Chapter 9 – Bathing and Dinner

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It looks like the bath heated up.

While I went over to Chiyu, I created a wooden partitioning screen with my Crafting Ability. As soon as I arrived at the bath, I manifested it around the stone bath.

A peeping prevention…or rather than that, it’s me being considerate.

“Sou-kun, you’re kind,” Chiyu said with a monotonous yet somewhat gentle voice after noticing this.

“That’s just normal, isn’t it?”

“A special exception, you may peep.”

“…Nah, better not. Also, I made soap, so use it.”

I provided a wooden bucket to scoop the hot water and an earthenware plate with the soap placed on it.

“Soap…! So-kun, I love you.”

Chiyu picked up the soap and held it up as if she was dealing with a treasure.

“Thanks for that.”

Because I knew she was making a joke in line with the flow of our conversation, I let it pass without making a big deal out of it. No, that’s a lie. It got me slightly excited, but I was able to pretend to be calm about it.

“Next is…a basket for the clothes?”

“Aye. Oh, right, please use this instead of a towel. Also, no need to worry about a change of clothes.”

While holding out my former inner, now towel, to Chiyu, I explained the method for cleaning our clothes. Chiyu listened to the end, but didn’t respond in any way. It looked like she had frozen in time.

After waiting for several seconds, she suddenly hugged me. She put her hands around my neck and pressed her voluptuous chest against mine. A faint scent of sweat and her own smell tickled my nose.

“Sou-kun, genius.”

“T-This much?”

Well, even I’d hate to put on sweaty clothes after taking a bath. It’s only reasonable for a girl like Chiyu to rejoice over the possibility of avoiding that.

“Ah,” Chiyu pulled apart from me, blushing.

“W-What’s up?”

“Being able to get my clothes cleaned makes me really happy.”

“Okay.”

“But…it’s slightly embarrassing to have…my underwear and such…seen by you.”

True. It’s just as she says. I’d also be embarrassed to tell Chiyu to pass me her just-worn panties.

“Umm, I’ll try to not look at them as much as possible. I can store them away without directly touching them, so don’t worry about that part.”

Chiyu looked up to me, appearing shy, “…You won’t sniff them?”

“As if!”

When I reflexively retorted like this, Chiyu burst into laughter. Something that was rare for her.

“…Are you going to wear them on your head then?”

“What do you take me for!? Chiyu, you’d hate it if your childhood friend was such a pervert, wouldn’t you?”

“If you say you want to do it no matter what, I’d be fine with it.”

“…N-No, I won’t sniff them, nor will I put them on my head.”

My childhood friend is tough to deal with because the range of things she forgives, even if it’s a joke, is quite big. She’s way too broad-minded.

Well, if I went, “Yahoo. Time to take a good whiff!”, even a generous girl like her would likely draw back from me.

I installed a basket for the clothes and set up a wooden barrel, as well as a stand next to the bath so that it’d be possible to add water. The barrel had a cork-like cover. If you pulled it open, water would come out.

“…Sou-kun, were you always so accommodating?”

My childhood friend appeared to be slightly surprised.

“No, I just feel like wanting to make all sorts of stuff, now that I have this ability.”

“…If people find out that you’re such a gentleman, you’ll become really popular,” she said it like a joke, but her voice sounded somewhat anxious.

“Won’t our abilities be gone once we return to Japan? In that case, I’ll go back to being the old, unpopular guy.”

When it comes to stories about returnees from a different world, the possibility of abilities remaining usable isn’t non-existent, right?

“Your charm doesn’t come from your ability.”

“Ahaha, thanks.”

I accepted it as encouragement and went outside the partitioning screen.

“It might be embarrassing to do so under the open sky, but please put the basket outside the screen once you take off your clothes.”

“Roger.”

After seeing Chiyu crisply salute, I lifted the screen and set it up. With this, I wouldn’t be able to peep inside the bath.

“…I guess I should increase the stock of grilled mushrooms while I have time to do so.”

Time is stopped inside my Inventory, so being able to store food while freshly made is a huge boon.

In the middle of it, I put the clothes, which Chiyu passed through a gap in the screen, into my Inventory, cleaning them. I then put them back into the basket, but I felt oddly nervous. I calmed myself while gazing at the fire, as if to rid my mind of evil thoughts.

Chiyu’s bathing took quite a long time, but thanks to my Crafting Ability, I didn’t get bored. As thought, it’s probably best to pick up as much stuff as possible to create various items.

Also, since the acquisition of recipes seems to be influenced by my imagination, it’d be a big help if I had a friend with me, who could supplement my knowledge.

In addition, I’d like to have some fighting and hunting abilities at hand. Right now, Chiyu and I possess simple weapons, so it looks like we can somehow handle interpersonal combat to an extent, but…

Speaking of hunting, a bow…appears to be difficult to handle, but what about a crossbow? Given that the recipe hasn’t been released yet, I’m probably missing something.

What would one use as material for the bowstring that is also obtainable in nature?

It’s still our first day here, so it’s possible to wait, but the desire of wanting to eat meat will likely become stronger with every passing day. Even so, I don’t think we’ll suddenly be able to hunt, so for the time being…fish would be an option, I guess.

“Sou-kun, I’m done.”

As I was pondering, my childhood friend came out of the bath while wearing her now clean uniform and shoes. Her wet, silver hair glittered bright as it got illuminated by the fire. Her faintly flushed skin was captivating enough to make my heart throb.

“A-Ah, I see. Okay, I guess I’ll go in.”

“Oki. Here, towel.”

She offered me the towel she used to wipe herself. I accepted it right away, but then I realized it might have been better if I had added it to my Inventory without touching it. I stored it away at once.

Later, when I make the towel reappear, it will be dry again.

“You can go ahead and eat dinner first.”

“You haven’t eaten yet?”

“No, I was thinking about my ability.”

“Then I’ll wait.”

“Gotcha. I’ll be done quickly.”

“Enjoy the hot water your childhood friend used just now.”

“Saying such things again…”

Won’t I become conscious of it if it’s pointed out to me? Given that she’s constantly teasing me, I thought of a little revenge.

“Chiyu, I’ll make a special exception. Feel free to peep, okay?”

Chiyu nodded at my teasing as if it was normal, “I understand. I’ll take a good look.”

“Hey.”

“Also, I’d like to also lend your clothes, Sou-kun. I’m going to wear and sniff them.”

“Who’d lend them to you!? Or rather, I didn’t even smell your clothes in the first place!”

It might be impossible for me to win against Chiyu. I headed to the bathroom in an attempt to escape the situation. While screaming at Chiyu, who had come to peep, just as she had previously announced.

After finishing my bath, I had dinner with Chiyu.

I dried the towel by repeatedly storing and taking it out several times. Chiyu and I used it to properly dry our hair. Combined with the power of the open fire, our hair dried nicely.

“We’re probably the only ones having such a fruitful first day on this uninhabited island.”

“It’s not like I heard everyone’s responses, but I think you might be right.”

Given that I expect someone who has acquired the 『ability to create food』, we might lose to that person when it comes to our meals, but when it comes to quality of life, I’d say we’re leading.

Which reminds me, I wonder what machine the guy asking for an airplane got. Assuming he can take off and steer it, will he be able to return to Japan?

Under the current circumstances of lacking information, it seems like the risk will be quite high. But, since it seems usable as a base of operations, it’s not like an airplane is completely useless.

“All of it is thanks to you.”

“You have your own magic and you also worked hard, so we’re the same in this regard, no?”

Chiyu shook her head, “That’s not it. Back then, you grabbed my hand.”

“…Oh, that’s what you mean, huh?”

Though it doesn’t mean that I knew we’d be able to get teleported together if our hands touched. You could say that my instantaneous action was a success by chance.

“Even though you should have still thought that this was a dream at that time, you saved me even in your dream, Sou-kun.”

“…”

Without my having noticed it, the sun had gone down, spelling the beginning of night.

“Let’s go to sleep soon?”

Chiyu peered at me. Her eyes were moist, twinkling like gems as they reflected the fire’s light.

“Y-You’re right,” I agreed while swallowing hard.

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