Prologue: The Right to Escape from the Uninhabited Island

Has anyone ever had the topic come up of “If you were going to bring just one thing to a deserted island, what would it be?”

I have a few memories of it happening. The most recent one was a dream I saw in a white space. No, it was a dream, but it was one that exerted an influence on reality... At any rate, the forty high school students in our class, myself included, each answered questions in that dream. And the things we answered with were what we ended up bringing to a deserted island in another world. What I, Sōsuke Kudo, chose was—“Crafting Ability.”

I had been an unremarkable, ordinary guy in class who never stood out, but I became one of the island’s top-tier ability holders.

Thanks to that ability and the cooperation of my companions, I was able to rapidly improve our life on the deserted island.

The one who possesses “Healing Magic” is my silver-haired, blue-eyed childhood friend, Chiyu Iyama.

The one who possesses “Fluffy Summoning Ability” is the girl with blonde hair in a side ponytail and amber eyes—Shōko Kanna.

The one who possesses “Lie-Detecting Ability” is the girl with long black hair that carries a slight purple tint and reddish-purple eyes—Shion Yomi'umi.

The one who possesses “Attribute Magic” is the girl with gorgeous long black hair and emerald eyes—Minori Shijo.

Together with these four reliable companions, I was able to make it through to the night of the third day of life on the deserted island.

The mysterious entity that had flung us onto this deserted island would invite us into that white space every night. In that space, a two-choice survey would be conducted, and a vote would be held among our classmates. Whatever option received the support of more than half the class would be added to the deserted island. However, the dream that night was slightly different in tone from the ones up until then.

An announcement of an event had begun. And the reward for it, they said, was the “Right of Return.”

Did that mean that we, who had been flung onto this deserted island without any explanation, would be able to go back to the place we had originally come from?

Unable to hide our agitation, we fixed our gazes on the blackboard floating in the white space.

◇

“・Regarding the Event, it will be an irregularly held program. Please understand that the content and rewards may differ for each event.”

“The one being held this time is the Start Dash Special Event.”

“・Regarding the Start Dash Special Event

Period—After the end of the fourth day, from the morning of the fifth day until night.

Content—Competing to secure the single ‘floating orb of light’ that will be placed somewhere on the island.

Reward—Only the one person who secures it will be granted the ‘Right of Return’”

This was the text that first appeared on the blackboard in the dream that began after the end of the third day.

“The Right of Return... Does that mean we can go back to Japan?”

From the special environment of this island, the fact that we could use special abilities, and furthermore the existence of this mysterious blackboard, we had surmised that we had been transferred to a deserted island in another world and were acting accordingly. We didn’t know the actual truth of the matter, but it wasn’t hard to imagine that this “Right of Return” referred to sending us back to our original lives.

“Ehhh? What? Really? We can actually go home?”

“...Since it’s a ‘right,’ that means it’s not forced, and we can choose when to exercise it, right?”

The lively gal Shōko let out a bewildered voice, while the refined young lady type Shion murmured thoughtfully.

“Just one person... For those operating alone, it becomes hope, and for those who have formed groups, it becomes a source of discord. For whatever entity is observing us, it’s a good experiment.”

As expected from the serious class president, Minori.

We had initially all been transferred separately.

There were exceptions, however. In that first dream, I had instinctively grabbed the hand of my childhood friend, and as a result, she and I had been transferred together. There might be others like that, but aside from those who had been in physical contact right before waking from the dream, it was safe to say we had all been scattered separately.

And then, on the night of the third day, this event announcement.

For those surviving alone in solitude, it was immediate hope—the chance to return right away. But for those who had managed to form groups and were just starting to unite, it could become poison. If even one person tried to sneak ahead, the unity would chain-react and collapse, and it could even develop into conflict among companions over the “Right of Return.”

Even if someone did manage to return that way, would those left behind be able to unite again? After having just dragged each other down as companions. And with no knowing when another similar event might occur.

Regardless of the unease that had arisen in our hearts, additional text appeared on the mysterious blackboard.

“・Regarding the ‘Right of Return’

The ‘Right of Return’ is granted to the obtainer and cannot be seized by others.

The holder can immediately depart from this island by stating ‘I exercise the Right of Return.’

After that, you will transition to the results screen, where you will settle points, choose bonuses, and so on before returning.”

As Shion had predicted, it wasn’t a forced return; it seemed you could choose when to go back after obtaining it.

If it had been forced, we would have had to ignore this event entirely.

There were separate conditions for bringing back “memories” and “abilities” from this island, and the details were currently unknown.

But we were aiming for that. We wanted a way to return to Japan, but not right now.

However, since the reward for this event was solely the “Right of Return,” we could go for it.

“Question. Between chicken eggs and milk, which is necessary for life from now on?”

“Chicken eggs / Milk”

It was the usual pattern again.

After announcing important matters, it shifted coldly to the survey.

“Here it comes. This is definitely chicken eggs all the way. We’ve got sheep for milk.”

But my cool, laid-back childhood friend Chiyu was operating as usual.

She had been wanting eggs, so I could understand her feelings.

“Just adding eggs as an ingredient would make things a lot more luxurious, right?”

It seemed Shion was going to ride along with Chiyu’s words.

“It’s time to win back the stomach of the childhood friend that Shi-chan almost took.”

“Ehh? Almost took? I think I’ve already took Sōsuke-kun’s stomach, you know.”

Shion smiled mischievously, and Chiyu directed a flat, unreadable stare at her.

“In the end, the childhood friend wins.”

“Fufufu, I’m looking forward to cooking together.”

The two of them were having a perfectly ordinary conversation, but it somehow looked like sparks were flying.

“I-I could at least make fried eggs...”

“I-if someone teaches me the recipe, I could...”

Even though information about the “Right of Return” had just come up, was it really okay for things to be this normal?

...No, maybe not. They were surprised, but everyone understood there was no need to waver because of it.

None of the five of us here would leave our companions behind and go home. In that case, it didn’t matter which of our companions obtained the “Right of Return.” We would all obtain the rights and hold onto them until a way was discovered to return with our memories and abilities intact.

“Since more than half the votes have been reached, voting is closed.”

“Starting from the fourth day, ‘chicken eggs’ will be placed in the environment.

Please note that it will not be chicken eggs themselves but ‘chickens’ that are placed.

Additionally, the ‘chickens’ placed this time cannot be repurposed for food, so please be careful.”

It was the same treatment as Shōko’s “Fluffy Summoning Ability.”

You could get wool or sheep milk, but not sheep meat. Similarly, you could get eggs, but not chicken meat.

Since the voting was over, the dream would end soon. I had to ask what I wanted to know before then.

“It mentioned securing the orb of light, but what exactly counts as securing it?”

“In addition to directly touching the orb of light with bare skin, contact through clothing, throwing stones, firing arrows, or any other interaction by a transferee that results in contact with the orb of light will be considered securing it.”

So even indirect contact—like clothing brushing against it or an attack hitting it—would count as securing.

If the criteria were that lenient, it might mean discovering it or touching it was difficult.

“Eh? So touching it with Mashiro would count?”

“What if the orb of light is within the range of ‘Purify’?”

“By that logic, if magic hits it, that would count as securing too, right?”

Shōko, Chiyu, and Minori threw out questions one after another.

“Contact via abilities possessed by a transferee will also be considered securing. Similarly, contact via items possessed by a transferee will also be considered securing.”

And with that, time ran out, and our vision was dyed white.

“The fourth day will begin.”

The fourth day was a preparation period. Once the fifth day began—the event with the “Right of Return” on the line would start.