Vol 2 Chapter 1 – The Sisters Haven’t Changed, Even in an Otherworld Forest【Volume 2 – Main Story】

“It’s a forest, but… it definitely doesn’t feel like Japan.”

That thought slipped out as I looked around. Sakuya looked just as intrigued. By the way, neither Sakuya nor I look any different. The only addition is a bag—something we didn’t have in that space where we talked with God. If I had to guess, God probably meant it as a continuation from right before we died. Or… maybe it was consideration, so we could forget we died… Sakuya doesn’t know, but in my case, he said as long as I didn’t bring it up myself, it was fine to keep forgetting.

In that sense… does Sakuya remember everything? Or did her memory blank out like mine? …She probably remembers. The skill she asked God for was power meant to protect me.

“So yeah. The trunks are pretty thin, but they’re insanely tall… and there are so many branches, you can’t even see the very top through the leaves.”

I tilt my head up too, and even though shafts of sunlight are coming through, I can’t see the tops of the trees between the leaves. It’s weird, because I can see the sky. The trees aren’t packed that tightly, either. Just how wide do the branches spread…? And yet it’s not gloomy or overgrown—if anything, there’s a comfortable breeze flowing through. The air’s clear, too, and when I take a deep breath, it feels like my lungs are getting rinsed out. Somewhere, I can hear a strange birdcall I’ve never heard before… If this were Japan, it’d probably be a hiking trail.

But mixed in with that is this insect-like chirping… and that’s kind of a worry. Neither Sakuya nor I are good with bugs. We’re bad enough that we’ll insult each other with, “How can you have that personality and still hate bugs!?”

“Sakuya?”

Sakuya’s making sniff sniff noises with her nose. What is she doing? I copy her, but… nothing seems different…? If anything, maybe there are herbs nearby—like, there’s a faint minty smell…? But we’re in a forest, so that’s not exactly weird.

“Maybe the ocean’s close… Doesn’t this smell like salty air?”

Huh? After she says that, I try smelling again. I still have no idea….

“Really? I… can’t tell.”

“Maybe I’m just sensitive to smells.”

“That part’s true.”

Yeah—Sakuya’s pretty sensitive when it comes to scents. If the ingredients in her shampoo change, she notices right away. And apparently, to her, my smell is dead-center her favorite and the best thing ever. For the person getting sniffed, it’s exhausting to be so careful, okay!? And then she hates the smell of antiperspirant sprays and stuff… Like, especially right after I get home in the summer, I really want her to give me a break, but Sakuya actually aims for that timing to sniff me. And then after I take a bath, she’ll happily sniff me again.

In the end, isn’t it just that anything about me works for her!? I can’t even count how many times I’ve thought that and complained… I once tried to teach her how it feels by sniffing the back of her neck on purpose when I was sweaty, but… instead of getting embarrassed, she looked thrilled, like, “Did you finally get interested in my smell too?♡” while she wiggled her hips. Ugh, why did I remember that….

“Mmm… anyway, we should think about getting out of the forest first, right?”

“Probably. The problem is, we have no clue which way we’re supposed to go. God could’ve at least sent us somewhere people live.”

“Hmm… but God sent us to this world for you, right, Big Sis? From the way he talked, I don’t think he’d drop us somewhere that’d immediately turn dangerous.”

“…Now that you mention it, you’re right. He said, ‘a place that’s unlikely to get dragged into war, as much as possible.’”

Huh? So does that mean a place with people might actually be more dangerous than the forest? Like… is the “war” not just in one region, but… more like a constant Warring States era thing, happening everywhere? Because… if there are safe towns, he could’ve just sent us there, right? The fact he didn’t—and it’s the forest instead—means places with people come with a risk of war… doesn’t it…? Am I overthinking it?

“Yeah, that’s probably what it is.”

Sakuya gives me a wry smile, like she reached the same conclusion I did.

“So getting out of the forest and looking for a town is actually a bad move… Sakuya, what do we do?”

“It’s just the two of us, so let’s flirt a little♡ I’d be sooo happy if you let me squeeze your boobs again, like before♡”

Seriously… this girl, I swear! —But it’s also true that there’s something reassuring about Sakuya not changing, even after we came to another world. Honestly… if I were alone, I probably would’ve felt scared and helpless. I can even picture myself heading straight for wherever people are, without thinking—yeah, that kind of future is easy to imagine. I really do need to be grateful to Sakuya.

“…Once we’ve properly secured a place to sleep, okay.”

And that’s why I ended up saying it.

“…Huh?”

Sakuya made an expression you don’t see often. Specifically, she looked like she’d just seen something unbelievable. Don’t stare at me like that—just be happy! You’re the one who brought it up! That’s what I want to think, but… it’s something I would normally never say. Usually I’d refuse on principle, and if I was in a bad mood, I’d be throwing insults too. Even I’m surprised I said it, so yeah—her reaction makes sense.

“…J-Just this time. Special. Only this time, okay? And only if we can secure somewhere safe!”

“That’s not just ‘a place to sleep’ anymore—you upgraded it! It’s supposed to be a rare chance, but you’re raising the difficulty!! Then it’s only fair my reward gets upgraded too, right!?”

I can’t say I don’t get where Sakuya’s coming from. If the condition I set changes, then what Sakuya gets changes too. That’s not weird. The problem is, with the flow we’re in, it’s basically guaranteed she’ll start demanding my body. It’s my fault for admitting the boob thing in the first place, but… yeah, I can’t say I’m not regretting it a little.

“…What are you even asking for? I’m an idol, you know? If it’s anything weird, I’m refusing no matter what.”

“…Big Sis, your mind’s kind of in the gutter.”

“That’s your fault!! If you’ve got someone nearby doing weird stuff under the excuse of ‘skinship,’ you’re going to get on guard whether you like it or not!”

“You know I sleep badly unless it’s my own bed, right?”

“Don’t ignore me.”

Well, I do know Sakuya sleeps badly. Back when Mom and Sakuya’s dad—our second dad—were still alive, we used to go on family trips sometimes. I remember Sakuya struggling to fall asleep in unfamiliar bedding then, too.

“So?”

“It’s a new place, so until I get used to it enough to sleep normally— I want you to be my body pillow, Big Siiis♡ Like, that’d be nice♡”

“When I said ‘only this time,’ I meant today.”

“If we find somewhere safe, we’ll probably stay there for a while, right?”

““…””

We stare at each other. Between us sisters, there’s this unspoken rule that whoever looks away first loses. Sakuya’s win rate is pretty high. But I can’t afford to lose. Because if I’m her body pillow, who knows what she’ll do while I’m asleep!!!

“Biiig Siiis♡”

I really think it’s unfair how, because of our height difference, Sakuya naturally ends up looking up at me all the time. And when she goes into clingy mode, her facial control is perfect. She hits my weak spots with terrifying precision. Being cute is such cheating… and Sakuya knows exactly what her weapons are. You can probably guess how this one ends.

“…Promise you won’t put your hands inside my clothes.”

“Mm-hm♡”

Don’t nod with your cheeks all flushed like some girl in love! I barely manage to hold back that comeback. Because if I say it, she’ll probably just admit it with, “Because I am in love♡” and then what do I even do!?

“So which way do we go? I have terrible luck with stuff like this, so can you decide, Sakuya?”

I forced the topic back.

“Hey, I was thinking… shouldn’t we check the skills God gave us first? Even if we move, we don’t know what’s out there, so I think we should know what we can do.”

True.

“Fair point.”

And so, before we moved, we ended up doing a skill check.