We hit a cliff.
We were at the bottom of the cliff, looking up at it.

"It doesn't look like we can climb it."

Chiyu muttered.

"That's right."

The cliff wasn't vertical, but sloped, so if we went inside, we wouldn't be visible from above.

"Sou-kun?"

Chiyu asked after staring for a while.

"Yeah, I was thinking of using this place as a potential base."

Chiyu looked around.

The cliffside was clear of trees and had a small open space.
It was perfect for setting up a hut or making a fire.

"Indeed, it's hard for people to find us here, right?"

"That's right. Do you mind?"

She shook her head.

"I don't mind. Then this is our love nest."

"A love nest, huh..."

This childhood friend always said such things with a straight face, which was frustrating.

"When you turn into a beast, I'm at a loss..."

Chiyu hugged herself and shook her body from side to side.

"I wouldn't attack you if you didn't want me to."

"You're such a gentleman, Sousuke."

"Thanks."

Chiyu looked up at me as if she were looking for something.

"...What if I didn't mind?"

My heart skipped a beat at her question.

"W-Well, you see..."

I could feel my cheeks heating up.

Seeing this, Chiyu nodded with satisfaction.

"Got it."

"I don't know what kind of face to make..."

I knew I wouldn't be able to beat this childhood friend if she really put her mind to it.
Chiyu is a very important childhood friend and best friend, and a very attractive girl.
If I could become even closer to her, I would be very happy. That's the truth.

"For now—"

Chiyu's stomach rumbled.

"I want you to cook the mushrooms."

To be honest, I was glad the atmosphere had changed.
I chuckled and started preparing.

"Let's do it. Chiyu, help me out."

"Of course."

I immediately generated a 'Twine Fire Starter' using my crafting ability. I had also collected stones and rocks I found along the way and stored them in my Inventory, and I used them to create a large stone pavement.

I laid out a stone pavement about the size of a six-tatami mat room.
　I also placed the fire starter on it.

I needed to sit on the ground to work, but in a place like this, I'd just get covered in dirt.
　That's why I wanted a clean floor.

Chiyu and I stepped onto the stone pavement.

"Sou-kun, is this the fire starter?"

"That's right. This is something we do together."

The parts are a piece of wood with a dent, a wooden stick, a rope, and a dented stone.

"Interesting."

They both sit down.
The stone feels cool, but it might be a good idea to generate a woven mat or something.

First, they need to start a fire.
Place the dented wood on the ground, put the wooden stick against it, and support the top with the dented stone.
Then, wrap the rope made of vines around the stick and pull it back and forth to make it spin.

At this point, the wood needs to be held in place with their feet.

"I'll take the role of pulling the rope for now."

"Please."

Chiyu, following instructions, secured the wood with her feet.

Since she was wearing a skirt, her thick thighs and the white underwear underneath were fully exposed, but she didn’t seem to mind.

I tried not to pay attention to that as I pulled the rope and rotated the stick back and forth.

At first, the rope would slip and the stick would come loose, but I quickly got a feel for it.
Soon enough, smoke started rising from the wood, so I removed the stick and inserted a spark into the fiber-like wood fluff.

I generated a thin wooden board at random and used it as a fan to blow air onto the fluff—and the fire caught!

“Wow!”

A fire that would ignite in a second on a stove at home was a miraculous sight on this desert island.

“Sousuke, you’re amazing...!”

Chiyu was unusually excited.

I generated firewood and carefully nurtured the fire.
It didn't take much time, but I felt strangely exhausted.

"Good job, beginner healing."

A white light enveloped me, and my fatigue and hand pain faded away.

"Of course, Chiyu."

"I won't let you do all the work, Sousuke."

Chiyu said with an expressionless but somehow sharp tone.

"Heh heh, I'm counting on you."

Honestly, Chiyu is a pretty big cheat herself.

"But really, you're amazing. It was worth it to see your underwear."

She blushed slightly and said that.
I was speechless.

“I was noticed, huh…”

“Girls are sensitive to gazes.”

“Sorry.”

“I forgive you.”

We skewered the mushrooms onto the sticks we had made and sprinkled them with salt before grilling them.
The moisture seeped out, evaporated, and the delicious aroma spread around us.
We waited impatiently for them to finish cooking.
And when the time was right, we quickly popped them into our mouths.

“Huff, huff.”

It seemed a bit too hot for Chiyu.

“Damn. I didn’t know mushrooms could taste this good.”

“Salt’s the best. Shouko, let’s eat more.”

“I will.”

Nuts and mushrooms.
　In modern Japan, this wouldn’t be considered a simple meal.
　On this desert island, it’s a proper feast.

We cooked more mushrooms to satisfy our hunger.

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