Chillin' on an Uninhabited Island in Another World

After my first night with Minori ended and I once again fell asleep before I knew it—

Naturally, we woke up in the bonus area.

We started in the shopping mall hall, all ten of us standing together.

I had explained things ahead of time to the three new members—Ms. Luminous, Shoubu, and Mamonaka—but even so, they could not hide their surprise.

“...This really is happening.”

“Huh? It looks exactly like that mall, but we haven’t actually come back...?”

“I-it’s kind of scary... It’s bright and looks open for business, but there’s no one here...”

After waiting for the three of them to calm down, I gave another rough explanation of how we moved in the bonus area.

We could stay here for three hours in real-time equivalent.

Each person could choose one “item” sold inside the mall and bring it back to the deserted island.

Anything we had discussed and chosen among ourselves needed to be brought back to the starting hall before the time limit.

Even after finishing our choices, we would not end things right away. We would examine what to choose next time and look into materials to see whether my Crafting Ability could make something.

“Um, there is one thing I’m concerned about as your teacher.”

“What is it?”

“The products we choose and bring back are not actually products lined up in the real mall, are they?”

“—Oh.”

I had completely forgotten about that.

Or rather, the idea that this mall and the real mall might be linked had never occurred to me.

But it was not impossible.

Seeking an answer, I looked at the monitor.

The following words scrolled across it:

“The items placed in the bonus area have been prepared by us and have no effect on reality.”

Seeing that, Ms. Luminous let out a relieved breath.

“Thank goodness...”

With that concern resolved, everyone began going around the mall.

“Still, Ms. Tanbi. Are you truly all right with this?”

“Yes. After hearing Shijo’s thoughts, I was moved. Let’s gather textbooks and reference books for every subject early and create time to study. If it’s mathematics, I can teach you myself.”

At this rate, mathematics class would probably happen sooner or later.

So Minori and Ms. Luminous would each choose textbooks for one subject.

“Me and Myao are getting those showers.”

“Yeah. They were super convenient. I didn’t think I’d get to take a shower on a deserted island.”

There were now nine female members, but only three portable showers, which meant they had to bathe in three groups of three.

If that became five showers, they could split into two groups of five and four, so we decided to bring back more.

“Me and Roa-chii are getting hair dryers.”

“Yes. If everyone’s hair remains wet, they may catch cold. I believe they’re necessary.”

For the same reason as the showers, Shouko and Roa would bring back two additional hair dryers.

“I’m getting rice. I’ll choose something delicious with a lot in it.”

Shion clenched both fists.

Rice had lost out to wheat in a two-choice vote, so even if it was eventually added, that might not happen until far in the future.

Even now, there were many times when we wanted rice, so we had finally decided to bring some back.

At this point, that made seven items.

The remaining three items would be free slots.

In other words, I, Chiyu, and Yumekai could choose what we needed.

“I already know what I want. I’m going with Mino and Luminuss.”

Apparently, the thing Chiyu wanted was in the bookstore.

Was she going to choose manga?

I should borrow it later and read it too.

“I say this every time, but I’ll pass. Choose something you want, Kuno.”

That answer was very Yumekai.

“Got it. Then, Yumekai, can you come with me for a bit? There’s something I want, but I want to hear your opinion on it. Think of it as helping me.”

“...Fine.”

I had asked because I figured she would not refuse if it became a chance to repay me, and it seemed to work.

All of us left the hall and headed toward our respective destinations.

Even though the place was empty except for us, the escalators and elevators were operating, so moving around the mall was not much different from normal, and we were able to head for our destination easily.

“—This is...”

When we arrived, Yumekai let out a small murmur.

The place we had come to was a CD shop.

“These days, you can listen to things on subscription services, so I don’t come here much anymore. How about you, Yumekai?”

“............Well, sometimes.”

The automatic doors opened, and we stepped inside.

Music played in the store, while commercials and music videos flowed from monitors placed here and there.

“I see. I want to listen to songs I like even on the deserted island, but we don’t have smartphones or internet.”

“...Wait.”

Yumekai stopped walking.

“Hm?”

“This might be a stretch, but... have you been preparing for this since the night of Day 7?”

At her suspicious look, I shrugged.

“...Sharp as ever.”

“You bought a laptop with a CD drive, then a tablet PC the next day, and today we’re at a CD shop... What? Were you trying to put songs on the tablet and give it to me?”

We could listen to songs on the laptop by itself, but Minori used that for preparing materials too.

“Well, something like that.”

“...I never asked for it.”

Yumekai spoke with a complicated expression.

It was the look of someone who did not want to complain about goodwill, but also could not accept it so easily.

“That’s true, but...”

Our maid Roa had the Ability to Know What Others Want.

Apparently, Yumekai liked music, and she wanted to listen to her favorite songs even on the deserted island.

However, given that she already felt indebted to me, she would never ask for that herself.

So I thought that if I gathered items useful to the whole party and ultimately created a flow where we purchased CDs, she might go along with it.

Even if she resisted choosing multiple products just to listen to music, maybe she could accept it if it was only the CDs.

“Kuno, why are you doing this? I already owe you plenty, and I’ll do my job properly...”

Apparently, Yumekai did not understand why I would go this far.

“Well, I try to make the things my companions want with Crafting Ability as much as I can, but CDs are impossible. And you would hold back and refuse to choose anything in the bonus area, wouldn’t you? So I was trying to create a natural way for you to choose one.”

“...Because I’m your companion, you’re doing all this for me?”

“I guess that’s what it comes down to. Since we’re going to be spending time together for a while, I want us to get along too.”

“...”

From Yumekai’s point of view, she probably did not want to owe me any more than she already did.

But from my point of view, if something a companion wanted was within reach, I did not want her to go out of her way to endure without it.

We did not know how many days deserted-island life would continue.

I had already brought back games, and everyone’s life was gradually becoming richer.

I simply wanted Yumekai to be able to do the same.

That said, it was not something I should force on her.

“Well, I won’t make you. If you say you don’t want anything, I’ll just choose two albums based on my own taste. All right, starting tomorrow, anime songs are going to be blasting through the living room, so bear with it.”

To make it clear that she was allowed to refuse, I said it as brightly as I could.

“............Hah. Anime songs are fine, but wouldn’t everyone be happier if we had a few different genres?”

After sighing, Yumekai began walking through the store.

“...Ha ha, true. What do you recommend, Yumekai?”

“...You had that idea about buying books as collected works, right? It’s the same thing. I think music is better bought as albums.”

“True. The more songs it has, the better the deal.”

For anime, there were albums that included all the opening and ending themes too.

“...Is it fine if Kuno chooses one and I choose one?”

“Yeah, let’s do that.”

“Okay... Hey, Kuno.”

“What?”

“...Thanks.”

Yumekai said it in a small voice without turning around.

I could not see her expression, but the ears visible from behind had turned red, so maybe she was embarrassed.

“You’re welcome.”

Relieved that she had somehow accepted it, I went around the store with Yumekai.