Chapter 162: All Settled?

I was done talking with Tenpourin, the last remaining boy.

I was glad we had managed to establish cooperative ties, but because he had teleported only me away, he had put my companions through a great deal of worry.

Led by Chiyu, six beautiful girls had all thrown themselves at me at once, and I had been unable to support their weight.

They had really been worried about me.

Happy as I was about their feelings, I started by moving my arms and patting them.

“S-Sousuke, that’s my side.”

“Master, that is my bottom.”

Shouko said it with a flushed face, while Roa spoke in a sultry voice.

“S-Sorry.”

Perhaps my apology looked funny, because a few of them laughed, and the mood finally began to ease.

Everyone slowly moved away from me.

Serina was the one whose face had gone pale.

“S-Sorry, Sousuke!”

“W-What is it?”

“I should have put up a barrier! I could have changed the conditions for deploying it! I got carried away and let my guard down!”

I understood what she meant.

When we had gone fishing, Serina had moved the barrier she had deployed underwater to catch fish.

A barrier was not merely something she placed in a fixed location. She could attach various conditions to its deployment and maintenance.

For example, she could create a barrier centered on herself that enclosed all of us, refusing entry to monsters, wild animals, and other people.

It would function as a moving barrier.

Air could still pass through it, so it would not interfere with Mashiro’s nose.

“It is not something you need to apologize for, Yumekai. Any one of us could have thought of it.”

“That’s right, Serina!”

“Serina, your power has already helped everyone so much. Don’t blame yourself.”

“Mm. If we are saying that, maybe So-kun would not have been touched if he had not protected me. If I had kept Strength Up on him at all times, he might have been able to see the other person move and dodge.”

“Master is safe. Rather than regret what has already happened, let us do everything we can to support Master in the future.”

The girls who had piled onto me all tried to comfort Serina.

“I’m happy you were worried about me. And thanks for the barrier idea. But everyone is right. If anything, I’m glad it was me who got teleported.”

“...I won’t let anyone take you away next time.”

Serina wiped away her tears with a finger and sniffled.

“Yeah. I’m counting on you.”

“Leave it to me.”

That should be enough for Serina.

At the very least, she probably would not keep blaming herself.

“By the way, we were happy you were safe too, Kuno.”

“Sniff… I’m really glad you’re all right.”

“Ugh… I still can’t bring myself to jump into that group.”

Urume, Ms. Luminous, and Mamonaka had worried about me too.

Micron, meanwhile, was trembling as she held herself back from leaping at me.

She was probably being considerate of Shouko, her master.

The six girls noticed that and quietly moved away.

The instant they did, Micron shot toward me and wrapped herself around me.

“Haha, that tickles. Thanks for worrying about me.”

After waiting for Micron to settle down, I told everyone about Tenpourin.

“H-He’s bad with girls…? I get it now, but I thought my heart was going to stop!”

At Shouko’s cry, everyone nodded in agreement.

“It is good news that we formed cooperative ties, but… perhaps I need to reflect on my actions as a teacher.”

Ms. Luminous lowered her shoulders in dejection.

Chiyu walked over to her.

“Mm. We were trying to help students, but ended up putting students in danger. We need to make amends.”

“Y-You’re right. You all helped me do what I should have done alone, and I even caused you trouble… But what could I possibly do to make amends?”

Chiyu gave Ms. Luminous’s shoulder a light pat.

“Luminuss knows too.”

Ms. Luminous’s shoulders jerked.

“...B-But I am still a teacher, so…”

Her voice grew too quiet for me to hear after that.

“This is another world. And a deserted island, at that. The laws and morals of our old world do not apply here.”

“…”

“And Luminuss must feel drawn to So-kun too.”

“——!”

Ms. Luminous’s face turned red enough that I could guess Chiyu had said something unnecessary.

No, that was not fair. Chiyu was thinking about keeping the party together.

Still, it would be a lie to say I did not feel my heart race whenever Ms. Luminous glanced my way and blushed.

...Maybe I really was getting used to life on this deserted island.

But the truth was, I cared about all of them.

“Anyway, Tenpourin was not a bad guy, so I guess that settles things.”

“Mm. So-kun has conquered this deserted island.”

“You truly are the island’s lord now.”

Chiyu and Roa nodded with satisfied expressions.

Come to think of it, forming cooperative ties with all forty-one people, including Ms. Luminous, might really have been impressive.

“Thanks to you and your party, the students’ living conditions have improved dramatically. It truly is admirable work.”

Ms. Luminous looked proud as well.

She had been worried about her students, so she must have been especially happy.

“Then we can go to the beach!”

Shouko’s eyes sparkled.

That was right. We had promised everyone that we would go to the ocean once this was finished.

We had even prepared swimsuits for everyone in the bonus area.

“There was also that plan for Sousuke to visit Ryouka, wasn’t there?”

At Shion’s words, several people made unhappy faces.

“You get to go with him, Shion. But I can’t handle being separated from Sousuke.”

“Kuno, you have so many cute girlfriends, so don’t you dare lose to Ryouka’s temptation, okay?”

“Come on, Urume. That’s rude to Kuno.”

At Serina, ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) Urume, and Mamonaka’s words, I could only smile wryly.

Suou Ryouka.

She had the charisma to unite all the girls who were not here.

It seemed she was not satisfied with merely being a deal partner and was considering trying to recruit me.

For various reasons, I had somehow ended up agreeing to stay at their base…

I had no idea what would happen.

“If it’s So-kun, he might come back with even more harem members.”

At Chiyu’s comment, everyone’s eyes turned toward me.

Surely that would not happen…

Probably.

“Maybe we should fill Sousuke’s head with us so he doesn’t cheat.”

“Hehe, Shouko. If too many people join, won’t we get less time with him? That would make me sad.”

“I-I should also make an effort so that Sousuke does not forget me.”

“I do not mind if the number grows, but I should continue proving the usefulness of a maid.”

“This probably isn’t the time to say it, but shouldn’t tonight be my turn?”

The words of my five girlfriends and Serina sent my imagination running wild.

Thanks to the success of our negotiations, the only thing we needed to worry about now was surviving.

We would have to watch out for events and monsters while living on this deserted island alongside our companions.

For now, we would return to base today.

And tomorrow—

A day at the beach, huh?