‘I feel like I’m putting on a crafting show.’

With all eyes on me, I gathered the first batch of materials and made a suitable wooden tent.

“Wow! This is much better than I imagined!”

“It feels really spacious, doesn’t it?”

“This will make sleeping here a lot easier.”

The interior of the tent provided enough space for about four people to lie down and sleep.

I repeated the same task several more times, creating enough tents for everyone to sleep in.

‘Of course, it’s only called a tent.’

In truth, it was more of a makeshift hut than an actual tent.

“Great job, Ken. Here.”

As I admired the sturdy structure I had built, Emily approached me and handed me something.

It was a large fruit, about the size of a soccer ball, with a cut-off top, revealing the cool water inside.

‘It’s like a coconut.’

It was a fruit I had collected several times during the Monkey Stele event in the game.

It felt peculiar to actually drink from it.

“Thanks, I’ll enjoy it.”

“…Let me know if you need more. I can get some.”

“Uh, okay…”

Since yesterday, the atmosphere between Emily and me has been somewhat awkward.

Even small conversations made my heart race, and I found myself focused on her every move.

‘Is it because of the event?’

I wondered as I drank from the fruit.

This event was originally set up by the System for Emily.

Even though Enzo ended up utilizing it, Emily, the intended participant, was here.

Maybe that’s why my heart was restless—because of the event.

‘Or maybe...’

Perhaps these feelings toward Emily were becoming genuine…

“Are you okay?”

“Huh?”

I glanced at Emily from the corner of my eye, and she was looking at me with concern written on her face.

“Your face is red. Are you not feeling well?”

“Huh? No, I— No, it's just..."

I stepped back in embarrassment from Emily, but she immediately reached out to stop me.

No, it's not because I'm sick—it's because of Emily!

"What, what! You have a high fever!"

Oh?

Emily held my shoulder and put her hand on my forehead, completely startled.

Now that I think about it, Emily's hand felt really cool.

"You idiot! You have such a high fever, why didn't you say anything?"

Emily scolded me with an angry face.

It seemed the heat I felt wasn't just because I was aware of Emily.

The fever didn't subside over time; it steadily persisted.

And a gradually rising dizzy sensation.

It felt like the usual symptoms of a cold.

'Why is it all of a sudden...'

Of course, I was in a situation where I could catch a cold.

Since the first day, I was running around looking for firewood, wearing only swim trunks, and making fires.

Besides, I was too tense to sleep properly because of Emily sleeping next to me.

I also cut down trees early in the morning to make shelters.

'...Or maybe it’s the event's intention.'

Setting aside all those reasons, I thought of the Monkey Stele's affection event as the root cause.

Why would a cold trigger an affection event?

That's because...

"Hey, Emily. You might catch it too..."

"It's fine. Stay quiet."

I found myself lying down as the first guest of the shelter I had built.

All the others had left to search for food.

Only Emily remained by my side, attending to me.

I rested my head on Emily's soft knees and let my body relax.

Swoosh.

She fetched water from a nearby stream, soaked a towel I had made, and placed the cool, wet cloth on my forehead.

The towel was cold, but Emily’s thigh touching my neck felt cool as well.

I must really have a fever.

Emily gazed down at me with worried eyes.

Her eyes seemed to shimmer as if she might cry.

'Now that I think about it, she was sometimes like this during our travels.'

As a healer, Emily often gave me that look while treating my injuries during battles.

Back then, I was weaker before I lost weight, so I often got hurt.

Seeing that familiar expression from Emily again warmed my heart.

Maybe that's why.

"Emily…"

"Why? Do you need something?"

I looked at her, who had forgotten the memories we'd shared, and reached out my hand.

I grasped Emily’s hand that rested on my forehead.

"……."

Emily looked startled but didn't pull her hand away.

Instead, she held onto my hand tightly.

Feeling her gentle hand, I closed my drowsy eyes and thought.

'I hope Emily's memories return soon.'

And I prayed for the moment to come again when we could joyfully talk about the memories we had built together.

“Damn it, damn it, damn iiiiit━!”

Thud!

Enzo was storming through the forest alone, kicking in frustration. A stone nearby was sent flying, hitting a tree with force.

He recalled the recent events.

The monsters gathered around his campfire.

And Ken’s campfire, still intact.

Plus, the smoke that repelled the insect-like monsters, and how it was his fault the monsters came in the first place.

Then, by the next day, Ken had single-handedly chopped down trees to build a temporary shelter.

He remembered watching from behind as the female students blushed and giggled, admiring Ken.

And then there was Emily, kindly approaching Ken to hand him fruit.

Especially Emily’s expression.

The face of a girl seemingly in love kept lingering in his mind.

“Even at night, they keep sticking together!”

The interest of the other female students was merely for satisfying his own whims.

But Emily was different.

Enzo wanted to make Emily his own.

He didn't want to admit it was unrequited love, but it was undeniably just that.

Seeing the two of them so intimately together made Enzo's anger boil to the very top of his head.

"Strategy Guide!"

The moment Enzo was alone in the forest, he immediately used the ability he acquired after landing on the uninhabited island.

A translucent blue screen appeared before his eyes. With a sly smile, Enzo examined its contents.

'Yes, I have this.'

A special ability that contained various knowledge necessary for surviving on this island.

He had this ability, so all he needed was to utilize it.

"Damn it, where is it... What do I have to do to mess with that bastard Ken..."

Enzo scoured through the Strategy Guide, looking for something that could trip Ken up.

And then he came across an open page.

It was a page about the island's monsters.

"Hehehe, yes, this is it... if I use this..."

Enzo grinned maliciously as he examined the details and images on the last part of the page.

Ken’s physical condition was currently poor.

Although there were rumors that Ken had defeated Raphne, with his current condition, he would find it difficult to deal with this monster.

'I don't care if it kills him.'

Blinded by jealousy and consumed by rage, Enzo devised an extreme plan.

This plan involved using the monster to threaten Ken.

And if he died in the process, so be it.

With that, Enzo moved to use the monster.

━Rrrrrrrk.

Suddenly, he shivered at the eerie sound of growling coming from behind.

"...Wh-what?"

Slowly turning his head, Enzo faced the source of the growling.

Enzo had a memory of seeing this appearance somewhere before.

It was none other than the exact image he had just seen in the Strategy Guide.

The owner of this island.

As he looked into those yellow eyes that viewed him as prey, Enzo wet his pants.

“Ah, aaargh!!”

Before his scream could even end.

His body was ripped in half and flew away.

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