Shoubu had chosen the ability to finish makeup instantly and come to the deserted island.

Until now, it had been a useless white elephant, but going forward, if the Crafting Ability allowed us to assemble a supply of cosmetics, it would become a powerful ally for the women.

Actually, even now, when we only had lotion and toner, the women’s interest was intense.

“Yay, I’m happy to be popular. But this doesn’t help Kuno.”

“No, if it helps our companions, that’s more than enough.”

“Whoa, you’re so nice. ...Want to see my panties again?”

“Shoubu!”

“Lumi’s scary.”

Shoubu gave an exaggerated shiver at Ms. Luminous’s scolding tone.

“Sousuke is a good guy, but he’s also super lewd, so you really should be careful.”

“Oh? Shouko, are you jealous?”

“............”

Shouko blushed and glared at Shoubu.

“Sorry, sorry. But if I’m joining as a companion, that kind of thing might happen someday, right? How does that work?”

“...Well, if both people are okay with it, I won’t stop you. If I did, that would mean Shii-chan and I were wrong too.”

“Mm. As the overwhelmingly victorious childhood-friend legal-wife heroine, I shall magnanimously lend out our So-kun.”

Chiyu nodded with grand generosity.

“Whew, Chiyu, you’re so broad-minded. I guess you’re right. If people started fighting over Kuno here, it’d be a disaster. Sharing premium property with everyone is smart of you, Chiyu.”

Standing around talking forever would get us nowhere, so we decided to head back to the base for now and climbed onto the phantasmal beasts again.

“Kuno. About what we were saying earlier, how do you make cosmetics?”

“When I looked into it, most things you apply to your face aren’t that different at the basic level. The ratios change, and then you add pigments and other things that seem good for the skin.”

“Seriously? So if you have this pigment stuff, you can make it already?”

“We already have the water and oil components, so basically, yes. But that pigment is the hard part.”

“It is?”

“A lot of pigments used in cosmetics are minerals...”

“Huh? So we’ve been putting rocks on our faces this whole time?”

I could not help chuckling at how Shoubu phrased it.

“Put roughly, yes.”

They powdered minerals and used the color.

“We do see stones on this island. Does that mean minerals cannot be obtained here?”

Ms. Luminous asked.

“With trees, once my recognition deepened, I started being able to tell what kind of tree each one was... but with stones, they stay categorized as ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ stone material.”

“One of the earlier choices included a mine, so perhaps those resources are treated as not being placed on this island.”

Shion gave her inference.

I agreed with her.

“That’s probably it.”

“Oh, yeah, there was one. Was that the second day? A question like a mine or a water source.”

Shouko spoke up as if remembering.

“Wait, Shouko, you remember that? I totally forgot.”

“I see... The vegetation and climate are strange too, but the environment itself must have been prepared and adjusted by someone. That is why there are conveniences, and also why there are distortions...”

Ms. Luminous looked thoughtful.

“So until we get minerals, cosmetics are on hold?”

“There’s technically the option of extracting pigment from plants.”

“Ooh! Why won’t that work?”

“It isn’t that it won’t work. Apparently, the color payoff is poor.”

“Like the color is weak? But being able to wear makeup at all on a deserted island is already amazing, so isn’t that totally fine?”

That was true.

Something usable was better than nothing.

Apparently, the same applied to cosmetics.

“In that case, we can try it.”

After I said that, I noticed the gazes of the women besides Shoubu too.

“—Of course, once we get back to the base, I’ll ask what everyone wants.”

The women’s gazes seemed to soften.

Shoubu, who seemed to have noticed those same looks, laughed cheerfully.

“Being everyone’s boyfriend sure is rough. Of course, I’m fine with going last. I’ll work super hard gathering pigments too. Is it like finding and getting plants in the colors we want?”

“For now, that’s the idea.”

We could rely on the Crafting Ability and Minori’s knowledge for sorting them out.

“By the way, Kuno, why do you know so much? Are you a cosmetics professor?”

“I don’t know if that kind of professor exists... but it isn’t me. Minori knows a lot.”

“Class Rep does? She seemed barefaced at school, so I’m surprised she knows so much.”

Actually, Minori had gone to a cosmetics store and a bookstore in the bonus area to research it, but explaining that now would make things complicated, so I put it off.

Once we got back to the base, Shoubu would probably be shocked when she saw the appliances, so I could explain then.

“Minorin is amazing. She knows so much, she even studies on the deserted island, and her magic is strong too.”

“She helps Sousuke gather materials as well. She really is capable of everything.”

Shouko praised her friend proudly, while Shion sounded a little envious as she praised Minori too.

“Wait, that’s crazy. Shouko can summon amazing fluffy creatures, so is everyone here just super high-level? Shion, am I going to feel out of place?”

“...I understand how you feel. I worried about that at first too.”

“Shii-chan is now our head chef. She can make everything from bread to ramen.”

“Seriously? I really want to eat that. ...So what about Chiyu?”

“I can heal injuries and things.”

“That’s amazing too! Um, the teacher handles negotiations and can use magic, right? I’m pretty sure Serina said something about barriers...”

“Lady Serina’s barrier proved to be extremely useful, both for base defense and in combat as a shield that repels enemies.”

Roa explained.

Incidentally, everyone was revealing their abilities to Shoubu partly because Shion’s ability had already confirmed that Shoubu had no hidden agenda.

Separate from whatever Suou was thinking, Shoubu genuinely wanted to become Shouko’s companion.

Also, by revealing our abilities as proof of trust, we might be able to get information from Shoubu about the ability users on Suou’s team.

Though probably only Shion and I were thinking that far.

“Wait, isn’t that strong? R-Roa-chii, are you like an elite maid?”

Apparently, Roa had explained back at Suou’s base that she wore the maid outfit because she liked it.

Well, without that explanation, everyone would find it strange.

“I am currently training so that a day may come when I am worthy of being called that.”

“And Kuno is the leader who can make anything... Mm. Yeah, I’m the only one whose ability can’t help Kuno.”

She had said something similar earlier too.

Everyone else had skills or abilities that could help all our companions, while hers could only help the women. That must have been bothering her a lot. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

“I said this earlier, but you don’t need to worry about that. If you do what you can and feel grateful for what your companions do for you, that’s more than enough.”

“...I see. So this is how everyone got seduced by Kuno.”

It was hard to tell, but was I imagining the faint blush on Shoubu’s cheeks?

“Exactly. Sousuke is just naturally kind.”

“Mm-hm. And because there’s no lie in it, it makes you really happy.”

“He has desire as well, but his kind heart stands above it. I believe that is his most trustworthy quality.”

“Mm. I raised So-kun myself.”

Shouko, Shion, Roa, and Chiyu all spoke happily.

“...I do think you are an admirable person too, Kuno.”

The teacher still seemed bothered by my relationships with multiple people, but maybe her style was to praise what deserved praise anyway. She said it with a complicated expression.

“............”

After being praised to death, I was too embarrassed to speak.

I could not look at anyone’s face, so I kept staring ahead—only to see even the black dragon Micron nodding over and over as if to say, I get it.

“W-we’re almost there...!”

I even stumbled over my words.

Pretending not to notice the warm atmosphere drifting from behind me, I kept facing forward.