Chapter 87
Chapter 87
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Stranded on a Deserted Island (3)
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“Kyaaaaah!!”
The sudden scream of a female student startled Emily and Ken, who had been enveloped in a strangely intimate atmosphere.
When they looked toward the source of the scream, they saw the group that had been chatting happily just moments ago now fleeing in panic.
“W-What is that...?”
Something faintly visible in the darkness, illuminated by the dim glow of the bonfire.
Emily muttered in confusion as she stared at it.
But Ken didn't panic at the sight.
'It finally showed up.'
He had known this would happen.
He couldn't clearly see what the fleeing students were running from, but Ken knew exactly what it was.
[Giant Curex]
It was a fist-sized insect-type monster shaped like a mosquito.
“W-What do we do? K-Ken! We should run too...!”
Emily, unnerved by the dangerous vibe, clung to Ken's arm and said that.
But Ken just smiled and shook his head.
“Nah, we'll be fine right here.”
“Huh...? Why?”
“This firewood keeps the bugs away when it's burning.”
This was exactly why you shouldn't blindly follow the Strategy guide for the Monkey Stone event.
The Monkey Stone event stranded Emily and a specific character on a deserted island for a week.
Surviving that time greatly boosted affinity with Emily and the character.
But there was a trap: the 'Strategy guide'.
At the start of the event, only the Monkey Stone user got a Strategy guide screen.
It listed useful info on the island's ecosystem and survival tips.
It tempted players like, Follow this guide to raise her affinity!
But doing so exactly could lead to the Strategy character's death in the worst case.
That was the 'Strategy guide's' trap.
'That monster must have been drawn by the scent of the ignition fruit.'
This commotion was the same type.
In this magic-less place, the guide recommended easy-to-use ignition fruit for starting fires.
But it only mentioned how easy it was—nothing about the risks.
“Kyaaaaah! Keeen!”
A female student fleeing the insect monster ran to Ken in tears.
And then—
Grab.
“W-Woah!”
“Ken! B-Bugs! There are huge bugs!”
“Ugh...”
Ken blushed and panicked as the sobbing girl clung to him, while Emily scowled.
She could understand clinging to a reliable guy in a crisis.
But it still annoyed her.
“Calm down, Louise. It's safe here.”
So she grabbed the trembling girl's arm and pulled her away from Ken.
“H-Huh? It's safe here?”
“Yeah. The smoke from this firewood repels bugs.”
Ken, who had been flustered by the sudden hug, explained once she was pulled away.
'They probably used ignition fruit, but good thing I brought this firewood.'
The firewood Ken had gathered.
It was hard to light, but the unique sap inside turned into bug-repelling smoke once burning.
That's why no bugs came to Ken's bonfire, even during Enzo's side's chaos.
“Hey, everyone! It's safe here! Hurry over!”
Louise, having heard Ken's explanation, immediately waved and called the fleeing students over.
Confirming the safe spot, they all rushed to Ken's bonfire.
And soon after, as the panicked group caught their breath and calmed down...
Ken explained the dangers of the ignition fruit.
He could have warned them earlier, but seeing Enzo all smug made him want to watch it play out.
Besides, Giant Curex weren't that dangerous anyway.
“What...? So the monsters came because of that fruit?”
“I was so scared...! One just landed on my arm and tried to suck my blood!”
“Ugh...”
The girls, now calm, grumbled with complaints upon learning the truth about the ignition fruit.
Enzo groaned lowly and hung his head.
Embarrassment made his shoulders shake.
'Why... why does this keep happening...!'
Of course, Enzo had no idea about the Strategy guide's traps, so none of this made sense to him.
The girls who had smiled at him trustingly moments ago now shot him resentful glares, making him feel like he was on pins and needles.
And worse.
Squeeze...
Emily hugging Ken's arm.
'Damn, damn, damn...!'
Seeing that made fire rise in his gut.
'...E-Emily.'
And the fire rising in Enzo's chest wasn't unique to him—Ken felt it too.
Emily gripping his arm and not letting go.
Her swimsuit left her soft skin and chest pressing directly against his arm.
But she ignored it all, refusing to release him.
They had been alone until just now, but other girls had gathered.
'Just a bit longer... If they'd stayed away a little longer, I could've said it...!'
Emily harbored a different resentment from the others.
The interruption at that crucial moment had stopped her from saying the key words.
And now these girls, using the danger as an excuse, crowded around Ken's bonfire, chatting away happily.
Centered on Ken, mostly.
'Annoying...'
So Emily hugged his arm even tighter.
...
The brief commotion passed, and the eventful first night came to an end.
“Haa~ I wanna sleep in a bed...”
The students who had slept on the sandy ground stretched their sore bodies the next day, saying that.
'Maybe I should make some tents.'
Watching their reactions, I formed a plan.
We had to stay on this island for a week because of the event anyway.
Securing sleeping spots early would help with long-term fatigue.
'Can I use crafting skills?'
I tested by selecting 'Barbarian's Axe' from the category and activating the skill.
'Swift Fabrication.'
—Vrrr.
A familiar flow of mana gathered in my hand, transforming into an axe.
Looks like skills worked fine.
'Makes sense—crafting skills aren't on Strategy characters, so no reason to block them.'
The developers blocked magic because it made island life too easy.
Magic was versatile.
But skills were different.
For example, Adrian's unique skill tied to magic, so unusable from the start.
Emily's needed a seal target, so no need to block.
That's probably why skills were left alone.
Just my guess, though.
Bam!
First, I chopped down a suitable tree in the forest with the axe to gather materials.
“K-Ken? What's with those logs?”
Soon after, returning to the beach with logs on my shoulder, everyone stared in surprise.
“Thought I'd make some shelters.”
Right in front of them, I cut and shaped the logs into tent materials.
“Wow, Ken's amazing...”
“How... It kinda made my heart flutter.”
“He's got such great dexterity.”
The girls peeking over admired the work.
“I like how his arm muscles flex when he hammers.”
“Right? So sexy, isn't it?”
The chit-chat from behind made it hard to focus.
I was used to it by now, but a gaggle of giggling girls was still noisy.
And similarly...
“...Tch.”
Enzo leaning against a tree nearby, glaring resentfully.
His stare felt pretty uncomfortable too.
'Feels like I'm putting on a processing show.'
Under everyone's gaze, I gathered the first set of materials and built a simple log tent.
“Wow! It's way better than I thought!”
“It's pretty spacious?”
“This'll make sleeping easy.”
The inside had room for about four people to lie down.
Repeating the process a few times, I made enough tents for everyone.
'Though they're tents in name only.'
Truth be told, they were more like simple cabins.
“Good work, Ken. Here.”
Admiring the finished shelters, Emily approached and handed me something.
It was a soccer-ball-sized fruit with the top cut off like a lid, filled with cool water inside.
'Like a coconut.'
Of course, I'd gathered them a few times during Monkey Stone events in the game.
Drinking one for real felt surreal.
“Thanks, I'll enjoy it.”
“...Just say if you need more. I can get them.”
“Y-Yeah...”
Things had felt off with Emily since yesterday.
Even small talk made my heart race, and her every move drew my attention.
'Blame the event...'
I thought while sipping the fruit drink.
This event was originally a system prepared for Emily.
Enzo hijacked it, but the original owner, Emily, was here too.
So was the stirring in my chest from the event's effects?
'Or...'
Did I actually develop feelings for Emily...?
“You okay?”
“Huh? What?”
Glancing sideways at her, Emily looked at me worriedly.
“Your face is red. You sick or something?”
“Huh? No, this is...”
I panicked and pulled away from her, but she reached out and stopped me.
No, this wasn't sickness—it was because of Emily...!
“W-What?! You're burning up!”
Wait, what?
Emily grabbed my shoulder, placed her hand on my forehead, and jumped in alarm.
Come to think of it, her hand felt incredibly cool.
“You idiot! Why didn't you say you had such a high fever?!”
She scolded me angrily.
Apparently, the heat pooling in my head wasn't just from being aware of her.
It persisted even after time passed.
And a growing hazy sensation.
Felt like a common cold.
'Why so sudden...'
Though the situation was ripe for catching one.
From day one, in just swim trunks, gathering firewood, starting fires.
Tense beside sleeping Emily, didn't sleep well.
Up early chopping trees for shelters.
'...Or maybe it's the event's intent.'
Setting aside all that, I recalled the Monkey Stone affinity event as the cause.
Why would a cold be an affinity event?
Because...
“E-Emily. You'll catch it too...”
“Shut up and rest.”
I became the first guest in my own shelter, lying down.
The others had all left to forage.
Only Emily stayed by my side, starting to nurse me.
I rested with my head on her soft lap.
Splash.
She fetched water from the nearby stream, soaked a towel I'd made, and placed the cold compress on my forehead.
The compress was cool, but her thigh against my neck felt refreshing too.
Guess I really had a fever.
Emily looked down at me with worried eyes.
Her gaze wavered like she might cry.
'She used to make that face sometimes on trips.'
As the healer, she'd heal me mid-battle injuries with that expression.
Back then, dieting left me weak, so I got hurt often.
Seeing her nostalgic look warmed my heart.
Maybe that's why.
“Emily...”
“What? Need something?”
I reached out to her, who had forgotten our shared memories, and took her hand from my forehead.
“......”
Emily startled but didn't pull away.
She gripped back firmly.
Feeling her soft hand, I closed my hazy eyes and thought.
'I hope Emily's memories return soon.'
And that the days of happily reminiscing our past would come again.
...
“Damn, damn, daaaaamn!”
Thud!
Enzo stormed through the forest alone, kicking out in rising fury.
A nearby rock flew and smashed into a tree.
He replayed the recent events.
Monsters swarming his bonfire.
Ken's perfectly fine one.
The smoke driving off insect monsters—and the reason was his fault.
And the next day, Ken single-handedly chopping trees for shelters.
The girls watching him blush and giggle.
Emily approaching him sweetly with fruit.
Especially that look on Emily's face.
The image of a lovestruck girl lingered in his mind.
“And they stuck together all night!”
The other girls' interest was just ego-boosting.
But Emily was different.
Enzo wanted her as his woman.
He hated admitting it was one-sided love, but it was.
Seeing those two so cozy made his blood boil.
“Strategy Guide!”
Alone in the forest, Enzo immediately used the ability gained from the island.
A translucent blue window appeared before his eyes.
Enzo grinned slyly as he scanned it.
'Right, I've got this.'
A special ability compiling all knowledge needed to survive the island.
He had this.
So he'd use it.
“Damn it, where is it... What can I use to screw over that Ken bastard...”
Enzo rummaged through the guide for something good against Ken.
And the page that opened.
It detailed the island's monsters.
“Heh heh heh, yes... This is it. If I use this...”
Enzo smirked lecherously at the final entry's text and image.
Perfect timing—Ken was in bad shape.
Rumors said he beat Rapne, but in that condition, this monster would overwhelm him.
'Even if he dies, whatever.'
Blinded by jealousy and steeped in rage, Enzo plotted something extreme.
Using the monster to threaten Ken.
And if he died in the process? Fine by him.
Enzo moved to utilize the monster.
—Grrrrr.
A chilling growl from behind made his shoulders tremble.
“...H-Huh?”
Turning slowly, Enzo faced the source.
He recognized it.
It matched the image from the guide exactly.
The island's master.
Staring at him as prey with yellow eyes, Enzo wet himself.
“G-Gaaaaah—...!!”
Before his scream finished...
His body was bisected and sent flying.