"Party-versus-Party Event A" was scheduled for tomorrow. Because of that, we had gathered to discuss how we were going to organize our team rosters.

"That said, the specific details of the rules won’t be explained until tonight, so for now let’s just figure out a rough outline."

"Mm. During the last event, we only had ten minutes from the moment we woke up until the event officially started. Rather than stressing over a five-person roster after hearing the rules, it's better to visualize our setups from the beginning."

Chiyu nodded in agreement with my words.

"If that's the case, then I'm out, right? I'm the new girl, and my ability is pretty mediocre anyway."

"I think your ability is a massive lifesaver for the girls, Shoubu. But if it ends up being a high-mobility event where we have to run all over the place like last time, it might indeed be better for you to sit it out."

"Right? It's not like I'm trying to make excuses, but... um, is there any way I could take a bath or something?"

Now that she mentioned it, Shoubu was still wearing her school uniform because she had left her distributed changes of clothes behind at Suou’s base. Although she seemed to have rinsed off with water, stains still lingered on the fabric, and it was noticeably wrinkled.

Now that she was surrounded by a full house of companions who took proper baths every single day and used Storage & Replacement to keep their clothes perfectly clean, she was probably feeling a bit self-conscious.

"Ah, sorry about that. I should have suggested it sooner. Come on, I'll show you the way."

"Seriously? Is it really okay?"

From the looks of our neat attire, she had clearly surmised that we had some method for washing our bodies and doing laundry, but we hadn't actually discussed the specifics yet. That was likely why, despite working up the courage to ask, she was still wondering if it was acceptable to prepare a whole bath just for her.

"It’s completely fine. Everyone, I'm going to take Shoubu over to explain the bath area. Oh, Ms. Luminous, are you doing alright?"

"Ah, yes. I've only been on this island for a few hours, so I'm fine for now."

That was true. Her clothes weren't really dirty yet. It would be perfectly fine for the teacher to wash up with everyone else later tonight.

With that settled, I escorted Shoubu into the changing room.

"Whoa... This is nice, it feels just like the changing area at a hot-spring inn. Oh, wow, there's even a mirror!"

"We brought that full-length mirror back from the bonus area. We got the hair dryers from there too."

"Aren't there a ton of them, though?"

There were currently three hair dryers lined up.

"We have a lot of girls here. If we only had one, waiting in line would turn into a total nightmare. Before you and the teacher arrived, there were six girls in the household, so I figured three would let everyone dry their hair with only one rotation. Since the two of you have joined us, it might be a good idea to bring back a fourth one tonight."

"......Sousuke."

"What's up?"

"Nah, it's nothing. I just feel like I'm finally starting to understand what Shouko was talking about back then."

I couldn't help but wonder what kind of stories Shouko had been telling about me back in Japan, but I decided it was best not to pry.

"I see. Well, the actual bath area is right through here."

The two of us stepped out into the washing area.

"No way—?! This is a legit open-air bath!"

"Well, it's not a natural hot spring, though," I replied with a wry smile, privately feeling quite pleased by her genuine, raw reaction.

"What is this?! A shower?!"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure Chiyu was the one who selected that. It worked so well that we went ahead and gathered enough for everyone."

"So you use the bonus area to grab things you can't make with your own ability. Smart!"

As things stood, I couldn't generate items that didn't naturally exist on this island, things whose internal structure I didn't understand, or items whose Recipes hadn't been unlocked yet. Because of that, it was entirely true that we prioritized bringing back those exact kinds of utilities.

"The tub is huge, it's got a roof, proper walls... Having an open-air bath right at your own house is literally the best! Wait, hold on. How do you handle the hot water?"

"I'm pretty sure you already heard that my ability is Crafting, right?"

"Yeah."

"You know how in games, the protagonist's inventory capacity is completely insane?"

"Oh, totally! In the game graphics, they're only wearing this tiny little backpack, but you're just like, how much stuff are you actually fitting in there? I seriously need one of those." Shoubu let out a hearty laugh.

"Exactly. I managed to get that exact kind of system as a little bonus alongside my Crafting Ability."

I asked Shoubu to step back from the tub so she wouldn't get splashed—and then I selected the placement point for the hot water. In the very next instant, a vision of thick, white steam billowing gracefully out of the deep tub materialized right before our eyes.

"Are you for real?! Wait! Does that mean you can just freely pull things in and out whenever you want, Sousuke?!"

"I wouldn't say anything, but yeah, that's pretty much the gist of it."

There were specific conditions to navigate, such as being unable to store anything that was actively connected to the earth.

"Wait, wait, wait. So that means if you're on the team, nobody has to haul a basket all the way back to base every single time it gets full just to go out harvesting again?!" Shoubu exclaimed, looking deeply moved, as if she were vividly remembering her days with the Suou faction.

"There are times when we split up, and the others still use carrying baskets then. But since our phantasmal beasts handle the actual travel and transportation, it makes the whole process a lot easier anyway."

"You're literally broken!"

"I'm definitely more efficient than the other groups, that's for sure."

"That's the word! Efficient!"

"Haha. Anyway, why don't you get in before the water starts cooling down?"

"True that."

After filling the container for the electric portable shower with hot water, the two of us stepped back into the changing room.

"Go ahead and wear these clothes. Also, if you leave your old uniform in that clothes basket, I'll make sure it gets cleaned up."

"You can even do that?"

"Yeah."

"Sousuke, aren't you a little too amazing?"

"Hmm, well, only because we're on this island."

"I don't mean just the power, though that's crazy too. It's just, you got this unbelievable strength, but you don't flex or act cocky at all. It wouldn't even be weird if you only looked out for yourself, but you're out here paying attention to the tiniest details of everyone's daily lives. You're way too sweet."

Was that really how it looked? Considering some typical villains in stories would immediately demand favors in exchange for help, I supposed I was doing decent just by comparison.

Then again, the fact that my relationships with the other girls had already progressed so smoothly meant I didn't even have a reason to harbor those kinds of underhanded thoughts in the first place. There was simply no need for it.

"Hmm. I know the other girls can make themselves useful with their abilities, but I seriously have zero way to pay you back right now."

"That's why I told you not to worry about it."

"Alright! In that case, keep your eyes open!"

The moment the words left her mouth, Shoubu suddenly slid her skirt right down off her hips. It dropped directly to her feet, instantly exposing a pair of sheer, light-purple panties.

"Sh-Shoubu?!"

"Shh! The others are gonna hear you, keep it down."

With a sly whisper, Shoubu cast off her top as well, stripping all the way down to her underwear. ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) She possessed a stunning, model-like figure that easily rivaled Shouko's own proportions.

Without a moment's hesitation, Shoubu unhooked her bra next, and her heavy, healthy, bronze-skinned breasts sprang directly into my field of vision. Yet, perhaps still retaining a shred of genuine bashfulness, she quickly cupped her hands over the very tips of her chest.

It was a classic, dark-skinned gal hand-bra.

Even as a bright blush crept onto her cheeks, Shoubu maintained a deeply mischievous grin.

"So? Does an offer like this count as a good thank-you?"

"N-No, I mean, that's..."

But then, her playful expression completely flipped, turning into a vulnerable, anxious look.

"...Is my naked body really not worth anything to you?"

"That's absolutely not true."

"For real?"

"Yeah. But... look, you really don't have to push yourself over something like this."

Her gratitude had already come through loud and clear, and as I had said before, her ability had completely won over the rest of the girls. Since she was already close friends with Shouko's group to begin with, she was fitting in incredibly fast.

Hearing my reassurance, Shoubu let out a breath and spoke.

"You know how in dramas, people always do that whole routine when they're apologizing or thanking someone? Like, 'You really didn't have to do all this,' and the other person goes, 'No, I couldn't live with myself if I didn't.'"

"...Yeah, I know the trope."

"It's exactly like that. I get that you don't mind, but I won't feel right until I do something. And honestly... in the short time since I got here, I've already realized you're a pretty incredible guy."

"Well... um... thanks?"

Ever since arriving on this deserted island, the girls I encountered kept holding me in incredibly high regard. While it was flattering, a part of me was still fundamentally bewildered by it.

"Ahaha! Basically, I'm totally down, so if you're not opposed to it either—I want you to take what I'm offering."

"I-I understand..."

The moment I gave her a firm nod, Shoubu beamed with a triumphant grin and threw her hands wide, completely abandoning her cover.

My eyes were instantly drawn to the heavy bounce of her breasts and the bare tips exposed to the air.

"Ahaha, you are totally staring. Wow, so this is what it feels like. Whenever Shouko caught you looking at her, she'd act like she was scolding you but she never actually looked upset. I think I finally get how she felt now."

It turned out she hadn't just noticed me looking at Shouko's chest in the past; she had been closely reading Shouko's subtle reactions to it too.

For a short while, the two of us simply stood there, locked in place, staring directly at one another...

"...Achoo!"

Shoubu's sudden sneeze instantly shattered the spell, snapping me right back to reality.

"...Go warm up in the bath before you catch a cold."

"...Will do."

Sniffling slightly, Shoubu placed her discarded clothes into the basket and made her way toward the washing area. I swiftly utilized Storage & Replacement to perfectly clean her uniform and underwear, then exited the changing room to head back to the main hall.

"So, So-kun... did you have fun showing her around the bath?"

"Hehe, you certainly took your time giving her that lecture, didn't you?"

"Sousuke... you didn't force us to wait out here just so you could do something naughty with Urume, did you?"

The sharp, piercing gazes of Chiyu, Shion, and Shouko immediately locked onto me. Minori had her cheek puffed out in a pout, Roa was letting out a gentle, knowing chuckle, and Yumekai remained propped up on her elbow, staring straight ahead as if the entire matter were beneath her. Meanwhile, Ms. Luminous was flushing a bright crimson, looking up at me as if seeking confirmation. "K-Kuno-kun?"

"No, there was just a tiny bit of an accident right at the very end..."

Desperately trying to keep my explanation as close to the literal truth as possible, I set my brain to full overdrive to spin a defensive narrative.