The bath seems to be ready.
As I approach Chiyu, I generate wooden partitions with my Crafting ability and arrange them around the stone bath.
This is more to prevent peeping… or at least to show consideration.
“You’re so kind, Sosuke.”
Chiyu notices and says in a soft, flat voice.
“It’s nothing special.”
“If you want, you can peek.”
”…I’ll pass. Also, I made soap, so use it.”
I also prepare a wooden bucket for scooping the water and a clay dish for the soap.
“Bar soap…! Sousuke, I love you.”
Chiyu took the soap and held it up as if it were a treasure.
“Thanks.”
Since it was obvious that she was joking, I could just brush it off. Well, I did feel a slight flutter in my chest, but I could pretend to be calm.
“Next… the laundry basket?”
“That’s right. Oh yeah, use this as a towel. And don’t worry about changing clothes.”
I handed Chiyu the towel, which used to be an undershirt, and explained how to clean clothes.
Chiyu listened to me, but didn’t react. She seemed to have frozen.
After a few seconds, she suddenly hugged me. Her hands wrapped around my neck, and her ample chest pressed against my chest. The scent of sweat and her unique aroma tickled my nostrils.
“Sousuke, you’re a genius.”
“S-Such praise.”
No, I wouldn’t like to put on my sweat-soaked clothes after a bath either. It’s not unreasonable for Chiyu, being a girl, to be glad she didn’t have to do that.
“Oh.”
Chiyu pulled away from me, her cheeks flushed.
“W-What’s wrong?”
“I’m happy you’ll clean my clothes for me.”
“Yeah.”
“But… it’s a bit embarrassing to be seen by Sousuke right away. Like, my underwear and stuff.”
Indeed, that’s only natural.
Even I’d be embarrassed to hand Chiyu my freshly removed underwear.
“Well, I’ll try not to look, and I can store them without touching them directly, so don’t worry.”
Chiyu looked up at me shyly.
”…You won’t smell them?”
“Smell them?!”
I couldn’t help but interject, and Chiyu laughed, which was unusual for her.
「…Then, let’s try it?」
「No way! If my childhood friend was a pervert like that, Chiyu wouldn’t like it either.」
「Well, if you insist, then I guess it’s okay.」
「…N-No, I don’t want to smell or touch it.」
This childhood friend of mine has a pretty wide sense of humor, but it’s hard to know how far to take it. She’s too easygoing.
Though, if I were to suddenly start saying “Yay! Tickle-tickle!” here, she’d probably back away.
I set up a wooden laundry basket and placed a wooden barrel and stand next to the bath so I could add water. The barrel had a cork-like lid on it, which I could remove to let the water out.
「…Sousuke, did you always have such good manners?」
My childhood friend seems a little surprised.
“I couldn’t help myself. With this ability, I just want to make all sorts of things.”
”…If people find out how gentlemanly I am, I’ll be swarmed with admirers.”
Her voice sounded like a joke, but there was a hint of unease.
“If I go back to Japan, won’t my ability disappear? Then I’ll be back to being the uncool guy.”
I mean, there are cases where people return from another world to Earth and still have their abilities, so there’s a possibility it could still be useful, right?
“Sou, your charm isn’t from your ability.”
“Ahaha, thanks.”
I took that as encouragement and stepped out from behind the screen.
“I might feel embarrassed in the open air, but if you take off your clothes, just put the basket outside for me.”
“Roger that.”
I confirmed that Chiyu had saluted smartly, then lifted the screen and set it up. Now I can’t see her.
“…I should probably stock up on grilled mushrooms while I still can.”
Since time doesn’t pass in the Inventory, I can keep the grilled mushrooms fresh.
I put the clothes she pulled out from under the screen back in the Inventory to clean them, and then returned them to the basket. It was weirdly tense. I gazed at the fire, trying to clear my mind.
Chiyu’s bath was quite long, but thanks to my Craft Ability, I didn’t get bored. Still, it’s probably better to gather everything I can, since I’ll need materials to make all sorts of things.
It seems like the recipes I unlock are influenced by my imagination, so it would be great to have a companion who could help me with knowledge and information.
What else do we need? Maybe some kind of combat or hunting skills? We do have some simple weapons now, so they might be useful against people to some extent…
When it comes to hunting, a bow… but that seems difficult to use. Maybe a crossbow? Since I can’t see the recipe, I must be missing something.
What natural material would I use for the string?
It’s only the first day, so I can hold out, but the desire for meat will only grow stronger with each passing day. I don’t expect to suddenly be able to hunt, so for now… maybe fish?
“Sou, I’m done.”
I noticed that my childhood friend was coming out of the bath, wearing her clean uniform and shoes.
Her wet silver hair shone brightly in the light of the campfire, and her slightly flushed skin was incredibly alluring.
「Ah, ah, yeah. I guess I’ll join you then.」
「Sure. Here’s a towel.」
She offered me the towel she had used to dry her skin.
I took it reflexively, but I realized afterward that I could have just put it in my ‘Inventory’ without touching it. I quickly stowed it away. If I rearrange it, it’ll appear in a dry state with no moisture.
「You can eat dinner first if you want.」
「You haven’t started yet?」
「Yeah, I was thinking about my abilities.」
「Then I’ll wait for you.」
「Got it. I’ll be quick.」
“Enjoying the leftover bathwater from my childhood friend”
“You always say such things…”
Of course I would notice when someone said that to me. Since I always got teased, I thought of ways to get back at her.
“If it’s Chiyu, I’ll let you peek, just this once.”
Chiyu nodded as if it were obvious, responding to my teasing.
“I know. I’ll definitely peek.”
“Hey.”
“And also, I want to borrow your clothes to smell and wear.”
“Who would lend them to you! Besides, I haven’t been smelling your clothes!”
I might not be able to beat this childhood friend. I headed for the bath to retreat.
While she peeked in as promised, I screamed at her.
After finishing my bath, I had dinner with Chiyu.
We dried the towels by storing and repositioning them several times, thoroughly dried our hair, and used the power of the fire to make sure everything was completely dry.
“Probably, it’s just us who are living such a fulfilling life on a desert island on the first day.”
“I haven’t heard everyone’s answers, but I think that’s probably true.”
Since someone must have obtained the ability to produce food, we might lose in terms of meals, but in terms of the quality of life, we’re probably the best.
By the way, I wonder what kind of aircraft the person who asked for it received. Even if they can operate it and take off, can they return to Japan?
In the current situation, with so little information, it seems quite risky. Still, it can be used as a base, so it’s not completely useless.
“It’s all thanks to you, Sousuke.”
“I put in effort using my magic too, so we helped each other out.”
My words made my childhood friend shake her head.
“That’s not it. You held my hand back then.”
”…Ah, that.”
I didn’t know that we could transfer together if our hands touched. But maybe it was because of my impulsive action.
“At the time, I thought it was still a dream. But Sousuke, even in my dreams, you helped me.”
「…」
Before I knew it, the sun had set and night had fallen.
「It’s time to go to bed.」
Chiyu looks at me as if she’s waiting for an answer. Her eyes are wet with tears, reflecting the firelight like precious jewels.
「Y-Yeah.」
Swallowing hard, I nod.
-------A Request to Our Readers------- If you read this work and feel even a little bit of 「This was fun!」「I want to know what happens next!」「Keep writing!!」,
・Add to bookmarks ・Change the ☆☆☆☆☆ button to ★★★★★ under the “Support the author by putting in points” section at the bottom of the page It will be a great encouragement for future updates!!!!! Please do!!!!!