Once Ichinose Honami understood Ibuki Mio's predicament, she hurried back to camp and returned with a full 500 ml bottle of water.
"Our large group bought a portable Water Purifier. It takes a little time to filter river water or seawater, but once we boil it to kill any germs, it's safe to drink." Ichinose handed the bottle to Ibuki. "It's been opened, but we've only poured water from it into paper cups, so you don't need to worry about hygiene."
"We'll call you when the next batch is boiled. Come refill your bottle then." She pointed toward the steaming pot at their camp.
Ibuki Mio stared at the bottle of water Ichinose held out to her. Her throat moved involuntarily.
Her first instinct was to refuse, but her throat was so dry it felt like it might catch fire. And since the water cost them next to nothing, she finally nodded.
Horikita Suzune let go of her. Ibuki first turned and glared at her, then took the bottle.
"...Thanks."
Ibuki unscrewed the cap and took a few small sips.
After going days without water, she understood firsthand why people called it the source of life.
"What about food? How many days can she last?" Shiraishi Makoto asked.
"About two," Ichinose replied. She had just checked Ibuki's backpack and seen that she still had some homemade Smoked Jerky.
Raw meat was cheap to buy from the school. Without refrigeration, though, ordinary raw meat was hard to keep until the next day. Even after Ibuki made it into Smoked Jerky, it would last only three to five days without salt or Preservative Spices.
For the same weight, raw meat cost roughly a third as much as canned food. For a group short on Shopping Points and supplies, it was certainly the