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Chapter 3.1. Onigiri In The Wilderness

"It's hot..."

Walking relentlessly through the hazy wilderness. 

Eventually, I decided to walk along the cliff. 

I kept a little distance from the edge since I might fall if I got too close.

There were two reasons for moving along the cliff. 

One was that I didn't dare to plunge into the middle of the wilderness. 

The other was simply there might be a fishing village along the coast.

"But I can't see a single plane or ship."

Tanker-like giant ships might be beyond the horizon,

But I thought there should at least be fishing boats or tourist boats. 

It seems my expectations were off. 

I don't want to remember, but she mentioned something... what was it? Since I'm supposed to be in a world with a high manifestation interference rate, similar to Earth, I thought there might be ships and planes, but I can't see anything.

By the way, I wasn't expecting cars from the beginning. 

Even though it's a wilderness, it's more like a savanna, with some low bushes and large rocks scattered around. 

Without roads, cars wouldn't be able to run here.

A 4WD might be able to speed along the narrow coastline below the cliff, but there's no sign of that.

"This is bad... I might die like this."

My body is already drenched in sweat. 

I've unbuttoned half of my shirt. There's almost no tea left.

I intended to save it, but I'll collapse if I don't drink it.

However, I can't just stay still. Being in that place will likely lead to a dead-end. 

The sun is beating down from the zenith, mercilessly roasting my brain. 

My consciousness is becoming hazy.

How far have I walked? About 30 km, or maybe I haven't moved a kilometer? 

My throat is as dry as a desert. 

I turn the PET bottle upside down, but not a drop comes out. 

I've already done this about 30 times. 

Even though I know no water will come out, I can't help it.

The landscape tilts and the horizon becomes vertical. 

Yes, I collapsed. It was my limit. 

I want water. I'm lying on my back. 

The sun is too bright, so I close my eyes. Even then, it feels like my eyelids are burning. 

With closed eyes, I raise my hand toward the sun. 

It seems like this is the end of my life. 

If that's the case, it might have been better to die there.

"Water... someone... sell me some."

These might be my last words. A

t that moment, in front of me, it displayed '10 liters of water = 1 yen'.

"Huh?"

Those words escaped my dry mouth.

 I thought I couldn't speak anymore, but it was such a shocking event that words came out. 

When I opened my eyes, it disappeared.

"Huh?"

After blinking several times, when I slowly closed my eyes again, the words '10 liters of water = 1 yen' were still floating and displayed. 

I have some changes. I grip the coins from my pocket and thrust them toward the sky.

"Water... I want water..."

I beg with my last strength. -No container available- Container? Any container is fine... oh, this PET bottle... please. -Excess water that does not fit will be discarded. Is that acceptable?- 

Anything is fine! Hurry! Water! With my other hand, I thrust the empty PET bottle towards the sky. 

At that moment, the PET bottle disappeared from my hand.

"Ah?"

What the heck?! Where's the water?! 

The PET bottle disappeared too!

I stand there dumbfounded for a moment.

"Haha..."

Is it an illusion... well, it must be...

I close my eyes slowly, and a new illusion appears. 

This time it's some list. It's a strange list that disappears when I open my eyes and appears when I close them. 

Next to an icon shaped like a PET bottle, it says '500ml PET bottle (drinking water)'.

There are a total of 10 lines on the list, but the remaining 9 lines are blank. Well, that doesn't matter. 

Unconsciously, I touch my finger to the PET bottle icon. 

In hindsight, it might be a smartphone habit, but it turns out to be the right move. 

As the icon disappears, a PET bottle appears in my hand. It's a heavy one.

Trembling, I unscrew the cap, and water drips onto my face. 

Most of it flows away, but the amount that reaches my mouth revitalizes me.

"One more!"

With coins in my right hand and the PET bottle in my left, I close my eyes. -Excess water that does not fit will be discarded. Is that acceptable?- I hear a mechanical voice, so I shout, "I don't mind!". 

The icon appears again. Without hesitation, I click it, and water appears in my hand.

This time, I gulp it down, feeling my throat makes a satisfying sound. I repeat this process three times, finally feeling more at ease.

Once I calmed down, I started wondering what just happened.

"What on earth is this?"

Closing my eyes to concentrate, a screen with a smartphone or PC-like interface appears. Currently visible are -SHOP- and a container.

 Oh, there's also the amount of money in the upper right.

274 yen?

No, I should have more than that.

After pondering for a moment, I realize that the coins I had when I got the water earlier are nowhere to be found. 

Acting on a sudden thought, I take a 100-yen coin from my remaining change, clasp it, think -Insert-, and open my hand. But the coin isn't there. 

Instead, my displayed funds increased by 100 yen to 374 yen.

"I see. I don't get the logic, but I understand the mechanism."

I try thinking -Give me 100 yen- and familiar silver coins appear in my palm. 

I don't really understand, but it's convenient. 

Now that I've figured out the system, I put away the PET bottle. And it disappears from my hand.

In the container section of the list, it now shows '500ml PET bottle'.

Keeping it in that state, I try thinking -I want to buy water-. 

The familiar -Excess water that does not fit will be discarded. Is that acceptable?- is heard, and thinking -OK-, the list changes to 500ml PET bottle (drinking water)'.

I'm starting to understand the rules little by little.