Ryōka Sumikaze is the de facto leader of the girls in our class.
Beyond her striking beauty, she excels in both academics and athletics.
She is a stunning beauty blessed with every gift imaginable.
I wouldn’t say I was abashed about it, but back when we were in the same class, I doubt I ever even registered in her mind.
Then again, phrasing it that way might make Ryōka sound bad.
In any case, she shouldn’t have paid me the slightest bit of attention.
But after being transported to the unpopulated island in another world and acquiring the “Craft” ability, I became a key figure on the island.
That alone explains why she might want me around.
But only as an asset.
Just moments ago, she kissed me.
I recognized the light flickering in her eyes.
It had a similar shine to the one lovers give each other.
Unless I’m mistaken, it was love.
If that’s even the right word for it, no one else witnessed the kiss from Ryōka except Seina.
“Well then, please discuss this matter with the other teammates. And be sure to include me in those discussions as well.”
Specifically regarding the plan to send back any allies who couldn’t be trusted.
And about the feelings Sehou holds toward me.
After watching me nod awkwardly, Sehou departed from the scene.
I kept my eyes on her for a while as she appeared to be issuing various instructions to her subordinates.
Upon receiving her orders, the girls moved without hesitation, like a single herd under unified command.
It might have been due to the power of her ‘Charisma’ stat, but her personal qualities undoubtedly played a significant role as well.
Just as I reached that conclusion, I noticed Seina beside me was unnaturally quiet.
She was usually cool and detached, but seeing her lover kissed by Sehou right in front of them should have elicited at least some reaction.
“Seina?”
“Hm… yeah. What’s wrong, Sou-suke?”
“No, I just meant… you were surprised, right?”
I had initiated the conversation, yet I couldn’t find the right words to continue.
“Was that about Sehou’s objective? Or the kiss? Honestly, I wasn’t surprised by either.”
“Is that so?”
It was an unexpected answer.
It’s not hard to imagine Seirina harboring similar thoughts, but…
“Whether it’s a movie, a drama, a manga, or a novel, fights among the survivors in this kind of situation are pretty standard fare. Honestly, I think we’re being way too peaceful.”
“Yeah, I suppose so.”
“Sure, some kids had bad experiences, but nothing rose to the level of total societal collapse.”
In works depicting situations like this, far more catastrophic events aren’t exactly uncommon.
It might be strange to compare reality to fiction, but the fact that such tragic circumstances didn’t occur here is something we can take comfort in.
Seirina continued with a “but.”
“I think we just got lucky. First off, it was luck that Sousuke wasn’t a scumbag. Luck that strong abilities didn’t end up in the hands of weak-willed people. Luck that Sousuke and the others were able to handle things before the idiots could do anything stupid. That’s how I see it.”
I had Chiyu with me. Because we were able to support each other, I was probably less unstable than the other boys.
This definitely counts as good fortune.
After Soreko chipped in on the capabilities after Tama and I mentioned them in our first dream, she single-handedly spawned a “random capability” riffing session.
Since most of the guys just treated it as a joke and answered half-heartedly, the power users ended up being concentrated among the girls.
Apparently, Seirina counted this as another stroke of luck.
Besides, there was no doubt that someone like Tsutsui, who tried to clear the event by just blasting away with a handgun, was extremely dangerous at that point.
You could also say things didn’t get serious because we were able to confiscate the weapons during the first event.
Our current situation is the result of continuously attracting the best outcomes from a myriad of possibilities.
A more brutal scenario, where men fought over women in a desperate scramble to possess them, was just as likely.
Sumou acknowledges that this potential remains a reality for the future, and thus intends to implement measures against it.
To ensure that, all the way to the end, we can look back and say “it was lucky.”
“I’m in agreement with the sentiment that we’ve had a lot of luck on our side.”
“Yeah. Of course, it wasn’t just luck. Everything turned out well because Sōsuke tried his best. It wasn’t ‘lucky’ at all that I was nearly killed. But it was because you saved me, Sōsuke, that I didn’t end up dying.”
As if recalling those moments, Seri’s cheeks flushed with color.
“Even so, this current state isn’t the work of my power alone.”
“Hehe. It’s true Sōsuke has been good at leveraging everyone’s strengths. Though I suppose Chin’yu doing her thing with the girls certainly helped too.”
Seri chuckled softly. Perhaps she was remembering the discussions held exclusively among the female group.
“In any case, it wasn’t really a shocking idea.”
”…Then what about the last one?”
Like Shōko, there had been no prior contact between them.
I found it a surprising move.
“I was stunned the moment it happened, of course. But knowing that he genuinely likes Sōsuke now makes me feel like I have no complaints.”
It seemed that Seirei had also picked up on something from the glint in Sumifū’s eyes.
“Though, even counting before the teleportation, we barely ever had direct conversations, you know.”
“Time might be needed to deepen love, but falling in love is instant, isn’t it? …God, saying this makes me embarrassed. Let’s pretend that never happened.”
Blushing crimson and regretting the awkward phrase she’d chosen, Seirei looked absolutely adorable.
“Hey, hey, don’t be so harsh. One-hit wonders happen all the time—people fall for actors and artists without spending any time with them. The amount of time you’ve spent together doesn’t matter.”
Not wanting to tease her any further, I decided to steer things in a supportive direction instead.
“T-That’s right! That’s exactly what I meant to say.”
Seirei looked away, cupping her face with both hands as if trying to cool down the heat on her cheeks just a little faster. Even that gesture was charming.
“But… him? That Sumifū?”
It just didn’t feel real.
“Like I said, I’m not surprised. Crafting is a huge part of Sōsuke’s power, but it’s not the sum total of his charm. The qualities that were hard to read in the classroom are simply becoming apparent to everyone here on this desert island.”
If this were a story, I probably could have accepted that premise without hesitation…
It’s a thrill, no matter how many times you see it: a kid who never stood out in class gets thrown into a different environment, rises to become the center of attention, and becomes the focal point of the group. It’s a satisfying arc.
When I’m asked if I possess any of the charm that so many protagonists have, I find myself tilting my head in doubt.
“…Is that really true?”
Still, denying it here would feel like rejecting the feelings of the people who care about me, and I hesitated.
All I could manage was a vague smile.
“But there are two things that concern me.”
Sera said in a small voice.
“Concern you?”
“If Sayou is going to join Sousuke’s harem, she’d definitely aim for number one, right?”
“…I see. Sounds like her competitive side is showing.”
I didn’t know what the future held, but assuming things went in that direction…
I could picture Sayou feeling competitive not just toward Meoko, but also toward Chiyu and the other girls.
“And another thing. This has nothing to do with Sayou…”
“What’s up?”
“We’re planning on keeping our memories, right? So, even if I go back to my normal life, I’ll still like Sousuke.”
“Will it really come to that?”
“Absolutely.”
Having affection expressed so directly still makes me shy.
“Ah, thank you…?”
Feeling a heat rise to my face, I managed to answer with that much.
“You’re welcome.”
For a few seconds, a pleasant yet awkward silence hung in the air.
Yorina was the one to break it.
“So… what do you plan on doing with girls who are head over heels for you, Sousuke?”
”…”
It’s something I eventually have to think about.
No, that’s not quite right.
I hadn’t said it out loud, but I’d been thinking about this for a while now.
“Well, I guess I’ll need to talk to Chiyu about it. She’s probably intentionally avoiding the topic, too. Maybe she’s still trying to figure things out herself.”
This harem situation only exists because we’re stuck on this desert island.
The sheer difficulty of an ordinary high school boy successfully dating several classmates goes without saying.
I’ve been leaning heavily on the specific circumstances and Chiyu’s magnanimity.
“You’re right, I do need to consult with Chiyu. But I don’t want to pretend like what happened between all of us never occurred. Of course, I’ll have to check in with each person individually to see where they stand.”
I even wondered if that statement came from a sense of responsibility or not.
But it was the truth.
Until recently, I was just an ordinary guy who had a crush on his childhood friend since kindergarten but couldn’t bring himself to confess, even after becoming a high school student.
Now, even after returning to everyday life, I’m trying to continue the harem setup.
We haven’t even been on this desert island for two weeks, yet things have changed quite a bit.
Seirina seemed satisfied with my answer, at least momentarily, and laughed.
“Mm. I’m looking forward to it. But if they say no…”
Then, Seirina moved her lips close to my ear, almost as if she was about to lick them, and whispered.
“I won’t give up on Souseki. So please don’t regret having been liked by someone like me.”
It was a bewitching yet burning confession, one that slipped into the depths of my ear and melted all the way to my brain.
Happy New Year.
Thank you for your continued support this year as well.
In the coming year, while continuing to expand Souseki’s harem,
I will do my best to ensure that the shadows of the existing heroines do not fade when viewed on a chapter-by-chapter basis.
I hope you will continue to support the work in web serialization and book formats.
-------A Plea to All Readers-------
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