed from behind said this.

A girl that says adult things that are hard to think came out from a middle schooler. Different from Karen-chan who is childish the whole time, Celica-chan matured faster than anyone else.

“Nee-san…it is okay to cry, you know…?” (Celica)

Celica-chan says as if being considerate, but I couldn’t cry.

For the longest of times, Hi-chan, Celica-chan, and Karen-chan have been my family for me, and my mother and father were my surface family.

The fact that my father and mother died is sad.

It squeezes at my heart.

But I couldn’t cry.

I am a person that has something missing somewhere.

“Nanami-neesan, I will be looking after you, so you don’t need to worry. I don’t know yet if Onii-chan can come back, but…my life plan…has not been disposed of yet.” (Celica)

“Life plan… I see. Right.” (Nanami)

The life plan that me, Celica-chan, and Karen-chan had advanced in secret from Hi-chan.

It is a stupid plan like leaving our families and living our lives having fun in our own paradise.

Even when my parents died, even when Hi-chan has gone to an isekai, it seems like that still isn’t gone.

“And so, what do we do from now on?” (Nanami)

The seal of before has disappeared from my palm.

Looks like I have been taken out from the candidates after dying. In that case, I have no choice but to live in this world as normal.

But…she says Hi-chan is not here.

Honestly speaking, I can’t imagine how to live at all.

“We won’t be able to return here anymore, so if there’s anything you need, pack them up. Let’s go to America.” (Celica)

“America?! Eh? Eeeeeh?” (Nanami)

“I actually wanted to go through the proper procedures, but it was too complicated, so I just gave up. We have you enter that contrabass case of Linda there and we will scamper. Ah, I have gotten a firm promise of permanent residence there, so it is okay. You are treated as a deceased person already and your family register is gone now anyways.” (Celica)

“W-W-Wait, what are you saying? Contrabass?” (Nanami)

Celica-chan said something outrageous as if nothing.

If we were to get found out, we would be arrested…

“I have already chartered a private jet, so it is okay. It is the method that a big shot somewhere used after all. Also, we are going to be using a common airport that’s soft on the inspections, so it should be okay.” (Celica)

“A-Are you serious…?” (Nanami)

“If it doesn’t work, at worst, we push by force. If that doesn’t work either, we can let them have a talk with the US military in Japan. Well, it should work out one way or another.” (Celica)

“What’s going on…? Since when have things gone worldwide…?” (Nanami)

“Onii-chan has gone to that side, so I am done with acting as the cute little sister that gets protected by her brother.” (Celica)

Looks like a lot happened while I was literally dead.

Anyways, I don’t have a choice here, and if I can live with Celica-chan and the others, I don’t have a single problem.

I hurriedly pack up my things, but I haven’t gone to school, and I don’t know if I have something I would need to bring to the USA.

I would say only my album—

“E-Eh? Where’s my album? The one that I was thinking of bringing to the isekai.” (Nanami)

“A-Aah…that. Onii-chan should have it.” (Celica)

“Eh? Why?” (Nanami)

“That’s also a long story.” (Celica)

Looks like a lot really happened while I was dead.

Why does Hi-chan have my album?

“Ah…Also…” (Celica)

Just after packing up my things and leaving the house, Celica-chan turned around and said this.

And hugged me who was still holding a big bag with both hands.

“Wa, Celica-chan?!” (Nanami)

“…You being stabbed was also in part because we lacked forethought, and things have now ended up in this way. Karen and I were also excited about the isekai business…and prioritized our own matters. The culprit was an idiot with no plan, so we actually could have prevented this. Not only Nee-san, but also uncle and auntie.” (Celica)

She placed her small chin on my shoulder, and said this as if speaking out her mind.

“Something like that…the one at fault is the culprit. There’s no way to stop that, and…I was revived in this manner.” (Nanami)

“But…I want to apologize. This can’t even serve as consolation though.” (Celica)

She is no doubt intelligent, but she is way too intelligent, so she tries to take everything into account when she moves. But not everything goes exactly as planned. Unexpected things always have a chance to happen. There’s no need to feel responsible for every single time something like that happens.

“Celica-chan, if we are talking about that, I am the one who should apologize. In the first place, if I hadn’t been killed, Hi-chan wouldn’t have gone to the parallel world, right?” (Nanami)

“That’s, well, yeah. Even though I gave you a stun gun for self-protection.” (Celica)

“There’s no way I can bring that out on a moment’s notice, right?!” (Nanami)

“I had you hold that so that weird guys didn’t approach you, right?” (Celica)

Celica-chan is often the type that expects the impossible from others.

I was grateful for the stun gun, but using that on people is a completely different problem in and of itself.

…Celica-chan should be able to understand that too.

That’s why this is the usual jesting.

“In the first place, isn’t it a mistake to think that a feeble girl like me can use a weapon like that immediately? It would be a different story if I were stalwart like Celica-chan.” (Nanami)

“Who are you calling stalwart~~? I don’t want to be told that by an amazoness that snaps instantly like Nanami-neesan!” (Celica)

“I don’t snap in front of Hi-chan though.” (Nanami)

“That’s the scary part of you, Nee-san…” (Celica)

We two were talking silly things while still hugging. We might look like real sisters that get along.

No, for me, Celica-chan is my little sister.

Even if we are not blood related, we were raised together since forever.

“Nee-san…I really am glad you came back safely.” (Celica)

Celica-chan whispers this while hugging me strongly.

“We are talking about a ‘resurrection’ from that God, so I was really worried whether you would actually return fine at all. I thought that maybe you would return in a zombie state. But I am glad… You are the same warm Nee-san as always.” (Celica)

“Yeah…I am also glad that I could return. Everyone was doing their best, right? Thanks, Celica-chan, Karen-chan, and also Hi-chan.” (Nanami)

Celica-chan’s body was trembling finely.

She is firm and strong to the point that it is hard to believe from her age; a true stalwart person.

Yet, I have worried her to the point of making her cry. Will I be able to at least live without making them worry from now on?

“I wanted to confirm if you were the real one or not, so I ended up saying it this late though…” (Celica)

Celica-chan separated from me and stared intently at me.

“Welcome back, Nanami-neesan.” (Celica)

That welcome back felt like it had the most heart out of any welcome back I have heard of before.

“I am back, Celica-chan.” (Nanami)