Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Splashing in the Valley
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We spent time strolling through the mountains and relaxing comfortably at the villa, and today we came to do something I'd never experienced before.
"Oh... The water in the valley is shallower than I thought?"
"Well, if it were too deep, accidents could happen."
"That's true. Our daughter is petite, after all. Deep water might be a problem for her."
"...It has nothing to do with my height..."
That something was the valley.
I hadn't planned to come out today originally, but everyone ended up liking the mountains more than expected.
Somehow, I even ended up leading the other maids here like this.
Of course, the maids weren't here to play like us—they were just following to lay out wide mats behind us and set up large parasols a bit further back.
Anyway, the point is, we'd arrived at the valley like this.
"Can I go in? It looks clean, so it should be fine to swim, right!?"
"Ella? Wait a moment."
"How can I wait! There's a valley right in front of us—how could I just stand still!?"
"No, it's not that... We need to change clothes first."
We couldn't just enter the valley in our everyday dresses.
They weren't cheap casual clothes, after all.
"Change? I prepared..."
"I took care of it. Lize?"
"Yes, Young Lady."
I hadn't planned to give Lize any work, but I needed her help with this.
I wasn't the type to know every woman's clothing sizes perfectly.
I usually decided on sizes based on Lize's advice or Rozalin's suggestions.
In the end, I had no choice but to rely on Lize's assistance.
"...What is it?"
"Swimsuits, right?"
They weren't super revealing bikinis.
Though they did have a strong bikini vibe overall, they were prepared as clothes suitable for entering the water and moving around.
They cost a bit more than regular outfits, but money wasn't an issue.
I'd prepared them in advance specifically for playing in the valley.
"I prepared them in advance, but you should check the sizes one by one. I didn't get just one perfect size for each—I just grabbed various sizes by design."
That was true.
I'm not some pervert who memorizes everyone's bust sizes or anything.
I had no choice but to prepare roughly by design and size.
Well, I also prepared shirts and other cover-ups.
They'd probably all be fine.
"Go ahead and check them out, everyone."
And so, we began trying on swimsuits one by one inside the tents.
Well... at least no one seemed to hate them, which was a relief.
Honestly, I still don't quite get the difference between swimsuits and underwear personally, but seeing everyone like them... it seemed okay.
There was Rozalin praising the designs, Ashley saying they looked comfortable...
"Yawn..."
Inside the tent, everyone was picking out their swimsuits one by one.
I was the only one sitting there, gazing toward the valley.
That's because mine was already prepared from the start—I just needed to put it on.
"...I don't want to wear it, though."
But it would be weird if I were the only one not changing.
Plus, playing in the valley without a swimsuit would feel off.
"Madam, once you've chosen, I'll guide you to a place to change."
"Thank you."
"Lady Niesista."
"I haven't picked yet, so wait a bit more!"
"Yes."
The maids I'd brought were handling things in my place, while I just relaxed.
...This feels nice.
Just giving directions vaguely and leaving the work to the other maids was definitely comfortable.
"Camellia?"
As I sat there alone waiting for the others,
Rozalin called out from behind.
"What's wrong, Mother? Is there a problem?"
I turned my head back as I spoke.
It's rude to talk without facing someone.
"How does it look?"
"......"
"I tried it on, but it's been so long since I wore something like this. Hmm..."
When I turned, I saw Rozalin in her swimsuit.
No shirt or outer layer on top—just a frilled bikini.
"...It suits you well."
"Really? For real?"
"...Yes."
I couldn't offer much more than that in response to Rozalin's question.
It was just too hard to speak at that moment.
But it really did look stunning and suited her perfectly.
"It suits me that well?"
"Yes, it suits you amazingly. You look... incredibly beautiful."
"Hehe... If you say so, Camellia, then it must be true."
"...Yes."
For a moment, I couldn't tear my eyes away.
The cleavage gathered by the bikini, the smooth waist and stomach visible above the bikini bottoms... they were just too...
"...Ha."
Why hasn't anything changed at all?
*
"Eek!?"
"Isn't that a bit over the top!?"
"B-but! Ella did it so suddenly...!"
"I did it right in front of you!"
"Still!"
While everyone enjoyed the valley more than expected, I sat alone on a chair, resting.
On a sunbed under the parasol, just sitting still.
The purpose was a getaway from the heat in the first place, and simply sitting by the valley like this was refreshing enough.
Plus, next to me...
"Hmm..."
"........"
Ashley was asleep too.
"Hehe."
Lize was soaking comfortably in the valley water, and Rozalin was laughing as she watched Ella and Karen noisily playing.
Everyone seemed to be relaxing nicely.
"........."
Except for me.
They were all getting by normally without a care, but I wasn't normal at all.
"Sigh..."
My eyes kept drifting to strange places.
Especially toward Rozalin.
"Lady Karen, Lady Ella. Don't go too far in."
"We know!"
"Y-yeah!"
...They weren't as enormous as Ashley or Karen's sizes.
But her breasts were definitely large.
Because of that, they were floating in the water.
"......."
I kept staring at Rozalin like that.
And I was hit with a wave of reality.
I'd prided myself on improving since before, but right now, that wasn't the case at all.
I tried to stop my eyes from going to Rozalin in her swimsuit, but it wasn't easy.
"Camellia! How long are you going to stay there!?"
"Huh?"
"Come over here quick!"
I'd been agonizing alone when Ella suddenly called me.
I'd planned to just sit and rest.
"........"
"Hurry!"
"...Okay."
But Ella kept calling,
so I reluctantly got up and headed toward Ella and Karen in the valley.
If I didn't go, she'd probably call until the end.
And... staying put like this was leading to weird thoughts anyway.
"The water's cool. And so clear."
"Totally. What were you doing sitting there alone? Were you sleeping like Teacher?"
"No, not that. Just... you know."
I couldn't answer honestly.
No one would say they were sitting still because they were staring at their stepmother's chest.
"I was giving instructions to the maids on the way here, so I got a bit tired."
"That makes sense..."
"I was just sitting to escape the heat for a bit."
"Hmm... It's cooler here—why didn't you come sooner?"
"Yeah, really."
It really was cool.
I'd arrived at the valley but hadn't actually enjoyed it, so I hadn't realized.
The water was incredibly clear—my body underwater was fully visible.
"...This is nice."
After having those weird thoughts earlier, being here like this...
It definitely helped.
"Camellia...?"
"Yes, Sister."
"You look tired...? Your expression seems weary..."
"It's just from the heat on the way up. I'm fine now."
"Oh, oh... I see..."
Karen asked something similar to Ella, but I brushed it off lightly.
Hiding my inner thoughts was
no big deal.
Anyway, we spent time together in the valley, all in our swimsuits.
Just chatting in the water and splashing around.
Nothing else... but it was better than before.
Compared to having weird thoughts about Rozalin and staring at her chest nonstop.
"Stop splashing meee!"
"Hehehe! We came to the valley to play—don't stay so quiet!"
"Eek!"
Watching Ella and Karen splash and play like that even helped erase my earlier bad thoughts.
Compared to sitting on the sunbed earlier, peeking at Rozalin's chest nonstop, this was way better.
"What are you up to, Lize?"
"Young Lady."
"You've been alone the whole time. Just curious."
After watching over Ella and Karen while they played, I moved toward Lize.
She'd been by herself since earlier.
"Is something wrong?"
"No. I was just..."
"Just?"
"In case you fell in the water or something happened, I was staying alert."
"........"
That was so typically Lize.
But it didn't suit the current Lize.
Because...
"Lize. You're on vacation right now?"
Lize was on vacation.
I'd personally told her to enjoy it.
Sure, I'd gotten a little help from her with the swimsuits.
"I told you not to keep working."
"........"
"Sigh... Lize, come over here."
"W-wait... Young Lady...!"
I grabbed Lize's hand and headed back toward Ella and Karen, who were still playing.
Because...
"Ella."
"What is it?! I'm in the middle of... tormenting—no, playing with Sister Karen!"
"So it is tormenting...!!"
"Anyway!"
"Nothing else—just do the same to Lize."
To make her play with the still-frolicking Lize?
"Young Lady? What is..."
"Splash!"
"!?"
I'd instructed Ella, but to keep Lize from noticing, I splashed her from behind right away.
Because... if I didn't start it like this, Lize would definitely just sit there bored the whole time.
"You too, Ella. Hurry."
"Hehehe..."
And so we all started playing together.
Just splashing water at each other.
"Not on meeee..."