Multiple updates today.

This is chapter 1.

The hot pot was a huge hit with everyone.

If we were on Earth, I might have found the flavor bland, but after just one day of island life, the appreciation for a proper meal sinks in deep.

After all, until this morning, mushrooms and nuts had been our staple food.

The prepared portion was neatly absorbed into everyone's stomachs.

"That was delicious."

Meyoko rubbed her belly with a look of contentment.

"Thank you for the meal. A nice bath, such delicious food... I really appreciate it."

Itsusa bowed gracefully.

Her school uniform had been cleaned up nicely, and her skin and hair had regained their beauty.

She seemed satisfied with the meal, but her eyelids looked a bit heavy.

"Itsusa, how about you get some rest?"

"Oh no. It's such a precious day. I can do foraging or whatever else I'm capable of. I should do something to repay you."

"But from that look on your face, you didn't sleep well yesterday, did you? Fortunately, we aren't short on food for today or tomorrow. Just rest easy now; save your energy for when you're feeling better again."

The other three agreed with him.

Even so, Itsusa hesitated for a moment, but she likely realized that insisting would be more of a nuisance, and nodded modestly.

"......I really do thank you. Well then, I guess I'll take you up on your offer."

"Then, go rest in the hut."

I placed the shed I had packed away into its designated spot.

"...!?" Yotsue flinched, visibly shaken. "Does 'Crafting' ability even cover buildings? I mean, sure, individuals might build their own huts.

But if that's the case, then log cabins and all that... hmm..."

I stepped inside to place a rug on the floor, pulled out a blanket, and handed it to Yotsue.

"Take off your shoes inside the hut. And this is a blanket."

"Oh my god, it's so fluffy... Thank you for taking such great care with everything."

"It was nothing."

"You're amazing, Kouno-kun. You didn't just pick some easy, wish-fulfilling ability. You chose one that solves the major bottlenecks of a desert island environment all at once: lack of tools, lack of skills, and time management."

Yotsue was looking at me with pure admiration...

"Oh, uh, haha..."

I managed to muster up nothing but a wry smile.

The truth was, I'd only picked it because I wanted the experience of playing a game...

It was incredibly useful, but I just picked it based on a vague, easy-going ideal.

It wasn't the kind of atmosphere where one could say that.

"I'm grateful for your help. I'll make sure to use it well."

"Alright, good night."

"Eh... g-good night."

Yotsue said in a flustered voice and stepped inside the hut.

I then headed back to my companions.

“What are we going to do? We can’t just leave Minorin alone.”

I nodded in response to Meki’s words.

“Let’s split into two teams like before. One for searching, one for holding down the fort. From a tactical standpoint, sorry, but Meki and Mashiro need to join the search party.”

“Sure sure!”

Mashiro is our combat specialist, but she’s a phantom beast that Meki summoned.

She seems fond of us as friends, but in a crisis situation, it’d be better if Meki were around to give her instructions.

“Then I’m joining the search too.”

“Chiyu, are you sure?”

“Leave it to me. I’m going to catch some chickens so I can get Soukuno’s stomach back on my side.”

My childhood friend seemed fired up for some reason.

Having seen Shiino’s cooking skills, she apparently felt a competitive urge.

“Anyway, if we don’t find anything, cut our losses and head back at an appropriate time, okay?”

“Got it.”

“So I’ll be staying behind with Soukune.”

“Yeah. You probably wouldn’t feel comfortable being alone with a guy, Shijo. Can we count on you?”

“Of course.”

Shiino flashed a beaming smile, and the teams were officially formed.

Before we set off, I had Meki summon some sheep for us.

“That’s the sheep's milk you mentioned earlier, right? It should be fine.”

Right, apparently it doesn’t cause any issues if the milk is taken.

“If that’s the case, can we make cheese?”

“Can cheese really be made from just milk?”

“I think rennet is required.”

Shion placed a finger on her chin, searching through her memory.

“Oh right, I’ve heard of it somewhere. Cattle stomachs, was it?”

“Understood about capturing cattle too.”

“No, don’t push yourselves.”

It’s good to have that drive, but it’s only the second day.

There’s no need to force ourselves and try to take on everything at once.

For now, I handed the two of them gathering backpacks.

“Ooh, nice. Okay, Chiyu-chan. How about a contest to see who can gather more?”

“My pleasure.”

While Mashiyo was calling Mashiro over, Chiyu approached me.

And she extends her toes, pressing her lips together in a soft mew.

“Chi, Chiyu?”

I flush at the sudden kiss.

“So it is, Sou-kun. In a situation like this, having harem skills really comes in handy.”

To say something like that in a situation like this…… what does that mean?

“……Is Chiyu not opposed to it?”

“It’s no problem. As long as you’re by my side, this Chiyu, until the very end.”

Manly…… damn.

“Besides, it’s not a bad thing if your beloved’s charms are shared with others.”

Leaving those words behind, Chiyu departed from the base together with Momeko.

Left behind were Yubari sleeping inside the hut.

Plus the sheep, me, and Shiine.

“Ahh…… well, I guess we start by milking first.”

“Mhm.”

We took out a wooden bucket and split the work, attempting to milk the sheep.

After a while, we got the hang of it, and the milk started gushing out forcefully.

“Kyaa! Wow, it comes out with so much force……”

Shion's voice alone was enough to spawn ill-fitting fantasies in my head, but I managed to shake them off.

"Hey, Sousuke-kun. Would you mind listening to me for a moment?"

"Ah, of course."

It would be nice if he could stop the silent udder milking.

"What was my impression in class like?"

"Your impression? Well... you seemed well-adjusted and popular, I guess."

"Ahhaha, thank you. I'm glad I looked like that. But because of that, I couldn't let my guard down for a single day. I was constantly checking chat apps, making sure I could keep up with the latest topics—researching or watching things even if they weren't interesting to me. I memorized what my friends said so I wouldn't forget, and kept track so I could react appropriately."

Back in elementary school, I didn't have to put in that kind of effort; my interests naturally aligned with my friends' anyway.

Whether it was tokusatsu shows, popular comics or anime, or hit video games, if I knew what they were into, we could geek out about it together.

But once you hit middle and high school, interests start to scatter, and even the favorite artist alone can vary wildly from person to person.

It becomes quite difficult to find a friend with exactly the same hobbies as yours.

You can still become close friends, of course, but building that bond is definitely more complex than it was when you were little.

"If I dress too shabbily, my reputation drops, but if I try too hard, it puts some people off, so I always had to find the perfect balance. Even then, I couldn't maneuver perfectly. If I rejected a boy's confession, sometimes the girls who liked him would turn against me. But that doesn't mean I should have accepted, either. It was always suffocating."

Guys have their good points and their annoying sides. Girls probably have the same dynamic, too.

During middle school, Chiyu had a period where she drew jealousy—and even hostility from some of the female students—thanks to her cuteness and cool demeanor.

She didn't seem to mind it much, but I knew that if I got involved, things would just get more complicated. I have a vivid memory of feeling frustrated that there was nothing I could do.

"That's why I was surprised when we became friends in second year. She was so straightforward and transparent; she doesn't wear masks, so I never had to overthink her actions or words."

"Aah. Yeah, there are definitely people out there whose words don't match what's going on inside their heads."

"Right. That's why I wished for the ability to detect lies. Even on that desert island, we were still bound by the constraints of being in a 'class.' At least within those boundaries, I wanted to be able to navigate things smoothly."

You can certainly lead a happy life even if you don't have many friends or aren't at the top of the class hierarchy.

But it's also true that many people worry about these things, and I could understand how she felt.

Shion had her own history with this; there was likely a specific reason why she became so fixated on "getting along smoothly."

"Wasn't choosing the ability to survive on your own an option, too?"

"Aha ha, So-suke really is strong, isn't he? But wouldn't it be lonely if it were just you alone?"

"That's... true, I suppose."

I had Chiyu from the very start. That’s why I was able to push through without wasting time on unnecessary self-doubt, and my spirit never broke.

But those who were sent flying solo must have felt anxious and alone.

"Besides, I didn't really want a power that would be 'useful' to everyone. Because... it would inevitably turn out wrong."

Being treated like a handyman service, or having the use of said power assumed as a given.

"You have the power to heal, so I expect you to treat every minor injury with your full strength," they would say.

"Since you can craft things that are practical for daily life, make this, and that, and the other thing," they would demand.

"You can command Phantoms, so order that beast to go hunt for us," they would command.

We operate on a spirit of mutual aid, but that healthy balance is fragile; it could shatter at any moment.

If we were to reunite with all our classmates, the pleasant atmosphere we enjoy now would likely vanish.

My current companions appreciate my abilities, and I appreciate them in return.

But there will always be those who lack gratitude, and those who treat us as mere tools will surely emerge.

Shion perhaps feared exactly that, choosing a power that would allow her to navigate group dynamics effectively.

Well, her plan didn't quite work out as intended, resulting in everyone being teleported to different locations.

「So, Sōsuke-kun... I really think you're amazing」

「I wasn't thinking about anyone but myself at that time」

He had simply thought it was a dream and failed to read the room.

「But in that split second, you grabbed Chiiru-chan's hand and transported with her. It wasn't just childhood friends helping each other; you accepted Shouko-chan and me. Even regarding Yōji-san...」

「Maybe everyone's just putting on a good face because they're all beautiful girls」

「That's a lie. Stop it, Sōsuke-kun. Lies don't work on me」

Shion let out a soft, pleased chuckle.

"So that's how it was."

「Besides, Sōsuke-kun. There was no deception in your kindness. Well, aside from jokes like that, of course」 「What's wrong?

You're getting flustered, aren't you?」

「You might be a bit perverted, Sōsuke-kun, but when you show kindness to others, you don't harbor any ulterior motives. I think that's wonderful」

I got the general idea of what she was trying to say.

It's not uncommon for a guy to pick up a dropped item if it belongs to a beautiful girl in his class, but ignore it if it belonged to someone else.

It's not just pure kindness; they perform kindness as a cover-up after having improper thoughts.

"It's not that I'm amazing; it's just my parents' upbringing."

It's just the simple principle of helping someone if you see them in trouble.

"Then both your kind parents and Sōsuke-kun, who faithfully follows their teachings, are wonderful," she said.

What was with this atmosphere?

It felt strangely ticklish.

"Oh, uh... The milking looks about ready. I'll 'itemize' it for now. Ah, let's keep it a secret from everyone and try drinking some just us first?"

I stowed away my share and the milk Shi-on had squeezed, trying to change the mood, but...

"No, that can wait for later."

Shi-on stood up, approached me, and took my hand.

"S-S-shi-on?"

"Since the bathroom is still like that, let's go to the sliding doors."

Pulling on my hand, she led me toward the bathroom.

"What's wrong? If you want a bath, I'll heat the water..."

"Heh. Listen, Sōsuke-kun, I think you understand after hearing me out. I want to fit in with this group too. A space of good people who don't tell unpleasant lies. To make it work, I need to genuinely believe that I'm allowed to be here. If not, the anxiety becomes unbearable."

"...If it's about our differences in abilities, there's no need to worry. There will be times when we'll have to rely on each other going forward."

"Yes. But right now, I feel my contribution isn't enough to justify it. As things stand, I've been taking too much. So I have to give something back."

Shiune leaned against me, wrapping her arms around my waist.

"You got Chiyu-chan's permission, right? It's fine, the girls have already talked it out. Tsumugi-san is still in the picture, so we just need to make sure we don't get caught."

Was that comment from Chiyu intentional, anticipating how things would unfold like this?

Shiune looked up at me, her eyes glistening.

"I want you to let me be of use to you, Sousuke-kun."

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We've got multiple updates today, and this is the first one. Everyone loved the stew.

If this were Earth, it might have tasted bland, but after just one day of living on a desert island, the value of a proper meal really sank in.

After all, until this morning, mushrooms and nuts had been our main food.

The portion we prepared was enough to fill everyone's stomachs. "It was delicious."

Shizuko is rubbing her belly contentedly.

"Thank you for the meal. And the bath, and the delicious food, really, thank you." Siang is politely thanking us.

Her uniform is clean, and her skin and hair have regained their beauty.

She seems to have enjoyed the meal, but her eyelids are a bit heavy. "Siang, why don't you take a little nap?"

"No, it's such a precious day. I should gather things or do whatever I can to repay you."

"But you look like you didn't get enough sleep yesterday. Luckily, we're not worried about food for tomorrow. You should rest now and work hard when you're feeling better." The other three agreed.

Siang was still hesitating, but eventually she seemed to realize that insisting would be a bother, and nodded modestly.

"…Thank you. Then, I'll take you up on your offer." "Then, take a rest in the hut."

I set the shed that was stored away in its designated place.

"...!? W-Is a building also within the scope of 'Crafting Abilities'? I mean, there are people who make their own sheds, right? I mean, if we go by that, then log cabins and such... No." Yonjou is visibly shaken.

I went inside and placed the carpet, then took out the blankets and handed them to Yonjou.

"Take off your shoes when you're inside the shed. And this is a blanket."

"Wow, so soft... Thank you for everything." "It's fine."

"Kouno-kun is amazing. Rather than an easy ideal, you chose an ability that solves the 'lack of tools,' 'lack of technology,' and 'time management' issues in a desert island environment."

Yonjou is looking at me with a look of admiration, but... "Haha..." I just smiled wryly.

Actually, this ability was one I wanted to have while playing the game...

It's very useful, but it wasn't an easy ideal to choose.

"I'll be grateful and use it carefully." "Alright, good night."

"Y-Yes... G-Good night."

Yonjou said, looking embarrassed, and went inside the shed. I returned to my friends.

「So what do we do? We can't leave Minori alone.」 I nod at Shokushu's words.

「Let's split into two groups like before, one for exploration and one to stay behind. I'm sorry, but Shokushu and Mashiro, you'll have to go on the exploration team.」 「Okay!」

Mashiro is in charge of combat, but Mashiro was summoned by Shokushu.

She seems to like us, but it would be better to have Shokushu around for quick decisions.

「Then I'll go on the exploration team too.」 「Chiyu, are you sure?」

「Leave it to me. I'll come back with some chickens to make Sou-kun's stomach happy.」 Chiyu seems really fired up.

She must have felt competitive after seeing Shizune's cooking skills.

「If we can't find anything, we'll just cut our losses and head back.」 「Roger that.」

「So that leaves me and Sou-kun to stay behind.」

「Yeah, and Shizune, you won't be comfortable being alone with a guy, so can we count on you?」 「Of course.」

Shizune smiles brightly, and with that, the teams are set.

Before we leave, I ask Shokushu to summon some sheep.

「You were talking about sheep’s milk earlier, right? It’s okay.」

That’s right, it seems like there’s no problem with milking them.

「So, can you make cheese, Souchan?」

「Can cheese be made just with milk?」

「I think rennet is needed.」

Shion put her finger to her chin and said, as if searching her memory.

「Ah, I heard something like that. It’s the stomach of a cow, right?」 「Got it, we’ll catch a cow too.」 「No, don’t go overboard.」

It’s good that they’re enthusiastic, but it’s only the second day.

They shouldn’t try to do too much.

For now, I’ll give them the carrying baskets for collecting.

「Wow, nice. Okay, Chiyu. Let’s see who can collect the most, shall we?」 「As you wish.」

While Shouko was calling Mashiro over, Chiyu came closer to me.

And she stretches out her toes, then presses her lips together. "C-Chiyo?" I blush at the sudden kiss.

"Right, Kun. In this situation, a harem is justified."

Saying that in this situation means...

"...You don't mind Chiyo?"

"It's fine. As long as I'm next to Chiyo at the end." O-So cool...

"Besides, having your loved one's charm spread to others isn't bad."

Saying that, Chiyo leaves with Shouko.

Left behind in the hut are the sleeping Shiwake and me, along with the sheep and Shion.

"Ah... Well, let's start with milking." "Okay."

We take out a wooden bucket and try milking, each of us taking a turn.

After a while, we get the hang of it and the milk starts coming out in a steady stream.

"Kyaa. Wow, it comes out so fast..."

Just listening to Shion's voice alone makes me imagine terrible scenarios, but I shake them off.

"Hey, Sōsuke-kun. Can you listen to me for a bit?" "Sure, of course."

I don't need to milk her for information even if she doesn't speak.

"How did you perceive me in class?"

"How should I say... You seemed to fit in well and were popular."

"Haha, thank you. If that's how you saw me, that's great. But to be that way, I couldn't relax every day. I constantly checked my chat apps, researched and watched things even if I wasn't interested, just to keep up with the latest topics. I remembered what my friends said so I could give the right responses."

When I was in elementary school, I didn't need to make such efforts to get along with friends.

We naturally shared interests in things like tokusatsu, popular manga and anime, or popular games. As long as I had an interest in those things, I could easily bond with them.

But in middle and high school, interests become more diverse.

It's hard to find friends with exactly the same tastes.

Even so, I think it's possible to become friends, but it's certainly more complex to build friendships than when we were younger.

If you dress sloppily, your evaluation drops, but if you try too hard, some people will think you're fake, so I had to find the right balance. Even then, I couldn't always manage perfectly. When I turned down a boy's confession, the girl who liked him would end up hating me. I couldn't accept his confession either, so I always felt suffocated.

There are good and annoying aspects to being a guy. I'm sure the same applies to girls.

During middle school, Chiyo was envied for her cuteness and coolness, and there was a period when some girls hated her.

She didn't seem to mind, but I knew that my intervention would only make things more complicated, so I was frustrated that I couldn't do anything about it.

"So, when I became friends with Shouko-chan in second year, I was surprised. She's a very straightforward person, and since she doesn't have a hidden side, I didn't have to overthink things."

"Yeah. There are people who say one thing and think another, right?"

"That's right. That's why I wanted the ability to tell lies. I thought I'd be confined to the class hierarchy even on the desert island. At least I wanted to be able to get along well within it."

Even if I didn't have many friends or wasn't at the top of the class hierarchy, I could still lead a fun life.

But it's true that many people care about such things, so I could understand their feelings.

I guess Shiho became fixated on 'getting along well' for her own reasons.

"You could have chosen the ability to live alone, right?"

"Hehe, you're strong, Sōsuke-kun. But wouldn't it be lonely to be alone?" "Maybe."

I had Chiyo from the start, so I didn't have to worry unnecessarily and could keep trying my best, without my spirit breaking.

But those who were sent alone must have felt anxious and lonely.

And you know, I didn't want to have a power that would be useful to everyone. Because... it would definitely turn out badly.

Being treated like a handyman, or being expected to use your power.

If you have the power to heal people, you'll be told to heal every little wound with all your might.

If you can make things that are useful in daily life, you'll be told to make all sorts of things.

If you can command a phantasmal beast, you'll be told to order it to hunt.

We help each other out, but that healthy balance is a fragile thing that could break at any moment.

Probably, if we all joined up with the rest of the class, the comfortable atmosphere we have now would be lost.

Right now, my friends are grateful for my abilities, and I'm grateful for them.

But there will definitely be those who are not grateful, and who will treat us as tools.

Maybe Shion was afraid of that, and chose a power that would allow her to fit in with a group.

Well, her plan was a bit off, since everyone was sent to different places.

「That's why, I really think you're amazing, Kousuke-kun.」

「Back then, I was only thinking about myself.」

I was just dreaming and didn't read the atmosphere.

「But you grabbed Senyuu-chan's hand and transferred with her. Not only did you help your childhood friend, but you also accepted Shouko-chan and me.」

「Maybe everyone's just a beautiful girl, so they look good.」

「That's a lie. It won't work on me, Kousuke-kun.」

Shion chuckled, looking happy. 「That's right.」

「And, Kousuke-kun, your kindness was genuine. Of course, I'm not talking about jokes like this one.」 「What's wrong? You're blushing.」

「Kousuke-kun, you might be a little perverted, but you don't have any ulterior motives when you're kind to others. I think that's wonderful.」

I understood what she was trying to say.

It's not uncommon for guys to pick up a classmate's dropped bag if she's a beautiful girl, but ignore it if it's someone else's.

It's not just kindness, but pretending to be kind after having ulterior motives.

"That's not because I'm amazing, but because of my parents' upbringing."

It's just about helping someone if they're in trouble in front of you.

"Well, then, both your kind parents and you, who follow their teachings so well, are wonderful." What is this feeling? It's oddly ticklish.

"Eh, um. It's about time to milk her, right? Let's turn it into an item for now. Oh, should we try drinking it first before telling everyone else?"

I stored my share and the milk that Shi-on squeezed, trying to change the mood, but...

"No, I think we can do that later."

Shion stood up and came closer, taking my hand. "Shi, Shion?"

"Since the bathroom is still the same, let's go over to the partition."

Following her, I moved to the bathroom.

"What's wrong? If you want to take a bath, I'll heat it up..."

"Hehe. You see, Souzou-kun, I've told you my story, and I think you understand. I want to get along well with this group. I don't want to tell lies or be around only good people. To get along well, I have to believe that I'm okay being here. Otherwise, I'll be too anxious."

"...You don't need to worry about the difference in our abilities. You'll need my help in the future."

「Yeah, but I don't think I've contributed enough right now. If I keep this up, I'll be taking too much. So I have to give something back.」

Shion leaned into me and wrapped her arms around my back.

「Didn't you get Chiyu's permission? Don't worry, I've already talked things over with the girls. We just have to be careful not to get caught since Shizutou hasn't given her okay yet.」

Chiyu's comment was a setup for this situation, then.

Shion looked up at me with moist eyes.

「I want to be useful to you, Tsugusa-kun.」

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Multiple updates today, next time is a chapter with Shion and wisdom.

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