Chapter 128: Abnormality or Prank of God ※Celica’s POV (1/2)

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*Zazaza*

The sound of the rain grows stronger.

The Chosen are given points, and they use those to strengthen themselves or exchange for items before heading to the parallel world.

Then, it will be only a while later that the broadcast will begin.

“…Eh?” (Karen)

Karen, who was using the computer, had her face gone pale as if she had seen a ghost.

Did something unexpected happen?

No…the existence of God, the existence of a parallel world, and transferring to a parallel world; it is all unexpected things.

Is there anything to be surprised about at this point in time…?

“E-Eh…? Why… C-Celican… Onii has…” (Karen)

Seeing her lips tremble and eyes on the verge of tears…I understood that something bigger than God and the parallel world had happened here.

Just why did something like this happen…?

The face that I see everyday countless times already was being shown on the display.

[Chosen Number 1,000: Kurose Hikaru].

Seeing the text with a picture of his face, I had fallen into a state as if the world was crumbling underfoot.

“Eh…Wait… T-That’s…the official one, right…?” (Celica)

“The list had been renewed, so I checked it out and…for some reason, it changed to this… Hey, why has Onii…” (Karen)

“Wait…” (Celica)

I diligently looked at what’s displayed there.

A small feeling of something being off.

I soon learned what was the truth of that feeling.

I ended up noticing it.

“Nanami-neesan is not there…” (Celica)

Nanami-neesan was Chosen number 422, but the Chosen that was originally 423 is there now. The numbers…have gone up.

Nee-san is nowhere to be seen.

She has…disappeared from the Chosen list.

A bad premonition spread in my chest.

Something happened.

There was no other way of putting this.

I took out my smartphone and called my brother, but it just continued ringing without end, and after ringing for a few minutes, he didn’t answer.

He is sad from the separation of Nee-san and isn’t answering the call? No, brother would take the call no matter the situation if the call rings for that long. That’s the kind of person he is.

Even when I called all the phones of Nanami-neesan, no one was answering.

Today is New Year. Uncle and auntie should be at the house.

“I will go check it out for a bit. Karen, you watch this side. If something happens, call me.” (Celica)

There’s no doubt something happened at the house of Nee-san.

I have no choice but to confirm.

“Are you going alone?” (Karen)

“The  TV crews should still be around. I will have them cooperate.” (Celica)

Our parents go on a hot spring trip at the end of the year.

We also don’t rely on something like that anyways.

I leave the house and get a TV crew that is readying to withdraw to the main street.

“Hello~. Uhm, have you seen the list of Chosen?” (Celica)

“Eh? You are the neighbor of Nanami-chan…”

“Celica. We are as close as family with Nanami-neesan…” (Celica)

While I was chatting with them, one of the crew had confirmed the list of Chosen. They noticed that Nanami-neesan was gone from the list.

“I don’t know why Nanami-neesan was removed from there, so I want you to come with me. Can you please?” (Celica)

After hearing my request and looking at each other’s faces, the crew began to hurriedly act.

They must have judged that this was a scoop.

I don’t want to believe this, but…there’s only one possibility.

The world was certainly going mad, and I thought I had understood plenty well the madness of it through the net, but…to think that I would even see that distortion close to me…

…I wanted this to be just me overthinking.

But my brother has been chosen to transfer to a parallel world, and on top of that, Nanami-neesan has disappeared from the list; there’s only one answer this can lead to.

I will have them become my witnesses.

There’s a chance that the culprit still remains on the scene, so having the strength of adults would make it better.

I ignored the crew that was running their camera, and I stood at the front of Nanami-neesan’s house.

I rang the doorbell while praying internally.

No response.

I rang it once more.

There really is no response.

In the house where my brother should be there; in the house where uncle and auntie should be in.

“They are not answering.” (Celica)

I say this and try to open the door.

We are literally almost like family. To the point that we were coming and going the whole time since childhood.

However, the door is locked.

“…This is strange. There’s no way there’s no one though.” (Celica)

“Maybe Nanami-chan has somehow avoided the transfer and has left with her family somewhere?”

“It is still 9:15, you know? The transfer was at 9. Even if she did escape it, they wouldn’t be leaving that fast. It is a rainy New Year.” (Celica)

“You got a point there…”

There are not that many possibilities left.

I took out the spare key I had in my pocket.

Our parents are like that, so uncle and auntie were considerate of us and gave us this and told us it was okay for us to go there anytime we wanted.

…To think I would be using it in this way.

I unlock it and go inside.

My brother’s shoes are at the entrance. With this, my hypothesis changed practically to certainty.

The house was completely silent.