In Chapter 142, Chiyu is present despite being supposed to be staying behind.
It wasn’t that she teleported; it was a mistake on my part.
However, since Chiyu was involved in the developments that followed,
I revised Chapter 141 so that she was part of the exploration team.
Thank you for pointing it out.
There were three boys causing trouble near the Seihou Party.
Through Chiyu’s new magic and Professor Luminus’s persuasion, they agreed to a transaction.
And so, they apologized to Seihou and received their forgiveness.
That was all well and good, but when Seihou noticed I was accompanying them, she mentioned the matter of giving the boys a hut.
If that’s the case, I couldn’t just ignore the fifteen women living in the cave.
So, for those who wanted private rooms, I generated small huts, and for those who found sleeping alone on a desert island too harsh, I made slightly larger ones, placing them accordingly.
Witnessing my [Craft] ability firsthand, Seihou’s eyes lit up, and she openly tried to recruit me.
Her wavy, golden long hair shone like real gold, and her large breasts bounced with a soft plonk.
If this were fiction, she would have been the aristocratic noblewoman archetype found in every school setting; she radiated both nobility and beauty.
“I won’t hand So-ku over.”
Chiyu latched onto my right arm.
And with unmistakable intent, she squeezed my arm deep between her breasts.
“It’s a transaction, so we’re giving items to Ryoka-chan and the others anyway, so it should be fine!”
Shuko clung to my left arm, protesting.
“Ara, Wan Ka Shuko. I find it strange—shouldn’t the one making the decision be Takano-san?”
“Sōsuke-kun is staying with us of his own free will.”
Shion chimed in, her tone slightly irritated.
“That may be true. However, people have the right to seek a better life. You’ve already experienced living together; it should be our turn now, so we can choose the path that brings Takano-san greater happiness, don’t you think?”
“You excluded all males thoroughly, yet Sōsuke-san is the exception, isn’t he?”
Shinpō pointed out.
“I simply eliminated males who harbored wicked thoughts in order to protect women’s bodies and minds. And Takano? Aside from his inherent nature, his abilities grant him a great deal of mental fortitude. As you can see by how well along he is, he breaks his heart for his comrades to generate many things. He also possesses the drive to step forward first during events. Welcoming him does not contradict my policy. I thought someone as perceptive as Yotsubo Shinpō would understand something so simple?”
Faced with Zouhō’s unclouded retort, Shinpō was left momentarily at a loss for words.
“Well, well, Sei Hou-san, please try to stay calm.”
“Master Luminae, don’t you think that’s the fairer approach? I believe we should have a chance as well.”
“U-Well, it’s just that…”
Teacher Luminae, who had tried to mediate, found herself at a loss for words when confronted with the notion of fairness.
“Of course, it is up to Arano Sousuke to decide in the end. But are you sure? If I were you, I would want him to make the choice he believes is best. Even if that means choosing not to be by my side. After all, if one truly cares for someone, surely they would prioritize that person’s happiness above all else.”
Being so passionately recruited was, honestly, quite flattering… but…
I had no intention of leaving Chiyu and the others to go somewhere else—
“Such provocation… I dare you to take me up on it.”
“Eh, Chiyu?”
“I think Ryouka-chan is charming, but on top of that, Sousuke will choose us!”
“Mm-hmm. We believe in Sousuke-kun.”
“Teacher Sousuke is bound to feel that our days together are the best option.”
Even Shoushi, Shiin, and Fumihou were saying it…
“It’s just… up to Arano-kun, I suppose.”
Teacher Luminae glanced over at me.
“I’m sorry for interrupting the excitement, but I have no intention of leaving my current party right now.”
“Oh, you’re saying strange things. Would anyone prepare a resolve to ‘leave their home behind’ when going to play at a friend’s house? It’s exactly the same here. You’ll just spend a little time at a friend’s base.”
Jōhō was a skilled talker.
It felt less like she was saying what she wanted to say and more like she was saying whatever was necessary in that moment to push her own claim through.
“But, ya know…”
“Why not spend a day at our base first? I’ll answer all your questions, including the members’ abilities. Also, I think it would be easier to recover the materials around this area if you stored them using your ability. It goes without saying, but we won’t let you lose anything.”
Certainly, considering we might cross paths again in future events, having that information would be a plus.
That alone would justify staying for a day.
“Hmm…”
“I see. Then I will allow Yomikai Shion to accompany you. Now we can verify the truth as well, right?”
”…! U-Uh-huh. That sounds good, Sōsuke-kun.”
Shion had become positive about it.
She seemed charmed by the fact that she alone could keep up with me.
Seeing Shouko puff out her cheeks, Jōhō chuckled, Fu-fu-n.
Even though I thought she was a good kid and an amazing one, apparently her competitive streak toward Shouko was still burning…
Should I take this on?
If I refused under these conditions, it would be a very strong rejection.
It wasn’t just Seihou’s pride; her companions, listening in on the conversation, might feel a sense of rejection as well.
I want things to go smoothly moving forward, and it’s not exactly something I’m unwilling to yield.
However…
“I can’t give you an answer right here. I need to consult with my other companions who are waiting back at base.”
Seihou let out a light laugh. It was a smile that held a certain joy.
“Of course. Even as the leader, she decides her actions after consulting with her team. That’s commendable.”
“That said, I’ll do my best to give you a positive answer.”
“Indeed. I look forward to hearing that good news. We’re in the middle of searching for males, so we’ve been talking too long, haven’t we?”
Seihou saw us off with a smile.
We agreed to deliver the response during our next transaction.
Boarding Mashiro again, we resumed our search for males.
“But what is Seihou thinking? …No, I understand that having someone with a ‘Craft Ability’ in her team would be convenient in various ways. Is it still driven by her rivalry with Shoushi?”
However, while she may not be as cutthroat as in the Dream Realm, Seihou seems to possess a clear sense of cost-benefit analysis.
In other words, I believe she neither would nor could simply use me up for her convenience.
If you ask me for something, you’d better be prepared to pay the price.
In that case, our current arrangement as trading partners is sufficient enough.
Seems like there’s no need to consider poaching him after all……
“So, Sou-kuu, you’re being too sweet.”
“Sou-kuu doesn’t realize how charming he is, does he?”
“Sou-kuu-kun, a dependable boy like you is incredibly rare on this island. If anyone has earned the trust to live together with nine girls, it’s only you.”
“Even if I were Seihou, I’d try my best to poach Sou-kuu-san.”
I see. It seems there’s more to him than just his abilities; he’s highly regarded in other ways too.
We weren’t close friends, so she probably doesn’t know much about my inner thoughts.
……No, that goes for me too.
That must be why she suggested spending the day together, an opportunity for us to get to know each other better.
“I don’t plan on switching to their party, but getting to know Seihou and the others might not be a bad thing.”
“Mm. I believe you. Worst case scenario, my harem just gets bigger.”
The members exchanged awkward smiles at Senju’s words.
Only the sensei looked troubled.
It probably wasn’t an issue for tomorrow or the day after, but it seemed I was going to be staying overnight at the base where all the remaining girls lived.
To the readers:
If you read this work and even for a brief moment…
If this made you think, “This was fun!”, “I can’t wait for more!”, or “JUST WRITE IT ALREADY!!!!”,
・Add to bookmarks
・The section at the bottom of the page that says ‘Support the author with points’
By changing the ☆☆☆☆☆ button to ★★★★★ to show your support,
you will help motivate me for future updates!!!!!!
Please!!!