Before long, Shoyo returned with the laundry basket.
They packed the basket along with its contents for storage and reorganization, cleaning up Yumekai’s attire.
When Shoyo took it to the changing room and brought it back, everyone gathered together except for Yumekai.
“So, what’s the plan for today?”
Shoyo asked.
“First, once Yumekai is back, we need to discuss something as a group. Specifically, whether or not to officially accept Yumekai and Roha into the party.”
“Huh? I thought they were already part of the team.”
Shoyo’s personality was straightforward and easy to get along with.
Still, I felt that this was a point where we needed to clearly unify our opinions within the party.
“I’m in favor of adding the two of them as members too. But haven’t we all agreed on ‘everyone returning safely’ and ‘waiting until everyone has acquired what they want to take back’?”
“Right.
I don’t want to forget my memories from the desert island,” Shion said, her expression serious.
“Mm.
I want to keep my ‘Healing Magic’ even after returning to Japan,” Chiyu added.
Yes. Although the conditions are still unclear, it seems we can retain the memories and abilities gained on this desert island when we return to Japan.
「So, there’s validity to Sōsuke’s concerns as well. Adding members means extending the number of days until we can return. We need to consider that carefully before proceeding.»
“Mmm… Right. It does feel unsettling when someone makes a decision on their own or decides without hearing our opinions. I guess we just have to make sure everyone is on board so it doesn’t come up like that later.”
Momoko showed she understood, too.
Loa remained silent, likely because of the nature of the agenda.
Actually, before I knew it, she had moved into the kitchen and was preparing tea.
“Once that discussion is done, we’ll have free time until evening. You’re welcome to go exploring, train your abilities, or stay in the house. I intend to head toward the border between the Dream Realm and the barrier. I’ll place some stone walls there so it’s easier for everyone to see.”
“I’m coming with you! After we finish that, I need to show Yona around the house.”
“As for me, I’ll probably practice magic. I can mark today’s findings on the map later…”
“I’ll start preparing food. I want to use the materials we gathered during today’s exploration to make dishes for Yona-chan’s welcome party.”
At that point, Loa had finished brewing tea for everyone.
“That’s right, Loa.”
“May I help you, Master?”
“Did you see what the Dream Realm desires?”
At my words, she smiled.
“Yes, I did. But I believe we’ll need Lady Shiin’s assistance to provide it.”
“Me?”
It seemed to be a cooking-related matter.
Roa explained the details to me, and the other women perked up in response. Honestly, so did I.
It was something we all adored.
“Yeah, yeah, I think we can pull it off.”
We chatted enthusiastically for a while.
”……What are you guys talking about?”
Just then, Yumeai returned.
Perhaps sensing the surprise element, everyone abruptly fell silent, but that only made things look more suspicious.
”……Well, if you don’t want to tell me, I guess it’s fine.”
Yumeai seemed to have taken it as a secret they were hiding from her.
“N-Nots that! Rather, Serina! You look absolutely radiant and shiny!”
”……I don’t know about that, but you do look fresh. Kujira, we can’t keep this up if we’re just going to borrow stuff without giving it back. I need to retrieve the item soon. We need to check the boundary of the barrier, right? Let’s go.”
“Ah, yes, but before that, there’s something we need to discuss together. Yumeai, please sit down.”
”……Alright.”
Roa prepared a cup of tea for Yumeai as well.
After that, I had Roa sit down and explained the matter we had been discussing once more.
“Huh? You’re serious about going back together? That’s impossible. The moment anyone gets the ‘Right to Return,’ the whole plan collapses. No matter how much our abilities make life a bit more convenient, I don’t want to stay in this place.”
The other women smiled wryly at Yumeai’s words.
Chiga remained expressionless, however.
“Ah. Menoko, didn’t you explain the dryer to her when you showed it to her?”
“Eh, yeah. I just told her there was a way to get one.”
I see. If we hadn’t discussed the Bonus Area, it was natural she wouldn’t know.
“Kunio, what’s going on?”
“I’ll explain the details later, but we possess one ‘Right of Return’.”
“Huh?”
“The one holding it is you, Menoko.”
”……So does that mean Kunio could have gone home, but chose not to?”
Mumakai looked at me with a face full of disbelief.
“But then again, compared to the other classmates, we’ve probably been able to lead a better life.”
“Even so……no, forget that. Which means, if I join you, it’s only natural I’d get the same conditions, right?”
“Aye. Mumakai and Roha, yes. By the way, everyone has already agreed to welcome you as a comrade.”
“Of course, I will accompany you until the very end.”
Roha answered immediately.
”……Even if I agree here, I might still go home when the time comes, you know?”
“If that happens, then we simply had a poor eye for judging people. But I doubt it will come to that.”
”…Why would you say something like that?”
Yumegai sounded a bit disgruntled.
“Because you were worried about Shouko, weren’t you? If Yumegai pulled a fast one and returned alone, we’d lose the barrier. And if that happened, Shouko might end up in danger.
You couldn’t just look the other way.”
”…Annoying,” Yumegai muttered, averting her gaze and hanging her head.
“Wah, thank you, Serina~! I’m sorry I didn’t come looking for you sooner~”
“Stop hugging me! …I haven’t exactly been actively searching for you either, so don’t apologize.”
Yumegai tried to pry Shouko off her, but she clearly didn’t have the strength, and it was a failure.
Eventually giving up, Yumegai looked at us with an exasperated expression.
”…Fine. Setting aside the term ‘comrade,’ I’ll accept your terms for the deal.”
“Good. Then consider Yumegai and Roa official members from now on. Take care.”
The living room was enveloped in a welcoming atmosphere.
“Well, nice to meet you properly… though this is awfully easy trust to place.”
“Aah. No worries, I have someone with the ability to see through lies.”
In response to my words, Shiune raised her hand modestly.
”…I see, it’s Shiune.”
“Sorry, did I upset you?”
“Nah, I’m impressed. It sounds like you only side with those who speak the truth when it matters, right? That’s a pretty key skill for building this kind of group.”
“Oh, thanks, Seryo-chan.”
Shion seemed pleased that her ability had been acknowledged.
“Now then, Takano, let’s get moving.”
“Ah, right. So everyone, you’re free to do as you please.”
The three of us—me, Yume, and Shouko—headed out of the house.
We got back on Mikron and headed for the boundary line of the barrier.
“Slow down a bit… we’re almost there… Stop. We’ll get off here.”
On Yume’s command, Mikron moved us to one section of the boundary.
“That’s quite a distance.”
“It might be longer than our school’s courtyard?”
“I can still expand it to cover an area large enough to contain our high school, so I do that. No unauthorized beasts or humans can intrude into the barrier.”
Riding on Mikron, she showed me the distance from one end to the other, and we placed a ‘Stone Wall’ there.
”…Wow, it really is amazing. Could you do this defense even without a barrier?”
“At this rate, we’re screwed. Depending on what monsters show up next, who knows what could happen.”
”…Yeah, that’s probably true.”
“So, I’m counting on the power of the Yumekai.”
“Hmm… Well, if it holds any value to you, then sure, thank you. That way we won’t be left with a lingering debt.”
Mikuron moved us to another plane, and we began placing stone walls there as well.
“Seriously, Serina really has a strong obsession with settling debts, doesn’t she?”
“It feels wrong if things aren’t settled. In that sense, I’m the one who owes more at the moment, so I’d like to fix that.”
“Soju. Even though Serina’s saying all this, don’t look at her chest or peek under her skirt, okay?”
“Man, come on. If you want to pay your debt, just offer up your chest for me to look at? There’s no way I’d say something like that.”
“Sorry, sorry, just kidding.”
”…If that’s what would actually hold value for you, Kudo, then whatever.”
“Huh? W-Why are you saying that? If Soju gets a chance, he’ll definitely stare hard. He’s always perverted like that.”
It’s sad that I can’t deny it.
Of course, I have no intention of doing such a thing to someone who dislikes it.
“It feels worse to be left in debt than anything. Besides, being surrounded by such cute girls… I don’t think there’s any real point to looking at me.”
“Please don’t say such things! Hey, Sōsuke!”
“Aaah. I wasn’t saying show it to me or anything, but I do think the Yume-Kai is appealing.”
“Right, right, and they’re cute too!”
“And caring about friends makes them nice.”
“Plus, their voice when they’re surprised is adorable too!”
“And they know how to express gratitude properly.”
“And also——”
“S-Stop it already! Hah? What?! You two are such pain in the a—!”
She was on Micron, so it was hard to see clearly, but Yume-Kai was surely blushing red by now.
And our base point was covered by a barrier and stone walls.
“Oh~. Sure is easy to understand. This area is what’s protected by Tserina.”
The stone walls had sufficiently wide gaps to allow entry and exit.
“Since the leader here is Kunō, this range is Kunō’s territory.”
“It’s our territory, right?”
“Ahhh, I knew you’d say that, Sōsuke. Whoo!
It’s our country—” Day seven of life on the desert island.
We had secured our own domain, a space where others could not casually intrude.
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