Chapter 3: Chapter 3 — Happy in Another World
The next morning, the first rays of light filtered through the wooden slats of the cabin, illuminating the room.
I woke up feeling a warm, soft, comforting weight on my chest: it was Samira, hugging me possessively among the rumpled sheets.
Immediately, a flash of panic shot through my body. I turned carefully, holding my breath, to desperately check if she was all right.
The system’s warning about the dangers of Dual Ether Absorption was still fresh in my mind; the last thing I wanted was to have caused her irreversible harm or, worse, triggered her death by magical overload during the climax.
I placed two fingers on her neck and, feeling the steady, strong rhythm of her heartbeat, let out a long sigh of relief.
She was safe.
As I gazed at her relaxed features, I couldn’t help wondering what Samira really was. Had she been a real warrior of this world before being summoned? Or was she a being artificially created from scratch by the cold algorithms of the gacha system?
I had no idea.
But watching her chest rise and fall, I dispelled any doubt: the warmth of her skin, her breathing, and the scent of our nocturnal encounter proved to me that, whatever she was, she was completely real.
Just then, I noticed a subtle, tender smile drawing itself on her sleeping lips. It seemed the rude, useless office worker had genuinely given her a good night.
"Who’d have thought that spending weekends studying videos from the yellow page would yield such fruits?" I thought with a smug grin, internally thanking my lonely otaku life on Earth.
I gently caressed her cheek, brushing aside a lock of her beautiful purple hair.
God, she was an incredible waifu. Last night had been, without the faintest trace of doubt, the most intense, wild, and glorious experience of my whole damn existence.
In fact, the mere memory of her moans and the way she moved on top of me made my friend go rock-hard in a matter of seconds.
Before I let myself get carried away by morning instinct, the air vibrated and the characteristic sound of the system echoed in my head, deploying a festival of holographic screens in front of my eyes:
Ping!
[Congratulations! You have successfully executed the dual cultivation method.]
[Your Ether Core has evolved: Lv. 1 ➔ Lv. 10]
[Your companion’s Ether Core (Samira Skillar) has evolved: Lv. 100 ➔ Lv. 300]
[Passive Ether Absorption Rate: Permanently increased to 500%!]
My jaw dropped. The power jump for both of us was insane.
Right below those announcements, the interface began to flash a golden hue, breaking down a detailed list of changes in my stats and the enhanced states of all our combat skills.
The knowledge of this new power started to engrave itself directly into my brain.
...
I carefully slipped out of bed, taking care not to wake her, picked up my clothes from the floor, and got dressed.
With my stomach rumbling, I decided to try my luck with the floating interface: "Hey, system, can you generate rations or direct food products?" I asked mentally.
[Notice: The Infinite Gacha System does not process the creation of synthesized edible organic matter. The user must provide their own resources from the environment.]
"Okay, no easy survival tricks," I thought resignedly.
I had no choice but to leave the cabin.
Outside, Dorko was already waiting, standing upright like a mountain of green muscle. I signaled him, and we ventured into the thicket to get provisions.
The hunt was a resounding success thanks to the orc’s brute strength: in a little under an hour we returned to camp carrying a robust deer, a couple of wild hens, and even a Kobold that had tried to ambush us, though the latter we left discarded for the kitchen.
Preparing the food was a real trial by fire for my former office self. Under Dorko’s silent but efficient guidance, we got to work.
First we carefully skinned the pieces, then hung them to bleed out completely, and finally removed the inedible internal organs before washing the meat with fresh river water.
For seasoning, I used the local flora Samira had forced me to memorize during my punishment days: I ground a handful of torkan leaves for freshness, added a generous amount of danabi seasoning—which had a spicy touch similar to paprika—and mixed in a bit of everything that smelled good in our sack of spices.
"Runi, I need your help here!" I called in a whisper.
Crackle... fwoosh...
A small, cheerful floating flame emerged from the air, circling around me. Runi, the lesser fire spirit I had made a contract with, diligently placed itself under the improvised campfire, stoking the embers with a constant and perfect temperature so the meat wouldn’t scorch.
While I controlled the fire, a familiar chime flickered in my field of vision:
Ding!
[System Notice! The level of affinity, loyalty, and synchronization with your bonded companions is increasing notably. Cooperative experience multiplier activated.]
We slow-cooked for nearly four hours, until the deer meat was so tender it fell off the bone and the hens were perfectly golden and crispy.
When we finally finished, I arranged the best portions on a carved wooden tray and returned inside the cabin, where Samira still rested peacefully among the sheets.
The dense, delicious aroma of wild stew and roast meat soon flooded the enclosed space, acting as the world’s best alarm clock.
Samira’s eyelids fluttered slightly.
"Mmm...!" she let out a tender moan, stretching out across the mattress while her arms extended and for a second revealed the silhouette of her imposing curves under the blanket.
"Good morning, master..." she said in a voice thick and hoarse with sleep, delicately rubbing her violet eyes.
I approached the bed with my heart pounding a mile a minute and placed the tray on her lap.
"Good morning, Samira," I replied, trying to sound relaxed. Despite her completely disheveled purple hair and the sleep marks on her cheeks, she looked damn radiant, like a true queen on her throne.
She took the rustic utensils and tasted the first bite of meat. Her eyes opened wide as she savored the blend of torkan and danabi spices.
"Do... do you like it?" I asked, internally cursing the shyness that made my voice tremble at the end.
"It’s really good, master," she answered, giving me a soft look while continuing to eat with evident appetite.
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