Chapter 187
Chapter 187
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 187
Chapter Title: Roman Holiday (3)
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“L-Loose? What do you mean, loose…!”
Ha-eun’s glare, full of indignation, shifted towards Isabella’s chest.
Even in her baggy dress, one part of her was particularly prominent.
Indeed.
Her bust was destructive enough to warrant her comment about it being ‘loose.’
*Holy crap, is this some kind of physics engine bug? How can a chest like that be attached to a waist like that?*
Ha-eun had always been confident that she had a figure that wouldn't lose out to anyone, anywhere.
But Isabella boasted an out-of-spec figure that even she wouldn't dare challenge.
*So this is why guys are always going on and on about Western women.*
An ethnic issue that has remained unresolved for thousands, tens of thousands of years since the dawn of human civilization.
As she keenly realized why the eternal differences and discriminations arose, she felt a profound sense of defeat.
“Ah, they say they have the same design in a different size.”
Isabella, who had been on the phone with someone, spoke with a smile of relief.
On the surface, she looked like a considerate and kind young lady.
“Thankfully, we were able to find a ‘small’ size. I’m so glad, Ha-eun.”
As Isabella emphasized the word ‘small’ with a beaming smile, a thick vein bulged on Ha-eun’s forehead again.
*That bitch… she’s messing with me, right?*
But what could she do about it?
This was the Colagrande family mansion.
In cruder terms, it was Isabella’s turf.
*Ugh, if it weren’t for Oh-jin’s treatment, I’d just…*
Ha-eun shot daggers at Isabella.
With the issue of Oh-jin’s internal injury treatment on the line, she couldn't just let her emotions take over and cause a scene.
“If you don’t like it, shall I get you a different swimsuit?”
“…It’s fine.”
Smack! As Isabella watched Ha-eun roughly snatch the swimsuit, the smile on her lips deepened.
“Have you picked a swimsuit, Oh-jin?”
“Yeah, I just grabbed one.”
The one Oh-jin chose was a standard pair of swim trunks.
Men’s swimwear was all more or less the same, so there was no issue.
*The problem is…*
Oh-jin’s gaze turned to Vega and Ly-ark.
Ly-ark didn't need a swimsuit, but Vega…
*She can’t return to her original form in front of Isabella.*
He had told Isabella that Vega was a guardian spirit, so she couldn't reveal her true form.
As he was pondering what to do…
[There is no need to worry about my attire.]
Vega raised one hand and spun around in the air.
*Crackle!*
Blue lightning wrapped around her body, and the silver dress she was wearing began to shine brilliantly.
As she twirled like a dancer, the light-enveloped dress unfurled like a ribbon and transformed into a swimsuit.
[Transformation complete!]
Now in a one-piece swimsuit, Vega placed a hand on her hip and shrugged.
*What is she, a magical girl?*
Oh-jin let out a hollow laugh as he looked at Vega.
Having changed into her swimsuit, Vega flew over and settled on top of Oh-jin’s head.
“Hmm. Oh-jin’s guardian spirit… you said?”
Isabella’s eyes sparkled as she looked at Vega, who was perched on Oh-jin’s head.
[That is correct.]
“I’ve seen a few spirits before… but I’ve never seen one with such a distinct ego as yours, Oh-jin.”
[I am a special spirit.]
“Fufu. I can tell that much without you saying so. Do you happen to have a name? With such a strong sense of self, I’d imagine you have one.”
[That is…]
Vega looked back at Oh-jin with a flustered expression.
Her eyes seemed to ask if she should reveal her name, ‘Vega,’ here.
Oh-jin stepped forward and answered for her.
“I named her Vega.”
“Vega? As in…?”
“That’s right. She’s a guardian spirit gifted to me by my Constellation, so I named her after the Constellation.”
“Ah. I thought she was quite different from ordinary guardian spirits. So it’s because she was summoned directly by the Constellation of Lyra.”
Isabella let out a short exclamation and nodded.
Thankfully, she didn't seem to suspect that Vega was the Constellation herself and not a guardian spirit.
*I mean, who would think a Constellation would shrink down to the size of a palm-sized doll and follow their Apostle around?*
In the first place, unless a Constellation was of a high rank like Vega, manifesting even in such a limited form was impossible.
“Well then, I’ll go get changed too. Oh-jin, please wait for me outside.”
Isabella gave a playful wink and entered the changing room with Ha-eun.
About ten minutes later…
Ha-eun and Isabella, now in their swimwear, walked out.
“……”
It felt as though his breath had been stolen.
When Isabella and Ha-eun emerged from the changing room in their swimsuits, the surrounding scenery seemed to slow down, as if he had used the Stigma of Horologium.
“You’re gonna burn a hole through me, you punk.”
Ha-eun, wearing a black bikini with a red rose pattern, smirked and poked Oh-jin in the side as he stood there, frozen.
“Fufu. I’m glad you seem to like it. I was worried it might look unsightly since I’ve gained some weight recently.”
Isabella, wearing a pure white bikini that contrasted with Ha-eun’s, gently tugged at her shoulder strap and looked down at her own chest with a worried expression.
With that insufferably alluring gesture, her devastatingly powerful bust made its presence known.
*Damn it.*
Oh-jin swallowed hard, his throat feeling parched.
Ha-eun in a swimsuit was powerful enough, but Isabella’s was on another level entirely.
“Now that we’re all in our swimsuits, shall we get going?”
Sensing Oh-jin’s piercing gaze on her, Isabella smiled brightly and pulled him by the arm.
“…That damn fox.”
Ha-eun bit her lip, glaring at Isabella as she led Oh-jin away.
If she could, she would have screamed at her, asking where she got off hitting on her boyfriend.
But she remembered Oh-jin telling her to hide the fact that they were a couple in front of Isabella and Vega, so she couldn't do anything.
“Haaah.”
All she could do was let out a deep sigh and follow behind them.
After boarding a large van with Isabella, Oh-jin’s group headed for the beach.
After a ten-minute drive down a cliffside road, they arrived.
The beach was filled with tourists who, like them, had come for a vacation, enjoying the sun under parasols.
The moment Oh-jin’s group arrived on the beach, the tourists’ gazes instantly focused on them.
“Isn’t that Lady Isabella?”
“R-Really? The Saint of Rome is here?”
“Wow, holy crap! I can’t believe the day I’d see Lady Isabella in person has finally come!”
“Who’s the woman next to her? She’s gorgeous…”
The person who drew the most attention was Isabella.
While Ha-eun also received some glances, it couldn't compare to the attention drawn by Isabella, who was known worldwide as the ‘Saint of Rome’ and had the incredible backing of the Colagrande family.
Especially since most of the people gathered at this resort were high-ranking individuals with both wealth and power.
It was only natural that all eyes would be on Isabella, who was at the pinnacle not only in terms of physical beauty but also in wealth and power.
“L-Lady Isabella! If you have a moment, perhaps you’d like to have a meal with me…!”
“No, with me!”
A few brave men even approached Isabella to ask her out on a date.
“I’m sorry. I just had a meal.”
Isabella skillfully turned down the men approaching her and strolled along the beach with a relaxed gait.
“…You’re quite the popular one, aren’t you?”
“Oh my, am I?”
Ha-eun frowned, watching the men swarm around Isabella.
Even if she were offered a truckload of losers like them, she wouldn't be as interested as she was in the dirt under Oh-jin’s fingernails.
*What the hell is this.*
She felt an inexplicable sense of humiliation and defeat.
“It’s probably just because they aren’t used to seeing an Asian person.”
Isabella smiled brightly and patted Ha-eun’s shoulder comfortingly.
“Used to it or not, I have zero interest in guys like them.”
Ha-eun scoffed, grabbed Oh-jin’s arm, and quickly crossed the beach.
They crossed the sand and approached the emerald water, so clear you could see the bottom.
“…This is the ocean, right?”
Oh-jin squinted, feeling a blast of heat similar to opening a car door that had been parked outside in the middle of summer.
It felt less like the ocean and more like a hot spring.
*Splash.*
When he dipped his foot into the gently lapping waves, the seawater was as warm as a hot spring.
“The influence of mana has warmed up all the seawater in this area.”
“This isn’t just warmed up; this is practically boiling.”
He couldn't even begin to imagine how much mana it would take to change the mid-winter weather to summer and turn the entire sea in this area into a hot spring.
“Let’s see, let’s see. How hot is it?”
Ha-eun followed Oh-jin and dipped her pale toes into the water.
“Holy crap. The seawater is like a lukewarm hot spring.”
“Right?”
“This is awesome.”
Ha-eun, looking fascinated, splashed around and waded into the water.
“Hehe, Oh-jin, you get in here too!”
“Alright.”
[Hmph! I shall enter as well!]
Vega, wearing a donut-sized floatie she had procured from somewhere, beamed.
Having spent all her time in that desolate temple, she seemed quite excited to be at the beach.
*Times like these, I really can’t tell if she’s a Constellation.*
Well.
Still, every time he saw this side of Vega, it felt like he was getting a glimpse of her true self, hidden beneath the thick mask of the ‘Constellation of the North Star,’ and it wasn't a bad feeling.
*Since I’m here, I might as well have some fun.*
Oh-jin stretched lightly and grinned.
It was his first time ever visiting the ocean like this, so he too found it hard to contain his excitement.
“Hey! You mutt! Stop dawdling and get in here!”
“Silence, lizard woman! I am not accustomed to water!”
Ly-ark, who had been standing hesitantly at the water's edge, flinching, shouted back.
“Oh-ho. Is that so~?”
Ha-eun’s eyes sparkled as she twisted her lips into a smirk.
“Oh-jin! Grab him!”
“Heave-ho!!”
“Kuh! W-What is this, brat!”
Ha-eun and Oh-jin grabbed the hesitating Ly-ark by his legs and flung him into the sea.
*Splash!*
Ly-ark, who plunged headfirst into the water, let out a scream and thrashed about.
“Th-The water is salty!”
“It’s the ocean, of course it’s salty.”
“Grr! I am leaving! Water does not suit a warrior!”
[Ahem. Where do you think you’re running off to?]
“L-Lady Vega?”
Vega, who was floating around on her tube, also found Ly-ark’s reaction amusing and paddled over to pull at his fur.
As they were laughing and playing like a scene from a teen drama…
“Isabella, you should get in too… hmm?”
Isabella was standing motionlessly, not entering the water.
*What’s wrong?*
He saw her expression momentarily contort.
It wasn't a look of hatred, jealousy, or anger.
Clutching her chest and panting heavily, she looked as if…
*Is she sick or something?*
Yes.
She looked as though she was suppressing pain.
“Isabella?”
As Oh-jin stepped out of the water and approached her…
“Ah, I’m sorry. I just felt a bit anemic.”
Isabella approached Oh-jin with a bright smile, as if her expression had never changed.
“Are you okay?”
“Hmm. I don’t think I’ll be able to go in the water and play.”
She pointed a finger at a long sunbed under a parasol stuck in the sand.
“I’ll just rest over there for a bit.”
“Alright.”
“There’s something I’d like to ask you, Oh-jin… would you do it for me?”
“Something you want to ask?”
Isabella gently pulled Oh-jin by the arm toward the parasol.
Lying face down on the long sunbed, she held out a bottle of oil to him.
“Would you mind putting it on for me, Oh-jin?”
*Swoosh.*
She untied the back strap of her bikini and smiled alluringly.