[26] Generators and Gas A Magical Refueling Adventure

When he pulled the wire, the engine started with ease; it didn't take much effort. "Then, plug in the cord you just unplugged into this generator's outlet, and we're all set. I'll be here to help you with the switch until you get the hang of it."

"Okay," I replied. Afterward, I refilled the gasoline tank, which was quite low, using the copy gas from my item box. "You can check the fuel level through this viewing window. Let me know when it gets down to about a quarter full, and I'll refill it."

"I'm happy to refuel if you can tell me where the gas is," she said.

"The gas is made by me," I replied. "I can directly pour it from my item box into the tank, so it's safe even while driving."

"You're making gas now, too?"

"Yep. I'm about to jump over there to take care of something, so what's your plan, Lily? Since you rushed through shopping yesterday, do you want to take your time and go again?"

"I don't really need anything right now, so I'll stay here. Even in casual clothes, an under-18 girl shopping in broad daylight stands out."

"True. And being with an old guy like me might make me look suspicious." I thought for a moment. "Is there anything you need me to pick up? Don't hesitate."

"I'm fine for now, thank you."

"Got it. I'll be off then. Oh, and let Lisa know I'm bringing back burgers for lunch, so she can just stick with soup."

"Okay."

After telling Lily this, I jumped to the jewelry store and exchanged a few gold dice I had. Then, I headed to the used car dealership, where I bought about five junked cars for 500,000.

Next, I went to my usual large supermarket. Once there, I pretended like everything was normal as I pushed a cart toward the food section.

Today, I decided to buy some alcohol besides beer, and to stock up on juice for the kids. I like juice too. And I can't forget the sparkling water. While making sparkling water is easy these days, I really appreciate that sturdy plastic bottle, even if I only buy one.

When it comes to making hamburgers from scratch, I could source most of the necessary elements for the patty from the atmosphere, but it just didn't feel right. So, I went to the meat section and bought a good amount of packaged beef, pork, and chicken.

Next was the liquor aisle. I intended to avoid beer, but with so many options on display, I found several types winding up in my cart. I was hoping for some dark beer, but unfortunately, they didn't have any. So, I grabbed a few varieties of chuhai instead. The sake selection wasn't great, so I skipped that and headed to the juice aisle.

Assuming any expensive juice was likely to be 100% fruit juice, I bought one bottle each from the priciest line. Then I picked up sparkling water and cola. Since family-sized cola goes flat quickly, I opted for the 500ml bottle.

Next to the drinks was the snack aisle. I thought about getting some treats for the kids, but I know chocolate is a sure route to cavities. Plus, if that happens, I can't take them to a dentist here.

Wait a minute, if my potion can heal a broken bone, it shouldn't be surprising if it can also fix a cavity.

With that thought in mind, I decided to grab a few classic children's snacks. I picked up some chocolate-covered crackers shaped like sticks, chocolate treats formed like mushrooms and bamboo shoots, and fruity candies. I filled my cart with these items.

Once the cart was full, I checked out and, as usual, stored everything in my item box in a discreet corner. As I did, I noticed a photo of Lily and her friends posted on the bulletin board. Naturally, it looked just like the last time I'd seen it.

From the supermarket, I hopped over to a different drive-thru burger joint. This one was part of a different chain than my last burger stop.

This time, I chose around ten individual items from the menu. While I had already picked up some snacks at the supermarket, I also ordered vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream to take home.

After taking the paper bag handed to me, I stepped outside and remembered I had wanted to copy a nice car, if I found one. Unfortunately, there weren't any appealing vehicles in the drive-thru parking lot, but I could see several decent cars parked next door.

"I guess I'll check it out," I thought.

With an unsuspecting expression, I slipped into the neighboring parking lot, feeling like a car thief as I examined the vehicles. To an onlooker, I must have seemed suspicious; what I was doing couldn't technically be considered a crime, but it certainly straddled a gray area. Gray isn't black, so technically I wasn't breaking any laws—hopefully.

There were indeed some wealthy folks around, as a towering SUV with huge wheels caught my eye. It looked freshly washed, the glass and body gleaming. "This is the one!" I decided, stored the car in my item box, transferred it to my duplication box, and quickly crafted a copy in my alchemy workshop.

Whether that copy would run properly was still a mystery, but I thoughtfully returned the original massive vehicle to its original place from the item box. Having accomplished my goal, I glanced around like the suspicious character I appeared to be, confirming that no one was watching before heading back to the mansion in the New World.

Once back at the mansion, it was the perfect time to gather everyone for a meal. Lisa had prepared a vegetable soup with bacon. I first copied all the items I had procured from the burger joint, ensuring I could make them whenever needed. Then, I made the largest burgers for everyone and laid them out on the table, along with chilled 500ml bottles of cola and enough fries for the whole group.

On the table, there was a tube of ketchup and a small dish for it, encouraging those who liked ketchup on their fries to pour from the dish before dipping their potatoes.

"There are plenty of fish and chicken burgers available," he said. While not endless in supply, they could be made in any quantity desired. Both the fish and chicken burgers were copies of the original, possibly qualifying them as artificial meat. However, since they were indistinguishable in taste and appearance from the real thing, it seemed reasonable to say they were not fake.

"Don't hesitate to ask for more if you get hungry; otherwise, it'll get cold. Like I've said, there's more than enough. We also have fruit juices, not just cola: apple, orange, peach, and grape."

The juices were in a pitcher, and ice cubes were in a bucket, allowing guests to pour their own drinks and add ice as they pleased. I had crafted a pitcher resembling a beer mug in the alchemy workshop and filled it with the juices I bought that day, placing it on the table alongside a makeshift ice bucket filled with ice made in the fridge.

"After you have the soup Lisa prepared, grab a cup and pour yourself some juice. It's even better when you add ice!"

Lily is looking at me, perhaps in disbelief. I can't help but think that anything goes at this point.

The kids, having guzzled down Coke straight from the bottle, quickly finished some soup that had cooled enough to drink smoothly and brought cups to the table for everyone. It seems kids really do love juice; orange juice sold out first, followed by Momo's juice.

"Master, I'd like a white fish burger, please."

"Got it. Anyone else want a white fish burger?"

A couple of hands shot up, so I served three.

"How about chicken burgers?"

Lily and the other three eagerly raised their hands.

I retrieved three chicken burgers. "I have plenty, but we also have ice cream today. It might not be the best ice cream, being from a burger joint, but it should be decent. We have vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. If you eat now, you won't have room later, so save it for after."

"Master, what's ice cream?"

They probably haven't tried it in this world.

"You'll know once you taste it; it's a cold, sweet treat that melts in your mouth right away."

"That sounds amazing! The burgers are delicious, and I'm really happy!"

"I want some too!" "Master, me too!" "Mr. Rockwell, I want some too!"

It's funny how, even though I wasn't singing "If You're Happy and You Know It," hearing their eager voices made me want to join in the clapping.

I couldn't tell if it was just good luck that I found such kind-hearted slaves or if all the slaves from that trading house were of similar temperament, but I felt genuinely fortunate to have bought these five. As for Lily, whom I helped because we're from the same hometown, her family situation seemed complicated, but I believed she was a decent girl who had received a proper education. Admittedly, I had no real connection to modern high school girls, so that was just my impression.

With two girls and a bunch of children, it seemed everyone was quickly feeling full.

"There are only three kinds of ice cream, so please pick from these," I said, placing cups of ice cream in the center of the table. "The whitish one is vanilla. It's hard to describe vanilla, so just give it a try. The red one is strawberry, and the brown one is chocolate. I can only say that you'll understand chocolate better once you taste it."

Speaking of which, I had bought some snacks for the kids but forgot to take them out. They weren't particularly healthy, so I figured I could save them for another occasion. No need to rush.

"When you're eating ice cream, make sure to use a spoon," I said. The children, who had stood up to peer into the cup, quickly returned with spoons for everyone. They were quite thoughtful.

"Honestly, I could give you all as much as you want, but to avoid an upset stomach, everyone gets just one."

"Now, who wants vanilla?"

Lily and Lisa raised their hands.

"Great! Lily, you get the vanilla, and Lisa, come over here." I prepared a dish of vanilla ice cream and handed it to Lisa.

"How about strawberry ice cream?" Iona and Kiria chimed in, raising their hands.

"And chocolate ice cream?" the last two called out. I added one serving each of strawberry and chocolate and passed them to the children.

As they took their first spoonfuls, their eyes widened in surprise. "What's this? So good!" "So tangy!" "So sweet!" Their reactions were utterly delightful.

"That's all for today," I said.

""Yes!" they replied eagerly.

"Tomorrow, I'll serve dessert after dinner, so think about what you'd like then," I added.

"Okay!" "Yay!"

Having finished lunch, I stepped into the backyard to examine the large vehicle I had copied earlier in the parking lot.

It was enormous! The wheels were massive too, making it seem perfect for rough terrain. I wondered if it was an off-road car or a cross-country vehicle—either way, it didn't matter much to me.

The emblem on the front of the car clearly indicates it's a Toyota. This suggests that the vehicle in front of me might be a high-end version of the Land Cruiser popular in the Middle East.

Of course, there was no key in sight. Having created the vehicle itself, it seemed reasonable to assume that the locking mechanism and the keys could also be produced. With that thought in mind, I concentrated, and a key materialized effortlessly. Effectively, this is top-level alchemy. I inserted the newly formed key into the lock beside the door handle, twisted it, and opened the door.