It was only after setting up camp here that Shirou finally met the members of the A1 Reserve Operation Team face to face.
Strictly speaking, he had already seen them before, but this was the first time he had interacted with them at such close range.
They all seemed fairly young.
Perhaps around his age? Or maybe even younger?
They just were not very tall, so they looked younger than they actually were.
Now that he thought about it… his own height really had been increasing rapidly lately. He had actually started to think that a height of one meter sixty was on the shorter side.
At the moment, he seemed to be the tallest person in the entire team.
"I brought lots of vegetables! I can make a field nutrition meal for everyone!"
After setting up the tents and solving the problem of where they would sleep for the night, the group prepared to deal with the next issue of camping: food.
Hibiscus carried out a large amount of washed and pre-cut vegetables from the back of the vehicle, causing everyone present to wear expressions of peaceful resignation.
Thankfully, she had not gone completely insane and thrown away all the other food supplies. At least there was still some meat left to eat.
Meanwhile, Hibiscus, who had originally wanted to show off her skills, was immediately rejected by everyone, who told her they could eat her cooking another day when they had time.
Hibiscus was not angry about it. Rather, she had already become quite used to such reactions. She simply put everything away again, planning to wake up early the next morning and prepare the nutrition meals in advance.
As long as she finished making the food before everyone woke up, they would not be able to refuse it.
Unfortunately, her plan was quickly shattered.
"Eating it like this feels a bit dry… I remember bringing soup stock powder. Shirou, want to show us your skills?"
While chewing on dry rations, Croissant felt that although they had escaped the terror of nutrition meals, dinner could still be made much more satisfying.
After all, Shirou was here this time!
"Other than soup stock powder, did you bring anything else?"
After hearing Croissant's words, Shirou first looked at the campfire burning before him, then glanced around. Aside from dry rations, there was still only dry rations everywhere.
There was no way they could make soup using these dry rations, right? Leaving aside whether Dobermann would even allow them to waste resources like that, the resulting soup probably would not taste very good anyway.
"…I forgot."
The smile on Croissant's face gradually disappeared as she remembered that she had only brought soup stock powder.
She had originally assumed Rhodes Island would provide ingredients, but instead everything turned out to be dry rations.
That was awkward.
Beside her, Texas slapped her forehead after hearing this, wondering why her teammate could be so foolishly adorable.
She remembered to bring seasoning, yet forgot the actual ingredients?
"In that case, there is nothing I can do. It is not like we can go hunting in this wilderness, right? If we end up alerting an infected creature swarm, we would have to travel through the night. Then you would not get to eat anything anyway."
Shirou said helplessly. As he said, hunting in a place like this was impossible. Setting aside whether whatever they caught would even be edible, if they accidentally attracted something dangerous, they might have to abandon the tents they had just set up and flee overnight.
No matter how he thought about it, it was not worth the risk.
Still, Croissant was not entirely wrong. Eating like this really was rather dry.
The last time they had such a shortage of ingredients… was it when he made soup at that border village in Ursus?
At least back then they had meat and vegetables provided by Yith. This time they truly had almost nothing…
Wait, did Hibiscus not already have prepared vegetables over there?
If he remembered correctly, there were radishes, carrots, and other vegetables. They would all be good for making soup.
Having some vegetable soup before bed would be healthy too.
"Um… Miss Hibiscus, would it be possible to share some of those ingredients with me so I can make soup?"
With that thought in mind, Shirou asked Hibiscus.
Originally, he had only hoped to get around one-third of the vegetables. What he did not expect was that the moment he made the request, the eyes of everyone in the A1 Reserve Operation Team suddenly lit up intensely, and they immediately helped Shirou carry out all the vegetables.
For some reason, even Dobermann joined in as well.
Shirou could not tell whether everyone was simply excited to have something good to eat, or if they merely hoped he would help dispose of the ingredients.
He decided not to think too deeply about that question. It felt like doing so might damage their friendship.
"Do your best, Chef Shirou!"
After helping carry out all the ingredients Hibiscus had prepared, Kroos immediately sat nearby and cheered Shirou on.
"But with this much food, do we even have a pot big enough to cook it in? I think the vehicles only have those small single-person pots."
Unlike the others, Fang noticed this small detail. Once she pointed it out, everyone's expressions stiffened slightly.
No wonder Hibiscus had not seemed worried earlier. She had already realized that Shirou had no way to cook all these ingredients at once.
And she had also confirmed earlier that Penguin Logistics' vehicles did not seem to have any cooking equipment either. So this time, it was her vict—
Just as Hibiscus was thinking that, a large soup pot suddenly appeared in Shirou's hands.
"As for the pot, that problem is easy to solve. Now we just need a stable fire source."
Casually projecting a large stockpot along with a supporting frame, Shirou spoke calmly.
Large soup pots like this were not easy to come by, but fortunately Shirou had spent some time around one recently, so he clearly remembered its structure.
What he had projected was the large stockpot from the Rhodes Island cafeteria.
"???"
Looking at the large stockpot that had suddenly appeared, Hibiscus realized that this time she truly had no chance to show off her skills.
She could only make it up to everyone after they returned.
Still, vegetable soup was healthy too.
"As for the fire source, let me help."
Hearing Shirou's words, Lava raised her hand and volunteered to help.
"Then I will leave it to you."
Shirou thought that sounded good as well. After all, the campfire earlier had also been started by her.
A fire-type caster truly was a great help for wilderness survival.
Rolling up the sleeves of his Penguin Logistics jacket, Shirou first poured in some of the drinking water they had brought for this mission. Considering there were still several days left in the journey and they might not be able to replenish their water supply, Shirou had already discussed with Dobermann beforehand how much water they could use.
At the very least, there was more than enough for this soup.
After heating the water, Shirou poured in the soup stock powder Croissant had brought. Then he began adding the vegetables Hibiscus had already prepared in order.
The vegetables that required longer cooking times went in first to simmer, while those that only needed light cooking would be added at the end.
"This Originium Art is way too convenient…"
Once Shirou had finished the busiest part of the process, Kroos finally voiced her amazement.
Since they were going to work together on missions, Dobermann had naturally shown the A1 Reserve Operation Team some basic information about the Penguin Logistics members before departure.
Of course, it was not anything especially detailed. It only briefly explained what each person specialized in and their role within the team.
Among them, Shirou's description had been the vaguest. It only stated that he possessed an Originium Art capable of producing weapons.
So now everyone was puzzled over one thing…
Did cookware count as weapons too?
Thinking about it carefully, they actually did count as weapons.
"If possible, it is still best to carry these things normally… this is mainly for emergencies."
After projecting a lid to cover the pot and let the soup simmer, Shirou spoke.
Although he truly did not mind using magecraft in various situations, if possible he still preferred to avoid this kind of unnecessary consumption.
Especially in a wilderness like this.
Still, considering that neither he nor Penguin Logistics were the main combat force this time, the amount of energy spent was still within acceptable limits.
Judging from the weapons the others used, they had probably received a great deal of training as well.
People could lie, but weapons could not.
Though that only applied to Fang, Kroos, and Beagle's weapons. Shirou could not really judge Lava's staff or Hibiscus's medical techniques.
"Indeed, it is better not to casually use Originium Arts."
The others strongly agreed with Shirou's opinion as well, though they were viewing it from the perspective of infected individuals. Without using staves as support, excessive use of Originium Arts would worsen Oripathy.
As for Exusiai, she had originally wanted to say something, but after looking at the soup ladle in Shirou's hand and the gentle smile on his face, she ultimately gave up on the idea.
Although this extra meal could not compare to Shirou's previous cooking, they could not ask for much more under these circumstances.
At the very least, it was far better than eating dry rations alone.
After eating and drinking their fill, and no longer needing to worry about Hibiscus's nutrition meals the next morning, it was finally about time to rest.
Looking at the number of tents, which was even fewer than the number of people present, Shirou immediately took over the night watch duty without hesitation.
The ones who most needed rest were probably the two drivers.
"Although that is what I say, the main reason is probably because I am afraid of falling asleep."
Looking at the campfire burning before him, Shirou quietly mocked himself.
Quite some time had already passed since everyone entered their tents. At first, occasional sounds of chatter and laughter could still be heard, but now there was basically nothing.
Incidentally, Exusiai was sleeping alone. No one in Penguin Logistics was willing to share a tent with her.
That halo of hers was truly not very friendly to roommates sleeping nearby.
Keeping watch at night was honestly rather boring. Shirou reheated the leftover vegetable soup from dinner while periodically observing the surroundings. Aside from one foolish infected creature that had tried approaching after seeing the firelight, nothing really happened.
And after Shirou confirmed that Originium crystals were growing on its body, he sniped it from a distance for safety reasons.
"Phew… Shirou, are you not planning to switch shifts?"
After some more time passed, Shirou saw Sora suddenly poke her head out from the tent belonging to the other three girls. She let out a deep sigh before asking him.
Unlike her usual twin-tail hairstyle, Sora currently had her hair down.
"No. I can catch up on sleep in the morning. At that point, scouting can be left to Exusiai and the others."
Seeing Sora walk over and sit across from him while wearing only a short-sleeved shirt and shorts, Shirou handed her the jacket draped over his own shoulders.
Although it was not especially cold right now, she had just woken up. Catching the wind might still make her sick.
"That actually sounds workable."
Taking the jacket, Sora wrapped herself tightly inside it.
"What about you? Is it really fine for you to be awake at this hour?"
Shirou was still somewhat puzzled about why Sora had gotten up at this time.
After all, staying up like this could easily cause dark circles under the eyes, and it was not good for the skin either.
At least, Shirou often heard her talking about such things.
"The main reason is that Croissant hit my face with her horn, so I am not really sleepy right now."
After hearing Shirou's question, Sora answered somewhat awkwardly.
"Then next time we should arrange for her to sleep with Exusiai."
Only then did Shirou notice the small mark on Sora's face. He had originally thought it was from accidentally pressing against something while sleeping, but now it seemed… it was probably Croissant's fault.
Fortunately, he himself had not gone to sleep, otherwise all four of them would have ended up squeezed together. In that case, Sora probably would have suffered a double assault.
Meanwhile, Shirou took out some cocoa powder and Sora's cup from the Penguin Logistics vehicle and made her a small cup of hot cocoa.
This was one of the little things Penguin Logistics always brought along during trips, a small luxury for themselves during long work assignments.
Shirou himself did not really drink such things, so he usually did not bother making any.
"Although it sounds amusing, forget it. I feel like they would just end up coming over to our side."
Imagining that scene, Sora thought it sounded funny, but those two would probably get tired of each other first and run over to bother everyone else instead.
And in the end, the other people would be the ones to suffer.
"You are not wrong about that."
After hearing Sora complain about the two of them, Shirou thought about it for a moment and felt that she really did have a point.
That line of thinking suited those two perfectly.
Just as Shirou and Sora continued joking about Exusiai and Croissant, another figure crawled out of the tent.
"I want a cup of hot cocoa too."
It was Texas. She had originally been sleeping peacefully when the bread girl suddenly kicked her. Then she realized Sora had disappeared, and the air was filled with the rich scent of cocoa.
So she decisively abandoned Croissant and slipped out to get some hot cocoa as well.
"You should at least put on proper clothes… otherwise you are going to catch a cold."
Seeing Texas dressed only in a lightweight black tank top, Shirou felt rather speechless.
This time he did not have another jacket to lend out, so he simply projected a large blanket for the two girls to wrap themselves in.
Why not project two blankets?
Mainly because he was worried Exusiai or Croissant might come over to join them later as well, so it was easier to prepare everything at once.
"Thanks. Did anything happen while you were keeping watch?"
Curling up beside Sora under the blanket Shirou provided, Texas took a sip of the extra-rich hot cocoa Shirou had prepared before asking about the night watch situation.
"One infected creature followed the firelight and came over, but I dealt with it. Other than that, nothing happened."
Having reclaimed his own jacket, Shirou pointed toward a giant object hidden in the darkness nearby and explained briefly.
"…I did not even notice it before."
Following the direction Shirou pointed in, Sora finally realized there was now an unfamiliar object over there.
The only real light source in the area was the campfire in front of them, and that thing was fairly far away. Without looking carefully, it was difficult to notice.
"I see… I thought Sora came out because she heard some kind of disturbance."
After glancing at the infected creature's corpse, Texas quickly withdrew her gaze.
After all, it was some distance away from the campsite, and since Shirou had said it was an infected creature, she did not really want to approach it without protective gear.
"Mm… apparently she was awakened by Croissant poking her with her horn?"
Hearing Texas's words, Shirou replied with a faint laugh.
"…I was kicked awake."
Feeling that she had found someone sharing the same suffering, Texas let out a helpless sigh.
What else could she do? Croissant was still her teammate, after all. The only thing she could do was forgive her.
To avoid getting more irritated the more she thought about it, Texas asked the two of them:
"What do you think about this small squad?"
"What do you mean?"
Hearing Texas suddenly ask that, Shirou looked puzzled.
Sora looked equally confused.
Mainly because neither of them understood why Texas had suddenly become so concerned about this squad.
"Amiya and Instructor Dobermann asked me to pay extra attention to them during this operation… but you both know I am not very good at this kind of social interaction."
Texas briefly explained her reasoning. The main reason she wanted their opinions was because she truly was rather lazy when it came to this kind of thing.
She also hoped the two of them could help pay more attention to the A1 Reserve Operation Team in her place.
After all, she would be driving and might not have enough spare attention to monitor them closely.
"Ah… I did not really pay close attention."
Sora admitted that she had not been carefully observing the group's behavior.
"Although they have some immature aspects, the relationships within the squad seem quite good overall."
Shirou thought about it for a moment. Among everyone in Penguin Logistics, he was probably the only one who had actually interacted verbally with the A1 Reserve Operation Team.
Compared to ordinary operators, they were obviously much livelier, though correspondingly more immature in certain ways.
For example, Kroos was responsible for observing the surrounding environment, yet after the group settled down for the night she stopped maintaining surveillance altogether. In a wilderness setting, that was actually rather dangerous.
However, Dobermann also seemed to have taken note of the matter, so Kroos would probably receive a harsh lecture after they returned.
The reason she had not been scolded on the spot was mainly because there were outsiders present, so Dobermann had given her a little face.
But honestly speaking, the atmosphere within the entire squad was quite harmonious. As a team, this was a very good beginning.
Although Lava and Hibiscus seemed to have some small conflicts between them, their relationship also appeared rather complicated, so Shirou did not think much of it.
"Oh… Shirou, your observations are pretty detailed!"
After hearing Shirou's analysis, Sora sounded somewhat surprised.
Meanwhile, Texas took out her phone, despite there being no network signal, and recorded these observations.
"I just happened to notice it. It is nothing special."
Even after receiving admiring looks from the two girls, Shirou did not become proud. He had only paid more attention because the others were around the same age as him.
Thinking about it, what had he been doing when he was seventeen?
Studying, working part-time jobs, doing housework, training magecraft, and helping others.
Although their living environments were different, that did not stop Shirou from comparing himself to them.
"Hmm… I kind of feel like after coming to Rhodes Island, Shirou, you have become more mature somehow?"
Looking at Shirou's current demeanor, Sora thought for a moment before voicing her thoughts.
"Have I?"
After thinking briefly, Shirou did not really feel that anything about him had changed. Was he not more or less the same as before?
"You have. I cannot explain it very well, but compared to before… it feels like you spend much more time thinking about things now."
At first, the feeling had only been vague, but after bringing it up, Sora finally figured out how to describe the changes she had noticed in Shirou recently.
Compared to the past, Shirou now seemed to think much more deeply about things.
She did not mean that the old Shirou had been reckless like Croissant, but back then he had been more single-minded when handling certain matters.
"...Maybe it is because I have seen more things recently, so naturally I have been thinking more as well."
After remaining silent for a moment, Shirou answered quietly.
The people, events, and experiences he had encountered at Rhodes Island recently had all given him a new understanding of this land.
And seeing younger people like Rosmontis and the A1 Reserve Operation Team working so hard for it made Shirou wonder whether he himself should also do something.
"Indeed. An organization like Rhodes Island is just… too good to be true."
Texas agreed with Shirou's words.
The Rhodes Island presented before them was simply too beautiful.
So beautiful that Texas had once suspected it was all just an act. But the expressions on the faces of the infected people who had received help were genuine.
That contradiction left her feeling conflicted.
Conflicted enough that she had only gathered information about Rhodes Island itself, while planning to leave the rest for Emperor to judge personally.
"Eh… but everyone in Lungmen is also very nice, are they not?"
Hearing the two of them speak like this, Sora's head filled with confusion.
Texas was one thing, but why did it feel like even Shirou had started speaking somewhat evasively?
"Lungmen is great too. It is just that we have been away for several days already, so I wonder how the children are doing."
Seeing the confusion written all over Sora's face, Shirou smiled softly and redirected the topic toward Lungmen.
Thinking about it carefully, they had already been away from Lungmen for nearly a week. This was the first time he had been away from home for so long.
And with Rope having been brought to Rhodes Island for treatment as well, he wondered how the children at the Fuyuki Shop were doing.
Hopefully Phal and the others were taking good care of them.
"Ah! Why are you all eating delicious things out here without inviting me?!"
After the conversation became more relaxed for a while, Exusiai finally followed the scent over from the tent.
Truly worthy of being a Sankta. As long as there was a sweet smell in the air, she would automatically wake up.
She was dressed just as lightly as Sora, so after coming out she naturally squeezed herself into the blanket world shared by the two girls to seek warmth, while also accepting a cup of hot cocoa.
"Awesome!"
After taking a sip and leaving a semicircle of cocoa on her upper lip, Exusiai looked extremely satisfied.
"Keep your voice down. Some people are still resting."
Hearing Exusiai's loud reaction, Shirou reminded her.
Unfortunately, Shirou's warning came too late. Someone had already been awakened by Exusiai's voice.
That person was Croissant, who had somehow managed to wake up two people all by herself earlier.
"Eh… are you all eating a midnight snack?"
After waking up and discovering that Texas and Sora had disappeared from beside her, Croissant poked her head out and immediately saw the peaceful scene outside.
Looking at the soup still warming over the campfire, Croissant instantly concluded that everyone had been secretly eating a midnight snack without her.
How cruel!
They had actually left her behind and gone off to eat good food by themselves!
She wanted some too!