“She turned into a cat, not a Cat Girl.
Don’t add weird terms yourself—I think the hunger is just a side effect of using the ability.”
The feeling of an empty stomach was terrible.
Yukino Yukinoshita bit her lip, trying to act strong, ignoring the burning ache in her stomach.
She hadn’t expected the side effect of transformation to be so severe.
However, even if she knew it would hurt, she would still choose to transform to support Natsuyu.
‘Natsuyu-kun didn’t get hurt this time, but what about next time?’
‘If I always let him face danger alone just because he’s strong, and he ends up getting hurt, it’d be catastrophic in this wilderness.’
‘Ugh…
I’m so hungry…’
Yukino clutched her flat stomach.
She watched Natsuyu pluck a few clean leaves, carefully wipe them on his white shirt, and put one in his mouth to test it.
Then he turned, spreading his palm to offer Yukino the remaining leaves, flashing a bright smile under the sunlight with half a leaf still hanging from his mouth:
“It tastes pretty decent.
I tested it—it’s non-toxic and safe to eat.
Go ahead, eat up.”
He really was like a radiant sun.
Inside, Yukino was once again amazed at how high Natsuyu’s “normal human” specs were.
She reached out to take the leaves, putting one in her mouth to chew—never imagining she’d one day be reduced to eating leaves to stave off hunger.
But since Natsuyu was eating leaves right beside her, she didn’t find it too embarrassing.
‘Is his emotional intelligence really that high?
Did he even consider this detail to make me feel comfortable…?’
‘Ugh, it tastes so raw and bitter.
And there’s a faint scent of soap…
wait, that’s not from the leaf, that’s the scent of his clothes and sweat!’
Yukino glanced at Natsuyu’s slightly sweat-dappled shirt.
Feeling deeply helpless, she wanted to throw away the leaves and pick her own.
However, facing Natsuyu’s warm, radiant smile, she made the difficult choice to respect his gesture.
Yukino forced down a few bitter leaves that smelled faintly of a boy’s soap scent.
She felt the burning pain in her stomach subside slightly and let out a sigh of relief.
Natsuyu asked:
“Want some more?”
“ABSOLUTELY NOT!”
Yukino crossed her arms into a big ‘X’ sign, refusing firmly.
‘Don’t even think about making me eat anything with your scent on it again!
This time I’m refusing regardless of my pride!’
‘Damn it, why was I so spellbound just now that I didn’t resist?!’
(Although Natsuyu’s scent on the leaves was faint and smelled clean like bath soap, just thinking about it made her feel like she was licking his skin—it was way too weird!)
If Haruno and her mother ever found out about this, they’d laugh at her for the rest of her life!
Natsuyu nodded, stopping his offer:
“Looks like you don’t really enjoy eating leaves.”
Yukino gritted her teeth:
It’s bizarre that a refined guy like Warm Guy-kun would even suggest eating leaves to fill a stomach.”
She had never thought of eating leaves as an emergency measure.
“That’s because you’re still too young.”
Natsuyu acted like an experienced elder:
“In a famine year, having leaves to eat is already considered a luxury.”
Yukino narrowed her eyes into slits:
“I didn’t expect Warm Guy-kun to be so well-versed in historical famines.”
(In reality, it was because Natsuyu had listened to his grandmother tell stories of past hardships in his previous life).
Natsuyu smiled without explaining.
Seeing the pained expression fade from Yukino’s face, a sense of urgency rose in his heart.
Consuming leaves was just an emergency stopgap to prevent stomach acid from eroding the stomach wall.
Securing real food had to be put at the top of the agenda!
…
Natsuyu remade a Stone Axe, marked the path they had taken, and led the directionally-challenged Yukino back to [The Magnificent Portal].
While this world wasn’t strictly the game world of Don’t Starve, it was strikingly similar.
He decided to call the spawn door [The Magnificent Portal], after the portal in Don’t Starve.
Returning to the portal, Natsuyu found that the other three girls had already returned!
Kiana stood in front of [The Magnificent Portal], facing Kurumi Tokisaki while shielding Emma Sakuraba and Kikyo Kushida behind her.
Emma stepped forward hesitantly yet firmly, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Kiana.
Kushida hesitated for a few seconds, but seeing Emma’s action, she also stepped up to stand on Kiana’s other side.
The three of them confronted the suspended Kurumi Tokisaki.
Kurumi glanced at Natsuyu and smiled faintly:
“The ones who can explain have returned.
Natsuyu-kun, I’ll leave them to you~”
After saying that, Kurumi closed her eyes, her head drooping as she entered a deep sleep.
The three girls noticed Natsuyu and Yukino returning.
Emma looked like she had found her pillar of support, her face filling with relief as she raised her right hand and shouted softly:
“Natsuyu-kun!
Yukino-san!
That girl suddenly woke up earlier and said you two reached a cooperation agreement with her!”
Kushida suppressed her fear:
“How…
how did she come back to life?
Is she a human or a ghost?”
Kiana nodded:
“She gave me a scare.
I thought she was a Honkai Beast or a Void creature.
I was sure she was a dead corpse.
Natsuyu, you two seem pretty familiar with her?”
Natsuyu walked up, looking at the sleeping Kurumi.
He strongly suspected Kurumi was just slacking off—waking up only when she sensed him approaching, scaring the girls, and dumping the explanation on him.
‘If I say “I’m her brother” right now, would Kurumi wake up instantly from eavesdropping?’
Natsuyu looked at the three girls, realizing that the most terrified one wasn’t the delicate Emma, but Kushida.
Her smooth, pale legs exposed between her socks and JK skirt were trembling slightly.
“Kurumi Tokisaki is not an enemy.”
Natsuyu briefly explained his deal with Kurumi.
Kiana understood:
“So she’s a veteran survivor.
Faking death is probably her ability.
I didn’t realize tonight would be so dangerous.
Natsuyu, Yukino, thanks to you two!
Otherwise, we might have been wiped out by monsters tonight.”
Kushida’s fear subsided, allowing her to regain her composure.
She clasped her hands over her chest, looking up at Natsuyu with eyes full of admiration:
“Trading live prey for nighttime protection…
Natsuyu-kun and Yukino-san, you two are amazing!”
“I saw some wild birds earlier and wanted to catch them, but I couldn’t.
Working together, it shouldn’t be a problem at all.
Tokisaki-san’s request is totally doable!”
Kushida put on her bright angel smile, full of hopeful optimism.
Yukino felt a bit awkward—the deal was entirely arranged by Natsuyu; she had played almost no part in negotiating it.
Emma raised both hands excitedly, calling out in her soft, clear voice:
“Um!
Everyone!
I found a huge patch of wild berries!
They look completely edible!”
Natsuyu immediately looked at Emma in surprise, giving her an enthusiastic thumbs-up without hesitation:
“Awesome job, Emma!”
“Hehe~ I’m so glad I could help!
I remembered Natsuyu-kun’s warning not to touch the berries directly, but I memorized the path!
Follow me!”
Natsuyu’s influence over Emma was growing rapidly.
This obedient, gentle girl was truly endearing.
“No time to lose, let me lead us to gather berries first!”
Natsuyu gestured to Yukino and took the lead, following the direction Emma pointed.
Seeing Natsuyu’s high motivation, Yukino couldn’t help but ponder:
‘Food is important to everyone, but I’m the one who needs it most right now…’
‘Natsuyu-kun’s urgency to gather food…
is partly because he’s worried about me starving?’
‘No, what am I thinking?!