Yuusha-kei ni Shosu: Choubatsu Yuusha 9004-tai Keimu Kiroku [LN] Bahasa Indonesia

 

Chapter Two: Day 2

When I woke up, I found myself enveloped by breasts.

At some point, Chiyu, who had slipped into my futon without me noticing, was cradling my head against her chest in an embrace.

The warmth of Chiyu's body and her scent filtered through her pajamas, reaching me directly.

That excessively soft sensation surely couldn't be attributed solely to the wool of her sleepwear.

". . . Sō-kun?"

"Ah, good morning, Chiyu."

In this situation, I believe I am entirely innocent, but I wonder what the judgment will be. After waiting several seconds for the verdict.

Chiyu tightened her hold on my head even more.

Along with a munyuu sensation, I was swallowed up by Chiyu's twin peaks.

". . . Sō-kun, I had a dream about the Mysterious Blackboard."

Chiyu's body was trembling ever so slightly.

I gently wrapped my arm around her waist and patted her back softly, pon-pon.

"Ah, yeah, I saw it too."

That's what I wanted to say.

But since I was in the midst of being suffocated by her ample bosom, my pronunciation came out more like "fwaa, fwifwahfo" or something garbled.

"Nnn…Sō-kun, that..tickles."

Don't suddenly let out such a seductive voice like that. It's tough for a guy in the morning, you know.

Chiyu, who had been wriggling around inside the same futon, noticed that.

And then, she pressed the part from her knee to her thigh against me, kui-kui.

I stopped the hand that had been stroking her back and moved to embrace Chiyu's waist—.

"Ehh? Ehh, what's going on? What's happening?"

I snapped back to my senses at the sound of Shōko's voice.

". . . Good morning, Shōko-chan."

Chiyu sat up her upper body as if nothing had happened at all and turned toward the two of them. I followed suit.

They had seen the scene of Chiyu holding me, but they probably couldn't tell what was going on under the covers.

In that case, I'll play it off as the childhood friend being half-asleep and out of it . . . !

"Ch-Chiyu-cchi, why are you in Sosuke's futon?"

"If you're asking the awake me about what the sleeping me does, even I would be troubled by that."

It was a bold and unapologetic response.

"Ahh, yeah."

Shōko let out a voice that seemed both accepting and not quite, ambiguous either way.

"Ahaha, you two are really close, huh."

Shion sounded somewhat amused.

"More importantly, everyone—did you all have the dream?"

Everyone nodded.

"Apparently, meat will appear."

"My ability didn't come in handy, huh."

"At least everyone seems to be alive for now, which is a relief . . . but what was up with that dream?"

The reactions varied, but it was confirmed that we had all shared the same dream.

"Today, I'd like to verify that 'meat' thing. Shōko, may I borrow Mashiro's power?"

"Of course! Super duper of course!"

I didn't quite get it, but it probably meant something like "naturally."

"What about me and Shion-chan?"

"I'd like the two of you to come along too. It's safer to act together with Mashiro, the Fenrir, than to have you wait here."

For now, I'm assuming Earth-like beasts, but it's not out of the question for dragon meat or something to show up under the logic that it's edible. If Shōko and I are out and this place gets attacked in the meantime, I wouldn't want to leave them behind.

"Got it."

"Yeah, I think I agree with Sosuke-kun's plan too."

With our tasks decided, everyone stood up.

"For today's breakfast, it's grilled mushrooms again, but if things go well, we might have meat for lunch."

By the way, I confirmed yesterday that Mashiro doesn't need meals, apparently.

He absorbs energy from the surrounding air or something. . . . Magic power, maybe?

"Meat, yay—can't wait."

"Yeah. Oh, before breakfast, it'd be nice if we could wash our faces."

"M-Me too."

"Ah, right. Then let's head outside."

We opened the door, placed our uwabaki slippers, and each slipped our feet into them before stepping out.

We brought out a bucket and water, and everyone washed their faces together. While Shōko was petting Mashiro, I generated a wooden table and set it up. I prepared four chairs, and on the tabletop, I placed grilled mushrooms and nuts on wooden plates.

The wooden barrel that produces water—which I'd set up during the bath time—I repurposed as a sort of water server.

The four of us had our meal.

"Hagu-hagu. Being able to preserve freshly made stuff and pull it out anytime—Sosuke's ability is infinitely convenient . . ."

Shōko, cheeks stuffed with mushrooms, looked deeply impressed.

"It's really amazing, isn't it? As a girl, I'd love cosmetics and such too, but on this uninhabited island, that might be a bit too luxurious."

In my eyes, all three of them looked like they didn't need cosmetics at all, but it seems even on an uninhabited island, it weighs on their minds.

"If it's you, Sō-kun, you could make them if you knew the materials, right?"

"Should be fine, yeah? Though, I don't even know what the materials are . . ."

"For lotion, it's water and glycerin. For emulsion, water, oil, and an emulsifier."

Chiyu answered immediately. Even as my childhood friend, it seems she wants them too.

"Heh? Glycerin and emulsifier, huh . . . . I don't really get it."

"With your ability, Sō-kun, I think you could generate both from fats."

"Fats, like beef tallow or something?"

"Well, yeah."

"Then that's perfect. I was planning to gather plants that yield oil anyway, and if we get meat too, maybe we can make lotion."

I did get some oil yesterday, and part of it helped with crafting, but the remaining amount is low.

Also, I'd like to itemize as many different plants as possible to obtain edible oil.

"Ehh!? Sosuke-kun, for real!?"

"Sosuke-sama, Savior-sama~"

Shion showed the biggest reaction yet, and Shōko was straight-up prostrating in worship.

"Ah, uh. Well, the main goal is the meat, but . . ."

I wasn't sure if my voice was even reaching them, as the women were chattering away about the cosmetics they needed.

"Ah, sorry, Sosuke-kun. Asking you to make everything willy-nilly is pretty presumptuous, isn't it?"

Shion noticed I'd been left out and made an apologetic face.

"We're throwing all sorts of requests at you, but feel free to just brush them off normally, okay?"

Shōko looked remorseful too.

"Nah, it's actually helpful if you tell me what you need. Of course, there are priorities, and if it's too tough, I might have to say no. But I'd like to discuss and reach a conclusion together."

That said, being treated like a convenient tool isn't exactly pleasant, so their consideration is appreciated.

"I won't hold back. For whatever Sō-kun does for me, I'm confident I can return the favor."

"Ahaha, I'd hate it if you held back, Chiyu, so yeah, hit me with it."

I couldn't help but laugh, but then her mention of "returning" made my imagination swell up unexpectedly.

Of course, I assume she means something like "Beginner Heal," but with Chiyu, she might just as easily suggest some other form of gratitude . . . .

"Pervert."

"Hah!? Wh-What the hell, all of a sudden?"

"Ahaha. Sosuke-kun, you're so easy to read in moments like this. It's to the point where my 'Lie-Detecting Ability' isn't even needed, or rather—"

"For lotion, I wonder what kind of repayment we'd have to offer . . ."

Ah, this flow feels familiar from yesterday.

I wish they wouldn't use me as the punchline, but since it's probably my fault for making that lecherous face, I'll accept it with grace. Maybe I should practice my poker face.

After breakfast, at the women's request, I generated a "Wooden Comb" and handed it to the three of them.

When the three, who had returned to the cabin to change into their uniforms, came back out, sure enough, there was a noticeable impression that their hair had become beautiful. More like, neatly arranged.

Shōko's signature side ponytail had made a comeback.

"Mashiro, come here~. Oh, good boy, good boy. Hey, can you carry four people? Oh, yeah, yeah—good job!"

Shōko said that while petting Mashiro, who had come over.

Since she's the one saying it, Mashiro must be able to handle four riders. Fenrir—amazing.

There was a bit of squabbling over the riding order, but it ended up being Shōko in front, then Shion, Chiyu, and me at the rear.

Looking at Mashiro again. When he stands up, he's taller than our current base, the cabin.

If he appeared as an enemy monster, he wouldn't be the kind of opponent you'd fight early on.

It'd just end with him devouring us messily. Good thing he's an ally.

"Mashiro, looking forward to working with you."

I tried calling out to him. Mashiro looked at me with his blue eyes—and then berori, licked my face.

Then, like an affectionate dog, he nuzzled his face against me.

"Ha, haha. Good boy, good boy."

His fur was supremely fluffy and wonderful, but being licked left a bit of a smell, as expected.

"Ooh. Mashiro, what's up? You're totally taken with Sosuke."

"Fufu, maybe he's grateful because after teaming up with Sosuke-kun, Shōko-chan perked right up."

As if in response to Shion's words, Mashiro let out a cry, and Shōko's face turned bright red with a boff.

"N-No way, I'm always full of energy, though?"

Has she already forgotten how she tearfully hugged me when we reunited?

Under the warm gazes from me and Shion, Shōko pouted with a "What the heck~!"

"I wanna fluff him too."

When Chiyu boldly hugged him, Mashiro let out a pleased sound.

". . . Hey, Shōko. Is Mashiro a boy?"

". . . Yeah."

I could tell even without asking—he was probably enjoying the sensation of Chiyu's breasts.

Well, he's an ally, so I won't get jealous of a phantom beast. No, actually, I am a little jealous.

"Ah, right. Once we get the meat, about having Mashiro knock down some trees—could you handle that?"

"Mashiro can do it in a jiffy!"

"That's great. Then maybe we can build a house for Mashiro too."

"Ooh! A Fenrir cabin!? Awesome!"

Like a doghouse or something.

For now, we wrapped up the talk around there and mounted Mashiro.

He courteously crouched down for us, so Shōko and I got on first, then pulled up Chiyu and Shion.

With three beautiful girls' rears now seated on him, Mashiro let out a delighted sound.

"U-Uun. I thought this yesterday too, but riding Mashiro-kun in a skirt feels kinda precarious."

Shion was pressing down her butt and adjusting her skirt so the fabric wouldn't bunch up underneath.

Come to think of it, Chiyu did the same thing when riding a bike in a skirt or sitting on a train seat, I recalled. If you slack on this, your panties could touch the seat directly, or a gust of wind could cause a major mishap.

"For walking through the forest, it's not exactly ideal gear either, huh."

I agreed lightly.

"But if we ditch the skirts, Sō-kun's morale drops."

"Why's that?"

Well, I do like them, sure.

"Today's fire-starting duty is on you, Shōko-chan. That way, Sō-kun's panty catalog gets completed, right?"

"I ain't making any such catalog."

I haven't memorized that Chiyu's are white or that Shion's are a bit sexy black or anything.

". . . W-Well, Sosuke's been super helpful to us, so something like that is f-fine, I guess . . ."

Even though I'm not making any catalog, hearing her say that with such bashfulness made me fidgety somehow.

"A-Anyway, let's get going."

By the way, everything except the stone walls and fences has been stored in the "Inventory."

Coming back to find it ransacked by beasts or hijacked by other transferees would be the worst.

"O-Okay, okay. Alright, Mashiro, let's go find some meat. We're seriously craving it at this point~"

"Ah, if possible, pork . . . like wild boar type."

In isekai stories, you get giant boars, horned boars, sharp-tusked boars, and such, but with Mashiro, we should manage. As he stood up, our viewpoint rose sharply all at once.

"Whoa!"

I instinctively clung to the Chiyu in front of me, but I grabbed not her waist—her breast by mistake.

The sensation of her ample bosom changing shape with a munyuu.

"Nuu . . . Sō-kun, even on Mashiro, doing it up here is a bit . . ."

"No, that's not—sorry, my bad! I grabbed wrong!"

I hurriedly moved my arm to her waist. Looking over, Chiyu's ears had turned red.

"Sorry, Chiyu. It wasn't on purpose."

"I know. Wh-Whispering in my ear like that is forbidden."

My childhood friend shuddered with a bururi. I suddenly wanted to check her innocent expression, but in this position, it was impossible.

While we were at it, Mashiro sniffed kun-kun, changed direction, hopped over the stone wall with ease, and began moving.

He seemed to be considerate in his own way, and the ride was far smoother than I'd imagined.

And so, the Fenrir dashed through the forest.

"Amazing . . . !"

At the speed of the scenery rushing past, I couldn't help but groan in awe.

"Right? Right~!"

Shōko seemed thrilled that Mashiro was getting praised. Then, gradually, Mashiro's speed began to slow.

"Looks like it's close!"

"Ah, got it."

I prepared myself to deploy weapons at any moment.

Basically, we'd leave it to Mashiro, but in the worst case, just holding a spear or swinging an axe would make a big difference.

Before long, we spotted it too—a wild boar.

Two important points.

First, it looked pretty much like the kind you'd see on Earth.

Well, your average high schooler doesn't get chances to see wild boars in the wild, but at least at a glance, there were no obvious isekai elements.

The second—and more crucial—point: someone other than us was being chased by the boar.

"Haa . . . haa . . . guh, th-this time for sure . . . !"

It was a girl with long black hair tied in a ponytail, her face sharp and resolute.

While fleeing from the boar, she twisted only her neck to look back and pointed something like a staff in her hand toward it.

"Hit . . . !"

The next instant—from the tip of the staff she thrust forward, a mountain's worth of pebbles materialized and were launched with tremendous force.

—Magic!? Unlike Chiyu's, this is attack magic!

But perhaps her aim was off; only one or two hit the boar.

Far from felling it, it only served to irritate the boar further.

"Sosuke! What do we do!?"

"No time to dismount! Mashiro, can you charge like this!?"

"You got it! Mashiro, charge~!"

To rescue the girl, Mashiro accelerated with us still aboard.

"Knock it flat~! Mashiro!"

At the command of his master—the blonde gal tamer Shōko—Mashiro let out a mighty roar in response and barreled into the boar from the side.

Have you ever seen a scene in a Western movie where a fleeing criminal gets flung off by a truck? It was exactly like that.

A don sound, like the impact of a car screeching to a halt.

And ahead, the boar soared into the air, then crashed into a tree.

It fell from there and stopped moving.

"O-One hit . . ."

—A Fenrir can run down a wild boar like that . . . .

"Wh-What . . . !? A-A monster wolf . . . !?"

The girl, perhaps not yet seeing us, pointed her staff at Mashiro in a panic.

"Hold on, Class President! It's me Kudō!"

Calling out from Mashiro's back, the girl's movements halted abruptly.

Then, over several seconds, her gaze lifted and locked onto us.

". . . K-Kudō-kun?"

Minori Shijo. She was our Class A class president, and she sat right next to me.

So, she must have overheard my conversations with Chiyu and Shōko plenty of times. When the topic of abilities came up, Minori probably pondered on her own what kind of ability she'd choose.

"I'm here too, Minorin~,"

 "Surprising, right? I get it, Shijo-san," 

"Ride's top-notch."

Shōko, Shion, and Chiyu called out to Minori as well. Well, Chiyu's was just a casual remark.

Mashiro crouched down for us, and we dismounted to the ground.

"You're safe now, Class President. That boar— this guy's the one who took it down."

"His name's Mashiro! Remember it, Minorin~"

Shōko added the detail while lavishing Mashiro with pets and praise.

". . . C-Could it be, the summoning ability that Kanna-san mentioned . . . ?"

As expected, Minori had overheard our conversation back then.

"Yeah, that's right."

"I-I was saved, then . . . ?"

"Yeah, you don't have to run anymore."

"Fugu . . ."

The ever-earnest, resolute Minori, who never showed any openings.

Relieved, perhaps, she crumpled her face and burst into tears.

I pulled out the handkerchief Shōko had returned to me yesterday and hurriedly offered it to Minori.

Of course, it was one I'd taken from the "Inventory," so it was clean.

Minori accepted it with a "thank you," but without wiping her eyes, she drew closer to me.

And then, she rested her head on my shoulder.

"Sh-Shijo?"

"Sorry, just for a moment."

"Ah, uh—"

I'd transferred here with Chiyu from the start, and Shōko and Shion had come to me in a pair.

But if she'd spent the night on this uninhabited island all alone . . .

The joy of reuniting with classmates must have hit her hard.

Unsure what to do with my hands, I awkwardly flailed them in the air before lightly stroking Minori's back.

I could handle Shōko smoothly since we're at least friends, but with Minori, our relationship was just "next-door seat" level—we'd barely talked beyond that, hadn't even exchanged contacts—so the distance felt tricky.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it, Minorin. Being alone in the forest is seriously lonely and rough, right?"

Shōko empathized deeply.

"Sosuke-kun, Shōko-chan, and Chiyu-chan are all so kind and reliable, so you're okay now, Shijo-san."

Shion spoke in a reassuring tone.

"Black-haired ponytail earnest big-breasted class president . . . Another harem member added."

Chiyu, you're really operating at full throttle as always. In a situation like this, it's reliable, though.

Eventually, having calmed down, Minori pulled away from me.

She wiped her eyes with the handkerchief and bowed her head to me.

"I'm sorry, I showed you something unsightly."

"Don't worry about it."

"I can't just let it go like that. To think I'd do something so improper just because I felt relieved seeing you, Kudō-kun . . . I must have made you uncomfortable, haven't I?"

"Nah, nothing like that. If anything, it got my heart racing a bit."

Since Minori seemed dead serious, I tried conveying that I wasn't bothered by joking lightly. But she turned beet red, her body trembling purupuru, and she cried out.

"H-Heart racing? I-It's my fault, sure, but th-thinking indecent things about me is not allowed, you know . . . !"

Indecent. Is she aware that by trying so hard not to use erotic words, she's making it come off even more erotic?

Well, maybe the problem lies with the guys who hear it that way.

Minori suddenly lowered her voice as if struck by realization, took a deep breath, and cleared her throat.

"Kohon. Sorry, I lost my composure. Once more: Kudō-kun, Iyama-san, Kanna-san, Yomi'umi-san, and Mashiro-san. Thank you so much for saving me."

Minori bowed her head politely.

"You're welcome! It's what you do in times like these—help each other out!"

"Fufu. I didn't do anything, though. By the way, is Shijo-san here alone?"

Shōko responded with a smile, while Shion subtly probed.

"Yes. Though, to say that—you all aren't the first classmates I've encountered."

"Really?"

"Well, without naming names, I ran into a pair of boys in the forest. They suggested we team up, but . . . their gazes were somehow scary."

She tried to part ways, but they followed her for a while, apparently.

"Ugh, that type? Yeah, they exist—the ones who forget we're human and just leer with nothing but sex on their minds."

Shōko spat it out disdainfully. Shion and Chiyu nodded in agreement.

"Ugh."

It felt like knives stabbing into my heart, gsaugsa.

"Ehh, no no, Sosuke's not like that, right?"

Shōko hurriedly denied it in a fluster.

"R-Really . . . ?"

I mean, I do end up conscious of their chests, and I have tons of memories of fixating on their panties.

"Fufu, I don't think Sosuke-kun is either. His feels unconscious, like a 'reflexive' thing? Plus, he averts his eyes or apologizes if he thinks he's made us uncomfortable."

"Mm. What we're talking about is the 'deliberate' kind of sexual gaze. The type that doesn't consider if the other person dislikes it, and they just lick their lips with that look—it's not rare."

"That's it! Sure, you're free to have your thoughts, but the ones who grin like idiots even when you tell them to stop, or just keep going without a care—super infuriating!"

It's often said, but even if a girl dresses in a flashy or revealing way, it doesn't always mean she's inviting attention from the opposite sex. She has the right to dress as she likes, and directing a sleazy gaze at her would be rude.

At the very least, you should have the rationality to hold back if she seems uncomfortable.

". . . You three are really close with Kudō-kun, aren't you?"

Minori suddenly smiled faintly, looking amused.

"But Kudō-kun? I think it's not ideal to direct impure gazes at all three of them with such frequency that they notice."

"Yes . . ."

"For Sō-kun, it's fine."

"Sosuke-kun's a gentleman, and he's been so helpful since we got here, so I'm okay with it too."

"Ugh . . . F-For me, a little bit is fine . . ."

The three defended me, but Minori looked utterly appalled by their responses.

"Kudō-kun, what on earth have you been doing in just one night . . . ?"

Minori's ears were bright red, but I don't think anything like what she's imagining happened.

Except for the developments with Chiyu, that is.

"For now, let's recover the boar and head back to base. Shijo, if you don't mind, come with us? I'd like to hear more, and I can offer you a meal too."

If Minori doesn't want to stick with me, that's her choice too.

I could even share resources. Like Shōko said, there's a spirit of mutual aid, and honestly, I hold a favorable impression of Minori to that extent.

In the school environment, kids who earnestly try to enforce rules on everyone around them tend to be shunned.

Yet Minori always strove to do what was right, putting in the effort.

Ours was just a "next-seat" level of acquaintance, but I didn't dislike that about Minori.

". . . W-Well then, if I may. I-I said some strange things earlier, but I do trust Kudō-kun too."

Had I done anything trustworthy?

Well, prying into that would be boorish.

I headed toward the boar and stored it in the "Inventory."

While Minori, seeing the "Inventory" for the first time, looked stunned, I approached Mashiro.

"Mashiro, can you carry five? Eh? You'd carry Minorin even if it killed you? Haha, that's erotic~"

After that, Mashiro, fired up, really did carry us all and started running.

"Th-The power I chose was like the mage from a story, b-but maybe influenced by the mage I imagined, my ability turned out to be 'Attribute Magic' . . . !"

With Shōko, Shion, Chiyu, and me in front, Minori was riding at the very back.

So I was gripping my childhood friend's waist, while being gripped at the waist by the class president—a situation like that.

From the front came Chiyu's pleasant scent, and against my back pressed Minori's breasts.

Unlike me and Chiyu, who had experienced the ride on the way out, this was Minori's first time on a Fenrir.

We decided to chat along the way, but her voice jumped or cracked from tension.

"Attribute Magic, huh. Should mesh well without overlapping with Chiyu's."

“Mm. With a superior version showing up, there's no worry about being discarded anymore.”

“I wouldn't do something like that.”

When I said that with a hint of anger in my voice, Chiyu murmured, “I know,” with a pleased expression.

Even though she looked pleased, her voice lacked any inflection, so it might not be noticeable to an ordinary person.

“Right now, the ones I can cast are "Fireball," "Stone Bullet," "Wind Cutter," and "Water Wall"—four in total, and it seems like things created with magic don't last long.”

It sounded very much like something out of a game, and for those familiar with such systems, the effects were easy to visualize.

As expected, it appeared that for now, she could only use beginner-level magic.

“Ah, I see. Maybe the setup is designed so that magic itself can't be used to secure drinking water or start fires . . . Whoa!”

The stone walls we'd left at the base came into view, and in the instant that Mashiro leaped over them.

Minori Shijo's breasts rubbed up against my back with a soft tawan, and then, in sync with the descent, they slid down with a ponyoun.

“Hyah!”

And since she let out such a voice on top of that, it was only natural that a sound escaped from me as well.

“Good work, Mashiro~”

“Minori-chan, if you don't let go of your hands, Sō-kun can't get down.”

At Chiyu's words, Minori exclaimed, “R-Right! ” and released her grip on me, after which everyone dismounted from Mashiro's back together.

“I'm sorry, Kudō-kun. I grabbed on too tightly because I was afraid I might fall.”

Minori's face was flushed red. She seemed to be embarrassed about that final close contact.

“Nah, it's fine. Mashiro's running with consideration for us, so you can relax.”

“Y-Yes. But, well, I've been in this outfit since yesterday, so, um, I'm probably all dirty, right? Your clothes look like they've been washed and are nice and clean, so I felt bad thinking I might soil them.”

I'd been so focused on listening to Minori's story that I hadn't been able to share ours.

“Sosuke Sosuke! Let's eat! Minorin must be hungry too, right?”

That's when Shōko jumped in.

“May I join you for the meal? In an environment like this, food must be precious, I imagine.”

She really was an earnest girl.

“Just become one of us.”

“Yeah. Right now, our combat strength is pretty much all riding on Mashiro-kun, so it'd be a huge help if Shijo-san joined as an ally. What do you think, Sosuke-kun?”

At the words from Chiyu and Shion, I nodded.

“Yeah. I trust Shijo-san, and if you're willing to join us, that'd be reassuring. Of course, I won't force you, and even if you turn it down, please at least have a meal before you go.”

Right now, our group's basic mode of operation was to move as a full unit.

This was, as Shion had pointed out, because our firepower was being carried almost entirely by Mashiro. But with the addition of someone who had "Attribute Magic," we could potentially split into two groups for activities. That would broaden the scope of our exploration and daily life.

“Turn it down? No, I couldn't . . . If anything, it's me who should be asking. Th-Thank you . . . for letting someone like me join such a wonderful group.”

It seemed the lecherous gazes from that pair of boys yesterday had become a trauma for her.

“Sosuke's a perv, but he's a good guy, so you can relax, Minorin~”

Shōko hugged Minori in a welcoming embrace.

“Kyaa. Kanna-san . . . ! You'll get your clothes dirty too, you know?”

Minori wore an expression that seemed troubled, yet also ticklish, as a soft smile played on her lips.

“It's fiiiine. We've got Sosuke's special bath, after all~”

“Eh? A bath . . . ?”

“Ah . . . alright. For now, let's split into two groups. Cooking team and bath team.”

“I'll take the cooking team.”

“Ah, I can help out a little too.”

“Then it'll be me and Minorin on bath duty. I'll go heat up the water.”

“Th-There's really a bath . . . ? He mentioned "Kudō brand" earlier, so I suppose Kudō-kun made it with his ability?”

“I'll explain the details over the meal, but for now, let me get things set up roughly.”

I deployed the full set of bath utensils.

“. . . I-It's amazing. I see—so the ability includes storing and deploying crafting-related tools. Perhaps because Kudō-kun imagined an ability that allows "crafting anywhere," it manifested in a form that makes that possible.”

“Probably something like that.”

As we conversed, I also deployed the large stone tiles and the fire-starting device.

“By the way, Shijo-san, let me explain how to use the tools.”

“Mm. And once you put your clothes in the changing basket, put it outside the entrance. I'll skip the explanation, but Sō-kun will clean them up nice and shiny.”

Shion and Chiyu pushed Minori's back, leading her away toward the bathhouse.

Left behind were me and Shōko, whose face had turned red.

“W-Well then, today I'm on fire-starting duty, right?”

Come to think of it, we'd had that conversation this morning.

“Ah, y-yeah, thanks for handling it.”

Just like with the previous two, she held down the stone and board for me.

I focused on the cord, pulling it alternately with both hands.

“Hey, Sosuke. Um, you might be worried about what happened earlier. But Sosuke, you're different, okay?”

“You mean the thing about guys' gazes? Ah, I get it. You backed me up earlier too.”

“A-And, if I say I hate it, stop, but when I say it's okay . . . then it's okay.”

At that point, I recalled the continuation of this morning's conversation. The time when Chiyu had brought up the panty catalog or whatever.

――“. . . W-Well, Sosuke's been super helpful to us, so something like that is f-fine, I guess . . .”

That's what Shōko had said.

If that connected to what she was saying now . . . .

I swallowed hard, gokuri, and cautiously lifted my gaze. There, I caught sight of Shōko with her legs spread apart and the pink panties with lace trim that she was wearing.

“Ahaha, Sosuke's such a perv after all~”

She said it teasingly, but Shōko's cheeks were dyed red.

That face of hers was so incredibly cute that my heart skipped a beat.

“Smoke's coming out.”

“Ah, ahh! Right.”

I hurriedly secured the kindling. I prepared the bonfire and had Shōko transfer the fire over to the bath side.

Now, for cooking the wild boar meat.

It was the long-awaited meat, yet Shōko's face from just now wasn't likely to leave my mind anytime soon.

◇

Shion and Chiyu, having finished guiding Minori, returned to us.

“So, how do we eat the wild boar meat?”

“Boar hot pot?”

In response to my question, Chiyu tilted her head and said.

“Ah, I see.”

“Before that, Sosuke-kun. Could you tell me about the food we have on hand?”

Shion said with a serious expression.

She had used a hair tie she had on her from the transfer to gather her hair into a bun.

“G-Got it.”

I manifested a large wooden table for cooking purposes and placed the ingredients on it.

Shion inspected them.

“Ah . . . ! There's kelp here; we can make dashi stock with this.”

“That's the stuff Chiyu gathered on the beach.”

While I was chopping down trees for wood, Chiyu had shouldered a basket and collected items on the sandy shore.

“Mm, it was washed ashore.”

“Even in the "Inventory," it's marked as "Edible," so it's safe.”

“Yeah. Plus, since you stored it, Sosuke-kun, it should be clean now, so we can use it with peace of mind.”

“I see. That said, dashi, huh. If fish show up, maybe we can make bonito flakes or something too.”

“That sounds great! Sosuke-kun's ability is seriously versatile—it's amazing.”

Shion was getting excited. I could tell she really liked cooking.

“"As expected of you, Sō-kun."”

I also received the praise from Chiyu, which was becoming a staple.

“As Japanese people, we'd want soy sauce or miso too, but . . .”

Assuming we could make them, how long would it take to get the ingredients available on this island?

We could get salt from the sea, so if we obtained soybeans, the path might open up . . . ?

The complex manufacturing process would be handled by the "Craft" ability, after all.

“Yeah, but I think we can go with a simple-flavored hot pot vibe. We can add the mushrooms from this batch too. For now, we'll do it this way, but if we find some vegetables during today's exploration, we can make it look a bit more presentable.”

“Ooh~”

We'd had a light breakfast, but hearing the talk made my stomach growl.

“And since it can be eaten with just salt, grilled meat could work too.”

“Grilled meat! ”

“No grill, so we'd have to do it on stones?”

“Leave it to me. I'll generate something good.”

“Fufufu, looking forward to it. If this is an early lunch, how about grilled meat for dinner?”

“Yeah.”

“No objections.”

Chiyu slurped her saliva with a jyururi.

“Also, Sosuke-kun, can you make a stove?”

“Ah, yeah, that would definitely be more convenient.”

Prompted by Shion, I searched for the recipe, and it seemed I could make one.

I hadn't noticed it yesterday, so realizing it could be made was probably one of the conditions for unlocking the recipe. There were also recipes that got added without me even imagining them, so discovering materials themselves must be an important factor.

Which is why I went ahead and made the stove.

Essentially, it's for concentrating the heat, so as long as it can contain the fire, that's fine.

I still had plenty of "Stone Material" in stock, so generating it was easy.

That said, stone really is handy . . . . From now on, whenever I find rocks, I should actively "Itemize" them.

“Whoa, thank you!”

Like stars twinkling with a pattsu, Shion's smile burst into bloom.

“No, thank you—I'm pretty clueless about cooking knowledge, so this helps.”

I tried lighting the stove quickly. For making the boar hot pot, I also deployed an earthenware pot and a barrel filled with water.

“Finally, I feel like I can be of some use—I'm glad.”

I wanted to tell her not to worry about it, but perhaps she was feeling a bit out of place.

Indeed, compared to the others' rather straightforward cheat-like abilities, Shion's seemed a bit subdued.

If dealings with other factions came up, she seemed like the type who could contribute a lot there.

“Sō-kun, I can cook a little too.”

“Ahaha, I know.”

She'd even helped make meals with my mom sometimes, and she'd prepared bentos for me a few times.

It was just that ordinary cooking and preparing the ingredients we could obtain in this environment were different beasts.

“Gunu . . . If we had eggs, I'd make Sō-kun's favorite rolled omelet . . .”

Without changing her expression, Chiyu clenched her fist in regret.

“Eggs would be nice too. Like dipping the hot pot meat in them sukiyaki-style.”

“Whoa, that sounds delicious.”

“Chickens as "meat" sources—possibility they're placed on this island?”

At Chiyu's remark, I groaned, “Uun.”

“Whether domesticated animals are set up here is a mystery.”

The very act of suddenly placing beasts on the island was bizarre to begin with, so even if livestock appeared in the great wilderness, I wouldn't be surprised.

“If they're there, catch 'em and raise 'em.”

“That's viable.”

“Ah . . . !”

While we were all using stone knives to thinly slice the wild boar meat, Shion suddenly raised her voice.

“Wh-What's up?”

“You know how yesterday, we had Shōko-chan summon a sheep, right?”

“Yeah.”

Thanks to that, we'd gotten a massive haul of wool and been able to sleep warmly.

“And the sheared wool didn't disappear, did it? So—how about milk?”

“I see, milk . . . !”

I'd had this fixed idea that milk meant cow's milk, so I hadn't thought of it.

“What's sheep milk taste like?”

“Um, I've had it once before . . . It's rich? Thick? You can't drink a ton of it, but it has nutrients, so if we could get some, that'd be great.”

“I'd want it, but it's iffy. Summoned creatures' meat was "not for edible conversion," right? Whether milk counts as a harvestable product like the wool.”

“Based on what we've seen so far, Shōko-chan's perception is key, yeah?”

“Right. Let's ask her when she gets back.”

“Yeah, let's do that.”

And right on cue, Shōko arrived.

“Fuu~. Minorin says she can handle the rest on her own. Sosuke, can you clean Minorin's clothes?”

Shōko placed the changing basket near me.

“Ooh, good work. By the way, Shōko—can we get milk?”

While storing Minori's clothes, I asked her, trying to keep my excitement in check.

Shōko froze for a moment, then her face turned red.

“Hah!? What!? Sexual harassment!?”

And she crossed her arms over her ample chest as if to shield it.

“Ahaha, Sosuke-kun . . .”

“Poor choice of words.”

Shion gave a wry smile, while Chiyu calmly pointed it out.

“Ah, no, that's not it! Sorry! We were just talking about whether we could get milk from the sheep . . . !”

I ended up hurriedly explaining myself.

It was a good thing Minori was still at the bathhouse. If she'd been here, she'd have yelled “Indecent! ” for sure.

Shion's hot pot received rave reviews from everyone.

Before we were transferred here, I might have found the flavor a bit bland, but after just one day of life on this uninhabited island, the simple gratitude for a proper meal seeped deep into my bones.

After all, our staple foods up until this morning had been nothing but mushrooms and nuts.

The portions that had been prepared were neatly tucked away into everyone's stomachs without a scrap left behind.

"Delicious~"

Shōko patted her belly with a look of utter satisfaction.

"Thank you for the meal. The bath, the delicious food—truly, thank you so much."

Minori offered her thanks with the utmost politeness.

Her uniform had been cleaned spotless, and her skin and hair had regained their natural luster.

She seemed satisfied with the meal as well, though her eyelids looked a touch heavy.

"Shijo-san, why don't you get a little rest?"

"Oh, no. It's the precious daylight hours; I should be out gathering or doing whatever I can. I need to repay the favor at least a little."

"But from the looks of it, you probably didn't get a proper night's sleep yesterday, right? Luckily, we're not short on food for today or tomorrow. Take it easy now, and save the hard work for when you're feeling recharged."

The other three nodded in agreement as well.

". . . Really, thank you. In that case, if you insist, I suppose I'll accept your kind offer."

"Then rest in the cabin."

I deployed the cabin, which I'd stowed away, back to its usual spot.

". . .!? B-Buildings fall under the "Crafting Ability" too? Well, a cabin is something a person could make on their own, sure. But if that's the case, then log houses and such . . . Uun."

As Minori stood there visibly flustered, I stepped inside the cabin and deployed the rug, then pulled out a blanket from nearby and handed it to her.

"Take off your shoes inside the cabin. And here's the blanket."

"Amazing, it's so fluffy . . . . From the rug to everything else, thank you so much."

"No problem."

"Kudō-kun, you're incredible. You didn't go for some simplistic ideal; instead, you chose an ability that resolves at a stroke the bottlenecks in an uninhabited island setting—like the 'shortage of tools,' the 'shortage of skills,' and 'time allocation.'"

For some reason, Minori was directing a gaze of pure admiration toward me . . . .

"Ah, ahaha . . ."

All I could manage was an awkward, bitter laugh.

The truth is, this ability is just what I wanted from playing games . . . . It's super useful, sure, but I picked it for the most straightforward, idealistic reasons. —There was no way I could say something like that in this atmosphere.

"I'll cherish it and use it with care, as thanks."

"Ah, sleep well."

"Yes . . . G-Good night."

With a bashful tone, Minori slipped inside the cabin.

"What about us? We can't just leave Minorin all alone."

At Shōko's words, I nodded.

"Like earlier, let's split into two groups again. Exploration and guard duty. For the sake of our combat balance, sorry, but I'd like Shōko and Mashiro on exploration."

"Okay, okay!"

Mashiro handles our firepower, but as a phantom beast summoned by Shōko, he's her familiar.

He seems to like the rest of us allies well enough, but for snap commands and such, it'd be better with Shōko there.

"Then I'll join exploration too."

"Chiyu, you sure?"

"Leave it to me. To re-secure my hold on Sō-kun's stomach, I'll capture us some chickens."

For some reason, my childhood friend was fired up. It seemed seeing Shion's cooking skills had sparked a competitive streak in her.

"If you don't find any, just call it quits at a reasonable spot, got it?"

"Roger that."

"Then it'll be me and Sosuke-kun on guard duty."

"Yeah, Shijo-san probably wouldn't feel at ease left alone with a guy, so can I count on you?"

"Of course."

Shion smiled brightly, and with that, the groups were set. Before they headed out, I had Shōko summon a sheep as a precaution.

"It's sheep milk, right? No problem."

Right—apparently, we could milk it without issue.

"Sō-kun, could you make cheese?"

"Cheese? Can you make it just from milk?"

"I think you need rennet."

"Ah, yeah, I've heard of that. Isn't it from a cow's stomach?"

"Cow capture, understood."

"Hey, don't push yourself too hard."

Her enthusiasm was great, but it was only day two. No need to overextend and chase after everything at once.

For the time being, I handed the two of them gathering baskets for foraging.

"Ooh, nice. Alright, Chiyu-cchi—which of us can gather the most? Wanna make it a contest?"

"You're on."

While Shōko was calling Mashiro over, Chiyu approached me.

Then, standing on tiptoe to close the height difference between us in an instant, she leaned in and pressed her lips to mine with a soft chu.

"Ch-Chiyu?"

"Sō-kun. In this situation, a harem has its merits."

The fact that she was saying it in this very moment meant . . . .

". . . You're not against it, Chiyu?"

"No issue. Just make sure I'm the one by your side in the end."

Wh-What a gallant response . . . .

"Besides, it's not so bad when the charm of the person I like spreads to others too."

With those parting words, Chiyu left the base alongside Shōko.

Left behind were Minori sleeping in the cabin, the sheep, and me and Shion.

"Ah . . . W-Well, for now, shall we start with the milking?"

"Yeah."

To gloss over the awkwardness, I deployed a wooden bucket and the two of us divided the work to try our hand at milking.

We struggled at first, but once we grasped the knack, the milk began to spurt out vigorously.

"Kyaa. Wow, it comes out with such force . . ."

Hearing just Shion's voice like that made indecent delusions start to flood my mind, but I shook them off somehow.

"Hey, Sosuke-kun. Could you listen to me for a bit?"

"Ah, of course."

There's no need to milk in silence, after all.

"What was your impression of me in class?"

"What . . . ? You seemed familiar with everyone, like a popular girl."

"Ahaha, thank you. If that's how it looked, I'm glad. But to keep it that way, I couldn't let my guard down for a single day. I'd constantly check the chat apps, researching or watching stuff even if I had no interest, just to keep up with the latest topics. I'd memorize what friends said so I wouldn't forget, making sure I could chime in appropriately."

Back in elementary school, I didn't have to try that hard—friends and I would just naturally bond over shared hobbies.

Special effects shows, popular comics or anime, hit video games—if I kept tabs on things I was into myself, we'd get all fired up talking about them.

But once middle and high school hit, interests started splintering in every direction. Even with something like favorite artists, the variety exploded.

Finding a friend with an exact match in hobbies got trickier and trickier.

You can still make friends that way, I think, but it's undeniable things get more complicated than in those simpler childhood days.

"A sloppy appearance would tank my image, but overdoing the effort could come off as try-hard and turn people off, so I'd hunt for that perfect balance. Even then, I couldn't nail it flawlessly every time. Turning down a confession from a boy could make me hated by the girl who actually liked him. But I couldn't just accept it either, so it always felt suffocating."

Boys have their own merits and annoyances. Girls probably do too.

Chiyu, back in middle school, drew jealousy with her cuteness and cool demeanor, getting targeted by some girls. She didn't seem to mind, but I could tell jumping in to intervene would only complicate things further, so I held back and felt frustrated for not being able to do anything.

"So when I got close to Shōko-chan after landing in the same class, I was surprised. She's so straightforward, no two-faced nonsense, so I didn't have to overthink things."

"Ah. Yeah, there are those types where what they say doesn't match what's really going on inside."

"Right. That's why I wanted the "Lie-Detecting Ability." Even on this uninhabited island, I figured we'd still be stuck in that 'class' framework. At the very least, I wanted something to help me navigate it smoothly."

It's not like having few friends or not being at the top of the class caste system means you can't have a fun life.

But plenty of people do fret over that stuff, and I could understand her feelings.

Shion had her own backstory that led her to fixate on "getting along well."

"Couldn't you have picked an ability to survive on your own?"

"Ahaha, you're strong, Sosuke-kun. But wouldn't being alone get lonely?"

"Yeah, maybe."

I had Chiyu with me from the start. That's why I could push through without needless fretting or breaking down mentally. But for those who got flung here solo, the anxiety and loneliness must have hit hard.

"And I didn't want an ability that'd be useful to the group. Because it would definitely lead to bad things."

Treated like a handyman, or taken for granted that you'd use it on demand, huh.

If you have the power to heal people easily, they'd say "go heal every little scratch with your all" no matter how minor.

If you can make things useful for daily life, they'd demand you whip up this, that, and the other.

If you can command phantom beasts, they'd order you to send them out hunting.

We're operating on a spirit of mutual aid right now, but that healthy balance is fragile and could shatter anytime. Probably, once we reunite with the whole class, the comfortable vibe we have now would vanish.

Our current allies appreciate my ability, and in turn, I'm grateful to them too.

But there are bound to be those who don't feel that way, and some who'd treat us like tools.

Maybe Shion chose her ability out of fear of that.

Well, her calculations went awry since we all ended up scattered separately.

"So yeah, Sosuke-kun—I really do think you're amazing."

"Back then, I was only thinking about myself."

I just didn't read the room, figuring it was all a dream.

"But you grabbed Chiyu-chan's hand on instinct and transferred together. It wasn't just helping out your childhood friend—you took in Shōko-chan and me too. And Shijo-san as well."

"Maybe I'm just putting on a good face because everyone's a beautiful girl."

"Liar. Bad, Sosuke-kun—lies don't work on me."

"Right, yeah."

"And Sosuke-kun, there was no lie in your kindness. Well, except for jokes like just now."

"What's this about? You're making me embarrassed."

"You might be a bit of a perv, Sosuke-kun, but when you direct kindness toward people, there's no ulterior motive behind it. I think that's just who you are."

I got the gist of what she was trying to say.

When someone drops their bag, it's not uncommon for a guy to pick it up if it's a class beauty—but ignore it if it's some other girl.

It's not pure kindness; it's kindness staged after the lechery.

"That's not me being amazing—it's just how my parents raised me."

It's as basic as helping someone in front of you who's in trouble.

"Then both your kind parents and you, Sosuke-kun, for sticking to their teachings so faithfully—they're both wonderful."

What was this atmosphere? It felt strangely ticklish and embarrassing.

"Uh, um. The milking looks about done. I'll "Itemize" it for now. Ah, wanna sneak a taste first, just us? Keep it from the others?"

I stored away my share and the milk Shion had squeezed, trying to shift the mood . . . .

"Nuh-uh, that can wait."

Shion stood up and approached, taking my hand in hers.

"Sh-Shion?"

"The bath area's still set up, so how about we head to the privacy screen?"

Led by the hand, I followed her to the bath area.

"What's up? If you're getting in the bath, I can heat the water . . ."

"Fufu. See, Sosuke-kun—after hearing me out, I think you get it. I want to fit in well with this group too. A space full of good people who don't tell hurtful lies. But to 'fit in well,' I have to feel like I belong here myself."

". . . If it's about the difference in our abilities, you don't need to worry. There'll be times ahead when we rely on yours."

"Yeah. But right now, I think my contributions are falling short. At this rate, I'm taking way more than I'm giving. So I need to pay it back."

Shion drew closer to me, wrapping her arms around my back.

"You got permission from Chiyu-chan, right? It's fine—us girls already talked it over."

So Chiyu's comment from earlier was anticipating this very development.

Shion looked up at me with moist, glistening eyes.

"I want to be useful to you, Sosuke-kun."

My heart was pounding bakubaku.

"Hey, Sosuke-kun. Am I . . . no good?"

"N-No, that's not it at all, but—"

"But?"

"Sh-Shion, are you really okay with this?"

At my words, Shion's eyes curved softly, and she smiled with a seductive allure.

"If it's you, Sosuke-kun, then yes."

Permission from my childhood friend, the other party eager for it, and me finding her appealing too.

With conditions this aligned, turning her down now would be the rude choice.

"Then . . . please."

"Okay~"

Shion knelt down just like that, unfastening my uniform belt and sliding my pants down.

"Whoa . . . it's already swollen up. Were you looking forward to this?"

As Shion said that, her hand reached for my underwear and tugged it down with a kui.

My thing sprang free, boron, exposed to the air.

"Th-This is what it looks like, huh . . . First time seeing one . . ."

Shion murmured softly, staring intently at it.

"Shion?"

"Y-Yeah. It's fine. Um, alright then—I'll start."

Her slender fingertips coiled around it, starting from the pinky and working up. Just that alone made me twitch and shudder.

"Um, sorry if I'm bad at this? I've heard friends' stories about their experiences, and I looked some stuff up to follow along, but I've never had a boyfriend or anything . . ."

"I-It's fine . . . More than that, Shion—"

From here on, any teasing would be unbearable, and an urgent tone slipped into my voice.

"Ah, right. I'll get moving then."

Shu . . . shu . . . shu . . . shu, Shion's hand moved in steady, rhythmic strokes.

"Gu, uu . . ."

"Sorry, did it hurt?"

"No, it's not that . . ."

Shion's expression turned anxious as she peered up at my face, and then, upon confirming it, her smile returned.

It carried a hint of mischievousness somewhere in its curve.

"Then . . . does it feel good?"

"Y-Yeah."

"I see. Is the pressure like this okay? Stronger? Or lighter?"

Remembering that lies wouldn't get past her, I decided to answer her questions with complete honesty.

"St-Stronger."

The hand that had been merely brushing against me now shifted to a grip that stroked and pumped with purpose.

"What about the speed? Like this? Faster? Slower?"

"F-Faster, please . . ."

Shu-shu, shu-shu, Shion's hand glided back and forth.

"Is this how? Does this feel the best?"

I couldn't even form words, managing only a frantic nod, koku-koku.

The situation—her smiling as she accommodated every single one of my requests from start to finish—stirred an unbelievable surge of excitement within me.

"I see. I'm glad. Then I'll remember this motion, okay?"

Shion had mentioned how, to smooth out her school life, she made a point of not forgetting her friends' stories.

For someone like her, committing my preferred movements to memory might be a simple matter.

But the thought that such information was now being etched into her mind made my blood run hot like an idiot's.

Her hand continued its motion without pause.

"I want to make sure Sosuke-kun can relax and enjoy this fully, so let me say it clearly."

Shu-shu, shu-shu, shu-shu, shu-shu.

Beyond that, there was Shion's beautiful face. With every word she spoke, her breath puffed warmly against my shaft.

"This is something I'm doing because I want to."

The pleasure was so intense it nearly lifted my hips; I gritted my teeth against it. Each time her hand pumped up and down, her black hair swayed gently, and her ample breasts jiggled with a soft, rhythmic yussa-yussa, as if sounding out their presence.

"As I said earlier, this is necessary for me to feel like 'I belong here too' in this group . . . but that's not the only reason."

It had been the same with Chiyu, but this was an entirely different experience from doing it myself, even if the act was the same.

It wasn't just the pleasure derived from the stroking itself; the sheer unreality of the reality—that Shion was doing this for me—amplified the ecstasy several times over. A stunning beauty whom every boy in our year couldn't help but gaze at in admiration, a girl I'd thought had no connection to someone like me, was now living alongside me.

She was down on her knees before me, earnestly working her hand.

"It's because I finally met a boy who I could think was truly wonderful."

"Sh-Shion . . ."

"I figured that once I got this ability, I'd be able to navigate things much better than before—but at the cost of trusting people even less. I'd start seeing through the lies hidden in the 'cute' compliments girls exchange with each other, and the boys' kindness or thoughtfulness would reveal itself as impure more clearly than ever. I thought it would probably be painful."

As she spoke, Shion deftly unbuttoned her uniform with just her left hand.

Exposing the violently voluptuous twin peaks and the black bra beneath.

"You're kind, Sosuke-kun, but you must have the usual desires too, right? Let me help you vent them."

Her upward gaze and the devastating view of her cleavage from above pushed me perilously close to the edge.

"Shion . . ."

"It's okay, Sosuke-kun. Where do you want to let it out?"

Shion looked up at me as if gauging my response.

While her right hand continued its shu-shu strokes, her left hand pointed toward her own body in turn.

"My face?" My eyes were drawn to her pure, innocent features.

"My mouth?" Those peach-colored lips quivered softly.

"Or maybe . . . my breasts?" Understanding the reason she'd opened her blouse, I let out a guttural "Gu . . ."

I had nearly lost control right then and there.

"Fufu, I can tell from your reaction. It's my breasts, isn't it? If you've had a cute, big-breasted childhood friend like Chiyu-chan right by your side all this time, it's no wonder you'd turn into a breast enthusiast."

"Whoa, it's bad—I'm already . . . !"

"Come on, Sosuke-kun. Let out all that pent-up, bubbling stuff—go ahead and squirt it all."

When you step on a hose while spraying water and then release it, the stream erupts with ferocious force.

My white, turbid fluid burst forth in exactly the same manner, with overwhelming momentum.

"Whoa, whoa . . . amazing . . . so hot . . . . Yeah, it's fine—make sure you get every last bit out. Byu~, byu~, byu."

With a gentle voice like one soothing a child, Shion moved her hand tenderly, as if coaxing out the very last drop.

Even after it was all spent, she caught the dangling droplets from the tip with her hand and chest.

"Fufu . . . my black underwear's all stained pure white now."

I exhaled ragged breaths, somehow managing to murmur, "Sorry."

Shion's breasts were coated in a sticky mess, and a milky white lake had formed in the valley between them.

It must have felt utterly disgusting.

"Why? If you felt that good so much of it, I'm happy. It'll get clean if you put it in the "Inventory," so don't worry about it. My breasts can just be wiped off."

When I looked at Shion's face, far from anger, it held a faint sense of accomplishment.

"Sosuke-kun, you had this much backed up inside. I heard that when boys get all worked up, they just think about releasing it. And you kept all that in while still acting like such a gentleman the whole time. That's some incredible self-control—and you're really kind."

"You're overselling it."

After all, I'd gone along with the invitation in the end.

"What do you think? Hey, Sosuke-kun—could you lend me a towel?"

"Ah, y-yeah, of course."

I pulled a towel from the "Inventory" and handed it to her.

I'd assumed she wanted to wipe off her soiled breasts . . . .

But instead, she began carefully cleaning my shaft with it.

"Good work, Sosuke-kun. Thank you for letting yourself feel good."

Was she just being her natural self, or were these words born from the satisfaction of finally being useful?

Either way, having her say something like that with a smile made it impossible not to feel my heart race.

"Huh? Ah, w-wait, Sosuke-kun. Don't boys' things . . . go down after they finish once . . . ?"

Before I knew it, upon noticing that mine was pointing skyward once more, Shion's eyes widened in surprise.

Then, her expression shifted back to one of seductive allure as she looked up at me again.

"Hey, Sosuke-kun. I still don't feel like I've repaid what you've given me enough, so if I get the chance, I'd love to do more . . . Is that okay?"

For a moment, I glanced over the wooden privacy screen toward the cabin.

"It's fine—even I would notice if the door opened."

Still using the towel, she rubbed slowly, kosu-kosu, upward while whispering.

"Shion . . ."

"Yes?"

With her cheeks flushed a deep crimson, Shion tilted her head, her voice sweet and coaxing.

"C-Can I ask for . . . one more time?"

The instant I made my honest request, a flower of satisfied, joyful laughter bloomed on her face.

"Fufufu, of course. If anything, I'd like to ask you myself. Sosuke-kun, let me serve you again?"

She set the towel on her knee and once more enveloped my member with her pale, white hand.

"Where do you want to let it out this time? . . . Knowing you, Sosuke-kun, probably my breasts again."

"Ugh."

And so, for a while after that.

Beneath the blue sky, in this outdoor space enclosed only by the privacy screens, the sound of shu-shu—something being stroked—continued to echo.

◇

Thanks to Shion handling it for me multiple times, my hips felt remarkably lighter.

Even now, once I'd calmed down afterward, I couldn't help but think I'd done something utterly outrageous. Just the day after confirming my feelings with my decade-long childhood friend, I'd received a handjob from one of the school's most popular girls.

And this was with the childhood friend's full approval—what kind of self-serving paradise was this? It was almost frightening.

Well, as we'd discussed before, if I only deepened things with Chiyu alone, it might breed discord, so I could at least understand her point about the harem on a surface level.

I was lost in such thoughts while standing in front of the wooden workbench for crafting.

Shion had decided to take a bath, given how terribly soiled she'd become.

Of course, including the bra I'd dirtied, all her clothes had been stored and redeployed from the "Inventory," leaving them pristine once more.

Amid my still-fuzzy thoughts, I set about creating something.

Lotion and emulsion.

Apparently, all you needed was water, oil, glycerin, and an emulsifier, and as Chiyu had suggested, both the glycerin and emulsifier could be derived from fats and oils . . . .

". . . Is it an issue of visualization? The recipes just won't unlock . . ."

It felt like for things like "Knife" or "Blanket"—items that proved helpful in survival living—the recipes tended to unlock once the materials were gathered.

The "Stove" had been unlocked through visualization . . . but maybe in a survival context, a bonfire sufficed.

It seemed that items delving into "better living" were harder to unlock without the accompanying mental image.

"Kudō-kun?"

The sound of the door creaking open was followed by Minori peeking her face out and spotting me.

"Ah, Shijo-san. Feeling better already?"

It was still only just past noon or so.

"Yes, well, yesterday I did manage to find a large hollow in a tree and got a bit of sleep there."

Her adaptability was impressive as always, but I doubted she could have truly relaxed in such a spot.

It was easy to imagine how abysmal her sleep efficiency must have been.

"I see. You could've slept longer if you wanted. Shōko and Chiyu haven't come back from exploring yet, Shion's in the bath, and there's not much to do anyway."

"Ah, so that's why I didn't see anyone around."

"In exchange, we've got the sheep, though."

"Th-That's true . . . . Is this the 'meat' that was added in last night's dream?"

"No, it's a sheep that Shōko summoned with her 'Fluffy Summoning Ability.' Under the ability's rules, we can't eat its meat."

Since I couldn't get the emulsion to work out and Shion was in the bath leaving me at loose ends, I'd gone ahead and sheared its wool, which made the sheep look a full size smaller now.

"I see . . . . Ah, wait—the wool for the rug and blanket, don't tell me . . . ?"

"Yep, yep. We can harvest the wool, it seems. And we got milk from it too."

"Kanna-san's ability is quite versatile and useful, isn't it?"

"Yours too, Shijo-san. It's not limited to one element—you can use all four attributes."

"R-Right. Thank you . . . I'll work hard to make sure I can hit my targets."

She'd been missing during that chase from the wild boar, after all.

I understood how hard it was to stay composed when a beast was pursuing you, so it couldn't be helped.

At that point, our conversation trailed off for a moment.

". . . Ah, if you'd like, have a seat?"

I deployed a log stool opposite me, and with a "Yes, then," Minori took a seat.

"Were you trying to craft something, Kudō-kun?"

"Yeah, but you could tell?"

"You had that thinking face on."

"Actually, I was trying to make lotion and emulsion."

At those words, Minori twitched visibly in reaction.

"C-Cosmetics too? You can make those?"

"I think so, but for some reason, it's not working out."

I explained the situation to Minori.

"Ah, I see. So if the materials or the visualization is lacking, the recipe won't unlock."

"Exactly."

"Then, shall we start by filling in the visualization part? Lotion, as the name suggests, is primarily about providing moisture with water. And emulsion, simply put, is for moisturizing. Even boys use lip balm sometimes, right?"

"I do in winter. It hurts when my lips crack and dry out."

"That's just petroleum jelly, but it doesn't actually contain moisturizing ingredients itself—it creates a film of oil to prevent the skin's moisture from evaporating."

"Hmm, hmm. It's like how the oil film on ramen soup keeps the heat from escaping easily."

Thinking back on it made me suddenly crave ramen.

"Fufu, yes. Visualizing it by relating to something familiar makes it easier to remember, doesn't it?"

"So the oil in emulsion is for the film, and the water is for the moisture."

"Right. But water and oil don't mix, do they? The emulsifier allows them to coexist and turns it into a cream-like consistency that's easy to apply."

"Heh~. And that can be made from fats and oils?"

"Yes. Since it contains glycerin fatty acid esters, you should be able to make it, Kudō-kun. Breaking that down produces the glycerin."

"Hmm, hmm."

So Chiyu's explanation that both could be made from fats and oils had been spot on.

"For the oil part in the water-and-oil mix—how about using lanolin?"

"La-Lanolin?"

"Lanolin is secreted from sheep's sebaceous glands and apparently sticks to the wool when it's sheared. I've heard it's sometimes used in making emulsions."

"You know a lot about this, Shijo."

"These are things you put on your own skin, so don't you look up the ingredient lists sometimes?"

". . . When we get back to Earth, I think I will."

Uun . . . . As expected of such an earnest girl.

At any rate, lanolin, lanolin . . . .

Ah, there it was. Listed as "Sheep Wax (Lanolin)." . . . Had this been here yesterday?

Perhaps the "Inventory" doesn't display everything I've obtained, but only the items within my current understanding?

If that's the case, then not getting "Nigari" from seawater on the first day was due to my lack of visualization?

If I'd thought more deeply about nigari's components afterward, would it have appeared?

No, it's not too late even now. I'll set that aside for later verification.

"Kudō-kun? I'm sorry—did I come off as sounding high-and-mighty? If I made you uncomfortable, I apologize."

"Huh? Ah, no, it's fine—I was just checking the stored items in the "Inventory" to find the lanolin."

At my words, Minori's face relaxed in relief.

"I-I'm glad."

"First off, you're the one helping me out here, so there's no reason I'd get mad."

"Well, um . . . I seem to have a poor way of expressing things, so even when I mean to be helpful, people end up getting angry, saying things like 'Don't preach at me' or 'You're looking down on me' . . ."

"Hmm. Wording is important, sure, but I think that's probably just sore losers lashing out because they can't argue back against you."

"You think so?"

"At the very least, it's helping me, so keep teaching me plenty more."

At my words, Minori's face brightened ever so slightly.

"Y-Yes, leave it to me!"

After that, she went on about things like emulsions and something-or-other about emulsifiers, imparting a wealth of knowledge to me.

I sort of got it and sort of didn't, but in essence, emulsion seemed to be something akin to mayonnaise.

Distant, feminine cosmetics suddenly felt far more approachable.

After exchanging words with Minori for a while longer.

"Oh! We did it, Shijo-san! Both recipes unlocked!"

"Really!? Amazing—we did it, Kudō-kun!"

For Minori, it was rare to see her clapping her hands in delight.

As expected, being a girl, she seemed concerned about skin moisturizing too.

The lotion could be made with "Purified Water" and "Glycerin." The emulsion with "Purified Water," "Sheep Wax (Lanolin)," and "Emulsifier." I went ahead and generated them right away.

Figuring we'd need portions for all the girls, I created small, cylindrical containers.

Just like with the canteen, the "Crafting Ability" made it easy to add grooves and fitting lids.

I placed the lotion and emulsion-filled containers on the table.

Seeing them, Minori trembled purupuru as she looked at me.

"C-Can I touch them?"

"Yeah. Or rather, that's your share, Shijo-san."

". . . Is it okay? I've only been receiving things today and haven't repaid anything yet."

"No, no—did you forget our conversation just now? This is a joint creation of ours, isn't it?"

At my words, Minori cradled the container carefully and smiled.

"Thank you, Kudō-kun. I'll treasure it and use it well."

"Use as much as you need. Now that the recipes are unlocked, I can make tons more."

Minori's eyes widened for an instant at my words, then she let out a soft fuu and smiled.

"Fufu, now I understand why the girls here trust you so much."

"Because I make convenient things?"

"No. Because you show consideration so we don't feel burdened."

Smiling at me with such gentle warmth, Minori possessed a beauty distinct from her usual resolute demeanor.

I found myself utterly entranced. Minori, too, was gazing steadily at me.

"Sosuke-kuuun. Sorry, could you redeploy the towel for me~?"

Shion's voice called from the bath area, and we both averted our eyes simultaneously.

"G-Go ahead, Kudō-kun."

"Y-Yeah. Oh, and Shijo-san—if you'd like, why not try it out now? It's right after waking up, so you could wash your face while you're at it."

"Yes, you're right. After sleeping . . . right."

In that instant, Minori covered the area around her eyes with one hand.

"H-How embarrassing . . . ! To think I was talking to Kudō-kun with my sloppy, just-woken-up face!"

I hadn't minded at all, but for things like this, it was all about how she felt herself.

Even so, I made sure to convey, "I didn't think it was sloppy at all."

"W-Well then, if it's alright, I'll go ahead and use it . . . !"

With a wry smile, I slowly followed after Minori as she dashed off.

"Kyaa—wha, Shijo-san!?"

Shion let out a shriek at Minori bursting into the bath area.

"I'm sorry. Mind if I borrow the bucket and hot water? I want to wash my face and try out the lotion and emulsion Kudō-kun gave me."

"Eh!? You already made them!?"

Shion sounded shocked. The distance, plus the privacy screen, must have kept her from hearing our conversation.

"Ah, there's some for you too, Shion—so I'll put it in the basket with your change of clothes."

While drying the towel via storage and redeployment, I placed the basket right by the screen.

And that's when Shōko and Chiyu returned as well.

"Big haul, big haul! The baskets are full, so we came back for now~"

"No chickens . . . Here's hoping for future updates."

"Welcome back. I just finished making the lotion and emulsion right on time."

"—!?" "—Wha—"

In that instant, the two of them leaped down from Mashiro with graceful precision, landing elegantly before dashing right up to me.

Their movements were astonishingly swift and agile.

"Show us, show us!"

"I figured Sō-kun would come through."

I handed portions over to the two of them as well, and without a moment's delay, they pushed aside the privacy screen and hurried into the bath area.

"Yay~! Thanks, Sosuke—I love you!"

"As thanks, I'll show you my smooth, supple childhood friend skin."

"Kyaa. Oh, come on, you two already . . . !"

From there, the lively, chattering voices of the four girls echoed out.

"If it's that great, I'm glad I made it."

If they were this happy with it, then it was worth the effort.

I approached the baskets the two returning girls had left behind and recovered them into the "Inventory."

"Good work, Mashiro."

While petting Mashiro, who had nuzzled his head toward me, I began checking over the items the two had gathered.

In addition to the mushrooms and nuts, there were all sorts of different plants as well.

Not only ones that seemed promising for extracting oil, but also things that could serve as spices, and even wild mountain vegetables.

We had also acquired some sturdy vines for the first time.

And then, the biggest discovery of all—one item: "Hemp."

"Oh!"

This was the stuff that becomes linen, right?

It's a plant fiber, which means with the "Crafting Ability," I could generate fabric!

The quantity wasn't all that abundant, it seemed; after generating just one hand towel's worth, I'd used up almost all of my stock.

I pulled it out to take a look.

A smooth, silky white fabric. It evoked the hand towels you could buy at a hot spring inn.

Up until now, my old undershirt had been serving as our towel, subjected to heavy use, with storage and redeployment in the "Inventory" allowing us all to share it. But if I could produce more towels themselves, then that was obviously the better option.

If I had a much larger amount, I could even make clothes.

While storage and redeployment from the "Inventory" was convenient, it didn't repair any wear and tear.

If the fabric got scorched or something, that part wouldn't get fixed.

Hm? If I just broke it down once and then regenerated it, would that do the trick?

I'd lose the scorched portion, but it should be possible.

Come to think of it, she'd mentioned how her uniform size was on the larger side because of her bust, leading to sleeves and hems that were too long, so if I broke down and regenerated the women's Y-shirts, wouldn't that not only yield just the right size but also provide me with more fabric? I might even be able to make an extra Y-shirt as a spare for emergencies.

At any rate, towel complete.

"Hey, everyone. Try using this to wipe your faces."

I called out as I approached the bath area.

"Amazing, amazing~! It's really lotion and emulsion! As expected of Sosuke—what is this, the umpteenth time!?"

"I was worried not just about the dryness after washing my face, but also how the bonfire makes my skin dry out, but with this, I can relax! I seriously can't leave Sosuke-kun's side anymore."

"Sorry that my childhood friend is so thoughtful."

". . . Kudō-kun put a lot of effort into thinking it through and making it. He was so serious about it, like it was for himself."

For some reason, even in my absence, a chorus of praise was breaking out over there.

There was the fun of being able to craft things, of course, but it didn't feel bad to be showered with compliments like this.

"Hey~. From what Shōko and Chiyu gathered, I was able to make towels~."

With that, I raised my voice a bit louder and draped them over the top of the privacy screen.

"Huh, for real? Chiyu-cchi, did we even pick stuff like that?"

"No idea. I just gathered whatever randomly, figuring Sō-kun could judge what was useful."

In that case, the gathering spots would be . . . no, I could rely on Mashiro's sense of smell to track them down.

"That's the stuff~"

"At any rate, we'll gratefully make use of them."

It seemed Chiyu had collected the towels.

A short while later, the women emerged from the bath area.

Upon closer inspection, sure enough, everyone's skin seemed to have a certain moist glow to it . . . ? Plus, from Shion fresh out of the bath, there was this faint impression of steam rising gently, and combined with her flushed cheeks, it made her look so alluring it was troubling.

"Sō-kun, thank you. You can look forward to my thanks."

"If there's anything else we need from what we gathered, just say the word! We'll go fetch more!"

"Ah, if it's ingredients, I'd love it if you could teach me too. They might come in handy for dinner or something."

"If you're heading out for another round of exploration, I'll help as well. Anything you need, just tell me."

My companions, even though I possessed this convenient cheat-like ability, never became overly reliant on it; they were always considering what they themselves could do, and they made sure to express their gratitude.

And in turn, I could express my thanks to them for the strengths and merits they possessed that I lacked, and at times, rely on them as well.

Even if our group grew larger from here, I hoped that anyone who joined would be able to build that kind of relationship.

With such thoughts in mind, I turned my attention to planning the afternoon's schedule.

◇

Satisfied with the moisturizing effects provided by the lotion and emulsion, I took my seat once more alongside the four of them.

We gathered around a generously sized wooden table, encircled by wooden chairs.

For the time being, I laid out all the items marked as "Edible."

"This is... akebia fruit, perhaps?"

Minori Shijo picked up a purple fruit that resembled a plump sweet potato in shape.

"It looks like it."

According to the [Inventory], that was precisely what it was, so I nodded in agreement. It didn't quite register with me personally, but Shion Yomi'umi reacted to it.

"Akebia? I think it's sweet, right?"

The word "sweet" caused Shōko Kanna and Chiyu Iyama's eyes to light up as well.

"Yes, indeed. It appears to be fully ripened, but if I recall correctly, it's an autumn fruit..."

The Japan we had come from was in the season of spring. Well, there was no point in dwelling on such details at this late juncture...

"Hey, that's fine, that's fine. Let's eat it?"

"Alright, then I'll cut it up."

A line ran across the surface of the fruit, and Shion traced it with a stone knife before dividing it among everyone. She sliced the fruit in half and used the rind as an impromptu plate for eating.

"It's like a jelly with little grains inside?"

I had also distributed wooden spoons to everyone, and Chiyu scooped up some of the pulp with hers.

"Ah, everyone, be careful—the seeds seem to be bitter."

According to what Minori had said, the rind could be used like the fleshy part of a green bell pepper for stuffing, and oil suitable for consumption could be extracted from the seeds. Shion showed interest in those details, but for now, we all took a bite.

"Ooh, it's sweet."

"It's so melty!"

"The aftertaste is refreshingly crisp."

"I'd been missing fruits and sweets, so I'm thrilled we can enjoy something sweet even on this island."

"Yes... it has a calming effect..."

It seemed to be well-received by everyone.

"Sosuke-kun, what about this one?"

Shion picked up a small, red fruit.

"It seems to be 'sansho' pepper."

"Sansho!? That's amazing—it's a spice."

"With Kudo-kun's ability, it looks like we could process the rind into powdered sansho."

My impression was of the kind that goes into shichimi togarashi, but if that was the case, it would prove immensely useful for varying flavors. It wasn't a pressing concern yet, since we were only on the second day, but meals tended to revolve around a single taste—salt if it was salt, dashi if it was dashi—so being able to introduce some variety in that regard was a welcome development.

From there, we exchanged various remarks as we polished off the akebia.

Having heard earlier that the rind and seeds could be put to use, I stored them in the [Inventory].

"It's a bit late to mention this, but honestly, storing seeds that we've taken out of our mouths feels kind of weird."

Shōko's face carried a faint flush of red.

"You're really bringing it up now? For that matter, we've already handed Sō-kun our freshly removed, still-warm underwear."

"Gyaah! Chiyu-cchi, saying it like that just makes me even more aware of it...!"

"Um, Iyama-san. Kudo-kun is deliberately using his ability to keep our clothing clean, so attaching any sexual connotations to that is not appropriate."

"Ahaha, it's fine, Shijo-san. For Chiyu-chan and Sosuke-kun, it's just like playful banter."

It always gave me a slight jolt, but Chiyu's off-color remarks had indeed become something I was accustomed to.

"I-Is that the issue at hand...? No, as the saying goes, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. I must adjust my mindset, recognizing that this is different from school. So, then, if I actively employ lewd expressions myself, that would help me fit in? B-But something like that...!"

"Shijo-san, you tend to overthink things in all sorts of ways."

I let out a wry chuckle.

"It's good to be so studious. In that case, allow me to shed a layer and impart some lewd expressions tailored to Sō-kun's tastes."

"...! U-Understood. I look forward to your guidance, Iyama-san."

Minori swallowed hard, steeling her resolve.

"No, no, no—what on earth are you two getting into?"

That said, I'd had a faint inkling of it, but Chiyu, you spilled the beans about my sexual preferences to Shion...?

I'd been under the impression that, throughout our exchanges—and especially toward the end—she kept using words that hit me particularly hard.

...Well, I couldn't exactly bring myself to be angry about that.

"Sosuke, before you know it, you're Mr. Popular..."

Shōko smiled, though a hint of loneliness tinged her expression.

"Sosuke-kun, are you planning to head out for exploration again this afternoon? I'd be fine with staying behind once more—I'd like to think about planning tonight's dinner."

"Ah, of course. Meals are a truly vital element, so I'd actually appreciate your help."

"Mm, leave it to me."

Shion accepted the task with evident delight.

"In that case, it looks like it'll be Chiyu-cchi and me out exploring again?"

Thanks to Mashiro's mobility, we could cover a wide area during our searches, which was a huge advantage.

Among the items we'd gathered this time, there were quite a few that we hadn't encountered the previous day.

"I'll gather more akebia. Oh, and Sō-kun, about those towels from earlier."

"Right, right—'flax.' I'll pull out the leftovers, so do you think you could have Mashiro sniff out where it's growing?"

I directed the latter half of my statement toward Shōko.

"You bet—it's a sure thing! Mashiro's nose is incredible."

"I'm really grateful for that."

"Heh heh heh."

He'd even helped us locate the wild boar.

Linen cloth made from "flax" could be used not only for towels but also for clothing and bedsheets.

It was a smooth, lightweight fabric typically employed for summer garments, so we could probably alternate between linen outfits during the warmer daytime hours and woolen ones when it grew chilly.

"I picked up a bunch of things too."

Chiyu puffed out one cheek, her expression utterly blank. She was adorable, but it wouldn't do to leave her sulking.

"I know. Besides, with you along, I can believe that everyone will make it back safely."

"Mm. None of my comrades will die on my watch."

She delivered the line like the protagonist of a shonen manga, in her signature flat, inflectionless tone.

But her mood seemed to have lifted; she let out a contented "mfuu" through her nose.

And then there was the last one of the group. Minori was fidgeting restlessly, stealing glances at me.

"Kudo-kun. You seem to be the leader of this group, so if there's anything I can do, I'd like you to give me some instructions..."

Her face carried an air of anxiety, as if she dreaded hearing that she had no role to play.

"Shijo-san, I'd like you to stick with me and Shion, and protect us in case of emergency."

"Bodyguard duty—understood. Leave it to me...!"

"And there's one more thing I'd like to ask of you, Shijo-san."

"S-Something lewd?"

"That's not it!"

As I retorted, Minori's face lit up with what seemed like genuine pleasure.

I turned toward Chiyu, who nodded approvingly in the manner of a smug mentor, as if to say, "That's the spirit."

Teasing me to elicit a retort or fluster me was one of Chiyu's signature moves, but would that habit spread to the other girls as well?

The future filled me with unease. What troubled me most was that, deep down, I didn't actually mind it one bit.

"A-Anyway. I want you to use your magic within a range where you won't stray too far from Shion."

"Training, you mean? I believe that's a given."

"That's part of it, but don't you have that wind magic, Shijo-san?"

"Yes, Wind Cutter."

"I was thinking we might use that to fell some trees and gather lumber."

Shijo's [Attribute Magic] excelled as an offensive tool.

However, both water and fire dissipated shortly after activation, rendering them unusable for kindling or drinking water.

Did that mean it was only good for combat? I didn't think so.

"Felling trees?"

Minori tilted her head quizzically.

"Ah, yeah. Your magic isn't limited to living targets, right?"

"Uh, well, yes, that's correct."

"For me to store materials, they need to be separated from the earth. With seawater or sand, that requires the extra step of putting it in a container first, but with trees—"

"I see—I've got it. As long as the roots are still embedded in the ground, it can't be stored. If my magic severs it, we can acquire it as lumber."

"Exactly."

Come to think of it, I hadn't explained that aspect yet.

"Of course, I'll take it on. I'm glad my magic can be put to practical use."

It seemed the earlier incident where she hadn't landed a clean hit on the wild boar had left quite the lingering impact on her.

And so, we each set about our tasks.

At Chiyu and Shōko's request, I fashioned a large basket. It was woven from processed vines.

We suspended it from Mashiro's midsection. Since I wouldn't be accompanying them, there were limits to how much they could gather, but enlisting Mashiro's strength would allow for substantial transport volumes.

"Alright, we're off~!"

"Time to become the queen of materials."

The two of them departed the base alongside Mashiro.

"Shion, we'll be right nearby, so if anything happens, just shout."

"Mm, see you later."

Shion, with her hair tied back, waved as she saw us off.

"I should give you a spear, just in case."

She accepted it with a troubled smile.

"I'll hold out until you and Shijo-san can rush over."

"Just having it will serve as a deterrent."

"Mm, thank you."

Shijo and I stepped out beyond the fence.

It was a pitiful-looking fence that hadn't seen much use, given our heavy reliance on Mashiro.

"Oh, right, Shijo-san."

"Yes?"

"That staff you were waving when using magic—is it something special?"

"No, it's just a branch I picked up. At first, I was having trouble aiming properly, but once I started pointing at the target with the staff, it improved a bit."

"I see. If it's nothing with particular sentimental value, how about something like this?"

Drawing on my [Crafting Ability], I envisioned a wand such as a mage might wield.

I generated a staff that tapered to a fine point at the tip, its color scheme rich and weighty.

I placed it into her hands.

"————"

"Since you're going to be using one anyway, I figured something more fitting might boost your spirits. What do you think?"

"I-Is it alright for me to have it?"

"Of course. I went with wood because I thought lighter might be easier to handle, but I can make one from stone or whatever, so if you have preferences for materials, just let me know."

"No, no. It's something Kudo-kun made specially for me. I'll treasure it and make good use of it."

"I-Is that so?"

Hearing her say it in such a pleased tone made me feel a bit embarrassed.

"Thank you. I know it probably doesn't suit me, but I've always admired things like this, so I'm happy."

"I get it—I think a mage's robe looks pretty cool myself."

"Hehe, it really is wonderful. When I was little, I wanted to try on a witch's hat."

Talking like this, she came across as just an ordinary girl.

Well, even the serious types at school have all sorts of hobbies, as a matter of course.

"Alright, this spot should do."

It was a distance from which Shion could call out and be heard, yet far enough that any felled trees wouldn't affect our base.

"Which tree should I aim for?"

"Any one is fine. Ah, it'd be great if it's positioned so that even if the tree bounces or rolls, it won't hit us."

"I understand. A-Alright, then—I'm activating it."

Minori gripped the freshly made staff and took a deep breath.

"Wind Cutter."

A gust lifted her hair for an instant, followed by a sharp whoosh that rent the air.

Immediately after, a thunderous crash echoed from a tree a short distance ahead. When I turned my gaze, I saw it sliding and toppling with a rumbling zuzu-zuzu.

"Yes! I hit it! Did you see that, Kudo-kun!?"

Minori bounced up and down in delight, like a child at play.

Her skirt, longer than those of the other three, fluttered modestly with the motion.

"I saw, I saw. Nice one."

She was so overjoyed that I jokingly extended my hand as if waiting for a high-five.

The cool demeanor she usually projected suggested she'd hesitate at something like this.

"Mm!"

Yet Minori, astonishingly, tapped her hand against mine with a soft pon. She must have been truly thrilled.

"Instead of jumping straight to moving targets, practice on stationary ones for now."

"Yes! May I fell one more!?"

"Just don't go overboard and deforest the place."

"I'll go for that one next!"

Minori's staff pointed toward a nearby tree. ...A nearby tree?

"Shijo-san, wait—that one's too close—"

"Wind Cutter!"

The magic launched. It was all well and good that it cleanly severed the tree, but the angle was off.

It began to tilt in our direction, toppling straight toward us.

And since it was growing so close by, we were in real danger of being crushed beneath it.

"Ah—"

"Shijo-san!"

I stepped in front of her to shield her and, on pure instinct, activated [Itemization].

Just a hair's breadth from touching us, the tree vanished into the [Inventory].

Leaves detached from the branches during the moment of storage rained down around us.

Even after realizing we'd been saved, my heart continued to pound wildly for a time.

"Th-That... I'm so sorry—"

"...Phew. Shijo-san, are you hurt anywhere?"

I turned back to check on her.

"Uh, y-yes, I'm fine. What about you, Kudo-kun? Are you alright?"

"I'm good."

Minori's face had gone pale as a sheet, and she bowed her head deeply.

"I'm truly, truly sorry. To get so carried away and cause trouble like that—it's the worst. You specifically told me at the start to mind the distance."

"Well, we're both safe and sound, so no harm done. More importantly, let's fell a few more."

"...Y-Yes, understood. I'll be careful not to make a mistake like this ever again."

"I'm planning to rely on your magic going forward, so don't let this shrink your confidence or anything."

I kept my tone light, hoping to prevent it from becoming a trauma.

"Mm."

There are some people who need a stern scolding to learn, but there are also those who can properly acknowledge their own errors and correct them without needing to be told. Minori struck me as the latter type.

And sure enough, in the time that followed, Minori handled her magic with calm precision and accuracy.

We managed to secure enough lumber that I figured we could probably build a small house with it.

"Alright, shall we head back about now?"

"Understood."

The two of us made our way toward the base.

"Um, Kudo-kun?"

"Hm?"

"I forgot to say it earlier, but thank you for saving me back there."

"Ahaha, no problem."

"You jumped out to shield me, Kudo-kun."

Was it my imagination, or did Minori's voice carry a touch more fervor than usual?

"It didn't amount to much, though."

"That's not true. It's not... not true at all."

Somehow, the air between us felt tepid and heavy as we returned to the base.

"Welcome back. I heard a ton of trees crashing down."

Shion greeted us with a smile.

"Ah, we got a massive haul."

"In that case, looks like last night was our final time all sleeping together."

At Shion's words, Minori froze in place.

"W-What did you just say...?"

"No, of course, I was at the edge, and Chiyu was right next to me—nothing weird happened..."

"Sharing a bedding with three girls—it's so indecent...!"

Ah, there was the usual Shijo.

"Hehe. Right, we haven't discussed it with you yet, Shijo-san. Once the others get back, we'll have to hold a secret girls' meeting."

Shion murmured something under her breath.

I was absolutely sure it had to do with the harem situation, but I wondered if Minori would even accept it.

"F-For now, let's build the house. The trees Shijo felled will become our new base."

"...Y-Yes, indeed. Make sure to have separate rooms for men and women, alright?"

"Of course."

Well, even if we built me a room, someone like Chiyu would probably come barging in without a second thought.

"Well, then, what sort of house shall we make...?"

"Every time we need something taken out, it feels bad to have to call on Sosuke-kun, so it might be good to have designated spots for things that could be used on a regular basis."

As she advanced the preparations for the meal, Shion Yomi'umi offered her opinion.

"You're right. For instance, if an intruder shows up and I have to join in to have weapons taken out, that whole process would be a hassle. So, something like building an armory from the start could be a viable option."

"Hehe, I'd been imagining something like a storage shed or a changing room, but that's a good point too."

Shion gave a wry smile.

"Considering that our group might grow in the future... perhaps we should make it a bit more spacious...?"

"Kudo-kun, are you capable of constructing a two-story building as well?"

"Ah, I believe I can."

"In that case, how about placing the bedrooms on the second floor and creating a living room, kitchen, and the like on the first floor?"

"So, we're essentially building it like a standard house. In that vein, it might be nice to add a door connecting to the bath area, so that everyone can head straight there from inside the house."

"Yes, that sounds good. Also, having a roof over the bathhouse would be beneficial, as it would allow us to bathe even if it starts raining."

"Hmm, hmm. As we gain more leeway with materials, all sorts of ideas start coming to mind."

"Of course, since Kudo-kun is the one doing the generating, please prioritize incorporating the features you desire."

"No, this might be something we should discuss once everyone's gathered. For the time being, why don't Shijo-san and I hash out the basic structure?"

At my words, Minori Shijo smiled softly.

"Yes, let's do that."

With Minori's assistance, the foundational layout came together rather swiftly.

Once that was settled, the two of us turned our attention to helping Shion.

"In that case, I might have the two of you slice up the meat for the grilled portions."

The [Crafting Generation] function was rather strict when it came to culinary matters; for meat, it would only go as far as [Butchering]. It could divide things into broad cuts, but anything beyond that required placing them down and handling the finer slicing manually.

Minori and I set to work cutting the loin meat.

"Um, Shijo-san. The rind of the akebia can be used like the fleshy part of a bell pepper for stuffing, right?"

"Yes."

"I tried nibbling on a bit of it, and it was incredibly bitter. If I blanch it to remove the astringency, that should make it usable, yes?"

"Indeed, that should work just fine."

"Hmm, hmm. Ah, Kudo-kun, could you lend me another knife?"

"Ah, of course."

Shion was mincing the meat into fine dice with a dual-wield of stone knives, striking away at it with precision.

She had also finely chopped the mushrooms.

Then, she added salt to a bowl containing the mushrooms, mixed it all together, and stuffed the mixture into the akebia rinds.

"Once the other two return, we can just fry them up in some oil."

"That sounds great. Fried foods are always appealing, and the texture should offer a nice contrast to eating the mushrooms or meat plainly—I'm looking forward to it."

"I'm glad to hear you say that."

"...When you factor in the grilled meat as well, calories do become a concern."

"Oh, come on now—today can be Shijo-san's welcome party."

"Welcome party... Y-Yes, indeed. I appreciate the hospitality."

Minori appeared to be blushing with embarrassment.

"It's not exactly about calories, but we do have a lot of wants piling up—vegetables, rice, seasonings, and so on."

"Mm. It really drives home just how privileged our lives back in Japan were. What I wouldn't give for some sliced bread, eggs, and ketchup. Oh, and bacon..."

"I'd love to have some cocoa..."

The three of us spent a moment reminiscing about daily life in Japan.

"If the Mysterious Blackboard shows up in our dreams again tonight, we might get to vote on adding something else."

"That's true. And the fact that we can discuss not just what's edible, but what we actually want to eat— we're incredibly fortunate in that regard."

"I agree. If it weren't for everyone's help, I might have collapsed from exhaustion, burdened with a magic I couldn't aim properly."

"Hehe, if we're going there, my ability is even more useless by comparison."

As we kept our hands busy while chatting amiably among the three of us—.

"I'm hooome~!"

"The queen has returned."

Shōko Kanna, Chiyu Iyama, and Mashiro came back.

"Welcome back, Shōko-chan, Chiyu-chan, Mashiro-kun. Is it alright if I start on dinner now?"

"Coming home to find Shi-chan acting like a wife— this is the good life!"

"Whose wife would that be? If it's Sō-kun's, I'm afraid I won't yield the position of first wife."

"O-Oh, 'wife'...? Iyama-san, you're jumping the gun a bit!"

With all five of us together, the atmosphere instantly grew lively and bustling.

"Alright, time for dinner."

"Today's menu is grilled wild boar meat, stuffed akebia, and mushroom-and-vegetable soup."

"Whoa! Hasn't our food situation improved way too much just on the second day?"

"After the meal, we'll build the new house. It's going to be two stories."

"Minorin, you felled a ton of trees, huh? We were planning for Mashiro to help with that before."

Shōko remarked in admiration, but Minori's expression turned bitter, as if she were recalling the mishap from earlier today.

"We haven't forgotten about the Fenrir kennel either, so let's think that over later."

"My bedroom—next to Sō-kun's."

"In that case, I'll take the spot on the opposite side next to him."

"Wha—wait, first come, first served!?"

At the words from Chiyu and Shion, Shōko let out a flustered cry.

"Ah, you all..."

Minori wore a troubled expression.

"That's right, everyone. Let's include Shijo-san in the meeting later too."

"Mm. For the healthy operation of the group, it's unavoidable."

"M-Minin's looking kinda mad..."

Only Shōko was blushing in shy embarrassment.

A secret meeting among the girls.

And it was because of that meeting today—after Shion and I had gone to the bathhouse, and things had unfolded as they did....

Would Shōko and Minori...? The mere thought sent my body temperature rising.

Shaking my head to dispel such vexing distractions, I generated a stone slab for the grilled meat.

◇

"Right there—...!"

"I won't—let you."

Shōko's chopsticks zeroed in on a single point, thrusting forth like a spear's stab.

But just before they could reach their target, a pair of chopsticks darted in from the side, snatching away the prize.

"Wha—!? Chiyu-cchi, was that you...!?"

"You're still too green for this, Shōko-chan."

Chiyu, having secured her quarry, popped it into her cheek while looking down upon the defeated Shōko.

"Guh... I won't lose next time...!"

"Challenge me as many times as you like."

Incidentally, this was all about the grilled meat.

We had set up a small hearth on the ground and placed a disk-shaped stone slab atop it to grill the meat.

Grilled meat often evoked images of tare sauce, but since we didn't have any, we simply seasoned it with salt.

And that turned out to be exquisite.

The meat and its fat burst forth in the mouth like an explosion, delivering a shockwave of umami straight to the brain's core.

As a high school boy, I found myself yearning to pair it with heaps of white rice.

"Mm, the stuffed akebia is delicious too. Yomi'umi-san, you're quite skilled at cooking."

"Thank you, Shijo-san. Ah, would it be alright if I called you Minori-chan...?"

"O-Of course, that's fine."

"Wonderful. In that case, please call me Shion."

"U-Understood. Sh-Shion-san."

Minori seemed somehow delighted.

"Minorin's blushing~. Feel free to drop the honorifics with me too!"

"You can call me Chiyu as well, Minorin-chan."

"If that's how it is, then Sosuke's fine for me too. Nice to meet you properly, Minori."

Incidentally, we were currently using a bonfire as our lighting— one set upon a wooden pedestal with a stone basket placed atop it.

Bathed in that glow, Minori's face appeared to be tinged with red.

"L-Likewise, pleased to meet you. Shōko-san, Chiyu-san... S-So... S-So..."

"Eh, just me sticking with the formal...?"

"Hehe, that's the maiden heart for you, Sosuke-kun."

Shion was grinning mischievously.

Well, even I had felt a bit shy yesterday about calling Shōko or Shion by their given names.

I could understand the reluctance when it came to the opposite sex.

"Haah~. Shi-chan's cooking is the best! The stuffed meat has that perfect blend of meaty savoriness and the mushrooms' texture, and the soup has such a gentle flavor."

"Mm. Our head chef."

"Ahaha, I'm happy you all enjoyed it. I'll keep contributing through my meals."

As we enjoyed the meal in high spirits, we also discussed the new residence.

Shion and I had already outlined the general layout, so I explained it to the group.

"The living room sounds great! Even if we get individual rooms, I still want to gather for meals and chats."

"Having the kitchen indoors will be a relief too. As it is now, there's always wind to contend with, and since it's food we're putting in our mouths, I really don't want any sand getting in there."

At Shion's request, we decided to install two hearths in the kitchen.

Since it would be indoors, we should probably create some sort of vent hole for the smoke as well.

"Now that our numbers have increased, maybe it's time to upgrade the bath too? Something spa-like, with a large tub."

"That would make heating it up a chore, though. It's not impossible, but..."

At my words, Minori raised her hand.

"There's something I'd like to try regarding that."

"Oh? What is it?"

"Um, when I accidentally fired the Fireball off-target and hit a tree, the flames vanished with a pop after a short while, so the wood didn't catch fire. But—the scorch marks remained."

"Whatcha mean?"

Shōko tilted her head in puzzlement.

"In other words, the fire itself disappeared, but the fact that it had 'heated' things up didn't vanish?"

Minori nodded at my interpretation.

"Yes. On my own, it wouldn't amount to much, but if we combined it with Kudo-kun's power..."

"That's brilliant! Let's see... First, we'd set up a stone tub filled with water. Then, you fire a Fireball at it to bring it to a boil in an instant. We can adjust the temperature by adding more water afterward. That way, even a large communal bath could be heated up easily."

"Yes. In that scenario, firing it indoors would be dangerous, so Minori and I would need to step outside."

"If it boils in a flash, it's hardly any trouble. Actually, since time doesn't pass inside my [Inventory], couldn't we prepare a massive batch of hot water ahead of time when we have a moment, store it there, and just place fresh hot water in the tub each day at the bathhouse? That would eliminate the need to go outside every time, and even on rainy days, we wouldn't have to get soaked just to heat it up."

"Ah, yes, that's right. No more stepping out repeatedly, and no worrying about the rain either."

Being able to bathe daily with roughly the same effort as back on Earth was a true blessing.

"'As expected of you, Sō-kun.'"

"'And as expected of you, Minori-chan.'"

Chiyu delivered her usual line, and Shion chimed in right after.

"We can all fit in the bath together as girls? Awesome, awesome!"

Shōko, having grasped the idea, was beaming with joy.

Now, back to the layout discussion.

A request came up for chairs and a table in the changing area connected to the bathhouse.

This was probably like what you'd find in public bathhouses or inns—even the men's side had them. A space to sit and dry your hair.

For the girls, it might also serve for skincare routines and such.

I'd have liked to provide a mirror as well, but we weren't at the stage where I could make one yet.

Various minor requests cropped up here and there, but the conversation progressed without any major conflicts.

However, the moment the topic shifted to the second floor—to everyone's bedrooms—the air among the women grew taut with tension.

"I won't yield the spot next to Sō-kun."

"I'd prefer to be next to Sosuke-kun as well, if possible."

"Urgh, w-well, me too..."

"I'm fine with wherever, really... But for the sake of keeping an eye on things and ensuring nothing too indecent happens, being near Kudo-kun's room would be more convenient in that regard..."

Chiyu stood up abruptly and declared:

"We'll settle it in the bath."

At that, the other three nodded in agreement.

"...Well, then, I suppose it's time to heat up the bath first. While you're all in there, I'll generate the new house."

I'd been planning to surprise them by furnishing it as well to create a proper living space, so this timing worked perfectly. For today, they'd have to make do with an outdoor bath; with my [Crafting Ability], I generated a large stone tub.

"Ooh, spa-sized!"

Shōko was already impressed just by the tub itself. I placed water into it.

"Splashing could be dangerous, so everyone, stand back. Minori, if you would."

"Yes, leave it to me—Fireball!"

Minori pointed her staff at the tub, manifesting an orb of flame that hurtled toward the target.

With a sizzling hiss as the water evaporated, a massive plume of steam billowed upward.

As it cleared, what remained was a bath gently steaming with warmth.

I dipped a finger in tentatively—scalding hot!

I added some water from the [Inventory] to temper it.

For the rest, I prepared a large barrel filled with water, complete with a pedestal, so that those entering could adjust as needed.

Enclosing it all with folding screens would complete the setup.

"Ehh!? The bath's already hot!? That was instant!"

"Turning ideas into reality on the spot. 'As expected of you, Sō-kun.'"

"Enriching our lives with magic. 'As expected of you, Minori-chan.'"

Once again, Chiyu and Shion praised me and Minori.

"Alright, everyone—enjoy."

"This is largely thanks to Kudo-kun's power, so why don't you go first?"

At Minori's suggestion, the others nodded along with murmurs of agreement.

"No, I want to get the house built ahead of time."

Minori seemed to accept that reasoning.

"It's fine, Minori-chan. The leftover bathwater from four beautiful girls—that's the perfect thank-you gift for Sō-kun."

"Don't go filling Minori's head with weird ideas when she's being serious."

After retorting to my childhood friend, I headed toward the hut's foundation.

The women, meanwhile, scampered off excitedly beyond the screens.

"It was only for one night, but thanks."

This spot held fond memories of how things had progressed with Chiyu, so I decided against dismantling it.

I stored it in the [Inventory], freeing up the land.

And with that, I generated our new base—the house.

A two-story wooden house materialized. But I held off on placing it just yet.

In truth, I'd asked the newly returned Mashiro to level out the surrounding ground.

With the Fenrir's massive frame, flattening the earth was a simple task.

Even while we were eating, he'd been hard at work.

Now that the hut's spot was cleared, he was giving it a final once-over with his paws.

"Thanks, Mashiro. If only there were something I could do as a reward..."

Mashiro suddenly glanced toward the bathhouse.

He fixed me with an intense, heated gaze.

I let out a deep sigh. I knew exactly what he wanted.

"I'll ask just this once, mind you."

The Fenrir nodded eagerly, bobbing his head up and down.

"Everyone...! Mashiro seems a bit dirty too—could you wash him up?"

"Sure thing! Mashiro worked hard today too, after all—I'll handle the scrubbing!"

"In that case, I'll join since he's looked after me as well."

"I'm fine with it too."

"Yes, of course. Mashiro-san is one of us, after all."

"...They said it's okay."

Mashiro let out a joyful bark, gave my face a quick lick, and bounded off toward the bathhouse.

A male Fenrir wanting into the women's bath—what was I even going to do with this guy...?

Well, if the women were fine with his straightforward, cooperative nature as a mythical beast, then who was I to complain...?

"Alright, then."

One concern as I prepared to place the house was the foundation.

There was a challenge to adopting this approach.

I could generate it foundation and all—kudos to the [Crafting Ability].

But foundations were, by nature, embedded in the ground.

Once "connected to the earth," it became impossible to store in the [Inventory].

In an emergency, we'd be left with no choice but to abandon the house and flee.

Loath to sacrifice our mobility, I was mulling it over when Minori shared a tip.

Apparently, there was a method called stone-field construction.

In broad strokes, it involved placing stones and then setting the building's pillars atop them.

Upon hearing the explanation, I vaguely recalled seeing something like it in anime depictions of old folk houses. Of course, there were mechanisms to prevent the pillars from shifting, but the [Crafting Ability] would handle those details.

The foundation stones themselves were generated items, so their shape and size were entirely up to me. I selected the placement site—and finally, positioned it.

In an instant—as if it had always been there—a two-story wooden house appeared on the spot.

"Yes...!"

There's that old saying about dreaming of owning your own home once you become a working adult... I never imagined I'd acquire one after being transported to an uninhabited island.

I generated candles made from plant oils and stone candlesticks with handles, then borrowed fire from the bonfire. With that, I returned to the house, opened the door, and stepped inside.

Incidentally, the hinges were crafted from wood and stone, making it a sliding door.

Inside was a spacious entryway. Unlike the hut, there was no need to store everyone's shoes one by one.

I placed a candlestick and candle atop the shoe rack as well, lighting the flame.

I prepared woven-grass slippers for the group and slipped into my own pair before proceeding.

In the kitchen, I installed the hearths, along with firewood, cooking utensils, and tableware.

In the changing area slated to connect to the bathhouse, I placed baskets and spare stone soap.

And in the living room, I laid down a woolen carpet and arranged several pieces of furniture.

They could check those out tomorrow.

Ascending the stairs led to a hallway, with three rooms on the right and four on the left.

"Ah, putting furniture in before the room assignments are set might be premature..."

Well, if there were any issues, we could always rearrange later. With that in mind, I entered the three rooms on the right and the first two on the left, placing furniture inside: desks, chairs, shelves. On each desk, I set a candlestick and candle as well.

And the star attraction—the beds.

The bed frames were wooden; in theory, I could have made those yesterday too... but the issue had been the bedding covers, the thread for sewing, and so on. However, the exploration team had brought back a large haul of "flax," solving that problem.

I generated wool-stuffed futons and placed them atop the bed frames. As a bonus, I added wool-filled pillows.

"This turned out pretty nice, didn't it?"

The whole place now exuded a true sense of "home." With the essentials taken care of, I placed spears in the armory, pondered other necessities for the house, and killed a bit more time before heading outside.

"I really do want glass, though..."

I'd made sliding doors for the living room and included windows in each room, but as modern folk, one couldn't help craving glass panes.

Stepping out, I found the four of them standing there, gazing up at the house in a daze.

With their damp hair and towels draped around their necks, their walking figures carried a different sort of allure than usual.

Incidentally, they were currently in their fluffy woolen outfits.

"Sosuke, this is way too amazing!"

Shōko's reactions were always so straightforward, and that very honesty made them all the more gratifying to hear.

"Mm... it really is incredible."

Even Shion's response had simplified into pure awe.

"A magnificent love nest."

Chiyu was her usual self, but her excitement was palpable.

"It truly is splendid..."

Minori had contributed so many ideas during our consultations, but now that the discussed house stood before her eyes, she too appeared moved.

"Everyone, I'm going to take my bath now, so feel free to head inside the house."

I handed the candlestick to Chiyu and made my way toward the bathhouse.

"Sō-kun, is that alright? You won't get to see our reactions."

At Chiyu's question, I offered a wry smile in response.

It was true, of course—seeing everyone's reactions to something I'd created was always a source of enjoyment.

"Tell me what you all thought later."

Passing by the bathhouse exterior, I caught sight of Mashiro, who lay there with a contented expression on his face, fast asleep. With that in mind, I proceeded onward to the bath itself.

Bathing alone in such a spacious tub evoked the sensation of indulging in an extraordinary luxury, as if I were some sort of extravagant noble.

I was not one for prolonged soaks to begin with, so I intended to finish up quickly and emerge.

"Eh————!?"

No sooner had that cry from Shōko echoed forth than a series of hurried footsteps resounded in quick succession, followed by the vigorous opening of the house's door. Since I had just emerged from the bath and was still feeling the heat, I had donned a shirt and trousers made from linen cloth, and now I stepped out from behind the folding screens.

It was then that Shōko came bounding forth.

"Sosuke!"

"The house is probably dark inside. Don't run—it's dangerous."

"Ah, yeah, I'll be careful—wait, that's not the point!"

"How was it?"

I could feel the grin spreading across my own face.

"I mean, come on, it's just way too amazing! I never imagined that after ending up on this uninhabited island, I'd get my own room or be able to sleep in a proper bed! The futon and pillow are all so fluffy and soft—it's beyond perfect! I'm seriously over the moon!"

In her overwhelming excitement, Shōko threw her arms around me in a sudden embrace.

The faint scent of soap mingled with the warmth of her body and the yielding softness of her form, all transmitting directly to me.

"Ah... Sh-Shōko-san!"

Minori came dashing out, raising her voice in alarm.

"Ahaha, I just couldn't help myself."

With those words, Shōko pulled away from me.

"It's really a wonderful house, isn't it? The kitchen being a counter-style setup means I can chat with everyone in the living room while I'm cooking—that's going to be so nice."

Shion emerged from the house as well.

"I could feel Sō-kun's thoughtfulness and kindness in every single detail throughout the place."

Chiyu appeared next, nodding deeply in agreement as she spoke.

"I-I was truly impressed as well. No, perhaps 'moved' is the more fitting word. The trees that the two of us felled together have become such a splendid home. Of course, it all hinges on Kudo-kun's ability, but I'm genuinely happy to have been able to contribute through our collaboration."

"No, no—half the credit goes to you, Minori. You offered so much advice along the way, and honestly, there's no way I could have built this house by today on my own. You should take pride in your magic and your knowledge—they're invaluable."

"............Y-Yes, you're right. Thank you. It was fun, building the house together with you."

"Ah, it was for me too."

The atmosphere among us all grew warm and harmonious.

"As for Mashiro's house, would tomorrow be alright? He seems to have fallen asleep already."

"Mm. Ah, I'd like it if you could build it in a spot visible from the window in my room."

"Ah, got it. We'll do that. Then, in the morning, you can open the window right away and greet him from there."

"Yay! Yes, yes—that's exactly what I wanted!"

"For now, let's call it a night."

I had already returned Shōko's sheep to her, and anything that needed storing had been placed into the [Inventory].

We all entered the house together.

Along the way, Chiyu sidled up to me, gently taking hold of my hand and leaning in close to my ear to whisper.

"I'll come to your room after this."

"......"

In lieu of a verbal reply, I squeezed Chiyu's hand in return.

It seemed sleep would have to wait just a little longer.

◇

The room assignments ended up as follows: upon ascending the stairs, the three rooms to the right were allocated starting from the far one—Shōko's, then mine, then Minori's.

The four rooms to the left were assigned from the far end as well: Chiyu's, then Shion's, then two empty ones.

I had no particular preferences regarding my room's location, so it did not bother me in the slightest, though it appeared I had never truly been given a choice in the matter from the outset.

And now, here I sat alone in my room, illuminated by the flickering light of the candle, perched upright upon the bed in a posture of poised anticipation.

Chiyu had said she would come later.

She enjoyed her jokes, to be sure, but she was never one to deceive me in such a way. She would definitely arrive.

Yet in this clockless environment, there was no precise means of gauging how much time had truly elapsed.

It felt as though I had been waiting for over an hour, but if someone were to claim it had only been ten minutes, I would likely find myself nodding in acceptance.

My expectations were swelling, leaving me fidgety and restless.

At long last, without so much as a knock, the door to my room creaked open—and my childhood friend appeared before me, clad in her pajamas.

In her hand, she carried the candlestick and candle that had been distributed to each of us.

Once she had closed the door behind her, she extinguished the flame on her own candle with a soft puff and placed it upon the desk in my room.

"The two in the rooms on either side might already be asleep. It would be rude to wake them with any noise."

Chiyu offered that explanation.

"I-I see."

I nodded slowly in understanding. Along with that realization came a peculiar prickling sensation along my spine, akin to a twinge of moral apprehension, at the thought of engaging in something intimate here with Shōko and Minori sleeping in the adjacent rooms. Chiyu settled onto the bed beside me with the casual familiarity of long habit.

"These candles are remarkable. With this, we can actually see each other's faces even in the dimness of night."

As Chiyu spoke, her hand came to rest upon my cheek. I immediately understood that she was recalling the previous night's kisses, where our lips had missed their mark several times in the darkness.

"This way, there won't be any mishaps."

"Even if there are, it's fine. We can just keep trying until we get it right."

Our gazes locked—her eyes, blue as if they held the very sky captive within them. We drew nearer to one another, our lips brushing in gentle contact.

Even that simple act brought with it an overwhelming surge of happiness, and gradually, our movements grew more fervent, our bodies pressing closer in natural progression.

Chiyu's lips clung to mine repeatedly, parting each time with a soft "chuu... chuu" of parting sounds. As our kisses intensified further, the faint "picha... pichu..." of mingling saliva began to weave in among them.

At length, neither of us could say who initiated it, but our tongues entwined, exploring and devouring the warm caverns of each other's mouths with greedy laps, ragged breaths escaping in the heated exchange. The closeness allowed me to feel acutely the elegant, slender contours of Chiyu's form, the generous swell of her breasts, her body heat, and her subtle fragrance.

Every element emanating from the childhood friend seated before me struck me as utterly endearing, stirring my arousal all the while. And yet, we had only been exchanging kisses thus far—still, the insistent throbbing below threatened to strain against the confines of my trousers, demanding recognition.

"Chiyu..."

"Mm. Sō-kun, get up onto the bed properly."

"Ah, y-yeah."

From our seated position, I shifted to lie fully upon the bed frame.

Chiyu followed suit, but rather than simply reclining, she reached for the hem of her pajama top and slowly began to lift it upward.

"Ch-Chiyu, no way...!"

I swallowed hard, my gaze boring into Chiyu's chest with such intensity it might as well have burned a hole through her.

Her navel came into view, followed by the full revelation of her slim midriff, and then—with a soft, weighty "tapun"—they appeared.

Words failed me in describing them adequately. Round and white and beautiful as the moon itself, they quivered with a subtle "purupuru" jiggle reminiscent of a disturbed pudding, their surface evoking the fresh pliancy of newly pounded mochi—visibly so soft that one could discern their yielding nature at a mere glance.

And there were two of them. Yet what set them apart from all else was the presence of those adorable protrusions at their tips.

"Sō-kun, you're staring too much."

Even the unflappable Chiyu seemed a touch embarrassed as she said it. But I found myself utterly incapable of averting my eyes.

It appeared she had come to my room without a bra beneath her pajamas.

"Ch-Chiyu, that..."

"Mm. Your childhood friend right now? Touching is perfectly okay."

I extended both hands tentatively, reaching out with cautious reverence to make contact with her breasts.

The initial sensation was one of silken smoothness against my palms, followed immediately by a profound "funyun..." softness that yielded beneath my fingers, enveloping them in its depths.

Everything about them—supple, fluffy, chewy, gently swaying. Even if I marshaled every conceivable word in the lexicon for texture and tenderness, it would scarcely capture a tenth of the profound emotion swelling within me.

In that moment, I understood the mindset of those who linger for hours before a single masterpiece in a museum, lost in contemplation.

The wave of awe crashing over me knew no bounds; I was seized by an impulse to admire them for as long as permission allowed.

"Nn... Sō-kun... you like my breasts way too much."

"Sorry, Chiyu-sama."

"...-sama?"

"Well, for someone in possession of something so magnificent, addressing you by your given name alone feels utterly inadequate..."

"I'm sorry that these breasts are so captivating they're shattering your usual character."

"I could touch them forever."

"That's fine. But... what about down here?"

In playful retaliation, Chiyu's hand trailed over to caress the front of my trousers.

"...N-Not good at all. Please, like yesterday."

Reluctant though I was to part with the lingering sensation, I withdrew my hands from Chiyu's breasts.

"No need to look so disappointed. Sō-kun, undress."

"Ah, y-yeah."

As I removed my lower garments, the part of me that had been in a state of heightened readiness for some time now sprang forth, engorged to its utmost limits and pointing skyward. Chiyu fixed it with a steady, unblinking gaze.

She had subjected me to the same intense scrutiny earlier, so I had no grounds to complain about the embarrassment.

"It feels even bigger than yesterday."

"I-It might be. ...Well, with you looking at it so directly like this."

"...I'm glad. But, Sō-kun."

"What?"

"Is it me that's making it swell? Or is it my breasts?"

"Aren't both just you, Chiyu?"

I replied with what I hoped was a charming smile.

"You're dodging the question."

Her words pricked at me with a sharp little sting.

Chiyu, who had been kneeling in seiza position, parted her legs to either side and patted her thighs with a soft "pon pon."

"Sō-kun, put your butt right here."

...In other words, she wanted me to lie on my back with my legs spread, resting my hips upon her thighs in that vulnerable posture.

"D-Does that mean, Chiyu, you're seriously...!?"

"Speak too loudly, and you'll wake the two next door."

I hastily clamped a hand over my mouth.

Then, without a moment's hesitation over how undignified the position might appear, I reclined onto my back, lifting my hips accordingly.

But Chiyu offered no laughter; instead, she calmly maneuvered her body into place beneath me, accommodating my lower half with quiet assurance.

"You're an absolute fiend for breasts, Sō-kun."

"Urgh."

"But I asked Shōko-chan about it. Apparently, that particular kink of yours stems from me."

"It's less the cause and more... the trigger, I suppose."

There was no point in denying it.

"Hehe. So, you developed a love for big breasts because your beloved childhood friend sprouted a massive pair the moment she hit middle school, huh?"

Back in elementary school, they hadn't particularly caught my attention. But upon entering middle school, Chiyu's chest had undergone a startlingly rapid development.

And from that point onward, they had only grown further. Massive orbs the size of melons now dangled from my childhood friend, brimming with an astonishing blend of softness and firmness.

Even without any stimulation yet, anticipation alone caused them to twitch and quiver faintly.

"Then, I'll make you love them even more."

Chiyu gathered saliva in her mouth and, with a soft "n ero..." let it drip down into the cleft between her breasts. Each time it trickled deeper into the valley, she kneaded her own breasts with both hands, working the moisture in. The sight repeated itself before my eyes, over and over.

"Nn... it's about ready now—the insides are all nice and slick."

Chiyu positioned the rigid length of my arousal against the underside of her cleavage.

"Sō-kun, is this your first time putting it between breasts?"

"O-Of course it is."

"Then, your first time with breasts... belongs to me."

In that instant, it was as if that single spot had been plunged into a warm bath—enveloped in sudden, enveloping heat.

But it was more than mere warmth. All around, viscous fluids clung and coated, while a compressive embrace of yielding softness bore down from every direction.

"Guuh...!!!!!"

A bolt of pleasure like a thunderstrike coursed through my entire body, causing it to arch involuntarily.

The fact that I did not erupt immediately bordered on the miraculous—an explosive wave of ecstasy.

"You look like you're feeling it so much, Sō-kun. Ah, so that's the face you make when you're lost in it."

She lifted them up, then let them drop. Up, then down. "Munyonn, tapun...!" "Munyonn, tapun...!"

The visual spectacle alone carried immense impact, compounded by the slippery friction gliding along my length, flooding my brain with waves of euphoric chemicals. In this moment, I was drowning—utterly submerged within the girl known as my childhood friend, Chiyu.

"Nn... nn... nnn..."

She repeated the motion of hoisting her breasts and allowing them to fall, over and over. All for the sake of fulfilling the peculiar desires of her childhood friend's male sensibilities, granting him this tailored indulgence. The affection in her actions warmed my chest profoundly.

"Ah... it just twitched. You're close, aren't you, Sō-kun?"

From the single release yesterday, she seemed to have already grasped the telltale signs of my impending climax.

"I heard you covered Shōko-chan's chest with quite a lot."

"......"

As suspected, the girls had shared that information among themselves.

"I'm not angry or anything. But honestly... it stings a little."

"S-Stings?"

"You managed two rounds on Shōko-chan. In my quest to claim the title of victorious childhood-friend heroine, I'm turning the tables right here."

"No, Chiyu..."

Even getting one out here with her, after two with Shion, was already far more than I could have hoped for...

"No issue at all. According to those manga you read, Sō-kun, men can go dozens of times a day."

That's because it's manga...!

Just as the specifications and workloads of fictional "detectives" are exaggerated to the point of becoming a stylized convention, so too are the capacities and output volumes of male anatomy in fiction inflated beyond reality. Readers accept the fabrication and immerse themselves in the tale.

It must not be taken at face value...!

"Since you gave Shōko-chan two loads, I'll draw out double for me... triple... no, five times as much—I'm confident I can manage it."

Am I seriously going to be milked for ten rounds starting now!? I'll die!

Yet, tragic though it was, there could be no escape from the pleasures bestowed by my childhood friend.

"Guuh, Ch-Chiyu..."

"Mm. It's okay. When the moment feels just right, let it all out however you like."

Chiyu's motions quickened in pace.

"Back in Japan, what did you use to finish to? Did you ever think of me while doing it into a tissue...? You don't have to do that anymore. No tissues—just finish inside me from now on."

My childhood friend, now fully privy to my every kink, delivered the coup de grâce with whispers calibrated precisely for me.

"Let it out, Sō-kun. All of it, right into your childhood friend's cleavage—go on, byubyubyu..."

"Guuh...!"

My hips arched upward, trembling uncontrollably.

With that, a molten surge erupted into the warm confines of Chiyu's cleavage, like magma bursting forth.

At the precise moment of release, Chiyu lowered her breasts and held them steady, catching everything with a gentle embrace.

"Byuu, byuu, byuu... incredible, it's still going. Byuu, byu, byu... byu... It's like you want to impregnate my breasts or something. ...Ah, look, Sō-kun."

My eyes were dazzled, my gaze drifting hazily toward the ceiling as I basked in the afterglow, when Chiyu called out to me.

When I directed my attention to her, I saw a white, turbid liquid—distinctly different from saliva—spilling over from the valley of her cleavage.

"Sō-kun, you got so excited over me that you're practically erupting like a volcano."

My length should have been completely engulfed within her breasts, but the sheer force and volume had caused it to overflow. Chiyu wore a satisfied expression at the sight.

"...Did it feel good?"

"...Yeah, it was incredible. Hey, Chiyu."

As my clouded consciousness began to clear, a particular thought resurfaced in my mind.

"What?"

"Y-Yesterday, you know, when Shōko and Shion interrupted us, I didn't get the chance to make you feel good, right? And yet, today, you went ahead and made me feel amazing again... So, let me return the favor now, even if it's a bit late."

These words came straight from the heart. It was absolutely not motivated by fear of being wrung dry in succession.

Chiyu, with her usual expressionless face but a faint flush coloring her cheeks, gave a small nod.

"Sō-kun. Of course, I want you to make me feel good too."

"Yeah, I'll do my best."

"But—afterward, I'll make sure to wring out five times what Shōko-chan got."

It seemed my shallow intentions had been seen through completely by the great Chiyu-sama, my childhood friend.

Yet, the fact that she accepted me despite that only underscored what a magnanimous companion she was.

We adjusted our positions to prepare.

I had Chiyu remove the lower half of her pajamas and lie on her back atop the bed.

Though I found myself entranced yet again by her fully bared form... I’ll omit those details for now.

With my heart pounding so fiercely it felt as though it might burst, I extended a trembling finger toward my childhood friend’s delicate slit.

"Nn..."

The area was already undeniably slick, glistening with unmistakable arousal. Coupled with the plaintive moan Chiyu let slip, my excitement—despite having just released—surged back to its peak once more.

Chiyu, despite her lack of experience, had gone all out for my sake. I couldn’t afford to shrink back, citing my own lack of expertise as an excuse. Taking utmost care not to cause her any discomfort, I continued my caresses.

Much like with male anatomy, it wasn’t merely about touching—it was about the speed, the pressure, the precise placement, all of which influenced the sensations. Through tentative exploration, I began to learn the motions that elicited responses from Chiyu.

"Fu, ah... nn... nnn..."

As expected, even her melodic moans couldn’t maintain their usual monotone quality.

Hearing a voice so unlike her typical self filled me with both joy and a sense of triumph.

I had been gazing intently at her body, utterly absorbed, when a realization struck me.

Using only my fingers—would that truly suffice to repay what she had done for me?

The thought had barely formed before I sprang into action. Bringing my face close to the spot I had been touching moments before.

"...Sō-kun? W-Wait, what are you doing?"

Chiyu’s voice carried a note of panic.

"Well, you went all out for me, so I figured I’d put in some extra effort too."

"Th-That’s a bit too soon."

The way even her ears flushed red was utterly endearing.

"You don’t want it?"

"...It’s not that I don’t."

She averted her gaze as if conceding defeat, placing a hand near her mouth—perhaps an attempt to muffle the sounds she anticipated making.

Her gesture only heightened my excitement further, and I gently brought my face closer to her slit.

"Nnn..."

For a time, the plaintive moans of my childhood friend echoed softly through the room.

◇

"Sō-kun. Thank you. That felt... really good."

Chiyu’s skin seemed to glisten faintly, as if imbued with a subtle sheen.

I was relieved to know I’d satisfied her, but... why was it that I could sense an inexplicable intensity emanating from my childhood friend?

"Now it’s my turn again, isn’t it?"

Chiyu pushed me down, swiftly enveloping my still-rigid length between her twin peaks once more.

But that wasn’t all—she pressed her breasts together tightly with both hands, intensifying the embrace.

"......!?"

As she let her saliva drip down, adding to the slick, molten warmth within her cleavage, a new element was introduced: pressure, now wielded as a potent weapon.

"Ch-Chiyu? Did I do something to upset you?"

"...Not at all. If anything, I’m touched. To reward your efforts, I’m going to go even harder."

"I-I see. Then just one more time..."

"No need to hold back. I’ll take on all that pent-up adolescent lust of yours, every last drop."

It was possible I had inadvertently ignited her competitive spirit.

She makes me feel good, and I make her feel good. Then she doubles down to make me feel good again... Wait, is this cycle ever going to end?

"I appreciate the enthusiasm, but staying up too late might..."

"If you get tired, I’ll cast [Basic Heal]. It’ll even restore your 'Sō-kun' down there."

"Awa, awawawa..."

I trembled at my childhood friend’s absolute declaration of intent to wring me dry.

Her magnanimity in tolerating a harem, her intimate knowledge of my desires coupled with her willingness to fulfill them, her boundless compassion.

But when her innate competitive streak was added to the mix, Chiyu transformed into a veritable succubus-like monster.

"Of course, if you really don’t want it, Sō-kun, I’ll stop. If you say something like, ‘Chiyu’s breasts are inferior to Shion’s handjob, so get lost already,’ I’ll go back to my room and cry into my pillow."

Isn’t that kind of phrasing just unfair?

"O-Okay, Chiyu... I, uh, I want to do lots with you too."

Steeling my resolve, I watched as Chiyu nodded in response. Her expression remained unchanged, but I could tell she was pleased.

"Leave it to me. Like those books you used to have, you can paint me white from head to toe."

No, I keep saying, that’s fiction... Wait, with [Basic Heal] restoring my stamina, could I actually pull off something like that?

The sheer pleasure leading up to it feels so overwhelming it’s almost frightening, like my mind might break under the strain.

But heedless of my trepidation, Chiyu began to move her tightly pressed breasts slowly, maintaining that intense pressure.

"Here we go, Sō-kun."

Tapun...

◇

Before I knew it, I found myself seated in a white expanse. ...My memories of what led up to this moment were frustratingly hazy.

After being wrung so thoroughly by Chiyu that her skin-toned breasts were no longer visible beneath the deluge of white fluid, she cast [Basic Heal] on herself to restore her vitality. Then, she applied her healing magic to me as well.

Reinvigorated, we switched roles once more. The aggressive, almost demonic fervor she displayed when taking the lead subsided, replaced by adorable, stifled moans that were so endearing I forgot how thoroughly I’d been drained moments before and burned with renewed passion. Though a novice, my extended hands-on experience had honed my technique, and I managed to satisfy Chiyu at last.

No, wait—that’s not quite right. That satisfaction flipped a switch in her, and she pounced on me again. I don’t recall what happened afterward. We probably fell asleep together, but I’m dreading the morning...

We likely collapsed without cleaning up, so our bodies and the bed are probably in quite a state. And there was another issue.

Shōko and Minori sat with their heads bowed, not saying a word.

Noticing their flushed ears, realization hit me.

—They... they heard us...!

It seemed our new residence wasn’t particularly soundproof. Shion, picking up on their reactions, was now looking at me with a knowing smile—a sultry, mischievous grin.

"A-Anyway, it’s kind of interesting that we show up here in our uniforms, huh?"

Thinking back, it was the same yesterday, but I hadn’t noticed at the time.

"Mm. Seems like we’re summoned in the clothes we were wearing when we first arrived here, maybe?"

Chiyu was the one to respond.

"That’s true. Calling us in our sleepwear could be problematic for some people."

At Shion’s words, Shōko and Minori twitched slightly. Incidentally, I jolted with a loud “Biku!” in response.

"Mm. Apparently, some people sleep completely naked. This way, they don’t have to worry about being seen bare by their companions."

Chiyu maintained her signature deadpan expression.

"Ah, everyone! There’s text appearing on the blackboard!"

I didn’t mean to change the subject, but it came out sounding a bit like I was dodging.

[The second day has concluded.]

[Explanation of the Survival Bonus will now commence.]

"Survival Bonus?"

My voice drew everyone’s attention to the blackboard.

[Survival Bonus]

[For each day survived on this island, one additional day will be added to your ‘Lifespan.’]

[However, please note that this does not guarantee survival.]

[(Survival days are incremented at the end of each day upon visiting this room.)]

"Our lifespan... is increasing...?"

Minori’s voice trembled with disbelief. It was a sentiment we all shared, no doubt.

The disclaimer that survival wasn’t guaranteed meant that death by accident or murder remained a possibility—and by extension, suicide would also be feasible.

If our bodies had a predetermined lifespan, this would mean extending it by one day per day survived.

Since it was the night of the second day, our lifespans had effectively been extended by two days.

[Explanation of the Death Penalty will now commence.]

A bonus for staying alive, a penalty for dying...?

[Death Penalty]

[In the event of death on this island due to combat, accidents, illness, or other causes, 100 points will be deducted.]

[If you choose to end your own life or cause the death of another, thereby terminating a player’s survival activities, 1,825 points will be deducted.]

[Please note that accumulated points can result in a negative balance.]

[If your total accumulated points are negative at the time of death, you will fall into a state of unconsciousness upon return, corresponding to the negative value.]

"...Unconsciousness?"

"...Death, yet returning to Earth?"

"I-I don’t get it at all..."

"So, it’s like a game where dying means game over, and you get sent back to Earth?"

"...It’s hardly fair to explain penalties without first explaining points."

Following my comment, Chiyu, Shōko, Shion, and Minori each reacted to the Mysterious Blackboard’s announcement in turn.

[Explanation of Points will now commence.]

[Points]

[Your activities on this island will be observed and evaluated by us based on our proprietary criteria.]

[Please note that we cannot respond to inquiries regarding the evaluation criteria.]

[At this time, we cannot disclose the total number of points accumulated.]

"Hey, this is all total gibberish!"

Shōko’s outburst included an extra “pun” in her “chinpunkanpun”—was that intentional? I opted not to comment on it and responded instead.

"...In other words, points are like currency. The Mysterious Blackboard watches us without permission and hands them out like a salary. But if you die, a penalty is subtracted from those points."

"If Shōko-chan had 10 points and died in an accident, she’d end up with minus 90 after the deduction."

"While it’s unclear how exactly we’d return to Earth, if Shōko-chan came back with that, she’d be unconscious for 90 days, I think."

"The 1,825 for causing a death, including your own, equates to five years. They don’t seem to account for leap years, but perhaps it’s referencing the minimum five-year sentence for murder in Japan?"

It felt like a number arbitrarily drawn from Japanese law.

"...Okay, I get it, but why does everyone keep using me as the example!?"

Shōko’s eyes grew a bit teary. Being used as the hypothetical victim of death scenarios might have spooked her.

"The timing of this announcement..."

"It seems designed to give us hope for survival while discouraging killing or dying."

Minori responded to my muttered observation.

Moreover, the very act of summoning us here tonight might be intended to sustain our motivation to endure life on the island.

The notion that surviving another day might yield answers or unlock new possibilities.

It felt like a tactic to instill that mindset, prolonging their observation of us.

"More importantly, how do we get back without dying!?"

[Methods exist to return to the state prior to the initiation of this situation. However, these have not been unlocked for you at this time. Please await future updates.]

"We heard that yesterday too!"

[Question: Which is more essential for your ongoing survival—expanding water sources or establishing a mine?]

[Water Source / Mine]

"Don’t ignore us—!"

"Calm down, Shōko. If we’re going to ask something, let’s make it something we haven’t asked before."

Thanks to Shion, we’d gleaned three pieces of information yesterday.

That this class transfer was akin to a game for the Mysterious Blackboard.

That they wouldn’t disclose the status of other survivors.

And, as Shōko’s outburst prompted them to repeat, that a method to return did indeed exist.

Today, we’d been informed about the Survival Bonus, Death Penalty, and Points System.

"You’re right, Sosuke-kun. Once the voting ends, we get kicked out of here immediately, so if we can ask questions, we should do it now—"

[The majority has been reached; voting is now closed.]

[Starting from the third day, the number of ‘Water Sources’ in the environment will increase.]

"...Of course. Today’s binary choice was far too easy for anyone other than us."

Minori’s observation was entirely reasonable.

Thanks to my [Crafting Ability], we could generate vast quantities of water from seawater, even using it for baths. But for ordinary high schoolers stranded on an uninhabited island, securing potable water was no simple task.

Being told on the second night that the island’s water sources would increase would prompt an immediate vote for that option.

Regardless, the voting had concluded.

"Everyone, anything else...!?"

"Uh, um, ah! What happens if we return with a positive point balance!?"

"Even if we can return, when exactly would that happen? An entire class vanishing would be a huge issue, and even if we make it back, it could disrupt our lives afterward."

"...What happens to our memories of this island when we return?"

"Ah, mofumofu! Hey, what about the abilities we gained on the island!?"

[If you achieve return with a positive point balance, additional bonuses will be granted. Specific details cannot be provided at this time.]

[Details regarding the return destination cannot be provided at this time.]

[It is possible to retain memories from this island upon return, but this requires meeting specific conditions. These conditions cannot be disclosed at this time.]

[It is possible to retain abilities acquired on this island upon return, but this requires meeting specific conditions. These conditions cannot be disclosed at this time.]

"How long do we have to survive here!?"

[The observation period cannot be disclosed.]

[The third day will now commence.]

Related Posts