Camping And Exploring (1)

Hey, Shun here!

Have you ever been on a camping trip before? If you haven't already, I'm telling you that you missed a whole lot of things in life.

Going out to the great outdoors is not something I'm very fond of but camping trips with people you're close with is one way to have fun and become closer together.

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(Shun's POV)

"Oh, sweet. I got something called [Set of Magic Seasonings]?"

The description only said 『The seasonings that do not deplete despite being used. The seasonings alone do not recover satiety.』.

"Alright. I'll take it. This is better than getting some suspicious food stuffs that may or may not be poisonous."

Getting this unique items that literally gives me an unlimited supply of spices sure is a lifesaver since I no longer have to scrounge the whole western forest for the ingredients. Also, there's times when I had to buy them from the NPC shops, which obviously takes up a whole lot of money.

Looking at the sky that's already beginning to set, I tapped the still dazed Rikka-san on the back to catch her attention. She was of course surprised by the sudden action and was kind of flustered.

"Now then, I think we should go back now before nightfall? Right, Rikka-san?"

Rikka-san was so flustered that she raised her hands in a fluster and her eyes were wide open. She even let out a girly squeak, which I thought was extremely cute.

"Uh… un! Yeah, we should…"

After making sure that I finally restored my contact with Rikka-san who went outside of Earth for some time, I headed to where the girls were sleeping to wake them up.

"So cool…" I think it was just my imagination but I think I heard someone say that.

On our journey back, Tsuka was acting like a baby and was asking me to give a piggy back. So I did.

Fenny, Pochi, Tama, and Rikka-san are busy cuddling with the four furballs so I thankfully didn't hear anyone protest. God, this must be what every lolicon in the world is dreaming of.

I can't imagine the time when Ikumei, Zenko, Maichi, and Koharu are here. That would be an absolute Loli paradise isn't it?

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On our way back to our base camp, Rikka-san is browsing on some pictures that we took during our trip and the time when we found the young beasts. She was smiling from ear to ear, looking at the silly poses that the six of us did.

There was this picture where we are doing the aye aye sir pose that Pochi and Tama likes to do whenever I'm training them. There was also a picture where the young beasts followed along with our shenanigans.

"It was such a fun trip, wasn't it Rikka-san?"

"Eh? Uh, yeah it was. Also…"

"Also?"

"Just call me 'Rikka' without honorifics. We're friends right? So umm… just get rid of the honorifics."

I looked at Rikka-san who is now looking away from me.

"…Sure, Rikka. You could just call me Shun then." I wonder what changed? It feels like we became a little closer because of this trip?

It feels like when Rokuko and I started to work more like a team and partners.

"No! I-I mean I don't want to yet… The others might be sus— *mumble* *mumble*…"

Before I could ask what she meant by that, I was cut off by her sudden scream.

"A-Ah! Ku-hum, i-it looks like we finally arrived at our base! Great timing!" Rikka-san immediately ran inside the newly erected base of ours while I stood a few ways away outside.

"Master, what wrong?"

I was immersed, thinking of a few things when someone suddenly grabbed my cheeks before forcefully making me look sideways.

"I'm fine Tsuka. I was just thinking of a few things… Well, let's go and check out our amazing base camp?" I noticed that the three other girls were looking at me curiously just now so I decided to change the subject.

""""Ou!""""

"Though… I wonder what happened while we were away? I'm pretty sure there was a pretty huge clearing in here before we left…"

In place of the previously huge clearing was a small log house beside a log house that's twice the former ones size. It's amazing how they managed to create these in just a few hours.

While us five were approaching the log houses, before we arrived, we heard energetic voices that seems to be gradually approaching.

"Welcome back Rikkachin! How was it? I did my best to build these very very splendid log houses you know?"

"What do you mean 'I' Lyly? I, Mutsuko-chan and Cloude helped as well you know?"

"Yep, Miu-chan's party, Magi-san, and I helped in preparing the logs and cutting down trees."

These voices seems to be from Lyly, Magi-san, and Mutsuko-san respectively. It seems like Miu and her party went back at some point and helped Mutsuko-san and the others in cutting down some trees.

Also, I have to say that these log houses are absolutely splendid. I thought they'd just erect two tents, one for the guys and two or three for the girls but this is even better.

"It's absolutely great. The only missing thing is making it look like a demon lord's castle and it'll be absolutely epic!"

"Indeed, praise me more. I've yet to finish all of the interior design but by tomorrow, it should be done."

The moment Cloude arrived, we all also entered inside the smallest log houses. The four kids, with the three fluffballs within their arms, burst inside the room and stole the spotlight from the then trying to act cool Cloude.

"Ya-hallo~! Meet MiiMii~!"

"Ya-hallo everyone, desu! We're back nanodesu! Along with our new friends nodesu! Aren't they cute desu!?"

"Tsuka and, friends, back~!"

"Greetings…"

Tama was the first to enter, followed by Pochi who almost literally kicked the door open. They came flying in and, after they landed safely, they struck a pose.

They were then followed by Tsuka who had an equal amount of energy to the two, then Fenny who just entered inside like a normal person before greeting everyone inside politely.

"It's Pocchi, Tamacchi, Tsucchi, and Fennicchi! Welcome back! Oh, Shuncchi is also back!" Just when Lyly called me out, a blonde girl came out from inside the log house, pushing Cloude in the process, and showed a pudding-like food that she's holding.

"What? Shun is back? Hey Shun! Look at what I made!"

Cloude was totally sidelined as we began talking about our adventures. Pochi and Tama were so hyped at finding their animal companions that they ended up making the older girls envious of them.

Probably because he couldn't take being sidelined, Cloude loudly cleared his throat, making us think that he have some severe throat problem or something.

"Kuhum! KU-HUM! Come now, people! Gaze upon this! The bunk beds created by Lyly and the generously prepared beddings prepared by yours truly! Moreover, I was thoughtful enough to make each of the four small animals their own fully equipped sleeping place! How's that?"

While Cloude was in high tension and was trying to show off his honestly great craftsmanship here that was unfortunately showcased in the most pretty simple stuffs… I'm not saying making beddings are simple, it's just that, being a top weaver, you'd mostly think that he'd pull up some badass leather armor, not some well-made beddings for young animals.

Anyway, Magi-san was all like, "Hoo, that's pretty amazing…" and Lyly was happily praising Cloude's craftsmanship. I mean, his work was indeed great and it indeed looks like something that would be comfortable to sleep in.

However, unfortunately for him, he took the credit for the making of the beddings all for himself, which didn't really sit well to our resident Dungeon Core.

"Heeey! What do you mean you thought of that idea!? It was me and Mutsuko who thought doing that you know? You're just the one who made it! Don't lie! Shun told me that lying is bad, you know?"

Well, that aside, this place sure is well made. It could fit the bill for a nice vacation log house that I always wanted to have.

It's really wonderfully built — goes to show just how skillful Lyly and Cloude is as a crafter and the top of their craft — and it looks really cozy to live in. I'd want one for myself, to be honest. I still feel like it's such a waste of talent though…

I have to say, having the top blacksmith, the top weaver, and the top woodworker really is a huge boost when you're in an event that needs you to survive. And don't get me started on that whole idea that Mutsuko-san might just be the game's top survival… Survivalist? Survivaler?

I don't know what to call her so let's just roll with Survivalist. Having a Sense that's always been viewed as something that's as useless as the [Bow] Sense, [Hawk Eyes], and etc, and get it to something absurd like level freakin' 38, that's just something.

I mean, I do have one such Sense but let's not talk about it.

And while I was out there daydreaming, everyone arrived and is now talking about the very wide table outside where everyone could eat together. Dang it, I really have to get out of the habit of being immersed in my own train of thoughts.

"Woaah! The table is really biiig and wide nanodesu! It's like, reaaally big nodesu! You're amaziiing nanodesuyo!?"

"Un! Un! Tama approves~…"

"Hehehe, thank you, Pocchi, Tamacchi! I worked real hard for it!"

At some point, we all gathered at a bonfire that Miu, Kaede-san, and the whole Super Awesome Food Prowling Team 2 made and talked there until the night descended fully. When I asked why they made such a thing, well, they both said something like this…

"Isn't it obvious that a bonfire is required during every camping trip? I saw it in every video games you know? Don't you think so too, Onii-chan?"

"I don't know. I thought that would be so cool to have a bonfire where we could gather and talk over so I helped Miu-san and the others to make one? Isn't it kinda awesome? It makes you feel that camping spirit!"

Eventually though, when it came time for dinner, I, Mutsuko-san, Satania-san, and Kaede-san stood up to cook food for us. We were followed by the four kids: Tsuka, Fenny, Pochi, and Tama who wanted to learn how to cook for their new friends.

That's so sweet but, that made me kind of jealous…

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(Girl's POV)

Inside the much bigger log house where girls are currently sleeping in, everyone aside from the four little kids are currently sitting or surrounding Rikka's bed and are on their gossip mode.

"So, so, what did you and Shun-kun do inside the forest, with only the two of you alone?"

"We-Well… we weren't technically alone together, you know?"

"What do you mean you aren't!? Onii-chan and you are basically out on a hunting date you know!? How envious!"

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※~To be continued~※

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Author's Remarks:

※ Yo. Creative juice not be flowing if you're stressed out. Apologies for the late releases.

※ This event will be pretty around 20 chapters tops(not including the award ceremony but you get the point). I tried my best to make short and sweet chapters about this event and I guess it kinda paid off since, in my draft, it would've lasted for two whole Arcs, which I'm definitely against as I definitely am not the greatest when it comes to making interesting long and overdrawn overarching Arcs. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter and if you did… you did? Which is good.