I generated a two-story house.

But I held off on placing it for a moment.

The truth was, I’d asked Mashiro—who’d only just gotten back—to stomp around and level the ground nearby.

With a Fenrir’s massive body, flattening the earth was easy.

Even while we were eating, he’d been working for us.

Now that the area where the Hut had been was cleared out, Mashiro was doing one last round of stomp-stomp-stomping like this was his grand finale.

“Thanks, Mashiro. I wish I could do something to repay you, but...”

Then Mashiro abruptly looked toward the bath area.

He was staring at the folding screens with a gaze packed full of heat.

I let out a deep sigh.

Because I knew exactly what he wanted.

“I’m just going to ask. That’s all.”

The Fenrir nodded eagerly, over and over.

“Heeey, everyone...! Mashiro looks like he got a little dirty too, so could you wash him for me?”

The answer came immediately.

“Totally! Mashiro worked super hard today too, so I’ll wash him!”

“If that’s the case, I’ll help as well. I’ve been in his debt.”

“I don’t mind either.”

“Of course. Mashiro is one of us, after all.”

“...They said it’s fine.”

Mashiro barked happily, licked my face once, and then bounded off toward the bath.

A male Fenrir wanting to get into the women’s bath—how am I supposed to feel about that...?

Well, I’m grateful enough that this phantasmal beast is straightforward and cooperative, and if the girls are okay with it... I guess it’s fine.

“Alright, then.”

When it came to placing the house, what bothered me was the foundation.

There was an issue with adopting it.

I could generate it with a foundation included. Crafting Ability really was incredible.

But a foundation is, basically, something that’s buried in the ground.

I could dig and do it the hard way, but once you bury it, you run into a problem.

Because it becomes “connected to the ground,” and then you can’t store it in Inventory anymore.

In an emergency, I’d end up having to abandon the house and run.

While I was agonizing over not wanting to lose mobility, Minori taught me a method.

Apparently there’s something called a stone-pier foundation.

Put simply, you place stones and set the building’s posts on top of them.

Hearing that, I vaguely remembered that I might’ve seen something like it in anime—whenever an old farmhouse showed up.

Of course, there are mechanisms to keep the posts from slipping and the like, but Crafting Ability handled those parts for me.

And since the stones used for the piers were also generated, their shapes and sizes were completely adjustable.

I chose the placement spot—

And finally, I placed it.

In an instant.

As if it had always been there, a wooden two-story house appeared.

“Yes...!”

People say it’s a dream to own your own house once you’re a working adult... but I never thought I’d get a house after being transferred to a deserted island.

I generated candles made from plant oils, along with stone-processed holders with handles, then borrowed fire from the bonfire.

Then I went back to the house, opened the door, and stepped inside.

By the way, the hinges were made from wood and stone too, so it was a regular hinged door.

Inside was a spacious entryway. Unlike the Hut, we wouldn’t need to store everyone’s shoes one by one anymore.

I set a candle and holder on top of the shoe cabinet too and lit it.

I prepared grass-woven slippers for everyone, put on my own pair, and moved deeper inside.

I set the stove in the kitchen, then placed cooking tools, dishes, and firewood.

In the changing room that was planned to connect to the bath, I placed baskets and replacement soap.

And in the living room, along with the wool carpet, I placed some furniture.

They could see all that tomorrow.

After that, I went out to the hallway, climbed the stairs, and reached the second-floor corridor. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Three rooms on the right, four rooms on the left.

“Ah... putting furniture in before the room assignments are decided might be a problem...”

Well, if it caused issues, I could move it later.

So I went into the three rooms on the right, and then the first two rooms on the left, placing furniture one after another.

A desk, a chair, a shelf.

And on each desk, a candle and holder.

And then the main attraction—

Beds.

The bed frame was wooden, and I could’ve made that yesterday, but...

There had been the problem of fabric for the bedding, and thread for sewing.

But the exploration team had brought back a huge amount of flax, so that was solved.

I generated a wool mattress and wool blanket, then placed them on top of the frame.

I even set down a pillow stuffed with wool.

“This is pretty good, isn’t it?”

It really felt like a “house” now.

The priority work was done, so I killed time by putting spears in the armory and thinking about what else the house might need, then headed outside.

“I really want glass...”

I’d made sliding doors for the living room, and I’d prepared windows for each room, but as a modern person, I couldn’t help wanting glass windows.

Thinking like that, I stepped outside—and the four of them were standing there, staring up at the house in a daze.

Wet hair, towels draped around their necks—seeing them walk around like that had a different kind of charm than usual.

And right now, they were in their fluffy wool outfits.

They noticed me.

“Sousuke, this is way too amazing!”

Shouko’s reactions were always honest, and that made me happy—because I could tell it was real.

“Yeah... it’s really amazing.”

Even Shion’s reaction had gotten simple.

“A splendid love nest.”

Chiyu was Chiyu as always, but I could tell she was excited.

“It really is... splendid.”

Minori had helped me with all sorts of planning, but actually seeing the house we’d talked about seemed to move her.

“Everyone, I’m going to take a bath, so go inside the house.”

I handed the candle holder to Chiyu and headed for the bath.

“So-kun, is that okay? Not watching our reactions?”

At Chiyu’s question, I gave a wry smile.

It was true—watching people react to what you made was fun.

“Tell me what you think afterward.”

Outside the bath, with Mashiro sleeping with a satisfied look on his face, I headed in.

Using a huge tub all by myself made me feel like I was indulging in something ridiculously luxurious.

I’m not someone who soaks for a long time, so I tried to get out quickly, but—

“Eeeeeeh!?”

I heard Shouko scream, followed by a rapid series of thuds, and then the house door flew open.

Since it was hot after the bath, I’d put on a linen shirt and pants, and I stepped out from behind the folding screen.

And Shouko came bursting out.

“Sousuke!”

“It’s dark inside. Don’t run—you’ll get hurt.”

“Ah, yeah, I’ll be careful—no, that’s not it!”

“How was it?”

I could tell I was grinning.

“It’s just—just—way too amazing! I never thought we’d come to a deserted island and get our own rooms, or sleep in beds! The mattress and pillow are sooooo fluffy—this is the best! I’m freaking out!”

Shouko got so excited she threw herself at me.

Soap scent, her body heat, and the softness of her body all came through at once.

“Ah... Sh-Shouko!”

Minori came flying out too, shouting.

“Aha, sorry—couldn’t help it.”

Shouko said that and stepped away from me.

“It’s really such a lovely house. The kitchen is a counter kitchen too, so I’m happy we can talk with everyone in the living room while we’re cooking.”

Shion came outside as well.

“Everywhere I looked, I felt So-kun’s consideration and kindness.”

Chiyu appeared, nodding deeply as she spoke.

“W-Well, I’m very impressed too. No, maybe it’s more like I’m moved. The tree we cut together became such a wonderful house. It’s because of Kuno-kun’s ability, of course, but still... I’m happy I got to help.”

“No, no—half of this is because of you. You helped me think through so much, and honestly, there’s no way I could’ve built this house today by myself. Be proud of your magic and your knowledge.”

I remembered how, on the first day, I’d tried cutting down just one tree and ended up unbelievably exhausted, with my hands torn to pieces.

“.........Y-Yeah. Thank you. Building a house together was... fun.”

“Yeah. It was for me too.”

A warm, gentle mood settled over all of us.

“Mashiro’s house can wait until tomorrow, right? It looks like he’s already asleep.”

“Yeah. Oh—maybe I want it where I can see it from my room window.”

“Yeah, let’s do that. So when you wake up and open the window, you can greet Mashiro from there.”

“Yay! Yeah, yeah—that’s exactly what I wanted!”

Shouko bounced with excitement.

“For now... I guess we sleep.”

Shouko’s sheep had already been sent back, and anything that needed storing had gone into Inventory.

We all went inside.

On the way, Chiyu came close, gently took my hand, leaned in by my ear, and whispered.

“After this, I’m coming to your room, So-kun.”

“......”

Instead of answering, I squeezed her hand back.

It looked like sleep would have to wait a little longer.