A depressed-looking giant-cup beauty with navy-blue hair.

Her name, the girl standing before him who seemed to possess barrier abilities—was it... Yume Saena?

"Yume... you're okay?"

"You know from the daily votes that nobody has died, right?"

The voting ends once a majority is reached.

With forty classmates, maintaining a majority of twenty-one votes makes it clear that no one has been killed.

That's true, but being alive and being unharmed are two different things.

He checked her attire.

Her uniform was somewhat dirty and frayed, but perhaps because she had washed it with water, it wasn't as bad as Loa had been when initially found.

Instead, there were wrinkles, likely leftovers from wringing it out to remove the water, given they had no iron or anything similar.

Her complexion wasn't bad either, but she was simply a very thin girl.

She'd always been that way, but looking at her like this made it impossible to tell if she was eating properly.

"What are you staring at so blatantly?"

"Ah, no, sorry about that."

"You don't need to apologize... but just tell me about Shoushi."

Her attitude was quite cool and distant, but that was the kind of space one would expect between girls who weren't close.

The women I'd encountered before were just being nice.

I glanced out beyond the wall for a moment.

You couldn't see the Dream World from the outside.

But apparently, you could see everything on the outside from within.

I could see Micron headbutting the wall in panic, Shion with tears welling in her eyes, and Loa going pale as death.

I could hear their voices too, and they seemed to be quite worried.

"It's fine to talk, but first I want to assure our allies outside that we're safe."

"...Got it. We don't want to cry on the class members either."

Having received permission, I poked just my head out of the barrier.

From the inside, it felt like there was a thin membrane stretched across.

It was similar to the sensation of having only part of your body in a bath.

"Don't worry, we're safe."

"Eeeek! So, so-sogoro-kun!?"

"M-Master, are you truly unharmed? Y-You only have your head left..."

"Ahh, so that's what it looks like. Yeah, I guess it is. It's fine; all five of my limbs are intact. I'm just going to have a quick word with Yume." "Huh?

Soji-kun!?"

And so, he returned within the barrier.

"……Why aren't you running?"

"Do you want me to run?"

"That's not an answer."

Yume glared at him sharply.

Normally, Shion would be here to see through his lies, which would be a lifesaver in a situation like this, but surely that much trust wasn't expected.

"You dragged me out here because I looked like the leader, didn't you? And the topic was Soshi. Meaning, you're not an enemy; you're just worried about a friend. There's no reason for you to run."

If the goal had been to oppose them, they would have likely dragged out one of the girls instead of a boy.

The fact that they hadn't done so suggested he was specifically wanted to speak with him, who appeared to hold decision-making power.

"……Fine. And where is Soshi?"

"She's moving together with us right now."

"What are the dragons outside? Monsters haven't come out yet, have they?"

"Weren't you asking about Soshi's abilities in the first dream?"

"Huh? …Ah, so that's why it has fur growing on it? You can summon things if they're fluffy and soft? …That really sounds like her."

Yume laughed for a brief moment.

"Can I ask you something now?" "Sure. That seems fair."

"Your ability is barrier creation, isn't it?"

"Yes."

She didn't seem surprised by what I knew.

Presumably, she had anticipated the patterns I remembered or that Shouko had taught her.

"If my memory serves, this barrier can keep insects, beasts, and humans out. And considering that I set it up, depending on the conditions, others could be excluded from entering as well."

"...So?"

"I want to make a deal."

"...Say it."

"I want you to surround our base with your barrier."

"What's in it for us?"

"Do you not remember my ability?"

"...I never heard about it. I just mentioned an ability out of habit from Shouko."

"Oh, I see. Well, let me explain. My ability is craft-based. If I have the materials, I can skip the process and produce the finished product."
"What? Isn't that way too convenient?"

Fortunately, the people on the island I've met immediately grasped the utility of this ability, so conversations go quickly.

"The barrier ability is pretty impressive too, though..."

"Wait, then what about you, Takano? Can you make clothes from fibers and huts from wood?"

"That's right, exactly like that."

"...If you chose your ability with all that in mind, you're amazing, you know."

His gaze remained stern, yet his words carried a tone of genuine admiration.

"Thank you. So, since I can arrange whatever items from the Dream Realm that we need, in exchange, I want you to protect our base."

"...Specifically, what are you offering?"

"Well. If we don't have a base, I'll build a house. Plus furniture, spare clothes, towels, soap... things like that. And since Shion is out there and a good cook, she should be able to handle the meals too."

The Dream Realm froze at my words.

But it was only for a few seconds before he snapped back to attention as if shaking off daze.

"...Huh? It looks like Houshin is wearing a maid outfit. Did you do that too?"

"Exactly. Just to clarify, I'm not the one making him wear it."

"......There are two conditions."

"Go ahead and tell me."

"First, you bring Shouko with you. Sorry, but I can't just believe everything right away. It's not about your abilities, but about you."

"That's natural."

Actually, being trusted blindly out of the blue would be more of a hassle.

I was childhood friends with Senu before the transfer, and friends with Shouko as well. Shion trusts me because of her ability, and Fuhou had some incident before the transfer that gave him a favorable impression of me.

Loh treats us favorly out of gratitude for saving him when he was stranded.

Trust is something that has to be built over time.

In that case, she's simply itching to talk to Miko, the familiar she already has a bond with.

She probably intends to use Miko as a litmus test to see if she can trust me.

"And one more thing—pay the fee in installments." "Huh? Is that okay with you?"

"Actually, is it okay with you? If I hand over everything at once, there's no reason for me to keep maintaining this barrier around your base."

It was a fair point.

Dream World was suggesting that I disburse the reward little by little to ensure she wouldn't betray me.

Despite her prickly attitude, she's actually quite kind.

"As for me, I'm not really worried about that."

"Why?"

"Because if you betrayed us and monsters attacked our base, your friend Miko might get hurt."

"...Maybe I don't even care about that."

"You brought me into the barrier because you were worried about Miko. You would have been safe if you had done nothing, yet you took the risk. It wasn't a zero percent chance that I'd attack you, and yet you cared enough about Miko to do it."

"...Fine, I get it. That's enough."

She looked away from me.

He wore a look of frustration, though a faint flush tinge his cheeks.

"Just for now, come back this afternoon again. Ah, do you have any food with you?"

"Huh? ...I've been eating mushrooms and fruits and stuff."

I would end up explaining about the 『Inventory』... but well, since he was Shouko's friend, it should be fine.

On the tray, I arranged items that could be eaten quickly: a "Thermos of warm soup," "Seedless bread," "Meat dish," "Boiled eggs," "Salt," and "Several fruits," before handing it over.

"Here, help yourself to these if you want."

"What? Tabu, how did you just..."

"It's an application of my ability. It lets me store what I've made and take it out again."

Since I definitely wanted to make the deal with Yume-gai succeed, there was also the intention to demonstrate its utility...

"That's way too convenient," she said.

"I haven't put any poison in it."

"I wasn't worried about that. If I want your ability, killing you would be pointless anyway."

"Yeah, fair point."

"...Bring Shouko to the same spot next time. If we're too far apart, my voice might not reach her."

"Understood."

"—Tabu."

Just as I was about to step out of the barrier, Yume-gai called out to me.

Looking back, she wore a complex expression, hesitating before finally squeezing out these words.

"Thanks for this. I'll pay you back."

"In that case, please consider the trade positively." "It's up to Shoushi."

"Ahaha.

See you later in the afternoon, then."

"Understood."

I stepped out of the barrier.

"Sousuke-kun!"

"Mmphh...!?"

In an instant, Shiine lunged into my arms.

I was stunned by the impact and the feeling of her against me.

"I can't believe you didn't explain more! I was really, really worried!"

Hearing that in a tearful voice left me with nothing to say in return.

"Sorry about that..."

I patted her back gently.

"...I'm glad you're safe, but please consult with us properly next time."

"Yeah, you're right. I'll make sure to do that from now on. It seems the Dream Realm wants to meet Shoushi."

"I see. Yeah, it must be nice to reunite with close friends."

"...I, too, have friends whose safety concerns me."

Shiine and Roa nodded in agreement.

"For now, let's head back."

If we could achieve the best possible outcome, it might allow us to establish defenses beyond anything else.

Besides, Soko would surely be pleased to know her friend is safe.

I stroked Mikron soothingly as she clung to me, then climbed onto her back.

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A blue-haired, busty, and beautiful downer girl.

The girl in front of me, whose name I think is-- Yumesai Mei. "Yumesai... You're safe, huh?"

"Every day's voting, you know no one's died."

The voting ends when a majority is reached.

With forty classmates, a majority is twenty-one votes, so it's obvious no one has died.

That's true, but being alive and being safe are slightly different. Look at her clothes.

Her uniform is a bit dirty and frayed, but it's been washed, so it's not as bad as Roa's was when she was found.

Instead, it's wrinkled, which is probably from wringing out the water or ironing it.

Her complexion isn't bad, but she's just naturally skinny.

Even if she was always that way, it's hard to tell if she's eating properly now. "What are you staring at?" "Ah, sorry."

"You don't have to apologize... Just tell me about Shouko."

She's pretty cold, but that's probably how girls who aren't friends act.

So far, the women I've encountered were just kind. I glance outside the wall for a moment.

From the outside, I couldn't see the dream world.

But from the inside, I can see everything outside.

I see Mikron repeatedly banging his head against the wall in a panic, Shion with tear-filled eyes, and Roa with a pale face.

I can also hear their voices and it seems they're quite worried.

"Sure, I can talk, but first I want to let the others outside know I'm okay."

"…Understood. I don't want to make my classmates cry either."

With permission granted, I try sticking my face outside the barrier.

From the inside, it feels like there's a thin membrane covering it.

It's like when only part of your body is in the bath. "Relax, I'm fine."

"Kyaa! S, Sohaku-kun!?"

"G, Master, are you really all right? Y, Your head's the only thing I can see."

「Oh, is that how it looks? Yeah, that's right. I'm fine, I'm all here. I'll just go talk to the Dream World for a bit.」 「Eh!? Sōsuke-kun!?」 She returned to the barrier.

「...Why aren't you running away?」 「Do you want me to?」 「That's not an answer.」 She glared at me.

I could use Shion's help to spot the lie, but I couldn't ask her to.

「You brought me here because I looked like a leader, right? And the topic is about Shōko. So, you're not an enemy, you're just worried about your friend. There's no reason to run.」

If she thought there was a chance of us being enemies, she would have brought a girl instead of a boy.

She didn't because she wanted to talk to me, the one who seemed to have the authority.

「...Alright. So where's Shōko?」

「She's with us right now.」

「What about the dragon outside? No monsters have appeared yet, right?」

「Didn't you hear about Shōko's ability in the first dream?」

「Huh? ...Oh, so that's why the dragon has fur? You can summon it because it's fluffy? ...That's like her.」 She smiled for a moment.

「Can I ask you something this time?」 「Sure. That's fair.」

「Your ability is to create barriers, right?」 「That's right.」

He doesn't seem surprised by what I know.

He probably already anticipated the patterns I remember and the ones taught by Shokishi.

「If my memory serves, this barrier can block insects, beasts, and people. And considering that I can enter it, it can also let others in under certain conditions.」 「...And?」 「I want to make a deal.」 「...Go on.」

「I want you to surround our base with your barrier.」 「What's in it for me?」

「Don't you remember anything about my ability?」

「...I didn't even hear about it before I mentioned it to Shokishi.」

「Ah, I see. Well, let me explain. My ability is related to making things. If I have the materials, I can skip the process and get the finished product.」 「Huh? Isn't that too convenient?」

Fortunately, the people I met on the island immediately understood the usefulness of this ability, so things are moving quickly.

「I suppose your barrier ability is pretty impressive too...」

「Wait, so you can do what? Make clothes from fibers and houses from wood?」 「That's right, that's the idea.」

「...If you chose your ability with that in mind, you're pretty amazing.」

Her gaze was still stern, but her words were spoken with admiration.

"Thank you. So, I'll try to provide you with whatever you want from the dream world, in exchange for you protecting our base."

"…What exactly will you give us?"

"Well, if you don't have a base, I'll build you a house. Then there's furniture, clothes, towels, soap, and since you're out there, Shion, I think you can cook too."

The dream world froze at my words.

But it only lasted for a few seconds, and then they snapped back to reality.

"…For some reason, it looks like Hōjin is wearing a maid uniform. Is that also your doing?"

"That's right. Just to be clear, I didn't make her wear it." "…There are two conditions."

"Tell me them." "The first is that you bring the summoned beings with you. I'm sorry, but I can't believe everything immediately. Not about your abilities, but about you."

"That's understandable." "Actually, I'd be troubled if you trusted me completely all of a sudden."

I've known Senyū since we were kids, and I've been friends with Shokusha. Shion trusts me because of her abilities, and Shinpō had a positive experience with me before the transfer.

Roah is friendly to us because of the favor we did for her when she was down on her luck. Trust is something that's built.

She wants to talk to the Familiars she has already built a relationship with instead.

Through them, she probably wants to see if she can trust me.

"Another thing is—give me the reward in installments." "Huh? Is that okay?"

"Actually, you're the one who's okay with it? If I give you everything at once, you won't have a reason to keep the barrier up at your base, right?"

That's a valid point.

She's suggesting that I should give her the reward in small increments so that she has a reason to not betray me.

She acts aloof, but she's actually a kind person.

"I'm not really worried about that." "Why not?"

"If you betrayed us and our base got attacked by monsters, my summoned girl might get hurt."

"......I might not care about that."

"If you're worried about your summoned girl, why did you bring me inside the barrier? You took a risk when you didn't have to, and there was a chance I could have attacked you."

"......Forget it, I get it." She looked away from me.

She looked regretful, but her cheeks were slightly red.

"Anyway, I'll come by again this afternoon. Oh, do you have any food?"

"Huh? ...I eat mushrooms and fruit and stuff."

I would have to reveal the 'Inventory'... but if she was a friend of the Summoner, it was okay.

I placed on the tray, 'a thermos of warm soup', 'seedless bread', 'meat dish', 'boiled eggs', 'salt', 'several fruits', and other things that could be eaten quickly and handed it over.

"Here, if you want to eat it."

"Huh? Kino, how did you just..."

"It's an application of my ability. I can store and retrieve things I make."

I wanted to make the deal with the Dream World work out, so I also showed off the usefulness of my side... That was my intention. "It's too convenient." "There's no poison in it."

"I'm not worried about that. If you want my ability, killing me wouldn't make sense." "Of course."

"...Bring the Summoner to the same place again. If you're too far apart, you might not be able to hear each other." "Understood." "--Kino"

Just as I was about to leave the barrier, the Dream World called out to me.

Looking back, she had a complex expression and hesitated, but still managed to say this.

"Thanks for this. I'll pay you back."

"Then consider the deal positively." "That's up to Shako." "Haha. See you later this afternoon." "Got it." I stepped out of the barrier. "Kousuke-kun!" "Mmmph...!?"

In an instant, Shion threw herself at my chest. I was surprised by the impact and her touch.

"You didn't give me enough explanation! I was so worried about you!"

I couldn't say anything in response to her tearful voice. "Sorry..." I patted her back.

"...I'm glad you're safe, but I wish you'd consulted me better."

"Yeah, you're right. I'll do that next time. The Dream Realm seems to want to meet Shako."

"That's right. Yeah, it's nice to be able to meet close friends again."

"...I also have friends I'm worried about."

Shion and Roa nodded in agreement. "Let's go back for now."

If we got the best result, we might be better prepared than ever.

Besides, Miko would be happy to know that her friends are safe.

I stroked Mikuron, who was clinging to me, and then climbed onto her back.

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