Comic strip: Survival on a deserted island, surrounded by heroines

She reached out and took it, feeling a slight warmth as her fingertips touched the cup.

"...Thank you." Yukino's voice was a little hoarse.

She lowered her head, unscrewed the lid, carefully poured a little warm water into the leaf-shaped container, then added a small piece of dried meat shredded into thin strips, stirred it well with her fingertips, and then brought it to her mother's lips.

Snow Mother slightly opened her mouth, and warm liquid slid down her lips into her throat.

The salty and savory flavor of the dried meat melts in the water, bringing a warm sensation that slowly spreads from the stomach.

Her previously furrowed brows relaxed slightly, and a soft sigh escaped her throat, as if someone who had been frozen for a long time had finally encountered a warm fire.

Aoyama said gently from the side, "Feed her slowly. Madam has been hungry for several days. It's not good for her to drink too much at once."

Yukino nodded, carefully controlling the tilt angle, and fed him little by little.

After drinking about half a bowl, Xue Mu shook her head slightly, indicating that she had had enough.

She leaned against the rock wall, her breathing becoming easier than before, and a faint trace of color returned to her pale face.

"Yukino...how did you two meet?"

Snow Mother's gaze fell on her daughter, then slowly shifted to Kasumigaoka Utaha and Aoyama beside her. Her voice was still weak, but much clearer.

Yukino paused for a moment, and a thin blush quickly rose to her ears.

She recalled the scene she saw before she fainted... a scene she simply couldn't bring herself to describe.

“...It was just a coincidence.” She mumbled, lowering her head and pretending to tidy up the leaf-folding container. “I walked too far and was exhausted, so I collapsed by the roadside...Aoyama and Kasumigaoka passed by and helped me.”

This explanation is half true and half false, and it seems very reasonable, so reasonable that there is absolutely no room for criticism.

Kasumigaoka Utaha stood behind her, her lips twitching almost imperceptibly, but she ultimately said nothing.

Qingshan squatted beside the embers of the fire, poking at the ashes with a twig.

The charcoal fire had been extinguished for a long time, leaving only a handful of dark gray powder.

He took a silver lighter out of his pocket.

"I'll start a fire again; it's too cold here."

As he spoke, he left for only a few minutes before skillfully placing a pile of branches on the ashes and tearing off some dry bark fibers to use as kindling.

The lighter struck with a "click," and a flame leaped up, its orange-red light spreading through the cave and dispelling the dampness and chill.

"A lighter...?"

Yukino looked at the flickering flames, then at the small silver object beside Aoyama. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but in the end, she said nothing.

She remembered her method of 'starting a fire with a drill'.

That was truly the most difficult challenge she had ever faced in her life.

Her gaze swept between Aoyama and Kasumigaoka Utaha before she lowered her head and fed her mother two more mouthfuls of warm water.

Kasumigaoka Utaha looked around and said, "This cave is really too rudimentary."

"The ventilation is poor, the ground is damp, and the entrance is so narrow. If we encounter some wild beast that blocks the exit, we won't even be able to escape."

Yukino paused slightly, knowing that Kasumigaoka Utaha was telling the truth.

This cave is barely adequate for sheltering from the wind and rain, but it has too many problems as a place to stay long-term.

These past few nights, when she woke up, she could always hear all sorts of strange noises outside the cave.

The sounds of unknown birdsong, crawling in the bushes, and the faint, deep breathing of some large animal in the distance.

She never dared to think too deeply about the source of those sounds, and could only pile up the withered vines and fallen leaves to make the cave entrance look less conspicuous.

Yukino raised her head, her eyes filled with hesitation and pleading: "Aoyama-kun, Kasumigaoka-kun."

"Is the shelter you mentioned far from here? My mother..."

"It's not far, about half an hour's walk if you walk fast." Qingshan placed a few thicker pieces of firewood on the fire and patted the ash off his hands.

"Let your aunt rest for two hours first, replenish her fluids and food, and she'll be able to walk once she's regained some strength."

“If Auntie really can’t walk, I can carry her on my back.”

Yukino paused for a moment, then her ears turned red again.

She recalled the clear tactile sensation she had when she lay on the back of the green mountain as they walked.

I remember my body tense up like a stone because of nervousness...

If her mother also made Qingshan carry her... she subconsciously glanced at her mother's surging, full breasts.

"...No need, I can carry Mother on my back." Her voice carried a bluffing firmness. "I'm still strong enough."

Kasumigaoka Utaha chuckled beside her, crossed her arms, and tilted her head slightly: "Yukinoshita-kun, you could barely walk on your own just now, and you want to carry Madam for half an hour?"

"I...I was just like that because I hadn't eaten anything."

"You've already eaten, so a piece of jerky is enough to restore your strength?" Kasumigaoka Utaha's gaze fell on the jerky in her hand.

Yukino opened her mouth, but found that she couldn't refute it.

She had just eaten a small piece of dried meat and drunk a few sips of water. Although her stomach felt much better, her legs were still a little weak, and she had difficulty walking on flat ground, let alone carrying her mother for half an hour in the dense forest.

“...I understand.” She lowered her eyes and spoke softly, “Then I’ll trouble you, Qingshan.”

"It's OK."

Aoyama nodded without saying anything more.

Regardless of what Yukino thinks, he'll be carrying two people on his back later.

After all, Yukino's current condition is completely insufficient to support walking for a long time.

Moreover, he already has a solution.

"Carry one on your back and hug one in your arms, that should be enough."

Thinking of this, he got up, walked to the cave entrance, and looked at the sky.

The sun had completely dispersed the clouds, revealing a clear blue sky. Water droplets on the treetops glistened in the sunlight, making it a rare and beautiful day.

His gaze fell on Xue Mu, trying his best not to look at the eye-catching, full-bodied mountain love.

"The sun is shining brightly today, and it won't be too cold on the street."

"Madam, what do you think? Can you keep going for a while?"

Snow Mother leaned against the rock wall, having already drunk most of a bowl of warm water and dried meat soup, and her complexion was noticeably better than before.

She moved her head slightly, her gaze lingering on Qingshan's face for a moment.

He was a calm and composed young man with clear eyes, unhurried movements, and a calm and reassuring tone in his speech.

As the head of the family, she has a good eye for people.

This is a good child.

"...Thank you all. Yukino and I have caused you trouble." Yukino's mother's voice was still weak, but much clearer than before, and every word seemed to have been carefully considered.

"I didn't cause any trouble." Aoyama waved his hand.

Kasumigaoka Utaha squatted down beside her, twisted the thermos cup back up and put it back into her backpack. "It's only natural for classmates to help each other. Besides, Yukinoshita is very sensible. She's been taking care of you all these past few days. It's not easy for her."

As she spoke, she turned her head to look at Yukino, a hint of seriousness in her red eyes: "At least she can endure more hardship than I imagined."

Putting myself in his shoes, could I have persevered this long without Aoyama-kun?

The answer is, she doesn't know.

Yukino was somewhat taken aback by the praise.

She looked away, pretending to straighten the wrinkles in her mother's coat, and said in a soft voice, "...I didn't do anything."

"He only ate two wild fruits a day, saved all the mushrooms for his mother, and went out in the rain to collect firewood. Is that what you call not doing anything?"

"Yukinoshita-kun, you're being far too modest."

"If it were me, I'd probably be crying in the cave on the first day."

Kasumigaoka Utaha tilted her head and counted them, her tone carrying a subtle meaning that made it hard to tell whether it was praise or teasing.

Based on this, Yukinoshita seems like a virtuous and capable wife.

“...Kasumigaoka-kun wouldn’t cry.” Yukino muttered softly.

"Hmm? How did you know?" Kasumigaoka Utaha frowned, realizing that things were not so simple.

Could it be that when Aoyama-kun made me cry, she saw it?

Kasumigaoka Shiwa carefully recalled the details of the day and realized that it wasn't time for her to beg for mercy yet.

So, she probably didn't cry.

"Because...Kasumigaoka-kun looks really good."

"No matter what happens, she seems to be able to handle it calmly..." Yukino finally raised her head when she said this and looked at Kasumigaoka Utaha seriously.

Kasumigaoka Utaha paused for a moment, then chuckled softly: "Yukinoshita-kun, are you praising me?"

"I guess so." Yukino nodded, still feeling a little nervous.

Kasumigaoka Utaha stopped teasing her and instead focused her gaze on Aoyama.

"Aoyama-kun...you've definitely been peeping at Mrs. Yukinoshita, haven't you?"

She glanced at the weakened Lady Yukinoshita, a sight that made one want to hold her in their arms and cherish her dearly.

Fair, translucent skin; a mature and alluring figure; proud, full breasts; and plump, rounded buttocks...

Even she couldn't ignore it.

Aoyama coughed and patted the dust off his hands: "Alright, no matter what, let Madam rest for a while and replenish her energy before we set off."

He took a wild fruit from his backpack and handed it to Yukino.

I picked them on the way here. They weren't very big, and their skin was a ripe red. "Let your aunt try them. They're sweet and not sour."

Yukino took the wild fruit, but her fingertips recoiled slightly when they touched his palm.

She rubbed the wild fruit together and carefully offered it to her mother's lips: "Mother, try this?"

Snow Mother slightly opened her mouth and took a small bite, a faint smile appearing on her face: "...Sweet."

Yukino's eyes suddenly stung with tears. She blinked hard twice to force back the heat, then lowered her head and continued to break the wild berries into small pieces and feed them to her mother little by little.

Kasumigaoka Utaha stood to the side watching this scene, her gaze softening slightly.

She turned her head to look at Qingshan and lowered her voice: "Qingshan is quite good at pleasing people."

Qingshan remained unfazed: "It just so happens that there are still a few ripe ones left on that tree."

"Was I talking about fruit?"

"Oh, it wasn't like that. I thought it was."

Looking at Aoyama-kun, who remained calm and composed, Kasumigaoka Utaha's eyes held a knowing smile.

"That really is a very sensible tree."

Qingshan didn't say anything, he just kept moving his shoulders.

"Everyone, get some rest. We'll pack our things and set off later." Aoyama's tone was calm, yet it carried a sense of matter-of-fact decisiveness. He didn't need to ask for anyone's consent because everyone had already tacitly accepted the arrangement.

Yukino sat beside her mother, holding the half-broken wild fruit in her hands.

She looked at Qingshan's figure standing at the cave entrance. The sunlight shining in from outside gave his features a golden edge, making his angular profile stand out even more clearly.

She glanced at Kasumigaoka Utaha, who was squatting beside her, organizing her backpack. This literary girl, known for her sharp tongue at school, was now carefully putting away her thermos and jerky with a neat and meticulous demeanor.

“…”

Yukino Yukinoshita suddenly realized that the tension she had been holding in for the past few days had somehow eased up.

Chapter 51: Lady Yukinoshita, clearly a powerful ally with top-tier combat strength. [Image]

At two o'clock in the afternoon, the blazing sun hung overhead.

Aoyama carried the frail Lady Yukinoshita on his back, his palms firmly supporting her buttocks, which were deep enough to sink into him.

His other hand was around Yukino Yukinoshita's waist.

The girl's body was very light, so thin that it was almost impossible for someone her age to have such a weight.